God of What? 3 (Patreon)

God of What?

Chapter 3

-VB-

With the valis I got from winning bets I could not lose without prior brain damage, I went and got myself a room at an inn away from the center of the city but nowhere near the Entertainment District ruled by Ishtar Familia. What I learned today while listening to drunk Hestia was the following:

One, Hestia herself had descended not too long ago and was in Hephaestus’ care.

Two, Hestia was very close to getting kicked out for her lack of contribution and inability to start a familia.

Three, it was normal for gods and goddesses to not be able to find their first familia member in Orario itself in this day and age because of competition.

Now, what did those three mean?

Individually, they meant nothing on their own. The first tidbit told me the current point in the timeline, the second showed me that Hestia did indeed act like herself from the anime, and the last proved that no matter where people went, they competed and pushed out their competitors.

This also meant that I, whose name was completely unknown because I was not a god in truth, would have an even harder time than Hestia, whose name was linked to the likes of Zeus and Hera on the assumption that cultural mythologies that I knew was same or similar as those of this world.

What was this world’s name anyway?

… A question to ask someone later.

Right now, my focus was on Hestia. Though it was almost mid-morning, she still slept like a rock. I could see why Hephaestus kicked her out.

What was I going to do with her?

I did have the thought of working my way with her starting today. A goddess she may be, but she wasn’t immune to seduction.

And the first way to seduce someone?

(Aside from looking good?)

Make a common ground.

-VB-

“Ehh? You want to team up with me?” Hestia asked him.

He nodded.

The two of them sat in the corner of the first floor of the inn they stayed the night at.

He shrugged. “I learned that it’s very hard for small Familias to survive on their own, which is why they have alliances and friends. I’m just asking to see if you were … amenable to a team-up. It might be easier for people to decide to join us when they clearly see two deities working together, which means that if something were to happen to them, then they could rely on two deities.”

Hestia could see what he was talking about.

Inwardly, the idea that she would have someone to depend on also relieved her. Sure, she knew that Hephaestus would help her if she desperately needed it, but also felt bad about relying on her constantly.

Wasn’t this like a golden opportunity for her? Get a friend and an ally, have people that her future children can depend on, and get depended on in return?

This … sounded too good.

She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. “What do you get out of it? If you’re so smart, couldn’t you do it by yourself?”

“Well, I already got a child while you were knocked out and sleeping.”

And just like that, her heart sank and she watched as a man stood up and walked over to their table. He wore a standard low level

“Good afternoon, Your Divinity,” the mature man with scruff for a beard and hair said. “I am Yor. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And as a sign that I do wish to cooperate with you and not just use you,” Marris said as he pulled out a sheet of paper and slid it over.

Just looking at it, Hestia could guess what it was.

A child’s stat page.

Gulping, she took it and opened it so that only she could see.

[Yor

LvL 1

STR: I 0

DEF: I 0

DEX: I 0

AGI: I 0

MAG: I 0

Skills:

Vampirism: Drain essence from each blood drawing attack to heal]

“He already has a skill?” she asked hoarsely. The kind of luck Marris must have to grab a skill-possessing newbie as his first child was intense. Just out of this world!

… Wait, couldn’t she get some of his luck if she stayed by him?

Wait, wasn’t that her just using someone else for her gains?

… But then again, her little brother and sister did apparently have a better time operating while working together, if dysfunctionally. Besides he was offering, wasn’t he?\

“But I don’t even have a child yet…” she weakly tried to “reason.”

He shrugged. “I’m sure. Besides, if something becomes that much of an issue, then we can sit down together like this again and discuss it.”

She looked at him before nodding resolutely.

This god had been here on Orario for less than a week (he said so yesterday), yet he was outgoing and trying his best. She should be too!

She extended a hand out.

He smiled and shook her hand.

“Now, I have to go and get my first child, too!” she waved him a goodbye and sped out.

Today was going to be different!

-VB-

I returned to my room after Hestia bolted out of the inn. Once I was in the room alone with “Yor,” I turned my attention to it.

To be very specific, Yor was indeed my child. I could even go out further and say that he was my flesh and blood.

After all, I did grow him by using self-biokinesis on myself while half-turned into a tree.

Yor stood by the door, waiting for his order.

He was … I wasn’t sure if I should call him my child, though. My mind was his mind, yet there was a distinct separation between us. I created him to serve as my first member of the familia (an act of bestowing Falna was apparently possible for me, though I couldn’t give Yor a falna… I really was a god for this setting thanks to the Chronicler).

And thanks to my abilities, it wasn’t hard to encode some exotic power like vampirism into Yor’s body. Really, “spilling blood to heal” was just Yor letting the monster bleed on him and him using that blood as biomass to repair itself.

Nasty? Yes.

Effective? Yet to be determined.

Practical? Very.

Now, I couldn’t make more Yor’s because, aside from a “hive mind” being boring, I did want an actual Familia.

And that was Yor’s purpose. He would go out there and enter the dungeon. He would return with riches and spread my name. He would be the beacon that drew the moths that were fresh adventurers. I would be here to catch them. When they came, I would always subtly improve their bodies. No Level 1 adventurer in my familia would be weak. No, they would hit like a Level 2. Their success would then bring me even more.

Once I reach a currently unknown threshold, I will be able to start messing with gods and goddesses, too.

And I think that’s what I wanted to do.

I wanted to take over Orario.

I wanted gods and goddesses working for me.

I would conquer this world not through violence but through prestige, intrigue, hedonism, and debauchery.

And, hey, if I got a harem along the way, then it would be a bonus.