Chapter 554: Current State
After devouring the diamond, Van seemed to feel awkward and vanished immediately. It was nighttime, so maybe I should call Rudil. No, I could just let the contracted Spirits come and go freely… Es isn’t coming, right?
“Rudil, Kadal, Ish, Pal, Mishto, Haralfa. If you feel like coming, please do so.”
I made individual calls.
“Finally made it!”
Mishto appeared suddenly in mid-air.
“You took your sweet time, didn’t you?”
Haralfa’s figure gradually became more distinct as she materialized.
Even among those of the Light Attribute, they each had their own subtle differences.
“I didn’t expect to be blocked by a barrier I was aware of.”
Kadal, looking somewhat exasperated, stood by the table.
“I’m curious about how the field is doing.”
Pal appeared in the kitchen, lifting a turnip from the sink and inspecting it closely.
“I didn’t think that, even if Van lost to Rishu, we would end up getting absorbed by you.”
Ish, also in the kitchen, was a bit sharp right from the start.
Ah, it seems that having the governing entities nearby makes it easier for them to be summoned.
Rudil silently kept her position next to Rishu, who was nibbling on the Ex-Staff. Right, I remembered. In the past, she would blend into the darkness at night and watch Rishu without me noticing, which was quite frightening.
It seemed she refrained from entering the bedroom, but with the warmth of the fireplace and my light magic as the only sources of illumination, the shadows lurked throughout the house. Initially, I used a light that brightened the entire room, but as I spent time in Kanum, I grew accustomed to the fireplace’s glow. Now, I only used light magic to brighten the areas where I was working.
My eye color had changed from black to purple, so perhaps the light felt more dazzling than when I was Japanese.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve been maintaining my protection.”
As my power increased, the divine protection I provided also grew stronger—but I had been distributing my power to help Rishu regain his strength, splitting it among seven.
I inadvertently became stronger.
“I rarely hear of a reversal from protection. But I don’t mind it.”
Pal commented.
“Me too! I would have hated not being able to come here.”
Mishto smiled.
Since the other Gods had come here, they probably accepted whatever thoughts they had.
“Rarely, you say? Has it happened before?”
As I prepared the favorite foods of the Gods on the table, I asked.
I set a basket full of freshly baked bread for Pal, wine for Rudil, medicinal tea for Kadal, honey for Mishto, flowers floating on a plate for Haralfa, and salt crystals from Elichika for Ish. Each took their place at the table, each with their own expression.
Additionally, I added some roasted vegetables from my field, as it seemed a bit lacking.
“There was someone who consumed Spirits, even though they weren’t a doll. They absorbed the power of the Spirits entirely, becoming stronger than the protected Spirits, and then turned to stone. I only know of that happening once.”
Kadal sipped his medicinal tea, making a sour face. Was it the bitterness of the tea or the content of the story that displeased him?
“Is it true that becoming too strong turns you to stone?”
“Rather than becoming too strong, it’s more about becoming unbalanced.”
Rudil muttered softly.
“If you lean too much toward one attribute, you become swift; if you lean toward two attributes, you become quicker—if you lean too much toward the Spirits, you turn to stone. And the upper limit rises if the world is filled with matter.”
Rudil continued without meeting my gaze.
The reason he avoided eye contact wasn’t because he found it hard to say, but because his focus was on Rishu. Rishu was completely oblivious.
The more attributes you absorb, the safer it is to grow stronger—right? Or was it that attributes influence each other and weaken one another?
“There’s also the balance of the world, but that’s not just your concern. The doll from the Hero’s country is hoarding Spirits in its belly.”
Haralfa scooped flowers from the plate and brought them close to her face.
“While things are increasing in the west and south, they’re decreasing in the center. In the west and center, Namina’s retainers and the Black Spirits are increasing, but other Spirits are dwindling.”
Ish nibbled on the salt crystals.
It’s fine as long as the salt isn’t too coarse; the visual damage is minimal. Thinking it might be bad for my health is just a human instinct…!
“You’re fine just the way you are, Gene!”
Mishto laughed.
“You don’t need to worry about the world. You’re leaning a bit toward the Spirits, but that’s how it was from the start.”
“That’s why we summoned the Hero!”
Pal chimed in with Mishto.
Now that I think about it, that was the reason I was summoned here.
“You yourself are leaning toward the Spirits. Engaging with people, consuming and using things from the human world—creating new things for the world, increasing the number of those who create. That area is the most efficient.”
Rudil elegantly sipped his wine, keeping his gaze fixed on Rishu.
Rudil is strange… no, he has a different sense than me, yet he gives advice that’s quite easy to understand.
Rishu is adorable; Rishu is so adorable! What should I do? Should I make the building off-limits? But having her stick to the window would be scary, right?
“Thank you. For now, I’ll keep doing my best.”
Yeah, I got some advice, and Rishu doesn’t seem to mind, so I won’t make it off-limits. I only flinched a little.
For now, I should eat at the island’s restaurant once a week. Oh, I should ask Dean to grill some recommended meat for me.