~Chapter 106~
“I know. It’s only natural to thank them. I’m just upset because it means I get less time with you. And lately… you’ve had a lot of other things to do too.”
“Just wait a little. Once we’re married, we’ll be together every day.”
Calix’s face flushed red. To hide his burning cheeks, he dimmed the glowing orbs floating around us.
Watching him, I suddenly felt something strange.
Why was Calix using magic…?
No—of course he should. Calix was human, so it was only natural he used magic.
‘But…’
‘I can’t sense magic.’
…Who had told me that before?
When our eyes met, Calix smiled. Reflexively, I smiled back.
“Let’s go. Everyone must’ve passed out by now.”
“Mm.”
I took his hand, and we stood together. The thoughts from moments ago faded away.
Early morning, I left the house.
“■■■■■.”
As soon as we learn to speak as children, the first thing we’re taught is about ■■■■■.
■■■■■ is the god who descended to this land and promised eternity to humans.
That being always appeared as a radiant light. I had never seen their true form. No one else had either.
Humans, as lower beings, could not look upon such a higher existence. It was said it was better that way.
So whenever people returned from meeting ■■■■■, their descriptions varied: sometimes a great shining circle, sometimes mountain mist, a childhood dog, or even a long-lost mother.
[My most beloved human has come.]
When they spoke, the voice wasn’t heard in the ears but inside the mind. Some said they felt the voice rising from the ground instead.
I bowed my head with a trace of guilt.
“■■■■■, forgive me. I haven’t come as often as I should.”
[Time flows differently for humans than it does for me. You need not worry, child.]
Though only light, it felt like they were smiling.
We never knew their true name. Even if we did, no one would dare speak it aloud. Just as we could not see their real form, their name was forbidden.
So, for our sake, we simply called them ■■■■■ in our own tongue.
[While I was away, many things must have happened. Tell me—what story have you brought me today?]
Their gentle voice made me smile.
The scene shifted.
“He must be the god who created this world. Without a doubt.”
I nodded quietly at my friend’s words.
“He blessed us. Thanks to him, we can even borrow a little of his power. If that isn’t god, then what is?”
Another friend, carving floating wood with only his thoughts, replied:
“They say gods in the heavens live forever and never leave their realm. Why does ■■■■■ stay here with us humans, giving us such blessings?”
“Because he loves humans.”
The words left my mouth.
My friends’ gazes turned to me.
“Well, you are his favorite, after all.”
“Exactly.”
I didn’t answer. Everyone already knew how fond ■■■■■ was of me.
“But… we shouldn’t gossip about him like this. If he knew we were talking carelessly, I don’t think he’d be pleased.”
Though some frowned, eventually they all nodded.
From a distance, I saw Calix approaching. I quickly stood.
“Married life looks sweet, huh?” someone teased.
I answered by pouring water over their head.
Time flew quickly.
With ■■■■■’s blessing, humans lived almost eternal lives—long lifespans, the ability to freely command the world’s magic.
At first, it was peace. But eventually, people changed.
Some began to whisper: “Humans are no different from ■■■■■.”
They no longer respected, nor feared him. Fewer and fewer people visited.
Only I continued to see him faithfully.
[Humans are such adorable beings.]
“■■■■■, you’re too soft.”
Even as I said that, guilt pierced me. After all, I too was human.
[In eternity, humans’ mischief is nothing more than a moment’s play. There is no need to worry.]
“…If you say so, then that’s a relief.”
Just then, a strange voice cut through my mind.
[Sinner.]
“…What?”
I looked up, startled. The light before me was unchanged. It wasn’t ■■■■■ who spoke.
“Did… did you say something just now?”
[You’re speaking nonsense, child.]
Something was wrong.
I stared at my hands. They looked the same as always, yet somehow unfamiliar.
‘Were my hands… always like this?’
Shaking my head, I blinked—but the strange feeling remained.
Again, unease wrapped around my whole body.
The glowing light blurred, then shifted—forming a shape.
“…Ah.”
A form I had never seen before: a massive beast with strange wings.
My heart pounded.
Even ■■■■■, who had lived countless ages, overlooked one truth: human greed.
Humans never stopped wanting more.
They began to believe themselves gods. They wanted not just borrowed power, but ■■■■■’s power itself.
One day, a crack appeared in the world. From it came a wicked serpent, who whispered to humans:
‘Call his true name, and you can bind even a god.’
A true name is power itself. To speak the true name of such a high being could drag them down, binding them to the human world.
‘Why do you think he never told you his real name? Because he doesn’t trust you. He fears you would covet his strength.’
But the serpent left out one truth: those who spoke a god’s true name would not remain unharmed themselves.
And so—
“…Ah…”
“Rena!!! Open your eyes, Rena!!”
I remembered.
The body lying before me—it was mine. My past self. And beside it knelt the past Calix, crying desperately.
My soul floated above them, as if outside my body.
I watched it all like a play: the dead me, the grieving Calix… and then—
Something else was there.
It stepped past our corpses and came closer.
A dragon.
A beast like none I’d ever seen before—vast wings, radiant yet lifeless, devouring all the world’s magic and also its very source.
This was the god, stripped of its freedom—its true name stolen, bound forever to the human world.
The dragon was a god, betrayed by humans’ greed.
