Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: God's Touch
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* * *
"Earth…… earthquake?"
"It's been ages since we had one this strong."
"I-I was really startled……."
"Is everyone alright? No injuries, I hope?"
The priests of the village and the elderly elves with mobility issues were, naturally, being soothed by the Holy Knights Ophelia and Luca after the sudden earthquake.
They themselves had been just as startled by it—
Even so, they knew someone had to take charge of the situation.
And knowing that was precisely what it meant to live as a Holy Knight.
"We're fine."
"This old elf isn't badly hurt…… but rather, we're worried about you Holy Knights. Are you alright?"
"Don't worry about us. In any case, it's a relief that there are no injuries."
"This must all be Lord Igugwoden's grace……."
As the elves offered their prayers with those words, Ophelia cautiously looked up at the sky.
Despite the considerable rumbling of the earth, the fact that no one was injured was also Lord Igugwoden's grace—
'Thank you, Lord Igugwoden.'
On top of that, perhaps it was thanks to the demons who had built everything with such care.
Just as she was thinking how fortunate it was that not a single building had collapsed,
"Um…… Dish of Holy Knights."
"Saintess!"
Ophelia and Luca hurried over to Saintess Erin, who was approaching carefully, and knelt before her.
"Are you alright, Saintess? There was just an earthquake……."
"I'm fine."
Fortunately, Erin had weathered the earthquake unharmed as well.
Once she was face-to-face with her, another thought arose—
"What about Her Majesty?"
"I heard she went to pray in the newly built cathedral."
Given her position, she would have noticed if the cathedral had collapsed, so she was surely fine.
Even so, someone had to go check on Eirene—
"I'll go, Lady Ophelia."
"Very well. Leave it to Miss Luca. Don't worry about things here and go."
"Yes!"
After Luca headed off toward the cathedral,
"Um, Lady Ophelia. I have something to say."
"To me?"
"Just now, God's word……."
"From God?"
Erin cautiously stroked her lower abdomen.
The earthquake just now—wasn't just an earthquake.
Something had definitely happened. Something that felt like God's hand, like God had touched this world.
"Lord Igugwoden…… reached out His hand to our world."
"Pardon……? His hand?"
"Yes. Something…… definitely happened……!"
It was hard to understand, but considering she was the Saintess, she wouldn't spout nonsense, so it must have been literal.
Moreover, wasn't Ophelia the most devoutly religious among the three Holy Knights, a fanatic believer?
"I see. To carry out God's will, what must I do?"
"So…… Sister Karen or the Rabbit Lord, God's Messenger, might know something."
"Then I'll go to the Rabbit Lord. Saintess, you go to Miss Karen."
"Got it……! Thank you, Lady Ophelia!"
"You can save the thanks for later, Saintess. I'm just doing what I must. Excuse me."
Ophelia parted ways with Erin right away and headed toward the meadow where the Rabbit Lord had gone.
* * *
It was strange.
"Rabbit Lord! Where on earth are you! Answer me!"
No matter how much she searched the hill that the Rabbit Lord liked for its sunny spots and colorful flowers scattered about—
The Rabbit Lord was nowhere to be seen.
'What? He should definitely be here…….'
Even after wandering around for a while and looking everywhere, oddly, there was just a large flower upside down covering something, with no other differences……
'……Wait a minute.'
Only then did Ophelia realize something and cautiously lifted the pink petals that were flipped over.
Sure enough.
"Igo niodon……."
The Rabbit Lord had somehow gotten a massive petal and was using it as a curtain, lying down to rest.
"……Rabbit Lord, what are you doing here?"
"Igo gogon."
"You must have heard me calling. Were you ignoring me?"
"Sleepy-don."
"Even if you're tired, come on! Weren't you worried! I thought something happened to you……!"
"Igo gogon."
"No, not that I'm looking down on you, Rabbit Lord……."
In truth, worrying about him might feel like the height of arrogance from the Rabbit Lord's perspective.
Who was a mere human to worry about God's Messenger?
Even so, the Rabbit Lord knew that Ophelia's concern wasn't an insult—
"Igo gogon."
"You're just letting it slide?……Thank you."
It was magnanimously forgiving Ophelia's rudeness.
"……No, wait. That's not it—Rabbit Lord. Do you know something? The Saintess said God's hand touched this world."
"Igo gogon."
"What……? A new world has opened? What does that mean?"
"Igo gogon."
"Are you tired from lending strength to God's will…… Well, don't be so annoyed. Here, take this."
Ophelia carefully took from her pocket the Epsilon fruit she had received as thanks from an elderly elf.
"Here. Take this, and tell me everything."
"Igo gogon."
"Tired? Well, after eating that much at once, I suppose. Instead, do you want chocolate? It's not hard to get, but I'm not sure if any's left……."
"Igo gogon."
"……Rabbit Lord. This isn't the time for jokes!"
The Rabbit Lord rubbed its eyes a few times, flipped its body over, and placed the large flower it had on its face now on top of its head with its front paws.
Ophelia let out a genuine exclamation at the helmet-like appearance.
"Ooh…… So that petal was a helmet. From this angle, the Rabbit Lord looks every bit the knight."
Instead of replying, the Rabbit Lord snatched the Epsilon fruit from Ophelia's hand, skillfully settled on top of her head, and began munching away.
Its pink lips started turning blue again.
"Pya! Igo gogon!"
Lick, lick.
"You're saying to gather everyone right now? Understood."
Without a shred of doubt, Ophelia headed back to where everyone was, with the Rabbit Lord on her head.
* * *
"This place……."
After confirming that Luca, who had briefly parted ways, had brought the Empress, Sister Karen, and even Ares, who was always by Karen's side—everyone gathered—Ophelia led them to where the Rabbit Lord pointed.
"Ah……!"
"Do you know this place, Lady Pibiola?"
"This is…… where it is."
Pibiola grimaced for a moment, as if recalling an unpleasant memory—
But she was no longer so fragile that old memories could shake her mentally.
With the true Sole God Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact by her side, what did she have to fear?
"So, back when my grandfather was still alive, he once asked God—well, the evil god who deceived us—to remove some rocks."
"Rocks?"
"Yes. There was a rock blocking this path even before I was born. This is the trail that opened up after it was removed."
"What lies beyond here?"
Ophelia's natural follow-up question.
Pibiola hesitated a moment before answering cautiously—
"That's…… sorry, I don't really know either."
"You don't know……?"
"The path did open, but Grandfather warned, 'The spirits haven't permitted it yet, so it's not time to go beyond.' And understandably so, because any of us elves who approached would be crushed by a chilling, dreadful sensation……."
"So you still feel that now?"
"No."
Pibiola answered firmly to Eirene's voice from the side.
"I don't sense any of that eerie energy now. Whether the spirits have permitted it or Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact is with me—I'm not sure why, but……."
"In any case…… according to the Rabbit Lord, advancing beyond this path is God's will."
Erin cautiously gazed at the dark forest trail.
Honestly, it looked so dark and potentially dangerous that maybe they should prepare properly first.
If it were just her, fine—but Her Majesty the Empress was with them now.
Protecting Eirene, whom Lord Igugwoden especially cherished, was one of the Saintess's important duties.
"Hmm…… What should we do, Miss Luca?"
"Heh……."
"……Miss Luca?"
"Eek?! Ah, s-s-s-sorry……!!"
As soon as Erin leaned in close, Luca snapped out of staring fixedly at one spot.
"Are you alright, Miss Luca?"
"Huh? Ah, y-yes, I'm fine……! I was just looking at the Rabbit Lord."
"The Rabbit Lord?"
"Yes. The way it's wearing that flower like a hat…… it's so cute……!!!"
Luca started spacing out again, entranced by the Rabbit Lord.
"Look at that, Saintess. The Rabbit Lord has a pink hat on. With its ears flopped back, isn't it just too adorable?"
Come to think of it, Luca did have a particular weakness for the Rabbit Lord.
No matter how cute it looked, fawning over God's Messenger too much might be an issue—but if Ophelia, the Rabbit Lord's chosen attendant, was fine with it, Erin chiming in would be ridiculous.
"So, you're asking if we should go in? I think…… it'll be fine. Even if there's danger, if we see it as a trial from Lord Igugwoden to help us grow, overcoming it is the proper path for the faithful, don't you think?"
"Trial……."
Only then did Erin realize she had been overthinking it.
As Luca said, Lord Igugwoden wouldn't put them in real danger.
And even if there was danger, it wouldn't be meaningless!
Right.
No matter where it led, if God's will was there—
They just had to advance.
"Everyone. We'll head beyond this forest path right now. I think it'll be fine, but in case something dangerous happens, stay close and don't stray."
"Understood, Saintess. I'll take the lead."
Erin looked up at the sky and offered a prayer.
Doing this…… made her feel Lord Igugwoden's presence more than anything.
This warm gaze filled with His Plain Fact was Erin's light—and the reason she lived.
'Lord Igugwoden. Please watch over us. With Your vast mercy, light our path ahead.'
And so, with Ophelia and the Rabbit Lord at the forefront—
Erin's group, like when they had sailed to the New Continent—once more set foot into an unknown world unknown to humans.
* * *
—Plop plop plop plop plop plop
'Whoa! They're entering the forest!'
Erin, Eirene, and their friends had a short meeting in the village before cautiously heading into the newly opened forest.
Just moments ago.
From Ophelia searching for the Rabbit Lord to the group meeting and moving here—
'I…… this is so wholesome and fun……!!'
—I had watched it all with my own eyes.