Ganshu, his face flushed red, could only glare at me in silence.
Though he was a god and had the power to crush me with his gaze, I responded by drawing up the divine power of the Great God behind me, matching his pressure.
I could endure this.
As long as the Great God stands behind me, Ganshu cannot overpower me with his mere authority.
“Are you trying to threaten me with that glare? ♡ Should I say I’m too scared? ♡ Oh great Ganshu, I’m sorry for being so bold, should I beg for forgiveness? ♡ Huh? ♡ Huh? ♡”
“...Now that I’ve experienced it firsthand, I understand why your enemies have always tried to kill you.”
“Hmm~ ♡ The history nerd has just as little patience as those worthless ones? ♡ I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re a god. You’ve been cooped up so long your social skills are shattered, what can you do? ♡”
The fact that Ganshu couldn’t crush me with his power meant that to record me, he had to ask for my permission.
I had expected something like this when he came to me offering blessings, but I didn’t think it would be this easy to resist.
No matter how much I am the apostle of the Great God, I’m still just a human.
I had initially considered backing down slightly because of that concern.
But look.
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Even though Ganshu was now full of rage, spreading his authority throughout the library, I remained unaffected.
The ground shook under the fury of a god.
Books tumbled from the shelves.
Things scattered across the floor collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
Even with the weight of his power pressing down on my shoulders, I could still look him in the eye with a playful smile.
Why?
Perhaps the authority that comes with being the apostle of the Great God is higher than I thought.
Perhaps I’ve gotten stronger than I realized.
Maybe the power I wield now is more formidable than I had expected.
Or perhaps the power Ganshu possesses is weaker than I know.
In the end, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that I can stand my ground against Ganshu with no problem.
“Show respect for the gods, apostle. Show respect for those who have led this world. If you do not...”
“If I don’t what? ♡ Throw me out? ♡ Do whatever you want ♡ I don’t want to stay in this creepy place any longer anyway ♡ It’s good I don’t have to smell like a loner anymore ♡”
I laughed boldly and spread my arms, but Ganshu could do nothing.
It’s true that I’m not particularly fond of him, but I can’t abandon the story I’m going to write.
“Not going to do it? ♡ Not going to show your godly dignity? ♡”
“...Tch. If I’d known it would be like this, I would’ve just sent a proxy.”
“Ha-ha ♡ Well, if you had, I wouldn’t have had to see this ugly sight ♡”
Ganshu clenched his fist and frowned, but then ran a hand through his hair and let out a long sigh.
“Ha. Fine. I’ll yield. But don’t misunderstand. I’m not showing respect to you. I’m showing respect for the Great God who chose you.”
“Uh-huh ♡ Sure ♡ I got it ♡”
“You little bitch.”
“Pffhahaha ♡ You’re mad! ♡ You’re mad! ♡”
Eventually acknowledging defeat, Ganshu seemed to surrender, but I couldn’t resist poking him a little more. Realizing that if I went any further, I might actually break him, I decided to stay quiet.
Ganshu sighed again and waved his hand.
Following his movement, the scattered books and papers were neatly arranged again, and a desk and chairs appeared between us.
“We’ll talk quickly and be done with this. I want to watch your little drama from afar.”
“Why? Are you embarrassed to see me up close? With no social skills and so timid?”
“Shut up.”
“Yes~”
“Anyway. Tell me what you want. Got it?”
What I wanted, huh.
After hearing his words, I pulled the notebook from my arms and wrote down the blessings I knew Ganshu could bestow.
I didn’t need overwhelming powers that only apostles could receive.
Ganshu’s blessings for his apostles were more suited for side stories, not combat, so they weren’t ideal for me.
What I sought was something more supplementary.
I wrote down what I wanted on the paper and handed it to Ganshu. He furrowed his brows.
“You, not only do you talk like this, but you also write in this manner? Is it really so satisfying to do this?”
Hearing his complaint, I simply smiled.
If you don’t like it, complain to the one above you. Even though some degree of freedom had been granted, they still adhered strictly to the rules when it came to communication.
“Hmm. [Additional Advice][Clarification][Wisdom of History] Are these the blessings you seek?”
“I was worried about your vision, but it seems fine.”
The three blessings I requested were:
[Additional Advice] was a skill that essentially offers guidance.
Once a day, whenever I’m in a situation where I’m unsure of what choice to make, using this skill would give me the best answer.
In games, this skill is useful in conversations with NPCs or solving puzzles, but in real life, it would be far more practical.
[Wisdom of History] is a skill that helps make wiser decisions.
Simply put, it boosts intelligence. This is the skill I need the most with my intelligence of 58.
Finally, [History Check] is a skill that allows me to view records created by Ganshu and his apostles.
This was the main reason I chose to receive blessings from Ganshu.
The ability to check the records of everything in the world, stored by him, is extremely valuable in real life, unlike in a game.
From reviewing historical records I want to explore, to finding people’s weaknesses, it’s bound to be incredibly useful.
Hehe. I can already imagine how others will struggle with this.
Maybe I’m really becoming a Mesugaki after all.
“Well, [Additional Advice] is easy enough to grant. I can give that to you.”
I knew it. That’s why I added it in first.
“And next, about [Wisdom of History]. Well, I can’t give you that.”
“Why? Is it too precious to give to me? You’re really stingy for a god.”
“It’s not that I’m unwilling. It’s physically impossible. You don’t deserve to receive it.”
“...Huh?”
“Simply put, you’re too stupid. That’s why you’re not capable of handling this blessing.”
...Huh?
Wait, what?
I jerked my head up, confused, as I saw Ganshu looking down at me disdainfully.
Are you seriously telling me my intelligence is 58, so I can’t receive that blessing!?
Was that skill limited by requirements?!
“Grrr.”
Excuse me! Grandpa!
Could you please stop laughing next to me!?
I’m seriously upset here?!
“And...”
As I glared at the laughing grandfather beside me, Ganshu continued speaking nonchalantly.
“[History Check] is a blessing granted only to those who are worthy. I cannot give it to you right now.”
I knew this answer was coming. I also knew how to respond.
“I thought your eyes were fine, but maybe they’re not?”
“What?”
“Wanna test it? If you’re so confident.”
[History Check] is a skill given when you become an apostle of Ganshu.
To be precise, it’s the other way around.
According to Ganshu himself, he chose me as an apostle because I had earned the right to verify history.
So, as long as I have the qualification to check history, I can acquire the skill even without being an apostle.
“My trials are not to be taken lightly.”
“Well then. You, gloomy, nerdy god, you said you wanted to write my hero’s story, but don’t you know too little about me?”
Yes, my intelligence might be low.
But intelligence and knowledge as a product of rot are two different things.
All the dungeons and trials within Soul Academy are powerless before me.
“Instead of whining, try testing it. Or are you scared? Is your little trial going to be shattered by me? Well, I understand. You little nerdy god probably has little courage.”
“Fine. I’ll do as you wish.”
As Ganshu’s voice reverberated with intense heat, a white scroll appeared before me. And the moment I realized what it was, my body was sucked into it...
“Finally, some peace.”
Ganshu, spitting out his words like chewing on them, looked at the place where Lucy had been and sighed deeply.
“Luel, how is it that you’re enduring beside that little brat? If it were me, I’d probably have lost my temper and died by now.”
“Well, she might look like that on the outside, but she’s actually a kind child on the inside.”
“Of course. She was chosen by the Great God. But even if she’s mentally sound, that doesn’t mean her arrogant behavior is going to disappear.”
Luel awkwardly smiled at Ganshu’s irritation.
It was true that the way Lucy had acted earlier was almost overly bold, to the point it could be seen as disrespectful.
Had she not been the apostle of the Great God, it wouldn’t have been surprising for her to face divine punishment.
Yet, Luel couldn’t bring himself to say anything to her.
He understood now why Lucy had suddenly reacted like that, even though she had shown restraint when first meeting Ganshu.
Lucy was incredibly sensitive when it came to anyone messing with her surroundings.
She could snap over even the smallest things.
While Luel was glad she had accepted him close, he also realized he needed to have a talk with her about it.
If this continues, it could cause trouble later on.
“Luel.”
“Yes, Ganshu.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re worried about the girl you care about, aren’t you? She’s now undergoing her trial.”
“Ah, you mean that.”
Luel chuckled lightly, and Ganshu tilted his head slightly, clearly puzzled by the meaning of Luel’s laugh.
“I know Lucy Arlen well. No matter what trials or hardships she faces, she won’t break. Especially when she’s this confident.”
Having spent a long time with Lucy, Luel knew there was no falsehood in the confidence she had shown.
“She will definitely overcome this trial as well.”
So, Luel wasn’t worried. When Lucy showed that kind of confidence, she always made even the most difficult trials look like a joke.
“...Really?”
Ganshu frowned at that answer, but didn’t refute it.
Since even Luel, the once-petty knight, was now smiling so loosely, what would be the point of causing trouble?
“Well, fine. It’ll be revealed in time.”
Ganshu pulled out a scroll from his robes and unfurled it. On the scroll was the image of Lucy Arlen undergoing her trial.
“...Huh?”
Before long, as the picture on the scroll was completed, Ganshu blinked in surprise.
Something that should never have happened was unfolding within it.