Chapter 33: I didn’t say anything wrong.

Meanwhile, in the Goddess’s Sanctuary.

A quiet tension filled the Goddess’s Sanctuary.

The Goddess had finished all her preparations.

To escape from the ill-tempered demon.

For the Elysium, weary of peace.

And—.

For the small hero who had made a noble sacrifice for Elysium.

The Goddess stood silently in the center of the Sanctuary.

Before her was a sacred device, ready to re-adjust the order of Elysium.

The flow of magic enveloped the Sanctuary,

And a pure white light gently emanated from her fingertips.

“…Now, all preparations are complete.”

The Goddess muttered softly.

Yes.

All preparations were complete.

The training-type dungeon, carefully crafted by him,

was ready to be supported as the best dungeon.

“Okay. The system reform, the various perks, and even meticulously analyzing all kinds of dungeons,

I have finished preparing to make the best dungeon for everyone in Elysium—!”

Now, only one thing had to be done successfully.

So that everyone in Elysium could clear the training-type dungeon,

Succeeding in the greatest lie in their lives to the residents.

The Goddess gasped.

‘I can do it. I can. If I fail, I will get scolded by Velia again.’

She was, in fact, the main god of this Elysium.

She had to be the one holding the greatest authority in this Elysium.

However, in front of that demon, Velia, all her self-esteem crumbled.

Her intuition whispered.

If she failed, it wasn’t just her hair that would be grabbed, it would be all her hair that would be pulled out.

The Goddess resolutely shook her head.

She couldn’t do that.

This time, she had to deceive perfectly.

“Ugh, I am not good at lying. But, for the sake of Elysium’s peace.”

Moreover, Senior, whom Velia was devoted to,

Was the only person in this universe who could handle Velia.

If she carefully supported Senior’s plan and could gain favor with him—!

“A life of being harassed by Velia will be over forever!”

The Goddess clasped her hands and imagined a hopeful future.

A life where her hair wouldn’t be pulled.

Senior, who would stop Velia from tormenting her.

And countless challengers flocking to conquer the best dungeon in Elysium…!

It was perfect.

It was truly an ideal structure.

“The heroes who went to Valhalla might return. Huhu. Okay, then…”

The Goddess placed her hand on the sacred device.

Light spread, starting to adjust the laws of Elysium anew.

And—.

The sacred fountain, conveying the Goddess’s oracle, shone.

The sacred fountain in the middle of the village square.

From within the clear and transparent water, the light of the oracle began to bloom.

“…What is it?”

“Light from the fountain…”

“Th, that is. The light of the oracle.”

The residents, waiting to form the second search party.

They ran towards the fountain at once upon seeing the light that was emanating from it.

The priest, and the village chief bowed their heads and prayed.

Then.

The water from the sacred fountain rose to the sky, and a low, majestic voice resounded.

『I declare to all of Elysium. The arena of the gods has been newly opened.』

The light spread out and enveloped the fountain in a sacred energy.

The brilliant radiance adorned the sky, creating a beautiful rainbow.

A splendid production, like a message saying, ‘Look here.’

The villagers looked at the fountain in confusion.

Conversations went back and forth among the residents.

“…Arena of the gods?”

“What does that mean?”

“Where is that place?”

The Goddess rejoiced inwardly, ‘Okay! Successfully attracted attention!’

Now, all that was left was for her to intervene personally,

To lead the residents of Elysium to the dungeon.

The Goddess prepared her voice to complete her plan.

The Goddess’s sacred voice came from the fountain.

[To the Sacred Ground, away from this village. There the arena of the gods has been opened.]

At that moment—.

The villagers’ murmurs grew even louder.

The chief, who was praying, also looked at the fountain with wide eyes.

“The Sacred Ground, away from the village, then….”

“Isn’t that the place where the Black Calamity appeared?”

“Is that the arena of the gods?”

Murmurs arose,

The chief, hearing all that, in a trembling voice, prayed to the Goddess.

“Goddess.”

[Speak. My faithful servant.]

“…Isn’t what has come to the Sacred Ground the ‘Black Calamity’?”

[Yes?! No, well…!]

“……Goddess?”

The Goddess stopped the oracle momentarily and froze.

‘…Yes? Black Calamity?’

It was an unexpected reaction.

She had announced the arena of the gods with a sacred sound,

And believed that everyone would be moved and express their previous fighting spirit and start challenging it.

But what came back was—.

‘Isn’t the Black Calamity?’

The moment she heard those words, her brain stopped.

The Goddess desperately began to spin her head.

‘Black Calamity, Black Calamity… that is definitely…’

Memories flashed through her rapidly.

A prophecy of disaster that had once made the entire Elysium noisy.

And that was—.

‘…Because you all didn’t have a sense of urgency, it’s a prophecy I provoked.’

The Goddess’s face turned white.

It was herself who instigated this prophecy.

No, to be precise, it was something she asked of a great prophet, who was once in Elysium.

Please—.

Anything was fine.

To this lazy and tensionless Elysium,

She asked for a prophecy that could create a sense of crisis.

However,

Even that prophet gave a very subtle reaction.

“…There is a crisis in Elysium, but whether it will happen or not. It’s similar to the probability of being struck by lightning three times in a row.”

“That’s still okay! Anything, just please give me a prophecy!”

The prophecy, given to her by her earnestness.

That was the Black Calamity.

[Black Calamity]

‘When paradise turns red, and the balance of the sky collapses,

The Black Calamity will appear and pour out monsters to devour paradise.’

The Goddess, remembering those memories,

Held her head with a face of despair.

“No, why did that prophecy suddenly come out? When everyone in Elysium has dismissed it as a joke?!”

She never dreamed.

That the residents would remember the prophecy that was blurred even to the Goddess, who was instigating the prophecy.

And that it would,

Stop the Goddess’ plan, which she thought was perfect.

‘What to do, how to get through this? Why is the Black Calamity suddenly popping out~!’

The Goddess, in frustration, examined the sanctuary again, hurrying.

The entrance, which looked scary even to enter.

The path marked in yellow, as if guiding and saying, ‘This is your grave.’

The Sacred Ground, divided in half,

The black demon castle standing nobly on the cliff.

And—.

A giant magenta monster, holding a shining giant club high,

And monsters with horns who seemed to be their subordinates.

Even the Pegasus, which was twisted as if from hell, was running at a crazy speed.

‘…That form is definitely the Black Calamity.’

The Goddess held her head.

Why did such a situation occur?

At that moment—.

“Goddess, did you say the Black Calamity is the arena of the gods?”

[Yes?! No, wait…!]

The Goddess desperately spun her head.

But her brain was already overloaded.

‘What do I do! What should I say?!’

Both the arena of the gods and the Black Calamity,

They were lies mixed with truths created by her.

But she couldn’t correct it now.

The oracle had already been delivered, and the residents had started to sharpen their swords.

‘I must invent a lie to seal these things somehow.’

The Goddess, with all her might, strained her head.

At that moment—.

A brilliant idea flashed through her mind.

[The Saint! It’s the Saint!]

“…Yes? The Saint?”

The Goddess clasped her hands and continued the oracle.

[The Saint is personally sealing the Black Calamity there!]

“…Yes?”

“The Saint…”

The villagers’ murmurs increased even more.

But this was fine.

The Saint was already there.

The Saint, who had given up her dreams and created a dungeon for Elysium.

So, it was a plausible story.

The Goddess again continued the lie, or rather, the oracle calmly.

[As you think, the Black Calamity is happening. And the Saint is blocking it with her small body, all alone.]

“The Saint….”

“What is that…”

The Goddess paused for a moment.

[…The Saint, in the dun, no, with a small body, is staying in the Sacred Ground and has decided to seize the Black Calamity as an opportunity.]

“…Opportunity?”

[Yes. The Black Calamity intentionally weakened its power, adjusting it so that you can subdue it. It’s turned into the arena of the gods.]

The Goddess continued the oracle with a smile of confidence.

[So that someday, when you have recovered your fighting spirit and strength completely, you can defeat the Black Calamity that has fully arrived.]

“That means…”

“That she gave us a chance to fight until we could face it…”

“The Saint, deliberately…?”

“Even while sacrificing herself?”

The Goddess rejoiced inwardly.

Now, the residents would believe that the ‘Black Calamity’ was a trial they must overcome.

That meant—

‘That might be an opportunity to revive Elysium’s heroic spirit! This will be a blessing in disguise!’

The Goddess, not missing the atmosphere, added strength to her words.

[You have been chosen.]

“…Chosen?”

[The Saint intentionally weakened the power of the Black Calamity so that you could rise up. Follow that will and fight to protect the Elysium of today.]

Murmurs spread among the residents.

The Goddess threw a successful shot.

[I, too, am moved by the Saint’s noble sacrifice and am fully prepared to support you, and the Saint. So, believe in my blessings and go forward. Heroes of Elysium.]

Cheers erupted.

The residents, with faces full of determination, began to check their weapons and adjust their armor.

‘Ah, now it is over. I did it!’

At that moment,

“Is the Black Calamity ultimately going to be destroyed by that castle?”

“What is the exact reason for the Black Calamity?”

The Goddess’s joy disappeared immediately.

‘The questions are too pointed….’

Now, she couldn’t say ‘It’s just a dungeon!’.

She had to sort out the situation somehow.

[…The demon is angry. Until the demon’s anger subsides.]

And so, the Goddess,

She made the demon Velia the scapegoat, and blamed everything on her.

‘…I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?’

The Goddess ended the oracle while remembering Velia, who was the cause of all this.