episode_0050

15. Encounter with the Gods (2)

I don’t remember anything after I collapsed in Hyunseok’s arms.

The only thing I remember is that every time I breathed, a pleasant scent tickled my body. That was the only thing I remembered.

After that, I felt like my mind was going to snap and I was now in a pure white room with only my consciousness remaining.

” Why on earth are you here again? ”

I’m worried about Hyunseok and Yeonseo, but Gabriel was successfully purified, so they shouldn’t be in danger.

” Hmm, why are you coming here so often these days? Patruna isn’t here…huh? ”

As I looked around, a door opened in front of me and two men appeared from it.

” Hoo, is this guy her apostle? ”

” That’s what they said. ”

‘Looking at the fact that they know each other as apostles… these two are also gods…! ‘

” Are you two also gods like Patruna? ”

” Yes. I am Thoth. This is called Vulcan. ”

” Hello, Apostle. ”

” Oh, yes! Nice to meet you. ”

Thoth and Vulcan gave off a similar yet different vibe.

Thoth wore a mask of a hawk, a striped hood on his head, and a wide necklace around his neck decorated with stone beads called ‘Ushek’, gold, and various jewels.

The clothes are made of thin or loose materials that allow the air to pass through, revealing the chest and holding it with shoulder straps, or a linen garment with a neckline and side seams folded forward to form a belt.

He wore a cloth made of gold thread around his waist. He held a staff in his right hand and an ankh on his left waist.

Vulcan had a short, rough beard and wore an eyepatch over his right eye.

He was wearing a woolen cloak over his left shoulder, his upper right half of his body was exposed, but his left half was tied with a knot on his shoulder, and he was wearing a tunic that reached down to his knees.

On her fingers she wore a ring of a rather nice design, as if it had been made of several jewels, and on her wrist she wore a leather bracelet.

A blacksmith’s hammer, which seemed to symbolize him, hung on his right waist.

” So, why am I here? ”

” Huh? What, didn’t she say anything? ”

” That’s it, I suddenly lost consciousness and when I opened my eyes I was here. ”

Thoth frowned and began to press his hands against the wrinkles between his eyes, while Vulcan laughed heartily, stroking his coarse beard.

” Hahaha! I guess you were in such a hurry that you didn’t even explain. ”

” Haa, it’s been a while since I’ve seen my brother, so I guess that’s understandable, but still… ”

Brother? What does that mean? She must mean Patruna, but I don’t understand.

If she’s a goddess and you’re her brother, does that mean she’s a god? Or…

” Ahem! ”

At Tot’s cough, I stopped my thoughts and looked at them again, asking what I was curious about now.

” I think you mean Patruna when you say her, but what exactly do you mean by brother…? ”

” Hmm, I’ll ask Patruna about that later when I meet her in person. But how is her health? ”

Tot quickly changed the subject and asked me the question, as if he wanted to hear it directly from me.

” Well… I guess it’s just the same as usual. ”

” There’s no way that could happen…? You’re saying that there’s nothing wrong with accepting the evil spirit’s energy? ”

‘Oh, I think I know what you’re talking about.’

The moment I spoke, I began to feel ashamed that I would die here.

” That’s… That’s… It’s not that it doesn’t exist… ”

” Oh, so what are the symptoms? You have to tell me so I can record them. For later. ”

” Uh… Do I really have to say that? ”

” What on earth are you talking about? Just whisper to me. Anyway, that guy likes making things rather than keeping records, so he’s not interested. ”

” If that’s the case…”

Let’s whisper to him that after receiving the evil spirit’s energy, the side effect is that your body gets hot…

His expression was so surprised that it made me think, “Even a god can make such an expression.”

” Ahem, ummm… I’ll try not to record this. Sorry. ”

” No… Rather, why am I here? ”

” Patruna has materialized into your body. ”

Vulcan, who had been quietly watching from the side, took out the ore from his bosom and spoke while polishing it.

” Huh? Wait… Wait! What is that! A manifestation?! ”

” Well, calm down. I just went down there to find out what Gabriel knows. ”

” Sigh, it would have been nice if you had told me in advance. ”

” Rather, have you heard the truth about this world from Patruna? ”

” Hmm, I get the general idea. So you want me to attack the tower and collect the divinity? ”

” Ha! That guy, I guess he didn’t say anything. ”

” What is that…? ”

” Keep your mouth shut, Vulcan. Well, you’ll find out later. When that time comes, you’ll have to make a choice… so just remember that. ”

” Is it a choice? ”

” Don’t worry, we’ll understand whatever choice you make. ”

I didn’t understand what the hell they were talking about, but it seemed that when the time came for me to make a choice, it would probably be a choice that would affect the gods as well.

I guess I don’t have to worry too much since he said he would understand whatever choice I made, but my heart was heavy with the thought that it might be the case.

As I was finishing my conversation with Thoth, Vulcan came over and put his arm around my right shoulder.

” By the way, it looks like you’re using the weapon I gave you well. I’ll give you a few more in the future, so use them well! ”

” Ah! Yes, thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to fight until now. ”

” Hahaha! That’s right! More than that, your fighting style is amazing. Thanks to you, I’ve seen a lot of fun scenes! ”

Vulcanus smiled happily as he patted me on the back and explained the weapons I would be getting, but I figured I would have to use them when I got there to find out.

” I hope you continue to conquer the tower. There are also artifacts and unlocked systems that we have put in for humanity. ”

” Yes! Don’t worry about that. You’ll need to collect the divinities anyway, so it’d be good to unlock them and restore the world to its original state, if not to its original state. ”

” Yes! That’s a good attitude! It’s nice to see how humans overcome any hardships and trials that come their way! ”

As they were talking like that, a light appeared next to them and Gabriel appeared.

” I guess it’s time. Come on, Gabriel ”

” The messenger sends greetings to the Supreme Gods. ”

” Okay, there’s a lot more to talk about than that. Go and rest for now. ”

” Yes, and thank you again to the Goddess’s Apostle. ”

” I just did what I had to do. ”

After that, Thoth and Vulcan disappeared from my sight, saying they would talk to Gabriel, and shortly after, Patruna appeared in front of me.

” Patruna! If something like this happens, tell me… Ugh! What are you doing! ”

” What are you doing! Punishing our obscene apostle! No, how! How could you do that…! ”

The moment I was about to ask Patruna to tell me in advance if something like this happened, she came up to me, pulled my cheek, and started nagging me.

The more I listened, the more aggrieved I felt.

I… didn’t want that, and judging by Thoth’s reaction, it seems like it was a side effect that even the gods didn’t expect.

” But! You’re the one who created this body! You’re the same! ”

” Huh?! What are you talking about! Even though it’s modeled after my body, it’s not that bad! ”

” Anyway! That… That physiological phenomenon… It’s not my fault! Since even Tot didn’t know about the side effects of purification earlier, I’m not at fault! Huh! ”

” Ha, I understand. Let’s talk about this later. I’ve already told you both, so please continue to investigate people and objects related to evil spirits. ”

” Yes, but is that okay? ”

” That’s enough for now. It’s not like it’s fully revealed yet, but it’s just starting to reveal itself. ”

” But is it possible to contain that evil spirit’s energy? ”

” If the power was given directly by the evil god, or if the ability received from the god is related to storage… then it might be possible. ”

” Okay. I’ll find out as much as I can and try to collect the divinities while conquering the tower. But, regarding the divinities, to me… ”

” Okay! It’s time. See you later! ”

” No, wait…! ”

As my eyes turned white, I lost consciousness.

But at the end, when she asked about divinity, her behavior as if she was trying to hide something continued to bother me.

At first, I thought that making it into a woman was just her taste, but I kept thinking that it wasn’t just that.

When I opened my eyes again, I couldn’t remember this topic.

I just felt like something was blocking my memory.

*****

In the ‘Sacred World’, the place of the gods that Charlotte left, there were Patruna and Thoth, who were looking at Charlotte and her party through a mirror.

After meeting the girl in person and having a conversation with her, Tot thought about it for a while and then asked Patruna.

” Really, I shouldn’t tell him, no, her? ”

” I can’t help it. Right now… It’s not the time yet. ”

” It looks like you don’t even remember your past. And you don’t even suspect that you’ve become a woman, and you just think of it as your protection. ”

” It’s not time yet. I haven’t even reached the original form of the child I had in mind. It’ll have to go through this process once… no, twice before it changes into the body I had in mind. ”

” Haa, Patruna. The plan is important, but do you really have to hide it like this? Isn’t he your apostle? And your brother… ”

” Stop! Please stop. I… know that too. It’s not something you can hide. But I think it would be good to tell Charlotte at least after she grows up a little more.

When that time comes, I will definitely be honest with myself about things I don’t know about now, and I will be able to accept the truth. ”

” If that’s the case, then that’s great, but what if that doesn’t happen? The moment we can’t accept it, our plans will fall apart. ”

” That’s…! ”

” You should consider that possibility too. That’s part of the strategy and the plan. ”

” As expected, Tot is amazing. Phew, I’ll have a proper talk with Charlotte later. ”

While Patruna and Thoth were talking, the other gods and Gabriel approached and at Thoth’s beckoning they went to a place that soon turned into a conference hall.

The gods began to discuss what they would do with the Earth in the future and their plans for the birth of a new god.

People who seek God in a world that is falling apart, and the gods who try to help them in any way possible.

They are still living in this world today.