Chapter: 274
The LD currently distributed among the gods was an item that had various functions added to the prototype that was initially created. It was made lighter, shaped to be worn on the head, and classified into grades based on each god’s faith, with restrictions placed on its functions.
Among the added features, however, there was no ability to directly interfere with the target being observed.
While it was possible to indirectly provide buffs in exchange for faith, there was absolutely no feature that violated the target’s free will. In other words, there was no way to manipulate the target at will.
Yet, among the gods using LD, there were a few who expressed some dissatisfaction with that aspect.
They wanted to have more active interactions. They wished to guide them in a more desirable direction.
This discontent arose from gods who were unhappy with simply watching.
And the result reflecting that opinion is…
“This is a modified life diver.”
“Life diver? I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never tried one.”
“Yep. It’s my first time seeing it.”
Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha tilted their heads, looking at the upgraded LD.
Well, considering that the kids had never used LDs before, that makes sense. Instead of using these devices for their experiences, they preferred to create their own avatars and blend into society.
Of course, it is a feasible approach because they are capable of creating avatars.
“But this only allows us to observe from a believer’s perspective, right? What can we actually do with this?”
“If it were the normal LD, it would just be for observing, but since this is the modified version, I’ve added various functions.”
Well, the testing isn’t fully completed yet—QA should be thorough after all!
“What kind of functions?”
“Let’s see… I’ve added several features, but right now, this particular function will be helpful.”
This feature allows the user to influence the target’s dreams, giving a vague direction to the subconscious, and a reward is provided once the goal is achieved.
In other words, it was a function that could be named a quest or a mission.
Of course, it wasn’t free. When a quest is created, faith is consumed, and once the quest is completed, the faith used serves to reward the target.
There’s also a function that recovers the consumed faith if the target fails the quest.
For reference, the amount of faith consumed will be automatically determined by the AI embedded in the LD. It calculates based on the difficulty of the quest, automatically selecting the consumption of faith as well as the rewards.
The goal is to provide direction through the objective without significantly interfering with the free will of the subject.
Naturally, it doesn’t clearly communicate the goal to the subject being observed, but it subtly leaves traces in the subconscious about where they should head, so to speak.
“Q-quest…?”
“Yes, a quest. Frankly, if you guys said it directly, it would be easy to resolve, but since you said no, we’ve got no choice but to go this way.”
Honestly, I find it a bit hard to understand why they would choose a difficult path over an easy one. But I suppose we should respect the children’s choices.
“Using this function, we can inject some opinions through the dreams of influential figures among the elves and dwarves.”
“Indeed… In my case, it seems I could act on the dream of the elf chieftain.”
“For a dwarf, it’s sufficient to target the Grandmaster.”
The Grandmaster…? Ah, dwarves don’t have a king or chieftain.
Dwarves revolve around the skills of blacksmiths. Therefore, the most skilled dwarf blacksmith is regarded as the Grandmaster and takes on the role of a king among other races.
This is meritocracy at its finest!
“I wish there was something else that could provide clearer direction… Hmm. Isn’t there something that could stimulate the dwarves and elves?”
“Stimulate?”
If there’s something that could spark interest for the dwarves and elves, it would make things easier. Hmm… Hmmm…
“Yeah. There is.”
“There is?!”
“Yep. The racial war between dwarves and elves that took place on Betelgeuse. Dwarves won three consecutive times!”
Sagarmatha said this while forming a V with her fingers. Where on earth did she pick that up…?
No, did she just say three times in a row?
Let’s see… The last time I witnessed such a war was when I went with Arthur.
I distinctly remember the elves winning back then…?
Wait a second, has it already been about 30 years since then? Seriously?!
It’s astonishing how dozens of years have flown by in the blink of an eye! Time is moving way too fast! I don’t feel like I’ve done anything significant during that time!
“There’s a dwarf who learned from the Sword Emperor in those days, and he specializes in training.”
“A dwarf whose specialty is combat training. The elf children must have tasted quite the bitter experience at the hands of the dwarf warriors he taught…”
Sword Emperor? Are they talking about Arthur? Is he called the Sword Emperor because he wields a sword? It’s not technically an inaccurate title. Hmmm…
But in any case, this is the dwarf who learned from Arthur. It’s someone I must’ve seen back during that visit to Betelgeuse.
But how well did they train that they managed to win three times in a row? Usually, the winning ratio is nearly 50/50, leading to close matches.
“I’m not really sure… but I think achieving three consecutive wins would definitely be enough to provoke the elves.”
Losing just one time can tick someone off, so if they lose three times in a row, they’d probably be seething.
“Is that so?”
Yggdrasil had an expression suggesting, “Is it really that enraging?” yet, here we are.
Honestly, it is a reason to be upset. The elves aren’t the type to sing “I’m happy” and celebrate.
When faced with three consecutive losses in a match that occurs once every ten years, enduring thirty years of humiliation seems like a valid reason to lose one’s wits!
“Yeah, but the dwarves will win again.”
Sagarmatha declared confidently. I can’t quite figure out if she likes or dislikes the dwarves.
It feels like she enjoys them based on her attentive demeanor, yet sometimes, I sense a hint of irritation as well.
It’s contradictory like admiration mixed with annoyance… Should I call it a love-hate relationship?
“Anyway, if we have such data, the story becomes easy. First, Yggdrasil. Use this modified LD to enter the elf chieftain’s dream.”
“A dream? What should I do once I get in there?”
“Hmmm. Wouldn’t it be sensible to convey this? Perhaps… to bring the elves out of the Great Forest to avoid suffering three consecutive losses?”
Speaking of which, was Arthur’s elf companion… still in Sirius?
I think there was one before I departed. Hmmm.
Hmm, we could use the reasoning that they’re going to explore the world and build their skills to avoid hitting a four-game losing streak.
“Mom, what about the dwarf?”
“Why don’t we spread rumors that the elves are training in that manner and whisper it into the Grandmaster’s dreams?”
There’s no rule stating that only elves need to undergo special training. The dwarves can participate too.
Among Arthur’s companions, there are elves and dwarves alike, after all.
Through both of their connections, it’s plausible that the knights of Romania or human warriors could learn from Arthur.
For reference, Arthur still maintains the physical prowess he had in his prime, and his swordsmanship has matured to a level where he can’t be matched even with an average opponent facing three strikes.
Yup, that’s the Sword Emperor! To find someone to compare with Arthur, you’d need to bring heroes from ancient times or someone like Rychlen.
“Is that really sufficient, Mom?”
“If my intuition serves correctly, it should be enough.”
If the elves are on it, the dwarves will follow suit. The rivalry between those two races is anything but ordinary.
By throwing out such bait, there’s no doubt they’ll bite!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
My prediction was spot on.
“If we end up losing four race wars in a row like this… I won’t be able to face my ancestors! At this rate, extraordinary measures must be taken!!!”
The elf chieftain, inspired by Yggdrasil’s dream, chose volunteers and ordered them to travel the world for ten years and return stronger.
Normally, elves wouldn’t leave Yggdrasil’s side, but the chieftain’s firm stance and the absolute necessity to avoid four consecutive losses sparked interest among a considerable number of elves to embark on journeys.
And such news eventually reached the dwarves… Hmm, it was relayed through Sagarmatha. But, regardless…
Due to the news transmitted to the Grandmaster, the dwarves ignited with passionate zeal, vowing, “We can’t lose! Let’s humiliate those prideful elves with a four-game losing streak!”
Among them, there were even dwarves who exclaimed that remaining only around Sagarmatha wouldn’t be enough to amplify their skills.
Thus, as some elves and dwarves ventured away from their respective territories and began to tour the world… little by little, very gradually. The elves and dwarves began to leave the confines of their homelands and started exploring the wider world.
As they wandered, some settled in more favorable locales. While some dwarves found comfort in human villages, others were drawn by the lush forests and decided to settle there.
These changes, though minimal, could lead to larger shifts if they persist for decades.
As we observed these numerous changes, both I and the children could only smile in contentment.
Oh, by the way, the very next race war concluded with the elves emerging victorious, as they had sharpened their skills with utmost determination and even sought teachings from the Sword Emperor, Arthur.
That worked out well. Very well indeed!
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