Chapter 349: Hirt (2)

    When looking at gods depicted in myths, many of them, despite their differences, are often portrayed as “giants.”

    After all, nothing conveys overwhelming presence more effectively than sheer physical stature—a presence so imposing that mere mortals wouldn’t dare to look directly.

    Among them, gods of nature, often referred to as creator gods, are the embodiment of nature itself, so their massive size feels inevitable.

    Just think of nature: the towering skies, the vast expanse of the earth, and the unfathomable depths of the seas.

    It’s only natural that Hirt, the goddess of nature in this world, falls within this category as well.

    “Finally, we meet, child.”

    Hirt crouched down to meet my gaze, smiling warmly as she greeted me.

    Her eyes sparkled like stars, radiating a deep affection.

    Trembling, I met her gaze, oblivious to the concept of disrespect.

    Even Luminous and Mora communicated through voices alone, but Hirt had manifested in person.

    Though she barely covered her intimate areas with leaves, there was no trace of lustful thoughts within me.

    Instead, I felt a childlike urge to bury myself in her embrace.

    Even that impulse was subdued under the overwhelming atmosphere she exuded.

    To reiterate, Hirt is the goddess of nature.

    Humanity is but a weak existence before “nature.”

    Simply gazing at a mountain inspires awe—how much more so before the goddess of nature herself?

    I stared blankly at the smiling Hirt before cautiously opening my mouth.

    “...Lady Hirt?”

    “Yes, dear?”

    “Are you really Lady Hirt?”

    Some might call it a foolish question, but in my position, you’d understand.

    A god, no less—a goddess of nature akin to a creator deity.

    Unlike Luminous and Mora, who communicated through voices, Hirt had materialized in front of me.

    How could I not be overwhelmed?

    My confusion left me at a loss for action.

    “Mother of all, revered goddess of nature, Lady Hirt! The descendant of the angels greets you!”

    While I was floundering, Arwen took action.

    She had been holding my arm, but at some point, she released it and prostrated herself flat on the ground. Her body trembled slightly as an added effect.

    Even as the queen of Alvenheim, she was merely a created being before a god.

    This applied to me as well.

    Even as Xenon, I would be erased with a single word from her.

    Only then did I begin to grasp the situation. Lowering myself to bow, I was stopped by a gentle hand.

    Swish.

    “...Lady Hirt?”

    “There’s no need to force yourself, dear. Besides, you’re not yet familiar with this place.”

    Hirt pressed a finger gently against my head and spoke kindly, her touch radiating warmth.

    She softly stroked my hair, her gestures reminiscent of petting a beloved puppy.

    Her simple action calmed my tense heart, even filling me with a childlike desire for more affection.

    Was this why Leona enjoyed my touch so much? I closed my eyes, smiling.

    “Greetings to the Mother of Nature.”

    “My, my.”

    “I felt it was only proper to offer a greeting.”

    “How sweet,” Hirt chuckled warmly at my response.

    She then removed her hand from my head and turned to address Arwen.

    “You may rise as well. There’s no need to feel burdened.”

    “Y-Yes...!”

    It wasn’t an order but a gentle request, yet Arwen slowly raised her head, her tension still visible.

    Hirt, noticing this, smiled softly, attempting to soothe her nerves.

    “Lift your head, dear. There’s no need to be so tense.”

    “But...still...”

    “As you know, I am the goddess of nature. And nature does not ‘willingly’ harm anyone. Even if you were to be impolite, I cannot directly punish you.”

    This was a notable difference from Luminous and Mora.

    Unlike the twin sibling gods, Hirt couldn’t summon lightning or mete out divine punishment artificially.

    Even if she could, whether she would do so—or how severe it might be—was uncertain.

    However, Hirt’s words weren’t meant to condone disrespect; rather, they were her way of encouraging us to feel at ease.

    Perhaps understanding this, Arwen cautiously raised her head, her expression still wary.

    Her tentative movements resembled that of a squirrel.

    Hirt, finding her adorable, smiled as she had before.

    Even though she encouraged us to relax, it was impossible not to maintain some level of decorum before a literal god.

    “You took your time coming here. Was it because you didn’t want to see me?”

    Turning away from Arwen, Hirt directed her words at me in a tone that was both gentle and slightly chiding.

    Her voice carried the combined essence of Luminous and Mora.

    With my nerves easing, I responded.

    She pointed at Arwen, who looked flustered when she was singled out.

    “You’re not like this child. Even now, you’re sweating coldly, and if your children were to show up, you’d probably faint.”

    “Cold sweat? Huh?”

    At Hirt’s words, Arwen wiped her cheek with her hand.

    Although she borrowed the power of the World Tree, a god is still a god.

    Unknowingly, she was consuming her spiritual energy, causing the cold sweat to pour.

    If Luminous and Mora had appeared in this state, she would have fainted from the pressure. Thanks to that, I became more aware of how abundant my divinity is.

    “Is there anything else?”

    “To talk to Lord Hirt like this, do I have to visit the World Tree every time?”

    “That would be the most convenient. You could also possess that child, Leona, but that would be difficult for her.”

    “How hard is it?”

    “She’ll suffer from fever for an entire week. Once she gets used to it, it won’t be an issue, but that’s not your nature, is it?”

    Of course not.

    If Leona would suffer, it would be better for me to visit the World Tree directly.

    “Understood. I’ll make sure to visit often.”

    “There’s no need to do that. I’ll have my children pass on my will. And since it’s also hard on the World Tree, please be careful.”

    It’s amazing that even the World Tree, which drove out the demons, feels burdened.

    Even meeting face-to-face like this is tough.

    But why did Hirt go so far as to incarnate?

    She could have simply conveyed her will with her voice like Luminous and Mora.

    I don’t understand why she took such a risk.

    Just as I was about to express that doubt, Hirt gave a warm smile as though she had read my mind.

    A smile that made my heart feel at ease just by looking at it. It felt almost as comfortable as lying on thick soft fur.

    “Child.”

    “Yes?”

    “Thank you so much for saving our world from crisis.”

    Hirt spoke these words and extended both her hands towards me.

    I didn’t react when she took action.

    Then, she supported my backside with one hand and my back with the other, pulling me closer to her face.

    With our faces at the same level, I found myself looking directly at her beautiful face.

    Her eyes, sparkling like stars, seemed to have no depth at all, which made them feel somewhat intimidating.

    It felt as though I was being overwhelmed by the universe itself, and I couldn’t move or do anything.

    Then, Hirt slowly closed her eyes and began to chant quietly.

    [Mother of all, Goddess of Nature, declares...]

    Unlike before, Hirt’s voice amplified greatly.

    It didn’t reach my ears, but instead, it seemed to resonate in my mind.

    This was different from what Luminous and Mora had done. Each word felt like a sharp needle driving into my brain.

    It was almost like a hypnotic trance, and by the time my mind began to dull, Hirt continued.

    [You shall receive the pure blessing of Nature.]

    At that moment, Hirt pulled me closer to her face.

    Smooch.

    She kissed me lightly.

    But due to her size, her lips enveloped my entire face.

    The kiss from the Goddess of Nature... it was, how should I put it... strange.

    Although there was contact, there was no lingering sensation afterward.

    But what stood out more than that was the sheer bewilderment.

    I had no idea what Hirt had just done to me.

    “...Lord Hirt?”

    “Hehe.”

    When I asked with a dumbfounded expression, Hirt smiled kindly and stood up, straightening her knee.

    Even though she simply straightened her knee, it exuded a majestic air, as though a great mountain range was rising.

    “I’m sorry to my children, but it seems this is the only way to stop their fight.”

    “...”

    “Please continue to work hard for this world.”

    Wham!

    Hirt said this and, in the blink of an eye, turned into particles of light, disappearing.

    The light particles rose into the sky before scattering into the air.

    I stared at the scene absentmindedly, then suddenly shifted my gaze to the spot where Hirt had been.

    Where she had been sitting, there was a “seed” left behind.

    It wasn’t an ordinary seed. It was much larger than a grown man’s fist.

    “...”

    Could it be?