Chapter 166: Became God of Alchemy? – April Fool’s Day

Chapter 166: Became God of Alchemy? – April Fool’s Day

“Hmm… this isn’t quite right……”

*’……Still not? It seems your potion-making skills haven’t improved much even after becoming a god?’*

“You’re still being sarcastic even though it’s no longer power supported by the System…?”

About a week after inheriting the position of god.

There had been many changes in the relationship between me and the System.

First, my powers were no longer given by the System; they had become a kind of authority, a similar thing, that I, as a god, exercised in this world.

No matter how great they were, it was difficult for them to give power to a being of equal standing, or so they said.

Because of this, I almost became independent of the System… but a new contract was proposed.

“But you are a suitable contractor, aren’t you? You even stamped the seal with ‘Ciel’-nim, the core and general manager of the System.”

“……I should have included a clause to change the supervisor.”

Regardless, the potions I made as a god were incomparably superior to the items I used to make with power supported by the System.

Now, even if I casually made a common healing potion, the people of our world would recover as long as they weren’t dead.

If I made a revival potion and threw it at someone who had been dead for a long time, they would come back to life… so that pretty much said it all.

When you think about it, as the owner, creator, and administrator of this world, it might be natural to have that much power… but the fact that I was creating such things felt a bit awkward.

Of course, outside of this world where I resided, the effects would diminish, but even so, the System seemed quite covetous of my potions.

So, in exchange for me making and supplying my potions to the System, a contract was made where the System would now protect and help manage this world, where I had become a god.

And Ria… as you can see, is still attached to my side as my supervisor and assistant world manager.

She even boasted that she got this sweet position as a supervisor as a reward for me, the user, creating a successful narrative.

……However, when it came to asking what she had actually done, I had no words, as I had received a lot of help, both mentally and materially.

So, to summarize the current situation…… it’s a peaceful world where I’m still interacting with my surroundings, pretending to be human, and making potions.

I thought I wouldn’t be chased since there was no god, but being chased by potion delivery deadlines is a bit bitter.

*’Oh, what would you do if I wasn’t here? You’d be bored, wouldn’t you?’*

“…I have plenty of people to be with, you know?!”

*’Oh, I’m sure you do. Now there’s the Knight Commander of the Empire’s largest knight order, who’s incredibly busy, and the Saintess and Hero, who are working tirelessly to rebuild the fallen Holy Kingdom, and even the former Prophet.

Besides them, there’s the Mercenary Captain who’s still traveling the world, and the Demon King who’s busy dealing with the remaining monsters. So, you have plenty, huh? Even though the god herself is living disguised as a human.’*

“I’m helping with the restoration of the Holy Kingdom too! Detailed interference… is impossible as a god, but I’m helping restore buildings, and healing and reviving the injured and dead!”

Because of that, my potion-brewing cauldron never rested.

…I thought that if I became a god, *poof!* magic or power would just happen, but to use any authority or power, I had to use potions as a medium.

If not, I’d use the ability that became the ‘God’s Treasury,’ no, the ‘Alchemist’s Treasury’ now.

The method was still not much different from when I was a System user, except that I didn’t receive power support.

*’Anyway, everyone’s busy, so be grateful, okay? Because I’m always by your side while everyone else is busy…? Hmm? What’s that potion? It doesn’t seem to be on the System’s delivery list?’*

“…I wonder? What could this be? After becoming a god, I can make potions with any effect I want, as long as I have the ingredients.”

*’……W-whatever it is, we had a good time, didn’t we? So, put down that unsettling potion…’*

“We did have a good time, So… let’s have an even better time, shall we?”

Saying so, I threw the potion at Ria’s translucent notification window, which displayed her words.

Since it was an illusory, insubstantial thing, it should have passed through…… but if it were like that, I wouldn’t have thrown it in the first place.

*Clink!*

A slightly dull and muffled sound was heard, and mist rose everywhere.

And, within that mist……

“Ugh…… W-what is this?!”

“What do you mean, what? It’s a materialization potion.”

Ria’s actual appearance, which could be seen very occasionally, was revealed.

As soon as I confirmed that appearance, reminiscent of an angel, I……

“Ugh?!”

“Ah, that felt good. How many chapters… oh, no, how many months I’ve waited for this.”

I flicked Ria’s forehead.

For a long time, every time Ria teased me, I wanted to punch or hit her at least once, and I finally achieved that long-cherished wish.

Feeling a sense of relief and all the stress accumulated from the potions dissipating, I looked at Ria, who had a few tears in her eyes.

“……Enemies, a re-evaluation of the enemies is urgent…!”

“What?”

“How did those things fight after getting hit with something this, this painful…!”

“Anyone would think I hit you with full power?”

“……You didn’t?”

“You seem to forget sometimes, but I’m a god now, you know? The physical force I exert is stronger, not weaker, than before, isn’t it?”

At those words, Ria’s expression turned slightly pale.

…But I distinctly remember hearing a long time ago that this was an AI, not a human? What could be so scary about that?

“I’m a being artificially given intelligence and sentience, and a body, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have pain or senses!!”

“Oh, you can see my thoughts?”

“I can pretty much guess just by looking at your expression!”

“True, I can also guess just by my tone. From that, something like, a tone barely holding back unbearable ridicule, to a serious tone.”

“……That’s a bit scary…”

“Oh, really?”

“Eek…! P-put down the potion bottle! No, I didn’t mean to pick up your fist…!”

“No way, come here!”

And so, materialized, I ended up in a chase with Ria, who was slightly taller than me, for a while.

The winner? Of course, it was me.

Thanks to that, I ended up spending time trying out potions I had made out of boredom but hadn’t experimented with on Ria.

Of course, excluding dangerous or harmful ones, mostly playful and utterly lighthearted potions like ones that change your voice, ones that show you the answer when you see a problem, ones that make you understand all languages, and so on.

Ria, who initially resisted, at some point seemed to enter “enjoying it” mode, or perhaps was just curious, and was picking up and using various things.

“Oh, but what’s this one?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Seeing Ria use the potion before I could even speak, I was momentarily speechless.

……That, it was a potion that swaps bodies with someone nearby… I think.

And so, after a brief moment, a strange feeling came over me along with the mist that rose from the potion’s effect.

Our bodies should have swapped…… but thinking about it, neither Ria nor I had proper bodies, so something didn’t seem to work out well.

Ria’s body could only be used when materialized, and while my body was no different from when I was human, it was still a god’s body.

1 second… 2 seconds… 3 seconds…

As more time passed, and the mist that rose from the potion’s effect disappeared, only then did I feel something different.

…It wasn’t a big change, but a strange, alien feeling…?

“…Huh?”

‘……? What is it, I didn’t say anything?’

My body moved on its own, regardless of my will.

…For some reason, I seemed to be seeing very familiar gestures.

The gestures I had just seen……

“User… no, Contractor-nim? Where did you go?”

‘…This is driving me crazy. Since Ria doesn’t have a body, did Ria just enter my body and that’s it?’

“Eh, a voice in my head…? No way…?”

When I roughly explained the potion’s effect and description to Ria, contrary to my expectation, Ria made a very amused expression.

……This is ominous.

“Hehe, you know that if you speak kindly, kind words will come back, right?”

‘…What are you going to do?’

Actually, whatever she did, there wouldn’t be much impact. …Probably.

Ria wouldn’t intend to harm my body anyway, and even if she wanted to, it wasn’t a body that could be easily hurt anymore.

……But why? This indelible sense of unease?

“Hehehe… I know it well. Your weakness.”

‘…Since the senses are yours, whatever you do to my body…’

Then, Ria made a certain gesture with my face and body.

……And, I knew.

Why Ria said she knew my weakness.

“Aww~ Contractor-nim, really, would I ever do that to this precious and cute body? Oh dear, I’m upset? Lucia, upset!”

‘@#!$@!!!#$$!?!!’

Instantly, my mind overloaded, and for a moment, thoughts and words that were not human, ineffable, and embarrassment burst forth.

Ria doing that? That’s possible.

The problem was…… that was my voice, and my body!

The old-fashioned cutesy stuff that made my hands and feet curl, that slightly puffed-out cheek, and the gaze full of cuteness!

I thought acting cutesy or cute actions were possible, but seeing my face, body, and voice doing that, seeing it clearly with my own eyes… was a whole different dimension.

What was even more embarrassing and infuriating was…… that slightly sweet voice, gestures, and tone… suited it quite well.

To the point where I thought Christie would have quite liked it if she had seen it……

But, that’s that, and embarrassment is embarrassment!

‘Don’t use my body like that!!!!!’

“Hmph? But~… this is because of Contractor-nim’s characteristics, you know? Anyway, that’s how it is? Hehe.”

Saying so, Ria picked up a potion, gave a playful smile, and sat lightly on the windowsill.

It was a knowing gaze. 100%. She knew perfectly well that I would die of embarrassment if she did this.

…Only then did I seem to understand where Ria realized that I would die of embarrassment if I did this.

Although I had pushed it to the back of my memory, I also had a characteristic related to honey traps.

Because of that, several people got… deeply entangled in a different sense.

And, seeing that characteristic, I had once been embarrassed, wondering what kind of characteristic this was.

‘You, you…!’

“Hmm… if you’re going to do that again… let’s see~… what’s on the list of popular cutesy moves these days~…?”

‘Don’t do it!!!!’

Fortunately, before Ria could do anything, my intense resistance caused the potion’s duration to end faster than expected, allowing me to regain control of my body.

…Ria seemed to have returned to her notification window form.

……I felt like I had suffered a huge loss.

“……I’m not playing with you. Ria lives here, Lucia is leaving……”

*’Pfft, but, *cough*…! Your expression right now, as if you’ve lost the world, is too… funny… *pfft*…!’*

“…Ah, why did it have to be April 1st……”

*’It’s good. Think of it as a good experience… *pfft*… for April Fool’s Day.’*

And so, the commotion ended.

……Only leaving behind the wish that I would someday inflict the same, no, an even greater humiliation upon Ria.