Chapter 41: Elynthys
Beep.
[I do not understand. Inquiry: Why do you not take a more proactive approach to utilizing ‘Utopic World Builder’ and his talents?]
“Oog.”
Atop a tall tree, a gorilla rested on a branch, conversing with a high-tech drone beside him. The drone, with its single red monoeye, appeared to look over the gorilla’s shoulder with a most scrutinizing gaze.
[You previously spoke of him in favorable terms, offering what could only be described as enthusiastic praise. My records clearly reflect this.]
“Oog.”
[To insist on devoting additional time to observing him, when time itself is a finite resource, is a misguided decision. Whatever secrets this “Utopic World Builder” may conceal, the preservation of all takes precedence.
I have already made my position clear: my core directive is the persistence of the human race. I trust you understand that I will not permit any variables to interfere with that objective.]
“...”
The gorilla scratched his head in frustration. It was clear that he did not like what he was hearing from the flying tin can.
[“Gorilla of Fates and Twisted Futures,” Ramube. Inquiry: Are you operating under the assumption that the time constellations can grant us sufficient time to prepare for the inevitable?]
“...”
[According to my calculations, and based on the memories you shared with me through our neural link, that entity is not bound by time as we understand it. Its manifestation will occur at a predetermined point in the future, though the precise moment remains uncertain.
Altering the flow of time itself would do nothing to change that outcome.]
“Oog.”
[I cannot understand why you behave so stubbornly on this matter. Two Inquiries: Are you not the most concerned about this doomed future to come? Is it not your own personal directive as the God of Fates and Twisted Futures?]
“... Oog.”
[I do not comprehend your concern regarding “his sincerity being trampled upon by other constellations.” However, you raise a valid point concerning the possibility of interference from external parties.
Rest assured, no harm will befall “Utopic World Builder.” I will personally ensure that no such interference is permitted—]
Kreeeek.
Fwish.
Refusing to entertain the constellation any further, Ramube leapt off the branch, leaving Two-Balls hovering alone in the air. It watched as the gorilla god fell to the ground, escaping back to the camp.
Beep.
[Irrational entity. Regardless of the course of action you choose to pursue in this matter, I will ensure the preservation of mankind—by any means necessary.]
Beep.
Sylvariel continued to chew on the yellow rubber chicken toy as she watched this world’s only two goddesses carefully reading each other’s expressions in silence. Then, after a short while, Graille broke that silence.
“... Senior, do you not find yourself being too hasty on this matter? Not only have I yet to properly establish myself as a Goddess in this world, with only my darling ents as my solid foundation of faith, but this world has yet to receive its own name.”
Graille raised her hand, silently commanding nature itself to bend to her will. Then, a pair of chairs with a table in between rose from the ground. They were made of stone and tree roots.
Then, she gently sat herself on one chair, and gestured for Esphera to sit across hers. Esphera nodded in response and took the seat.
“The number of my children, the humans, continues to grow by the day.”
“And? Are you implying I should just give up the lofty position of ‘The Ruler of the World’ to you?”
Esphera frowned at Graille’s words. She tapped a finger on the table’s stone surface in frustration, digging a small hole into it with the sheer force of her tapping.
Crack.
“I would do no such thing. Such a behavior is not befitting that of a constellation of the creation domain, such as I. Especially not this world’s first constellation of that domain.”
“... You are putting a lot of weight on being ‘first’.”
“It is my birthright and pride.”
It was Graille’s turn now to frown as she struggled to read Esphera’s intentions. With a wave of her hand, the table repaired itself, leaving no hint of the previous damage.
“Then what are you trying to say? I would appreciate it if you were a little more direct, senior.”
“What I am trying to say is this: as life flourishes and branches out in this world, new beliefs will form, and from them, new gods will inevitably be born.”
“... Oh?”
Graille’s eyes widened in surprise. Though she herself was a product of this process, she had not once thought to consider that, in this world, there would be more gods born after her.
“Should we leave this matter unsettled for too long, there will be a struggle for power among the gods. That is why, I believe, it will be necessary to elect either one of us as the ruler of this world beforehand.
As their precursors, we will surely be ahead of them in terms of sheer power and influence. We can prevent chaos from erupting due to the influence of the gods to come.”
Esphera pulled out a small palm-sized book from thin air. A personal item of hers that she purchased when she left to find Yvell on Earth, before reuniting with him in her own world.
“‘Mythology 101 for Idiots’... What a strange book title.”
“Indeed. The title is actually quite misleading, for the book itself is packed full of insightful looks into Earth’s history with the divine. This book recounts various tales of divine involvement in mortal affairs.”
“Oh?”
Graille’s eyes lit up with interest. A constellation detailing interactions between gods and mortals? This was practically an essential academic material for a rookie constellation like her.
“Might I borrow that book one day, senior?”
“You may. However, let us settle that talk for another day.”
“Agreed… But why pull that book out now?”
“It is simple, really.”
Rings of light suddenly appeared behind Esphera, radiating a holy yet intimidating glow. The rings seemed to represent her internal feelings in the moment, intensifying with her growing tension, and with it, the shadow across her face deepened, obscuring her expression.
“The appearance of new gods will inevitably bring chaos upon this world. This is something I would like to prevent at all costs.”
“... At all costs?”
The intense light eventually died down as the rings faded, leaving dim sparks floating in the air. Esphera’s face was one cloaked in worry. Worry for the future.
“I wish to make this world into a paradise, one day. A utopia. That is why I cannot allow ill-intentioned gods to act as they please. To ensure that, order must be established.”
Graille nodded in understanding, feeling the sincerity in Esphera’s voice.
“... You are quite the warmer personality than I initially thought you were, senior.”
“Is that supposed to be a pun?”
“Let me have this one joke, will you? Hehe.”
Graille smiled as the tension between them finally began to ease. Esphera returned the smile, relieved that Graille now understood her purpose. And the high elf baby in the back had almost devoured the rubber chicken whole, leaving only its red rubber feet to dangle freely in the air, though the two goddesses had yet to notice this.
“I agree with you that we must establish a ruler before the arrival of the new gods. But my point still stands, senior. Should we not decide on a name for this world before deciding on who gets to rule it?”
“A name for this world…”
A memory resurfaced in Esphera’s mind.
(What do you think names are to worlds, fledgling?)
(Um… Are names not simply a means of identification?)
(Non, non, non. That way of thinking is naive, fledgling.)
He took a few steps back toward the table, where a cup rested on a rubber disc. He picked it up, swirling what little hot chocolate remained inside with gentle shaking.
Shortly after, he spilled the remaining hot chocolate onto the floor, then traced an image of… the world with his finger.
(Names symbolize expectations. Expectations you place on the world.)
The image of the man and his confident gaze directed right at her floated in her mind. She felt something resonate deep within her at his words.
(Expectations…)
(Yes, expectations. Young constellation, tell me, what do you think your believers thought of when they first imparted onto you a name befitting of your noble self?)
Hehe.
Esphera couldn’t help but grin upon recalling this fond memory of him that she holds close to her heart. Graille tilted her head, confused by Esphera laughing to herself.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Oh, no. I am sorry if I caused you to misunderstand.”
“Then, about the name…”
“I have been thinking of an appropriate name for this world for a while.”
“Oh?”
“How about…”
Elynthys
Graille took a moment to chew the name in her mind: Elynthys… Elynthys…
The ‘Ely–’ part of the name likely originated from the word ‘Elysium’—a place or condition of ideal happiness. As for the ‘–thys’ part, it gave off the impression of part of a flower’s name.
Elynthys… A paradise cared for, much like a flower garden. A place that will be tended for generations to come to maintain its beauty.
“I think I like that name, senior.”
“So, are we in agreement that this shall be the name of this world?”
“Yes, let us name this world ‘Elynthys’.”
“Then it is settled.”
The two goddesses nodded at each other in satisfaction.
“Are you feeling parched by any chance, senior?”
“A little. We have been talking for a minute now.”
“Give me a moment.”
Graille reached for something in the empty air. Then, just like Esphera before, some appeared in her clutches. A glass pitcher full of a cold orange liquid.
“I prepared this orange juice for my dear Sylvie earlier, but I can always make more later. Here is your glass.”
“Thank you, junior.”
Graille summoned a glass for each of them in a similar manner. After which, she poured each of their glasses full.
“Calling each other by ‘senior’ and ‘junior’ sounds a bit distant, would you not agree? How about we refer to each other by name? It is not like we are not aware of each other’s true names.”
“That is true… Then, um, Graille…”
“... Esphera, can you please not say my name while blushing like that? You are making me feel like I am doing something sinful.”
“I apologize…”
Both goddesses flushed red in embarrassment.
Though they had been behaving as rivals for a certain person’s attention up until recently, perhaps they could consider each other more than acquaintances now. A relationship closer to friendship than something hostile.
“Now… How do you suppose we decide on which of us gets to be ruler?”
“That is a difficult question… Could we not split the responsibility in two?”
“That would create its own complications. I believe it would be more efficient to have a single, centralized authority make the final decisions.”
“That does sound convenient. Hm… Actually, could I borrow that book right now? I think I might have an idea.”
“Sure. Here you go.”
Graille took the book titled “Mythology 101 for Idiots” and flipped through the pages, scanning through each one instantly. Then, a certain topic happened to catch her eye.
“The Olympics…”
“Did you find something, Graille?”
“Yes, I think I found something interesting.”
The book closed with a light thud in her hand.
“What do you say about having a competition between the two of us?”
“A competition?”
“Yes. A competition to determine which of us possesses superior divine qualities befitting the role of ‘Ruler of the Gods’.”
“Mhm…”
Esphera gave the proposal some thought. What form would such a competition even take? What criteria would determine the winner between the two?
Graille watched with a grin as Esphera burned through her brain cells.
“Esphera, you look quite adorable when you are in deep thought like that.”
“... You say some embarrassing things quite easily.”
“Can you blame me? You look rather innocent, unlike your usual bellowing self when your competitive spirit roars against mine.”
“I do not ‘bellow’!”
“Point proven.”
“Ugh… You should treat your senior with more respect.”
“Yes, yes. You have all the respect I can give, Esphera.”
“Why do I feel like you are treating me like a child?”
“You are imagining things~”
Esphera glared resentfully at Graille, who seemed to be treating her lightly. Graille saw this, too, as a cute gesture from Esphera.
Had their positions been reversed, would Esphera seem more like a little sister to Graille? She certainly looks the part, being shorter and… not as well-endowed in that region, Graille thought.
“Come to think of it, Esphera, why did you want to keep this a secret from Sir Yvell?”
“... Well…”
“Yes?”
Esphera’s head turned downcast as her cheeks began to blush.
“I… want to prove myself to him. Surprise him with something big. I want to show him how much I have grown as a constellation. Until then, he must not know.”
“... You can say quite the cute things sometimes, senior. Your sincerity is a treasure.”
“Are you trying to tease me?!”
BWAUUUuuuuuuhhhkkk…!
“What was that noise?”
“That noise… Sylvie, dear, are you—OH NO! SYLVIE! PLEASE RELEASE THAT TOY FROM YOUR MOUTH THIS INSTANT BEFORE YOU CHOKE!”
BWAUUUuuu…!—
“ESPHERA! HELP ME GRAB THIS END! I SHALL PUSH FROM THIS SIDE!”
“Uh, Graille, I do not think that is—”
“PLEASE HURRY!”
“Right!”
BWAUUUuuuuuuhhhkkk…!
Somewhere in Starfell, an old man called for a gathering at the foot of the town’s famed meteor. Reflected in his eyes was a deep-seated madness, born of hatred and twisted faith spun with lies to deceive himself.
“My brothers! I call you here on this day to share with you the word of Esphera herself!”
Whispers rippled through the crowd, blending curiosity with blind devotion. Some edged closer, others shrank back, sensing the weight of what was to come.
The old man pulled a stone from his pocket. Clutching it, light erupted between his fingers, and an efreet appeared behind him, roaring with flames and towering ominously.
“Answer the call of the Goddess!
We must rid ourselves of the afflicted in the name of Esphera!
Cut the rot from the stem...!”
We must destroy the gnomes!
