Three days had passed since the grand wedding ceremony. Fei and our newest employee, Ox, joined me in bidding a reluctant farewell to the Duke, his wife, and the household staff. Our stay at the Ducal House had officially ended, and the time had come for us to return to Gimul.
But before we departed...
"Good work!"
"We were watching! It was such a lovely ceremony."
"Here, have a drink to celebrate."
"What do you want for a snack?"
"I knew you’d be drinking..."
As I had expected, when I visited the Divine Realm through the church in Gaunago, I found Kufo, Lulutia, Tekun, and Gain waiting for me. The normally pristine white void was cluttered with food, wine bottles, and sake barrels; traces of a massive, ongoing party were scattered everywhere.
"The wedding ended ages ago. Have you really been drinking for three days straight?" I asked.
"Oh? Has it really been that long?" Gain wondered.
"We don't really pay much attention to the passage of time," Lulutia added.
"No matter how much we drink, our bodies don't fail us," Kufo said with a grin. "And when something interesting happens, we tend to drink until we're satisfied!"
"Gwahaha! It’s only been three days!" Tekun roared.
"You guys are unbelievable... By the way, where is Willieris?" Since she had blessed the couple, I assumed she would be here with the rest of them.
"Oh, Willieris went on a trip with Grimp," Tekun answered.
"Grimp... he’s the God of Agriculture, right?"
"Yeah. And he's also Willieris's husband."
"Those two are as close as ever," Gain noted. "They said the wedding was so moving that it made them feel like newlyweds again. They decided to travel the world to check on the state of the land and the crops."
"I have no idea which hundred-millionth honeymoon this is for them!" Kufo joked.
"Harvest season is currently underway in the Reefaul Kingdom where you live, Ryoma, but it's planting season in other countries and continents," Lulutia explained. "With both the Goddess of Earth and the God of Agriculture making the rounds, next year’s yields should be spectacular."
I knew they were gods, but I was reminded once again that I couldn't judge their behavior by human standards. As I pondered this and sipped from the cup I had been handed, Kufo spoke up as if suddenly remembering something.
"Wait... three days? Ryoma, you came here from the Gaunago church, right? Weren't you supposed to head home right after the ceremony?"
"That was the plan," I replied. "But it wasn't just you, Kufo. All of you gave those two your blessings during the wedding, didn't you?"
"Oh, yeah! How was it? Made the ceremony a lot more exciting, didn't it?" Tekun asked.
Just as he said, the wedding had been incredibly lively. The bride, the groom, and all the guests had been ecstatic, claiming it was the happiest ceremony they had ever witnessed. I was grateful for that, but the excitement had caused a few complications.
For one, the rowdy celebration had lasted far beyond the scheduled end time. Furthermore, the venue was originally supposed to be dismantled after the event, but the staff had a change of heart. They argued that because the gods had blessed the couple so profoundly, it would be a sacrilege to destroy the site. It was decided that the venue would be preserved permanently.
Naturally, that meant it needed to be reinforced to withstand the elements. Since I was technically the one in charge of the construction, I stayed behind to oversee the work. Word also got out among the servants that I had crafted god statues, and I was flooded with requests from people hoping to share in the good luck.
"My, did things really turn out like that?" Lulutia asked.
"I could have delegated the work or just said no, but everyone was so kind," I explained. "Besides, mass-producing the statues was great practice for my Earth Magic. While reinforcing the venue, the staff even taught me some specialized magic used for stabilizing mine tunnels. Most importantly, I had a chance to talk shop about pharmacology with Alafrar, who officiated the ceremony. He gave me some excellent advice. My stay was extended, but it was very productive."
"Well, that is good to hear," Gain said.
"That reminds me. Speaking of the statues, there was something I wanted to ask about."
I pulled up my Status Board and pointed to a specific entry.
"God Statue Craftsman."
"I noticed this new title on my board. What exactly does it mean?"
"Ah, that," Tekun grunted. "It’s exactly what it sounds like. We’ve officially recognized you as a God Statue Craftsman."
"Most of the statues of us currently in circulation are... well, they're like what you’d call dōjinshi back in Japan," Gain explained.
"That's a very specific analogy," I remarked.
"Ryoma, you meet and speak with us like this, so you can craft our likenesses exactly as they are," Kufo said. "Ordinary people can't do that. Most craftsmen have to rely on legends or their own imaginations. That’s why even a beautiful statue usually feels 'off' to us."
"In ancient times, the veil between our world and humanity was much thinner, so many people could see or feel us clearly," Lulutia added. "But these days... well, depending on the region, our genders are swapped, and sometimes we aren't even depicted as humans at all!"
"Some places treat us like entirely different deities in different religions," Tekun said. "It can't be helped, I suppose, but there are far too many works out there where we look at them and think, 'This isn't me at all!'"
"To be honest, gender is a bit ambiguous for a god anyway," Gain said. "We can change our forms if we wish, but our current states are the most natural and comfortable for us. There’s no reason for us to go out of our way to match those incorrect depictions. Of course, we could use divine power to fix the world's perception, but our power has too much influence. Used recklessly, it could ravage the world. It’s not worth that kind of risk just to fix a few statues."
"I see..." I murmured. Even gods had their own set of unique problems. "I understand the title now. But is it the kind of thing that would be dangerous if people found out about it?"
"Given your personality, Ryoma, you're better off keeping it a secret," Tekun advised. "Artisan titles appear occasionally when we judge someone's work to be exceptional. When they do, people start swarming. Nobles want you, and the Church wants you even more."
"If you have an artisan title, people know the gods themselves have recognized your skill," Kufo explained. "If you were a carpenter, the Church would try to recruit you to build their cathedrals. They wouldn't treat you poorly, but they’d certainly want to monopolize your talent. For most people, it would be a career-making opportunity. Of course, a decent priest wouldn't force you into anything, and you could always say no. Besides, with the Duke's backing, I doubt anyone would try anything too shady."
"I wasn't planning on bragging about it, but I'll be extra careful," I promised.
"That’s for the best," Lulutia said, her voice sounding a bit airy from the alcohol. "Tekun said those titles appear occasionally, but as far as God Statue Craftsman is concerned, there probably hasn't been a holder for centuries."
Hearing that only made me more determined to keep my status private.
"It could be a powerful bargaining chip if you ever need to negotiate with the Church," Gain suggested. "But if you just act as if it doesn't exist, it’s unlikely anyone will ever find out. Don't stress over it too much."
"Exactly," Tekun added. "If you live long enough, everyone picks up a title or two."
I decided to take their advice and put it out of my mind. Still, I wondered if titles were really that easy to get. From the way they were talking, it sounded like some titles were granted automatically without the gods even realizing it. When I asked about the process, Kufo nodded.
"That's right. There are two types of titles. One type is granted directly by us."
"And the other is granted automatically when a person meets certain pre-set conditions," Gain explained. "In Earth terms, it’s like a social media bot."
"A bot? That’s a very modern way of putting it," I said.
"But it’s accurate," Gain replied. "The automatic titles are usually very common. For example, during a wedding, the titles of Husband and Wife are added to the Status Boards of the newlyweds. That happens on a global scale every single day. Even as gods, we couldn't possibly manage that if we had to do it manually."
"I actually tried to do it manually a long time ago," Lulutia sighed. "But there were so many delays and mistakes. People would panic and say, 'The gods haven't recognized the union! This couple is cursed!' Tragic couples were being forcibly separated all because I couldn't keep up with the paperwork."
"I can see how that would be a problem," I said.
"As the God of Technology, I'm more impressed by Earth," Tekun said, his eyes turning unusually serious. "Humans took things that we do with divine power and turned them into mundane tools that everyone uses daily. It's fascinating."
He seemed genuinely interested in Earth's technology. I quietly refilled Lulutia’s cup, as she seemed to have gotten a bit depressed thinking about her past failures. However, I still had one more thing on my mind.
"Since marriage is something 'recognized by the gods' here, does it ever cause issues? In Japan, marriage is just a matter of filing papers at a town office, so I'm not entirely clear on the nuances." I was particularly worried about Hughes and Lulunese, given that they had received blessings from three different gods.
"It’ll be fine," Kufo assured me. "That’s just how things work here. There aren't usually any problems."
"It’s a sad thought, but what if a couple gets a divorce?" I asked. "Does it become a religious issue? Do they get excommunicated?"
"Oh, nothing like that," Lulutia said. "We permit divorce just as we permit marriage. We tell them to repent, reflect on their mistakes, and do better next time. As long as they do that, it isn't considered a betrayal of the gods. Sometimes our involvement actually helps things end more peacefully."
"For nobles, a divorce can damage the reputations of everyone involved, so they usually just live apart and pretend everything is fine," Kufo added. "But for commoners, it isn't all that different from how things work on Earth."
"I see..."
In that case, I had no reason to worry. I could just be happy for them.
"Then let's have another toast!"
"Hell yeah! Bring out another barrel!"
"Yay!"
"Let’s party! Indeed!"
"You guys are way too excited!" I laughed. "And Gain, what’s with that 'cool youth' vibe? Between the dōjinshi and the bots, you’ve gotten way too comfortable with Japanese culture."
"Is that so? I hadn't noticed," Gain said. "I suppose I just picked it up naturally while watching over Tomochin."
"Tomochin? Who’s that?"
"What?!" Gain shrieked. "You were a Japanese citizen and you don't know Tomochin?! I'm talking about Tomoko Sukiya! The most sparkling idol of our time! She’s naturally a quiet, innocent girl who loves manga and drawing. She used to make dōjinshi with her friends, but now that she’s turned twenty, her agency is forcing a 'mature woman' persona on her! They made her pretend she’s 'graduated' from her hobbies, and they've basically banned her from drawing! Her fan base is growing, but she’s heartbroken that the old-school fans who supported her from the start are leaving. I'm genuinely worried about her stress levels!"
"I... I’ve never heard of her," I admitted.
I listened to Gain's passionate rant, but the only thing I gathered was that she was part of one of those massive idol groups that had been around since before I died. I’d heard from Kufo that Gain had discovered idols, but he was clearly a hardcore fan.
"I can't believe a former Japanese person wouldn't know her," Gain sighed, looking genuinely crushed.
"I'm surprised you’re this upset about it," I said. "My old subordinate, Tabuchi, might have known her since he was into that stuff, but I never cared for celebrities. Come to think of it, I don't think I was very interested in people in general back then."
"That's a bit lonely, isn't it?" Tekun remarked.
He wasn't wrong. If I hadn't changed, I wouldn't have spent three years living as a hermit in the woods. But my life here was different. My interactions with others were far more meaningful, and I found myself actually enjoying them.
"My circle of friends keeps growing, and I'm meeting so many different people," I mused. "I've even surpassed the limits of humanity and started hanging out with gods. It’s been less than a year since I left the forest, but compared to those three years of solitude, the last few months feel like a lifetime. My life is so much fuller now."
If this were a story posted on the internet, I’m sure readers would be complaining that the plot was moving too slowly. But to me, that was just proof of how dense and rich my relationships in this world had become.
"Hoo... then let me ask you this," Tekun said with a sly grin. "Now that you're getting out more, is there anyone you’ve taken a liking to? You know, in a romantic way?"
"Oh! Good question!" Lulutia chimed in.
"No, no, nothing like that yet," I stammered.
The conversation continued to veer off into unexpected territory, but I stayed for the feast, celebrating the happy couple with the gods until it was finally time to return to the world below.