Ch.349Hirt (2)

Looking at the gods that appear in mythology, despite their differences, most are often “giants.”

There’s no easier way to express intimidation than through physical size. An intimidating presence that mortals dare not even look upon.

Additionally, the “god of nature” is no less than a creator deity and, being nature itself, must be large in size.

When we think of nature, what comes to mind are the high skies, the sprawling earth, and the unfathomably deep seas.

It’s only natural that Hirt, this world’s goddess of nature, belongs to this category.

“Finally, we meet, child.”

Hirt crouches down to match my eye level and greets me warmly with a gentle smile. Her star-like twinkling eyes contain deep affection.

Not knowing it was rude, I faced Hirt with trembling eyes. While Luminus and Mora had communicated through voice alone, Hirt appeared in person.

She barely covered her intimate parts with leaves, yet I felt no sense of obscenity. Rather, I only felt a childlike desire to be embraced.

But even that feeling was overwhelmed by the aura she exuded. Again, Hirt is the goddess of nature.

Before ‘nature,’ humanity is exceedingly weak. Just gazing at a great mountain inspires awe, so how much more before the goddess of nature?

I stared blankly at the smiling Hirt before quietly opening my mouth.

“…Lady Hirt?”

“What is it?”

“Are you really… Lady Hirt?”

One might call it a foolish question. But if you were in my position, it would be different.

This is a deity. And not just any deity, but the goddess of nature, equivalent to a creator god.

Unlike Luminus and Mora who only let their voices be heard, she manifested in person—how could I not be overwhelmed?

I couldn’t help but be flustered. I was so shocked that I couldn’t figure out what to do.

“M-Mother of all and precious goddess of nature, Hirt! The descendant of angels greets you!”

While I stood frozen, unable to act, Arwen took the initiative.

She had been arm-in-arm with me, but suddenly released her grip and prostrated herself flat on the ground. Her body trembled slightly.

No matter that she was the Queen of Alfheim, before a god she was merely a created being. The same applies to me.

Even if I were Xenon, one word from her could erase everything. Only then did I belatedly grasp the situation.

I lowered myself to prostrate as well, but a hand stopped me.

*Swoosh*

“…Lady Hirt?”

“There’s no need to force yourself. Besides, you’re still not accustomed to this place.”

Hirt pressed her finger gently on my head and spoke benevolently.

As she softly stroked my head, it felt like petting an adorable puppy.

In fact, just that action made my tense heart feel at ease. I even felt like begging for more petting.

Is this why Leona enjoyed my touch so much? I closed my eyes gently and smiled.

“I greet the Mother of Nature.”

“This child.”

“I thought I should at least greet you properly.”

“Hehe.”

Pleased with my response, Hirt let out a benevolent laugh.

She then removed her finger from my head and addressed Arwen.

“You can get up too. There’s no need to feel burdened.”

“Y-Yes…!”

At Hirt’s gentle request rather than command, Arwen slowly raised her head. Judging by her expression, she was clearly tense.

Not wanting to burden her, Hirt soothed her with a gentle smile.

“Raise your head. There’s no need to be nervous.”

“B-But…”

“As you think, I am the goddess of nature. And nature does not ‘willfully’ harm anyone. Even if you commit disrespect, I cannot directly punish you.”

This clearly contrasts with Luminus and Mora. Unlike the divine twins, Hirt cannot strike with lightning or deliberately inflict divine punishment.

Even if she did, it’s uncertain whether she would actually deliver punishment, and its intensity would be completely unpredictable.

However, Hirt’s statement wasn’t meant to suggest that disrespect was acceptable, but rather to ask Arwen to be at ease.

Arwen seemed to understand this, as she cautiously raised her head. Her cautious demeanor resembled that of a squirrel.

Hirt found her adorable and smiled gently again.

Though she said we could be comfortable, one can’t help but show respect to a deity.

“By the way, it took you a long time to come here. Did you not want to see me?”

Turning away from Arwen, Hirt addressed me. Despite her benevolent voice, her tone was somewhat grumbling.

It felt like a mix of Luminus and Mora. I answered with a more relaxed heart than before.

“It just happened that way. Unlike the other two, you’re harder to meet, Lady Hirt.”

“That’s true. Even if you built a temple, it wouldn’t have much effect.”

Hirt nodded, seemingly accepting my excuse.

Like the other two deities, she has temples, but they don’t have much effect. They only serve for simple rituals and don’t receive divine power.

As I mentioned before, to receive Hirt’s help, one must rely on shamanic powers like rain rituals. Therefore, temples are more symbolic, like in my previous life.

“Now that we’ve met, it doesn’t matter. Child.”

“Yes.”

“Is this world livable for you? Adaptation itself might have been easy, but the common sense must have been quite challenging.”

I was about to answer that I was fine, but I glanced at Arwen. I’m not sure if Hirt did it intentionally or if, as a creator deity, she felt no need to be cautious.

Because that question essentially ‘confirmed’ that I came from another world. And Arwen was currently suspecting that I came from a different world.

The moment that suspicion turned into certainty, her strong reaction was inevitable.

Sure enough, as soon as Arwen heard Hirt’s question, she opened her eyes wide and looked at me.

Her rabbit-like wide eyes contained a mix of shock, surprise, and various other emotions.

“Oh dear. Should I not have said that?”

Hirt, belatedly realizing her slip, covered her mouth with both hands. Judging by her wide eyes, it seemed like an unintentional mistake rather than deliberate.

But words once spoken cannot be taken back. Since Arwen was already suspicious, the impact wasn’t too severe.

Moreover, I plan to write about my previous life after the conclusion, so this can be considered an early revelation.

“No, it’s fine. Arwen was already somewhat expecting it.”

“S-So… you really…”

“If you dislike it, I can turn back time. Or erase memories if necessary.”

Regardless of Arwen’s shock, Hirt made a proposal befitting a creator deity. But neither option appealed to me, so I shook my head.

Since it’s come to this, let’s talk comfortably. I faced Hirt’s large face and spoke at ease.

“I decline. Thanks to the consideration of you and the other two, I’m living a happy life. I’m enjoying unprecedented honor and have connected with women I love.”

“That’s a relief. If you had lived unhappily, we would have felt guilty.”

Due to a troll by devil worshippers, a soul from Earth crossed over to this world.

According to Luminus, it was an act against the ‘reincarnation’ cycle in Buddhism, causing an uproar among Earth’s gods.

But for me, it was a blessing in disguise. In my previous life, I was just an ordinary web novelist who lived disconnected from society.

After losing my parents in an accident, I closed off my heart.

Despite having common sense from my previous life, this might be why I accept various women so easily.

“Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“Is there nothing more from you, Lady Hirt?”

“My reason for meeting you is simple. I just wanted to see you. Plus, there’s something I need to do, but I’ll save that for the end. Feel free to ask anything.”

“Then…”

There is one thing. I originally intended to ask Luminus or Mora directly, but since the person in question is right in front of me, it should be fine.

“When I tried to name this world, you stopped me, Lady Hirt. Why was that?”

The iconic scene where Xenon shouts the world’s name to boost allies’ morale. Just as I was about to decide on that name, Hirt deliberately caused an earthquake.

At first, I thought it was simply out of embarrassment, but thinking again, that’s definitely not it. Causing an earthquake just for that doesn’t make sense.

“That’s an unwritten rule among us gods. Don’t name the world after yourself. Just doing that can monopolize divine power.”

“Even for you, the goddess of nature and creator?”

“Precisely because I am nature. If nature’s power becomes too strong, it becomes difficult for people to live. Imagine storms raging every day, lightning pouring down like rain, and volcanoes erupting at every opportunity. Moreover, being nature itself, I can’t even control it.”

“Oh…”

It’s not so much terrifying as it is impressive. So that’s what happens when nature consumes divine power. I must remember this.

Come to think of it, even the supreme gods in mythology didn’t derive the world’s name from their own names. To think such a reason was hidden behind it is fascinating.

I now understand why Hirt deliberately caused an earthquake. If such a name had appeared in the Biography of Xenon, Hirt would surely have monopolized divine power.

I nodded in admiration. Then, rather than deriving from gods’ names, it would be better for me to create one myself.

“Do you have any other questions? I’ll answer everything I can.”

“Can the others manifest like you, Lady Hirt? It seems you’ve borrowed the power of the World Tree…”

“It’s possible, but I told them not to come.”

“Why is that?”

I wanted to see them at least once. Especially Mora, wondering if she resembles Cecilly.

Hirt smiled at my question and answered kindly.

“You might be fine, but this child would struggle.”

“M-Me?”

Pointing at Arwen. Arwen was taken aback when she was singled out.

“Yes. You don’t have enough divine power like this child. You’re already sweating cold sweat, and if my children came too, you’d faint.”

“Cold sweat? Huh?”

At Hirt’s words, Arwen finally wiped her cheek with her hand.

Though Hirt borrowed the World Tree’s power, a god is still a god. Unknowingly consuming mental strength, Arwen was sweating profusely.

If Luminus and Mora had appeared in this state, she would have fainted from the pressure. Thanks to this, I realized how abundant my divine power is.

“Anything else?”

“Do I need to visit the World Tree every time to talk with you like this, Lady Hirt?”

“That would be the most convenient. I could possess Leona, but that would be hard on her.”

“How hard?”

“She’d suffer from divine fever for a week. It wouldn’t matter once she gets used to it, but you’re not that kind of person, are you?”

Of course not. Rather than making Leona sick, I’d prefer to visit the World Tree directly.

“I understand. I’ll visit frequently from now on.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll ask my children to convey my intentions. And since it’s also burdensome for the World Tree, please restrain yourself as much as possible.”

To think even the World Tree, which drove away demons, feels burdened. Even meeting like this is difficult.

Then why did Hirt manifest in person? Luminus and Mora communicated through voice alone, so I wonder why she went to such lengths.

As I was about to voice this question, Hirt, as if reading my thoughts, gave a warm smile.

A smile that brings comfort just by looking at it. It feels as comfortable as lying on thick wool.

“Child.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you so much for saving our world from crisis.”

After expressing her gratitude, Hirt extended both hands towards me. I didn’t react as she took action.

She supported my bottom with one hand and my back with the other, bringing me close to her face.

This brought us to eye level, and I faced her beautiful face directly.

Her star-like twinkling eyes were unfathomably deep, making them somewhat frightening.

As I felt overwhelmed, like facing the universe head-on, unable to take any action, Hirt gently closed her eyes and began to recite quietly.

[The Mother of All and Goddess of Nature declares…]

Unlike before, Hirt’s voice amplified greatly. It didn’t reach my ears but resonated within my mind.

It’s different from what Luminus and Mora did. Each word feels like a dagger piercing my mind.

Just as my mind began to blur, as if being hypnotized, Hirt continued.

[May the blessing of pure nature be upon you.]

With those words, Hirt brought me closer to her face.

*Smooch*

She kissed me lightly. However, due to her size, her lips enveloped my entire face.

The kiss from the goddess of nature was… strange. There was clearly contact, but no sensation afterward.

But more than that, I was dumbfounded. I had no idea what Hirt had done to me.

“…Lady Hirt?”

“Hehe.”

When I asked with a bewildered expression, Hirt laughed benevolently and straightened her bent knees.

Just straightening her knees exuded a majestic feeling, like a great mountain range stirring.

“I’m sorry to my children, but this seems to be the only way to stop their fight.”

“…”

“Please continue to work hard for this world.”

*Flash!*

With those words, Hirt instantly turned into particles of light and disappeared. The light particles rose to the sky and then dispersed into the air.

I stared blankly at the scene, then suddenly shifted my gaze to where Hirt had been.

In the spot where she had crouched, a single ‘seed’ remained.

It was definitely not an ordinary seed; it was much larger than an adult male’s fist.

“…”

Could it be.