Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Direct Contact
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Huh?
Direct contact with a new world?
I knew from past experience that these vague questions were the author's technique for gradually building out the worldbuilding—
But even so, I cautiously asked because it felt a bit hard to grasp.
[ Igugwoden: ?? What are you talking about? ]
[ Igugwoden: Direct contact? ]
[ MoneyPlz: Lord Igugwoden's mysterious energy is clearly manifesting within the New Continent's observation system. ]
[ MoneyPlz: This is definitely different from bestowing grace through 'Divine Power'... It's a different sensation. ]
[ MoneyPlz: It's as if... You, Lord God, are directly inside me... ]
[ MoneyPlz: I mean... It's like you're making direct contact within our world? ]
????
Somehow, it felt like dialogue straight out of Erin's playbook...
[ MoneyPlz: If I may ask, could you tell us what action you took? ]
I hadn't done anything wrong, so I just explained everything honestly to the author.
[ MoneyPlz: So, you pressed the button called 'RGB Flash'? ]
[ Igugwoden: Yeah. ]
[ Igugwoden: The characters suddenly seemed like they were about to fight, and I panicked. ]
[ Igugwoden: Then it started flashing... It caught my eye? ]
[ Igugwoden: It felt like it was telling me to press it, so I did. ]
[ Igugwoden: I naturally assumed Author-chan had set it up that way? ]
[ MoneyPlz: Please wait a moment. ]
The author, who usually took forever after saying that, came back surprisingly quickly.
Maybe two or three minutes?
[ MoneyPlz: For now, I don't know exactly what you're facing, Lord Igugwoden... But the choice is entirely in Your domain, not ours as observers. ]
[ MoneyPlz: If it's not too rude, would you mind following the observation system's prompts exactly? ]
[ MoneyPlz: I believe that's the best course right now. ]
In short, just do what it says, like pressing the RGB button?
What kind of lore reinforcement required talking like that?
Some might call it breaking immersion—
'But nitpicking efficiency in the middle of friends role-playing for fun is way more immersion-breaking.'
If Author-chan wanted it that way, I could just go, 'Whoa! Got it, Author-chan!' and play along.
It wasn't hard.
Turning my gaze back to the game screen—
'Huh?'
Somehow, all the characters were frozen in place.
The only things moving were the rabbit still emitting its iridescent RGB shield—
And the異種族 character gripping a spear right in front of it.
The short one was looking around in confusion.
I cautiously moved the mouse cursor over to her.
[Lily / Does not believe in God (✞✞✞✞✞)/♡♡♡♡♡/ Shatia Tribe /♞]
Her name was Lily, huh.
Faith and affection aside, 'Shatia Tribe' was probably her race, based on precedents.
Long brown hair, short stature, but a body close to an adult woman's despite her small frame.
If 'Elves' were like classic elves, Shatia Tribe felt more like dwarves, maybe?
Anyway, since she was the only one oddly turning her head here and there, I figured something was up and naturally clicked.
'Oh.'
Just like with Erin, Lily's face zoomed in.
Unlike Erin, who steadily gazed at me, Lily was darting her eyes around in bewilderment.
《What is this? Why is something so weird happening all of a sudden? What the hell is that bizarre animal radiating overwhelming power...!》
I cautiously clicked on Lily's head with the mouse.
To get her looking my way.
And at that moment—
[ Cannot appoint character Lily as God's Proxy because God's Proxy (Saintess Erin / Human) already exists. ]
'A message window!'
Couldn't set her as God's Proxy, huh.
I hadn't planned to anyway, so no big deal—
[ Due to the effect of 'RGB Flash', you can send a divine message to the first異種族 contacted. ]
[ Send Message: (Input Here) ]
'Ah, ahhh!!'
Only after seeing the last message did I grasp the situation.
Author-chan had said interactions were possible with Erin, connected to the god, but not other characters yet.
Personally, I interpreted it as the author's way of saying, 'Sorry, only Erin is ready right now, bear with me.'
From the author's perspective, prepping detailed sprites for every character and interaction lines would take massive effort.
Saying it outright would shatter immersion, so they gold-plated it with the saintess element.
The author always handled new features like this.
But that wouldn't let the game progress smoothly—
To explore new areas, it made way more sense to have a new character local to the region for advice and direct interaction, saintess or not.
That's probably why they made the 'RGB Flash' button.
The rabbit was a 500,000-won pet with tons of in-story feats, so 'A rabbit using this power? Sure!' stuck perfectly.
I never once questioned 'Why's the rabbit glowing RGB?', so the strategy worked.
Realizing it all, I let out an involuntary chuckle.
"Heh heh..."
Author-chan, really.
They could've just said, 'Sorry, Lord Igugwoden. Implementing characters is tough. Probably only a few like Erin via divine power.' I'd have understood.
But this world, built by someone uncompromising on details, hooked me right in the nose.
'Anyway, input the message here, right?'
I cautiously—
Delivered an oracle to my newly met short friend, Lily.
* * *
"The Oath Stone is broken??"
"Yes. The energy we always felt is gone. The Elves must be up to something."
"But don't the Elves lack the power to destroy the Oath Stone?"
"My apologies. I'm not sure about that part..."
"...Does the Great Chieftain know?"
"Yes. She ordered us to inform General immediately and prepare."
The unbelievable news from her adjutant became reality as Elves appeared before them.
Indeed, an Elf woman—long ears like an arch-enemy—strode out from beyond the forest.
The exception: the Heimnar Tribe accompanying her.
'The Heimnar should live beyond the mountains, far from Elf territory...'
Did they detour by sea?
But why?
Confused for a moment since they had no reason to from their side—but that wasn't important now.
'Right now, we capture these bastards and extract testimony.'
Lily gripped her sword tighter.
...Only two Heimnar female warriors were armed.
She didn't know their skill, but Lily, called Shatia's top sword, was confident against them.
It'd been a while since she last went to battle with sword in hand—but she never considered losing to Elves or Heimnar.
However.
Her thoughts snapped at a different point.
'...What?!'
What?
Why... won't it move?
Why is something so weird happening all of a sudden?
No, it wasn't them not moving.
It was like the world had stopped.
Even the wind rustling leaves had halted—a first-time sensation. Turning her gaze—
'That thing...!'
Before her eyes, a creature glowing in strange colors entered her vision.
In this frozen world, only it emanated a mystical aura, staring at her.
What the hell is that bizarre animal radiating overwhelming power...!
—At that moment.
[ Can you hear me, Lily? ]
"??!?!'
Startled by the voice calling her, Lily quickly readjusted her weapon and scanned around warily.
No one anywhere.
"Who's there?! Where are you hiding?!"
[ No, I'm not there. Looking around won't help. ]
Suspicious it was the flashing creature talking, she checked again—
Its triangular mouth was shut tight, blankly staring at the sky.
Right.
That creature that had been looking this way...
Its onyx-black eyes sparkling as it tilted its head back to gaze at the sky.
"No way...!"
In disbelief, Lily looked up with a shocked expression.
And into her ears came—
[ That's right. ]
[ Now you see where I am? ]
"!!!!!!!"
Lily's eyes bulged.
What... is this?
The sky... talking to me?
[ Hmm... ]
[ Dragging this out feels off. ]
[ I know it's hard to believe... but I'll just say it straight. ]
[ I always thought this line was lame, but here I am using it... ]
In that instant.
For some reason, Lily's heart warmed.
An astonishing experience.
Could you explain how just hearing a voice calms fluttering emotions and brings the comfort of a father's embrace?
Thus, into the somewhat calmed Lily's ears—
[ I am a god. ]
[ I am Igugwoden, the Sole God of this world. ]
* * *
Tap, tap.
The observer overlooking the world gnawed her thumbnail anxiously.
Lord Igugwoden was sending a message directly to the new world.
Bypassing her, the observer, with his own power.
'If that's how the new observation system works, we should just follow it for efficiency,' her kin advised, and she'd managed somehow.
But why...
Why...
'Why does it feel so...
anxious?'
I am... the observer.
The sole being God must go through to contact the world.
In other words, the one closest to God. The most special to God, the lifeform that holds God most special.
Perhaps even closer to God than Saintess Erin, who only receives words.
So why... can messages be sent without me?
We can't exist without God.
But why... can God exist as God without us...?
The sound of tapping—gnawing her thumbnail again.
A fierce anxiety she'd never felt haunted the observer's mind.
* * *