Chapter 163: Back to Helion(3)
Chapter 163: Back to Helion(3)
There is a saying among the public: Luminous, with his benevolent and refined way of speaking, is better suited to be the God of Darkness, while Mora, who is playful and chatters like a lark, is better suited to be the Goddess of Light.
Mora, the Goddess of Darkness and Rest, is famous for having a more vibrant personality and higher energy than her twin brother, Luminous. It was to the point where even Gartz had awkwardly described her as a "good goddess" in a roundabout way.
However, as she has significantly fewer followers than Luminous, her affection for her believers runs deep. In particular, unlike Luminous, Mora is uniquely associated with "death," and it is said she desperately wishes for her followers not to die.
While she maintains a personality brighter than light on the surface, I had heard that she is actually quite soft-hearted inside. If Luminous is "soft on the outside, tough on the inside," Mora is "tough on the outside, soft on the inside."
[Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting? You should have come to see me the moment you arrived in Helium!!]
'Uh... I’m sorry?'
I couldn't help but be momentarily dazed by the ringing female voice echoing in my head. Unlike Luminous’s soft, low-toned voice, Mora’s was vibrant and high-pitched.
Since they were different genders to begin with, it was difficult to compare them directly, but I could tell that everything from her aura to her voice was the polar opposite of Luminous.
[Hmph. I’ll let it slide this time. At least you didn't forget to come find me.]
'Um... thank you. But if I may ask, what is the reason you were looking for me?'
Ever since my conversation with Luminous, Mora had been grumbling (?) for me to visit her. Because of this, the situation in Helium, where Mora is the national deity, had become quite awkward.
But surely a divine being wouldn't call for me just because she was bored. Luminous had already explained the general situation, but seeing as Mora specifically sought me out, I wondered if there was a truth she wanted to reveal to me.
It was just as I closed my eyes, waiting for Mora’s answer with that thought in mind. However, Mora’s response far exceeded my expectations.
[Because I was pouting.]
'Pardon?'
[I called you because I was pouting. If I hadn't said anything, you wouldn't have come to see me, would you? Am I wrong?]
'... ...'
You turned the world upside down for that reason? And by handing down an oracle, no less? My mind went blank at the answer that left me utterly speechless.
Judging by her grumbling tone, there wasn't a hint of a lie in her words; she truly was a goddess who fit the keyword "tomboy" perfectly. Still, thanks to her honesty, I didn't feel particularly bad.
I barely suppressed the sigh threatening to escape and managed to speak to Mora.
'...That’s not true. I was already planning to visit Helium, so I intended to pray to you as well.'
[Aha. Come to think of it, you were planning to spend your first night with that girl I cherish, weren't you? I almost forgot.]
'By "the girl you cherish," do you mean Cecile?'
[Yes. Long before you were even born, she prayed every single day, asking me to save the demons. She still does.]
Now that she mentioned it, I remembered hearing a rumor at the Academy that Cecile prayed to Mora constantly. Once when she woke up in the morning, and once before she went to bed.
The contents of those prayers were incredibly poignant when you heard them.
In the morning, she thanked the goddess for letting her see the sunlight, and at night, she thanked her for allowing a peaceful sleep without being swayed by evil.
[Lately, thanks to you, all the things that were weighing on her heart have been resolved. The salvation of the demons she yearned for has been achieved, and she’s finally united with her benefactor. Hearing her pray every day makes my heart feel at ease too.]
'That’s a bit embarrassing.'
[You’re going to do much more embarrassing things tonight, so why be shy about this? Anyway, my brother is just meddling where he isn't needed. If he hadn't said anything, I would have had one more child to bestow a blessing upon.]
'... ...'
For the record, I had faithfully brought contraceptives. No matter the circumstances, I had to avoid an "accident."
While I was inwardly breaking into a cold sweat in silence, Mora, who had been sharply criticizing her twin brother, spoke to me in her characteristic ringing voice.
[Anyway, I’ll start by saying thank you. As you know, most of my followers are demons and dark elves. Thanks to your book, the power being delivered to me is several times stronger than before.]
'Could you tell me how those two things are related?'
[Before Xenon Chronicle appeared, the demons desperately wanted rest as people, not as monsters. I had a hard time in many ways trying to soothe their hearts. Wanting rest means, in other words, that there are many negative emotions in one's heart. I have to resolve those emotions, or if it’s truly hopeless, I even have to grant them euthanasia. Because I am the Goddess of Darkness and Rest.]
'That sounds like a heavy burden to bear.'
It was heartbreaking just to hear. No matter how transcendent a being is, absorbing negative emotions or euthanizing followers must be a painful task.
At my sincere words, Mora replied brightly with an excited voice.
[Right? You understand my heart. There’s a reason that girl picked you. It’s only natural she fell for you when you’re this considerate.]
'This is awkward. Honestly, it’s probably mostly because I’m the author of Xenon Chronicle.'
[That’s also true. But her feelings for you are genuine. If you had been a scoundrel, she would have despised you inwardly, you know? She would have just repaid her debt and never gone to you. She really just fell for you.]
Up to this point, I was willing to let it slide.
[Above all, you’re handsome! Setting everything else aside, being handsome is the best!]
'...Cecile is a princess of the demons; wouldn't her standards be quite high?'
[That’s true, but you have such a striking individuality! That unique combination of red hair and golden eyes, which is rare in this world! You have no idea how attractive your face is, do you?]
I could only give a bitter smile at Mora’s words. My red hair made me stand out everywhere I went, so even being complimented on it didn't feel particularly great.
Still, I suppose I could take comfort in the fact that my appearance was praised even by a goddess. As she said, being handsome is indeed the best.
[Don't you want to try growing your hair out? I think it would suit you.]
'Isn't that purely your personal preference, Mora?'
[Hehe. Was I that obvious?]
I was starting to get confused about whether I was talking to a goddess or a flighty young girl. When I spoke with Luminous, the conversation was serious and weighty, which felt comfortable, but I already felt like my energy was being drained.
On the other hand, she was closer to a horizontal relationship than a vertical one, which is likely why her followers felt comfortable with her. Luminous had a god-like charisma about him, whether he intended it or not, making him difficult to approach.
[Oh, right. You released Volume 14 recently, didn't you?]
'Yes. I sent it to the publisher before coming to Helium.'
[I saw that you wrote a pretty interesting story. The one about the elves and dark elves turning into a single mass of pure mana to wipe out the demons.]
'You’re watch... hm?'
Wait a minute. What was that?
'Mora?'
[Yes?]
'How do you know about that?'
[Because I’m reading it, of course. How else would I know?]
'No. Why would you...'
The news that a literal god was reading my book was enough to make my mind go distant.
Come to think of it, hadn't Luminous mentioned the contents of my book in passing before? At the time, the topic wasn't focused on that, so I hadn't noticed, but thinking back now, I realized Luminous was reading my book too.
While I was lost in confusion for a long time with my thoughts tangled in a mess, Mora asked me as if there was no problem at all.
[Is there a problem? A child from another dimension is writing a book; of course we have to read it. It would be a disaster for us if you wrote something related to a specific ideology.]
'Then, from Volume 1... all of them...?'
[Yes. I’ve read them all.]
I wanted to crawl into a hole. I took my neatly folded hands and covered my face. Even so, I could feel my face growing hotter and hotter.
Since my book was influencing the world, I should have expected this to some extent, but I had been too naive.
[Why are you so embarrassed? You should take pride in it. Even the gods read my book! You should be boastful like that.]
'...Forget it. Just don't talk about it.'
[You’re surprisingly shy about strange things, aren't you? How cute. So, when is the next volume coming out?]
'... ...'
When I couldn't say anything and only my lips trembled, Mora burst into a peal of laughter. If you mixed my mother’s and Cecile’s playfulness, would it feel like this?
I focused on cooling down my heated face for a while. Since things had already turned out this way and couldn't be undone, avoiding it wasn't the right move. Not that I could avoid it anyway.
Once the burning sensation had subsided somewhat, I quietly opened my mouth. I cleared my throat as a bonus to break the atmosphere.
'Ahem. Ahem. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Still, in the world I lived in, it’s just an extremely ordinary piece of writing.'
[I like that you’re humble. Since we’re on the subject, why don't you write down some songs from your world too? I want to hear them.]
'You want to hear them? What does that mean?'
[If you write a song in your book, people will naturally compose it. Your world has many good songs, doesn't it?]
'Hmm...'
There certainly were many good songs. As civilization and culture developed, music naturally evolved countless times as well.
In particular, South Korea had an exceptionally large number of songs related to love, so I could probably use them appropriately. The problem was when to include them.
'I’ll consider it. I haven't completely ruled out the idea myself.'
[I’ll be looking forward to it.]
'Don't look forward to it too much...'
Now even Mora was starting to pile pressure on me. Just knowing she was reading Xenon Chronicle was burdensome enough, and now she was expecting things.
When I muttered somewhat reluctantly, Mora spoke in her characteristic playful tone. However, the content was serious.
[You don't have to feel pressured. Not only can we not interfere, but we also feel grateful to you right now. We should be thankful just for the fact that you delayed the demon invasion by 2,000 years.]
'Even if that was truly a coincidence?'
[Yes. Didn't my brother tell you? For example, let’s say a pedestrian in danger was coincidentally saved by an adventurer. Even if it was just a path the adventurer was passing by, would that pedestrian not feel grateful? The scale has just gotten larger, but it’s the same principle.]
It was the exact same thing Luminous had said. Once Mora saw that I understood, she continued in her characteristically energetic voice.
[So, if you want, I can bestow a blessing upon you too. Although my authority isn't as strong as my brother’s, I can give you the ability to hide yourself in the darkness if you wish. Just like a dark elf.]
'Is there nothing else?'
[Maybe resolving insomnia if you have it, or keeping your mind clear? I can also free you from all sorts of worldly desires and stress. To be honest, it would be more effective for a demon than a human.]
It made sense; the reason most humans believed in Luminous was that his authority was superior to Mora’s. Luminous was the God of Light and Hope, and he offered various benefits.
On the other hand, Mora provided rest to those suffering from incurable diseases or aftereffects, or allowed one to hide in the darkness. Compared to Luminous, she did seem to lack a bit in some aspects.
However, Mora was a very important deity for soldiers with combat experience—that is, PTSD patients. Even Luminous couldn't perfectly cure PTSD, but Mora could, and she helped those suffering from nightmares to fall into a deep sleep.
My father had retired early because he was a devout believer in Luminous; if he had visited Mora’s temple even once, he would likely still be active today.
'I don't expect to go into battle, but I’ll keep that in mind. I have a feeling I’ll get caught up in all sorts of incidents once my identity is revealed.'
[Good thinking. Oh, right. I’ll give you some divine power for now. It’ll be quite useful.]
'Pardon? I’m fine...'
Just as I was about to refuse, Mora spoke in a voice that was more serious than ever before.
[No. You’re going to have your first night with that girl today, aren't you? I need to deliver divine power to her through you and prevent an accident in advance.]
'An accident? I brought medicine.'
[Not that kind of accident, a real accident. A demon entering their demonic cycle becomes something like a praying mantis. You know how a female mantis eats the male when they mate? It’s similar to that. She’s going to suck your energy dry! So if you have the divine power I gave you, there won't be any problems.]
'... ...'
That was a close call.
Immediately after my conversation with Mora, I stepped out of the temple to head to the Helium Palace. However, perhaps Gartz had already contacted her, as Cecile had arrived outside the temple ahead of time.
Outside, the sun had completely set and deep darkness had fallen, but thanks to the candles lit at the temple, I could make out her figure. It was the moment I approached Cecile with a sense of welcome.
"You’re here, Isaac."
"... ..."
As soon as Cecile saw me, she waved her hand and greeted me warmly. I didn't even have the energy to greet her back, as I was too busy staring at her outfit.
Setting aside the fact that it was an off-shoulder dress that completely exposed her shoulders, it was so revealing that it barely covered her ample breasts. The chest area of the dress sat exactly on the borderline (?), to the point where her breasts were practically fully exposed.
Furthermore, the color of the dress was black, which contrasted even more with her white skin, and a mole that I hadn't seen during the freshman event a few months ago was clearly visible. It seemed that the red dress back then had subtly hidden it.
I tried my best, but I couldn't stop my gaze from drifting there. Cecile herself was already devastatingly attractive, but combined with such a revealing dress, my mind was becoming hazy.
Whether she knew my heart or not, Cecile walked slowly toward me and affectionately linked her arm with mine. The sensation of her supple, bare skin was transmitted through my arm.
"Shall we go? My parents are looking forward to it too."
"...Yeah."
Looking at Cecile’s bewitching smile, I realized something. This succubus had truly made up her mind.
'...Thank goodness.'
As I mentioned earlier, Mora’s divine power was exceptionally effective at maintaining one's composure.