I was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but that World is at Peace (WN)-Chapter 2249: Intermission: Faith Solves Everything - Part 1

It happened about 10 days after Kaito, Olivia, and Kaori had gone on a date together. Olivia was in the Founder’s chamber of the Central Grand Cathedral in the Friendship City Hikari, preparing to offer her prayers as usual.

But then, quite suddenly…… as if the thought had appeared from nowhere, something crossed her mind.

(……Come to think of it, this is the heart of the Godism Church that worships Shallow Vernal-sama. All the items used in Godism Church rituals are here…… but now that I reflect on it, isn’t it wrong to offer prayers to Miyama Kaito-sama using the Godism Church’s prayer bells and statues? If I’m to pray to Miyama Kaito-sama, shouldn’t I be using items meant specifically for him? This is a blunder. For me not to have noticed something so basic until now…… I need to remedy this immediately…… Otherwise, it may even affect the quality of my prayers to Miyama Kaito-sama.)

Olivia’s faith was exceptional. To her, prayers to Kaito were just as sacred and significant as those she offered to Shallow Vernal, the God of this world. And without realizing it, she had been compromising her worship by praying in a setting not meant for Kaito. That was, to Olivia, utterly shameful. Filled with regret, she immediately resolved to prepare proper tools dedicated to praying to Kaito.

……However——— However. It was true that Kaito, through his various relationships, wielded great influence and held a position of significant power in the world, he was, without a doubt, someone befitting the title of World's Singularity.

But setting aside all those circumstances, Kaito’s actual status was still technically that of an immigrant from another world and an ordinary citizen…… There existed no religion that worshipped him, and naturally, there were no statues, prayer bells, or similar items crafted for such a purpose.

(……How can this be? Could it really be that there exists nothing…… nothing for offering prayers to Miyama Kaito-sama? H- How can that be allowed? Miyama Kaito-sama is a most noble figure, one who deserves to be worshipped just as widely as Shallow Vernal-sama…… N- No, but if Miyama Kaito-sama himself doesn’t wish for such things, then I suppose it can’t be helped…… B- But even so, as it stands now, I can’t proudly declare that my prayers to Miyama Kaito-sama are perfect. What should I do…… No…… what if I just made them myself?)

To Olivia, whose faith was absolute, continuing her prayers in what could be considered a compromised environment was wholly unacceptable. As she wracked her brain for a solution, she arrived at a single, simple conclusion: she would make the prayer tools herself.

(It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A statue modeled after Miyama Kaito-sama should suffice. Yes, I can vividly recall every detail of his form. As long as I get the materials, I can begin at once!)

As the idea to handcraft a statue of Kaito came to Olivia like divine inspiration, she felt so pleased with the thought that she could hardly help but praise herself. Without delay, she began ordering carving tools and reference materials.

Within the subspace Olivia had created with her own power, she stood before the completed statue of Kaito, her expression one of utter despair.

Olivia, by nature, was extremely earnest. On top of that, within the Friendship City, she wielded power rivaling that of a Supreme God. It didn’t take long for her to absorb the necessary sculpting skills from the reference materials, and after a few practice attempts, she began crafting the statue of Kaito.

The resulting statue was meticulously made, so much so that one could easily mistake it for the work of a master sculptor.

However…… to Olivia, its level of completion was wholly unacceptable.

[……W- What is this……? I- It’s far too unrefined…… This statue does nothing to capture Miyama Kaito-sama’s greatness! Nor his noble features! Nor the kindness and warmth in his gaze! Nor that all-encompassing presence of his! It fails to express any of it……!]

To be clear, the statue was objectively of high quality. But Olivia’s faith in Shallow Vernal and Kaito had long since reached a point beyond devotion.

To someone like her, the idea of accepting something merely "decent" was tantamount to compromise…… and compromise wasn't something she couldn't accept.

In that moment, a determined light blazed in Olivia’s eyes.

[……If I am to craft a divine statue in the likeness of Miyama Kaito-sama, there is no way I could ever call this complete with such meager skill. I must…… refine my technique…… train even harder……]

Thus began Olivia’s challenge. Fortunately, within the bounds of Friendship City, her power was immense. Reverting the completed statue of Kaito back into a mere block of marble was a trivial matter for her.

She also manipulated the flow of time within the space and devoted herself entirely to sculpting.

Over and over again, she created and reverted, created and reverted, driven solely by her boundless faith. With unwavering focus and sincerity, she continued to sculpt, never stopping.

Olivia, already a fundamentally diligent and disciplined person who normally spent countless hours in prayer, now funneled all that energy into sculpting. Her concentration was unparalleled. She tirelessly poured an immense amount of time into her work, with the singular goal of bringing the ideal image of Kaito, vividly etched into her mind, into reality.

Before long, every wasted motion vanished from her movements…… and her craftsmanship crossed the threshold into the realm of mastery.

No longer did she need to switch between multiple tools. With just a single chisel and mallet, she could sculpt with astonishing precision, bringing even the finest of details to life.

Eventually, at least in the realm of sculpting, Olivia reached a level that could rival even the world’s finest artisans, those like Alice or Ein…… and at last, the statue of Kaito she had long envisioned was complete.

(Finally…… it’s finished…… Of course, it still pales in comparison to the real Miyama Kaito-sama, but within the realm of sculpture, I’ve reached a level where there’s nothing more to be done. I’ve created something I can finally be satisfied with.)

As she gazed upon the completed "5-meter-tall" statue of Kaito, Olivia wept. Her overwhelming faith had finally brought forth a work she could take pride in, a creation that truly satisfied her heart.

Quietly, she knelt into a posture of prayer and began offering her devotion to the statue of Kaito.

(It’s such a strange feeling…… Just praying like this fills my heart with warmth, almost as if Miyama Kaito-sama himself were watching over me…… I feel like I can lose myself in prayer more deeply than ever before.)

Wearing an expression of pure contentment, Olivia continued to pray for some time, her heart filled with joy.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [……Faith…… In the end, faith really does solve everything…… Honestly, even if she doesn’t have the others' muddiness, Olivia’s pretty much a fanatic.]