"So, that was the gist of it."
Following Meltrize-sama’s blunt explanation, I asked for more details. There was apparently a troublesome monster currently dwelling in the forest—specifically, at the Kormi Village Site, my intended destination within the Shulls Great Forest.
Despite having only just been born, the creature had undergone a rapid, almost evolutionary growth fueled by the forest’s ambient mana. As a result, it had obtained a level of power the gods simply could not ignore. If left to its own devices, it would likely disrupt the global balance in the near future. Something had to be done.
Typically, the gods employed one of two methods in such situations. The first was to dispatch "Divine Beasts"—creatures stationed by the gods to protect and manage the land—to eliminate the threat. The second was for the gods to directly exercise their divine power to remove it.
However, the Shulls Great Forest was a unique case. It served as a testing ground where Fernobelia-sama was exploring land management methods that did not rely on Divine Beasts, ruling out the first option.
Furthermore, the Shulls Great Forest was one of the world's "Sacred Lands," a cornerstone for generating the mana that permeated the world. Because Fernobelia-sama's experiment had been proceeding so smoothly, the forest’s mana production was among the highest of all the Sacred Lands. If the gods chose the second method, the area would be reduced to a barren wasteland—a loss they were keen to avoid.
As Gain and the others explained, the power of a god was simply too overwhelming. No matter how much they tried to suppress it, any direct intervention would inevitably cause massive collateral damage to the surrounding environment. In the past, when they had exercised the power known as Divine Punishment or Divine Judgment, a single strike had been enough to annihilate entire nations or sink small continents.
Even a brief explanation made it clear that such power should not be used lightly, and it was obvious the gods wanted to avoid it if at all possible. Yet, as they repeatedly emphasized, they could not let the monster remain.
"And so, the lot fell to me since I was already planning to head into the forest."
As I told them, I was going there anyway, so I didn't mind accepting the request. The task was effectively the same as any other adventurer’s job, and as far as clients went, they were easily the most trustworthy beings in existence.
Besides, I enjoyed a happy life now because these gods had allowed me to be reborn in this world. Even if it was for their own convenience, I felt a genuine sense of gratitude toward them. If I could be of any help—if I could repay that debt even slightly—I wanted to do so.
I voiced my willingness to cooperate without a second thought. The gods looked pleased, yet their expressions remained clouded with a lingering, complex hesitation.
"What exactly is bothering you all so much? It seems to be weighing on you even more than the Fragment of the Demon King did."
"There are various circumstances on our end, you see," Kufo said. "Opinions are divided on whether it’s appropriate to entrust our duties to Ryoma-kun—or to any human, for that matter."
"We felt we couldn't decide without hearing your opinion," Lulutia added. "So we agreed that those of us who are relatively neutral would speak with you the next time you visited. However... since we suspected you wouldn't refuse if we asked, we worried our request might be misconstrued as an absolute command or a divine Oracle."
I understood that the gods had their own internal politics and individual perspectives, but personally, that didn't bother me in the least.
"If anything, I’m more concerned about whether I’m actually capable of handling this monster," I admitted. "I knew it would be dangerous from the moment I decided to enter the forest, and I feel fortunate just to have this warning. But if the gods themselves are calling this thing 'troublesome,' it must be something else, right?"
"I was opposed to this," Fernobelia-sama said, "but I acknowledge that the probability of success is high. If we are to request a mortal to handle this matter, there is no one more suitable than Ryoma."
"Indeed," Meltrize noted. "Your compatibility is excellent should a battle occur. This is not to say you are the only one capable; rather, it is a judgment based on an evaluation of your specific abilities versus those of the monster. If we were to ask the chivalric order or the army of your current country to handle this, whether they sent a thousand soldiers or ten thousand, we predict they would be annihilated with a probability of nearly one hundred percent."
If ten thousand soldiers wouldn't be enough, just what kind of monster was I facing? I needed to know its specific capabilities.
"The ability we find most problematic is 'Soul Binding,'" Meltrize continued. "Bound souls cannot return to the Cycle of Reincarnation. Some are even transformed into Undead. It is a power akin to Necromancy."
"It is more of an instinct than a refined technique," Fernobelia-sama added. "But there are other factors to consider. That monster can siphon the abundant mana generated by the forest and claim it as its own. While the amount it can absorb at any one time is minuscule compared to the forest's total output, for the purpose of casting magic, it effectively possesses an inexhaustible supply."
I see. It was essentially a necromancer with infinite mana. By utilizing that limitless power and the bound souls, it could create an endless tide of Undead. Even if they were defeated, they could just be reconstructed, making a conventional war of attrition meaningless. If an army attacked and suffered casualties, those fallen soldiers would simply rise again to join the enemy's ranks. It sounded like something out of a zombie movie. A standard military would definitely be wiped out. But I had my Grave Slimes.
"Exactly," Meltrize said, reading my thoughts. "Defeating the Undead normally doesn't break the Soul Binding; they are simply collected and reused. But if they can be isolated without being destroyed, their resurrection can be prevented. And if the monster itself is eliminated, the Soul Binding will be broken."
"And the Undead can be cleaned up at my leisure after that... It certainly sounds like a good match."
"It’s not just the Grave Slimes, either," Tekun chimed in. "The Shulls Great Forest is a nest for powerful monsters. If a large group like an army moves together, they’ll be spotted and targeted instantly. It’s easier to move with a small, elite group. To be honest, marching an army through there is virtually impossible. They’d be wiped out before they even reached their destination. That’s how Fernobelia designed the place, after all."
"Calling it 'designed' makes it sound like I had malicious intent," Fernobelia-sama corrected him. "I merely constructed a dangerous and inhospitable environment to serve as a defense mechanism in place of a Divine Beast, ensuring the Sacred Land would not be despoiled by humans or invasive species."
"It amounts to the same thing, doesn't it?"
Fernobelia-sama, who was preoccupied with semantics, and Tekun, who couldn't care less, briefly glared at one another. Ignoring their bickering, Kufo spoke up.
"So, that’s the situation. We concluded that Ryoma-kun acting alone has a higher probability of success than an entire army. Beyond that, the fact that you’re doing this solo is actually a relief. We’ve entrusted humans with divine tasks before, but all too often, the person receiving the Oracle starts a rampage, claiming they’re acting on 'God's Will.'"
"That tendency only gets worse when a group is involved," Lulutia sighed. "People start pursuing their own selfish desires and greed using us as an excuse. It’s quite a headache. They treat those who don't cooperate as heretics or sinners, and they use our names to justify invading other countries. We have no desire for such things, and it’s painful when they happen because of a request we made. In that sense, we find it much more reassuring when someone like Ryoma-kun has the mindset of 'I'll do it since I'm going there anyway.'"
"In the first place, I don't recall ever asking mortals to worship us," Gain added. "Of course, we don't wish to be mocked or treated poorly, and since it wouldn't be wise to ruin our image at this late stage, we do adopt a certain gravity when delivering Oracles."
It seemed even the gods had their share of red tape and social complications.
"Regardless, I’ll take the request."
"Are you certain?"
Meltrize-sama asked with her usual expressionless face, but I felt like she was double-checking to see if I truly wanted to commit. Given that she had been the one to propose me for the job, I assumed this outcome was exactly what she wanted.
"It is convenient for us," she said. "However, it increases the risk to you. Even after hearing all this, you have the option to decline or even abandon your trip to the forest entirely. We would not hold it against you."
Was she... worried about me?
"I'm not accepting this because I'm afraid of saying no to a god," I told her. "I know you would respect my choice if I refused. But I have no intention of doing so. I owe you all for my life in this world, and it makes me happy to be of some use."
"...I appreciate your cooperation."
Almost the instant she spoke those words of gratitude, a shadowy darkness surged from her form. Before I could even gasp, it swirled around me, clinging to my body from the neck down. I didn't sense any malice, but the sheer suddenness of it made me tense.
"It's all right, Ryoma-kun!" Kufo's voice called out. "She’s just giving you her Divine Protection! It’s harmless!"
"Oh... a Divine Protection."
I had never received one quite like this before. Usually, I only realized I had been granted a blessing well after the fact.
"I’m grateful, but why so suddenly?"
"Among humans, it is customary to provide a down payment and a reward for a request," Meltrize, the Goddess of Death and Sleep, explained. "With my Divine Protection, you will gain a resistance against Dark Magic, curses, and miasma. It will also help suppress the Curse of the Demon King and provide an advantage when fighting the monster. Consider this the down payment. I will prepare a separate success reward later."
That was incredibly helpful. Not only would it make the mission easier, but it would also keep my curse in check. That alone felt like enough of a reward. I wondered if receiving a god's protection for a single job wasn't being a bit too generous.
"It is not so powerful," she said, as if reading my mind. "It is a small comfort. Do not become overconfident."
"Mortals treasure our blessings, but to us, they are a simple matter," Gain added. "Accept it without reservation. As for the success reward, I will have Fernobelia prepare it, since the problem is within his Sacred Land. Do you have any preferences?"
"A preference... Nothing specific comes to mind, so I'll leave it to you, Fernobelia-sama."
"There is no need to rush, but very well. I shall select something suitable. Does that cover the essentials?"
"It does," Gain replied. "However, we still have a bit of time. Let's discuss the curse and the monster in greater detail."
I remained with the gods, refining our strategy and learning more about my target, until the very last moment of my stay. As I was finally enveloped in light to return to the mortal realm, I noticed the atmosphere among the gods seemed much more peaceful than when I had first arrived. If they felt even a little more at ease because I had accepted their request, then that alone made it worth doing.