Chapter 19: Gods

Chapter 19: Gods

My mother stood in front of the goblin, glaring at him. "I suppose I should ask about your intentions, though. Who do you work for?"

The goblin stood still, not making a move or answering the question. Instead, he grabbed his dangling eye and ripped it out. I couldn't believe someone could have so much courage, but soon I realized this wasn't courage; it was madness.

He held his ripped-out eyeball in his hands and ate it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing; I've seen some nasty things before in my old world, but this takes the cake. When the goblin stopped chewing, he opened his mouth and screamed, "I CURSE YOU!"

I thought there was going to be a fight, but in the next second, he dropped to the ground. I thought he was unconscious, but after pressing her fingers against the goblin's neck, my mother said something that surprised me even more.

"He's dead."

I looked back at her in confusion, not understanding what happened. Was his eye poisoned or something? I couldn't help but ask the obvious question, "Are we in danger?"

"I don't know. For now, let's see what we can find upstairs."

We were about to walk upstairs when I heard a banging sound from outside. Someone was knocking on the door very loudly, and because there were no windows, we couldn't see who it was.

"A super? I didn't sense his presence at all."

"I don't know about that; I can feel something from it. Something dark and powerful."

What I felt was awfully similar to those demon gods I met with when I first landed in this world. It was unsettling and disturbing.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

My mother looked at me and realized I wasn't joking or just confused. I think she just remembered the fact that I have a demon shop. I should be more in tune with these types of things.

"I'm sending you back; I'll fight this creature."

"No, I want to stay."

The banging kept going on; whatever was outside didn't even bother breaking down the door. It just kept knocking.

"I can't have you do that. The thing outside is most likely a minor godling. I can handle it, but you'll just get in the way."

She pointed her portal ring at the center of the room, and a portal opened up.

"Don't worry so much, I have Dredan to protect me."

I wanted to stop her, but she pushed me through before I could even do anything.

______________

I looked around my surroundings and realized I was currently in an empty throne room. I looked around, but I didn't see anything worth noticing.

I called for a guard, and immediately someone showed up behind me in a kneeling position. I stood there in surprise and confusion because I couldn't understand where he came from, but I snapped out of it when I realized he wasn't an enemy.

"My mother is in mortal danger! She is under attack by an evil god. She needs help!"

The man stared at me for a second and just replied with a slow and calm tone, "Yes, young master. The King's Guards should be done with their lunch break in an hour or so. I'll let them know of the situation."

"What?! No, this is important! We need to go now." I yelled at the man, but he only looked at me in confusion.

"Young master, the princess can handle this. The high gods are forbidden from entering the lower world. It's just some silly godling or his pet trying to mess around. Nothing to worry about."

Am I the one exaggerating the situation? Are the gods that whimsical that they would just… mess around?

"Her highness should also have a sealing vase on her, so we may very well have another evil god imprisoned in our kingdom."

I couldn't help but whisper to myself, "There's something wrong with this family."

The guy kneeling chuckled a little at the young boy; even the man grew up thinking this family was abnormal, and now Jessup would grow up to be just as odd.

"Get used to it, kiddo." The older guy got up to walk away; I hoped he would take things a little more seriously, though.

All I can do now is go back to my room and hope for good news.

As I was about to leave, I stopped when a portal opened up. I thought it was my mother, so I rushed up to them, hoping to see that she was okay. Until I realized who it was…

"Oh. Hey, kiddo, I'm surprised you were waiting for me. Do you love me that much?"

"Ugh." It was the idiot king; as soon as I saw his face, I reeled back in disgust.

"Hey, what's with the weird reaction? You're the one standing around in my throne room."

That's true, but I wasn't waiting for him.

"I was waiting for my mother. Apparently, she's fighting some minor godling. Not a big deal apparently." At this point, even I have given up on these people.

"Oh, I see, hmm. It should be morning soon, so how about we get some breakfast. I'm thinking of bacon."

I'm going to strangle him one of these days.

I kinda forgot it was so late; I barely got any sleep last night. I'm only 3; I should be drinking milk and sleeping as much as humanly possible. If I'm going to be king, I don't want to be a short one.

"I should really get some sleep."

"Nonsense, let's get some coffee."

You want to give a 3-year-old coffee?! How are your kids still alive? You are sick at parenting. What else have you been doing to your kids?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing." I'm getting tired of his antics and I'm heading to bed.

_____________

It was the next day when my mother showed up; she didn't look harmed or distressed; she just looked like she always did. I didn't know what happened because she came back before I could wake up. I asked her what happened, but I still didn't get much of a response.

We were having breakfast alone together when I decided to ask her what was on my mind.

"I heard from one of the guards that you had something called a sealing vase?"

"Yeah."

Still nothing. I'll ask again, but differently this time, "What is a sealing vase?"

"It can seal spirits away."

I kinda figured that… She's busy eating at the moment, so I'm not getting much info from her, but I wish she was more detailed in her explanations like her father. Unlike her, I can barely get him to shut up most of the time.

These two are total opposites.

"Technically, it's called 'Gods Ewer,' but I call it the pissing pot." I looked behind me in surprise. I didn't expect to see the old man first thing in the morning.

"Why do you have to jump scare me so early in the morning?"

"The sealing vase was originally designed to seal evil spirits, but obviously, it can be used on any spiritual being. Before you ask, yes, there is a difference. What Dredan and I designed was something to go a step further. Instead of sealing just spirits, it could seal the divine. Well, minor gods in particular."

I was reeling in shock and awe. Why would they need something like that?

"What's the purpose of keeping them?"

"That's a trade secret."

Now he doesn't want to talk? Now I really wanna know.

"Where is it? Can I see it?"

The king looked at me up and down but shrugged in agreement. Space folded around his hand, and he was now carrying what looked like a small black box that could fit in the palm of my hands. It had a bunch of scribbles painted all over it in gold. It was certainly pretty but definitely not a vase.

I picked it up and realized something, "Can I store this?"

The king knew what I meant and gave me the go-ahead.

I pictured the thing disappearing, and after a little longer than I expected, it suddenly disappeared in a poof. The thing inside was probably trying to resist.

I was about to look at the details when I got a weird notification.

[DING: Pilfer would like to trade you for the {Gods Ewer: Lower god}]

"Huh? Pilfer just sent me a request."

The king heard this and thought about it for a second before he looked back at my mother. I thought he was going to say something, but instead, he opened a portal, and she was moved to another location. She seemed pissed that she didn't get to finish her food.

"What does he want for it?"

Really? We're just going to ignore that? Fine.

"It says… Paralysis lvl 1." Really? That's not a bad deal.

"That's a horrible deal. Maybe I should go to the demon realm and beat him up myself."

What? A bad deal? Well, I guess he is asking to buy an actual god. No matter how weak he is.

"Wait, why would he need a god anyway?"

I wasn't sure if he would be willing to answer my questions, but thankfully he did this time.

"Gods use each other all the time, some even enslave their own, but in his case, he probably wants to devour the little godling and heal himself after his accident."

An accident? Your guy ripped his heart out for interrupting a conversation. For once I actually felt bad for the guy.

[DING: Pilfer is now offering: The Potion of Evolution and a Demon Eye.]

I asked him about these two items, and the king looked disgusted.

"What is he broke? We're done having this conversation; gimme the vase back."

[DING: Pilfer is now offering the blood of a higher demon god.]

Once again, I convey his message.

"… Make it six drops and all of the previously mentioned items."

I got a few more messages, and things kept going back and forth. Finally, Pilfer decided on three drops of the demon god blood and the previously mentioned items, and to think I would've said yes to the first offer. I guess the king has his good side.

"Also, I want the vase back and untampered with."

I guess I should really look forward to learning under this guy. He actually seems pretty capable. As I said that, he pulled up a chair and shamelessly started eating my mother's food off the table.

"It's cold now…"

On second thought, this is going to be a slow and exhausting 15+ years, isn't it...