Chapter 259 - What If (7)

“... Were the primeval beasts not born alongside the world?”

[That's right. We were born alongside the world.]

“Then this Creator...”

[God made us when He made the world.]

Ekua fell silent for a moment at this sudden revelation. [God really exists?] The Mountain Lord, who had just learned the secret of his Ancestor's birth, reacted much the same way.

“I thought that was nonsense the outsiders insisted on...”

[Well, that's understandable. You didn't live through the age of myth, and the records from that time haven't been properly passed down.]

“Then our faith has been committing blasphemy all this time...”

Faced with this bombshell while they were in the middle of seeing someone off, Ekua tried his best to compose himself. It was not easy. His composure deserted him, and his true feelings slipped out before he barely managed to trail off.

[Don't worry about that. He is impartial death and unequal life, the benevolent forest and the cruel sea. He won't concern Himself with every little thing and label it blasphemy.]

“But...”

[I said it's fine.]

Noticing his distress, Yukkwi patted his arm with a flipper.

[All He cares about in the first place is the world's continued existence. How its creatures live, what they worship and follow—He doesn't care in the slightest, so long as they don't try to destroy the world. So don't worry too much. Borrowing trouble isn't good for you.]

“... I see.”

But those pats could not fully soothe Ekua's conflicted feelings. The boy's eyes grew somber.

“When I read the Order's scripture to understand the outside world, I found its explanation for tolerating idolatry absurd... But it seems there was some basis for it after all.”

[Hm? What did they write?]

“Their scripture says, ‘Since everything in this world was made by God, even worshipping His creations ultimately amounts to praising His greatness.’ Therefore, there is no need to persecute idol worship.”

When he had first read it, he had thought, ‘Do those outsiders have no idea what respect is? They're belittling other people's faith!’ But now that Yukkwi had confirmed God's existence, things were rather different.

[Uh... It's not wrong. Not wrong, at least.]

Astonishingly, it seemed the writing had been based on fact. Ekua felt oddly resentful.

[More precisely, it's that He couldn't care less whom you believe in or revere, as long as the world endures and the object of your faith belongs to this world's order... But it amounts to the same thing.]

“I see...”

[Huh? Is that all right for a god?]

[Why wouldn't it be? Human belief and His existence are two separate matters.]

Yukkwi's words left both Ekua and the Mountain Lord a little shaken. They wouldn't deny something said by Yukkwi himself, of all beings... But having a foundation of their lives broken apart and reassembled brought an indescribable pain.

[Then the reason demons are persecuted, too... ?]

[Is because they're not creatures of this world.]

[Hmm. Then, Ancestor, shouldn't the Temple accept Sir Knight? He doesn't worship demons, and he's working to keep the world alive. With the generosity you mentioned, I'd think he'd fall within what's allowed.]

Still, the Mountain Lord quickly recovered from the shock. He could do so because, though he was served and was the object of their faith, he had no attachment to ruling over them.

[There are several answers I could give to that... But first, let's correct a misconception.]

[Huh?]

[Our God is not generous. He lets idolatry and denial of His existence pass because they aren't worth responding to, not because He is truly merciful.]

[Uh... ?]

[As I said earlier, He is impartial death and unequal life, the benevolent forest and the cruel sea. Another name for Him is ‘nature.’]

But the truths that kept pouring forth were heavier still.

[Think about it. What could be more ridiculous than demanding mercy from nature? Nature doesn't accommodate living creatures. Living creatures adapt to nature.]

Yukkwi finally silenced them both completely. He didn't seem particularly happy himself.

[And God is mistreating the Demon Knight? That's wrong, too. He has neither eyes nor ears. He simply embraces what belongs to the order and rejects what does not—in other words, what carries energy from outside. Just as He unfairly grants death to a beggar who has struggled desperately to survive and a long life to a rich man who has trampled others underfoot, He takes no account of individual deeds. Look at us, for that matter. If He cared about us, would the others have fallen to corruption?]

Indeed, if the God Yukkwi knew was such a being, the Demon Knight had all the more reason to look after himself. He alone could take care of himself, so he needed to do so all the more.

[But doesn't He listen to the Order's prayers? When they pray hard, He gives them more divine power.]

[You fool. It doesn't work by Him listening and answering the way we do. If God is a well, humans lower buckets called prayers and draw up as much divinity as they can handle.]

“... Then they weren't chosen by God, as people say?”

[The Hero is the only being He chooses personally and watches over continually. The rest have merely manifested that trait, whether acquired or innate.]

“How can...”

[In any case, wish for good luck rather than pray to God. He will never answer your prayers, so put your hopes in fate instead.]

In this world, the Demon Knight's only absolute ally was himself.

[In this world, fate is a realm even God cannot touch.]

Yes. Only he could save himself.

“... I shall have to insist that Sir Knight stay a little longer.”

And yet...

“But before that, I will go see Aori. There are a few things I need to gather.”

Even if they could not save him, surely they could at least help.

* * *

The Inquisitor moved her limbs mechanically, healing people and helping those around her.

One flash of light closed external wounds; another healed internal injuries, brightening people's faces. These were God's miracles, bestowed through her.

『And— the one who has lo— the way...』

Yes. This was power she wielded on His behalf.

『The one who has lo— the way...』

Power she had always wielded on His behalf.

『...』

And power she must continue to wield

on His behalf.

“Why?”

But.

But...

“Why... ?”

The Inquisitor felt her knees buckle. It wasn't because her legs lacked strength, nor because anything was wrong with her health.

“Priest?”

“O God, why...”

Only one thing had broken.

“Why...”

Her heart.

* * *

“Just two weeks! Please stay just two more weeks!”

[Two weeks! Two weeks!]

I had been trying every possible means of radically changing my appearance, from cutting my mouth to drawing on tattoos. Then the Great Chief sneaked over on the Mountain Lord and begged as though clinging to my trouser leg. The Mountain Lord had even wound his tail around my body.

“... One week.”

“No, two! I will not compromise!”

“Do I look willing to compromise?”

“... Two weeks!”

Seriously, what was with these two? I lowered my head, determined to firmly reject the clingy boy and snake this time.

“...”

“...”

Watery eyes gazed up at me.

“...”

“...”

Y-you think using Baby-Doll Eyes will lower my Attack? You think using Charm with those cheeks still round with baby fat will drop my Attack by two stages?!

“... Wh-what?”

... You sly, devious child! You're so diligent about fulfilling your duties as Great Chief the rest of the time, so why do you only pull the child card on me... !

“I won't ask for anything more. Won't you stay just two more weeks?”

But every child had a legitimate right to be spoiled like this. And as an adult, I had a duty to let myself be swayed.

“... Promise me. Two weeks, and then no more stubborn demands.”

“Yes!”

[Hooray!!]

“And take this with you when you leave.”

“What is it?”

“Look when you get back. And you, let go with that tail.”

[Oh, all right.]

I sighed faintly at the sight of the Great Chief's flushed cheeks now that I seemed to have given my conditional consent.

I had finally delivered the three million gal for the wig—I'd added a little extra for everything they'd done for me—but... was accepting this proposal really the right thing to do? The child had begged me first, but was it right for me to keep staying here?

The longer I stayed, the greater the danger of them getting caught up in this. Was it really right to turn a blind eye when I knew that?

“Oh, and... I told the priestesses I would be touring the forest with the Mountain Lord today. So...”

I wondered whether, as an adult, I ought to indulge the child, or whether being an adult meant I should prevent the danger he might face.

“Could I... stay here with you today?”

But the answer did not come easily. It couldn't.

“... All right.”

Adults knew loneliness, too.

Enough to give in even when they knew they shouldn't.

[Aww. Whenever I ask, you're always telling me to go home. Why does the kid get a pass? Isn't this unfair treatment?]

“Quiet.”

[Whiiine.]

“Haha... Oh, right. Benefactor, the priestesses packed me some food. Would you like to share it?”

At the Great Chief's words, I pressed my parched lips together.

Once I left the Great Forest, once I went beyond these woods, would I ever hear words like that again? With Disguise's penalties preventing me from staying long in cities or villages, or finding companions for the road, would anyone say that to me again?

“Oh, I don't mean right now... I meant we could eat together at your usual mealtime. I asked the priestesses to pack more than usual. I brought a great deal, so there should be enough... Probably... ?”

It would be difficult. Very difficult. Unless I returned here, and unless they still had affection left to spare for me then, it would be all but impossible.

“... Would you rather not?”

So it was inevitable that things would turn out this way. When a hard road is unavoidable, wanting to put it off as long as possible is only natural.

“No. Let's eat together.”

Unable even to smile, I reached toward the top of the boy's head.

Was it all right to do this to the ruler of this region? Wasn't it rude to pat him without permission? The sudden thought made my hand hesitate.

The boy rose onto his toes, bringing the crown of his head lightly against my hand where it hovered awkwardly above him. Casting aside his position as Great Chief, Ekua beamed like an ordinary child. [Whiiiine.] Only one snake, convinced he was being discriminated against, was complaining for no reason.

“... When did you have breakfast?”

Meanwhile, my briefly frozen fingers began stroking his hair. Whenever I was about to stop, the boy would nuzzle into my hand, making it hard to pull away.

“Just as the sun rose.”

He certainly got up early...

I glanced at the sun, which was almost overhead. For the record, the dense forest kept its light from piercing my eyes.

“Let's eat now.”

“Yes!”

I'd had a rather late breakfast... but my line of work was physical. In other words, the more calories I consumed, the better.

So I decided it was all for the best and got ready to eat. The Mountain Lord, who had been half ignored for a while now, looked mightily sulky, but tossing him an apple quickly cheered him up. I wondered whether he realized it was an apple he'd grown himself.

“These are the lunch boxes.”

“... Lunch?”

“I brought dinner separately.”

No... that wasn't what I meant.

Looking at the seven enormous lunch boxes, I couldn't help making a peculiar face. Sure, the Great Chief had asked them to pack a little extra, but did they have to go this far... ? How much could that little child possibly eat?

“The Mountain Lord said he wanted a taste.”

[I don't actually intend to eat any. Those tiny things wouldn't even cleanse my palate.]

Fortunately, my suspicions didn't last long. Noticing my confusion, the boy and the Mountain Lord hastily explained with sheepish expressions. It was quite convincing. Each box looked too big for even an adult with an average appetite to finish, but that was nothing compared to his bulk.

“This is fried rice, this is porridge, and this...”

Ekua opened the lids one by one. The rich scent of spices used only here rose from soups and broths, stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, curry, stir-fried noodles, and several grilled dishes.

“I had no excuse to ask them to leave out the meat, so I couldn't. I'm sorry...”

“It's fine.”

What are you talking about? With a growing child here, meat was an absolute must. Between my preferences and the essential nutrients a child needed, the latter won every time. Even if they had known I was here, I would have told them to include it.

“We offer our thanks to nature, which always bestows its blessings upon us.”

More importantly, that fried rice and risotto... Just looking at them made my mouth water.

I picked up a spoon, eyeing rice dishes made with grains closer to long-grain rice than Korean rice. The boy had just finished his prayer, too, so there was no need to hesitate. My stomach, shrunken from the past few weeks of living alone, welcomed this rare luxury.

The rice, so light it seemed it might float away, rolled over my tongue first. Then the coconut-milk curry sauce, fragrant with chilies, burst in my mouth along with the vegetables.

It felt as though all the blood I'd lost practicing Disguise was being replenished. This was so damn good.

Is It a Problem If the Protagonist Is a Roleplay Fanatic? (Serial)

Author │ Hae Inseol

Publisher │ Kim Juhyeong

Published by │ J-Ple Media Co., Ltd.

Marketing │ Han Jaehyeok

Address │ Suite 204, 288 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Daeryung Post Tower 1)

Email │ [email protected]

Website │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1

ⓒ Hae Inseol 2022

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