The Path to Lordship Begins in the North

Although he wanted to ask himself when he stopped being human, upon closer reflection, from the other person's perspective, he was indeed an old monster who seemed to live in the Golden Age, able to read the abstract divine oracle when the goddess first awoke, and whose ultimate goal was still unfathomable. So Linde didn't say anything more.

"So what's your basis for saying that all the gods except the goddess are false gods?"

When Bernice heard Lind ask this question, she didn't think that Lind was being mysterious or testing her. The Lantern Dream had already assessed Lind. Although she still suspected that he was a remnant of the Golden Age, she believed that he was probably born at the peak of the Golden Age and had only recently awakened.

Therefore, although the other party possessed the technology of the Golden Age, they were not very familiar with some secrets.

This also facilitates deeper cooperation between the two parties, allowing each to get what they need.

"Your Excellency, I believe you are also aware of the origins of our Lantern Dream."

Bernice didn't answer directly, but instead began to talk to Lind about the origins of her sect.

Linde nodded. The Lantern Dream was a split from the Goddess Church because of the Goddess's last oracle. The Lantern Dream did not deliberately hide this fact. If the Church wanted to, it could find clues about the past Holy War.

"The goddess's oracles take many forms, but our Holy Maiden saw the goddess's divine kingdom and learned the truth about the gods through the final oracle that the goddess bestowed."

Then, Bernice lowered her voice and said, "I don't know if you've noticed, but among all the gods, there was faith first, and then the specific image of the god was created, except for goddesses."

"Only when a great goddess exists, that people will believe in her."

"The Goddess is the only true god and the only ruler of this world! From the Goddess's divine kingdom, the Holy Maiden learned that the Goddess's ultimate goal is to ensure the continued existence of human civilization. How can we not revere and love such a great deity?"

Although she lowered her voice, Bernice's voice grew louder and louder, sounding just like a somewhat mad missionary.

No, Bernice now is a fanatical missionary, praising her own god.

But Linde felt that things were not so simple, because as proof of the existence of gods, divine magic also objectively existed. Other gods could also allow their followers to use divine magic. Regardless of the essential differences between goddesses and other gods, other gods should also objectively exist.

However, Bernice once said that the other gods are false gods, which does not mean that the other gods do not exist.

Upon closer examination, the Lantern Dream never denied the existence of other gods; its doctrine primarily revered the goddess as the only true god, placing her above all other deities.

In fact, similar statements exist within various religious churches. However, it was only when the Holy Maiden of the Goddess Church, the founder of the Lantern Dream, brought this statement to the forefront that the Holy War was triggered.

Bernice's statement is also very interesting. Apart from goddesses, other gods were first believed in, and then had a specific divine form. Can the image of gods be changed because of the will of people, or rather, living beings? Then can we say that gods are born from people's beliefs?

Were gods created by humankind?

Lind posed the question to Bernice, but the fervent proselytizer was stumped. The Lantern Dream was fundamentally different from those cults; at least they believed in a true God. Moreover, Lind's question was too blasphemous even for cultists.

Although the concept was first proposed by Lantern Dream, Lantern Dream actually did not dare to think much about this issue.

"Gods are gods, beings that possess power beyond the reach of nature. Governor, your thinking is a bit too extreme. Even false gods are beings that are beyond human imagination."

Upon hearing Bernice's explanation, Lind countered, "Really? Is that what the goddess told you in her oracle?"

Looking at Lind's suspicious eyes, the fanatical Bernice felt unprecedented pressure, and the madness in her eyes gradually faded, becoming crystal clear.

The Lantern Dream simply believes that the Goddess is the most special and highest being among all the gods. Although the other false gods are false gods, they are still gods. The Lantern Dream does not deny the divine status of the other gods.

But Bernice couldn't quite figure out what this remnant of the Golden Age was thinking, and even felt a sense of fear—a fear of absolute rationality. It seemed that to him, gods were nothing more than another kind of being that could be studied and understood.

It was only at this moment that Bernice realized that she, or rather the people of this world, had a fundamentally different way of thinking from the other side. No wonder there were no gods in the Golden Age.

Other religions also have records of the Golden Age, but in order to explain why there are no records of their own gods during the Golden Age, they can only boast that it was because the Golden Age had no faith that it was suddenly destroyed.

For them, the Golden Age was somewhat like the Atlantis legend of Linde's previous life. In any case, it would eventually end in self-destruction due to environmental destruction, human arrogance, or something similar, while also elevating the god they believed in.

But now it seems that humanity's status in the Golden Age was probably even above that of the so-called gods.

Linde, however, failed to notice Bernice's nervousness. He was lost in thought, asking himself, "What exactly are gods?"

Well, maybe we'll find the answers to all these questions once the Goddess System restarts. But besides the Goddess, Linde has started to become interested in other religions, or rather, his interest has even surpassed that of the Goddess.

If other deities truly originated from human faith, then what sustains their existence? Is mere faith enough? If so, can the power of faith be extracted and used as a separate source of energy?

If that's true, then this power of faith can be considered another form of the power of thought.

When he came to his senses, Lind noticed Bernice, who was covered in cold sweat. But Lind's interrogation was not over yet. Seeing that Bernice could not answer the question, Lind changed the subject to God's Kingdom.

"Since your saintess claims to have seen the goddess's kingdom in the oracle, and the goddess's kingdom truly exists, then what exactly is the goddess's kingdom like? And where is it located?"

Bernice breathed a sigh of relief, as long as it wasn't about the nature of gods, and replied, "Haven't you already seen it? In your dream."

Seeing that Lind seemed a little confused, Bernice continued, "When we first met, in your dream, there was a huge building floating in the endless night, and many angels were working in it."

"Etc., etc!"

Linde suddenly interrupted, "Is the space station...and the divine kingdom that your saintess saw in the oracle also like that?"

"Isn't that the goddess's divine kingdom?"

Bernice tilted her head and asked in return.

Linde, meanwhile, covered his head and began to ponder. Well, Linde had actually guessed this situation when he heard that standard synthesized mechanical voice.

In the dream of the Lantern, the so-called goddess kingdom seen in the oracle is actually a space station floating in the universe, and the goddess might actually be a super AI within this space station.

This AI might be a remnant of the so-called golden age.

Linde looked up at the ceiling. Could it be that there really is a space station that has been operating for a long time in this world?