Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Gods' Wager
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A sudden, maniacal voice echoed through the air.
Ishiris and Anumaeshi sheathed their drawn weapons and powers.
{...Tch. Consider yourself lucky.} {Pot calling the kettle black.} The two gods tossed out their irritated retorts.
Then they turned their gazes toward the owner of the voice that had restrained them.
{Long time no see, big brother.} {Calling us during such a busy time. Must be something urgent, right? Baal, big bro.} ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the darkness sat a being on an ornate chair reminiscent of a jade throne.
To the humans of the central continent, it was known as the god of the heavens.
The being called the eldest of the gods.
Baal.
He finished explaining the recent events to his two younger siblings seated across from him...
The explanation about the new god called Seraphim and the deeds it had wrought.
{Seraphim, huh... Definitely a god I've never heard of.} {Exactly, and that's what worries me the most. A being that's barely been born possessing such overwhelming power.} {Couldn't it have been hiding until now? Like some ancient sealed entity or something?} {If so, there would be records or legends. But our searches turned up nothing. It's not an ancient being. It was definitely born recently.} Gods grow stronger the longer they receive worship from many over vast spans of time.
In that regard, Seraphim—little more than a newborn babe among gods—possessed capabilities that were downright terrifying.
Of course, its total power couldn't surpass theirs, honed by eons of devotion, but it was undeniably not to be underestimated.
Especially considering it had now devoured not just Kanan Kingdom but the Moabmon Alliance as well.
{Where the hell did a freak like that pop up from? No spirits or heroes lately seemed god-worthy.} {Not sure on details, but its aura suggests it's some kind of angel. You know, those spawned from fragments of the Absolute God.} Baal replied to Ishiris's question in a gravely serious tone.
Angels could indeed explain a sudden birth without precursors, but questions lingered.
The "Absolute God fragments" sounded impressive, but the Absolute God itself belonged to ancient legends.
No one could confirm its existence; some speculated it was a garbled tale of otherworldly "Outer Gods."
Moreover, the sole evidence—the angels called fragments—had stark limitations.
Common angels discovered over the last millennium were barely stronger than humans.
Even the strongest, the great seraphs, rivaled mighty heroes at best, never transcending mortal bounds.
That was transcendent to humans, and against invading demons from other realms, it differed, but that was it.
Against "gods" like themselves, angels posed no real threat.
Thus, Seraphim's power—on par with true gods, far beyond other angels—was utterly abnormal.
And impossible to ignore.
As the two gods earnestly discussed the matter...
{Ha! Angels? Never thought I'd see our big bro scared of some puny thing like that!} Anumaeshi scoffed lightly at the two seriously conversing gods.
Ishiris scowled and shot him a cold glare.
{What the hell did you even hear? Big bro said it! That thing can crush a human infused with his power like an insect! It's fundamentally different from the Absolute God fragments we've seen!} {Absolute God, Outer God—whatever. Some dusty legend no one knows exists. Even its fragments wouldn't fill a fist against me. Unlike some withered old fart, I'm the God of War!} {You little shit... You've been...} Anumaeshi's brazen words.
A vein bulged on Ishiris's forehead.
The guy seemed to mock Seraphim while blatantly shading their big brother Baal.
She could tolerate insults to herself, but not to her brother.
Then.
{Is that so? Then why don't you step up yourself.} {Huh?} {B-Big bro? What do you...} Baal's unexpected words.
Ishiris and even Anumaeshi looked surprised, but soon a smug grin spread across his face.
{Ordering me, huh? Fine by me. I'll show you who's superior. But in exchange for handling big bro's problem, I want what I desire.} {What you desire? What's that?} {You don't mean...} Ishiris felt instinctive disgust at Anumaeshi's smile.
In response, he flashed a wicked grin and spoke.
{One night with big sis-in-law Asemos. How about it?} {You bastard, I've had enough of you!} {...} Ishiris unleashed her fury, lightning crackling from her body.
Yet Baal remained unfazed by his sister's rage and continued his vile words calmly.
{Lately, big bro hasn't been rising much, and sis-in-law seems lonely. It's been a while, so this little bro's offering some kindness to show her a woman's pleasure. But I can't without big bro's permission, right?} Anumaeshi openly declared his intent to steal a married woman.
He was always a milf-obsessed scumbag, but this screwball remark snapped Ishiris's last thread of patience.
{<Thunder...>} {I know.} {!? B-Big... bro!} Baal personally reached out to stop Ishiris mid-strike.
He eyed the smug Anumaeshi and spoke in a voice icier than before.
{If you defeat that Seraphim, I'll grant your wish.} {Heh, as expected of big bro—easy to talk to.} {However. If you fail, prepare for punishment. Including for daring to eye my wife.} {Naturally. Though there’s no chance I’ll lose. I was getting bored with humans anyway. Time to stretch my body.} With that, Anumaeshi strode out arrogantly.
Watching him leave, Ishiris spoke through clenched teeth.
{Brother, what are you thinking? You’re really willing to give up big sister? I can’t accept this! Just because that Seraphim is troublesome doesn’t mean—} {Don’t worry. What you fear will not happen.} {…Brother?} Baal’s calm—no, chilling—demeanor sent an inexplicable fear through Isiris.
Hidden in darkness, a cold smile formed on Baal’s lips.
“Long live the Kanan Kingdom!”
“Long live Lord Seraphim! Long live Commander Eva!”
Eva Gillion and the warriors who had fought returned to the royal capital.
Citizens lined the streets, cheering wildly.
The Moabmon Alliance—which had threatened the kingdom’s very survival—
Sixty thousand strong, defeated by merely three hundred warriors.
Joy and pride filled the hearts of the people.
But at that moment—
Watching from within the castle walls—
Princess Solomon held different thoughts.
It’s clear now… Lord Seraphim possesses not only wisdom, but overwhelming power…
She had heard he saved Eva, but that alone hadn’t been enough to confirm his might.
Only Eva had witnessed it.
And small skirmishes differed greatly from full-scale war.
But this time was different.
Though Eva fought valiantly, the truth was that sixty thousand enemies had knelt before Seraphim.
This miraculous feat confirmed Solomon’s suspicions.
With the sacrificial route cut off, the greatest thing she could do for the kingdom—
Something foreign princesses often did with gods or dragons—
To mix absolute power into the royal bloodline.
A woman’s primal instinct to seek strong lineage.
I must receive it… his seed. That powerful bloodline… As the princess of this kingdom, I must bear a god’s child…