Chapter 445: The Grey Desert(3)
Chapter 445: The Grey Desert(3)
The gods of this world are uniquely incapable of lying. Whether they simply refuse to or truly cannot, they have never once told a lie.
Instead, they occasionally resort to speaking in riddles or exercising their right to remain silent, as they are doing now. Since they cannot lie, they simply choose not to speak at all.
However, they are quite lenient when it comes to the lies told by the creations they love so dearly.
After all, lying in the presence of a god is a futile endeavor, and as the saying goes regarding "white lies," such instances are often too ambiguous to warrant punishment.
On the other hand, grave sins like murder are met with severe retribution. If a murder were to be committed within a temple, divine punishment would strike before anyone could even attempt to intervene.
Thus, the refusal to disclose the oracle given to Savior must be for a similar reason. While slightly disappointing, it was understandable.
'Is it an oracle I am not meant to know?'
[Indeed. It is a matter of great importance, at least from our perspective, as it could potentially destabilize the axis of the future...]
'Our perspective?'
I cut him off, zeroing in on his phrasing that seemed to specify only the gods. It was a rather rude attitude to take before a deity, but I had unconsciously harbored a seed of doubt.
Luminous seemed to realize his slip of the tongue a moment too late and spoke hurriedly.
[I—I hope you remember your own standing. Every word you utter has the power to influence the entire world. If you were to interfere with an oracle, it could lead to unfavorable perceptions of us, and even of you.]
'You mean people might say I’m challenging divine authority.'
[Precisely.]
If that was the case, I could understand. To be honest, I had only asked on a whim, so I wasn't particularly bothered.
But thinking about it, this went beyond a mere discourtesy; it was an act of challenging divine authority that wouldn't have made a divine strike out of place.
From my perspective, it was like asking a very comfortable elder a question, but upon reflection, it was a situation that could have ended disastrously.
'......I almost made a grave mistake. I apologize. I felt so comfortable with you, Lord Luminous, that I was disrespectful without realizing it...'
[Do not worry, child. We are not so narrow-minded as to wring the neck of a cute goose that lays golden eggs just because it nipped at a finger.]
I felt it every time, but the gods, Luminous included, were exceptionally good at metaphors. With that one sentence, I realized exactly how I was being treated.
The use of the adjective "cute" confirmed that they truly cherished me.
Yet, at the same time, it made me vividly aware of the chasm between the transcendent and the mortal. It meant that no matter how much I honked and hissed, I was still nothing more than a goose.
'At least they’re kind.'
In the mythologies of my previous life, there were many gods with what one might call "broken personalities." The Greco-Roman myths were the pinnacle of this.
Zeus, the philandering and authoritarian king, goes without saying, and even gods famous for their benevolence would immediately rain down divine punishment the moment a human challenged their authority.
In fact, even Athena, a goddess with a "relatively" good personality, punished Arachne for her perceived insolence.
Technically, each of them was a deeply human god, which made them emotional. They were deities whose personalities varied wildly from individual to individual.
[......Child. We are not as kind as you think.]
As if reading my thoughts, Luminous spoke quietly, his voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment.
His words echoed in my head, but for some reason, I felt as though he was wearing a bitter smile. It was just a feeling.
I didn't know if his conscience was pricked by reading my inner thoughts. Indeed, hadn't Clark warned me not to trust the gods too blindly?
Not because they were evil, but simply because they were "human."
'But your love for mortals like me is sincere, isn't it?'
[Our love for you all is the truth. That has not changed, even after thousands of years.]
Since gods cannot lie, those words must be 100% true. At that, I posed a sharp question.
'Then, if mortals were to say they no longer needed the help of the gods, including yourself, Lord Luminous... what would you do?'
It was a somewhat disrespectful question, but I asked it to satisfy my personal curiosity.
In the myths of my past life, there were many humans who challenged divine authority. They were all struck by divine punishment, but there was a high possibility of something similar happening here.
One didn't have to look far to find Demon Worshippers. However, for some unknown reason, the gods were currently unable to directly eliminate them.
Unless the entire world faced destruction, as in the Demon War, they would likely not manifest directly.
But what I was referring to wasn't divine authority, but "help." A system where mortals developed civilization on their own, like on Earth in my previous life.
A world where religion was merely a medium for unity, and even the existence of gods was uncertain.
I was curious how the gods would react if the mortals of this world desired such a reality.
[... ...]
Perhaps finding it difficult to answer, Luminous remained silent for a long time. I could feel him keeping his mouth shut, maintaining his silence.
Still, I waited patiently. This was a question that would inevitably give not only Luminous but the other gods much to think about.
Since the Demon War, this world had developed rapidly under the protection of the gods. Yet, at the same time, that protection had slowed progress.
When danger arose, one could simply pray to the gods, but conversely, they were failing to cultivate the ability to overcome those crises themselves.
I was curious about this. As science develops, religion naturally tends to fade.
However, for science to develop, the work of breaking down stagnant ways of thinking is required. And this world was covered by a massive veil called "God."
If—just if—the mortals requested that this veil be removed, would Luminous and the other gods grant that request?
[......Child.]
'Yes, Lord Luminous.'
[Do you believe that for the true progress of mortals, we must disappear?]
Luminous asked me in a slightly subdued voice. There was no hostility, but his tone seemed filled with anxiety and sadness.
Hearing that question, I fell into thought for a moment. Unlike this world, Earth had no clear divine presence, and humans alone managed the planet.
In that process, all sorts of incidents occurred, and even Great Wars that killed tens of millions broke out, yet they achieved dazzling progress.
However, that progress was short-lived; Earth was slowly falling ill due to the things humans had created. Nature, the very foundation of the world, was dying.
'Lord Luminous.'
[Speak.]
'The gods, including yourself, are like parents. Parents who give love for the sake of their child, but also provide stern discipline when they make a mistake. But parents are not perfect.'
In reality, Luminous and the other gods possessed strong parental qualities. Mora hid the persecuted Demons and Dark Elves in the darkness, and Luminous bestowed great power upon the humans who believed in him.
However, Savior became so powerful that they waged a war bordering on madness, earning infamy across the globe.
Had Luminous not intervened when he could no longer bear to watch, the world would very likely have been engulfed in the flames of another Great War.
'Parents make mistakes too. What they believe is good for the child can have a negative impact, and they might even hand down harsh punishments in the name of discipline. One cannot say these actions are always right.'
A common mistake parents make is acting under the justification of "for the sake of the child."
In reality, there are plenty of parents who commit acts of cruelty without realizing their own faults.
Without looking far, Cherry's father, Count Letiz, almost drove his daughter to suicide. Simply because he believed his path was the right one.
The reason such situations unfold is quite simple. It is the parents' first time being parents, and the child also possesses distinct "thoughts" of their own.
'But while one might criticize their actions, one should not criticize their hearts. The heart of a parent who, though lacking, tries their best for their child—is that truly a reason for condemnation? I don't believe so. It is merely a difference in method.'
[A difference in method...]
'Under a parent's wing, a child will always be a child. Once they leave that embrace, the child becomes an adult and ventures out into the world. And only then will they realize why their parents shielded and protected them, and how much responsibility their own choices carry.'
The humans of Earth achieved limitless progress, to the point where they became capable of suicide on a species-wide scale, and further reached the point of destroying their own home.
If the gods of Earth had intervened, they might have slowed progress, but they wouldn't have allowed the destruction of their own habitat.
One cannot definitively say what is right here. It is literally a difference in method, and each simply shows different side effects.
'That child might miss their parents' embrace, but they can also develop on their own. The humans of the world I lived in developed that way, and they are likely still doing so.'
Perhaps space travel would develop, and they would leave for other planets. Then, "independence" in the truest sense would be achieved.
Of course, since it is nearly impossible for a mortal to become a transcendent, they would still look like children in the eyes of the gods.
'A bird is safest within its cage, but a bird is not born to die inside one. Even if you give them the right to choose, they shouldn't just decide on a whim.'
[Those words give me much to think about. The world we protect is safer than anything else, but it means they cannot flap their wings.]
'Indeed. However, please take this only as advice. Although I came from a world where gods do not interfere, I am quite satisfied with this world as it is.'
This wasn't a lie; it was the truth. I was far from the type of person who would throw themselves into a cause like a revolutionary or a thinker.
I was closer to a commoner who just wanted to write books, live well, and enjoy life. I wasn't about to publish a book criticizing the gods, so I could at least offer some advice.
Above all... as science gradually develops, it is highly likely that creations will naturally drift away from the gods. It is a regrettable but inevitable phenomenon.
[Thank you. To be honest, I was a little worried. You are a soul from another dimension, a place that had no interference from transcendents like us. I was concerned that even if you liked your life, you might harbor dissatisfaction with this world.]
'Hmm... come to think of it, were there no people with such ideologies? That the gods, including Lord Luminous, are the ones hindering progress... Yes, someone with that kind of ideology.'
It was similar to, yet different from, the atheism of my previous life. There, the existence of God was unclear, whereas here, they clearly existed.
It aligned somewhat with what I had just said. I asked because I wondered if there was anyone directly spreading such an ideology.
And the answer I received from Luminous was enough to make me fall silent.
[They tend to be particularly prominent among the Demon Worshippers.]
'... ...'
[I—it's not just them; there are quite a few others. It's just that I've struck them with divine punishment in fits of anger...]
Luminous, perhaps sensing my feelings, hurriedly added an explanation.
I still remembered it. The major incident where some madman denied the existence of God and was struck by a bolt from the blue.
In that one incident, he showed qualities very similar to the gods of Greco-Roman mythology. One could say he was truly human.
Well, it was a relief that since then, no one had been struck by divine punishment for denying the existence of God.
Instead, the Church would kindly take them away for "interrogation."
'......Lord Luminous.'
[S—speak.]
'You're going to keep doting on me, right?'
[O—of course. We will never, ever cast you aside. I mean this sincerely.]
Since he said it like that, I figured it was best to drop my suspicions. He was a kind person to begin with, and I didn't want to hurt his feelings.
After chatting with him a few more times, I immediately headed to the Temple of Mora.
It was to recall the song lyrics I needed to write down at the very end before going to Musk's publishing house.
[Hey. Instead of that song, why don't you put in the other song with the same name?]
'The one from the movie?'
[I'm not sure about that, but looking through your memories, that one seems better.]
'Are you saying this because you've seen the future, or is it just personal preference?'
[Of course it's because of my personal preference!]
'... ...'
I wondered if this goddess, Mora, even knew how to lie. I sighed, feeling drained the more I talked to her.
In the end, after some bickering, we settled on including both songs. Honestly, when applying it to Jin and Lily's relationship, Loveholics was better.
'Translating is hard enough as it is...'
[Hang in there! I'll be cheering for you!]
'... ...'
Luminous seemed like the type who would have a hard time.
[What was that?]
'Goodbye!'
For now, I had to go translate.
*
A few days passed...
"I—I found it! Ruins! The ruins are here!"
"Where? Where? I—it's real! It's not a damn mirage!"
"Set up camp! We will rest here for a while!"
The Grey Desert expedition arrived at the ruins of the Kingdom of Gerios, the place they called the "Western Edge."