Seeing the noble figure who had suddenly appeared on the scene, everyone froze in the same instant.
Canary was the fastest to react. She had received a message from Su Mo a few seconds earlier, which was why she had relaxed and done nothing.
Otherwise, she would have had Croix summon Kōmei Kasukabe and other god-group friends to the rescue.
"I never thought you would appear in person!"
The moment she saw Su Mo's figure, Canary stopped paying attention to the previous danger. Instead, she bowed respectfully and asked, feeling quite surprised.
With Su Mo's current status, a crisis of this level didn't seem to warrant his personal appearance.
"I just came over to retrieve something. I happened to hear someone praying here," Su Mo said, glancing at the buxom, baby-faced Pale Flame Demon.
A believer's prayer to God was usually processed by the mythological foundation of the Holy Bible, but this foundation had long been internalized by Su Mo, and he could hear them whenever he wanted.
As for responding to the believers, that was not something he, as a god, was supposed to do.
Contrary to what many believed, the Christian church did not actually advocate for things like miracles.
Responses to believers were generally on a psychological level.
If he really were to grant every believer's request, it would fall into the trap of idolization and witchcraft, a problem that couldn't be solved by simply being generous.
Even now, the reason for Su Mo's appearance had nothing to do with Willa's prayer; it was merely a coincidence.
Hearing Su Mo's words, the innocent and clueless Pale Flame Demon looked at him with anticipation. "Lord Su Mo, are you here to save that child?"
"Mhm." Su Mo glanced at the dragon egg and the completely frozen Maxwell's Demon, then nodded.
"That's great! Lord Su Mo is a good person!" The Pale Flame Demon's eyes immediately sparkled, and her favorability towards Su Mo increased severalfold.
"Willa!" Seeing the girl's overly familiar behavior, Pumpkin Jack rebuked her in a low voice, then asked, "When you were praying just now, did you say you would offer everything to Lord Su Mo?"
He hadn't known what Willa had done, but from Su Mo's question, he could pretty much guess.
"...Yes!" Willa's cheeks flushed slightly, but she still nodded.
She didn't know much about adult matters, but after being pursued by Maxwell's Demon for so long, she had a rough idea that offering everything included her body, so she felt a bit embarrassed.
But with her innocent and romantic personality, she didn't overthink it. Besides, the great god might not even want her, and even if he did, it would be better than that pervert Maxwell's Demon, right?
Seeing her clueless look, Pumpkin Jack nodded. "Since you've made such a promise, you must fulfill it. The supreme Lord Su Mo is absolutely trustworthy!"
If Willa had made such a promise to any other god or buddha, Pumpkin Jack, this old father figure, would have definitely objected regardless of the spirit of the contract. Children don't know any better, how can you take a casual prayer seriously?
But when the object of the promise was Su Mo, the supreme Lord, Jack had no objections whatsoever. He was even secretly pleased, thinking it was a good thing for his "daughter" to connect with the Lord this way.
After all, even in mythology, those whose prayers were answered by the Lord himself were either saints or righteous individuals. If he could raise a saint, he would be able to repay the grace of the saint who had saved him in the past.
"Okay!" At Jack's instruction, Willa nodded obediently. Her initial high opinion of Su Mo was inherited from Jack, so being praised by him now naturally made her very happy.
Hearing their conversation, Su Mo finally turned his gaze to the pumpkin-headed man.
Though he showed no outward display of power and emanated no pressure from his Divinity, Jack felt as if his entire being was being seen through by the man's calm and indifferent gaze, leaving no secrets hidden.
He immediately prostrated himself in terror, kissing the ground before Su Mo in the most pious and humble posture imaginable.
"Jack the sinner greets the Heavenly Lord! I pray that the Heavenly Lord will forgive my sins!"
Seeing his performance, everyone was a little surprised.
Pumpkin Jack's demeanor as a butler had been quite good, and his attitude towards Su Mo had always been one of reverence.
Everyone had assumed he was simply a fan or a believer of the Christian church. But now, it seemed there was more to it.
Would an ordinary believer tremble like a leaf in the wind upon seeing their Lord for the first time? Fear and reverence were mixed together, a clearly complex reaction.
And his self-proclaimed title was also noteworthy—Jack the sinner. What crime had he committed? Was the pumpkin head meant to hide his identity?
Under everyone's watch, Su Mo's gaze swept over Pumpkin Jack's entire past in an instant. This was a penitent, one who had committed an unforgivable sin in the past and was now spending the rest of his life atoning for it.
Atonement had always been a core theme of the Christian faith. And clearly, judging by Pumpkin Jack's humble and subservient behavior and his actions thus far, he was sincerely trying to make amends for his mistakes.
"Jack," Su Mo said calmly.
The mere mention of his name made the pumpkin-headed man's body tremble, sending him into a state of extreme tension.
"I will not forgive your sins."
As the second sentence was spoken, the pumpkin-headed man shuddered violently, and the flames in his eyes dimmed considerably. A denial from God was a massive blow to a believer like him.
But he did not resent Su Mo for it, nor did he show any resistance to his words. Instead, he kowtowed again and responded with complete sincerity. "Yes, I know my sins are heavy and unforgivable! Your judgment is the most just of all!"
Not only did he not think Su Mo's words were too harsh, but he also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "I once received guidance from a saint and resolved to atone for the rest of my life. Even if I can never be fully cleansed, I will never regret walking this path."
Jack had a deep understanding of his own heavy sins; in fact, he himself did not believe he could be easily absolved. People used the word "forgiveness" too lightly, simply because they did not understand hatred. And for the sins he had committed, even death by a thousand cuts would be too lenient.
So, even knowing he could never be fully redeemed, he never felt regret. On the contrary, freed from the pressure of achieving forgiveness, he felt he could pursue his atonement with a purer heart, free from ulterior motives.
Seeing his attitude, Canary's eyes showed a hint of appreciation. Although she didn't know what Jack had done, this pious posture, completely devoid of any attempt to bargain, was exactly how a penitent should be.
Watching the sinner's declaration, Su Mo nodded and then spoke his third sentence. "What I mean is, for you, atonement itself is a form of salvation. You do not need the grace of God. You can save yourself."
Under Pumpkin Jack's incredulous and ecstatic gaze, Su Mo finally added, "The reckoning for your sins is far in the future, so there is no need to rush to ask for God's grace, nor to rush to clear your own name. When the final day comes, that is when the final judgment will begin."