[Vol. 7] Chapter 221: The God-Chosen Hero Plan
"From the few times I’ve dealt with them, those guys are definitely tough, but they’re not unbeatable. Besides... the Twilight Council might not be as united as you think. And it’s not like we have no allies at all. For example, there’s someone right here in this academy city who could help~"
As if she suddenly remembered something, the goddess girl spoke thoughtfully.
"You mean... the vampire princess who holds a divine weapon?"
"Oh? So you noticed her too, Sethlin? Yeah, that little girl is no ordinary person. Even though she hasn’t reached our level yet, not even quite at the pseudo-god level on the surface, there’s still a certain kind of danger I can clearly feel from her. In other words, she could hurt me, at least in theory."
Violet scratched her head and tried to give a similar example.
"Hmm... do you remember Minchen? He had a trump card granted by some strange power, called ‘Void Secret Art’. If I’m not wrong, Lucine might be able to use something just as strong."
"She said she once killed a god. I don’t think it was someone like the God of Truth, but it probably still counts as a ‘real’ death in some sense. If we can work together with her, she might be a good ally."
"We can also ask for help from Yuna, that Spirit Artifact girl from the Holy Empire. She's the main reason why the Holy Empire was able to resist the four demon wars that have occurred."
"Hmm..."
The green-haired girl nodded slightly. Sethlin’s thousands of years of experience were clearly coming in handy.
"Lucine Constantius, during the age of the gods, she was the favorite daughter of the Blood Ancestor Constantius. Even though Seth didn’t have much contact with their faction, as a [Child of God], Lucine should have the strength of at least a transcendent level, maybe even close to demigod. And that divine weapon, the [Godslayer Spear], I’ve never heard of it before. It’s likely it was created after I was sealed. Seems like the vampire race went through some big changes too."
"She has a divine weapon, and she’s a second-generation vampire just under the Blood Ancestor... maybe not quite strong enough to be a god-level ally, but she could definitely fill one of the planned candidate spots. Yeah, let’s consider her a current backup option for now."
"Option?"
The priestess girl looked at the green-haired girl beside her with a slightly confused expression.
"Sethlin, aren’t you thinking about way too many things? That’s how people lose their hair, you know. So, what’s this plan now?"
In front of her most trusted best friend and only ally, the Goddess of Life didn’t try to hide anything. She just gave a gentle smile and said,
"It’s still the same problem, Violet. Don’t you think we’re seriously short on people right now? Just like this time, Exmont only sent some of his subordinates and creations into the world, and it already forced you and me to step in personally. You might not mind it, maybe you even enjoy it, but from a god’s point of view, that’s actually a bad situation."
"Back in the age of the gods, real god-level beings rarely took action themselves, let alone start full-on god wars. That’s because once you reach our level, every move you make has a huge effect on the world. Also, because of the way divine power works, using it too often can easily reveal information about you, making you a target for enemies."
"So normally, most gods would choose, or even create, their own followers in the mortal world. They’d give these chosen ones blessings, power, and status, and let them handle important matters, or even lead armies in battle. The term [Child of God] was used for people like that."
"Of course, things are different now. We don’t have hundreds or thousands of years to slowly raise a new [Child of God]. So we have to pick from the people already out there, choose some who are suitable, give them divine blessings, and let them take care of crises that are too much for ordinary people, but not serious enough for gods to step in directly."
"Eh, this sounds kind of like a company boss hiring elite employees..."
Sethlin gave a helpless shake of her head at that comment.
"‘Recruiting heroes’ might be a better way to put it. Just like that Minchen from another world. I can’t make something like a stats screen like his world had, but if it’s just helping a few talented mortals get stronger quickly, that shouldn’t be a problem."
"Sigh, summoning heroes and stuff, isn't that something only so-called goddesses do...uh, you're also a goddess, aren't you?"
"Not just me. It’s us, Violet. It’s about time you accept who you are too. Right now, you and I... we might really be the last two gods left in this world~"
With a cheerful smile, Sethlin looked at the priestess, who as usual didn’t act very serious. Soon, she turned her gaze to the clear blue sky outside the window and spoke softly.
"The duty of a god is to guide and protect all living things. I know you think that sounds like a lot of trouble, and that’s why you never liked being called a god. But some things… no matter how much you try to avoid them, you can’t run away from forever. Your appearance, your very existence, is definitely connected to what’s happening in this world right now. I believe you’ve already realized that deep down."
"I don’t want to force my beliefs onto others, especially not onto a close friend like you. But as you sometimes said, when the nest is destroyed, no egg can remain whole. If this world, this Origin Realm, is destroyed, you won’t be safe either."
Sethlin turned back around. In her bright green eyes, there was a mix of sorrow and seriousness.
"I know this might sound like I’m trying to pressure you, and it might make you uncomfortable… but Violet, you know what kind of person I am. Even so, I have to say this. Please, don’t think about our friendship right now. I’m asking you to think and speak from your position, as a god. Can we do that?"
"......"
Violet slowly let her smile fade. In this moment, she clearly understood that the person standing in front of her wasn’t just her friend Sethlin, it was the Goddess of Life, someone who truly wished to protect the world and put all living things before herself.
That was the kind of god Sethlin was. To protect this world, she would even be willing to give up her own life if she had to. If she really was the only god left in the Origin Realm now, then maybe...
Sigh… what a troublesome person. But then again, hadn’t she already seen this coming...?
"Fine, go ahead and say it. But if it’s too much, I’m not promising I’ll agree."
Sethlin seemed to notice something in her tone. A bit of relief and gratitude flashed in her eyes. She nodded slightly and said clearly, one word at a time:
"Violet, after the meeting in Sainz is over, I want you to act in the name of a god, and give a divine order to the Goddess Church to recruit Heroes. In Angel City, the holy capital where faith gathers from across the world, I want you to personally choose the ones who will become the Chosen Saviors of the Goddess of Light."
"...Huh?"