Chapter 183

Though Maybel had become the god of rats, there wasn’t much she could do as a god right now.

Unifying the opinions of rat beastmen who believed in her and getting a little stronger through their faith?

She didn’t really have any divine powers to speak of, nor the strength to perform miracles. For now, she was just a slightly stronger rat beastman.

Still, if more rat beastmen came to believe in her, she would surely grow stronger… but not quite yet.

“When you become a god… I thought something amazing would change, but it doesn’t seem like that.”

“It’s because you still have a living body. After death, you’d feel it more.”

“That… I’ll experience it when my lifespan ends and I die.”

With a living human body, there were limits!

Anyway, after Maybel and Ella brought the rat beastmen under control, the first thing they did was punish the leaders among them.

Those who had been lured by the suspicious voice from underground and caused suffering to many.

The ones who killed Maybel’s father and Ella’s husband.

The ones who tried to massacre the people of Arden, the large city, to make sacrifices.

After enduring harsh interrogations at Ella’s hands, they revealed all their plans—how they intended to poison Arden’s water supply and other backup schemes.

If poisoning the water failed, they planned to incite conflict between city-states and secretly open the city gates during war. And if that failed too, they’d collapse the villages and sewers beneath Arden, sinking it into the earth.

The mysterious voice promised protection for the rat beastmen and eternal life for the leaders upon completing the ritual.

Apparently, this promise was only made to the leaders, leaving others unaware.

Now, with broken bones and locked away in prison, they were useless.

Having extracted all the information, their punishment was inevitable—execution.

Most rat beastmen agreed with the verdict due to the enormity of their crimes and deceit.

Surprisingly, among those punished was Maybel’s grandfather.

He had paired Maybel’s intelligent father with the renowned adventurer Ella to create Maybel, the chosen vessel for the god’s divine body. What?! Did he sacrifice his own son for this?

Using his child for such purposes was horrifying…

Under the names of Law and Justice, all conspirators faced trial under the great god Shamash and were sentenced to execution.

In her final moments, Maybel’s grandfather pleaded for mercy based on blood ties, but Maybel remained unmoved, even angered by the betrayal.

After these executions, they turned their attention to the village where the conspiracy began.

Since it served no purpose now, relocating elsewhere seemed best.

But where should they go?

“What about the countryside near where you grew up?”

Though remote, it seemed suitable for reorganizing.

“Hmm… but…”

“Is there something wrong with it?”

“No, it’s familiar enough, but are there places nearby where we can gather the rat beastmen?”

If none existed, they could build one.

Maybel hesitated momentarily before nodding in agreement.

“The Dragon Priestess can accomplish anything, right? She handles everything so effortlessly!”

“Why does your tone sound sharp?”

“I’m just curious if there’s anything impossible for the Dragon Priestess. Things that seem hard for us are mere trifles for her.”

Indeed, with such abilities…

“I simply do what I can. I’m far from omnipotent.”

“If that’s not omnipotence, then what is?”

“Hmm… good question.”

Am I truly omnipotent if I couldn’t guide the child I cherished?

“There are things I cannot do too.”

“Hard to believe.”

Smiling bitterly, I watched Maybel shake her head slightly.

Later, Maybel gathered scattered rat beastmen to establish a city, bringing together as many as possible. Some doubted her existence, some followed reluctantly, while others welcomed her enthusiastically.

They arrived at a plain near Maybel’s childhood village—once a dense forest but now cleared by my magic.

Gathering 10,000 followers, Maybel addressed them:

“We are a weak race.”

Her quiet voice resonated across the field, penetrating every heart.

“After the deity of beastmen became a guardian deity, we were ostracized even by our own kind.”

Discrimination within the same race—it was racial prejudice.

“But now, it’s different. With the faith of rat beastmen converging in me, I’ve gained divinity. I will protect and nurture our race as the god of rats.”

Looking around, Maybel declared:

“Thus, I redefine us—not as ordinary beastmen, but as those blessed by the god of rats. We shall be called Ratkin.”

Ratkin—the lineage of rats.

A new name to unify the community.

“And here, on this newly formed plain, we will build a city for the Ratkin. Its name: Rattkinia. A land for the Ratkin.”

Names I casually suggested, but Maybel seemed pleased.

Thus, the rat beastmen became Ratkin and began anew.

“Somehow, we’ve come full circle.”

“The Ratkin work diligently.”

“They’re Ratkin, not rat beastmen!”

Settling into their new home, the Ratkin thrived unexpectedly well.

Maybel gained a new power: dowsing, which greatly aided in finding resources like water veins or fertile lands.

“This rice from the paddy fields is incredible! Though it requires lots of water, the yield is impressive.”

Compared to wheat, rice produced more per acre, satisfying the Ratkin’s needs.

Thanks to Maybel’s ability, they traded surplus rice for other necessities.

“In the East, they cultivate this crop. Despite its water demands, your skill makes it manageable.”

“Yes! I can always find water sources. Thanks to that, the Ratkin can survive and trade!”

Food was priority in this era.

As Rattkinia took shape, it seemed destined to flourish under Maybel’s protection.

“By the way, what happened to your hammer?”

“Oh, mom took it since I carry the dowsing rod now. She might return it to the dwarf who made it later…”

Returning it… hmm.

Though a fine item, it wasn’t fitting for a god like Maybel.