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“I nearly misunderstood.”

“Not just nearly; it seems you’ve blatantly misunderstood!”

I shrugged my shoulders while glaring at the Sheer Priestess who was fanning herself.

In that moment, the priestess seemed to think of me and the Merfolk as enemies. Later, I learned that she had her own justifiable reasons for doing so.

It turned out that the radical Merfolk we had exterminated were surprisingly creeping around the Temple of the Goddess of Love.

All they did was show off their numbers and display some spears and swords before asking for food in return.

Astoundingly, this was a clear act of intimidation, carried out even knowing that the Goddess resided in the temple.

“It’s clear that such brazen individuals would have invaded this place if things had gone differently.”

“Yes, yes. I’ve heard that too. Some even agree that it could happen. However…”

After pondering for a moment about what to say, I chose my words carefully to explain as simply as possible.

“However, isn’t it a bit too dismissive towards the Goddess of Love?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s clear that the Goddess has stated she will not participate in the war. But this is only because she loves other gods and mortals too much to harm them herself.”

“Indeed. So, the ragtag group…”

“The Goddess would not simply watch her own believers get hurt by such miscreants.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. The Goddess loves others, but she’s certainly not a coward who fears to intervene.”

“…!”

The priestess widened her eyes.

Given her previous attitude, it seemed her faith and confidence had considerably dwindled due to the church’s weakening influence.

It’s understandable, really. She must have been neglected and beaten down time and again.

Moreover, the current era offered a much different perspective on love compared to the future when the Goddess of Love was the only deity.

Unlike the future, where it felt like all one needed was love, the present was rather conservative.

While the long-standing ban on homosexuality could be excused, it’s hard to fathom that inter-racial marriage isn’t recognized and that men and women of different religions shouldn’t be alone together.

From both the perspective of Earth and that of the future Pan Continent, there are aspects that are quite hard to understand.

In such a context, how would one view the order of the Goddess of Love, which openly accepts everything about love and even runs a brothel in her temple?

Even in peaceful times, they didn’t receive a good reputation, and during wartime, their influence has waned significantly.

Now I understood the feelings of the Priestess who had been so startled in front of the main entrance.

…Honestly, I sometimes find the Merfolk quite frightening as well.

Did you know? Some Merfolk have eyes that move independently as if each one follows a different will.

If I weren’t a generous creator, I might have been startled and unintentionally lashed out at midnight….

Anyway, I was gradually getting a grasp of the current era. I empathized with the Priestess’s heart.

Nonetheless, for the Goddess of Love to cowardly watch her believers suffer is a grand disrespect.

Although she’s struggling now, I had to at least touch upon the suffering the Goddess would face in the future.

And considering the labor I had put into crafting her settings by rolling around in bed for three hours without stepping foot outside, I had to address it.

After a moment of silence, the Priestess nodded.

“Indeed. I was quite inappropriate just now.”

“Hey. You should apologize to the Goddess instead of me. A quiet confession in your room would suffice.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. …Truly, those who receive the Goddess’s favor are indeed different.”

“Really?”

You might have noticed that I possess the Divine Power of the Goddess of Love, but how much purity and quantity it holds, you wouldn’t know.

Let alone this “favor.” How could they tell I’m somewhat a similar existence to a Saint….

“It’s your pink hair, you know.”

“Oh.”

Right. Now that I think about it, everyone I meet has been convinced I’m a high priestess of the Goddess of Love just because of my hair.

“Uh, um. Please don’t think of it too weirdly; I just don’t know much about the world…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Is pink hair really that impressive?”

“Hmm.”

The Priestess hesitated for a moment and then slowly nodded.

“Sometimes among the believers, there are those who resemble the deity they follow.”

“Really? Is that so?”

“…Strangely enough, it happens. Though nothing has been definitively proven, they say that such children are born when the environment of their origin and certain coincidences align.”

According to the Priestess’s following words, there are special children born from the overlap of fate and coincidence.

They all supposedly have some innate characteristic that symbolizes the deity they worship.

In the case of the Goddess of Love, it’s pink hair, outstanding beauty, and a strong libido.

This is the talent commonly referred to as Pinkie.

For the God of War, it would be gray pupils and a psychopathic temperament. For the Sun God, an appearance akin to a golden sun and absolute immunity to fire.

Among others, the Beast God could be represented by a beast that usually cannot walk on two legs suddenly walking upright, and the World Tree might have green hair and a lifespan much longer than typical elves.

Being born with an extraordinary trait that symbolizes their deity, they are said to be treated with utmost respect within the order as candidates for apostles.

Just look at the High Elves. They are almost treated like royalty in Elven society.

Though once Eve is born, they’d all be demoted by one level.

Anyway, given that I have the traits of an apostle and carry considerable Divine Power and authority, it’s no surprise the Sheer Priestess holds me in high regard.

However, it was slightly puzzling for me.

“Are there really that few people with the qualities of an apostle?”

“Of course. Hmm. To put it more simply, it would be a similar ratio to those born with the qualities of Sword Masters and Arch Mages.”

“Oh.”

Saying it like that suddenly made sense.

While there are countless knights and mages, the number who rise to the level of Sword Masters and Arch Mages is minuscule.

If we exclude cases that arose through fortune and hardship, and purely consider those with raw talent, it’s hardly more than a handful.

Yet across the future Pan Continent, there seemed to be quite a number of Pinkies.

To the point where the disdain for Pinkies’ infamous strong libido would occasionally become a topic.

Was it simply that in the future, everyone on the Pan Continent believed in the Goddess of Love?

Even if the ratio is low, if the total population is large, the result will grow; it’s just how it works.

As I nodded internally, the Priestess had stopped walking, and before us stood a familiar door.

It was easily twice my height, adorned with inscriptions and pictures praising the Goddess of Love, and a small statue of her was affixed above it—a firmly closed stone door.

Indeed. Surprisingly, this was the same type of door I went through to confront the Pope in the courtroom.

The only difference was that this era’s door looked a bit shinier and newer.

This temple would likely become the temple of the Pangrave as well.

Considering it’s situated in the central part of the continent where Pangrave exists.

If it once belonged to the Goddess, then its symbolism should be more than enough. While it could also simply share a similar design.

But thinking about the aftermath of the War of the Gods, the emergence of the Labyrinth, and the development of the Pangrave, the former seems more probable.

After all those twists and turns, had I arrived at the exact same place, defying a millennium of time?

Since being cast into this era, the pieces of the puzzle that had often felt distant were quietly aligning, and I held my breath in anticipation.

The Priestess, who had quietly looked up at the door with me, stepped aside and nodded.

“The Goddess is inside. Of course, whether she can hear you or not will be up to her discretion…”

“So, I have to go in there, right? Understood. Thanks for guiding me.”

“Fufu. It’s my pleasure.”

After giving one last glance… um, farewell to the Sheer Priestess’s figure, I slowly placed my hand on the door. And then,

Creeeak.

Just a slight push was enough for the door to open itself obediently.

Inside, the structure was surprisingly reminiscent of the courtroom from before.

The only difference was that the podium used for the Bishop, onlookers, and witnesses had all vanished, being replaced by a single high podium that you had to strain your neck to see.

Could that be where the Goddess of Love resides?

It was hard to see her figure from the edge of the podium.

Perhaps, like what the Priestess mentioned earlier, it’s from here on that we step into the heart of the Goddess.

I could receive a response or perhaps not, and how long I could stay here would depend on how much the Goddess of Love favored me…

-Who are you?

Before my thoughts could fully form, a pale pink shimmer flickered before me.

The stream of light slowly transformed into the figure of a woman.

 

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