Kutula's Command
“Saint Germain Akasha, the count, right? You were the guardian spirit of the Ether Empire. Or are you still?”
Count Ktolari's expression grew subtly strange, as if he could scarcely believe the situation.
“Even though you're a being who defies the natural order of the world yourself, did it never occur to you that something similar might exist?”
At my words, Count Ktolari's face lit up with realization.
“I see. So that's how it is.”
Watching him nod repeatedly, I felt a prankish urge bubble up.
“In that spirit, why don't you give it a try?”
“Try what, exactly?”
“Call me 'hyung.' I'm older than you, after all.”
“Hahaha!”
Count Ktolari just laughed in disbelief. My outward appearance was that of a 14-year-old boy, after all.
“Just kidding. More importantly, I'd like to meet Lord Kutula.”
“Have you met Lord Kutula before?”
“Around the time you first entered this mansion, I had the honor. And just recently, I reached out through another method, and he told me to come in person, so here I am.”
Come to think of it, what had Count Ktolari been up to during the hundred years Kutula slumbered?
“Then we'll pay a visit together soon.”
“Yes, it looks like I'll be staying in the Ktolari Viscounty for a while.”
“Don't worry about that. I'll see to it that you're accommodated properly.”
My visit to the Ktolari Viscounty wasn't just to meet Kutula—there were other reasons too.
Right next door lay the Dragon Mountains, and in Drakan's lair there lurked untold treasures I hadn't yet claimed. Drakan's remains themselves were worth more than any treasure in the world, though there was nothing to be done about those. The rest, however, I planned to retrieve this time.
With my new physical body, going there myself was impossible. Even with a Master-level fighter in tow, the Dragon Mountains' powerful beasts—including one at Master rank—were too much to handle. On top of that, the Black Drake, king of the Dragon Mountains that had nested above Drakan's lair, was no monster a mere two or three Master knights could fell.
To prepare for the treasure haul, I summoned two more avatars from nearby. Even so, with such a massive amount, it would take the three avatars quite some time to transport it all.
After resting a day at the count's mansion, I set to work healing the sick, just as I had in other territories.
The commoners gave me an enthusiastic welcome. Mornings were spent tending patients, afternoons crafting subspatial items in the annex the count had provided.
Meanwhile, Number One and the avatars had just arrived at Drakan's lair and were frantically scooping up the treasures.
A few days later, Count Ktolari finally said it was time to meet Kutula.
I could have gone alone, but it seemed polite to heed the lord of the house.
Under cover of night, when everyone was asleep, I slipped out of the annex and went to find Count Ktolari.
Normally, if I left the annex and headed elsewhere, Jayke or Joseph should have noticed. Joseph, at least, was a Master-level warrior.
Yet there was no reaction at all. It seemed Kutula's power was influencing this too, explaining how the Ktolari family had kept their secret for centuries without detection.
Together with Count Ktolari, we descended an endlessly spiraling staircase.
Descending these steps in a physical body felt utterly different from my soul state. For one, my legs ached. Even this well-trained, not-yet-fully-grown body felt the pain keenly.
“Aren't your legs hurting, Count Ktolari?”
“Haha! Lord Kutula's blessing spares me that.”
That's cheating. Total scam. Kutula's conspiracy.
No wonder old Maice Ktolari had navigated these stairs so effortlessly in his advanced years.
“Nngh.”
It wasn't unbearable, so I endured, treating it as training, one step at a time until we finally reached the bottom.
“Ahh, we made it.”
A sigh of relief escaped me unbidden. Must be how it feels to summit a mountain on foot.
If he just told me to find my own way last time, I'd really lose it. God or not, I'd be furious.
From the darkness ahead, Kutula's colossal form began to approach.
Count Ktolari was already prostrated on the floor. I saw no need for such theatrics and simply stood.
“I pay homage to my great master, Lord Kutula.”
Count Ktolari greeted first, and I followed suit with a respectful bow.
“It's been a while, Lord Kutula. This is Record.”
[Why have you come?]
A massive tentacle pointed at me.
“Didn't you tell me to come in my true form? I have various questions, so here I am.”
[And what price will you pay this time?]
Right. Last time, clearing Nergal's fragment had been the price. Ultimately, it benefited me greatly, so I hadn't minded.
Even an outer god wasn't an entity to trifle with. If he willed it, he could crush someone like me in an instant.
Yet I still had to seek out Kutula.
“Like before, give me a task, and I'll handle it.”
Kutula's enormous tentacles suddenly writhed violently. After a long while, they stilled.
[Very well. I shall give you a task.]
Hoping for something easy was futile.
Last time, Nergal's fragment had seemed manageable only because I was a soul; in a human body, it would have been grueling.
[Capture Nanogopi. Alive.]
“Nanogopi... you say?”
I knew what Nanogopi was. No one on the continent didn't.
Nanogopi was a legend. Adults warned disobedient children, “Nanogopi will snatch you away.” A folktale monster, passed down orally. No one knew its appearance, habitat, or even if it truly existed.
But if Kutula demanded it captured, it must be real somewhere.
Scouring the continent with avatars, I'd find it eventually.
“Is there a deadline?”
[Three years.]
A bit tight. I had ten avatars now.
No backing out at this point.
“Understood. I'll do it.”
Diligent searching should turn it up. Bringing it back alive might be the real challenge.
The Nanogopi legend was ancient, likely centuries old. A creature that long-lived would be formidable.
[I shall answer three questions.]
Even a limit on questions this time.
I pondered deeply. What questions would yield the answers I sought?
“First question: When does the crisis Juno spoke of arrive?”
[It arrived long ago. Why assume a crisis descends suddenly one day?]
Obvious in hindsight, yet I'd never considered it.
There would surely be signs of the great crisis to come.
[The fragment of Nergal you dealt with was one such crisis.]
True. That alone had killed countless via plague.
So crises like that.
A small epiphany dawned.
“Second question: What kind of god is Juno?”
This one had taken much thought. What did Juno represent? No one knew. He simply existed as this world's sole god.
[Juno is the god of lies and love.]
“Ah!”
An exclamation slipped out. Kutula's answer resolved many lingering doubts.
After meeting Juno, questions had plagued me. He claimed not to love humanity, yet alone among the gods, he guarded this world. It made no sense.
God of lies and love—then Juno loved humanity deeply. The opposite of his words.
He loved this world too. But did that mean no great crisis? Kutula said it was already here, so no.
And he'd said he trusted me? Then he didn't?
Solving one mystery birthed more.
“Third question: What is the cause of the crisis?”
[Too broad a query. Very well, I shall indulge you. This world has only Juno left among the gods. He is no weak god, but this dimension invites interference from others.]
“Why do the other gods interfere here?”
[Why does a human lord meddle in his neighbor's domain?]
Because the neighbor is weak. Because there's profit in conquest.
Were the gods' realms the same?
My questions were spent.
More time might have yielded better ones, but circumstances didn't allow, and better answers weren't guaranteed.
Not fully satisfying, but enough.
[Jeis.]
“Yes, my lord.”
Count Ktolari, who had lain prostrate like the dead until now, responded to Kutula's call.
“Bolster the territory's borders. A massive beast exodus is coming. Offer high bounties to gather mercenaries. And select three to bring here.”
“As you command.”
Count Ktolari obeyed without question. Whether from training or contract, I couldn't say.
“The exodus... because of me?”
I'd heard beasts had fled en masse when Drakan died.
Was this because of what I planned?
[Indeed. But it matters not.]
Easy for a god to say.
But people would die.
Arguing with a god wasn't wise, so I held my tongue.
[Depart.]
I waited to be teleported.
But only Count Ktolari vanished before my eyes.
I waited longer. Nothing.
No way? I'll really get mad.
Seeing Kutula in person tempered my anger. I'd hold back for now.
As I stared blankly at Kutula, he spoke again.
[Depart.]
Don't just say it—send me!
“Why aren't you teleporting me?”
[Can't you do it yourself?]
My research into Inclonius's spatial magic continued, with some progress. But practical testing had issues.
Yet he said I could?
In that instant, my eleven selves—avatars and I—simultaneously pondered the problem.
Spatial teleportation was notoriously difficult magic. Difficulty and mana cost scaled exponentially with distance.
The depth here was unknown, but at least several kilometers to the surface. Standard spells required massive magic circles for such range.
Inclonius's theory changed that, though incomplete.
Conventional magic physically moved objects through space; Inclonius's folded space itself for transit.
Subtle difference, but key. Advantages: minimal mana, vastly extended range. Disadvantages: exponentially higher computation, perfect knowledge of destination required.
Thinking it through... Hey, I can do this?
With avatars boosting computation and my soul-sense providing perfect destination intel, yes.
The moment I believed it possible, I was in Drakan's lair—thinking of Number One's nearby position.
“Never expected help like that.”
Strictly speaking, Kutula had aided me. His intent was unclear, but he was favorably inclined toward me.
What the price would be and how to repay it—I'd figure that later. For the return trip, I sent one lair avatar straight to Ktolari territory.
“Long time no see, Drakan.”
Drakan remained in eternal sleep, his massive, beautiful form unchanged.