By Zephyria 
The children, accustomed to discussion, voiced whatever came to mind, helping others to think of various ideas.
The first topic they tackled was the most fundamental question.
Does God exist?
“You’re going to meet a god… I’ve… never really thought about whether gods truly exist.”
“Me neither. But it’s natural, isn’t it? In Sierren, the temple is just the largest social welfare organization. If gods truly existed, and you could hear divine revelations and wield divine power, it should be… something more special.”
“The Pope I saw at graduation looked like an ordinary grandmother. Like someone who would study hard.”
“Wow, are you committing blasphemy, Seonbae?”
“That’s just the truth of it, the truth.”
Benjamin, who had been silent the whole time, threw out a topic, and Marianne and Hugh chattered away in their own ways.
I too had seen the Pope… I remembered his voice being grand and his impression being dignified. He was merely a benevolent-looking mortal who dipped holy water and bestowed titles upon children.
Could he too have heard the words of God? Which god was he conversing with? Was it the First Goddess again? Or could he communicate with other gods? What was it that those gods desired?
Marianne pressed Elvin to tell her everything he knew about the third god. Elvin, accepting Marianne’s uncharacteristically harsh words and gestures without discomfort, opened his mouth hesitantly.
“…He is, well, a cheerful… rascal.”
“Rascal?”
A gust of wind seemed to follow immediately. Hugh Benson offered an interpretation.
“He apparently likes to deliberately torment and tease his followers. Some say he has sadistic tendencies… He likes humans, but also monsters… What?”
“Why? Why are you so surprised?”
“…He’s also fond of monsters, so he doesn’t always take the humans’ side… If he thinks the monster is more justified, he’ll just kill the human.”
“…Gasp.”
The one we have to meet is that dangerous?
Ruben gripped my hand tightly. Even without speaking, I could read the worry etched on his face. I heard his unspoken question, Do you really have to meet him?
But the reason I came to this land…
And the clues I’ve gathered about various suspicious events, how could I back down?
Unable to answer immediately, I hesitated, and Elvin spoke again in the Imperial language.
“You don’t need to worry. He’s a god who plays pranks but doesn’t lie.”
“…No, then can’t you just tell us now? Like, tell people to come or go.”
“…I heard he has something he needs to deliver directly, but I’m not sure.”
“I’m going crazy.”
Marianne, who had been covering her face with both hands and pondering for a long time, suddenly lifted her head sharply.
“Listening to the story, he doesn’t seem like an omnipotent god, but more like a superior version of a spirit or a magical creature. Since only Elwin Seonbae among us can hear divine revelations, it seems there are some restrictions on who he can give them to. Right?”
“…That’s right.”
“I wonder if that guy called Owner, who gave a divine revelation in Owen, is like this too.”
Ruben, who had been quiet all along, also spoke.
“You said that all the clerics, and even those who were on the path to becoming clerics, received the same divine revelation. It seems he can only exert influence on those who believe in him… In Owen, isn’t there a specific god they believe in?”
“…Wow. That’s insane. That’s how you interpret that?”
“Yes. The Ninth God… is believed in by a few indigenous people around the Yuil Mountains and in Owen. Sierren and the other four kingdoms only worship the six gods.”
The Ninth God.
I recalled the Creation Myth I had heard countless times since the moment I was born in this land.
There were nine gods in total, and three of them fell in love with a single human. While the three gods fought, the other six gods fell asleep to avoid the conflict. Two died, and one remained, but the Ninth God, unable to revive the human he loved, fell into eternal slumber.
And the six gods, who had slept throughout the gods’ war, awoke to care for humans and the land…
In other words, a sleeping god can awaken. There was no mention of the Ninth God being dead. Therefore, the Ninth God could also awaken…
Suddenly curious, I asked Elvin.
“Does the third god receive offerings?”
“…No. He does not.”
“What? He doesn’t? Sacrifices? Rituals too?”
“…Well, it seems he receives prayers… He just gives the impression that he likes to talk.”
Hugh Benson, after pondering for a moment, looked for a writing utensil, and Marianne quickly took out her notebook and opened a blank page for him. Hugh’s familiar, messy handwriting filled the page with several numbers.
“…For now, the one calling us is God #3, and Michael made some kind of mistake with a contract with a spirit, so we absolutely have to see him. Right?”
“Mm.”
I nodded awkwardly, and Marianne, who had been sitting quietly beside me, chimed in. Her eyes, pulled up at the corners by her index fingers, looked fierce and cute.
“That spirit is watching us with eyes like this, trying to latch onto us again as soon as we leave this mansion.”
“Yeah, there’s this crazy spirit that’s been clinging to me like a curse, and let’s assume the God #3 who’s settled at the destination that spirit is whining to be taken to is kind and foolish enough not to inflict Divine Punishment even if you ignore him for a year.”
“…Mmm.”
“How foolish is he? The follower who committed food theft apparently got caught meekly and just blinked until he died.”
“….”
That… is true.
Is it okay to say this? Aren’t they hearing everything through Elvin? Is a god’s existence… accustomed to hearing a little insult daily, so it doesn’t matter? I glanced at Elvin, who was just nodding as if he had no particular thoughts. …He really seemed fine.
Hugh Benson, drawing two circles over the number 9 he had written, continued.
“And there’s God #9 who orders hundreds of knights and mercenaries to be brought as offerings.”
“….”
“If you think rationally… #3 is the good guy, right?”
“…I guess so?”
“But it’s also true that #3 is incredibly foolish.”
“….”
I thought it might be time for him to ask if I missed my mother again, but Benjamin suddenly interjected.
“My mother is doing well.”
“…Ah, shit. That’s not what I was about to say.”
“Isn’t it?”
“…No matter how I look at this, it feels like we can’t just meet one. The signs are strong.”
Marianne, who had been sitting quietly and blinking, asked.
“Where are… the other five gods?”
No one among them could answer. It was quiet for a while.
I had never had much interest in theology to begin with. It was only after Michael’s strong interest that I read a few theological texts that children could probably read.
Marianne was a wizard. Naturally, she revered Mana Law more than gods. She said she had only heard a little of oral traditions, having never read a single theological text.
Hugh, Elvin, and Benjamin were all martial artists who kept swords closer than books. They just shook their heads.
Ruben was the only one among us who had read and encountered the most theological texts. The child carefully began.
“…It is said that the six gods solve most matters together, so their order cannot be clearly determined. However, according to Gano Paquin’s book,
“Isn’t the proportion of water strangely high? Oasis, Lakes, Rivers, Seas.”
“That’s why water is sometimes seen as a branch of existing mana. Just as mana flows and takes various forms, water also flows with directionality and exists in various forms.”
“…Ah. Yes, so?”
Are there no mountains and valleys?
After all, the only towering mountains on this continent are the Yuil Mountains. Aren’t they called Yuil because they are unique? The mountains below them, despite their names, are mostly gentle hills. Springs and valleys quickly merge into riverbeds.
Ruben calmly continued his explanation.
“Because of this, Gano Paquin claims that gods reside in the Sanctuary of the Sun, the Invariable Oasis, Lake Bivan, the Saras River, all seas, and within the embrace of all living people. But…”
“The Saras River and the seas are too vast, and all people… it’s absurd.”
“Yes. If the third god is indeed dwelling in an oasis, we might only be able to investigate places like the Sanctuary of the Sun or Lake Bivan.”
“To find a way to defeat the Ninth God?”
“…Yes.”
Hugh Benson’s voice sounded almost playful. But how could he not feel overwhelmed? Seeing the troubled expressions of the others, I finally managed to speak.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
The sharp retort that followed stung my insides.
All the children looked at me with wide eyes. Since arriving in this land, I had seen many heroic tales. Typically, the heroes in these stories were young boys and girls, barely adults, with bright futures. Many heroes saved the world after enduring hardships and adversities.
Did reading such books cause this to happen?
No, was being reborn in the first place the mistake?
What if these children, because they grew close to me, got entangled in unnecessary trouble and were harmed?
I finally managed to voice that concern.
“…Because of me, it feels like everyone has gotten involved in this.”
“That’s right, it’s because of you.”
“….”
“So don’t think of abandoning everything and running away. If something happens, tell me first. Do you remember what I hate the most?”
“….”
Hugh Benson waved his hand dismissively. He maintained his usual casual and relaxed demeanor.
“Getting stabbed in the back. Remember that clearly. If you stab me in the back, I won’t let it slide.”
“That’s right. From now on, whatever you do, ask for permission, Michael. Especially when signing contracts.”
“I find it fun and good.”
“That’s a problem, you brat.”
Marianne quickly took Hugh’s side, and Benjamin made a flippant joke. I was deeply moved by Benjamin’s attitude, as if he had said all he needed to say. I wasn’t so clueless as to not recognize that he was deliberately joking to put me at ease.
Everyone agreed that before sending Ranunculus, they needed to call Nadish Haisan and question him further to get accurate news. Since it was late, they suggested resting first, and I quietly nodded.
As they were about to head to their respective rooms, Ruben suddenly grabbed my wrist.
The child’s eyes shone black. Looking into his face sent a chill deep into my heart.