“How is it? Amazing, isn’t it?”

The Goddess said, puffed up with pride.

He raised his hand and examined his arm.

He hadn’t grown larger like the Orcs. It was a bit disappointing. On the surface, there was no change at all.

But his mind was clear.

His body felt invigorated. It seemed like the mana in his belly had increased.

It was indeed impressive.

At least it was more impressive than when I ate the Blue Flower.

Other than that, I didn’t know much.

I couldn’t really grasp it with just a feeling.

“I’m not sure.”

“What?! I made such a big decision to bestow a Blessing, and that’s your lukewarm reaction!”

“No, I really don’t know.”

“This cute Goddess will have to show you how amazing a Blessing is.”

The Goddess puffed out her chest, telling me not to be a Gnoll.

She said it had been hundreds of years since she had given such a Blessing to anyone. It made me feel a bit sad to think about her crying by herself all that time.

“Do you feel your head clearing up?”

“Yes.”

“That means your Mental Power has improved. It’s at least doubled, I’d say.”

“Doubled?”

That was more impressive than I thought.

Mental Power was hard to increase. Even with a lot of mana, if your Mental Power was insufficient, you couldn’t use Magic. It was a very important resource.

Even if I chewed a basket full of Blue Flowers, it didn’t seem like it would double my current power. I might even be able to operate one more Golem right away.

Even if not that, I could probably use the Necklace.

Until now, even using it for a short time required a lot of effort. I wouldn’t dare summon another Golem unless it was a dangerous situation.

“Your mana has probably increased fivefold.”

“Gasp.”

Just saying five times didn’t really let it sink in.

When she said my mana was now at the level of a High-ranking Mage, I understood. It meant that while my capabilities weren’t there yet, my raw power had become immense.

Even that was just barely stepping into the realm of a High-ranking Mage.

I couldn’t imagine how incredible the Advanced Mages who were on the verge of becoming Arch Mages must be. They all seemed like monsters.

The meaning of the Blessing seemed to differ among the gods.

Moltan was the God of Warriors.

Receiving his Blessing granted physical strength.

On the other hand, the Goddess of Ice was a Mage.

The Blessing she bestowed increased Mental Power and mana, which were crucial for Mages.

“The Blessing I gave you this time is a great one, so the power of your Magic should have increased as well.”

“By how much?”

“Well. About the effect of the Magic staff you’re holding?”

I tried it right away.

Five Ice Arrows were created. Before, it was three even with the Magic staff. Compared to having nothing in my bare hands, it was four more.

“Crazy.”

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

In some ways, it was just a few more. But it was definitely different because it was an increase in incredibly threatening Magic with each shot.

“But the Magic is a little difficult?”

It was something I hadn’t really felt when I was holding the Magic staff.

Unlike before, the casting time was several seconds longer, and I felt a throbbing in my head. If the Magic I usually used was like this, I felt that using more powerful Magic would be very draining.

“Of course. What you just used isn’t what you used before. It’s an enhanced Magic with added knowledge that I put into your head.”

“I didn’t feel anything like that?”

“It’s etched into your subconscious, so you probably don’t know. If you tried to learn it separately, it would have taken several months, wouldn’t it? Be grateful to me.”

“The power is good, but the casting time is a bit ambiguous.”

“That’s because you’ve just learned it. As you keep using it, you’ll get used to it, and it will gradually decrease.”

“So only the power increases?”

“That’s about right.”

The casting time for the intermediate Magic, Ice Arrow, had increased by about half. My head ached wondering when I would reduce it again. I had to train as if I were learning it anew.

Ice Spear was an exception.

There wasn’t enough offered to strengthen that as well. At least it was Norkin’s arm, so it received a proper Blessing.

He mumbled.

The Blessing bestowed by the Goddess was different from what the Protagonist had imagined. Still, he didn’t know for sure. It seemed like if she put her mind to it, she could even change his lower body.

“What about the lower part?”

“The lower part?”

He recounted the story he had heard from Grak.

He spoke as indirectly as possible. Perhaps because of that, the Goddess took a long time to figure out what he was talking about.

Only at the very end did the Goddess realize and shout,

“You pervert! You trash! What outrageous things are you saying to a Goddess!”

The Goddess practically screamed for an hour before falling asleep. It seemed that part wouldn’t get bigger. It was a shame.

There was nothing to do while the Carriage was rolling. As always, he focused on his training. Without it, he would be bored.

Training used to be boring too.

It was because he couldn’t learn new Magic without dreaming.

He felt a slight impatience.

He also wondered if the strange Mushroom’s effects had worn off. Not seeing the Old Man in his dreams made him inexplicably uneasy.

He wasn’t particularly scared even when he was kidnapped by Bruno. There were various reasons, but being absorbed in learning the Magic taught by the Old Man in his dreams was a big one.

He thought he should try to find that strange Mushroom.

The Goddess didn’t teach him Magic. She said that beings like her could only give if they received something in return.

He couldn’t pay that price with just anything.

To train properly, he had to dream.

He decided that when he went to the Capital City, he would place a request with the Mercenary Guild. Perhaps someone might find such a Mushroom.

Fortunately, he remembered what the Mushroom he ate back then looked like. It was so uniquely shaped that he couldn’t forget it.

For now, he wasn’t bored enough to be distracted.

There were many things to train.

He had to quickly create the Ice Arrow strengthened by the Goddess’s Blessing. And he also had to master the Magic of memorizing the Magic taught by the Shaman.

Ice Spear was still in its infancy. To be able to use it casually was what made one a High-ranking Mage.

Currently, it was not easily used unless it was a dire situation.

So, he didn’t brag about it to others. It would be embarrassing to say he could use it and then fail when needed.

There was a lot to do.

He also had to raise his proficiency in Golem Magic here. With so much to train at once, he was confused about where to start.

For now, he focused on mastering new magic.

Memorized Magic was difficult magic.

It was like engraving a Mana Circuit, which disappeared after one use, into the body.

Extracting mana thinly from the body was the same, but engraving it into the body instead of drawing it out with fingers was more difficult.

The difficulty was higher than that of an Intermediate Golem. However, there were fewer Mana Circuits to engrave. So, overall, it was similar.

It seemed like there were excessively many Mana Circuits to engrave into a Golem. The Protagonist could also use Ice Spear, but he was unsure about engraving the Mana Circuit of an Intermediate Golem.

It seemed like he could learn it more easily than he thought.

The principles of the two magics were similar.

He thought he had done well to learn Golem Magic.

Initially, he had to undergo difficult training, but it was helping him learn future magic. The magic of memorizing magic was like that.

He sat still and closed his eyes.

Before he knew it, it was night.

Even while sitting in the rattling carriage, it was like that.

Time flew by during training that focused on his inner self. When his head throbbed, he practiced Ice Spear.

Ice Spear did not require chanting a spell.

The important thing was Firm Imagination. He had to make his imagination as firm as when creating Unmelting Ice.

The Protagonist used Ice Spear multiple times with his own strength this time.

During training. On the battlefield. And in a duel. He constantly recalled those moments. If he could recall them at any time, he felt he would improve, even if only a little.

It was then that Millia spoke to him.

She was curious about what kind of magic the Protagonist was practicing.

Since it was advanced magic, she begged me to teach her too.

She threw a tantrum, asking why only I got to learn such things.

By now, I was getting used to it.

It used to annoy me, but now I found it cute. This was a big problem. It was terrifying to find someone my grandmother’s age cute.

She said that some races naturally live for hundreds of years, and compared to them, she was still young and fresh.

Millia then said she would make an Elixir to become younger. It seemed there was a potion that only made one appear younger.

It was strange.

Millia wanted to become younger, even though she claimed to be young.

Her words didn’t make sense.

The more I talked to her, the more I wondered if I had misheard something.

I ignored it.

I even deliberately told her what kind of magic I had learned. It felt good to see her envious.

It seemed to be because I learned rare magic. Golem Magic was one thing, but advanced magic was impossible to obtain.

Millia made a face as if she was going crazy.

Gnoll meat was delicious.

It was rare to see a woman of thirty-seven lying on the floor throwing a tantrum. It was a peculiar sight.

I thought about it while doing imagery training.

It felt like there was a higher level beyond this.

Gulla had mentioned something in passing.

When mages reach a certain level, they can each use special magic.

I couldn’t understand it yet.

It was a shame.

For now, mastering everything I had learned was the priority.

Shortening the incantation for Ice Arrow would likely require many battles. Practicing imagery was even harder.

There was progress with memorized magic.

He succeeded in carving something into his belly. Then, he felt a box-like space. This seemed to be the Slot Gulla had mentioned.

He had to put the spell in there. Similarly, carving was required. If he failed in the middle, he had to start over from the beginning.

After dozens of failures, he succeeded.

Considering he started from scratch, it was over hundreds of times. Training was the process of experiencing failure until he succeeded. The more failures he had, the better he felt when he finally succeeded.

That was the case now.

He wanted to try it right away.

As soon as night fell, he got off the Carriage and went to a deserted place. He intended to test out the new Magic.

Millia followed. She seemed curious if he had really learned the Magic to memorize Magic.

She didn’t know if there was such a thing as memorizing Magic.

So, even if the Protagonist had learned it, she wouldn’t believe it until she saw it. The Protagonist was the same. People only believed what they saw and heard with their own eyes.

Naturally, she was surprised.

Because the Protagonist made five Ice Arrows immediately without a spell. He was just as surprised.

The way of using Magic was convenient.

It was like he had created a Magic item in his belly. Just by injecting mana, like a Necklace, the stored Magic was manifested. It was incredible.

“Teach me! You’re being selfish and mean!”

Millia shouted, grabbing his sleeve.

Her eyes were filled with earnestness.

Hearing about it and actually seeing it were different. She knew how amazing it was to use Magic without a spell, even if it had a limited number of uses.

He could gain the upper hand in every battle. If he launched multiple Magic attacks from the start, he could intimidate enemies even with ordinary Magic.

Her eyes were terrifying.

She was like a beast that had found its prey.

The analogy wasn’t far off.

For her, a Mage, such powerful Magic was a tempting prey.

“Calm down.”

“How can I calm down?! Waaah… What is this?! I’m… seventeen and still at this level! It’s unfair!”

“You were just about to say thirty-seven, weren’t you?”

Millia was being stubborn.

Still, when it seemed like the Protagonist wouldn’t grant her favor, she fell silent this time.

It seemed she would try to learn Magic, even if it meant spending all the rewards she would receive in the Capital City. She just had a feeling.

If she paid the price, he was willing to teach her how to make a low-level Golem. Low-level Golems were small. At most, they were human-sized.

In contrast, mid-level Golems were large.

People were startled by them just walking around.

The difference was huge.

A low-level Golem was acceptable.

Amelin had been like that before, too.

Perhaps if she learned about low-level Golems, she might cling to the Protagonist even more.

If she knew nothing at all, that would be one thing. But if she learned even a little about the greatness of Golems, she would likely want to create a mid-level Golem.

He couldn’t teach her mid-level Golems.

That was what could be called the Protagonist’s Secret Art. It was a special Magic. He had to hold onto it tightly.

I raised my head.

The journey was quick.

Spending time training, he passed through the City Gate before he knew it. Now that his task was done, he just needed to return with Charlotte.

He wanted to boast to her.

He thought she would praise him if he told her he had learned powerful Magic.

As he was about to rush off in one step, someone grabbed him.

It was Angelica.

She had been quiet the entire way, having been shocked by seeing Norkin.

Now, she seemed to have recovered a bit.

The nun said that she had received a new Revelation and asked him to come to the Castle Church.

It meant that God had something to say to him.

He didn’t know why they were looking for him.

The Sun God was also a Goddess.

She was said to be very beautiful. I walked with the nun.

There was also an Admon Bishop in the Castle Hall. As soon as he arrived, he looked for the Castle Master. However, when Angelica spoke, he backed down.

It was because she had received a Revelation.

Admon said that Revelation is not something one can receive so easily. For some reason, his appearance overlapped with the incompetent Old Man I had met before.

Angelica was unyielding.

Her momentum was unusual.

She was still lower in rank than her opponent. When she, who had been polite, acted this way, Admon also took a step back.

But he did not believe in Revelation.

He would have understood if a cardinal or the Pope had received it.

Angelica was not such a high-ranking person.

If she had truly received a Revelation, it would not have been strange for her to be enshrined as a Castle Maiden. Even in the Church that worshipped the Sun God, there was no Castle Maiden.

I raised my head.

The Goddess statue in the Castle Hall was very large. She looked like a woman in her twenties, but she had a somewhat benevolent smile. Her name was Cecily, I think.

Angelica knelt and clasped her hands together.

The atmosphere was solemn.

Admon watched from a little distance away. His expression showed that he didn’t believe what the nun said and only wanted to get the Castle Master.

I clasped my hands and bowed my head.

Then a voice was heard in my ear. It was not a girl’s voice like Skadi’s, but the voice of a slightly more mature woman in her prime.

“Th-this…”

She made a voice as if suppressing her anger.

She seemed very angry.

Then she shouted at the Protagonist.

“Do you know what sin you have committed!”

“A sin?”

“Didn’t you create countless Orcs? Thanks to those Orcs, all my followers are about to be wiped out! What are you going to do about this?”

Cecily flared up.

It felt like she had every right to be angry.

Many humans were her followers.

When Orcs killed people, her power weakened.

Her heart was already heavy, thinking the war might be because of the Protagonist. Just then, the Goddess’s accusations made her sigh.

“What should I do?”

“I want you to tell the Orcs that my followers are your friends.”

“Friends?”

She tilted her head.

She wondered if the Protagonist’s permission was truly necessary.

It seemed there was no case of her lying in her mind. Perhaps there was a reason why she had to accept this.

“If you only allow that, I will forgive what you have done.”

The Goddess spoke as if she was being magnanimous.

She also said that many people could be saved. It felt right to follow Cecily’s words.

Just as she was about to nod.

The Statue in her arms moved.

Skadi was wailing.

As soon as she took out the Statue and set it down, she shouted.

“Don’t listen to what that woman says!”

It was a voice filled with malice.

Anyone could tell that she held a grudge against the other party.

Cecily spoke.

Unlike before, her voice had lost its dignity and become urgent.

“What in the world are you talking about? You ruined me!”

“What does that have to do with me? It actually turned out well! So you can taste how I felt.”

“Th-this… ugh…”

Cecily suppressed her anger.

She looked at the Statue.

She wondered what had happened between the two Goddesses.

“Why?”

“That woman did nothing when I was dying and struggling. She just stood by and watched. I was so annoyed by how arrogant she was just because she had a few more followers, so this is good!”

Skadi’s voice was bright.

Her tone was one of uncontrollable excitement.

“C-can’t you help? We are among the few Gods, so don’t be so heartless.”

Cecily’s voice trailed off.

“Hmph! You think I don’t know you’re only saying that because your situation is bad!”

“…”

“Now do you understand how I feel? You’re being so servile, aren’t you? You, with so many followers, must have used your power like water. I bet you’re bankrupt and crying your eyes out. It’s so obvious.”

“…”

Cecily was speechless for a long time. Then she pleaded with the Protagonist. Unlike before, she was incredibly servile.

“If you grant my wish, I will give you something good.”

“What is it?”

“A Blessing.”

“A Blessing?”

“My Blessing cannot be received by just anyone. You are very lucky.”

Her ears perked up.

The God of Warriors gained external strength, and the God of Ice gained internal power. She looked forward to what kind of power she would give.

“No! Absolutely do not grant it!”

“It’s good if I get stronger, isn’t it?”

“I still hate it! Unless that woman apologizes to me!”

The Statue shook as it shouted.

Cecily uttered an apology.

It was a very small voice.

She also said she would help well in the future. Then Skadi quieted down. It seemed satisfied. It didn’t hold grudges as much as expected.

I looked at the Goddess statue.

“Can I know what kind of Blessing it is?”

“If you receive my Blessing, you will become healthy. Minor illnesses will disappear. Your lifespan will also increase. You won’t get tired easily from most things. You will also gain resistance to various things.”

Cecily elaborated.

It was an incredible Blessing.

However, the Protagonist had something else in mind.

“What about that place?”

“That place?”

He asked the Goddess if his lower body would grow larger.

Cecily spoke with a determined voice.

“If you wish for it, I will grant it.”

“Really?”

“Originally, there is no such effect, but if you desire it, I can do it.”

He nodded his head.

Then the Protagonist’s body was enveloped in light.

Angelica and Admon, who were nearby, were surprised.

They couldn’t hear the god’s voice, so they looked at the Protagonist with strange eyes. But when he received the Blessing, they seemed greatly surprised.

Admon’s surprise was great.

Blessings were not something one could easily receive. It was not strange for him to be stunned after seeing it with his own eyes.

He tried to touch his hands.

It was no different from before.

However, I felt it instinctively.

The Protagonist had become stronger.

The two words seemed to have grown stronger.

It was incredible.

I wanted to test the power of the Blessing as soon as possible.

I ran out of the Castle party.

Admon called out desperately from behind, but I pretended not to hear. The Protagonist had much more important things to do. Angelica ran to catch me, but she couldn’t keep up with the Protagonist.

I kicked open the inn’s door.

Charlotte was staying at the inn she used to be at.

Her face brightened when she saw the Protagonist for the first time in a while. I blurted out to her, just as she was about to ask about my well-being.

When I said my lower body had gotten bigger, the people around me stared. They were guests and patrons staying at the inn.

As their gazes converged, Charlotte’s face flushed crimson, and she clapped her hand over my mouth.

She waited until the guests started talking among themselves again and no longer paid attention, then asked in a small voice. Her expression was slightly aroused.

“What do you mean your lower body got bigger?”

“I received a Blessing.”

“A Blessing?”

I briefly explained that I had received a Blessing from the Sun God. Charlotte’s expression changed, and her gaze dropped downwards.

“I’ll have to check.”

“Huh?”

“The Blessing might have gone wrong in the Capital City. So, let’s check it thoroughly with the ClothCloth.”

Charlotte grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

A strange sense of anticipation was on her face.