Chapter 65: Agomon
[DING: YOU HAVE LEARNED SOUL ENFORCEMENT LVL 1]
[DING: YOUR SKILL HAS LEVELED UP!]
[NEGATIVE DRAIN IS NOW LVL 3]
Right before passing out I hear these words in the back of my ear. There's nothing better than learning new skills. That's for sure.
After drifting to sleep for who knows how long I woke up with the boy poking me with a stick.
"Oh, you're not dead."
I looked a little annoyed, then I felt a little happy because I was annoyed. At least now I have a clear mind.
"Why? So you can eat me?"
The kid just gave me this creepy dead look before saying something, "Is it possible to eat a god?"
I looked at him confused for a second until I realized what he meant.
"Who told that story?"
The boy just thought about it for a second, "My mother told me that if I help people enough eventually one of them might be a god and reward me for it."
It was a common trope in my world. It's a way of raising your kids to be better people. What ancient people failed to mention to their kids is that gods also have a tendency to shapeshift into animals and rape women, but of course you can't teach children that can you?
I just sighed after hearing that. I took a hot washcloth out of my storage box and wiped the dead maggots and vomit off of me.
"That only happens in stories. Didn't your father tell you that?"
The boy had to contemplate that for a second, "So that's why he called her a dumb bitch?"
I just looked at him for a second while his sister coughed in the background.
"Yeah, pretty much."
After cleaning myself up I grabbed another washcloth and used it to wipe the grime off the boy's face.
"Your mother might have been stupid, but you've helped me out… in your own way." I couldn't help but think about the rat.
Oh well, it's not the first time I've eaten rats out of starvation, at least I knew where this one came from, and that it was alive.
"Let's get you two out of here."
The boy looked at me with his dead expression again, but with a clean face, and asked, "Are you adopting us?"
I just chuckled and booped him on the nose, "Nope, but I'm willing to take you in, feed you and cloth you until you decide whether you want to work for me or go on your own way."
"So… adopt us?"
I just thought about it for a second until I realized it did kinda sound like that.
"Whatever you say. Just don't call me dad. Unless it's in front of beautiful women. Women love that. Got it?"
The boy thought about it for a second and shook his head in response.
I walked over to the sleeping girl and picked her up. She looked really sick at the moment so I gently picked her up and asked the boy to open the door so we could head back to the inn.
I totally forgot about that.
"How long was I out?"
I looked at the boy again while walking to the gate. His answer was a bit concerning though.
"Not sure, a day or so? Why?"
"No reason."
I felt like there was something I forgot about.
Whatever it is doesn't matter. What does matter is taking advantage of the situation.
"You know when I said I wasn't a god? I wasn't lying but a god did point me in your direction." I grinned a little when I said that.
"Hmm?"
(Huh? When did that happen? Did that death god say something to you?)
I just chuckled at the naivety of the two.
"His name is Pilfer. He's the god of thieves, treasure and comradery."
(WHAT?! No I'm not?! I'm the demon god of greed and thieves! I take pride in that! Greed makes the world go round you brat!)
I silently whispered in my mind, "Sorry but if you want others to convert to your faith you need to convert to a better one yourself."
(Even if you say that, comradery is going too far. Maybe if I were a human god it would be fine but I'm a demon! I've stolen from my own mother and she was proud of me for it. Don't make things up that I have nothing to do with!)
"Well you need to have something!"
I accidentally said that out loud. The kid looked back at me with those same dead eyes without saying anything before he kept walking.
So I spoke in my mind to tell Pilfer the problem.
"You can't be this super negative god all the time. You need the best of both worlds. That's how most great religions work."
(That's ridiculous. All people are greedy, if they weren't they would never survive in the real world.)
I would've face palmed if I weren't carrying a child in my arms.
"Pilfer just because people are greedy doesn't mean they want to talk about it. Most religions I know of in this world consider greed as a sin. Including my own people."
I could tell Pilfer was contemplating what I was saying before he finally spoke up.
(I get what you're saying but it doesn't work that way. Gods don't just choose what they can be the god of, they need an affinity towards it first. The method you're talking about could very well tear gods apart in two.)
I think I understood what he meant, it's like how Ares was a violent god in the Greek pantheon but Mars was a god who believed that war was a necessity. It's why he could be related to agriculture as well whereas Ares would rather burn a farm than tend to it.
(If you turn me into a new god then that god will probably just try to devour me for being too weak. Which would create a new and largely unpredictable god.)
Like you aren't unpredictable now? Still I get the point.
"What do you have an affinity for then?" I asked him.
(Hmmm… Darkness, fire, thievery, greed… What else? Oh there is something that might interest others. How about luck?)
I opened my eyes wide in shock and glee, "Pilf! Why didn't you say that beforehand?! Everyone wants to be lucky!"
Although I was a little confused about the fire thing I just chalked it up to him being a demon.
(Well it's new, remember that dark god I ate?)
That doesn't ring a bell at all, no, "Yeah obviously."
(Well it had a strong affinity towards lust, luck, pleasure and murder. Fortunately I picked up the one related to luck.)
Thank god for that.
"Then I'll start telling people that from now on."
I could hear the joy in Pilfer' voice.
"Can I still tell people it's related to treasure?" I asked in anticipation.
(Sure I love treasure. Who knows, I might even pick up the affinity for it.)
With that I spoke to the boy again, "Oh wait, that's not what Pilfer is the god of. He's the god of darkness, thievery, treasure and luck. I guess that explains why I found you."
The boy looked back up to me and said, "Because I'm your little treasure?"
I would have spat the drink out of my mouth if i were drinking something.
"No, because you got lucky finding me. So you should consider thanking me for it. Oh and Pilfer too." I looked smug as we walked up to the gate entrance.
"Thank you, Mr…"
I stopped when I heard that, not that I think about it, we never did get each other's names.
"Jessup Grove."
"Thank you Master Grove. I am Liam, and my sister's name is Olivia." He said that while looking at her. "I appreciate everything you and Lord Pilfer have done for me."
After we finished talking we finally walked up to the city gate and I was home free. As soon as I walked through the gates I felt fresh and free.
I looked over at Liam and I didn't see much of a difference. He still had this dead look in his eyes. I guess this is what happens when you grow up your whole life surrounded by miasma. His soul is probably covered in miasma.
"Let's go to a local church first. I want them to help your sister first. Hopefully we can get you some food while we're at it."
Liam just nodded his head.
"Okay."
I looked at him for a second with a little pity before continuing our walk. After about an hour of walking I stopped by a church. The good news is that this one hasn't fallen into irrelevance. The bad news is that I have no idea who Agomon is.
After walking inside I was surrounded by food, or at least depictions of food painted on the walls. There were several images of fruits and vegetables including wheat and corn.
I checked out the altar and noticed actual fruits and vegetables underneath it.
"I guess Agomon is an agricultural god?"
"That's right! Are you here to convert to Lord Agomon?"
I turned to my side and saw somebody sitting on the ground like a weirdo. Then again I just realized there were no chairs in here.
"Not exactly. I was hoping if you or someone could help heal these two kids? They're from outside the walls."
When I said they were from outside the walls the man looked a bit spooked, "Please keep your distance. I would rather not get sick because of them. Not even the gods can help the Broken."
"The Broken?"
I asked the priest, and he answered somewhere along the lines that anyone who was born in the waste basically had corrupted souls. He didn't mean sinful or anything he just meant devoid.
As in devoid of emotion.
It's possible to purify them of miasma but the damage is already done. Olivia may have more hope than her brother but she'll be emotionally unstable.
"So she'll grow up like a normal woman? That's not that bad."
The priest just agreed with me.
I was going to pay him for healing but he told me that only high elves or mages with healing magic could clear the miasma.
I was going to ask Pilfer if he could help but he said he ran out of those potions a while ago, but there was something he could do.
(I have an idea. Take the brats over to the altar. I'm gonna wake up this Agomon fellow.)
As soon as I heard that, I couldn't help but smile.
"Okay then. Let's wake up a god."