Chapter 230
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 230
"It is truly a pleasure to meet you like this!"
At the words of Rami, the Fox Tribe Chief, Gargal, the Wolf Tribe Chief, wrinkled his nose.
"Why are you still in human form?"
"Why, to please the Evil God, of course. We foxes are always ready to cozy up to the strong, you know? If it guarantees us even a sliver of mercy, maintaining this transformation magic is no trouble at all!"
"Calculating bastard…"
"More like the wolves are just stupid."
Valp, the Crow Tribe Chief, sighed at the sight of the two young chiefs baring their teeth and growling at each other.
"Stop it, both of you. We did not gather here today to bicker. How can chiefs responsible for entire tribes behave in such a manner?"
"...My apologies, Elder."
"I am sorry…"
Valp nodded as the two bowed their heads.
"Now, let us share our thoughts."
They had gathered in one place to discuss how they should treat the 'Evil God'. Considering they had been too busy managing their respective tribes to hold such a meeting for nearly thirty years, it was clear just how much the Evil God’s existence meant to them.
The first to speak was Valp.
"I have decided to revere him as our parent god. This is a decision made after discussing it with the other crows. He is undoubtedly a dangerous entity who will bring about calamity… but the eye of a storm is always calm. We judged that if we can remain within that calm, offering him our loyalty will not be difficult."
Once the Crow Tribe’s stance was made clear, Gargal, who had been exchanging glances with the fox, also spoke up.
"We wolves have decided to trust him."
"By that, you mean the 'trust' of wolves? Do you intend to treat him as a friend and family?"
"We know how dangerous he is."
It was impossible to describe how terrifying it had been when they first saw him. A human, who should have been extinct, stood in the middle of the Black Forest like a taxidermy specimen. Moreover, a complex and bizarre scent emanated from him.
It had not taken long to deduce that he was the Evil God, but there were too many differences between the Evil God of history and the 'Gio' standing before them. He had shown them gentle kindness.
"I judged that, at the very least, the mercy he showed us was not a lie. The other wolves were wary and fearful at first, but now that trust has taken root. Gio treated us wolves as friends and gave us gifts far beyond that… so we will respond in kind."
"How foolish."
Rami the fox narrowed her eyes, clearly displeased with the wolf’s opinion.
"An Evil God is still an Evil God. To regard such a colossal entity as a friend… at this point, it feels almost blasphemous. The stubborn honesty of wolves can be a strength, but it can also be a fatal flaw, you know?"
"Grrr…! And what makes your choice so much better?! You do nothing but mimic humans and wag your tail!"
"My, what an angry fellow. So unrefined."
The Fox Tribe Chief glared at him as if scolding a child.
"He is a god. A god who will rule over this world, which has lost its Creator, and us who live in it. Don’t you agree, Valp?"
"I do not believe we need to grovel excessively… but I agree with that sentiment. A minimum level of awe and distance toward a god is essential for insignificant creatures like us."
"Even Valp says so, Gargal. Of course, to wolves who cherish friendship and trust, our fox-like attitude might seem excessively subservient."
But she took pride in having adopted what she saw as the wiser stance.
"Do you even know what you’re talking about? The god who has come to us is in a position where it is difficult for him to feel affection for this world. That is what history tells us."
They did not know exactly how the 'Evil God' had come to be. Some chroniclers claimed he was a demon existing since the dawn of time, while others said he was a calamity born from human selfishness.
But the important thing was that he was an entity who had been rejected by all life in this dimension and had even been sealed away. No matter why or how that seal was broken, or with what emotions he had come to find them, it would actually be stranger if he were in a good mood.
Even if he was currently acting as a sort of parent god to their races, they had merely been born in the process of him unleashing his wrath upon the world; they were never his ultimate purpose.
"When I first learned of his appearance, I was certain he would unleash his wrath," Rami continued. "Or, if not that, he would make some wicked proposal or make this already ruined world even more terrible."
"But he didn’t, did he?" Gargal interjected.
"That is precisely why it is terrifying. Because it makes no sense."
Why did he show them mercy and affection?
"It doesn’t make any sense," she repeated.
An incomprehensible favor only made them more anxious.
"I believe his favor is highly likely to be a whim. Didn’t you feel it? His actions and attention revolve entirely around what interests him. Which means, if we fail to keep him entertained, we might be discarded in an instant."
"Ha! Is that why you wag your tail and rub your paws together like that? You must have no pride."
"We are not foolish wolves who would rather die than lose our pride, you see? I am confident that this is better than wagging our tails blindly because we 'like our friend' without preparing for contingencies, only to end up as slaughtered hunting dogs."
"You honorless fox… The value and weight of a wolf’s trust is something we would stake our lives on. Even if Gio treats us terribly because he loses interest, we will simply take responsibility for our own decision."
"And I am asking if that honor guarantees the safety of your tribe."
That was why the Fox Tribe prostrated themselves and wagged their tails.
"I would gladly show my belly as many times as it takes to protect my family and children. Fortunately, he has, for now, refused to consume intelligent creatures capable of speech. If we lean into that mercy and eagerly rub our paws together, we will surely receive a reward for it."
"A reward? What reward? Becoming pet foxes?"
"If we can become pet foxes, that would be a magnificent outcome! In fact, that is my very goal, Gargal!"
The foxes were pushed to the brink.
"If we can be promised our lives and a minimum of mercy, what does it matter if we become pets? No, it doesn’t matter at all. Keeping us as pets means he will at least give us basic affection. I must have that affection, even if it is only that."
"Disgusting creatures…"
As the wolf grimaced in sheer disgust, Valp intervened to stop the two incensed chiefs.
"Both of you, calm down."
"……."
"……."
"That’s better."
He understood that everyone was deeply shaken by the sudden arrival of either hope or calamity while they were merely waiting for death. However, in this situation, letting themselves be swept away by emotion would prevent them from reaching a proper conclusion.
"I believe all of our opinions have value," Valp said gently.
Everyone was doing their absolute best in their own way.
"But there is one thing we have in common."
"What is that, Elder?"
"That we must serve him."
Valp looked at the wolf.
"I believe you agree with this as well."
"...That is true."
At the wolf’s affirmation, the fox snorted.
"Hmph, see? In the end, the wolves are going to tuck their tails too, despite all their big talk about friendship."
"In the first place, the term 'friend' was first uttered by Gio himself," Gargal retorted. "Ultimately, what we desire is a reliable lord and subjects to follow him. Just as the wolves have done since the beginning of time."
"Wolves are always so stubborn and old-fashioned," Rami scoffed.
"You already know they have always been this way," Valp said.
Unlike the Fox Tribe, who had banded together late out of a desperate need for survival, the Wolf Tribe had enjoyed pack life since birth. Following a strong leader, while protecting and guiding their weaker family members, was a tradition engraved in their very souls.
Thus, even now, the wolves were ready to serve a new leader. It was a form of family and army, entirely different from the vassalage humans spoke of. That was why they spoke of trust.
"Even if we revere and serve him, we can still be family. And if we can be family, we can also be friends," Gargal declared.
Though he did not know it, this was similar to what Gio himself had said before. He continued with a resolute expression.
"Of course, the story is different for foxes, who would sell out their own family if danger strikes."
"It’s not selling them out, it’s strategy! The Fox Tribe has never actually committed a massive betrayal against our own kind. Most of our schemes were meant to deceive humans."
"Ugh, disgusting."
"What did you say?"
As signs of another fight began to brew, Valp spoke to Rami.
"Even so, I do not believe you need to grovel excessively, Rami. If he truly becomes the new Main God of this world, there will surely be gifts and mercy bestowed upon us."
"But how can you guarantee that? He is a cruel beast. Insignificant creatures like us could be swept away at any moment by a single whim of his. The foxes are desperate because we cannot even protect our own cubs right now."
She had to be desperate.
"It is hard to even find a fox that has successfully bred anymore. Even if they are born, they die all too easily. Do you have any idea… any idea what it felt like for us to dig deeper into our poison-filled dens just to bury the corpses of our cubs?"
Of the three tribes, the Fox Tribe was the closest to extinction. While the wolves and crows were at the stage of preparing for their impending deaths, the foxes were waiting for death at any second.
"We are not strong like the wolves, so our ability to digest poison is weak, nor do we have the skills to neutralize poison ourselves like the crows. Most foxes can do nothing but transformation magic."
"...Rami…"
"Do you know what it feels like for us to feed poison to our fragile cubs to build up their tolerance, all while watching them writhe in agony? I must do my absolute best. For that, I will truly do anything."
"……."
Valp and Gargal fell silent. Valp, as the elder who had once looked after the two young chiefs, and Gargal, as the rival who always bared his teeth in argument, had no choice but to hold their tongues.
For the survivors, the end of the world was this pathetic and miserable.
"...What we do best is flatter the strong. The wolves can become the Evil God’s fangs, and the crows can become his eyes, but the foxes…"
"...I understand what you mean," Valp said softly. "I only spoke out of concern. If you do nothing but flatter the Evil God, you will be discarded just as easily. But if this is a decision made after considering all of that, I will respect it."
"...Thank you."
"I hope the coming new era will make us good subjects," Valp concluded.
The wolf chuckled. "It will be better than now."
"Yes, indeed."
And so, the beasts reached an agreement.
*
"It seems…"
Gio blinked a couple of times as he looked around his home.
"Someone has been using my house without permission."
"Grrrrr…"
"Don’t be angry."
In a harsh world, it was only natural for thieves to break into an empty house.
"Though I have no idea who did this."
It had never been a particularly peaceful home, but hadn’t it become far too grim? The ruins he remembered had been a place where beasts and nature lived in harmony, despite the many inconveniences. When he became the Evil God, it had turned into a haunted house steeped in poison and ominous energy.
'But this is not the place I remember.'
Blood and flesh were scattered everywhere. Abandoned research data was strewn about. And a gruesome scene that looked as if something had been beaten to a pulp. To Gio, this sight suddenly looked like the aftermath of the most horrific cult imaginable.
'There are also traces of them fighting among themselves and self-destructing.'
He was finally able to define the scene.
"...It must have been the humans' last struggle."
"Grrr…"
"It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."
'You always walk the path that brings only pain to one another,' he thought.
*
The man suddenly thought he heard a human voice.
"……."
…A human?
Is there anyone… left?