The Heavenly God's Proxy Proposal
I'll show you. This is how I responded to the Heavenly God's proposal.
"Are you insane?"
It was a question so rude to someone like the Heavenly God, but it was the only response that made sense in the moment—the offer was that bewildering. Me, becoming the proxy and god responsible for this entire world?! It didn't seem sane to make that kind of proposal to someone you'd just met today!
"To be precise, it's not our first meeting."
...Was he reading my mind?
The Heavenly God pierced right through my thoughts and continued. "I've known of your existence for a while and have been peeking in from time to time. How else would I know your situation so well?"
Come to think of it, this guy had been acting like he knew me from the start. But why spy on me? Because I'm his avatar? If that's the case, then what about the original Seres? If the Heavenly God had shown the same interest in the original, they wouldn't have died so miserably.
What's the difference between me and the original Seres?
Did recovering my past-life memories and taking action make the difference?
Unlike the original, I'd been throwing around Divine Power like crazy, so it made sense that the Heavenly God would notice.
"I watched over you, thought it through carefully, and then made my decision."
The Heavenly God spoke to me as I sank into thought.
"To be honest, this place has been without a manager for all intents and purposes."
"Aren't you the manager?"
"In name, yes. But I oversee more than one world. Even sending subordinates wouldn't be enough."
So, a manpower shortage. That made sense. But his next words startled me.
"That's why, fearing something might happen while we weren't paying attention, I gave a feather to the Huferion family."
What? So that's why he gave them the feather?!
"No, then why did you stand by when the Huferion royal line was destroyed?"
"I already told you. I couldn't keep an eye on everything. And I'm not the type to act carelessly."
He explained that he'd planned to step in once he grasped the situation, but by then, the empire's first emperor had already slain the Demon King.
"After that, the imperial family kept handling Demon King-level threats on their own, so there was even less need for me to intervene."
"...Then why not just keep leaving it alone? Why appoint a proxy now?"
"Because now you exist."
Regardless of the reasons, I was now a lower god of sorts, bearing a portion of his power. With the perfect proxy finally available, he couldn't leave the position vacant any longer, he said.
"That's why I'm making the offer."
"...And if I refuse?"
I asked tensely. What would happen if I turned down the Heavenly God's invitation?
But the answer was surprisingly ordinary.
"Then I'll just go find someone else."
He had no intention of forcing it on me if I didn't want it. Relieved by the lack of coercion, I relaxed—but the Heavenly God wasn't done.
"But do you have a reason to refuse?"
"...Anyone would hesitate at the sudden offer to become a god."
"But you've already been bragging to others that you're a super-lawful existence. And you even resolved to become a god to build your harem."
"..."
"Think about it. This is actually an opportunity."
The Heavenly God tried to persuade me as I was left speechless.
"If you truly become my proxy and god managing this world, you'll be a genuine super-lawful being."
"...But on second thought, it seems like a stupid idea. Won't I just get even more famous if I go around proclaiming I'm a god, when I'm already notorious?"
Now that I'd calmed down a bit, as the Heavenly God said, my head was working again. It finally hit me how reckless my original plan had been.
The Heavenly God nodded.
"Probably."
"Then why?"
"Just take the title for now. If you do, I'll pull some strings to make it natural for you to build your harem."
...Could I trust that? It was absurd—a god promising to help me form a harem.
I eyed the Heavenly God suspiciously and countered. "Even if I accept, do you think the women will?"
"I'll make them accept."
"Plan to brainwash them?"
"No, I'll convince them."
The Heavenly God declared confidently. He had a trump card to persuade those women. If that was true, it was a great deal for me... but.
"Can I really handle it?"
Honestly, I had no confidence. Managing the entire world as a god and proxy for this supreme being? Someone thoughtless like Red might say, "She's a god, and now you're one too, so you can do whatever she does." But I knew better. Despite the shared "god" label, the gap between him and me was like that between a regular soldier and a Sword Master.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying you have to do it like me."
Guessing my worry, the Heavenly God said, "And 'managing' doesn't have to be complicated. Live your daily life as Saint Seres. Only step in as a god for truly critical events—like when a Demon King appears."
"Is that okay?"
"It'd be a problem if a god intervened in every little thing."
"Wait. If a Demon King-level threat arises, won't it be beyond my power anyway?"
"No. Once you master Divine Power, that level is nothing. If it's really too much, just contact me through someone close to you."
That made it doable. There wouldn't be another ancient Demon King, and the current one was Sibylius. Basically no work, and even if something happened, I wouldn't be handling it alone!
After some deliberation, I decided to give it a shot.
"I'll try it. But give me the right to quit if it really doesn't work out."
I added a condition just in case, but the Heavenly God accepted nonchalantly.
"Everyone has the right to resign. Got it."
With that, he turned away. The dream space was ethereal and dreamlike, but suddenly a door appeared in one corner. The Heavenly God opened it wide and prepared to leave.
"I'll keep my promise, so you just keep sleeping."
"I was already sleeping? Do I have to sleep again here?"
"To become a god, you might as well try sleeping in a dream."
With that cheeky remark, the Heavenly God vanished. Flustered but obedient, I lay down again in the dream space as instructed.
"...What ridiculous things I go through."
But was it because it was a dream, or because my mind was racing? Sleep wouldn't come.
How could it, after the Heavenly God just showed up and promised to solve all my problems in exchange for a deal? Only a tiny fraction of people could stay calm after something rarer than winning the lottery a hundred times over.
...Wait, or in rofan terms, was this commonplace? Heavenly beings suddenly appearing to fix the heroine's problems happened often enough. Heroines turning out to be connected to gods was a staple trope too.
I'd skimmed other rofans while obsessed with Heavenly Seres, and one was an exile story. The heroine gets banished due to a misunderstanding, then a god pops up out of nowhere, explains everything, and makes her entourage regret it.
Sibylius, Maou of the present age. Open your eyes.
"...Yes?"
Sibylius opened her eyes at the voice calling her. Before her floated a dazzling figure resembling Seres, radiating light.
"Heavenly God?!"
Sibylius recoiled in shock. What was going on? She'd parted ways with Seres, rested a bit, then gone to her room to sleep. So why was a god appearing before her now!
I have words for you, so I have entered your dream.
Watch carefully what I now reveal to you, Demon King Sibylius.
"You're acknowledging me as the Demon King?"
You're the only one left in this world fit to be Demon King. If anyone questions your legitimacy later, tell them the Heavenly God acknowledged you.
Who'd believe "the Heavenly God approved me as Demon King"?
Sibylius, suspecting it might be a bizarre dream, asked the Heavenly God, "What exactly are you going to show me?"
A parallel world. One very similar to this, but with genders and roles reversed.
"Oh, really? Fascinating."
The Heavenly God's astonishing words barely fazed Sibylius.
"Well, viewing other worlds is something I could do with magic if you gave me the time."
Not interested, then? In what happens to the male you or the female Seres in that world?
"...I'm not not interested."
Then shut up and watch. I have to show the others too.
Unable to resist the bait the Heavenly God dangled, Sibylius reluctantly watched the vision he revealed.