Of course, it wasn’t an easy task.
Simply checking out the internet of another world wasn’t hard, but confirming the connection with that world based on it was a completely different story.
To put it another way, it’s like someone using remote access to connect to another computer and trying to teleport into the room where the computer is.
It wouldn’t be strange to think it’s physically impossible… but unfortunately, I had become an existence that could freely manipulate powers far removed from physical constraints.
So, I investigated the connection with the other world.
The results were rather meager, though.
All I could salvage was… that a connection with another world definitely existed. The connection was chaotic in terms of time and space, but such a link was indeed there.
I couldn’t properly interfere with that connection. Even trying to look at something other than the internet was impossible.
The best I could manage was… to slightly extend a very thin connection.
If I thought of the existing connection as being the thickness of a spider’s web, I could say that I had turned it into a thin fishing line.
Of course, aside from maintaining the connection, I had achieved nothing… But considering how long it took to change even that one thing… well…
I still had a long way to go. Truly.
But still, I was able to make those changes over a long time. Yeah.
I successfully reinforced that connection with magical power.
If I continue to slowly, very slowly change the connection to the other world… eventually, wouldn’t I be able to create something like a door connected to that side?
Fortunately, I had an abundance of time. It didn’t matter if it took hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of time units; I could manage it.
Even if I couldn’t cross over directly… I wanted to see glimpses of my homeland, even if just a little.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
“Isn’t it just wondrous?”
“What’s that?”
“No, this world.”
The black-haired man said while petting the dog-eared girl sitting next to him.
“Even though it’s another world, we can understand each other, the units of measurement are the same, and there are a surprising number of similarities to that world.”
“To that world?”
“Yeah. The world I originally came from.”
A world where he had been riding on a predetermined track since childhood, running non-stop for good grades, a good university, and a good job.
Its end was due to a sleepy driver’s mistake, however.
As he was dying after being hit by a car, for some reason, he opened his eyes in this world.
“If I compare it to that world, there are many lacking parts, but this world seems quite livable.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. People like me who came from another world get a decent amount of living expenses by visiting the Life Church once a month to get a few confirmations.”
Of course, the money wasn’t quite enough to indulge in luxuries, but if he saved and spent wisely, it was enough to last a month without a problem.
“Plus, you can do other work too.”
“I see!”
The black-haired man patted the dog-eared girl again.
Unlike the fiercely competitive and harsh life in that world, in this world, he could lead a more relaxed life.
That alone was enough for the man to attach his heart to this world.
“But sometimes, I do miss that world.”
This world was quite lacking in entertainment. No internet or games, the fun stuff.
Without computers or smartphones, this world lacked anything to trigger a dopamine explosion.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
And so, quite a bit of time passed.
In terms of subjective time… um, around 300 years? I wasn’t quite sure since I had mostly kept my consciousness dormant.
Anyway, I slowly opened my eyes.
A dark room. My designated room in the temple.
Not seeing much difference from when I fell asleep indicated no one had entered my room. Well, there wouldn’t be much reason to come in except to wake me.
It seems I hadn’t been expected to wake up either. Yeah.
Thanks to that, I could sleep well. Being in a proper hibernation made my mind feel quite refreshed.
Now, I felt I could tackle any problem head-on!
I opened the door to my room.
“Oops.”
I was faced with an armor made from strange rock.
“…Arthur?”
“Oh, you’re awake, Master.”
What? Why was he here? Did I accidentally fall asleep in the human realm instead of my temple?
But no, this was definitely my temple, yet here he was!
Even though I had woken up in my own temple room? What was going on? Did the Divine Hall fall to the ground? Or did just my temple crash down to the earth?!
No, that couldn’t be. The Divine Hall wasn’t designed to be able to fall in the first place. Even if it did, the shock should have woken me.
So, my temple didn’t fall… um.
“Have you become a god?”
The only answer was Arthur ascending to godhood.
Arthur nodded slightly and replied, “Yes. It took a bit of time, but I gathered faith from the citizens of the Romania Empire and was reborn as a god.”
“Gathering faith from the citizens? Wow…”
Well, from the perspective of the common people, Arthur must have been an incredible being. It wasn’t strange for them to hold faith in him!
Just like revering natural phenomena with fear or awe, it’s only natural for them to revere a great hero.
He might have gone through similar deification like one of the heroes from the Three Kingdoms.
But for Arthur to collect that kind of faith while still alive… no matter how great he was, it was a bit surprising.
“You managed to collect that much faith while still living?”
I couldn’t help but admire Arthur. If it were after death, it would make sense, but to collect faith while still alive…
“I hid my identity and made it seem like I was dead, and as I helped citizens in perilous situations, the faith began to accelerate.”
“Helping the citizens?”
“Yes. Whether it’s monsters, natural phenomena, or former gods, I would mercilessly slay anything that threatened the citizens and vanish like the wind, so faith quickly gathered.”
Hmm. Helping the citizens and departing. That sounded like a hero… a true feat.
If you think from the citizens’ perspective, it’s quite clear what they would think.
When faced with a terrifying monster threatening their lives, the citizens facing doom had no hope left.
Then suddenly, Arthur appeared before them. Well, from their perspective, they wouldn’t know he was Arthur, just a mysterious figure in odd armor.
Anyway, if someone clad in strange armor appeared and slashed down powerful monsters threatening the citizens, and then disappeared once again like the wind…
What thoughts would those witnesses hold?
“Indeed. It’s no wonder faith would gather.”
In my estimation, the first few times, they likely perceived Arthur as a threat since they didn’t recognize him.
Not understanding his identity or purpose, a knight slaying powerful monsters would certainly hold great danger.
But as time passed, accumulating witness accounts, and features of Arthur’s armor coinciding with the descriptions…
They would come to believe that Arthur, who they thought was dead long ago, had appeared again to save them.
Even though the resurrection magic that only the dragon priestess can use could only revive those who had been dead for a short time, they’d think Arthur had somehow resurrected after dying long ago to help the people.
Then what would those saved citizens think?
“Truly, the Sword Emperor Lucius Altirius III became a being akin to a god and came to rescue us!”
In reality, he’d just been wandering around intact.
Anyway, with such rumors piling up, it’d surely evolve into faith in Arthur. They wouldn’t worship the gods who merely gazed down from the Divine Hall; they would revere the one who wielded his sword to save them.
After going through such a process, it seemed Arthur had made his ascent to the Divine Hall.
“I merely helped the endangered citizens, but they seem to have faith in me.”
“Well, it’d be ungrateful not to have faith in you after receiving your help.”
Arthur gave a slight grin at my words.
Seeing his reaction, there were probably quite a few ungrateful folks out there.
Nodding at Arthur with a small sigh, I took a moment to look around carefully and asked, “But why are you here at my door? As if you were somehow expecting me to come out… or could it be?”
“I wasn’t specifically waiting for you…”
Arthur spoke calmly. Hmm. Hmm… Just to be sure, let me ask.
“Casually waiting in front of my room, were you?”
I halfheartedly questioned Arthur, wondering if he would do something so crazy. No way would he wait there, knowing when I would wake!
No matter how much he had turned himself into rock armor and followed me to the Divine Hall as my disciple, surely he wouldn’t act that madly?
To my question, Arthur slightly averted his gaze, avoiding my inquiry.
Even though that action was an answer in itself.
Hmm… I really didn’t get it. Arthur’s thoughts were an enigma.
How did it come to this… it truly baffled me.
All I could do was let out a soft sigh.
Is it really okay for a god like this? Oh people of the Romania Empire?
