I never really believed that gods existed. How could a homunculus, created solely to assist her previous master, even fathom such supre beings? And yet.
"Look over there. It’s Beod, the God of Order. I heard he stopped by for so simple business, but he looks as handso as ever today."
"What are you talking about when Behel, the God of Light, is right there? Look at that stunning beauty. Even as a woman myself, I feel like I could fall for her instantly."
Here, such deities could be seen everywhere. The surrounding angels blushed, stealing glances at them. Outwardly, they looked just like humans, but they were undoubtedly divine. As I stared blankly at the sight, Taehyun approached them with a nonchalant expression.
"Perfect timing. Is Excellia inside by any chance?"
He gasped. "What are you doing here all of a sudden? I heard you were dispatched on a quest."
"Things got a bit annoying, so I ca to complain. Why, got a problem with that?"
He cleared his throat. "It’s nothing. If it’s Excellia you’re looking for, she’s inside. Hurry up and go in!"
The handso man with striking purple hair waved his hands, visibly appalled. It was clearly Beod, known as the God of Order, but for so reason, he seed terrified of Taehyun. But it wasn’t just him; the surrounding angels showed the exact sa reaction.
"I-It’s the Demonic King, Taehyun. I heard he got mad last ti and destroyed an entire dinsion."
"That’s not all. He’s been casually causing scandals with the goddesses, too."
"Eek! We just made eye contact. What do I do? I’m dead!"
The bustling street instantly fell silent. The angels hastily took to the sky, and Beod quickly turned down another path. With that, only three people remained, myself included. Just what kind of things had Taehyun been doing around here? As he walked toward , my doubts only deepened.
"Ah, wait a mont. Taehyun."
"Huh? Behel is here, too. What’s up?"
"Umm. It’s nothing in particular..."
The silver-haired woman draped in a resplendent white robe hesitated for a mont. Like Beod, she was likely the one called the God of Light, Behel. She dropped her head, rely twiddling her thumbs.
"If it’s nothing, never mind. I’m busy right now, so I’m off. Let’s go, Arin."
"...Understood."
As we walked away, I caught sight of Behel’s pitiful gaze. It seed like she wanted to say sothing, or was it just my imagination? For so reason, I felt a lingering sense of unease.
---
Our next destination was the largest temple in the center of the city. Upon entering, the angels we had seen on the streets were nowhere to be found; instead, the place was packed with humans similar to Taehyun. And one of them approached us.
"Dragging another woman around, I see. You must have a lot of free ti, Taehyun."
"Free ti, my ass. Anyway, what are you doing here?"
"Well, since I beca a Dinsion Traveler thanks to your recomndation, I’m doing my best. I actually just ca here to pick up a quest. However..."
His strangely narrow, slit-like eyes turned toward . He was a young man whose inner thoughts were impossible to read. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling, I quickly bowed my head. Only then did Taehyun gesture toward and introduce us.
"This is Arin, who recently beca my Supporter. Say hi."
"Nice to et you. I’m Seonghwi, soone you could consider Taehyun’s junior. I look forward to working with you."
"Soone you could consider? You wanna die?"
"Hahaha. I’d rather not die just yet."
The young man waving his hands with a playful expression—no, Seonghwi—seed to be a Dinsion Traveler, just like Taehyun. He gave off a relatively gentle impression, but I maintained my distance for now. I quietly stood there watching them converse.
"What the, is that the Tyrant, Taehyun?"
"Is he really one of the top five strongest?"
"Seeing him in person, he doesn’t look like much. Is he really a top-tier expert?"
Just like before, gazes began to gather on us. Taehyun and Seonghwi, standing in front, seed to notice and shrugged.
"It’ll be annoying if things get troubleso, so I’m heading up."
"Let’s et again next ti. Oh, by the way, it seems your next quest has already been scheduled. Have you checked it?"
"What? What kind of chaotic dinsional storm are they trying to suck into this ti?"
"I took a quick look, and it said it’s a closed dinsion where the gods aren’t allowed to enter, just like Tainworth. It seems to be a quest that requires a Dinsion Traveler to intervene personally."
Quests, Tainworth, closed dinsions...the conversation was full of things I didn’t understand. If I hadn’t co with Taehyun, I probably would have left this temple a long ti ago. Whether he knew how I felt or not, Taehyun frowned and scratched his head.
Then, belatedly brightening his expression, he threw an arm around Seonghwi’s shoulders. ’Whispering?’ The two of them whispered to each other for quite a while. It seed like they were discussing sothing important. However, Seonghwi must have been very dissatisfied, as he quickly swatted Taehyun’s arm away.
"Why is the conversation suddenly turning to that?"
"Co on. I told you I’ll pay you handsoly. I’ll even throw in a bonus."
"I don’t believe you. I’d rather have a contract...No, wait. Anyway, I’m not doing it."
"Hah. Fine. Then let’s make the contract in front of Morpina. How about that?"
Was he tempted for a mont? Seonghwi, who had been adamantly refusing, slowly nodded.
"Alright. Then let’s do it. But on the condition that you don’t try to pull a scam even in front of her."
"Hey. When have I ever gone around scamming people?"
"Absolutely not. Scams absolutely won’t work on . Got it? Especially when it cos to contracts!"
"I said I got it, geez."
It seed so sort of deal had been struck. Of course, Seonghwi maintained a wary look until the end, but Taehyun did not. After parting ways with him and heading up to the second floor, a long line ca into view. Everyone seed to be waiting to enter the room at the end of the long corridor, but Taehyun paid them no mind.
"Heh. Move aside. That is, unless you want to die."
"W-What the. Who do you think you are, cutting in line? Do you know who I am?!"
"I don’t know, punk."
"I am the Absolute Guardian Leganho—urgh!"
The large man who had been protesting was slamd straight into the wall. It was an alien energy, not mana. Taehyun dusted his hands off as he retracted the golden energy floating in the air.
"Legan-chump, you said?"
Soone gasped. "It’s the Tyrant, Taehyun."
"I-I knew he had an incredible amount of Divine Power. Let’s just back off."
In an instant, the crowd began to scatter to the sides. Seeing them pressed flat against the walls and trembling reminded of people facing a monster, but I avoided eye contact as much as possible and quietly followed Taehyun. When we finally reached our destination, the door opened naturally, revealing an endless garden before our eyes.
She sighed. "Don’t you think you’re being a bit too rowdy?"
"It’s not like it’s my first ti. Anyway, I ca to complain. Creator Excellia."
A woman with red hair slowly walked out from among the flowers. I turned my head, wondering if I had misheard, but...
"You’ve aged terribly in such a short ti. Must’ve been busy?"
Excellia remained silent.
It seed I hadn’t misheard.
---
My first impression was simply that she was a woman of unapproachable beauty. No, in fact, it was probably impossible to even evaluate her. After all, she was the Creator. Since I, too, was created by soone, I fully understood just how incredible of an existence she was. But even in front of such a being, one person remained completely at ease.
"Listen to carefully. If you’re going to send on a quest, you should at least unlock so of my abilities. Unless you’re crazy, how am I supposed to investigate anything with only one summon a day!"
In fact, he was aggressively pushing his demands. Excellia sat at the table with a serious expression, rubbing her temples.
"It’s an A-rank hero, you know. How am I supposed to stop them with a C-rank dungeon while under a curse?"
"Ah, child. Please, pause for a mont."
"No, I even found a rift. Do I look like I’m going to stop talking?!"
"...S-Stop."
Oh my god. The Creator was suffering. Was Taehyun’s voice really that agonizing? Watching from afar, it was impossible for to judge. Eventually, Excellia loudly flipped the table over and stood up.
"A-Alright. I understand, so please stop. If I listen to any more of this, my head is going to split open."
"You should have done that from the start. Honestly, it’s not like I was wrong. Right?"
She panted. "The system that Nikunbel left behind in the first place...It’s been wandering around various dinsions, which is why I sent you, but for it to be a dungeon of all things..."
"Shh. Enough about that. Just hurry up and tell what you’re going to do for ."
Suddenly, Taehyun’s gaze turned toward . But he quickly turned his head back and focused on the conversation again. ’...What was that just now?’ For a mont, it felt like he was checking my reaction, but I couldn’t be sure.
anwhile, Excellia pulled out a piece of paper, scribbled sothing down, and handed it to Taehyun with an exhausted expression. He looked extrely satisfied. It seed his demands had been t.
"Phew. So, are you making good use of the dinsion I gave you? If you brought back all the soldiers who returned to the ga back then, the Divine Power consud must have been quite substantial."
"I turned it into Balak Land and they’re living well now. Well, I did have to take out a tiny loan from Morpina, though."
"That’s a relief, then. By the way, that homunculus..."
Suddenly, a cold gaze was directed at . For so reason, I felt like I had committed a sin. At that mont, the entire garden began to shake.
"Excellia, watch your mouth. It’s Arin. To be precise, my Supporter, Arin."
"Hmm. Certainly, a human..."
"Hey."
An ominous energy constricted my entire body. Before I knew it, the garden was dyed black, and even the flowers were withering. It was a vicious aura I had never seen before. Taehyun was issuing a warning with a chilling expression he had never shown in front of .
"...I understand. Stop it."
"Rember this well. The only reason I’m working as a Dinsion Traveler like this, even though I hate dealing with you all, is because I made a contract to do so in the first place. Never forget that."
Excellia was too stunned to speak.
Having forced the Creator to shut her mouth with an aura completely unlike his usual self, Taehyun imdiately grabbed my hand and walked out the door.
"Let’s go, Arin."
After those final words, Taehyun didn’t say another thing the entire ti we were leaving the Divine Realm. He just silently held my hand as we returned to the dungeon. He didn’t say anything more, and amidst the awkward silence, my vision blurred for so unknown reason. ’Supporter Arin.’ That day, for the first ti, I embraced my own emotions.
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