“…”

I looked at myself, confirming this was my soul form. My figure was slightly translucent with a couple of scales and holes there and there. I could feel my horns, wings, and also tail. Compared to the last time I had entered the gods’ domain, only a couple more holes were covered up with my draconic features. Maybe talking with my other half did something there.

“Hmm, it seems your soul still is quite unstable.” A serene voice caught my attention, bringing my attention to the orange-haired woman in the white dress. “I presume this is the aftermath of your failed full reincarnation? My my, this is certainly something you don’t see every day.”

On the other hand, the other orange-haired woman puffed her chest forward, speaking confidently. “Well, of course, it wouldn’t be, Sister! As if our wonderful Goddess would fail something as easy as soul manipulation? It is obvious that the third collaborator she called in did something nefarious! Otherwise, everything would have followed Her Holiness’s perfect, immaculate plan!”

And I wouldn’t have been ‘Hestia.’ Thank goodness everything went awry and didn’t go according to her plan.

The three people turned towards me.

Oh right, they can read my mind in this place. Welp, the cat’s out of the bag.

Considering the people I was talking to, it probably was better for me to not make them too angry. As such, I curtsied to the three divine beings before introducing myself.

“Champion Hestia, at your service, gods of the Pantheon of Light. I thank you for the honor of granting me this audience, God Yeostar, Goddess Erithia, Goddess Andira.”

Even without their introduction, I already had an idea of who they were thanks to the descriptions High Bishop Theodore and Eshe gave me during my theology lessons. It also helped that the knight-like orange-haired lady called the other her sister.

The twins of the Pantheon of Light, symbolizing two conflicting ideologies when it came to their domains. The armored goddess with the personality of an authoritative commander who was seemingly idolizing Aurena by quite a bit was most likely the Goddess of Nobility and Wealth, Erithia. Which would make the more gentle, soft-spoken one with the appearance of a proper noble lady the Goddess of Equality and Fairness, Andira.

Sitting in between these two, in the middle of the table, was an imposing person. An elderly-looking man with a whitened beard and dulled royal-blue hair framing his scarred face. Despite his advanced age, the man showed no signs of weakness, gazing at me with the sight of a man in his prime. This was Yeostar, the God of Knighthood, Bravery, and Loyalty, looking exactly like the statue in the shrine of Karhalantheel island.

“I see we don’t have to introduce ourselves. Your guess is correct, young lady.” Yeostar gave me a short nod of approval. “Forgive me for bringing you here to my domain without warning.”

Aurena had told me to pray at Yeostar’s altar whenever I had the chance, telling me he wanted to speak with me and create a link with me. I hadn’t expected he would do it now, nor with two other gods present.

“Our intrusion must have been surprising to you too, Champion Hestia,” Andira spoke with a smile. “Do be at ease, we are only here to create a link between yourself and my sister and me. We wish to be able to observe your progress.”

“Andira, enough of your roundabout words, speak truthfully as we had planned with this meeting. Young Champion, tell us, why did you not perform your duty and protect Saintess Eshe?”

I grimaced. With how Aurena hadn’t mentioned Eshe, I thought it wouldn’t be worth talking about it so I kept silent. I was slowly getting over her death in my own way, but now, somebody was confronting me about it. And now when I had to explain myself when I wasn’t sure what to say about it. What could I say about Eshe’s death?

“…” Noticing my reluctance and hesitation, Eritrea frowned. “Hmm. You cannot answer it? Disappointing, but I do not know whether any answer you would have given would have been satisfactory or not. Although, I do hope you understand your failure. Champions aren’t only chosen to fulfill Divine Quests, but also to protect the Pantheon’s saints! Hmph, not to mention, the fact you usurped our Goddess’s blessing! Unforgivable!”

She hates me! I concluded from the way she looked at me at the end of her scolding! Her divine aura was affecting my soul, causing it to quiver and making it hard for me to resist!

“Erithia, enough!” But before it could get any worse, Yeostar materialized a sword and pounded it into the floor, releasing a shock wave that forced Erithia to withdraw her aura while simultaneously creating a shield around me.

Eritrea’s armor suddenly brightened up, releasing light particles that materialized into additions to her plain knight armor, starting to make her look like a war goddess. Although not as coarse as Yeostar’s, the hides and shells of monsters were slowly replacing her pristine white armor, turning it grey and red.

“I agreed to the favor because I believed it would do this Champion good to meet you, but if you are only here to lecture her, then leave. Do it when she comes to your domain.” Yeostar put his foot down, silencing Erithia and calming her down. Once she leaned back on her chair, Yeostar’s sword disappeared and he looked over at me. “Apologies.”

“None taken.” With the mood changing, I decided to probe out the situation. “I prayed to your shrine as Goddess Aurena asked me to, but I hadn’t expected you to summon me here. Would it be possible for you to tell me why?”

Yeostar gave a small nod. “I wish to inform you of the urgency of this Divine Quest. To make you understand why you must, under no circumstance, fail this one.”

Oh jolly. More weight. More pressure.

“The life of a Champion is not easy, young lady.” Yeostar tried to give me a lecture on it, but even if I had accepted being Aurena’s Champion, it wasn’t as if I wanted more to worry about it. Regardless if he noticed that or not, he continued his explanation, “After all, as the quest description mentioned, there might be sabotage from the demonkins.”

“Yeah, Jethro had mentioned that. They probably were targeting the festival to claim the blood, right? That would mean for three more years, there cannot be another Champion of Yeostar, right?” I remembered Jethro’s explanation.

“Correct. The true power of my Champion can only be achieved through a ritual I had taught my first Champion. Through more stringent requirements to become a blessed, I was able to persuade the Goddess to grant my Champions a stronger blessing.”

“The Champion of Yeostar is known to have the strongest base blessing amongst the Pantheon of Light,” Andira added. “If you hadn’t known, Goddess Plesia is the head Goddess of the Six, and she is an advocate for balance and fairness when it comes to the System. Even for our blessed, we Gods cannot show too much favoritism towards them without testing them. That is why Divine Quests exist, so we gods can continue overseeing your growth, for example.”

[Idol] was my blessing’s unique skill, which I gained after I performed my first concert even before I accepted Aurena’s deal. However, after that, I’d never received anything “free” from her, as all the rewards like level-ups and [Volcanic Blaze] came from completing Divine Quests. I guess this was what Plesia considered balanced.

“However, the Champion of Yeostar begins with three unique skills,” Erithia surprised me with that information, “in addition to a few other boosts to their stats and personal training from Yeostar. However, for such a privilege, Yeostar may only possess one blessed at a time, and the item needed for the blessing requires at least five years of preparation. If it were to be stolen, there would be a need to wait another five years.”

“Then why would your previous Champion give up the power? Supposedly, it can be used now,” I asked.

“Two years is all that’s needed to remake the blood to become able to anoint a new champion. This, however, only grants them my recognition and allows me to train them. Three more years are needed for the proper blood to mature, which will grant them the three unique skills and the full power of my blessing. In other words, it is to prepare them. My previous Champion, she did it knowing exactly this.”

She? Wait, didn’t Jethro say it was a ‘he?’

“It’s the culture of the country, Hestia.” Andira once again used her ability to read my mind, not minding my privacy, unlike Aurena and Kramps. “Women are not allowed to become knights in Yeos, due to their superstition for our gender.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Ha! Idiocracy, you meant, Andira. Many women in history have fought and died valiantly on the battlefield, and for a whole principality to think of such a thing? Hmph. I’m beginning to not understand the minds of our race after so many years.”

Putting aside Erithia’s outburst there, was I supposed to assume this “Sir Royce” was actually a “Dame Royce?” If so, then I was beginning to feel some sorta respect for the previous Champion of Yeostar.

“Regardless, it is not my place to say how they rule their country. My time is long over, and I am now only a guide,” Yeostar answered Erithia’s displeasure before turning the topic back to what he wanted to say to me. “With this knowledge, you should be able to understand the prowess of my Champion, young lady. Aside from the stability of Yeos as a country, my Champion also acts as a rallying leader for the other blessed. Hestia, has Kargryxmor told you anything of what occurred in the Empire?”

I shook my head.

“Hmm, I see. Then, allow me to be the one to enlighten you. Many of our Champions and Saints have been assassinated, not only Saintess Eshe.”

My eyes widened. I wanted to ask him if this was actually true or not, but then I suddenly remembered something I had spoken with Kramps before. I asked him why Aurena hadn’t spoken to me yet, where I presumed she was mourning for Eshe, and that was the primary reason for drowning herself in work. However, didn’t he say something about “me learning about it later?”

Was this what he meant? If so, then why hasn't anybody told me about it up until now? How has this sorta information not reached Artorias or Shaturein yet?

But the answer for that was obvious.

“It was the biggest victory the demonkins have ever achieved against the Church of Aurena, even more impactful than the Pope position being taken over by a Prince of Envy,” Erithia grimaced. “The Empire and Church are naturally keeping something like this under a tight lid. The war between the Empire and the Bole’Taria is already long enough. A blow like this could shatter morale in the Empire’s vassals.”

“And that is why I have summoned you here to make sure you understand the full scale of this single Divine Quest. If you fail, the demonkins will give themselves another victory. Even if some random criminal were to ingest the blood, it would be a great loss. You must succeed, Hestia.”

“Wait, hold on!” I was outraged at something this huge placed on me. “First, why couldn’t somebody else more experienced than me take this Quest on? I couldn’t have possibly been the strongest available Champion, right? Second, doesn’t this mean the festival was announced far too early? Why now, and not in three years? Jethro mentioned the Empire hasn’t responded to Yeos’s request for support yet!”

“Do not question Her Holiness’s choice, girl!” Erithia scolded me with a strict frown, before Andira blew it away with her next statement.

“Sister, you were the first to argue with Her Holiness about Champion Hestia’s involvement. You wanted one of our other blessed to do it.”

“Do you not know when to support your own sister, Andira?! Come on!” The goddess blushed.

Ignoring the two, Yeostar began to explain, “As for your questions, the Goddess had asked for you since you were the closest to Yeos, and I agreed. Most of the current blessed are being held in the Empire for their own safety. The Empire and the Church had always been the ones responsible for the protection of the festival of Yeostar and my blessing; however, this year, it seemed the recent assassinations have made them too weary to even send a single Hand of Heaven.”

“The royal knights, correct?” Yeostar nodded to me.

“This news has not reached Yeos, and I couldn’t communicate it directly due to the limitations of my ability to communicate with my followers. Still, I gave my disapproval, but the boy was still insistent. I presume that the civil war is the problem. If possible, I want you to go and talk with Markval, young lady. Understand his motives. Maybe I have become too old to understand this current generation.”

Considering they knew my identity now, it was very likely I would have a chat with them. That was covered for now.

“Champion Hestia,” Andira drew my attention after Yeostar was finished. “Her Holiness had asked Goddess Plesia for her aid. You have met her blessed, yes? Even if they have not come here to directly support the defense of the tournament, I do not think it would be a problem for you to ask them for aid. At least, concerning the defense of the shrine. If the demonkins wanted the blood, they most likely would go with a plan to steal it as well as try to destroy Yeos at the same time.”

“Breaking the seal at the shrine, to free the SS rank leviathan. That really would be the worst scenario.”

“Yes, it would, but don’t be neglectful, girl! The demonkins’ plan might involve using mercenaries or even a direct attack. The demonkins want to prevent the ascent of another Champion of Yeostar.” Erithia hammered that point into my head, making me wary of it. “As such, you need to become stronger. Far stronger. Make up for being unable to protect Eshe.”

I honestly wished she would quit it with that demotivating speech, but I couldn’t speak up about it. I still felt guilty over Eshe’s death. I still blamed myself. The whole basis for [Battle Frenzy]’s stage one Sloth was my desire to become so strong I would never have to experience something like this ever again. How could I reject that idea at this point?

Andira then followed up with her sister, trying to comfort and motivate me instead of bringing me down. “Champion Hestia, we gods are your guides and teachers. As such, our wisdom to you is to find your sister. Meet up with her and master [Battle Frenzy]. But, even then, do not hold yourself back by only relying on yourself. Even heroes need allies to succeed.”

“Her Holiness has not said it outright, but make your pilgrimage to the altars of the rest of the Pantheon of Light,” Erithia added before becoming silent.

“I expect good fortune, young lady.” Yeostar stood up and walked over to me, kneeling to make up for our size difference. “I am sure you will succeed at this task immaculately. For you have Her Holiness faith. Once you have unlocked your unique Job, come meet me. I shall aid you in your training.”

“Thank you.” I bowed deeply. “I won’t fail. This is my promise to you.”

And I never break my promises.

And once I did, the white world turned black. In the next moment, my eyes opened up and I was back in front of the altar and statue of Yeostar. When I stood up, my parallel minds drew my attention to my bangs, noticing they had turned white. Like, a brilliant white.

After a few seconds, the brightness dulled and it turned back into my crimson hair. I guess every time I entered a divine domain, my hair would turn this color. No wonder Saori, Tasianna, and even Eshe kept mentioning something like this; it was quite eye-catching. And when I turned around, I saw a particular reaction from Jethro.

“Y-You— How did your hair turn white like that? It was so incandescent. Like a holy spell…” He looked at me in wonderment before turning back into that same grumpy person from before. “Who are you?”

“You’ll learn in time. Ask the castle.” And with that, I went back to Master and Tehmrayn, both acknowledging my hair color change in their own style.

“Once again, another proof for the authenticity of your claim, my apprentice. The Light Goddess certainly favors you.”

“You have increased my impression of you, Champion Hestia. Make sure to give it your all during the tournament. A Champion of an Origin God should not lose to some random vagrant.”

“Thank you for your confidence… I guess?”

After our business here was done, we returned to the beach, where we saw a huge stack of merfiends piled up. From the looks of it, there were enough bodies there for a whole village to eat their fill for over a month! Rajah, the twins, and the saurians really went wild!

[“Master, Master!”] Speaking of Rajah, he ran up to me. [“Master, Master! I can evolve!”]

“Hold on, you leveled that quickly!” But I immediately shook my head, realizing it should be obvious he could do something like that. He had [Hestia’s Retainer] after all, so he had an experience booster. “Good! When we return to the inn, I’ll have you evolve, alright? Good work, Rajah!”

[“Yay! Thank you! Can I come back here to train, Master? There is so much I’m learning from Master Krim-Slak!”]

I turned to the blue-scaled carnosilian. “Hold on, are you actually training another member of my party? First Saori, now Rajah?”

“Hey, the kid asked me. How could I say no?” Krim-Slak shrugged. “Although, he got all that experience from us killing all of this. Oi, Kush! You think this is enough!”

For a meal, he meant to say. In any case, after we told them all that happened, Master and the saurians decided they would move into the island for the shrine’s safety. He told me we could take over the rooms in the inn if we wanted, or tell the innkeeper they were leaving. After talking it over with everybody in my party, we decided to take up his offer. After all, our real rooms were the subspace.

We returned back to Elyonda before everybody, after telling Jethro that we’ll meet again when necessary. And, it would probably be soon since the moment we returned to the port, an envoy from the Yeos’s royal family came over to us to deliver a letter.

In it, the seneschal under the authority of the Prince Markval the Fifth, asked me to meet them as only a Champion of Aurena on the day of the festival. In other words, in about three days. They wanted to speak with me about something which they couldn’t disclose in the letter, but I hazard a guess. Jethro probably would be summoned as well, so I couldn’t wait for the surprise on his face.

Since the tournament registration was also on that day, I also had to make sure to visit the arena and sign myself up. Jethro did mention I had to go through a test or something, so I better be in proper form. I had to make sure I got in. Still, considering what I learned from God Yeostar and the goddess today, I should probably get Shaturein to help out with this.

In any case, after we returned to the inn, we told the innkeeper what happened and he agreed to our deal. So long as he was getting paid, he didn’t really care who was inside the room. With everything set, it was time to get things rolling along.

Rajah’s evolution into a D rank, speaking with Shaturein for help, and also getting informed by everybody what they’ve been doing. However, for some reason, no one but Svena, Lorena, and Haati were inside. Saori’s group still haven’t communicated back, and Grimnir’s group were supposedly busy, according to Svena.

As I was beginning to worry about everybody, Aurena suddenly chimed in and told me everything was alright with Saori’s party, and that I should just have faith in her. I guessed I could, but it was still unnerving not to see her around for this long. I guessed this was the problem with everybody having their own set of adventures now.

Come on, Hestia. Get it together.

Three days was a lot of time. With Master around, wasn’t this also the perfect time to show him some of the fruits of my efforts? At the very least, this could be a good time to learn how to combat water monsters; after all, I was still incredibly susceptible against water and ice.

“Hmm, the music is getting more intriguing.” Mother randomly said as she stared out of the window, in the direction of the island. No idea what she was talking about, at this point, but maybe she was finding some joy in this trip right now.

Maybe she’s stressed out. Maybe I’ll plan a Mother-Daughter beach visit?

My schedule was full as always.