The Invitation
“First off, let me say this. You are now a true god of chaos.”
“...I won't deny it.”
“Which means you'll face powerful restrictions in the material world from now on.”
I couldn't quite grasp what she meant. Restrictions? But so far, nothing had changed at all.
Just as that doubt crossed my mind, Beul continued as if she'd expected it.
“There are unbreakable rules in this world. For example, if I let go of this scythe...”
She did just that, and naturally, it fell to the floor.
“It drops due to the law of gravity.”
“So what?”
Of course, I had no real idea what she was getting at. Rules of the world? Laws? What did that have to do with me? Physical properties and laws could be overturned with magic anyway. That's how this world worked.
As expected, Beul had anticipated even that. She read my thoughts right away, levitated the scythe back with telekinesis, and spoke.
“And for gods, there's the Inviolable Covenant.”
“The Inviolable Covenant, huh.”
“Indeed. Now that you possess divinity, we can't interfere freely in the material world. To manifest there, we must pay an enormous price to send an avatar, or leave our true body in the outer realms and craft a feeble construct to embed a fragment of our consciousness into.”
I watched as she molded a small crow from her hand. It was almost an artificial thing, devoid of any real spirit. Then Beul infused it with her consciousness.
The crow immediately spoke in human tongue. “...Like this.”
I was genuinely surprised. I still couldn't speak human languages myself. I'd never needed to learn them in the first place. The problem was, I'd even forgotten how to use Dragon Tongue. Ever since I woke up, all I could speak was the language of the gods. What a headache.
Soon, she dissolved the crow back into sand, letting it trickle to the ground, and continued.
“Above all, you've clearly obtained divinity now. You can no longer remain in the material world. You are now a being obligated to watch over it from beyond. That's what you've become.”
...Yeah. That was exactly why I'd gone to such lengths to avoid divinity all this time. Gaining it meant leaving the material world behind. And afterward, I'd have to manage my followers and my domain. My head was already starting to ache just thinking about it.
“That's why I was suggesting you come under me. I know it's bold to say, but I'm a major god. I command countless lesser gods and oversee numerous domains.”
“You'd handle my domain for me too?”
“...Something like that.”
...Tempting. Her offer sounded pretty damn good. Become a god and do nothing? Just lounge around in that Pantheon place?
Just as I was about to seriously consider it...
[Hold on.]
Leviathan cut into our conversation.
“...What's the matter, blue dragon? Some problem?”
Beul seemed displeased, and honestly, I thought Leviathan was being a bit rude too.
[From what I know, gaining divinity forces ascension.]
“Hmmm.”
Her words were impossible to ignore.
[It's natural to be pulled to a higher realm once you shed your mortal vessel. But the Red Dragon doesn't seem affected at all?]
She was right. I hadn't been forcibly ascended. My body just felt... restructured, somehow.
That was definitely odd, so I turned to Beul again.
“Care to explain?”
But Beul just smiled faintly at my question.
“...All your doubts will be answered if the god of chaos comes with me. So, take my hand. We'll watch over the world—and your followers—together.”
Her words gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. Like some community site admin trying to pull rank.
That realization hit me, and I knew exactly what to say.
I mirrored her smile and opened my mouth.
“No thanks.”
No. No ascension, no nothing.
That was my declaration.
*
Beul—and honestly, most of the gods—were stunned by the Red Dragon's situation.
Gaining divinity meant ascension. The divine essence in one's body rejects the material world. Like water flowing downhill, it's naturally drawn to the divine realms.
Yet the Red Dragon's body remained in the material world, showing no issues even after lingering there. No forced ascension.
All the gods sensed something was off.
From that, Beul saw a possibility.
—He already possessed a degree of divinity from the start.
Yes. The Red Dragon had now fully attained minor god status, but he'd been building toward lower tiers of divinity before.
—And his domain is chaos.
True as well. His epic battle with Verinal had forged him into the god of chaos. A domain of chaos born from a being who was chaos incarnate. Chaos that could be calamity or blessing.
Putting it all together, Beul's conclusion was this:
‘Because it's chaos, it might be immune to rules.’
He was now undeniable chaos. If such a being stayed in the material world...
It could steer the world in directions even the Creator God hadn't foreseen.
Beul didn't like that one bit. She preferred rules. She preferred order.
That's why she disliked the thunderous rampage of Verinal, and favored the Red Dragon's recent actions, driven by clear motives.
So, how to resolve it? Simple.
‘Make myself his superior.’
Take the Red Dragon under her wing. Then the world returns to order. He could quietly handle duties in the Pantheon, living leisurely enough.
A satisfying end for all. A happy one.
That's why she proposed it to him.
“No thanks.”
Her offer sank before it even began.
“Why not?”
Beul couldn't understand.
Sure, she'd glossed over details. But there were no lies. Gods have little room for thought once ascended. Just follow the rules: do what must be done, avoid what mustn't. Rest? Nonexistent, but that's every god's lot.
For the Red Dragon, who as chaos would face complex thoughts and executions galore, godhood should be easier.
Yet to him, it all looked like a hassle.
“You mentioned the Inviolable Covenant? Why should I be bound by it?”
First off, being tied to some law rubbed him wrong. It infringed on his freedom. He deserved all choices, and had the power for it. Instant demerit.
And moreover...
“Also... you reek.”
“W-what? Reek? What smell from me?”
The scent—and vibe—from Beul.
“The stench unique to complicated, hassle-loving types.”
The Red Dragon sensed hardcore workaholic energy from her. The kind who sees even themselves as cogs in a rule-bound machine.
For someone who loathed work and hassles, that was another dealbreaker.
His decision was inevitable.
“So, I refuse. As Leviathan said, normal gods ascend. Since I didn't, no problem, right?”
He wanted nothing more to do with it. Just flop out and sleep atop his golden mountain, oblivious to the world.
Ascension? Working under her? Zero interest.
With that, he lay back down.
“...So, off you go. I've made my will clear.”
“...”
Beul felt a twinge of injustice watching him. What kind of god was this lazy?
She wanted to drag him off right then, but...
‘...That seems impossible.’
The glares from those present. Their auras. Nothing ordinary.
She gave up immediately.
But as his senior—having lived eons longer as a god—she had the grace to advise a lazy junior.
“...If that's your choice, I won't stop you. But remember this.”
Slipping from the priest's body, she spoke slowly to him.
“The hassles... probably won't ever end. Especially not for you now.”
“...Hah, as if.”
Beul faded away. Scattering divinity, death's aura.
In an instant.
*
—Hmm, our lord has departed.
—[Looks like it.]
—Then we'll take our leave. We've fulfilled our duty.
Beul's priests vacated immediately after she left. Rightly so—the conversation between the Red Dragon and Beul meant their obligation was done.
Especially since the lead priest here held high rank. Tons of temple work awaited; no time to waste.
And some time after they left...
The Red Dragon used Leviathan as a pillow, reveling in peaceful sleep as always.
‘Ahh! This is it! This laid-back life!’
Amazingly, nothing changed after Beul's priests departed! No one bothered him even when he dozed off completely.
Any hassle popped up? Leviathan by his head slipped away to handle it.
Perfect, total auto-hunt system achieved.
The Red Dragon had pulled it off.
So, secure in that, he tried to sleep again.
[—Ah, hot...!]
Leviathan's voice, lending her body, interrupted his nap.
Irritated, he started to snap—what's with the noise?—when...
“—What now, Leviathan? Just stay stil—”
‘—Huh?’
Something felt off with his body.
[What's wrong? Something's weird...]
Divinity infused his red scales. They blazed brighter, like roaring flames.
This was anything but normal.
[Wha—what?! Wait! Why's it vanishing—]
His lower body began fading.
“—Wh-what the hell...?!”
He had to accept his body was floating into the air, clueless as to why.
—Fwooooosh!!
A blinding white light filled his vision.
“Ah, aah...!!”
“Red Dragon!! O Red Dragon!!”
“Grant us mercy!! Please, have mercy on us!!!!”
““O Red Dragon!!””
He faced thirteen cows offered as sacrifice on an altar.
And people kneeling, performing some unidentified ritual(?).
“...?”
Shockingly, leading the ritual was Einhardt.
‘...Einhardt? Wasn't he in Aidon—huh?’
He realized: this was Aidon.
“Ah, um... sorry...! I never thought this would actually happen...!!”
Yes. He'd been summoned.
By their sacrifice.
By their ritual.
As the god of chaos, into Aidon's skies.
“...?”
...Though he hadn't quite grasped it yet.