Chapter 49: Opulence

A sense of awe filled Panini's heart.

He had thought himself to be sufficiently composed, having lived two lifetimes and developed a rather thick skin. However, in the presence of a true deity, he realized that his nerves were still too delicate. Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine out of a hundred thousand Feeleans would likely never have the opportunity to encounter a true god. Now, Panini felt as if he had been dreaming for ten lifetimes.

In disbelief, he posed a rather foolish question, "Are you the Lady of Wealth?"

"Do not waste time with idle chatter. This incarnation of mine possesses limited power. Let us get to the point," the golden orbs of her eyes flickered slightly, indicating impatience. She did not seem to view Panini's long silence as polite. "Your name is Panini Xian, correct? I believe I haven't made a mistake in identifying you, and you haven't mistaken me. I am Opulence."

Panini was once again astonished. "Your Highness knows my name?"

Although Opulence was not among the most prominent of Toriel's pantheon, as the guardian of commerce and trade, she still had millions of followers. Amidst such a multitude of devotees, the fact that she knew Panini's name was indeed surprising. In most cases, deities only remembered the names of their devout followers. While the names of ordinary worshippers might be stored in the deity's memory, they were akin to files buried at the bottom of an archive, rarely recalled unless significant. The fact that a goddess remembered his name was indeed an honor, suggesting that his name was associated with some "grand event" in the deity's mind. Moreover, from Opulence's tone, it seemed as though she had specifically sought him out.

Furthermore, it is a descent into the abyss.

Panini couldn't help but feel greatly honored. If one were to discuss which neutral deity in the multiverse harbored the greatest aversion to the abyss, it would likely be none other than Opulence. This goddess, holding the divine office of "commerce," suffered her most disastrous transaction in the depths of the abyss, bringing upon herself immense shame.

That she would dispatch an incarnation because of "seeking him" was quite astonishing.

"It is not surprising," Opulence stated as the divine radiance around her gradually dissipated. With a wave of her hand before the portal, a magnificent chair appeared beneath her. "As widely acknowledged in the multiverse, I safeguard the commerce and trade of Toriel."

Panini narrowed his eyes. Mages often possessed peculiar and esoteric knowledge, with discernment skills typically quite high. He recognized the wood of the chair as exceedingly precious agarwood, and the animal hide cushion hailed from celestial creatures, emitting a radiant aura of positive energy. With just this chair alone, no earthly monarch could afford to sit upon it.

This goddess, bedecked in opulence, was indeed grandiose. Her words dripped with wealth and nobility. "Many worship me, hoping for my blessings in acquiring wealth."

Panini nodded. It was only natural.

"Among the multitude who seek my favor for pecuniary gain, there is one individual who, from birth, has incessantly beseeched me to shield him from the Wall of Unbelief. It is intriguing to note that such a desire bears no direct correlation to my divine office, yet it piques my curiosity." Opulence furrowed her brow. "I must admit, your uninterrupted entreaties over the past fifteen years have left a deep impression upon me."

"Um..." Panini's expression stiffened immediately. He hadn't anticipated that this would be the reason he came to the attention of this lady. However, after a few exchanges, his initial shock and agitation gradually subsided. He respectfully bowed—a gesture befitting a deity—then composed himself before speaking, "I merely seek your protection in accordance with your teachings."

"My teachings?" Opulence burst into laughter suddenly. Her laughter wasn't melodious; as an incarnation of a goddess, she appeared to be in her late twenties, slightly removed from her youth. Her laughter carried a hint of a middle-aged woman's tone. "Are you implying that you wish to trade my protection for your faith?"

Panini glanced at Opulence. "I implore you to believe in my sincerity."

"Very well, I understand that you harbor no genuine reverence or adoration for the divine," Opulence waved her hand lightly. "As a traveler from another plane, I have encountered many. Compared to those individuals, you are honest enough. In fact, you are even more devout than most of my followers. At least they do not pray to me every morning and evening, repeatedly doubting the sincerity of their faith."

Panini broke into a sweat, recalling indeed a deed he had undertaken. It was during his darkest days within the Crimson Robe Mage Guild, always fearful of inadvertently succumbing to the disdain of some apprentice and drifting into the Wall of Unbelief upon death. Thus, he prayed incessantly, even contemplating returning the Marxist-Leninist theories he had studied to Chairman Mao.

"Hence, you need not worry about where you will go after death," Opulence waved her hand, making an assessment of Panini's devoutness.

Panini immediately felt a wave of relief wash over him. The burden that had weighed on his mind for over a decade was finally lifted, allowing him to divert his thoughts to other matters. "Your Grace's descent, I presume, is not solely for exchanging a few words with me."

"Isn't it you who summoned me?" Opulence chuckled, observing Panini's perplexed expression.

"I never anticipated your arrival," Panini shook his head. Tossing a coin to find coordinates home and landing on the goddess's head was a chance lower than winning a five million lottery. Coming face to face with a deity was a dream coveted by millions of devout followers of wealth gods in Ferren.

"Perhaps you're wondering why I personally descended," Opulence's golden eyes scanned Panini. "No need to wonder. I descended because you recently did something that pleased me. Otherwise, even if you prayed devoutly for ten thousand years, I wouldn't bother with you."

Panini's expression grew even more perplexed. He couldn't fathom what earth-shattering deed he could have done to attract the attention of a goddess. With a wave of her hand, Opulence conjured an illusion in the center of the cabin. A harbor city nestled in the snow was engulfed in flames, and in the heart of the city, a dense black mist churned relentlessly, with limbs and demonized corpses strewn across the entire square.

"Is this Musantir?" Panini furrowed his brow, scrutinizing the scene with uncertainty.

"Keep watching," Opulence lifted her chin slightly, and Panini saw the thick fog dissipate. Dozens of blood-soaked berserkers and witches stood near a colossal magic circle. At the center of the circle lay the grotesque corpse of Sixth Eurorloth, its skin wrinkled and twisted, indicating long-term demonic corruption, causing Panini to feel waves of nausea.

Most of the people standing there Panini had encountered before. Three Eurorloths, known to appear in the lakeside village as witches, were present. Not far behind stood the elder Okurus, and several holy warriors of Teir were also present, although two had already been reduced to corpses.

Panini glanced down at the still unconscious Sera, feeling a mixture of emotions. Looking around, he noticed that both the little mouse and the small demon had disappeared without a trace, apparently overwhelmed by the presence of the goddess. At that moment, he heard Opulence's somewhat dissatisfied voice, "Don't lose focus, it's getting to the exciting part."

He quickly redirected his gaze back to the illusion. The godly-crafted spectacle was accompanied by authentic sounds, as the group of witches and the elder formed a circle, chanting incantations, while a magnificent light radiated from the center of the magic circle.

This is a sacred spell to cleanse evil.

Panini furrowed his brow. In the moment when the light burst forth, his soul "heard" a scream emanating from there.

A large shadow emerged from the body, its form identical to the demon he had once encountered in the outskirts of Dehumi. Panini's heart pounded intensely for a few moments, then he witnessed the shadow shattering into fragments in the bright light, a crack appearing in the air, and the remaining wisps of black smoke fleeing desperately.

The illusion disappeared at this point. Panini nodded. Although he hadn't personally participated, he could see that the leader of the Unwary Church had been raided by the legion of the Witchcraft Society, and he had one less worry.

At this moment, he heard Opulence laughing heartily. "Do you know? He originally intended to collect the souls of Musantir to regain his power, but instead he lost all his magical reserves accumulated over forty years! This is truly something worth celebrating!"

It was evident that Opulence was delighted by the downfall of the demon from the Unwary Church, which puzzled Panini. His mind raced as he sifted through his memories, suddenly recalling some of the goddess's history. He asked, "Your Grace, is this demon related to the Lord of Wuhu?"

The moment these words slipped out, Panini regretted them, for he noticed that the goddess's once rosy complexion immediately turned dark, her golden eyes glaring fiercely at him, as if in an instant, she had transformed from a guardian deity into an enemy.

Panini inwardly cursed himself, berating his loose tongue. Could a mere mortal freely discuss the dark history of a goddess?