Refusing My God’s Advances

Level: 234
Physical Power: 46500
Magical Power: 65600 (+100 from Cursed Grimoire)
Agility: 45500
Technical Knowledge: 57000
Arcane Insight: 59600 (+100 from Cursed Grimoire)
Resilience: 49000

“What is wrong with you?” Was all Mary could ask after about 2 minutes of staring open-mouthed at my stats.

“Wrong? What do you mean? I mean, I wouldn’t want Daryle to see these, but I am just trying to make a point. I still have almost thirty thousand Magical Power left, so we should be more than fine to go visit IHSR, right?” I asked, and Mary just let out an exasperated groan.

“No wonder Daryle ran away to train,” Mary muttered as she turned away from me to squat down and draw in the dirt with her finger.

I just rolled my eyes, and put my hand on my hips. “Mary. You are still like five or six times stronger than me.”

She turned her head up to look at me with a sour look. “Yeah, and four days ago, I was hundreds of thousands of times your strength! You are going to achieve in less than a month is what took me over 200 years!”

I shrugged at this. “Oh? And do you want to keep having to protect me? I thought that you would be excited, since the stronger I get, the less likely it is that you, or anyone of the rest of the girls will ever get involved with people's conflicts. I feel like that is a win for everyone.”

Mary paused, her expression softening as she considered my words. The frustration in her eyes gave way to a reluctant acceptance, perhaps even a hint of pride. She stood up, brushed the dirt off her hands, and faced me squarely.

"I suppose you have a point," she admitted, her tone less harsh than before. "It's just... hard to see the world changing so rapidly around me, and you're at the center of that change. But, if it means we can all live in peace, then I can't really complain."

The rest of the group, having quietly observed our exchange, now burst into a flurry of excited chatter about the upcoming trip to the Interdimensional Hamazon Shopping Reality (IHSR). Their enthusiasm was infectious, and even Mary couldn't help but crack a smile as plans were made.

Before we set off, I took a moment to reflect on the items and quests I had received. The Heart of Vaedos and The Arcana of Engineer's Insight were not just rewards; they were tools that would allow me to shape my path in this world. With access to Vaedos's Forge, I had the opportunity to craft items that could change the balance of power, not just for myself but for everyone around me.

The quests, especially Ember's Legacy, seemed like they were leading me toward something even greater than I had initially imagined. Each step forward felt like a piece of a larger puzzle falling into place, a narrative that I was both writing and discovering along the way. For me, this was what I wanted.

I didn't want to be told I had to do this and that. fuck the wars and everyone else's problems! I just wanted to hang with my girls, explore cool quests, and build awesome stuff. Yet, Reshan's problem became my problem if they involved my girls. Not only that, but Aria had asked me to take the trash out of the royal capital.

"Leon?" Shelli asked, and I smiled as my eyes focused on her.

These women were the reason why I fought so hard, unlike in my last life. Having people care about you can really change a person, but that was fine. I loved my new life, and I planned on keeping it as peaceful and as fulfilling as possible.

"Yeah, let's get going," I said, rallying everyone with a smile. Mary cast levitate on us all, and Aria created a wind barrier as we all lifted off the ground. The girls began talking with each other, but I closed my eyes.

The battles had been long, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't tired. Since I wasn't the one piloting, I decided to take a short nap. I felt like I was going to need the energy for our trip to Hamazon.

---

"That was fast," Mary said as Leon passed out, and Scarlet nodded.

"He was amazing. There were many times when my eyes could only see his afterimages. Not only that, but I have never seen someone who can adapt to each battle like Leon. It is exhilarating to watch!" Scarlet said, her eyes sparkling with admiration and a touch of awe. The other women nodded in agreement, each sharing their own impression of Leon's feats within the dungeon.

"I've never seen anyone clear their first dungeon alone that fast," Aria added, her voice tinged with pride. "Sure I could do it without a problem, but I don't think that I could take on the monsters guarding Ember's Vaults alone, but I think Leon will be able to."

"I find it hard to disagree, but is it really okay for us to let him do all this for us?" Mary asked, and the rest of the girls looked at her. "Seriously. He works hard all the time, and barely takes any time to himself. All he does is try to spend time with us, and do whatever silly mission Garland sends him on. I don't think I have seen him do one thing for himself since I met him."

There was a long pause as everyone thought about Mary's words as they floated through the air. Each of the girls knew what Mary meant, but Shelli spoke up first to explain how she felt.

"I have known Leon personally for the longest, and if there is one thing I have learned about him, it is that there is very little that he doesn't do for himself. I think some of us think Leon is doing all of this for each of us, but I don't think that is the case. I think he works as hard as he does and spends time with all of us because that is what he wants to do," Shelli explained, and some of the other girls nodded.

"I think that you might be right about that. The guy is almost always excited and happy, but even if he isn't, he is thinking and planning on how to get back to what he considers his peaceful life. If I am part of that life, then I should probably focus on the things I am good at to help him," Danielle said, sounding more like she was talking to herself, rather than anyone else, but everyone listened.

"I think Danielle is right," Aria said, smiling at Mary. "If Leon wants to protect us, and the home he is creating for us, then we should all do our parts. Each of us has skills that can help Leon achieve his goal because it should really be all of our goals. The ability to live however we want, with the people we love."

Mary took a deep breath, letting Aria's words sink in. The realization that each of them had a role to play in supporting Leon—and through him, each other—shifted something in her. She had been so focused on Leon's relentless push forward, his seemingly tireless effort to protect and provide, that she'd overlooked the simplicity of his motive: a peaceful life with those he cared for. It wasn't about the quests, the battles, or even the accolades; it was about creating a sanctuary in a tumultuous world.

"You're right," Mary finally said, her voice soft but resolute. "Leon has his way of doing things, and we have ours. We've been relying on him a lot, but we're not helpless. We've all got strengths that can contribute to our shared goal."

Book 1 end