Satou"s here. I can never get used to interviews even though I went through them many times during high school, college and job-hunting. Can"t help but feeling nervous in front of big shots.

“Earl-sama, please change into this ceremonial clothing.”

“Yeah, I got it.”

I change into the ceremonial white robe.

It"s very thin and they provide no underwear.

Initially, I"m doing the ceremony in a different room from Sera and then I get to put a crown-like metalwork on in the end.

Maybe it was due to the almost see-through garment I wore, during the ceremony, the female priestesses" eyes were staring really hard at me, it was a bit embarra.s.sing.

“King, please come over here–”

The present head miko called me.

Apparently, I"m getting called [Ancient King] during this ceremony.

>t.i.tle [Ancient King] Acquired

Miko apprentice Lily is standing next to the present head miko.

With the present head miko"s and miko apprentice Lily"s holy magic, the crest inscribed on the holy robe got transcribed onto my body.

Next, it"s the ceremony to communicate with G.o.d Tenion.

“King"s entrance–”

I stepped my foot into the holy rite room with an attire that resembled the ancient king.

Many miko who have undergone the purification rite are standing in lines inside the room.

Looks like the present head miko is leading the ceremony.

“O king, stand before miko.”

Sera was waiting for me in mystical looking miko clothes at the center of the sanctuary.

I smiled at her when our eyes met since she seemed tense.

I feel that she"s loosened herself a little.

When I"ve come before Sera, several miko get to our sides.

“O king, discard your worldly garment.”

–Eh?

I didn"t hear anything about this you know?

Two of the miko take off my clothes.

Sera and the surrounding miko blushed when they saw my naked body.

I"m not an exhibitionist so I get embarra.s.sed at this.

> t.i.tle [New Fetish Awakening] Acquired.

–No no, nothing is awakening okay.

The ceremony progressed while I complained to the t.i.tle system in my mind.

“O miko of guidance, discard your worldly garment.”

Two miko take off Sera"s clothes.

She only had one piece on her just like me so it was over in an instant.

–Oooh.

She"s grown quite nicely compared to the last time I saw her during the Golden Wild Boar King incident nearly two years ago.

It"s quite a sight, but this is bad.

I put my spirit into concentrating the Poker Face skill and managed to prevent myself from breaking out a grin.

Of course, one part of my body is getting lively.

> [Body Control] Skill Acquired.

> t.i.tle [Unscrupulous] Acquired

> t.i.tle [Gentlemen of Steel] Acquired

I"d like to know the reason for this timing, but for now I generously allocated the excess skill points I had on the [Body Control] skill I just got.

–Yup, quite a convenient skill.

Now I can continue the ceremony in relaxed state.

“O miko of guidance, show the king the way.”

With the present head miko"s signal, Sera open both her arms wide and hugged me.

This "fuyoyon" sensation is quite wonderful.

–Oops, this was a holy rite wasn"t it.

I put my everything to ward off my worldly desires and focus on the ceremony.

> t.i.tle [Unavaricious One] Acquired

> t.i.tle [Enlightened] Acquired

> [l.u.s.t Control] Skill Acquired

Convenient, I also activated the l.u.s.t Control skill.

> t.i.tle [Hermit] Acquired.

I have no interest in becoming a hermit so I probably should turn off l.u.s.t Control skill once this ceremony is over.

『–O G.o.d.』

Suddenly, I could hear Sera"s words.

Not voice.

Her thought seemingly got transmitted to me through our touching skins.

> t.i.tle [Telepath] Acquired.

> t.i.tle [One who Communicates through Mind] Acquired.

> [Telepathy] Skill Acquired.

I have used Telepathy myself when Arisa became my familiar, or is that a different thing.

Oops, the ceremony might fail if I have unnecessary thoughts.

I turned off all the [AR] readings on my Menu to focus on the ceremony.

Lady Ringrande is in the Duchy Capital, while Hikaru and Liza are in the Royal Capital, they should be able to do something even in an emergency.

Besides, Arisa is with them too, familiar communication should be possible no matter what the situation is.

Sera looks up to the sky in my arms.

『O Great G.o.d who watches over us.』

A serene light falls down from the sky as if answering Sera"s call.

It seems to contain some kind of power, it feels tingly when it touches my body.

Sera who looked like she was in ecstasy turns expressionless.

She"s probably entered trance state.

Enumeration of words and images flowed through Sera to me.

It feels the same like when I heard oracle that fell from the sky back then.

I thought I had gotten Oracle skill but unfortunately the log didn"t show it.

Similar sounding phrases flowed again.

Is it okay to interpret this as “state your wish”?

Before that, I should greet her at least–.

『Nice to meet you, Tenion-sama. I"m Satou Pendragon.』

This ceremony is carried out with me as an [Ancient King], so I didn"t use "earl" and "Marquis Muno"s retainer" like I usually do.

Waves that somehow felt gleeful came over.

Still, deciphering code while having a conversation is unexpectedly tiring.

–Come to think of it.

I recalled that there was [Decipher] skill in my skill list so I tried activating it.

It doesn"t really change .

The only difference is that I could somehow understand the meaning.

『My wish is to have a conversation with G.o.ds.』

I guess she"s laughing since we"re already having a conversation?

The impression I got felt somewhat different than how they were during the divine punishment.

It seems G.o.d Tenion is a more affable G.o.d than I thought.

『I"d like to ask the reason why G.o.ds prohibited science and technology and the extent of it.』

It seems that either it couldn"t get conveyed well, or that it was hard to understand what was conveyed, I think?

Indeed, it must be hard when even holding a conversation is this difficult.

Sera and other miko who have to decipher what they heard in the oracle and convey it to the statesmen sure have it hard.

–Wait a minute.

Sera and the others never mentioned that to me.

They told me about their experiences with oracles several times before, and they seemed like the were having a normal conversation.

I use mind magic and directly access Sera"s mind.

If I did it normally, Sera"s mind would break and she"d get crippled, but instead of invading her, I"m establis.h.i.+ng a two-way mental bridge to try to make her Oracle skill into a sort of filter.

My view is dyed white the moment I"m connected with Sera.

I"m floating in a white s.p.a.ce br.i.m.m.i.n.g with light.

It"s probably an image of mental world.

There"s a lump of white light with a green outline s.h.i.+ning brightly in front of me.

『If possible, I would love, to invite you, to the G.o.d"s Realm….』

I could hear a voice coming from the light.

Apparently that white light with a green outline is G.o.d Tenion.

Intermittent, hard to hear radio-like voice continued on, but it"s easier to understand compared to torrent-like images I got when there was no Oracle filter,.

I"ll revise and correct it a bit in my brain.

『If that is possible, I would love to visit there myself.』

『My? I can understand your words all of a sudden.』

An image of lady laughing pleasantly was transmitted from the light.

Do I still need to go to the G.o.d"s Realm if we can communicate this well?

『Would you mind if we get back on topic?』

『No, I don"t mind. But let"s make it brief. Before my dear miko"s soul breaks.』

I"ve only noticed after G.o.d Tenion pointed it out, true, the burden must be high on Sera.

Let"s get to the point as quickly as possible.

『I"d like to know the reason and the extent of science and technology prohibition by G.o.ds.』

『That"s a cla.s.sified information.』

Her line sounded like a certain time traveler from the future but there is no way that G.o.d Tenion knows about light novels. It must be a coincidence.

『I cannot tell it to people who are bound by limited lifespan.』

『No matter what?』

『That"s right. If you really have to know no matter what, please come to the Garden of G.o.ds in the G.o.d"s Realm. And ask the G.o.ds there.』

So it all depends on me whether I can get an answer or not huh?

『I understand. I will be excusing myself into the Garden of G.o.ds then.』

I know the rough coordinates of the G.o.d"s Realm from the marker I put on G.o.d Zaikuon.

Unit Arrangement can"t do it, but but I think it"s possible with World Teleportation using the enormous amount of mana obtained by the Void Sky Ether Furnace.

『Then I will a.s.sign a trial to Satou Pendragon. Obtain G.o.ds Marks from the temples in this world.』

–I got an errand Quest after coming all the way here?

G.o.d Tenion giggles from the white light.

『This is the first time someone is that calm in front of a G.o.d.』

Come to think of it, since I"m mentally connected to Sera, my thought is grandly leaking out too huh.

『It"s just as one would expect from someone acknowledged by that person.』

『That person?』

I asked what she meant by that but G.o.d Tenion only replied with an image of giggles.

I"d like to press her further, but I"m worried about Sera"s body and soul.

She"s probably talking about that mysterious [Little Girl in Painting] anyway, I should stop asking more about it.

『How would I obtain the marks?』

『Go towards each Central Temples.』

Central Temples huh.

I can ask head miko and the others about it.

『What should I do at the temples?』

『You will be a.s.signed a trial by the G.o.d enshrined at each temple.』

In other words, I just need to clear each of their trials huh.

『What kind of trials are they?』

『That depends on the G.o.ds who give them.』

Too bad, looks like I can"t get any hint.

『However, it will likely be something to do with gathering piety.』

『Piety is it?』

I heard it as [Piety] through Sera"s filter, but the image was like abstract noise with [Prayer] included within.

It feels like it includes prayers from people that aren"t religious too.

『Yes, that"s correct. We don"t have enough divinity to protect the world because of the recent Divine Punishment. Piety from people that reach G.o.ds turn into divinity that will become the sh.e.l.l that protects the world.』

『Sh.e.l.l is it?』

I wonder if it"s a role of G.o.ds that didn"t get handed down amongst people?

I"ll ask more about this when I visit the G.o.d"s Realm.

『Please be mindful about order in your pilgrimage, some G.o.ds are particular about ranks.』

–Guess that could put them in bad mood?

G.o.d Tenion gave an affirmation to the question I had in mind before I could said it.

『Could you tell me the ranks?』

Then, images of G.o.ds got through me in turns.

Heraruon, Garleon, Urion, Zaikuon, Karion, Parion, that"s the turn it seems.

『Karion and Urion aren"t particular about ranks, but Urion will probably sulk if he"s put after Zaikuon. And Karion might not like it if he"s the last.』

『How about Tenion-sama?』

『I will give my mark to you here.』

A small light split from G.o.d Tenion"s light and got sucked into my palm.

There"s no image of body here though, so it just somehow felt like I got it around mt palm.

>t.i.tle [Mark of Tenion] Acquired

>t.i.tle [One Acknowledged by Tenion] Acquired

>t.i.tle [Tenion"s Saint] Acquired

『Do your best on the errand…』

G.o.d Tenion"s white light goes away while giggling.

“You took a fancy to that phrase huh….”

That muttering came out of my own mouth.

Looks like my chance meeting with G.o.d Tenion is over.

The limp Sera is unconscious in my arms.

I fill the exhausted Sera with mana and stamina.

I check to see if there"s anything wrong with Sera"s soul using Soul Sight, Spirit Sight, and Miasma Sight.

It"s in exhaustion but there"s no obvious cracks or fissures.

She should get back to health if she takes it easy and recuperates.

“…Satou-san.”

“I can"t thank you enough. I was able to talk with G.o.d Tenion thanks to Sersan.”

“I"m so glad….”

I leave Sera who fell unconscious again in the other miko"s care.

After entrusting the rest to the present head miko, I head to the head miko private room in the sanctuary along with miko apprentice Lily.

It seems like Lily is still using the room even now.

Even though there"s probably no one who would eavesdrop us, I"ll use s.p.a.ce magic-made isolation barrier for counterintelligence here.

It may not be as strong as Goblin Princess Yuika"s Unique Skill, but this barrier is strong enough that we wouldn"t notice even if a nuclear bomb were to explode nearby.

“Were you able to speak with G.o.d Tenion?”

“Yes, I received a revelation to go on a pilgrimage to Central Temples that enshrine the G.o.ds.”

I talk about the Trials of G.o.ds stuff to Lily.

“It"s like the ancient hero king that appears in the myth isn"t it.”

That reminds me, there"s a story about a hero that challenged the trial to become a familiar G.o.d of G.o.d Parion.

The talk wandered a bit, and then Lily told me about the countries where the Central Temples are located.

“All of them are in the western part of the continent huh.”

“Yes, it is said that they evacuated to the west for their safety when Furu Empire was collapsing.”

I see, there were Central Temples in Furu Empire, the largest country in the world at that time.

After getting the information I needed, I had a pleasant chat with Lily about the impression I got from my conversation with G.o.d Tenion as the topic.

“–Ara? It"s this time already. Regretfully enough, senpai miko Hina would get mad at me if I don"t get back soon.”

As an apprentice miko, Lily said the name of a miko instructor and jokingly said, “She"s really strict you know?”

I undo the s.p.a.ce magic-made isolation barrier.

Then I heard quake-like vibrations and roaring sounds that sounded like collapsing buildings.

It appears that the Duchy Capital was under attack by someone with a really good timing.

I put the [Menu] skill"s display back on.

Now then, it has been awhile, let us begin hero"s time.

※ Next update is planned for 9/10.