Chapter 37 - Godhood (2)

"..."

"..."

A terrifying silence filled the hut built in the traditional style of the Tribal Alliance.

He had heard she would soon be leaving the Empire for the Great Plains. Considering what she had just heard—something that might leave her with a dreadful impression right before her departure—her reaction was understandable.

The silence was frightening enough to leave even Aiden drenched in cold sweat...

'... That goddamn old man.'

His first thought, naturally, was resentment toward Meyer for putting him up to this. He was the one who had pushed Aiden into it, claiming that they could only enter the Mindscape together if they fell asleep holding hands.

"If you want me to meet a spirit, you don't need to go that far."

Aiden would have kept stewing in that resentment had Rania not spoken in a weary voice.

"... Pardon?"

At his question, Rania put her short pipe back in her mouth and pointed at the bracelet around his wrist.

"There's a spirit in there. You've been creating a Mindscape every night to meet him. Haven't you?"

"..."

She was so precisely on the mark that he had nothing to say.

As he blinked blankly, Rania chuckled and tapped beside the eye her blindfold left uncovered.

"I'm a priestess. Of course I can see spirits."

Fair enough.

Come to think of it, her ability was the reason he had found Meyer and brought him back in the first place.

As Aiden nodded, Rania packed tobacco from her pouch into her pipe and continued.

"Let me have that. I'll at least hear what brought you here."

With no particular reason to refuse, he handed her the bracelet. Rania took it and frowned as she peered inside.

"... This is the Knight of Dawn."

"... It is?"

"You're dealing with someone awfully impressive."

"... Am I?"

"Yes. He's someone you would ordinarily never have crossed paths with in your entire life."

"..."

That ought to have rubbed him the wrong way, but it didn't. She made it sound like such an obvious fact.

In truth, that was his general impression of her, despite their short acquaintance.

Iron, wood, stone. Such words suited her personality: no embellishment or fluctuation in anything she said or did. She simply stated facts, never intending to belittle anyone.

"Honestly, this is a stupid thing to worry about."

That impression was probably why he wasn't particularly offended by what Rania said after staring at the bracelet for a while.

"... What do you mean?"

"Your power isn't the kind anyone can help you strengthen."

"...?"

"How much do you know about the heavenly pantheon?"

As he tilted his head at her cryptic words, she abruptly posed that question.

"I've never taken much interest in theology. All I know is that it's where the gods live...?"

"More precisely, it's where the 'known' gods live."

"... Pardon?"

Something about those words sounded ominous. When Aiden questioned her, Rania calmly continued her explanation.

"A god's power is determined by the size and influence of their following. Only those whose godhood has been proven that way may enter the pantheon. It's a symbiotic relationship. Just as people need gods, gods need believers."

The pledges believers offered their gods—Consecration for energy, Vow for divinity, Mantra for dharmic power—were all proof of that symbiotic relationship.

Believers dedicated to their gods the virtues those gods presided over, and the gods bestowed their authority upon those believers.

But...

"There are quite a lot of gods. As many deities as there have been supernatural powers throughout the continent's long history."

Which meant, in other words:

"Not every god can prove their standing."

Naturally, some gods existed 'outside' the pantheon.

Forgotten gods. Those who dwelt in the dark corners of heaven.

Some had been forgotten simply because their influence over believers was insufficient. Others, however, were outside the pantheon for somewhat different reasons.

"Among those heavenly outlaws, there's a category that's the very worst of all."

"... What would that be?"

"Deities 'sealed away' by other gods."

Alien entities called Outer Gods.

Pungent smoke rose from her pipe.

"Sealed... did you say?"

"Gods whose names and authority have been forcibly stripped from their believers. Despite being fully qualified to remain within the pantheon, they're forcibly cast out."

"How does that happen?"

"They do it when a being threatens the pantheon's existence. The god the demons used to serve is a prime example."

Rania chuckled and continued.

The god the demons had served: Wornil, God of Devouring. A mad god who had sought to increase his power by consuming even his own kind.

His greed and hunger were boundless. Left unchecked, he would have brought the entire pantheon to ruin—or so the story went.

As the foremost example of a sealed god, his legend carried a great many implications.

"Why do you think I'm telling you all this?"

Aiden looked back at Rania without a word.

Having heard this much, he could already see where the conversation was heading.

"What's attached itself to you is that sort of being. Not a... 'normal' god that forms a symbiotic relationship with its believers."

"..."

"One that exists entirely on its own. Not a god chosen by believers, but one that chooses its own believers."

Something too alien to call merely a god. Unknowable. Uncharted.

At this point, it was immediately clear why Rania had once told him that something 'horrifying' had attached itself to him.

"That's what's attached to you. An Outer God. Its purpose, powers, and origins are all unknown."

"..."

"It's probably why the gods hand over their powers to you so readily, too. Though I still don't know why they'd go that far."

As Aiden stared at her, speechless, Rania shrugged.

"Well, don't let it get you too down."

... After everything she had just revealed, she wrapped it up with astonishingly simple words.

"Even if it's an Outer God whose domain and true name are unknown, we can't automatically assume it's evil. More accurately, we know nothing at this stage."

"... I see."

Aiden's reply was calm.

He didn't like to say it to someone trying to comfort him, but he wasn't actually that depressed.

'To be depressed, I'd first have to...'

The whole thing was too vast to take in right away. He felt dazed more than anything.

Naturally, he had questions, too.

"... But, Priestess."

"Yes?"

"Why would such a fearsome being choose me?"

That was the biggest question of all, really.

What reason could a being that immense have to notice an ordinary person like him?

"..."

Rania fell silent for a moment at his words, then chuckled.

"Because it likes you."

"... Pardon?"

"That's the impression I get. At the very least, it doesn't feel like it wants to harm you."

"..."

"I don't know why, but it seems to have taken a very, very strong liking to you."

"..."

... Far from being answered, his question had only deepened.

"Anyway, back to the original subject."

Rania propped her chin on her hand at the table and continued.

"Given where your powers come from, strengthening that source is impossible. No one could help you with that, not just me."

"... Is that so?"

"Yes. So if you want a powerful means of attack in a short time, you'd be better off hunting for top-quality 'materials.'"

"Materials?"

"An ability the Knight of Dawn can use as raw material to carve out whatever it is you want."

"..."

"I don't know what domain the Outer God attached to you rules over, but wouldn't you be better off making use of it?"

... Aha.

She meant he should stick to the basics.

'... So, raise affection and squeeze out more skill copies, is that it?'

Aiden laughed inwardly. After all, that was the one ability he definitely possessed.

It felt as though he'd come full circle, but learning its origins for certain was still a meaningful gain.

Because...

'If it's something as grand as an Outer God...'

... Didn't that mean he could keep wringing skill copies out of anyone at all?

As long as he could raise their affection, there was no limit.

It felt as though he'd been issued a license to fleece anyone he pleased...

"..."

Dwelling on that felt a little strange, but anyway.

He ought to focus on the pressing matter at hand.

Now, then.

The first thing to consider was...

"... Do you know anyone ridiculously impressive when it comes to divinity?"

"Ridiculously impressive?"

"I think it'd help if I could somehow get close to someone with truly exalted mastery of divinity."

Against a spirit, divinity-related abilities would naturally take priority.

Katya was nearby, but he had exhausted every last one of her skill copies long ago.

And as for raising her affection even further... honestly, he couldn't think of a way to do that right now.

Finding someone new was the best option.

After listening quietly, Rania exhaled smoke and spoke.

"There's been quite a stir. People are coming from the Holy Kingdom."

"Pardon?"

"An envoy delegation. Isn't that something to do with you?"

Ah.

Aiden's eyes narrowed.

He had heard about that before. A delegation was being sent to investigate how he could wield the divinity reserved for royalty.

'... There are things I need to collect from those people.'

For various reasons, he wasn't particularly well disposed toward them.

Almost every memory associated with them was unpleasant.

Which meant...

... He probably wouldn't feel very guilty, whatever he did.

"That's the face of someone thinking wicked thoughts."

When Rania said that with a grin, Aiden couldn't help answering with a similar smile.

"Thank you for your help, Priestess."

"Call me Rania. And there's no need for thanks. I'm putting you in my debt in advance."

"Pardon?"

"I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of each other anyway."

She waved a hand loosely, her voice languid.

"See you again, Aiden Kellermain. Next time, let's have some of those Far Eastern noodles you like."

"..."

She really was a strange woman.

Priestess or not, at times she seemed less spiritually gifted than downright uncanny.

Even as they said their goodbyes, Aiden kept turning that impression over in his mind.

She couldn't be a bad person if she was inviting him out for noodles...

'Huh.'

... But wait.

Had he ever told her what he liked to eat?

"..."

Feeling goosebumps rise along his arms, Aiden left the hut.

▣

Evenings in the Kellermain household were always simple and quiet.

With only Kenneth Kellermain and Siscella Kellermain living in the little house, it would have been harder for anything eventful to happen.

"Dad, I'm home!"

Siscella Kellermain opened the front door with her tiny hand.

It was always this late when she returned from school, but even allowing for that, the house was chillingly silent.

"..."

Pouting, she trudged inside.

Kenneth always worked late, so there was nothing to be done about it. Still, she couldn't help feeling lonely.

'... Aiden used to be here to welcome me.'

She found herself missing her brother anew. However frantically busy his own work kept him, he had always been waiting when she got home from school.

'Where did he go? He hasn't even come to see me...'

Dad had said something urgent had come up and her brother would be away for a while, but couldn't he at least have said goodbye?

Looking glum, she put down her bag and trudged toward the kitchen.

She had only meant to make herself something to eat.

But the moment she switched on the kitchen light, she saw something she could never have imagined.

"... Ah, are you Aiden's younger sister?"

A woman was speaking to her.

Right in front of her, Kenneth lay unconscious.

The woman was holding his collapsed body with both hands—

"..."

Siscella's eyes trembled wildly.

"Wh-what are you doing to my dad?!"

"... Um, I know this looks strange. But he suddenly collapsed, and I was trying to help—"

"W-we haven't done anything wrong! Get away from Dad!"

"... He didn't faint because I did anything to him. He just heard my name and suddenly..."

"I said get away from my dad!"

"..."

... This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

That was the thought that crossed Noel's mind as she stared blankly.