The bright morning sun enveloped Carne Village. All the villagers had gathered in the open space in the center of the village, but the atmosphere was far from the usual hustle and bustle of daily work. They stood rooted to the spot, their gazes lifted with expressions of awe and astonishment towards the magnificent building standing before them.
The structure soared to a height of more than ten meters, with twelve wide steps welcoming visitors at its grand entrance. Each thick white stone pillar supporting the edifice was carved with exquisite angel reliefs, the details so fine they seemed alive. This was an unbelievably luxurious temple...!
There were no mountains around the village large enough to serve as a source for quarrying stone, and even if there were, it was not a task they could accomplish with their simple tools. Without adequate means to obtain high-quality stone, it was certainly impossible for the residents of Carne Village to build such a magnificent temple overnight.
However, as their eyes witnessed the architectural marvel that had suddenly appeared in their village, only one possibility flashed through their minds.
"Is this... a miracle performed by the Lord?" whispered an old woman in a trembling voice.
"Yes, it must be. In that case, we..." a young man chimed in with eyes sparkling with hope.
The villagers harbored hidden hopes in their hearts, imagining other blessings and miracles that might follow. However, on the other hand, they also felt a little ashamed for receiving something so precious without offering anything in return. They didn't know what Kael was really thinking, and the mixed feelings of hope and uncertainty made them feel a little tormented for a while.
"Enri's here!" a small child shouted, spotting the figure they had been waiting for.
"You've finally arrived, Enri, look!" a mother greeted with a relieved smile.
Soon after, Enri, wearing the pure white priest's robe given by Kael and holding a wooden staff adorned with glittering gems in her hand, hurried towards the crowd under the guidance of an anxious-looking villager.
When her eyes caught sight of the towering temple, her reaction was not much different from the other villagers: she was stunned, her mouth slightly open in shock. Then, the shock slowly turned into visible unease on her face.
"Enri, look at this trouble..." the village chief said in a worried tone.
"What should we do, Enri?" a young woman asked anxiously.
The surrounding villagers questioned Enri one after another, hoping that the girl who had now become their intermediary with the Lord could provide advice and guidance so they would know how to behave and act in the face of this miracle.
After Enri managed to regain her composure, she hesitated for a moment before finally saying in a slightly anxious tone, "Everyone... don't worry. Let me ask the Lord about all of this first."
After saying those words, she immediately used the [Message] spell, a new ability that still felt unfamiliar to her, to try and connect with Kael, the figure who filled her thoughts at that moment.
Miraculously, the magic worked. About three seconds later, she heard a lazy and slightly sleepy voice from the other side.
"Hm? Is that Enri?"
"Yes... yes, Lord!" Enri replied nervously, her voice trembling slightly.
"What do you want from me so early in the morning?" Kael asked in a flat tone.
"I'm very sorry! My Lord, I'm disturbing your rest. I wanted to ask something about the temple..." Enri clenched her hands unconsciously, her fingers turning white with nervousness. She spoke hesitantly, afraid of disappointing her Lord.
To her surprise, this was the reply she received from the other side, Kael's tone suddenly becoming slightly serious.
"Temple? Didn't I tell you that before you built a temple and held a proper ceremony for me, my blessings would not be easily given?"
"Yes... yes!" Enri replied quickly, feeling a little guilty.
Enri's fingers gripped her staff even tighter until her knuckles turned white. Her voice trembled slightly as she delivered the shocking news, "Well... there's already a temple in the village."
There was a brief pause from the other side, then Kael's voice sounded brighter and more enthusiastic. "Oh? In that case, let's start the celebration immediately and have the others prepare to receive gifts from me."
"Yes! Thank you very much, Lord God!" Enri exclaimed in a relieved and joyful tone.
The magical communication was severed, and the brief conversation between the two ended.
After waiting for a few moments with a pounding heart, Enri slowly raised her head. Her eyes were already red and filled with tears that sparkled like crystals. But these were not tears of sadness or fear, but tears of overwhelming happiness and gratitude.
Without waiting for others to ask or show confusion, she announced loudly to all the villagers in a trembling yet excited voice, "Everyone! The gods have issued a decree! Let us immediately prepare for a grand celebration!"
A moment of silence fell over the entire open space, lasting for about three seconds that felt like an eternity. Then, the silence was broken by a thunderous roar of cheers that shook the calm morning air.
"Oh!!!"
"Long live Lord God!!!"
…
What's happening outside? Why is it so noisy? In a simple wooden warehouse located not far from the village's open space, Gazef Stronoff heard the boisterous cheers coming from outside. A hint of doubt and confusion flashed across his sharp eyes.
At that moment, the door of the wooden house suddenly opened, and Enri entered along with several village women carrying woven baskets. Seeing the baskets they carried, Gazef initially thought it was just a routine food delivery for those held captive. However, he didn't expect that their arrival this time would also bring freedom for him and his soldiers, as the village women skillfully untied the ropes that bound them.
Gazef, who had finally regained his freedom, slowly stood up from the ground. While moving his limbs, which felt stiff and sore from being tied up all night, he looked at Enri, the village girl who now led the group. Then, in a cautious and slightly suspicious tone, he asked, "Little girl, are you going to let us go?"
"Sir, this is not my personal wish, but the will of the Lord," Enri replied, shaking her head gently.
That mysterious person? Gazef rolled his eyes slightly, trying to understand this confusing situation. Earlier, he had proposed to release himself and his subordinates in exchange for the Re-Estize Kingdom no longer holding Carne Village accountable, but Kael had firmly and mercilessly rejected that proposal. Now, he and the others were suddenly released without any clear conditions. This matter was definitely not as simple as it seemed.
"So, that adult... what exactly does he want from us?" Gazef asked in an inquisitive tone.
"Please be at ease, sir. The Lord does not intend to harm you. He only wishes to invite you to participate in the God Festival that will be held in Carne Village," Enri explained to Gazef with a sincere smile on her face. To be honest, even though the arrival of Gazef and the Royal Knights had brought disaster to the village, she actually still respected this Captain of the Royal Knights. When she was little, she had often heard stories of his bravery and merits from the adults in the village.
Gazef, who was born a commoner, had managed to win the prestigious royal tournament, was recognized by the king, and became the proud captain of the kingdom's warriors. He could be said to be a representation of the rise and hope of the common people.
"Attend a festival?" Gazef frowned slightly, his heart shrouded in doubt and a bad premonition. He vaguely felt that something unexpected, perhaps even terrifying, would happen at the festival held in this remote village. However, in their current situation, they might have no choice but to accept this strange invitation.
Gazef's worries grew even more as he glanced at the Archangel of Majesty, the holy being standing upright in the middle of the wooden house like a living, large stone statue and occupying most of the space in the room. In his tentative conversation with Nigun last night, he had learned a little about the existence of this terrifying creature. According to rumors, the highest-ranking angel in the Slane Theocracy was an extremely powerful summoning creature, capable of defeating demons and easily destroying cities. If this creature received an order to kill them, Gazef wasn't sure if he and his subordinates would be able to escape.
The only seemingly realistic option at the moment was to accept the other party's arrangements and hope for the best.
"I understand," Gazef said to the girl in front of him in a polite and considerate tone. "Please lead the way."
Seeing Gazef's willingness to cooperate, Enri secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The task given to her by the Lord was half completed. Then, she turned to look at the Sunlight Scripture Team standing on the other side of the room with tense expressions.
However, before she had a chance to open her mouth to speak to them, Nigun took the initiative to ask in a low yet hopeful tone, "Miss Enri, may we also participate in this celebration? We also very much wish to once again express our respects to that gentleman."
Since the Sunlight Scripture and the others were the culprits who had attacked their village, even though they had accompanied Enri in training for the past two days, the girl still didn't have any good feelings towards them. However, as the Lord's intermediary, she felt she had to be fair.
"Since you wish to participate, then please do so," Enri replied in a flat tone. "The Lord has also allowed you to participate in this celebration."
After that brief exchange, the Kingdom Warriors and all the members of the Sunlight Scripture were led out of the cabin by Enri. Needless to say, both groups were utterly shocked when they saw the magnificent temple that had suddenly appeared in the middle of their village.
Time passed bit by bit, and soon it was noon. The residents of Carne Village gathered solemnly in front of the newly erected temple. Two long, clean, and neat tables were joined together to form a temporary offering table. On the table were placed roasted livestock whose aroma was mouthwatering and various kinds of fresh fruits. Everyone waited with bated breath, anticipating the arrival of the figure who had changed their lives.
At that solemn moment, golden raindrops began to fall slowly from the clear sky. As the drops of light touched everyone's skin, instead of feeling the wet and cold sensation of ordinary rain, they directly penetrated their skin and brought a pleasant warmth to their entire bodies.
"God controls everything, and destiny controls the future!"
It was hard to say whether it was a majestic hymn of praise or just a sigh of deep emotion, that magnetic voice full of authority suddenly echoed throughout the village, filling every corner of the open space. As all the villagers' eyes looked up at the sky, Kael, surrounded by a dazzling yet soothing holy light, suddenly appeared and slowly descended from the air gracefully.
At that miraculous moment, all the residents of Carne Village knelt down simultaneously on the ground and paid their highest respects to the magnificent being before them, following the etiquette they had already agreed upon in their hearts!
"Long live the God of Destiny!!!" they shouted in unison, their voices trembling with infinite respect and awe.
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