Chapter 47: Love is the nature of humanity, a gift from the heavens
Now, to speak of such matters in front of the goddess herself, he felt utterly terrified, as if he might be struck dead by her gaze at any moment.
"Most exalted Goddess, I'm merely the messenger. The third princess of Phoenix Kingdom is young and experiencing her first crush, which I suppose is somewhat understandable. I'll go and give her a stern talking-to and make sure she leaves right away," the High Priest said, bowing deeply, his demeanor utterly subservient.
"Let her come in," Sylvia said simply.
"Um, what?" The High Priest was stunned.
He had not expected the goddess to agree, especially so decisively.
"What, didn't you hear me?"
Goddess Sylvia's voice came again, startling the High Priest into bowing repeatedly. "Just a moment, Most Exalted Goddess, I'll bring Emily right away."
With that, the High Priest hurried out of the Sky Sanctuary.
Once he was gone, Sylvia stretched out her delicate, jade-like hand and clenched it, filling the grand hall with a dense, white mist.
"Ah, it's been ten days already," Sylvia murmured wistfully in the vast hall.
Timothy had been gone for over ten days.
While ten days might have once felt fleeting as smoke to her, these last ten days without Timothy had dragged on interminably, each day feeling endlessly long.
The reason she agreed to see Emily was because... she actually wanted to talk about love.
As the supreme goddess, even though she had long harbored thoughts on the subject, Sylvia could never openly discuss such matters with others.
But perhaps, in the role of a counselor, she might give it a try.
Before long, Emily entered the grand hall.
The hall was filled with a dense, white mist, slightly chilly yet seemingly infused with an invigorating essence.
Although she couldn't see Goddess Sylvia through the mist, Emily could faintly make out the goddess's graceful silhouette.
In this cool and tranquil environment, Emily's previously restless heart suddenly felt much calmer.
She was slightly surprised, marveling internally at this wonderful change.
'In this world, there surely can't be a more flawless being than Goddess Sylvia.'
Emily couldn't help but think to herself.
Goddess Sylvia was powerful and beautiful.
With a flick of her wrist, she could move mountains and stir seas, her spirit as solid as a fortress, never ensnared by emotions.
Compared to Goddess Sylvia, Emily felt ridiculous for being so troubled over "love."
Even someone as handsome and unique as Timothy, in the eyes of Goddess Sylvia, probably wouldn't merit a second glance.
Though her mind felt somewhat at ease, Emily's sense of inferiority grew stronger.
"Do you need something from me?" At that moment, a commanding and cool voice filled the space, inspiring awe.
Emily hesitated.
She knew that mentioning something as absurd as love might seem laughable to the goddess, but she finally spoke up: "Most Exalted Goddess, I came to ask you about matters of love."
"Oh? Let's hear it then."
Emily was slightly taken aback by the response.
She hadn't expected the goddess to answer her this way.
And in the goddess's voice, there seemed to be... a hint of interest?
Little did she know, behind the swirling mist, Sylvia was picking up a bunch of glistening grapes, her eyes sparkling, her face barely concealing a hint of excitement.
For some reason, Sylvia had recently become quite interested in the topic of love.
Usually, she could only catch snippets of conversation when she pretended to pass by some female disciples discussing love.
Not only was it never satisfying enough, but she often ended up scaring the disciples away.
But now, she finally had the chance to hear a complete love story!
Emily slowly began, "Actually, I think I've fallen in love with someone."
Sylvia asked softly, "How do you know you're in love with him?"
Emily pursed her lips, her eyes flickering with hesitant uncertainty. She lowered her head, a touch of sadness in her voice, "I don't know."
"Since I was a child, I've seen you, Goddess, as an unattainable goal in my life."
"I can recite your 'Uselessness of Spiritual Partners' by heart, thinking I understood its meaning."
"But it turns out, I'm still far from enough..."
"His repeated appearances completely overturned my understanding of men."
"He won the martial contest for my hand, led me into the Valley of the Undead's grand hall, and even saved my life."
"After all these events, even though I try to control myself, it seems my heart can't settle down."
Sylvia was silent for a moment after hearing this.
It seemed that the obstacles and difficulties in their love were not insignificant.
Her beloved had also gone to the Valley of the Undead?
Timothy was currently in this Mystic Realm, and she wondered if he could overcome such a formidable opponent.
Emily's voice continued, but this time, she sounded even more hesitant and embarrassed: "Moreover, I've broken a taboo you once spoke of."
"A taboo?"
"Yes." Emily bit her lip, her face flushed with shame: "Most Exalted Goddess, you once said that men are the most evil beings in this world."
"That we should never be moved by a man, hold hands, kiss, or date..."
"But I accidentally held his hand..."
Sylvia couldn't help but laugh, "Oh, is that all?"
She also felt a bit embarrassed.
It seems that the book I wrote, "Uselessness of Spiritual Partners," really did influence a lot of people, and perhaps, it even broke apart many true loves.
The sins of the past can't be undone, but at least, by facilitating this relationship, I can try to make amends for my own mistakes.
Clearing her throat gently, Sylvia's voice still carried an air of inviolable authority, but now, there was also a softness that made one feel involuntarily drawn to her: "Have you ever asked yourself, do you truly love him?"
"I... don't know."
"Let me ask you another way then. When you see him, does your heart feel distinctly different than usual?"
That question struck a chord in Emily.
She quickly recalled her feelings when she saw Timothy, that uncontrollable heartbeat, something she had never felt with anyone else.
Biting her lip, Emily finally nodded: "It seems so."
"Then there's no mistake, you might really be in love with him."
Sylvia sighed deeply: "It seems you still didn't grasp the true meaning of what I wrote in the book."
"Most Exalted Goddess, you mean..."
Sylvia smiled slightly: "The purpose of that book was indeed to make you understand not to waste too much energy on the futile pursuit of men."
"But there was also another layer of meaning."
"Men, though often useless, can also be of use."
"If you truly love each other, and are as one, why fuss over the trivialities?"
"Love is the nature of humanity, a gift from the heavens."
"What's the use of spiritual practice if it strips us of our basic emotions and desires?"
"If you truly love him, then you can completely forget what I wrote in the book, boldly pursue him, boldly love!"
After saying all this, Sylvia felt a small sense of pride.
Not only had she perfectly addressed the absurdities she once wrote, but this way, the relationship should easily flourish!
The words struck Emily like a ray of sunshine piercing through her heart, instantly scattering the gloom that lingered there.
"So, 'Uselessness of Spiritual Partners' has this meaning too!" Emily's eyes, brimming with tears, sparkled with realization.
She had read the book over and over since she was a child, thinking she had grasped all its contents. But, to her surprise, she had completely misunderstood it.
The true depth of Goddess Sylvia's message was far beyond her own understanding. And when she finally comprehended it all, clarity dawned on Emily.
Her love was not wrong. The mistake was her misinterpretation of Goddess Sylvia's profound message.
Feeling her heart beat fiercely in her chest, Emily lifted her head, her gaze filled with resolve. She bowed slightly, her voice sincere, "Thank you, Supreme Goddess, I understand now. I will boldly pursue my love and never give up again!"
"Good," Sylvia nodded in satisfaction amidst the misty surroundings, feeling a small pleasure in facilitating a union.
Curious, she asked, "So, tell me about this remarkable person you love who has ventured into the Valley of the Undead. Which faction's prodigy is he? A Persian prince? Or the foremost holy son of the Roman sanctum?"