800 – Here We Go Again – 4

It seems that Enen returned the prayer.

‘It doesn’t break.’

They tried to preserve the land where Enen’s footprints were as precious as dinosaur footprint fossils, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not obtain them, let alone preserve them.

Even if you tried to dig with your hands or cut the ground with a sword, it was ineffective. Even though I fired a sky slash towards the footprints, there was not even a slight movement.

As if Enen was trying his best to block it. As if asking please not to take these footprints.

‘…Is Enen blocking this?’

– Huh. If you can’t do it with your own strength, God is blocking it. It must have been quite a shameful past.

The eternal blue sky laughed as if it was fun, but I couldn’t laugh as I suddenly lost the best gift right before my eyes.

It’s deplorable. There’s a diamond in front of me. There is the best jewel within reach if you just stretch out your hand. Should I go back and leave this beautiful jewel behind?

‘What should I do with this?’

I am seriously worried. If Enen, who is not another being, is blocking it, I and the power of the eternal blue sky will never be able to break it.

Even if it breaks, what happens after that is a problem. Instead of physically chasing me out after seeing his dark past, he only resorted to desperate defense. From Enen’s point of view, it was okay to punish him from heaven, but he responded as mercifully as possible.

In such a situation, you ignore mercy and tear up footprints? You can also taste Enen, the taste of hell from the days of the religious wars.

‘It’s a shame to give up.’

But it is truly a trace of God. This is also proof that God first set foot in this world. If we compare it to the old world, it would be like the stable where Jesus was born is still preserved.

It’s a gift that would be enough to pay back all kinds of treasures and interests as long as you give it a nudge to the Church of Dawn… It’s a gift that even Tanian’s acquaintance can show off…

“I can’t help it.”

In the end, I sighed and put the sword into its sheath.

– Give up? Well, if Enen decided, there was nothing we could do—

“I will build a temple in this place!”

– Huh?

When I looked at the sky and shouted with my voice, the eternal blue sky made a somewhat foolish voice.

“This is where you first set foot on this continent, and this is where you pledged to care for all life! Your servants will treasure your history and follow you with joy!”

Either way, I shouted even louder.

If Enen had decided, even with the eternal blue sky, he wouldn’t have even been able to reach these footprints. However, even though Enen prevented me from taking these footprints, he did not stop me from coming.

If so, there is room for compromise in another direction. A compromise of not taking the footprints, but making this place a sacred place.

“When your species sees these footprints, they will follow and believe in your existence even more! One step of God is the life of a species, and the life of a species will change the continent!”

– Wow.

As I roughly spoke out what came to mind, the eternal blue sky, which had been silent for a moment, let out a low exclamation.

It’s probably surprising that a guy who was blinded by gifts would talk about continents. Actually, I think it’s a bit embarrassing because it’s such an ugly change of attitude.

Still, I am willing to endure the ugliness if I can gain a sacred place. Shame is fleeting, but glory is immortal.

“So, on these footprints, I will build your temple, so that your servants can offer up their prayers! Not for all the lives that live under your warm light, but for your servants who wish to walk your path!”

This means that it will not be disclosed to everyone, but only to clergy. It is a proposal that can at least protect Enen’s pride a little.

In fact, Enen seemed to be interested in this proposal, as I felt the fiercely burning flames calm down somewhat.

– This works…?

It has no choice but to work. Priests are beings who follow Enen like a parent, emperor, teacher, and master.

I can’t help but think, wouldn’t priests be okay with things that would be embarrassing to show to ordinary believers? Because the priests know that no matter what they do, they will follow them passionately.

Honestly, even ordinary believers will be excited when they see Enen’s footprints. The fact that those footprints are a dark story is something that only I, Enen and the eternal blue sky, know. If you don’t know it, you can only see it as a trace of a great god.

But what can you do? The owner of the footprints is full of shyness. Since you are borrowing something, you have to be considered.

“The first footsteps of the sun! Grant its glory to your servants!”

After saying those words, he completely lowered his head.

The flame is noticeably smaller than when I first saw it.

‘Good.’

When you gently press the sword, it goes into the ground easily without bouncing.

You can just cut out the footprints here by surprise, but if you do that, you may face Enen’s true wrath. I don’t want to become the ‘man who stabbed God in the back and was punished’ like in mythology.

It’s a temple I declared that I would build, but it would be a bit of a waste to build it with my own money.

The North is the territory of the Empire, and it is the Empire that has signed friendly relations with the Dawn Church. If I build Enen’s temple on his footprints, wouldn’t it be beneficial to the empire in the end? After hearing the news, the leaders and priests of the Dawn Church will come rushing in and shed tears of emotion.

“Minister. What did you say just now?”

“When Enen first descended on this continent, the first traces of his footsteps were in the north. How about building a temple there in the name of the empire?”

So I reported it to the emperor. If we use this well─ No, we have found a place that will be designated as a huge sacred site just by announcing it, so let’s build a temple on top.

“The wedding of the next saint and cardinal is just around the corner. If you offer to give the temple as a gift to the Order of Dawn, the Order will be happy.”

How about giving it to the Dawn Church as a gift?

“A temple as a gift?”

The emperor’s brow furrowed slightly at my suggestion. Even while he was embarrassed by the discovery of the rare traces of Enen’s footprints, he reacted instinctively when part of the empire’s territory was given away.

It’s a great instinct. A person would not think anything of Enen’s footprint fossils. After all, the emperor is not a person.

“Of course, I do not mean to hand over the ownership of the temple and territory to the Church of Dawn. The world belongs to the emperor. No matter how much of a religious order it is, how can it possess what is the emperor’s ?”

But now, instead of admiring, the priority is to comfort the emperor who is about to hit the seizure button.

The priests who manage the temple are appointed by the Dawn Church, and goods from the temple and its surrounding territories also go into the pockets of the parish. Instead, the country holds ownership of the temple and territory.

So, giving a temple as a gift may sound like handing over ownership, but there are plenty of ways to show off while retaining ownership.

“To name the temple after the name of the next saint. This would be enough of a gift.”

“Hoo.”

The new temple is to be built as ‘Tanian Cathedral’.

Usually, the name of a temple is chosen by the country that builds the temple. Although there is a restriction that it must be named after a saint, a beatified person, or a clergy member of the Dawn Church who has accomplished outstanding achievements, the church is not involved in what it is named as, as long as the restrictions are adhered to.

But the empire names the temple after the next saint? The name of the next saint in a sacred place that was not specifically requested by the church and was only found through the power of the empire, not the church?

‘I’m definitely impressed.’

Even the stern and serious old cardinals couldn’t help but shed tears and be moved. You can be 100% sure.

“Indeed. That’s right. There’s no law that says you have to name a dead person.”

Fortunately, the emperor also seemed to like my suggestion, and his frown eased back.

“Minister.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Let’s head to the place where Enen’s footprints lie with Cardinal Liciucco. Wouldn’t the church believe that the cardinals of the church should also testify rather than the empire’s one-sided claims?”

“These are truly wise words.”

Cardinal Liciucco, the highest-ranking priest in the empire. Since he is a cardinal directly appointed by the Pope and Archbishop of Ausien, if Cardinal Liciucco gives the same testimony as the Empire, the church will believe it.

It doesn’t matter even if you don’t believe it. All you have to do is tell them to look at it directly through teleportation.

“And the Minister.”

“Please give me your name.”

“If you’re going to make a report like this in the future, please show some signs and give it. If you suddenly say that God’s footprints were found, my heart won’t be able to bear it.”

“Your Majesty the Emperor.”

It was a complaint full of sincerity, so I calmly lowered my head.

I understand. How surprised I was when I heard Enen’s footsteps in the eternal blue sky. If I hadn’t had all kinds of experiences related to God, I might have fainted while standing.

“Hmm.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“The name of the temple. Although he is not a saint, he is a saint, so can we call him the Cathedral of St. Tanian?”

My eyebrows furrowed slightly at those words.

That’s right. Although he was not canonized as a saint, he is a saint. If he is a saint, I don’t think there will be any problem if he is treated as one.

Is not it? I can’t be sure because I’m not skilled in the church’s doctrine.

***

An incredible report came from the Archdiocese of Ausien.

[The Lord’s footprints are discovered in the northern territories of the Empire. Looking at the divine power and unquenchable flame in the footprints, it is clear that they are traces of the Lord. ]

Reports that traces of caution have been discovered in the north, which was the domain of nomads until a few years ago.

[According to the testimony of the eternal blue sky, a divine being, these are the footprints left by the Lord when he first descended to the continent. ]

It is not an ordinary trace, but a report that it is the first step of the Lord.

[The Empire plans to build the Lord’s House on the Lord’s traces and name it St. Tanian’s Cathedral. It was emphasized that it was a gift for the Tanian brothers, who will be getting married soon, and for the Dawn Church. ]

I closed my eyes at the last sentence without realizing it.

‘Lord.’

It is a shock and joy that this old body cannot handle.

Although he is an old man who led the council and even rang the bell five times, it is still an uncontrollable joy that traces of the Lord have been discovered.

‘St. Tanian’s Cathedral.’

Even more so if you received the trace as a wedding gift.

“How on earth should I repay this favor?”

I looked in the direction of the system and muttered.

I don’t know how to repay such a big gift.