In the pure-white space, the light was soft and eternal, as though time and space had frozen in this moment.
Zeroy stood in the void, emerald eyes fixed on the silver-haired goddess before her. The goddess's crimson eyes were deep yet warm, filled with a transcendent compassion that seemed to pierce to the depths of the soul.
She spoke slowly, her voice resonating in the void like an ancient hymn.
"In the battle just now, the Holy Spear became the bridge between us."
Her tone was gentle. "Through it, I felt the tremors of your soul—the will, the persistence, and the beauty ceaselessly taking form in your heart."
As she spoke, her gaze carried a forgiveness vast enough to embrace all sin and suffering, making one want to confess their deepest secrets.
"I hope you can inherit His power and His will." She leaned forward slightly, silver hair flowing like moonlight. "This is not only His final wish before He fell, but also the mission I was entrusted with: to seek out a true successor."
"And you, dear Zeroy… perhaps you are not identical to Him, but you are the closest I have ever seen."
"..."
Zeroy furrowed her brows, a thoughtful gleam flashing in her emerald eyes. She neither accepted nor refused outright. She was like the God of the Bible? Zeroy didn't think so.
She thought of herself as a good person, always eager to do good—striking down crime (pests), helping the weak, saving the world. Yet she also had selfishness, and she was far less merciful than the God of the Bible.
She didn't know if this world's God of the Bible had really unleashed the Great Flood or burned Sodom, though even if He had, it didn't matter. Because if it had been her, she would have been crueler. Those people wouldn't just die; dying would not be enough. They would suffer and die in agony, and their souls would never find peace.
"Good-natured elder"—such a title was never meant for her.
She looked at the goddess in puzzlement. "What exactly was His will?"
The goddess smiled faintly, a knowing gentleness in her voice. "To create a world—not this existing one, but a new one, a world of your purest ideals."
"That land you have painted countless times in your dreams, born of your heartfelt longing and desire—that beautiful vision you have always wished to make real."
Her gaze grew solemn. "And at the same time, when foreign evil gods one day covet this world, to stand against them—to become this world's last guardian."
Zeroy's brow arched, a trace of wariness flashing in her emerald eyes. "You know quite a lot."
The goddess's smile turned apologetic, like spring wind on a lake. "Forgive me. I did not mean to intrude upon your heart." She lowered her head slightly, silver hair cascading down.
"However, when two souls carry such similar visions and wills, resonance is inevitable."
"It was that resonance which gave me a glimpse of your deepest yearning."
She lifted her head again, her gaze burning yet tender. "And that ideal world you long for… is so very much like His dream."
"I see…" Zeroy lowered her head, lost in thought.
"I… cannot accept this."
She raised her eyes, meeting the goddess's crimson gaze.
"Can you tell me why?" The goddess showed no displeasure. Her eyes remained warm and patient.
"Trust. There's no trust." Zeroy sighed. To inherit the God of the Bible's legacy was a blessing beyond measure, almost like a pie falling from the sky—power freely given without cost. She wanted it, but she could not take it.
"How do I know you won't try to possess me?" A good-natured elder? After all, everything she knew of the God of the Bible was secondhand. He never appeared in the series himself.
"How do I know this isn't a trap?"
Unless he was truly a complete saint, His preparations would surely focus on reviving himself, not finding an heir. And good-natured saints… even among common people, they were rare.
Among the powerful, they were nearly extinct. How was she supposed to believe this? To accept a legacy where tampering was so easy?
How could she, just because someone said, "We share the same vision, inherit my legacy," smile and reply, Sure, no problem :)?
Did she look like some gullible fool? If a scam artist offered her a golden toilet, was she supposed to smile and sit on it?
And this so-called resonance—if the goddess felt it, Zeroy certainly hadn't.
"I understand. Suddenly speaking of such things is suspicious and abrupt. Your doubts are natural."
The silver-haired goddess looked fully understanding, not at all troubled by Zeroy's distrust.
"In this long wait, I anticipated that a successor might harbor such doubts, so I prepared accordingly."
She spread her hand. Orbs of light drifted out and arranged themselves before Zeroy. They dissipated, revealing sacred relics: a cross, a Bible, a chalice, an olive branch, a lily, a crown of thorns.
"I divided His legacy into fragments. Now I set them before you. You may examine them, study them, choose freely, and take only what you deem safe."
"They will always remain here, always presented to you. You may draw from them at any time."
"Will this do?" Her voice was soft.
Simply put, the goddess's gesture was like this: Zeroy saw a treasure chest but feared it was a mimic. So the goddess opened it herself, laid all the treasure inside out in the open, and let Zeroy choose what seemed safe.
Or like buying a car and fearing it was unsafe—so the goddess dismantled it completely, handed her all the parts, and told her to build her own safe version.
"The more generous and easygoing you act, the more suspicious you seem." Zeroy sighed.
"I'll think about it. And besides, confirming these fragments are truly safe will take time, won't it?"
"Of course."
...
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