Chapter 136 – Rita

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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After the series of commotions was wrapped up, Elbridge’s party returned to the cabin.

Sonya said as she sat in front of the table:

“I didn’t expect the Goddess of Thorns… no, should I call her Ms. Rita now? Anyway, I didn’t expect Ms. Rita to make such a decision.”

“Why?”

“Jean and Bella. It is difficult to choose between the two.”

To state the conclusion first, Rita had chosen her father, Jean.

However, what Sonya found unexpected was not the part that Rita chose Jean over Bella. Rather, what Sonya found unexpected was the choice itself.

“I thought Ms. Rita would push the choice onto the elves and gloss over it somehow.”

Rombel chuckled.

“No. She couldn’t do that. Rita absolutely had to choose one of the two.”

“Why?”

“Because the elves’ votes would be split in two.”

Rombel rested his chin in his hand and continued his explanation:

“Normally, if the Order of the Thorns had many seats, it wouldn’t be a big problem. But even if you gather all the elves’ votes, it is barely one seat. If the votes split in two, both Jean and Bella might lose their seats. To at least maintain the status quo, the votes must be funneled to one side.”

“Mmm. That’s true too.”

“Actually, even though Rita made the decision, maintaining the current state won’t be easy. Since not all elves live in the Forest of Thorns, they will have to send elves to other forests to deliver the news before the by-election begins. Since there is no time to spare, they’ll have to hurry.”

“There are many things to care about.”

“It can’t be helped. If you just leave it thinking it will somehow work itself out, it is easy to ruin things.”

Sonya stretched long and spoke as if talking to herself:

“Phew. By the way, the ways of the world are truly strange. If the elves had just two bottles of high-quality Elixir, Ms. Rita wouldn’t have lost her divine throne…”

Upon hearing that, a memory belatedly surfaced in Elbridge’s mind.

“Marcus. Didn’t you have the Elixir we received from Chief Thibault before?”

“I do.”

Marcus took the Elixir from his bosom and placed it on the table.

It seemed he had always carried it around to prepare for emergencies.

‘Did Marcus also forget about the existence of the Elixir like I did?’

No. Marcus’s expression was that of someone who possessed the Elixir but had not offered it.

Marcus spoke first, as if he had read Elbridge’s thoughts:

“There is one realization I obtained while working as a mercenary. When two people are dying, if you let both of them die, no major issues arise, but if you go out of your way to save just one, you end up getting cursed at.”

Sonya asked:

“What do you mean by that?”

“If you save only one, the one who survived will try to pass the guilt onto you. You should have saved them instead of me! They say that kind of nonsense.”

“That differs from person to person, of course.”

“No, anyone is bound to speak like that. If not, the people around them will secretly point fingers. ‘He died because of her,’ ‘If only he had survived instead of her…’ There is always someone who spouts that kind of talk.”

Elbridge and Rombel nodded.

Because they had actually heard similar remarks several times.

“A survivor instinctively knows that someone will point fingers at them. They throw a fit in advance just because they don’t want to hear such things. Only when they clearly show that ‘surviving alone was not a situation I desired’ will the people around them not point fingers. Or rather, do it less.”

“Oh, no way…”

Sonya murmured softly. However, even while saying so, she showed signs of secretly agreeing with Rombel’s opinion.

Marcus put the Elixir back into his bosom and said to Elbridge:

“And honestly, it also felt like a bit of a waste to use the Elixir. Although I received teachings from them for a few days, I don’t consider us close enough to give away the Elixir so generously. If it were an easy item to obtain, that would be one thing, but the Elixir is difficult to get even with money. Even if Jean and Bella died, they wouldn’t be dying because of my fault…”

Elbridge recalled the two gold coins Marcus had handed him in the past.

From what he had observed so far, Marcus was a good and easygoing person.

There are two kinds of good people. Those who do not know the ways of the world and thus believe the world is full of goodwill, and those who know the world is not beautiful but silently cherish their goodwill.

Marcus was clearly the latter. Since Marcus, who had seen all kinds of people while living as a mercenary, could not possibly be ignorant of the ways of the world.

As the conversation died down, the party sank into their own thoughts.

Elbridge recalled the sight he had witnessed in today’s battle.

‘Jean’s arrow.’

The pure-white arrow Jean had shot into the sky.

It was not a realm of simple archery. In Elbridge’s eyes, the white light covering the arrow was the unique color of divine power.

Just as knights use magic power to reinforce their bodies, paladins use divine power to reinforce their bodies. That was a common-sense application, and also the only application known so far.

It was the first time he had seen an attack that infused weapons with divine power like Jean did.

And its power was indeed remarkable.

Although Starwave was not a particularly hard demon, its body was so large and its hide so thick that piercing that hide was no ordinary feat.

However, the arrow shot by Jean penetrated Starwave as if it were natural.

‘How on earth did he do it?’

Elbridge felt a strange impatience and a desire to improve.

If he could utilize divine power in such a manner, the results of the battles to be fought in the future might change.

“Goddess.”

Elbridge offered a prayer to the Goddess of the Rusty Shield to ask about the method.

However, the Goddess’s answer did not return.

*

After some time had passed and the party was finishing dinner, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

When Elbridge opened the door, a glittering silver-haired elf was visible.

“Lady Rita. What brings you here?”

“Because I have a promise.”

Rita replied in a somewhat arrogant tone.

That attitude did not feel strange. Since she was a heavenly goddess until this morning, wouldn’t the beings on earth feel like subordinates to her?

“If it is a promise… do you mean the elves’ full support? Or the secretary seat for the Goddess?”

Rita shook her head.

“The elves’ full support will be realized. However, the secretary seat is impossible. Because Mom is not the standing committee chairperson. Even as time passes, it will likely be difficult for her to become the chairperson. Mom is rather clumsy in that regard. If it were Dad, that might be one thing…”

Elbridge was slightly flustered.

“Is it alright for you to say such things? Lady Bella might be listening.”

“No. She won’t hear. Since the welcoming party in heaven must be in full swing by now.”

“Welcoming party?”

“When there is a newly ascended god, a welcoming party is held. It is a more important event than you think. It is an event to promote friendship, and also an event to decide on a divine name.”

Elbridge belatedly understood the reason why the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had not answered his prayer from earlier.

In all probability, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had also attended the welcoming party.

“Anyway, since I cannot give you the secretary seat, I should repay you in another way. As I was pondering what to do, something came to mind.”

“What is it?”

“On the way here, Selene promised, didn’t she? That Mom and Dad would tell you the way to deal with the Central Mage Tower Lord.”

That was the very reason Elbridge’s party had left the City of Norens and come all the way to the Forest of Thorns.

That the Sentinels would tell them how to deal with the Central Mage Tower Lord.

There are two anticipated obstacles when confronting the Central Mage Tower Lord.

The Central Mage Tower Lord’s own capability, and the existence of the city called Middlemarch.

The more discouraging of the two was the second one.

Middlemarch, a city where mages are favored, is a colossal fortress built by the Central Mage Tower Lord.

If the Central Mage Tower Lord does not come out of Middlemarch, Elbridge’s party cannot confront the Central Mage Tower Lord.

Rita said.

“I also do not know how great the Mage Tower Lord’s capability is. However, I know a way to lure the Central Mage Tower Lord out of Middlemarch.”

“What is it?”

“Judging from the information found by reserve Sentinel Selene, and the conversation you had with Selene last time, it is almost certain that the Central Mage Tower Lord is releasing the demon’s seal.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Thinking about those words differently, it means it is highly likely that the Central Mage Tower Lord will appear in an area where the demon’s seal has not been released.”

“Ah?”

Elbridge was flustered. For the solution Rita offered was simpler and more logical than he had expected.

However, Elbridge quickly understood the reason why he had not reached such a conclusion. It was due to a lack of information.

“Is there an area where the demon has not been released?”

“The gods of the non-combat orders whose influence is concentrated in the West. Their expressions were relatively relaxed.”

Rita spoke as if speculating. However, Rita wouldn’t have come just to talk about speculations. This was practically a confirmation.

“…I understand.”

“Yes. It is a pity I cannot give you more help.”

“It was a sufficiently great help.”

As Rita was about to leave after finishing her words, Marcus asked.

“Well, Miss Rita? Ms. Rita?”

“…Call me Lady Rita.”

“Ahem, I understand. Lady Rita. May I also ask you something?”

“If it is a question I can answer.”

“It seems you are interested in the Central Mage Tower Lord’s movements. For what reason do you think the Central Mage Tower Lord is releasing demons into the world?”

That was a question Elbridge’s party had harbored for a long time.

A person acts because there is a benefit. However, as Elbridge’s party thought, there was nothing to be gained by the Central Mage Tower Lord even if he released demons. Rather, only a massive risk would return.

However, not only the Goddess of the Rusty Shield, but even the God of the Sunshower could not read the Central Mage Tower Lord’s intentions.

Rita replied.

“It is not that I have no idea at all. However, it is only an uncertain guess, and it is not information I can easily disclose. The Chief God has forbidden heavenly information from being easily released to the lower world.”

“Anything is fine. Even just a little.”

Rita frowned slightly, and after thinking, she answered.

“If you know enough, I can give you a light hint. Tell me everything you know about heaven.”

Elbridge’s party recounted the stories that came to mind.

The Heavenly Council, ascension, those who gave up becoming gods and descended to earth, restrictions on divine authority, the process of a god transforming into a demon, and stories of a distant past when the council system did not exist.

Interest swirled in Rita’s eyes.

“You guys know much more than I expected. Of course, it’s all large chunks of information, but it is just as important. With that, I can give you a simple hint.”

Rita pondered and then spoke.

“Do you know why the Great Demon is called the Great Demon?”

Rombel replied immediately.

“Because he is the strongest among demons?”

“Of course he is the strongest, but that is not the reason he came to be called the Great Demon.”

“Then why is he called the Great Demon?”

Rita substituted her reply with a faint smile. It meant it was information she could not share.

“I do not know what the Central Mage Tower Lord’s desire is. However, I can guess what he is trying to pull off.”

“Tell us quickly.”

At Rombel’s impatient attitude, Rita finally got annoyed.

“I said I can’t tell you directly. Are you unable to understand words because you are a dwarf?”

However, Rombel did not back down.

Because Rombel held the belief that while she might be strong as a heavenly god, once she descended to earth, they were all about the same.

“If you just spin stories around as if you are going to tell us but not, does that have any meaning at all?”

Rita felt something hot welling up in her chest.

In fact, Rita could not look kindly upon Rombel. If you think about it, wasn’t it because of Rombel’s sudden action that Rita descended to earth?

“No, this young fellow is so insolent…”

Rita was about to give him a piece of her mind but let out a sigh.

“No, never mind. Since it is true that I cannot tell you in a satisfying way. I don’t want to fight with a guy whose head isn’t even dry yet… If you find out the circumstances of how the council system was introduced in heaven, and why the Great Demon came to be called the Great Demon, you will know what the Central Mage Tower Lord is trying to do.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Elbridge expressed gratitude on behalf of the party.

Because he could feel that Rita had at least tried to give as much information as possible.

However, Rombel was different.

“…Talk about taking credit.”

Rita swung her fist for the first time in three thousand years.