I Became the Evil God’s Apostle 23

While Ban was pondering over yesterday’s events, Gail kindly began to explain about the Divine Amusement.

—Divine Amusement is, literally speaking, forgetting all memories as a God and being born as an ordinary human.

—So Orma-nim was originally human.

—That’s right. After meeting death, the God returns to their own place and treats the human life they lived as amusement as one dream.

Loving someone in a dream, hating someone, even if a child is born—in the end, it’s a dream. So even if Banan gives birth to a child during the amusement… that’s a human’s child, not the child of Banan the ‘God.’ He understood, but even so, he didn’t like her continually showing her face in front of Orma.

She should just live as a complete stranger. She should maintain a cold relationship, so why does she keep giving gifts saying it’s an inheritance or whatever… Why does she act friendly and say she’ll bestow a blessing even knowing I’m Orma’s Apostle?

Ban bit his lips with a sullen face. However, at Gail’s following words, he couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

—Gods having children during amusement is common if you call it common, but… Orma’s case is a bit more unique. Orma’s father was also a God during amusement.

—His father too… you say?

—That side is unique in its own way. Even after returning as a God, he was concerned about young Orma and found him a place to stay.

Ban mulled over the content Gail had conveyed.

Though the father’s side at least showed a favorable reaction to Orma, ultimately there was no particular mention in the game either, so he probably didn’t fulfill the role of a normal parent. Moreover, Divine Amusement ‘ends when you die.’ But if he said he was concerned about ‘young’ Orma… it seems the life tasted in a human body wasn’t very long.

And was it good that he showed interest in Orma even after returning as a God? Considering the characteristics of Gods, they ultimately couldn’t understand humans, so there might have been friction.

Of course, Ban was born as an orphan both in this life and in his previous life, so he didn’t know exactly what having parents was like. Since he didn’t have children either, he didn’t know what made a right parent or a good parent, but… whatever the case, the current Banan was clearly not very helpful to Orma.

Come to think of it, his father was also a God during amusement… Then which of the two was it, Serka or Muhwi? Though he couldn’t explain why, Ban felt a conviction close to certainty that one of the two might be the father, and wrote down a question in his notebook.

—Could the God who was the father be…

“What are you writing so diligently?”

Startled by Orma’s suddenly heard voice, Ban raised his head. Having just washed, Orma was looking down at him with slightly wet hair. He hurriedly closed the notebook and sprang up to approach him. Orma just chuckled at his behavior of checking whether he’d inflicted more wounds. Fortunately, the parts Ban had treated remained as they were and had almost completed recovery, and there were no additional wounded parts.

“…Are you alright?”

Not knowing what to say, he hesitated before barely managing to ask, but Orma just smiled as if something was amusing and shrugged his shoulders. Whether he’d quickly forgotten the embarrassing situation from earlier, with a nonchalant face he took Ban’s hand and led him outside.

“Where are you going?”

“We’re going to the sanctuary today.”

“That’s true, but… will you be alright going?”

“What? You’re going to leave me behind? What would you do going alone? Receive a blessing from Banan or something?”

Of course he had absolutely no such thought, so Ban shook his head vigorously. Still, Orma grumbled and took Ban to a corner spot on the inn’s first floor and sat him at an empty table.

“Bestowing blessings on someone else’s Apostle as she pleases…”

“But suddenly why here…”

“You didn’t eat yesterday either. What about breakfast?”

As soon as he returned, he’d put the rampaging Orma to sleep without eating dinner and had fallen asleep along with him. Only then did Ban realize he was hungry and ordered food with an awkward face. Until the food came, Ban cautiously observed Orma’s face. Like before coming to Siol, he seemed a bit peaceful…

“…Why are you looking at me like that? If you have something to say, say it.”

“When we go to the sanctuary today, you’ll encounter God Banan, but will you really be alright?”

“Yeah. Actually, it worked out well. I should take this opportunity to firmly warn her not to covet someone else’s Apostle.”

Orma replied playfully and pulled his hood down low without caring about his wet hair. Only Ban sitting in front of him could see Orma’s bright golden eyes. Suddenly, he recalled Orma’s appearance right before his rampage yesterday.

The divine authority flowing out like heat haze rising had been frightening for a moment… but it was also beautiful. Of course, thinking of Orma, it was something he’d never say out loud.

“When I’m with you, I keep…”

“Yes?”

“I keep thinking of the old days.”

“Old days, what kind?”

“…Just, the old days. Things that start with ‘once upon a time’ like in fairytale books…”

Speaking of fairytale books, they’re typically for children with lessons teaching good is rewarded and evil punished… no, it didn’t seem like Orma was enduring such embarrassment to say something like that. Ban looked at Orma with wide eyes and suddenly recalled his age that he’d learned.

Right, perhaps he was talking about his childhood. With that thought, he felt he somewhat understood what he was trying to say. Wasn’t Orma longing for the time when he was an ordinary human? Though it’s because of a skill, I’m the only being who can bring ‘humanity’ to Orma.

As his thoughts reached there, Ban became a bit more greedy. If he expanded the range of human behavior beyond simply sleeping, couldn’t he reduce Orma’s self-harming and rampaging like that?

“…What are you doing?”

“Please try it. It’s tastier than expected.”

Ban cut the chicken platter that came out steaming hot into easy-to-eat pieces and held it out to Orma. Orma looked back and forth between Ban and the food approaching his mouth with an uncomfortable face, then finally opened his mouth and took a bite. However, judging by his stiff face, it didn’t seem to have much effect.

“Is it not good? Then these potatoes are seasoned better than expected.”

“…I’m fi—ne. I’m talking.”

Even while grumbling, Orma ate again. Making it obvious he was forcing himself to eat, his furrowed brow showed no signs of relaxing, as if chewing on rebar. Was eating a failure…

“Perhaps food made by a very famous chef might be alright.”

When Ban showed disappointment and looked gloomy, Orma was at a loss and barely managed to answer.

“…I have no idea what’s going through your head.”

“Isn’t appetite a basic human desire? After the desire to sleep comes the desire to eat.”

“That’s tearfully appreciated, but I originally had no interest in eating.”

“Is that so?”

“…’Is that so?'”

“What were you interested in when you were an ordinary human?”

“Hmm… well…”

As if he’d never thought about it, Orma fell into contemplation with his arms crossed. Well, seeing how he’d been living with jewels of tremendous value casually piled up, he didn’t seem to have much interest in wealth. Even while wearing all sorts of false accusations, he didn’t bat an eye or show any sense of injustice, so he didn’t seem interested in honor either.

Suddenly, what happened this morning briefly flashed through Ban’s mind. Uh… that place seemed healthy. Though he’d naturally never seen it properly, just what he faintly felt was very impressive, and… seeing it function properly in the morning, would it be possible to produce an heir?

“Perhaps sexual desire…”

“What?”

Orma’s flustered voice rose. He even looked like he was doubting whether he’d heard correctly. Though it was embarrassing, Ban resolutely spoke while even making eye contact with Orma.

“Humans are beings who have appetite, the desire to sleep, and sexual desire…”

“Won’t you be quiet?”

“That… is possible, isn’t it?”

At the aggressive question, Orma hurriedly looked around. He was worried enough that the damn beastman brat might hear and join in teasing with shining eyes. Moreover, he didn’t know what to answer. He’d barely forgotten that embarrassing situation in the morning… Feeling somewhat wronged, Orma fumed and barely replied in a voice growing small.

“Today was… the first time.”

“Pardon?”

He’d only asked back because he didn’t understand what he meant, but Orma squeezed both eyes tightly shut. Since he was embarrassed enough that it felt sorry to ask more, in the end Ban had no choice but to interpret it himself.

Today was the first time? Then before meeting Ban, Orma couldn’t sleep, didn’t need to eat, and that place also… didn’t function, right? But didn’t I feel the magnificence of that place today? …Aha! So that means today was the first time that place reacted!

Having realized something, Ban grasped both of Orma’s hands with serious eyes and spoke gravely like a urologist.

“Then… tomorrow and the day after might also be possible.”

“Be quiet.”

“I don’t know about actual effectiveness, but first it’s important that there’s a reaction…”

“Shut up.”

“Let’s work hard together! Then next time your appetite might increase too!”

“Hah…”

What are we working hard together on. In the end, Orma buried his face in both hands and hid his expression completely. The God who’d been thoroughly teased by his Apostle let out depressed sighs one after another just like yesterday.