The Mountain God's Loophole

...

The Mountain God blinked slowly.

Soon, he clicked his tongue, his gaze turning indifferent as he looked down at Noel.

Puff.

The smoke drifted through the air, carrying the crisp scent of pine.

"Kids these days are so quick-witted~ In my day, shamans like you would beg me to give them a single task~"

"Times have changed."

Noel maintained his easy smile.

It was always the ones who had the most who were the stingiest; the higher their spiritual rank, the pettier they seemed to get. To accumulate merit, one had to abandon greed, and to abandon greed, one could not possess material things. It made sense that they ended up this way, but really, what did that have to do with him?

"I'll give you a plum blossom~"

"What's that?"

Noel pulled out a chocolate bar and popped it into his mouth. The Mountain God's eyes briefly followed the movement, but his interest didn't last long. It seemed this deity truly didn't have much greed.

"Even if you water it only once a week, it won't wither. It blooms all year round~"

A retort of are you kidding me? nearly rose to Noel's throat, but he patiently held it back. Surely, there was more to it than that.

"And it purifies its surroundings. Of course, the radius isn't particularly wide. Not bad, right~?"

Noel wondered if it was a losing deal since he already possessed the purple flame that could burn away corruption, but then he cast his gaze over the mountain. The temple was nestled quietly, and the mountain itself was vast and towering. If this entire mountain fell under the Mountain God's domain, then perhaps it wasn't a bad deal after all.

"Not bad. Is that the scent coming from you, Mountain God?"

"You recognized it~? How did you smell it? It shouldn't have been easy~"

The Mountain ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠God tapped his pipe with an amused expression. As the ashes touched the ground, grass sprouted and grew rapidly in an instant.

Noel glanced around, but the people nearby didn't seem to notice this bizarre phenomenon at all.

"Humans are dull creatures. They don't even realize when I am standing right beside them. They step all over the mountain and destroy it at their whim, without ever knowing how it changes or how it is maintained~"

"You could just punish them."

While it might be impossible to bar them from the mountain entirely, it was well within his power to punish those who sought to harm it. Was that not the authority and strength possessed by a god-class spirit?

"Even so, I like humans~"

The indifference in the Mountain God's eyes softened into something gentle. At the end of his gaze were the people walking the trails.

"I like how they rejoice like children when spring arrives, how they celebrate the summer, how they find happiness in the autumn, and how they wear such melancholy faces when winter comes~"

He's more sentimental than he looks.

Noel simply listened. The Mountain God could only speak so fondly because his domain was still intact; if someone began to destroy it, those warm feelings would surely vanish in an instant. If such a thing ever happened, Noel figured it would be incredibly troublesome. Because the domain he protected was so vast, his wrath would rage far more violently than Asin's ever had.

"Please lead the way now."

"You have no sentimentality at all~"

"Sentimentality doesn't put food on the table."

"Don't look at the world so cynically when you're practically a newborn baby~"

"I'm an adult, though?"

"In my eyes, you've only just been born into the world~"

The Mountain God reached out and poked Noel's forehead. Instantly, a refreshing clarity surged through his entire body, and his heavy, sluggish limbs grew light.

...Oh.

Noel was inwardly impressed.

"This mountain is quite rugged. Let's get moving again~"

The Mountain God offered a faint smile.

***

A small path wound behind the temple. There was nothing wrong with the path itself, but its steepness was a major problem for Noel's current physical state.

As Noel's breathing grew ragged, Asin gently pushed him from behind to ease his burden.

"The monks from down there occasionally come up to pray to the old tree. It's a path I subtly laid out for them~"

"...If you're going to do that, couldn't you make it a bit more comfortable for them?"

"You have no romance~ True help should be given subtly, without the other party ever noticing~"

"But then... they won't even know."

"Exactly. That is the very essence of it. Is it not?"

The Mountain God turned to Asin, seeking her agreement.

"I once thought so as well," Asin replied. "However, such actions are ultimately meaningless. If you have granted aid, make it known through a dream or a trace so they know beyond a doubt that it was you. Only then will you not feel the emptiness of your efforts. For if the recipient remains ignorant, it is, in the end, a futile endeavor."

The Mountain God looked somewhat taken aback, as if he hadn't expected such an answer.

"You... you are a Guardian Deity. Is it truly alright for you to speak like that~?"

"My world was far too narrow. For hundreds of years, for a very long time, I protected a single family. Ensuring they did not starve, ensuring their family business did not fail. Yet, they were the ones who abandoned me first. How is that any different from praying to the empty heavens alone?"

Seeing the deep skepticism in Asin's eyes and expression, the Mountain God let out a long sigh and looked down at the foothills. His own view was vast and far-reaching, but the gaze of a Guardian Deity who protected humans was bound to be incredibly narrow. If his own world had been that small, he probably would have ended up thinking the exact same way.

"I understand you~"

At his words, Asin offered a gentle smile.

"Thank you."

"Is that why you travel with that baby~?" the Mountain God whispered.

Asin laughed softly.

"He saved me from corruption."

"...What?"

The Mountain God stared at Noel with genuine shock. A human who possessed the power to extinguish the corruption that would burn a Guardian Deity to ash? How was that even possible?

The Mountain God stared at Noel, who looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion, and simply scooped him up into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the air.

"...!"

Noel's eyes widened, and Kkamang-i, who had been clinging tightly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to Asin's side, let out a startled squeak and rushed forward.

"Don't bully Noel!"

Kkamang-i bared its claws and grabbed onto the Mountain God, but the deity merely patted the little creature's head.

"How admirable~"

"I'm always admirable!"

"Keep it up. I do not know where you received the power of a holy relic, but both that and this child will become your deepest, most profound destiny~"

"...Huh?"

Kkamang-i's front paws lost all their strength. It had no idea what the deity was talking about. Its face was a perfect picture of confusion.

"Don't glare, Kkamang-i."

"Does it hurt?"

"Actually, it's super comfortable."

His feet weren't touching the ground, but the sensation of floating effortlessly through the air was highly agreeable.

"Really?"

Only then did Kkamang-i retract its claws and look at Noel. Seeing that Noel truly did look comfortable, it raised its tail high in satisfaction. Then, it looked back at the Mountain God.

"But how are you holding Noel?"

"This is my mountain, and you have entered my domain. I can lift this child, or even hang him from that tree over there~"

"Really?"

As Kkamang-i listened with growing interest, the Mountain God paused to consider it.

"Do not do that," Asin intervened, stopping the Mountain God. "Can you not see how he glares at you?"

She pointed a finger at Noel, who was smiling brightly while radiating a sharp, menacing aura.

Does he take me for a fool?

The Mountain God burst into hearty laughter at the sight.

"It has been a long time since I had this much fun~"

Still carrying Noel, the Mountain God strode forward and arrived before the ancient tree in a few short steps. Noel had assumed it was hidden behind the dense foliage, but that wasn't the case.

"...A barrier?"

"You noticed~?"

"The scenery and the smell are completely different."

The moment they stepped through, the scent of flowers washed over them. Vibrant red flowers were blooming everywhere. Was this the plum blossom? The flowers were in full bloom, painting the world in a brilliant shade of crimson. Noel had never seen flowers so large and beautiful.

After staring blankly for a moment, Noel quickly snapped back to reality.

"Wait a minute."

"Isn't it beautiful~?"

"Everything I'm supposed to receive is right here?"

A branch and flowers. He was dumbfounded. He had agreed to get along with the Mountain God, but this felt like an absolute scam.

"Indeed. However, the flower and the branch are different. I didn't trick you. The branch repels low-level ghosts and wards off dark magic. The flower, as I said, handles purification. Only when you have both do they truly become one, don't you think~?"

Noel thought that for someone who had lived for hundreds, if not thousands of years, the Mountain God certainly possessed a silver tongue. But his words weren't wrong; they made perfect sense.

"What do you want?" Noel asked, eyeing the reward right in front of him.

It was an ancient tree that looked incredibly precious even at a glance. It was obvious why he had erected a barrier to hide it.

"It is not a difficult task~"

"What is it?"

The Mountain God plucked a few leaves from the ancient tree and handed them over.

"I want you to deliver these leaves on my behalf~"

"Is it okay to give these away?"

Upon closer inspection, the leaves were emitting a faint, ethereal glow. They were clearly extraordinary.

"Remember what the Guardian Deity said? If you aren't remembered, you are nothing. There is still a family that knows me, remembers me, and occasionally brings me delicious offerings. A child of that family—well, to you, she'd be a grandmother. Anyway, she seems to be quite ill~"

The Mountain God looked at the tree, seemingly lost in old memories.

"Tell her to chew and eat them, even if they taste bad. Tell her she will get better~"

"Are you allowed to interfere like this?"

Noel wasn't a real shaman, so he didn't have to worry about divine punishment, but the Mountain God was a different story. He was a high-ranking deity, which meant he likely faced far more restrictions.

"I didn't do it directly. I handed them to you, and you delivered them. How could I choose whether you'd give them to another human on your way or not~?"

"It is what one might call a loophole. He has left it to fate," Asin whispered, leaning in close.

"...Ah. Is that how it works?"

"Of course. I know that line all too well. After all, the only thing I have to brag about is my age~"

The Mountain God lit his pipe once more.

"Then you must be quite desperate for a messenger to exploit this loophole?"

The Mountain God chuckled at Noel's bold remark. The boy looked like he might try to play him, but the deity couldn't sense a single shred of malice from him. He only felt a deep sense of pity.

The boy was practically a newborn baby in this world, yet the sorrow he carried in his chest was so incredibly vast.

"Very desperate~ As time goes on, beings who can bridge the gap like this are disappearing. It's a pity. A real pity. Humans do not know that there is a living, breathing presence in every blade of grass and every rock~"

The Mountain God reached out and gently patted Noel's head. Whether he was a strange existence or not, one could tell the boy's true nature just by looking at Asin beside him. A Guardian Deity would never align themselves with someone wicked.

"Do you like squirrels~?"

At the mention of squirrels, Kkamang-i flailed its front paws in the air.

"I like squirrels!"

"When there is business, I shall send a squirrel~"

"I have to come here again?"

When Noel reacted with slight horror, the Mountain God lightly tapped his pipe. Something began to grow from the earth, taking the shape of a majestic tiger.

"Next time you come, I'll give you a special ride~"

Noel glared slightly at the coaxing tone, but the Mountain God only found his expression amusing.

A hundred years at most. It was a mere blink of an eye. Knowing that his flow of time was different from the boy's, this connection felt incredibly precious.

"It will be fun if you try riding it. I am granting this specially to you. I don't do this for just anyone~"

"Oh, I'm so thrilled."

Seeing Noel's completely deadpan expression, the Mountain God burst into laughter once more.

"Why? Should I carry you on my back~?"

"Were you really that bored?"

"Of course~"

"Should I buy you a smartphone?"

"You mean those things humans use these days~?"

"Yes. At least you won't be bored."

"What is it you want~?"

"As expected, you're quick on the uptake."

Noel smiled brightly. If someone had lived for thousands of years, they had to be quick-witted.

"Oh, it's nothing major. Just let's be friendly. Occasionally, on rare occasions, let me borrow this place. Bring me some interesting news. You know, things like that."

Noel suddenly widened his eyes to look as innocent as possible, but the Mountain God merely saw it as a child playing a cute trick.

"So, when you hold a ritual, I let you borrow this mountain. And when I hear the words of those who seem ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠troubled on the mountain, I pass them to you... things like that~?"

He had occasionally sent Kkamang-i to spy on other shamans, and one of the things he had learned was this: they sold expensive talismans and promised to climb sacred mountains to pray on the clients' behalf. Since Noel now knew about this, he figured he might as well put it to use, and he had just found the perfect mountain for it. He didn't know if other mountains had their own deities, but this one certainly did. It was a truly sacred mountain. Photos of him praying here would undoubtedly turn out beautifully.

He doubted he would have to hold actual rituals very often, but doing it occasionally for show wouldn't be a bad idea.

"As expected of the Mountain God. I can even make it so you can easily touch physical objects without having to exert your power."

"...Huh~?"

Wondering what on earth the boy meant, the Mountain God opened his eyes slightly wider.

"He means you can touch things without exerting power. It is exceedingly convenient," Asin added.

The Mountain God stared at Noel as if looking at a fascinating new creature.

"Not a bad deal, right? I'll live to be a hundred at most. Why not be friendly?"

"My, how bold~"

The Mountain God smiled warmly. He quite liked this boldness. He was the first to extend his hand. As Noel quickly grasped it, a plum blossom pattern briefly surfaced on the back of his hand before vanishing.

As Asin's eyes narrowed, the Mountain God quickly placated her.

"I didn't claim him, so relax your eyes~ Why would I do that?"

"One can never be too sure. You also know that this child is special."

"Has another god targeted him before~?"

"Yes. And there will likely be many more in the future."

"My, you must have a lot of worries~"

The Mountain God placed his pipe back in his mouth, acting as if it were none of his business. He was interested, but he had no intention of becoming anyone's deity.

"What I left is because that child needs it. It will surely be of help~"

At those words, Noel stared down at the back of his hand. Had the deity seen the future? The Guardian Deity he had met at the side dish shop had also handed over her power, saying it would be of help.

"Did you see the future?"

"Well, yes. This Guardian Deity can do it too. But the closer you are, the easier it is to see~"

The Mountain God tapped the tree. A branch adorned with plum blossoms and another thick, sturdy branch snapped off like paper, floating gently through the air before stopping in front of Noel.

"Here, take them~"

"Is it okay to give them to me in advance?"

"I know your nature. You are not a human who would betray a promise~"

"You've got that right."

"Now, go. Come back when you buy me that smartphone. I'll prepare some wild ginseng for you then~"

With a wave of the Mountain God's hand, they were gently pushed out of the barrier.

Noel wondered why they were sent out so abruptly, but then he noticed the sun was already setting. Tucking the branches under his arm, Noel looked at Asin.

"Don't worry, Asin. You're my only deity."

"I know."

Asin smiled happily. Even if Noel didn't say so, she was prepared to recommend others if necessary. After all, the future was always uncertain.

"What about me?"

When Kkamang-i asked, Noel offered a reluctant reply.

"You're my only cat, too."

"Yay!"

Kkamang-i nuzzled its head against Noel's leg.

"...Oh, Mountain God. What's the address?" Noel called out as they began their descent.

"The leaf will tell you~"

At the Mountain God's voice, Noel looked down at the leaf in his hand. Glowing letters began to surface on its surface.

"How high-tech," Noel chuckled, continuing his way down the mountain.