The Cult That Refused to Fail
Pure as I was, I couldn't for the life of me figure out where things had gone wrong with this country—or my own cult, for that matter. There was a reason I'd handed everything over to Elenoa, who had zero experience running any kind of business, let alone founding a church. Her expertise was limited to combat, command, and pursuit.
So naturally, I never expected her to keep the cult running smoothly. No, it had to fail. Suppose she managed it somehow. Then that damn divinity would build up, right? Opening the door to events unfolding in directions I didn't want. That's why I dumped it all on Elenoa. I was counting on her to royally screw up the church's founding. Hell, I'd practically performed a ritual to ensure its collapse before dispatching her!
But why—why—was the cult thriving like this?
"—It's the Red Dragon's statue!"
"—The interior is so grand…!"
"—The architecture seems modeled after the Red Dragon's cave? The structure is incredibly impressive."
…Why was the temple standing there, perfectly fine—and glittering like that, no less? I couldn't wrap my head around it.
"Hehe, Red Dragon! I've faithfully carried out your orders!"
And Elenoa was proud of it, of all things.
'Argh…! Why is it fine, damn it…!'
My headache only worsened. And the absurdity didn't end there.
<Priests from where, exactly?>
"Pardon? Priests? Oh… there were plenty of capable folks around."
"Yggdrasil has this one young White Gold Dragon—ah, a friend I've gotten close to lately!—who turned out to have more talent than expected. I left Yggdrasil in her care."
<And the rest?>
"Aidon got a Draconic Elf. Do you remember her, by any chance?"
<How could I forget? She was the first to receive my scales.>
"Yes, exactly. Elang—she said she'd take on the priest role in Aidon. She wanted to help you, Red Dragon."
Fine, that made sense enough. But why the hell was there a temple of mine in dwarf territory too, with followers gathered there?!
"Uh, more people than I thought were seeking faith in you, Red Dragon…!"
…I had no idea how this world was supposed to work anymore. Okay, fine—Yggdrasil and Aidon, I could buy. I'd half-resurrected the dying White Gold Dragons there, after all. And Aidon was enjoying 'peaceful' daily life under my 'mercy,' wasn't it? But Kohmir? Why a sudden temple there? Why were followers multiplying like this?! Wasn't I the one branded a calamity, cursed everywhere? And yet dwarves were building a temple for me on their own initiative. They had to be insane.
Of course, it wasn't all bad. There was some silver lining.
…My divinity has stabilized, to a degree.
As a newbie god, I couldn't grasp the exact mechanics yet.
But with 'priests' assigned, the divinity lingering in my body had flowed to them. Elenoa, especially.
<Elenoa, how's your condition?>
"Never better! Hmm, how to put it… Ah, it feels like I've borrowed a bit of your power, Red Dragon?"
Priests fundamentally borrow power from the god they serve. So the abilities they wield vary wildly depending on their deity. From what I could see, Elenoa could wield a sliver of chaos authority. The myriad chaotic energies spilling from my domain were seeping into her. And yet she showed no discomfort—quite the opposite; she brimmed with vitality. A definite change.
Above all…
The voices have quieted down.
The voices stabbing straight into me had grown remarkably subdued. As if they no longer needed to fixate solely on me.
Still, I couldn't be satisfied with this. I craved even greater freedom. I wanted to shed the shackles of godhood and live a leisurely life detached from worldly affairs.
Truly, it was a deepening dilemma.
<Haa…>
And as I lamented my sorry lot…
[Red Dragon. Fancy stepping outside for a bit?]
Her voice—Leviathan's—reached me.
*
The Mage Tower researchers who had entered the domain of chaos were, in fact, basking in immense joy these past few days.
"Oh…! Fascinating…! We might uncover the difference between divine magic and conventional magic right here!"
"Ah, no way…?! Isn't this the 'Ratnil's Golden Chalice' that vanished 200 years ago? It was in the Red Dragon's lair?"
It was only natural, really. The Red Dragon's lair—no, now called the Red Dragon's Citadel—was a living thesis, a treasure trove of data. Relics known only from legends and records popped out left and right.
"The birth of a new species, Draconic Elves… Now that's a research topic."
The very 'changes' wrought by the Red Dragon ignited scholarly passion. Especially since those who ventured into this rumored death trap were driven by ambition. Most sought degrees or fame in academic circles through their papers. They were naturally swamped every day.
But Darkul never forgot his true purpose.
—Disciples, don't forget why we're here. No matter how intriguing everything seems, we came to research 'divinity.'
The reason they'd been granted access to wander this space. And what Darkul desired most: a means to kill or weaken gods. He never lost sight of that goal.
—…Of course, Master.
—How could we forget?
His disciples didn't ignore his will either. If anything, they pondered his words deeply and pressed on with their research.
This was a monumental feat. Eradicating the evil gods plaguing the world. Uprooting the seeds of those abominations that hadn't been fully purged. They yearned to forge the tool that could make it happen.
So even when the Red Dragon built temples outside.
Even when countless Draconic Elves left the domain to sightsee lesser nations.
They persisted in their studies beneath that sweltering space.
—Goooo…
And finally, as they nearly completed their analysis of this domain…
"…Huh."
Darkul—and the researchers—could only marvel.
"What is this…?"
"Master, this doesn't make sense. Can such a space exist in the material world?"
They stared at the magic circle they'd deployed. It was a standard one, functional anywhere in the material realm.
Yet…
"…Points become lines, lines become planes. Those planes form the third dimension. Naturally, the magic circle belongs to that 3D space."
Upon contact with the 'chaos' constituting this domain, it twisted. As if recalibrating to another dimension. Everything warped, losing its original form.
They understood what it meant.
This place… this 'domain of chaos' shouldn't even be called a domain. It was a 'dimension of chaos.' A wholly separate dimension, like the material world, divine realm, or hell.
A realm forged by a god.
"…This."
And she beheld it.
The intricate, massive magic circle they'd drawn filled the ceiling. She was awestruck.
A connection to the divine that had seemed utterly unattainable. Their circle… seemed to demonstrate it.
"Ah, Leviathan. You've arrived?"
"…A process to excise the Red Dragon's divinity."
"Yes. It's not complete yet—a rough draft, if you will."
Leviathan pondered briefly. In metaphor, the circle's role was akin to crafting a second Red Dragon. Separating the 'god' Red Dragon from the material Red Dragon, housing each in distinct bodies.
But the backlash would be enormous. It's practically ripping off the divinity by force.
Which meant not here. This space couldn't be risked. Countless lives breathed here; the Red Dragon slept here. No way to conduct such a massive ritual.
A place with minimal people… and less backlash… Ah.
Leviathan recalled a certain space. Dark, where nothing was visible. But… safe for that very reason.
The deep sea. Her homeland. She pictured its surroundings.
…I hate it there, though.
Of course, Leviathan didn't welcome the idea. Why had she left the sea for the surface? She loathed everything there. The cold, chilling void that cornered her—that's why she'd come here.
But.
…The Red Dragon wants it gone.
She never forgot the favors. How many times he'd saved her, forgiving her antics with exasperated patience. Even with divinity, even if he seemed off…
He was her king—and equal friend.
So she voiced the foregone conclusion.
[Red Dragon. Fancy stepping outside for a bit?]
<…What's this about outside all of a sudden?>
[We might be able to remove the divinity. And the experiment… it'd have to be in the sea.]
Leviathan genuinely wanted to help him. No—she wanted that less than anyone. Ascension meant never seeing him again.
The odd dragon who found her annoying yet kept her close as a pillow. She'd lose him forever.
So with all her heart… unlike the Draconic Elves, she wished he'd stay here.
<Hmm, is that so?>
But the Red Dragon couldn't know her heart. The idea of reading an ally's—not even a follower's—mind never crossed his thoughts. Too ruthless.
[Yeah. So, wanna try? Or should we refine it more?]
Leviathan smiled as always, knowing how he saw her. Knowing her feelings weren't vital to him.
[I'm fine either way, Red Dragon. I'll follow your lead.]
She hoped to remain comrades… forever.
<…Very well. Prepare within the week.>
She trusted him—not faith, but pure belief…
[Haha, knew it. I'll tell the Mage Tower folks too!]
…something akin to love.