While standing in front of the mirror, Canila Farada looked at her reflection once more.
She adjusted the blue hair that was tied up and straightened the long sleeve robe. While not ugly, she knew that she was nothing special to look at either. And so she tried to dress modestly.
To humans and other sentient races, gods were perceived as transcendent beings, free from worry or strife. But the truth was quite different.
After all, she was feeling this tightness in his chest, right before an audience.
She walked, passing the divine seat quietly, and left the meeting hall without being seen.
She was headed to that place, far above. The world of the four pillar gods.
It was said that there used to be many gods seated there. Now, there was only a giant door that towered in the starry sky. Upon standing in front of it, Canila called out in a quivering voice.
“I request an audience with the Seer.”
Unlike the door for the god seat below, there was no dryad. Each god had their own gatekeeper, who either answered or ignored.
‘…Enter.’
She had not expected the Seer himself to have heard his voice, and she almost turned around and left.
However, now that the army had come all of the way to Morania, there was no other choice.
She steeled himself and entered. Immediately, she felt a pressure that nearly crushed her.
The giant temple was made of polished marble. A beautiful structure of straight lines and squares. The pillars, handrails, halls, even the shape of the rooms.
When she looked up, there were corridors that seemed to go on forever. The light that rained down created shadows and depth amidst the black and white.
There were deep red carpets extended out on each side, but the shadows up ahead hid where they led to.
In front of her, there was a descending staircase. The floor was white, and in the center of the room, there was a desk.
“What are you doing? You wished to come here, only to stand like an idiot?”
The lord of the god seat said coldly. He raised his eyes from the book that he was holding. Canila dropped to her knees in apology.
“Pl-please forgive me, Lord Seer.”
“Fingers who pick diseased leaves… Are you just like her? The goddess who insults her superiors?”
The Seer was very sensitive when it came to manners.
“E-excuse my insolence. Discoverer of Wisdom, Guardian of the Blue Tome, Unfathomable One, Master of All Strategies… Seeker of Knowledge, who comprehends all things…”
“Even that plague god had better manners than you.”
“Wh-what error have I made…?”
She raised his head and saw the Seer looking down at him with disdain.
“When a lesser god like you calls upon us, simply saying ‘one whose name cannot be uttered’ suffices. Listing out our titles is reserved only for peers or ceremonial occasions.”
“Ye…yes.”
“Or could it be that, like the Goddess of Peace, you intend to jest that all gods who play the games are equals?”
“N-Never! Not at all!”
She was like a small bird, being glared at by a predator.
Like this, one had to bow and plead for mercy all of the time in order to survive.
“Oh, with the utmost humility…I must report… This time…”
“You’re quite late. I had predicted some pointless hesitation on your part, but… as expected of a lesser god, even your decision-making is sluggish.”
Canila stuttered for a moment, waited, and then understood.
The god already knew why she was here.
“The…then…my request…”
“There is no point in even asking. You already know the answer.”
The Seer declared, as if further discussion was unnecessary, then he turned his gaze back to the book.
She had prepared himself for this, but never imagined it would be so futile to even try.
The Four Pillar Gods possessed boundless divine power, rendering the efforts of lesser gods like her utterly insignificant. Even so, she had clung to a sliver of hope…and had come all of this way.
“Still, there is some good news for you.”
The unexpected words reached her ears.
And like that, the Seer’s cold voice somehow lifted her sinking spirit.
“Good…news?”
“Saliashe’s kobold has started to move northwards from the Elephas mountains.”
“I…I see…”
“You do not sound happy. I thought you were on friendly terms with that goddess?”
He said, as if looking through her.
“Now, she has risen to one of the greater gods. You should follow the others, and try to get closer to her. As an old friend.”
“However…we are both using Heroes… Besides, as someone of lowly rank…”
“Regarding that… It seems as if Saliashe has taken a dislike to the gathering above the clouds. To the point where she praised the virtues of lesser gods while insulting me.”
Canila smiled wryly at that.
Apparently, her personality had not changed at all. Standing up against those who abused their power, and helping the weak.
“However, she is merely a foolish woman who is using a lowly monster. Something like that could never defeat the Demon King. She will find out soon enough how cruel the laws of the world are.”
“Laws of the world?”
“The world is for humans. Monsters are meant to be hunted.”
Canila sensed something ominous in the Seer’s voice.
It was as if the Seer was telling her to cooperate with Salia.
Of course, a great god such as him would have no reason to be worried about a lesser god, or someone who worked alone, like Salia.
“That is all. You may go.”
“…Excuse me.”
And so Canila left the god seat.
Her legs felt shaky, and he felt tired, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Part of it was dealing with someone much more powerful. But there was also something in the conversation that seemed to tighten her heart.
“Salia…”
It was a bitter name.
When she had first declared that she would make the kobold her subordinate, she had considered approaching her.
And when the other gods avoided her, and she heard of the hundred Heroes that would attack, she wondered if there was something she could do to help.
However, she had done nothing.
She was only a lesser god. Her Hero was weak. What could she hope to accomplish?
But that was just an excuse.
The reason that she had done nothing…was because it pained her to see Salia’s face again.
“Why…did you…come out…”
She hated her lack of willpower. But there was nothing she could do about it.
Still, Canila walked towards her god seat.
She still felt heavy, as if she was carrying a load that was equal to all the stones of the Seer’s palace.