Eldritch

 

After dinner, the day slowly comes to an end.
Chiaki once again forced me to flesh craft her a toothbrush and then we played some games before going to sleep.
At least I made her believe this, to stop any pestering from her side.

Yet even if I wanted to do my sleep meditation routine tonight, I'm so worried right now if everything is alright in my dreamworld.
You don't leave a civilization with a religious upheaval and then go sleep soundly in your bed.
I at least have to confirm if everyone is still alive.

Well from my side there shouldn't be any direct causalities.
Some scratches and at worst one or two cracked bones, I had to make it believable after all, but nothing that would've endangered any of them.
However, as I said, they're not too far from a nationwide hysteria and that can quite easily lead to an incident.
Yes, I know, the whole nation consisting of a castle and the village below, but it still matters.
Fortunately, my world is just one thought away from me.

I don't manifest directly but first opt for something like a really general scan of everything.
I’m observing how the pings of lifeforce are moving around the village and castle.
This serves the purpose of checking to see if there are any gatherings or other kinds of concerning movements among them.
Yet I don't sense everything out of the ordinary.
Then I also scan the demon forest for anything concerning in there.

Yes, okay, it is concerning since it's a gigantic monster forest.
Also, some of the pings I receive from deeper inside are worryingly intense.

And truly, this forest doesn't seem to have an end.
At least I'm reaching further and further in the general direction and can't see something like a border.
Only more disturbing stuff in there, which I don't want to dwell on now.

After a while, I return my focus to the village and castle and immerse myself in what happens there.
For a moment, I feel how this must be like it is to have an ant farm before I mentally slap myself for having such inappropriately haughty thoughts.
However, while I learned that there aren't any concerning occurrences this much isn't enough to confirm the state of this realm.
So now I'm going in to gain more detailed information.
Before I physically manifest anywhere on the premises, I check for anyone who might see me doing so.

Once I'm sure that the location is clear from any problematic pings I hop over.
Or whatever else traveling through dimensions might be called.
And nobody's screaming, so that's a win.
Well, there's one person present but this one rather opts for paralyzed silence instead of screaming.
Which is positive in my opinion.

 

"Hey, Eryna, I'm back." (I)

"Y-y-you... h-h-how? Oh my god!" (E)

 

Well, hello.
She looks slightly freaked out right now.
Oh right, my teleporting doesn't look too pretty.

 

"I just wanted to check if everything worked out. Are you alright? You look a bit better and aren't in prison anymore." (I)

 

Maybe it would be too much to say she looks good since her complexion isn't perceivable aside from the obvious.
And the rest of the general hints to her current condition still leaves much room for improvement.
The person in question stands in normal grey clothes in a single room.

 

"The... You...You're still alive?" (E)

 

Did she truly believe that I got killed?
Not sure how I'm feeling about getting underestimated like this.

 

"Well, sure. That was the plan, right? That I leave like this. Speaking of it, did it work out?" (I)

 

Eryna needs a short moment to get her act together before she can speak again.

 

"After your... revelation, things changed. Even those among us people who only formally prayed to maintain appearance became fervent believers in Aureas. They all think he aided us in our time of need." (E)

 

That seems to be an important moment for their development and I shouldn't break it to them.
Things like this can become pretty important and aren't topics one can argue about.

 

"How about you? Are you okay again?" (I)

"I... Well, yes. They thought that I was controlled against my will, as you firmly established. Some spoke out their condolences and I even got a formal apology from the higher ranks for my treatment. I, I can stay, yet they think I should be granted a longer rest period after 'what I've been through'. It feels wrong to take advantage of this." (E)

 

Personally, I think, even if all this was a lie, she had so much trouble with me that she more than deserved and certainly needs a break.

 

"I'm glad. You should take this advice. It's important to recuperate once in a while." (I)

 

She stares at me.

 

"How can you even be here? All of them saw you die! You exploded!" (E)

"Uh, well, that was fake. I literally cannot die here. I mean basically, I am the ground you stand on and the sky above, among other more disturbing stuff. Anyway, I thought this would make it convincing. Also managed to get out the others. Don't worry they're fine." (I)

 

Eryna seems to have a hard time processing what I just said.

 

"E-everything?" (E)

"Basically. I mean, it grew out from me and is still connected. I can do some stuff. But this isn't about me. I wanted to look after you and see if I could do anything after all the trouble I caused." (I)

 

She certainly thinks that this is the greatest understatement since the beginning of time in this world, but is too intimidated to say so.
I still don't deal too well with scared people but I doubt I can change this easily.

 

"No. No, I don't require anything. Your, your plan worked. I... don't know what to say to you. You're a goddess, if that even does any justice to what you are. And I commune with you. Everything..." (E)

"I'm just a teenager with too much power. I can't do much about such side effects, but I'm here to make things right. If you ever think that there's something that really requires my intervention you can call me." (I)

"Call you? How?" (E)

 

I form a tiny blob of flesh in my palm that has basically no function apart from being a disgusting part of me and hand it over.

 

"Ehm, take this and hide it well." (I)

"Wh-what is this? It's squishy and gross!" (E)

"A signal unit. If you ever get into any real trouble or desperately need a way to contact me you only have to squish this thing." (I)

 

Through some odd means, this blob is connected to me.
So while nothing else, squishing it should be noticeable for me.

 

"You should hide it well or someone might take note of it and then they'll accuse you of being a witch and you’ll have to use it for that reason." (I)

"What is a witch?" (E)

 

Right, isolated plane, I forgot.

 

"A woman that uses dark magic. Or a heretic who sullies the teachings of your god. You know, the stuff that makes others want to burn you alive or other fancy, overly fantastic ways of killing someone. Believers aren't the most rational pack on that line." (I)

"But you're our goddess!" (E)

 

Damn, that's a difficult case of religious confusion.

 

"And for the aforementioned reasons I don't want any believers. Please, don't go spreading my word and create a cult around my person to fight those Aureas guys. I still have no idea how they even came up with this, but that's nothing they deserve any kind of punishment for. I just want that things stay calm and easy here." (I)

"But I'll know that this all isn't true!" (E)

 

This again brings me to the easy solution of a memory wipe.
Seriously girl!

 

"I'm sorry, but look, I already gave you all the possible solutions. I seriously can't do more than what I suggested before. I’ve even given you means to contact me whenever it's required, which is quite the concession from my side since it might reach me at a bad moment." (I)

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to doubt you!" (E)

"Ah, didn't I just say that I don't want this kind of reaction?" (I)

"I-I-I'm sorry?" (E)

 

Sigh.
We have a long way to go here.

 

"So, are there any imminent problems that require my attention?" (I)

"Uh, no. As I said, things calmed down. The knights even treat us better than ever before. Everyone's courteous to everyone in an attempt to avoid making others feel bad, fearing it might summon another demon." (E)

 

This result sounds almost too good to be true from my little demon cosplay, yet I'm sure that's only a first-moment reaction.
As soon as some time has passed they'll likely return to their old ways.
I only hope that it will bring at least a minor degree of permanent improvement to how people interact with each other.

 

"Then, do you think I should be on my way? If there's no issue I think my presence will just be a disturbance in this realm." (I)

 

I know she thinks so too, but since I'm her goddess, in her eyes, she doesn't want to openly admit it.

 

"Then will you abandon everything here forever?" (E)

"Eh, no. In fact, I plan to make some minor improvements here in the near future. Nothing big but I hope it will improve people's livelihood. After that... I really believe that your folks should manage to exist here on your own, without outer assistance. That kind of dependence on some deity is not a healthy relationship. So I think I won't interfere more than this. Sigh, I just hope nobody's going to massacre each other." (I)

"If this is your wish." (E)

"It is. And as I said, if you ever have something you really think that needs my intervention you can call me. But only then, please." (I)

"... Okay. And... Iori." (E)

 

Whoa, that's the first time she’s called me by my name if I'm right.

 

"Yes?" (I)

"It was a turbulent time, but... I don't want to forget it. I'm glad for this experience. Glad for getting out of my routine. I think this has some value." (E)

 

That really got me.
If it wouldn't cause an apocalypse I might cry.

 

"Thank you. It is appreciated that you're saying this. I was the whole time worried that my existence means nothing but chaos and terror to others." (I)

"No. I think you care. In your own way." (E)

"Thank you. Then goodbye." (I)

 

And with a thought, I return.

 

"So, where were you, Iori?" (C)

 

Sigh, back to my mundane troubles.