Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 606: God and Knight

After the Seasoning Jar fell asleep once more, Minhyuk went to meet the Beyond the Heavens’ Named NPCs and executives. He told them that he wanted to try and coax Elizabeth to join them and be their ally. However, their reactions were mixed.

“I know what Your Majesty wants. You want to take this risk so that the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom will be stronger.”

“I’m Conir!!! Conir will help hyung!!!”

“If a strong person like Elizabeth chooses to become our ally, then Beyond the Heavens will become more stable and stronger.”

This opinion was mostly made by the NPCs and plenty of the guild members agreed with them. After all, the God of Snakes Elizabeth had control over the system. She could become a strong pillar of the Beyond the Heavens Kingdom.

However, there were also plenty of opposing opinions and objections.

“What nonsense are you talking about? What if you fail? You’re going to put the NPCs in danger!”

“That’s too reckless.”

“Minhyuk, I don’t think this is the right decision.”

“That’s right. I think so too.”

Minhyuk looked at all of the people gathered in the room together. He was fully aware of that fact. After all, Elizabeth was the one that killed Valen. Still, he pressed on.

“However, based on the information that I received, she has the capacity to change. We need to have a strong ally to prevent another situation like the one that happened with Instructor Valen.”

Minhyuk’s will was firm. After that, he purchased a ‘Weak God’s Parchment’ from the MVP Shop. From what he saw, the Weak God’s Parchment could unconditionally cast a debuff on any kind of target. Minhyuk had to use 100,000 cash to purchase it, an extremely expensive price for one item, but its effects were shocking. It could bring down all of the target’s stats by 40% and decrease their skill level by -3 for around three minutes.

Aside from that, Minhyuk also prepared two other things; ‘The Mournful One’s Tearful Story’, and ‘The Sovereign’s Voice’.

The Mournful One’s Tearful Story could allow Minhyuk to catch a glimpse of the target’s saddest past. If there was a lie in the other person’s story, it would reveal the truth. As for the Sovereign’s Voice, it would make it possible for him to convey his sincerity better to the other person. It was also an item that would give a motherly feel to his voice, which could allow him to stir the other person’s heart and make them waver.

All of these items were purchased in the MVP Shop.

‘The things that I prepared to win Elizabeth’s heart are much less than what I initially thought.’

Minhyuk thought that he would be able to find something in the MVP Shop that could greatly shake Elizabeth’s heart. However, that was not the case at all.

[Elizabeth’s Egg will hatch in an hour!]

Minhyuk immediately used ‘The Mournful One’s Tearful Story’ while everyone stood vigilantly to the sides. If he knew her exact story, then he would be able to find a way to coax and appease her.

[The Mournful One’s Tearful Story has been triggered!]

***

[Elizabeth’s story has started.]

When Elizabeth first awakened to the world, the first thing that she saw was the kindest and most beautiful woman in the world. She was simply sitting there, but she was shrouded by a beautiful haze.

“You will be the God of Snakes.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“How dare you call the God of Origin as mother!”

“That impudent…!”

Several gods were outraged after hearing her call Athenae ‘Mother’ the moment she woke up. Even though she could not see Athenae’s face, Elizabeth was guessing the expression that she was sporting. She should have a look of interest on her face.

To Elizabeth, Athenae was a woman. She was the God of Origin and the being that created Elizabeth’s existence. The moment Elizabeth was born to the world, she had already made up her mind.

‘I will live for my mother. I will live to gain mother’s recognition and love,’ Elizabeth vowed as she looked at Athenae with joy, looking forward to the future with her mother.

Unfortunately, her path was not smooth. The God of Origin was always surrounded by various gods in this world.

“Elizabeth. Get rid of that ugly hair of yours.”

“Disgusting hybrid. Get out of my way!”

“How can a God have those snake-like eyes of yours?”

That was right. Despite the God of Origin giving birth to them all, there was blatant discrimination between the Six Monster Gods and the Absolute Gods. While many of the Absolute Gods were given the absolute power to rule the other gods and help the God of Origin Athenae, the Six Monster Gods were shunned. The same was true for Elizabeth.

One day, Elizabeth picked some flowers from the side of the road and ran to give them to Athenae. She thought, ‘A beautiful flower, just like my mother! I will give this to my mother as a present!’

But then, several Gods stopped her.

“Hey, are you thinking of giving flowers to the God of Origin with your grubby little hands, huh? Ugly hybrid.”

“You should know your place well.”

“The God of Origin despises you.”

The other Gods had always bullied Elizabeth. After all, she was the kindest among all of the Six Monster Gods and was the easiest to harass. What was worse was the fact that they were just ordinary Gods and not the Absolute Gods. the very same Gods that could not compare against the Six Monster Gods and the Absolute Gods in terms of power.

These Gods grabbed the flowers from Elizabeth’s hands and trampled on them.

“The God of Origin despises you. She regrets giving birth to someone like you.”

Elizabeth looked at the flowers that were being trampled on.

“You’re the worst among all of the beings that our mother has given birth to. You’re trash. Mother absolutely loathes and despises your existence. Don’t you know this?”

“…That’s not true.”

It happened on that day.

“That’s not true!”

Elizabeth was one of the Six Monster Gods. She had a power that transcended even the power of the Absolute Gods. And just like that, the four Gods that blocked her path turned into stones. Then, the Trial of Gods was opened. The other Gods hoped to punish Elizabeth, thinking that this was the best opportunity to get rid of her.

‘Mother, that’s not true. It happened only because I was trying to tell them that I knew that their words about my mother hating me were not true.’

Elizabeth looked down to where Athenae was. But Athenae just gave her sentence coldly, “Elizabeth, you shall be locked up in the Fires of Hell for fifty years. Your punishment will start tomorrow.”

“M, Mother…?”

“Do not call me mother, Elizabeth.”

“…”

Elizabeth felt her heart break. The next day, she was thrown into the Fires of Hell, a place where she was subjected to a burning pain in every single waking hour. It was very, very?painful but Elizabeth did not resent Athenae.

‘Mother, I promise I will become a better version of myself!’

Despite being locked up in this hellhole, Elizabeth still expressed her love for Athenae.

Just like that, fifty years, a hundred years had passed. Elizabeth had bloomed into a complete woman and a complete God of Snakes. Of course, she always picked beautiful flowers and presented them to Athenae.

“God of Origin, the flowers are beautiful today too.”

Athenae had told her not to bring her any flowers. But Elizabeth still picked flowers and gave it to Athenae each and every single day. She loved Athenae with her entire being, but Athenae always turned away from her.

In the end, the Absolute Gods and the other gods protested.

“The Six Monster Gods should be banished.”

“Their existence is a threat to all of the Gods.”

“There will come a time when they will threaten even the God of Origin’s existence.”

Elizabeth, who was picking flowers, heard their words but she denied it.

‘There’s no way the God of Origin will abandon us.’

But the very next day, she suddenly fell into a deep slumber. Although her body was asleep, her mind was still very much active. Elizabeth realized that she was in a strange place, dark and silent, where no echo or sound could be heard. Elizabeth felt terrified. That was when she saw Athenae looking at her before turning completely away.

‘Don’t abandon me, God of Origin!’

But Elizabeth had been left and abandoned in that place for hundreds of years. The solitude and darkness began to change her. She started to hate and despise Athenae. She completely regretted the fact that she placed her love, trust and faith in the God of Origin. Elizabeth vowed that she would drag Athenae down herself. At some point in time, Nerva Sephiroth came and awakened her.

And Minhyuk…

[Revealing the lies in the story that Elizabeth knows!]

…he witnessed the time when Elizabeth was sentenced to fifty years in the Fires of Hell during her childhood and saw how Athenae watched Elizabeth’s disappearing back with a sad look on her face as she got dragged away.

He witnessed how Athenae turned around and murmured softly while smelling the scent of the flowers every time Elizabeth gave them to her, “Thank you, Elizabeth.”

He saw how Athenae looked at Elizabeth’s sleeping form and murmured before she got banished to the Stars’ Path, “If I don’t let you go, the other Gods will try to kill you. My most beloved child, Elizabeth.”

Athenae murmured the truth, the truth that she could never tell Elizabeth when she was awake, “I hope that you can meet a true and genuine mother that will care for you with all her heart, smiling and crying with you. It would be nice if you could live happily like that.”

That was when the Mournful One’s Tearful Story ended for Minhyuk.

***

[Elizabeth is hatching!]

Now, it was time for Elizabeth to hatch. The gigantic egg started to crack, a girl’s arm covered in mucus popping out of it. Then…

Shwaaaaaaaaaa—

A blast of red air surged out.

[Elizabeth is going into a frenzy!]

“…!”

“…!”

She was going into a frenzy the moment she hatched?! Minhyuk immediately used Weak God’s Parchment on her.

[Weak God’s Parchment.]

[All of Elizabeth’s stats will decrease by 40%. All of her skill levels will decrease by -3. The duration of the debuff will be three minutes.]

Nevertheless, the air still got charged with overwhelming heat.

“Kihyaaaaaaaaack!”

Minhyuk hurriedly used the Sovereign’s Voice after hearing Elizabeth’s roar that was filled with her wrath.

[You have activated the Sovereign’s Voice.]

“We have no intention of hurting you, Elizabeth. I know that you’re suffering from the memories of your past but…”

“Shut up,” Elizabeth snapped, her voice gravelly and gloomy, just like that of a demon.

[Elizabeth’s Wrath has suppressed the effects of the Sovereign’s Voice.]

Shwaaaaaaaaa—

Elizabeth’s power started to go out of control, a tremendous amount of poison slowly encroaching upon the surroundings. Even if 40% of her powers had been sealed, she was still Elizabeth, the God of Snakes.

“…Your Majesty, it won’t be easy.”

All of the Named NPCs shook their heads. Appeasing and coaxing Elizabeth to their side was obviously a failure.

While they were busy shaking their heads, Elizabeth finally broke free from the egg, walking out with the body of a small girl, and yet, the tiny body was filled with hatred.

Clench—

Minhyuk’s hold on the hilt of his sword tightened. However, Minhyuk had seen Elizabeth’s past and it made him hesitate. Still, his priority was his people. He had to cut her down so that they would not suffer any damage. He slowly walked in front of her.

“I, I will kill all of you!!!” Elizabeth roared, her power on the verge of going into a frenzy once again. But just when Minhyuk was about to unsheathe his sword and kill her…

[A great being has randomly triggered the activation of Origin Authority: ‘God and Knight’!]

[Origin Authority: God and Knight will help you to win the loyalty of God’s chosen Knight using whatever method is possible.]

[You and your subjects’ story is being relayed to the hateful and vicious Elizabeth right now.]

Elizabeth had been abandoned. She did not have a mother-figure in this world and was left to believe that she was an ugly and hideous existence.

The story of an old man was relayed to such a being. The story of Ghost Spear Ben, who wandered around lifelessly after losing his child, and how he met a young man. Elizabeth watched as both the old and young cried and laughed together while overcoming their trials and tribulations. She was also witness to how the young man wept and despaired upon the death of the Ghost Spear.

Next was the story of the Lesser Demon. The story of a little boy that was taken away by Great Demon Verus until he became a demon himself. Elizabeth saw how the boy learnt that his mother had already died after finally coming back to the human world. But the young man that stood by his side made a tomb for his mother and showed him what happiness was like.

This time, she was told of the story of a pirate, the pirate who found joy and pleasure in ‘killing’. Elizabeth saw how the pirate met a young man and saw the world through a different light, learning about new things through the boy. She watched as the pirate vowed to stay with the young man forever.

There was also the story of the intellectually disabled boy, Conir. Even the story of Demon Kimaris was relayed to her. By the time the story approached its end, Elizabeth saw the figure of the young man smiling as he ate and laughed with everyone.

“…”

Elizabeth felt extremely jealous of them. She could see that the young man cared for and loved them, while in turn, his subordinates trusted and followed him wholeheartedly.

“Mother…”

How nice would it be, if her mother loved her like that too. What if she also had that king as her mother-figure?

[The activated power, God and Knight, has started to erase Elizabeth’s memories of Athenae.]

Elizabeth’s mind turned hazy as the memories started to fade away. That was when she saw the young man standing in front of her and asking, “Elizabeth, I’m someone insignificant and have no power to control you. But even so, will you join me? Join us?”

“…I will live for you, Your Majesty,” Elizabeth answered, delight blooming in her chest.

My mother. No! His Majesty, who will love and treasure me!?

With that, all of Elizabeth’s memories of Athenae were wiped out from her head. And Minhyuk? He knew.

‘Athenae, you…’

He knew that it was Athenae that triggered the activation of his power. It seemed like she wanted Elizabeth to join Minhyuk and remain by his side. And…

[A great being is bestowing a gift upon the child that is as beautiful as a flower.]

Elizabeth had picked flowers for Athenae for hundreds of years. This time, it was Athenae’s turn. Tens of thousands of beautiful flowers began to fall down from the skies gracefully. A smile bloomed on Elizabeth’s face as she looked up at the skies and said, “They’re very beautiful, Your Majesty.”

In fact, Minhyuk thought that it was her and her words that were ‘beautiful’ as he said, “Right. They’re beautiful.”

Elizabeth smiled innocently, just like a child, as she watched the tens of thousands of falling flowers. Then…

“Ah, since you’re going to be with us, you have to take this position.”

“Please let me know, I will do anything.”

[The great being is looking at both you and Elizabeth with great anticipation.]

At this moment, the God of Origin, the awakened Seasoning Jar, and the NPCs present in the area all looked at him in excitement and anticipation. Especially Elizabeth, her eyes were sparkling the most.

While everyone was watching in anticipation, Minhyuk asked, “The ones that you can summon are not only snakes, right? You can also summon many other animals?”

“That’s right.”

“By any chance, have you heard about duck farming?”

“Duck farming?”

Duck farming was a method of farming where they release ducks in paddy fields to let them eat pests and remove ‘weedy rice’, a type of weed that looked similar to rice.

“Well, you can learn about it from now on! Your task is to become a ‘farming method researcher’ and develop duck farming and the likes! How about it? It sounds cool, right?!”

“Wow, wow, wow! I’m so happy, Your Majesty!!!” Elizabeth clapped happily, rejoicing like a little girl that was given a candy.

Today, Elizabeth, one of the Six Monster Gods, became a ‘farming methods researcher’. And…

[A great being is glaring at you. They look like they want to kill you.]

‘Huh? Why is she suddenly glaring at me?’

Minhyuk looked confused. He wondered why Athenae was glaring at him, as cold sweat dripped down his back.