W-where am I? I wondered to myself as I scanned my immediate surroundings. I knew I was currently dreaming, but the location seemed... familiar. Oh, I remember now! It was a vague recreation of the church of Domir where I served as a Cleric. The pews were dusty, and the stained gss appeared distorted, but the statue at the center of the church was captivating in every sense of the word.

  Saint Theanna... Her noble visage, her right hand outstretched, gripping a staff, and the tome cradled in her left hand—all meticulously chiseled in stone—held a deeper significance. I could sense it in the room strongly. He is here. I learned about the creation of the world, the ws of Domir, tales of past great saints, and many important lessons in this church, but I also developed a special connection with Domir. My mind traveled back to the first time he revealed himself to me. I was at my study at the time, deep in meditation when a voice called out to me,

  "Matilda." It was a truly spectacur voice, one that stirred a mix of emotions within me. I wanted to bury myself in the ground at the sound of his voice, but I was inexplicably drawn to it at the same time.

  "Y-yes, my lord?"

  "I have chosen you." It was short, but it left a sting impression on me. I had so many questions but felt like I couldn't talk to anyone about it. I didn't know how my sisters would react to it. Would they call me crazy? Would they burn with envy? I thought about these and several other questions before deciding on a policy of absolute secrecy. I wouldn't tell a soul about it, not my fellow sisters, friends, or even the Bishop, and as I remembered all these things before the statue, its eyes focused on me, and my body stiffened up in fear.

  "My enemies are beginning to team up against me." The mouth of the statue moved, and his voice came out.

  "M-my lord!" I instantly recognized his presence and bowed before the statue.

  "Their efforts are futile. Everything will correct itself in due time. However, I will require your service," He spoke in a ft, unreadable tone of voice, one that I'd grown accustomed to over the years.

  "I am ready to do whatever you will have me do!" I decred, but I was beginning to harbor doubts. I could never truly tell what was on his mind, yet he always seemed... distant. It was like his true attention y elsewhere, and he was wholly disinterested in the affairs of the world he created. This contradicted some teachings about his character, but it was probably just my imagination.

  "I will give you power." At his words, a brilliant light enveloped me and began to saturate the environment to the point that I couldn't see anything other than white. S-so hot! It was like a raging fire was eating me up from within as I gained EXP at an unprecedented rate. When it was over, the light dispersed, and a panel appeared before me.

  MatildaLV 101HP2655Mag1448Dex1392Spd1289Luck 1163P-DEF867M-DEF1500Status-----CompatibilityBattiSkills:Prophecy, False Status, Beacon, Monster Syer+, Advanced Heal, Barrier MagicI could feel the power coursing through my veins and at my fingertips. Although I had always strived to be virtuous, it was... intoxicating in a way I could hardly describe. All kinds of thoughts, ideas, and possibilities fshed through my mind at that moment. I could save so many people with my newly acquired powers, but there was also a potential for great evil, which was deeply disturbing to me.

  "A 3rd tier css surpasses the limits of the world, but you won't be able to level any more than this."

  "T-thank you, my lord! I am truly grateful to have received such a gift!" I expressed my heartfelt gratitude, but he didn't even acknowledge it as he continued, saying,

  "To cover this up from him, a [False Status] will be shown to anyone who looks into your stats." Him?

  "Behemoth, the false god who calls itself a Divine Beast," He expined, but I felt there was a rare venom in his words that vanished as soon as I'd noticed it. This greatly piqued my interest, as he'd never shown any emotion before this, but he returned to his usual tone and demeanor in his next words, "When the time is right, come to the Theocracy." He disappeared right after that, leaving me with more questions than I had at the beginning.