Bab 46: [46] : Being a God is boring
World: Elicia.
Duchy of Brunhild.
Royal Palace.
[***]
"So, if it's not too much to ask… what is a goddess doing here? If you can share, that is."
Karen shook her head, showing a calm smile, and replied:
"I can see Touya trusts you. Besides, the God of the World has observed this world's past—your battles against the Phrase and all the good things you've done here. That's why I don't mind telling you."
Aiden and Leen nodded in silence.
Aiden had known from the start that Karen was a goddess; something about her made it evident.
As for Leen, although she knew Karen couldn't be Touya's sister (since he was a reincarnated soul from another world), she had assumed Karen might be a servant of God or something of the sort.
However, she never imagined Karen was none other than the Goddess of Love.
Without further ado, both focused their attention on Karen, who continued speaking.
"Well, well, where to begin? Let's see… The main reason I decided to come down, aside from wanting to visit my adorable little brother, is that a certain mischievous god up there decided to break the rules. He came up with the brilliant idea of descending to this world without permission, which, of course, is a serious violation. So, I was tasked with finding him and bringing him back before he causes trouble here in the lower world. Although, to be honest… I also wanted to take the opportunity to have a little break. The Pantheon has become so tedious lately, you know? At least Touya managed to make things a bit more interesting for us."
As she talked about the god in question, Karen frowned with evident annoyance, but when mentioning Touya, her face lit up with a soft, warm smile, showing a hint of affection.
Aiden nodded, understanding why this goddess was here.
He ignored the part where Karen mentioned being bored of the Pantheon; that wasn't important.
If a god, even one of the lowest rank, decided to cause problems in the mortal world, the consequences could be catastrophic.
This world was still a place dominated by humans, and aside from Touya, no one else would have the power necessary to face that god.
For the rest of the world, a divine being like that would turn it into their playground, doing as they pleased.
In any case, Aiden decided he would later take a look at [Rasiel] to find out what that god had been up to.
"Although Karen has been in the lower world for over a month, we still haven't seen a single clue about this so-called 'servant god,'" said Touya as he scratched his head, letting out a sigh of mild frustration.
"If that god were using their divine power, Karen would detect it immediately. But so far, there hasn't been the slightest trace. It's as if they're avoiding any risk, limiting themselves to insignificant actions… or maybe they're not using their powers at all."
The so-called servant gods were entities of the lowest rank in the Pantheon.
They didn't have their own divinity, like love, harvest, or wine; they simply existed as servants of the minor, major, and supreme gods.
Aiden could already imagine why one of them might have escaped from the world of the gods and decided to take refuge here, in the lower world.
"So you're waiting for that god to use a bit of their divine power to catch them, right?" asked Leen, casting a meaningful glance at Aiden, hinting that [Rasiel] might be useful for tracking that god.
Aiden caught the hint immediately.
"Exactly! The moment that mischievous god uses their divine power, I'll have them located in the blink of an eye. After that, it'll just be a matter of catching them and setting everything right," declared Karen with a confident smile, radiating an almost carefree assurance.
Touya rolled his eyes, aware that, in the end, it would be him who would have to stop that god, even if Karen managed to detect them.
After all, if she used her power in the mortal world, she'd be breaking the "rules."
Of course, those restrictions only applied in this world; in places like the spirit world, Etheris—a non-mortal realm—things would be completely different, and there they could act with total freedom.
"So, will you return to the world of the gods once you capture them and that servant stops causing trouble for mortals?" asked Aiden.
Karen pouted playfully before responding with determination:
"Not at all! I plan to stay here in Brunhild for quite some time. This place is too fun to leave. There are so many stories of youthful love waiting for a little push, and, to be honest, watching my dear little brother's love life is simply irresistible. When I catch that troublesome god, I plan to ask the God of the World to let me stay here as a reward. It would be perfect!"
Leen rolled her eyes at Karen's response.
While she could understand that she was bored—who wouldn't be after doing the same thing for millions of years in the world of the gods?
No matter how much she was the Goddess of Love and fulfilled her duty, even that could become tedious.
Now, with a rare case like Touya—a reincarnated soul by the work of the highest-ranking God in their Pantheon—it was obvious that something like this would capture the attention and entertain more than one bored god.
Leen could understand it perfectly.
Although her age didn't compare to Karen's millions of years, she herself was a long-lived woman.
After more than 600 years living in this world, she had seen far too much.
Her life, like Karen's, had become quite monotonous.
The fairies, just a century ago, hardly interacted with other races, and their entertainment and responsibilities were quite limited.
Her hobbies, like reading and researching the world's past, could only keep her occupied for so long.
But even that, over the years, ended up becoming boring, leaving only indifference behind.
That changed when she met Aiden.
He transformed her world, making it more interesting and full of new possibilities.
He told her fascinating stories about other worlds, how they worked, and shared knowledge that deeply interested her, especially about the past of her own world, using [Rasiel] as a tool.
Thanks to him, her life became more vibrant and meaningful.
With Aiden's help, the fairies also began to interact more with other races.
Although they already had some connection with the Kingdom of Mismede, it was very limited.
It was Aiden who encouraged them to leave their forest, and with his protection and name as their backing, no one dared harm them.
Moreover, Aiden taught them advanced magic, enabling them to defend themselves.
As a token of gratitude, the fairies allowed him to study their runes, further strengthening the bond between them.
And so, Leen didn't know exactly when she began to fall in love with him.
Even though Aiden had a harem, she had always wanted to be by his side, but she had never had the courage to confess… until now, when they finally confirmed their mutual feelings.
At that moment, she looked at him with a tenderness that seemed to envelop everything, a gaze full of love that he returned, albeit with a hint of confusion.
He tilted his head slightly, wondering why Leen was suddenly looking at him so intensely in the middle of a conversation.
'Is she lost in her thoughts?' he wondered.
Leen noticed his gaze and, realizing how obvious she had been, blushed immediately.
Without saying a word, she turned her head to the side, trying to hide her face, now flushed red.
"That's it, that's it! How beautiful! How sweet!" Karen exclaimed with a radiant smile, almost lighting up the atmosphere around her.
As the Goddess of Love, every heartbeat of emotion in the air was like music to her ears.
"A love that has spanned decades, finally blooming! Hehe, this is simply exquisite," she added, savoring the moment with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, as if watching the climax of one of those romantic stories where, after endless misunderstandings, the protagonists finally find their happiness.
Touya, however, pursed his lips for two reasons.
First, because he never would have imagined seeing that kind of look on the face of the demonic loli who used to work him to exhaustion.
And second, because this strange goddess treated other people's romances as if they were a spectacle made solely for her amusement.
—Thwack!
"Stop smiling like a pervert! Seriously, you're dragging the gods' name through the mud," Touya said, sighing as he gave Karen a light tap on the forehead.
Karen puffed out her cheeks and began complaining like a child, but Touya simply shifted his gaze to Aiden, resigned.
"Not all gods are like this… probably," he added in a tone that didn't convey much confidence. "Although, well, at least the Almighty God is… decent. Though yes, he definitely feels more like a laid-back grandpa…"
Aiden and Leen couldn't hold back their laughter, letting the atmosphere relax as Karen continued pouting.
…
"Anyway, Goddess of Love…" Leen began, addressing Karen, but the latter quickly interrupted her.
"Call me Karen. Here in the lower world, titles aren't necessary, don't you think?" she said with a carefree smile, tilting her head slightly.
"Besides, I can't use my divine power in this place, so I prefer something simpler. Karen is fine… or, if you're comfortable, big sister works too."
Her expression turned playful, and her eyes gleamed with mischief.
"In fact, I could give you some tips on how to make that boyfriend of yours lose his mind over you. What do you say? Sounds fun, doesn't it?"
"Uhm… I think I'll pass," Leen replied with a polite smile, though her tone hinted at some discomfort.
"There's no need. She won my heart a long time ago. I was a fool not to 'accept' her feelings earlier… but she doesn't need advice. I love her."
Aiden said it so naturally that it left Leen completely red with embarrassment.
She was weak to those kinds of comments, especially with others present.
Fairies are shy creatures.
"Tch…" Karen huffed, clearly disappointed that she couldn't meddle in their relationship.
"Well, you really tried to come off as the cool guy, huh? I don't even know how I'm supposed to react to that," Touya commented, scratching the back of his neck and shuddering slightly at the scene.
"Maybe you should stop being so clueless and start acting with more resolve toward your fiancées," Leen interjected, taking advantage of the moment to hide her embarrassment by throwing a verbal jab at Touya. "Honestly, they're the ones always taking the lead. If it were up to you, that relationship would be completely stalled."
"…" Touya pursed his lips but said nothing.
Internally, he thought that maybe he should be more affectionate with his own harem.
Karen, with a mischievous smile and a playful glint in her eyes, joined in on Leen's comment.
"Touya, do you really think it's fair to let your fiancées do all the work? That's not right, you know?"
Her teasing tone only amplified her intention to bother him a little more while enjoying the moment.
Touya looked at both of them helplessly, feeling cornered, until Aiden stepped in to save him.
"Putting aside Touya's cowardice…" Aiden said calmly.
"Hey!" Touya protested, visibly offended.
Aiden ignored Touya's complaint and focused his attention on Karen. "Do you have any idea why that servant god came to this world?" he asked, though deep down he already had a clear hypothesis.
He was just looking to confirm it.
Karen replied with a carefree air:
"Boredom, nothing more. That servant god must have grown tired of their life up there, trapped in the same monotony, always following orders. I get it, of course I do. But that doesn't change the fact that they broke the rules… and now it's my job to drag them back."
"Well, that was more than obvious…" Aiden commented, crossing his arms with an ironic smile.
"If a goddess like you, with all your divinity at your disposal and endless ways to 'entertain yourself,' is bored after so many years, I can't even imagine how that servant god must feel. After all, their only purpose is to serve, as their name makes clear. Surely they came down here looking for something more… maybe hoping to feel special, waiting for someone to adore them as the god they are."
Karen gave a calm smile, one that seemed to hold centuries of wisdom and understanding.
She nodded slightly, reaffirming Aiden's words with a serene tone.
"Exactly. While I can understand it… I can't justify it. It's his duty, and even though he has other servant gods to interact with, he probably grew tired of the monotony and sought some excitement down here, even knowing he was breaking the rules."
Her voice, soft but laden with authority, resonated within the group.
She closed her eyes for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts, while Leen listened attentively, and Touya remained silent.
Aiden, on the other hand, nodded slowly, processing her words.
"It's likely he thought any punishment would be better than eternal monotony. But no matter how much I understand him, I cannot allow it. He can't just do as he pleases in the mortal world and cause trouble. If all gods did the same, what would be the point of the rules established by the God of the World?"
The seriousness in Karen's voice was unmistakable.
Although her words denoted empathy, they also marked a clear boundary.
It wasn't just a matter of obedience but of protecting a delicate balance.
Touya, intrigued and perhaps a bit dazzled by Karen's clarity, asked:
"Why did the Almighty God create so many rules?"
Karen let out a sigh, her expression softening a bit, though her tone remained reflective.
"Probably to protect order and avoid chaos. Imagine a world where gods weren't bound by rules—for example, the one prohibiting the use of divinity in the lower world."
Her words made Aiden recall stories from another world and the consequences of gods acting without restrictions.
He could clearly imagine the chaos Karen described.
Karen continued:
"Many gods might treat the worlds as their playground. Of course, there are 'harmless' gods, like the god of agriculture or the god of festivals, who would probably only bring joy. But there are also gods of disasters, like the god of earthquakes or the god of tsunamis. If they used their divinity without restrictions, chaos would be inevitable. Of course, being a god of disasters doesn't necessarily mean they want to cause destruction… do you understand?"
Touya nodded, reflecting on her words.
"The God of the World created those rules to prevent the abuse of power," Karen continued, her tone calm yet firm.
"Because even gods, like any other being, can be good, neutral, or evil. The rules exist to protect not only mortals but also the gods themselves from their own impulses."
Her explanation, though simple, carried a weight that resonated with everyone.
Even Touya, who usually remained carefree, was left pensive.
Karen's words not only clarified a complex situation but also offered a new perspective.
[*]
After that conversation, Karen bid farewell with a smile and wandered off.
In the room, only Aiden, Leen, the stuffed bear Paula, and Touya remained.
The latter sat alone on the couch across from them, while Leen was to Aiden's right, and Paula to his left.
A varied conversation arose among them, which included Touya's progress in his strength.
Aiden noted that Touya had learned to imbue his divinity into both his attacks and the magic Leen had taught him.
Using his imagination, Touya imitated Leen and, borrowing names from myths of his previous world, transformed them into spells.
One of these was a thunder sword capable of easily cutting through the Phrases, as well as many other things in this world.
He called this spell [Ame-no-Habaraki], designed to break the Phrases' cores.
It was a swift projectile that ignored magical absorption thanks to being imbued with his divinity.
Aiden recalled hearing the name "Ame-no-Habaraki" in the anime One Piece from his past life, where it was one of Oden's swords.
However, according to Touya, in his previous world, that sword belonged to Takemikazuchi-no-kami in the myths.
After a while of conversation, Leen explained to Touya how [Rasiel] worked, which he quickly grasped.
Then, Touya directly asked Aiden for his help in locating the remaining Babylons.
Aiden, without much effort, provided him with the information he needed.
Now, Touya owed him a favor as well…
"Hmm…" Aiden calmly browsed through the information on the Babylons after sharing it with Touya.
At the same time, he read about the activities of the enigmatic servant god who had been causing trouble in this world.
"Do you know where he is…?" Touya asked, with a hint of hope, aware that this information could solve many of his problems.
Aiden looked up and replied calmly:
"There are some records here. It seems that this guy disguises himself as an ordinary person in this world and barely uses his divine powers, probably to avoid detection. According to this, he was hiding in Eashen, the equivalent of Japan in this world, but his exact location isn't listed. It seems he spends a lot of time hiding in the dimensional rift."
Touya's hope deflated upon hearing that; there was still much work to be done.
Aiden continued narrating the minor mischiefs of that god.
Apparently, he used his powers minimally to avoid being located by Karen.
He hypnotized random people into worshiping him, only to abandon them when he got bored.
However, he also seemed to be scheming to take over a certain kingdom.
Aiden, indifferent, simply shrugged.
For him, that was Touya's problem, not his.
He wasn't willing to complicate his life solving everyone's issues, gods included.
Besides, this situation could serve as a catalyst for Touya's personal growth and the strengthening of his alliances for his duchy.
Aiden would only intervene if there was truly no other option.
"Cheer up. At least I've already given you the locations of the Babylons. There's a surprise waiting for you in the [Research Laboratory]," Aiden commented with a slight smile, deliberately hiding the fact that Regina Babylon was there, asleep, waiting for Touya to wake her.
"She'll help you become stronger, too."
"She? A surprise? Another one of those egocentric, extravagant maids?" Touya asked, raising an eyebrow with evident weariness, already accustomed to encountering more peculiar characters than he'd like.
Aiden gave a malicious grin.
"Hmm… why don't you find out for yourself? I highly doubt you could even imagine it."
Touya let out a sigh of resignation. "Haa… why not."
Suddenly, Leen broke the moment with an unexpected declaration:
"By the way, Touya… I want to resign as court magician. I'll be leaving with Aiden. It's been a pleasure working with you until now."
She slightly inclined her head with a smile, leaving Touya completely frozen in place.
"Oh, but don't worry. I'll send one of the fairies from my village to replace me. I'm not so irresponsible as to leave you without support, after all."
Touya let out a faint sigh as he scratched the back of his neck, showing a calm smile.
"Well, you made it clear from the start: you'd leave when Aiden-san came for you," he commented with a courteous bow.
"Anyway, thank you for everything. You've helped me a lot and taught me things I won't easily forget. If you ever need anything, whether from me or the duchy, don't hesitate to let me know. I'll always be willing to help you."
His warm tone, paired with his relaxed attitude, made his words sincere and reassuring, as was typical of him.
Leen smiled, stood calmly, and patted his head.
Leen displayed a gentle smile as she rose elegantly, lightly placing a hand on his head as if to soothe any unease.
"As long as you take good care of those girls and do everything in your power to protect this world from those detestable creatures, that'll be enough for me," she said in a tone that mixed warmth and authority.
Then she removed her hand.
"Besides, it's not like I'm leaving forever. This is my world, too, and I have as much interest in preserving it as anyone else. I'll fight for it when necessary."
Turning slightly, she added with a light laugh:
"And if you ever need me, Aiden can always bring me back. It won't be that hard."
"…I see," Touya said, returning her smile.
After that, Aiden and Leen briefly said their goodbyes to everyone.
With a motion, Aiden opened a rift in space, and together they left for his residence in that world.
[*]
World: Elicia.
Residence Avalon.
[*]
Aiden had dinner with Mukuro, who had prepared the meal, along with Leen, Leo Pemptos, Aries Prote, and Salamander. During the evening, they discussed many topics.
For example, the three [Sacred Gears] with independent avatars shared how they had gone hunting Behemoths for entertainment.
Aiden also took the opportunity to tell Mukuro about Touya's duchy, as well as Karen and the servant god.
Mukuro, however, showed little interest in the topic; she also had no strong opinion about the servant god, making it clear she didn't plan to get involved in the gods' problems.
For her, if it became an issue, they could simply execute him and be done with it—a stance Leen agreed with.
Leen also mentioned that the next day she would go to her tribe to delegate her roles as Mismede's ambassador and Brunhild's court magician to another fairy she had personally trained, named Elaine.
Additionally, she planned to inform them of her decision to marry Aiden in the future.
Although Aiden offered to accompany her, Leen declined, assuring him it would only be a quick visit and she preferred to avoid making too much of a scene.
The night ended with Aiden, Leen, and Mukuro bathing together.
However, nothing happened between them, as Leen considered it still too early to take that step and wanted her first intimate moment with Aiden to be private.
Finally, they lay down together and surrendered to the rest of the night.
…
…
…
[***]
End of the chapter.
(•_•)
A/N:
Here's today's chapter…
*Collapses from exhaustion*
Honestly, I'm feeling down.
You know, those times when you just feel that way, with no desire to do anything.
There's no special reason, it just happens lol.
But, even so, I finished the chapter.
Now I'm going to sleep… and don't ask why I'm going to bed at this hour (7:22a.m).
Anyway, here's a picture of Leen and Karen I found somewhere:
Leen:
[Image]
Karen:
[Image]
Thank you, as always, for your comments, your power stones, and for reading, my dear reader.
Peace out.
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