#52: Those Three Women (?) Are Here (2) — Battlefield of the Gods

Anyway, after crafting equipment for the two and making items I personally needed, I ended up using more than half of the Mithril Ingots I had.

Though I could make more using crafting skills, creating high-purity Mithril consumes a lot of regular Mithril, so I couldn’t help but feel it would be a waste.

“Take it.”

“H-huh… Pardon?”

“…This?”

“Yes, I’m lending it to you, so just take it for now. Soon, the gods themselves will appear. You can’t greet them looking like that, can you? Clean up and dress neatly. Let’s meet at the first-floor restaurant looking clean and tidy. If you do well, I might even give it to you permanently, so don’t feel pressured and go quickly.”

“Yes!!”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I made it clear. Clean and tidy. Especially you, Arun.”

“Y-Yes…”

“Sigh.”

The situation that changed over the week was that Tess and his son Miku’s condition improved significantly.

And as Tess and Miku began to recover, Kyuri took it upon herself to act as a housekeeper, scouring the house for any missing items and suddenly started setting up traps around the perimeter wall.

Arun, who was watching this closely, thought it looked fun and joined in.

Thanks to Arun, who took breaks during training to inscribe magic circles, the area around the perimeter wall was filled with mechanisms and magical traps.

As the traps increased, Kyuri and Arun’s appearances became more and more disheveled, and their lack of cleanliness significantly contributed to my stress.

That’s why I warned Arun once more. To prepare properly.

The transformed appearance of Arun and Lee Hyo-ju after getting ready was remarkable.

Arun had a delicate appearance reminiscent of a beautiful boy, and with his teal robe and a silver staff with a hint of gold, he looked like a mage straight out of a shoujo manga.

In particular, Arun’s teal hair, resembling a lake, matched perfectly with the color of his robe.

However, at the same time, I felt an inexplicable irritation that made my forehead twitch.

“Anyway, all the handsome ones should just…”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

Lee Hyo-ju seemed to have regained a bit of her former self.

She wore tight-fitting leather armor with a subtle red sheen.

Holding and fiddling with a gold-glowing orichalcum pocket watch in her hand, she tucked it into the sleeve’s slot and wore a rapier on her left side.

Anyone could see she was a speed-type swordsman.

That’s the trap, but just by appearance, she looked like a cold female swordsman.

“You both look great. Let’s go. We might be the first representatives to keep the gods waiting.”

Indeed. The manifestation of the three gods occurs the moment we step into the square. So, right now, the three gods must be waiting for us to enter the square.

Probably.

In front of the house, a luxurious carriage prepared by the gardeners was waiting. A completely white carriage pulled by four white horses revealed its majesty.

‘No, if I were a representative of a God of Destruction or something it makes sense, but what are they thinking with all this?’

The pure white carriage and horses looked like they would get dirty with just a splash of mud. I’m not even a representative of a Heavenly God, so what is this nonsense?

Shaking my head, I got on the carriage.

And faster than expected, we arrived at the fountain in the center of the square.

As the eye-catching pure white carriage appeared, the attention of the square was drawn to it.

At the same time, an immense brilliance and an overwhelming presence could be felt from the sky over the entire Exorsus region, no, from anywhere on the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

It was something so overpowering that it couldn’t simply be described as strength.

‘Wow, the whiny trio. Seeing them like this, they’re incredible. Huh? Gasp…!’

Aetas and Ludicer exuded an aura truly befitting goddesses. Their beauty and nobility seemed untouchable, wrapped in radiant light.

Despite being indescribably beautiful women, no one could utter instinctive admiration as a male.

An untouchable, immaculate perfection that one fears might be stained by one’s own filth.

Such a feeling settled around the two women.

The problem was Ister.

At first glance, she seemed more like the God of the Sea than the God of Rivers.

A bluish halo flowed behind her like waves, and although she had a fish head, it was imposing enough to be tolerable, but…

She wore a skirt. A pure white dress, no less. A party dress adorned with countless jewels, as dazzling as could be.

Does that make any sense?! With that appearance, that voice, claiming to be a goddess! Anyone could see she was a god!

It was a mental assault over 20,000 times stronger than when a comedian from an Earth variety show, always shouting ‘Yes! Let’s go!’ appeared in a white dress.

‘Ugh! St-stop. I-I can’t hold back the l-laughter. pl-please.’

Trembling. Even though I was on one knee in the posture of a representative welcoming a god, my body shook incessantly.

People in other squares were probably the same, but they were likely trembling with reverence, while I…

“Ugh!”

It’s dangerous. Ister is a terrifying guy, no, a terrifying girl.

“Pfft!”

Lee Hyo-ju’s laughter could be heard from behind.

Don’t laugh, don’t laugh. I feel like I’m going to die holding back my laugh too.

Ah! That crazy guy, no, woman! Why is she wearing a skirt…? Was she wearing a skirt when we first met too?

While Arun was excluded and Lee Hyo-ju and I were battling the urge to burst into laughter, the voices of the three gods, starting with Ludicer, echoed across the continent.

―Beloved children.

―Why have you violated the sacred laws governing the ‘Battlefield of the Gods’?

―Did you oppress the representative of the gods, defying the solemn command set by our Father, the Creator?

―Do you intend to oppose the gods?

―Or do you truly desire annihilation?

―Do you dare to disregard the authority of our Father, the Creator?!

As they took turns speaking, the atmosphere in the square became chaotic.

Fortunately, as I bowed my head, I felt a sense of calm gradually returning and sighed in relief.

At that moment, a voice distinctly reached my ears.

Even though I slightly raised my head and looked around, there was no one in the square asking questions.

“Ho-honorable God. Ah, we cannot understand with our foolish minds. Please, grant us your guidance.”

Though spoken with difficulty, in short, it meant, ‘I don’t understand what you’re saying, please explain the situation.’

―Very well, Pope of the Holy Union.

“Th-thank you.”

Ludicer began to lead the conversation proactively.

This was precisely the reason why the gods, staking their lives on honor, engaged in intrigues in this ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ they disdainfully called a ‘slave game.’

Among the three gods, the oldest and most powerful was Aetas, but since I was leading them, including Arun and Lee Hyo-ju, it was Ludicer, not another god, who took the initiative.

A god’s pride, honor. Most gods, who did not serve the Creator fully and gained strength through human veneration, craved and desired this.

―Not long ago, my representative was ambushed by the five magic tower masters of Exorsus.

Boom!

The air pressing down on my shoulders felt ten times heavier.

I slightly lifted my head to look at Ludicer, whose face was filled with anger.

Unlike our calm trio, those bowing their heads on the plaza floor were so shocked by Ludicer’s words that they looked up at the three gods, only to hurriedly bow their heads again, creating a bizarre scene.

“Th-that can’t be…”

―How dare you! Are you doubting the divine words?

“Gah!”

The sound of the one called the Pope of the Holy Union collapsing was vividly heard. Simultaneously, the force pressing down on my shoulders grew even stronger, as expected.

However, I couldn’t help but understand the Pope’s position. It was an impossible event.

There were only five representatives in Exorsus. Three who broke through the Monster Belt at the fastest pace in history, and two who seemed to be their captives.

This was known by most countries, as it was information relayed by spies from each nation as well as the continentals staying in Exorsus.

Yet, in a situation where there wasn’t even a representative to conspire, the old magic tower masters attacked the representatives?

Just two weeks after the ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ opened, even before the training period had properly begun.

How could they suddenly attack the representatives at this time without going insane? And it’s not even called an attack, but an ambush.

“Wh-why on earth…?”

A trembling voice different from the one heard a moment ago was heard. The trembling voice was filled with fear and a frustrating feeling of incomprehension.

―They coveted the near-flawless Mithril Ingot that only my representative can produce.

“Cr-crazy…”

“That’s…!”

Indeed, it’s madness. If Ludicer’s words are 100% true, that person’s reaction is justified.

No matter how priceless it is, to think of attacking a representative to steal it. It would be different if they offered a fortune or exchanged it for another artifact.

―After the Pope of Holy Union, and now the Archbishop, and the Emperor of the Darkness Empire, do you also doubt the divine words? How dare you!

“N-no!”

“We believe!”

‘Wow~ Ludicer is impressive!’

Even though their own patron god had manifested, Arun and Lee Hyo-ju were just as tense in the face of overwhelming power, but for me, unable to lift my head because of that Ister, I was naturally excited by the new appearances of the three gods.

The awe-inspiring presence of Ludicer, whom I had never seen in either my previous life or now. Every word was filled with majesty, and every gesture, even the smallest, was full of elegance.

It was not the appearance of someone entirely focused on their own affairs, indifferent to the representative and the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

The same went for Aetas and the foolish, perverted woman(?) Ister.

‘There’s something new to tease.’

However, contrary to my playful thoughts, the atmosphere grew increasingly desperate.
Especially the faces of the five magic tower masters lying like sinners in the square turned increasingly pale.

The murderous intent from the crowd gathered in the square converged on the five individuals.

The instigator of the incident and the master of the Wind Tower, Lubeit, not only trembled but also pleaded for forgiveness with a shaking voice.

“Pl-please, just this once, forgive me…”

Then, a chorus of voices desperately begging for forgiveness.

“Forgive us…”

…
…

The desperate cries of the continent’s people echoed across the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

A spectacle never seen before in my previous life combined.

Perhaps all the representatives wandering the Monster Belt or those searching for what their assigned gods have arranged were hearing this sound and watching the three gods.

‘If this goes wrong, I’m really going to attract too much attention.’

―Enough. The law set by the Creator is stern.

“Th-then…”

“What should we…?”

―The sins of the five magic tower masters cannot be cleansed alone. The five towers, considering their cause and effect, will be punished. Above all, the magic tower masters and the mages who are members of the magic tower, and those employed by the tower, are all sentenced to death. After the God of Death passes over them, a spiritual punishment will be imposed.

“…!”

It was excessive. However, no one opposed it.

With as many as three gods present, their mere presence made it difficult for anyone who was not a representative to raise their head.

Yet, it was certainly excessive.

In every nation on the continent, unless it was a remote area, at least one branch of the five towers was established.

Those who harbored an inferiority complex towards the Black Tower were actively expanding their influence.

Therefore, in every capital or major city of each nation, a branch was inevitably established.
Was there truly anyone unconnected to such a magic tower?

Even a small punishment from the gods was still a divine punishment. Its aftermath was never simple.

The five magic towers would be punished based on cause and effect.

How subjective was the term ‘cause and effect.’

However, because the one speaking was a god and not a human, no one dared to say it was excessive.

―The magic tower masters’ families are the same as the tower masters.

Now, not even a sigh escaped.

The five old men were in a daze, and the mages around them were the same.

The difference was that they cast resentful glances at their own magic tower master, meaning they at least had someone to blame.

“Honorable god, could you not show mercy?”

―You make me repeat myself.

With a glimmer of hope, the emperor of the Dark Empire pleaded for mercy, but Ludicer was merciless.

The black aura emanating from most of the people gathered in the square seemed to mirror their resentment.

Like smoke rising from a chimney to the sky, the desperate aura from not only the square but also from far beyond, where sight couldn’t reach, converging towards the place where the three gods existed, represented both hope and the deep resentment of the people.

In my eyes, which had developed the talent of ‘Flow Perception,’ I could clearly ‘see’ the flow of their desperation.

The situation continued to deteriorate.

Despair and resentment grew thicker. The punishment of the soul. That cruel and harsh penalty.

A god who demanded collective responsibility beyond understanding. And it wasn’t just one god, but three.

Suddenly, the number of those bursting into tears and sighing increased.

I don’t know the exact principle, but perhaps because I could see all three gods, I could even hear the voices of those not present here through them.

As the sighs reached their peak, I took a step toward the center of the square, and my voice, filled with Force and Mana, resonated powerfully.

“O merciful god, your representative is here.”