Legend has it that this chamber of commerce has been able to thrive to this day because it has received divine support.
The god who protected the merchants was none other than Hermes, the god of wealth whom Victor had once banished.
At that time, Michaela also had a discussion with the heir of the Cassidra Merchant Guild about whether the gods should return to the human world.
This led to a heated dispute with the current president, Zola Nandner.
Why did Victor suddenly bring up the Cassidra Merchant Guild?
"Who is the current president of the chamber of commerce? Zola?"
Michaela nodded in response to Viktor's words.
But then, in the silence, Viktor unexpectedly added:
"But before that, the president of the Chamber of Commerce was Zola's father."
“It is indeed 'Hermes'.”
These words struck Michaela like a thunderbolt, leaving her stunned on the spot.
How could gods possibly give birth to human offspring? That's utterly absurd.
Although he couldn't see Michaela's eyes, Victor keenly sensed her shock.
“Indeed, it sounds absurd. Because Zola’s biological father has already passed away.”
So he was her adoptive father? Like Viktor and Priscilla?
If that's the case, then it makes much more sense.
Michaela still couldn't understand why Hermes had become Zola's father.
After all, it is a god.
At this point, Viktor continued to explain:
“Zola once told me that her father had become a ‘monster’.”
Zola witnessed the monster's true form firsthand.
It was a horrifying and twisted mass of black sludge, its foul-smelling and chaotic body twitching as it burrowed into his father's chest.
And it brought her father back to life.
"Isn't this a very common method?"
Viktor smiled, and Michaela felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
Because only followers of the goddess of justice possess such abilities.
Only beings that are not human, but were once human, can invade a human body and imitate human behavior.
They are the only monsters that dare to abandon their physical bodies and unify their thoughts.
That's why the names of those monsters don't refer to any specific deity; they're just six characters long.
[The Goddess's Believers]
Because their existence no longer requires specifying which god they are followers of.
Apart from the followers of the goddess of justice, no other god's followers would become as twisted and terrifying as these.
"In the end, Hermes destroyed the monster and, under the name 'Riboot,' naturally became the president of the merchant guild."
"However, all of this was orchestrated by them."
As a god, Hermes had been in contact with these believers for a long time.
Because they share a common goal.
"So that the gods may return to the human world."
...
After his conversation with Bishop Michaela, Victor chose to leave the church.
Despite Michaela's earnest attempts to persuade him to stay, indicating that the church had prepared accommodations for him, Victor resolutely chose to leave.
Putting aside the fact that the entire church is filled with the strong scent of vampires, the most important thing is...
He was afraid that if he stayed here tonight, his pants would be pulled down the next morning and he wouldn't even know who did it.
Despite his friendly relationship with Bishop Michaela, Victor never let his guard down when it came to other people's territory.
Viktor knew that putting himself in potential danger was not a wise move.
However, he did not come in a carriage, but when he left, Michaela insisted on arranging one for him.
At this moment, Victor sat inside the carriage, gazing at the night view outside the window.
The streetlights outside were off, leaving only sparse moonlight and starlight, weaving a faint yet beautiful glow in the night sky.
The wine was poured into the carriage, adding a touch of tranquility to the journey.
On this quiet and contemplative night, Victor's thoughts were racing.
More than a month has passed since he returned to ten years in the future, during which time Victor has been trying to understand the current timeline.
He knew that the South had been breached because those believers had attempted to invade the empire.
As Victor and Michaela explored, Hermes was in league with these believers, and their actions shared a common goal.
They attempted to revive the gods by invading the empire, the birthplace of these deities.
So why would these believers assist Hermes?
Why did they continue to try to tear open the southern rift and invade the empire after Hermes were expelled?
Just as Gwen was about to receive the power of the goddess of justice, these believers mysteriously disappeared.
The answer is simple.
"These vile beings, by widening the rift in the south of the empire, forced Gwen to accept divine power."
Viktor muttered to himself, having already discerned the motives of these believers.
Even children under the age of fourteen can distinguish between good and evil, and can even learn to kill.
As followers of the goddess of justice, do they really not know what is good and what is evil?
Are these believers truly acting in the name of justice to commit evil?
To put it bluntly, yes, but no.
They knew perfectly well that most of their actions were sinful, but they chose to do so for the sake of the goddess.
The more evil they commit, the fewer people will be able to stop them.
This evil can only be ended when the goddess of justice descends upon the earth.
This also explains why, in the original story, Gwen's first action later on was to eliminate these believers.
Because that's exactly the result they want.
The believers chose Gwen from the start, just as the lingering memories of Gwen's father, Angus, suggested—
Angus was lured away from the fortress, which led to a barbarian invasion and the brutal murder of his family.
Even Angus's unborn child was not spared.
Finally, the unborn child came back to life, and this child was Gwen.
From a young age, Gwen survived thanks to the power of the goddess of justice.
What the believers did was create a series of evils to provide Gwen with an environment in which her righteous power could be nurtured.
They intended for her to abandon her emotions and become the embodiment of absolute justice.
As for why they would help other churches to reclaim their gods, Hermes was even willing to collude with these believers.
The reason is obvious.
The gods were banished by the goddess of justice, and they hoped that the return of these gods would prompt the goddess of justice to fully awaken.
Because Gwen needs these other gods to become her experience points.
It helped her ascend to godhood completely.
Therefore, they are not merely invoking gods.
"Furthermore, it is about cultivating deities."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
