Chapter 2. Lisia

Lisia was a character I particularly favored among my other Followers.

This was because of her base Ability scores, and also because of the 'Deep Faith' Special Privilege she possessed, which helped me quite a bit.

In other words, it's like a resource duplication bug.

As a result of diligently rolling the gacha and spending money like it was blood, my encounter with Lisia came to fruition.

When a Follower diligently works for the Religious Order or offers Prayers, their Faith Level increases, which also benefits me.

Lisia was the very model of a model student, as far as I was concerned.

She worked hard, prayed hard...

How could I not like her?

The work referred to here means holy combat involving actual physical force.

It's also called Holy War.

In other words, contrary to her delicate physique, Lisia is very good at fighting.

- Kwaaang!

Just as I was watching, she was more than capable of handling multiple enemies single-handedly.

However, the basic composition of the fight itself was very unfavorable.

"These bastards."

Ganging up on a beautiful woman like that, what kind of blasphemous act is this?!

But Lisia, undeterred by such hardship, diligently moved her body.

Wielding a huge weapon the size of her own body, she deftly parried the attacks.

And even amidst that, she skillfully mixed in counterattacks in the openings...

From my perspective, as her Lord God, her combat sense was so impeccable that it made me want to applaud.

However, at this rate, it was only natural that Lisia would be at a disadvantage.

It was true that Lisia was exceptionally strong, but it was also because the hostile forces had not yet shown their true strength.

I examined the appearance of the attackers.

The gloomy atmosphere I had seen several times, and the familiar emblem.

"Black Sun."

A white sun on a black background was their emblem and symbol.

But if they were going to do that, wouldn't White Sun be more appropriate? They just call themselves whatever they want.

They were a different religious faction that had clashed with my Religious Order several times.

I had trampled them so thoroughly during Play that they couldn't even make eye contact with me, yet they dare to gang up on my Follower?

As I always did, I manipulated the window and touched Lisia's name.

[Name: Lisia

Magic 9 Strength 7 Agility 6 Intelligence 8 Spirit 10]

Her decent Ability scores appeared, along with a brief summary of her current status.

[Faith Level is significantly low.]

[Abilities are penalized due to low Faith Level.]

"What."

Checking again, I saw that several of her Ability scores indeed had a minus sign attached.

Emergency situation detected.

"Uh oh."

And as soon as I felt that sense of crisis, the Black Sun bastards' movements became faster.

Having roughly gauged the situation, they began to exploit Lisia's weaknesses in earnest.

At the sudden change in atmosphere, Lisia's expression became urgent, and the range of attacks she allowed gradually widened.

- Kooong!

Finally, driven into a corner, Lisia was hit by an attack and slammed into the wall of the prayer room.

Those damn bastards.

I decided to take action immediately.

[Do you wish to use 'Revelation' on Follower, Lisia?]

Revelation.

One of the support methods a player can bestow upon their Follower.

It temporarily provides bonus values to Faith Level and Ability scores.

"Accept immediately."

Since she was forcibly taking risks due to the penalty, I needed to restore her condition to normal with my Revelation.

[Using 'Revelation' on Follower, Lisia.]

[Follower, Lisia's Faith Level increases.]

[Follower, Lisia's Abilities are temporarily strengthened.]

Then, the status window responded immediately.

Checking her Ability scores again, I could confirm an upward trend that surpassed the minus values and entered the positive (+) realm.

"Okay."

The anomaly didn't end there.

[Follower, Lisia recognizes the presence of the Lord God.]

[Special Privilege 'Deep Faith' is activated.

▶ Abilities are greatly increased!

▶ Divine Power is strengthened!]

"Oh."

Lisia's Special Privilege, Deep Faith.

A Special Privilege that gives more weight to the interaction with the player.

It was quite efficient, so she was always a Filial Daughter character I adored.

The fallen Lisia got up unharmed, and a faint Divine Power swirled around her body.

I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Even if they were Black Sun's Priests, they wouldn't be able to defeat the strengthened Lisia.

My Religious Order wouldn't be brought down by something like that.

- Ssssss....

However, the anomaly didn't end there.

"Huh?"

A red aura mixed into the Divine Power, which was shimmering with holy light.

I knew what that was.

[The Special Privilege that was sealed due to 'Deep Faith' is activated.]

[Special Privilege, 'Underground Mad Dog' is activated.

▶ Strength Ability is greatly increased!

▶ Damage received from hostile forces is reduced.]

Right, I was so preoccupied that I forgot for a moment.

About Lisia's hidden Special Privilege.

Underground Mad Dog.

Her Special Privilege stemmed from a dark background.

To summarize it simply, you could say that the more she fights, the more her Ability scores are strengthened.

Where else can you find such a broken character?

Isn't this the beauty of gacha games?

Considering all the resources I've poured in, the overpowered nature is quite understandable.

- Koogung.

A refined, sharp ferocity.

Now, a holy beast lurked in the prayer room.

The Black Sun Priests, sensing the change, began to back away stealthily.

"No chance."

I felt like the protagonist of Pokémon, sharing one Heart and one mind with Lisia.

"Take them all out."

Lisia resonated with my feelings and leaped towards the enemies.

"....!"

Shaking off the dust from her body, she immediately charged towards her targets.

The atmosphere had completely changed from what it was before.

The previously disadvantageous situation was instantly reversed.

If before it felt like a raid against Lisia, now it was the image of herbivores being hunted.

The enemies couldn't keep up with Lisia's speed, and soon one of them was knocked down by her attack.

The Priest, flung away with an impact twice as strong as what Lisia had suffered, never got up again.

[Black Sun's Priests (1/9)]

The status board popped up at the perfect time.

It was the news that one of them had died. Completely retired.

“Yes!”

Those bastards, if they tried to kill her, they should be prepared to die. How dare they touch my filial daughter, Lisia.

After that, the one-sided hunt continued.

Lisia, beyond the screen, truly rampaged like a beast, turning the tide of the battle.

One moment she’d evade the assassins with the agility of a tiger, the next, when cornered, she'd approach them like a snake, calmly aiming for their blind spots.

Wow, that actually works.

To me, someone who struggled to even touch their toes, she seemed like a person from a completely different world.

The weapon she wielded also contributed to Lisia's imposing presence.

Her weapon was the beloved sword, 'Divine Cross,' which I personally equipped her with in the Game.

A sharp sword shaped like a cross.

I remembered gladly handing over my most treasured weapon from the storage to Lisia because of her performance.

-Swish!

Just now, another one of them departed to be with the Lord.

[Black Sun's Priests (2/9)]

The wicked group continued to be hunted down by Lisia.

Please, don't come to me, go to another Constellation.

No peppers, please.

The red light gradually dimmed, signifying their disadvantage.

When their numbers dwindled to about three…

Finally, the attackers gave up on Lisia's life and began to flee.

“Idiots.”

They should have run the moment Lisia was strengthened.

The fact they were still assessing the situation at that point is a truly astonishing intelligence issue.

“.....”

Now that the battle was over.

Lisia, seemingly lost in deep contemplation, knelt and prayed to me for a long time.

Beautiful.

Part of it is her outer appearance, but her unwavering devotion and faithful attitude towards me are just so beautiful.

Is this what they call inner intimacy in the industry?

A bond transcending Game and reality, dimensions. It was undeniable.

“That…enchanting thing.”

I wanted to give her leftover equipment or resources from the storage, but right now, I'm too busy familiarizing myself with the System.

[Lisia has achieved a new achievement!]

[Receiving rewards due to Follower's activity.]

[Faith Level +90!]

“Oh.”

Players can use the Faith Level farmed by their Followers to strengthen their abilities.

Then, wouldn’t now be the most appropriate time to give Lisia a proper reward?

[Lisia prays to you with a pious heart.]

[Lisia loves you deeply.]

“Aw, my child.”

I immediately manipulated the System and rummaged through the reward system.

[Use Faith Level to Bless 'Lisia'?]

Blessing.

The specific term used for the reward system bestowed upon Followers.

“Of course, I have to.”

I decided to Bless Lisia without hesitation.

[Due to your Blessing, 'Lisia's' Ability has been permanently slightly increased.]

-Shiver.

I could see Lisia trembling with joy beyond the screen.

She soon rose again and, with a determined expression, began walking somewhere.

Perhaps she's moving to spread word of my existence.

“...But.”

Who’s going to fix the destroyed prayer room?

[Use Faith Level to restore the destroyed monastery?]

“Ah.”

That was entirely my responsibility.

“Sigh.”

Watching my monastery being smoothly repaired, I pondered the situation ahead.

I'd cleanly overcome the immediate crisis, so what should I do now?

…Naturally, I have to regain my lost form.

This is the Religious Order and status I painstakingly built.

The Faith I built so that no one in the world would dare to trifle with it, my sanctuary.

According to the background information I received when I was first dragged here, my flesh and blood Religious Order was in crisis.

“Look at this.”

I don’t know how the timeline was constructed, but it seemed to be the world during the time I was temporarily absent.

But I won't neglect it anymore.

Clearly, my top priority was to restore my fallen form back to its peak.

I watched Lisia’s gracefully departing back with satisfaction, then belatedly began to delve deeper into the System.

[Constellation, 'Black Sun's Incarnation' becomes aware of your existence.]

[Constellation, 'Black Sun's Incarnation' is enraged at you!]

“...Huh?”

And then, I had an unexpected Fan Meeting.

#

-Do you still cling to your false faith?

When she was pinned against the prayer room wall, feeling the threat of death.

And when the Lord God she loved was insulted, yet she lay powerless…

Lisia's heart was filled with tearing grief and rage.

‘Father God.’

If I can feel your presence once more, this remaining life…

I will gladly offer it all.

It was a worthless life that would have perished long ago without Him.

Lisia was always prepared to die for her God.

And now.

Having regained her forgotten Divine Status and successfully driven away the Black Sun's Priests, Lisia…

Stood still for a while, savoring the lingering emotions to her heart's content.

He has returned. My Lord, the Father of all.

“Haah, Hoo.”

Lisia composed herself with excited breaths.

She couldn't stay like this.

She had to stop her pilgrimage in search of Him and return to the center of the Religious Order.

She had to go and tell them that they had not been abandoned.

The image of her crumbling Followers came to Lisia's mind.

The Vampire who willingly chose the righteous path, or the Heretical Saint.

She had to preach His existence to them as soon as possible.

Because even in her eyes, those two were in the most dangerous situation in the current circumstances.

‘Still.’

She was the first to be chosen by Him.

Lisia, with a slight(?) sense of superiority, started her journey back.