TGS - Chapter 63
Chapter 63: The Rules of 【The World】
In the perception of the ancient Solancians, pythons and snakes were entirely different creatures. The former symbolized dignified and profound positive power, while the latter were deeply loathed for their insidious venom.
From the perspective of later generations, this perception seemed somewhat strange.
After all, pythons suffocated humans and livestock through constriction, while venomous snakes used their poison to leave them beyond medical help. Both essentially caused loss of life and property, so why was the difference in treatment so stark? Not to mention there were also non-venomous snakes.
Setting these questions aside, Lotus nodded to the golden-patterned python and greeted, "Suojia."
Suojia, the Goddess of the Earth, master of all soil, mountains, and fields, who controlled planting and herding. One of her divine incarnations was the divine python known as the Guardian of the Mountains.
Legend had it that before the founding of Solancia, the Goddess of the Earth was once enraged by mortals who disrespected the gods. She intended to make the mountains collapse, the earth tremble, and retract the blessings she had bestowed upon the mortal realm.
However, the benevolent side of her divine nature still existed. Unable to bear the sight of such devastation, she transformed into a divine python and slithered across the land.
The divine python used its massive body to encircle the collapsing mountains and its profound power to suppress the land, preventing a cataclysm of quaking earth and toppling peaks.
In this story, the divine python was an absolutely positive figure. Even now, some small cities in Solancia still had temples dedicated to giant pythons, claiming to worship only the benevolent aspect of the Goddess of the Earth.
Perhaps because of the role pythons played in mythology, the giant python before her lacked the cold, slick feeling Lotus associated with them. Its scales, interwoven with gold and black, had a visual quality of heavy warmth, as if bathed in sunlight, making one want to laze about and bask in the sun as well.
…However, there was no sun in the Kingdom of the Gods.
Or rather, the sun was right there among the gods.
Lotus thought, glancing at Suriel, who was whispering with the Moon Goddess, his head of brilliant golden hair tilted to the side.
The Goddess of the Earth, Suojia, slowly curled the tip of her tail around a wine bottle, poured a generous glass, and placed it in front of Lotus.
"A priest once told me that sweet things bring people joy. I imagine it's the same for gods," the divine python said, lowering her head gracefully. "If you like it, you can also try some of these sweets."
Lotus followed her gaze and saw that the divine python was surrounded by all sorts of pastries, fanned out in a spectacular display.
A python that really liked sweets.
No, a goddess with a fondness for sweets.
Lotus thanked her and picked up the wine glass.
Seeing this, the Moon Goddess beside them widened her silver eyes, managing only to utter a single syllable: "Wai—"
Too late. Lotus's lips had already touched the deep amber liquid, and she had reflexively taken a sip.
The next moment, an indescribably cloying sweetness overwhelmed all sensation on her taste buds. The sweetness was terrifyingly intense.
Lotus sat frozen for a moment before slowly putting down the glass.
Suojia's python face was filled with anticipation.
"This is my latest creation. What do you think? Has your mood improved?"
Lotus smiled. "It tastes very good, Suojia. Did you make all those pastries in front of you yourself?"
"Yes, I did. To think that blending and combining things born of the earth could create such strange and wonderful sweet flavors. I have humanity to thank for that."
The Goddess of the Earth placed the tip of her tail before her serpentine mouth. If she were in human form, she would be a beauty covering her mouth as she chuckled lightly.
Seeing the other's tail twitching eagerly, as if about to recommend something else, Lotus decisively cut in, "Unfortunately, I'm not very fond of sweets. This glass of wine is enough, thank you."
"I see, so you don't like this flavor either." Suojia sighed. "As I thought, I'll just have to wait for En to try my new creations."
Lotus: "..."
She suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the King of the Gods, whom she had yet to meet.
Across from her, the Death God threw back his hood, his expression grim, and picked up a plate of something resembling popcorn to feed his ravens. He was very careful to avoid the plates near the divine python.
The ravens took turns being fed. Once full, they returned to their posts and played their music even more cheerfully.
Incidentally, the tune they were playing had changed again. It was a song wishing the departed a peaceful journey in the afterlife, praying that the Death God's ravens would place a wreath of virtue upon the deceased.
In a sense, the piece was basically a song of praise for the ravens. But then again, didn't they think it was a bit inappropriate to play such music on this occasion?
The ravens flapped their wings smugly.
Oh, of course they didn't.
Lotus no longer wanted to think about the ravens' playlist.
Looking around, she saw that Adia had at some point caught a tiny sprite in her palm. She was smiling as she watched it dance, praising its beautiful, soft butterfly wings, which made the little creature blush.
The sun and moon twin gods were probably discussing something from a few hundred years ago. Anmila, with a cool expression and a lost look in her eyes, said she couldn't remember. The Sun God seized the opportunity to spin a tall tale, only to be exposed on the spot.
The divine python curled her tail around a biscuit and tried to place it on the Death God's plate. The Death God's pitch-black eyes saw this but he didn't move, allowing a raven to peck the biscuit and swallow it.
The unlucky raven staggered two steps, then fell stiffly onto the table, its legs kicking straight out. Its eyes, however, were still darting around.
Lotus took a deep breath.
The Snow Goddess incarnation's expression was cold, but inwardly she was beginning to have her doubts.
It was relaxed, yes, and pleasant too, but why did every corner seem to exude an air of unreliability?
She had intended to reflect deeply on her willful departure earlier, but in this atmosphere, she couldn't bring herself to say the words of apology.
Just then, from across Adia who was teasing the sprite, the scholarly-looking Nierde initiated a conversation.
"Don't mind it too much. You'll get used to it."
Lotus looked at the red-haired God of Wisdom.
This deity fit the popular image of a god of wisdom perfectly. His long hair and the folds of his clothes were immaculate, the clasp of his cloak was positioned squarely in the center of his chest, and one even got the feeling that the bangs covering his forehead were perfectly symmetrical.
Nierde had also sent a messenger to Lotus before, but it was just a simple greeting without many words.
Now, meeting at the banquet, he waited until Lotus had spoken with the other major gods before speaking up. His attitude was neither overly warm nor distant, as if he were treating a long-acquainted friend.
"Next, we may have to wait for some time—a few days at the least, several months at the most." Nierde plucked a stone tablet from the air, inscribed with a calendar. "Actually, you've arrived early. We were planning to call you after En arrived."
Otherwise, what would it look like to have a newly awakened major god sit here and wait idly at her first gathering?
Lotus paused. "We're waiting right here?"
"That's right."
Lotus realized she had subconsciously been thinking in terms of mortal banquets, where a grand feast might last half a night. All-night affairs, let alone those lasting several days, were rare.
But for gods, a banquet could literally span years. After all, a simple nap for them could last for several years.
Fortunately, her main body was in the mortal realm. Even if she spent time here with a portion of her consciousness, it was no great loss.
She could still watch Alyuin train, accompany her from one city to the next, and help dry her hair when she didn't feel like it.
However, this couldn't go on forever.
Thinking of this, Lotus asked, "So, the God of the Sky, he—"
Nierde: "He's still sleeping. Don't worry, he's bound to wake up within a year."
Lotus: "..."
The pity that had quietly bloomed earlier vanished. The River Goddess now felt that Suojia's biscuits, desserts, and sweet wine were all perfectly suited for that God of the Sky.
The lake outside the pavilion was as clear as a mirror, reflecting not the shadows of clouds or the sun, but only the deep blue sky and the silhouette of the stone pavilion on the hill.
In the garden of the gods, everything seemed very leisurely.
Taking this opportunity, Lotus asked about a question that had been bothering her for a long time.
"In the mortal realm, it seems I cannot use my divine power to attack humans. If I do, I get a headache and heart palpitations, and it's difficult to maintain my power. Conversely, if someone attacks me, they die from their blood turning against them. There have been no exceptions so far."
Nierde folded his hands in his lap and listened without interrupting.
Lotus continued, "To test the application of my power in the mortal realm, I've also tried a few things, like condensing balls of water, separating impurities from water, and even using my divine power to offer minor help to some people. None of these actions were restricted."
"But sometimes, my attempts to help also fail. It doesn't seem to be just a matter of how much divine power is used. In my perception, the power consumed is no different from what I've used for other things, and the degree of help given to others is difficult to define…"
The God of Wisdom asked, "When did you start to notice this?"
Lotus felt like she was describing symptoms to a doctor in modern times. She answered truthfully, "I had a vague feeling before, but I only started consciously testing it this past year."
"It seems you've had the thought of using your divine power to kill someone," Nierde said with understanding.
Lotus didn't deny it. "Do you understand the rules behind it?"
Nierde nodded, then shook his head.
"As you said, this is a restriction placed on us by 【The World】. It should have rules, an invisible, untouchable line. But as for a pattern… it's hard to define, because it's not for us to observe."
Lotus fell into thought. Far away in the mortal realm, her main body, influenced by her subconscious, began to unconsciously fiddle with her bracelet.
Alyuin glanced down at it but said nothing.
At the major gods' banquet, Adia, the Goddess of Love, let the pretty sprite go and joined the conversation with great interest.
"We can't observe the pattern, but we can offer some 'experience'."
"The most direct advice is: don't interfere." Adia propped her chin on her hand, her emerald eyes crinkling with a smile. "Of course, interfering occasionally won't cause any problems. Even if you touch upon the rules, as long as you don't continue to use your power, the worst that will happen is a bit of pain."
Nierde frowned. "That's just the conventional method. The safest way is not to place your main body or divine incarnations in the mortal realm. If you want to wander around the mortal world, a human incarnation is sufficient."
Lotus, whose main body was still in the mortal realm, asked, "Is this all from your own experience?"
"No, it's the experience of other deities, mostly demigods and gods whose domains are related to the creation of human civilization."
Nierde straightened his collar and said casually, "Most deities don't care about this restriction. To be more precise, if not for being told by gods who have experienced it, they wouldn't even be aware of this rule's existence."
How many of the gods residing in the Kingdom of the Gods would deliberately come to the mortal realm and use their divine power to influence an ordinary human?
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