Old John's first instinct was to refuse. Having already found his faith, he couldn't possibly convert to another sect.
But the next moment, his eyes fell on the photograph of Elysia before him, and he froze. "What church is this?"
The young man repeated, "The Church of Elysia!"
Honestly, the idea stirred something within him. After a moment's hesitation, Old John asked, "Could you tell me more about it?"
The young man immediately launched into an enthusiastic explanation. After all, what could a missionary desire more than such a question? But his very first statement left Old John stunned:
"All those beloved by the Goddess are members of our Church. And as everyone knows, the Goddess loves all humanity. Therefore, all humanity is already part of our Church—the only distinction being between formal members and potential converts. My mission is to guide those lost potential converts back to the true path!"
Good grief, Old John thought. They're claiming the entire world as their congregation right from the start? Their ambition knows no bounds.
Immediately afterward, the young man continued, "However, precisely because everyone is a potential worshiper of our faith—a potential friend to you and me—we must not force conversion. Instead, we should simply explain our doctrines. If they are persuaded, excellent. But if they show clear signs of aversion, please do not persist; avoid damaging the relationship."
"Our faith currently has three core tenets."
"First: Know that God is holy and immaculate. Worshippers should strive for similar purity and never allow God to be defiled by their actions."
"Second: Embrace a healthy, sunny, and positive outlook on life, for God delights in seeing humanity thrive."
"Third: Though God loves all people, some harbor treacherous thoughts and disrespect her, indulging in wild fantasies about her nature. This is a grave irreverence. Yet worshippers must remember that God's love extends even to these deluded souls, and She will forgive their sins, just as She forgives ours."
Finally, the young man clasped his hands together and earnestly declared, "May God's love abide within us all. Amen."
When Old John first heard the phrase "all people are potential worshippers of our faith," his initial reaction was disbelief at such audacity. But after listening to these three tenets, he suddenly understood.
In essence, the Church of Elysia differs from other churches in that it imposes no restrictions and requires no specific acts of service from its followers. Its sole tenets are:
To strive to do as much good as possible (First Doctrine).
To strive to live each day joyfully (Second Doctrine).
Even if a follower commits a grave sin that they cannot forgive themselves for, they should remember that there will always be one being (Elysia) willing to pardon their transgressions. They must not let past mistakes cloud their path to the future (Third Doctrine).
From this perspective, wouldn't most kind-hearted people in this world already be fulfilling the first two doctrines of the Church of Elysia? Doesn't that make it logical to consider them potential followers?
In summary, joining the Church of Elysia requires no sacrifice whatsoever. The only thing asked of you is to strive to live each day with greater happiness. Isn't that a pure blessing?
The young man explained, "Of course, the Church is newly established, and future doctrines might be added. However, these three core tenets should remain unchanged."
Upon hearing this, Old John pondered for a few seconds before nodding. "Very well, I'll join."
Or rather, what reason did Old John have to refuse?
The young man immediately pulled a slim book from his backpack and handed it to Old John. When opened, the first page displayed the three core tenets of the Church of Elysia. Flipping through, one found high-resolution screenshots from Elysia's two videos—not surreptitious snapshots, but official stills.
In truth, the young man's demeanor felt less like proselytizing and more like someone obsessed with a manga, having bought three copies: one for personal use, one for his collection, and one to evangelize others.
By accepting the book, Old John had, in a sense, been successfully converted. And that was all it took.
It bore a striking resemblance to the Eldritch Concord's recruitment methods: casually striking up conversations with strangers on the street. The only difference? Joining the Concord granted supernatural power, while joining the Church of Elysia offered pure joy.
Unlike the Concord's decentralized structure, however, the Church of Elysia maintained a more organized approach. After handing over the book, the young man exchanged email addresses and phone numbers with Old John. "If you have any questions about the Church of Elysia or want to assist with missionary activities, feel free to contact me anytime," he said.
"Of course, if you don't want to preach and find it too troublesome, you're perfectly free to live a happy life without it."
"I understand," Old John nodded. He had only just learned the young man's name—Harold Wendell—when they exchanged phone numbers.
The very next day, Old John received a mass email:
Beware the Eldritch Concord!
The email detailed the dangers of this cult organization, but what surprised Old John was the sheer amount of information it contained, far more than he himself knew.
For instance, the email revealed that the cult had seven powerful leaders, each codenamed after one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It also named the Evil God they worshipped and the strange power they called "Blessing."
The email even pinpointed three locations with the highest concentrations of cult activity, including one suspected to be their main headquarters. It warned all followers to exercise extreme caution and avoid these areas entirely.
Old John: "???"
Where did they get all this intel? Is it even reliable?
Regardless, he resolved to investigate those three locations himself.
-
Meanwhile, Elysia remained completely unaware that a cult leader was cursing her as "that damn pink-haired girl" in his nightmares, or that a strange cult worshipping her had secretly emerged.
She continued her ordinary routine: teasing Carolina daily, chatting with colleagues at the White Tower, and working diligently. Time passed quickly, and in just over half a month, the next White Eagle Eight election was about to begin.
Before the official voting, Baldy Burke arranged for Elysia to give a speech. To prepare, she took the day off from the White Tower and stayed home to rest.
That evening, she suddenly noticed that the percentage for her "True Self" had increased significantly on her system interface. She was stunned.
"Huh?!"
She hadn't interacted with anyone all day, hadn't spoken to a single person, and had spent the entire day lounging at home like a lazy bum—certainly not what one would call "acting like Elysia." Yet her "True Self" percentage had still risen. Did this mean her initial assumption was wrong?
Was the System Objective not about her "playing the role" of Elysia at all?