[– Retrieval the Vessel of Gods and the first death flag –]
The full-fledged plan Retrieval the Vessel of Gods is about to begin. At the same time, I am extremely tense.
It’s quite unfortunate, but there’s still no noticeable progress between Lumins and Velkina. We’re at the point where the individual character routes are starting to diverge, yet Velkina hasn’t shown any development with anyone. Well, Jin, Kalt, and Yugo were out of the running because I completely wrecked their initial encounter events, and Alf is a hidden character, so he doesn’t count. But did the carefully preserved Lumins route really have to be this difficult…?
One day, feeling stifled, I grabbed Velkina and asked outright.
“Hey, Velkina. How about we chat like good friends and talk about our crushes?”
“Okay! I like Senephin!”
“…Ah, no. I meant, among the guys…?”
“Forget guys! Senephin! More importantly, do you have someone you like!?”
“No, not me!”
…Yeah, that’s about how things are. The only thing I learned was that Velkina enjoys hanging out with friends more than anything else and has absolutely no interest in men right now.
But seriously, even if she wanted to name a friend, why not mention Lumins? Isn’t she closer to him than me?
Anyway, since Velkina hasn’t safely entered Lumins route, this situation is eerily similar to the path toward a normal ending.
In other words, Lumins first death flag is approaching.
“Why the sudden walk, Senephin?”
Jin asked as he walked beside me. I couldn’t exactly answer but, “I’m creating a last chance to push Velkina into Lumins’s route by leaving them alone together,” so I exaggerated my response.
“Oh-haha, lately, Velkina has been quite eager to study, hasn’t she? I thought if she were with Lumins, I wouldn’t be in the way, and the two of them could focus better.”
“Couldn’t you just study with them?”
“Oh, please. I’m not skilled enough. I’d only be a hindrance to them. What’s this, Jin? Do you not want to take a walk with me?”
I knelt and scooped Jin into my arms, and he immediately denied it.
“That’s not it, I’m happy, but… Hm, someone’s coming.”
Jin fell silent and climbed onto my shoulder, pretending to be an obedient little dog. I also cleared my throat so I wouldn’t look like a lunatic talking to myself and continued walking at a relaxed pace.
As I turned the corner, I encountered two female mages. Judging by their capes, they were ranked as Third- and Fourth-Class Mages. Given their young age, they must be exceptionally talented to have climbed the ranks so quickly. There’s a high chance they were selected for the upcoming “Retrieval the Vessel of God” mission.
Upon spotting me, they greeted me warmly before I could even react.
“Oh my, hello there, Lady Senephin!”
“Nice to meet you! You’re Senephin Cromwell, right?”
Wait—why do they know the name of a side character like me?
“Y-Yes, hello. I’m sorry, but I don’t know your names…”
“Huhu, it’s because Lady Senephin is famous. My name is Horry Mick, and this here is Lemma Yossibin, a fellow academy graduate who was invited to participate in this royal project with me.”
“N-Nice to meet you, Lady Horry, Lady Lemma.”
Famous? What an ominous statement.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my question was immediately answered.
“Actually, we saw you dancing with His Highness the Crown Prince at the celebration party! Everyone was impressed.”
“And the one with platinum hair who looked just like him, he must be the second prince everyone whispers about, right?”
“You also seemed more than just colleagues with Lumins Hardelf from the Mage Division!”
….. I hadn’t really thought about it, but of course, I must have stood out after dancing with all three of them.
I should’ve just stuck with Velkina and ignored everyone else. But no, Velkina had to dance with Crown Prince Kalt, so I struggled to break free, and that was the beginning of this whole mess. That damn flirt prince, he’s never any help in my life.
“Oh my, it just sort of happened that way. Since I’m friends with Velkina, I naturally ended up acquainted with them as well.”
“Ah! Lady Velkina is truly stunning. I heard she has quite a remarkable magical ability too.”
Horry’s cheeks tinged with interest.
Hmm… Judging by their attire, both of them seem to come from wealthy families. But unlike the seniors who used to torment Velkina at the Mage Academy, these two feel different.
“Yes, Velkina is truly amazing. I have high hopes for her future.”
“Ah! I’d love to hear more. Actually, Lemma and I are having a small tea party with other academy graduates soon. We’d love to invite you. What do you think?”
“Yes, everyone would be thrilled if you joined us.”
“Oh my, thank you for the invitation, hoho. But as you can see, I’m just a humble Rank 6 mage.”
I dramatically fluttered my cape, emphasizing my low rank. Lemma blinked before responding.
“Oh, but I heard His Highness the Crown Prince personally oversaw the first-ever entrance exam for the Mage Research Institute. Anyone who passed must be quite exceptional. You’re being far too modest.”
That test? I only got through it by clinging to Lumins the whole time, it’s embarrassing!
I couldn’t tell if they were subtly mocking me, genuinely admiring me, or just trying to make connections. Either way, I wanted out of this situation.
Lowering Jin from my shoulder, I hugged the fluffy creature tightly, seeking comfort in his soft fur.
“I-I’m sorry, I truly appreciate the offer, but… wouldn’t it be much more insightful and productive to talk to Velkina or Lumins instead?”
And with that, I quickly tacked on a “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have urgent business to attend to!” before making a hasty escape.
Collapsing onto a secluded bench in the rose garden, I panted from the effort. Jin, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.
“It seemed like they just wanted to befriend you. Why did you run away?”
“Because I’m not good enough!”
I know my place.
“From what I’ve observed, Senephin, you tend to underestimate yourself.”
“I prefer to call it healthy self-awareness.”
Jin didn’t seem pleased with my response. He wriggled out of my embrace, settled beside me, and gazed up at me with a steady stare.
“It seems to me that you’re always putting yourself on the back burner.”
That’s not entirely wrong. My ultimate goal in this world is to save Lumins, and to ensure the shortest, safest route to his survival. I’ve been cheering on Velkina and Lumin’s romance.
After all, they’re the main characters of this game. Where would I even fit into that?
I’m not sure about the idea of “enduring something,” though. Every day, I receive more than I deserve and enjoy myself greatly.
“I am always on your side. I hope you won’t forget that.”
His light green eyes glistened beautifully in the sunlight. Smiling, I reached out and stroked his fur.
“Haha, I’m on your side too, Jin. Though I don’t have many abilities to be of much help…”
The whitey, Jin, protested by scratching at my knee with his paw. Oh my, how adorable. If I were in Korea, I’d be taking a ton of pictures on my phone right now.
“―You…”
Just as Jin was about to say something, someone pushed through the rose bushes and approached us.
“So this is where you were. Senephin, Jin.”
Emerging from the shade, head slightly bowed, was none other than Lumins.
Even with roses tangled in his hair from pushing through the vines, he still managed to look breathtaking. Truly admirable…
“L-Lumins!? How did you find me…?”
“Tracking magic. Velkina was making a fuss, demanding that I find you, so let’s go back.”
Wouldn’t that be considered a crime in Korea, Lumins?
More importantly, I went out of my way to leave them alone, but instead of a romantic moment, I’m being dragged back in less than 30 minutes… What is this nonsense?
“I-If you two were having a moment together…”
“Forget about that. More importantly, the royal family just contacted us. Before tomorrow’s strategy meeting, we’ve been asked to visit the temple tonight for a blessing. So, let’s get ready to go out.”
So it’s not happening, huh? No budding romance between Velkina and Lumins? This nuna is heartbroken, Lumins.
“…Alright. Let’s go, Jin.”
As I stood up and picked up Jin, Lumins swiftly snatched him from my arms, holding him effortlessly in one hand.
Wasn’t Lumins uninterested in furry animals? He barely even petted Whitey when he first saw him. Has he developed some affection for them lately?
“I would prefer to be in Senephin’s arms, Lumins.”
“Too bad. Stop squirming and stay still.”
…Doesn’t seem like affection has developed after all.
The temple wasn’t far from the royal palace, so we arrived quickly on foot. In Horlna, where blue buildings were the norm, the temple stood out as one of the few structures built in a striking red hue.
Inside the main sanctuary, several mages were already waiting for their blessings. As soon as we walked in, whispers spread throughout the hall. It seemed we were attracting attention.
Taking seats in a secluded corner, we quietly waited our turn. Then, Jin, sitting on Velkina’s lap, lowered his voice so that no one around us could hear.
“This is my first time visiting a temple.”
“Well, I suppose Jin wouldn’t have had a reason to visit the temple. Your very existence is already sacred.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Even if we are considered sacred, I’ve never heard the voice of a god. I won’t deny it, since the existence of the Primordial Dragon, Alfaynance, proves that gods are real. But still.”
Jin’s surprisingly cynical attitude toward the divine was rather amusing.
The world of Arlandast Saga is quite modernized, there are trains, and magic is used in a way that feels almost like scientific technology. Yet despite that, its religious beliefs remain quite traditional. The world follows a single, absolute god, and the faith is the state religion.
The reason for this is the Primordial Dragon, Alfaynance, who acts as God’s representative creation. Since it still exists and breathes in reality, even if one wanted to deny the divine, they simply couldn’t.
“Jin, you sound awfully skeptical about God. Do you have a grudge?”
Velkina, also curious about Jin’s attitude, asked the question. Jin buried his nose in Velkina’s hand for a moment before lifting his head to reply.
“If the god humans worship is truly merciful and watches over all, then my kin would not have been wiped out.”
That was a painful statement.
In the game, this was briefly mentioned in Jin’s route, two hundred years ago, a depletion of natural mana led to the near-extinction of the beastkin. Jin was the sole survivor of that tragedy and had since secluded himself in tranquillity the Lake of Silence, where natural mana remained abundant.
…Let’s set aside the fact that I was the one who ended up destroying that lake.
Noticing Jin’s pain, Velkina gently embraced him, murmuring, “Sorry for asking something unnecessary.” Jin replied that it was fine, but of course, it couldn’t have been a good memory.
“I agree with Jin. Gods simply exist. I don’t think they grant humans mercy.”
“Even you, Lumins… Are you sure it’s okay to say such blasphemous things inside a temple?”
“Well, seeing as I haven’t been struck down yet, I doubt the gods care.”
Not exactly wrong, but that’s a terrifying thing to say in front of someone who’s constantly worried about death flags, so please, keep it in check.
Completely unaware of my inner turmoil, Lumins crossed his arms and continued.
“Anyway… gods are just there. It’s the ruling class that has twisted their image to suit their own purposes. The fact that the existence and near-extinction of beastkin have been erased from human history is proof of that. They’ve deliberately suppressed any information that could tarnish the divine’s reputation.”
“There’s some truth to what you’re saying, Lumins.”
“I don’t exactly have any romantic notions about gods either! But still, the name of this mission is Retrieval the Vessel of Gods, so I can’t help but wonder if it actually has something to do with the divine.”
Velkina’s point was valid. The name Vessel of God wasn’t just some fancy title meant to sound cool…
Lumins tilted his head slightly before answering.
“We’ll find out at tomorrow’s briefing. Not that I expect much, it’s a bit of a joke. People believe in God’s existence, but not in God’s blessings.”
As our excessively dry and blasphemous conversation came to an end, I found myself lost in thought.
Was that voice I heard before coming to this world truly a god? Or was it just my imagination?
There was no way to know the answer. But one thing was certain, some enormous power, something akin to the divine, had undeniably brought me here.
“…..Even so, even if God has no mercy or goodwill,”
I looked at Lumins, Velkina, and Jin one by one before smiling.
“I was able to meet you—Velkina, Lumins, Jin… and other good people, because of the environment God provided, wasn’t I? For that, I’d like to be grateful.”
I came to this world wishing for Lumins to live, wishing for him to be happy. I haven’t completely achieved that goal yet, but if it was the god of this world who granted me this opportunity, then I want to express my gratitude.
“Hehe, I feel the same way! Senephin! Just for letting me meet you, I’d be willing to donate a tenth of my annual salary to God from now on!”
Uh… Velkina, I don’t think tithing is necessary.
“That’s true. At the very least, I can offer a prayer of gratitude to God for that.”
Whitey, you have every right to resent the god who did nothing while your entire race went extinct…
“…Yeah, Senephin is right.”
Finally, Lumins closed his eyes and quietly brought his hands together.
“If coincidences, which we call miracles, are under God’s guidance, then that alone is worth thanking Him for.”
Watching his profile, as if he were offering a prayer, I clasped my hands together as well.
Please, let me protect Lumins from the death flag awaiting him tomorrow.
thank you for the update!