Luke had no choice but to be flustered by the unexpected arrival of the apostle.
From Luke’s perspective, it was a significant crisis.
To think that a believer was emerging without his knowledge!
Luke was a hero from the mythical era, 5,000 years ago, when divine power was deeply rooted in life.
Thus, he had been so accustomed to divine power that he had underestimated its far-reaching effects.
It was clear that Raham was, in fact, nurturing faith in him.
Therefore, Luke decided to follow the facility that he was running.
He felt he needed to see for himself what was happening there.
“…Therefore, we must care more for our neighbors and pay attention to them. That is the way to lead our society towards a brighter and healthier direction……”
Luke looked at Raham, who had become his apostle.
‘For now, I’ve followed because I’m too concerned…’
This ‘temple’ was more serious than expected.
A sermon.
The content of the sermon was indeed good.
Cherish and love your neighbors, be thankful for all things, share joy with others…
Of course, these are good words.
Luke agreed with that.
However, being able to convey such ideas compellingly in front of many people was an entirely different matter.
But how could he do that when he had showed only his usual self and had never imparted any doctrine?
It was nearly impossible to proclaim a “great will” without any theological knowledge or well-defined doctrine.
Unless he was not his apostle…
‘My head hurts…’
—–
Having toured the facility run by Raham, “Raham’s House,” Luke felt even more conflicted.
“How about it? Isn’t it quite a nice facility?”
“It seems so…”
“Right? This is all the angel’s will.”
“…”
Luke closed his mouth.
Well, if it is a will, it is.
But anyone opposing the idea of cherishing each other and moving towards a better society must be a madman.
It’s good to have pleasant conversations with people.
On their days off, they go out to engage in volunteer activities to help the neighbors.
Offerings or donations do not go into his own pocket but are all used for the facility’s operating costs or to help children in need.
Raham said he purchased this orphanage using the wealth he earned from his business.
‘An orphanage, huh…’
The temple in the past also functioned as an orphanage.
From that perspective, Raham’s actions seemed very priestly.
Luke discovered a playroom where children were playing as he walked down the hallway.
Slides, ball pits, toys, etc…
It looked like a great place for children to play.
Adults in white clothes were playing with the children.
“Teacher! Look at this! Isn’t it amazing!”
“Indeed, it really is!”
“Big brother, can I throw the ball over there?”
“You shouldn’t throw a ball at the castle I made, Mer. If you’re bored, how about playing with the teacher?”
“Yes! That sounds great!”
“Can you read us a book next?”
Luke quietly watched that scene.
“…”
Raham smiled and spoke to Luke, who was staring at the children playing.
“Isn’t it wonderful? I plan to increase the playroom and the number of caregivers.”
“Hmm…”
How can this temple be so desirable?
It’s so ideal that it’s hard to say to stop something like this.
‘Damn it, I was hoping to find a flaw and put an end to this, but at this rate…’
Luke began to feel anxious.
Is there truly no way?
“Raham, how did you come up with all these ideas…?”
“Ah, well, that’s…”
Raham lightly smiled, placing a hand on his chest.
“It was a revelation.”
“A revelation?”
Luke was bewildered.
Revelation, he had never received.
In fact, he didn’t even know how to receive one.
So how could he have received a revelation and done all this!
After a moment, he slowly explained the revelation he received.
He mentioned that he analyzed the differences between the prayers that were fulfilled and those that were not from what he had prayed for.
Why had certain prayers not been fulfilled, and why had others been? As he pondered this, he said that at some point he could see the will of that being.
“None of the selfish prayers made for oneself were fulfilled, while prayers made for others, especially for suffering children, were well fulfilled. Thus, I interpreted that being’s will as a sign that I should lead an altruistic life.”
“Wow… Is that so?”
After hearing those words, Luke began to understand how he could become an apostle.
Luke was, after all, the goddess of this age.
Moreover, the goddess and the world were connected by a friendly fate.
Thus, when Raham’s intentions and his own desires aligned perfectly, those wishes would be destined to come true.
In other words, wishes like wanting the world to be peaceful and hoping for children to retain their laughter were also desires deeply held by Luke himself, so those types of prayers were fulfilled.
Those wishes were something Luke himself considered a ‘gain’.
However, no matter how much Luke was a goddess, it was not easy to use this ‘fateful fulfillment’.
Luke had not only disliked using fate to his advantage, but he had come to detest it to such an extent that, combined with the skepticism typical of a mage, it was hard for him to believe in ‘the fate determined by heaven’ rather than his own magic or abilities, but Raham was different.
After returning from death and witnessing an angel, he had come to believe in ‘angels’.
However, in a world devoid of gods, realizing faith simply from glimpses of divinity…
Believing in something wholeheartedly is a sort of talent.
He received no revelations, but having already experienced an incredible miracle, it might have been far too easy for him to possess that kind of faith.
Yet in this era, such individuals commonly suffered great losses from being scammed or betrayed.
To trust in someone easily indicates one can also be easily exploited.
With that nature, he had already experienced one business failure.
Though it might have been fortunate for him to bounce back from that ground by believing in ‘angels’…
That clearly harmed him.
More specifically, it harmed ‘the circle’ that he was.
‘No wonder nothing has been going as I thought lately…’
It was only natural that his ‘fate’ was being wasted here (though Luke considered it was being used so desirably).
Luke sighed.
‘The only consolation is that no one seems to think that this is faith…’
At that moment, Raham glanced at the clock and muttered.
“Ah, speaking of which, it’s almost time to read books to the children. Are you coming along?”
“Books? Do you read books to the children?”
“Of course!”
Luke had a strange expression at his sincere smile.
“…You seem really happy.”
“Yes, reading books to the children is one of the most enjoyable things in my routine.”
As he spoke, the book Raham showed was a fairy tale that included ‘angels’.
Oh my goodness.
Luke shouted, blocking Raham’s way.
“No! The story about angels is forbidden for the kids! Young children will be easily brainwashed!”
“…Brainwashed? That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?”
“Ah, anyway, no!”
He knew it was rude and unreasonable, but he couldn’t help it.
If the children start to become fanatical, that would truly be the end.
“A belief formed incorrectly in childhood can become a great poison later! It could also stifle children’s creativity! The angel wouldn’t want that!”
Indeed, the angel truly did not want that.
So please…
After Luke’s continuous resistance, Raham eventually lowered his gaze and said.
“Sigh, if you’re going that far, I suppose I have no choice… I will remove reading from today’s schedule.”
“Phew!”
However, it was too early to relax.
“Well then, instead of reading, we will sing in the next scheduled class. Oh, by the way, Luke, I remember you sang so well, right? Could you help with the performance? I’m planning to create a song that the children can sing, themed around angels…”
“What! A song!”
Luke became even more flabbergasted.
That’s a hymn, isn’t it?
Luke shook his head even more vehemently.
“That is even more unacceptable!! Absolutely, absolutely not!! You might as well have them read instead!!”
“…What are you expecting me to do, exactly?”
Ultimately, Luke was kicked out of ‘Raham’s House’.
—-
Realizing that he was gradually becoming idolized through the ‘temple,’ Luke grew anxious.
He had to snatch divine power from Raham as quickly as possible, by any means necessary.
Otherwise, it would become irretrievable.
A goddess who does not want followers? How contradictory.
But it was not an easy task.
To take away divine power, the believer must have doubts about the deity itself.
They must refute their own faith in the god to take away divine power.
So, even if he were to descend before him in the guise of an angel and say, ‘You should stop this now,’ the faith would not disappear.
Rather, in a world devoid of gods, actually seeing the angel they had longed for would only increase their faith.
Therefore, Luke needed a more fundamental means to undermine Raham’s faith.
“But how do I make him feel disappointed in me…?”
