【Tales of the Gods 22】Shi, the Grassland God, and Skillui, the Technology God
* * *
A vast grassland, with nothing blocking the view in any direction.
That’s how Shi, the Grassland God’s divine realm exists.
Or rather, essentially, the grassland itself is Shi, the Grassland God.
Before ascending to godhood, Shi was the grassland now known as the ‘Great Grassland of Beginnings’.
It was just a vast grassland.
However, that land, due to its geographical location, stored a large amount of mana.
As a result of the simple faith of the people living in the grassland, offered to that land, Shi, the Grassland God, was born.
Those days, when her ego was just beginning to form—
Shi still fondly rembers those days.
Shi, who was the grassland itself, where the people lived, rejoiced with them when they were born, and grieved with them when they died.
Back then, Shi was with the people.
That felt good.
She wanted to stay that way forever.
The people even made an idol of Shi.
It’s a sphere, about the size of a human head… a moss ball.
The bottom half is covered in a basket woven from vines, and a single, large-leafed grass, sways in the wind at the top.
Two stones, imitating round eyes, are embedded in the middle.
That kind of moss ball.
Shi loved this simple and cute idol.
When she first received it, she was so happy that she turned the entire grassland into a field of flowers overnight.
So even now, this idol is placed in the center of Shi’s divine realm, and whenever another god visits, they always talk to this idol, thinking it’s Shi.
* * *
“Well, anyway, what I want to say is, first of all, I’d like to express my gratitude to Shi, the Grassland God, for completing the thousand-year-long task of maintaining the ‘protagonist’, a god-made doll, and the starting point for isekai reincarnation broadcasts.”
…This male god, who has been talking non-stop, is one of those visitors.
This male god has a stocky, muscular build.
He looks like the taciturn, craftsman-like master of a forge.
And yet, he’s wearing an ill-fitting, tight suit, a forced smile on his stern face, continuing his polite, yet shady talk.
He’s a truly… disharmonious god.
His na is Skillui, the Technology God.
“The demand for the ‘protagonist’, a god-made doll, continues to grow because it can pseudo-reproduce ‘teleportation’, and also because of the freedom in forming its body. I think there’s a certain charm to the traditional thod of putting a reincarnated soul into a naturally-born human… but I’m convinced that the day will co when my god-made dolls will dominate the isekai reincarnation broadcast market.”
A god-made doll is, in other words, a homunculus created by the Technology God.
You can freely set its abilities and appearance, and its body can be preserved for as long as it’s imrsed in a special liquid in a test tube, but once a soul is sealed inside it, it will begin to age like a human.
It’s a convenient product, allowing beginner broadcast gods, who want to try making isekai reincarnation broadcasts, but find it too troubleso to look for a human with the appropriate genetic, social background, or fate… or to set up the right environnt, to easily create a protagonist.
And Shi, the Grassland God, when she first ascended to godhood and moved to the divine realm, not knowing anything, was approached by Skillui, the Technology God, and was entrusted with the task of maintaining the god-made doll.
‘Just have your people protect the god-made doll by giving them a divine revelation, and I’ll pay you a commission. Compared to just receiving faith, you’ll get five tis as much mana!’
That’s how he advertised it, if she rembers correctly.
Shi didn’t particularly have a desire to increase her divine power or beco a greater god, but thinking ‘Well, it’s a good deal, isn’t it?’, she lightly signed the contract that Skillui handed her.
“Therefore! I’m thinking of making a second season! And I’d like to continue selling the ‘protagonist’, the god-made doll, for another thousand years to co!”
And then Skillui, the Technology God, took out a flyer from his black bag, and held it up in front of Shi, the Grassland God’s idol.
Shi received it by moving her vines.
It’s a flyer depicting a boy in armor, holding a sword, and a girl in a robe, holding a staff—both striking dynamic poses.
‘Let’s make the protagonist of your dreams!’
That phrase, which seems to be the catchphrase, is written in large, red letters, left-aligned at the top of the flyer.
And below that, in slightly smaller letters, is the supplentary information, ‘Status system and skill system, fully equipped!’
Status system?
Skill system?
Shi, the Grassland God, not understanding those unfamiliar words, tilted her idol, as if tilting her head.
“Oh, Shi-sama… You don’t know about the status system and skill system? Actually, it’s a system that’s recently beco popular! Many worlds are implenting it, so I’m working to have it implented in Ardyst too! Actually, the ‘protagonist’ who will be departing tomorrow morning… I’ve already implented it, after getting permission from his owner!”
Seeing Shi’s reaction, Skillui started explaining the status system and skill system.
It seems to be a system that visualizes a creature’s strength and usable skills with numbers and letters… and then shares that information with everyone, through sothing called a ‘status window’.
The status system and skill system are… useful tools for creatures, as guidelines for how to live their lives, useful tools for gods, to manage creatures, and also useful tools for viewers of isekai reincarnation broadcasts, because it makes it easier to understand the strengths of the characters.
According to the Technology God, the status system and skill system is a truly wonderful system, beneficial to all three parties.
“My goal is to change the world of Ardyst for the better… through the sale of the ‘protagonist’, the god-made doll… Oops, I’ve gotten sidetracked.”
Skillui, the Technology God, realizing that he was the only one getting excited and talking passionately, coughed, and brought the conversation back on track.
“Anyway, I’d like to continue selling the ‘protagonist’, the god-made doll! Therefore, I’d like to ask for your continued cooperation, Shi, the Grassland God, and that’s why I’ve co to visit your divine realm today!”
And then, Skillui, the Technology God, took out a stack of papers.
Two copies of the sa thing, but they look very similar to the one Shi signed a thousand years ago… Contracts.
Skillui, the Technology God, has already signed and sealed them, and even attached revenue stamps.
“‘Starting from a grassland’ is a classic story elent. A peaceful grassland as the first stage is a staple in stories. So, please… I’d appreciate your continued support, Shi, the Grassland God.”
Saying that, Skillui, the Technology God, bowed, smiling.
But Shi, the Grassland God’s response was… those words of rejection.
“…Huh?”
Shi, the Grassland God, repeated her words of rejection to Skillui, the Technology God, who involuntarily looked up abruptly, his eyes wide with surprise.
“H-Hahaha! What are you talking about…?”
“P-Please have a look at the contract mana amount. Look, here… Can you read numbers? According to my calculations, this is actually…”
“…Are you sure? …Well, I don’t mind. I won’t say who, but there are other gods who would love to take over this job. For example… ‘starting from a forest’ is also quite popular, hahaha… Eventually, you, the god of the grassland that’s being devoured by the forest due to ecological succession, will also be devoured by the forest, even in the divine realm. Are you sure about this?”
“…………”
No matter what he said, the only response he got from Shi was ‘I refuse’.
Skillui, the Technology God, slumped his shoulders, sighed deeply… and then clicked his tongue.
“…What a stubborn moss ball.”
He cursed under his breath.
“Well, I understand. Our business is over. This is truly… regrettable.”
And then, saying that quickly, without even looking at Shi’s idol, he roughly shoved the contract into his bag, carefully placed the flyer he received from Shi’s vines into a clear file, and put it in his bag.
“I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”
And then, curtly saying that, he angrily walked away… and left Shi’s divine realm.
* * *
Shi, the Grassland God, muttered after Skillui, the Technology God, left.
The clan she protects is no more.
Her apostles, her hands and feet, who carried out her work, are no more.
In such a situation, there’s no way she can fulfill the contract like before.
Skillui, the Technology God, who should be the god who governs the developnt and improvent of technology in the human world, didn’t even notice such a simple thing.
He didn’t even try to see the humans.
Truly foolish.
And Shi, the Grassland God, looking back on the past thousand years, muttered again.
The people she protected are no more.
Those simple, warm people—they gradually changed because she asked them to do work, to fulfill her contract with the Technology God.
They killed so many, following the clan’s rules, to fulfill Shi’s divine revelations.
And furthermore, to fulfill that contract… she turned the last daughter of the clan into a monster.
Ignoring her dignity and everything.
She twisted the way of life of the last descendant of the people she loved, for her own convenience.
She didn’t even allow her to die as a human.
Truly, truly foolish.
Shi, the Grassland God, continued to lant.
TL Note: The ‘mana’ used as currency by the gods may be different from ‘mana’ in reference to quantity of magical power. I have just been translating magical power as ‘mana’ recently.
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