ALL NOVEL Chapter 305
Encia looked down at her translucent left hand. Swoosh!
On that left hand, made of magical power, the threads of magic and faith intertwined and moved like a dance. Swirl!
“Something feels strange.” Hmm…
“What a truly bizarre sight.” Whoa!
Beneath the skeletal structure of magic and skin, her left hand was formed of faith and magic, intertwined like blood and flesh.
After looking at such a hand, Encia slightly clenched and then opened her fist, and her left hand transformed to resemble her original hand. Click!
“The feeling of magic and faith flowing and intertwining is really odd, but if this is the case… I should definitely be able to handle faith.” Yay!
“But for now, it’s just my left hand.” Well…
“Well, I tried to give up my left hand, so shouldn’t I just change my whole body now?” Woohoo!
“Stop that. Seriously.” Stop!
“Why not? Since I’ve tested it, isn’t it okay to change it? I mean, I don’t have much attachment to a human body anyway.” Shrug!
Many who thought similarly ended up facing dreadful fates… hmm…
Ah, maybe Encia is fine since she has the divine essence within her? Finger-crossed!
But I can’t deny that it’s a dangerous thing to do. Danger!
“Let’s take it step by step. Step by step. If something irreparable happens all at once, it’ll be a real problem.” Warnings!
Well, there’s always a way for me to handle it. To the rescue!
“Okay, then I’ll slowly change my body.” Slow down!
“Yeah. Taking it slow is important.” Turtle speed!
Thus, Encia began to gradually change her body. Transformation!
Starting with her left hand, she changed her entire left arm, then her legs, and even her right arm and internal organs little by little. Zap!
Creating the inner organs she needed as a creature with magic, Encia changed everything but her heart and brain. Tada!
It was akin to the ship of Theseus, but I couldn’t stop Encia. Stop, don’t!
Even if I tried to stop her, she wouldn’t listen to me anyway. It’d be a waste of breath. Wheeze!
“I just hoped Sia could live more like a human.” Sigh!
“Living as a human and becoming a god… It’s obvious which is more important, right?” Ding!
Hmm… If you can end your life and ascend to godhood, who would reject that? If you could escape the constraints of the body and reach the divine, who would deny it? Heaven bound!
A finite life, weak powers, a bound life. Cage!
It feels like they’re liberated from everything. They would want to become gods even if it meant sacrificing their lives. Give it up!
That’s why Encia wouldn’t listen to me. Defiance!
“Tia doesn’t know humanity. She doesn’t know life. She doesn’t know the meaning of living with limited time.” Fact check!
“To say a goddess of life doesn’t know about life… Saying that to others could get you labeled as a heretic, you know?” Watch out!
“But it’s the truth. Tia exists high above, watching over the world for eternity. Everything in this world must seem like weak, fragile creatures to her, but still, she cares for it. She nurtures this world. That’s why I think Tia deserves respect.” Applause!
“Respect, huh…” Curious!
“If I had to compare Tia to a human, it’d be like she’s taking care of tiny ants… No, even smaller, weak bugs. She’s helping lives that could easily be ignored. Insect world!
But I think that’s just way too tiring.” Exhausted!
Tiring? Hmm… Is that just about right? Pondering!
I’m not sure. Sometimes it can be frustrating when things don’t go my way, but my basic policy is… um, neglect? No, is neglect the right word? Did I ever neglect lives? Scratches head!
Excluding the time I was hibernating… Um… Was there really any time I neglected? Checks!
When I prayed, my prayers were answered. After death, I cleaned the souls and reincarnated them. I blitzed the gods that messed with lives, and I helped a bunch of other stuff… Heroic!
Hmm… Have I really done almost everything? Checklist!
“So, I think Tia should have a bunch of subordinates to help her.” Help desk!
“I may have a lot of children but not many subordinates.” Ding-ding!
Except for one escapee, my children are occupied with their tasks… um… Sylphid doesn’t really do anything, but once more sailors venture out to the vast seas, they’ll figure things out on their own. Sailing!
As a goddess of life and one who governs death, everything’s divided among fragments. I’ve gained enough leisure to even hibernate. Ahhh!
“I think doing nothing at all is the best.” Nap time!
“Not doing anything is another thing.” Contradiction!
“Tia, thinking that way is workaholic behavior.” Addicted!
“Is it?” Huh?
“Yeah. Since you’ve worked for so long, it could be instinctively seeking work.” Sneaky!
Instinct-level workaholic? What even is that? Confused!
“The world Tia has nurtured isn’t that weak.” Strong vibes!
Encia said this with confidence, but… really? Is that really true? Nervous!
Can I just let go and watch? Is it really okay? Anxiety!
I don’t know. I wish it would be… but it’s still too unsettling! Worrying!
“And if I become a god… I’ll be able to help Tia.” I got you!
“Just the thought is enough to be grateful.” Aww!
“Just the thought? I’m sincere!” Serious business!
Then, with that declaration, Encia turned her body made of magical power translucent. Sparkle!
Having changed every part except her heart and brain, Encia now stood on the brink of godhood. So close!
Just one more step forward, and she would ascend as a god from her human body. Huzzah!
“Are you really not going to regret this?” Concerned!
“What do I have left to regret? My parents have passed, and my disciple has become a proper mage.” Let it go!
“But… you’re giving up the path of a human.” Dilemma!
“Tia, you put way too much value on being human.” Reality check!
Encia spoke calmly, as if to say my thoughts were incorrect. As if that wasn’t the truth. Defensive!
“I don’t know why you value humanity so much, but humans aren’t as great a being as you think.” Harsh truth!
“……. ” Silence!
“I can see you cherish humans through your actions. You see value in them. But they’re not worth nurturing to that extent.” Tough love!
“But…” Retort?
I was human once. Downcast!
I couldn’t voice that thought and swallowed it again. Gulp!
“I don’t know why you cherish them. But I genuinely believe being human doesn’t have the value to delay ascending to godhood.” Time to go!
“Is that so?” Is it?!
“It is.” Firm!
Encia smiled faintly. Cute!
As if she found joy in having a dialogue similar to the one we shared, but from the opposite perspective. Flip!
“But Sia’s disciple…” Call back!
“I’ll pass everything on to Cecil. And once I become the god of magic, I’ll always be watching over Cecil.” Guardian spirit!
But will that child accept it? Doubtful!
Even if Encia ascends to godhood, would those left behind think the same? Contemplating!
But those thoughts… Ponder!
“Is that so.” I guess…
I had no choice but to accept her indifferent attitude. Roll with it!
“Unexpectedly, you’re accepting that quite easily.” Surprised!
“I’m a mage. Handling magic means dealing with a great force, so it’s naturally accompanied by danger. Thus, mages always live close to death.” Living on the edge!
Being a mage is such a dangerous profession… um… I can’t deny that. True fact!
Using magic incorrectly can lead to a catastrophic explosion. Boom!
“Mages are those who brace themselves for that risk and hone their skills.” Toughing it out!
“That doesn’t apply to you, though.” A side note!
“How is it not?” What?!
“Well, you casually use magic that defies the common sense of mages by changing the weather. Meanwhile, you don’t seem to struggle even a bit. While I, your disciple, nearly collapse from exhaustion changing the weather just once.” Complaining!
Upon hearing Cecil’s words, Encia subtly turned her gaze elsewhere and began to feign nonchalance. Awkward!
“It’s just that the magic I learned from Tia is truly great! You’re just exhausted, but it’s not dangerous!” Gleaming!
“That’s true, but every time I hear about mages blowing themselves up, it sends a chill down my spine. I don’t regret becoming a mage, though.” Cold sweat!
“You don’t regret it, huh.” Insightful!
I’ve heard a bit about Encia’s disciple. Compared to being a slave, being a mage is certainly a much better life. No brainer!
Anyway, after exchanging pleasantries with Encia’s disciple… Chatting away!
“Therefore, I’m slowly preparing to ascend as a god and thinking of passing everything I have to you.” Passing the torch!
“Everything of the Master?” In awe!
“Yeah. I have no children other than you, Cecil.” Just you!
Cecil pondered for a moment upon those words and then spoke up. Thinking cap on!
“I understand. I will strive to carry on the legacy of Master, ensuring that your name continues to be passed down.” Honor bound!
“Oh, that’s fine. In fact, I would prefer it if you could remove my name.” Wait, what?!
At those words, Cecil was filled with astonishment. Shock!
She couldn’t understand why he’d ask to have his name erased. Confused!
“Why? A great mage’s name should be carved into history for all time!” Legacy!
“Well, you see, I’ll become a god, not a human anymore. If my name remains from when I was human, it’ll feel like a shackle.” Chains!
“A shackle?” Intrigued!
Ah, looks like she’s still preoccupied with the whole [Cientia ≠ Encia] thing. Thoughts!
“So, shift all my accomplishments onto you. All my assets, the countless books I’ve accumulated, and the rights to the books I’ve written. You can have it all.” Generous!
“But…” Hesitant!
Cecil couldn’t easily accept such words. After all, asking her to take everything from someone akin to a parent isn’t easy to digest. Heavy heart!
“But in exchange… um, I have one favor to ask.” With a wink!
As if aiming to alleviate Cecil’s burden, Encia added those words. Hopeful!
“Yes, yes! I’ll do whatever you ask! Just say the word!” Eager beaver!
With determined light in her eyes at Encia’s statement, she awaited what was to come. Encia smiled faintly and said, “Gather as much knowledge as you can, many books. And create a building to store them… a library.” Bookworm!
“A library?” Surprised!
“Yeah. Create a building that gathers as much knowledge as possible from all over this world and name it Cientia. That is my request.” Name drop!
That was Encia’s final request. Last call!