<Chapter 3>
[Are you really, really not going to torment me?]
[Of course not! Everyone’s been wanting to meet you!]
[Everyone…? There’s more than one god?]
[Yes. We are the eight guardian deities of the Empire.]
Information from the novel, which I had forgotten in the chaos, came back to me.
Only Agatha was prominently named, but it was mentioned that there were other gods.
Which meant that the other gods, besides Agatha, could be morally bankrupt, right?
No matter how kind this lady seemed, I shouldn’t let my guard down against a god. She could be the only exception. My distrust ran deep, thanks to my past experiences.
What if I do something to offend them and they curse me?
Overwhelmed with fear, I bombarded her with questions.
[God. What extent of influence do you have over me? Like, can you possess my body?]
[It’s not impossible, but there’s no need. It would be difficult for both us and you, wouldn’t it?]
[Then, can you make me trip? Injure me? Completely block my path… is that possible?]
[I don’t know about other people, but it seems possible with you, Dorothy… you’re asking strange questions. Do you like getting hurt?]
Damn it.
Agatha’s words made me even more anxious. I regretted talking to Agatha a few minutes ago. I should have pretended not to know.
I got too excited that a god was being nice for once.
‘It can’t be helped now that I’ve already spoken to her. I can’t ignore her now. Thinking positively, they’re eight cheat keys I can rely on in this unfamiliar world.’
[God. What do you want?]
Of course, the aversion is still there, and I dislike it. I’m also afraid of gods.
But wouldn’t it be better to take advantage of what I can and gain benefits, rather than living in fear of divine punishment for ignoring them, and possibly starving to death as a vagrant?
I had said before dying that I would quietly accept spirit possession if I were reborn, so there was nothing stopping me.
[Dorothy, you’re trying to properly communicate with us…! Sob. I’m so glad. That a being like you has appeared!]
Agatha’s voice trembled, as if she was moved.
I was finally able to go to my room and place the tray on the desk.
[Um, God. Let’s eat first and then sort things out.]
Even a scenic mountain is best appreciated after a meal.
I glanced over the tray.
Something I could offer… there was an apple.
Setting up an offering for the gods.
I learned it reluctantly, even though I hated it.
I couldn’t make it extravagant since I had no money, but according to my mother, it was good to please the gods, and the more sincerity you put in, the more grateful they would be.
There were several scenes of offering tributes in the original novel as well.
Of course, the tributes weren’t just apples, but human sacrifices, slaughtering cows, or anyway, sacrificing lives.
But since that was impossible for me, I hoped they would be satisfied with this, and I diligently polished the apple with my sleeve.
After placing the apple on one side of the desk, I placed a candle in front of it and lit it. Honestly, I didn’t even know why you light candles when worshipping gods, but I just went through the motions.
[Um, God. I’m poor right now, so I can’t offer you much.]
[…Yes?]
[Please have this apple. It looks decent quality.]
Agatha was silent.
Hungry, I took a spoonful of soup and swallowed. It was warm and delicious.
[Tha…nk you.]
Agatha’s reply came after a long while.
It took a long time to talk with Agatha.
Agatha explained this world and her circumstances in her own way, and I, in my own way, questioned, ‘Why am I here?’
[Well, all I know is that you appeared suddenly, Dorothy. Your soul has a different color than those of this world.]
[So you’re only certain that I’m not from this world?]
[Yes. I don’t know where you came from or why. But I think of you as a gift to us.]
[Why am I a gift…?]
It was a rather embarrassing title.
[Until now, the humans who communicated with us only received oracles unilaterally. But you can talk to us! Your wavelengths match. It doesn’t seem like divine power… it’s strange!]
I had a hunch.
It was a concept that didn’t exist in this world, but… a vessel, so to speak?
My body was a good vessel for ghosts to enter. They said it was because the door to my soul was wide open, or something.
Especially when I was young and my body and mind were weak, I was constantly possessed by ghosts, causing my mother daily hardship.
Ghosts and gods are just different levels of spirits, so how easy would it be for them to enter and leave my body?
This cursed constitution. Really…
Okay, it’s fine. I haven’t seen any ghosts in this world yet. It’s a relief that at least that’s different-
“Wait…”
I rubbed my eyes.
Outside the window, I saw the back of a woman walking leisurely.
The problem was that my room was on the second floor.
My mind went blank, and goosebumps rose on my skin.
[Is… is that a ghost?]
[What? A ghost?]
What do they call ghosts in the West?
[A ghost. You know, um. Ah. A specter. Is that woman a specter?]
I laughed at myself for using honorifics with a ghost.
[Ah. You can see her too, Dorothy? I thought you couldn’t see her since you didn’t react. Even those who receive oracles can’t see specters well, so that’s amazing! You really are special-]
Agatha’s excited voice faded.
I pitied myself from just moments ago, when I thought it was fortunate that I wouldn’t see ghosts in this world.
Dorothy. You have the perfect shaman constitution in this world too.
[Sigh… Anyway, you’re saying you don’t know why I suddenly came here, Agatha?]
After a brief moment of despair, I returned to our original conversation.
[Yes.]
Even a god who can read people’s minds doesn’t know. Agatha’s “I don’t know” meant that the cause and solution to my possession couldn’t be found in this world.
‘Then let’s give up quickly.’
I stopped digging into the possession and continued listening to Agatha’s story.
Her explanation was similar to the original novel, except for the added details about the gods’ circumstances.
‘The temples are still rotten.’
Accepting bribes and manipulating oracles, requiring connections to enter the temple in the capital, and so on – the corruption of the temples was long-standing.
Because of this, people’s faith and sincerity couldn’t reach the heavens.
As a result, the power of the gods, who were supposed to fill the world with abundance and peace, was weakening.
On top of that, the Emperor hated the gods.
‘There was even a scene where he destroyed all the temples.’
But honestly, the Emperor had good reason.
When he was young, the Emperor had a younger brother whom he cherished, but one day, his brother contracted an epidemic.
While renowned doctors and pharmacists from all over the empire came and went, the previous Emperor and Empress only prayed frantically at the temple.
They didn’t stay by their son’s side, even as he was dying.
‘It was all because of the oracle.’
『Divine punishment shall befall the land that defies the will of God.』
Due to the oracle delivered just before the epidemic arrived, most people believed the plague was a divine punishment from God.
The citizens of the empire prayed earnestly.
But the epidemic continued to spread, and the Grand Temple, which had remained silent for a long time, finally offered a solution.
‘God desires to see the sincerity of those who repent. Offer tributes.’
Following the temple’s announcement, there was a father who offered his own life as a tribute to save his daughter, and a young son who offered his life to save his mother.
And how much gold and silver poured into the temple?
The previous Emperor and Empress did the same.
For the empire, for their son, they prayed for forgiveness until they were skin and bones.
It was truly ridiculous.
Sometime later, the epidemic of unknown origin disappeared for an unknown reason, just as it had appeared.
However, the Emperor’s younger brother eventually died.
That’s why the Emperor distrusted the temples and despised the gods. I don’t know how much was the gods’ oracle and how much was the temple’s manipulation.
But even the temples couldn’t fabricate a non-existent oracle.
The moment an oracle was delivered, the color of the candle flame at the top of the altar in every temple across the empire would turn and burn blue.
So, it was clear that an oracle had been delivered.
‘Of all times…’
If only God hadn’t delivered such an oracle at that time, the previous Emperor would have investigated the cause of the epidemic and devised countermeasures. And he would have held his dying young son’s hand one more time.
[Um, Agatha. About the oracle… the temple manipulated it, right?]
I cautiously interjected while Agatha continued her explanation.
It wasn’t explicitly revealed in the novel either. It just led readers to speculate.
Agatha could answer this question.
[How did you know?]
Agatha asked back in a surprised voice.