"What's happening?!" Cedric screamed in confusion while grabbing the [Divine Intervention: Word] to contact Tsukiko.
[What's going on here?]
Inside the Crystal Cube world. Tsukiko's eyes widened when she saw the screen Cedric sent, and shouted aloud with a pious voice. "The god has heard our prayers and sent me an oracle!"
"As expected of the high priestess!!" Some people wearing white robes began to praise Tsukiko.
She then waved her hand and bowed toward Cedric's statue. "I have completed the god's task of gathering kind and virtuous people to become a part of the temple serving you!"
Then, Tsukiko began talking funny and Cedric simply couldn't comprehend it any further.
He is also sure he never said anything about building a temple. So, Cedric scratched his head in confusion and simply activated Past Observation to check the source of this chaos.
After activating Past Observation, Cedric continuously followed some clues and finally saw the scene where Tsukiko joined Lacius's conversation after Cedric sent him the mission to gather kind and virtuous people.
At that time, he immediately started training to see virtuous energy and hadn't heard their conversation.
Now that he knew the cause of everything, the corner of Cedric's eye twitched.
Looking at Tsukiko who kept on rambling nonstop while standing in front of the massive statue depicting himself, Cedric sent a message for her.
[I have seen your effort. Remember to spread goodness throughout the world and create a world full of happiness.]
Once he sent a chicken soup for the soul to Tsukiko, Cedric recalled the only person that should've seen him. "That's it. Yuma should have a certain level of involvement here. I'll look for him and ask for further details. I already got the gist of it, but I want to hear further details I might've missed from others."
Cedric looked around the Crystal Cube world and found Yuma living in isolation on a small opening near the wilderness next to the road leading to Winter City.
Currently, he is controlling several horses that have a plow attached to them, and busy plowing the land.
Activating the [Divine Intervention: Word] in his hand, Cedric sent a message to Yuma.
[What's going on with Tsukiko and that whole temple thing in River Stone city?]
Yuma saw the screen that suddenly appeared in front of him and paused to answer while wiping his sweat.
"That temple is the headquarters for religion worshiping you. It's something big sis Tsukiko has created with her knowledge about the many cults she has joined while we're on Earth. I think she got too deep into her own play, though. Nowadays she has become slightly wrong in the head." Yuma said while pointing his index finger at his temple. "Talking with her has become extremely tiring."
[Why don't you stop her?]
"I've tried, but she has full support from Lacius," Yuma answered while plowing his field. "I already feel tired, and my gut feeling said getting involved any further would cause my retirement plan to fail."
"I am currently retired and living my best life with my five wives. Thanks for bringing me to this world from my trashy life on Earth. But please leave me alone for now. The twenty years of consecutive battles and adventure has tired me out considerably."
Cedric speechlessly looked at Yuma's five wives. Among them, one is currently busy raising Yuma's baby, while two are currently pregnant with Yuma's child.
Cedric felt the change in the last year was simply too exaggerated. "Just what the hell has been going on in the last year?"
When Cedric prepared to leave and check on Lacius. Yuma suddenly said, "Oh, while we're at it. Can you name my two kids? Being named by a god should be counted as a blessing right?"
Yuma's request gives Cedric a headache. He wanted to immediately leave, but Yuma's request wasn't all that hard. Denying his simple request isn't something Cedric feels proper after everything Yuma has gone through to defeat the demon king.
It's just that Cedric has never been good at naming. This can be seen by his world that's simply called Crystal Cube world because it's encased inside a cube shaped crystal.
After a minute of churning his brain around, Cedric finally sent another message to Yuma.
[Mayu and Yami]
"That's such a lazy name. You're just switching the syllables of my name, and changing one of the syllables from my name for the other." Yuma sighed while still deciding to name his children Mayu and Yami.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
It's the name granted by a god after all.
***
After leaving Yuma who started retiring in the midst of his thirties, Cedric went and checked Lacius's situation.
Just like usual, Lacius can be found inside the throne room of Winter City's palace.
Before Cedric could talk with Lacius, a massive mirror located next to Lacius's throne pulled Cedric's attention.
'Is that something created by one of the transmigrators? Or have the people in the Crystal Cube world somehow invented a mirror on their own?' Cedric thought, before pushing that useless thought away. Right now, he has other important things to do.
Seeing Lacius sitting on his throne, Cedric sent him a message.
[Greetings, king of humans. Have you finished gathering many kind and virtuous people?]
"Yes. I've also built a temple to worship you and granted those kind and virtuous people high status, so they may spread your kindness to the human races."
Cedric sighed and felt how scary a miscommunication can be.
[I don't need such a thing as a temple. Also, I have a new task for you.]
[Once a year, send some of the kind and virtuous people you've gathered into the cursed land where the demon king has died. Told them to circle around the cursed land for a day every year. That should be enough to slowly purify the land.]
Lacius's expression turned weird when he read Cedric's message. He then stood up from his throne and bowed. "I'll immediately do so."
At last, Cedric thought of something and asked Lacius.
[I shall grant you a reward for your diligence. Speak, what do you wish for?]
No matter what, Lacius has been working tirelessly since the birth of the demon king. This whole temple matter is also mostly Cedric's own fault because he didn't say his request perfectly.
Cedric already gave Yuma a sword, a pill, and even named two of his future kids. So, it's only correct to give Lacius a reward too.
After reading the message Cedric sent, Lacius instantly replied with a glint in his eyes. "I want eternal life. I want to be at your side and watch the change of the world for eternity. I want to remember everyone that has died and make them eternal in my memories!"
'Sorry, I am still normal and only like women.' Cedric subconsciously thought. Then, he realized what Lacius had requested as a reward and rolled his eyes. "I am just preparing some basic reward for him. Why does he suddenly ask for something so difficult."
Cedric thought of another alternative and asked the System for something that could extend a person's lifespan instead. "Hey, recommend something that allows the creatures in my world to extend their lifespan."
[The System recommended Level 1 Lifespan Fruit.]
Cedric searched for it and found the item the System mentioned.
[Level 1 Consumable Divine Item, Lifespan Fruit.
Cost: 10 GP
Details: Increase lifespan by 1 year. Note: Lifespan increasing items with the same level is only effective 3 times.]
"Hmm… does that mean Lacius can only eat 3 level 1 [Lifespan Fruit]? Furthermore, he needs to wait until level 2 to eat more fruit?" Cedric rubbed his chin. "Then, I'll buy 3 Level 1 [Lifespan Fruit]."
With his purchase, three peaches like fruits appeared on the table next to him.
Cedric picked them and could smell a delicious aroma coming from them - well, actually not.
There isn't any sort of smell coming from that fruit. The peaches are quite soft to the touch though. Cedric's hand moved on its own as he began to randomly squish those peaches.
Cedric suddenly stopped his hand and quickly sent it to Lacius. Otherwise, he might accidentally destroy the [Lifespan Fruit] while playing around with it. The sensation of pressing those [Lifespan Fruit] is simply calming and relaxing.
Before sending the [Lifespan Fruit] to Lacius, Cedric sent a message to him.
[I shall give you this lifespan fruits that could increase your lifespan by three years in total. Giving someone eternal life is beyond my ability, as only the gods can have an endless lifespan.]
After giving Lacius the fruit, Cedric continued his attempt at trying to see virtuous energy by observing granny Maude.
This time, he occasionally left granny Maude's side to make sure nothing went wrong.
Every month, he always spends time checking Tsukiko, Lacius, and Yuma's condition. He also checked the purification progress of that cursed land, which progressed steadily, without any mishaps.
After a few years, the inevitable arrived.
Granny Maude who has reached close to one hundred years finally breathed her last. After she fainted while healing a line of people like usual, granny Maude never woke up again.
Her burial is held inside a temple in Winter City, which was created a few years ago.
On the day of her funeral, most of the civilians from Winter City attended it. That caused the small temple to almost collapse due to a sudden massive influx of visitors.
***
While the humans in Crystal Cube world are enveloped by depression after granny Maude's death. Cedric has also been in a bad mood since she died.
At first, he is also depressed because of Maude's death. After all, he has been observing her for several years already. So, Cedric tried to busy himself with his training but realized he had already lost his target for observation.
He tried to ask the System to recommend him another person with a high amount of virtuous power. But, it's reluctant to help him look for a new target.
Cedric asked. "System, can't you tell me who else in the Crystal Cube world has a lot of virtuous energy?"
[Do you wish to add the ability to see virtuous energy into your Divine Sight by spending 1.000 GP?]
"But, you previously told me about granny Maude for free!"
[That's that, this is this. It's a different matter altogether. The information the System shared regarding granny Maude can be included as a part of basic information. But, if you want more, then you need to pay!]
That's how the System always replied.
He has been nagging the System for several days. But it never shows any sign of weakness.
At last, Cedric could only reluctantly admit his defeat against the System’s greediness and look around to try his luck at finding a person who possibly had a lot of virtuous energy.