Chapter 90

Involuntarily, I scratched my head.

After all, if someone can read my mind, an excuse like "It's a lie" wouldn't work.

I had been trying not to think too deeply, considering the possibility that [Mind Reading] might be brought into play...

But I ended up falling into Ferin's line of thought and, as usual, fell back on my old habit.

Sigh...

"Well, it's not a lie. It's just information I heard. So I can't tell if it's true or not."

In the end, that's all I can say.

I don't know if it's true or not either.

"I see..."

"There's no need to think too deeply about it right now. People often envy those who have abilities they don't have. So—"

"But wars have been happening frequently lately. Many people are dying..."

"Has it been about the last five years?"

"Yes..."

Does this match the information from Mr. Yagov?

If so, what should I do...

Now that it's been exposed, there's not much point in hiding unnecessary information.

On the contrary, it might be beneficial to compare the knowledge Ferin has.

However, it's probably too early for all the goddesses to know.

Especially if Reia finds out, who knows what she might do...

Then.

"Ferin, can you keep what I'm about to say a secret from the other goddesses?"

"I can, but... is it something that big?"

Please don't look like you're about to cry.

In this situation, I feel the urge to hug you.

"It's hard for me to tell if it's big or not, considering I've only been in this world for a few months."

"Okay..."

"Just talking about it to the other goddesses might make Reia act rashly, even though we don't know if it's true yet."

"I kind of understand that."

"I plan to visit various towns and countries, so I wanted to confirm the truth on the way and then talk about it."

"Okay."

"So if you're okay with the possibility that it might be a lie, I can tell you. What do you think?"

Ferin seemed to consider it for a moment before answering.

"Okay... okay. I understand... tell me!"

With a determined look, I couldn't help but nod.

Sigh...

I took a deep breath and then told Ferin what I had heard from Mr. Yagov.

---

---

"In other words, by calling reincarnated people, we're also causing a lot of people to suffer, right...?"

"Based on the story, that's how it seems."

"The four people who openly claim to be reincarnated..."

This must be tough for Ferin.

Ideally, I should have talked to Alicia, who's in the leader position, or Riste, who can calmly judge situations.

This isn't a topic that suits someone as always cheerful and optimistic as Ferin.

But she wanted to hear it.

So I'll share the information as much as possible.

With that in mind, I took out my notebook.

I had detailed notes from what Mr. Yagov had told me before, so mentioning specific names might trigger something in Ferin's knowledge.

"From what I heard, there are strictly speaking three... no, two people. One is protecting beastmen, and another is just dealing with a challenge. So, based on the information, there's a reincarnated person named Shiva in the Velflair Empire, who's causing chaos. Then there's a reincarnated person named Marie in the Albert Kingdom, who's making a fortune through teleportation or transfer abilities. These two are particularly concerning."

"Hmm, I don't think I've heard of reincarnated people with those names..."

"Of course, since they were born in this world, they might be using names given by their parents or aliases. They could be using different names."

"I see."

"First, I want you to understand that there are laws created by people. On Earth, these laws vary slightly by country, but I don't know how it is in this world."

"Okay."

"The problem is, even though these two seem to be doing whatever they want, it's not clear if they're breaking the law."

"Why? Aren't they doing bad things?"

"Good or bad is subjective. For example, Shiva, the reincarnated person in the Velflair Empire, might be seen as a merciless killer by the countries being attacked, but to the people of that country, they might be a hero expanding their territory. On Earth, wars are fundamentally about killing each other, and the losing side is often labeled as the bad guys. If you've seen many territorial disputes between countries, regardless of reincarnated people, you know that, right?"

"Yes. The names of countries often changed, and borders shifted frequently."

"So in a civilization like this, war is quite common, regardless of whether it's good or bad. Humans are basically bundles of desire."

"I see... What about the other reincarnated person?"

"I think Marie in the Albert Kingdom is even less likely to be breaking the law. Using their abilities to make the world more convenient and creating useful things that benefit people and spread around the world is not a bad thing. This kind of innovation leads to the development of civilization, right?"

"Yes, I understand that."

"But when someone creates something convenient, it can lead to job losses and income cuts for people in industries that become obsolete. So, in today's society on Earth, everyone competes to stay ahead and not fall behind."

"So neither of them is necessarily bad?"

"Whether they're bad or not is subjective. They are judged by the laws and rules set in advance. These laws can vary by country, and I don't understand the laws of this world, so I can't say for sure at this stage."

"..."

"That's why, if this story reaches Reia and leads to divine punishment, it's important to understand that it could result in punishing someone who isn't breaking human laws."

"I see..."

"Of course, if the goddesses have absolute rules above human laws, I won't say anything. But as someone who almost got killed once, I don't recommend it."

"I understand... I'll make sure Reia doesn't find out!"

"Okay. Now that you understand that, let's move on to the main point."

"...I'm ready."

I nodded at her determined face.

"The person who provided me with information isn't just lamenting the wars and the concentration of wealth."

"What do you mean?"

"Reincarnated people's abilities are far beyond what the residents of this world can achieve. Right?"

"Yes... We gave them the skills we wanted at the maximum level..."

This is the crux of the matter.

It's a harsh story, but the goddesses' desire to improve this world has backfired.

"For example, if a self-proclaimed person from another world with abilities far beyond the residents of this world appeared, how would the people of this world feel?"

"Hmm? Envious? ...Or jealous? ...It depends on the person?"

"Exactly, it depends on the person. Since the residents decide, it ultimately depends on how the abilities are used. If many people benefit, they will be praised, but if many people are harmed, they will be disliked."

"..."

"So, let's apply this to the two people we talked about earlier."

"Killing many people in war... Making a lot of money in ways others can't... The first person seems to be very disliked, and there are probably many people who hate them."

"The more victims there are, the more likely that is. If the stories are true, it's quite severe. They don't spare women and children."

"---!!?"

"Also, regarding Marie, if the wealth benefits a country or a wide area, it might be different. But from what I've heard, it seems to be concentrated in the hands of individuals."

"That's... not good."

"Yes, doing that would make them disliked. Plus, their ultimate goal seems to be the territory of other countries, so it's like an economic war similar to what happens on Earth."

"..."

"The person who provided me with information is concerned that the current world is centered around people who openly claim to be from another world. In reality, it's just three people. These three are in a power struggle with abilities far beyond the original residents, who can't compete and get caught up in the conflict."

After hearing this core issue, Ferin covered her face with her hands and bowed her head. I didn't know what to say.

"Did we fail...?"

"Even if what I said is true, it doesn't mean everything is a failure. There are signs that Earth's knowledge is being implemented. So... you know, since you read my mind earlier?"

"Yes. We gave too many abilities... That's the cause."

"You're right. Honestly, I can understand the feelings of those two. If you're suddenly given disproportionate power, you might want to see how far you can go with it. If you give too many abilities, it's easier for such people to emerge. So, at least, you could limit the abilities to a high but not overwhelming level for the residents, or avoid giving abilities that lead to military power and hinder the development of civilization. If you take a long-term view, such considerations might be necessary."

"...I want to tell everyone about this, but is it really not a good idea?"

"Hmm... If you're planning to call more reincarnated people soon, that's different, but if not, it might be better to hold off. People will wonder why you're talking about this."

"You're right. I see."

"To be honest, I'm also afraid of being targeted by the goddesses if I talk about this. I have abilities I don't fully understand, and even though there's a difference between reincarnated and transferred people, it's still a concern."

Ferin should understand, since she read my mind earlier.

That I prioritize my strength and act as I please, just like those people.

If that's the case, it might be better to nip it in the bud. If I were in their position, I might do the same.

"But Loki, you're different! You're helping us! Even though you're focused on getting stronger, you still spend time with us! You listen to us every day with [Divine Power]... You never ask us questions... I'm such a bad goddess... I'm sorry..."

Seeing her like this, I naturally stood up from my chair.

I can't hug a goddess, but at least I can rub her back.

"I'm not a saint, and I often act out of self-interest. The goddesses should know that. That's why I think they brought [Mind Reading] today. There's no need to worry—"

"No!!"

"Huh?"

"That's not it... I didn't bring [Mind Reading] to doubt you! It's not like that at all!!"

...It's not?

Reia might have improved a bit, but she openly talked about surveillance, and Feiril brought in some skill I don't understand.

Considering I can get monster skills and prioritize strength, it's understandable to be wary and bring [Mind Reading].

[Divine Power] is the same.

While there are things I want to confirm gradually, the current focus is on safety, so there's no urgent need to check everything.

On the contrary, if I answer the goddesses' questions within my knowledge, it might improve my suspicious image a bit...

(Friend... Friend, huh...)

I recalled my conversation with Feiril.

The unnaturally high affection is because I'm a 'transferred' person, not a reincarnated one.

Even if not completely free, I'm one of the few who can talk naturally with the goddesses. For the goddesses who have spent what feels like an eternity with only six of them, I'm someone they couldn't have even if they wanted to.

That's why I used the word 'friend.'

And Feiril nodded.

But... would a friend use [Mind Reading] to be wary?

It depends on the person, but I wouldn't be wary of a friend.

If I were wary, I wouldn't call them a friend.

I only called Feiril a friend, but if Ferin thinks differently... using [Mind Reading] to know something... the necessity... being happy about something special and boasting about marriage... no, no, no, that's too much.

That's overconfidence and beyond what's appropriate.

To begin with, I don't remember doing anything that would lead to that.

(Sigh... Calm down, me. It's about Ferin now, not me.)

When I looked at Ferin, she seemed more huddled up than before, and her ears seemed red...

"Anyway, I'm not bothered by it, so cheer up?"

"Okay... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"Ferin's best quality is being bright and energetic, so it's a waste to stay like this forever."

"!? ...You say that again... Ugh... Ugh—!! I'm going home today! I'll come back when I'm feeling better!!"

"Huh? Ah, okay..."

While I was giving this vague response, Ferin's body turned into a purple mist and disappeared after a few seconds. When I lay down on the bed, I could still feel her warmth in part of it.

"Sigh... Seriously..."

Thank you for reading.

The current section of the story is important, but it's a part where the author recognizes that it's the most likely to drag, as it's far from the battle and growth aspects.

So, I'll temporarily increase the update frequency.

From tomorrow's chapters 90 to 100, I'll post two chapters a day to get to the end of Chapter 5. If you enjoy the heartwarming developments, you can keep following. If you want battles and growth, you can wait until Chapter 5.

Some important elements will be skipped, but from around Chapter 130, the story will start moving more seriously, so you can sleep until then.

*The times are fixed at 7 PM and another one, either 8 PM or 9 PM, which is yet to be determined.