Chapter 11, Spirit God

Translator: Kazumi

Editor: Silavin

Collete stood on the familiar stage at the Tower, the weight of countless eyes upon her. While she was accustomed to being the center of attention during ceremonies, today felt different. Yet, she remained composed, secure in her transformation from the simple girl of Sewri Village into a proud representative of Amamiya Tower.

Her confidence stemmed largely from Kousuke’s presence. Before beginning the ritual, she cast a quick glance in his direction.

Today’s ceremony would forge a formal connection between their names, though she had not told him this beforehand. For a moment, she wondered if he might think she was trying to surprise him with something unrelated to the ritual, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She knew Kousuke well enough to be certain that while he might be surprised, he would respond with understanding laughter.

These moments of dependence on Kousuke sometimes gave her pause, but she knew he would insist it did not trouble him. In fact, she suspected all the women in Kousuke’s circle shared similar feelings.

With a wry smile, she turned her attention back to the assembled crowd.

Standing here now, she could hardly believe how far she’d come from her village days. Her initial meeting with Kousuke had seemed almost accidental, swept along by Sylvia and the circumstance. While it might sound cliché to call their meeting fated, she could not deny how unpredictable life’s path had been. Now, she would honor that destiny through this ritual.

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The traditional duties of a World Tree’s shrine maiden were remarkably simple. Rather than elaborate performances, the core of their rituals consisted of prayers of gratitude to the World Tree. While the community might celebrate afterward with songs and dances, these were merely supplementary. The rituals Collete typically performed with Esena at the Tower followed this same pattern.

Today’s ceremony, however, would be different. While still rooted in gratitude to the World Tree, it would incorporate an additional element.

“World Tree, who brings abundance to the world.” Collete intoned.

The moment these words left her lips, the assembled Elves—including Shiomala, who stood beside her—understood why Collete had been summoned.

As she spoke her prayer, an unprecedented number of Spirits gathered around her, far more than a single prayer should attract. Even Shiomala, a High Elf and shrine maiden of the World Tree, could not achieve such a feat without risking collapse from exhaustion.

Yet Collete maintained her composure, continuing the ritual as if the extraordinary gathering of Spirits was routine. In her mind, this level of ability was the minimum requirement to stand beside Kousuke. After all, the women in his circle were all remarkably talented and charismatic—even Collete, herself a woman, could recognize their appeal.

As she continued her prayer, the Spirits began to dance and shine, their normally invisible forms manifesting for all to see. The Elves, with their acute sensitivity to spiritual presence, fully grasped the magnitude of this phenomenon. They knew with certainty that none among them could replicate such a display.

By this point, the audience had forgotten their previous judgments, completely absorbed in Collete’s extraordinary performance. Finally, she delivered the culminating prayer:

“My name is Collete. I am the shrine maiden of the World Tree, Esena, and I walk with the Living God Kousuke. Please grant my wish, Spirit Goddess Spica.”

As her words faded, an absolute silence descended upon the gathering. Even the dancing Spirits froze in place, as if time itself had paused. The stillness stretched on, seemingly eternal.

Then, without warning, a tremendous surge of power erupted beside Collete, far exceeding anything she had channeled in previous rituals.

A brilliant light bloomed on stage—strange in that it did not hurt the eyes, yet still prompted the assembled Elves to instinctively shield their vision.

When they looked again, a woman who had not been there before stood on the stage. Every Elf present immediately dropped into a deep bow, instantly recognizing her as Spica, the Goddess they revered alongside the World Tree.

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The stage now held three figures: God Spica, Collete, and Shiomala. While Shiomala prostrated herself before the Goddess, Collete offered only a measured bow when Spica’s gaze fell upon her.

This was not disrespect—rather, as the ritual’s performer, Collete followed the proper protocol Sylvia had carefully taught her regarding interactions with the divine.

This ritual, while resulting in a divine manifestation, differed significantly from Kousuke’s divine summoning within the Tower. Unlike his method, which relied on summoning circles and personal power, Collete’s ritual more closely resembled a divine descent, drawing upon the World Tree’s power. While both required tremendous energy, the burden on the ritualist was lesser in Collete’s approach.

Such technical distinctions meant little to the watching Elves. The simple fact that a deity had been summoned carried profound significance in their world.

Spica, paying no mind to the awed observers, turned her attention to Collete. “Hmm. So it was you who summoned me this time,” she said, her expression showing clear satisfaction.

Collete, facing a Goddess for the first time, bowed again before responding, “The first would be her—”

Spica raised her right hand, cutting off Collete’s words. “That’s fine. Your roles are different, after all.”

Relief washed over Collete’s features at these words. The ‘her’ they obliquely referenced was Floria, bearer of Spica’s Divine Blessing. As Spica noted, Floria’s role was distinct; she would likely never have occasion to summon Spica to the mortal realm. Collete’s role, however, made such summoning possible.

The observers, save for Kousuke and his companions, could only stare in wonderment at this exchange. Even if they had wanted to speak, the incredible scene before them left them speechless. Their stunned reaction seemed particularly fitting, given their knowledge of Collete’s humble origins.

Yet this extraordinary situation would continue for some time to come.