Chapter 273

It’s nothing much, but time keeps on flowing.

Throughout the passage of several decades, Arthur, who had ascended to the throne of emperor, continued to rule the Land of the Quiet Morning while maintaining his youthful appearance.

After finishing state affairs and during his leisure time, it would be nice if he’d stop going to that small house in the garden!

Well, aside from that strange habit, he’s a good emperor who rules the country well.

The only downside might be that he doesn’t bring in an empress.

Even after several decades passed, his resolve hadn’t wavered. A certain noble who tried to make his daughter the empress was caught by Arthur, leading to the entire family being forced to choose between execution or suicide.

Let’s skip over the rumors about the only woman Arthur ever loved. Yeah, let’s do that.

The subordinates seem to have realized that expecting an heir from Arthur is futile. It appears they’ve started arranging connections with the collateral line of the royal family.

Of course, since there’s precedent with Arthur’s uncle, these aren’t official arrangements—just private meetings.

Poor Arthur’s subordinates… I can sympathize with their struggles to some extent.

Next up is Bibi, the Dragon Priestess.

Over the span of several decades, Bibi served admirably as the Dragon Priestess.

She reformed the Church of Life, helped the commoners, wielded influence, and occasionally restrained the Church when it threatened to go off the rails.

By chance, Bibi met someone wonderful.

After receiving ten years of relentless affection from a child she once aided through the Church of Life’s service activities, love blossomed.

But Bibi is the Dragon Priestess—the Holy Maiden of the Church of Life and the sole person who hears the voice of the Goddess of Life. She believed that someone in her position couldn’t indulge in romantic love.

After consulting with me, Bibi decided to step down as the Dragon Priestess.

Needless to say, the Church of Life went into an uproar, but somehow things settled down, so we should count ourselves lucky!

Thanks to Arthur’s support as her brother, Bibi’s strong will, and the divine revelation I sent down, Bibi was able to transition from being the Dragon Priestess to living as an ordinary human.

And thanks to her lover—who became her husband—preferring to have Bibi by his side rather than as a distant figure, Bibi was able to lead a happy life.

That’s the story of Bibi and her husband. Even though she’s no longer the Dragon Priestess, as the emperor’s younger sister, she lacks for nothing and will surely continue to live comfortably.

Though there was a big argument when Arthur unilaterally declared Bibi’s son as the crown prince… but hey, that’s just family drama.

As a result, those trying to form ties with the collateral line of the royal family ended up getting burned, but who cares?

Anyway, I specially blessed Bibi’s son, so he’ll grow up healthy.

With that, the stories of Arthur and Bibi come to an end.

Next, the Lizardmen.

Through a deal with the Water Spirit, the Lizardmen gained the ability to travel long distances and began expanding their activity range little by little.

Thanks to being able to move beyond wet environments, something unheard of before, Lizardman merchants even came into existence.

Some of them have settled in places like riverbanks, suitable for habitation, spreading out bit by bit.

Because of this, word of the Lizardmen has gradually spread among the general populace, not just those who trade with them or study other races.

While their appearance differs greatly from other races, causing some resistance, their immense strength and physical prowess earned them respect.

Who wouldn’t respect beings capable of tearing monsters apart barehanded? Plus, their generally kind nature helps too. Lucky for them.

Anyway, that’s how the Lizardmen slowly began spreading across the world.

Alright, what should I talk about next?

The Beastmen? They’re doing fine on their own, making noise here and there. Conflicts between different races are bound to happen, but as long as they’re manageable, it’s okay. The Beastmen are scattered enough that even minor conflicts don’t cause much fuss.

At this point, it’s probably too late to worry about racial issues.

Giants are just hanging out with other giants, and Mermaids remain isolated in the deep seas since navigation technology hasn’t reached their territory yet.

Alright, roughly speaking, I think I can rest now, right? Can I really take a nap? Am I allowed?

Even the gods are preoccupied with their own entertainment and aren’t causing any major problems. Monsters aren’t creating significant trouble either, and Goblins are handled by kids living on the surface. At most, a couple of Orcs show up occasionally.

So, can I really take a break? Seriously, can I?!

Despite occasional requests from some gods to add more features to LD and occasional visits from Sandalphon and other angels to the temple—and my occasional scolding of Asherith for being addicted to LD—I should be able to rest, right?

Seriously, can I take a break already?!

I thought that… there was a time when even I had such thoughts…

“Mother! Lend me your wisdom!”

“Yeah. Mom. Help.”

What interrupted my rest were Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha.

Wait, what is it now? If both of you are here, does that mean it’s an issue related to Elves and Dwarves? What have those two races gotten themselves into this time?

“What is the matter?”

After suppressing the subtle irritation from having my rest disturbed, I looked at the two “children” and asked.

“How can I help my children thrive in the vast world outside?”

“The Dwarves. I want to gradually grant them independence. Help.”

Two similar yet oddly different requests.

Yggdrasil wants to help the Elves thrive, and Sagarmatha wants to grant the Dwarves independence.

Truly troublesome children.

“The Elven children don’t wish to leave the forests surrounding me. While I manage the forest environment so they won’t starve, there are limits to the resources available within the forest. Moreover, the children view the Trees of God as part of their bodies and refuse to cut them down.

How can I ensure that they can survive well even outside the forest?”

“The Dwarves just keep digging beneath the mountains and refuse to venture elsewhere. It’s frustrating. There are so many mountains in this world!”

In conclusion, both of you want to send your children out into the world, correct?

Indeed, aside from a few oddballs and those arguing near Betelgeuse, neither Elves nor Dwarves tend to wander around much.

To put it simply, they’re like hikikomori, locked away and refusing to step outside.

“So, ultimately, you both wish for your children to spread throughout the world.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Yeah. That’s what I want.”

Hearing their responses, I nodded slightly.

Independence. Independence, huh. Watching one’s children grow up and leave home is both a cause for celebration and a source of nostalgia.

Have these two prepared themselves mentally for such a moment?

Well, the fact that they sought my help suggests they’ve given it some thought.

Still.

“The assistance I can provide will likely be limited to simple advice.”

Matters concerning the races under your care shouldn’t involve direct interference from me.

All I can do is offer counsel—share stories that may help you two.

“That’s sufficient. Mother possesses knowledge we lack.”

“Yeah. No objections.”

Even after hearing my words, the two insisted they were satisfied with whatever help I could give.

Hmm. Since they trust me this much, I suppose I can delay my rest a bit and offer some advice.

Let’s see. Though your intentions differ slightly, your goal is the same.

You both desire for Elves and Dwarves to spread out into the world.

If the goal is solely that, then the solution is simple.

“If you two simply command your races, it would be easily accomplished.”

Elves and Dwarves are obedient to their respective deities.

From ancient times, Yggdrasil watched over the ancestors of the Elves, and despite clashing with the ancestors of the Dwarves when they tried to dig into him, Sagarmatha eventually embraced them.

Their influence over their respective races is absolute.

A simple command would suffice.

“Hmm… Ideally, I’d prefer not to push them out forcefully. I hope they can step out from under my shadow on their own.”

“I also… dislike breaking my image as a taciturn god.”

Oh please, Sagarmatha, you’re plenty taciturn as it is.

Still, rejecting the simplest solution makes you difficult children indeed.

“Is there another way? A method where I don’t appear to be pushing them out…?”

“Please, Mom.”

Double eye contact attacks! Critical hit on this mother’s heart!

Come on, these two look like adults, but when they make requests like this, I can’t help but soften.

“Hmm… In that case…”

You don’t want to directly address the children you watch over. Yet, you still wish for them to leave and explore other places. Achieving both isn’t easy, I’ll admit. Yes.

If you can’t speak directly, perhaps encouraging them to leave on their own is the best option.

Encouraging them to leave on their own… which means interfering with individual free will.

Perhaps here, we could employ the upgraded LD…?