Chapter 589

【 PROBE 】

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“Your Grace Evé, your divine throne is right here.”

The Eternal Lord’s voice was as calm and composed as ever, yet to Eve, those words struck like a sudden thunderclap, reverberating through her with startling force.

Her eyes instinctively followed the direction of His gesture and in the very next moment, her heart skipped a beat.

The throne He pointed to was not just any seat. It was the one that had once belonged to the previous World Tree.

An icy jolt shot through her thoughts.

For the briefest of moments, a surge of raw panic gripped her. The impulse to immediately dismiss her incarnation and retreat surged within her, nearly overpowering her reason.

However, she restrained herself.

Evé quickly regained her composure.

Even putting aside the question of whether fleeing here would accomplish anything if her identity had indeed been exposed, it was difficult to believe the Eternal Lord would still be engaging her in such a calm, almost conversational manner if He had truly seen right through her.

If that were the case, the consequences would have already spread far beyond the confines of the Pantheon. The entire realm of Seigües would likely have been thrown into turmoil.

The gods themselves might still be unable to enter Seigües in their True Forms due to the planetary restrictions, but their influence remained vast. Their demigod envoys, divine incarnations, and mortal armys would already be on the move.

And while even the Heavenly Gods might struggle to destroy her outright, they would have no such difficulty unleashing ruin upon the elves. If they could not strike her down directly, they could still crush her people, dismantle her faith, and sever the roots of her divine power.

Thinking more clearly now, Evé came to the conclusion that the Eternal Lord was likely probing her rather than confronting her outright.

She pushed down the lingering anxiety within her heart and began to piece together His intentions.

Her resemblance to the former World Tree in both their divinity and appearance was too significant to ignore. Even though she had taken great care to conceal it by crafting a distinct public persona and carefully suppressing any traces of her predecessor, there were limits to what could be hidden.

The Eternal Lord, who’s known for his foresight and caution, would naturally remain wary. Plus, given how sensitive and dangerous the identity of the World Tree was, it made perfect sense that He would not take her guise at face value.

Still, the chaotic behavior of the players, combined with the outward personality she displayed, which was so different from that of her predecessor, and the relatively convincing persona she had carefully constructed, made it difficult for others to associate her directly with the former World Tree.

Nonetheless, even the slightest hint of possibility would be enough to prompt the Eternal Lord, who had once led the gods during the Thousand Year Holy War to pursue the truth.

At present, the dimensional passage to Seigües remained sealed, preventing the other Gods from entering the world directly. Evé was also the only true god whose actual true form currently resided here. As a result, direct investigation by the Eternal Lord was not feasible, and relying on subordinates carried too many uncertainties. They lacked both the insight and authority to make a definitive judgment.

Given these circumstances, the most effective time to test her was when she entered the Pantheon, where truth could not easily be hidden.

There was another crucial reason why this timing had been chosen: the unique nature of the Pantheon itself.

As the divine assembly hall where the gods convened, the Pantheon had possessed a singular and sacred power since the moment of its creation. It was known as a place of “True Speech.”

Within these halls, every word spoken was bound by a higher law. All speech had to reflect truth, and deception was strictly forbidden.

This power was not limited to mortals or lesser beings. It extended even to true gods, regardless of their rank or authority.

Should anyone attempt to speak a lie within the Pantheon, the space itself would respond. The falsehood would be sensed immediately and laid bare for all to see.

Although the current Pantheon was no longer the original structure that had stood at the previous eras, it had nonetheless inherited this extraordinary authority—one that transcended even the will of the gods themselves.

This law had been instituted by Neos, the King of the Gods and the founder of the Pantheon. It was not merely a rule of tradition but had been woven into the very fabric of divine law. Its original purpose was to ensure that agreements made between gods could be honored without fear of deceit, fostering trust and cooperation in an otherwise volatile divine hierarchy.

Now, the Eternal Lord was skillfully making use of this ancient principle to probe deeper into Eve’s true identity.

Regardless of how Evé chose to respond, He would undoubtedly extract some degree of insight from her words, no matter how subtle it was.

In truth, the very moment the Eternal Lord pointed toward the former World Tree’s throne, and Eve’s expression involuntarily tightened in response, it had already planted a seed of suspicion. That brief, instinctive reaction was more than enough to give others a reason to speculate.

Fortunately, the persona Evé had carefully constructed over the years served its purpose well. She quickly regained her composure, smoothing over the subtle lapse in her expression with practiced ease.

She had always been aware of the Pantheon’s unique power. Although the Eternal Lord’s sudden probe had caught her slightly off guard, she had anticipated such a possibility and mentally prepared herself for it long ago.

With that awareness steadying her, her expression cooled. The faint traces of unease vanished, replaced by an aloof and guarded calm. In a quiet voice, laced with a hint of restrained defiance, she spoke:

“Eternal Lord, that is not my divine throne. I am unworthy of it. Although I may hold the same Divinity, I am merely the one who inherited it.”

It was a statement that was subtly altered, and supplemented with misleading implications, carefully crafted to lead the listener further away from the actual truth.

The effectiveness of such a strategy relied entirely on one essential factor: having access to information the listener could neither guess nor imagine.

For Eve, that hidden truth was her real origin.

Then, with her tone steady but laced with subtle challenge, she followed up with a question, turning the conversation back in her favor.

“Also, what exactly did you mean by your earlier statement? What do you mean by ‘some things must be done’? And what do you mean by ‘regardless of position’?”

Evé followed up with a question.

This was a calculated move to regain control of the conversation and subtly shift the pressure back onto the Eternal Lord.

Of course, she was also genuinely puzzled by the cryptic words He had spoken earlier. His phrasing had been vague, layered with meaning, and she intended to unravel it.

Surely He wasn’t trying to suggest that the gods had opposed the previous World Tree for the greater good of all?

Then again, from the standpoint of the gods themselves, perhaps that was exactly how they saw it. What they deemed necessary might have been, in their eyes, an act of preservation rather than betrayal.

After all, the gods, who regarded themselves as the shepherds of all mortal life, would never willingly allow the World Tree to elevate the energy level of Seigües. Such a change would disrupt the divine order and shift the balance of power in ways they could not control.

But what had He meant by “regardless of position”?

Or rather, what specific “position” was He referring to?

As Eve voiced her questions, the Eternal Lord lifted an eyebrow ever so slightly and offered a faint, knowing smile.

“There is no need to be so agitated, Your Grace Eve. I understand that your background may make it difficult for you to place your trust in me. But you are a true god now. In time, you will come to understand why we made the decisions we did…”

More evasive rhetoric…

Evé felt a wave of frustration rise within her.

But she understood that He had no intention of explaining further.

So be it.

Even if He did choose to speak openly, whether she would believe Him was another question entirely.

Although this was their first meeting, and Etriōu presented himself as calm, courteous, and composed, Evé felt a quiet sense of unease. Something about Him unsettled her on an instinctive level.

The radiant figure before her did not align with the impression passed down through the memories she had inherited from her predecessor.

His current demeanor felt almost too perfect—too deliberate.

To Evé, it seemed less like sincerity and more like a calculated performance meant to lull her into dropping her guard.

“Moreover,” Etriōu continued in his calm, measured voice, “since Your Grace has inherited the Divinities of Life and Nature, it is only fitting that you also inherit this divine throne. There is no need for such modesty. This throne, though old, now rightfully belongs to you.”

He paused for a moment, then added with a seemingly generous tone, “Of course, if you truly do not wish to sit upon this seat, then you may indeed establish a new divine throne nearby instead.”

To the casual listener, his words might have sounded respectful—even accommodating. But to Evé, it was clear that this was not a simple gesture of politeness.

This was the second stage of his probe.

On the surface, the Eternal Lord appeared to acknowledge the identity she had so carefully crafted for the outside world. However, she could sense the underlying intent, a subtle trap veiled beneath his words.

She knew the implications all too well.

If a once-fallen god were to return and sit upon their former divine throne, even one left in ruin, the throne would instantly recognize its original master. The divine connection would be restored, and the damaged throne would be renewed in its full splendor.

Even creating a new throne in close proximity to the old one carried great risk. The divine imprint within her soul could react to the lingering essence of the previous throne. The resonance caused by such closeness might fuse the two together, thereby exposing her true identity.

In other words, if the World Tree had truly returned in person, then no matter how carefully it masked its presence, simply sitting upon its former divine throne, or even constructing a new one near it, would be enough to trigger a divine reaction and expose its true identity.

However, openly rejecting the Eternal Lord’s seemingly reasonable proposal and choosing to establish a throne elsewhere would also raise doubts. Such a move could easily be perceived as evasive, as if she were deliberately avoiding a connection to the past.

Even if she managed to deflect that suspicion in the moment, the situation would remain precarious. The Eternal Lord could still order the old throne to be moved beside the newly created one, under the pretext of formality or tradition, thereby forcing the same confrontation once again.

It was a situation with no easy escape.

At least, that would have been the case if Evé were truly the resurrected former World Tree.

Fortunately, that was no longer the case.

The past four years had allowed her to completely strip away the final remnants of her predecessor’s divine aura, which had remained within her when she inherited the World Tree’s legacy.

In a sense, she was now a new World Tree altogether.

Aside from sharing the same race and bloodline, she no longer had much in common with her predecessor.

She offered no verbal reply to the Eternal Lord’s suggestion.

Instead, she stepped forward in silence, walking steadily toward the old divine throne. As she reached it, she came to a halt at its side.

Whilst raising her hand, she summoned her divine power. A soft golden-green light began to swirl and gather beneath her feet. Slowly, beside the original seat, a new divine throne took shape.

This new throne bore a resemblance to the old World Tree’s seat in its structure, but key differences made it unmistakably her own. The ancient tree-shaped insignia had been replaced with the symbol of the Scepter of Life, which was the symbol of her current faith. Its design also differed subtly in form, reflecting her own style and essence.

Then, under the Eternal Lord’s calm and measured gaze, Evé seated herself with quiet confidence.

Nothing happened.

After a few seconds of silence, the Eternal Lord gave a faint smile.

“I see… Well then, welcome to the Pantheon, Your Grace Evé, Goddess of Life and Nature.”

Upon hearing this, Evé knew she had passed his test.

She breathed an internal sigh of relief, but outwardly maintained a calm expression and gave the Eternal Lord a slight nod.

Her demeanor remained indifferent, perfectly portraying a divine elf still harboring dissatisfaction toward the Eternal Lord.

Etriōu, for His part, gave no sign of being bothered. With a gentle wave of His hand, a luminous orb emerged from the air and drifted gracefully toward Evé. She raised her hand and caught it with care, her eyes narrowing slightly in cautious instinct.

Before proceeding further, she studied the orb intently. Her divine senses combed over its surface, probing for any hidden traps or tampering. Only after she confirmed its safety did she channel her divine power into it, allowing her essence to make contact and unlock whatever knowledge or gift it contained.

To her astonishment, a remarkably detailed map unfolded within her consciousness.

It was a vast, three-dimensional representation of the known universe, laid out in intricate detail and shimmering with precision.

The map took the shape of an elongated ellipsoid, glowing with numerous small ethereal lights. At its very center hovered a luminous ring, rotating slowly like a celestial halo. This radiant region was the Heavenly Realm, the core area in which where the most exalted realms resided.

The lower part of the ellipsoid was pitch black, as if scorched by fire, with swirling vortexes resembling black holes drawing in the glowing points above.

That region was the Abyss.

When Evé concentrated her divine consciousness on any one of the ethereal points of light scattered across the map, the image immediately shifted in response. The selected light expanded, and the map zoomed in further, revealing a rich and intricate display of topography.

These were the individual maps of each realm.

As she continued to explore the projection, she began to notice that many of the realms were not uniform. Several had distinct zones highlighted across their surfaces, glowing slightly brighter than the rest. These areas had been deliberately marked and stood out from the surrounding terrain, each carrying an unspoken significance.

“This is the map of the known universe,” the Eternal Lord’s voice echoed calmly beside her, drawing her attention once more. “It contains the accumulated knowledge of all identified realms, including their spatial coordinates and other relevant information. Every god who is a member of the Pantheon is granted a copy of this map.”

“Additionally, the glowing areas on the map mark the locations of the Free Temple Zones.”

“Free Temple Zones?” Evé asked, puzzled.

It was a term she had never heard before.

Before the Eternal Lord could respond, a new voice echoed softly through the Pantheon. It was an aged voice, deep and steady, carrying with it a quiet authority that immediately drew attention.

“The Free Temple Zones,” the elder voice explained, “are specific regions throughout the universe wherein the gods of the Pantheon are granted the right to establish temples without restriction. Once a deity formally joins the Pantheon and fulfills the necessary conditions, they may construct their temples within any of these designated zones, regardless of who oversees the broader realm.”

Evé turned her gaze in the direction of the voice, intrigued by both the explanation and the speaker’s sudden entrance.

On the far side of the Pantheon, a silver-blue robed elder had appeared at some point.

He wore flowing robes of silver-blue, and his long white hair and beard gave him a dignified, almost otherworldly presence. His appearance closely resembled the archetype of a wise mage from ancient tales, particularly the image of Gandalf from the classic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. His celestial robe shimmered faintly, adorned with patterns of stars that sparkled like constellations suspended in the night sky.

Leaning gently on a staff, he regarded Evé with a serene smile and spoke with a voice both gentle and commanding.

“These Free Temple Zones are scattered throughout the various realms across the universe. Among them, the realm of Seigües itself contains the highest number of such zones,” the elder explained.

“Every dominion under the governance of a true god maintains at least one such designated area. When a god formally joins the Pantheon, they are required to register all free zones under their authority. Once that is done, they are granted the right to establish their own temples within the dominion managed by other gods as well.”

He paused for a moment, letting the information settle.

“However, it is important to note that even if you establish a temple within another’s dominion, you are not permitted to spread your faith beyond its walls without the express permission of the god who presides over that realm. In most cases, divine preaching is limited strictly to within your own temple, unless a greater accord has been reached.”

The elder concluded with a warm smile.

So… it functions much like an embassy, Evé mused silently.

With the elder’s explanation, everything had become much clearer.

Each god who was a member of the Pantheon governed a personal dominion of faith and within those territories, specific areas had been designated as Free Temple Zones where other gods were permitted to construct temples of their own.

These sanctuaries did not grant complete freedom, however.

While it was acceptable to establish a physical presence, the spread of doctrine and belief was carefully regulated. Preaching outside the temple’s walls required explicit permission from the local ruling deity. Without it, the temple would serve merely as a symbolic outpost rather than an active center of worship.

It truly was a diplomatic system, Evé realized. Much like the embassies on Earth, these zones represented a way for gods to maintain presence and form relationships beyond the boundaries of their dominions.

Despite its restrictions, the arrangement was still immensely valuable. It allowed divine influence to extend into other realms, offering new opportunities to spread one’s faith, build connections, and observe the movements of others, all within a framework that preserved order among the gods.

From Eve’s perspective, this also opened up a new possibility…

By establishing temples in various Free Temple Zones, she might be able to send the players out into other realms to roam freely…

That is, assuming she wasn’t worried about these walking calamities turning the world upside down wherever they went.

At that moment, Evé also realized why, during the players’ conquest of Sandstorm City, they discovered not only a temple dedicated to Uller but also several temples to other gods scattered in the corners of the city.

Although she had found it odd at the time, she hadn’t given it much thought. Now it seemed clear that Sandstorm City had likely been designated as a Free Temple Zone within Uller’s territory.

But then… who exactly was this elder?

Before Evé could voice her curiosity, the old man spoke with a kind and steady tone. His voice held the calm resonance of someone who had witnessed countless ages pass.

“A pleasure to meet you, Your Grace Evé. I am Rigdal, Guardian of the Stars,” he said, offering a courteous nod and a gentle smile as he introduced himself.

Rigdal…

The name echoed in Evé’s mind, stirring distant memories inherited from her predecessor.

Rigdal, the Guardian of the Stars—one of the most revered and powerful deities among the Gods of Faith. He was one of the three highest-ranking divine authorities who jointly governed the Pantheon during the current Eternal Era.

More notably, during the chaos of the Thousand Year Holy War, Rigdal had been among the rare few who had not taken part in the siege against the World Tree. Though his neutrality had not marked him as an ally, neither had he raised arms against her predecessor.

Rigdal’s governing divinity included Guardianship, Prophecy, and Knowledge. Although he did not hold dominion over a fixed territory of worship, his followers were scattered widely across many realms.

Drawing upon the memories passed down through the World Tree’s inheritance, Evé composed herself, lowered her head slightly in respect, and spoke with formal tone.

“I, Evé, am honored to meet Your Highness Lord Rigdal.”

“Oh, Rigdal, what brings you here?”

The voice of the Eternal Lord, Etriōu, carried a hint of surprise.

At the same time, the gentle tone He had used with Evé earlier was gone. What replaced it was a solemn and commanding presence, carrying a weighty authority that made Him seem like a completely different person altogether.

Yet Evé, who carried the World Tree’s inheritance, knew that this was the Eternal Lord’s true nature.

He was innately proud and deeply reserved. His earlier friendliness had only been an act and likely part of His effort to lower her guard during His test.

“I came early to have a look. I was quite curious about the new Goddess of Life and Nature, you see.” Rigdal replied casually.

He paused for a moment, then added thoughtfully, “And besides… the time has come. The others will be arriving shortly.”

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of resonant bells echoed throughout the Pantheon.

At the same time, the divine thrones scattered throughout the grand temple began to radiate dazzling light as majestic auras started to gather above each throne one after another, each heralding the imminent arrival of their respective owner.

Witnessing this, the Eternal Lord slowly shifted His gaze away from Evé, His expression composed and solemn. Then, in a voice that carried both finality and quiet acceptance, He addressed her once more:

“Then it is settled, Your Grace Evé. As of this moment, you are a member of the Pantheon. From here onward, you shall participate in the Divine Assembly as one of us.”

Having said this, He turned without further ceremony and made His way to the front of the temple. There, positioned at the very head of the hall, stood three thrones carved with divine sigils and resplendent ornamentation. Etriōu took His seat at the central throne—the grandest of the three, gleaming with celestial authority.

Rigdal followed soon after, taking his place at the throne to His side.

In that moment, an immense surge of divine energy descended upon the Pantheon like a silent storm. One by one, thrones all throughout the sacred hall lit up in succession, each welcoming the return of its rightful master. Glorious and dignified figures began to appear, their forms radiant with power and holiness, each representing a pillar of divine authority within the cosmos.

The Divine Assembly was about to begin.

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