Chapter 1401
Neltarid Mk II was still wet behind the ears, unlike his predecessor. His short lifespan could at least be compensated for by absorbing the memories of his predecessor. Yet, at the same time, he had a distinct and vibrant emotional range, distinguishing him from the former Neltarid.
He was more emotionally complex than any natural-born deity in history.
Both him and Willow were unique in that regard.
“These emotions could be a double-edged sword. Oh well, though. It might become a problem later, but for now the outcome remains the same.”
From Neltarid’s perspective, there was no clear-cut way to judge the situation. That was why he had tentatively agreed to Willow’s plan.
Ostensibly, it focused on refining human consciousnesses and souls, but there were clearly ulterior motives at play.
“It sure is a bizarre world.” Neltarid wore a strange expression as he watched his senior Willow resonate with a massive core in the distance.
Willow was a goddess whose emotions were even more intense than Neltarid’s own. With her youthful face and mischievous smirk, she felt less to him like a goddess and more like a high-maintenance older sister.
Suddenly, a rather interesting thought crossed his mind.
From what he remembered, Thanatos, the lost God of the Abyss, and Destruction, the other side of his predecessor, had also been incredibly emotional.
The previous Neltarid had feelings, but they were remarkably muted.
Full of doubt, Neltarid addressed Willow. “Senior?”
She turned to him and grumbled, “What do you want? I need to focus here.”
“You’ve spent a lot of time with Davey O'Rowane,” he began before trailing off.
She didn't have much patience left. “And your point is?”
“You must have seen Thanatos and my predecessor’s other half as well.”
“Of course I did. I'm the one my father used to crush both of them.”
He hesitated before asking, “Did those two gods seem emotionless to you?”
Willow stopped waving her hand. She thought for a second before answering, “It depends on how you look at it. Destruction was very faithful to their own instinct to destroy, who admittedly still slightly emotional. After all, they were only a half fragment of Neltarid, so it was only to be expected that they'd be different from a full god.”
“What about Thanatos?”
“Thanatos saved humans in the outer dimension out of pure pity, which led to their downfall. Back then, it was rare for a god to sacrifice divinity for the sake of ordinary mortals. If you look at it purely in terms of divine efficiency, it doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“So they... also had feelings?” He was surprised to hear that.
“Only they would know for sure. If those emotions only appeared after they lost their mind, their past actions are a mystery. But if they were always there...”
Essentially, that would mean Thanatos was an experiment by Goddess Freyja. Knowing the goddess as she was then, it was entirely plausible.
Willow continued, “But does it even matter? What’s important is how much things have changed. Listen. If either of us feel like we’re losing our edge, we should appoint a successor and enter eternal rest. That’s the price of having emotions.”
“I can handle myself, but I’m worried about you, Senior.”
“Are you asking for a fight?” Willow pouted visibly. “More importantly, why’d you include this kind of mature scary game? The story’s great, but was this really necessary?”
Her face flushed a deep crimson. She was a far cry from Super Ribbon, who understood the concept of romance yet didn’t truly feel it.
He remarked, “You seem quite sensitive about relationships, Senior.”
“I’m nothing like that airhead Super Ribbon. Just answer the question.”
“I... I don't really know why I added it in. I suppose I just threw it in because it was available. Like you said, it’s a masterpiece of a story. Moreover, I’ve realized that the game is indistinguishable from the vivid bubble world over there.”
“The one allegedly created by Goddess Freyja?” Willow asked for clarification.
“For the time being, yes.”
Mature content aside, the narrative was undeniably compelling.
“Ugh. You’re giving me a headache,” she grumbled. “I’m going off to rest, so make sure you manage this properly.”
“You got it, Senior.”
“See you later, nerd.”
When Willow turned to leave, Neltarid called out softly, “Wait, Senior.”
“Now what?”
“You’re the only person I can truly talk to. Please, don’t become corrupt. If you enter eternal rest, I don’t think I’ll have what it takes to keep Davey O'Rowane in check.”
“...What a weirdo.” Willow vanished, but Neltarid couldn't shake the nagging sense of incongruity he’d inherited from his predecessor’s memories.
They stemmed from the alternate timeline, in the world that had supposedly branched off entirely. The future Davey O’Rowane’s son, Abel O'Rowane, had come from that place.
Parallel worlds were Goddess Freyja’s domain. Even as a god, Neltarid only understood them as two sides of the same coin.
That parallel world existed, but time hadn’t progressed very far there.
“I really hope that’s the case, but I have a bad feeling... and there was one person Abel mentioned that I just can’t wrap my head around.”
Neltarid prayed to Goddess Freyja that his worst fears wouldn’t come true.
“Please. Let it not be Darian... the one who kills fallen Senior and stole her divinity...”
Despite their constant bickering, Willow was the one person Neltarid held dear.
He was spiraling, overwhelmed by a wave of bitterness.
Then, it happened.
- Aah. Oh, my God. My God! Your humble lamb here asks for red bean buns! Urgent request! The priests won't let me eat them, so please, send down some good good divine intervention!
“Good grief...”
‘Agatha!!!’
Agatha was Davey O’Rowane’s disciple and the Saintess of the Church of Neltarid. Hearing her ridiculous prayer, Neltarid couldn’t help but cradle his head in his hands..
* * *
The technology Willow had revitalized; Evangeline’s accidental advertising; and Super Ribbon’s immersive gaming experience combined together for a perfect storm of marketing.
The virtual reality system, having drawn the attention and expectations of so many, skyrocketed in popularity by the day.
People who had only heard about it from others, and those who couldn’t forget the vividness and freedom of the past and wanted to dive back in, all fueled its popularity, surpassing previous levels.
Some countries banned the service due to past controversies, but most had moved past those growing pains and opened their doors to the virtual reality space once again.
Inevitably, the stock prices for the Sacred Group and Al Hajat’s private holdings went through the roof.
Si-Woo, a former pro gamer, had since fully immersed himself in virtual reality, while Moderation, a streamer and artist, had started creating and playing within the virtual space itself.
A month after the official virtual reality launch...
The Gourmet Research Society, Heins Territory’s most notorious troublemakers, was busy plotting.
“The time has finally come.”
“The time for what?”
Yuria held up a sleek, compact access device. “For Lady Willow’s virtual world!”
Willow had streamlined the hardware; it wasn't available to the general public yet, but it was far superior to the previous version.
“Rinne evaluates the divinity highly.”
“And we even have guests today.”
Yuria proudly introduced three robed women as they entered. Among them was Kouna, a top-tier Awakened from Japan working for the Sacred Group, who visited them often. Alongside her was Reina, a celestial who claimed to be Davey’s loyal retainer.
Reina and Kouna scanned the room for one specific person.
“Where is he?”
“Gracious Savior isn't here,” Yuria informed them.
“Then I’m leaving.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Since Davey was their only reason for coming, they completely ignored her pitch and headed for the door.
“Are you really going to leave? You're passing up on a huge opportunity.”
“How so?”
“Well, I actually pulled some strings with Lady Willow and got a private virtual instance allocated.”
Kouna and Reina stopped in their tracks. Yuria smirked, narrowed her eyes mischievously, and leaned in to whisper something to them.
Rinne and Marky, naturally, caught every word.
“Mark my words. She’s gonna end up being handed again.”
“Rinne analyzes that Lord Davey is usually lenient, but evaluates that Yuria is asking for a serious scolding.”
“Look at her. She's being as slippery as a snake. And those two? They’re practically jumping at the bait.”
The duo, initially indifferent, suddenly looked completely hooked.
“Rinne analyzes that this is utterly futile.”
“Agreed. Pointless and dangerous.”
“However, Rinne analyzes that the futility is part of the entertainment. Emotional processors are peaking. Rinne evaluates this as fun.”
The sheer absurdity of it was the best part.
In fact, Marky was actually starting to enjoy the show. If Yuria was going to kick off the festivities, the two figured they might as well enjoy the ride.
“She’s been on her best behavior since her last lecture. She’ll probably know when to draw the line.”
Yuria, the brazen elf who had been reduced to tears by Perserque’s last scolding, had made a remarkably fast recovery. “Remember how much we struggled to find rare ingredients, and the agony of being able to make only one dish from the ingredients we got our hands on? Well, those days are over!”
As she clapped, Rinne stepped out and returned with a stack of boxes that towered over her, thumping them down on the table. These were the virtual reality access devices for everyone present to use.
The two newcomers were still stunned.
“A virtual reality setup...”
“Exactly. However, my allocated space is special. It needs to be updated with new information periodically.”
Yuria slipped the device on with practiced ease.
Kouna and Reina followed suit without hesitation.Both were well-acquainted with the tech thanks to their frequent trips to Earth.
Once inside the space, the four of them were summoned into a massive, state-of-the-art kitchen.
They turned to Yuria, who had arrived first.
“Alright. So, what's the plan?”
“Here we have an unlimited supply of the rarest ingredients. They're virtual, obviously, but the flavor profiles are exact replicas.”
The only downside was the inherent virtual feeling, which created a slight disconnect from reality.
Everyone, perhaps even Yuria, sensed what was coming next. They all knew there was no way a gourmet fanatic like her would settle with the slight disconnect.
The sense of disconnect could be minimized as much as possible, but they doubted whether something newly created could truly capture the proper taste. Could she honestly be satisfied with the flavors of hard-to-find ingredients being sub-par?
“She has an ulterior motive, doesn't she?”
“Rinne evaluates Marky’s assessment highly.”
Nevertheless, Kouna and Reina were all ears.
The bait was simple and effective. Yuria lured them by asking if they wanted to impress Davey with their cooking, and if so, whether they’d serve him with their amateur skills or learn from the territory’s top gourmet expert.
Rinne and Marky were wary, given her track record, but she insisted everything was under control.
“Hmm. The texture and aroma are a bit off, but it's not a dealbreaker. It’s actually perfect for practice,” Kouna observed and reported.
Reina twirled a kitchen knife and focused on julienning a potato with lightning speed. “Hey, Yuria. You’re sure about this?”
“Positive! In fact, Gracious Savior is the one who asked for this setup. He was pretty traumatized after eating your last, should I say, experimental meal, Kouna.”
While Reina and her obsession with him couldn’t exactly be called affection, Kouna, by contrast, simply held him in her heart with the pure emotions of a young girl. Even though she knew her destined partner was likely someone else in another timeline, she also knew nothing was set in stone.
Her way of seeking his attention often involved packing him elaborate lunch boxes. Even though she knew Davey would never return her feelings, she was determined to give it her all until she had no more left to give.
Knowing a fairy tale ending between them was impossible, it seemed only right to firmly shut down any false hope rather than give her empty encouragement.
At least, that’s what Perserque thought. Yet, Kouna never accepted it. She brazenly challenged the idea, arguing that she was just trying to repay her guardian.
Her response was absurd, so everyone decided to just let her be.
Kouna herself firmly asked to be allowed to do what she thought was right for Davey. Since he allowed it, then there wasn't a problem.
Unlike the expressionless Rinne, Marky felt a refreshing relief, as if the knot in her heart had been completely untied.
“Yuria, Rinne requests that you disclose your actual goal.”
Rinne wasn't that easy to trick.
“Hmm, check this out,” Yuria giggled, waving her hand to summon a shimmering, translucent interface window. “The goal of this study is to determine if a chef's emotions actually impact the final product.”
“What does that entail, exactly?”
“Ever wonder what a soldier's favorite meal is?”
Marky’s head tilted at what seemed like an off-topic question.
Yuria continued, “They usually say the best meal is a late-night snack after a grueling shift. In other words, taste is subjective. It changes based on setting, situation, and mood. We’ve all heard that before, right?”
The logic was sound enough.
“So, shouldn't we investigate if the cook's emotions actually transfer to the food? It’d be fascinating if we could quantify that.”
“But how do you measure... oh, you wouldn't...”
“Exactly! This is a simulation. With Lady Willow’s help, I’ve integrated a system that can track emotional influence on a taster.”
It sure wouldn’t be perfect, but it was certainly a start.
They could all hardly believe it.
“Her dedication to this is honestly terrifying...”
“Also...” Yuria threw a heavy sack from the floor.
Inside were bomb fruits.
“Wait, are those—?”
“We'd be in hot water if we used these in the real world. This is the only safe place to experiment with such volatile ingredients.”
On paper, it sounded perfectly reasonable. Harmless research, no real-world consequences, and a benefit to everyone involved. A total win-win.
It seemed too good to be true. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop, like it usually did. They were practically conditioned to expect chaos at this point.
Yuria proved why she was the territory’s head of culinary development, even while courting disaster.
Rumor had it that the new royal chef, MacGuff’s replacement, literally broke down in tears after seeing the results of her research.
She took Kouna and Reina under her wing, teaching them everything from proper seasoning to advanced techniques. Before long, their dishes were actually edible.
But Yuria, someone Rinne and Marky considered genuinely unhinged, wasn't done yet.
“So... how was it?”
Yuria elegantly dabbed her mouth with a napkin after finishing the tasting. She flashed a sweet, predatory smile. “I’ll give you both a solid five.”
“Out of ten?”
“Don't be ridiculous. Out of a hundred. And, since you failed...”
Crack!!
“Wait, what?”
Yuria stood by as the floor beneath the two women gave way, sending them screaming into an abyss.
Reina tried to fly out, but they were in a simulation with their powers sealed away.
“NOOOO!”
It took five minutes before Yuria hauled them back up to the surface. The two women came back up looking deathly pale, their bodies trembling as they stared at Yuria.
“W-what in the world...”
“Hm. What are we going to do here? Who's going to eat the leftovers? You know I hate wasting food, virtual or not.”
Yuria made a quick call, someone else arriving shortly after.
It was Myuu, the half elf from the Moon Forest, looking like she’d been waiting for her signal.
“Big Sis!”
“Welcome, Myuu! Look at all this delicious food I made just for you.”
“Whoa! I can eat all of this?!”
“Of course. There’ll be more where that came from, too.”
She grabbed her utensils and inhaled the failed dishes.
“Now, the next round is coming up, so stay ready. You wanted a buffet, right? Well, here it is.”
Myuu could hardly believe her luck. “For real?!”
“For real. Now, you two, get back to work. You’re not leaving until you hit a seventy.”
Marky and Rinne just shook their heads.
“I guess she’s crazy all the time, not just when she causes chaos.”
“Rinne evaluates grief highly.”
One hour later, Myuu was on the floor, twitching from a food coma.
Reina and Kouna were equally broken, traumatized by the very concept of cooking.
