Entering the Residence, I note all the changes now visible. As I'd seen happen during the reboot, it's now a perfect square 12x12 meters squared. The original 2 rows of 3 columns of inner rooms, which were 4 meters wide by 3 meters long, are now twice as long, 6 meters. This seems an oddity; I should make a square grid arrangement, right? But ... how many?
Making it 3x3 or 4x4 has its pros and cons. The former will allow inner rooms to be 4x4 meters squared, while the latter will allow them to be 3x3 meters squared. My more detail based mind does not like infinite thirds in dividing lengths; so I'd prefer the latter columnar layout. This also lets me have 16 inner rooms, the largest I can have. As I expand the Residence footprint, each room tract also gets larger. Already having each of them 9 m² is well enough.
But I'll rearrange the inner rooms, later. First, seeing to Ku's needs is ... first priority.
She watches all, she's impressed I could do so much, even more than she or any other deity might imagine. As I explained the details of the 'what' and 'how' of this, her mood has improved immensely. Ku has once again the soft shy smile of when she first ... um, second time ... appeared here ― after the invasion she was part of, and returned to explain her part. She's also shifted her attire back to the 'wedding dress' I had in mind; yet it's maybe because I said something as we were entering from the Approach. I don't yet sense she can read me so it must be a timed thing ... meaning her 'emotional' state happens so recently as my catching sight of her crying. It's not an immediate on/off switch, is it.
Yet for now, both she and I are emotionally calmed. We both take a sip of our respective drinks, stalling for time in what I believe will-
"So. The essence orbs, David. Tell me whose they are?"
It takes less than half a minute of reading off my Inventory display screen, each of the names on the orbs. But as I do, she's recording in her own system a note of these names.
"... and in short, Ku ... I'm wondering if I should return these forms of essence back to their source. It seems Carine doesn't care to take them if they would get returned to others being charged or incarcerated; but to me, it's a matter of practicality. So ... what's the guideline, here-"
Ku stays peculiarly quiet, even seconds longer. Something she cannot say, yet, to this?
"Ku Dara, if you know-"
"David Percival Schmidt, please-"
She cut across my attempt to chide her for her obtaining the names but not answering the question, inferring maybe something more is still going on.
"I get it, operational secrecy or something-"
"No it's not that, it's ... well I didn't know Gabianna had contact with those. And now it seems Mother wanted to leave this detail for me to stumble over it. Well ... she could have taken them and dealt with them too but for the most part, it's a moot issue. From what I explained earlier, you should know now what mana and deific essence is. Indeed the rest of the cosmos is just that too ― generic essence of gods and other beings, all amassed together but not dispersed. It cannot dissipate; it's the raw state of the cosmos ― otherwise ... all life would disappear. We don't know why, or how, and we're not likely to tinker with this delicate balance; only fools would try to do something cheap and endanger the cosmology. Letting the orbs go back to such a state is allowed, or they can be 'consumed'; but should you do it? You decide."
"So then. I do what I want with them. Got it. How long before they dissipate, if kept in my inventory?"
"Days, maybe. Or a week, not much longer. It depends upon the purity of the essence. Like that one of Kina, with the pollution, will dissipate within half a day if not utilized. With Kuba's essence ― one orb the size of your fist, the other the size of a cannonball ― the larger dissolves in a day but the smaller lasts almost a week. The smaller one has the higher purity rating and takes longer to vanish; but in the same manner the majority from Kuba is more or less 'junk essence'. Base social acts leave common or mundane grades of lower worth essence; while more exact ventures ― depending on how Gabi dealt with Kuba ― could end in higher class essence. And depending on how this interaction took place-"
Ku held off from saying anything to accuse of how Gabianna would interact with Kuba; but I do have a hunch she might be resolving a subtle insult to Gabi. I should probably not let her go so far-
"Anyway. I get how Gabi probably invited a lot of her fellow gods and goddesses, just to find some 'fix' for the negative DP income. It's alright in my mind, she had to try something, even if it did not work."
"... so ... what now, David."
"I've let the recorded message loop in the world long enough; I've got to do something to let the mortals know what worked. Which means, another message to them. I have this thought of impressing upon everyone a whole larger text of ... well don't laugh ... some divine scripture. But I don't know how much to tell or not tell-"
Ku laughed. "Listen to you! Just out of rebooting the realm and already on the way to senior deity status!"
"Ku Dara, if you mean to tease-"
"It's Ku, I told you. Hey I don't go around always calling you DPS or David Percival Schmidt all the time, do I? If you are David then I am Ku. Besides this, it can be considered rude if not extremely out of context to refer to a close friend in such informal means. And unless you are going to abandon me and my offer of-"
"... eh ... well I need something to say and your full name seems to be easily pronounceable!"
"Aha, yeah I get it, it's this thought I read from you earlier, my name being a similarity to kuudere, from your world. A 'cool' dere-type. Yes we know of the trope and I even tried playing this; I've peered in on Earth, in a past century, but not recently. I probably came off too coy and alluring at start; but at the end of the day, I'm ... this." She motioned up and down her seated body with one hand, then spoke again. "I did say too, a brainy gal like me just wants that habit of love and acceptance, and someone who won't say no, no matter the consequence. For me, you're it. Even if your state when we first 'met' was ... much less than it is now. But to be 'cool' ... I do that for an undercover work ... and here it's just ... excessively tedious to keep doing so for no context. So please forgive me if I just be myself when with you, okay?"
Carine did already infer some of this, and Ku just confirmed it again. Ku needed a vacation, from herself ― if not from her work.
"Okay, fine with me. As long as what's between us, stays between us-"
"-about this. I may ... need to discuss you, with my superior. Just to be fair and open about it."
She leaves unexplained as to how it matters; in this second I'm also perplexed as to why, if any reason, she should. But her saying this point is as much to say she has to tell me as fair reason. So I could infer an 'emotional' state earlier ... meant she too is under close attention, for the near term. I have no right to refuse or interrupt-
-or do I?
Um.
But I-
-I do want her to ... well ... finish whatever is going on in her head or heart, and get back to the good status. Which means ... I'll have to be 'fine' with her telling about me, then.
"... just, keep it to those who are as trustworthy as possible, please. I have this feeling someone out there would get the wrong idea of me, if you speak too easily of me to someone who has no right to know."
"Granted. I would not betray you for any reason, as I hope you would not betray me in my works. If we are a couple, we are one."
"Good to know, Ku. Say, what about the girl ... Bo ... if I remember right from the intrusion-"
"She's being dealt with firm judicial means. A formal censure in a deific court of law, at the very least."
"Yeah well, I do kinda feel sad for-"
"-huh? David, what, she was part of something illicit. More criminal than even the siege on your realm, which she fully confessed to being part of occurring. Why feel anything for her?"
"Well just that I'd heard she said she has 'kids' ... plural. To say nothing of a mate, a father of those same children. I myself remember a family situation where a mother got left with all of eight kids, after the father of those children ... ended himself. That alone ... bothered me."
"Those 'kids' are not what you think they are."
"... even so, can't I still have feeling for others?"
Ku stared, a whole half minute of a harsh look. Then, at last, she eased off.
"David, you can't let every hard luck case affect you so-"
"You ... feel nothing?"
While she hesitates to respond, I think silently. No; this side of her is nowhere near the kind and calm Ku Dara who I originally thought she was. Am I seeing the real her, now?
... well in essence ... she'd be similar to a stealthy superspy, back on Earth ... and I'd agreed to take her in, without understanding the bitter nuances-
"It's my career and background, though. I have to take care of the perceived values of things, and people. Even in the deific realms. David, you'll see. It's not so easy to deal with others, even you have your problems-"
"-that is that, this is this."
"Maybe, maybe not."
"... eh, let's have a new topic, then-"
She looked away.
"-you can be such a jerk, sometimes-"
Hey what ― when was I a jerk to her, ever?
I think she finds it too easy to dismiss others, though. After drinking her tea, she dismisses herself and vanishes ― off to make some report to her boss?
I ... confused?
Now. Samiel is the worst off, of the ones closest to me ― I have to properly return there, and see what can be done. And with my new self, I can go from here to there, without bothering to ask Luria ... because I've been there once already-
"Sami-"
I cry out in surprise even in knowing she would be so bad off. She's within four meters of me but beyond burning up; I have not touched her, yet I can sense the depth of the disease in her. Oh ... did I do this to her, or was it from Gabi?
... either way, she's ... dying. Yeah from the severity, I'd say it's all due to Gabi being with her. Well my also being intimate with the lamia probably did not help it, and in fact probably did more harm than anything.
At the side of the room, a small being stirred. A small feminine humanoid pixie form, the size of a finger length, sat up from her repose. I can see she did not look well, probably did not feel well-
"... you must be her 'David'. The new God David."
"Yes. Well I do not know if I am hers, but yes, I am David."
"I am Indra, her dungeon servant. Can you do something, to heal her?"
I stride to the side of the lengthy lamia. She's not moving, not even squirming. And even being this close, I can sense she's the worst one here, within a radius of many kilometers. Well of course she is, above here is the forest cliffs within walking range of Kika's old tribe. And also in the distance I sense too Kika, herself ― plus others ― on a loose course toward this direction now. So if she and her ... that's odd, about twenty goblins ... if they all arrive here, as what ― friend or foe?
But in Samiel, the need for me to focus is prominent. She's hanging onto life, the last thread of it, more or less. Honestly I don't know if I can do anything, but the tutorial itself has given me the thing Carine would be telling me I lacked before. And this does feel good, better than before; I can do something.
This feeling within causes me to reach out, touch the hard but smooth skin of the lamia, and feel the awesome in a terrible way 'heat' of the body. My touch alone does nothing; but to extend my own scan to within the body, I can now 'see' what I did not before: masses of disease within the bodies.
... it's like when I first arrived in the realm, started to clean; I could clean small spots at first; but soon after could clean larger areas if Luria had not. Now, I maybe can 'clean' the disease ... in such small parts ... at one time.
It won't heal her, but maybe it can alleviate the worst parts of this disease, until help comes along.
"Let me see what I can do-"
My gaze turns soft, to take in the ... whole body and form, of Samiel. The default view kicks in compulsively, with ... a new overlay of data.
I'm not without a few new thoughts here; I'm not without what I've learned in the tutorials. To wit, at least three things Gabi gave to me I am now possessing the 'true' version of them, not the faked copy she'd bought from somewhere at some time. And what I see is ... a conundrum.
If I go by this temperature scale, I can sense a duality. Temp extremes ― cold so cold, it's burning a heat starved lamia body; heat so hot it caused the cold parts to feel freezing. All this, from her sad state of a past love life.
I both do understand the symptoms, and do not understand the problem. This detail is likely what makes me different from Carine. She'd said I should be the one to fix my mortal world; but then again she would not turn away someone in a state of need, such as I was.
The 'cold', from my best guess, came from tissues and organs shutting down ― stopping their life. Living cells are active cells; they function and consume food and release waste product. They give off heat, by their nature. On the other hand large swaths of her body ― muscles along the whole tail, but even through the more human like waist, chest, shoulders, and head ― grown colder than desired.
The 'hot', also at a good guess, is how the organs and tissues still functioning, are carrying the load of all the rest which is ... giving up. Super active cells, each one trying to do the works of the thousands around them who are right now going cold. This cannot keep going on, either. At some point, it's gotta give.
But then now too, I do sense how below the waist ― the widened 'hips' and 'groin' of Samiel ― the reproductive organs within her are the hottest. It's probably bothersome, and probably one reason beings in this state will be driven to mate, mate, mate. Something, anything, just to ... and I have to laugh at the irony of it ... 'blow off some steam'.
Could it work to disperse some of the heat of the disease by mating and sexual proclivity? Hmm ... maybe ... but it also in turn is the way this 'disease' will be spread. What I've said in the message still running in the world is true. I did and do want for them to take on a new state of cleanliness in this world, a state they have not before this seen in their whole existence. For the people to continue without direction, is what will lead them all to be dead before long.
So. The solution? Hmm. I'm sure if Carine were here, she'd probably say something poignant again, about how I should see what to do, and how to do it. Or, maybe she would just grunt and fix it by her own skill. Is she also right and I have the necessary capacity to ... to heal?
Again I realize the tutorial did install some things in me, things which Gabianna Rainforest did not get. Yet I am not sure if this new stuff is enough; but even so from Earth I recall how intent is important. I have to have pure intent to see it through to its finish from the beginning, and not doubt the ending ― or else I've as good as given up. If I start with the thought of the end in mind, I can stay on course, and finish the task. But if I let my mind wander midway or start thinking how hopeless she is ... well then she will die. So ... let's continue to think we can do some good ... or ... a whole lot of good.
I won't touch her flesh directly, I don't know if it's yet allowed. Plus I don't want to get infected again, resistance or not. I hold my hand, mere inches above her flesh, and pulse what I believe is the clone of my self heal skill which may heal mortals, and keep it flowing-
One minute. Two minutes. Three-
I've moved my hand slow from tip of her tail, to the pelvis and waist, to the chest, and further up the head; I feel the changes happen so slow. Shouldn't it be a more ... direct change? No?
Something resists me from moving my hand to focus around her head. Her head is where the bulk of this sickness is current ― likely the worst headache beyond mother of headaches, but I cannot touch. If I did, I fear she would die by brain failure; all I can do now is work on the other things.
Why?
One other part of the status overlay said Samiel does not have enough water content. She is 'too dry', for her body weight; therefore the suggestion is to induce drinking of water. But like this, I cannot heal and get her to drink, and I have nobody to help-
"Indra ... she needs to drink water. Can you help-"
"... sorry, too weak. Even if I were at my best ... I would not be able to hold more than a few drops of water, and we both know it would tire me too soon."
"Then, any other-"
"Sorry. The other minions are all the same, all sick with this disease."
I sigh; it's not a winnable- Aah I dare not start to think like this!
It's a-
Shrug my shoulders; but I continue to heal small bits. I have a feeling if she's fed clean water, this could go faster, and I could do more with less mana wasted. Instead, I extend my senses ... and hear more of the world around here.
"... almost ... there ... aha."
Some small voice, like the young goblin which was Kika from before, yet different-
"Oh, hey this must be the place-"
I turn my head barely. A young goblin girl smiled, and stepped forward from the dungeon door-
Some resemblance to Kika, but not. About the same appearance as was Kika at the first time I met her, but also ... unique. Individual.
"Kika's sister?" my query slips out.
"Right! I'm Kari, Kika's sister!" she beams ... and poses, one hand to her hip and another on her hair. "You recognize me for my cuteness, right?"
"... I guess so." I need to focus so I turn back to view my subject.
"Oh then you are the new God David? I saw you saying all those things, and ... then ... Kika queen told me come here, I would meet you and maybe be of help to you. So ... whatcha doing and how soon can I ev- eva- evauva- Um get bigger?"
While I'm cross legged on the ground here and facing Samiel, Kari drapes herself across my back to watch firsthand what I am doing. Her cut and ripped fragments of furs and fabrics do nothing to hide the small contours of her girlish body; but I'm not minding. What I'm trying to do is heal, yet she is ignoring the briefing I gave in the video message to maintain a safe distance-
"Kika ... this lamia friend needs water but she is not able to drink. I cannot give her water and try to heal at the same time. If you want to help, find some way to get her to start sipping and drinking water."
"Okay!"
She hopped off from my back, and went around the room humming and grinning. Infectious fun nature, isn't it. Just ... infectious. I feel a wetness on my back where she ... pressed herself against me. She's feeling a high body heat too, I will guess-
"... and while you're at it, Kari, you need to keep drinking water; you too, Indra; in fact all living beings should be drinking water now-"
Twin replies to the positive; Indra uses her oversight to add a fountain in one corner, then vanishes to other points in the dungeon.
PoV: Regent Baccen.
"... cut him, Mirika ― cut him again!"
I've had this caught monster, once goblin king, on the table for a half hour ― after six hours of gloating ― but he does not go down and die, so easy. In some sense, I have to respect the nature of the beast.
Mirika, hands trembling and her whole body shaking, does as I command ― the simple knife for making an incision cuts a smooth line across the side of the rib cage. Of course, the monster bellows; it's meant to hurt ― the end of her cut went askew as she pulled her hand back in fear. But we see too how he grits his muscles, and again, the cut begins to ... heal? Something the goblin kind have, we humans do not?
On the other ... this pane showing here, it ... keeps telling us, what some damnable human being is saying!
... how can a man and his slave concentrate on monster dissection, when the man is saying so many things! So many repulsive things! And why has this goblin spoke to me with the same words of this man!
Ha. No; I see no god. The man in this moving image is not a god. He ... he cannot be. Isn't it a sacrilege to say the goddess Gabianna Rainforest was here no more? This same Gabi whom my sovereign ruler had claimed just so many times? Who will lead the annual orgy festival? But then what of all these words ― of keeping clean, and ... what, keeping distance between people? Impossible! Where this man David claims he also wants to work with people of all races too, this means the so-called god is as much a monster as this beast here.
When the moving image thing first showed up, I had been deep in a session of 'asking' the monster some basic things. Surprisingly, he has at least the same level of knowledge as does a ten year old commoner's child who has been working in the farm fields for four years. Simple math and planning, check; basic understanding of village logistics ― his tribe being the same as a small village to us. But then this man, the one called David, showed up; and then not only I and Mirika and even the goblin stopped all else, to watch it, once through. The monster had struggled and fought before; but once seeing and hearing it, he ... stopped.
I WANT A PROPER MONSTER FIGHT ― DAMMIT!
The green monster here groaned again; but as the cut closed, he chortled. He's not getting away from any of us, he's already stopped trying. Instead of fear, I see ... peace ... acceptance? How, how could he accept whatever an end I decide he will come to face?
"You ... no believe, this man words?"
His words came out simple enough, for whatever 'language' he spoke. A guttural tongue, but one which told of a language and culture these humans did not yet know existed.
-fascinating. Most illogical, this moment; but yet logical at the same time. I know how many new ideas I'll gain to question this beast; but I am sure even one tenth of them gets me some reward or title from my lord-
But still. The monster's query ... I don't need to answer but maybe my saying something might reveal ... something new too.
"It is not believable. So what, so some people are a little bit sick-"
"-is true," the goblin king mumbled, in a way seeming like he wanted to 'prove' it. "I saw. He fixed axe. I knelt to him-"
"Then you are fool."
... instead of anger, this goblin only snorted.
"... fool, knows fool-"
Bwah? Huh; in one sense, this was the most perfect slander of me. I walked into this one, as the young ones say now, and the king managed to 'one-up' me through these words. Or as they might say ... 'it takes one to know one'. So ... are we so different, if we have similar insults? Then I should be able to 'one-up' him as well. Now; what can I use here-
"Oh so you worship this man?" I blurt out in sudden impulse. "You knelt before him, in worship?"
"... once. But. He speak, true."
... hmm? I ... I thought he would have resisted, with strong words if not primal threat, at my asking ― so I think his 'kneeling' to the man was through a moment of need. Or, maybe from some mutually beneficial action ... but what would a goblin king and a pretend god see as a mutual benefit?
"Oh really ... you do not want to resist ... this David?"
"... not matter. Not make good idea. I ... done."
I'm ... I'm shocked. This tells me far more than all we have 'discussed' ... in all this time.
He ... he's ... done?
He ... can even know, he's done?
... uh ... so what do I ... do.
I had it firm in mind, at the beginning of his being brought to my attention, to torture the 'it', the 'monster', which we'd captured at the wall. Indeed a prize truly ― when he came kicking and screaming but chained with the newest steel link manacles and locks. I recall the scene, even from his final struggle, where I ordered Mirika to run in and slash it-
Mirika did not want to; but through the magic of a slavery connection, she could not refuse, only protest. I only yelled more loud so she ran, and maybe peed too. Well having a monster king break through the outer wall and invade our capital ― this in itself had many people peeing. I might have, um, had to change clothes, too-
A new shaking at the locked door said someone was coming. The door got flung open wide, and a firm hand pressed down on my shoulder-
"What are you doing, Regent! Our emperor is dead, the castle is a mess, and you're here ... playing with toys?"
"What do you mean, the emperor is ... what? Sir Belvak, where do you hear these-"
"You mean, you haven't heard?" The hard glare from the senior knight intensified. "The royal family is next to finished. By words of the emperor, his failing health caused him to hand the reign to his eldest heir Prince Bearin; but all four eldest sons revolted against each other. The second in line, Prince Prager, slew his brothers ― then went on to ... we think ... murder our emperor. His body has not been found; though scrying magic confirms our emperor's life vanished from his bed, and appeared in the wilds one thousand seven hundred kelokaams to the west. Then, abruptly, the life essence ... vanished there too."
"... impossible!"
Even the goblin grunted, then let out a laugh. Ooh I forgot; with Sir Belvak gripping me, the translation magic also worked on his words so the goblin king would hear it. Wait a second, what kind of perspective would a gob-
"Human rule, not look good, now-"
What's more, I think Sir Belvak also just heard this monster's slur!
"What the-"
"... um, calm down, Sir Belvak! I used a translation magic to talk to this beast-"
"Bad words. If I ... beast ... why you talk to me?"
Hmm, so even a goblin thinks it's a slanderous insult to be equal to some unknown beast? Interesting-
"Stop this, regent. You are needed to lead this empire. Nobody else is available now, and you seem to be the healthiest of all of us-"
"Then what the hell you touch me for you jerk?" I pushed back with my shoulder, and the man backed away with his own grunt, releasing me.
"... okay, alright, but I can't let you keep ignoring your obligation here."
The green monster here, still bound to the dissection table, could not hear a translation as the knight is no longer touching me; but he does get the intent.
"... knight not hear words of David? He not know is bad, make more disease? Is man stupid?"
I gave my own rumbling laugh, then leaned in to whisper. "Yeah, you might be right." I laughed again, at this 'shared joke' ... and paused to ponder just how much the tables have turned.
"Hey," the knight caught my attention again. "What's that, what's this about?"
One minor grin is all I'll manage; but I answer anyway before following. "Aah, never mind, you-"
"M ... master?" Mirika reminded me of the current thing.
I turned. "Aah yeah, Mirika; well let's finish this." I waved a hand once more, casting a sleeping spell over the monster. Sort of a monster, sort of not a monster ― and something else entirely. "There. He's asleep for a quarter day; call Brutuz to carry the monster again back to the cage. Leave him some food; I'm sure I'll be back before long, to finish this interrogation."
"... don't count on it," mutters the knight, waiting at the door.
PoV: David.
Kari and Indra have done well in trying to hydrate who and what they could; but I have the feeling I'll be needing so much more, and ... soon, so soon.
Only on the merits of my firm focus on Samiel, is she now out of danger. I see she's still burning up; but I believe I've eased much of the burning cold and freezing heat waves flowing through her body. The rest of it, she will have to face, for now. My job is ... done, for now.
Kari had been doing her part, quite well, above and beyond the least effort she could have given. Anything I asked along the way, she did. Find a container and get Samiel to drink, until she's full. Get a cloth damp and wipe across her body. Scrub the filth from the floor-
-she's a decent worker. Kind of like I did when first going inside the Residence, after arriving in the realm. But she kept asking me things, about ... yes, the 'evolve' thing. I keep it low key and hint for her to wait for a better time.
Indra also had things to do. If Samiel cannot make actions in the dungeon yet, at least I could relay some advice, many of the things Indra saw as wise and had in mind to do. While I did my part for Samiel, and Kari did her part at my bidding, Indra vanished for small spans of time, only to reappear for some thing and go.
But now ... I have to go. I cannot remain here, and I have to take Kari with me too. Where next?
"Kari, I am done here, I have done what I can, and I am needed elsewhere. Do you want to go with me? Or do you have somewhere else Kika asked you to go, or something to do?"
"No I'm good. I go where you go, God David." She reached out to me, and hugged me at the waist ... er, upper legs. Her nose sniffed around near my crotch-
"... well okay then. Where is Kika now?"
"Last I saw of Kika-sister, she was heading into the deepest room of goblin tribe cave, where the young are kept. I was so happy I got to kill my former king's daughter, but sad because Kika-sister told me she sensed you need help so I should come here. Gagor does not like to be tied up; and he does not like being tied up and Lummi standing watch over him. But when I left it was so funny, Idiot Lummi farted and then I heard Gagor gasp and beg to be untied and let outside-"
"-ah that's okay. If Kika is good, then I will not bother her for now; but I need to return to my realm, and-"
"-then God David will do the bath with me too?"
Her gaze is direct, so direct, to my body. Kika must have told about our bathing ... it's the only reason. I cannot allow her to lead me to skip the necessary tasks in behalf of what I see clearly on her mind.
"Not today. I have many things to do, first."
"But Kika-sister said you want to be clean, you need to have a bath-"
"-she is not wrong; but what I need to clean is not me, but the sickness from the world. I have some tasks which even I am not sure I can do, alone."
"God David, I told you, I am here to help you. I will go with you, and anything you want me to do, I will."
I have a flashback to when Kika warned me goblin lives are disposable. Not in so many words; but by what she meant ― even if I ask Kari to do something, I believe she would, for her sister if not for me directly. Goblins get no sense of doing something 'for the world' so I cannot count on her sense of nobility. Plus ... if she's placed under my command by her sister queen Kika ... she could do it even if it ended her life, because she was told to do it.
Without further conversation, I bring myself and Kari to my realm, to the Approach to the Deity. Here it's even grown more beautiful, if it can be seen to be this. The realm, now a full forty thousand square meters ― all two hundred by two hundred meters of area ― is seen covered in lush grass which tickles the feet. A scent of mint leaves means, some of the bushes and hedges around the border of this space is so piquant in scents. Some of these bushes have grown fruits already, which looks ripe.
The worship mana well, two meters by two meters at the inner brick edge, holds up to four square meters of surface area, but also descends just twenty centimeters deep. I've previously done the calculations, and yes it does hold eight billion DP-
The inside of the well I think will not ever get scummy or unclean, so long as constant worship mana is coming in. Once a thin layer of the mana came into the well and stretched across it as a whole planar surface, the mana incoming began bubbling, roiling here and there. Trying to purify itself and the worship mana ― in short, the more pious mana overpowered the lesser pious mana, to morph to the more neutral form. I'd like for this to stay active, so I now have to further the last message to the world with a new one.
The form of Luria is here, now, beaming at me with glee. She's fully let out of the cage, and can come and go among structures in this space. No more will she get locked into the dark corner ― one ancient quote of 'nobody puts baby in a corner' rings through my mind ― and she knows it.
"Master, it is good. I am back!"
"Good to see it. Are we ready for the next message to the world? And are Alita and Binah both active too? Any major issues?"
"Yes, to it all. Our minions are at work, caring for and managing the details of their structures. All of the message nodes are overfull with the excess worship mana and persist to display your last message. It is time, too, to send a new message; people are feeling drained to continue how it was left to them. A minor warning before matters grow worse ― a small number of beings are now beginning to doubt their safety in this new era of life."
Kari looks shocked at the transition from dungeon to here, and to come face to face with its glory, as well as what Luria has said ― but she acclimates fast.
"God David, what is this?"
Her gaze goes first to the worship mana well, filling already near the brim. Eh ... what the heck, I could also tell her the same intro as I did for Anyah and Erissa.
"It is my worship mana well. Think of it as the evidence of how much people of the world respect me and honor me and obey me, the same as you formerly obeyed G'gorsk, and now obey Kika. The more they do for me and the more they love me, the more liquid which looks like water will fill up the well." I see her sniff at the liquid, maybe a goblin thing to do near water they don't yet know; I add one small thought, more to reassure her of it. "You can drink it to see how it tastes; but mostly I can use it as a type of coin ... ah you might not know this, but-"
I saw Kari reach in with her hands and gulp time and time again. Damn; this must be 50 DP or more, gone already from her thirst? Well, it serves a point, I guess; I'm not going to take back from her what she took for gaining an understanding. I am curious how it tastes for her, though-
"God David. It tastes just like the stream water that runs off the cliff to the valley below. Clean, cold from the ice up high in the mountain; but good enough to support a tribe. And the tribe has some coin, obtained from the humans who hunted us who we killed. Is how we know of human things, Gagor has some of the writings and has tried reading many things-"
... it's slowly dawning on me, while her chatting continues ... having this little mortal girl and all others too call me 'God David' all the time can be tiresome. It's the same as when Ku chided me for adding her family name as I was only trying to address her in a more 'formal' manner, to make a point. What Kari did is different, but yet the same, as what I did to Ku-
Oh but to her, it rolls off the tongue, so maybe the mortals like her do not have the perspective yet of just ... calling a god by his name alone. A mortal feels the need to 'qualify' their David as their God, now. In some parts of it, I'm thankful of their acceptance. I don't want to push them away from a title of respect; only, if I could influence and modify their address of me?
The 'God' part is the title; I am a God to them like Gabianna was a 'Goddess'. Or so I think. At the least it's a term of respect, but Kari says it with such a playful note it leaves some doubt. Maybe for throwaway races like her race, it's more a way to say 'Mister David sir'.
So ... which is it ... a title, or a term of respect? Or both? Or, should I even bother to make a correction?
"Anyway ... let's go inside here. Into my home, my Residence."
"... this isn't it? Oh wait yeah you have a bathroom with a tub, and a kitchen, and a bed, so no this isn't it right?"
Kika has been describing what she remembers of my realm, I guess-
"Right. We go through this door, over here."
I give the most brief of highlights about the rooms but otherwise let Kari explore without following. Instead, I turn to Luria ― who appears at my side once I came through, a curious way of just 'being here' where I'll need her to be.
"Luria. As I believe it, I may have to record in short time, a series of three separate messages-"
"Master. Why so many?"
"-I am getting to this. I would consider a minimum of two; but in reality the first one is to indicate the realm reboot was a success, plus a couple other reasons. I'll skip the middle one first, but the third one shall be my main broadcast at this time." I pause, to let this sink in ― unnecessary to Luria, but I'm still thinking she's got mortal intellect ― then finish the thought. "The final one will be to spread a special message, of unity ― I want many of the resident populace to join me here, to record that final message. Which means, the middle message will be to inform all of the people on the how and why of allowing mortals here into my realm. Backtrack to the first message, and ... it's to tell all also of this news, of my opening up this realm to be approachable by select mortals, and the selection process."
"I see." Luria lets her face slide into a genuine grin, and it's catchy. "Master. I always did come to dislike how Gabi before this could bring mortals here; but it's been because she misused this connection for illicit means. Here in this time, I believe you have a good start and won't do the same as she did."
"... true. Taking things in their logical place ― to tell them what happened, what is happening, then what will happen. The first message is to indicate the success of this realm reboot, and to tell all I am eager and hopeful to select a scant few to come here. Why do they get such a chance to come here? For one, it's to be generous to the now 'my mortal world inhabitants', as well as to utilize them in what Carine described. I am to select mortals from all over the world, to build a cadre of workers to assist me."
