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Translator: Barnnn
In the edge of Lazulesia, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Lazulseed, stood a small church whose timeworn walls whispered of centuries past. Its solemn presence contrasted with the lively marketplace and the townsfolk rushing about their daily business.
On this particular day, the local Padre, a man with kind eyes framed by gentle laugh lines, noticed a pair of young figures near the church’s entrance. Huddled together in quiet conversation, they appeared hesitant. Smiling warmly, he raised his voice in greeting.
“You two over there — have you come to attend the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?”
The older of the two, a tall, skinny youth with an earnest face, shuffled awkwardly before responding, “Ah, just me this time. But… I don’t think I can do it today after all. My old man… well, he spent the money I’d saved up. So, I guess I’ll have to wait and save again.”
Before the young man could say more, the smaller figure beside him — apparently a boy not more than ten, with wide, hopeful eyes — piped up with determination. “It’s all right, Hal! I’ll chip in too!”
Hal gave a reluctant shake of his head. “You’re up next year, Ize. Save your money for your own ceremony.”
“But I can’t just…”
The Padre’s smile deepened, and he chuckled softly. “I see you two siblings are quite close.”
Hal’s face grew somber for a moment. “Well, with no mother around and our father being the way he is… we have to be.” He glanced at Ize before adding, “But look, I’ve managed to save this much! How much more do I need?”
“Let’s see here…” The Padre proceeded to inspect the coins in Hal’s hands. After a moment, he nodded. “You’re almost there. Just two more of these brown coins, and you’ll be ready.”
“Really?!” Ize’s face lit up as he turned excitedly to his brother. “You did it, Hal! You’re almost there!”
“Y-yeah. Way to go, huh?”
“Thank you, old timer! C’mon, Hal, you bow too!”
“O-old timer…? A-Ahem. That may be a bit much, don’t you think? I’m the priest here — I’d prefer to be called by my title.”
The boys laughed, and Hal gave a quick nod. “Thank you, Padre!”
“Mm-hmm, you’re welcome.”
Standing beside his older brother, Ize went silent for a moment, then his bright eyes turned toward the Padre.
“Hey, um…” he began, hesitating slightly. “I know my big bro can’t do the ceremony today, but… can we still make a wish to the Goddess? Like, I want her to give Hal an amazing skill. Can I just go up to the statue and ask her?”
The Padre’s eyes softened at the boy’s sincerity. “Ah, yes, of course. That is a wonderful idea. Come, I will show you.”
With a tender gesture, he led the brothers through the church’s doorway, guiding them toward the statue of the Goddess.
“Now,” the Padre said, going through the basic gestures of worship, “sit here, and clasp your hands together. Yes, just like that. You don’t need to say the words aloud. The Goddess can see into your heart. If your wish is sincere, she will surely hear you.”
Ize’s eyes widened in wonder. “Really? The Goddess is amazing! I wish Dad would listen like that… He never does, no matter how many times I talk to him.”
Hal groaned, embarrassed by his brother’s outburst. “Hey, stop talking so much — “
“C’mon, Hal! Sit with me! Just like this.”
“I… well, I shouldn’t interrupt your prayers,” the Padre muttered. “I’ll leave you to it. May the Goddess’s blessing be with you both.”
“Thank you, Padre!” Ize nodded. “May the Goddess’s blessing be with you too!”
As the Padre retreated, he cast one last glance at the two brothers sitting side by side, heads bowed in reverence before the statue.
The older boy, Hal, though still lanky and awkward in his youth, bore a face lined with determination. There was a quiet maturity in him, a sense that his future might lead him toward something greater. With a set of suitable skills from the Goddess, perhaps he would find himself serving the Kingdom as a proud civil servant.
Beside him, Ize, though younger and still childlike — with his ceremony coming up next year — had an air of unshakable optimism.
They both had neatly trimmed brown hair, and though their clothes were simple, it was clear that they were cared for. Despite the absence of their mother and the failings of their father, someone in the community must have been looking after them.
Perhaps, once Hal completed his Coming-of-Age Ceremony, the tides of fortune would finally turn in their favor.
The Padre allowed himself a reassured sigh as he returned to his daily duties.
********************************************
“The Goddess’s blessing… Heh, can you believe it?” Hal — though his real name was Takada — let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “I never thought I’d hear that kind of phrase outside of games or movies. Never really been the religious type, not to mention how rare churches are in Japan, you know?”
Ize — Izumi — kept her eyes closed, remaining in the posture of prayer. “Oh, shut up, Hal. Just finish your prayer already so we can get out of here.”
“Sure thing, sure thing.” Hal muttered, still smirking under his breath.
It had been over ten days since the two had slipped away from the royal castle and fumbled their way into the capital’s sprawling streets.
At first, they’d lingered near the castle grounds, but soon enough, they found the high-class districts dull and lacking. So, they ventured farther into the heart of the city.
Their current goal had taken them downtown, where they had started gathering information about the capital’s three prominent guilds: the Guild of Merchants, the Guild of Adventurers, and the Guild of Crafters.
Most of their gear had already been procured back at the castle. Only a few details remained — transportation, a handful of supplies they hadn’t anticipated, and most importantly, Hal’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
With any luck, everything would be squared away by the end of the week, and they’d be setting out for the Kingdom of Tajellia.
As Hal’s mind wandered, Ize’s voice cut through the silence. “Why does everyone insist on treating me like a kid? It’s insulting!” She huffed. “You know what happened the other day? Miss Angeena from the Crafters’ District told me I look like I’m ten! Ten! She actually said, ‘You don’t have to force yourself to talk like an adult. It’s cute the way you are.’ Can you believe that!?”
“So that explains why you’ve been talking like that recently. Well, I gotta say, it suits you.”
“And you’re not making me feel any better! I’m extremely offended, thank you very much!” Ize shook her fists in the air, her small stature only amplifying her indignation.
Hal felt a pang of sympathy for her, though he stifled it beneath his usual dry humor.
When they first began this journey, they had moved as equals, siblings in spirit, barely separated by a year. Yet as they delved deeper into the city, it became increasingly clear that Ize looked far younger than she actually was.
It hadn’t taken long for the adults around them to treat her like a child. Her polite speech had garnered strange, patronizing looks, and eventually, she’d started mimicking the more childish way people expected her to behave.
In some strange twist of fate, her Camouflage skill had only made her more adept at playing the part. At times, even Hal was left scrambling to remember the real Ize behind the mask.
“You know,” Hal began, “it’s like you’re destined to stay a little BOY forever or something.”
Ize gasped, horrified. “What!? That’s the worst thing you could say! I mean, at least those five-hundred-year-old grandmas who look like little girls still have some popularity! But nobody cares about boy-grandpas!”
“I don’t know about that. Seems like there’s plenty of demand to me — Like, gods and immortals often show up as little boys these days, right?”
“Yeah, but those gods are usually the ones who mess up big time and accidentally reincarnate someone they shouldn’t. Then they go and hide it from the main god! Anyway…!” Ize added, puffing out her chest in mock pride, “I’ve still got about a decade to grow taller! And you know what? I’m gonna pray for a growth spurt right now, along with your awesome skills!”
Hal sighed, shaking his head as he glanced down at her. “Your character’s all over the place, bro.”
“…Kids my age are always searching for their true selves, you know.”
“Fair point. My bad,” Hal conceded, the banter falling into an easy rhythm, as natural as breathing.
They continued exchanging light jabs and playful remarks as they maintained the semblance of their prayers.
Today wasn’t really about deep spiritual reflection — this visit was more of a scouting mission, a quick stop to check out the church, gather information on the ceremony, and figure out the amount of donation they’d need.
From what they’d learned from the kindly Padre, they wouldn’t need a parent present for Hal’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and the funds they had were more than sufficient to cover the cost.
As they finally prepared to leave the church, they lingered a little longer, hands clasped in a mock reverence. They weren’t particularly devout, but keeping up appearances was important, especially when they knew they’d have to pass by the Padre again on their way out.
Then, without warning, their vision was engulfed — drowned in an overwhelming flood of white light, pure and blinding.
It was the same as before, the same suffocating brilliance that had seized them when they first crossed into this strange world.
And just as abruptly, the light faded, receding like a tide, leaving them blinking, stunned, as their vision cleared.
“Sorry to break it to you, my dear Ize,” a calm voice broke the silence, “but you’ll only grow a few more centimeters.”
The words barely registered before they struck like a hammer.
“YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!” Ize let out a reflexive, guttural scream.
Standing before them was a woman, larger and rounder than either of them had ever imagined.
She was, without a doubt, the divine being of this world — the Goddess herself.
“Wait… Is that…” Hal, still blinking as his senses adjusted, hesitated, “Is that final?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it is,” the Goddess answered with a matter-of-fact tone, her eyes twinkling with what might have been sympathy. “Your bodies are from Earth, so I can’t tamper with them. Sorry about that.”
“You mean… you can’t mess with our bodies, but you can mess with our skills?”
“Indeed,” the Goddess replied, almost cheerfully. “When you crossed over into this world, everything except your physical forms was reconstructed — your memories, abilities, and belongings were all recalibrated to fit within this reality. I can alter those aspects, but your physical bodies remain beyond my control.”
Hal turned to Ize with a half-smile, trying and failing to suppress his amusement. “Well, you heard her, Ize. Guess you’ll have to let go of those dreams of a growth spurt.”
Ize glared at him, then at the Goddess. “What kind of cruel Goddess are you!? If you’d just left it ambiguous, I could’ve clung to a sliver of hope!”
“Oh my, I thought it would be kinder to help you face reality sooner rather than later.”
“She’s got a point, you know.”
“You’re BOTH terrible!” Ize exclaimed, still seething.
Even in the presence of divinity, the two siblings were as lively as ever.
But despite her frustration, Ize knew when to concede. With a deep breath, she let go of the anger and disappointment that had momentarily consumed her.
Sensing Ize’s shift in mood, Hal seized the opportunity to turn the conversation toward something more substantial.
“C’mon, Ize, you can sulk later. Now that she’s here, we might as well get our answers from the Goddess herself.”
Ize shot him a sidelong glance, grumbling, “A few minutes wouldn’t hurt…”
Hal straightened and addressed the Goddess with more seriousness. “Ahem… Anyway, Goddess, we’re glad we got to meet you before the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”
The Goddess nodded gently. “Yes, I’m glad too. I have something important to tell you before you undergo the ceremony. But, you must still go through it properly.”
“I see… Does this have something to do with our summoning? Or perhaps with the skills we’re supposed to receive?”
“It concerns both — and everything else, from the moment you arrived in this world.”
“Understood,” Hal said calmly, though his mind churned with questions he longed to ask.
Noticing the change in the atmosphere, Ize joined Hal, settling into a chair beside him.
[…Wait, when did these table and chairs even get here?]
The Goddess let out a soft giggle. “We’ll need them for the long conversation. It’s only proper.”
“T-that makes sense…”
Ize shivered, feeling as if the Goddess had read her thoughts. Beside her, Hal couldn’t help but notice the expression of quiet horror that spread across her face. He barely managed to control himself, his shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.
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