Chapter 363 - 349: A Plaything of the Gods?

Chapter 363: Chapter 349: A Plaything of the Gods?

[You have gained the attention of a ’Giant Dragon’]

This short line of text, like an unsolved riddle, had not changed or offered any further hints since it appeared.

During this time, Roland had tried several times to focus his consciousness and touch the option for the [Warlock] Profession, but the feedback was always cold and uniform.

[Host does not meet the prerequisite conditions]

This baffling sense of obstruction left him deeply perplexed and inevitably drew his thoughts to another matter equally shrouded in mystery.

Divine Blessings.

As far as he knew, at least three Gods were currently associated with him.

Shire, Suren, and Lodestar.

Shire, the mysterious Goddess of Death, had appeared when he was on the brink of death and left behind the first mark of her Blessing.

Lodestar, the Lord of Billions of Radiance, had descended during the Fiery Sun Church’s Radiant Blessing ceremony, bestowing a Blessing containing Dawn Power.

And the most mysterious of all was Suren.

In his vague perception, this goddess seemed to have once contended with Shire’s power within his body.

Ever since then, Shire—whose presence he could occasionally feel and with whom he’d even had a brief exchange—had vanished completely, no longer responding.

According to Galvis, bearing the Blessings of multiple Gods should have made him a highly favored "Divine Favored."

However, a completely different feeling welled up from deep within Roland’s heart.

He didn’t feel like a favored child of fortune, but more like...

...an object casually manipulated by the Gods.

Logically speaking, receiving a Blessing from a God meant entering their sight and establishing some kind of connection.

But in reality, aside from the specific Trait bonuses clearly listed on his Professional Panel from those Blessings, he felt no tangible connection to or guidance from these three Gods in his daily life.

Even when he had been afflicted by the Curse of an Abyssal Demon and his life was threatened, common sense dictated that Lodestar, as the Lord of Radiance, should have been able to easily purify that level of corruption. Yet, the God had shown no divine sign, nor offered any aid.

This contradiction led Roland to gradually form two theories.

Either his so-called "Divine Favored" status was not unique in the eyes of the lofty Gods, but rather one of many disposable options, naturally unworthy of too much attention.

Or, the Gods themselves were perhaps constrained by certain limitations, unable to establish a stable, direct, and tangible connection with the material plane he inhabited.

Otherwise...

His thoughts couldn’t help but drift back to Shire.

If these Gods truly possessed the supreme, world-altering power of their legendary peak,

then the Goddess of Death, who seemed particularly "fond" of him, would have likely taken his life without hesitation long ago, bringing his soul into her Divine Kingdom, rather than just appearing fleetingly when he was on the verge of death.

Or perhaps...

Recalling Lodestar’s playful attitude during the Blessing, Roland felt that perhaps both reasons were true.

The Gods’ attention might be real, but it was filled with uncertainty and distance. It might even be driven by some purpose he couldn’t comprehend, one that transcended mortal logic.

And he, in this grand game of chess laid out by the Gods, might truly be just a somewhat special piece, or even...

...an interesting toy that had caught the eye of multiple "players."

Thinking of this, Roland’s doubts about his "Divine Favored" identity deepened.

He recalled Teresa once saying that true Divine Favored often bore some kind of curse or negative side effect of unknown origin in addition to their special abilities.

For example, after gaining the attention of Ogma, the God of Truth, she had to endure the affliction of "gluttony," causing her appetite to become abnormally large.

Looking at himself, however, although he had received Blessings from three Gods—Shire, Suren, and Lodestar—and his panel clearly listed the Traits they bestowed, he had yet to notice any obvious negative costs.

This couldn’t help but make him suspicious.

’Am I not a Divine Favored in the true sense, but merely...’

’...someone who accidentally caught the fleeting interest of some Gods, and was casually granted a few abilities that are insignificant in their eyes?’

Just as he was lost in thought, the tent flap was gently lifted, and Teresa walked in carrying a simple meal.

Roland thanked her, took the food, and asked casually.

"What’s the situation outside?"

Teresa replied in a calm tone.

"King Morne said he is a bit tired and plans to rest for the night. He has already sent a Messenger to Golden Ears City to order Lucius to open the gates and surrender. If he refuses... the attack will commence tomorrow morning."

Roland immediately understood King Morne’s intention.

The King, after all, still wanted to give his eldest son one last chance to turn back.

He didn’t say much. For one, his words carried little weight; for another, given the absolute disparity in strength, it seemed attacking a day earlier or later would make no difference to the outcome.

Silence returned to the tent. Roland chewed his food slowly as scenes from the rapidly advancing war flashed through his mind.

The overwhelming, almost absolute power that King Morne had displayed was indeed enough to set one’s mind at ease.

Thinking of the King, who was like a demigod walking among mortals, the nerve in Roland’s mind that had been constantly taut because of the Abyssal Demon couldn’t help but relax a little.

Morne might consider their blood ties and ultimately spare Lucius’s life, but for the other public culprit, Anno, the enraged King would surely show no mercy.

The time for reckoning was coming. Anno would surely pay the heaviest price for his betrayal.

As for the Abyssal Demon colluding with Anno...

Although its specific strength was still unknown, since it had to resort to schemes and plots rather than a direct confrontation, its power level was likely far from being a match for a peak expert like Morne.

Perhaps this journey to hunt the Demon, which he originally thought would be fraught with danger and unpredictable outcomes, would instead end in an unexpectedly easy way.

With that in mind, Roland continued to ponder the issue of the Divine Favored.

’After this war is over, I should find a chance to ask the more knowledgeable Galvis, or Gloria, who is also a Divine Favored. I need to confirm if they, like Teresa, also bear a corresponding cost for their gifts.’

As he was thinking, a set of soft yet clear footsteps once again sounded outside the tent, stopping at the entrance.

Immediately after, Gloria’s voice rang out, tinged with just the right amount of politeness.

"Lord Roland, are you in there? May I come in?"

"Please come in, Your Highness."

The tent flap was lifted again, and Gloria’s figure appeared in the light.

She too seemed to have just finished her duties. A faint trace of exhaustion was on her face, but her eyes remained clear and focused.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she didn’t beat around the bush. Her gaze fell on Roland as she asked him directly and earnestly.

"Lord Roland, once this war is completely over... what are your plans?"

Her question was somewhat sudden.

Her tone was calm, yet it seemed to hold some unspoken, deeper meaning, causing the air in the tent to seemingly freeze for a moment.