[Because now, for the first time, you’ll be able to truly 'manifest' in the real sense of the word!]

At Kalannon’s words, Alon was momentarily bewildered.

He immediately asked back,

"...What do you mean, truly manifest?"

[Huh? I mean exactly what I said?]

Kalannon tilted her head as if asking what kind of question that was, then seemed to understand and let out an ah.

[Up until now, Lord Alon, you were transforming into Kalannon, right? And because of that, you were also able to use the power of lightning that I used.]

"That’s right."

[But of course, that power was never Lord Alon’s own. It was power gathered with me as the central source.]

Alon nodded silently.

That much, at least, he understood clearly.

[But at this point, my faith—or rather, Kalannon’s faith—and Lord Alon’s faith have already split apart.]

"You mean separated, like you said earlier?"

[Yes. To be a little more precise, it feels like I’ve become one of Lord Alon’s servants.]

Well—I personally don’t really care who I belong to as long as I’m warm and well-fed—Kalannon said with a laugh before continuing.

[Anyway, the conclusion is that precisely because of that, I said that 'Lord Alon can only now truly manifest in the proper sense.' Since now, Lord Alon is receiving faith as a god without having to borrow Kalannon’s power.]

"I see..."

Alon nodded.

Because now he understood why he could no longer transform into Kalannon.

Which meant a new question arose.

"I understood everything you said."

[Yes.]

"Then what will I manifest as?"

As far as Alon knew, gods each had their own titles, and their abilities were determined by those titles.

But Alon?

Unfortunately, he had no proper title to speak of.

At most, there was only something like 'the power behind the count’s house' from a very long time ago, and other than that—

'...No, do I?'

—thinking about it, he had vaguely suspected that ever since Palantia was founded, various epithets had started attaching themselves to him.

As Alon fell into thought, Kalannon spoke.

[Well, usually, gods manifest in the form most desired by the ones who believe in them.]

"The form they desire most?"

[Yes. Manifestation itself is something done by receiving people’s faith.]

"...Then if what people want changes, does a god’s power change too?"

At that question, Kalannon shook her head.

[No, it doesn’t.]

"Why not?"

[Hmm—put simply, it’s a kind of imprinting effect.]

"An imprinting effect?"

[Yes. When it’s your first manifestation, the power can shift a little, but once the power you use as a fully manifested god is set, it almost never changes.]

If someone who used the power of lightning suddenly started using the power of fire, it wouldn’t be easy to imagine.

With Kalannon giving such a simple example, Alon understood at once.

"Then when will I be able to manifest?"

At that question, Kalannon stared straight at Alon.

A gaze as if peering into his very interior.

How much time passed like that?

[Hmm—]

Kalannon was just about to answer—

[It’ll probably still take a little more time before you can manifest. Even so, the first manifestation requires an enormous amount of faith, and the texture of that faith also has to be the same—huh?]

—instead expressing confusion.

"...Why? Is something wrong?"

But Kalannon gave no immediate answer and simply kept staring at Alon.

[Uh... no. It’s not that anything is strange... it’s just that there’s some slightly foreign faith mixed in there.]

"Foreign faith?"

[Yes. It looks like faith that’s a little too massive to be human faith...]

"You can tell something like that apart?"

[If you’ve been looking at faith for a long time, to some extent, yes. Especially when it’s faith this huge.]

Kalannon mumbled to herself as she studied Alon for a while longer.

[Well—still, I don’t think you need to worry too much about it.]

Then she slipped right back to her cheerful manner.

"...Can you really say it’s fine that lightly?"

[Sure. Honestly, it’s way too massive to belong to a human, but faith is still faith in the end.]

There was no real reason not to accept it, Kalannon said, shrugging her shoulders.

Then, as Alon and Kalannon continued talking about one thing and another—

Rumble—!

[Ah, it’s starting to collapse! See you next time, then.]

"There’s something I’m curious about."

[Go ahead!]

"I know that by staying attached to my side, you gain a lot of faith, so why do you always act like you’re struggling because you never have enough?"

Time was running out and the situation was urgent, but the question had suddenly come to him, so he asked it anyway.

[Ah—well, ahem... that is...]

Kalannon slyly turned her gaze away and pretended not to notice.

Alon was about to press further, but before he could, the world had already begun collapsing—

[Ahem—well, anyway, I’ll see you next time! And just so you know, I’m not skimming anything off the top, so don’t worry!]

In the end, Alon was pulled out without getting an answer.

####

After meeting with Kalannon,

"Boss!"

"God, long time no see."

"Ryang-a, Historia. It’s been a while."

Alon reunited with Ryang-a and Historia after they returned to Divine Land.

As they exchanged warm greetings, he could not help looking inwardly surprised.

And for good reason.

"...Rine?"

"It’s been a while, Godfather."

Because Rine was standing behind Ryang-a and Historia.

"Why are you here...?"

Alon was puzzled by Rine’s sudden appearance.

"It sounds like you’re not very happy to see me here, Godfather."

But Rine showed her disappointment and her expression turned a little sullen.

Alon, despite his expressionless face, made a faintly flustered movement—

"Hehe—just kidding, Godfather."

—and at the sight of Rine smiling like she’d caught him, he let out a small sigh of relief.

After exchanging a few brief greetings with her as well, Alon came to understand why she was here.

"...To see me?"

"Yes, Godfather. I only happened to run into Ryang-a and Historia and joined them along the way."

Rine naturally reached out and patted Ryang-a and Historia on the head.

For a moment, seeing the two of them sitting there perfectly at ease under her ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ touch gave Alon a strange sense of incongruity.

"Ah, come to think of it, I have something to tell you too."

Soon remembering Arculainysis, he briefly told them what had happened in the Empire.

When the whole story was over—

"Wha— that crybaby is a guardian dragon??"

"Not... different person?"

"That really is surprising..."

Ryang-a and Historia widened their eyes as though they could not believe it.

Even Rine did.

Of course, Alon thought their reactions were only natural.

Because all Arculainysis had ever shown them until now was tears.

"...Moved up in the world."

"No kidding."

So while Historia and Ryang-a exchanged their stunned remarks in disbelief,

"Godfather, then are you going to meet Arculainysis next time?"

"Probably not right now, but I think I will soon."

"Then when that happens, can I come too?"

"You too?"

"Yes."

Rine asked with a smile.

Alon thought for a moment before answering.

"I don’t see why not."

"Thank you."

After Rine gave a small bow of thanks, they resumed catching up.

"So, what was it you came here for? Did something happen in Fildagreen?"

"No, that’s not it. Divine blood are appearing in Fildagreen too, but it’s not serious enough to become a major problem."

At Alon’s next question, Rine shook her head, then—

"The truth is, I came because I found something."

"Found something...?"

"Yes."

She brought up the important matter.

"We found a way for those of us who were chosen as sins to grow stronger. Even stronger than we are now."

####

Around the time Alon was having that conversation with Rine, in the vast underground cavern beneath Caliban—

Thud!

—the One Who Soars High, who had been seated on a massive stone throne, was heading toward the surface.

Because it had sensed the presence of Divine blood near Caliban.

[So they came in the end...]

The One Who Soars High did not particularly welcome a fight against Divine blood.

Of course, it did not doubt that battles like this held sweet rewards, but even so, if the opponent was Divine blood, things were bound to become exhausting.

But even then, it could not give up the reward to be gained for no more than that reason alone.

And more than anything, the One Who Soars High had a fair amount of confidence in its own martial strength, so it headed for the surface.

Not long after it began moving, the One Who Soars High clicked its tongue involuntarily as it looked at the Divine blood approaching from the distance.

[...The Festering Tree.]

The Festering Tree.

One of the stronger individuals even among first-stage Divine blood.

That thing was approaching the One Who Soars High with what seemed to be a clear purpose.

[Hoo.]

At the sight, the One Who Soars High let out a sigh and gripped its spear.

Because it already knew from the start that the Festering Tree was not an opponent one could reason with.

[Hey, how about you just turn around and go back?]

Still, on the off chance, it probed anyway.

[Heh, what a shame. But I absolutely need the humans behind you.]

The Festering Tree, in the shape of a turtle, kept shoving its body forward as it continued advancing.

At that, just as the One Who Soars High tightened its grip on the spear as though it had no choice—

[!?]

Its eyes flew wide open.

Then they were colored with alarm and dismay.

Naturally, it was not because of the Festering Tree.

No matter how troublesome that thing was, it was not the kind of opponent that would make it feel this much.

The reason the One Who Soars High was startled was the presences.

The moment the Festering Tree moved, as if they had been waiting for it, it could sense the presences of at least five Divine blood.

At the very moment the One Who Soars High was reeling in confusion—

Boom-boom-boom-boom—!!

Five Divine blood burst out from the distance.

[Damn it—!]

The One Who Soars High frowned and immediately gripped its spear.

However—

[?]

Soon a strange question rose on its face.

Because the Festering Tree’s expression was just as full of bewilderment as its own.

What kind of situation was this...?

The moment the One Who Soars High tilted its head—

[Di-Divine blood!]

[There, it’s right there!!]

Boom—!

The five Divine blood that had appeared all charged straight at the Festering Tree—

KABOOOOOM! Bam bam! Bam!

—and without a second thought, suddenly began beating the Festering Tree senseless.

A situation that had erupted out of nowhere before anyone had time to react.

[Kraaagh!?]

The Festering Tree belatedly tried to fight back and use its ability, but unfortunately, in the face of a beating from no fewer than five Divine blood, it was useless.

After the Festering Tree’s body had been sent flying through the air over and over again,

the Divine blood that had thrown the first punch at the Festering Tree spoke kindly.

[Now then, let us all welcome the thirty-fourth member of the Star Group.]

That statement was so absurdly out of place that it clashed with the situation itself.

[What kind of bullshit is th—]

Apparently thinking much the same as the One Who Soars High, the battered Festering Tree tried to snap back, but—

[It seems you don’t want to join the Star Group?]

With those words, the Divine blood started beating up the Festering Tree all over again.

And so, after several minutes had passed—

[Are you joining the Star Group or not!?]

[I-I’ll join! Let me join, please...!]

Watching that unimaginable threat actually work,

'...Wh-what is happening here?'

The One Who Soars High’s pupils began to tremble...