Chapter 18: Advice from a Goddess

  “Garfield, finally!” Pandora gestured for Garfield to join her.

  “I… didn’t know there was a tropical resort in my house. What ocean is that?”

  “Oh, don’t mind the details. So, what do you think?”

  “It’s very nice. I bet this spot is particularly comfortable when the Bretten weather turns cold.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “What’s his deal?” Garfield gestured to the angel serving as a beach attendant.

  “You’re not the only one who can summon angels, you know.” The angel then walked over and handed a nice tropical drink to Garfield.

  “True, although, I think that one’s actually real.”

  “Indeed. By the way, feel free to come here any time.”

  “Why thank you. Do you mind if I bring dates here?”

  “Not at all. That’s fine provided you don’t mind me joining in the fun.”

  “I think… the only women who would appreciate that aren’t actually allowed to go on dates.”

  “Those churches really are odd. So, how are things going with that fox-girl?”

  “Which one?”

  “Which!?”

  Garfield turned his head away and chuckled into his hand.

  “You… In all seriousness, do you know what’s happening in the south?”

  “I stopped the waves of monsters crossing the Dragon Mountains, but no, I don’t know more than that.”

  “Is that by choice?” she asked.

  “Yes. I limit my information-gathering abilities.”

  “Trying to keep things interesting?”

  “Yes. If I solve all my problems ahead of time things will get quite boring. They’ll be no better than my previous life.”

  “I understand that desire more than you probably realize. Still, it pains me to think you intend to allow yourself to die in just a few short years.”

  “Don’t count me out yet! I’m hoping to keep productive into my 70s and my 80s if I’m really lucky!”

  “That’s not what I mean and you know it. Do you know what is needed to ascend into godhood? Oh, I know you don’t view it as true godhood, but nevertheless…”

  “No, I honestly don’t. I do know that I’m considered by some measures to be a demigod, but that’s hardly by choice.”

  “Yes, I too arrived at that conclusion. Essentially, there’s only one barrier to break through before you could ascend to an existence that is most similar to my own. Do you want to know what it is?”

  “Yes.”

  “Really? I’m surprised. I thought I’d have to shove it down your throat.”

  “If I don’t know what it is, how can I avoid it?”

  “Hah. Very well. To ascend, you need to personify an aspect. When you summoned all those divine creatures against me not long ago, did you notice how they all had a single theme or quality each? They were from fiction, so I can’t promise there were no duplicates, but in reality, there can only be one god of any single thing.”

  “What are you the goddess of? Even my magic couldn’t discern that.”

  “Hm. I’ll tell you that soon, but not yet. Think about what your aspect should be. If you don’t choose, it may one day choose you as it did for me.”

  “You’re thought of as a goddess of beauty. If beauty is what forcefully chose you, you’re going to have a hard time finding sympathy from anyone.”

  “That’s not my aspect, unfortunately. But do you think I’m beautiful?”

  “Hm. If I didn’t find you appealing, what do you think I would have done when you muscled your way into my bed that other day?”

  “What?”

  “I would have teleported you to the supermassive black hole at the center of this galaxy.”

  “Oh? A vacation as a consolation prize?”

  “…I guess that threat works better on mortals.”

  “Exactly how many mortals around here know what a black hole is?”

  “I’ve been keeping that to myself. If the rumors are true, there’s probably one soldier somewhere who’s aware of some advanced scientific concepts thanks to you.”

  “…My apologies. Oh! How are your vampire experiments going?”

  “9 out of 10 of the prisoners agreed to become vampires, and they were all turned successfully. We didn’t identify any generational limit, either. I don’t know what will happen to their loyalty if the chain is broken, but we can worry about that later.”

  “Oh, good. I’m sure Col will appreciate the work you’re doing.”

  “Am I risking a confrontation with She’Sin right now?”

  “I’m sorry, Garfield. I can’t comment on that.”

  “What?”

  “If you want answer to questions like these, you’ll need to choose your aspect.”

  “Thanks but no thanks. If you won’t answer, then I won’t tip your angel.”

  --

  “Assistant Duke tells me you’re ready.”

  “If he says so, then it must be true. I don’t feel ready, but I trust his judgment.”

  “Believe in the ‘me’ that believes in ‘you’, huh?”

  “I’m sorry, what?” Apparently, Eleha wasn’t familiar with the culture of another world.

  “Pay it no mind. Let’s go as soon as you’re ready.”

  “Okay. I must say goodbye to a few people. I’m sure Hannah and Solana will miss me while I’m down south.”

  “I… have some bad news about that.”

  “…What?”

  “Hannah and I noticed something recently. The range of her teleport is getting longer.”

  “Meaning?”

  “It won’t be long before she can teleport right to your home in Fork’s Crossing. Solana won’t stand for being left behind, either.”

  “Oh dear…”

  “I have a feeling someone else will come along sooner or later who grabs their attention. You’ll be all right…”

  “Okay.”

  “Oh, one other thing. Assistant Duke thinks it’s highly likely you’ll get bombarded by marriage proposals and the like from potential suitors once you settle in.”

  “Yes, he cautioned me about that. I find it hard to believe, but again, if he thinks so, I won’t discount it.”

  “My only guidance to you on that matter is to…”

  “To?”

  “Do whatever you want.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “What!?”

  “I don’t expect you to serve as my representative in Fork’s Crossing for decades or centuries. A few years at a minimum would be nice. Do keep an eye out for anyone who could serve as a good successor.”

  “How does that result in me doing whatever I want?”

  “If you want to serve for the minimum possible time and then return to your homeland, that’s fine. If you want to settle down here, that’s fine. If anyone catches your fancy and you want to pursue a relationship with them, go right ahead. That’s true whether they’re a dark elf, a human, or anything else.”

  “Duke…”

  “What? I’m telling you to just do whatever you want, and you still look conflicted. I’m… I’m not sure what else I can offer…”

  “No, it’s not that. Here, look at this.” Eleha handed Garfield the letter she recently received back from her homeland.

  “Oh, they got back to you already? That was surprisingly fast.”

  “Hah. You say that as though you didn’t already review the letter before it ever got to me.”

  “I did?”

  “You… you didn’t?”

  “No.”

  “Unbelievable. I thought for sure all letters back and forth would get carefully reviewed.”

  “I didn’t give any such order, but I can’t promise the guild and everybody else played nice…”

  “You’re… this is why I wanted to show you the letter, actually. Have a close look at it.”

  Garfield inspected the letter. “It looks like they’re just telling you to do whatever you want as long as you don’t turn traitor.”

  “Yes, that’s what the letter says. But there’s a trick to it. Watch.” Eleha funneled a tiny bit of mana into the letter using a method likely known only to the dark elves. Additional lettering appeared below the normal lettering.

  “A hidden message? Hm, I can’t read it.”

  “Yes, this language is ours only. It says my actual orders are to get as close to you as possible and try to win you over. Once I have succeeded, I am to await further secret orders.”

  “I’m guessing you’re telling me this because you don’t plan to actually follow those orders.”

  “Of course. I won’t make any such attempt to win you over.”

  “I’m glad you aren’t secretly working against me, but I’m also kind of disappointed.”

  “Huh?”

  “I must be hideous.”

  “What? No! You have it backwards! If you were the one interested in me, orders or not, I—wait, what am I saying!?”

  “Something that makes this all very complicated.”

  “Yes…”

  “Well, my guidance still stands. Do whatever you want. If that’s all, we’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”

  “Yes, Duke.”

  --

  After introducing Eleha to all the major players at Fork’s Crossing, Garfield returned for a bit of quality time with Solana. “Solana!”

  She teleported right next to Garfield. “Yes?”

  “Jeez, that startles you…” Solana giggled but waited for Garfield to continue. “Are you ready to learn more about the magic guns?”

  “Yes!”

  Right after, Hannah teleported to the room as well. “I want to watch!”

  “Sure. These will be too dangerous to test in the city. Let’s go somewhere else.”

  --

  The trio appeared in a clearing along the route between Bretten and the Elvish Forest. Garfield and Hannah previously sparred at this spot.

  “Equip the second gun from the left.”

  Garfield explained each gun and had her practice, one at a time. In addition to the pistol, there was a shotgun, a rifle, a small submachine gun, a multi-stage machine gun, a rocket launcher, a plasma launcher, and the Big Gun. Each of the guns had special features, options, and multiple ammunition choices. Solana absorbed it all like a sponge.

  Hannah, of course, was incredibly jealous. “Oh, calm down. I’ll teach you how to make a tornado.”

  “You will!?”

  Yes, but you need to be extremely careful whenever you’re practicing. A tornado is excessively destructive after all.

  “Okay!”

  “Me too! Me too!” Solana begged, but it wasn’t time for her yet so Garfield declined. She suddenly grew to her adult size and hugged Garfield from behind. “How about now?”

  “That’s not fair!” Hannah grew to her adult size and hugged Garfield from the front.

  “The books really don’t tell you what to do in this sort of situation…”

  --

  Eventually, Solana backed down and Garfield resumed his lesson. Garfield’s knowledge of tornadoes was actually somewhat poor compared to most other weather phenomena, so it took a bit of time for Hannah to have any success. Eventually, she formed a tiny vortex. With practice, she was able to create a full-fledged tornado, although a small one on the scale. With practice, she could probably make a much larger one.

  “Garfield, are you able to make a tornado?” Solana asked after waiting patiently through the lesson.

  “Yes, but of course not using the same method as Hannah.”

  “Can we see?” both girls requested.

  “All right. Let’s see. ?Shark Tornado?.” Garfield’s tornado wasn’t as tall as Hannah’s, but it was much more destructive. It actually took a large bite out of the mountain in front of them. “Oops.”

  “Uh… Why did it have sharks in it?” Solana wondered.

  “That’s a long story… one I’m too embarrassed to tell.”

  --

  “Duke! What a pleasant surprise!”

  “Hi Kay.”

  “How can I help you?”

  “I haven’t helped you out with anything in a while. I do owe you a lot so I thought perhaps I could assist you with your experiments somehow?”

  “Oh, wonderful!” Kay thought back to her recent conversation with the first princess. “Actually… in lieu of receiving your assistance, will you accept an apology from me?”

  “I’ll… listen to your apology. We’ll see what happens after that.”

  “Please promise not to get mad.”

  “When have you ever seen me mad?”

  “Well, maybe not mad, but, you have threatened to teleport me to the sun.”

  “I promise I won’t teleport you to the sun today. What is it?”

  “I think there was an extra word in there. Okay, fine. I’m going to recite a recent conversation I had with the first princess. I think reciting it is the best way to avoid misunderstandings.”

  “…Okay.”

  “Charlotte: Kay.

  “Kay: Princess, what is it?

  “Charlotte: The Duke told me.

  “Kay: Told you what?

  “Charlotte: About the other world.

  “Kay: He did!?”

  Garfield groaned.

  “It was an honest mistake! The princess isn’t that easy to fool after all.”

  “I’m mad.”

  “But!”

  “At myself.”

  “At yourself?”

  “Yes, you just jogged my memory, and I’m pretty sure I mumbled something about ‘this world’ at one point.”

  “Oh! So this isn’t my fault then!”

  “Make no mistake. You were the sucker there. But I don’t blame you. I normally keep my recklessness to a dull roar, but that was pretty bad.”

  “What should we do?”

  “Well, did you tell her anything else?”

  “No, I basically told her my knowledge is extremely limited and possibly incorrect to begin with. I said she should speak to you directly if she wants to know the truth, since I’m mostly in the dark.”

  “Either that was sly of you or it will backfire. I’m not sure which.”

  “She thinks the world of you, so I doubt she’ll do anything to hurt you.”

  “True, but she’s also loyal to her family and the kingdom. Depending on the circumstances, she could let something slip if she believed it would help her nation.”

  “Do you want to… bring her into the fold?”

  “Such knowledge would burden her horribly. I’m sure you know how that is, and it’s even worse for her.”

  “True…”

  “The King and everyone else already knows I’m an anomaly among anomalies so maybe this just isn’t that big of a deal.”

  “I actually have a question about that, if you don’t mind.”

  “What?”

  “What are your long term plans? Do you intend to remain a loyal Duke for the rest of a mortal life? Do you intend to move on when you grow bored with the kingdom? Do you intend to transcend mortality and become something closer to a god?”

  “Pandora’s been bugging me about that topic as well.”

  “She has!?”

  “Yes. Perhaps it’s a reasonable question given the circumstances, but I request you drop it.”

  “Very well…”

  --

  “Master, you received an invitation from the Royal Palace.”

  “Oh, what is it now?” Garfield wasn’t sure if this drumbeat of invites was normal or not for a Duke.

  “It looks like a seasonal Ball. I believe this one is regularly scheduled, rather than in response to anything in particular. It likely was planned since before you became a Duke.”

  “Oh, okay, at least that’s normal. I imagine the attendees will be expected to dance, right?”

  “Yes. Expected is exactly the correct word to use. It would be a major insult for a noble to show up and not participate.”

  “Let’s decline the invitation.”

  “What? Master, is there a good reason?”

  “I’ll… be busy overthrowing a nation at about that time.”

  “Overthrowing a nation? May I inquire as to which nation you will be overthrowing?”

  “Do these kinds of things really need to be decided ahead of time?”

  “If that is your decision, master. I will respond that you will be busy overthrowing a nation, to be determined, at that time, and thus cannot attend the Ball.”

  “Sounds like a plan!” ‘He’ll actually come up with a good excuse, right?’ Garfield hoped.

  --

  The King held an emergency meeting to discuss the upcoming invasion of another nation. He did not invite Garfield.

  “Let’s cut right to it. Does anyone know which nation the Duke is planning on overthrowing?” Of the dozens of nobles in attendance, none knew. “I see… any ideas?”

  “Could it be the empire?” one proposed. “Perhaps he still has bad blood with Emperor Foucault and wants to topple the regime?”

  “That could be,” began another. “But it could also be Tyrin. He defeated their army, but if they did anything to agitate him, he might show up in the throne room unannounced.”

  “Couldn’t it be the Orcs?” a third attendee offered. “He may be bitter about the damage they did to the knight order and the elves. His friends didn’t escape unscathed, either. Perhaps he’ll clean up the Orcish Hills once and for all.”

  “If it could be the Orcs, then it could just as easily be the dark elves. He just appointed one down in the Rox region. Perhaps the dark elves threatened him and he took it personally.”

  “All of these are possible, but my money’s on the Shadow State. I heard from a friend of Brooke Briarwood that those girls the Duke adopted were beaten up pretty badly over there. I wouldn’t be surprised if—“

  “Are we all forgetting about the Secular Union!? I heard they sent a squad of assassins straight into the Duke’s home!”

  Gasps erupted from around the room. Apparently, that rumor had not spread too far yet.

  “Didn’t he just get back from the Tribal Lands north of the Empire? Perhaps he’s going back to take care of some unfinished business with the tribes that went out of control?”

  “I hesitate to bring up another possibility, but he may hold a grudge against the pirates from off the coast of Tyrin. He repelled them from Azure Bay, but perhaps he will bring the battle straight to their homes among the islands they inhabit?”

  “What about the Badlands?”

  “The Badlands?” the King inquired, finally surprised by one of the suggestions.

  “The Duke was involved in fighting off the hordes of monsters invading through the Dragon Mountains. Surely they originated from the Badlands. Perhaps he’s going there to deal with something?”

  The doors to the room opened and the first princess marched in.

  “Father, what is the purpose of this meeting!?”

  “Oh, Charlotte, I didn’t want to put you in a difficult position so I didn’t invite you. Since you’re here, I’ll tell you. The response to Duke Garfield’s invitation to the Ball was that he isn’t available because he’ll be overthrowing a nation at that time. This meeting is to figure out what nation he’s targeting and what we need to do to prepare.”

  “Oh, it’s obvious what’s going on.”

  “It is?” The King looked around the room, but everyone just shook their heads. Wait, why was Baron Briarwood looking away.

  “The Duke doesn’t want to dance.”

  “He what!?”

  “He’s probably never learned to dance before.”

  “Is that really a reason to avoid the Ball?”

  “Father, if you truly had no idea how to dance, would you agree to go to the Ball?”

  “Hm, perhaps not. As unexpected as this all is, I’m glad that he’s just avoiding the Ball and isn’t actually going to overthrow another nation.”

  “Hm? When did I say that?” the princess asked, confused.

  “Huh?”

  “That is that and this is this. If he said he’s going to be overthrowing another nation, he’ll probably be doing it.”

  “What? You say that like he’d overthrow a nation just to get out of going to a Ball.”

  “Is there something wrong with what I said?”

  A room full of nobles and one royal in particular buried their faces into their hands.