I Somehow Got Tasked With Managing A Realm – Chapter 39

I Somehow Got Tasked With Managing A Realm – Chapter 39

We're already back here, aren't we?

As much as I enjoyed the view of Mr. Flippers' ice palace, seeing the same scenery for over two years was a bit tiring.

"What do you think, Mr. Flippers? Should we redecorate this place a bit?" I asked the penguin still in my arms.

"Squawk? Squawk!?" The penguin seemed to take offense to my suggestion.

"Your ice palace is fine! It's just that- ow! What are you pecking me for!? Let me talk first!"

"Squawk!"

"Fine! Pretend I didn't say anything then," I surrendered with a sigh.

I took another look around the dark room. Though it seemed the same as usual, it felt as though something was missing.

"Wait a minute... shouldn't there be-"

Just when I was beginning to question its absence, a red hue engulfed my domain.

"Squawk!?"

Mr. Flippers clung to my chest at the sudden change, while I looked toward the screen to see the words "Invasion Imminent" underneath a projection of Ferguson.

"That ogre sure took his time," I muttered.

Given how quickly everyone went back to their domains, I figured someone else would've tried to invade me before he had the chance to. Actually, the fact that no one did might be a problem... do I need to provoke them a bit more?

Aside from the anomaly that was Uunga, I didn't think my humans were ready to initiate an invasion. The only way for me not to fall behind was to have someone invade and have my humans fight a defensive battle.

As I was thinking such thoughts, I gradually felt the tension on the penguin start to loosen.

"Oh? You calmed down a lot faster this time. I had to drag you out from under your bed last time that thing went off," I teased.

"Squawk..."

"Yeah, right. How could you say you weren't scared when your head was buried in my chest?"

I glanced back at Ferguson's figure on the screen.

How is he more afraid of Levon than that behemoth? Well, whatever...

"Should we check out that Tier III prize now?"

"Squawk!"

The now rejuvenated penguin and I made our way over to my desk where I quickly turned off the invasion alarm.

"It should be around here somewhere, right?"

The stone statue of Mister Flippers and I vanished soon after I grabbed it from the Tier III prize box.

I didn't break it, did I? No, there's no way. Tatton definitely would've said something.

Sure enough, I soon noticed a display on one of my monitors which dispelled my fears completely.

Temple Upgrade Available!

Possible Upgrades:

Statue

I immediately selected the 'statue' option, which opened another prompt window.

Statue -

After choosing to activate this temple upgrade, a statue resembling the ruler will be placed inside of their temple. A statute allows for the selection of one priest who can be communicated with in the same manner as an Oracle, but they will not be granted power nor an extended lifespan. The presence of a statue greatly increases the efficiency of divinity generation.

Would you like to use this upgrade?

Yes / No

My eyes shook after reading the statue's description.

"... We hit the jackpot on our first try, didn't we?"Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

"Squawk~" The penguin responded to my mutter smugly.

There weren't even words to describe how amazing such a prize was. In a competition where the amount of divinity correlated to an Oracle's strength, getting such a huge head start on its production was an absurdly amazing advantage.

Still, this paled in comparison to the statue's main function: the appointment of a priest.

One of the biggest perks of choosing an oracle was the fact that it enabled a line of communication between the ruler and their realm. The existence of a priest allowed for this connection to never break even after the battle phase concluded.

Of course, it could be assumed that the regulations put in place for Oracle communication would apply when talking to a priest, but this was hardly a downside compared to its enormous value.

My realm developed so much with only about fifty years of communication with Uunga. If I was able to talk to him for even just double that, there's no telling what my realm would look like right now!

Can't be rescinded... so even if the priest goes rogue, I can't do anything directly.

The original description alluded to this possibility, but seeing it under a warning label only amplified my worries.

Well, there's no way I'm gonna pass on this prize. The risk is more than worth the reward.

I selected 'yes' once again.

Priest Selection - Complete

Establishing Link...

While this was going on, an initial group of humans hesitantly re-entered the temple and quickly noticed the massive statue now looking toward the entrance.

Their reactions were a mixed bag; some cowered in fear at the sight of the giant human, a few got into a defensive stance, and others just looked upon it curiously. The human I chose to be the priest was in that latter category.

After a bit of observation, those not petrified approached the statue with hesitant steps. A small ball of yellow light appeared on the statue's pointing finger and shot toward the human I chose to be my priest.

The priest candidate tried to leap out of the way but bumped into another human at his side and was unsuccessful.

"Fignis!?"

"Raaaa!"

Despite the other humans running around in a panic after seeing the launch of light, the priest stayed on the ground and examined his chest where the light hit.

"... Cagnis?"

Priest Link - Complete

Alright- it looks like it worked! That was a lot different from how it went when I chose an oracle though...

A wry smile appeared on my face as I watched the humans running in circles while the priest who got hit just sat there confused.

Should I use his language? That's what I did for my introduction with Uunga, but if I'm trying to act like a god, maybe it'll be best to skip that step.

I nodded at Mister Flippers and began to speak.

"Hello."

The priest immediately shot up at the sound of the unknown voice and he cautiously glanced around the still chaotic temple.

"You are looking really hard for someone so easy to see."

Still silent, the priest slowly shifted his gaze onto the giant statue.

"There you go. Yes, that is me you are looking at. Well, it is actually a depiction of me."

"... Who are you?" The priest hesitantly asked.

Good- the translation seems to be working fine.

The tension in my breath loosened a bit while I continued.

"I am the creator of this world. I have shaped the very ground you stand on and the feet on which you do so. After watching over you all for many years, it is now the time for me to reveal myself to the world."

"... The creator of the world?" the priest muttered, "Are you the one from the legends?"

"The legends?"

The priest nodded and continued.

"It is a story told to children about the man who shaped the village. He could lift trees with his strength and shake the ground with his steps. He spoke of 'the one who built the world' as the reason for his strength... is that you?"

I couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in my chest as he spoke.

Even without knowing that he saved my realm, Uunga still became a legend, huh?

I honestly didn't expect Uunga's stories about my existence to be passed down so reliably, but they seemed to come in handy with my introduction.

"It seems you know of me. I did indeed give him some of my power- without his help, this world would have certainly faced destruction."

The priest paused at my revelation before asking a question.

"Are you here to give me that power?"

"No, I am not- the time is not right. I need to save my power to protect this realm, so you will have a different role. The same threat that Uunga, the one who shaped your village many years ago, had faced is returning once more. I need you to relay my words and get my humans ready for battle."

I watched the priest tense up but nod with determination on my screen.

"What is your name, mortal?"

"... Angru."

"Well then, Angru, will you take on the role of being my first priest?"

"I will," his declaration was simple yet resolute.

"Good. Follow my guidance and relay my words to those around you. Only then can we hand down a world for your descendants to live in."