Chapter: 198
While the kids were putting together the list… I figured it would probably take quite some time, so I thought I might as well spend some time leisurely in the meantime.
Originally, I was planning to visit all the kids and take it easy, but it wouldn’t be good to interrupt them while they were working.
So.
“Are you ready for the journey?”
I appeared before the boy with the bull horns.
His skull mask had been smashed to bits, so now a large, hulking guy, Asterios, was showing his face.
In just seven days, it seemed he had managed to release quite a bit of pent-up frustration, as his expression was significantly brighter.
“Yes. I’ve got everything ready.”
He said that while pointing at the large and small bags he had set nearby. Given that this was an era without proper backpacks or anything, it looked like he stuffed everything haphazardly into a couple of big bags.
“This is the bedding, filled with wool, and this is the dried food, and this is the pot my mother gave me to try cooking with. And a few other things… She prepared quite a bit, but… well, I can carry it all.”
Hmm. Yes, it was definitely a lot. It looked like only someone as big as Asterios could manage to carry it all.
But…
“There’s no need to prepare this much. But, I guess it doesn’t hurt?”
I casually snapped my fingers, and Asterios’s luggage suddenly vanished.
“Ah?! My bags?”
“I’ve put them in my space, so don’t worry. This way is more convenient than carrying them around.”
“Oh, okay… I get it.”
Asterios accepted this a bit too easily, but given everything I’d shown him, it probably didn’t seem too shocking.
“Have you said goodbye to your parents?”
“Yeah. I finished it before Tia came.”
“Good. Then we can set off immediately.”
If no other preparations were necessary, we just needed to leave quickly.
Well then…
“Oh! Wait, I need to take my axe.”
“Axe?”
“Yes. My weapon.”
With that, Asterios went into a nearby room and came back holding a massive axe.
A huge bronze double-headed axe that looked heavier than a grown adult.
But where on earth did Asterios get such an axe? From that labyrinth, perhaps?
“Where did you get that from?”
“This axe? Hmm. It belonged to someone who entered the labyrinth. I received it after helping them; they lost an arm and could no longer fight.”
Ah… Bringing something like this into the labyrinth? That seems pretty reckless.
I imagined swinging such a large axe in the labyrinth and getting stuck in a wall or the ceiling—yikes!
Regardless of my thoughts, Asterios used a leather strap tied to the axe to sling it over his back.
Well, it’s all good, but… his outfit is a bit… troublesome.
Maybe it’s just the unique fashion of this island, but overall it was quite revealing—a bulky boy in just shorts… Quite embarrassing to walk around with.
So.
I snapped my fingers.
“Huh?!”
“Just stand still.”
I dressed him in an oversized, fluffy white shirt and equipped him with armor made of metal on the shoulders and chest, while the rest was leather.
Then, I added shin guards to protect his legs and armor from the wrists to the elbows.
Shoes? Hmm, sandals with leather straps should be enough.
It looks like it wouldn’t be a problem if he walked barefoot if he needed to.
Lastly, I draped a leather cloak over him.
Hmm. This looks much better than just shorts. He’s still wearing the shorts, though.
“What is this…?”
“It’s my gift. Now, let’s set off.”
Alright, it’s time for the journey around the world.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
And so, I set off on the journey with Asterios.
Having grown up confined in a narrow labyrinth, Asterios was evidently curious about everything in the world, bombarding me with questions about this and that as we moved along.
During our travels, we encountered many people and lots of monsters… but thankfully, most of them were swiftly split in two by Asterios’s axe, so it was nothing major. Just a trivial matter.
We journeyed across the plains, visited cities, passed through canyons, and crossed mountains.
In those experiences, I mediated a conflict between elves and dwarves and witnessed a dwarf who thought he owed Asterios a debt of gratitude reforge his axe. But, hmm. Nothing really significant.
Regardless, as we continued on…
“I’ve been waiting.”
A group of gods appeared before us as we moved eastward, crossing a massive mountain range.
“Who is it?”
Asterios, suspicious due to the sudden appearance of the group of gods, gripped his axe, but I casually gestured for him to step behind me.
“It seems they’ve come to find me. Just stay quiet for now.”
“Oh, okay….”
I guess breaking through most problems with the axe made Asterios a bit forward-thinking, as he usually took the lead when something appeared.
Still, it wouldn’t be good to act that way in front of these gods.
“Indeed. Have you been waiting for me?”
“Yes. O you born from the Golden Egg.”
Huh? Golden Egg? What’s that about?
I was born from an egg, true, but…
“You are the heart that has moved and maintained the world, and will end it.”
“I believe you’ve mistaken who you’re talking about.”
The god at the forefront, whom I had never seen before, spoke in an incomprehensible manner, yet I recognized the other gods behind him—they were the ones I had named previously. Ah.
So they were gods with names from Indian mythology.
“It matters not whether you deny it. What’s important isn’t that.”
“Hm?”
The foremost god knelt before me.
“I know you intend to reshape this world once again.”
Hmm? What’s this? Is this information leak?
“The age of gods gone wild will end, and the era will open for humans.”
“Hm… Are you here to stop that?”
“No. Not at all. We can’t possibly stop it, nor should we prevent such change.”
The god continued calmly.
“All things in the world are born from endless change and cycles. Even if I, as an individual, end here, I know it’s not the end, so I never despair nor give up.”
He lifted his head and looked at me earnestly.
“So I, Indra, representative of Lokapala, the bearer of celestial emotions, beseech you, noble one.”
He, Indra, spoke solemnly.
“Please, do not abandon this world.”
With that, the other gods behind Indra all shouted in unison:
“Please do not abandon us!”
What’s with these guys? Why are they saying such things? I’m so confused.
I could never abandon this world in the first place… Well, fine! I am a bit irritated about Baal, but…
“Of course, I wouldn’t abandon it! I’m just one of the beings living in this world.”
“Please promise us. That you will never give up.”
Not satisfied with my words alone, Indra and the other gods bowed down to me, pleading.
Hmm. I don’t really get why they’re acting this way, but it’s not like I’m going to abandon anything.
So… I could probably make a promise without much trouble.
“Fine. I promise, so get up already!”
“Indeed, you have made a promise.”
“Yeah! I got it! I promised!”
Only after a commotion did Indra and the other gods rise from the ground.
“Then, while we await the period of the gods that will come, I shall bestow some blessings upon the one who travels with you.”
“Huh? Me?”
No, suddenly Asterios?
“You, who will walk the glorious path. May you receive the blessings of Indra. Thus, for a longer time… serve the will of the noble one.”
As soon as he finished speaking, brilliant lightning burst from Indra, striking Asterios directly.
“Woah?!”
Asterios, the one actually hit by the lightning, merely looked slightly surprised and seemingly felt no pain.
“What is this…?”
“You shall become one of those who protect the world after the age of gods ends. I hope my strength will assist you even the slightest.”
As the connection through the lightning between them severed, the gods started to withdraw.
“Then we shall take our leave. Please, noble one, keep your promise.”
With that, Indra and the other gods vanished in an instant.
What… was this all about? Why did they come to me and bless Asterios? I’m left in the dark here.
Well, I guess I don’t need to worry about it.
After all… a substantial number of gods will be disappearing, and it seems those gods sensed their own futures just now.
Since they’re likely to be stepping into oblivion, it wouldn’t make sense to fret over them.
So.
“It was a bit startling, but let’s move on.”
“Ah, okay.”
With a bit of voltage still sparking around him, Asterios began to take steps, still looking quite baffled.
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