Chapter 408: A Conversation is Needed (3)

"Muldine..."

Whether she had expected it or was caught off guard, Helik trailed off with an indescribable expression on her face.

"

Phew

." After a brief silence, she let out a soft sigh and said with a troubled look, "I knew that we would speak of this one day. I just didn’t expect it to be today..."

"I’m sorry for bringing it up so suddenly."

"I forgive you. But Muldine, what is it that you want to talk about regarding that guy?"

Helik’s voice was as clear as always, though her tone was lower than usual.

She’s taking this conversation seriously.

Kai slowly continued saying, "I learned a few things about you and Muldine recently."

"How?"

"

Uh...

by chance, in another world," Kai answered quickly after thinking on his feet.

He couldn’t say it was told to him by Pegasus’s CEO and Ramus’s developer, after all.

"Another world... Now that I think about it, you were in the Demon Realm not long ago, weren’t you?"

"Yes."

"I told you not to go there... Anyway, was there someone there who knew about us?"

"

Mm

, there were some records there."

"Ah, records... If that’s the case, it might be possible..." Having accepted it without much thought, Helik asked, "What did it say there?"

"It said Muldine was trying to kill you..." Kai’s low voice echoed through the garden.

Even the nearby plants seemed to slightly shiver from the anger that had unconsciously poured out from Kai.

But Helik herself simply nodded once with a bored expression and calmed him down, "Well, first calm down."

"What... I just said he was trying to kill you!"

"

Mhm

. I know."

"Then why are you so calm? Did you just let it happen?"

"Well..."

Helik’s expression turned sullen. Her shoulders drooped like a puppy soaked in rain.

"I’m not strong enough to fight him."

Kai narrowed his eyes. This was the part he could never understand.

"Helik. Doesn’t a god’s power come from the number of their believers, in other words, their divinity?"

"

Mhmm

. That’s a little different." Helik shook her head. "Have you ever attended school?"

"Of course."

"

Ah

, then this will be easy to explain. Have you ever been a class president?"

"I’ve done it about two times."

"Impressive. Then tell me, what kind of role does a class president serve?"

"Well... they represent the class. They should be smart and well-liked."

"So, they are much more well-known than other students and hold more influence within the class, correct?"

"Yes."

"But what if one day the class president gets into a fight with the most notorious delinquent in the class?"

"

Huh?

"

As Kai tilted his head wondering why she asked such a thing, Helik confidently crossed her arms.

"Being famous or influential, those things don’t matter in that case. If the two fight, all of that gets pushed aside and becomes a pure contest of strength."

"

Ah!

" Realizing what she meant, Kai let out a sound of admiration. "You’re comparing gods to class presidents, and Muldine is like the delinquent."

"Exactly."

Helik, arms still crossed, looked oddly proud. She must have really liked her own comparison.

"

Hm

. I see," Kai rubbed his chin.

Helik was the most well-known god in the heavens, but her strength alone couldn’t stand against Muldine.

In that case...

There was only one option left.

"I’ll fight Muldine in your place."

"You?"

Helik lifted her head and stared at Kai. Then she shook her head.

"No, that would be impossible for you. You would certainly die."

"Is it because of the gap in rank...?"

Helik’s shaking head stopped. "You know of that too?"

"Yes, because I’m serious."

He didn’t want to be someone who only spoke words. He would save Helik no matter what it took. That determination and resolve filled both of Kai’s eyes.

"Th-this is troublesome." Facing that serious gaze, Helik turned her head shyly for no reason. "

Mmm...

"

With her head lowered, Helik twisted her hair or pulled on her cheek as she continued thinking.

"

Ugh...

"

A moment later, steam rose from the top of her head like a freshly steamed dumpling as she downed her teacup in one gulp.

"What you just drank is Agarit tea. It’s a tea known to clear the mind. How is it?" Kai asked.

"It tastes good. Bring more next time."

"I’ll buy plenty so you can drink it with the other gods."

"

Mhmm

, and though we strayed off topic... I understand." Helik nodded. "You are my apostle. It wouldn’t be fair if I kept something from you that Shimizu, Cherantia, and even Patrick already knew."

"Wait, they knew about your relationship with Muldine?"

"Well, it’s not exactly a huge secret. Most other gods know too..."

What was this overwhelming sense of loneliness and emptiness? Kai felt his tension ease for no reason as he refilled her teacup.

"Then please explain."

"

Hmm

... I don’t know where to start."

Helik, who was not good with words in situations like this, contemplated for a moment.

It seemed she would struggle for a while if left alone, so Kai gently helped her. "Could you start by telling me why Muldine wants to kill you?"

"

Ah

, that... might actually be my fault..." Helik mumbled.

"Wait, what do you mean your fault... Did you pick a fight with him or something?"

"Of course not!" Helik shouted.

Well, it was hard to imagine this little goddess, who calmed down with just a piece of candy, going around picking fights.

"Then what exactly did you do wrong?"

"

Um

... Well, listen to this."

Helik raised her left hand and made a fist. Then she raised her other hand and made another fist.

"Look, I have two fists."

"Okay."

"The left fist is the sun from now on." Helik wiggled her left hand cutely.

"Then the right fist must be the moon."

"You really are my apostle. How clever!" Helik exclaimed in admiration.

Well, this much is kind of obvious...

Kai gave her a look asking for further explanation.

"

Uh...

so let’s think of it like this." Helik lowered her right hand and kept only the left raised. "Now, the moon has set and only the sun is up. What kind of situation is that?"

"Daytime. More specifically... from dawn until sunset."

"Correct. Then what about this?"

This time she lowered her left hand and raised the right.

"Night. From late afternoon to the next day’s dawn."

"Right. The time when the bright light disappears and only faint moonlight remains." Lowering both hands, Helik continued, "He was displeased with that fact."

"What was he displeased about...?"

"He was displeased with every difference between himself and I. Why the sun became a symbol of the day’s beginning. Why most people stay active during the day and sleep at night. Why I receive far more reverence than he does."

"But that can’t be helped."

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Even before the development of magical science, no, even now it was still the same.

Night is dangerous for humanity.

This world had monsters. Savage hunters that hid in the darkness and hunted humans. And they weren’t the only ones to be cautious of.

Other humans.

Countless crimes were committed under the cover of night. Of course people would build their lives around the daytime when it was safer and they could see clearly.

"Wait, are you saying Muldine wants to kill you and make the world revolve around himself... in other words, make night the norm?"

Helik nodded silently.

Crazy bastard.

Since he couldn’t swear in front of her out of respect, Kai swallowed the curse. He was trying to kill Helik over something like that? Of course, Kai understood well that Muldine and Helik were opposites in many ways. Light and darkness. Day and night. Good and evil. Mercy and death. Just by their symbolic domains, Helik and Muldine were like oil and water.

"But just because someone is different doesn’t mean you have to kill them."

"To him, it seems like a reason."

"

Wow

. What an onion of a god. The more I peel the more things come out." Kai, clenching his fist tightly, said, "I’ve heard that humans cannot harm gods if there is a gap in rank."

"That is true."

"Then please tell me how to raise my rank."

At Kai’s earnest request, Helik shook her head with an apologetic look. "I’m sorry, but I have no knowledge about that."

"That can’t be..."

"Even the previous Solaris Clerics struggled with the same question. They always watched Muldine closely and even tried to eliminate him."

"But no one succeeded, I guess."

"Patrick, he succeeded halfway."

Kai’s eyes widened at those words. "He did?"

"Yes. He struck Muldine hard with the sword he created. But in the end, he could not overcome the difference in rank and failed to kill him."

"I’ve never heard that story before..." There had been no mention anywhere of Patrick of Radiance fighting against the evil god. "But he managed to survive."

"He slowly withered away from the wound he received in that fight and died. It was a dreadful wound that even my divine power couldn’t heal." As if she recalled the memory, Helik let out a light sigh. "I worry that you might end up like Patrick."

Aside from herself, she had taken three apostles until now, and all three had failed to defeat Muldine. Of course, she couldn’t help but be afraid from her perspective.

But still...

Precisely because of that, Kai had to succeed no matter what.

Helik looked up with just her eyes at Kai’s hand patting the top of her head.

"I will protect you no matter what."

"You don’t have to push yourself so hard."

"You’re the one who shouldn’t push yourself too hard."

Helik gave a soft smile at Kai’s warm voice.

"Don’t try to carry everything alone, and don’t spend your days in solitude anymore."

Suddenly, the moment they first met came to his mind.

She was alone.

She had been playing by herself on that vast island in the heavens. Back then, the only gods she had any interaction with were just two, Roby and Horn. That was why Kai had hoped she would make some friends. He invited gods and held a banquet for her, and as a result, her old friend Kal Rashya had returned.

"Are you happy these days, Helik?"

To Kai’s question, Helik nodded without the slightest hesitation. "I am happy."

Seeing the bright smile blooming on her face, Kai also smiled. "Then I’ll have to work hard to make sure that happiness lasts."

"

Hehe

..." Helik giggled and gently placed both hands on top of Kai’s palms. "I am happiest right now. I have precious snacks and friends, and I have you who cares for me and snacks as well."

"You mentioned snacks twice."

"I don’t wish for anything big. I just hope I can enjoy this happiness a little longer..."

"I will make sure that happens."

He didn’t leave vague words like 'I’ll try' or 'I’ll do my best.' Until now, Kai had only walked the same path the former apostles had walked. But from now on, he had to carve out a path that even those apostles had never reached. Rather than follow behind someone else, he had to walk ahead and show others his back. And for someone like that, the most important thing was confidence.

So Kai said in a voice full of conviction, one that left no choice but to believe, "I

will

make it happen."