#192

Every Host Tabernacle, except for my Callister, is connected.

No, it’s not just that they’re connected; they are a single entity.

‘To use an analogy, it’s like tens of thousands of mobile phones all sharing one single phone number.’

If you send a message to that one number, tens of thousands of phones ring simultaneously and receive the same message.

Even if a text is sent from just one phone, the same sent message appears on every single phone.

Since the albums of all the phones are synchronized, tens of thousands of photos are taken and saved in real-time.

Because they were in that kind of ‘synchronized’ state, the contamination spread throughout the Dark Realm before anyone could lift a finger.

If there were truly only one real phone and the others were just mirroring it, I could just find the ‘real’ one and deal with it, but in this case, every phone is the real one.

‘In that case…’

“Ugh, disgusting.”

Before even reaching the laboratory, I spotted piles of things that looked like a collapsed version of Callister.

The swarms of maggots, which weren’t wriggling, looked like a piece of modern art themed around revulsion.

“Being disgusted is your own loss. I’m going to use those to reconstruct your hand.”

“…Can’t I just trust the restoration trait and wait?”

“Then feel free to melt under Heavenly Punishment and head straight to the Hell of Order.”

I carefully touched the surface of the stationary pile.

The fact that the time dilation rate was applied meant that this ‘contaminated holy body’ still belonged to Order.

“Callister. Can you control this? Don’t absorb it as part of yourself; try to make it into something like a Vassal that obeys your commands.”

“…I’ll try.”

Beads of sweat formed on Callister’s white forehead as he concentrated.

Soon, the stationary maggots began to wriggle and move.

Just a handful of them.

“You struggled so hard just for this? You’re a total amateur.”

“Good job, Callister.”

I patted Callister on the head.

Considering he hasn’t been born for long, it’s impressive.

I’ve never once deducted a single point from him, so it would be shameless to ask for more than this.

“…I can do more.”

“This is enough.”

I placed the maggots on a piece of ownerless clothing and closed my eyes for a moment.

‘Director Columba was once influenced by me.’

Columba is connected to all the Host Tabernacles.

And I can use ‘Forced Persuasion’ on those who have been influenced.

“…Columba. Director Columba. If you can hear me, please repeat wriggling three times quickly and three times slowly.”

“…….”

However, the maggots only struggled to gnaw on the fabric supporting them, showing no intention of sending an SOS signal.

“…Fabio. These are just maggots.”

“I know. I just tried it to check something.”

An experiment isn’t a failure just because the desired value isn’t obtained.

The maggots were clearly ‘Columba’ according to the System, yet they didn’t respond.

‘That means Forced Persuasion follows the principle of arrival.’

The principle of arrival means that the effect takes place only ‘when’ the target hears what I’ve said.

In a way, it’s perfectly logical.

What if Pandemonium wrote in his diary, ‘If Fabio does not express opposition by tomorrow, he shall lend Pandemonium 100 million at zero interest,’ and then demanded 100 million from me the next day based on that diary?

I could just dismiss it, asking if such a thing could possibly be effective, and deliver a hard smack to the back of that idiot’s head.

How could it have any effect when I had no way of knowing what was written in the diary?

Therefore, a contract basically requires the other party to be ‘aware’ of the contents of that contract.

This is a law that remains valid even in contracts with Othergods.

‘But there’s always someone who exploits this.’

They intentionally go missing and cut off contact to insist that the contract is void because they didn’t hear it.

To prevent such cases, modern judicial systems have a mechanism called ‘service by public notice.’

It means that since there were no other ways to deliver the intent, it was inevitably posted on a public notice board, so from now on, it’s your fault for not seeing it.

‘What if I apply this to Forced Persuasion?’

‘Forced Persuasion’ is a Divine Power that can force someone who doesn’t want to listen to my words to hear them.

What if I expand the definition of ‘doesn’t want to listen’ a bit?

Those who cannot hear, those unable to hear, those who do not understand the language I am speaking, and all sentient beings who ‘have been influenced’ but are unconscious… from now on…

‘…until they refute it, they shall be considered to have temporarily agreed to my words.’

At first glance, it seems like an absurdly broken Divine Power, but in reality, it isn’t.

First of all, it’s a challenge just to influence a target you can’t communicate with, so you can’t control them as you please.

Furthermore, a target who was once influenced but is unconscious wouldn’t take any action until they woke up, even if they were considered ‘persuaded’ by my words.

So, compared to the Divine Power of ‘Distortion,’ which twists perception and stitches space together, it’s a very weak and limited power.

‘With the Affinity I’ve built up, I should be able to create something like this, right?’

Huh? Mr. System.

Why are you giving me only one skill?

[SYSTEM: Congratulations! You have created a new Divine Power, ‘Last Word Victory’! ]

[SYSTEM: ‘Last Word Victory’ is a skill that allows you to arbitrarily declare victory over an opponent who has failed to refute your words because they could not hear them. The moment the opponent regains the ability to express their intent, they become aware of your ‘declaration.’ If the opponent does not ratify it (retroactively recognizing a past fact), the content becomes void.]

“What the fuck.”

“Hyung? Is something wrong?”

“…No.”

I opened the System window and looked for a button to edit the skill name.

But such a button was nowhere to be found.

I had a bad feeling.

‘Wait, can’t I edit the skill name?’

Is this fucking System an internet addict?

Why is the naming sense like this?

[SYSTEM: Newly generated skill names are based on the vocabulary database of the one who achieved the feat. Why not reflect on your usual linguistic habits?]

No, my vocabulary has plenty of other words, okay?

Even right now, I could come up with several more suitable skill names.

Service by Public Notice, Win by Default, Dispatch Principle, Absence Special Agreement…

[SYSTEM: Newly generated skill names are determined by the ‘most accurate and piercing expression’ within the achiever’s vocabulary database.]

‘Fuck, you piece of shit System.’

[SYSTEM: According to the player’s intent, the name of the ‘System User’ trait has been changed to ‘Piece of Shit System User.’ The changed name will be displayed only on the corresponding player’s Status Window.]

“…….”

I wiped my face in sheer frustration.

“Fabio, did something go wrong? Is this really too insufficient?”

“No, no. Nothing’s wrong. Callister did great. Callister is the best.”

I patted the head of the pouting Callister and placed the Palbio I was holding right next to the maggots.

And just before I was about to use ‘Last Word Victory.’

“Hyung, are you crazy? Do you think I risked my life to save that thing just to use it as maggot food?”

A string of Telekinesis snatched ‘Palbio’ away.

“…Pandemonium. I’m trying to do whatever it takes because I don’t want to fall into hell with you, so please cooperate. Please?”

“At least explain why you brought out your Halo. Otherwise, I’m not giving it back.”

‘Does a Halo appear every time I use Last Word Victory?’

I’ll have to be careful.

I sighed and explained.

“I’m planning to use a new Divine Power I just created to temporarily make the contaminated holy body of Ledeia my Vassal.”

“…And?”

“First, I have to see if it’s even possible. If it works, I think I can screw over Loclem.”

“Really?”

“I’m not certain. But I have to try my best first.”

Pandemonium hesitated for a moment before returning Palbio to me.

I placed it among the maggots and declared to those tiny creatures.

“Director Columba. If you chew and swallow my blood and flesh, you agree to become my Vassal.”

Of course, the maggots, lacking the intelligence to understand human language, carefully explored ‘Palbio’ and began to focus on gnawing at it.

Perhaps because their numbers were too few, it seemed like it would take a long time just to eat through the stratum corneum.

“Callister. Could you bring a few more…”

I was about to ask if he could bring more, but I locked eyes with Callister, who was glaring at me with tears welling up.

“I’m the only Host Tabernacle for Fabio…”

‘Fuck, I’m not a nursery director.’

Do I really have to soothe my Vassals twice just to perform one action?

I rubbed my left eye, which had suddenly started stinging as if something had gotten in it.

“Callister. You’re not a Host Tabernacle; you’re Callister. My Callister. A special and unique existence.”

“…If you really think I’m special, don’t just say it with words; show me with actions.”

“Fine. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to lift you up high?”

Callister glanced at Pandemonium and then hugged my leg tightly.

“Fabio, can I borrow your ear for a second?”

Thinking it was a bit tedious, I picked him up, and Callister hesitated before whispering in a very small voice into my ear.

“I…”

“Yes, my Callister.”

“…I want Fabio to lick me with his tongue. Thoroughly.”

“…….”

‘Am I some kind of mother cat?’

Well, I mean, I can understand it if I try.

Given the achievements and all, my ‘Affinity’ was ultimately built with my tongue and mouth.

If a right-handed swordsman were revered as a god or a Saint, the most valuable Sacred Relic would be the right hand, and if a statue were made, everyone would touch the right hand to pray for a Blessing.

‘But if you put it that way, shouldn’t the praise I give be the most valuable?’

“What? Lick you? Fuck, what are you talking about?”

“Why are you eavesdropping! You uncouth boor with no manners!”

“I can hear you perfectly, so what? I’ve got great hearing.”

“Fine. I can do that much.”

“Hyung!”

I set Callister down and licked the back of my left hand.

“…Fabio, please gently bite my finger with your molars too.”

‘He’s asking for all sorts of things.’

As I nibbled on the finger as told, Callister shouted.

“There! Right there!”

“Here?”

“Yes. Fabio, you have a cavity there. If you hold it for a moment, I’ll treat it.”

“Uh… thanks?”

Hmm. I didn’t even know I had a cavity.

After pulling my finger out, the inside of my mouth felt quite refreshed.

It seems the high-performance biomass processor also has a biofilm removal effect.

‘At this rate, I could just use my finger when I brush my teeth from now on.’

Since toothbrushes hadn’t been invented yet, I had been brushing with salt on coarse linen.

Not bad.

“…….”

“Why that face? I just treated your cavity.”

“…Hyung is an idiot.”

‘I think you’re the bigger idiot for not knowing how precious a painless cavity treatment is.’

Anyway, thanks to a revitalized Callister waking up and bringing five times as many maggots as before, Palbio was decomposed quite quickly.

[SYSTEM: ‘Columba? (contaminated holy body of Ledeia)’ has become your Vassal.]

Good.

It seems they’ve eaten enough.

I thought it might not work, but…

“Gwaaaah! Fuck, what! Why are these things suddenly moving!”

“Because they’re my Vassals now.”

Beings outside of Order can move even when the tutorial emergency life-saving device is active.

Andrea, the Servant of the Twisted One, did.

And so does Callister, my Vassal.

Therefore, all ‘Host Tabernacles’ will also be free from the time dilation rate from the moment they become my Vassals.

If there’s one problem…

“…Why are they clumping together into one right now?”

“Gwaaaah! I’m fucking terrified right now, so please don’t end your sentences with questions! Just tell me it’s all part of the plan!”

Columba should still be in a state of ‘isolation,’ right?

No, rather than Columba, that’s…

“…They’re trying to imitate. Fabio fed them his own arm.”

“What?”

“Since the connection with Ledeia was severed, they only have the instincts of insects left. They’re filled with the desire to eat, imitate, and reproduce.”

“Fuck.”