Chapter 573: Marshmallow Goddess
I advance through the cave, with Haulon leading the way.
Soleil follows diagonally behind him, while Dinoss lags on the opposite side, swaying lazily. Behind them are Faramia and Kiel. Captain Cat is perched on Dinoss’s shoulder—how envious. Bringing up the rear is the Butler.
Is the Butler Light deliberately staying out of the range of his own magic light? Is it just my imagination? Is that a habit of his?
“King Wolf can indeed defeat Dragons, right?”
“Ugh!”
“Of course! He’s the legendary King Wolf, after all. He’s the physical powerhouse, right?”
Haulon turns back, answering with a cheerful smile.
“…Well, I guess.”
Dinoss is visibly shaken.
The conversation continues, with Haulon happily affirming Soleil’s somewhat probing question, and Dinoss reluctantly backing him up.
Captain Cat’s tail is swishing back and forth excitedly.
“…Before we reach something dangerous, I want to ask,”
Retze speaks up quietly from behind.
“What is it?”
A secret conversation?
“Among us gathered here, is there anyone who doesn’t know about you? What do they know?”
“Soleil, Kiel, and Faramia know that I come and go through [Teleportation], that I can summon water, and that I can modify stone towers overnight. Captain Cat has a shallow acquaintance with me, but he knows that the Sea God calls me the Spirit King and pays me some attention.”
“…What’s the need to pile that onto Haulon?”
Retze’s voice is laced with exasperation.
“I think I’ll be relying on him in the future? Plus, it’s Soleil’s escape from reality.”
“Better to pile it onto the legendary figures than to confront the absurdity right in front of you. Ignoring what you’re vaguely aware of—how does that work?”
Retze’s tone is sharp, but he has a point.
“This cave hasn’t been tied to any business yet…”
Soleil is quite pragmatic, writing it off as a matter of cash flow.
“It seems your legends are only going to grow more grand,”
the Butler’s voice comes from behind, sounding as if he’s an outsider.
“Wait, the mural!”
Haulon suddenly stops.
“It’s from the hunting era, depicted on a giant boulder.”
He enlarges the light to illuminate the walls and ceiling.
“From gathering and hunting, to nomadic life, then settling down and farming, each time the Spirit that governs the era changes, they abandon their homes and wander anew. Why are they so influenced by the Spirits? Normally, you’d keep using the same dwelling, right?”
Haulon muses aloud as he examines the mural.
This place was submerged, after all. Wouldn’t it be quicker to ask Karn about it? He’s the one who buried the town in sand and rendered it unusable, right? Though it was Baylis who wielded the real power.
Ah, but in Karn’s case, the influence of the corrupted “King’s Branch” spread throughout the entire country. It wasn’t a state where anyone could continue living.
We navigate the slippery cave without falling and finally come face to face with the goddess.
“The White Goddess and the Goddess with the Bow together…? They were worshipped together?”
Haulon seems to be in shock.
In the bright opening stands a massive octagonal rock, with the White Goddess on one side and the Bow Goddess on the other.
“Ah, you’ve come. It seems there are both male and female humans here, but they are not of my bloodline.”
And then, the Marshmallow appears.
“Wha…?!”
“A Spirit?!”
Haulon takes a step back, while Dinoss readies his sword.
Kiel and Faramia also fall into a combat stance, seemingly influenced by the tension.
“Sorry, I’m not dangerous. I’m just surveying how to gather my bloodline here. The Amijin people aren’t around at the moment.”
I half-expected her to appear, and half-expected her voice to be audible even if she did.
“Though I could accept those outside the bloodline… My form is unstable, and it may change.”
Marshmallow speaks without any particular distress in her voice.
“Isn’t that fluffy form already a change?”
“Ah, that’s true. But it’s not a significant difference. I am a white, voluptuous goddess.”
I can’t help but imagine a Marshmallow statue with distinct facial features.
“…I’d prefer to avoid an encounter with such a powerful Spirit all of a sudden.”
Dinoss exhales deeply and lowers his sword.
Even though she was submerged in the sea until recently, she’s powerful? Well, she does seem like a Spirit that’s been around for ages, and even in a weakened state, she’s still that large. I see, she is indeed strong.
Lately, haven’t the Spirits I’ve encountered been getting bigger? Or is it just my imagination?
“What’s this? Is it the usual Spirit that shows up?”
“Is it Nii-sama’s contracted Spirit?”
Kiel and Faramia relax their stances.
“Usual…?”
“Is it the usual, indeed?”
Dinoss and the Butler both seem to catch onto something in their words.
“The White Goddess… the Great Mother Goddess… the Lost Goddess…”
Haulon stares at Marshmallow, deep in thought.
As expected of the Great Sage, he doesn’t panic. When it comes to the thirst for knowledge, everything else seems trivial.
“…”
I’m being pinched on the cheek by Retze!