As I enjoyed my delicious bread, the standoff between the man who appeared to be a missionary and the Armored Knights quickly came to an end.
The priest continued to plead, voicing his complaints, while one of the Federal officers came forward, managing to calm the knights down and attempt a dialogue.
“So, how long have you been here?”
“Decades! Decades! I’ve been serving God for half a century, just worshipping. And suddenly, I’m labeled a cultist?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. We’ve received reports regarding this, and we’re currently investigating all gatherings and religious facilities. We appreciate your understanding.”
Listening to the priest’s aggrieved voice made him seem like a genuine believer.
「After all, someone who gives out free delicious bread on the street must be a good person!」
Relief washed over me. If I passed by here again, I’d definitely stop by to grab some bread.
The commotion had settled, but the Armored Knights were still scanning the interior of the temple in a threatening manner, and the vibe remained tense.
Due to their high-handed attitude, most people fled the temple one by one, visibly frightened.
“Violet.”
Daphne tugged at my sleeve, making me reluctantly put down my bread and follow her.
「Oh, what a waste.」
The person from the monastery standing by the entrance had a bittersweet expression as they handed something to the departing visitors.
When it was my turn, he extended his hand.
“Um…”
“What is this?”
“You don’t have to believe it. I would just appreciate if you could hold onto it…”
A cold object pressed against my palm.
“What are you doing? Let’s go already!”
With Kalia pushing me on, I stuffed it into my pocket and hurried my steps.
「But why did those people come here?」
The Restraid Clan was notorious for their arrogance towards the general public.
Yet here they were, allowing the Federal Army to operate in their jurisdiction.
No, it seemed they were cooperating with them.
「Could they be planning some kind of religious eradication operation?」
However, considering how they left the priests who brought us alone, it seemed they were selectively choosing whom to target.
There were no other peculiarities aside from some of the Armored Knights and Federal Soldiers armed with unusual weapons.
「That thing we saw earlier looked like a camera, right?」
「It might be a newly developed magic weapon. Something like an Ether Laser Gun!」
Even though the main force consisted of armored knights, I had heard that the Restraid Clan wasn’t averse to using magic.
Lost in various thoughts, Sister Sophie’s voice pulled me back to reality.
“Violet, what are you thinking so deeply about?”
“I was just thinking about the knights. How did you manage to follow us?”
“Well, seeing you follow some suspicious people all of a sudden made me worried, so I called my friends to come with me. But thankfully, nothing bad happened.”
“Wow, so you really came to help us!”
For a moment, I felt joy, only to suddenly feel awkward.
「Wait a second, did she actually come to help us or just to keep an eye on us?」
From the looks of the people around us and Sister Sophie’s gaze, it felt less like concern for my well-being and more like fear of the consequences of any trouble I might get into.
「I see… She still doesn’t trust me.」
“Violet, don’t follow any strangers who offer you food from now on.”
Daphne admonished, and I drooped my shoulders.
“But it was free…”
“I’ll buy it for you!”
“Really?”
As I walked alongside Sister Sophie, my friends started to whisper about what had just happened.
“These Armored Knights have been sighted near the school lately, but I didn’t expect to encounter them here. By the way, the Sacred Heart Monastery? I’ve never heard of it, does anyone know?”
“That? As far as I remember, it was one of the largest religious organizations before the Great War. But its headquarters was swallowed by another dimension, and after that, it vanished without a trace. Even the dungeons weren’t spared.”
“Then they aren’t a cult after all. I’ve never seen priests like those before.”
Hearing my friends’ chatter made the setting come back to me.
In the academy city, there were hardly any officially recognized religious organizations.
It wasn’t that the Federation or the clans disliked religion; rather, the influence of religion had always been minimal in this entire Trist area.
Except for the mission school run by Arshith in the northern district, places discussing religion were almost non-existent.
Curious, I took out the item I received earlier and examined it.
Within the golden ring, three small circles overlapped to form a triangular shape, with a decoration that resembled a flame at the center.
“Violet, that’s what you got from those people earlier, right? You’ve suddenly taken an interest in religion?”
Sister Sophie asked.
“No, not really.”
Now that I thought about it, the topic of religion sparked my curiosity.
“Hey, do you all follow any religion?”
“Religion? Nope.”
Irene’s straightforward answer surprised me a little.
I knew atheism was the mainstream belief in this world.
“Wait, really?”
“There’s no such thing as a god. Those were beliefs of people from long ago. Just an unreasonable attachment that appeals to ignorance and emotion.”
“What about others? What about you, sister?”
“Interesting question. The notion that an omnipotent being is watching over us… Should I ask Seijis about that? He might know something.”
“Oh, no need. And Daphne?”
“Well… it could exist, or it might not. We just don’t know.”
The fact that they didn’t have any particular religion made me realize I had never seen anyone around believe in anything.
Daphne, who played a significant supporting role in Part One, was nicknamed ‘The Saint of Salvation.’ But that was just a testament to her having saved many with her abilities, not an indication of deep religious faith.
「With neither democracy nor communism in sight, even religion is absent…」
Our Violet was a devout materialist, but there was an inexplicable sense of desolation. The word ‘God’ seemed useless, except as an exclamation.
“Kalia, what about you?”
“Yeah, God…”
As she seemed to be reflecting on something, she finally spoke.
“Gods are extraordinary beings, right? They create worlds and are omnipotent, right? If such beings existed, they would be so perfect that they’d be hard to approach. Wouldn’t it be more comforting if they were a little silly?”
Irene’s eyes sparkled with interest at Kalia’s unexpected serious answer.
“You’re right! Some gods from ancient myths were said to be jealous, greedy, and angry, just like humans. Perhaps they were intentionally created that way? They’d feel more relatable if they weren’t perfect.”
“You really know a lot, Irene. I just said whatever came to mind.”
Kalia shrugged her shoulders.
“Anyway, what’s so special about gods? If you can live your life as you like, that’s what being a god is!”
Listening to Kalia’s words sparked a fun thought.
「If you can live your own life freely, then you become a god!」
「If we had enough power, we could become gods!」
Many words raced through my mind.
Zeus, Odin.
God-Emperor, Transcendent!
「Goddess of Infinite!」
「Oh, that’s a great term!」
The Violets nodded unknowingly.
Goddesses sounded more elegant and beautiful than witches, making it perfect for our cute girls.
「If what Kalia says is true, then we could certainly become gods.」
「What are you saying? Oh, wait… I see!」
The Violets always held onto a small dream: to carve out our own destiny.
To establish a Violet nation and enjoy complete freedom and peace.
「Wow, that sounds amazing!」
If we had power that no one could interfere with, we could establish a nation and declare ourselves goddesses.
「Let’s gather our strength and become strong! Then we can be worshipped by the people.」
A massive golden Violet statue emerged within the network.
Everyone knelt before it as Saint Daphne healed the sick, while the Violets spread messages of freedom and peace in a magnificent scene.
Lost in my imagination, I giggled as my friends asked.
“What are you imagining now?”
“Nothing at all!”
“Really?”
I didn’t understand why they looked at me with such strange eyes when I was just smiling.
After the Armored Knights and Federal soldiers thoroughly scavenged the area, the priest remained behind with a few people assisting him to clean up.
Someone had to do it. Wiping the floor with a rag, he drifted into deep thought.
The gentle afternoon sunlight streaming through the stained glass enveloped the triangular pattern laid out on the platform.
The three overlapping circles, the symbol of the Sacred Heart Monastery, shone in gold, but to him, it felt empty.
‘To buy faith with bread? I’m really pathetic.’
The priest felt ashamed. Luring in believers with food? What was he thinking?
That wasn’t something a proper shepherd of the monastery should do.
In hindsight, to draw people in with culinary skills gifted by the goddess felt truly childish.
‘Well, it’s not just me…’
Even amid his embarrassment, the priest felt relief. He wasn’t the only miserable religious figure in this world.
Except for a few mission schools in the northern district, there were hardly any places here keeping the faith alive.
It was unavoidable.
Amid the devastation of the Great War, the Lutherian Cathedral turned to ashes, and the Alibis Monastery got sucked into another dimension.
Religious sanctuaries were pillaged by monsters, and even the surviving religious leaders suffered deep wounds, both physical and mental.
The majority of survivors turned their backs on God.
They cried that divine blessings were absent.
Before supernatural calamities, all faith crumbled, and religion couldn’t even explain the threats emerging from other dimensions.
The descriptions from religious figures across Trist, including Rustroom, were desolate.
Only a few organizations miraculously survived to carry on.
Adding insult to injury, there were only fraudsters deceiving followers with false prophecies to extract money.
The priest recalled the question thrown by the Federal officer with a heavy sigh.
“Have you seen anyone teaching suspicious doctrines lately?”
He had heard of a group called the Unification Society carrying out subversive proselytizing activities not long ago, but they soon vanished without a trace.
‘The era of believing in gods is over. It’s a world where science, reason, and brute force dominate.’
The religious organization that had been nonexistent for decades continued to shift dangerously.
Now, no one sought the Three Goddesses.
‘What should I do? I’m so tired.’
Letting out his habitual lament, the priest gazed blankly at the empty sanctuary when someone strode in confidently.
“Teacher, are you hoping for a revival of the organization?”
The unfamiliar voice echoed through the temple.
The priest flinched at the strange appearance of the figure emerging from the shadows. The sanctuary doors were closed.
“Yo-you… how did you get in?”
“Do you wish to sow the seeds of faith once more in this desolate world?”
He picked up the Sacred Heart Monastery’s scripture hanging on one side of the wall.
The priest swallowed hard as he looked at him.
“Have you ever dreamed of the old glorious days when the Sacred Heart Monastery and the Gospel of the Three Goddesses spread throughout the world?”
Pointing to the relief of the Three Goddesses engraved on the entrance wall, the stranger whispered to the priest.
“You… what are you saying…”
“Now is the opportunity.”
The atmosphere shifted in an instant. He knocked his forehead as if pressing a doorbell.
In that moment, something gently slipped into his mind.
“I felt some energy and came to check… you’re suitable. Good. Your mentality is excellent.”
The priest didn’t care about what the person was saying.
He couldn’t afford to. It felt like someone was burrowing into his brain.
“Is there a method?”
These words escaped his lips unknowingly, almost as if he had been waiting for that moment.
The stranger nodded and unfolded the Sacred Heart Monastery’s scripture.
“‘Hope belongs to those who act; nothing will change by merely waiting.’ Isn’t that your teaching?”
He continued speaking, deeply gazing into the priest’s eyes, which had grown murky.
“A new era will come. Follow us, and we will grant you glory.”
After the midterms in March, spring truly arrived.
「I’m so happy!」
Our Violets, buoyed by the spring breeze, were looking forward to a joyful time.
However, unexpected news came.
“Everyone, now that the exam is over, I’d like to discuss the schedule. As you all know, soon the Rustroom Academy Consolidated Expo will be held in the southern district.”
Oh, now that I think about it, there is an academy expo. They’ll be selling delicious things and hosting a variety of events.
“As you all know, this is one of the biggest events in the academy city.”
“A field trip! It’s a field trip, right?”
One student raised a hand and asked, and the professor nodded.
“That’s right. According to the syllabus, you first-year students will soon have a group field trip to the expo.”
The students buzzed with excitement, while the professor dropped a bombshell.
“Therefore, I have an assignment for you all. Your task is to visit each academy’s booth and submit a report for this month’s assignment.”
I stood dazed at the sudden announcement from the professor.
「Ugh, that’s such a drag.」
The thrilling anticipation of the spring day crumbled in an instant. Other students began asking questions.
“How should we set the theme?”
“When is the submission deadline?”
My friends began to chatter excitedly.
“Wow, didn’t they say they’d have new relics on display there?”
“I might get to see the kids from Vesperia Academy. I heard they’re pretty cute…”
“They say other clans and companies will show up too? Let’s check it out.”
“Haven’t they said that other district academies will come too?”
Everyone around was in a festive mood. I, however, was far from it.
「I just wanted to have fun at the expo.」
Unlike my overly enthusiastic friends, I already felt a wave of boredom creeping in.
A report? I could finish it quickly, but it felt tedious and annoying.
But I had no choice.
Still, my heart did race a little. Thinking about what to do rekindled the fading excitement of the spring day once more.
「This is going to be fun!」
What should I do when I get there?
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
