Chapter 56: North Pole (2)

Chapter 56: North Pole (2)

So, I visited Mangsan Mountain from time to time while creating the afterlife.

Is it my imagination that I see a few people being buried at Mangsan Mountain every time I went? Or were there really that many people dying?

Well, considering the era had a short average lifespan and proper treatment was non-existent, it was probably to be expected...

In one of the cities near Mangsan Mountain, there were so many deaths that one of the most successful businesses in the city was a funeral director.

At this rate, Mangsan Mountain might become completely filled with graves, leaving no space for new ones.

"In that sense, what is the current state of Mangsan Mountain?"

[Why do you ask about that all of a sudden?]

"Just curious. With people being buried here every day, won't the entire mountain eventually be covered in graves?"

Although each grave doesn't take up much space, if the number becomes countless, wouldn't it cover the whole mountain?

[Currently... about 70% of it has become graves.]

"Isn't that well over half! If the number of graves increases further, the term 'Mangsan Mountain' might come to mean a cemetery."

[To the people of that city, it already does... But why do you visit so often? Aren't you busy with other matters?]

Other matters. Well, I'm not really that busy. Yes.

Talos continues to excavate the space for the afterlife, and Thanatos and the dark spirits are helping with that task, so there's no problem.

Once the excavation according to my design is completed, and we finish preparing the afterlife and the staff to work there, that should be it.

The minor tasks... well, it would be better to call them Grim Reapers now. Anyway, I plan to leave those to the Grim Reapers, and I think preparing about three managers to handle the major tasks would be enough...

One is definitely Thanatos. If I could decide on Seres and Mang for the other two, that would wrap things up neatly... but since neither has given a definite answer yet, it's a bit troublesome.

By the way, while pondering over the vacancies for managers of the afterlife and discussing it with Talos, who was digging the ground, Talos stopped digging and pointed at himself with a finger...

Hmm, did an error occur in Talos's artificial intelligence? Or did Talos develop a sense of self?

No, that can't be it. It's probably just an issue caused by various errors since it's the first golem ever made.

Above all, Talos has the most important responsibility of protecting the afterlife from any potential intruders.

Anyway, right now, I'm in the middle of an important task of scouting Mang, one of the candidates for the manager of the afterlife.

I'm definitely not just hanging around or leisurely spending time here because I came to see Mang. Yeah, definitely not.

"Visiting you is also part of my duties."

[Is that so...?]

Mang hesitated a bit in response.

[To be honest, the situation of Creator Dragon God wanting me like this is quite burdensome.]

"Hm? Why? I'm seeking you out because there's no one more suitable for what I'm trying to do than you."

Then Mang looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, [What are you talking about?]

Well, I couldn't see his eyes because they were covered by the cloth draped over his hat.

[How would I feel if the person who ended the era of the dragon with her own hands came to see me who was originally a dragon?]

"Hm... That your abilities are that desperately needed?"

[The correct answer is [It's extremely uncomfortable.]]

Hmm, is that how it is? Well, I might have been a bit too much back then.

"If I make that item, will you cooperate with me?"

[Yes. How could I refuse when the noble Creator Dragon God of this world desires me, a mere mountain god, so much?]

Look at this guy. After making all sorts of excuses. Now he readily accepts because I offered to make something!

Well, it doesn't matter. This means scouting success!

[However, I cannot leave this mountain, so you'll have to solve this problem.]

"Un. I have some thoughts about that, so don't worry."

What would humans think if they experienced a phenomenon where a mountain full of graves disappears overnight?

Wouldn't they imagine a transcendent being in a situation they cannot understand?

With a little rumor from me... I think it's possible to transform the mountain god of a small mountain full of graves into a god of death.

Well, I haven't tried it before!

Let's also change the name while we're at it. Mang is the name of this mountain, so it's unsuitable for the name of a god of death.

Then, what should the new name be? King Yama? Or match it with Thanatos... Moros?

Well, either way, it doesn't matter. It's not uncommon for the same god to be called different names depending on the region!

Ah, if we're going with King Yama, there should also be that. A document listing the death dates of all living things! The Book of Life and Death!

If he's to be a god of death, a King Yama, then he should have something like this!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

One of the three managers of the underworld. Yama. Known as Moros in the west, this god of death is said to have a gentler nature than the other two gods of death, but that's only from the perspective of humans who have not committed sins.

The souls transferred by the king of the reapers pass through the seven layers of the underworld and, upon reaching the very bottom, are judged by Yama for their lives.

Yama is responsible for reviewing the life of a soul that has come to the afterlife through the Mirror of Karma, which reflects a person's lifetime, and through the Book of Life and Death, which contains the correct lifespan of everyone, to verify and process whether their life met a rightful death.

When dealing with souls who have not committed sins, Yama, with a gentle voice, listens to the stories of those souls and reassures them that their lives were not mistaken, making him the most peaceful god of death.

However, if it is confirmed through the Mirror of Karma and the Book of Life and Death that the soul has committed a grave sin... Yama reveals his face hidden behind the crown he was wearing and the cloth hanging down.

Yama, making a terrifying expression that even evil spirits and fierce ghosts would flee from in fear, becomes the most feared being in the afterlife from that moment.

As Yama recounts each sin committed by the soul, the soul in front of him has no choice but to reflect on each sin they have committed.

Those who do not know shame deny their sins and lie, but in front of the Mirror of Karma, which reflects their entire life, and the Book of Life and Death, which contains their correct lifespan, lies will not work.

For such individuals, Yama imposes the sin of contempt, immediately pulling out their tongue as punishment, and then proceeds with the trial of the soul.

Therefore, let the reader of this book take heed.

The meaning of committing sins.

Even if the sin was perfectly hidden while alive, it will be fully revealed after death.

- Records of Observations in the Afterlife.

The author of this book fell into a coma for several days, and during that time, he was able to tour the afterlife.

The description of the afterlife is quite detailed, more so than the afterlife adventures of the ancient hero Rychlen.

Some say that the description is an elaboration on the widely known tales of Rychlen's afterlife adventures, while others say it is a true depiction of the afterlife visited by the author.

However, the author died three days after the publication of this book, so the truth of the matter remains unclear.