Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 197

Choice (2) ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

“…First, one thing.”

As someone who had a family member with spiritual talent, I, Cretin, had at least learned how to deal—more or less—with sudden topics like this being dropped out of nowhere.

“Why are you saying he’s going to die?”

“…Huh?”

My younger sister, still in a patient gown and puffing away at her pipe, quietly tilted her head.

It was honestly absurd how she looked like she had never expected to be asked something like that, but somehow I pulled myself together and continued speaking.

“You need to get into the habit of explaining things…”

“I looked at the constellations.”

“…Constellations?”

“Yeah.”

“……”

…Well, I mean.

As far as I knew, the Tribal Alliance was a group rather famous for valuing scientific technology.

So hearing something this suddenly mystical and unscientific left me feeling blank.

Well, she was someone who could say things like that. After all, she was the priestess representing the Tribal Alliance.

As I scratched my head while thinking that, Rania continued.

“The movement wasn’t normal. To the point that Urgan issued a warning.”

“He gave a warning?”

“He seemed really angry. The one inside there.”

As she said that, Rania raised her finger and pointed outside the window.

Of course, she might have simply been pointing at the scenery outside, but the direction her finger indicated was toward the Void Zone where Wornil’s body lay dormant.

I blinked blankly and pointed in that direction as well.

“The one inside there is angry?”

“Wornil.”

At Rania’s short reply, my expression turned serious as well.

It had come out of nowhere, but the moment Urgan’s name was mentioned alongside it, one thing became certain.

Wornil was, in any case, extremely furious.

“At Mr. Aiden?”

“At that man.”

The target was clear too.

Well, it had already been obvious when she said earlier that unless they did that whole polygamy nonsense, that man would die.

“So he’s going to harm him?”

“Yeah.”

“…How angry are we talking?”

It was already strange enough that a sealed god could even feel emotions, but more than that—just how furious did he have to be to rage at a mere human even while his entire body had been torn apart?

“So, if I directly relay Urgan’s words…”

Rania cleared her throat for a moment. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

It was obvious she wasn’t quite used to saying something like this out loud…

“…He’s pissed.”

“……”

“Not just a little, either.”

“…………Is that so?”

“They say it’s highly likely because that man wiped out his proxy and has been interfering with his plans all this time.”

“I see……”

I couldn’t make sense of it since all the context was missing, but at least one thing was clear.

“So.”

I tilted my head, clearly not understanding.

I tried gathering all the information Rania had given me, but honestly, it made so little sense that I had to go over it several times.

“…So, after trying to devour Mr. Aiden all this time, now he’s angry just because he took some damage?”

“…………That about sums it up.”

“Does that guy even have a conscience?”

“……”

Hmm.

Well, asking whether a god even had a conscience was a difficult question in itself, but Rania still understood exactly why I was asking that.

It was like trying to bite into prey, only to get angry when the prey fought back.

“…He’s the kind of being who thinks that just because he has power, he can wield it however he wants.”

Rania took a deep drag from her pipe and spoke cynically.

Wasn’t that exactly why he got beaten up and chased out of the Pantheon? A nasty being who couldn’t consider others would eventually face punishment.

Even so, it was ridiculous that his innate power was so great that instead of being killed completely, he had merely been sealed.

“…That makes it even stranger.”

“Hm?”

“You told me about the divinity that chose Mr. Aiden, right?”

“I did.”

“Then why was that divinity sealed?”

A patient and their caretaker were always together, so they naturally had more than enough time to share with each other. And if they were close enough that there were hardly any limits to what they could share, then all kinds of stories would come out.

The story about the divinity residing within Aiden was one of them.

How should I put it? It was something that originally shouldn’t have been said, but for some reason, she said it had become okay ‘starting today.’

Because I had already found out, so there was no point in hiding it anymore.

“You said it was a god loved by everyone in the Pantheon. Then why was such a god sealed?”

“……”

The moment I asked that, I saw the meaningful gaze directed at me and shut my mouth in embarrassment.

Her expression clearly said, Do I really have to spell that out for you?

I let out a sigh and answered.

“That’s why it was sealed.”

“…Huh?”

“If someone can’t share what’s theirs, isn’t it possible that at least one person would decide it’s better to bury it altogether?”

“……”

“Rather than fighting over it, they must have agreed to bury it altogether.”

From that perspective, the reason the gods showed endless favor whenever they came into contact with Aiden was probably rooted in that as well.

It would feel like meeting someone they liked, someone they had buried out of fear that leaving them alone would cause conflict, after a long time.

“…Why are you making that face?”

Seeing my stunned expression, Rania tilted her head and asked.

“No, it’s just…”

…Hearing it like that, how should I put this.

“…Why does it sound so trivial?”

Even though it was a story about gods in the Pantheon—beings who created the world and bestowed Divine Authority upon humans—it sounded like some messy romantic dispute between young people…

“That’s right, sister.”

“……”

“The fact that someone could even do that to the gods is impressive in itself.”

In that sense, it was almost amusing that the reasons for each of their sealings were different.

A god sealed because everyone hated him, and a god sealed because everyone loved him…

“We got off track. Anyway, both of us have to marry that man.”

“……”

Ah, right.

That was the original topic.

Realizing that, I clutched my head.

“…How does the conversation even drift in that direction?”

“I told you. It’s a divinity loved by everyone. The source of its power comes from that.”

“That… makes sense?”

Anyway, hearing it was a god of debauchery made my head spin, but if it had stolen the hearts of every god it encountered, then it was reasonable to assume that its power came from that.

“Let’s organize the situation. Wornil is extremely—really—angry. Soon, he’s going to go after that man and try to harm him. Then that man will do something to prepare for it, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, for a god loved by everyone, the way to increase its power would be to strengthen its bonds with the people around him. Right?”

“That… sounds right?”

“Then what’s the most certain way to make a relationship as close as possible?”

“……”

To become family.

And if it was the process of becoming family, there was only one way.

“So it’s marriage. Got it?”

“……”

“I’m telling you to prepare yourself mentally.”

“…Rania. Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Listening to you, it doesn’t sound like it’s just the two of us getting married.”

“……”

“…I’m not about to have the one wedding of my life bundled together with others like some kind of wholesale deal, right?”

“……”

“…Right?!”

Without answering, Rania simply puffed out smoke from her pipe.

▣

Getting used to someone was a rather frightening thing.

Especially when you grew close enough to instantly tell what the other person was thinking just by glancing at their face without needing any words.

The reason Noel immediately realized something the moment she saw Aiden staggering out of his quarters was probably because of that kind of “frightening” intuition.

“…Ah, Mr. Aiden. You’re awake—”

Noel had been about to greet him with a bright smile, but her mouth shut instantly.

She hurriedly turned her gaze toward Katya, who had come to greet him as well.

Like a comrade who had faced similar situations multiple times, Katya immediately understood that look and rushed over to grab Aiden firmly by the shoulders.

…For her, it was an extremely rare expression—one mixed with urgency and pleading.

“…We haven’t even exchanged morning greetings yet.”

As Aiden blinked and said that, Katya spoke urgently.

“Think again.”

“…Pardon?”

“Think again. Please. If not for me, then at least for her…!”

“…………Pardon?”

“That expression—you’ve got ‘that’ expression again!”

“What expression are you talking about…?”

Before she could explain that it was the exact look he made whenever he was about to do something insane that terrified everyone without consulting anyone, Noel hurried over and wrapped her arms tightly around Aiden from behind.

“…………Don’t you think both of you are being a bit too aggressive for a morning greeting?”

“We’re not letting you go until you clearly explain what you’re planning to do, how you’re going to do it, and why you’re going to do it—everything, in full detail.”

“……”

Hmm.

Seeing this kind of reaction, it was clear they had been together for quite a long time.

“…I’m doing it because it’s doable.”

“At least you’re being honest instead of brushing it off as nothing.”

“……”

Well, I mean.

That’s because—

“I don’t think I can call going to confront and kill the God of Devouring ‘nothing.’”

“……”

“……”

Katya and Noel staggered at the same time, clearly overwhelmed.

Even so, it was commendable that they still held tightly onto Aiden, making sure he couldn’t move.

“…What are you going to do first? You’re not someone who can be stopped anyway, so let’s at least hear the process.”

Just from saying that, it was clear she understood Aiden’s nature well.

“I need to prepare first.”

“…What kind of preparation?”

“First, I think I’ll need several rings.”

“……”

“…Because there’s only one method I can think of right now.”

It was, without a doubt, an ominous statement.