Arytorio Kerias is troubled.

The day he arrived at the capital of Mesola Kingdom to spread the word of the almighty Goddess Thenea who gave him hope in his life. He is troubled because there were no records of a Goddess similar to Thenea that is mentioned.

Not.A.Single.One.

So, what is troubling Arytorio Kerias?

It is the fact that as he appealed to the archpriest about the goddess that showed up in his dream, he quickly got an approval. The Mesola Kingdom is known to be the land of divines and so, there are many cults and groups that have claimed that they saw divine in their sleep.

However, the archpriest herself can determine whether the person is telling the truth or not from experience. Arytorio, who just arrived in the city, with nothing but his theological research and limited knowledge about divines, got his appeal approved.

No, that is not what’s bothering him.

“If my Goddess is not on the record yet, then I can claim to be the one who saw her first. However, if do so spread her name more, she will be popular. I feel like there will be a distance between me and her…” Arytorio thought as he sits in the central square of the city, whilst, delving into his thoughts.

The sun is already setting and the temperature drastically drops. Arytorio knew that he should already pack up and return to his own place after a long day of satisfying preaching where hundreds or even thousands of people listened to him.

Who was that goddess he speaks of?

That was the question that got everyone hooked to, however it was not only that. Arytorio’s sudden change of behavior gave him a huge boost in charisma in which people would flock to him to listen.

A goddess who has long forgotten her very own name, a girl that could only be described as an angel.

Arytorio branded Thenea as a goddess who she who forgives anyone and anything. A goddess who perfectly put good and evil on a weighing scale with equal mass, two concepts that could not exist without the other.

Having too much light inside you will cause imbalance, the same goes for darkness. You can never ever get rid of the two but, you should learn how to accept them and become one with them with the aim of treading the right path.

Those words are memorable for Arytorio Kerias.

With his own understanding, he explained, preached, and shouted at people that good and bad cannot be separated, that the two balances a being.

Both beautiful and ugly, both refined and unrefined, the nature of livings are ugly but at the same time, can be wonderful and mesmerizing.

Arytorio’s explanation was taken heartfelt by those who wanted to believe something, to those who wanted new hope for their future and leave their broken past, and to those who needed to look at a mirror and can be confident for the tomorrow to come.

His words gave a glimmer of hopes to many people and started their lives anew, words that he taken from Thenea’s lips and conveyed to the masses. Those are also the words who gave a new and righteous meaning to Arytorio who gave up seeking the throne and pledge to be a man of compassion and empathy, someone who will look after people and will not turn down anyone.

For atonement of his sins, for his idleness for this world, for the unfruitful actions that he has committed, he dedicated his life to a more meaningful way.

And he wants people to move, to be compelled to look forward to a new day, just what his Goddess Thenea whispered to his ears.

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He can still feel the overpowering blessing(?) of Goddess Thenea bestowed upon him in his forehead where she kissed him

The archpriest may have noticed it and took his claim as passable.

In the end, Arytorio’s faith for the goddess prevails and vowed that he will let people know that Goddess Thenea exists and that she watches over for those weary and tired, that she will be there, looking at them with her tranquil blue eyes and giving them encouraging words to keep going.

The young prince now turned into a preacher is now going to undergo the protection of the church who will soon house the divine that he introduced. For that matter, they will need to get more evidence that Goddess Thenea chose him.

“I can feel my Goddess watching over me. Please, oh fair Goddess Thenea, give me strength.” Arytorio said as he prays on the spot. The onlookers who saw him did so bowed their heads and started praying too.

The Goddess Thenea that Arytorio is referring to…

“Uwaah…how did this happened…?” Eiru said as he peeks from an alleyway with a face completely petrified and drained of blood while sweats cover his entire body and goosebumps popping out everywhere.

“A-At this point…it will be hard to talk him out of this predicament…” Aspara said as her cheek twitches.

Mika, Sod, and Mes could only smile awkwardly while Reld isn’t even paying attention.

As his prayer ended, Arytorio proceeds to leave the vicinity.

He took a left and right turn with a quick succession of steps with quiet footsteps. He is a busy man after all as he was heading to the church of divines to pray for his Goddess to give him a new revelation.

And…Eiru and the others lost him…for now.

As Arytorio was making a sharp turn again, he almost bumps into someone. The figure he almost bumped dodges a millisecond fast.

“Oh, by divines, I am sorry. I am quite in a hurry.” Arytorio explained as he fixates his eyes to figure. To his surprise, it is someone who is familiar and for a while now, a listener of his preach.

“Yo! Still going on about your goddess I see.” Said by the girl with short brown hair and iconic lively eyes, wearing tight pants and luxurious looking leather black shoes themed with a sleeveless shirt and armored gauntlets.

“Hero Victoria? Are you playing truant again?” Arytorio could only mutter.

“I am not a student here. Hey, you, going to the church again?” Victoria asked.

“I am. My apology as I am still not going to accompany you.” Arytorio said with an advanced refusal.

“Geez! I just wanted to see how cute that archpriest is! The king won’t let me meet her.” Victoria sighs with a tired expression.

“You are a lady and also a skirt chaser, weird. No matter to me though, each of their own they say.” Arytorio could only say.

“Pfft! In my world, such relationship is acceptable. Hell, I even got myself twenty-three exes and they are all girls. College girls are so fun to hang out with but I’d like to date someone younger too.” Victoria boasted.

“I am on my way. I am going to excuse myself. I have long changed myself and I will not toy with maiden’s hearts anymore. Good day.” Arytorio said as he walks away.

“What a shame. I really wish I could meet that Archpriest…” Victorio could only longingly say…

Meanwhile…

“Say, you only escaped from home, right?” Reysha asked as she, Ivy and Falikh rests on their camp in a riverbank.

They set up tents and fireplace since night has met them while on the road. They really don’t want to sleep in the birth of winter season but they couldn’t help it.

“I didn’t! I told my father properly that I want to prove myself that I am more grown up than they thought!” Ivy exclaimed as she bit on a piece of bread.

“So…you invaded this place and became its demon lord? How remarkable…” Reysha coldly said, as cold as the snowy surrounding.

“Her sarcasm aside, Ivy, don’t you think your parents are worried about you? You came from a faraway land, right?” Falikh said as he bit on a fish he caught in the river.

“Eh? I do call him once in a while to let him now I am doing well.” Ivy nonchalantly said.

“”CALL?”” Reysha and Falikh asked in unison upon hearing that word.

Upon their questioning gazes, Ivy determined that it is better to show it to them rather than to explain. She summoned her dimensional storage and pulled what everyone calls a flip phone.

“This one, but I guess Sir Falikh already knows about this, right?” Ivy said as she showed the pink flip phone to the two of them.

Reysha and Falikh…have frigid faces looking at the phone in front of them.

“Well then, let me call father for now so you will know it is true.” Ivy said as she opens the flip phone and dialed a number from her phone directory.

RING

RING

RING

DING

“Ah, hello papa. How are you do--?” Before Ivy could finish her words, the person from the other line immediately shouted.

“IVY! WHERE ARE YOU NOW?! PLEASE GO HOME! HEY, ARE YOU SAFE? ARE YOU EATING WELL?! I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE MAMA WON’T SCREAM AT YOU! IVY! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE GO HOME!” shouted by a man from the other side of the phone.

SHUT

Ivy hangs the phone.

“See? We are doing well, right?” Ivy said with a smile.

“”Did that sounded well for you?!”” Reysha and Falikh shouted in their minds.