GOD OF DECEPTION Chapter 8 -The Goddess in Silver Light

Chapter 8 — The Goddess in Silver Light

eting a real goddess was not on my schedule today.

Or ever, honestly.

I followed Elena through the quiet morning streets of Erald while trying very hard not to panic visibly.

Villagers moved aside imdiately when they saw us.

So bowed.

Others whispered prayers.

A few children waved excitedly at .

My accidental religion was growing disturbingly fast.

Elena walked slightly ahead, her silver robes moving gently in the wind.

Unlike yesterday, the silver symbol on her hand now glowed steadily.

Lady Seraphine’s power really had stabilized.

And apparently...

that goddess wanted to see personally.

Fantastic.

No pressure at all.

I glanced toward Elena.

"You seem nervous."

She didn’t deny it.

"I’ve served Lady Seraphine for seven years," she said quietly.

"And she has never summoned anyone directly before."

That honestly made feel worse.

We approached the central shrine slowly.

In daylight, the structure looked more beautiful than before.

White stone pillars surrounded a silver statue of a woman holding a sword toward the sky.

Soft divine energy flowed through the air around it.

Warm.

Gentle.

Protective.

Very different from my own authority.

Mine felt sharper.

Restless.

Always changing.

The mont we stepped closer—

the shrine reacted.

Silver light spread across the ground beneath my feet.

Villagers nearby gasped softly.

Elena’s expression tightened.

"She’s responding to you."

Great.

Wonderful.

Exactly the kind of attention I didn’t want.

The shrine doors slowly opened by themselves.

Nobody touched them.

The villagers imdiately knelt outside.

Elena lowered her head respectfully before stepping inside.

I followed carefully.

The interior of the shrine was quiet and cold.

Candles flickered softly near the walls while silver symbols covered the floor.

At the center stood another statue of Lady Seraphine.

Smaller than the outside one.

But far more detailed.

Beautiful face.

Long flowing hair.

Armor shaped like silver feathers.

A goddess of protection indeed.

The doors closed behind us automatically.

And suddenly—

the air changed.

Divine pressure filled the room.

Heavy.

Ancient.

My chest tightened imdiately.

The blue divine core inside reacted instinctively.

Warm energy spread through my body defensively.

Then silver light gathered before the statue.

Slowly taking shape.

A woman appeared.

Not physically.

More like a projection made from moonlight.

But even so—

she was breathtaking.

Long silver hair flowed around her glowing body while pale silver eyes looked down at us calmly.

Her presence alone made the entire shrine feel sacred.

Elena imdiately fell to one knee.

"Lady Seraphine."

Her voice trembled slightly.

Not fear.

Emotion.

Relief.

I remained standing awkwardly because honestly I had no idea what the correct protocol for eting goddesses was.

The silver-eyed woman looked toward .

And smiled faintly.

"You are an unusual existence."

Straight to the point.

I liked her already.

Unfortunately, she was also a literal goddess capable probably of deleting from reality.

So balance.

I nodded carefully.

"I hear that often."

To my surprise, amusent appeared in her expression.

Interesting.

Not all gods were arrogant apparently.

Lady Seraphine observed quietly for several seconds.

The divine pressure around us remained gentle.

Not hostile.

Good sign.

Probably.

Finally she spoke again.

"You carry no true divine lineage."

My heartbeat nearly stopped.

Ah.

There it is.

I’m dead.

Wonderful story everyone.

But then she continued calmly—

"Yet faith gathers around you naturally."

I blinked.

Wait.

That wasn’t imdiate execution.

Interesting.

Elena looked shocked.

"My lady... he truly isn’t an ancient god?"

Ouch.

Hearing it aloud hurt slightly.

Seraphine shook her head gently.

"No. His authority is newly born."

Her silver eyes narrowed slightly while studying .

"But unlike anything I have seen before."

The blue divine core inside my chest pulsed softly.

Almost responding to her gaze.

The goddess noticed imdiately.

"Technology..."

She spoke the word carefully.

Like soone testing unfamiliar language.

"There is no existing divine domain connected to such authority."

Exactly.

Unused divine niche.

Jackpot.

Seraphine stepped closer slowly.

Even as a spiritual projection, her presence felt overwhelming.

"Where did your authority originate?"

Dangerous question.

Very dangerous.

I couldn’t reveal Earth.

Or the device.

Or the original Technology God.

But complete lies around an actual goddess sounded suicidal.

So once again—

partial truth.

"I ca from a distant world," I answered quietly.

Seraphine beca silent.

Elena looked stunned beside .

Then surprisingly—

the goddess nodded slowly.

"I suspected as much."

Wait.

What?

"You did?"

Seraphine turned slightly toward the shrine windows.

"There are ancient records describing travelers between worlds."

Okay.

That was both useful and terrifying information.

Interdinsional travel apparently existed historically.

Interesting.

The goddess continued softly.

"This universe contains countless realms. So rich with spiritual power. Others nearly dead."

Earth.

She was describing Earth.

A strange sadness crossed Seraphine’s expression.

"Many gods beca desperate after the Age of Diminishing began."

Age of Diminishing?

Before I could ask, she looked directly into my eyes again.

"Your world lost its spiritual energy, didn’t it?"

Silence.

Complete silence.

Elena stared at in shock.

And honestly?

For the first ti since arriving here...

I felt genuinely hosick.

Earth.

A world abandoned by gods.

A dead spiritual planet surviving only through technology and progress.

Maybe humanity never even realized what it lost.

I answered quietly.

"Yes."

Seraphine’s expression softened slightly.

"Then your people suffered greatly."

I almost laughed.

If only she knew modern humanity.

We absolutely suffered.

But we also adapted frighteningly well.

"We survived," I said simply.

The goddess observed carefully.

"And now one born from a dead world carries divine authority."

Her silver eyes sharpened slightly.

"How interesting."

That sentence sohow sounded both fascinated and dangerous.

Elena slowly stood beside .

"My lady... is he truly trustworthy?"

Direct attack.

Again.

Seriously this girl never rests.

Seraphine looked toward her saintess calmly.

"Elena."

The younger woman lowered her head imdiately.

"Forgive ."

The goddess smiled faintly.

"Caution is wise."

Then she turned toward again.

"But he has not lied."

I froze slightly.

Wait.

Not lied?

Technically true.

I’d avoided direct lies carefully.

Mostly.

That suddenly explained why Seraphine wasn’t hostile.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The goddess walked slowly around .

Silver light flowed behind her movents beautifully.

"You are not a true god yet," she said calmly.

"But faith already recognizes you."

The blue core inside pulsed stronger.

"As your believers increase," Seraphine continued, "your authority will solidify further."

Yeah.

I figured that much out already.

Still terrifying though.

Then her expression beca more serious.

"But new gods are dangerous."

Ah.

There’s the problem.

"Dangerous?" I repeated carefully.

"Because they change the balance."

The shrine beca quiet.

Seraphine looked toward the village outside.

"This world’s divine factions compete constantly."

Makes sense.

Religion literally equals power here.

"So gods nurture humanity," she continued softly.

"Others rely consu faith."

Her eyes returned to mine.

"And so fear anything unfamiliar."

Translation: The mont stronger gods discover , things could beco complicated.

Very complicated.

Elena crossed her arms slightly.

"Especially if his authority continues growing this quickly."

Honestly fair concern.

I’d gained an entire village in two days.

At this rate I’d accidentally start a continent-wide cult by next month.

Seraphine studied silently for several monts.

Then unexpectedly asked—

"What do you desire?"

The question caught off guard.

Power?

Survival?

A way ho?

Honestly...

I wasn’t fully sure anymore.

After a mont, I answered honestly.

"I want to understand this world."

Not a perfect answer.

But true.

The goddess smiled faintly.

"A safer answer than most gods would give."

Interesting.

Then suddenly her silver light flickered weakly.

Elena’s expression changed instantly.

"My lady—"

Seraphine raised one hand gently.

"I am fine."

But she clearly wasn’t.

The projection around her had dimd noticeably.

Her power really was unstable.

The goddess noticed observing her.

"My faith has weakened greatly over the years," she admitted calmly.

"No need to hide it."

Elena lowered her gaze sadly.

Seraphine looked toward her saintess warmly.

"This child has carried my burdens alone for too long."

Elena looked away imdiately.

Embarrassed.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The goddess turned back toward .

"You restored hope to this village."

Her silver eyes beca thoughtful.

"And sohow... restored part of my strength as well."

The shrine beca quiet again.

Then Seraphine asked sothing unexpected.

"Would you be willing to cooperate with ?"

I blinked.

"...Cooperate?"

Elena looked surprised too.

The goddess nodded slowly.

"Your authority inspires curiosity and innovation."

She looked toward the village outside.

"Those things may help humanity survive the coming era."

Coming era?

That sounded ominous.

Before I could ask, the shrine suddenly trembled violently.

The silver light around Seraphine flickered.

Then—

a cold presence appeared.

Wrong.

That was the only way to describe it.

The warmth inside the shrine vanished instantly.

Elena’s expression changed sharply.

"My lady!"

Dark red energy spread briefly across one wall before disappearing.

Seraphine’s face hardened imdiately.

For the first ti since eting her...

the gentle goddess looked genuinely angry.

"Soone is watching."

The pressure inside the shrine intensified.

My divine core reacted instinctively.

Danger.

Real danger.

Seraphine looked toward seriously.

"You must leave Erald soon."

Ah.

There it is.

The plot complication.

"Why?" I asked.

The goddess’ silver eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because other gods have begun noticing your existence."