Chapter: 266
And so, the story of the ‘Sage of the Deep Forest’ came to an end.
Hmm. Was it a decent conclusion…?
If it hadn’t been for Arthur’s sudden outburst at the end, I would have thought so… um… No, I didn’t expect a confession right there!
Still, at least he resolved the famine as a final gift.
During that process, there was a slight hiccup, as my power ended up acting too excessively in the sage’s body… It seems my image got etched inside him, but, well, that’s just a minor detail. Whatever.
The statues left in the castle garden are better suited as beautiful sculptures rather than those haphazardly piled stone towers.
Anyway. After wrapping up that tale, I got up and stretched lightly.
Having played around for a bit, it’s time to focus on work again.
Alright then…
Shall I teach the gods the concept of ‘play’?
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The gods don’t have much in the way of entertainment.
In the past, some gods used to play with humans like toys, and there were instances of gods dividing into factions and waging wars for fun, but those gods are no longer counted as divine.
Most of the gods that remain now are obedient and well-behaved.
The most they do is hold banquets in the pantheon and enjoy meals offered to them.
Though they’ve been providing ambrosia and nectar, which they mass-produced after conquering Olympus, that alone won’t fully quell the gods’ discontent.
Of course, for now, I can easily subdue all the other gods. So, they won’t complain… for now…
But someday, I plan to offload everything to others and just have fun!
I think that dream is a bit ambitious… but someday, I will make it happen!
When that day comes, everything will change!
Ahem. Anyway, to calm the gods’ discontent, some entertainment will be essential.
Even if they enjoy delicious food, it’s hard to find something that beats ambrosia and nectar. Ordinary cuisine just won’t do to satisfy the gods.
In that sense, new entertainment would make for a fantastic choice to subdue the gods’ grievances.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
In days gone by, there was a magic that taught children how to create a physical form.
The magic for creating avatars. It’s not just about altering a god’s body, but about creating a clone with the same body as another life.
Strictly speaking, I wonder if it should be called magic at all… Well, since it uses magical energy, calling it magic should suffice.
Anyway, teaching this magic to all the gods might be a bit tricky. I was thinking of using tools instead.
By creating a body – an avatar – and embedding a god’s consciousness within it, they could experience a human life.
So for the moment, rather than creating avatars, let’s first test out putting a god’s consciousness into another body!
Let’s start by creating a function to insert a divine ego into a human form and observe it from that human’s perspective!
“What is this?”
“It’s an object designed to entertain the gods.”
I crafted a uniquely shaped bed. It’s a bed made of pure white marble – just right for one person to lie down on.
The lying area was padded with soft cushions, making it a bed where one wouldn’t feel tired even after lying for days.
Additionally, there’s a transparent crystal lid attached.
“Entertainment?”
“Hmm. Would you like to give it a try?”
At my words, Asherath glanced around the bed skeptically.
“What bizarre thing have you cooked up this time?”
“Well. Let’s call it a life experience simulator.”
“A what…?”
Ah, I guess the term “simulator” doesn’t exist for them yet.
To simplify, it’s a VR life simulator that engages all five senses.
Think of it as a life simulation game with an abundance of DLC. It’s easier to picture it from a first-person perspective.
“Seeing is believing. Just give it a short try, and you’ll quickly understand.”
“Huh?”
I nudged Asherath, laying her down on the bed, then pressed the makeshift switch.
Click!
The crystal lid closed, leaving Asherath trapped in the bed.
“You’ll understand right away once you experience it.”
After a brief moment lying on the bed, Asherath stirred.
“Wow… what on earth is this?”
She got up with a look of disbelief, as if she’d encountered something surreal.
Hmm. It seems she really enjoyed it!
“I felt like I was inside another human’s body… seeing the world. It was like becoming something entirely different… This is incredible!”
“It’s still in the testing phase, so for now, you can only observe from another human’s perspective.”
If you lie down on this bed and hit the switch, you’ll be able to observe one of the humans on Earth.
Of course, not just anyone can do it; it has to be a random person among believers of the god lying in bed that is well-aligned with the deity!
Since this is just a prototype with limited functions, for the time being, you can only see, hear, and feel from the chosen human’s perspective, with no other interactions possible…
Phew… Haa…
Looking at Asherath’s dazed expression, it’s clear how stimulating that effect is.
It’s simply observing from another human’s point of view, but that alone would be quite a thrill for the gods.
“It’s just an observation feature right now, but I plan to gradually add more functionalities.”
At first, I plan to incorporate various options into the initial setup. Rather than viewing from the perspective of an existing human, imagine creating a completely new character… or rather, an avatar, or experiencing the life of a newborn right from birth, and so on.
I intend to add even more features!
Of course, I’ll also need to implement restrictions to avoid significant impacts on Earth. Such as ensuring that those using this device forget that they’re gods or forcibly waking them if the subject falls asleep.
There are many sensitive aspects… Is it necessary to obscure or forcibly block things from being seen?
I have tons of ideas bubbling up, but it’s a bit chaotic, so I think some organization is needed! Yes!
Additionally, I’m considering a feature to prevent the gods from getting too immersed in this device.
A device made for the entertainment of the gods must not hinder their activities!
Ah! Right! I should segment this device’s functionalities into three tiers, where lower tiers only allow for experiential engagements, and higher tiers offer more features.
The lowest tier, tier 3, would be strictly for observation. Tier 2… well, perhaps let it allow subconscious interference. Tier 1 could be where they designate the direction of consciousness. While they can’t give direct commands, they might subtly influence thoughts or draw attention to certain things.
And then, quantifying the gods’ activities… Hmm. It would be beneficial to quantify the total amount of faith possessed, right? Wouldn’t it?
Based on those figures, the top 10% would receive a tier 1, 30% a tier 2, and 60% a tier 3. We’ll organize it that way. The percentages are rough drafts, so I’ll adjust them later.
Hmm… It would be wise to restrict avatar creation capability to the highest level! We can’t have everyone making munchkin characters to run rampant on Earth.
Well, let’s add functionalities along those lines!
By the way, my kids won’t need this device. They already know how to make avatars! They can create their own incarnations and thrive with them!
“This is incredible… this!”
“Right? Wasn’t it fun?”
“Yeah! But it’s so realistic that I worry the gods might get addicted and cause issues.”
That’s just like a mom worrying about her kids becoming addicted to video games!
But then again, it’s a personal choice, so can’t you manage it yourself?
“If they become so hooked on this device that they neglect their fundamental duties as gods… three warnings should suffice, and if that fails, we could confiscate the device? Plus, if they don’t perform their duties as gods and their faith dwindles, their tiers would drop… and then they’d lose access to higher-tier devices.”
Oh, I need to add more distinctions among the different device tiers. The lowest tier should feel like a budget option, with limitations on resolution and sensory responsiveness.
Oh! That’s right! There should be limitations on the races for possession or creation! Let’s make it just humans for now.
In the case of elves, dwarves, and lizardmen, their gods tend to be limited in scope, so it’s generally infeasible for them… but there are occasional oddballs who believe in other deities.
“When will it be complete?”
“Huh? Complete?”
“Yes! This device would surely become a sensation among the gods! It would provide a refreshing thrill for the bored deities! They might even be inclined to spread their faith to view it from a greater variety of human perspectives!”
Asherath’s eyes began to shimmer. She grasped the potential of this device after just one experience.
“It’s still a prototype, so completing it will take some time.”
Creating the functions isn’t the main issue, but thorough testing is essential.
Complicated gadgets tend to have bugs… problems are essentially inevitable.
If a bug or a loophole arises in avatar creation that leads to munchkin avatars, it could negatively impact the Earth.
With the gods able to interact with the world, we must tread carefully.
For this prototype, since it only allows experiences from a believer’s viewpoint, there shouldn’t be any significant problems!
“Is that so…?”
At my remark, Asherath’s face fell, turning quite gloomy. It was like disappointment was plastered all over her expression.
But what can I do? I can’t hand over something that isn’t even finished. Maybe for a fleeting experience, it could work.
Experience…? Oh! Right! A trial version! A trial version could work with this prototype!
I couldn’t help but smile slightly at the disappointed Asherath.
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