Ch.155Butterfly Effect (4)

Due to the devil’s summoning working in a strange way, I found out that I had been reincarnated into this world. How should I react to this?

After hearing the unexpected secret of my birth(?), I just felt dazed, unable to summon any deeper emotions.

Anger or hatred?

To begin with, I had few attachments to my previous life. After my parents suddenly passed away, I had been living almost completely disconnected from the world due to the psychological shock. Though I regret not being able to finish the novel I was writing, that can’t be helped.

Moreover, I inadvertently played a huge prank on the devils, which is actually quite satisfying when you think about it.

[Are… are you okay?]

‘Huh? About what?’

[Because of our mistake, you were brought here from another dimension where you were living your life. Though it might have been a difficult life, life itself is always precious.]

Luminus asked me in a truly cautious voice. Hearing this question, I thought again about this deity called Luminus.

Luminus is known as a benevolent and generous god who embodies light and hope. Actually talking with him, he does seem that way.

However, from what I’m feeling now, he seems somewhat timid. You’d think a being of divine status could brazenly push through even after making mistakes, but he didn’t.

My sudden death was the devils’ doing, so it would be unreasonable to blame the gods, including Luminus. Yet Luminus was genuinely apologetic.

‘No, I’m fine. It wasn’t a life I was particularly attached to anyway.’

[Even so…]

‘Actually, my current reincarnated life is much better. I have wonderful parents, loving siblings, and finally, beautiful lovers. I’m enjoying luxuries I could never have had in my previous life.’

This is actually true. In my previous life, I was completely ordinary with nothing special about me, but after reincarnation, my situation changed 180 degrees.

A harmonious family, honor and power through the Biography of Xenon, and even women who promised me a future. I had pretty much everything a man could want.

[…If that’s how you feel, then we’re relieved. To be honest, I was a bit worried you might resent us.]

‘Isn’t it strange for beings of your divine status to be concerned about the feelings of a mere mortal?’

[Because you’re a soul that came from another planet, even another galaxy that we don’t manage. Since this happened due to our mistake, we can’t help but feel sorry.]

I don’t quite understand, but if a god says so, I’ll just accept it. Talk of planets and galaxies doesn’t really suit me anyway.

What’s more urgent is figuring out how to resolve the current situation.

‘So there’s no problem with me writing the Biography of Xenon, right?’

[That’s right. In fact, we’d like you to write even more. We never imagined cultural differences would lead to such results.]

‘What do you mean by that…’

[As you’ve noticed while living in this world, the level of science and culture here is much lower than on Earth. The Biography of Xenon might be an ordinary novel to you, but not to the people here. What would be called ‘clichés’ in Earth language might be actual situations in this world.]

‘Cultural differences…’

[The development of culture and science is the development of imagination and creativity. Moreover, the Biography of Xenon you wrote isn’t just focused on imagination but is also thoroughly researched, right? Especially regarding devils—everyone had just forgotten about them, but it was something that was bound to happen eventually.]

Talk about a butterfly effect.

Not all writers are like this, but web novelists are often people with at least some interest in comics or novels. They’ve long since mastered ‘clichés’ and are actually trying to shatter those clichés.

The devil mistakenly set the wrong coordinates and summoned a soul from Earth, a civilization far more advanced than this one, and that soul happened to be an ordinary web novelist from South Korea.

Moreover, the world I was born into is a fantasy world with beastmen, dwarves, elves, and demon tribes.

This coincidence is so unlikely it’s practically destiny. I think the probability is much lower than winning the lottery.

‘That’s… quite peculiar. Anyway, you’re saying there are no disadvantages at all?’

[That’s right. The natural order has been restored with your birth, so there’s no problem at all. On the contrary, we should bestow blessings upon you. Though it wasn’t intentional, what you wrote has greatly advanced the culture and science of this place. Furthermore, you prevented a devil invasion in advance, stopping civilization from regressing.]

‘Blessings are a bit… burdensome. You said all this was coincidence.’

[You don’t need to be so humble. If you were walking down a road and encountered a monster that threatened your life, and by chance a skilled mercenary appeared and saved you, would you just dismiss it as coincidence?]

‘Ah.’

As expected of a god, he gave an example that made immediate sense. Sensing my understanding, Luminus continued in a warm voice.

[Actually, even having a conversation like this is difficult for ordinary clergy. At the very least, one needs to be a Cardinal to have a direct conversation like this rather than receiving an oracle.]

‘Then why can I?’

[Because you prevented a great calamity that would have occurred in the future and greatly advanced this world’s culture and science. Through the Biography of Xenon, you created a culture that everyone, not just specific individuals, could enjoy, and helped the demon tribe emerge into the world. You also united the elves who were about to be divided, and the magic engine…]

‘I’m sorry. I think that’s enough.’

Hearing such praise from a divine being, not a human, made me feel embarrassed. Luminus, noticing my discomfort, let out a pleasant laugh.

‘…So can you tell me what this blessing is?’

[It’s a kind of prophecy, you could say. We can tell you about your future. But the moment we reveal the future, it loses its meaning. The future can always change, so I recommend you ask carefully.]

‘For example?’

[For example… Ah, wait. Hey, you…!]

Luminus suddenly trailed off and then raised his voice. There was a sense of urgency and confusion, which startled me as well.

At the same time, Luminus’s voice cut off, and I opened my eyes in confusion. The statue’s eyes were still glowing golden.

‘What’s going on?’

I closed my eyes again and waited quietly for Luminus to speak. Fortunately, he returned not long after.

[Whew. I apologize. My younger sibling suddenly interrupted…]

‘By sibling, you mean…’

[Mora, the god of darkness and rest. My twin sister. It seems she wants to talk with you too… Ah, please, go away! I’ll send him to your temple later! What if something happens to this child?]

‘… …’

Once again, Luminus’s irritated voice echoed in my head. From what I can gather, Mora seems to have intruded again.

Thanks to this, I realized that rather than being an omnipotent god who could create worlds with a finger snap, Luminus was a transcendent being with superhuman powers but still had human-like aspects.

Actually, I like him more for being human-like. In most creative works, gods tend to have unpleasant personalities.

‘…Can’t Mora join the conversation too? I don’t mind.’

[No. Even conversing with me requires a high level of concentration, and if Mora joins in, you might not just fail to converse but could even faint. If you were an elf or from the demon tribe, maybe, but you’re an ordinary human…]

‘… …’

Ordinary humans can only shed tears. I feel somewhat depressed.

Noticing my mood, Luminus seemed a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat to change the subject.

[Ahem. Ahem. Anyway, the achievements you’ve accumulated can be converted into divine power. Through that divine power, we can foresee your future. You could call it an oracle. For example, let’s say you’ll be hit by a carriage tomorrow. Normally, we would issue an oracle, but for you, we can directly tell you not to go outside tomorrow because you’ll be hit by a carriage.]

‘I’m curious about something—why do you make oracles so vague? From what I hear, the quality of the oracle changes depending on how good the offerings are or how much divine power is offered.’

[Knowing the future means “buying time.” While we might interfere with space, even gods like us can’t casually meddle with time. In fact, even the futures we predict can greatly deviate if variables occur. In the case of the devil war and the roots of the World Tree, you were the variable.]

‘What about going back from the future to the past? Are there no regression returnees?’

[It’s not impossible, but to do so, one would need to accumulate tremendous achievements. Otherwise, we might attempt it at great risk just before this world is about to be destroyed. By the way, you could do it too.]

I flinched in surprise at that.

[Right now, maybe a week back? That’s about it.]

‘That’s less than I expected.’

[Unless you’re a once-in-an-era hero, regression to decades ago is very difficult. Moreover, the cultural advancement you’ve achieved is ongoing. We’re calculating the achievements you’ve made up to the present, not the future. If this situation continues, you might be able to regress ten years back. Plus, you’re currently accumulating divine power just by breathing. Of course, your writings have some negative impacts too, but the positive influences are so overwhelming that the negatives are negligible.]

‘Hmm… So would it be okay if I wrote about World War II?’

As I mentioned before, after completing the Biography of Xenon, I plan to write a novel about World War II. However, rather than detailing each event, I plan to categorize protagonists by country.

I’ll have a Soviet protagonist and an Allied protagonist, and in the final part, they’ll meet at the Elbe River. Of course, the Soviet protagonist will be the one planting the flag in Berlin.

Since it’s difficult to explain tanks and aircraft within the work, I plan to include illustrations and setting books separately. I’ll also write about the countries while I’m at it.

[World War II… You’re referring to the worst war that occurred on Earth. It was an incredibly tragic conflict.]

‘You know about it too, Luminus?’

[When you crossed over to this place, I received knowledge from the gods of Earth. I clearly learned how a world without mana develops and what tragedies it can produce. It’s fine if you write about that war.]

‘Then can you briefly tell me what will happen if I write that story?’

With magic engines already appearing, there’s no guarantee that tanks and planes from World War II won’t appear in reality. Although there’s at least 200 years between the Industrial Revolution and the invention of tanks, you never know.

After all, it’s already unrealistic that magic engine trains appear in this era, and it’s a world where dwarves exist.

[Do you want me to tell you in detail, or like an oracle?]

‘What’s the difference?’

[As I said earlier, the moment the future is revealed, it’s no longer the future but merely a hypothesis. You might change your mind, after all.]

‘Just tell me in detail. I’m planning to write it anyway.’

[Is that so? Alright. In the future, when you hold an exhibition, three dwarves will bring a tank. Instead of shells, it will fire magic cannons that compress mana. Its power will be extraordinary, and it will be consistently used as a siege weapon.]

Shit. Maybe I shouldn’t write it.

[I can hear your cursing from here.]

‘I-I’m sorry…’

[No need to apologize. Anything else?]

‘As for other things… Are reincarnated people like me extremely rare in this world, or if we expand the scope to the entire universe?’

I came to this world because devils summoned me incorrectly, but I’m curious if there are other cases. The world is full of variables, after all.

After pondering my question for a moment, Luminus explained in a pleasant voice.

[They are very rare. Especially cases of being summoned to a different galaxy rather than the same one are almost non-existent. The moment you go against the natural order, balance can be disrupted in an instant.]

‘So it’s not completely impossible.’

[Of course. Even if it’s one in a billion, it’s still something that can happen. Even that is a significant probability for us.]

‘I see. Then… please give me a general idea of what I should be careful about from now on.’

I’ve asked everything I wanted to know. What remains is what I should be cautious about going forward.

As a god, he should know my future and the crises that await me. Moreover, he can tell me directly, not just through oracles.

[Things to be careful about… You probably already know this. The situations that might arise when your identity is revealed. Just be careful about that.]

‘Then… when do you think would be a good time to reveal my identity?’

[That’s difficult to tell you carelessly. The moment I tell you, the future could completely change.]

Luminus answered with a genuinely apologetic expression. It means I should judge for myself.

It’s a bit disappointing, but in a way, it seems wise. Rather than risking complications by revealing the future, it might be better for me to take action directly.

‘I understand. It can’t be helped.’

[I’m sorry. But I’ll tell you this one thing. In the future, you’re planning to follow a child named Cecilly to Helium, right?]

‘Yes, that’s right.’

I plan to follow her to Helium to watch Cecilly’s duel, and perhaps even spend our first night together. Cecilly seems to have similar thoughts.

[Make sure to bring medicine with you.]

‘What?’

[The contraceptive medicine you take whenever you have relations with Marie. Don’t forget to bring it with you. The reason… you’ll understand without me saying it.]

‘… …’

I almost made a big mistake. Given how much he’s emphasizing this, it seems I would have forgotten to bring the medicine.

And after having relations with Cecilly, the next thing would be…

‘Thank you. That could have been a disaster.’

[Haha. A harmonious family is always important. If possible, visit Mora’s temple for a blessing too. Demons in their mating cycle might struggle more with desire than stamina. And…]

Luminus trailed off mid-sentence. Somehow, he seems to be contemplating something.

Just as I was wondering about this, he called out to me in a somewhat cautious voice.

[…Child.]

‘Yes, Luminus.’

[Cultural differences exist even among people. What you do casually might be perceived differently by people of this world. It could be taken as an insult, or as kindness and consideration.]

‘… …’

[While one can change their mindset, deeply rooted personality traits can’t be changed. Especially since you’re considerate and prefer horizontal relationships.]

He seemed to be telling me to be mindful of my words and actions. Indeed, I occasionally feel a sense of dissonance while living here, and it’s probably the same for others.

Sensing what Luminus was trying to say, I assured him not to worry.

‘You don’t need to worry. I’ll be careful with my words and actions.’

[That child has already several…]

‘Pardon?’

[Nothing. Pretend you didn’t hear that. Anyway, we’ll handle the current situation well. You just continue living as you have been.]

Why do I get the strong feeling he’s changing the subject? But I can’t press a god for answers, so it’s probably best to keep it to myself.

‘I understand.’

[If you ever want to receive power from us, just say so. As the god of light, I can bestow beneficial blessings upon you. Visit the temple whenever you wish. I can even relieve your fatigue, so I’ll gladly accept even simple requests.]

‘Thank you. I’ll visit frequently from now on.’

[Good. We’re truly grateful that you prevented a calamity in advance and accelerated the development of this world. Then-]

With those words, Luminus’s voice ceased in my head. When I no longer heard him, I slowly opened my eyes.

Upon opening them, I saw that the statue’s eyes, which had been glowing golden, had returned to their normal state. It meant Luminus had left.

Realizing the secret of my birth and even receiving prophecies from a god felt strange.

‘At least he’s a good god, which is fortunate.’

Two days passed after that.

[Luminus has answered! The Biography of Xenon is all coincidence!]

[However, his achievements are undeniable truth. It’s not enough to treat him as a saint.]

[Even if it’s all coincidence, without the Biography of Xenon, we would have fought a war with devils in the future.]

[The book’s research is very thorough. It describes events that could have actually happened, and some parts were already in progress.]

“… …”

The situation showed no signs of improvement.

[The content of the oracle is this: What is coincidence now may be inevitable in the future.]

Luminus?

[The Biography of Xenon not only prevented future calamities but also presented a vision for significant cultural development and scientific advancement…]

Luminus?

[The Sabre Church. According to Luminus’s words, Xenon will be treated as a saint. Considering his achievements, it wouldn’t be excessive to call him an avatar.]

Luminus? What’s going on?

[Kate, Cardinal of the Sabre Church, embarks on a pilgrimage to find Xenon… Surely possessing powerful divine force.]

Luminus!!