Chapter 208 The Goddess Aria
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”How can you say such a thing! The only proper way for a true apostle of the gods to live a prosperous life is—there is only one! To labor tirelessly, sweating from every pore, dedicating oneself utterly to hard work!!”
”That’s not true! Studying theology, cultivating virtue, and receiving donations from the faithful is also a noble path for an apostle! Your words—almost make it sound like donations themselves are a sin!”
While engaging in fierce debates with other clergy about the teachings of Goddess Aria, Ayumu continued his relentless search for a way to return to his original world. In the end—he gleaned almost nothing of importance from books alone.
Yet, in this short span, one thing became clear: the only person who might know the way home was—Goddess Aria herself. To meet her, Ayumu first had to gain an audience with the Pope of Lukurusa. Pursuing theological studies as a pretext to meet her was, in truth, utterly backwards.
”Heh heh… might you be able to lend me your assistance, Your Holiness?”
After making a substantial donation to a high-ranking archbishop, Ayumu successfully secured a meeting with the Pope of Lukurusa. Behold! This is my power! Money, truly, is magnificent!
(For safety, I had memorized enough of the doctrines in case the donation failed—though much of that knowledge now risked going to waste.)
Using financial leverage, he also managed to meet the Pope’s kin—Aegis, commander of the Holy Knight Order. In Lukurusa, unlike male-dominated societies, women of exceptional beauty were considered closer to spirits and the divine, and thus held high positions. Fortunately, even the elves enjoyed the Blend Tea manufactured in Keldan, which the Pope himself favored, earning Ayumu a good impression.
Thanks to Emperor Rai’s credentials and a recommendation to the seminary, Ayumu gained entry into Lukurusa. When he requested an audience with Goddess Aria, she surprisingly allowed it immediately—leaving him utterly unprepared.
Upon entering her sanctuary, a verdant space brimming with plants and vines, a voice greeted him: “Welcome… Hero who almost became Goddess Viness’ champion.” From the central spiral staircase descended a short-cut, shoulder-length red-haired beauty.
The elves weren’t shirking their duties—whenever she walked, the plants and vines seemed to grow from the floor at her presence. Yet Ayumu’s attention wavered elsewhere.
(…Wow, she’s huge!)
Trying to avert his gaze from the voluptuous Aegis, clad in fig-leaf inspired attire, Ayumu also struggled not to stare at the revealing red dress of Goddess Aria herself, the cleavage dangerously exposed.
A goddess of fertility, indeed. Her chest seemed easily an N-cup, nearly spilling from the garment!
Wait—this isn’t why I came here!
Fortunately, Aria did not seem upset—Ayumu refocused on the matter at hand.
”Lord—if you know, then you must also know why I am here. I am seeking a simple way to return to my world.”
Regrettably, even Goddess Aria did not know an easy path back.
”I wish I could help… but even I, a goddess, do not know any miracle that allows effortless travel between worlds,” she said, hands to her cheeks, her disappointment palpable.
Though shocked, Ayumu had never expected things to proceed so conveniently—this was within the bounds of anticipation, for better or worse.
For caution, he decided to ask about the information from that scrawny old man in a Union Kingdom fortress—the dark curse said to annihilate the demon king upon death, and whether the energy could be sealed in a [holy engraved pendant], or if the [Tome of Return to the Otherworld] existed.
According to Aria, the latter might manifest in the demon king’s stronghold; the former, however, was unknown even to her. The [holy engraved pendant] was intended to contain saintly souls—she had never heard of it storing ‘the energy of a dark curse.’
Furthermore, Aria found it unnatural that a younger goddess, Viness, would know such things.
”Of course, it’s possible I just don’t know—perhaps the oldest goddess currently in Lusrith Beastfolk Kingdom, the Moon Goddess Nocturnal, might know…”
Considering the inconsistencies in the information about returning, Ayumu wondered if that frail old man had actually spoken the truth. The situation was becoming increasingly uncertain.
Mulling over the information he had just received from Goddess Aria, Ayumu left the Lukurusa Theocracy, his mind buzzing with possibilities and unanswered questions. Every step through the verdant streets felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the gravity of what he now knew—and what he still didn’t. The path home remained shrouded in mystery, and the realization that even a goddess might not hold all the answers pressed on him.
Yet, despite the uncertainty, a flicker of determination sparked within him. The world outside Lukurusa’s sanctified walls stretched vast and unpredictable, but Ayumu knew he couldn’t linger on doubts. Every encounter, every fragment of knowledge, might be the key to finding a way back.
As the city’s intricate spires and sprawling gardens receded behind him, he resolved to chase every lead, no matter how improbable. Even if the route home was hidden in plain sight or veiled by magic, he would not rest until he had uncovered it.
The journey ahead promised more questions than answers, but Ayumu felt a quiet thrill at the challenge. For now, he carried with him the weight of a goddess’s words—and the unwavering resolve that no obstacle, mortal or divine, would deter him from seeking the truth.
Notes:
• Viness – Goddess in the Holy Kingdom of Alyurein.
• Union Kingdom – The neighboring kingdom to Alyurein.
• Lusrith Beastfolk Kingdom – A kingdom that encompasses the Danucool Autonomous Region of Kettsie.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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