Brain bloom

"Aishaliya was murdered by evil forces and her faith was defiled by rose quartz powder. She even fell into slavery, but the divine will always remained in her heart. Even in confusion and suffering, in the end... her pure piety brought forth the manifestation of the true God!"

Aisalia, riding her horse, looked a little shy. It was true, but the process didn't seem so virtuous...

The Pope clearly promoted her as a positive figure, even bestowing upon her the title of "saint," a title rarely seen in a century. He made her struggle against herself a major beginning of the manifestation of the coffin bearers, incorporating it into the "Chronicle of the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin" and even using it as the starting point of the "Book of Divine Manifestations."

Of course, these ideas were conceived under the guidance of the first pope.

The Pope was deeply impressed; no wonder he was the one who single-handedly created the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin, his propaganda of God was so effective and infectious. He secretly resolved that he could not let his old life end in vain.

"Our wine saint was redeemed by the true God! She was led into the courtyard of the true God to watch over the grapes that would become the droplets of God's water! Yes, the true God was moved by her struggle and saved her!"

Aisalia wanted to bow her head, but a surge of faith made her proud of herself. Many believers were weeping; for the devout, the story was perfect.

Just as the atmosphere reached its climax, and the procession of saints was about to return to the embrace of the holy land amidst the fervent atmosphere.

Dressed in a tailcoat, the elegant Blood Teacup quietly bypassed the paladins maintaining order and blocked the path of the saints' procession with a disdainful smile. The cheers and commotion gradually subsided; everyone sensed that this man was about to do something big.

The Pope exclaimed that something was wrong and quickly ordered his men to arrest him.

But it seemed too late; the Blood Tea Cup raised its hands.

With his left hand, he crushed a large silver holy letter symbol, announcing his impending blasphemy. In his right hand, he held a box; as the holy letter shattered, the box slowly opened, revealing what he had stolen from the black market—something extremely troublesome!

"They actually did it. This is going to be terrible for the Holy Coffin Kingdom."

"Damn it, is that thing... about to appear?"

Those who witnessed what happened in the black market yesterday showed fear on their faces. Even these scoundrels outside the law began to feel that things had gone too far.

The guardian of the Chaos Blade wasn't present, and several high knights had been reassigned. The Holy Land relied on the order brought by faith, and everything was fine until today. But today, negligence occurred. No one could have imagined that what Blood Tea Cup would produce would be that very thing.

The blood-red rubies are set off by the emerald green leaves.

It is huge, perfectly shaped, and so beautiful that it makes one's mouth water.

But now, the appearance of the God Fruit (Strawberry) means that something terrible is about to happen!

The blood-red teacup opened its mouth, raising the fruit of God (the strawberry) high. In an exaggerated and ostentatious manner, before all the believers, the Pope, and the newly returned saint, it was about to eat this fruit of God (the strawberry)—a blatant act of blasphemy.

……

(ps)

I always write about the righteous and heroic side of strawberries, but I feel I also need to write about the dark side to add depth.

Later I realized that I couldn't find any dark side to write about, so this was all I could do...

Volume 1 #402: The Event and the Eve

To publicly blaspheme in the most ruthless way during the grandest ceremony to proclaim the doctrine would be an absolute nightmare for the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin.

Even if they were to kill him—no, capture him, and then deal with this blasphemer in the most brutal way, the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin and the Coffin Bearers would suffer the most severe loss of face. The Pope was covered in sweat, countless thoughts racing through his mind.

Accuse those who enforce the laws of the true God, blame those who are responsible for guarding, and condemn the black market that has always existed.

But these are things that should be done afterward. Now that the true God himself is not here, and the nation's strongest fighting force is out on business, that strawberry is already gleaming in the sunlight, about to fall into the mouth of a blasphemer! Looking at this brutal and abhorrent scene, the Pope felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

Is there really no way to stop it?

A deathly silence fell over the scene; the previous jubilation seemed like a joke! The lingering smoke and fireworks in the sky only added to the desolation. Anyone would have been better off stopping him, otherwise, the coffin bearers, whom they had finally managed to appease, would be subjected to even more cruel divine punishment…

At the top of the glazed tower, against the backdrop of the boundless blue sky, Yuan's long black hair sways endlessly.

She watched everything below with great interest. Perhaps in another second, the blasphemous act would come true, but for Yuan, a second was too long. She could even create a new spell in her mind, have a good time, and then go down to solve the problem.

However, she didn't need to do it herself, because from within her clothes, a dazzling orb of light seemed to merge with the sky, flying downwards in a radiant display. After spring arrived, this sea goddess gained more faith and became slightly stronger than before.

It wants to defend the dignity of Mori-shi's sister.

I used a speed-up spell to increase Fu Fu's speed.

Half a second later, the trail of the salt sprite drew a beautiful line in the air, and this streak of light was no longer azure blue, but was tinged with bright red at its lowest point.

No one realized what was happening until Blood Tea Cup frowned and cursed, "Damn, so salty!" Only then did some of the powerful figures begin to understand. It was...it was the yet-to-be-announced god subordinate to the coffin bearer—the sea god who governs the ocean and fortune!

The sea god stopped the blasphemous act, took away the precious strawberry, and even left a large amount of salt in the throat of the blood teacup, the intense saltiness causing it to turn blue.

Therefore, by the time the guards realized what was happening and pounced, this renowned and powerful villainous adventurer was captured without any resistance. Everyone sighed deeply; the coffin carrier's reputation was almost tarnished.

Everyone began searching the sky for the beautiful red and blue streak of light, wanting to express their gratitude to the unknown helper, but it had vanished. Awe filled the people; whoever it was, it would henceforth be the most welcome guest in the Holy Coffin Kingdom. The bards were thrilled; this magnificent streak of light would become the subject of their future artistic creations!

At the top of the tower, Fu Fu stopped at the fingertips of Yuan.

"Sister Yuan..." Fu Fu's voice was filled with fear, "What should we do..."

"Hahaha." Yuan clutched her stomach, tears welling in her eyes from laughing.

Because, in Fufu's pure blue skin, there were now some bright red juices. Realizing she had caused a huge disaster, Fufu became even more frightened and quickly confessed, "I flew too fast and accidentally...ate the strawberry...Will Sister Morishi throw me away?"

"Is it tasty?"

"It's sweet, not bad."

"That's great, I want to eat one too." Yuan wiped away her tears, put away her smile and put on a friendly one. She ignored Fu Fu, who was constantly blaming herself, and looked into the distance and muttered to herself, "Sen said that this spring, he would give me a strawberry to eat, which would cure my weak body... I'm really looking forward to it."

"...Eh, does Sister Yuan also want to defile Sister Moritoki?"

"Yes, that must be very interesting." Yuan enjoyed the warm but slightly cool breeze of early spring, her face full of anticipation.

Fu Fu's fear gradually subsided because he had gained a powerful and reliable accomplice. The little guy quietly licked the juice off his lips. Blasphemy is blasphemy, anyway, strawberries are delicious... Well, that's right, he's even drunk strawberry bathwater before.

After this minor setback subsided, the cheers from below grew even louder.

The saint, guided by the true god, returned to the holy land on a steed. Aisalia will learn martial arts under the command of the Guardians of Chaos Blade, but afterwards, she will hold a three-day pilgrimage in the holy land to preach how she fought against fate and was saved by the god.

Of course, the main reason is that the vineyard they've been taking care of is about to be relocated, so she and Su Dai won't have to stay and tend to the fruit anymore.

Returning to the holy land feels like a dream.

This grand event was only halfway through. The Pope, raising his scepter, addressed the crowds gathered throughout the city to deliver a second message. This too was significant and meaningful, no longer some mere formalistic religion, but something that could truly bring benefits.

"—The radiance of the true God extends to all, letting us know that the true God of this world is not our enemy!" This strange opening statement drew quiet, attentive stares from everyone. The Pope was pleased and announced with even greater excitement, "The Kingdom of the Holy Coffin welcomes the addition of two true Gods!"

"what?"

"Two true gods..."

"join in?"

The meanings of these words are easily understood when separated, but when strung together, even the most learned scholar would struggle to grasp their significance at first glance. Fortunately, the first pope immediately clarified everything.

"Below our supreme true god, the Coffin Bearer, will come two subordinate gods! The first is the supreme god of goodness, who governs the sea, fortune, and salt! The second is the craftsman god, Olster Ruman, who governs tailoring and weaving! They are both great gods who are as old as history itself, and now they will be incorporated into our country's doctrinal system."

The entire city fell silent in astonishment at this enormous news.

"Rejoice! If we offer enough gratitude, the sea god will rule the sea and promise us abundant bounties from the ocean. Even the fiercest sea monsters will yield to our ships, and even if you perish in the sea, kind sea beasts will escort you home."

It wasn't until the Pope clearly explained the actual gains that the people were truly shocked and filled with awe.

Just as they worship the coffin bearer because of their prosperous life and abundant wealth, if the god associated with this coffin bearer can also bring such substantial practical benefits, why shouldn't they offer their gratitude?

Meanwhile, Fufu on the tower grew even bigger and shyly burrowed back into Yuan's clothes.

The Pope introduces his next one—

"And the most famous figure from the mythological era, the important founder symbolizing the beginning of human civilization, the craftsman god Orst Luhmann, will also become a subordinate god of the coffin bearers. He can bestow new technologies upon our country and guide the innovation of craftsmen and various industries, which will allow our country to once again lead the world!"

Pride turned into cheers, instantly washing over the entire holy site.

Of course, the people who escorted the coffin deserve the most gratitude and praise.

"The human world is so interesting." Yuan stood up and stretched. Now that the danger had been resolved and the event was over, it was time for Yuan to get up and go to the next place.

She quietly opened the door and, in the blink of an eye, found herself in another place.

While spatial teleportation magic is convenient, it's not the best option for travelers. Unless it's pre-arranged, she'd much rather walk there, like her journey to find dawn when she met Mori and Dandelion.

Traveling is more fun now because you can enjoy the sunset without any reservations.

She arrived at Silvermoon City, a permanently neutral city that, under the leadership of the surviving great hero, had gradually recovered its former prosperity. Its geographical location determined everything; even after being ravaged by the Evil Mist, it was difficult for it to decline.

“Wish.” Melia, holding a large axe, sat in front of the flower field of the winery cottage and raised her hand to greet Wish.

"Good afternoon, little Melia."

"Why are you taking so long? I was about to fall asleep."

"It's quite interesting to join in the fun in Mori's country."

"Tsk tsk tsk, I wish I could too... but unfortunately, no matter where I go, it's easy to be mistaken for a state visit." Melia said with a hint of envy, "I really want to travel with Dad! So, we have to help her win that battle, but who knows who we'll be fighting against."

"Haha." Yuan covered her mouth and chuckled, she could vaguely guess what was going on.

“Let’s go, let’s get to work, or it’ll get dark soon… oh no.” Melia’s eyes softened. “I forgot, from now on, the ghosts have given the night back. It’s unbelievable that the night was taken from us for so long, and then it was given back.”

Following her toward the back of the cabin, Melia got up and followed, glancing back at the vineyard every now and then. The many varieties of beautiful, laden grapes were very tempting. This vineyard seemed to have been neglected for months, but its owner hadn't forgotten about it.

"Now that nightlife has been brought back," Yuan joked, "is your country's birth rate going to decline?"

"...Well, on the bright side, this is probably the case in every country."

She walked towards the apple tree, picked a plump green apple, and took a small bite. A smile appeared on her face as she tasted the tartness, because it tasted even better than before.

She was in a very good mood: "Some little guys from the Demon Realm seem to really want to visit the human world. Does your country accept students?"

"Hey, you're getting a bit arrogant. What happened to that silly wish from before? Is all that's left now the Dawn Queen of the Demon Realm? What a pity." Melia crossed her arms and sighed dramatically.

"Hmph, I used to be too hurt to think... Now I realize my brain can actually be this agile, it's unbelievable." She toyed with the half-eaten apple, her voice drawn out, "I must have done a lot of shameful things and said a lot of shameful things before, I really hope you've forgotten them..."

"Never."

"Alright, time to get to work."

"Ah."

After saying that, Melia looked up at the sky. The thundercloud worm, which had gradually become familiar with the creature, sank down, almost pressing down on the sea surface.

Melia and Wish climbed onto its back. One of them raised a sharp, giant axe, her face full of eager anticipation. The other hesitated, sometimes slightly opening her lips as if to use "Wish's Roar," sometimes raising her hand as if to use magic. But after thinking it over, she realized she knew too many things, making it difficult to choose.

Seeing her best friend's unreliable behavior, Melia simply smiled and swung her giant axe.

The Four Seasons Winery area was easily separated from the island, the cut clean and smooth, without even harming any life. This was precisely what they were there to do; to support the reconstruction of the Kingdom of Flowers, this carefully nurtured estate was an essential piece of the puzzle.

Upon seeing Melia cut open the island, Yuan could only silently descend, using magic to encircle the divided Four Seasons Winery and land, and gently place them on the back of the Thundercloud Worm.

"It's so heavy..."