The Pillar of Light
In truth, no matter how much it was a command from the divine, it was nearly a miracle that the Observer had created something of this magnitude at this point in time.
The divine proclamation of “Let us meet again” from Igogodon, the overwhelming power of the divine granted by him, and the Observer, who had been reborn as a living being through it.
If even a single cog had failed to align, it was clear that not only would creation have been impossible, but even conceptualization would have been out of reach.
Little by little—
As the seemingly impossible will of the divine became reality, the Observer could not help but tremble once more.
“All for the sake of Lord Igogodon.”
“Everything… for Lord Igogodon.”
The Observer pondered.
‘How merciful is our God. How much must He love us to bestow so much upon us?’
[ It can only be described as luck.]
“Luck…?”
[Surely, you know. Who is the God overlooking this world… and how that impacts our existence.]
The Observer carefully caught their breath.
What had once been only a conceptual understanding now, with the gift of life and the ability to think, was clearer than ever.
“You mean the one who conveys to us ‘love,’ not the divine itself?”
[The power of the divine can do anything—from transforming worlds to destroying them. There are gods who indulge only in violence, whose sole desire is destruction and slaughter, gods who, quite literally, find joy in the devastation of the world.]
The Observer and “It” were lower beings who could not encroach upon the divine realm, and thus, they had not personally encountered such gods.
Yet, they inexplicably knew of the ruined worlds under the hands of such gods from the moment they were born.
Beings who, broken alongside the corrupted world granted by divine power, could not defy the divine will.
[We who need the ‘power of the divine’ to survive must reflect the world to God in order to borrow that power. Therefore, whatever God desires, we must fulfill—even if it ends in ruin.]
“I understand.”
[To be honest, I could adjust to Lord Igogodon changing his mind at any time, but… now that you can think, you wouldn’t be able to, would you?]
Hearing those words, the Observer looked at the Pillar of Light and carefully opened their mouth.
“It’s alright. God—Lord Igogodon—would never abandon us.”
Not only the beings they could directly see but even beyond them, even those merely observed, were granted grace by His warm and benevolent heart.
Could a being with such a radiant soul possibly wish to destroy our world?
[Until the end, we must not lose sight of our purpose.]
“Don’t worry… it’ll be fine…”
Finishing their reply, the Observer laid down once again.
Their consciousness grew faint, likely because they had expended all their strength creating the small Pillar of Light.
[You were in direct conversation, so you must have heard what God desires, correct?]
“What He desires…”
What Lord Igogodon desires most—the connection with the woman who is loved by the divine.
Even in the smallest way, He wishes to be “connected” with them.
“I’m curious…”
[What is it?]
“Am I…”
The Observer hesitated briefly, then cautiously moved their pink lips.
“Am I a woman?”
[That’s something you know better than I do.]
The Observer hesitantly touched their soft chest and murmured, “We are loved by God, aren’t we?”
And then—
For a long while, there was no reply.
[What exactly are you trying to say?]
The Observer slowly closed their eyes.
Their face felt hot.
This was the first physical reaction they had experienced since becoming a living being.
Was this an extension of the “embarrassment” they had felt previously?
Just as a newly born being learns emotions through various experiences, the Observer was gradually mastering the privilege of life: emotions.
“Next time…
For Lord Igogodon, I must see Eirene’s… bath scene…”
Instead of replying, the Observer muttered this to themselves and soon collapsed, as if all their strength had left them.
Becoming a living being also meant having a body that required rest through sleep.
If this was the price for “evolving” into a being capable of independent thought, was it too much or just right?
And—
Unlike the Observer, who had life and could fall asleep, “It,” who was born without life and could objectively view the situation, murmured incomprehensible words while watching the sleeping Observer.
[Am I… a woman?]
Indeed, beings capable of thought would sometimes utter incomprehensible things.
Almost like humans—weak creatures who could not move forward without depending on something.
But compared to their own position, where they could not choose whether to move forward or not and could only rely on divine power, how different was it?
While staring at the collection of objective statements, “It” spoke words devoid of emotion.
[If your rebirth as a living being is ‘God’s will,’ then so is this slight connection to their realm…]
“It” murmured for a while and eventually disappeared into the darkness.
The bright Pillar of Light stood steadfast, guarding the sleeping Observer.
“Hiyahh?!!”
Erin, who was praying in the Saintess’s chamber, let out a moan as if possessed by a divine spirit and opened her eyes.
Then, tilting her head back… her body trembled.
‘It’s coming in…!!!’
As one who conceived the divine truth, Erin could hear it—the will of God.
The will of the one true God, Lord Igogodon!
Although, as a mere human, it was impossible for her to directly comprehend His will… even being able to perceive it indirectly was extraordinary. This alone was enough to justify her wielding absolute authority as the “Saintess.”
“Tch…
Haah…”
Erin spent some time savoring the “will of God” flowing through her entire being.
Eventually, she carefully rose from her seat, gently took her holy scripture, and spoke.
“Cecilia, are you there?”
“Yes, Saintess. What do you require?”
Cecilia’s voice echoed from beyond the door.
“Would you gather the people I name right away?”
***
In the meeting hall of Igogodon Castle.
Ballas, seated across from Eirene, who was diligently managing the nation’s affairs, nodded.
“With this, I believe we can finalize the third proclamation.”
“I see. Is there anything else to add?”
“No, everything aligns with the Demon Lord’s intentions, so I am satisfied.”
Eirene was drafting the third proclamation alongside Ballas, the representative of the demons.
The main points included expanding the scope of interaction between demons and humans and removing outdated regulations, such as the “boundary line” rule, which had been rendered irrelevant due to the swift adaptation and negligible side effects of magic energy.
“How are the demons’ living conditions?”
“Thanks to the empire’s numerous allowances, they are doing exceptionally well. Young demons no longer lose their lives due to insufficient magic energy or sunlight. Even though our kind must still appear fearsome to humans… they are treated kindly, and we are always grateful for that.”
“That’s good to hear. I only hope this peace will continue.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Eirene extended her hand to Ballas, and they shook hands.
“By the way… is the Demon Lord… busy?”
“She mentioned having some matters to attend to.”
Eirene nodded regretfully.
She had wanted to meet the adorable Demon Lord, whose every step made a squeaky sound, share some snacks, and perhaps even let her rest her head on her lap while shaking a rattle.
…
But summoning her out of the blue would be absurd.
After all, she was the dignified Demon Lord, the supreme ruler of the demons.
Eirene knew she had to treat her with utmost respect.
“Perhaps I should visit her dungeon myself next time.”
“Are you sure that’s alright? Even though magic energy no longer has adverse effects, my kind’s appearance might still seem grotesque and frightening to Your Majesty.”
“No.”
Eirene tilted her head slightly, gracefully brushing aside a strand of hair, and smiled.
Her crescent-shaped eyes radiated a seductive charm that could captivate anyone.
“A mature woman does not judge everything by appearances.”
“Understood.”
At that moment—
“My apologies for interrupting the meeting, Your Majesty.”
A soldier’s voice came from beyond the door.
“What is it?”
“The Saintess has come to see you.”
“The Saintess?”
“It’s fine, Your Majesty. We’ve already concluded the important matters. Please, go ahead.”
Eirene gave Ballas a slight nod and said, “Let her in.”
The door opened, and Erin, dressed in her ceremonial saintly robes, slowly approached Eirene.
“Welcome, Saintess.”
“Your Majesty, greetings. I trust you’ve been well?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been at peace. But what brings you here so suddenly?”
“I need to take Your Majesty somewhere.”
“Me?”
Eirene tilted her head in curiosity as Ballas cautiously bowed.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave…”
“Wait a moment.”
“?”
Erin stopped Ballas just as she was about to leave.
“You’re Ballas of the demons, correct?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Hmm…”
Erin studied Ballas intently with a serious expression.
More precisely… she stared at her chest.
‘…???’
Feeling oddly flustered under the Saintess’s lingering gaze, Ballas shrank her shoulders slightly.
“I think it would be good if you joined us as well. Would that be alright?”
“Me? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Do you have other plans?”
“No, nothing urgent…”
“Then, would you accompany us for a bit?”
Ballas quickly calculated the situation.
‘Maintaining good relations with the Saintess, a figure as important as Eirene among humans, was crucial for the demons’ lasting peace.
“Of course.”
“Wonderful! Then, both of you, please follow me.”
***
Eirene and Erin arrived at the auditorium of the grand Igogodon Cathedral.
Though still in the process of being refurnished, the place felt somewhat empty.
Inside, a group of holy knights stood gathered.
“You’re here, Saintess. Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Ophel bowed, and the rabbit perched on her head hopped excitedly.
“Igogodon! Igogodon!”
“It’s been a while, little rabbit.”
Just as the rabbit was about to leap into Eirene’s arms—
“?”
…It spotted Ballas following behind Eirene.
With her long, flowing violet hair and strikingly seductive appearance, Ballas immediately caught the rabbit’s eye.
The rabbit, without a word, jumped toward Ballas.
“Oh…?!
Ballas barely managed to catch the rabbit, which snuggled into her arms and spoke.
“Igogodon! Fresh and good!”
“Excuse me… what?”
Ophel chuckled.
“It seems the little one has taken a liking to you.”
“To me?”
“Indeed. It’s calling you a ‘fresh woman.’ Please indulge it if you can.”
Unsure of what “fresh woman” meant, Ballas hesitated but eventually nodded.
“Understood. It’s not a difficult request.”
As Ballas looked at the rabbit nestled in her arms, she recalled what the Demon Lord had said about humans being capable of wiping out demons with divine beasts if they so desired.
‘This rabbit must be that divine beast.’
Its fluffy white fur, beady black eyes, and twitching long ears belied its overwhelming presence.
While Ballas remained cautious, she couldn’t deny its cuteness.
The rabbit eventually leaped back into Eirene’s arms, who stroked its head with a kind smile.
“Kya! Igogodon! Igogodon!”
“Fufu, little rabbit, I almost felt abandoned for a moment.”
“Igogodon! Love you good!”
“Yes, yes.”
Though the rabbit seemed more like an adorable pet than a divine beast, the aura of a powerful being emanating from it was unmistakable.
“Saintess, why have you gathered us here?”
“Yes, we heard there was something important…”
As Luca and Linnea questioned her, Erin nodded and raised her index finger to the heavens.
“Today, the will of Lord Igogodon has descended upon us.”
She then delivered the divine message entrusted to her.
“From now on, we shall all… bathe together!”