Chapter 178
Divine Authority (3)
“…Oh, she’s doing it. She’s really doing it.”
“Never thought I’d live to see sothing like this.”
“……”
When I heard those murmurs coming from outside, I rubbed my forehead in a daze.
Katya and Milene were over there, looking like they would imdiately settle into spectator mode if soone handed them popcorn and drinks.
I didn’t know when or how they heard the news and rushed all the way here, but they were watching with great interest as the Mountain God and Noel sat across from each other with a desk between them….
“……”
And considering that I was the one who had provided this spectacle, it was only natural that I felt an overwhelming sense of self-loathing.
As I endured the dizzying sensation and tapped my forehead, I recalled the conversation from not too long ago.
It had happened shortly after I went up Mount Demon Sealing and persuaded the Mountain God that I would return the god he had been serving.
-There’s no reason to trust what you’re saying… but I’ll play along for now.
The Mountain God, still in his enormous form, said that—and then suddenly began to shine. The next mont, a tall woman stood before with her arms crossed, glaring at .
…With animal ears and a tail still attached.
-…What is that?
If you were going to turn human, why stop halfway like that?
I had asked with that feeling in mind, but the Mountain God’s answer was ridiculously simple.
-This is far more intimidating, isn’t it?
-…Excuse ?
-You humans always look soft and fragile. I have to leave at least so of my original form to prove my dignity.
I still rembered how she said that while lazily swaying her tail behind her.
Rather than feeling intimidated or dignified, my first thought had been that she looked cute.
Anyway.
The real dangerous part of the conversation ca afterward.
-More importantly, you. You said you were engaged?
-Excuse ?
-Then I should see who your partner is. Guide .
…I had only a brief mont of confusion at how she knew I was engaged and what had happened, before her next words turned that confusion into fear.
-You ca all this way without even knowing whose divine beast you’re speaking to?
Of course, I already knew that from extensive investigation.
Scratching my head, I answered.
-That would be the god of love and union…
The mont I said that, a flash of realization struck like lightning.
…Even now, I vividly rembered trembling in fear while simultaneously feeling the gaze of Cretin behind , looking at in disbelief, and the Mountain God’s gaze that seed to say there was no point continuing.
Out of all things, this was the divine beast of a god who literally held the title ‘God of Love.’ She could easily figure out a person’s romantic situation with her eyes closed.
-Then by seeing your partner, I should be able to gauge your level as well. Guide .
…I couldn’t argue with that, so I ended up bringing the Mountain God to Noel just now.
It felt like an eternity had passed since this hellish atmosphere ford, with the two of them staring silently at each other, assessing one another.
A tension like walking on thin ice hovered over the table.
Normally, this was the mont when I should introduce them, but the air was so heavy that I couldn’t even dare to open my mouth. It felt as if sothing was sizzling and boiling between them. The current flowing between them was terrifying.
More precisely, it was Noel’s aura that was overwhelmingly fierce. Just looking at the feathers along the Mountain God’s tail standing stiffly was enough to tell how foul her mood was….
“So, what exactly do you do?”
Noel was the first to open fire.
Expressionless, without even a change in tone, yet clearly carrying a warning that her attitude would depend on the answer.
“I heard you wanted to see ‘Mr. Aiden’s fiancée.’”
It was a question filled with the intent of asking why she wanted to see Noel Astrea Simus as Aiden’s fiancée, not as ‘Lionhearted’ Noel Astrea Simus.
But the Mountain God’s response was even more impressive.
Instead of responding with equal hostility, she simply rested her chin on the table and asked back lazily.
“I just wanted to see your level.”
“……”
“If it’s too low, I’ll get rid of you. It’d be annoying.”
“……”
“If the guy who boldly claid he could give exactly what I want is wrapped around so insignificant woman’s finger, that’d piss off quite a bit.”
From the side, I could see Katya and Milene’s eyes and mouths widening at the sa ti.
…To , it looked exactly like the reaction of an audience watching rappers exchange brutal lines in a diss battle, which only made it more infuriating.
“I wondered what nonsense you were spouting after barging in like this.”
But Noel, who heard all that, didn’t seem particularly angry. She simply responded calmly.
“You can provoke all you want, nothing will co of it.”
“…Hm?”
“I’m confident, you see.”
Noel spoke plainly.
Rather than being unangered, it was more like she had dealt with so many people like this that she had even gained composure….
“……”
Should I be happy about that, or sad?
“At the very least, even if Mr. Aiden is a womanizing, lust-driven playboy who flirts with every woman he ets, I’m the only one he’s ever brought up marriage to.”
“……”
“If you really want to provoke , at least climb up to a similar level before you speak.”
…Was that trust in , or distrust?
As I mulled over that strange impression, I looked at Noel as she spoke.
“…No, more importantly.”
Rather than just being angry, it felt like I was hearing her true thoughts for the first ti.
It was like—she could sohow tolerate flirting with other won, but as long as I didn’t cross a certain line, she could hold herself back at just the level of irritation.
“…Huh.”
…Back then.
When sothing that wasn’t Noel had entered her body in the Holy Crown Kingdom.
Hadn’t she taken on a sowhat similar stance?
“……”
Sothing began to itch at the back of my mind.
It felt like I was missing sothing important.
“…Hmm.”
But before I could focus on that thought any further, the Mountain God let out a long sigh, pulling my awareness back to reality.
As I watched Noel’s reaction and continued turning that thought over in my head, I noticed the Mountain God’s eyes twist slightly.
Her expression clearly carried the feeling of, ‘Even after all that, she’s not taking the bait?’
A chill crept up my spine.
In other words.
She had started this conversation to provoke her, but now that it wasn’t working, I had a bad feeling she was about to escalate things further.
And the Mountain God’s next action brought that unease into reality.
She grabbed the back of my neck and lifted straight onto her arm.
Of course, she didn’t just place there casually—it was a posture I knew all too well.
One arm supporting my legs, the other behind my neck.
…The kind of cliché pose used in dia when the protagonist lifts the heroine into their arms.
From the sidelines, I could see Katya and Milene’s mouths hanging wide open.
“Alright then, I guess I’ll go do it.”
“…Excuse ?”
“…Excuse ?”
This ti, even I couldn’t hold back from questioning her.
Do it?
Do what?
What exactly was she talking about?
“If your only point of pride is that the others haven’t even made it to engagent yet, then why not try sothing you haven’t done yet?”
“……”
“I’ll take my ti and find out what that is. Sothing you haven’t done yet.”
“……”
What kind of nonsense was that?
I stared blankly at the Mountain God.
No, I get that she wants to provoke her, but saying it that blatantly would just have the opposite effect—
“Put him down.”
—Or so I thought.
But hearing Noel’s voice, now carrying a far colder edge than before, made reconsider.
The tips of her ears were slightly red, as if she had imagined sothing, but aside from that, the killing intent she was directing at the Mountain God was unmistakably genuine.
And the mont the Mountain God saw that, she grinned, as if she had finally gotten the reaction she wanted.
“Co at .”
At the sa ti my body was tossed aside, golden light burst forth from Noel’s body, illuminating the surroundings.
At the sa mont, the Mountain God’s human form instantly reverted to its original state. While her torso and other limbs still retained a human shape, the arm holding transford into the massive foreleg of a beast, eting Noel’s power head-on.
Soon, as the two forces collided, shockwaves rippled outward.
The entire building rumbled and shook, and the lighter materials around were scattered in all directions.
“Oh, they’re doing it. They’re really doing it!”
“…Sister, why are you so excited?”
…Even in the midst of all that, there were people in the outfield treating this level of clash as re entertainnt.
Of course, their attitude was a bit strange, but honestly, I didn’t think this situation was that serious either.
From the beginning—
‘There’s no killing intent.’
Both Noel and the Mountain God knew that this wasn’t a fight where they intended to kill each other.
It was more like Noel had instinctively responded to the Mountain God’s blatant provocation.
Just seeing how they exchanged a single move before cleanly withdrawing their energy made that clear.
The mont the Mountain God returned her arm to human form, Noel also frowned and hesitated, stopping her follow-up attack.
After all, for soone as upright as her, it would be impossible to swing her sword when she felt no hostility from her opponent.
And as the Mountain God carefully observed that, she smiled with satisfaction and spoke.
“…Not just the power you wield, but even your behavior—you’re practically Karva’s incarnation. For a human, you’ve managed to seduce quite the thing.”
“…Excuse ?”
Apparently not the response she had expected, Noel tilted her head and asked back.
“Well, I’ve already seen everything I wanted to see. And it’s clear you’re not just spouting nonsense about reviving a god.”
The hostility from monts ago was completely gone as the Mountain God spoke casually and turned her back.
Then, as if sothing suddenly ca to mind, she turned her head slightly.
“Oh, and.”
“…?”
“I think that kind of mindset… trying to understand that crazy playboy over there, is a good thing.”
“…Excuse ?”
“That way, you’ll feel a little less like killing him later.”
“……”
“That guy, before long, is going to try and seduce a ‘real god’ as well—”
“…Let’s talk about that later.”
The mont I cut her off mid-sentence, it was practically driven by pure survival instinct.
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