Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam-Chapter 899 - 184: You’ve Already Done Very Well
Lies, definitely lies.
This was Ethan's first reaction. As the most devout believer of the Goddess of Life and the overseer of the Church Court in the border city, he could not allow such blasphemy against the Goddess to spread under his watch!
The truth... was supposed to be so.
But when he snapped back to reality from the room, the night had already fallen outside the window.
Unconsciously, it had reached this time, and the entire church had quieted down. Perhaps going out now would not attract too much attention.
His heart was like Pandora's box opened, and thoughts of evil and blasphemy sprouted like mushrooms after rain.
Decades of ascetic practice couldn't earn a single glance from the Goddess, yet this magic potion priced at 201 gold lions could fulfill not only his lifelong wish but also those of many ascetics within the Church Court?
If this were true, never mind 201 gold lions, even 2000 gold lions, or expending his life's savings, Ethan would not hesitate for a moment.
This must be a scam, but...
What if, what if it's true?
Although 201 gold lions were expensive, they were entirely within his affordable range. Even if it ultimately proved to be a scam, it would have no impact on him economically. Conversely, if such a magic potion truly existed, it could not only overturn the "Imperial Truth's" claim of the True God's fall but also complete his life as a believer.
Even if, come dawn, he were to die in his room, it would be a death without regrets.
"Shasha, shasha."
A gust of wind passed through the slightly open window and entered Ethan's room. This breeze flipped the book placed unbeknownst to him on the table, stopping at a particular page.
Ethan felt a bit dazed. He didn't know where this book had come from, but that page seemed to be an allegorical story about the Life Divine Teachings, depicting an ascetic much like himself.
During an attack initiated by the Evil God's Followers, the Goddess had saved him three times—the city's garrison, a caravan leaving the city, and the residents who brought him home when he was on the brink of death. Yet these ordinary rescues were rejected by the ascetic for being too "commonplace."
He firmly believed that the Goddess would bestow Divine Power on Her followers in a greater, more unique way.
Ethan roughly browsed through the story on the Sheepskin Book and could naturally see the essence within.
Could it be...
That the lifelong devotion they had believed in was wrong?
Is the reason they couldn't receive the Goddess's gaze because they used the wrong method?
He felt a strong self-doubt arising.
Once proceeding in the wrong direction, the harder one tries, the more one deviates from the right path.
As Ethan continued along this line of thought, he immediately associated it with all the so-called Saints who claimed to have received the Goddess's gaze. None of them supposedly undertook ascetic practice.
During the era of Henry III, Archbishop Turzan was a strong-willed politician and military strategist who had initiated several holy wars in the name of the Life Divine Teachings; Saint Mary was born during the darkest and most chaotic Crimson Epoch, tirelessly seeking ways to eradicate plagues across nations.
These great figures recorded in the Holy Scripture never focused on depicting their ascetic practices. Many of their early experiences even contradicted asceticism.
Ethan stood before the table, reflecting on why he initially embarked on the path of asceticism.
It was probably because the priests in the church all said it was the most arduous road for believers, and only those who dedicate their entire lives to the Goddess could persevere on this path.
At that time, he firmly believed that the more challenging the road, the likelier it was to earn the Goddess's favor.
The thought of "blasphemy" vaguely gained the upper hand.
Yet Ethan had a new interpretation of "blasphemy" in his mind. He suddenly realized the commonality in these matters—the young Priest and this mysterious Sheepskin Book on his table, both leading him toward the same thing.
Perhaps this wasn't a coincidence at all, but fate's arrangement!
Ethan became invigorated and couldn't wait to leave the cathedral, heading toward the address the young Priest had given him.
This scene was observed by Ethan and the green-haired girl beside him outside the church.
The breeze that entered Ethan's room was the handiwork of the literary girl, but he realized the power of the wind element was much more than that. The allegorical story on the Sheepskin Book was also written by the literary girl. As the breeze stirred, the words appeared on the blank Sheepskin Book like movable type printing.
The literary girl demonstrated exceptional literary skills, completing her first allegory collection in less than two hours.
"I just feel... he's a bit pitiful."
The literary girl watched Ethan's back for a long time until he disappeared at the end of the street.
Being completely deceived yet unaware, despite being over sixty and having witnessed the warmth and coldness of the world, he still got excited over an allegory story like a young and rash lad.
"Remember that back view? Never follow his example."
Ethan felt equally complicated.
The literary girl nodded silently. Without motorcycles around or any fights looming, she remained introverted and quiet.
"We have a saying in our hometown: 'Those who keep licking end up with nothing in the end.'
As the literary girl completed her first allegorical work, Ethan sorted out the relationship between ascetics and the Goddess of Life. Stripping away those religious and theological aspects, a concise summary of their behavior painted a picture of individuals in the Church Court who, throughout their lives, devoted their youth, wealth, and even lives just to convey a message to the Goddess of Life—"Goddess, please look at me!"
