LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 657
Chapter: 657
Ganshu, comfortably seated in the reception room of the Magic Church, kicked everyone out except for me and pulled out a cigar-looking cigarette from his pocket.
And then, he naturally cut the end of the cigarette, hesitating to light it while sneaking a glance at me.
“What?”
“I thought you’d obviously say not to smoke that smelly thing.”
“Knowing that, why did you take it out? Want to be cursed that badly?”
“It’s a habit from when I came down to the real world.”
With a disappointed look, he put the cigarette away, checked the surrounding magic, and began to speak.
“Last time, through Erginius, the gods learned the Pope’s intentions. They are dreaming of the absurd plan to bring the Age of Myth back to this land.”
“He’s a crazy pervert. I can’t even comprehend that.”
“From that incident, I gathered the opinions of many gods. If that delusion is true, our existence will be threatened.”
The Pope’s plan is, in short, to wipe out all divine beings.
Any damage that occurs in the meantime is simply collateral.
“So what are those peeping Toms up in heaven saying?”
“They’re voicing their opinions, but haah… to put it simply, the gods aren’t too worried about the Age of Myth returning. In fact, there are more who welcome it.”
For centuries, the gods in heaven had to live as bystanders.
Interfering too much in the earthly realm would aid in the resurrection of the Evil God, so they kept an eye on each other to make sure they wouldn’t touch the ground.
These restrictions had been the driving force maintaining peace for hundreds of years, but they also accumulated discontent.
“They’re saying that once the Age of Myth opens, they can just suppress the Pope.”
“Those idiots.”
“Yeah. They’re idiots. What’s annoying is that there are quite a few of them.”
Human sacrifices? Who cares! We can endure the damages.
If we can reclaim the authority of our distant past, we’d gladly embrace all losses.
This kind of thinking isn’t unique to just a few divine beings. Especially the gods who have been forgotten over the centuries tend to lean this way.
“Why even listen to those imbeciles’ nonsense?”
“Well, they’re still gods.”
There are surely those who think their words are wrong. Plenty believe in stopping the sacrifices on the ground.
But the reason they can’t take a strong stance is precisely because they are gods.
Having fought alongside the Evil God during the Age of Myth, and having spent hundreds of years together, they can’t easily disregard each other’s opinions.
“Erginius once told you that gods don’t die, right? That was wrong. Gods can die. They just don’t vanish in conventional ways because they’re conceptual beings.”
To maintain existence as a god, that much authority is necessary.
The concepts they hold must be essential enough to maintain their divinity.
If those concepts weaken, or if they gradually become forgotten by people, and eventually become something no one remembers, gods vanish.
“During the Age of Myth, such things didn’t happen. Gods stayed on the ground and coexisted with humans, so at least minimal authority was maintained. However, when the Age of Humans began, that story changed. Gods that had slipped from human necessities started disappearing one by one.”
A god overseeing the concept of slavery vanished when slavery was abolished, becoming a subject discussed only in the shadows.
The god in charge of bronze lost his existence as bronze ceased to be used.
A god responsible for a plant that was once a staple food for humans was absorbed under the plant god as better food sources emerged.
“You know it too, right? The feeling of watching someone precious disappear right next to you. Humans? Precious. How could we not cherish those who believe in us? But there’s something even more precious.”
To avoid sacrificing anyone, I’d willingly gamble my life.
I’d step forward, risking my life.
I’ve done it countless times until now. Now, the gods, like me, are trying to gamble.
Just like I saw beyond the monitor.
“I think you’re right. Rather than everyone disappearing at the end of the Pope’s plan, it’s better to endure some sacrifices.”
“…”
“And, it’s time for gods to accept the concept of death. If there’s a meeting, parting must follow. If there’s a beginning, there must be an end.”
As Ganshu spoke, he picked up the cigarette and chewed on it, unable to light it, which made me giggle and laugh to myself.
Ah, so that’s why the God of Magic took Erginius away.
He might have had personal desires, but he likely wanted to create a situation for us to talk alone.
Or perhaps he was being threatened.
“…Why are you laughing?”
“You’re looking like a loser glancing around at the girls too much.”
He might say I’m right, but deep down, he thinks otherwise.
If he truly believed I was right, he wouldn’t bother coming to talk to me; he would have been threatening the other gods instead.
The kid who’s too heavy to get out of the library came here for the opposite reason. He came to protect his friend.
“Haha! If you’re going to drop your pride, at least do it right! You don’t seem too desperate.”
“As I said earlier, I…”
“Then the conversation is over? Hehe. Good! It was really torturous smelling that stink.”
As I stood up without a moment’s hesitation, Ganshu froze, and Grandpa chastised me.
[Lucy! You shouldn’t take what he said so lightly...!]
“Really disappointing, Grandpa. Do you think I’d look like a villain who can remain expressionless after hearing such words?”
<…Do you have something in mind? >
“I do, but I’ll keep it secret because it’s annoying.”
This is different from all the variables that have happened so far.
The Pope’s insane, but like I said, he’s just insane.
The many things he intends to do,
The countless influences that will arise from him,
From what I know, they don’t deviate significantly from that.
“Hey. Wait! Lucy Allen! Hold on a moment!”
Seeing the panicked Ganshu spring up, I slowly turned my body.
“Damn it! Yeah! You’re right! I wanted you to care about the gods’ stories!”
Of course, that’s what he wanted. You’re the god who records.
Listening to and recording the stories of all gods means caring about them.
Watching the gods disappear over those hundreds of years with a blank expression is impossible.
It’s not a matter of what’s right or wrong anymore. He came to me because it’s become impossible to distinguish that.
“Listen! As long as Lord Jushin is silent, it’s up to you to decide the future! The future of this continent now rests in your hands!”
I used to think Lord Jushin wasn’t saying anything to suppress the Evil God’s powers as much as possible, but maybe his true purpose was to not create variables.
Clumsy yet quietly worrying about various things, that’s what he is.
“So I beg you! Please indulge my childish whims just a little! If you do…!”
As I listened to Ganshu’s desperate and passionate words, I held his lips to silence him.
“What are you going to do?”
Seeing him nodding his head, I pulled a playful smile.
“Alright then. Promise to be my loyal pet. You’ll be my parrot, repeating everything I say.”
If I can steer everything that’s about to happen in the direction I know, I can create a happy ending.
In reality, I won’t need a second playthrough to see the true end.
“Understand? Nod if you do.”
Seeing Ganshu, who had been stiff, nod his head, I chuckled and took a step back.
Ganshu wiped his mouth, which I had been holding, and let out a long breath.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Make miracles. So that the shoddy ones can’t stand it without praising the gods.”
With a smirk, I answered, grabbing Ganshu’s shoulders, who looked perplexed.
“So, you idiot, spill all the weaknesses of the fools you know.”
“What do you want to do?”
“To make them cooperate with a joyful heart.”