Chapter 4:
My Final Decision
I WAS POSITIVE the woman’s arrival would cause a huge fight over Gams, but in the end, she left a couple of days later with a group of hunters. They’d been searching for her, apparently. I’d been worried about Gams’s safety for nothing, it seemed.
The woman’s name was Salem, and she was the daughter of a noble household. She’d been attacked by bandits while on the road near the Forbidden Forest and fled into the woods to avoid capture. The soldier guarding her was secretly in league with the thieves, but just when they were closing in on her, monsters attacked. The bandits fled, and Salem thought she was done for, until Gams showed up to save her. Charmed by his skills, she tried to hire him as a guard during her time at the village, but he turned her down.
When it was time for her to leave, she took his hand, seeming reluctant to be parted—and earning her a pair of nasty glares from Chem and Carol.
Any other game would probably have some event to let her join the village, but she left after only two days, which was probably safest for all concerned.
“Sounds like a lot has happened since I’ve been away!”
We were in my tent, and Carol was explaining the events of the past few days to a plump man. He was the well-spoken merchant with a meek smile: Dordold.
Not more than twenty minutes earlier, Dordold had been on his knees bowing down to me a mere instant after I introduced myself.
“The God of Fate’s disciple! My name is Dordold! I’m a lowly merchant!”
Out of all the reactions I’d gotten, his might’ve been the most overblown.
“Please raise your head. I am a mere servant. Please treat me as you would any other villager. The Lord has told me that He is grateful to you for the help you provide His beloved people.”
“O-oh no! Such praise is wasted on me!”
I took Dordold’s hand and knelt down on one knee. “The God of Fate grants you His protection.”
Large tears welled up in Dordold’s eyes, dripping to the ground. I came up with the words on the spot, but they seemed to do the trick. Dordold dropped his extreme formality and spoke to me without reservation. Being a merchant, he was more flexible and comfortable with change than my villagers.
“How long will you be staying in the village, Yoshio?” Dordold asked. Chem and Rodice, who were with us, looked at me with interest.
“I intend to leave before the Day of Corruption.”
Although Sewatari-san hadn’t contacted me yet, which made me nervous.
“I see,” Chem murmured, looking at the floor. Rodice didn’t say anything, but he looked a little downcast as well. They must’ve been thinking back to the tragedy of the last Day of Corruption. Maybe they’d been hoping I would be around to help, given my connection to the God of Fate.
“Please do not worry. The Lord is always watching over you. Though I may be gone, His protection will stay. I shall ask the Lord personally to ensure it.” I gave them an encouraging smile, hoping to clear the heavy atmosphere. Their expressions softened a bit.
Well, that put their minds at ease. Now all I had to worry about was my own.
✦ ✦ ✦
Dordold and the others took their leave. Alone in my tent, I let out a heavy sigh. According to my phone, it was January 25th—just six days until the Day of Corruption.
“I wish they’d get in touch already…”
My phone rang, like it could hear me. I jumped nearly a foot in the air, but quickly composed myself and checked the screen. “It’s Sewatari-san!”
I answered the call and switched on my video.
“Whew, sorry for the delay, but we’ve got everything in order now! You can come back whenever you want. Even right this second, really.”
“Thank you.” I’d been anxiously awaiting her call, and yet I could feel my heart sinking.
“You don’t seem happy.”
“Sorry. Could I ask a favor?”
“Just ask! No need to be so formal!”
I took a few deep breaths to compose myself. My request was reckless but also necessary. I wouldn’t be able to face myself in the mirror, otherwise.
“Could I stay here until after the Day of Corruption?”
“Wait, are you serious? Do you even know what you’re asking?”
“Of course.” I knew the dangers as well as anyone.
“If you die there, that’s it. You won’t just get a game over screen and appear back in Japan.”
“I know.”
“Well, you seem to have already made up your mind. Can I ask why?”
“I can’t run and leave my villagers to face the danger by themselves. Just sit safe in my room and give them orders from there. That would be pathetic.”
My whole life up until this point was pathetic, so what was a couple more cowardly decisions in the grand scheme of things? But it didn’t matter why I was doing it, whether it was to prove something to myself, or what. But I wasn’t a NEET or a shut-in here. I was the God of Fate! Or her representative, at least.
“I see,” said Sewatari-san. “Well, I did say that you could live there forever if you wanted to. Show everyone your miracles, tell them you’re a disciple of God. Form a harem. I’ll even throw in an upgrade of your choice.”
“Stop trying to tempt me. I’m not going to do that.”
Sewatari-san laughed. “You sure are a singular kind of man, Yoshio-kun. Well, maybe half a singular man. You’ll get there. You’ve grown a ton since you started playing. It’s like you’re a different person.”
“You’ve been watching me?”
“Well, I mean…you’ve been watching the villagers go about their lives this whole time, too. I’m a god. I can do that.”
“What about my, uh, private time?”
She paused. “No comment.”
I did not love that moment of hesitation, but I didn’t push.
“If you’ve made up your mind, I won’t stand in your way,” she said. “And as reward for your bravery, I’ll give you a gift and some advice. Both the players you fought in Hokkaido are planning to target your village on the Day of Corruption. Watch out for that.”
That bland salaryman Habatake and that punk, huh?
If they attacked together, we’d have to rally.
“I’ll give you the gift on the day of. Uh…I guess I’ll say something godlike before I go.” She cleared her throat. “I have heard your request. When the Day of Corruption draws to a close, you shall return to your homeland of Japan.” Sewatari-san spoke in a majestic tone. She actually did sound pretty godlike.
“Thank you so much for entertaining my selfish request.”
“Eh, this is the good kind of selfishness, so I approve. I was right to choose you as a player.”
“By the way,” I said. “I’ve been wondering this for a while. Is there criteria for choosing players?”
“Kind of, but it’s a trade secret. I might be able to let you in on it if you level up high enough. Just make sure you survive the next attack, okay?”
“I’ll do my best. Oh, I’ve got one more question. It’s about the corrupted gods…”
When the call ended, I felt weak, all the tension draining from my body. I’d really had to brace myself to ask something so unreasonable of a god, no matter how nice she was.
“Now I can’t run away. I’ve just got to stay and face this.” I said the words aloud for motivation. The only way out was through. I’d survive the danger along with my villagers, and we’d come out the other side victorious. My love for my villagers would only grow…and maybe even my love for myself.
I was going to leave my negative thinking and the useless parts of me behind in this world. I would return to Japan as someone with a truer soul. Dying here wasn’t an option!
Determination flaring in my chest, I started tapping at my phone. I was going to utilize every bit of know-how to rise to this challenge.