Arc 26: What can be done for tomorrow

Chapter 259: The Gods and the Banquet

「So, where is it?」(Touya)

「It’s in this general area ~nanoyo. I couldn’t grasp the precise location because it instantly disappeared」(Karen)

map

I summon a map in the courtyard after we return to the castle and ask Karen-nee-san to accurately show the place where she has felt the divinity. The place she pointed at was to the south-east from here in the Great Forest Sea, after passing through the Ramisshu Holy Kingdom and approaching the Lail Kingdom.

Yep, The range is wide indeed. I wonder, will we be able to find whoever is in there?. Which reminds me, Moroha-nee-san was at the Great Forest Sea as well when we found her. I’m guessing there might be some sort of landmark for gods to descend there.

「How should I say it? This person... no, this god... can he use his or her godly powers in this world?」(Touya)

「Frankly speaking, it’ll be fine to do so. We “aren’t allowed to interfere with this world by using our godly powers” but we’re allowed to use it if it’s to “make us look like human”. It also means that us interfering won’t be a problem as long as we don’t use our powers ~noyo. There are as many loopholes as one would like ~noyo 」(Karen)

Well, my nee-sans can’t use their godly powers unless when they’re dealing with the subordinate god. With regards to Moroha-nee-san though, she’s so exceedingly peerless that I doubt she really isn’t using her powers.

「I think that the other side perhaps has tried to search for the presence of divinity as well, but compared to last time, they can perfectly pin down Touya-kun’s divinity and find this place ~noyo」(Karen)

Unuu. Does that mean that I have to go greet them no matter what? I’m very reluctant to do that though. I wonder if there’s a way for me not to go... Increasing the number of troublesome people from now on will be... ouch-ouch-ouch!

「You’re thinking about something impolite again, aren’t you ~noyo?」(Karen)

「It huwts, pleashe let go! 」(Touya)

My cheeks are pinched by Karen-nee-san. This person’s perception for those things is unparalleled even by the level of the gods! Though she’s a god herself!

「What on earth is happening here?」(Moroha)

「Ah, Moroha-chan」(Karen)

The moment I was thinking of that, the other older sister comes from somewhere. It might be natural that Moroha-nee-san would also feel the divinity since Karen-nee-san sensed it as well.

「It seems the Karen-nee-san felt it as well」(Moroha)

「Yes I did ~noyo. So, we’re talking about whether to go greet that person or not after this ~noyo」(Karen)

「Well, I’m not reluctant to go meet with them though. I’m just interested on who came down. I think it’ll be fine unless it’s someone like the god of destruction」(Moroha)

Isn’t that dangerous?! I would like for a guy like that to go back immediately!

「No one can descend unless they have a permission from the World God, so I don’t think any ill-mannered god would come. It might someone like the Blacksmith God, the Agriculture God or a Trade God」(Moroha)

「Muuu... the Blacksmith God or the Agriculture God are still okay, but the Trade God is... a tiny bit regrettable ~noyo」(Karen)

「Karen-nee-san’s affinity with the Trade god is bad, right?」(Moroha)

As I listen to the lecture about the gods from those two, I once again affirm that even among the gods there are those with good compatibility and those who without.

「As for me, I wouldn’t be bored if the Katana God, the Lance God or the God of Military Arts comes, for instance, since Touya-kun doesn’t keep me company as of late」(Moroha)

Well, please excuse me from that. I get seriously tired whenever I keep you company during training, you know. It’s to the extent where I become completely useless for the whole day on that same day. All because Moroha-nee-san comes to me with the serious intent to kill! By the way, the results of our matches whenever I use nothing but swords is 52 defeats out of 52 matches, so what’s wrong with that?

I know neither the Katana God nor the Lance God well, but they’re probably similar. Moreover, making them keep her company is... well, if they can become her sparring partners, I would be glad... I suppose?

「Well, whatever. Anyway, let’s go take a look at the place. There will probably be some sort of reaction if I release my divinity there」(Moroha)

「Guess so. The other side should be aware of Touya-kun as well. It’ll likely be okay ~nanoyo」(Karen)

I immediately open [Gate] and we go the border of the Lail Kingdom where I subjugated the behemoth Scorpinas. From there, we then head toward the Great Forest Sea.

「Say, can’t you fly like you did back then?」(Touya)

「It’s not like we can’t, but I guess I can say that it’s a bit troublesome since we mustn’t use godly powers」(Moroha)

Moroha-nee-san replies. It will be difficult to go on foot up until Great Forest Sea... Ah, shall I try using “that” which I discovered in the “Warehouse” just the other day?

I take out “that object” I’ve placed inside “Storage” and spread it on the ground. It’s something that’s about 4.5 tatami mats in size.

「Touya-kun, what’s that ~nanoyo?」(Karen)

「It’s a magic carpet, I guess. Well, it’s fine so go sit on it. Come on」(Touya)

I make Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san, who don’t really understand what’s the object I’ve brought out, sit on the carpet. I myself then sit in front of them. At that moment, the floating carpet rises to about 1m in the sky.

「Alright, depart」(Touya)

The carpet starts to slowly advance. By the way, a barrier is applied around the carpet whenever it’s activated, so there’s no way for us to make a mistake and fall down from it or to feel the wind directly. On this occasion, I’ve also applied “Invisible” on us, so we won’t be found by the surrounding people as well.

「Hee. This is pleasant ~nanoyo」(Karen)

「The problem is the person controlling this carpet won’t be able to fly for a long time if they don’t have a considerable amount of magic power」(Touya)

It seems like both of them got used to it, so I raise both the altitude and speed. Though as expected, I can’t do acrobatic moves.

Before long, we arrive at the skies of the Great Forest Sea. I stop the carpet at once, and we then come to a stand still.

「I’ll try releasing a bit of divinity from here」(Touya)

After I lightly unleash “God’s Authority Release”, a similar divinity is released from the forest in the distance. Are they showing us their location with that response after noticing our presence?

「Nn?」(Moroha)

「Oya?」(Karen)

The ones sitting behind me on the carpet, Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san are showing a bit dumbfounded expressions.

「Is something wrong?」(Touya)

「No, it’s the divinity that has been emitted just now...」(Moroha)

「I could’ve felt several of them ~noyo」(Karen)

What did you say?

I couldn’t grasp that much myself though... Then what the heck is that? Are you saying that there are a lot of gods over there?

「What’s the meaning of this?」(Touya)

「Who knows... In any case, we’ll understand once we go there ~noyo. Touya-kun, depart ~noyo!」(Karen)

I have nothing to say for now, but we should be able to understand what’s going on if we try to go there. For now, I make the carpet advance towards the direction where I’ve felt the divinity.

I could see someone in an open place inside the forest. No, I could see several people.

As we’re descending nearby it, the sound of bustling music becomes audible together with joyful laughter and delicious smell.

「... What’s the meaning of this?」(Touya)

「Oh my, oh my...」(Moroha)

「Ocha~... ~nanoyo...」(Karen)

A party. That’s right, it’s a party.

Inside the forest, there’s a youth playing a mandolin-looking instrument, a little red-faced girl drinking alcohol, a woman grilling meat on a bonfire, and a man in his prime eating nuts and berries while smiling.

What’s this?

After getting off the carpet, I turn my eyes to Karen-nee-san behind me.

「They’re the Music God, the Alcohol Goddess, the Hunting Goddess, and the Agriculture God ~nanoyo」(Karen)

Is that it?! Four more gods have descended here, you know?!

While I’m being dumbfounded, a little girl who noticed us is waving her hand in large motions.

「Ooooh~! It’s the Love Goddess and the Sword Goddess~! Let’s drink together~!」(Little girl)

The little girl with a transparent-looking long blue hair, who can only be seen as 7 years old that’s even younger than Suu, is swinging a large turtleneck bottle which doesn’t look like anything but a sake bottle no matter how I look at it. Is that really okay?! Is that kid the Alcohol Goddess?!

The one holding the Mandolin-looking instrument should naturally be the Music God. He’s a good-looking youth with a blond hair in his mid-twenties. Although he continues to show a gentle smile, he doesn’t stop his hands from playing the instrument.

This person is probably expressing his emotions through his instrument. In fact, he changed the tune of his music after he has noticed us.

The man in his prime eating fruits can be seen as always laughing. He has slit eyes with a peaceful appearance, plain brown hair and a simplistic atmosphere around him. This person must be the Agriculture God.

In that case, it means the remaining woman with a green ponytail is the Hunting Goddess. There are a hastily-made bow and arrows lying beside her.

Although she’s grilling meat, it must be the game she hunted herself. Before that, what part of an animal and from which is that? It looks like meat right from comics. I’m interested!

「You guys. Why have you gathered like that and descended here ~noyo? No matter how much you look at it, aren’t there too many of you to be up against the subordinate god ~noyo ? 」(Karen)

「Unya~, It’s different. We aren’t in charge of the subordinate god」(Hunting Goddess)

The ponytail hunting Goddess answers Karen-nee-san while mumbling and tearing the pieces of grilled meat. She’s an extremely wild perso... god. What does she mean “aren’t in charge of the Subordinate God”?

「The one we are in charge of is you, Mochizuki Touya-kun」(Agriculture God)

「Me?!」(Touya)

The slit-eyed old-ma... no, the Agriculture God oji-san turns and points at me. I then point my own finger at myself as well.

(ED: “Old-man”)

「What do you mean you’re “in charge of Touya-kun”?」(Moroha)

Moroha-nee-san asks him what she thinks on my behalf.

「Yep. He has received divinity from the World God-sama while having a human body and is trying to attain godhood as the World God’s dependant. It’s our duty, who are his worthy seniors, to support him and back him up so that this young fledgling god can surely walk on his own in this line of work...」(Agriculture God)

「So we’ve decided some time ago with this and that~! And we had also come to play~!」(Alcohol Goddess)

Uoi! Hey! Alcohol God-san, you’re being too frank!

Is that what all of this is about? So they’ve used the matter of me having divine powers while still being human as a pretext and descended to the ground, huh? Aren’t you being quite free for gods?!

Hearing this, the Hunting Goddess laughs heartily.

「Well~, It’s been several thousands of years since we’ve descended to the ground, so even though we’ve performed “Humanification”, we still need to get used to these bodies. I tried to hunt 2-3 magic beasts for a bit, and it’s definitely interesting to hunt without using godly powers, you see」(Hunting Goddess)

「Same here~! It’s been a long time since I drank something aside from sacred wines~! I’m getting drunk~! How lovely~! 」(Alcohol Goddess)

「It has also been a long time for me since I’ve experienced the blessing of the soil. It’s truly delicious」(Agriculture God)

「............」(Music God)

The Music God casually and nimbly plays his instrument, and it resounds as if agreeing with the other three. Is that person not going to talk at all?!

「I’m amazed ~noyo. Good job on receiving permission from the World God ~noyo」(Karen)

「No-no, it’s exceptionally easy, you see. When we said that “we want to go”, he just simply told us “you may go”. We’re told that we should certainly do a follow-up on the boy over here」(Hunting Goddess)

「Please stop with this “boy” thing...」(Touya)

Umuu. Kami-sama might have tried to be helpful, but everyone from this lineup seems to have one or two peculiar traits...

「C’mon, don’t sweat it! Here, let’s drink!」(Hunting Goddess)

The hunting god-nee-san pushes onto me a wooden cup with alcohol. Well, it’s not like I cannot drink, but she’s quite pushy!

「Say, where from have you obtained alcohol?」(Touya)

「N~? A tribe inside this forest was being attacked by magic beasts, and they gave it to us as thanks for helping them~. Even though I’m the Alcohol Goddess, it’s a bit worrisome since it’s useless to drink sake up there~. The alcohol here is good~! It makes you feel touchy and the “this is how I roll, got a problem with that?!” kind of thing~」(Alcohol God)

The Alcohol Goddess laughs with a grin. Is she drunk already?! I don’t understand her well, and I’m getting worried since she looks like a little girl. Is she okay?! Her head is already bright red.

That goddess then walks to me unsteadily and then clings to my leg. What’s she doing...?

「Touya-onii-chan~. I-I want snacks for alcohol~. Dried squid, edamame, yakitori~. You have some, right~?」(Alcohol Goddess)

Why do you know about those?! It’s true that I have some in “Storage”, but still! Is that perception the so-called “power of god”...!

「Oh, sounds good~. If you have something like that, take it out. We’re kind of lacking some food, so we’re troubled. All present dwellers of heaven, let’s put aside our ranks and make some noise, how about it? 」(Hunting Goddess)

「Good idea. I want to try eating the food harvested from the ground as well」(Agriculture God)

「............」(Music God)

The Agriculture God assents to the speech of the Hunting Goddess, and the Music God plays the instrument with a “Po-ro-ro-ro-o-n” sound. Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san sigh as if they’ve given up.

「Dear me. It can’t be helped, right?」(Moroha)

「It’s fine already ~noyo. Touya-kun. If you have some food then I’d like you to bring it out~noyo」(Karen)

I abide by what Nee-sans tells me and take out food and beverages from [Storage] along with a table for all of those foods to be placed.

The Hunting Goddess greedily consumes the food while the Agriculture God makes sure to taste them. The Alcohol Goddess drinks while having snacks, so each one of them are eating up the food I’ve placed on the table. Only the Music God continues to play sorrowful notes without releasing his instrument. Eventually, the Alcohol Goddess couldn’t stand it any longer, so she made him hold a yakitori in his mouth. His melody soon became cheerful afterward. As I’ve thought. He’s linked to his instrument and passes his emotions through it, huh? What I want to say is, let go of it already.

The nee-sans eventually started to get drunk and seriously started partying. It’s a banquet of gods.

What’s happening?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

「What the heck is going on here?」(Touya)

『Well, that’s because they’ve been working non-stop for many years, so I thought about letting them have a day off there』(Kami-sama)

Though I would like for this world not to become a pleasure trip destination for gods.

I answer with those thoughts to Kami-sama on the phone after separating from the company of the gods who’ve descended and are continuing the banquet even now.

I begin to wonder whether it’s really okay for such thoughtless gods to descend, but then I recalled the legends about the gods of Earth that had descended quite thoughtlessly as well.

『Well, I don’t think they will be a hindrance so please treat them well. Though that may become troublesome 』(Kami-sama)

Just now, you’ve just said “troublesome”, didn’t you?! You knew it would become troublesome, right?!

『Although I’ve said it that way, your divinity will one day become higher than theirs. It’s better to get used to it now than later, don’t you agree?』(Kami-sama)

What’s this feeling? It’s like having a vision wherein the son, who will be the next CEO, is being treated as a new employee and being told to “Get familiar with work!” by his parent, who is then the current CEO in the company.

I grandly sigh after hanging up the phone. What am I going to do now~...?

「Touya-onii-chan! Co~ome drink with evowyone so~o that there wown’th be a~any fowm of melanchowly~! Wine maketh the hearth of a man gla~ad. You’ll fowgeth the fle~ething gloominesh of life, so~o firsht of all, take a cup~! 」(Alcohol God)

The Alcohol Goddess entwines around me with a grin. This girl is a very bad drunk! To make things worse, I’m being forcefully pulled. What power! Don’t tell me that she’s some sort of kenpou master who becomes stronger the more she’s drunk?!

Having been brought up to the table against my will, I have my cup poured with alcohol by Karen-nee-san.

historical

「So, Touya-kun? How far have you gone with those girls~?! Please tell your Onee-san ~nanoyo」(Karen)

Karen-nee-san grins with a red face.

「... You’re drunk, aren’t you, Karen-nee-san?」(Touya)

「I’m not drunk ~noyo~. I am to-ta-l-ly not ~noyo~. Fumu~」(Karen)

You are drunk! You’re completely drunk! You speak like how every drunkard does. Your breathing is becoming strange as well.

I then tried seeking the assistance of Moroha-nee-san, but she’s already prostrating on the table. So weak?! The Sword Goddess is weak!!

It’s many times better than her brandishing cutlery after getting drunk, but I would’ve liked her to get wasted after she saved me from the others.

The Alcohol Goddess drinks with big gulps, while the Hunting Goddess laughs with a dry laugh. The Agriculture God is simply enjoying the dishes, and the Music God continues playing the instrument. Not a single ally can be seen anywhere.

Ah, c’mon! I’ve now properly understood the meaning of “Letting sleeping dogs lie”!