NOVEL WEB Chapter 25: Epilogue
Parting with the mortals, he moves within the earth veins.
It is freedom he has gotten after 15,000,000 years.
It feels good.
He comes out slowly from the ground.
This is somewhere west of the continent.
Endless lush forests spread out.
But…
“…I don’t like it.”
The Spirits were acting as if they were hiding themselves and don’t have energy.
This would be unthinkable in the times when we Titans strided on the surface.
Instead, I feel the presence of those guys looking down from the heavens.
I did hear about this from the Spirits, but the current mortal plane has changed.
(How truly annoying.) (Noah)
“…Noah-ojousama.”
The youngest child of the Titan Gods that we serve.
The other Titan Gods have been confined by them and the only one pitifully left in the mortal plane is her.
(Can you please not call me pitiful?) (Noah)
Oh, sorry for the rudeness.
“…This time around, I managed to awaken from a long seal… But it was really convenient that someone with the eye to see through the God’s seal appeared.”
It shouldn’t be something a normal human can see through.
That place was also under a spell that made it hard to find.
(There’s no way something so convenient exists. I was the one who called him. I gave that merchant-kun Divine Power temporarily through my dagger. The effect is already gone though.) (Noah)
Ooh, is that so.
But I don’t think he is your believer though, Noah-sama.
Was it the believer Makoto?
Wouldn’t that boy suffice?
(It wouldn’t. He doesn’t have any decent skills.) (Noah)
You really say some harsh things.
Isn’t he your only believer?
He was set on saving you, Noah-sama.
(Right. But did you see that boy’s mana? He runs out of mana after 1-2 elementary grade spells, you know? I gave him the Spirit User skill, but it doesn’t seem like he can master it at all.) (Noah)
(Moreover, that boy is weak, and yet, he charges right into strong enemies, you know?! I can’t stand watching that!) (Noah)
She is mad.
It is rare for Noah-ojousama to complain about the actions of a believer.
Titan Gods are Gods that love freedom.
The Gods themselves, and their believers too.
The current rulers of the God Realm seem to love supervising things, they are forcing their believers to pray, is what I have heard.
I hope Noah-sama hasn’t been affected negatively by their practices.
(I have not been influenced by them.) (Noah)
I wonder.
I can’t say I condone pushing a pure boy like that.
I heard that 1,000 years ago, you used a believer of yours and brought chaos to the world, Noah-ojousama.
It didn’t go well though.
(…I am surprised you know that.) (Noah)
I may have been under the petrification seal, but I was listening to the Spirits regarding the movements of the world after all.
It seems like the only Titan God, Noah-sama, has been doing her best.
It hasn’t shown much results though.
(I failed 1,000 years ago. But I will be careful this time around. I will have the Olympus shits cry and beg.) (Noah)
I can see the dark shadow of vengeance in that voice of yours.
To think you could bring out such a voice filled with hatred.
That cute Noah-ojousama seems to have been warped.
(Hmph, I am cute even now.) (Noah)
Must be, must be.
Noah-ojousama was believed to be the number one beauty within the Titan Gods.
Seeing that appearance of yours, mortals, animals, and even demons would be charmed by you.
At the time when that boy was going to become your believer, he must have seen your appearance and couldn’t maintain his sanity.
He has probably been charmed to the point that he can only think about you, Noah-ojousama.
(…Right.) (Noah)
“…What’s the matter, Noah-ojousama?”
(It’s nothing. By the way, what will you be doing now, old man?) (Noah)
I plan on going around the world searching for our sealed comrades.
(Yeah, that sounds good. Even if we were to wage war on the Olympus, we need numbers!) (Noah)
So you really haven’t given up yet.
But right now you can only move a single believer.
It seems you can affect the people that touch that dagger for a brief period of time, but you probably can’t do much with that.
Speaking of which, you were the one who told me to make the comrades of the boy stronger, Noah-sama.
I got that order from you the moment the seal was undone.
(That’s right, you did well, old man. That boy goes wild on his own and gets in near death situations, so if I don’t make his comrades stronger, it would be dangerous.) (Noah)
Honestly speaking, I don’t understand what that was for.
You didn’t give any orders to that important believer, right?
It seems like he is at least aiming for the Deep Sea Temple you are in.
Though, I don’t think he would be able to reach there…
(It is okay. I have my own plans. Fufufu!) (Noah)
Well, you seem to have some deliberate forethought.
I will simply obey.
“…Farewell, Noah-ojousama.”
(Move carefully. Don’t let them notice you.) (Noah)
After saying this, I couldn’t hear the voice of Noah-ojousama anymore.
Now then, let’s go search for our comrades.
◇◇
“Maan, Takki-dono! That comrade of your Goddess is one great guy.” (Fujiwara)
On our way back to the city.
Fuji-yan was real energetic.
“Now that you mention it, why did you take the finger of that giant, Goshujin-sama?” (Nina)
“Aah, that was something I am interested in as well.” (Makoto)
Nina-san and I ask.
“Fufufu, this finger of the giant is a magic crystal that has unbelievable energy in it. If it is used as a weapon, it could destroy a single whole country.” (Fujiwara)
“Eh? Wait! Isn’t that dangerous?” (Lucy)
Lucy immediately takes distance from Fuji-yan.
“I won’t use it for something like that. But man, that was a really fruitful adventure-desu zo.” (Fujiwara)
“Right, I got an incredible divine protection.” (Nina)
Fuji-yan and Nina-san were all smiles.
“Fufufufu!” (Lucy)
Lucy is holding the staff that the old man giant modified with real care.
She tested out her spells a number of times with it, and it seems like it has become quite the cheat weapon.
It apparently activates the spell just by putting the mana in.
It has bad mana cost, but it works perfectly for Lucy who has mana to spare.
They are all really satisfied.
◇◇
I look at the dagger of the Goddess.
I feel like the Goddess this time around wasn’t acting like herself.
There weren’t short snides like usual.
And she interfered directly in a way as if she timed it.
Moreover, what was deep inside the dungeon was a comrade of the Goddess.
I felt some sort of prefabricated air from it.
I am the only believer of the Goddess.
This is something I learned not that long ago, but it seems someone that can see the figure of the God and converse with them is called an Apostle.
An Oracle is considered sort of an Apostle.
They can only hear their voice.
Apostles can see their God.
Apostles can hear their God’s voice.
If the Apostle worries, the God will give them advice.
If the Apostle gets lost, the God will show them the way.
If the Apostle prays, they can obtain Divine Protection.
It is a whole bunch of good things.
But…Apostles can’t go against the orders of the God.
Once an oracle comes, the Apostle cannot go against it.
They have to perform the order of the God even at the cost of their life.
That’s the rule apparently.
The Goddess said:
“Get strong.”
“I won’t forgive you if you die.”
“Devote yourself.”
These are apparently ‘requests’.
The current me probably cannot perform the orders of the Goddess.
I am weak.
I am an apprentice mage after all.
But…
It should be clear one day.
What is the true wish (order) of the Goddess.