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Chapter 67
The Hidden Enemy
The endless white space stretched forever around Alex, soft and glowing like the heart of a sunrise that never ended. Gentle light wrapped him like a warm, comforting blanket, and the ground beneath his boots felt like walking on clouds made of pure starlight. Everything felt peaceful and quiet, yet his heart beat a little faster as he waited for the goddess to speak.
He remained silent for a long moment after hearing her earlier words. Thoughts swirled inside his mind like a gentle storm — questions about the future, the empire, and the strange feeling that someone was pulling hidden strings behind every tragedy.
"So this world… really is another world," he muttered quietly to himself.
He exhaled slowly and lifted his head again, his golden eyes steady and determined.
"Alright," he said. "Then my last question is simple."
His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at the goddess.
"Why does it feel like everything in this world is being controlled? Why do all the tragedies of the main characters happen so perfectly? The famine, the suffering, the hatred… everything somehow connects back to the Ether Empire."
His voice grew slightly colder, like a quiet wind before a storm.
"It feels like someone is intentionally trying to destroy the empire."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression serious.
"So tell me. Who is behind all of this?"
For the first time since their conversation began, the goddess looked genuinely surprised. Her golden eyes widened just a little, and the soft light around her flickered like a candle touched by a gentle breeze.
"…So you noticed it as well."
Alex did not reply. He simply waited, his heart steady but curious.
The goddess fell silent. Her expression slowly turned thoughtful, almost troubled. She lowered her gaze for a moment, as if weighing something very heavy inside her heart. The white space around them seemed to grow a touch quieter, as if even the light itself was holding its breath.
"This question…" she murmured softly.
"It is a very difficult one to answer."
She studied Alex carefully, her golden eyes full of quiet care.
"I did not expect you to ask this so soon."
For a moment it looked as though she might refuse to answer.
But after several long seconds of deep thought, she sighed softly, the sound like a gentle breeze moving through peaceful leaves.
"…Very well."
"You deserve to know at least this much truth."
She straightened slightly in her chair, her long golden hair catching the soft light like threads of warm sunlight.
"As I told you before, during the War of the Gods, two of our brothers became corrupted and turned against us. When they were defeated… they did not completely die."
Alex's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint chill running down his spine.
"They fell," the goddess continued, her voice gentle yet serious.
"Their broken divine bodies crashed into the land that would later become the Ether Empire."
She paused briefly, letting the words settle like soft snow on quiet ground.
"But they were not the only ones."
"My brother and one of my sisters also fell during that terrible war."
"And their bodies… also landed in that same land."
Alex slowly began to understand where this was leading. His breath caught for a moment.
"So four fallen gods…"
The goddess nodded, her expression filled with quiet sadness.
"Yes."
"Over time, as evil slowly grew within the world… those shattered divine fragments began to react with one another."
"Eventually…"
"They merged."
Her voice grew quieter, like a whisper carried across a distant wind.
"And from that fusion, a new being was born."
"A twisted existence formed from divine power and corruption."
"You could call it… an Evil God."
The white space seemed to grow slightly colder, as if even the light around them felt uneasy at the name. The gentle glow dimmed just a little, casting long, soft shadows across the marble table between them.
Alex frowned, his golden eyes sharp with thought.
"Why hasn't it appeared in the world yet?"
The goddess answered immediately, her tone calm and steady.
"Because it cannot."
"Not yet."
"There are still powerful forces protecting the world."
"The great Churches."
"The mighty empires."
"And most importantly…"
She looked at him seriously, her eyes warm with quiet hope.
"The Ether Empire, whose royal bloodline carries the power of ancient dragons."
"That empire is the greatest obstacle standing between the Evil God and the rest of the world."
Alex crossed his arms slowly, his mind turning like gentle waves beneath a quiet sea.
"So it has been waiting."
"Yes," she replied quietly.
"For hundreds of years."
"It cannot directly step into the world yet."
"But it can influence it."
"How?" Alex asked, his voice steady and focused.
The goddess's expression darkened slightly, like a cloud passing across the face of the sun.
"The Evil God can manipulate the evil that exists inside every living being."
"Greed."
"Hatred."
"Jealousy."
"Fear."
"All of those emotions."
"It whispers into the hearts of those who are already weak."
"And slowly… it twists them."
Alex's mind immediately connected the pieces, like scattered puzzle pieces falling into place.
"The Eclipse Covenant."
The goddess nodded.
"They are only one of its many tools."
She continued, her voice filled with quiet sorrow.
"For centuries, it has been carefully preparing its ascension."
"And its main objective has always been the same."
Her golden eyes locked onto Alex with deep seriousness.
"If the Ether Empire falls… and the Church collapses…"
"There will be nothing left in the world strong enough to stop it."
Alex slowly exhaled, the weight of her words settling inside his chest like a quiet stone.
"So all those tragedies…"
"The famine."
"The suffering."
"The broken heroes."
"The hatred toward the empire…"
"They were all manipulated?"
"Yes."
The goddess nodded again, her expression gentle yet firm.
"When the Evil God notices someone who could become a threat to it…"
"It subtly pushes their lives toward tragedy."
"It turns their strength into hatred."
"It ensures they will eventually fight against the empire instead of protecting it."
Alex leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead with one hand.
The soft white light around them felt heavier now, as if the truth itself carried a quiet burden.
"So the real enemy…"
"…is the Evil God."
"Yes."
The goddess's voice was calm, but the weight behind her words was undeniable.
"That is the true enemy waiting in the shadows of this world."
The goddess spoke softly, her voice filled with quiet hope and a gentle warning.
"That is the true enemy you will one day face."
Alex sighed heavily, the sound echoing faintly through the vast white space around them.
"That's… a lot to process."
He rubbed the back of his neck, a small, tired smile touching his lips.
"So let me see if I understand this correctly."
"You're saying the monster gates that appear later… they're also part of its plan?"
The goddess nodded once more, her golden hair shimmering softly in the endless light.
"Yes."
"It sends corrupted creatures through those gates."
"Chaos spreads."
"Kingdoms fall."
"And when the world is weak enough…"
"…it will finally descend."
Alex stared at her with an expression that looked like he had just tasted something extremely unpleasant.
He let out a long breath and slowly shook his head.
"So let me get this straight."
"Instead of stopping it yourselves…"
"…you three goddesses decided to send a random human like me to fight the biggest evil in existence?"
The goddess blinked once.
Then she sighed softly, the sound warm and almost motherly.
"Alex…"
Her voice grew much more serious, yet it still carried a deep kindness.
"We lost most of our power during the War of the Gods."
"The only way for us to regain strength is through the sincere prayers of people."
"Our divine power grows from pure emotions — hope, kindness, gratitude, and joy."
She looked toward the distance, her golden eyes filled with quiet sadness.
"But the Evil God knows this."
"So the first place it targeted…"
"…was the Holy City."
Alex immediately understood.
"If the Church becomes corrupt…"
"People lose faith."
"Yes," she said gently.
"And if people stop praying sincerely…"
"…our power fades."
She turned her gaze back toward him, her eyes steady and filled with trust.
"That is why we could not act directly."
"We could only wait."
She continued softly.
"Each of us sisters can only choose one Saintess."
"And when we do…"
"…our power will be divided in half."
"Leaving us vulnerable."
Her expression hardened slightly with quiet determination.
"That is why you must protect them."
"Protect the Saints and Saintesses."
"Train them."
"Guide them."
"And prepare them for the battle against the Evil God."
Alex leaned back in his chair again and sighed deeply, the weight of everything settling into his chest like a silent mountain.
He stared up at the glowing white sky above them, his golden eyes thoughtful.
"Well…"
"That's enough information for one day."
He rubbed his temples with both hands, a small, tired smile on his face.
"My brain is already full."
He stood up slowly from the chair, stretching his arms as if trying to shake off a long and strange dream.
"I don't feel like talking anymore."
He waved his hand dismissively, though his voice remained calm and respectful.
"Let's just end this conversation and send me back."
The goddess looked at him quietly for a moment.
Then she smiled.
A gentle, mysterious smile filled with warmth and quiet understanding.
She raised her hand slightly.
The white world around them began dissolving like morning mist beneath gentle sunlight.
The light faded softly.
The endless space melted away like a beautiful dream.
And in the next moment—
Alex found himself standing once again inside the small prayer chamber of the cathedral.
The statue of the Goddess of Light stood silently before him, glowing faintly in the warm candlelight.
The air smelled of sweet incense and ancient stone.
Far away, the distant sound of soft chanting drifted through the cathedral halls like a peaceful lullaby.
As if nothing had happened.
Alex remained standing there for a long moment, staring quietly at the statue.
His heart felt heavier than before — but also clearer.
The truth of the world.
The hidden enemy.
And the three divine sisters who had placed their hopes upon him.
All of it settled silently within his chest.
He took a slow, steady breath.
The road ahead was longer and darker than he had imagined.
But he was not alone.
The light.
The healing.
And the gentle shadows.
They were all with him.
And when the time came…
He would face the Evil God.
Not as a random human.
But as the Apostle who carried the hope of three goddesses.
Alex turned toward the door, his golden eyes calm and filled with renewed determination.
It was time to step back into the world.
And begin the real work.
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