Chapter 276: I Will Choose Death (1)

Chapter 276: I Will Choose Death (1)

Life in Helium passed smoothly, and the promised three days also quickly flew by. The day when the danger Mora had warned me about approached. I’m not sure exactly what crisis is looming, as Mora didn’t directly mention it, but because I don’t know, I plan to visit the temple.

To kill two birds with one stone, I’ll also replenish my divine power. These days I’ve been spending hot nights with Adelia, kind of like we’re on a honeymoon.

During this vacation, Marie and Cecily seemed to be conceding, as they didn’t even make any particular interference.

Instead, occasionally, there were frequent instances where the two would look at me with intense gazes, as if their patience was running thin. It seemed like they needed to be appeased soon.

Perhaps because I might have to deal with all three of them simultaneously, I planned to take full advantage of this opportunity. There’s still a chance that Marie and Cecily might try to entice Adelia.

However, the main focus of the visit to the Mora Temple was undoubtedly conversation.

Luminous is similar, but Mora has a particular tendency to cherish me, possibly because I saved the race she cherishes, the demons. She expressed joy at seeing me every day and having her temple erected in the Michelle Territory, where we can often meet.

She also mentioned that the concentration of divine power had increased several times since the demon’s salvation through Xenon’s Biography, so it was probably because of this.

‘So, what crisis prompted you to summon me here?’

[I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun by telling you in advance~]

As soon as I asked the question, Mora responded in a typical Mora-like manner. It feels like Loki from Norse mythology would give exactly that kind of answer.

In truth, it’s not like I didn’t anticipate this situation. Surely Mora had her own agenda, asking to see me three days later.

However, it’s the fact that gods don’t lie to their cherished believers that bothers me. The prophecy of a crisis seems to be limited to me alone. So, all in all, it might not be that big of a deal. With that in mind, I muttered inwardly and then spoke up.

‘Alright. I’ll go away now.’

[Oops! Sorry! I won’t joke around anymore!]

When I really tried to leave, Mora urgently tried to stop me. She should have done that earlier.

As I listened to her pleading, I reluctantly opened my eyes that I had shut in determination. Concentrating, Mora’s voice echoed in my mind.

[I just wanted to talk to you... hee hee...]

‘Pretending to be pitiful won’t work.’

[Ugh. You’re getting more wicked the longer we’re apart.]

‘Thanks to whom?’

[Is this attitude appropriate in front of the goddess of darkness and rest?]

‘If you harm me, as I said last time, I’ll depict you as secretly a devil.’

[Sorry.]

Simply by overhearing our conversation, one might think I’m an impious person daring to curse at a god. However, all of this can be seen as Mora’s coquetry or jest.

No matter what empty words I utter, one flick from Mora’s finger could end my life.

She, who can foresee the future, can discern that describing them as devils was a lie.

To the gods, including Mora, am I not just an adorable little pet?

A responsible owner would shower endless love and affection on their cherished pet, not trample or torment them.

In that sense, Luminous, Mora, and Harte could never be called evil gods. They are very benevolent gods in my view, who kindly accommodate pets throwing tantrums or being mischievous. However, kindness should not be mistaken for weakness. Just as pet owners sternly correct their pets when they misbehave, the gods do the same.

‘Everyone is nice, but I hope Harte doesn’t get sick.’

[Mom says her back has been bothering her lately. There might be an earthquake soon. So, be careful.]

Harte, as mentioned earlier, is the goddess of life and nature. Being a nature goddess, she also oversees natural disasters. If she becomes angry, volcanoes erupt, and if she accidentally gets hurt, earthquakes occur—truly a goddess intertwined with nature.

Although there hasn’t been a natural disaster catastrophic enough to cause a nation’s downfall recently, historical records show terrible calamities causing countries to collapse.

[If the population increases and science advances, the frequency of natural disasters will increase as well. Like your Earth.]

‘Does Earth have a nature god like Harte?’

[Of course. There’s never a place where humanity exists without a nature god. Earth is precisely a planet where humanity naturally evolved.]

‘But isn’t Earth struggling now due to global warming?’

[Definitely struggling. In human terms, the heat isn’t going down, only steadily rising. The increase in the frequency of natural disasters is also due to this rising heat.]

When conversing with the gods, interesting stories pour out. In my past life, I was an atheist, so their stories feel just like another fantasy. However, being an atheist also means there are parts I don’t understand.

That is precisely the gods of Earth mentioned by them. This means, in other words, that transcendent beings like them also exist on Earth. However, apart from myths and books, the gods have never directly spoken to humanity. There were ‘sages’ like Jesus or Buddha who existed, but whether there are gods is unknown.

‘It’s puzzling. Why don’t the gods of Earth directly communicate with humanity?’

[There are many complex reasons for that. Firstly, there are so many gods, numbering in the hundreds, that if one starts, they’ll all follow suit. Unless there’s considerable chaos, it’s very rare for the gods of Earth to directly communicate with humanity.]

‘What do you mean by considerable chaos?’

[Like when holes open up in other dimensions due to a demon invasion and all sorts of monsters come flooding in? But Earth’s dimension is so robust due to the abundance of gods that such incidents are almost nonexistent.]

Hunter genre, huh? But I wonder if I breached that sturdy defense and reincarnated here. Suddenly, I’m curious about why the devil worshiper who summoned me pierced through Earth’s dimension to summon a devil.

If it went as planned, wouldn’t it have caused a major incident akin to the events in Xenon’s Biography? Whether it’s a stroke of luck or a karmic retribution, the heads of the devil worshipers are probably exploding due to my arrival.

‘But is it okay for you to just tell me such stories?’

[We have no problem with you using this as material. On the contrary, it’s perfect for advancing the culture of this world.]

‘Hmm...’

Indeed, instead of a World War II novel planned after Xenon’s Biography, I was planning to delve into similar stories in a sequel. But that’s a distant future, so let’s move on and get back to the main point.

‘Got it. By the way, the story took a sudden turn, but when is the crisis you mentioned going to occur?’

[In about 3...]

’30 minutes?’

Thirty minutes seems both insufficient and yet sufficient time to prepare. Moreover, Mora will respond promptly, so there shouldn’t be a problem...

But when Anna arrived in Helium, the situation took a turn. Anna fell head over heels for the beautiful scenery of Helium. Finding Isaac was one thing, but a new goal of Helium tourism was born, making it difficult to send her back willingly.

For Cecily, Isaac was the most important person, but Anna was also important as Isaac’s mother, making it difficult to handle firmly.

Moreover, after praising her beloved homeland, Helium, Cecily’s defenses had already crumbled.

“Dame Cross is here, but where is Marie?”

“Marie is staying at the palace right now. If Mother wishes, I can allow you to enter the palace.”

“No, thank you. I also have my pride. I just came to check if Isaac is doing well, so I’ll be going back soon.”

Although the atmosphere seemed cordial on the surface, Gartz, who had brought Anna here, felt like he was on the verge of death.

He couldn’t refuse the request of the benefactor’s mother, but if he did it, he might hear something unpleasant from Isaac.

In Gartz’s perspective, it’s an undeniable situation tangled in confusion. All he can hope for is Isaac’s leniency.

“Please don’t scold Isaac when you meet him. Okay?”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I don’t think he’d dare harm Jin. He was just annoyingly reckless to visit Helium as if fleeing. It was disappointing for me as his mother that he only went with his daughters-in-law instead of us.”

“I understand that feeling.”

Step step-

At that moment, the sound of someone walking in the temple reached their ears. All those waiting outside the temple turned their gaze towards the entrance.

Isaac entered the temple for worship, and although many people had come and gone, now only Isaac remained. This was information they knew because they had calculated it, a fact also shared with Anna by Cecily.

Therefore, the approaching person must be Isaac...

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

“What?”

There was no denying the puzzled expressions on their faces. The person walking out of the temple was someone completely unknown to them.

With long hair tied back like a woman and a refined appearance, one could easily mistake them for a woman at first glance.

However, with sturdy shoulders and a sleek yet robust physique, it’s clear that he’s a man. Up to this point, Isaac fits the bill.

But looking at his face changes the story. He looks unmistakably like Isaac, but the coloration is completely different.

With jet-black hair, exclusive to demons, and eyes as red as blood. Finally, there were even black horns on his head.

Unlike Gartz, whose horns grow like sheep’s horns and Cecily, whose horns stretch straight up, his horns protrude slightly, but they’re small.

An aura and appearance that could captivate countless hearts. And to top it off, a black suit that seems tailored to fit him perfectly.

With the appearance of a demon who lacks nothing, Isaac’s acquaintances were dumbfounded for their own reasons.

Cecily questioned the existence of a horned demon without black mana, Adelia pondered the whereabouts of Isaac, and Anna took interest in the demon who possessed a charm comparable to Hawks.

Finally, Gartz... had no particular thoughts. Instead, like Adelia, he wondered where Isaac had gone.

As the demon from the temple approached them, Cecily spoke up as soon as she caught the scent of “peaches” emanating from him.

“Just a moment. You there, sir.”

“Yes?”

The demon male looked at Cecily with a questioning expression. Cecily, meeting his red eyes with her own crimson ones, politely asked,

“Have you happened to see a red-haired gentleman inside? His eyes are golden.”

“Um... I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen anyone like that.”

The man passed by without saying anything. As he passed, there was a feeling as if the thick scent of peaches filled the air.

So, could Isaac still be inside? For her, that demon seemed too suspicious. Above all, not a trace of the black mana characteristic of demons could be sensed from him. In other words...

‘...Mora must be playing tricks again.’

That demon was definitely Isaac. Cecily could be confident, having suffered from Mora’s tricks before. He might be disguised to avoid Anna, but the disguise fit too well. She watched the demon and Isaac moving away.

Originally, Isaac had a warm atmosphere, but just changing the color seemed to make him ooze with eroticism. It seemed odd to call a man erotic, but whatever.

The question now was whether to play along with his act or to speak up. Cecily, despite acting better than usual, already understood every detail. Naturally, she had to struggle to hide the laughter welling up inside. Even stopping her lips from trembling was difficult.

Looking at others, he seemed to have no idea who Isaac was...

“Hmm... This is odd. Just a moment, Isaac?”

Anna’s calling of Isaac was so natural.

“Yes?”

The demon, or rather Isaac, who had slightly eased his tension, turned back with an air of foolishness.

“··· ···”

“··· ···”

“···Pfft!”

Hahaha!

Eventually, Cecily couldn’t hold back the burst of laughter. No matter how much he changed his appearance or the atmosphere, Isaac was still Isaac. Full of gaps and overflowing with foolishness, truly someone who shouldn’t let their guard down for even a moment.

‘Oh, goodness...’

He was so lovable it was maddening.

Translators note:

Forgot to upload before going to sleep