Chapter 122
Translator: uly
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: The Goddesses' Drinking Party and Apostle Dispute
The goddess's abode, a place unknown to anyone until now.
I was the first user to poke my head—no, my face—inside.
Glance.
'But for a place where gods live, it's surprisingly modest.'
It wasn't just my imagination when it first caught my eye and reminded me of an ordinary family home.
If the one who opened the door hadn't been Irine, I might still think this was Earth.
"Drink up, drink up!"
"Ugh, isn't this too spicy?"
"Then eat it with this."
No, but what the hell is this mess?
I blinked quietly at the three goddesses, who had set up a drinking party in a completely different atmosphere from before.
"What? You want some too? Want me to pour you a glass?"
[...No thanks.]
Just moments ago, the mood had been serious.
Kishine had been diligently tweaking her avatar in the dimension where I lived, and Irine and Raine had racked their brains to fix the problem I'd caused.
"Phew, what do we do with this buggy lump?"
"Irine. Watch your words in front of the hero."
"Did I say anything wrong? Thinking about the headaches this guy's gonna cause from now on already gives me one."
"Still, thanks to the hero, we got through the last patch safely."
"Safely? If you heard the users complaining, you'd take that back real quick."
Ah, she's talking about when they turned my story into an event.
But isn't that their problem?
If they were gonna make it an event and put me as the boss, they could've lowered my HP or simplified the patterns.
Of course, I've never made a game, so I'm talking big, but anyway, it's not my fault, right?
"What? That look in his eyes is making me wanna punch him."
"Hold on, Irine? Put the fist down!"
Up until then, they'd all kept a serious atmosphere!
'The trouble started... yeah, when Kishine finished her fixes and came back. That's when it began.'
About 30 minutes after Kishine disappeared?
When she returned from work, her arms were full of booze and snacks that looked half-eaten by someone.
"Why'd you bring that?"
"I just finished work. But the download won't finish until tomorrow. Since we have to stay here till then anyway, I figured we'd keep drinking in the living room."
"No, why though?"
"You gonna leave him alone in the living room like this? What if something happens if we leave him by himself?"
What am I, some five-year-old... no, worse, a two-year-old imoogi who can't even babble properly? Sure, mentally I'm a full adult, but still, that treatment stings a bit.
But no matter what I said, the goddesses' opinions didn't change.
In the end, Irine and Raine sided with Kishine, and their drinking session relocated to the living room where I was.
Honestly, though it was bewildering, it wasn't an unwelcome spot for me.
I could even pick up info from their chats that I never would've thought of.
'Who would've thought Jijiyong was doing a collab.'
One such tidbit: Jijiyong's game was collaborating with another.
A collab they'd never done before, and with another game at that?
'And that the other game is in a similar situation? That's surprising too.'
The goddesses said there were tons of gods like them—directly managing dimensions, turning them into stories, and releasing them as games on Earth.
The collab game this time was one of those worlds.
[Do you know where the collab is?]
"It's a secret."
"Hmm. Better keep it secret from the hero."
"Secret for the surprise!"
Of course, they wouldn't tell me where.
But judging by their reactions, it's gotta be a pretty famous game that even I'd know.
"Hey, make some more skewers."
[What flavor?]
"Hmm. Salt and teriyaki."
[Got it.]
Ah, and as the drinking went on, I naturally became their chef, whipping up whatever food they wanted.
Kishine was supposed to do it originally, but the fact that I had creation powers too tripped me up.
With the power I had now, making food wouldn't tire me out or make me faint, they said.
Of course, I wasn't doing it for free.
They'd give me a reward when I headed back tomorrow.
I didn't know what it was, but it wouldn't be something useless for me.
[Here you go.]
"Oom... He makes it better than Kishine?"
Is their drunken buzz rubbing off on me?
It was obviously just lip service, but it still lifted my spirits.
"By the way, you. Isn't it uncomfortable like that?"
[It's a bit cramped... but if I don't turn my head, it's manageable.]
Honestly, it was uncomfortable.
Even slight movements made the wall gripping my neck shake like it might crumble.
I couldn't turn my head, and I was carefully controlling my breathing.
Focusing on breathing built up fatigue faster than usual, but it wasn't unbearable, so I decided to just stay put.
"We're the ones uncomfortable watching. Hold on."
Of course, that plan went out the window with Irine's actions.
Tssst...
Irine wrapped my neck softly with darkness, like a scarf.
[Hm?]
"Better now?"
[Definitely. Breathing's easier than before.]
I never knew this was possible.
But was it just my imagination?
Seeing Irine's darkness made that guy come to mind for some reason.
The one whose thoughts and intentions I couldn't even guess...
He wielded darkness similar to Irine's.
"Ah, but you know."
Thud.
"Kyaa?!"
"What? What? Leaving us behind for a cozy little chat?"
"I came for snacks! What're you talking about?!"
Irine, who was about to say something to me.
But Kishine suddenly flying in from behind and hugging her broke the mood.
"Raine~ Irine's ditching us for a secret meeting!"
"Irine?!"
"We met right in front of you. What're you on about?"
Raine, who had been sipping alone and munching snacks, flipped at the "secret meeting" talk and rushed over frantically.
"So, what were you really gonna say?"
Kishine's question felt like she wouldn't let it slide like before.
Knowing she couldn't escape now that Kishine had her prey, Irine sighed and repeated what she'd meant to say to me.
"Sigh... I was just gonna talk about apostles."
[Apostles?]
Apostles.
The familiar yet unfamiliar ring made my eyes dart around.
But Kishine and Raine's faces looked off?
Like they'd been betrayed by someone they trusted?
"Aah! You shameless goddess!"
"Irine... I didn't think you'd stoop that low."
"N-No, I was just..."
No, what the hell? Why are those two reacting like that?
And Irine's reaction—she clearly knew she'd messed up.
Kishine spreading her arms in front of Irine's familiar to protect me from it.
But she soon spun around and hugged my face outright.
"Even if it's you, you can't just drool over my apostle like that! I can't let this slide, Irine!"
"Huh?"
"What?"
Apostle again.
And Kishine called me her apostle.
"Hold up. He's your apostle?"
"Of course! He has my creation powers this strong—what else would you call it?"
"We can give powers too, so no issue there."
"Exactly. Gotta be fair."
"No, he already has creation powers!"
No, first off, someone explain exactly what an apostle is.
The goddesses who'd been laughing and clinking glasses moments ago were now glaring daggers at each other.
All I could do was roll my eyes quietly and watch.
"You two find someone else! Especially you, Irine! You treated him like a walking disaster before—why the sudden flirting?!"
"Ahem. That's separate. His power's the real deal. Honestly, his potential and growth so far outstrip anyone else's."
At Irine's response, Kishine's head snapped to Raine.
"And you, Raine! You said all heroes are equal, right? So give this one up!"
"I'm just giving the hero a chance. Deciding among ourselves without his input isn't right."
"You just think since you've been the closest, he'll pick you if it's equal terms."
"What? I'm just offering him the same chance as any other hero..."
"Then don't butt in if he picks her."
"...That wouldn't be fair either? He might want to be my apostle."
I definitely saw it.
Raine's mouth twitched ever so slightly, stiffening just before her reply.
"No matter what you say! I've already invested so much in him! Gave him my eye! Creation powers! Status window! Everything!"
"Hold on. The eye's still technically big sis's, right?"
Right.
Raine. Irine. Kishine. The three of them were using big sis's body.
"Th-That's true, but he still has creation powers and the status window, see?!"
[W-Wait.]
Yank.
Kishine forcibly lifted my eyelid to show everyone.
No, I didn't warn them—the status window is...
"What're you talking about?"
"Nothing's there?"
"What do you mean? Look here! I put the status window in... Huh?"
Cold sweat started at the doubt in Kishine's voice.
Yeah, I'd forgotten for a sec.
I'd done something to the status window and hadn't told them yet.
"Hey."
[Sorry.]
Kishine's curt word.
I apologized right away, but...
"Where'd you sell my status window?!"
My sincerity didn't get through to her.