86
Chapter 86
"What should I do from now on?"
Meta, the goblin who had become genderless, asked. Perhaps thanks to the goblins' phenomenal regenerative powers, the severed lower half seemed to have fully healed in just a few hours. I smiled faintly and pointed toward the forest.
"Run."
"What?"
"Go run one lap first. If you encounter a large beast, just run straight back here."
"Oh, uh... do I, do I just have to run...?"
"Meta, your upper body is fine, but your lower body is too weak. Besides, you won't be producing male hormones anymore, so you need to solidify your physical training."
Meta tilted her head as if confused, but soon followed my orders and ran into the forest. True to her race's origins as forest spirits, Meta's figure vanished in an instant.
Why not make Meta a god right now? It can't be helped. Just as it was in my previous life, making Meta a god would cause a mass influx of other gods. And then they would interfere with my work again.
Of course, once Meta becomes a complete god, not even the other gods will be able to do anything. How could they judge a being who stands on an equal level with them? Though, the goblin I raised in my previous life stopped at being a Half-God Half-Beast and was annihilated by the gods.
However, regardless of whether my plans fail, such an event must not happen. At least, not yet.
Even if it's not something that happens in the human realm, nothing changes history as effectively as a swarm of gods descending upon the world.
The current year is Imperial Year 514. The year the Saint is born is Imperial Year 683. I met the Saint at the Babel Tower in Imperial Year 712.
Once the Saint is born, it's okay to change history to some extent. Whether the environment around her changes slightly or not, the fact that she is Maria remains unchanged.
But twisting history before that is absolutely out of the question. It will take about three years to transform Meta into a god through faith. I will raise Meta to the position of a god after the Saint is born... that is, after Imperial Year 683.
Until then, she can focus on preparing the vessel. Since there are so many unstable parts to Meta right now, I'll just put her through training.
Being a goblin doesn't mean they can't handle Demonic Energy. They simply don't understand the concept of it. Unlike demons, they aren't born with innate Demonic Energy.
But Demonic Energy now exists within Meta's body. Meta herself just hasn't realized it. By forming a contract with me, Meta has become able to borrow my Demonic Energy, just like Beatrice.
That is exactly what she will train. A god is not an absolute being. It would be very troublesome if I raised her to the position of a god only for her to die miserably after crossing paths with a Godslayer like Theseus.
Also, to avoid changing history, there is something else that must be done. I must hunt all the monsters in the Southern Demon Beast Forest. This is to ensure that the Hero Party, who will arrive a century later, follows the path dictated by the original history.
I must be careful. Even the growing Hero Party died, so there's no guarantee that our group is safe. However, we have plenty of time and no need to rush, so I plan to proceed slowly and steadily.
"Leader, could you spare me a moment of your time?"
"Ms. Uriel? Why?"
"There is something I wish to discuss. Regarding that young goblin's... name."
Uriel placed her hand on my shoulder. She had an expression that seemed somewhat unsettled.
"Ms. Uriel, you've seemed bothered by something for a while now. Well... if you want to move elsewhere, I'll go along with it. Dame Beatrice, Mr. John, please don't follow us. This is a private conversation between Ms. Uriel and me. Aru, you stay put too."
"Understood, demon."
"Woof woof!"
"Yes, God. I'll clean up the bodies in the meantime. Aru, John, let's help out."
I stepped behind a tree about thirty paces from where I had originally been standing, accompanied by Uriel. As I leaned my back against the tree, Uriel spoke with difficulty.
"What could you possibly be thinking, intending to give such a name to a mere goblin?"
"Huh? Is there a problem with the name?"
"Surely, a man of your stature doesn't not know the 'value of a name'."
"The value of a name? Of course I do. Why wouldn't I know that?"
"Then why...!"
Squeeze—.
A clenched fist, full of power, hung from the end of the angel's outstretched arm. Is she actually planning to swing it? If she's unhappy, she could just say so. I'm a pacifist who hates violence.
"Why...! Of all people, why did you try to give it the name 'Metatron'...!"
"..."
For a mere human to use the name of a god is blasphemy.
Zeus, Hades, Odin, Thor, Ra... naturally, no human uses such names. Simply using the name itself is an act of blasphemy.
Even so, those who wish to use such names must walk the same path as that god. That is the only way to be exempt from the charge of blasphemy.
Metatron is an angel, not a god, but he is a transcendent being who stands above even Michael or Gabriel. He might as well be considered a god. Even if you summoned those so-called gods, they likely couldn't surpass Metatron's Authority.
"You...! Just what are you planning...? The way you spoke of making that goblin transcend its species... it doesn't seem to be meant in a simple evolutionary sense!"
"..."
"Metatron was a human who became a god. Surely, it's not that, right? You aren't plotting some absurd plan to turn that goblin into a god, are you?"
"...Sigh, I guess you still won't accept it? Since you're an angel serving the Lord, Uriel, it makes sense that you can't understand."
I have no aversion to blasphemy. In the first place, my very existence is likely blasphemy. Whether the gods or Metatron are outraged by this or not, I couldn't care less.
But Uriel is different. No matter how much the current Uriel is by my side under Michael's orders, she is strictly an Apostle of the Lord. She wouldn't allow my actions.
So, how should I respond? I pondered for a moment.
The decision was quick. I just need to hide it. Transcending a species and becoming a god are strictly different things. It's a simple fix if I just twist the words slightly, like a play on words.
"But you're mistaken about one thing."
"What?"
"The Mutant Goblin's name is now 'Meta'. Not Metatron. Do you see what I mean? Just because the name 'Zeus' isn't allowed doesn't mean the name 'Zes' is forbidden. It's a strictly different name from Metatron."
"..."
Words are truly fascinating. We speak by arranging about twenty letters here and there, but just by changing the context or twisting the phrasing, the meaning becomes subtly different.
"Anyway, I just tossed it out there. I suggested Benjamin and Harold just because they came to mind. It was Meta herself who accepted the name Metatron."
"Is that... really all? No other hidden meaning?"
"Are you paranoid? Why do you keep thinking of me in that light? If there really were another meaning, would I have so readily changed the name to Meta? I would have pushed' Metatron' until the end."
Uriel rested her chin on her thumb and index finger. I let out a visible sigh.
It was time to change the subject. Excuses dressed in such thin lies would be exposed quickly if we continued this conversation too deeply.
"By the way, Ms. Uriel, I think your wings have grown more? When did that happen?"
"Hmm? Ah, this? Earlier today, when the Hero Party's priest took his own life. That is when they grew."
"What do you mean? Why would your wings grow from seeing someone commit suicide?"
"Friendship. I saw a friendship more precious than life itself among them. Then, a sensation similar to when I witnessed a love that could not be severed even by the death of the King of Humans overcame me, and my body floated. By the time I descended back to the ground, my wings had grown like this."
I tentatively reached out and touched the pair of wings on Uriel's back. The white, soft feathers had a strange, addictive quality.
"Is that so? That's wonderful. If you continue to develop step by step, maybe you'll become an Archangel again someday? No, your goal was to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the three great Archangels, right?"
"I do not know; for now, it is too far-fetched a dream."
"Why do you have such low self-esteem? You should always set your goals high. Besides, you've already passed the level of a Baby Angel and Young Angel, reaching the level of a Mid-level Angel."
Uriel did not reject my touch. Instead, she just stared at me with a face that seemed lost in deep thought.
"...Is this why Michael paired me with you?"
"What?"
"I have spent 200 years by your side. During that time, I have crossed two stages, but I do not believe those were things I could only have seen while being next to 'you'. There is plenty of love and friendship in the world, and I believe I would have seen comparable nobility and sublimity even if I had wandered the world alone. If I were lucky, I might have grown even faster than I have now."
"And so?"
"Why did Michael insist on keeping me by your side? I still do not know the reason. My heart is anxious and frustrated. I do not know if I am walking the right path."
She lacks conviction.
I understand Michael's position. Uriel's goal wasn't just returning as an Archangel, but a 'truth' beyond that. If she wasn't by my side, there would be almost no way for Uriel to realize that truth.
But Uriel doesn't know the reason. That is why she feels frustrated.
I raised my hand and placed it on top of Uriel's head. Perhaps finding it wounding to her pride to be patted, Uriel brushed my hand away. Feeling awkward, I scratched the back of my neck.
"Uh, Ms. Uriel. I think there's something you should remember."
"And what is that?"
"What did you say at first? Didn't you say that because it was the order of none other than Michael, you would follow it without question?"
"Did I?"
"You did. I remember it clearly. It's just that your initial resolve has dulled. As 200 years have passed, the loyalty and blind faith you first held for Michael's order have faded. It's not strange. That's just how time works."
However, one must overcome that to move forward.
People wander while walking a path where they cannot see the end. It is because they lack conviction in whether the path they are walking is the right one. And it is the same for angels.
If she were still the Archangel Uriel, her mind wouldn't have dulled so easily, but it seems that as her rank collapsed, her mental age decreased along with it. Well, that explains why she's always being pushed around by me.
"You call me the Leader. What does 'Leader' mean? Someone who leads, right? If you're going to call me that, you should at least try trusting me. If you really can't trust me, then trust Michael instead."
I was simply giving Uriel some advice.
"-Actually."
Uriel began to speak with a deeply serious expression.
Even from the first word, her voice sounded as if she were about to mention something ominous.
"Every time I look at you, I think of Chaos."
"...Huh? Chaos? Why that?"
"I do not know. I do not even know what Chaos is. It is locked away as a top-secret of the Heavenly Realm, inaccessible even to Archangels. Yet, why is it that every time I see you, Leader, the name Chaos comes to mind?"
Chaos? Why on earth is she linking me to something so terrible? I'm not Chaos; I'm Oscar.
"Listen, Ms. Uriel. I'm Oscar, Oscar. The third son of the Northern Duke Family. Why are you confusing a nobodies like me with Chaos or whatever?"
"The name Oscar, if rearranged, does not it become Chaos? Could this truly be a coincidence?"
"Of course it's a coincidence! Good grief, this is frustrating. Do you know how many names are anagrams or homonyms in this world!"
Lucifer said the same thing to me. Seriously, should I just change my name? At this rate, the whole world might link me to Chaos. I'm just a demon; why do they keep doing this?
"Looking at you makes my head spin. Listening to your sophistry, I feel as if the common sense I knew is being twisted. Do you still intend to deny that you are Chaos?"
"Ugh, so cringey. Calling a demon 'Chaos'? What are you, a second-year at a middle school academy? You might as well call me one of the Seven Deadly Sins!"
I am now an Apostle of love and embrace. I left the 'Chaos' thing behind long ago. Why bring up outdated stuff? I'm trying my best to change, and hearing that ruins my mood.
"You said you're the third son of the Northern Duke Family, right? Leader, how old are you now?"
"Me? I'm 309 years old."
"I heard from the Wolf King that you entered the Demon Beast Forest exactly 300 years ago. That means you've only spent nine years in the Northern Duke Family, yet you possess an abnormally vast amount of knowledge. Is this also a coincidence? Are you not connected to Chaos?"
That's because I'm a Regressor, you annoying angel. Everything is Chaos to her. I'm just well-read.
I can't talk to her any longer. How long must I continue this inefficient conversation? Resolving doubts is important, but this is a doubt that is to my disadvantage to resolve. I shook my head and stepped out from behind the tree, leaving a word of annoyance.
"I've just read a lot of books. They say knowledge is the most efficient weapon. It has no volume or weight, yet it's the most powerful."
"Wa-wait...! I'm not finished speaking...!"
"Dame Beatrice! Has Meta not returned yet? I hope she hasn't been eaten somewhere. Aru! Go follow Meta! If she's running, just let her keep running!"
Lightly ignoring Uriel as she tried to grab me, I ran toward Beatrice and the King of Humans, who were burying the corpses.
I've spent 300 years cultivating myself to be like the Saint, yet I still haven't shaken off the traces of my past.
Indeed, becoming a good person is truly difficult. That's why it's fun. I'll have to keep putting in the effort.