Chapter 29: Divine Descent and Defiance

The Power of Descent

Divine power is a form of Divine Descent.

More precisely, a lesser version.

It’s borrowing a fragment of a god’s strength under the name of divine power.

So what does Divine Descent itself mean?

“Can you feel the divine presence, Saintess?”

This training ground was a temple, and Dominic standing before me was a divine statue.

Holy energy poured endlessly from his body.

“Even in this state, I can wield considerable power.”

The various enchantments on the training ground shattered.

No trace of magic could remain where a god descended.

“Aren’t you curious what would happen if a god fully descended upon this land?”

I was curious.

He’s already powerful—how much stronger could it get?

I nodded unconsciously.

Seeing me, Bishop Dominic smiled.

“Manifestation.”

A pink halo appeared behind his head.

The symbol of the God of Love.

A faint glow emanated from his eyes.

His expression had changed.

“[Greetings, child.]”

A voice, impossible for Dominic’s vocal cords, flowed from his mouth.

He smiled as usual, but a subtle femininity made it feel distant.

“…The God of Love?”
‘Yo, 4885, that you?’

“[Yes. First time speaking face-to-face, isn’t it?]”

He? She?

Let’s just say god.

The god covered their mouth, smiling shyly.

Okay, seeing Dominic’s body do that is weird.

“[I’ve wanted to meet you. Our bond is quite deep, no?]”

True.

We’re not just casual acquaintances.

But one thing to clear up.

“O God, does the vessel of Manifestation hear, see, or experience what you do?”
‘Got something I’ve been dying to say in person.’

The God of Love brushed my bangs aside, smiling.

“[Child, who would eavesdrop on a god’s conversation? Once fully surrendered to Manifestation, the vessel is merely a conduit.]”

“So, Bishop Dominic can’t hear our talk?”
‘So it’s like Telegram, huh?’

The God of Love smiled gently.

“[Yes, not just our talk—any external influence. What secret did you want to share? If it’s about that blond prince, I could talk for three days and nights…]”

Slap!

I landed a crisp slap across the god’s face.

It worked.

“Oh my.”
‘My hand slipped.’

Since arriving in this world, I’d dreamed of this moment.

After doing it, it felt even better than I’d imagined.

Dominic’s body couldn’t have withstood such an attack, but the God of Love, unaccustomed to the flesh, collapsed.

They stood, clutching their cheek, glaring at me with teary eyes.

…Dominic’s body doing that is so unsettling.

“[What are you doing?! That’s blasphemy!]”

Didn’t think to restrict slapping a god?

I knew it the moment you descended, giggling after cursing me with restrictions.

You never imagined getting hit.

Who’d think a saintess would attack a god?

“My apologies, O God. Forgive my foolishness.”
‘Taste my palm, just a little.’

I approached the kneeling god, gently lifting their chin.

Then I slapped them again, hard.

Slap!

“[Eek! That hurts!]”

“O God, you offer your flesh for your servant—a blessing I cannot repay with my life.”
‘F*ck, that felt good.’

The God of Love stood again.

Their eyes trembled as they glared.

“[You lunatic, you started the hate comments!]”

“Kyaa?!”

They grabbed my hair.

My silver locks were yanked roughly.

I can’t lose.

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth!

…But no hair to grab?

“[Kyaa! What’s this? Why does it hurt so much?!]”

“I wanted you to feel my heart, O God. May this suffice.”
‘Since you descended into a bald guy, I’ll pinch your arm instead.’

We fought for over five minutes.

The God of Love pulled my hair.

I pinched every bit of flesh I could.

The god stepped back, panting, glaring.

I blew my messy bangs aside, glaring back.

Then, the Manifestation ended, and the glow left Dominic’s eyes.

“Phew, did you have a good talk… Why do you look so disheveled?”

“It’s a long story, Bishop Dominic. Is your body okay?”
‘If it wasn’t your body, I’d have wrecked them.’

“My body? Perfectly fine.”

Good, Dominic felt no pain from my attacks.

So Manifestation makes the vessel invincible?

“Well, I only meant to introduce you, but the god spoke until it ended. They must cherish you, Saintess.”

Nope.

We just fought for five minutes.

“But there’s a problem. Much left to teach.”

“Something wrong?”
‘What’s up?’

“Saintess, Divine Descent can only be used about once a week. Varies by person, though.”

“Staying another week is… impossible?”
‘You show me a taste and leave?’

“Saintess, I squeezed time to come here. Even an extra day is nearly impossible.”

You said you’d teach me!

[The God of Love says you should’ve learned when they tried teaching, not fought.]

Didn’t know the cooldown was that long!

“Uh… I see. Yes, understood.”

Dominic turned, muttering to the air, then faced me.

“Saintess, I’ve arranged a reliable successor who knows Divine Descent well. No need to worry.”

Ugh, sounds ominous.

That kind of talk usually means trouble.

Dominic finished the morning training.

Last day, so he beat me up extra hard, damn it.

A Prince’s Burden

Knock knock!

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Your Highness.”

A familiar voice.

I set down my papers and approached the door.

Opening it, a hulking man smiled at me.

“Well, welcoming an unannounced guest like this? I, Dominic, am touched.”

“Ha, your theatrics haven’t changed, Priest. Leaving already?”

“A week’s long enough.”

‘The Dominic I met as a child was slender.’

He’d bulked up over time, now like a boulder.

Dominic entered naturally, closing the door.

He scanned the room.

A massive desk where my roommate’s bed should be.

Piles of documents stacked high.

“…Is this a dorm or an office?”

“Cut sleep to catch up.”

Dominic’s face turned bittersweet.

“Still not giving up?”

“Four years left. Too early to quit.”

The emperor’s direct heirs face two fates at birth.

Compete for the crown.

Or remain a mere royal.

At ten, the emperor’s children, regardless of gender, choose.

Pick the latter, and you’re adopted by a noble or betrothed to an aristocrat’s heir.

They serve as tools to control the emperor’s power, living luxuriously with their lives spared—a decent choice for the unambitious.

The former?

“Innocentius, the crown prince, turns twenty-six this year.”

“Yes, time flies, doesn’t it?”

The former enter a race for the throne.

No dropping out, and it continues until one remains.

The emperor evaluates children at twenty, culling the bottom half.

“I wish this competition would stop, but a mere cleric can’t interfere. I just feel regret.”

“What’s to regret? I’ll win in the end.”

Evaluations consider martial skills, strategy, relationships… and the emperor’s secret monitors scrutinize every move.

Nine competed; four remain.

Crown Prince Innocentius, Second Prince Victor, Fourth Princess Stephanie, and me.

“I’m not worried about your death, Prince Theo. It’s this blood-soaked, mad race continuing indefinitely.”

Dominic shook his head slowly.

It wasn’t always this brutal, they say.

It began when the kingdom opposing the empire emerged, under my great-grandfather’s reign.

He emphasized one thing:

The one who defeats the kingdom utterly will be emperor.

“Then either the kingdom or empire must fall.”

“Sigh.”

Dominic sighed at my words.

The race ends when someone turns thirty.

Usually, the crown prince’s age sets a ten-year limit, but mysterious deaths or the emperor’s direct rejection can extend it.

Four years remain.

I must gather as many talents as possible before the coronation war.

Sending Dominic to invite Saintess Isidora was for that reason.

I wouldn’t have thought of it without knowing they were close.

‘Oh, speaking of, what was that about?’

I voiced an old question.

“Priest, when I met the saintess at the gate city, she mentioned encountering bandits. Did something happen at the Pantheon?”

“Oh, the saintess refused a fancy carriage, so we arranged a cargo wagon to the gate city. Bandits? That’s impossible.”

Dominic looked puzzled.

“The road from the Pantheon to the kingdom is rough, so bandits aren’t unlikely.”

“No. With a talisman from the Temple of Travel, accidents are rare. That’s why other temples don’t mind us serving Travel too.”

He shook his head, pulling a small wooden plaque from his robe.

“Look, this talisman keeps me safe across the continent… Huh?”

There were two plaques.

One read:

“O Wind, Smoke, Words, Doves, and Wanderers’ Guide, bless Isidora with safe travel.”