I was so stunned by the Sun Goddess’s proposal that I couldn’t find the words to respond. It was Ren-kun who snapped first.
"Promina! You promised you wouldn’t bring that up!"
He raised his voice, his brow furrowing in a rare display of anger. Of course, since he looked like a young boy, he wasn't exactly intimidating—it was actually almost endearing.
The Sun Goddess didn't flinch. Instead, she simply tilted her head with her usual serene smile.
"But the Power of Creation is essential to maintain the world. There are limits to what we can do on our own. I believe it is best to secure his assistance sooner rather than later."
"I know that! But... it doesn't have to be right now. He finally found his freedom..."
Ren-kun hung his head at her words.
I didn't fully grasp the logistics, but it seemed my Power of Genesis was necessary to keep this world running. Since Ren-kun didn't deny it, it had to be the truth.
However, Ren-kun was opposing the idea for my sake—because I had been sickly and lived such a restricted life before my reincarnation. I was truly grateful for that.
Compared to my previous life, I was living a much more blessed existence now. I could do what I liked and go wherever I wanted. I had wonderful companions, and every day was a joy. I had no idea what being the "head of the gods" actually entailed, but I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to keep living like this. For that reason alone, I had no desire to take the job.
Still, that freedom only mattered if the world stayed intact. If the world truly couldn't survive without my help, then I knew I should cooperate.
"Tort..."
Before I realized it, Halfa was standing beside me, her small hand clutching the hem of my coat. It had been a while since she'd made that gesture.
I must have made her anxious. But there was no need for her to worry.
I reached down and squeezed the hand holding my coat. My feelings must have reached her, because a smile immediately returned to her face. Once I saw she was okay, I gave the Sun Goddess my answer.
"Ah, I think I'll have to decline."
I felt like my tone was a bit too casual, but it didn't seem to be a problem.
Taking the Sun Goddess’s words at face value, it didn't sound like the world was going to vanish this very second. The gods should be able to keep things running for a while. Even if she said they were reaching their limit, that was likely by a divine timescale.
From a human perspective, I was sure things would be fine for quite some time—at least until I lived out the rest of my natural life.
"That is a shame, but I suppose it can't be helped. Perhaps it was a bit premature."
As I expected, the situation wasn't dire. The Sun Goddess merely looked a bit disappointed for a moment before backing down easily. Though she did add, "Please let me know if you change your mind," which meant she hadn't entirely given up.
"Honestly, Promina, you really shouldn't meddle like that."
"It isn't 'meddling.' It’s an important matter."
The Sun Goddess traded barbs with the grumbling Ren-kun in a relaxed tone. In any case, that conversation seemed to be over. I was just wondering if it was time to head back when the cat-eared Garna poked me on the shoulder.
"Since we are here anyway, you should speak to them about the Training Dungeon."
"Oh, right. Good point."
That’s right. The whole reason we had come to Lafres was to propose the creation of a dungeon specifically designed to train adventurers.
Garna, the Trial God, had been branded an evil god because she had brought disasters to various regions. However, she hadn't done it out of a desire to destroy the world. She had wanted to give humanity trials to strengthen them against the eventual invasion of the Gods of the Outer World.
She had clearly gone overboard and achieved the exact opposite of her goal, but I didn't think her idea of preparing for an otherworldly raid was a bad one. A dungeon that could promote an adventurer's growth without being lethally dangerous—that sounded like something the world needed. Especially since the invasion by the Silver Faction had already begun, making preparation more urgent than ever.
I didn't want to just build it on my own; there were issues of management and public awareness to consider, so I had planned to consult the Adventurer's Guild headquarters first. We had been summoned to the divine realm the moment we arrived in Lafres, though, so I hadn't even had a chance to get the Guild Master's permission yet.
In that sense, it might have been a bit early to bring it up to the gods. But since we were already here, it was probably less of a headache to get them on board now. Given Garna’s involvement, I didn't think Lang-san or the Grand Master would object anyway.
My goal in telling the gods wasn't so much about permission as it was about cooperation. While creating dungeons fell under Garna’s authority as the Trial God, her powers were currently restricted as punishment, meaning she couldn't use them freely. She needed the help of other gods to create new dungeons or modify existing ones.
So, I made my request for help with the Training Dungeon, but I got a much more enthusiastic response than I bargained for.
"I see, a dungeon! I have heard the rumors! In that case, I shall—"
"No fair trying to cut in line, Promina. You have your duties as the coordinator. This task falls to me."
The Sun Goddess was eager to volunteer, but the Job God immediately shot her down and nominated himself. Not wanting to be left out, the gods who hadn't even shown themselves began chiming in one after another. Everyone was talking over each other, and the situation quickly devolved into chaos.
"Wait, wait! Do not all speak at once! Listen to me!"
Garna waved her hands wildly, trying to settle the commotion. Once things quieted down a bit, she wore a sly smirk.
"There is no need for you all to trouble yourselves. How about we just lift the restrictions on my power for this one task..."
"""Rejected!"""
"But why?!"
It looked like Garna had been trying to use the confusion to sneakily get her powers back. However, the rejection was unanimous. Well, it couldn't be helped. It was a punishment, after all—she needed to reflect on her actions a little longer.