Chapter 80

Rain (3)

Title) The Moderator is invincible.

Wild Grylls

And his authority is absolute. Praise the Moderator.

My trade restriction has been lifted, so I'm finally free!

└ Heavenly Demon: Congratulations. You have cast off the shackles that bound your body.

└ SwordMaster: Congratulations. So, no commemorative gift or anything?

└ Heavenly Demon: Tsk, tsk. What a wicked fellow, trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Do you have no conscience?

└ SwordMaster: Can't I even make a joke? You're really stingy about this;;

└ Heavenly Demon: There is a time and place for jokes. You have no sense of timing.

└ SwordMaster: I've even been in politics before, you martial arts fossil;;

└ Wild Grylls: All right, all right. Both of you calm down. Once I cook the fish, I'll share a little with you. It's really delicious.

└ Passing Dwarf: Give me some too.

└ Wild Grylls: You ate some last time;;

└ Passing Dwarf: I'm asking for more because it was good lol.

└ Wild Grylls: You're not going to eat it with alcohol again, are you?

└ Passing Dwarf: Why are you asking something so obvious?

└ Wild Grylls: ;;

└ Are you seriously planning to give some to every fixed-nickname user?

└ You're gonna run out of fish lol.

└ Wild Grylls: I should give some to everyone who helped me. There's a ton of meat anyway, so giving everyone a little is fine.

└ Starlight Princess: I'm fine. I don't like fish because of the smell.

└ Wild Grylls: It doesn't smell fishy at all, though. It tastes more like meat.

└ Starlight Princess: That changes things a little... Is fish good for exercise?

└ Cheonggu Princess: If you exercise, white meat like fish is better than red meat!

└ Starlight Princess: Is that really true?

└ Cheonggu Princess: Yep. Athletes who get injured often also use diets like that to help reduce injuries.

└ Starlight Princess: I see. Thank you for the useful information!

└ Allfather: Fish raised in the Forest of Four Seasons... I am truly curious about the taste. I feel as though my knowledge keeps increasing thanks to you.

└ Wild Grylls: You've already done so much for me. I should at least do this much.

└ Praise the Sun: Sounds delicious. I'd like to try the crab later too. Think that's possible?

└ Wild Grylls: I'll try whenever I get the chance. Until I install another fish trap, I might end up eating nothing but crab anyway.

"Heehee."

In a deserted alleyway with hardly any foot traffic, someone wrapped in a robe that was little better than rags let out a quiet laugh.

Because the robe covered her entire body, it was difficult to make out her appearance properly, but her silhouette revealed enough.

Slightly narrow shoulders and curves that emphasized her feminine figure.

The orange hair spilling out from beneath her hood made it easy enough to tell she was a woman.

'I'm glad he's happy.'

She smiled as she looked at the gallery window visible before her eyes.

Wild Grylls, the fixed-nickname user who had recently attracted enormous attention.

Lifting his trade restriction had sparked plenty of controversy, yet the proposal had received overwhelming support.

That alone showed just how much trust Grylls had built up.

'I've never seen him break a promise.'

She too had been closely watching Grylls's situation.

As if being dropped into the Forest of Four Seasons wasn't enough, he had discovered all sorts of rare creatures there.

There had been crises from time to time, but he had overcome them with help from the fixed-nickname users and through his own abilities.

As the days passed, he encountered increasingly unusual creatures, while Grylls himself steadily became stronger.

It was an extreme kind of reality rarely seen in the gallery, which gave it a peculiar appeal.

'Someone like Grylls wouldn't abuse the trading system.'

Grylls was fundamentally a good person.

A very good person, at that.

Even in the gallery, where anonymity was guaranteed, he tended to remain polite and didn't casually curse at others.

It was different when someone else was rude first, but that was closer to an exception.

Nor could anyone reasonably claim he had ulterior motives, considering where he was.

The Forest of Four Seasons.

His only goal was survival, so there was little to worry about.

'And he said he'd voluntarily give up the privilege once he escaped.'

She was a stickler for principles.

Unless there was a compelling reason, she tried not to break the framework that had already been established.

But Grylls hadn't asked for "equality."

He had asked for "fairness," and his argument had been highly persuasive.

Above all, the unique environment of the Forest of Four Seasons had been the decisive factor.

It was a place where only Grylls could access the gallery.

The Moderator, Don'tAbandonTheHero, decided she would keep an even closer watch on Grylls from now on.

'He gave me this too.'

She took a small round bead from her pocket.

It was the gift Grylls had given her.

Though, realistically, it was closer to a bribe than a gift.

She had accepted it anyway.

'Are things like this really lying around everywhere in the Forest of Four Seasons?'

She examined the round bead from every angle in amazement.

The energy radiating from it was anything but ordinary.

Anyone who consumed it would likely gain considerable strength.

'Though it doesn't mean much to me.'

For her, however, it amounted to little more than a high-performance mana potion.

After all, whenever people discussed the strongest beings in the world, her name was always among those mentioned.

She was one blessed by the Goddess.

A sword personally forged by the Order to stand against the Demon King.

The Hero, Asella, turned the inner core over in her hand before putting it into her mouth.

'It's probably better to eat it now than sell it.'

The energy inside an inner core faded with time.

But selling it wasn't an especially attractive option either.

Her mana was nearly depleted anyway, so consuming it was clearly the better choice.

"Haa..."

Asella drew a deep breath.

The energy from the inner core began circulating throughout her entire body.

Mana rapidly filled the mana hole—her dantian—that had been almost completely empty, and the exhaustion weighing on her vanished.

She hadn't even been able to sleep properly lately, but this should allow her to endure a little longer.

'When will this misunderstanding finally be cleared up?'

Asella glanced toward the mouth of the alley.

Unlike the dark, deserted alleyway, the street beyond was crowded.

Children ran past.

Parents laughed and called after them to be careful.

Countless other sounds carried the unmistakable warmth of ordinary human life.

"It doesn't look like they've reached this city yet."

Asella felt relieved.

It seemed she would have some breathing room for the time being.

Still, she couldn't afford to let her guard down.

There was no telling when the Order's pursuers might arrive.

'May the Goddess grant me her blessing. There must be some misunderstanding.'

Murmuring inwardly, she accessed the gallery.

Whenever she entered the gallery, she wasn't the Hero.

She was the Moderator.

Though she had little free time while being hunted, she faithfully carried out the duties and responsibilities given to her.

'This must also be a task entrusted to me by the Goddess.'

The day the Order began hunting her as a "traitor," Asella had fled beyond its reach and immediately become the gallery's Moderator.

She hadn't even known the gallery existed before then, so she had been quite bewildered at first.

By now, however, she had grown accustomed to it.

Well...

The occasional grotesque images that appeared were still difficult to endure.

Whenever she saw one, she found herself praying to the Goddess.

Unlike the unbearably depressing reality surrounding her, Asella always spoke energetically in the gallery.

She wondered what Grylls could possibly be trying to give her.

He had only just given her an inner core, so surely he couldn't have anything else to spare.

[Wild Grylls has requested a trade. Would you like to accept?]

"Hm?"

It happened while she was carrying out her duties as Moderator according to the Goddess's guidance.

Wild Grylls, the fixed-nickname user who had recently caused quite a stir, had sent her a trade request.

For a moment, she wondered whether he'd selected her by mistake.

Then Asella accepted the trade.

[Wild Grylls: I'll give you a little of the fish I caught. It tastes really good.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Ah! Isn't that something you should be eating yourself, Grylls?! Besides, haven't you already shared some with the others?!]

[Wild Grylls: This much is fine. Things have become much easier for me thanks to you, Moderator, so please take it. If it really bothers you, you don't have to accept it.]

[Wild Grylls: Hello, Moderator. There's actually one more thing I'd like to give you.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Something else you want to give me?! What is it?! No bribes!!]

But what Grylls sent wasn't a gift or a bribe.

It was pure goodwill.

Asella was genuinely taken aback by a kindness that was rarely seen even outside the gallery, much less within it.

What kind of place was the gallery?

A place where people constantly tore into each other whenever they got the chance and freely vented their desires.

And she was the Moderator.

She possessed tremendous authority, yet at the same time, she often ended up serving as everyone's punching bag.

Whenever a few anonymous users deliberately bombarded the gallery with grotesque images, she felt like giving up on everything.

'How strange.'

Even considering all that, the Moderator's authority was undeniably powerful.

Because of that, some users tried to become friendly with the Moderator in hopes of gaining benefits.

If taken too far, that turned into cliquish favoritism, and such favoritism could easily devolve into outright abuse.

There had, in fact, been many incidents caused by exactly that.

Acts of goodwill like this were often the first step toward such favoritism.

But—

'Grylls can't really form that kind of clique with me, can he?'

Grylls was stranded in the Forest of Four Seasons.

No matter how friendly they became through the gallery, there was no realistic way for them to form that sort of relationship in the real world.

That was why Asella could accept his goodwill simply for what it was.

Pure goodwill.

Something she had rarely received even in reality, let alone through the gallery.

Grrrrrgle—

.....

As if on cue, her stomach sent out a signal too.

Asella hesitated over what to do, then reluctantly accepted.

'This too must be the Goddess's guidance... right?'

The moment she accepted the trade, a chopstick appeared in her hand.

Thick pieces of fish had been skewered onto it.

Not just one piece, but three.

They looked delicious just from the sight of them.

"Nom."

Asella took a bite without hesitation.

The distinctive saltiness of salt touched her tongue.

Then a rich, savory flavor spread through her mouth.

There wasn't even the slightest hint of fishiness.

The rich taste and umami, every bit as satisfying as meat, naturally brought a smile to her face.

'Delicious!'

It really was delicious.

Especially since she was hungry.

On top of that, she could feel vitality spreading throughout her entire body.

"Nom nom nom! Nom!"

Asella's eyes sparkled as she devoured every last piece of fish.

It wasn't enough to fill her empty stomach, but that didn't matter.

The rare kindness she had received somehow made her feel full in a different way.

'It's a shame there isn't any more.'

Having finished all the goodwill Grylls had sent her, Asella briefly felt disappointed.

Then, with considerably more energy in her expression than before, she sent him a message.

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Thank you for the meal! It was really delicious!]

[Wild Grylls: Right? Want me to give you more next time I catch some?]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: No! I do have some shame, you know! But thank you!]

He really was a kind person.

That was what Asella thought.

But even someone like him had one disappointing flaw.

His faith.

This wasn't the first time Grylls had committed blasphemy.

It was fortunate he had only done so in the gallery. If he'd said such things in reality, they would have been enough to get him dragged away as a heretic.

Asella herself had been horrified and warned him before, but as far as she knew, he'd completely ignored her.

'Times like these are exactly when you need even stronger faith....'

As the Hero, her devotion to the Goddess was every bit as strong as the Pope's.

Although she had been branded a traitor and was now being hunted, she had never abandoned her faith.

'That's right. Maybe I should try converting him.'

Grylls had suffered hardships before and was still suffering now.

Asella was no different.

Born without parents, she had endured countless hardships herself.

Yet thanks to the blessing of the Goddess Aris, she had risen to become the Hero.

Faith gave people the strength to endure.

It was precisely when things were hardest that one should believe in God.

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Mr. Grylls! Have you ever considered worshipping Goddess Aris?!]

[Wild Grylls: Nope. Oh, can I curse at her instead?]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Cursing isn't worship!!]

[Wild Grylls: Then I won't.]

Grylls hadn't changed at all.

He clearly had not even the slightest intention of worshipping a god.

Asella found that difficult to understand.

This was a god they were talking about.

In a world where gods demonstrably existed, Grylls's behavior went beyond strange and into outright bizarre.

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Why do you curse at gods so much?! Do you not believe in them?!]

[Wild Grylls: I believe they exist. I just curse at them.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: That's such a strange thing to say! You believe in gods, yet you curse at them!]

There were occasionally people who said that if gods truly existed, they should strike them down with divine punishment.

But Grylls was different.

He believed gods existed and hated them anyway.

The two ideas were so contradictory that it was difficult to tell whether he believed or didn't believe at all.

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Why do you think that way?! Then do you hate everyone who has faith too?!]

[Wild Grylls: I hate gods, not people.]

A clear-cut answer.

One that left Asella's mind blank.

He hated gods but not people.

What exactly did that mean?

At first glance, it sounded contradictory.

But if one clearly distinguished gods from humans, his answer did make a certain kind of sense.

Asella's thoughts grew tangled.

Then Grylls added one more thing.

[Wild Grylls: I hate gods because I don't want to hate people. I'm the kind of person who needs someone to hate before I feel satisfied.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: Have you never considered simply not hating anyone?!]

[Wild Grylls: Would I even be human if I didn't hate anyone? Jealousy exists for a reason.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: So that's why you hate gods...?!]

[Wild Grylls: Yep. It's easier on my mind that way.]

[Don'tAbandonTheHero: What if a god punishes you for that?!]

[Wild Grylls: What kind of god can't even handle being hated? That's just being petty.]

"Eek!"

Asella made a bizarre noise and hurriedly looked around.

She looked almost afraid that someone might have seen.

The gallery was supposedly visible only to the person using it, but gods were another matter.

A god might very well be watching all of this.

'W-What kind of blasphemy is this...?! What on earth is he thinking?!'

Asella stared at the conversation with trembling eyes.

Disrespect—no, blasphemy—came from him as naturally as breathing.

It had reached the point where no one could complain if a god struck him down with divine punishment.

'B-But if you look at it another way, this is also a kind of faith...!'

He believed in gods so that he could hate them.

Paradoxically, that too was a kind of faith.

The problem was that it was faith overflowing with irreverence.

Asella simply couldn't understand it.

Pitter-patter—

While she was trying to organize her thoughts, large raindrops began falling onto her head.

She looked up.

Rain had started falling little by little from the dark clouds covering the sky.

'I should get out of the rain first.'

Asella began walking.

But her mind was still filled with Grylls's words.

I hate gods because I don't want to hate people.

The sentence had lodged itself firmly in her mind.

'He's really an impossible person to understand.'

Still—

'Kind, but strange...?'

His goodwill had warmed her heart.

SHAAAAAA—

"Ah, seriously."

Maybe it was because I'd just cursed at a god.

Rain suddenly started pouring down again.

I stared outside at the downpour and muttered inwardly.

'If that's really why, then that's seriously petty.'

RUMBLE—!

The moment I thought that, thunder boomed loudly overhead.