Hah, what?
My eyes carefully studied the girl, still trying to process her words.
I already knew about the myths of the gods in this world. If I recalled correctly, there were eleven gods and goddesses who possessed tremendous powers, some of whom were worshiped and revered by various nations. For example, the Kingdom of Lurivia worshiped the Sun God Lilio and the Moon Goddess Lunaris, and the Goddess Rubiel.
Was she talking about the same gods?
She had just introduced herself as Goddess Allina, the Mistress of Winds. Was she truly a goddess?
Looking back, she had created an illusionary world that resembled my previous world. The feeling I experienced there felt incredibly real. I could sense it with nearly all of my senses. Moreover, when I devoured the fried chicken at the fast-food restaurant earlier, I truly felt full. Yet, that satisfaction vanished the moment the girl before me destroyed the utopia.
It seemed she wasn't lying.
I looked at her face, which wore a mischievous smile as she watched my confusion. It seemed she enjoyed the bewilderment written across my face. For a moment, I felt irritated by her.
"Are you really Goddess Allina?" I asked again, seeking confirmation.
"So, you mean to say I'm just an imposter? After everything we've been through, do you still not believe your own eyes?" she replied, her tone mocking.
"It's just... I still can't believe it. I mean, I've always thought the gods and goddesses were just myths. And here you are, claiming to be a goddess with powers that I cannot believe. You know how I feel, don't you?"
I believed her, but I still couldn't accept it.
"Ah, I understand. We gods and goddesses haven't appeared for tens of thousands of years, or perhaps hundreds of thousands, or maybe even millions of years... who knows? It's been so long that I've forgotten. It's no wonder the inhabitants of the lower world think we are just myths."
I paused for a moment, processing Goddess Allina's admission. A mix of thoughts swirled in my mind.
"If the gods and goddesses really exist, then why haven't you appeared before humans?" I asked cautiously, lowering my tone slightly, trying not to offend the Goddess of Weather before me.
The girl sighed, then smiled faintly. "It's not that we didn't want to, but that we couldn't. If it weren't for 'that event,' we wouldn't be trapped here for so long."
"What event? Trapped? How could that be? Aren't you gods and goddesses, beings with unlimited power?"
Goddess Allina suddenly burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as though she had heard the funniest joke in the world. Meanwhile, I stood still, waiting for her to finish laughing.
"Unlimited, you say? It seems you don't know anything, do you? But that's to be expected."
"...." I fell silent, the large question mark still lingering in my mind.
"If we keep this up, you'll probably end up conducting an interview with me. But that won't be enjoyable. Let me answer one question that you've probably been dying to ask," she continued.
"Just one? No more?" I tried to negotiate.
There were so many things I wanted to ask her. For instance, about the gods and the Soul Crystals. Also about 'that event,' which she might have accidentally let slip.
"If you want more answers, you can ask my other siblings. You're planning to gather all the Sacred Artifacts, aren't you?"
"Sacred Artifacts?" I asked, confused. However, as I tried to connect everything that had happened recently, I finally understood. It seemed that was how the gods referred to the Soul Crystals. "Ah, you mean the Soul Crystals? Yes, I do plan to gather them. But how did you know?"
"How do you think I created the illusionary world similar to your own? It's because I read all the memories in your head. There's nothing I don't know about you," Goddess Allina said cheerfully. She had just committed a crime by invading my memories.
Can no one have privacy in front of her?
"So, what do you want to ask me?"
This time, I paused for a moment, trying to calm myself and regulate my heartbeat. I was thinking carefully about which question to ask Goddess Allina.
I didn't want to ask anything trivial, or I might waste this opportunity. So, I had to think about what I most needed to know right now. After a while, I managed to narrow down the many questions into three essential ones.
Why were my friends and I drawn into this world?
Why did I turn into a Haier-Elvian, unlike others who retained their original forms?
Most importantly, why, of all people on Earth, was I the one to experience all of this?
If I couldn't calm my mind soon, I would probably blurt out one of those three questions. Fortunately, I managed to stop and think a little further.
I felt that the answers to those three questions could still be found throughout my journey. Unlike the one crucial thing I wanted to know the answer to right now, no matter what happened.
"What happens if I succeed in gathering all the Sacred Artifacts?" I asked in a deep tone.
Yes, this was the most important thing I needed an answer to right now. Because this was the purpose of my journey. If the outcome didn't meet my expectations, then all of this would have been in vain.
That was why I had to discover the meaning of the purpose of this journey.
Goddess Allina looked at me carefully, then gave a faint smile. She leaned toward me, her left hand on her waist, while the other pointed ahead until it touched the tip of my nose.
"Good question, Anggi! You've gone straight to the heart of the matter," she said with a beaming expression, making me feel like I was facing a middle schooler enthusiastically going through their school life.
Judging by her appearance, she probably looked the same age as a middle schooler in my previous world. For some reason, I felt that her soul was still quite childish. More precisely, she seemed like a spoiled child from a prestigious family who believed everything could be obtained by whining.
Honestly, I had no idea how to deal with someone like her.
"Luckily, I know the answer. If not, your chance would be wasted," Goddess Allina continued, laughing lightly.
Wait. So I could lose my chance if I asked the wrong thing?
Damn it! She didn't say anything beforehand and only told me she wouldn't be responsible if I made a mistake? Plus, the way she laughed really made me dislike her.
I clenched my fist tightly. If she weren't a goddess, I would have slapped her cheek hard and yanked her hair.
I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. Once again, I had to calm my mind and suppress my frustration. No matter what, the one in front of me was a real goddess. I didn't know what would happen if I went up against one.
"So, do you know anything?" I asked, lowering my voice and forcing a smile on my face.
Goddess Allina paused for a moment before opening her mouth. "As you might already know, the Sacred Artifacts are the source of our power. Each artifact has different powers from the others. But there is one artifact that is different from the rest, because this artifact cannot be used at will. Not like the others. Do you know why?"
"No," I explained, shaking my head. If she had already read my mind, she should already know the answer.
"It's because this special artifact has extraordinary power. It can grant any wish, without exception. Even if you wish for this world to end and the sky to fall, it will certainly come true."
"It... is the Soul Crystal of Hope, Nadziedja."
"Yes, you're right, human! The Sacred Artifact of my brother Shakilla is indeed the most powerful among us siblings. That's why my brother Inggra made the Nadziedja Sacred Artifact not usable at will, even by Shakilla himself. But that doesn't mean Nadziedja can't be used at all. This Sacred Artifact can be used with one condition," Goddess Allina explained seriously, raising her index finger at me.
I fell silent, swallowing heavily amidst this important conversation.
"The condition to use Nadziedja is... the approval of the Sacred Artifact holders. Because each wish can benefit or harm others, my brother Inggra decided that meetings should be held whenever Nadziedja is to be used, to gather opinions from our siblings. But not everyone needs to approve, you see. Nadziedja can be used with at least eight votes from the eleven Artifact holders. Well, that's about two-thirds."
I was dumbfounded after hearing Goddess Allina's ramblings. From her perspective, I must have looked like a fool, confused with my mouth hanging open.
Good grief! When Goddess Allina said she would only answer one question, I thought it would be difficult to get any information from her. But look at this! She threw so much vital information in one breath. Answers to several questions that had been set aside—because I was only allowed to ask one—were given to me in a long paragraph from her mouth.
If I were to summarize, there were several key points from Goddess Allina's words.
First, and perhaps most surprising, the fact that the gods and goddesses were actually holders of Sacred Artifacts, possessing powers beyond imagination. This confirmed the vague information I had gathered from the Glafelden library, which mentioned that the gods and goddesses were actually humans who gained powers from the Soul Crystals.
But were they truly just humans? I wasn't sure.
Second, the gods and goddesses were actually siblings. I knew this from Goddess Allina, who repeatedly referred to her fellow gods as "brother" and "sister." I assumed that Goddess Allina was the youngest, because she never referred to the other gods as "younger sibling."
No wonder her behavior seemed so childish!
Third, and this was the most important point related directly to my journey, the Soul Crystal Nadziedja could indeed grant any wish! This meant that my friends and I could truly return to our original world. But I had to get approval from at least two-thirds of the eleven gods and goddesses.
Good grief! Are these gods and goddesses or members of the MPR?
Setting that aside, I felt relieved. Why? Because I had finally found a glimmer of hope after a year of being stuck in this world with no way back. What's more, this information was absolutely valid since it came from the original source.
But there was still something troubling me. That was the existence of 'Strigifavorus.' I had to find out more about this monster from Goddess Allina.
Knowing how loose her lips were, I felt that it wouldn't be hard to extract information from her once again.
The next moment, I grinned widely and licked my lips. I had found a sly way to exploit the goddess's naivety.