The Outer God Needs Warmth

Hieronymus went outside, claiming he had something to do.

whoosh

I’m not sure if he’s choosing someone to make the harvesting period, or looking for someone to supply me with warmth.

chirp chirp

So, I shifted my interest to Joanna Smith.

ding ding

Based on the world view, I thought there would be European-style bread, but seeing Joanna cook in the kitchen feels quite different, doesn’t it?

chop chop

She grinds the grains, adds water, and brings a lump of dough to one side of the kitchen to bake over the fire. It’s like naan from India. Separately, she takes out pickled meat, cuts it up, and stir-fries it, while also boiling dried vegetables with sauce.

boil boil

The dishes seem like they would have an enormous amount of calories. Plus, there’s a bit of fruit.

fruit drop

From the looks of it, it appears to be quite fresh fruit. There’s probably a place nearby where it can be sourced, with a supplier for it.

sigh

Unfortunately, Joanna has no idea how it’s done.

facepalm

If I could assess the food situation, I could consider it when expanding the harvesting period later, but it’s a shame.

whistle

Food, space, and happiness management. These are common elements in simulation games, right? An ideal game shouldn’t have too much interference from human elements.

clink clink

To harvest more warmth, I think it would be good to increase the harvesting period to gain more warmth.

ponder

Well then.

drumroll

If I rush, nothing will go right.

whoosh

Back when I was human, I wasn’t particularly bright. So, it’s impossible for me to be able to do anything now.

light bulb

When too many minds are contaminated, or hosts, or followers gather together, I start thinking about grid computing their brains to increase intelligence…

thinking sound

If I could, I would, but using the brains of Rebecca Rolfe and Joanna Smith doesn’t feel like it’d improve things.

shrug

Rather, they only seem to make noise.

sigh

If the harvesting period increases, there’s a possibility that I won’t be able to manage it.

grumble

Hmm.

tick tock

I’ll think about it then.

wink

As I’m planning for the future bit by bit, Joanna comes into the room carrying food.

step step

Then, Joanna opens the door and steps inside. She carefully walks in and stops before making her way directly to me.

thud

I still remember Joanna clinging onto me.

flashback

She quietly opened the door and entered the room. Once inside, she moved through a space where she wasn’t easily visible.

swish

In the meantime, nobody treats her as a person. Even as a janitor cleans the street, there are often times I don’t even remember her, right?

gasp

As she rises in her position, she seems to be fascinated by being recognized by someone.

glee

This pleasure often leads to an obsession with climbing higher in a cult.

bell rings

Humans are social animals. They find stability in social relationships. When recognized by others, the brain provides a reward accordingly.

cheers

That’s why when one’s rank rises, people often change. Pain is easier to ruin a person than pleasure.

shock

I’m curious to see how Joanna, who’s gradually changing, will turn out.

drama

Looking at the dark purple light within her, I don’t think it will yield good results.

ominous music

“Excuse me. Here’s your meal.”

bell chime

I looked at the meal brought by Joanna. Rebecca Rolfe had made similar dishes I’ve tasted before. It’s not that unusual for a meal.

ahem

For me, it’s the first meal since becoming this body.

chomp chomp

I know how to eat, so I gave it a try. But, there’s nothing in the taste that matches what I know. However, Rebecca Rolfe’s body said she’s been eating like this regularly.

huh?

It feels strangely dualistic or independently peculiar.

thoughtful sound

It just feels like I completed a daily quest. Does that mean I’ll need to deal with the byproducts of this physical activity later?

sigh

If I need to go, I should ask where the restroom is.

poof

Anyway, the most important thing is whether I can obtain the warmth I desire from the food.

deep breath

Though the dish has heat, I don’t feel any warmth entering me upon eating. It’s still cold as ever.

shiver

Surely, warmth isn’t something physical that I require.

fire crackling

If I could feel warm from physical warmth, I would have jumped into a bonfire by now.

whoosh

But… isn’t there a bit too much?

big gulp

I got full before finishing half.

burp

Since there’s no real reason to eat more, I left some behind.

plate clatter

Joanna Smith seemed about to do something but hesitated. Her body tensed. Her mouth opened and closed again, indicating she had a question to ask?

curious

“Do what you want, Joanna Smith.”

encouraging cheer

So, as I told her to go ahead, Joanna Smith looked genuinely shocked.

surprised gasp

Her heart raced, and with it came a surge of awe and faith.

thump thump

But even so, she couldn’t act on her desires immediately, hesitating several times before asking me.

questioning tone

“How should I refer to you, if I may ask?”

curiously

Ah, starting there?

snicker

Didn’t she introduce herself as Rebecca Rolfe before? Isn’t there something like a phrase about not calling upon the name of God in vain?

shrug

Of course, it’s true that if a deity can be easily called upon, their dignity might diminish.

thinking sound

Oh, right.

nod

I introduced myself as a cold sea that desires warmth from the depths below, didn’t I?

soft gasp

It makes sense. Joanna wasn’t present when I introduced myself as Rebecca Rolfe.

realization

There’s no need to ponder on names.

wave of hand

“I am Rebecca Rolfe. It’s the name of this body, but I use it too. So please call me that name.”

smile

“Yes, Lady Rebecca.”

nod

Her gaze is moving busily.

busy busy

Joanna possesses a color that wouldn’t be out of place as an undead or demon in a game. Her skin is a dark blue, and the roots of her hair have turned purple.

color change sound

Rebecca changed all at once to purple, but Joanna still retains some of her original color, albeit faded to white.

thoughtful tone

In her late 50s, she wouldn’t have seemed particularly old back when I was human, and if she managed well, she could have appeared in her 40s, like some people.

age estimation

However, Joanna could be believed to be an 80-year-old due to the hardships shown on her face.

aging sound

But now, she’s transformed to her late teens or early twenties.

yeah!

And has climbed to the rank of a warrior of faith. This cult has different ranks for priests and warriors, it seems.

rank up sound

Body and hierarchy.

dance of improvement

Everything has improved.

cheerful tone

Now I’m excited to see how this person will change. Hopefully, she’ll become something like a reincarnated person or a time traveler.

dreamy theme

Someone who can wield desires freely, following the rules as a mere pretense while eliminating those they dislike.

laughter echoes

That would indeed be a perfect harvesting period.

echo

If someone maintains the pretense of following the rules, it’s hard to be designated as an enemy by a group. Survival rates increase.

survivor theme

If one wields desires freely, one day they will encounter another who does the same. That’s where the ability to eliminate undesired opponents shines.

glint

Kill the opponent and give the warmth to me.

chuckle

Hehe.

laughter

It’s unfortunate to assume I’ve entrusted too much to the cult, so my ability to think for myself is considerably diminished.

grumble

Hence, I’m indeed the villain. Since I ordered people to dig, use someone against their will, deceiving naive village folk into the cult.

evil laughter

Of course, people are dualistic. Kind to someone, dreadful to another.

weights of judgment

One cannot define a person’s nature with just one aspect.

thinking hard

Thus, deliberately looking at only one side to judge.

clap clap

Joanna Smith murmured my name softly a few times, then looked at me again and opened her mouth.

drumroll

“Did you perhaps not like this meal?”

questioning tone

Her manner of speaking feels oddly awkward, as if she’s forcing herself to imitate someone. Is she trying to be polite in her own way?

nod in agreement

“It’s okay to speak comfortably. And I’m too full to eat anymore.”

wave of hand

At my words, Joanna blinked and slightly nodded as she regarded me.

agreeable tone

It doesn’t make sense, but it’s closer to giving a nod without understanding fully.

shrug

Well, it’s quite little for someone like Rebecca, who might be small but has a fair-sized bust.

smirk

But truly, since I’m stuffed, it’s just a bit much for me to eat more, right?

acknowledgment

Just then, the door to the room I’m in opened.

creak

In came Hieronymus, along with two large men and a somewhat younger boy.

thud thud

One of the men is someone Joanna has seen. He’s a warrior of faith. The man on the opposite side, dressed the same, is likely from the same faction.

group dynamics

And the boy they brought along is chained and covered in blood.

gasps of shock

When Joanna hurriedly stood up, Hieronymus made a calming gesture towards her, sending her behind me.

safety first

Then Hieronymus approached me and knelt.

bowing sound

“Lady Rebecca, as you commanded, I’ve brought an offering.”

offering sound

As soon as Hieronymus spoke, the boy jumped up, but the two men behind him grabbed his head and kicked the back of his legs, forcing him to kneel.

grabbing sound

An offering, huh?

thinking noises

This implies Hieronymus is telling me not to use him for anything else but as an offering.

straight face

If offered, I won’t refuse.

no thank you sound

I need to use resources to create the harvesting period, but I’m not sure how long I can restrain myself.

counting

I got up from my seat and approached the mess of a boy.

step step

The left side is so swollen that it’s completely unrecognizable, while the right side has bright blue eyes glaring at me. Who did they capture, I wonder?

curious and cautious

The light in his chest is quite large.

glow

It’s brimming with warmth.

optimistic hum

There’s hope, isn’t there? A hope for life, optimism for the future, and a belief that he may survive ahead.

hopeful light

The condition of his body seems to bear no impact on the warmth within?

pondering sound

I extended my hand forward towards the boy. As my arm split open, dark purple smoke flowed out, swiftly engulfing the light in the boy’s chest.

smoky effect

Warm!

joyful sound

But that was brief.

pause

The cold rushed back in. It was much warmer than those who typically came to me, but the duration… um.

sigh

The dark purple smoke flowed out. In the boy’s chest was a shriveled black light.

observing closely

Unlike Joanna, who’s color shifted to a dark purple hue, this boy, Ishtur La Pranja, has merely reduced to a crumpled black lump.

realization

It’s faintly glowing in the center, showing it once was the light of life in him.

light fading

As the dark purple smoke completely dissipated, the boy slumped over.

thud

He was still breathing, so he wasn’t dead yet.

relief

From Joanna’s perspective, Hieronymus was observing me and the boy intently, while one man felt uncomfortable, and the other merely stood stoically.

observing tension

The boy slumped over.

homely sigh

But that too was temporary.

twist and turn

Gathering something like purple mist, his entire body squirmed. Alien organs sprouted on his face, and his back swelled as muscles expanded. One arm grew longer, creating a left-right asymmetry.

weird sound

But before he could change further, the boy’s neck was sliced off.

slice sound

It was the man behind him who cut his neck with a knife. There was something similar to what I felt from the arrow last time smeared on it.

curious clink

Instead of red blood, he bled a glowing blue liquid as he fell lifelessly.

thud

I saw the blood on my hands when he was beheaded. It surged out, bubbling, then vanished.

huh?

Ah, I see.

understanding sound

I learned one thing.

lightbulb

This transformation didn’t occur because I poured in my power. If one loses all warmth while harboring light, they can wield powers similar to mine.

big smile

Transforming into a monster, the purple smoke they swallowed wasn’t me.

realization dawning

Remembering this phenomenon, I greeted Hieronymus.

smile of acknowledgment

“Thank you for the warmth.”

grainy voice

Then, Hieronymus used elaborate literary expressions to convey, “Don’t mention it.”

laughter echoes

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