Side Story Chapter 2: The ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ Grants a Holy Audience. (Part 1)
“It’s a vacation, a vacation! Let’s go, Terri!”
Three days after the Pope’s enthronement ceremony.
Tesillid and I finally shed all the shackles and restraints of the world and broke the Spatial Teleportation Stone.
As the faint sensation of floating disappeared, the feeling of treading on soft grass was conveyed. When I opened my eyes, we were standing in front of a cabin.
“Whew.”
I realized anew that this place held deep meaning and memories in many ways.
My mom and dad’s honeymoon home.
A safe house where I brought the 117th iteration Tesillid, who had lost his memories and powers, after saving him.
A sanctuary I came to whenever I wanted to escape the Pontifical Palace and the royal castle.
And a haven connected to the exit I found after wandering through the Tomb of Chaos Gods.
Because it was a place where one couldn’t help but feel peace, his expression and mine naturally softened.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Indeed.”
Immediately after returning alive from the Tomb of Chaos Gods, we were busy staying at Saint Agnes Church, reorganizing the church, and preparing for the Pope’s enthronement.
Therefore, it had been a full three months since we last returned to the cabin.
Even so, perhaps thanks to Grandpa sending people to manage it, the house was clean.
The vegetable garden was carefully tended, and the wooden walls and roof had been smoothly repaired. The only thing left to do was…
‘Hmm, I just need to move the fence and expand the yard. Because I have to plant cherry trees.’
I should make it so we can see cherry blossoms from home in the spring.
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ sparkles with anticipation, preparing for full-scale confinement.]
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ clicks their tongue, wondering why Tesillid Argent’s life genre is still ‘ruination’.]
‘It’s not like that!’
I vehemently denied it, but the mischievous Possession Management Bureau Gods only enjoyed my intense reaction, finding it more fun to tease.
“Let’s go in, Terri.”
I strode ahead, opened the fence gate, and entered. While I held the gate, Tesillid smiled brightly at the threshold, seeming so amused.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“Just… because I’m happy.”
“Come in quickly.”
“Okay.”
The inside of the cabin was also spotless, as if touched by human hands in every corner.
All necessary items were equipped, but we still needed to organize the luggage we brought separately.
Tesillid and I first changed into comfortable clothes and sat facing each other in the living room.
Taking out household items one by one from my inventory, I declared my ambition.
“For a while, I’ll just play, eat, and sleep here. After about half a month, if I get tired of it, let’s go visit Gillette Count’s Castle. To see the farm family.”
Tesillid, who was neatly folding a towel into crisp angles, looked surprised.
“Go visit?”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“I thought once you entered this house’s fence, you couldn’t come out again.”
No, not even him, what’s wrong?
“That can’t be!”
“I see.”
A point that needed to be clarified had arisen.
“So you crossed the threshold earlier with such a solemn resolve?”
“It wasn’t particularly solemn…”
“Then?”
It was when I asked back thoughtlessly.
Tesillid started using his good looks again.
“Aillet.”
“…”
“Because everything is good when I’m with you.”
“…”
“It’s okay if a very small world is my everything.”
“…”
Wouldn’t it be irresistible to lose one’s mind in ecstasy here?
I faced Tesillid’s gaze, forgetting to reply. The unusual brilliance in his eyes, deeply staring at me, was exceptionally beautiful.
Looking at the colors that seemed to pull me in, I thought, ‘Indeed, the summer sea is here.’
I almost became a tropical fish swimming from his left eye to his right, but the words of the gods brought me back to my senses.
[‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ evaluates Tesillid’s recent remark as sounding like a hikikomori.]
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ clicks their tongue, asking if he thinks he’s a house cat.]
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ suggests that, if anything, he could narrow his scope of activity to just the bed instead of the house…]
Ah, come on! Stop it!
But it wasn’t over just because I came to my senses.
Perhaps while I was floundering in his sea, he too was rolling around in a hallucinatory green field.
“Aillet…”
With our gazes locked, his face drew closer and closer. Immediately after encroaching within focusing distance, he gently lowered his silver eyelashes.
The gaze from his half-open, sea-colored eyes seemed to deeply mesmerize me.
And finally, just as our breaths were about to mingle at the tips of our noses…
<Oops, I missed the timing. I should’ve known to leave when our eyes met earlier.>
“…”
“…”
<Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I felt like I had to say something before I left. So, bye.>
“…See you later.”
“…Farewell.”
We were truly alone, and our posture remained the same, but unfortunately, the atmosphere had been dispelled.
“Pfft.”
Tesillid and I burst out laughing at the same time.
He rubbed his nose lightly against mine, then pulled away, smiling.
“Shall we finish organizing first?”
“Let’s do that, Terri.”
After we finished organizing our luggage together, we divided the chores.
I prepared dinner in the kitchen, and Tesillid went out to install a swing on the large tree in the yard.
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ rests their chin on their hands, watching your honeymoon.]
[‘Eye that Oversees All Chaos’ gnaws on a flower-embroidered handkerchief.]
[‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ is bored with the peaceful daily life, unbecoming of an SS-rank.]
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ eagerly awaits a Dungeon Burst or Dungeon Sink.]
Slicing a large ham thinly, I listened distractedly to the gods’ words when I suddenly felt a strange sensation.
‘Now that I think about it, it’s strange.’
Something feels missing.
What could it be?
What on earth is it?
After much deliberation.
“Oh, right!”
I realized the reason.
‘Voice-Spirit-nim? Are you not here, Voice-Spirit-nim?’
I only now realized that I hadn’t received a single message from the Voice-Spirit, not just when we teleported to the cabin, but since this morning.
As expected, the Voice-Spirit gave no answer, and another god updated me on their status.
[‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ says that the ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ is preparing for a special audience scheduled for a little later.]
Oh, a special audience. They must be meeting someone very important.
What immediately came to mind was the chairman of the Possession Management Bureau, Cliché Gourmand-nim. However, my guess was immediately refuted.
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ shakes their head, saying that ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ didn’t even doll themselves up this much when entertaining the chairman.]
[‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ agrees, saying that ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ seems to be putting in a lot of effort today.]
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ sneers, asking if ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ really thinks they’ll become handsome by trying so hard.]
[‘Eye that Oversees All Chaos’ flinches at the derogatory comment about appearance.]
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ protests, saying that even if ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ is criticized, it should only be by them.]
[‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ insists that the ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ is an objectively presentable male god.]
I was quite surprised here.
‘The Voice-Spirit-nim was a male god?’
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ slyly says to just imagine a pot-bellied department head.]
[‘Creative Economy Manager’ slyly says that ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ is also bald and shiny.]
[‘Eye that Oversees All Chaos’ is surprised, asking if this is the power struggle between the department heads.]
Now it was my turn to respond.
‘I see. No wonder.’
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ eyes sparkle.]
[‘Creative Economy Manager’s’ eyes sparkle.]
I clenched my fists with both hands and smiled brightly.
‘I wondered where his warm disposition and words full of light came from, but there was a reason after all!’
So what if he’s a pot-bellied, bald department head? I like our Voice-Spirit, no matter what he looks like!
[‘Eye that Oversees All Chaos’ marvels at your broad acceptance.]
[‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ realizes that one must be this accepting to become a follower of the ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’.]
[‘Scales that Judge Souls’ is annoyed by the blind faith.]
I placed whipped cream, cheese powder, potatoes, ham, and other ingredients into a wide oval dish and put it in the oven.
Since the gratin would take a long time to finish, I thought I could make a few more dishes in the meantime.
I arranged tomato slices on an oven tray, drizzled olive oil, and hollowed out crusty roll bread to fill with bacon, Greek yogurt, and eggs.
The dishes were almost all finished, and the table was quite bountiful.
“Aillet, I’m done installing the swing.”
“Okay, Terri. You worked hard… What’s wrong with your clothes?”
Tesillid, who had gone out neatly dressed, returned covered in a lot of fur.
To exaggerate a little, his white shirt and black pants looked like a fur coat.
“There seems to be a cat living near the house. While I was installing the swing, it jumped onto my lap, and I thought it was cute, so I left it… but it must have been shedding.”
This was unforgivable.
“That’s too much, Terri.”
“…Aillet?”
“You saw the cat all by yourself? Why didn’t you call me? I’m really disappointed.”
“Sorry. Next time, let’s see it together.”
“Okay. First, go change your clothes and come back.”
“Okay.”
When Tesillid returned, he somehow felt more handsome than before. I thought it was just my imagination, but it wasn’t.
Instead of the light, comfortable clothes he would usually wear around the house, he was impeccably dressed in an embroidered vest and cravat, as if he were going on a date.
When I looked at him with questioning eyes, Tesillid feigned ignorance, pretending to arrange a centerpiece with a flower vase. If he was avoiding my gaze, I had no choice but to ask directly.
“What’s with that sudden attire, Mr. Tesillid Argent?”
“…Because these are the only clothes I have.”
“Then why did you sweep your hair back? Is there a particular reason to show off your handsome forehead?”
“…My bangs were poking my eyes.”
What is this obvious lie?