Divine Realm
The Domain of the Demon God
A woman, cloaked in black miasma, rose from an obsidian-colored bathtub.
“...Hmm?”
Her demon eyes glowed, turning a sharp, luminous yellow.
‘Hey, you idiot! You said this was the right way!’
‘Ah, my apologies. I got too excited at the thought of meeting the Captain again….’
Through her clairvoyant sight, she spotted five or six gods clad in veils of black magic, loitering near the edge of her domain.
They seemed lost, glancing around in search of something.
‘...Is that divine energy from sacrifice?’
The woman could sense the sacred energy emanating from the gods—a divinity forged from the concept of sacrifice.
In the Divine Realm, only one god held dominion over the concept of sacrifice: [Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence].
Known for their overwhelming sloth, they were infamous for not even bothering to create subordinate gods.
‘This way, I’m sure of it this time. Just follow me quietly.’
‘Alright, alright…!’
“Well, isn’t this interesting.”
The woman, bare of any clothing, rose fully from the bathtub.
As the dark miasma condensed, it swirled around her body, weaving itself into garments.
“Gods that should not exist.”
She folded space around herself, her body blurring as she moved.
Completely concealing her presence, she began to shadow the intruders.
For a goddess as arrogant as her, even ten lesser gods posed no threat.
There wasn’t a single thing in their presence that could cause her concern.
***
"It’s been a while, General."
Dave, the holy knight, greeted Ren with a crisp and formal bow.
"What’s this? Why are your cheeks so chubby? Have you been slacking off, thinking you’re untouchable now that you’ve become a god?"
Darin, the spirit summoner, brazenly clung to Ren, poking and pinching her cheeks.
"This is such a strange feeling. I used to serve a god, and now I’m here as one myself, alongside you, General!"
Gregory, the priest, wandered around the Domain of Sacrifice, observing every detail.
And among them were others: the seasoned mercenary Hans, the master swordsman Colin, the mage Christine, the knight Florence, the spearwoman Ingrid, the dark sorcerer Jeffrey, and the magitech engineer Collins.
They were exactly as Ren remembered them.
Her most dependable and cherished comrades.
All ten of them, resurrected as lower gods.
"Everyone…"
Ren struggled to contain her emotions.
After centuries of being confined by sloth, her emotions were slowly returning, and the wave of joy threatened to overwhelm her.
"Well, well. I didn’t expect our Captain to be this happy about seeing us again."
"Even after all these years, she’s still like a child. Honestly, she’d be lost without us."
But her joy quickly turned into guilt.
Guilt over the sins she would carry for the rest of her existence.
"I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…"
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence contorts her face in anguish.]
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence seeks forgiveness.]
"What are you apologizing for now?"
The warriors understood why Ren was so burdened with guilt.
For centuries, she had been a god—a high-ranking one at that—yet she hadn’t even erected a single monument in their memory.
When they first learned this, they had felt betrayed.
But during the resurrection process, they had glimpsed her thoughts and understood it wasn’t her doing.
The sin of [Indolence], a concept planted within her, had shackled her, suppressing her will.
"General, do you know? The reason we could be resurrected was because of you."
"What… do you mean?"
"It happened during your conquest of the concept of [Indolence]… but the explanation would be too long right now. What matters is this: none of us blame you for anything."
"Hahaha! That’s right, Captain! We followed you to the death because we loved you. How could we possibly resent you?"
"You’re still as stubborn as ever, though."
Poke.
[The Spirit Summoner of Sacrifice pokes Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence on the cheek.]
"…All of you."
Such warm, loyal comrades.
How long had it been since she last felt this way?
After centuries of silence and cold emptiness, the Domain of Sacrifice was now alive with noise and vitality.
"So, you’re saying you put our names in that game medium?"
"I wanted the world to remember you."
"Hahaha! That’s so touching, Captain!"
"Hey, look at that blush! The Captain is embarrassed!"
"You guys want to get smacked around by the General, don’t you?"
The atmosphere was loud and chaotic, just like in their past lives.
The nostalgia was overwhelming.
"Heh."
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence smiles, relishing a feeling she thought she’d never experience again.]
"...Why did it get so quiet all of a sudden?"
The male heroes had fallen silent, their gazes fixed on Ren.
"Captain… since you became a goddess, you’ve… really started to look like one."
"Don’t say things like that!"
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence turns her head slightly, flustered.]
"Wow, seriously. This must be what they mean by a 'genius beauty.' I can’t let this slide!"
"Hey, stop—"
[The Spirit Summoner of Sacrifice hugs Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence from behind, grabbing her chest.]
"Gentlemen, please turn your heads away."
[The Mage of Sacrifice glares at the men with disdain.]
[The Mercenary of Sacrifice blushes, dumbfounded.]
[The Master Swordsman of Sacrifice gulps nervously.]
[The Priest of Sacrifice averts his eyes, trying to remain composed.]
They spent hours joking and catching up, losing track of time.
"This is fascinating. I’ve never heard of this 'game' medium before, but you’re saying that countless people play it every week and engrave our stories into their memories? And that’s how we were able to come back to life?"
"It seems so."
"...But if that’s possible—"
[The Spirit Summoner of Sacrifice pauses meaningfully.]
"Doesn’t that mean the one who created this game can produce Constellations at will…?"
What…?
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence ponders deeply.]
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence’s eyes widen in shock.]
The resurrection of all ten warriors was possible because of the dream girl and her apostle.
Their game had etched the heroes’ stories into the minds of countless people across the continent, amplifying their recognition and faith.
If abused, this game could potentially revive gods at the creator’s whim or even elevate forgotten heroes to divine status.
A power that surpassed ordinary divinity—akin to that of a creator god.
But Ren wasn’t awed by the scope of this power.
Her concern lay elsewhere.
'What if other gods learn of this?'
If it became known that the game could resurrect the dead and even transform them into gods, countless deities would flock to the dream girl and her apostle.
Many gods, willing to do anything for divine power, would bring nothing but chaos.
Even those who pretended to be noble would lose all reason in the face of such a power.
"Did you encounter any other gods on your way here?"
If that happened, the girl and her apostle could be in grave danger.
"No, we didn’t."
[The Spirit Summoner of Sacrifice shrugs.]
"We knew nothing about this place, so we avoided others and moved in secret. Jeffrey’s area-wide stealth ability became absurdly powerful after his ascension, so we used that to hide."
[The Dark Sorcerer of Sacrifice scratches his sparse hair sheepishly.]
'No one knows about them yet.'
The heroes’ story was now widely known thanks to [Akashic Archive]. If other gods discovered the ten resurrected heroes, they might uncover the dream girl’s secret.
For now, at least, their existence was her secret alone.
Thud.
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence kneels.]
"I’m sorry."
"Why are you apologizing again?"
"Captain?"
"General, you’ve apologized enough already. If anything, you’re our savior—"
"No. Even so, I fell into sloth for centuries. I failed to honor your deaths, and I didn’t even try to resurrect or find you. As the leader of the special forces, as your General, this is an unforgivable sin."
"Captain…"
"See? Still so uptight."
"I’m sorry, but I have to ask something of you again."
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence bites her lip.]
They deserved to be happy.
After finally being freed from centuries of torment, asking them to hide again felt cruel.
"Explain everything to us."
"Savior, huh?"
After hearing Ren’s explanation, the heroes fell silent in thought.
"It’s tough, finally being resurrected and still having to hide in the shadows, avoiding others."
"But we’re your soldiers and your swords!"
"We were resurrected because of you, Captain. Whether you ask or command, we’ll follow."
Despite their corrupt kingdom, the ten special forces soldiers had willingly given their lives to save humanity.
What bound them together was their shared admiration for Knight Ren, who had inspired them all to volunteer.
"Besides, we can’t put our savior in danger, can we?"
"You all…"
Ren’s face was awash with emotion.
"Still, I guess I should be grateful you’re all so quick-witted."
"Who’s there?"
Ren swiftly drew her sword and unleashed a divine slash.
Woooong—
Clang!
The blade, streaking toward the intruder, was stopped by a magical barrier conjured by the outstretched hand of a man.
"...Such a merciless greeting. If I were an ordinary god, I might have been killed."
"You…"
What was he doing here?
He was infamous for never leaving his domain.
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence braces herself, summoning her divine aura.]
"It’s good to meet you, [Indolence]. Or should I call you [Sacrifice] now that you’ve overcome it? Don’t be so wary—I’m like you."
"...What?"
Click. Click. Click.
From behind the man, a woman in priestly robes stepped out.
"...Impossible. Saintess Kate?"
Ren, familiar with [Akashic Archive], immediately recognized her.
And she understood what he meant by "like you."
"Yes. My goal is the same as yours."
[The Magitech Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath smiles.]
"I’ve come here to protect my savior."
***
Vrrr… Vrrr… Vrrr…
Rustle.
"…Ugh, what the hell is this, at this hour?"
I was rudely awakened from a pleasant dream by the incessant vibrations of my terminal.
Rubbing my bleary eyes, I reached for it.
"Who could possibly be calling at this time…?"
But as I picked it up, I realized something was off.
It wasn’t the terminal I usually used as Rian, the Academy student.
This was the special device connected to the celestial realm, powered by the Constellation’s abilities.
And it was buzzing like crazy.
Could it be other gods sending proposals after seeing the success of the Orpheus episode?
It seemed plausible enough, so I picked up the device and opened it.
"…?"
But instead of the usual influx of divine offers, only two Constellations appeared on the screen.
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence] and [The Magitech Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath].
Vrrr…
Vrrr…
Messages from both Constellations kept pouring in relentlessly.
[The Magitech Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath declares that, having fulfilled all his wishes, he will now dedicate himself to protecting his savior.]
-> The Magitech Engineer Who Cast Off Wrath feels infinite gratitude toward you.
[Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence asks if there’s a way.]
-> Sacrifice Overcoming Indolence feels an immense, overwhelming gratitude toward you.
However, this time, something was different from our usual communications.
They didn’t seem to realize I was observing their messages in real time.
On top of that, for some reason, even their inner thoughts were being displayed in message form.
What in the world was going on?