Chapter 3 : Aurax

“Alright, I am the god Eolem. I am Eolem, the God of Vengeance. I am the very essence of the troublesome god Eolem, who long ago traded his manners for peanuts….”

I was in the midst of method acting to realistically impersonate the incarnation of a god.

At first, I worried if I could emulate divine authority in this chubby body.

“You say you’re Lord Eolem’s incarnation?”

“You scoundrel! How dare you point your finger at the body I’ve possessed! Are you truly insane?”

“No, it’s just a bit—”

“Silence! Do you need to have your fingers cut off one by one by my blade of vengeance to come to your senses!”

“Or should I cut something else? Huh? Drop your pants right now! I’ll personally change your gender!”

Are the lines a bit odd?

Well, it doesn’t matter.

After all, Eolem was a deity just as frivolous and unpredictable as I was right now.

What I was secretly worried about was the dignified feel of my voice.

“You scoundrels! How dare you—!”

Surprisingly, perhaps because he was of imperial blood, a strangely deep voice emerged.

‘It’s almost as if someone’s helping me?’

Thanks to this, the assassins who had tried to strike Gilloshian’s neck—no, who had already struck it once—were now just glancing at each other, gauging the situation.

Having successfully executed the deception, I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘Still, it’s a good thing it’s Eolem. If it had been the Goddess Imere, rumored not to descend, the situation would have been complicated.’

According to the original setting, there are a total of 12 gods in the world of the

‘In other words, it’s a world where followers and adversaries of gods, lovers and enemies, are all intricately tangled and living together.’

This setting was quite unfitting for the game’s title.

The game’s title was The World Forsaken by Gods

‘Rather, “A World Where Gods Wreak Havoc” would be more fitting.’

Of course, there was a good reason for this title.

It was a plot twist that only appeared at the very end of the scenario.

Anyway, among those 12 gods, ‘Eolem’ was a deity who particularly enjoyed intervening in the mortal realm.

As the god overseeing vengeance, Eolem loved to meddle in all sorts of wars, disputes, conflicts, and strife.

And he was a deity who frequently revealed himself to his followers.

Thanks to this, my lie was quite smooth.

“Understood, Lord Eolem. However, how about granting a shred of faith to your ignorant followers…?”

“Faith? These brats? You need faith?”

“Alright, fine! I’ll give you some damn faith!”

Spouting nonsense one after another was no trouble at all.

“That golden statue you offered at my altar last week! Did you think I wouldn’t know it was plated and not solid gold?!”

“…Huh?”

“And those Kisyris guys are deliberately luring away my followers! What are you going to do about that?!”

“W-we are doing our best.”

“Doing your best ends your church life? Does it? If I don’t get my collections, which one of you will take responsibility for doing your best? Huh?”

“Collections… you mean?”

“Salt! You brats! Light and salt! Like faith and devotion!”

“…Release him.”

I succeeded in getting the ropes binding my hands and feet released by spouting Eolem-style nonsense like this.

Of course, not everyone was easily fooled.

The old man I called out directly.

“Forgive my ignorance, O Eolem of Vengeance.”

He bowed quite politely, but his gaze towards me clearly held suspicion.

That cold glint unique to old men.

-Let’s just observe for now.

Roughly, this kind of feeling was mixed in.

‘As expected, he’s a cool-headed old man.’

It was also a natural reaction.

Even if Eolem was a god who often descended, this situation was too sudden, so blindly believing it would be strange.

But I emphasized that I was his incarnation, based on various pieces of knowledge about Eolem.

“Thanks to this, I’ve wasted divine power unnecessarily! My throat hurts, and my back hurts! It’s outrageous, so all of you commit suicide!”

The ‘binding preference’ of the slave gladiator shown earlier, repackaged as the power of the god Eolem, also proved effective.

“Forgive us.”

“Please have mercy.”

Thanks to this, the others were caught in my pace, half-believing, half-doubting.

Indeed, it would be hard for them to imagine that the incompetent Gilloshian would have prepared some other trick.

The notorious reputation of the 3rd Imperial Prince, or rather his lack of reputation, turned out to be helpful.

And crucially, the high priest did not try to refute my claims immediately.

“I was disappointed that you haven’t given me revelations for so long, but it’s truly fortunate to meet you like this.”

The old man, instead, very naturally treated me as a god.

So I continued to act calmly.

“Isn’t that because you are disloyal! If what you offered at the altar had been substantial, I would have naturally appeared in my true form! Was there any need to borrow such a frail body? This is all your fault, I tell you!”

“We are sorry. But for what reason have you suddenly descended?”

“…Hmm?”

“Do you have something urgent to convey? If you have something to say, you could just deliver a divine oracle to the archbishop, couldn’t you?”

Seeing him skillfully poke at important points, he’s definitely suspicious.

I just bluffed.

“Do I need a reason every time I descend? Do I have to explain every single one of those? Hey, do you doubt me? Do you want to drop your pants? Huh?”

“…I was presumptuous. I apologize, Lord Eolem.”

Varmilo immediately backed down.

But his eyes still sparkled.

Of course, I also guessed the old man’s true intentions.

‘Since my name came out, he’ll play along to properly understand this situation.’

That’s what I was aiming for.

Just by shouting the name of Varmilo Dimarque, the leader of the assassins, they couldn’t just cut off my head.

Putting aside the truthfulness of the lie, the fact that information leaked out is no ordinary matter.

For that reason, Varmilo was currently nodding and agreeing with me.

But the problem wasn’t just this.

There was another person of interest.

That was the player character.

The guy was still hiding his face under his hood, maintaining complete silence without a word.

Thanks to him, I was driven to distraction.

What was he thinking?

What was his identity?

‘I have no idea. He has no reaction even when I insist I’m a god.’

Anyway, I survived for now.

These formidable foes who threatened Gilloshian’s fat neck were all clerics known as the ‘Priests of Vengeance,’ and simultaneously, assassins.

‘Clerics of vengeance and assassination.’

What a twisted setting.

At any rate, they were not a force that acted independently.

They were elite soldiers belonging to the ‘Revolutionary Army’ faction in the western part of the continent.

‘A massive force gathered to overthrow the empire, huh.’

In the original game

The Vald Magic Empire.

The Revolutionary Army.

The Five Beast Tribes.

The Empire and the Revolutionary Army were in a standoff, and the Beast Tribes were playing both sides.

The assassination attempt on the 3rd Imperial Prince, which occurred amidst this tension, was a message from the Revolutionary Army to the Empire.

“Release our comrades. Otherwise, the imperial bloodline will suffer.”

In other words, this wasn’t just an act of terror.

It was a special mission with political intent.

Though it failed today, it would surely be attempted again.

‘So, the assassin will definitely reappear.’

But I had no intention of offering my neck.

I never wanted to feel a blade pierce my body while I was still alive again.

However, I couldn’t keep pretending to be an incarnation of a god indefinitely either.

If I didn’t want to be revenged upon by a petty god, I had to end the lie appropriately.

So, I fell into contemplation.

What could be a way for this scoundrel 3rd Imperial Prince to survive?

‘I need a reason for these republican rebels to keep this good-for-nothing alive.’

And actually, there’s one more thing.

‘I also need a way to save this failed character who got a dud instead of a transcendent ability.’

This means I’m in a situation where I have to achieve two goals simultaneously.

Cleaning up after both a scoundrel and a failed character!

It’s like getting a buy-one-get-one-free deal, but not on a convenience store kimbap.

‘This is so much fun, truly.’

If I weren’t in the situation of impersonating a god in front of assassins, I would have cheered.

“Convenience store discarded food, huge success, let’s go—”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, the connection with my true self was momentarily poor.”

In fact, an alternative had already appeared in my mind.

‘Even so, he’s the 3rd Imperial Prince; I don’t know if this is okay, but…’

What am I supposed to do?

I need to survive first, don’t I?

Shaking off my distracting thoughts, I borrowed Eolem’s voice and said: “I warn you. The 3rd Imperial Prince shall become my personally chosen ‘Apostle,’ so do not harm a single hair on his head.”

“Gilloshian will personally join the Revolutionary Army in the future! Do you understand?”

I could see the assassins’ expressions twisting terribly.

They’d lost a target they’d struggled to secure, so that was inevitable.

So, I placed a new hat on Gilloshian’s head.

Since I was already impersonating Eolem, I added the setting: ‘Gilloshian has become an Apostle of God!’

My calculation was that this would be a team kill, so they wouldn’t be able to touch this body immediately.

But Varmilo Dimarque…

The old man’s eyes glinted like a beast hunting its prey.

“Can we truly believe your words?”

An undeniable sneer flickered at the corner of his mouth.

It was as if he was asking if I could handle the consequences of stirring up such trouble.

My hair stood on end.

‘As expected, this old man wasn’t just suspicious; he was certain.’

Varmilo hadn’t believed I was impersonating Eolem from the start.

“Understood. Then, in accordance with Lord Eolem’s will, we shall spare the 3rd Imperial Prince and return.”

Seemingly respectful, but with a sharp edge to his voice.

“Since a true incarnation would not make an empty promise, it will not be long before the 3rd Imperial Prince becomes an Apostle and joins the Revolutionary Army. It is truly something to look forward to.”

Even as he spoke, his eyes shimmered cruelly.

“Though he is a discarded good-for-nothing, for an imperial bloodline to join the Revolutionary Army…”

It was as if he wanted to dissect me right then and there, but would hold back for now.

Yes, that would be it.

I could understand that look in his eyes.

Once the priests left this place and returned to their main base, they would quickly uncover the truth.

The Grand Archbishop, who was closest to the gods, would be able to confirm that no such Apostle had been designated.

Then, naturally, assassins would be dispatched again.

‘Will you be able to survive then? Will the Empire truly protect you?’

That confidence implied that there was another person behind this incident.

In fact, I knew it too.

‘There is someone within the Imperial Palace who is after Gilloshian’s head.’

Unless there was collusion both inside and out, it would be impossible for the emperor’s bloodline to suddenly meet a violent end in some forest.

Even if he was a discarded child.

Gilloshian’s life was that precarious.

Even invoking the name of a god only bought us time; our necks were in extreme danger.

But I smiled broadly.

And shouted boisterously: “Yes, that’s right! You should certainly look forward to it! Do you think I would have made an empty promise?”

“?”

“What if you don’t believe my words? What if I was lying? What are you going to do? Bite your master? Have you ever seen such pathetic and disloyal hounds?”

My words, overflowing with confidence, caused Varmilo’s expression to crack slightly.

He seemed utterly bewildered as to what I was relying on to be so defiant.

But I had a plan.

I looked the old man directly in the eyes and said: “The 3rd Imperial Prince will not return to the Imperial Palace.”

At that, Varmilo tilted his head, forgetting that he was playing along.

“Not returning to the Imperial Palace, what do you mean…?”

I smiled quietly at him.

My aim wasn’t just to put a new hat on his head.

Naturally, the next step was necessary.

And this was it.

“The 3rd Imperial Prince will go to ‘Aurax.’ He will soon become an Apostle, so shouldn’t he prepare? Study doctrine! And sculpt some statues of me!”

“What nonsense!”

“While he is traveling there, you will protect this child safely. Do not let a single hair on his head be harmed! Buy him food, buy him drinks! Do you understand?”

Varmilo’s mouth hung open.

Aurax, the largest city in the west.

It was none other than the main base of the Revolutionary Army.

To me, it was literally walking into the tiger’s maw.

But since I said I would go there myself, he probably couldn’t understand.

‘It must look like I’m trying desperately to die quickly.’

However, at this moment, the rebel’s lair was safer for me than the Imperial Palace.

In the Imperial Palace, where the emperor held absolute power, my room for maneuver was too narrow.

It seemed like a safe fence, but it was also like a closed prison where it was hard to escape from internal enemies.

But once outside the Imperial Palace, the story changes.

‘There’s an opportunity for growth.’

I intended to seize that opportunity in Aurax.

To an imperial citizen, it was enemy territory, but to a gamer like me, it was the complete opposite.

It was a newbie’s paradise!

So, I intended to go to Aurax.

Anyway, once the next news arrived, even if I paraded around proclaiming myself the 3rd Imperial Prince, I would be safe.

“Two weeks from now.”

I looked around at the priests’ faces and opened my mouth.

“An incident will occur where countless residents of Aurax will die. This child will prevent that incident, so you shall know this and prepare yourselves.”

This time, it wasn’t an impersonation, but a prophecy.

How about that, you brats?

You’ll have no choice but to keep the scoundrel 3rd Imperial Prince alive, right?

You’ll have no choice but to bring him alive to your main base, right?