Chapter 312

Chapter 312

“What do you think about punishing them?” Ben asked as he walked around the enormous summoning spell, still set up in his god’s realm for him to look at.

“I think that it’s a complex topic with no easy answer. It can’t be denied that some of them are in the wrong, but can they really be held responsible for their actions after the way they’ve been brought up? After what all of their kind had been led to believe since they were created?”

“And I get that, but that doesn’t mean that the people that could have died because they were following their gods orders don’t deserve some justice. This is an issue for their community as a whole. Just as important, how do the ones who actually tried to do some light murder feel since then? It’s been a few days, they should have had time to get their thoughts in order.”

“Complicated would be oversimplifying it. How would you feel? Some of these people went to kill their friends Ben, their family. Being forced to confront the truth of their gods and their existence immediately after that, this whole village is a mess.”

“Well, I’d hope I’d feel guilty.”

“Ha, there’s plenty of that to go around mixed in with everything else.”

“Good, then I’ve got an angle to work,” He said happily, changing the topic before his god could worry too much over just what was going on in the depths of his apostle’s mind. “And how’s the faith going? Gonna be honest, I was hoping to have the quest done by now. Showing how weak their old gods were and getting them to come face to face with you and all, it seemed like it would be a real slam dunk to get through it and finish up my job.”

“Well first, you literally completed five in one day so trying to get such a big one done only days after that is ridiculous of you, but more importantly, they’re still reeling from the revelations of everything they learned. Even if they don’t seem too bad on the outside, don’t discount their internal struggles. I’ve got about a third of the village right now and I’m sure in time more will truly start to give me faith, especially once the ones I’ve already gotten get my gift skill, but these things can take time.”

“Well, consider me impatient with less than a year till things get bad. Frankly, I want to complete master enchanter after it if I can too. How many of them do I need to go?”

“If we get three-quarters of them then you should be good. It’s honestly not impossible it will happen before you leave, you just might need to put some work in.”

“Well, I’ll see what I can come up with but I think things might go pretty well after today so watch and see what your wonderful, fantastic-

“I have to say, I doubt anyone behind you feels you have any guilt to make up for.”

“I helped support the old gods of our village. Even if I turned from them in the end, that doesn’t change the fact that I carry that sin, and I want to bear the consequences with the others.”

Ben gave him a small smile and a gentle nod as others came up behind him. First one by one but in moments as a crowd. Everyone who’d attacked the others on the orders of their old gods stood before him as he now spoke to them as a whole.

“There’s no easy way to say how to make up for this. You were all prepared to kill people, but I can’t ask you to give up your lives for the act. Instead, you’ll be using your lives for a different purpose. Devoting them to the village as a whole. You’ll all be worked harder than anyone else as you try to make things right. Take on extra hunting duties and whatever odd labour needs to be done, and you’ll be paying with your mana too. Anywhere you can see to put in the extra work, even when I’m not here to tell you to do it, take it if it will make the village better off overall. This is to be a self-imposed punishment as anything else. You want those who you’ve wronged to see you're trying to make amends? Prove it with your actions.”

All of them bowed to him as he turned to the rest of the crowd, the greater victims in this whole thing as he in turn bowed to them. “I’m not asking for any of you to forgive them, if you can’t that’s fine. All I hope is that you’ll try and live in peace in spite of what happened as they work to regain whatever little bit of trust they can.”

It was hesitant, but slowly they began to nod and mutter their agreement, with Toltho’s acts at the beginning helping to push things along. If the one that had fought the hardest to keep them safe was going to try and atone with the rest then how could they not give them a chance?

Seeing that things had seemed to work out, Ben dismissed them to their usual work or chores as Myriad spoke in his head.

Yeah, of course it was. Except the part with Toltho, that’s just a happy surprise. Feel like that really motivated the others. How are the results looking?

Not that strange, I figured most of them would want the opportunity to try and make things right, I just offered it to them. Now Sachel can’t complain I’m leaving her too much of a mess.

Jeeze, alright I won’t be rude to the teacher's pet. Now come on and toss some compliments my way because I absolutely deserve them.

Score! Master enchanter here I come!