Becoming the God of the New World.
In a world where gods exist, saying something like that is pretty bold, but it’s not like it’s a huge problem.
In fact, back in the ancient times, there were rare cases of mortals becoming gods, and isn’t this place Historia after all?
The inscription on Excalibur wishes for the gods to grow stronger, desiring a match where they rise to the same level as someone like me.
So, in Historia, becoming the god of the new world could be seen more as a display of confidence rather than blasphemy.
Well, that aside, it still doesn’t change the fact that I can’t wrap my head around it.
“What do you mean by ‘God of the New World’?”
With Modred’s bewildered expression, I shrugged and took a sip of grape juice (real juice, mind you).
…And while I pretended to be relaxed, I thought hard about how to recover from this.
Ugh. A moment’s slip of the tongue, and here I am, stuck.
By the time I shot back the full cup that was filled to the brim, I could finally come up with a way to mumble my way out of this.
Thud!
I slammed the cup down and said, “During the God Slaying War, all the gods died except for the Goddess of Love. The only remaining goddess is pouring all her energy into maintaining the Labyrinth.”
“I see.”
“For a mortal to become a god, many conditions are needed. The most important among them is achievements, followed by faith.”
“…That’s a story I’ve never heard before.”
“Oh, if you’ve reached that level, you’d naturally know about it.”
I casually twirled my hair as I said that, and while Modred cocked her head, she nodded along.
Pink hair is a symbol of being favored by the goddess. And here I am, receiving a kind of crazy level of blessing.
In a place like Historia, where information about the Goddess of Love is lacking, they have no choice but to accept it if I say so.
Of course, Ellie and Benny had expressions that suggested they thought I was just pushing more drugs.
“So if I completely conquer the Labyrinth, where no one has succeeded, and meet the Goddess… maybe I could receive a bit of help?”
“Shared faith?”
“If I become a subordinate god of the Goddess, I could absorb some of the world’s faith.”
I’ve always thought about reaching the very depths of the Labyrinth someday.
Reaching there, meeting the Goddess of Love, asking why I was reincarnated, persuading her not to kick the bucket and to live a bit longer, and if that wasn’t her goal, questioning why she led me here in the first place…
What do I do about all of this?
One of the plans I have in mind is to become a subordinate god to the Goddess of Love.
The Goddess of Love is exhausting all her power to manage the Labyrinth.
But what if someone shows up to help her? What if someone to live with for eternity comes her way?
At that time, the Goddess of Love would have a little more leisure time, and the thought of wanting to disappear might ease up a bit.
Of course, if she still craves rest after that, I would respect her wish… But looking at her attitude, it’s unclear if her original intention was even suicide to begin with.
Naturally, there’s no need for me to say all that. What matters to me, and to them, is something else.
“The Goddess gets a bit more freedom to intervene in the world, the priests will be grateful for the returned miracle, and I’ll stroll around the world freely as a living god. Sounds great, right?”
“Ah.”
That’s right.
Even as a subordinate god, a god is still a god.
And I’m an existence that’s not bound by anything.
With all the gods gone and humanity’s civilization having gone through a reset, there’s no one in the current Pan continent who can stop me.
After all, being a subordinate god of the Goddess of Love means everywhere I go I would be welcomed, not shunned.
“…I understand. You wish to reign as a god in a world where miracles have returned.”
“Reign is a bit harsh. Maybe I’d say I want a bit of treatment?”
“Minimizing responsibility but wanting to enjoy everything, is that the gist? Not a bad thought. If you were to also be the king of the Elves… that would basically mean having complete control of the Pan continent. Truly a foolish desire.”
Modred nodded alone as she opened the door.
“It’s a pity it’s not an ambition to unify the continent or become the first emperor of a singular nation, but given that’s not your goal anyway, it’s understandable.”
“Oh, then wouldn’t that involve war? A lot of people would die. Simply going there would bring the treatment you desire, so why start a war?”
“That might be why Gahelis is not the god of knights but has been chosen by the Goddess of Love.”
After saying that, Modred gave a gentle smile.
“I understand. I will support your goals. Instead of causing harm to Historia, a new god being born is likely to bring greater benefits… However, can you promise me one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Don’t overdo it. I don’t want to experience losing family again.”
“…Don’t worry. My life is precious too.”
I didn’t expect to hear a warning like that, so after a slight stutter, I barely managed to respond.
Modred nodded in satisfaction and soon wore a playful smile.
“I heard you’re leaving tomorrow. Then after dinner, let’s have a little private time together.”
“Huh? Are you saying I might end up in a situation with Historia’s purest bloodline…?!”
“Hmm? I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but that’s not it. Didn’t I say I’d support you? I won’t just say it, I’ll show you with action.”
Modred then made an irresistible proposal, not fully understanding my lewd intentions.
“I’ll choose the aura techniques and swordsmanship that suit you overnight at the royal castle. Wouldn’t it be great to properly learn them even now?”
“Oh!”
That was indeed tempting.
After that, we had a chaotic consultation about my future.
*
After several days of rest and reorganization, we prepared to dive into the 5th floor for the first time.
But something felt off.
“Oh dear.”
I had entered hand-in-hand with my party members, and yet, they had scattered, leaving me standing there all alone.
As I hurriedly looked around in confusion, I stumbled upon a peculiar letter in an oddly awkward pouch.
– You have been robbed of your party members. Reclaim your treasures or replace them with another’s!
“What the… am I even human…”
The 5th floor is the level where the god of thieves is buried.
