Chapter 23: CH 23

It wasn’t until late afternoon that I woke up and stretched myself up. Then I sat down at my desk and started to do some of the things I had to do.

Has it been about half an hour?

As soon as I finished what I had planned, I relaxed my stiff neck a little and opened my mouth.

“Oracle activation.”

Then, as if it had been waiting, a window appeared in front of me.

[The deactivation of ‘Oracle’ is canceled.]

And soon after, numerous chat windows began to pop up.

[The God of Love, Odyssey, is running barefoot.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, grunts at your indifference with his cheeks puffed.]

[The God of Art, Mond, begins to reattach your broken portrait.]

Ah, I put my hand on my forehead and laughed, pft.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, quickly retrieves the lightning he was about to strike.]

As expected, the lightning was yours, Hessed.

‘But why is it not the God of Lightning and instead the God of Knowledge?’

I tilted my head at the sudden question that came to mind.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, seems to have a lot to say to you.]

At that moment, Hessed spoke to me.

“Please put your blessing down.” I said to Hessed without hesitation.

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, shakes his head as if it’s impossible.]

However, Ciel intervened.

There seemed to be sulky Gods.

Still, now that I saw that they didn’t leave the oracle, should I say thank you? Should I say it’s boring?

“At that time, there was a situation. Sometimes I also need to protect my privacy.”

[The God of Love, Odyssey, wonders what ‘privacy’ is.]

“So… I mean, I’m ashamed.” I said with a small sigh.

Then the chat window became a fuss.

[The God of Love, Odyssey wonders what you’re ashamed of.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, blushes as he looks elsewhere with a sulky look on his face.]

[The God of Art, Mond, is making goods with your shy expression.]

…As expected, I can’t adapt to the Gods’ overreaction.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, nods as you’re still at that age.]

Fortunately, the Gods seemed willing to understand. Well, if they didn’t, they would have gone out of the oracle.

Ehm, I coughed and continued.

“When I wash my body or go to the bathroom… Anyway, I will deactivate the oracle when I need it.”

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, stands up against your words.]

[The God of Art, Mond, argues that he has never seen you naked.]

“Well, I’ll keep it active on a regular basis, so don’t be violent if the oracle is suddenly deactivated.”

It was a little disrespectful in my words to God, but I spoke strongly.

This was also Ren and Van’s wish.

“Especially Hessed. If you continue to abuse using lightning, the oracle will remain closed.”

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, nods his head with resentful eyes.]

No matter how almighty they were, I was in control of this relationship.

I was nervous that the future would become unstable if the Gods lost interest and my abilities were exhausted, but these rules were necessary for a long-term win-win.

[The God of Love, Odyssey, is dissatisfied with your words.]

These human addicts didn’t take it easy, though.

I closed my mouth for a moment, then looked at the chat window and smiled.

“Instead, I have prepared something for you today.”

In human relationships… Well, to be precise, it’s not a relationship, but anyway, relationships need carrots. Even if it’s very trivial.

I pulled something out of the pocket on the bedside table.

No one will refuse a handmade gift just because they can’t spit on a smiling face. Especially if they are beings who have a favor for me.

And if the oracle was temporarily closed for me to make a bracelet, it would be easier for them to relieve their anger.

“It’s a small sincerity, but I made it for you.”

I said with four bracelets on the palm of my hand.

“It took me all day because I’m so clumsy.”

It was bracelets that I worked hard on for about two hours.

It would have been nice to have Mond’s blessing, but since it was my pure skill, the bracelet itself was clunky. Still, the names of the Gods and the shape of a heart carved with great care were drawn on the bracelet.

“Thank you, as always.”

The chat window was quiet and I felt a little uneasy.

‘Even if it’s handmade, it’s too simple, isn’t it.’

I scratched my head.

That moment. Many colors of lights began to surround the bracelets on my hand.

From bright white light to yellow light, orange light to blue light.

Surrounded by shades of light, they disappeared as if they had never existed, and a chat window began to twinkle in front of my eyes.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, looks at the bracelet carefully and sheds tears of emotion.]

[The God of Love, Odyssey, puts on the bracelet and turns it around.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, puts on the bracelet and blushes.]

[The God of Art, Mond, places infinite value on bracelets.]

It was like the usual reaction when a daughter who was sent to the kindergarten for the first time made a gift for her mother.

I was looking at the chat window with an awkward feeling after the kindergarten’s school play.

[The God of Art, Mond, pretends that his bracelet is more sophisticated than Hessed’s.]

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, attacks Mond, saying he has an ignorant eye.]

[The God of Love, Odyssey, pretends to stop them as they grab each other’s collar.]

It’s almost impossible to know who’s watching who.

Anyway, it was clear that my little gift worked.

‘I succeeded in appeasing the gods…’

I remembered a conversation I had with Van and Ren.

So what happened was…

***

“I can’t tell you.”

I glared annoyingly at what Van said.

“You said you’d tell me!”

“As the system administrator, there are things I can tell you and things I can’t tell you, and that’s something I can’t say.”

Van insisted that she couldn’t tell me why I possessed Ariel.

But I’ve only asked the simplest and most essential question.

‘Why the hell can’t she tell me?’

Ren looked at me, who had an angry expression on my face.

“You guys brought me here!”

I screamed and stomped my feet.

“We are scouts, but we didn’t choose you out of our will.”

But, as if it was impossible, Van turned her head to the other side and replied sharply. I probably won’t get an answer no matter how much I ask.

“Then tell me if I’m really in [The Return of Saintess Camilla].” I took a deep breath and asked.

If I don’t know why I possessed this body, I should first know if the fact of possession was true.

Van then narrowed his eyebrows at my question.

“[The Return of Saint Camilla]?”

“It’s a novel I read before possessing this body. It is a romance-fantasy novel in which Camila, who has become the saintess, falls in love with three male leads in the Temple of Elium in the Illide Empire, and Ariel is the villain who hates Camilla. In the end, I end up with a bad end…”

Van and Ren’s faces hardened at my words.

“Was there anything about the Demon Realm?”

“No, that thing was almost nonexistent.”

I answered her by tilting my head.

I remembered the content of [The Return of Saintess Camilla].

Although it was about a saintess, the Demon Realm or Demon King hardly appeared, and the main content was about romance.

Ren whispered impatiently to Van.

“If that’s the case, then it must be true, the prophecy.”

“This. What kind of coincidence is this?”

I didn’t understand what Van and Ren were saying, so I asked them.

“What do you mean? Prophecy?”

Van rubbed her forehead as if her head was aching.

“I can’t tell you the details. But…” Van spoke with a little sigh. “What you read is probably some kind of prophecy that has crossed over from this side.”

My heart started pounding at the unexpected words.

“If there had been no mention of the Demon Realm, it would have been half of the book of prophecies.”

If so, it would be right to say that I didn’t simply possess a book, instead I read the prophetic books that flowed into the world I originally lived in, died, and entered the body of this villain.

“If it’s a prophecy… You mean I’m going to die like Ariel in the end?”

What was more important than anything else was whether or not my life was spared. Usually, prophecies are meant to be fulfilled in the future.

“If you were Ariel, you would live according to the prophecy, but as you, a soul from another world, awaken in her body, your destiny is changing. And the prophecy isn’t the fixed future you’re concerned about… Well.”

Van had a complex expression on his face, and Ren’s expression darkened.

“Let’s say it’s someone’s wish. Someone who has the power of prophecy.”

“What? Who in the world is that?”

“Sorry. I can’t tell you any more.”

Van stopped me.

Ren said to me with warm eyes.

“But the important thing is that the prophecies have already been distorted, and now you’re in her place…”

“Ren, shh. Giving more information could have a negative impact on Ariel’s future.” Van cut off Ren’s words sternly. Then she said to me.

“We’ve answered it all. It’s time to go back.”

“Wait!”

Then it was over.

When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t see them anymore.

When I returned, I was relieved that at least one fact could be confirmed, although my mind was confirmed. It means that I’m changing the future of Ariel I read in the original with my efforts.