NOVEL NEXT Chapter 41
Chapter 41: God (6)
Putting aside my favoritism toward humans for now, I lightly poked at the name Yggdrasil floating on the list.
Then, the screen switched to what looked like a personal message window, just like various messengers.
Looks like there’s no separate messenger after all.
Sending a message is… well, it’s not much different from the ones I sent to the lizardmen.
Just record a voice message. Well, without a keyboard or anything, this is probably the easiest way.
I pressed the microphone-shaped button and started recording.
“Yggdrasil. Can you hear me?”
[Mom? No, you’re not around, are you? Suddenly hearing a voice?!]
“Well, looks like you can hear me. Seems to be working properly.”
[Could it be, directly into my mind…!]
“I’ve found quite a useful feature.”
If all the kids are revered as gods… I could easily convey messages through this.
It wouldn’t take too long to visit them in person. But still, tracking down the kids scattered all over the world would be a hassle.
Especially Shamash… Unlike when she first became self-aware, she’s kind of hard to find since she just wanders off anywhere there’s light.
Seems like it’s the same deal with Erebus…
[Is it a feature that transmits voices from afar?]
“Exactly. Isn’t that convenient?”
[It is! I’m rooted in one spot and can’t move around to find you, Mom. Being able to send messages like this is super handy!]
Right. This feature might actually be more for the kids than for me.
Since I’m wandering around doing my own thing, it would be nearly impossible for them to call me.
Well, except for Sylphid, who could follow by riding the wind.
“If you have something to tell me in the future, use this method. No matter where I am, your voice will reach me.”
[Yes. If I need Mom’s help, I’ll do that.]
Good. That should wrap up what I wanted to tell Yggdrasil.
Hmm. Maybe I should ask how things have been lately.
“Have there been any interesting developments recently?”
[Huh? Oh, no. I’ve just been passing time normally. The elf kids are also doing fine. Now that they’re hunting well, I’ve been making fruits less often.]
Looks like the elves are growing up nicely. Good to know. Hmm. Doesn’t seem like they’re getting into fights over their origins like before.
Well, after the chaos with Yggdrasil holed up, I doubt they want a repeat of that.
“That’s a relief to hear. With the number of elves increasing, you can’t keep making fruits for them forever.”
[It’s not that hard, though!]
“Still, making enough to feed an entire race has to be tough, right?”
[Not really! Recently, for some reason, a strange power has been flowing into me, so even if I make several times more fruits than before, it doesn’t tire me out. Thanks to that, the range of my roots is expanding too!]
Strange power…? Hmm… Is it the elves’ faith? Their reverence for Yggdrasil as a god seems to be fueling its strength.
Wait, what about me? The lizardmen worship me as the Creator Dragon God, yet I don’t feel this kind of power?
Maybe, compared to the power I have, the faith they gather is too small to notice?
I’m not really sure… but, does it matter? I’m not particularly interested in powers that are too insignificant to care about.
More importantly, is Yggdrasil spreading its roots far and wide? Hmm… That doesn’t seem like a great idea.
It makes me think of that dragon in Norse mythology that gnawed at one of Yggdrasil’s roots. Was its name Nidhogg?
“Roots? Spreading too far can’t be a good thing, can it?”
[It’s fine. Nothing really leaves a mark on my roots. And if I keep stretching them, I might eventually reach where Erebus is hiding, right?]
Hmm… This kid is planning to fill the whole world with roots.
[Anyway, me and the elves are growing steadily!]
Yggdrasil confidently reassures that everything is okay.
“If anything happens, contact me.”
[You worry too much! I’m not the clueless tree of the past anymore! I’m a patriarch responsible for a whole race!]
I smiled slightly at Yggdrasil’s words.
“When you were in charge of the green dragons, didn’t you create a mess back then?”
[Ugh! That was… I was just immature!]
“Confidence is great, but be careful not to get too arrogant. Got it?”
[Yes.]
Maybe because of the karma built up, Yggdrasil quickly backed down.
Ah, right.
“If you ever need a body that can move freely, let me know.”
[Huh? Are you going to give back my scales?]
“Ah, how could I? I’ve already said I won’t return them until we find Erebus.”
[Then… why did you say that?]
I chuckled softly at Yggdrasil’s grumbling voice.
“It’s because I’ve created something like magic. It’s not a dragon’s body, but I have a method to create a body that can move freely and connect our minds.”
[That’s… quite tempting.]
“Yep. If you ever need it, I’ll let you know next time.”
[Yes! Honestly, I’d love to know right now! But since Mom is probably busy, let me know when you come my way!]
“Okay, see you next time then.”
[Yes! Let’s meet next time! Mom!]
That wraps up the chat with Yggdrasil.
And my talk with Sagarmatha was pretty much a carbon copy of this one, so I’ll skip that.
It was just about how her dwarf population is growing, how they worship her as a god, and how she’d like a body to be more mobile.
Well, she’s not one for many words, so we didn’t chat much, but it seems like she’s okay without any major issues, which is a bit reassuring.
And lastly… Shamash, who somehow made it onto the god list.
I approached this child who got listed but whose reason for being there was completely unknown.
“Shamash.”
[…….]
“Shamash?”
[Who dares to call the god of light so carelessly?! So disrespectful!]
What the heck is this?
“Shamash.”
[To call the name of the god of light, justice, and law! Whoever you are, you wish to experience a world devoid of light!]
“Shamash.”
[To continue being disrespectful?! Good! You shall learn the fear of losing light…. mm? Huh? Is this the voice of my believers…? No, it can’t be…?]
“Shamash. How foolish. Young Shamash.”
After my words, Shamash fell silent for a moment and then timidly replied.
[P-Possibly…. Mom?]
“Wow, you’re slow to catch on.”
[Hieeek! M-Mom!! That’s, um, so…!!]
I let out a small sigh.
She was always a bit narcissistic, but it seems that’s gotten way worse since being worshipped as a god.
Who would’ve thought that she wouldn’t properly recognize my voice?
“Shamash.”
[Yeep! Y-Yes!]
“What do you do if you mess up?”
At my softened tone, Shamash responded like a mouse hiding away.
[I should apologize….]
“Exactly. So?”
[I’m sorry. Mom….]
Hmm. Good. At least she’s not trying to dodge responsibility.
More importantly…
“How did you end up becoming a god?”
[Huh? A god?]
“Yeah. Unlike the other kids who take responsibility for a race, you’re being worshipped as a god….”
I’m also being worshipped by the lizardmen as a god. There’s not much difference between me and Yggdrasil or Sagarmatha. But why Shamash?
[Uh… well, humans were very afraid of the dark, so when I shone a little light, they started worshipping me voluntarily?]
“Light?”
[Yep. Since it was night, I couldn’t use a lot of power, but I brightened the moonlight and starlight as much as I could so it wouldn’t be so dark, and voilà, they started treating me as a god.]
Hmm… So, you became a god by brightening starlight and moonlight? What kind of logic is that?
Wouldn’t people normally worship the moon or the stars in this case?
“Then what about this god of justice and law?”
[Umm… When humans judged those who committed crimes, they shouted that my light sees everything. So, I dimmed the lights shining on the guilty a bit, and they believed I was the god of law and justice.]
Hmm. Is that really okay? To worship this self-absorbed and flashy kid, who’s really quite underwhelming without all that sparkle, as the god of law and justice?
Seems pretty risky to me.
If you’re the god of law and justice, shouldn’t you have a clear sense of right and wrong?
[But anyway, I’m now quite an impressive being! I’m totally different from the old me who just sparkled! I’m NOT Shamash!]
“You’re still Shamash, aren’t you?”
[It’s just a figure of speech!]
A tone as if she’s clearing her throat. Seriously.
What a troublesome child.