Chapter 9 – Doing God’s Work

Back on God's realm; "What do you remember during the game when you died?" Godman asks me as he looks at Gabril and me. 

"Well..." I started to wonder. 

I was asking to this Godman about what happened to the structures and bases that the player built in the game, but the answer is the same always. "I stayed here to watch over you so I didn't bother to check what's happening outside." He said. 

[There's no easy source of information huh..?] I regrettably thought before he asks me this surprising question. 

"Let's see..." I recall what happened. [Too much has been happening that I forgot what I did in-game before my brains were fried.]

As I recall what happened, the memories came out one after another. "Oh yeah!"

[I was moving out!] I thought as I continue. [Let's see...]

After being the guildmaster of my guild the 'Flying Orcas' all this time, I decided when my mother's rehab is about to be finished I would quit being the GM and have one of my friends in charge. Of course I told the writers and my friends and guuldmates in advance, there were plenty of feelings involved when I announced the news but after explaining my circumstances, they generally agreed and respected my decision. The writers got to work on a reason I quit and me and the others finding a new successor.

Of course I knew the consequences of leaving that post, that would mean losing my historical importance on the game thus receiving less of a pay from the devs. But since my mother's about to leave rehab there would be less of a financial need she would have.  I'll also be making my own legend as well as I go along without the help of Flying Orcas.  

Then afterwards I decided that I would take on a more supervisory role on the guild so I would get more free time, then temporarily leave and go out on a journey and explore the world more, take on quest and fill the gaps in my map on my giant walking house with my... 

[My characters!] The NPCs that me and my friends created, I decided to take them outside Atlantis and have them on a journey as well, they would serve as bodyguards and dungeon buddies. 

I was one of two Flying Orcas guild players making the most custom-made characters in the whole guild, and was to take a big chunk of them, even some of that are floor bosses. So naturally this got me and my guildmates heated. But in a miracle I managed to make them agree with my decision thanks to the help of a loli friend of mine who's the number two making the most characters in the guild, she said she would replace the ones that were with me herself.  

[Thank god for her... Now then...] I thought, getting ready.

The last moment of my life, in the guild, and on earth. [After settling upon the issue of the lost characters, I was already announced to have left the position and finally was ready to go onto that journey.] I pause my head, [Then I bought some one-time inventory chests with Yen and had my characters been put inside them for me to equip....] It finally dawned on me.

"Then...!" My jaw dropped from the realization. 

"Yes Rin, all this time, you have them." He starts to explain. 

•••

"W-where did you get that Mary?" I nervously ask.

Right now we're staring each other down, she's on the floor while I sat on the chair. Marina and Leonon said they had something to do and said 'Have fun!' before leaving us alone in the dining room. 

"H-huh oh these...? I found them in the big room!" She still smiles like nothing's wrong. 

[C-crap...] I know exactly who that action figure-looking stone statue represents.

"Since the characters are 'equipped' inside you. This translates as having them in one of your bags. In this world there is a similar thing to inventory which uses magic bags to store your items in your mind, but few have them and since you also have the one-time inventory chest, you can store much more than what's possible. Also I turned their state to look like stone, miniaturized, versions of them." 

[Shit..! My own carelessness!] It must have fallen off or something when I put it down. Now it's in Mary's hands. 

That's my character. The NPC I made, I couldn't tell what specific one that is but I knew for a fact it's mine since I can feel my aura around it. 

"Well you see Mary, I slept there last night. So that may belong to me." I explained. As Mary widens her eyes in shock. 

[But I will have to thank you Mary, if you haven't found it I would have lost this thing.] I thought, looking at her with thankful eyes. 

"Hmph! You should give back what's not yours Mary! I could have found that if you ordered me too Morus-sama!" Gabril, who's beside me, spoke loud and clear. 

"Shuddup." I whisper. [Even if you can I didn't know about it in the first place.] I thought. 

Mary broke down and froze, looking more like a statue than the one she's holding right now. "O-oh sorry Mori-san! I never knew that it was yours!" She immediately thrust the doll-like statue to me. 

Now I could see it in full, it's confirmed. [Oh yeah it's her.] But it's not the time to be reminiscing right now. 

I immediately grab it, but sensing something wrong, I look back at Mary. "Uhuu... I stole something from Mori-san... Does that mean Mori-san hates me? Is Mori-san leaving—" She's forming tears as she's speaking with such a sorrowful tone and on the floor, I could not help but hug her tight. 

I immediately sat down the wooden floor. "No, no, it's not Mary, my parents won't need me anymore. I don't hate you at all Mary." I look at her messy state. "Don't worry and I'll make you a new doll okay?" I said, as I squeeze her cheeks. 

"Okiiee.." Mary has trouble speaking with her cheeks stretch but she spoke happily just now.

[I'm glad that it all worked... Out?] I place the stone action figure on the ground for a moment and when I look back. 

Crack! Crack! 

The statue slowly cracks. 

"...Eeeeeeehhh....?!?" Mary immediately noticed and started panicking. But before she can even blame herself, the statue's cracks began glowing. 

"Wa-wait could this be..?!" I suddenly remember one of Godman's  conversations. 

"If you place them with your hands, you will free them from that state and they will return to normal." Godman said, demonstrating it by the use of a chess piece.

"C-crap...!" I tried to grab it back. 

But it's futile.

The small statue completely broke apart and what we're left with is a white glowing mass that's slowly floating up. 

It's slowly growing bigger and bigger, the white mass starts to take it's shape as it grew arms and legs, until it's shape is complete. It's a girl.

Lastly, the white mass is not white anymore as her blue, drooping dress starts appearing from her skin, her skin, although still white is more tame than the white light earlier, and she has a metallic platinum blonde-like hair with streaks of black on the top. 

And her eyes... "It's her alright." I made a wry smile as I look at that particular part. 

Her eyes are the most distinguishable part. Her hexagon-shaped iris is yellow, like Crayola yellow. It's a mustard-like yellow that's totally out of place for the otherwise cold aura around her. Her pupils are grey and shaped like a diamond. Overall there's something very robotic about her eyes. 

"...Master." She spoke. 

"I'm... Good morning, Itia Geist." Is all I could say before marveling at her. 

Itia Geist.

An Elemental Xana. Which is incredibly rare since Xanas are tied to the water. I found her severely weakened on a dried-up lake. Which is rare since Xanas would die immediately if their water sources dried. When I investigated further I found that she has been surviving using the mana from the gold and other mineral deposits on the former lake and has thus gained the Earth Attribute. 

But her Water Attribute still overpowers her so she was incredibly weak compared to the area she was in. I'm lucky that I even found and tamed her before she was eaten by the other monsters in that area. 

But I just could not resist training her Earth attribute so I did. After much training I had successfully removed her Water Atrribute after her evolution to an Elemental Xana, her eyes a result of her metallic mastery. She's new species, one of her kind, which earned me quite the bragging rights on World Chat and the ire and jealousy of other players. [...Ahh those were the times...] I blissfully thought as I remember posting the screenshots of her on every forum and the people trying to buy her from me. 

Remembering all that I could only chuckle. "Master...?" But it seems that she notice.

"Sorry sorry I'm just really glad I met you that day." I said while scratching my head. 

Then the most unexpected thing happened, or I think, she kneel down. "That day was the day I was reborn, that day where you saved me while I lay drying on a pile of sediments. That day when you reached your hand out to such a weak creature, a creature filled with rage and hatred as she was abandoned by the water god I forced myself to forget. That day is the day I swore my eternal loyalty master, my go—" I need to stop her immediately. "Yes yes Itia, your loyalty is enough, so please you may stop now." I said, as my face stops getting even redder. 

[...Uuugghhhh..... This wasn't in her script...] I thought, as I shake my head and slap my cheeks. 

[No! Face the truth Ri— Morus! You're in another world now! So don't think of them as A.I!] I thought. 

This was out of her script, normally she would not even respond at all unless I turn on the option to do so. Not to mention she kneeled in front of me, which is not on her animation from what I see. Most of all that speech, I didn't even write about her knowing where she came from, let alone that speech. 

[It's a lot harder to adapt here than I thought.] I look at Itia. [But I'll try my very best.] I smile. 

Even I was in shock by this development, the level of happiness overshadows that feeling by a mile. [Seeing her like this... Like Gabril, Itia is a real, living, breathing person now.] I'm sure every one of my friends will be ecstatic by this development.

[I wonder how they—] Suddenly I was pulled back to reality. 

"....Aaahhhh...." Mary lays on the ground, too shocked to even scream. I think I can even see a white version of her without legs flying above. 

"Mary!" I immediately stood and grab her by the shoulders. 

"Mary you okay?!" I shake her recently but the response was small. 

"Itia get some water!" I shouted, but Itia squinted her eyes in disgust. "...Water?... Blurgh..." She stick her tongue out in disgust.

"Oh yeah..." [I forgot she hates water.] I then look down at the hallucinating Mary. 

"..Maaammaaa... I can see the sky noooow...." Mary is clearly not in it right now. 

[This will take a while.]

•••

Afterwards, after trying to explain to her what happened as best as I could, miraculously she recovered. 

"Wow! You're so pretty Itia-san!" Mary said as she sits on a chair looking down towards her. 

"Yes child, I was from Mas— I mean, Morus-san after all." She answer eloquently, but still not used to calling me by my name. 

[Ahh... This feeling, is this what it feels like to have a kid?] I blissfully look at Itia trying to be an adult in front of her junior. 

Although she is in reality old, because of what happened to her lake, her growth stunted along with it to an age looking to be around the 14-16 range. So she doesn't have the same hourglass figure that regular Xanas have, which she seems to be insecure about which obviously is not seen back in the game. 

[Don't worry you're plenty popular already Itia.] Due to her being a semi-loli Xana, she has always been one of my most popular characters I ever had and with the increase of the Elemental Xana over time, other players couldn't exactly replicate the child-like state of Itia. So I always get sketchy request about telling me how I did it and selling her which I blocked obviously. [But the person herself doesn't know that though.] I concluded. She's popular in a way she probably doesn't want to be.

So her trying to be dominant by sitting in the tallest chair while Mary, who by the looks of it is only a few years younger than her, while sitting on the floor is honestly one of the cutest things I've seen. 

[She must be quite relieved to have someone she can look arrogant too.] She hadn't displayed that in-game but it must be that her surroundings is filled with many things older than her. 

"Hehe let's be friends Itia-san!" Mary said, to which Itia replied with an Hmph! "Why would I want to be friends with you!" She folded her arms and look away. 

"Because I'm Mori-san's friend too! So I wanna be friends with Mori-san's friends too!" She cheerfully said.

"Master's friend....." Itia muttered. "Alright then, for Ma— for Mori-san, let's be friends from now on." She hangs her hand for a handshake. 

"Yay! We're friends now!" Instead of a handshake, she leaps up and gave Itia a big old hug.

"Uwaah—!" Itia is restrained "How could a human—" And their chat ensures. 

"Ha..." I could only watch with bliss. 

"Hmmn, Maria always has brought out the best of people." Marina said while grinning in joy. "Haha! She's the light in our family!" Leonon laughs as he once again drank beer. 

I forgot, Marina and Leonon came back after a while and was shocked to see some new faces in the inn, they even bowed to Itia because they thought she was a noble. 

I look once again to hear their conversation coming to an end. 

"So, Mary, I must thank you for helping Mori-sama out." She nods slightly to Mary. 

[It seems that Mary convinced Itia to call me Mori too.] I thought, but more importantly. [I can't believe that she's acting so considerate towards humans.] I happily thought.

In the game Itia was supposed to be arrogant and selfish towards humans, discriminatory perhaps. But it seems as though she's oddly nice to Mary. 

[I'm not sure if I order her to or is genuine. But still I'm glad that that my characters are not treating humans as trash.] I thought, since in most the novels I read they treat them as trash. 

"Well I think she has the potential to grow." I thought I said that. 

"Why thank you, for you two messengers to treat our little Maria and this inn like your home, we thank you." Marina bows to the person next to me. 

[It turns out it's not me that said that.] It ties into my thoughts perfrctly.

I point my eyes slightly to the right, "Your welcome madam." He bows. 

Mary notices his hair. "Wow such shiny hair!" she points out. 

"Why thank you." He smiles at Mary. 

[Oh yeah...] I almost forgot to mention. 

"Kumo!" Itia shouted. 

I brought out another one of my subordinates. 

"My? What's wrong Itia? I'm only speaking my mind towards Morus-sama." He spoke with a grin, speaking even more eloquently than Itia.

Kumo Kruisspin.

My first ever super-rare catch from the controversial and discontinued Gacha, a Golden Thread Arachmen, which I named Kumo. Very creative. He has blonde hair and sharp red eyes, he looks to be a very attractive young blonde butler or a prince for that matter, like what you see in otome games or dating sims, a very handsome prince-charming type of ikemen. 

But unfortunately he has spider parts attach so be careful ladies. In his human form he hides them very well in fact but when he shows it, he has multiple small dot-like red eyes on his forehead which which is closed for now. His arms are actually multiple spider legs curled into one, he hides them with his long-sleeve suit and also a layer of skin, so you won't noticed them unless you attack it. 

Aside from appearances. He is one of my most reliable and oldest characters I have. I got him while the Flying Orca is still weak and small compared to what it is now, pre-Atlantis era. So he's always been a reliable character to have when going to war with other guilds back then, and has become both a good fighter and good commander as a result. 

Since he's the only great in-game character at the time I made him my personal butler and bodyguard that follows me around. Even when I got more powerful characters and commanders that he couldn't defeat, I still kept him around as my butler, since the image of me as the "Black Witch of Lust Demons with her Bloodgold  Spider's Web" has become a very famous portrayal of me. 

I decided to pick him because he and Itia had always been a good duo in fights, even back in the game I intentionally made him partner up with Itia so the guys in the chat would stop bothering me. 

[But that name though...] Lust Demon. 

Godman mentioned it once. "It's your most famous title after all so it might very well what people perceive as, if they have knowledge at all." Is what he said, before denying it completely.

I shook my head to destroy that thought and get back to reality. 

I look at the two of them plus Mary and her parents talking about something. [I summoned these two out of thin air, I summoned life before me.] I giggle at the thought, meaning only one thing. "...I'm doing god's work..." I muttered as I took a sip from my cup. 

"Yes you are~!" Gabril butted in. [Shut up, I'll make you visible later.]

I go back and listen again to what these two say. 

"Well, I just think that she has the potential to become a great person someday." Is what Kumo says. 

"Is that so...?" Itia is deep in thought. 

"Yay! Kumo-san just said I'll become great!" Mary excitedly said, while jumping and pulling the clothes of her parents. 

"Yes you are my Maria, yes you are!" Leonon rubs Mary's head as she teases her. 

"Hmmm...." Marina is deep in thought. 

"...Well to become a greater being..." Kumo whispers to himself. 

[I heard that.] I thought while grinning slightly as I look at him, which he notice and smiles even more. 

I look back at Mary. "Well for me I trust that you'll become one Mary." I said, as I glance at Kumo who's grinning this whole time. 

[Cheeky bastard... I know what you mean.] I myself giggle at that possibility. 

Evolution and Ranking up. 

I realized that the reason why Kumo and Itia doesn't hate humans as much as I thought. They must have know the story of the game. 

When Endless World Online was still in beta. All players were humans, no exceptions. It was even thought of as a low fantasy medieval MMO at first. Until release and the update that first introduced the Evolution and Rank Up mechanics.

Rank Up is just increasing your power within that specific race, like becoming the strongest human or most powerful elf mage. It's pretty standard. 

But with Evolution, your race species itself will change. Like an elf becoming a high elf and damphirs becoming vampires. 

Evolution is the most important one. So with humans, if you max out your rank, you will choose if you want to evolve and become a different race depending on your playstyle. A tank main may become a dwarf if you max out craftsmanship as a human, or a human fire mage may become an Ifrit, the choice is up to you. 

Essentially all intelligent creatures have evolved from humans. 

So as you evolve, you will generally become stronger, more specialize and specific with your character. There are different ranks for each races for as low as 5 rank ups to evolve all the way to 50, generally with further in the evolution tree you go the longer the more rank ups you need. 

With playstyles not the only factor, but also your Light and Dark points, region, faction, and environments. The phrase, "No two players are alike." Became unofficial motto of the game. 

Of course there's downsize to it, being a rank 10 hobgoblin you may not defeat a rank 1 goblin, so there are players that stay in their evolution and become the strongest in that species and never evolving. 

So the competitions are set in different evolution paths, kinda like weight competition in wrestling. 

So that's why these two mechanics allowed Endless World Online to be the most popular MMO in the world. 

[That's why these guys don't hate humans so much.] Since Kumo has been with me for a long time, he's seen many creatures evolve so he knows that most intelligent creatures evolve from humans. That's why he's looking at Mary as a future investment, to see what she will become.

[This isn't the best way to look at humans but I supposed it's better than discriminating them.] I thought as I look at Mary. [I'll definitely keep you safe.] I determine myself. 

•••

"Done." I clap my hands. 

After we talk and ate for an hour we were done and with the sun already shining down, the parents finally opened their shop. 

When I took a peak through the door there are dozens of people walking along, carriages and wagons stuck in traffic, and the setting up of what seems to be garlands across from house to house. 

"Yay! It's the harvest festival!" Mary happily said.

"Harvest festival eh? Why don't we get going then?" I already have my full gear on so it's perfect. 

"Then we shall go too." "That's right Mas— I mean Mori-sama." My two subordinates agreed as well. 

[It's time to register for the merchant and adventurer's guild!] I excitedly thought, as I thought of the money I can make. 

But... 

"W-wait!" Marina suddenly stops us. "Your wearing too fancy of clothes!" She said with her lungs giving out.

"Yeah, do you think you two wouldn't get bothered and try to mess with ya?" Slowly walk out unlike Marina and he directed at Kumo and Itia. 

"But—" Itia tried to say something. "It'll be a burden for Mori as well." He bluntly said.

"You're right..." I don't have any arguments. 

"We have some spare clothes we could use if you like?" He said, pointing at the door. 

[Shit, I don't have any modest clothes!] The one I'm wearing now is the only one that I can get by, let alone for Kumo and Itia?! 

"Fine..." I admittedly said

I close the door, leaving the fun for later. 

Chaaruzu_Corne