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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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I was following behind Floretta and Luna, climbing the spire that rose above the Moon Cathedral via a dizzying number of spiral stairs.
As expected of a cathedral that was larger than most high-rise apartments, the height of the spire was enormous. It had looked huge even from outside, but directly looking down from here, it was beyond imagination.
‘The spire wasn’t implemented in the game.’
Of course, you couldn’t climb it in the game.
Even after the Pope boss fight, the central chapel on the first floor and the additional space on the second floor were all that the player could access.
It was different from the Imperial Palace, which was treated as a single field and had every nook and cranny meticulously implemented.
It wasn’t blocked by the system, but rather, it simply wasn’t implemented. Even if you used cheat programs to clip through the map and enter the spire, the inside was just empty.
‘This feels strange.’
But now, I was following behind the Popes, along with the Inquisitor and Interrogator, entering a space that wasn’t implemented in the game. I felt a strange tingling sensation.
“You seem to be fascinated by this place, distinguished guest.”
Floretta smiled at me. Since it was the Moon Cathedral, Floretta was walking slightly behind, unlike Luna, who was walking at the very front, so she was able to do that.
I quietly nodded. Although the type of fascination Floretta was thinking of and the type of fascination I was thinking of were slightly different, they were essentially the same concept.
“That’s right.”
I replied briefly in informal speech. The Popes had said that they would point it out if they didn’t like me using formal speech, and they actually did, so I had no choice.
Stella and Selene had already realized the relationship between the Popes and me, and they also seemed to think it was natural for me to speak informally to the Popes.
And on top of that, they had even asked me to use informal speech with them as well. They said it was strange for me to use informal speech with the Popes and formal speech with the Inquisitor and Interrogator.
They weren’t wrong.
“What is it that you find so impressive? If it’s magnificence, the Imperial Palace is no less magnificent than this place, and the central chapel of the cathedral is more magnificent than the inside of this tower.”
Her emerald green eyes were filled with curiosity. She seemed genuinely curious.
I, on the other hand, had to rack my brain for an answer. I couldn’t just tell her that it was because I was able to enter a space that wasn’t implemented in the game.
After thinking about it, I came up with a suitable answer.
“The structure of this tower itself. Although the Imperial Palace is magnificent, it’s not as tall as the cathedral. Ah, including the blessing that’s placed here.”
The spire that stood tall in the center of the Sun Cathedral and Moon Cathedral felt taller than most high-rise apartments. I wasn’t sure, but it probably had about 40 or 50 floors.
Even in the outside world, a 50-story apartment would be considered a skyscraper, so it was strange that it wouldn’t attract attention, especially since it was standing here where the technology was no different from the medieval era.
‘And the blessing that’s placed here.’
It was said that a blessing was in effect on the spiral stairs that led to the top of the spire. If it weren’t for this, it would feel like climbing a 50-story apartment building using only the stairs.
According to the explanation, a single step had the effect of taking more than twenty steps. It was probably closer to a spatial distortion type of magic.
‘Why don’t they just install an elevator?’
In a world with air conditioners, fans, fluorescent lights, refrigerators, showers, shampoo, and body wash, why wouldn’t there be an elevator?
“For the almighty distinguished guest to be fascinated by our tower, which is merely tall……”
Floretta, after hearing my answer, covered her mouth with her sleeve and chuckled.
“Well, I’m far from almighty.”
If I had possessed this body with cheats or trainers, then maybe.
I wondered why the one who had thrown me into this body hadn’t applied easy mode for newbies or a mod that was based on cheats.
I could hear Stella and Selene showering me with praises behind me, mostly about how humble I was. I endured it and closed my ears. I had already heard enough praises from the Holy Kingdom.
“We have arrived, distinguished guest.”
It didn’t take long to reach the very top floor of the spire.
There was a part that rose slightly higher above this, but it was too narrow for a person to enter, so this was practically the top floor.
‘It’s empty.’
Unlike the chapel in the central hall on the first floor, which was decorated with marble, dark-colored jewels, and pure silver, this place was very simple.
The walls were made of ordinary stone, and the floor was wooden. The light source was just a few candles, not a chandelier, and there wasn’t a single piece of furniture in sight.
It was a shabby appearance that was hard to believe was part of the Moon Cathedral, which was the epitome of magnificence.
Considering the symbolic nature of this space, it was probably deliberately made to look like this.
I glanced down through a small window in the wall. It was so high that I felt dizzy. It really seemed to be the height of a 40 or 50-story apartment building. I quickly stepped back.
“What are we going to do now?”
The space we were currently in didn’t exist in the game, and what we were about to do wasn’t in the game’s scenario either. So, it was a completely unknown situation even for me.
“I will pray to the moon.”
Luna said that and calmly walked to the center of the room. There was a faint silver pattern engraved in the center of the room, which looked similar to a magic circle, but had a completely different atmosphere.
Luna knelt in the center of the pattern and clasped her hands together in front of her chest.
“Oh merciful moon. Your humble lamb has dared to come before you.”
A prayer flowed from her lips.
“……?”
Suddenly, the surroundings started to darken.
A bleak shadow covered everything. The room instantly turned as dark as midnight. And then, moonlight that seeped through the window shone on Luna.
I glanced at the window. The sun was still rising in the sky, and it was still clear. The darkness descending and the moonlight shining seemed to be limited to the inside of this spire.
‘…It’s similar to the first phase gimmick.’
If you reduced the first phase Pope’s HP to below 50%, the sunlight or moonlight would start following the Pope like that. It was similar to that.
It would disappear when you entered the second phase, but the second phase Pope could practically be considered a completely different boss from the first phase.
“This humble lamb dares to ask you for an answer.”
Luna’s voice slightly rose. At the same time, the moonlight that was shining on her also intensified.
“Oh merciful moon. Have you bestowed your blessing? Have you bestowed your blessing upon the benefactor who purified the monster that mocked God’s authority, obscured the moonlight, and devoured souls?”
As if she was done with her question, Luna quietly waited for an answer. Selene had a tense expression, and Stella was similar. Only Floretta had her usual smile.
“……Huh?”
And then, the moonlight that had been shining on her disappeared.
Along with Luna’s bewildered voice, the dim darkness that had settled disappeared. Sunlight seeped through the window again, reminding me that it was morning.
“W-what… is… this…?”
Cracks appeared on her face. The small cracks quickly grew larger, and her usual indifferent and cold expression crumbled and was dyed with bewilderment.
Floretta, Stella, and Selene, who were standing next to me, were also bewildered. Especially Floretta, whose smile had completely disappeared from her face as if she had been greatly shocked.
“What happened, Luna?”
Luna, who had been clasping her hands together in front of her chest and diligently praying, finally gave up as if she had lost hope when the moonlight didn’t shine on her, and slowly stood up, her shoulders slumped.
“The moon… refused to answer.”
“What? Is that even possible?”
“……I-I don’t know either, distinguished guest… this is… this is the first time this has happened……”
Her usual demeanor was gone, and she had an expression as if she was about to burst into tears. Floretta was also restless. Stella and Selene had dazed expressions.
“……For now.”
The first one to regain her senses was Floretta. Her green eyes, filled with determination, looked at me.
“For now, I will ask the sun again.”
As a result, Floretta also couldn’t receive an answer.
“How… how can this……”
Floretta, as if she couldn’t even stand properly, hugged me tightly, and Luna did the same. If I hadn’t been there to support them, they would have definitely collapsed.
Stella also erased the smile that was always on her face. Selene, whose usual expressionless face had only lost some of its color, seemed to be the least affected.
Floretta, who had been blankly hugging me, pressed her body closer against mine. Luna also pressed closer.
“I apologize. I apologize, distinguished guest… I didn’t expect the sun to refuse to answer……”
“Floretta, there’s nothing for you to apologize for, so why are you apologizing?”
It was the sun and moon up there who had refused to answer. There was no reason for the Popes to apologize. I tightened my arms around them.
‘If that’s the case, the only way is for me to find out myself— wait a minute.’
Just as I was thinking that I should be satisfied with the test since the Popes had been rejected, a plausible method crossed my mind. I moved the arms that were hugging them forward.
Floretta and Luna, who were now embracing me from the front, raised their heads and looked up at me.
“Floretta, Luna.”
“……Yes, distinguished guest.”
“……What is it?”
“Is it possible for me to talk to them directly?”
Although I hadn’t directly said who ‘them’ referred to, it was obvious from the context. The Pope sisters’ eyes, which had been damp with transparent liquid, widened.
“You directly…?”
“Yes. You never know.”
Honestly, I didn’t know if it was possible either.
Everything that had happened here was beyond my knowledge, and the player had never attempted to directly communicate with the sun or moon in the game.
Judging by how they gave you stats when you added points to faith or divine power, it seemed like they existed, but there was no way to meet them, so I wasn’t expecting much.
There was nothing to lose by trying. Would they really punish me for trying to talk to them? Especially when they knew that Floretta and Luna were right next to me.
“……We have… never tried before. Reaching God directly is not something that can be done with faith. It is something that has only been permitted to the Popes in the history of the Holy Kingdom……”
“But if we were to help you, distinguished guest… and if it were you… you might be able to reach God directly.”
Floretta and Luna, after hesitating for a moment, gave a rather positive answer. I nodded.
“Okay. How?”
“We will guide you, distinguished guest.”
The Popes each held one of my hands and led me to where Floretta had been sitting just now. It was the exact center of the pattern that was engraved in the middle of the room. In other words, it was the exact center of the cathedral.
I knelt on the pattern. Floretta and Luna approached me.
‘……?’
And then, they each took one of my hands and buried them between their breasts. Since their breasts were so large, my hands were completely buried in their cleavage, transmitting a warm, soft sensation.
I reflexively flinched. It was clear that it wasn’t because of personal desire. The Popes weren’t the type to mix business with pleasure.
And I was about to try to communicate directly with the sun and moon. There was no way they would add their personal feelings at a time like this.
“We will recite the prayer. Distinguished guest, you simply need to have the desire to meet God.”
Floretta and Luna, clasping their hands together after using their upper arms to press their breasts together and fix my hands in place, started reciting the prayer.
“Oh merciful moon……”
“Oh benevolent sun……”
Along with the prayer, sunlight and moonlight shone on them. Darkness bloomed where Luna was, and light bloomed where Floretta was. Stella and Selene’s expressions brightened after seeing that.
For reference, the light shining on me was exactly half and half.
Because moonlight was shining on my left side, where my hand was between Luna’s breasts, and sunlight was shining on my right side, where my hand was between Floretta’s breasts.
I stared blankly at the rays of light that were dividing my body exactly in half, and then closed my eyes, feeling the soft and warm sensation on my hands.
‘Sun… moon…? Well, it doesn’t matter which one. As long as one of you answers.’
I replayed the question in my head. Although the tone was a bit rude, if they were truly gods, they would be able to read my true intentions, not just the thoughts that came to mind, so I decided to just let it go.
If they couldn’t even read that, why would they be gods?
‘Was it you who placed the restriction on Nix? And the… blessing, should I call it that? Anyway, was it also you who lent me that power?’
There was no reply. I slightly opened my eyes, wondering if I had failed.
But after confirming that the sunlight and moonlight were still shining on us, I waited patiently. Or rather, the intensity of the light had clearly become stronger, not just still shining.
‘…….’
After a while, just as I was about to give up and open my eyes because there was no answer and only light despite me repeatedly asking the question in my head……
—That is correct.
A voice echoed in my head.
“Huh?!”
Startled, I jumped up from my spot. Floretta and Luna, who had been reciting the prayer, also sat up with surprised expressions.
The breasts that my hands had been between jiggled violently.
“Distinguished guest, did you… hear God’s voice?”
Luna asked in a trembling voice. Two pairs of green eyes and two pairs of purple eyes were solely focused on me.
“Uh… maybe? You weren’t the ones who just said that, right?”
“Of course not.”
Oh God, Floretta mumbled softly. It seemed to have come out reflexively, as I could hear it as well.
“Truly, distinguished guest……”
Next was Luna. Dazed eyes, dazed voice. It was completely different from her usual demeanor.
“……This is not the time, distinguished guest.”
“You must ask God again.”
At the Popes’ urging, I knelt down again. Floretta and Luna each inserted my hands between their breasts again. I didn’t know what that meant, but it seemed to be working.
I closed my eyes, felt the sensation of my hands between their cleavage, and asked the question in my head, just like before.
But this time, with different content.
‘What is the reason for the restriction? What are you trying to hide? And what is Nix’s true identity? Why did you give me that power?’
Whether the voice I had just heard was the sun or the moon, since a god had actually answered me, I needed to extract as much information as possible here.
As I was thinking that and repeatedly coming up with questions……
—It is not yet time.
The voice I had just heard echoed once again, and……
“Distinguished guest?”
“Distinguished guest?”
My consciousness faded.
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[Your Text Here]
Tsk….not yet, very close