“Huh?”
I had visited the church and offered a prayer at the chapel, and upon feeling the familiar pull of the Divine Realm, I opened my eyes. To my surprise, nine deities stood before me in a full assembly. Usually, there were only two or three at most. I wondered if something significant had occurred.
“Hello, Ryoma. We are glad you could join us.”
“Willieris... and Master Grimp as well. Thank you for your help the other day.”
“Twas only natural, I reckon,” Grimp replied in his rustic drawl.
“Selerepta’s conduct was something we could not overlook,” Willieris added. “We have gathered here to ensure he was properly disciplined.”
“I see... So that explains why everyone is here, and why Selerepta is in that... state.”
I had been trying to ignore him, unsure of what to say or if I should even bring it up, but Selerepta was currently collapsed face-down on the pure white floor of the Divine Realm.
“Ryoma... help me...”
He seemed to be conscious as he pleaded for aid, but his body refused to move. As I wondered exactly what kind of punishment could do this to a god, Willieris spoke with an exasperated sigh.
“Do not mind him. He is being overly dramatic.”
“Is he really?”
The God of Magic, Fernobelia, provided the explanation.
“Selerepta’s punishment involved a ‘Partial Sealing of Divine Power.’ We have stripped away the vast majority of his strength, leaving him with only the bare minimum required to fulfill his duties in managing the world. However, the seal itself does not cause physical pain or illness. The reason he is curled up like a caterpillar is simply because he is pathetic. Ryoma, when you met him, he was inside a massive sphere of water, was he not?”
“He certainly was.”
“Before the seal, he constantly shrouded himself in that sphere. As the god presiding over water, it allowed him to create an environment where he felt most comfortable and could exert his maximum power. It was a type of barrier. While that effect was potent, it also meant that without that water barrier, he cannot manifest his true strength.”
“Ah, I see.”
So it was a bit like being nearly invincible, but only under very specific conditions.
“Precisely,” Fernobelia continued. “However, some argued that a mere sealing of power was too light a sentence. Therefore, while in his weakened state, we placed him under the supervision of Kiriluel, the Goddess of War. She put him through the full training regimen used by the elite military units of the mortal realm. We decided the fatigue and agony of that training would serve as part of his penance. What he is suffering from now is nothing more than extreme muscle soreness. Of course, since our divine bodies differ from those of humans, he gains no physical benefit from the exercise, no matter how hard he trains.”
Being forced to endure elite military drills with zero physical gain sounded like a special kind of hell. I certainly wouldn't want to do it, so I could only imagine how it felt for someone as physically unimpressive as Selerepta.
“For the record,” Fernobelia added, “once he was removed from the water, Selerepta reached his limit after standing and walking for a mere three minutes.”
“Isn't that a bit too weak?” I asked, looking down at the heap on the floor.
Apparently, he heard me. “But there’s no need to walk in the water... I can go anywhere just by controlling the currents. Besides, there’s no buoyancy on land, so my body feels impossibly heavy... Who was the idiot who invented gravity, anyway?”
“Ryoma, as you can see, he is energetic enough to complain, so there is no need to worry,” Gain said with a chuckle. “By the way, Selerepta, I’m the one who established gravity. I can hear you perfectly well.”
Selerepta’s response was a pathetic grumble that earned him a sharp glare from several of the other gods, particularly Gain.
“Waaaaah! Help me, Ryoma!” Selerepta wailed, crawling toward my feet with an air of practiced theatricality.
“Hey now... I’m in no position to meddle in the laws of the gods.”
“Maybe not, but your opinion as the victim carries weight!”
“Well, if you want my honest thoughts, I’m not really holding a grudge.”
At my words, Willieris chimed in. “Ryoma, while this creature is technically a deity, you have no need to be polite or reserved.”
“Well... you might feel that way, Willieris, but truly, I don't mind much. I certainly felt I was in danger at the time, but the feelings of ‘this is awful’ and ‘I have no idea what’s happening’ were far stronger than anger. Besides, as he said himself, I don't think he actually intended to kill me. Looking back, if Selerepta had been serious, I wouldn't have had any way to resist. In the end, I’m safe. Since he’s received a punishment that everyone deemed appropriate, I don't see any reason to ask for more.”
“...You truly mean that, don't you?” Willieris asked.
“I do. Though, compared to the rest of you, my desire to revere him has dropped significantly.”
In truth, knowing Selerepta’s personality, I doubted there was any real malice behind his actions. There was a fine line between a kindness and a nuisance; acting with good intentions only to cause trouble for others was something I had done—and had done to me—countless times in my previous life. If I let every instance like that get to me, there would be no end to it.
“Nfufufu! I knew it! You really are the man I took a liking to!” Selerepta crowed.
“Ugh! Look at that smug face... this is exactly why I doubt he’s learned anything!” Willieris fumed.
“Calm down, Willieris,” Grimp interceded.
“I agree that letting him get carried away is a bad idea, but it’s not like his personality is going to change overnight,” Tekun added. “Like Ryoma said, if you let it get to you, you’ll never find peace.”
“Grimp, Tekun... fine,” Willieris sighed. “I was the one who asked for Ryoma’s opinion, and he has said our current measures are sufficient. We shall leave the matter there.”
I wondered if Selerepta and Willieris simply had terrible chemistry, or if they were so close that they could afford to bicker like this. Either way, Willieris seemed quite frustrated, though she ultimately chose to respect my wishes and back down.
Meanwhile, Selerepta looked up at me with a smile that practically screamed, Ryoma stood up for me, so I’ll be a good boy for now. He looked almost feminine, but he was definitely a male god.
“Don't cling to me,” I said. “It’s annoying.”
“Wait, please, just let me lean on you. I really can't stand up on my own right now.”
His strength was so depleted that I could have easily shaken him off, but I let him be. He really was in a bad way. I recalled hearing that deep-sea fish have very little high-density tissue like bone because a soft body withstands water pressure better. I think I heard that in a documentary about anglerfish or something.
“Don't compare me to a deep-sea fish,” Selerepta pouted.
He said that, but looking at his current state, I didn't think he was much different from a fish gasping on the shore.
A chorus of laughter erupted suddenly. It seemed everyone had been reading my thoughts.
“Ah, forgive us,” Gain said. “We truly wanted to know your heart regarding Selerepta.”
“It’s fine. I’ve known you could read my mind for a long time.”
Since I knew that lies and deceptions were useless, I found it easier to be honest with the gods. Ever since they had truly accepted me, I’d found myself speaking more naturally, often dropping formal honorifics. Being understood without having to find the perfect words was actually quite a relief.
“I’m glad you feel that way,” Lulutia said, stepping forward.
Kufo clapped his hands, and a massive, high-quality wooden table appeared—the kind you’d see at a large family gathering or a banquet—surrounded by floor chairs for everyone. Once everyone was settled, I began to update them on what had happened since my return to Gimul.
The conversation eventually shifted to my recent activities.
“It seems you are handling those delinquent adventurers quite well,” Gain noted.
“They’ve even started calling you ‘Big Bro,’ haven't they?” Lulutia teased.
I sighed. “I’d really prefer it if they didn't. I’m not exactly at the age to be anyone’s ‘Big Bro.’”
“Why not?” Tekun asked. “It’s not like they’re mocking you. It means you have the strength and character to be someone they can rely on.”
“I’m happy if they see me as someone to turn to in a crisis, but... in my previous life, I was constantly mistaken for a member of the underworld. I dealt with enough police questioning and trouble because of that look that I’ve developed a bit of a complex about it.”
“Ah, I see,” Kiriluel said. “But it might actually be your true calling, you know?”
“Please don't say that...”
Coming from the Goddess of War, it sounded uncomfortably plausible. I looked at the other gods for support, but they were all wearing wry smiles. I had really hoped they would deny it.
“In any profession, a leader needs a certain level of skill or a proven track record,” Tekun pointed out. “Even for a proper adventurer, if you aren't strong enough to command respect, the job won't last.”
“Besides, Ryoma, you are naturally caring,” Lulutia added. “Being able to provide that kind of guidance naturally is a vital trait for a leader.”
“The fact that you had subordinates and instructed them in your past life is a significant factor as well,” Gain said. “It doesn't matter if you feel you failed back then; having that experience makes all the difference.”
“I suppose that’s true,” I admitted, nodding along with their logic.
Selerepta, who was still slumped over the table next to me, turned his head slightly. “Personally, I think you’d be even better off if you had subordinates to handle things like charisma and organizational management. You’re good at taking care of people, but those high-level leadership tasks aren't exactly your forte.”
His assessment was spot on. In fact, it described exactly how I was operating now. At the laundry shop, Calm handled the administrative and managerial side of things. In other departments, I left the responsibilities to the veterans from the Ducal House.
Because of that, my workload was light, and I had plenty of time for my personal studies and research. Things were going better than I could have ever imagined in my previous life. It was clear that this collaborative way of working suited me perfectly. It allowed me to remain far healthier, both mentally and physically.
“Honestly, you should have chosen your career a bit more carefully in your past life,” Selerepta mused. “Even if you were working for someone else, you should have picked something that used your caring nature—like a school teacher. Things might have turned out differently.”
“Funny you should say that. Several of my subordinates back then told me the same thing.”
They used to joke that I was a born physical education teacher—the kind who wore a tracksuit and carried a bamboo sword. Some said I looked like a strict student guidance counselor or a grade level head. They all had the same image of a terrifying, old-school teacher.
Then there were those who said I should have been a kindergarten teacher. That topic always ended with them teasing me about the principal from that famous anime about a crude little kindergarten boy—the one who looked exactly like a Yakuza boss.
“Working with kids might not have been bad for you, Boss,” Selerepta teased.
“It’s Principal,” I corrected. “And don't just go snooping around in my memories like that. How do you even know about that show?”
“Unlike the others, I don't hesitate to peek into your heart during a conversation. I’ve read the depths of your soul once already, so I have a grasp of most of your memories. It’s a bit late to be shy about it now.”
I felt a brief flicker of irritation at his boldness, but I knew that getting angry would only be giving him what he wanted, so I ignored it.
“In any case,” I said, “it seems I’m best suited to a job where I have the freedom to act on my own discretion, much like I’m doing now.”
“Indeed,” Gain agreed.
The other gods nodded in unison. It was a valuable perspective to have. I decided to keep their advice in mind as I continued to navigate my life and work in this world.