Brought by Chronois-san to visit the God Realm…… I didn’t notice when I came before, but there’s a building behind the temple where we were blessed, and it seems that there’s a gate inside it that leads you to the God Realm.
The God Realm…… is literally the place where the Gods live, an absolute vertical society where Shiro-san stands at the top.
I wonder what kind of place the God Realm is? Hmmm, I imagined it would as if the lands are on top of the clouds but…… since the Demon Realm was kind of similar to the Human Realm, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised if it was normal……
[……Hey…… Eh?]
[This is the God Realm, our home.]
[W- We’re above…… the skies!?]
[Ahh, I’m sorry. I guess I forgot to mention it…… The entire lands of the God Realm “exists in the air”…… but it doesn’t shake because the lands we walk were created by Shallow Vernal-sama’s power.]
Passing through the gate, the scene in front of me…… feels straight out of fantasy.
Large and small lands are connected to each other by beautifully decorated bridges, and underneath the bridges, I can see the blue sky…… A- Amazing.
[The small islands you see are all gates that lead to various parts of the Human Realm and Demon Realm…… This area dotted with floating islands is called the “Divine Gates”.]
[……Whoaa, how should I say this… I feel overwhelmed and speechless…… It’s a really fantastic sight.]
[It’s good that you like it. Well then, let’s get moving…… Though I say that, it will take longer if the human you were to move on foot, so I will carry you.]
[Eh? Ah, yes.]
[I could take you to the upper levels in just a single breath but…… Since it’s your first time here in the God Realm, I’ll show you around. Don’t worry, I’ve been given permission by Shallow Vernal-sama.]
[Yes. I’ll be in your care!]
[Umu.]
Chronois-san nodded and lightly flicked her finger, and after multiple golden rings of magical power floated around my body, my body began floating.
Chronois-san’s body was also surrounded by the same light, and in the next moment, we began moving at a fairly fast speed.
Though I said that, we aren’t moving in a speed that makes the landscape quickly pass by our eyes, just a little faster than a car.
[First of all, this is the lower level I described earlier. Look over there, you can see the land floating in the distance over there, right? That’s the middle level.]
[Indeed…… With your explanation earlier, I had the impression that the entire God Realm was like a big mountain, but it’s actually a smaller circle of earth floating around huh.]
[Umu…… To ascend to the middle level, if you’re not a high-ranking God, you can use the gate in the lower level’s central city. Well, it’s rarely used in the first place.]
Listening to Chronois-san’s explanation as we moved, when I moved my gaze, I certainly saw something like the earth floating quite high above where we are now.
Hmmm, the God Realm really is amazing…… Just looking at it for a moment, it makes me feel like I’m really in a fantasy world.
It isn’t just the floating earth, but there’s also the fountains in the sky and the strange trees whose balance is against the law of physics…… Just looking at them really won’t make me bored.
[As I recall…… Unless you’re among the ranks of the Kings of various countries, didn’t you say we wouldn’t be able to enter?]
[Yeah, to be precise, it’s those whose trust from the God Realm is above a certain standard…… Besides the kings, those who have received the “True Blessings” rather than the “Provisional Blessing” may also enter.]
[P- Provisional Blessing? True Blessing?]
[Unnn? What, you don’t know about them?]
[Yes. I’m sorry for my lack of knowledge.]
Another unfamiliar term came up, so I asked…… And apparently, seeing Chronois-san’s response, it seems to be common knowledge……
Seeing me reflexively apologize, Chronois-san’s tense expression broken, and kindly smiling, she shook her head.
[No, don’t worry about it. Thinking about it, it isn’t surprising that you, an otherworlder, don’t know about it. I lack consideration…… I apologize.]
[N- No!?]
[Let me briefly explain. Usually, provisional blessings are the ones that the Human nobles receive ever year. We also sometimes call them informal blessings.]
[Informal…… If I remember correctly, isn’t that what you granted to Lilia-san……]
Hearing the word “informal”, it reminded me of how Chronois-san said “This might be informal.” when she blessed Lilia-san in front of the temple before.
[Umu. As you have guessed, the one I performed on Lilia is a Provisional Blessing. These blessings can be simply granted to others, but the effect isn’t very strong and lasts only for a year…… Therefore, the Humans receive their blessings every year.]
[I see…… What about the True Blessings?]
[As for the True Blessings…… They’re “Blessings that are done by the God’s name. Unlike the Provisional Blessings, this blessing remains in effect as long as the God who blessed said person lives, and its effects are in a different league.]
In short, the True Blessings are superior to the usual Blessings, which normally expire in a year, and are said to be permanent.
When she saw me nodding my head in acknowledgment, Chronois-san’s expression changed to a serious one as she continued.
[Granting her True Blessing is the greatest act of trust for the Gods…… that’s because, the recipient of this Blessing is a being blessed by the God who has blessed said person, and they were allowed to “speak in the name of the God”.]
[Speak in the name of the God?]
[……Umu, for example, Miyama. You have received Shallow Vernal-sama’s True Blessing, right? You should have been permitted to use Shallow Vernal-sama’s name at that time.]
[……Eh?]
Did she mention that to me? No, I don’t think she did……
(I forgot. I give you permission to speak in my name.)
You forgot!? Isn’t that a bit too irresponsible……
W- Well, Shiro-san doesn’t seem to have blessed anyone before, so I guess I couldn’t blame her huh?
[……What’s the matter?]
[Ah, no…… Errr, I’ve just been approved.]
[Unnn? I- I see…… Anyway, being allowed to speak in Shallow Vernal-sama’s name….. means that you already have her authority.]
[……Eh? W- What does in the world does that mean……]
I don’t really know what she meant when she said I could speak in the name of God…… But is it that? That “In the name of God!” shout they do in movies?
[If you make a statement in the name of Shallow Vernal-sama’s name…… It’s also equivalent to Shallow Vernal-sama speaking those words herself. The act of disagreeing with that statement, in other words, is seen as an act of pointing their blade to Shallow Vernal-sama…… and is the most foolish act anyone could do in the world.]
[……E- Eeeehhhh……]
[That’s not all. If you use Shallow Vernal-sama’s name to give orders, every Gods will obey your words. You can say that you have absolute command authority over the Gods.]
[…………………]
The heck is that, that’s scary…… I- In short, when someone speaks in the name of God, that means that their statement is equivalent to when the God herself speaks of the same thing…… That’s especially the case when it comes to Shiro-san, who is undoubtedly the top of the world. You could say that the power of her words is in a whole different league.
……It’s decided then, let’s go seal this tight.
[Incidentally, it’s a serious crime for anyone who hasn’t received the True Blessing to speak in the name of said God. The God of Life would give her judgment to such sinners.]
[……I- I see.]
Thanks to Chronois-san’s explanation, I can also somewhat understand why the Gods don’t call each other by name.
For the Gods, their names are for performing the True Blessing, and that would also mean their names hold definite power…… To make sure that no one abuses it, they are making sure that their names aren’t well-known.
And the one who supervises this information…… the information that Alice of the Six Kings gathers, is Life-san.
[Thank you. I clearly understand now.]
[I see…… I know this is unnecessary, but let me remind you that the authority you have been given is powerful. Don’t abuse it…… Well, it’s you we’re talking about anyway. I know that you wouldn’t do that.]
Chronois-san gently smiled at me as she said that, looking like a true Goddess…… Seeing the gap between her current appearance and her usual cool look, I felt my face heat up a bit.
Just as we continued moving, as if she suddenly remembered something, Chronois-san spoke.
[……While we’re at it, I’d like to thank you again. Miyama, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for going on a date with Shallow Vernal-sama before. Shallow Vernal-sama seemed to be enjoying herself very much. Seeing her joy makes me more than happy.]
[N- No, that is……]
[However…… What you saw at that time…… Forget about that.]
[……What I saw at that time?]
After thanking me in regards to my previous date with Shiro-san, she told me to forget about something, but I can’t think of what she’s talking about right away.
Thereupon, Chronois-san looks troubled for some reason, and then, as she averted her gaze, she softly muttered.
[……L- Like I said, that…… m- my…… s- shameless appearance before……]
[……Are you talking about when you were in a swimsuit?]
[……Yeah…… I know! You’re probably going to say it doesn’t look good on me!!! I am aware of that much. Laugh all you want, but forget it!!!]
Desperately telling me that with a blush on her face…… I don’t know if I should say I expected it or not, but it seems like Chronois-san cares about the fact that she was forced into a swimsuit at that time.
She certainly was acting strangely at that time, and she also adamantly refused to stand within my range of vision……
[No, it’s not like I would laugh though…… Or rather, didn’t it look good on you?]
[Whaa!? Y- You!!! You’re making fun of me like that again!!!]
[N- No, I’m not making fun of you…… It really looked good on you. Chronois-san looked slender and beautiful so……]
[Wha!? Wha…… Whaa……]
Hearing my words, Chronois-san opened and closed her mouth just like a fish on land, and her face was growing redder and redder.
And after a little while, she drew closer to me with more vigor than before.
[S- S- S- Stop messing around!!! T- Telling me such cajolery…… W- W- What are you planning!? You’re shameless!!!]
[N- No, I’m not planning anything…… I was just saying my real thoughts. I think Chronois-san is an incredibly beautiful woman.]
[……I- I won’t be deceived…… H- How many times did you think I have been told I look like a man……]
Isn’t that mainly what Fate-san said? Fate-san’s face, holding a peace sign, popped out of my mind just now.
H- Hmmm. I guess Chronois-san isn’t used to being treated like a woman huh…… It’s quite unusual for her to lose her bearings about matters other than Shiro-san.
[Hmmm. I don’t really know what other people think, and I also don’t think my standards are absolute but…… I think Chronois-san is a beautiful woman.]
[ ~ ~ ~ ~ ! ? ! ? ]
When I told her that, Chronois-san’s mouth opened and closed again, and she looked down, the redness of her face reaching her ears.
Unnn, such thoughts may have been rather deep-rooted in her mind…… so let’s not say anything more.
As I thought about this, I returned my gaze to the sceneries of the God Realm, I heard a whisper.
[……I’ll give you…… my thanks.]
[Eh? Ah, yes.]
Chronois-san fell silent once again, but after she glanced at me for a moment, with a somewhat warm expression on her face, she chuckled.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I don’t know if I should say that the God Realm is just as I expected or not, but it was a fantasy-esque place that far exceeds my imagination, and what I saw in my vision felt very refreshing. And after a while, Chronois-san returned to how she usually acts, and as she showed me around the God Realm——- we headed towards the upper levels of the God Realm.
<Author’s Notes>
Serious-senpai: [Y- You liaaaaarrrrrr!!! Didn’t you say that there would be seriousness in this chapter!!!? Why the heck is the protagonist so quick in making his moves!!!? No mooooorrreeee, I wanna go hooooommmmeeee!!!]
<Serious-senpai’s home is this novel’s afterword>
Serious-senpai: [……Bfuaahhh.]
, the lazy Supreme God reappears.