Creation God - (5)
The Outer God from that dimension told me that lately, observing trivial things is the most fun. In other words, she might have tasked a galaxy spirit with nurturing mortals.
Her subordinate, Carnos—Silent Starlight—might have deployed divinities on Terra Planet.
[Query. Just now. Moment. Dust. Suffering? Father. Query.]
[Intelligent beings on that planet I created are suffering.]
[Those who worship non-existent immortals with mere imagination—would any of my children care about them?]
Of course, I could just do the same. Among Shub's children, there must be divinities suited to tending mortals.
[Understood. Dust. Father. Toy.]
[...Not toys.]
[Child. Duty. Manage. Dust. Understood.]
Shub sent a vague sense of understanding and gathered her children again. Perhaps because of my earlier blunder, countless divinities were watching this place. Her will spread across the galaxy, summoning the gods once more.
But this time, only upper-tier ones that at least seemed like galaxy spirits.
—!!!!
The first to approach was a bubbling divinity. One covered in black tentacles. One generating gas from its body, and so on... Shub's direct descendants first. Then the second and third generations they created followed.
Arranged in order, as if displaying their divine ranks. Among them, the least noticeable and weakest was the galaxy spirit that mortals revered.
"Th̸͈͗i̶͕̅s̵̟̈́ t̷͖̿ï̶̢m̴͚̊e̸̩̋ i̴̼̾t̵̚͜'s n̸̠͝ơ̷̞t̵͕̚ h̵̖́u̴̬͑—v̸̠͝r̷̛̞a̵͕̚á̵̖l̴̬͑...!?"
"Th̸͈͗a̶͕̅ẗ̵̟́ h̷͖̿ä̶̢s̴͚̊ n̸̩̋o̴̼̾t̵̚͜h̸̠͝i̷̛̞n̵͕̚ǵ̵̖ t̴̬͑o̸̠͝ d̷̛̞o̵͕̚ ẃ̵̖i̴̬͑t̸̠͝h̷̛̞ o̵͕̚ú̵̖r̴̬͑ w̸̠͝ơ̷̞r̵͕̚ḱ̵̖."
"Tru̶̘͐l̶̰̚ý̶̼ g̵̩͆r̵̥̈ē̸̝a̸̼͛t̶̳̃ Ye̶̘͐’l̶̰̚-̶̼́k̵̩͆ḁ̵̈ā̸̝g̸̼͛h̶̳̃! Wh̴͓̽y̷̱͂ Z̵̖̏h̶̩̄ǘ̵͚’l̶̩̄’ã̸̱n̵͚̈́?"
As the gods murmured and chattered, another corner of the galaxy shattered. I watched uneasily, but Shub unleashed a massive wave of will.
—V̷̢̎u̵̝̚k̴̬̿-̴̝͒z̸̠͝h̷̛̞a̵͕̚á̵̖l̴̬͑...■■■■!
The divinities all fell silent. Shub's words continued. Her creations listened quietly, none daring to project will.
But since she was speaking to her children, not me, it was hard to hear clearly. Should I tune in more carefully? Like maxing out a hearing aid, adjusting my power. Interpreting dust speech is tricky, but audible enough.
Let's see what Shub tells her kids...
"Hearken, my children. From the breath of creation that cleaved the void, the maker of all, my father and yours, has spoken. He now seeks to touch a tiny speck—that wretched planet of intelligent specks—and bids us choose one to tend it. Who will heed the command? My children who wander the starlight, pierce the silent cosmos and voice your will."
...Shub?
I pondered the will Shub had sent me earlier.
[Child. Duty. Manage. Dust. Understood.]
Short, clipped words lined up. The meaning got through, but she emphasized single words like that. So I assumed she spoke the same way to her children.
But what was this?
"One among you shall rise as lord of that tiny world. The tiny things beheld by the father of all..."
So fluid to me, almost archaic grandeur. Does she speak like that on purpose to her creations? Posing with dignity before her kids?
I must have misunderstood. I thought her choppy will came from having no equal conversational partner but me. But to her creations, it's like this. The dissonance is huge.
What gives?
"His footsteps shall become the will of the father of all things..."
Hypotheses:
One: She's always spoken like that to me too, but I just couldn't parse it. Naiserria's words came through fine, but Shub's my creation—beyond galaxy spirit comparison, so maybe different.
Two: She can only convey clear will to her creations. To superiors like me, just clipped intent. Full wishes to inferiors.
Three: Naiserria strained to send clear messages. Her full-powered yell reached me; Shub, closer in rank and direct offspring, spoke casually.
Four: Lowest odds—her wills to me were baby talk... affection. In my past life, I babied my mortal parents. Post-Shub creation, I focused on that dimension's apostles, neglecting her. Like a kid faking illness for attention...
Nah. No way.
[Father. Selection. Complete. Speck. Manage. Descendant. Descendant. Descendant. Descendant.]
[One of your descendants' descendants volunteered? Thank you.]
[Father. Command. Executed. Me. Shub.]
A fluffy, proud feeling washed over me. Preening for praise, like a chick nuzzling. I wanted to pet her, but that'd kill her. Suppressed the urge.
So cute, yet untouchable.
[Truly grateful. Hard for me to manage directly—control issues...]
[Father. Understood. Convinced. Fine.]
Yeah. What dignity from a kid like this? That speech earlier? Probably misheard. Power control's iffy—glitches happen.
[By the way, Shub. Overheard you talking to your kids...]
[Father. Me. Busy. Urgent. Work.]
Shub's will cut off.
...Yeah, misheard for sure?
A descendant several generations down from Shub agreed to oversee the planet. For cosmic monsters mortals can't handle, the divinity steps in appropriately.
Per Shub, among the gods, those mortals are seen as "Father's" pastime toy race—chosen on a whim.
Father, huh. Creator, technically, but naming's off. Anyway, this side's mortals can fend for themselves. Time to watch my apostles carefree.
Vivian's recent, so skip. Been neglecting Beatrix and Yuna—long time no check.
— — —
Perfect, they're together. Broadcast camera in front? Beatrix invited Yuna on her show?
"And so, we'll join the exploration fleet departing from the Arcadia star system! Please show lots of interest, viewers! Ohohohot!!!"
"Y-Yeah, looking forward to it..."
"Next broadcast before joining the recon team! That's it for today!"
Whispering Star Cluster wonders why the avatars have gathered.
Beatrix ended the official Balhar Planet broadcast and replied to my message. Her usual chipper tone.
"The federation government requested cooperation from Yuna and me, my lord!"
Yuna nodded beside her. Cooperation request—the exploration fleet from the broadcast? Heading beyond federation space, risky.
Held off messaging. Yuna spoke up.
"You know about the federation sending tons of deep space recon teams to scout alien constellations, right?"
Yeah. After the Gaiana Planet avatar challenge terror, recon teams deployed. Alien constellations' goals and locations unknown—obvious move.
"Recon didn't yield much. They're baiting at the few trace sites."
Sending fleet to confirmed trace spots. Avatars for psy interference or unknown risks.
"Spy issues too, but only avatars recognized for solid combat by the federation made it."
"Precisely, just a few hundred picked federation-wide! We can be prouder!"
"True, but... Beatrix, you got in thanks to your summons, right?"
"Wanna ask Kaiser yourself?!"
Hundreds, excluding military brass avatars. Ones suited for fleet combat with proven power.
Oh, right—Beatrix's hound update.
Whispering Star Cluster says the second apostle's hunting dog can now fight in space.
"Kaiser's space-capable?!"
"...Real space monster."
Even in this SF world with leaping tech, folks love personal power rankings. Constellations' influence? Or yearning for superpowers beyond science.
"Basically provoking alien constellations—they'll scheme something."
"Probably. Their pride..."
Not core federation, outer edges near suspects—pure bait. Lure with constellation/avatar bait, track. Psy/soul specialists incoming.
Mass deep space recon? Aliens will bite. Maybe pinning descending temp bodies to material plane. Or allied friendly constellation aid? Track mental return paths post-dissipate...
"Oh, Lord. Remember Sky-Supporting Great Tree?"
Of course. Planet world tree species. Perverted tree.
"Some of his avatars were in original deep space teams. Reports of observing planet-rooted world trees like him."
Hm?
"He asked you privately to find his kin. Now's the chance..."
Yuna innocently, unaware of the truth behind mortals' revered constellations.
Recalled chat with Sky-Supporting Great Tree. Before me in temp body:
Lustrous seeds keep coming to mind. Shell shyly wrapped tight, yet that embryo subtly blushing—oh so plump and ripe. How wondrous to bear fruit with such kin.
Ahem...
...Must I keep that promise?