kscans

Chapter 180 - The Celestial Realm, Afterwards

《Truly, we are in awe.》

《So this is what an Earthling is like.》

A beautiful land, much like Earth. The gods welcomed the still nature-rich land with cheers.

In the Celestial Realm created by the Little One, they were learning about daily life from the O-saki and their messengers, their eyes shining with excitement at experiencing various things for the first time. The gods, who had only been able to look down on the lower world from great heights, had observed the daily lives of humans every day, but this was the first time they were doing it themselves. They struggled frantically, building their daily lives little by little.

The newly born Celestial Realm was no different from the lower world, with a rich earth and sprouting green. Springs gushed forth, their streams forming rivers that flowed into lakes. From those lakes, even greater rivers were formed, disappearing into a misty ocean of unknown destination. The only notable feature was the golden clouds floating in the blue sky. Although the land was finite, it was more than spacious enough for the tens of thousands of gods. The number of gods was fixed, so there were no problems like population growth as in the human world. A god who vanished along with their world would be reborn as a new star's god. They had no memory of their previous life and had to start over from scratch, just like humans. Since gods were born at random, it was impossible to know which new god was who. But there was no doubt they were the reincarnation of someone from the past, and the Celestial Realm welcomed even new gods as if they were family.

Well, there were a few eccentrics among them.

《What a pain. I'll just live as I always have.》

The portly lady scratched her dark golden hair in annoyance and gazed at her world from her usual designated seat. The Celestial Realm had changed completely, but the gods were fine without eating or drinking, and they wouldn't suffer any ill effects from not moving all day. Their ageless, perfected bodies changed in response to the aging of their star, so she had a form that suited her own rich world.

There were those who chose to live as they had before.

《Solute is the same as always.》

An elderly god, who had just finished his farm work with an O-saki, sighed at the lady who was staring at the lower world with a drowsy expression.

《It is fine. Each should do as they please. She must be happy that way.》

A young man, carrying a fishing rod and heading towards the lake, also looked at the lady called Solute and narrowed his eyes.

The shape of happiness is different for everyone.

Letting out a small chuckle, the elderly god and the young god raised their hands lightly and went off to do what they wanted to do.

Watching over such gods from a distance was the God of Earth.

Having moved past astonishment and amazement, his lukewarm gaze had reached the height of enlightenment.

《…It would be troublesome if this were thought to be the default for Earthlings.》

《Can't be helped, right? You were the one who chose her.》

《Earth is still a young star. There's no guarantee someone who surpasses her won't appear, you know?》

Looking up at the creator god of Earth with a mischievous expression, Jehovah and Artemis grinned at each other. Other gods famous on Earth were also busily working in the Celestial Realm for the creator god.

The gods that Earthlings speak of are all the creator god’s O-saki. Each of them created continents themselves and are worshipped by many Earthlings. There are some O-saki who have been forgotten by Earthlings, but they are not so narrow-minded as to sulk about such things and are living leisurely in a multidimensional world. Many O-saki created messengers, and the world of Earth was seething with heat like a mass of iron crackling in a furnace.

《Speaking of which, was it the Dairokuten Maō? That new O-saki. Is he doing well?》

At Artemis’s question, the creator god bit down on a bitter pill with a complicated expression.

《…He is so well that he is beyond control.》

《Oh my…》

Earth is a world where imagination is off the charts and unconscious faith overflows, so Earthlings end up creating O-saki with their own hands, which should originally be born after being selected by the creator god and given golden magic. The creator god couldn't just ignore such souls, and as he summoned them one after another as O-saki, Earth became a wonderfully strange world full of O-saki.

A strong wish is power. Even delusion is a form of prayer. …That being said, isn't this a bit too out of the ordinary?

I have no regrets. I have no regrets, but… I should be allowed to complain a little, right?

While the creator god involuntarily looked up at the heavens and sealed his lips, Jehovah and Artemis chatted happily.

《A new O-saki is still being born? Earth is so energetic, isn't it?》

《It’s certainly not something you see on other stars.》

The multidimensional world created by the world of Earth. The free-spirited O-saki and their messengers who settled there. They made the multidimensional world created by humans their home and built worlds with their own unique characteristics. The divine realm, the demon realm, the netherworld, the spirit world, and so on. They summoned the strange beings created by Earthlings as their messengers and enjoyed the spring of their lives.

The imagination of Earthlings was even giving birth to new creatures. The height of absurdity.

《It was Tsathoggua, wasn't it? When that one was born, the world trembled.》

Hearing Artemis’s words, the creator god of Earth deepened his smile into a faint one.

Yes. They were just there. On Earth.

A grotesque figure casually flipping through a book, and another grotesque figure diligently spinning a web beside it.

Two creatures, a little different from the usual grotesques born according to the laws of souls and gods. Their immense power was ominous, and contrary to their beastly, cruel smiles, the dim light shining in the depths of their eyes showed clear intelligence. It was obvious that the two who answered the creator god’s summons were beings comparable to gods. It was a phenomenon that occasionally occurred in the world of Earth. The energy of faith received from people would materialize. It was something unheard of in other worlds. The two summoned to the Celestial Realm gave their names and declared that they just found themselves there. The creator god of Earth couldn’t just leave the two, who called themselves evil gods, alone, so he gave them divinity and made them O-saki according to the laws of the world, but then…

The two were taken away by higher beings who suddenly appeared.

He didn't know what happened after that.

It was only after the incident in Arcadia that he learned the two had been confined in the abyss.

The creator god of Earth found the spider-like grotesque spinning a web before the chasm and asked for the details.

The creator god of Earth had repeatedly called out to the great heights, asking what they had done with the two, but the higher beings had not answered.

And he was surprised by her story.

The true power of the evil god Tsathoggua was knowledge. He was well-versed in all sorts of mysteries and would grant them in exchange for a price. In some cases, a sacrifice would do. A cruel and brutal creature. That was Tsathoggua.

To think that grotesque was someone who could touch the Akashic Records. It was a situation that surpassed all expectations. A being who knew the laws of the world. One skilled in all knowledge, a being that threatened even the higher beings. Because the higher beings could not even touch Tsathoggua and his kind, who possessed the attribute of evil gods, they had no choice but to cast them into the abyss. That world had a chasm where the winds of condemnation blew, and was a dumping ground for shredded souls. He had heard it was a hellscape where no one with a sane mind could survive. The deepest parts swarmed with malevolent spirits, and the servants of the Dark Spirit King ran rampant.

…He must no longer be alive.

The creator god, who could not save the being who had been born on Earth, lamented deeply.

But the spider-like grotesque shook her head.

『Don't just kill him off. I'll eat you. He's alive.』

As she diligently spun her silver web at the entrance of the abyss, the spider-like grotesque glared respectfully at the creator god of Earth.

《Then cooperate with me. This is likely a story that will benefit you as well.》

The creator god, who had roughly predicted what would happen in Arcadia, asked the spider-like grotesque to be his messenger. To convey the current events to the soul of Earth that would eventually visit. If that went well, there might be a chance to free the imprisoned Tsathoggua from the abyss.

He had played all the cards he could. All that was left was to pray for destiny.

And so, Arcadia and countless stars reached a conclusion that even the gods had not anticipated, and grasped the best possible outcome beyond imagination.

『It was like going back in time. They dropped me in before the winds of condemnation were set up in the chasm. The worst part was being separated from Nakua. We're from the same place, and we're super good friends.』

The grotesque creature puffed out his cheeks and nonchalantly declared.

Apparently, because the creator god of Earth had given him golden magic as an O-saki, and because he was originally an evil god, the dark sludge was no problem for him. In fact, he noticed the existence of a vague, drifting conscious entity that had just been born and, without much thought, ended up implanting a sense of self into it. Thanks to that, the Dark Spirit King gained consciousness and a body and caused a great deal of trouble for other stars, but Tsathoggua was unconcerned, as if to say, so what?

『That world wished for it, right? A lazy life. It’s not my fault or Dark-kun’s fault. …Well, some stars were destroyed, but that’s because of human desires, right?』

If Cesare heard these words, he would probably die of indignation, but since it was true, it couldn't be helped. The Dark Spirit only grants people’s desires. On a scale about fifty percent larger. Since that is their happiness, it can’t be helped. Even if a result that no one wished for awaits.

The abyss, born along with the Celestial Realm, was incredibly unstable because the interference of higher beings did not reach it. For that reason, it was also an independent world. That was why even the evil god Tsathoggua could feel at home and live freely. In fact, the abyss, where he could devote himself to his research without being disturbed by anyone, was apparently a paradise for him.

『I want to go back to N'kai, but I don't know the way. I have it in my memory, but I don't know where it is. Yep.』

That would be so. N'kai was a world from the stories in which they appeared. It does not exist in reality. A paradox that occurs because he possesses knowledge of that story. While recognizing reality, Tsathoggua tilted his head at the mismatched memories.

Although it was frightening to think that Earthlings might eventually create that too.

And so, with travel between the Celestial Realm and the abyss now possible, the world was transformed.

It became a daily occurrence for Tsathoggua to pop over and secretly rifle through the libraries of the creator gods. The gods, blocked by the spider webs that had been spun before they knew it, would roar and try their best to stop him.

《That is not a book that humans should see! No, you are not human…! Were you an evil god? Huh? Do you count as a god?》

《You there! Get a grip! He calls himself an evil god, but he is one of the O-saki!》

《No, he is a real evil god. There are none in the Celestial Realm, but there are many on Earth. …Though the type born from absolute nothingness is extremely rare.》

《This is why I hate Earth!》

Ignoring the clamorously roaring gods, Tsathoggua hugged books in both arms and hopped onto Joker.

『Are you good?』

『Yep. Got plenty. Let's return the old ones.』

The grotesque beings carefully put away the books they had stolen last time and reeled in their threads back to the abyss with their new spoils. The gods called for the O-saki and their messengers to chase after the two who were fleeing with triumphant looks on their faces. The sorrowful days of staring at the lower world in a pure white space, fluctuating between joy and sorrow, had come to an end, and the current Celestial Realm was overflowing with vitality.

The Celestial Realm was gradually getting used to the lively days passing by.