Spirit Realm.
Returning from the Mortal Realm and passing through three layers of barriers, Laine entered the All-Spirit Realm and arrived next to the Well of Reincarnation, following Ivana's lead.
Although she had only been out for a short while, she had already noticed that this layer was different from the past. The time-space passages that had been scattered throughout the realm were now all closed, and from this point forward, the fourth layer of the Spirit Realm would no longer welcome visitors from other planes.
Only above the River of Oblivion that extended into the Underworld were souls still being delivered here. However, it was a one-way passage; if anyone tried to use it to sneak into the All-Spirit Realm, even if they could withstand the power of oblivion, it would be very difficult for them to return to the outer world.
For descending the river would mean naturally eroding under its influence, while swimming against its flow was akin to challenging the very essence of the Styx itself.
"Your Highness?"
Just as she was preparing to recount the day's events to Liana in detail, Ivana's gaze swept around. Not only did she fail to find Liana, but to her surprise, she saw Laine's figure beside the Well of Reincarnation.
At that moment, Laine stood upon the tall well wall, overlooking the well's vast surface, which resembled an inland sea.
The powers of life and death eternally chased one another within, swirling and spiraling; every moment, souls plunged into it, and others departed through paths unseen.
Like a little girl who got caught attempting mischief, Ivana tensed up, and even her pure white wings folded up behind her. Hesitant for a moment, she slowly approached Laine's side and asked softly,
"Your Highness, my failure to guard the Well of Reincarnation properly was a dereliction of my duty."
"If that's all, you have done quite well already."
Replying casually, Laine turned around. Before him, Ivana stood serenely; one could scarcely imagine her having just spoken such words before mortals.
However, Laine didn't care how she praised him. In fact, the original hymns Bronze Humanity wrote to the Olympian Gods were not lacking in exaggeration either, so he naturally had no need to reject her words intentionally. But compared to these, what really caught Laine's attention was something Nuo intended to do.
Smiling, Laine turned his gaze back to the surface of the Well of Reincarnation.
Through the intermingling two-colored waters, he seemed to be looking at something else entirely.
"Whether you succeed or fail, now that you have started, persist. I think for you, this will indeed be a unique experience."
Whether useful or not, having a church might indeed be a good thing. Laine himself was indifferent to those extra bits of faith, but that didn't mean the angels didn't need it.
Moreover, Laine vaguely guessed that perhaps the significance of such constructs lay not only in their impact on the world but on the beings within it as well.
······
After the deluge, Bronze Humanity seemed to have been forgotten.
On Mount Olympus, aside from Hestia who felt the faint stirrings of the Power of Faith, the other gods had long since ceased to pay attention to their existence, focusing their attention elsewhere.
Following a bout of fierce debate, with faces bearing satisfaction or unwillingness, the assembly came to an abrupt end. The gods had already forgotten that this was supposed to be a feast prepared for the Goddess of Beauty, as they left one after another, returning to their own palaces on Mount of the Gods.
Recent changes had been too abrupt and too intense; it was likely that for a considerable time to come, the gods would lead a more tranquil existence.
In the deserted grand hall, only Zeus and Hera remained. The palace seemed especially desolate, even the Nymphs who attended them had long since departed, and as Zeus leaned against the throne, playing with the scepter in his hand, he looked towards the still-broken doors.
"What's the matter, have you lost heart?"
With a tone that sounded mocking, Hera suddenly spoke from her golden throne.
"Lose heart... if this continues, I might truly lose faith."