"?"
Inwardly, Gauss put a big question mark on the table.
He was genuinely a bit curious—what exactly did this Lake God, Moterra, want to ask him to do?
She hadn't admitted to being a true deity, but even "just" as a sentient will born of the lake, her rank was clearly far beyond that of ordinary creatures.
What could a mere Level 5 adventurer like him possibly do for her?
"Please, speak, great Moterra."
[This Blue Lake connects northward to the Talna River. Its waters run for 500 kilometers , and at their source lies a towering snow-capped mountain.]
[Deep in those millennia-old snows dwells another consciousness born of nature, like myself—my sister, the Spirit of the Snow Mountain, Esvel. She guards the pure peaks and the origin of the flowing river.]
[Yet in recent years, more and more filth and impurities have begun coming downstream from the upper Talna.]
[I am a spirit of still waters. My power is rooted in this lake; I cannot stray far enough upstream to trace the source.]
[This time, my awakening is both to meet you, and because this matter troubles me greatly.]
[Thus, my request is this: that you follow the Talna northward, all the way to the snow mountain, and uncover the source of this corruption for me.]
[As a down payment, I have already granted you a water-forged weapon. Should you succeed in finding—and resolving—the cause of this pollution, I will use the very essence of Blue Lake to grant you a true "baptism of blessing."]
Moterra's voice remained as airy and serene as ever.
Gauss understood her meaning easily enough: in short, she wanted him to keep heading north along the Talna until he reached the snow mountain at its source, and investigate what was poisoning the river.
But…
Gauss stood there thinking for a moment.
It wasn't that the request itself felt impossible.
More that this wasn't the sort of journey you wrapped up in a week or two.
If he remembered the map correctly, that snowy peak was a long way from Blue Lake.
He'd always planned to go north anyway—but who knew how long it would take before he actually reached the mountain?
"I may need quite some time to get there," Gauss admitted.
[It is no matter. Your human "time" passes very swiftly for one such as I.]
[You may travel at your own pace.]
Moterra seemed unconcerned by his hesitation.
What was a decade or two to a being like this? A nap, perhaps.
"Then, I am willing to accept your request," Gauss said finally, nodding.
If there was no strict deadline, he didn't mind taking it on.
He could treat it as a side quest—once he reached the general area, he'd make time to investigate.
On one hand, he owed Moterra a favor now—that much he couldn't deny. On the other, it didn't seem a bad idea to cultivate a good relationship with a nature spirit.
[Good.]
[Then I shall await good news…]
As soon as Gauss gave his straightforward answer, the watery silhouette that was Moterra began to dissolve, her voice fading like mist on the wind.
By the time her presence fully dissipated, the great figure of flowing water had collapsed into glittering droplets and sunk back into the star-like blue depths.
The surface smoothed over.
The moonlight still shone.
It was as if nothing at all had happened.
In Gauss's perception, time began flowing normally again.
"—Boom—"
A wave of noise rushed into his ears all at once.
"Sir Gauss, has the Lake God already…?"
A gentle force lifted Gauss and carried him back toward the shore.
The priest who had led him to the altar earlier looked at him nervously, not quite daring to ask.
He hadn't been that far away from Gauss, physically speaking—but Gauss and that sacred silhouette had been wrapped in an invisible barrier. Outsiders could only vaguely see two overlapping shapes in the glow, with no idea what had been said between them.
One thing was undeniable, though: Gauss had truly received the Lake God's blessing.
"The Lake God has gone back to rest," Gauss replied simply.
He had no intention of describing the conversation in detail.
From that brief exchange, he'd gotten a decent feel for Moterra's "personality" as a nature spirit—she seemed to prefer peace and quiet.
And she'd shown no response at all to the others, not even the most devout worshipers.
She'd awakened this time purely because he'd piqued her interest, and because she wanted to entrust him with the snow mountain matter.
No need to make extra waves on her turf. If she'd wanted a widespread faith and more followers, a being like that could have had a thousand ways to spread her name.
The fact she hadn't bothered meant she simply didn't care.
"Anyway, I'm heading back to rest. I'm a bit tired."
"The ritual's done—go ahead and disperse everyone."
Being stared at by this many people—some with burning fanaticism, others with open curiosity—wasn't exactly comfortable.
After speaking to the priest, and seeing that the old man had no intention of pushing his luck with further questions, Gauss turned to leave.
Orders were quickly passed, and the crowd was parted to clear a path.
His teammates hurried over. They were bursting with questions, but all knew this wasn't the time, so they simply followed Gauss away from the lakeshore.
Even so, he'd underestimated the ripple effects of the Lake God's appearance.
The road back was completely jammed.
Some people dropped to their knees at the roadside, crying and chanting like they'd just seen a living saint. Others—who hadn't even come to the lake earlier—were rushing over now after hearing the news, desperate to catch a glimpse of the Lake God's "chosen one."
Thankfully, Mayor Helson reacted quickly, mobilizing soldiers to maintain order.
He even lent Gauss one of his own residences to retreat to and avoid the mob.
…
"Phew—finally over."
Inside that house, Gauss wiped the sweat from his forehead.
What a night.
"So what did the Lake God say to you?" Alia couldn't hold back any longer.
With no outsiders present now, her eyes were practically glowing with curiosity.
Gauss hadn't planned to hide anything from his own party. He skimmed over the encounter and shared the key parts.
"I see…"
The others nodded slowly.
"To think there really is a Lake God here," Alia muttered. "When it showed up, I almost jumped out of my skin."
Even though Gauss had explained that Moterra called herself a natural spirit rather than a god, for most adventurers, that distinction was academic.
How many people could ever witness something like that even once in their lives?
And the main character in the moment had been their own captain.
Even now, the four of them still looked a little dazed.
"After last night, I'd bet there'll be a lot more Lake God believers around Blue Lake," Serandur murmured.
Hearing rumors was one thing. Seeing it with their own eyes was another—especially when the witnesses weren't just local folk, but merchants and travelers from all around.
Those people would carry the story back to their own villages and cities.
"Yeah, and you are going to be famous because of it!" Alia said, sounding half delighted, half impressed.
If it hadn't been the Lake God but some greater, wider-known deity descending because of him, the whole world might have been shaken.
Even as a "mere" local spirit, Moterra's manifestation was a miracle—and Gauss, as the sole person who spoke with her face-to-face, was bound to be branded as a divine child, a chosen one, a messenger.
In Blue Lake's five towns, his reputation would be unmatched.
He'd been a nameless outsider when he arrived; by the time he left, he'd be one of the most influential figures in the region. Every word and action would carry weight.
"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Gauss sighed.
He thought back over the fanatics he'd seen on the way here and couldn't help shaking his head.
He was just an ordinary adventurer. He didn't want to wear anyone's halo.
Of course, he knew he probably didn't get a say in it.
The echo of a "god" descending wasn't something a few modest words could wash away.
Even if he denied it loudly, the story would live on—and grow.
Ultimately, "chosen of a god" was just another way of saying "errand-runner for a higher power," anyway.
He'd agreed to a job; that alone would be enough in people's minds.
"Let's get ready to move on and keep heading north," he said.
He had no intention of lingering in Fisher's Song any longer than necessary.
Between the tournament, the Lake God, and the blessing, he'd already stirred up plenty of attention. Time to slip offstage.
…
The next morning, shrouded in early fog, Gauss and his party quietly slipped out of Fisher's Song.
Shortly afterward, the gate guards trotted back to the mayor's residence with the news.
Mayor Helson—who'd barely slept—was already up.
Upon hearing that Gauss had left, he let out a long breath of relief.
It felt like seeing a thunderstorm cloud finally drift away.
His feelings toward Gauss had gone through quite the evolution.
At first, when he learned just how unusual this young man was, his instinct had been to keep him well clear of his hot-headed son and resolve everything as peacefully as possible—help Gauss get his prize, then send him off quickly to avoid unnecessary trouble.
But after meeting Gauss in person and seeing how capable and composed he was, Helson couldn't help calculating, trying to find a way to tie their family to him—perhaps even through marriage to his youngest daughter.
And then the Lake God descended.
In that moment, when Gauss walked atop the water and stood face to face with that luminous figure, Helson understood: this young man's path would not be limited to any "small town."
Even if he could somehow bind Gauss to his family, who knew if it would be a blessing or a curse?
When gods clash, mortals get crushed.
His family simply didn't have the capital to withstand any collateral damage that might come from standing too near a divinely favored figure.
"…Good that he's gone."
Helson looked out at the Blue Lake beyond the window and spoke quietly.
"A man like that… this place would never be big enough for him."
"Pass down the order: Gauss's victory in the hunting tournament and his receiving of the Lake God's favor is an honor not only for Fisher's Song, but for all five lakeside towns."
"Carve it into a stone stele in the central square, so it will be remembered. And every soldier and worker who helped keep order last night is to be rewarded."
"And from this year on, declare today the Festival of Blessing."
"From now on, Blue Lake will not only have the four-year tournament, but also its own Blessing Day. I expect it'll draw more travelers to stay in our town."
He'd decided to turn this event into a permanent holiday—an official part of the town's identity—to raise Fisher's Song's prestige and attract more trade.
The news spread quickly.
The townsfolk were thrilled to hear about the new "Blessing Day."
Many went searching for Gauss, hoping for another glimpse of the legendary figure.
But upon hearing he'd already left, they could only sigh and regret missing their chance.
…
Up on the northern road, Gauss knew none of this.
He sat astride his chocobo.
He hadn't summoned the dragon this time; flying made it too easy to miss the monsters below, and the next village wasn't far anyway.
The path ran along the Talna River, and the soil under his mount's feet felt solid and familiar.
In his hand, he rolled a small sphere of water back and forth, quietly sensing the strange power inside.
The bluish orb pulsed like it was alive.
It was Moterra's gift, the "water-forged weapon" she'd given him.
The others watched his hand as well; now that he'd explained its origin, they were just as curious.
After all, anything that came from a "god" was bound to be unusual.
"Change shape?"
Gauss focused his will.
The waterball in his palm immediately responded, stretching out and then reshaping itself. In the blink of an eye, it had become a small round shield.
The shield wasn't solid metal—it looked almost like a disc of solidified water, semi-translucent, with blue light flowing slowly within.
Gauss had a feeling this thing did more than Moterra had bothered to mention.
"Want to try it?"
"Be careful," Alia warned.
Gauss dismounted and stepped a little away from the road, raising the shield on his arm and gesturing for one of his companions to attack.
"I'll go!"
Alia volunteered at once.
She hefted her staff in both hands, cast Shillelagh, and swung down toward the shield with all her strength.
Thump~
The blow landed with a strangely muted sound.
The force behind the staff strike seemed to sink smoothly into the shield instead of bouncing off.
Gauss felt nothing through his arm—no impact, no shock.
He hadn't even finished processing that when the shield flashed.
All that force it had just absorbed suddenly rebounded—sloshing through the watery construct and ricocheting straight back into Alia's staff before she could pull it away.
"Ah!"
Alia let out a startled scream.
The counterforce sent her flying backwards.
Shadow flickered.
Before she could hit the ground, Shadow Blinked under her and caught her in a princess carry.
"Ugh—thanks, Shadow."
She grimaced. "This shield is evil."
"I did say to be careful," Gauss said mildly. "That's my official disclaimer—I'm not taking the blame for that."
"Gauss, let me try," Albena rumbled, her eyes bright.
As a smith, she was practically drooling over the new toy in Gauss's hand.
She clapped her hands together, and in the next second, a massive double-headed axe materialized in her grip.
~~~
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