85
Chapter 85
The goblin, dragged before me by the King of Humans, fidgeted nervously. Looking closer, its appearance differed slightly from ordinary goblins. It wasn't just that its body was more robust. Its nose was smaller, and its gaze lacked the typical ferocity of its kind.
The goblin's eyes were sparkling. That look of pure admiration felt like quite a burden to me.
"You guys...! Y-you're so strong...!"
The mutant goblin scanned the surroundings like a scurrying puppy. The corpse of Hero Claire, the Elf Archer, the Human Mage, the Great Warrior, and the corpse of the Young Priest... whenever its gaze landed on them, it hesitated for a moment.
"Those powerful humans... they're all dead...."
It seemed a bit shocked. From the goblin's perspective, humans must have felt like untouchable monsters, so seeing them as mere cold corpses was bound to be jarring.
"Hey, goblin friend."
"Yes, yes!"
"Why the sudden formal tone? You were speaking plainly just a moment ago."
"T-that's because...! I now realize how g-great you are...."
"Well, I don't mind the formality. In fact... it actually suits the goblins of long ago."
This is a fact most people don't know, but when the goblin race was first created, they weren't the lowest-tier monsters they are now.
They were eccentric but playful forest fairies. That was the original form of the goblins created by the Lord.
In those days, goblins were friends to humans. They handled all sorts of errands and odd jobs in human homes. They were closer to humans than even dogs were.
However, one day, a goblin played a prank that went too far, incurring the Lord's wrath and turning them into the inferior race they are today.
But that's none of my business. If the Lord decided it so, then I shall be the one to undo it.
"Earlier...."
The goblin slowly parted its green lips. I responded with interest.
"Hmm?"
"You said... that you would make it so I could 'transcend my species,' right?"
"A smart fellow. You actually remembered that."
"How will you do it? This inferior and hideous race... what power could you possibly have to evolve me... honestly, I just can't understand."
Though it spoke with doubt, anticipation swirled within the goblin's green eyes. It was an anticipation it never would have felt if our group hadn't killed the Hero Party.
"You don't need to worry about that. As long as you have the will to transcend, and the resolve to follow my words unconditionally, you will surely transcend."
"Ummm...."
"And, like I said, you have nothing to lose, right? If you don't believe me, what can you do on your own? Go ahead and do sit-ups for a thousand years. Do you think that'll let you overcome your innate lineage?"
"Wait...! N-no! I'll follow you! I believe you! I want to transcend!"
After that sharp reality check, the mutant goblin hurriedly knelt before me. I grinned.
"Right, you should have done that from the start. So, from now on, I'll assume you'll follow whatever I say. Shall we start by deciding how to address each other? Goblin friend, what is your name?"
"Chweeek? A... name?"
"Hmm? Oh, do goblins not have names?"
"W-we are a race that can't even speak well to begin with... usually, we just call each other 'this guy' or 'that guy'... chweeek."
"I see. Then I should take this opportunity to give you something fancy. By the way, could you try to stop that 'chweeek' sound?"
"What? W-why...?"
I raised my finger and spun it. A purple circle appeared in the air. I created it for the sake of explanation.
"That 'chweeek' sound... or the greed and hunger in your heart... these are all part of the essence of the goblin race. If you want to transcend your species, you must distance yourself from everything that makes a goblin inferior."
"Ah... is that why...?"
"Think of this circle as the goblin race, and you are a tiny dot inside it. Right now, you're just one dot that makes up the circle, but to transcend, you must move outside of it. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I-I understand perfectly!"
The goblin nodded several times. I blew a soft breath and extinguished the circle.
"Good enough... Now, what should I call you? Anything come to mind?"
"N-not really... I've never once thought about having a name...."
"Then I'll decide for you. How about Benjamin? Or maybe Harold?"
"What do those mean?"
"Benjamin means 'lucky one.' You're the luckiest of all since you met me. Harold means 'victor.' Because you'll soon seize victory over fate and the Lord...."
"Hmm...."
"I take it you're not fond of them. Then how about this?"
I paused for a moment before speaking. In truth, I had wanted to give him this name from the start.
"Metatron. The Transcendent. You could call him 'Meta' for short."
"...! Me-Metatron...! That shall be my name from now on...!"
Metatron.
Another Lord.
Though he is a being who rivals the Lord, the Church does not shun Metatron. This is because he is one who entered into a contract with the Lord. Some even refer to him as an 'Angel,' as he possesses the wings of one.
While ordinary angels have two wings and Archangels like Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel have six, Metatron boasts a staggering thirty-six wings on his back.
Metatron's Authority is truly absolute, such that even the Absolute Strong Ones cannot defy his will. Due to his overwhelming power, some suspect him of being the devil Belphegor, but that is not the case. I know better.
Metatron was originally human. However, possessing an immense Authority, he ascended after being chosen by the Lord upon realizing the 'secret' of creation. This is why he differs from ordinary angels despite his wings. In fact, Metatron is not even the Lord's servant. If I had to define it, he's more of a 'friend.'
That is why I gave the mutant goblin the name Metatron. Just as Metatron transcended his human body to rise to the level of the Lord, this goblin will transcend his species and become a god.
"What do the others think? 'Meta' sounds good, right?"
"Bark bark? It's stiff! The name is too stiff!"
"That's only because your name is Aru. I don't need the opinion of an animal who didn't even show up when their owner was in danger."
"B-bark? Bark bark bark! I did! I went to help!"
"Oh, really? You certainly arrived quickly. Thanks to you, I ended up getting hurt like this."
As I spoke, I rolled up my shirt to reveal my abdomen and chest. Though the wounds had healed, scars remained on my bare skin. Aru shrank back the moment she saw them.
"Whimper... how was I supposed to know there was a fight going on...?"
"You should have followed me when I told you to in the first place! You lazy brat."
"I-I had my reasons...!"
"Oh, talking back? Can't you see the Captain is hurt?"
"Whimper... I'm sorry... bark."
Hehe, perfectly tamed. This should keep Aru's spirit broken for at least 200 years.
"What do Dame Beatrice and John think? Metatron, or 'Meta' for short. Doesn't it suit him?"
"I think it is good. It is a wonderful name."
"Bark? The big human likes everything anyway. Why ask the big human?"
"Then should I ask the mutt? Be quiet, you mutt."
"Grrr...! I'm not a mutt!"
"Who said you were a mutt? No one pointed at you, so why are you so triggered? I was just talking to all the mutts in the world. Oh, are you admitting that you're a mutt?"
"N-no! I'm not a dog! Bark bark!"
I used my retort to the King of Humans as a springboard to tease Aru again. As expected, there is nothing in this world as easy to pick on as Aru.
"Metatron... I recall reading that name in the scriptures. One who rivals the Lord. Is that correct?"
"That's right, which is why some call him a blasphemous devil. But that's the Metatron of the heavens; we're just naming a goblin here. What do you think, Dame?"
"If it is my Lord's wish, anything is fine. This servant... is prepared to gladly follow whatever my Lord desires."
"...?"
"Y-you don't have to be embarrassed! This servant is simply... saying I am prepared... meaning I will happily carry out any order of my Lord, no matter how difficult."
As she spoke so formally, Beatrice hid her flushed face. She seemed shy even after saying it herself. What's with her?
"Uh... well... I just asked if the name suited him, but you're making it sound so grand. Anyway, I get it. Then with that, it's a unanimous vote!"
"W-wait! Leader, why do you not ask me!"
Just as I was about to happily finalize the goblin's name as Metatron, Uriel stopped me. I frowned deeply and glared at her for interrupting.
"What is the matter?"
"Why do you say it is a pass! You have not even heard my opinion yet!"
"Freeloaders and beasts don't get voting rights."
"H-how could...!"
"I'm joking, but do you have a problem? Are you opposing it? It won't change anything either way."
I relaxed the intensity of my gaze. Perhaps fearing my glare, Uriel let out a sigh and continued.
"It is not that I oppose it. It's just... the name Metatron is a bit...."
"Ah, now that I think about it, Uriel, you were an Archangel, right? Then you might have known Metatron? Is it uncomfortable since it's the name of someone you know?"
"...."
"Then let's just call him Meta. That should be fine, right?"
"That is not what I meant... whew, let us speak of this separately later."
It seems Uriel, like Beatrice, had some doubts. Damn, this is becoming a hassle. I'll have to clear this up for them soon.
Anyway, from now on, the mutant goblin's name is 'Meta.' It's a name that rolls off the tongue; even I think I did a great job.
"Alright, Meta. Your name is now Meta. You okay with that?"
"Yes! I love it! Meta Meta Meta... I'm so happy to finally have a name like a human!"
"Good. Now, it's time to remove the biggest obstacle to making Meta part of our group."
"...Pardon?"
I pulled a magic wand from the inner pocket of my suit. I transformed it into a dagger and held it out to Meta.
"Cut it."
"W-what? What did you say? Cut what?"
"Castrate yourself. It's currently your biggest hindrance."
"Cas... Castrate...?"
Meta looked back and forth between me and the dagger in disbelief. However, I had no intention of shouting 'Just kidding!' and putting the blade back in my pocket.
"Think about it, Meta. To transcend your species, you must discard every single characteristic of the goblin race. Understand?"
"...!"
"In other words, you must not give in to lust. Not only must you avoid mating, but your mindset must be that of a caretaker, even when looking at a female. Can you actually do that right now? You might hold out for a while, but as you age and your body grows, your sexual desires will eventually dominate your mind. If you don't remove the source, you can't move forward."
"Uuugh...."
"Choose. Do you want to live as a goblin for the rest of your life? Or do you want to transcend your species and leave a mark on something greater? For the record, I don't lie. Whether you believe me or not is up to you."
If he didn't even have the resolve to castrate himself, I would unfortunately discard Meta. I've had enough of wasting time on useless efforts in my previous life.
"Uuu...."
Meta groaned, seemingly finding it hard to make a decision. It's understandable; no being considers their sexuality something to be cast aside lightly.
But it must be done. If he cannot give up this much, or if he cannot trust me...
He won't be able to endure the life of preparing his vessel to become a god for at least the next 180 years.
"Is it... absolutely necessary?"
"I'm not forcing you. However, in that case, I won't be helping you anymore."
"...."
A brief silence hangs in the air. Aru, oblivious to the heavy atmosphere, rubs her forehead against my knee, while Beatrice and the King of Humans, understanding the meaning of castration, watch us with bated breath. Uriel looks restless, as if there's something she's been wanting to tell me.
The silence lengthens. I tossed the dagger in front of Meta and coldly turned around.
"You don't want to? Too bad, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fulfill your desire. I'm leaving, bye! See you next time!"
Aru, Beatrice, the King of Humans, and Uriel all turned to follow me. It was exactly when I had taken seven steps.
"...W-wait!"
Snip-.
"...! Gaaah...! P-please take me with you! You're the only one... you're my only hope!"
I turned around with a bright smile. Meta, the goblin who would become a god in the near future, was kneeling on the ground, clutching his blood-soaked trousers awkwardly.