Omniscient Viewpoint

Gula's Temple in Haramark. The moment I walked into the back for a private meeting, Gula's voice echoed in my head.

[You have been through quite a lot recently.]

I let out a deep sigh as I knelt down before Gula's statue and nodded. "Yeah. Which is why I'm here. Gotta prep everything before shit hits the fan."

A lot had happened, and a lot was in the air.

After finishing the little date with Flone and Seonhwa, as well as returning with both Flone's dowry and a new daughter(?), there was a lot to do.

...Well, I said that, but I was mostly avoiding the storm back on Earth as Flone introduced our new daughter Roselle to my parents and Jinhee.

Not to mention the sharp, pointed, and meaningful looks from everyone else after that introduction.

Gula chuckled and then her voice echoed in my head again. [Yes. I suppose that would be the smart thing to do. Unfortunately, if you were seeking help in the form of a level up... I'm afraid I don't have much to give you.]

"It's fine. I'll take anything, honestly."

[...Are you certain? *Anything*?]

"I mean, as long as it's not something dumb like Harem God."

[...]

"...B-Blackie was just making a joke last time, right?"

[...Are you aware of how we gods form power for level ups?]

I paused to think about it. And then when I realized, I let out a deep sigh. "...By the experiences we've had, the actions we've taken, and how the world views us along with our achivements."

[Correct. And pray tell, what do you think is the most incredible feat you have accomplished in recent times?]

"...It's obviously defeating the Army Commanders, right?"

I asked it. But I already knew the answer.

Beating the Army Commanders was a big deal, yes. But it wasn't something that I was incapable of doing. The only real reason why it was difficult was because my powers were running against the natural flow of the world, making me forced to fight a battle with the odds stacked against me.

Well, that and my powers were all misaligned due to the cheat that was [Transcendent Insight].

But in all honesty, it wasn't out of reach for me. A miracle to other people, maybe. But the 'miracle' they saw was something that I seized for myself and something I could have done with time.

[Indeed. Moreover, what you lack right now is not power.]

That was true. With my upgraded abilities and the whole bit about technically being immortal, I... probably? Could march up to the Parasite Queen right now and fight her.

Of course, that'd be the dumb thing to do since I didn't know what trump cards she had. Especially since I still hadn't built up my own deck of trump cards just quite yet... not to mention the political storm that would follow in the wake of me soloing her.

[You are underestimating her forces quite a bit, Jihu. Although I suppose it is true that she is the least of your concerns in the long run. Particularly as- Ah. Too much, is it...?]

"...You weren't going to say something like she would be part of my harem or something, right?"

[Of course not. Were that the case, Paradise would be safe long ago and we would not be having this conversation. Mostly as you would have fled to Earth in fear of the wrath inflicted by your lovers.]

"True."

What a crazy and wacky world that would be...

[But in any case... I can grant you a level up, yes. And it will provide you what you need. But the class name...]

I let out a deep sigh and waved my hand. "Just get it over with."

Gula chuckled and then spoke up again. [Very well. Although still a few steps away from divinity, henceforth you shall walk the path of a <Harem God>.]

I cringed at hearing that. But then I felt the power seep into me as well as realized what the main advantage of the class upgrade was.

"Wait. This is..."

[May the odds ever be in your favor... though I doubt they will be.]

I let out another deep sigh and said, "You could at least pretend, you know?"

[You and I both know that would be pointless.]

"True." I opened my eyes and then stared at my updated status.

Specifically, at the class abilities listed there.

xxx

2. Job-Related Abilities (3)

Unbound Karmic Sword (Ungraded) - Cause and effect. Natural consequences. Order and Chaos, harmony and dissonance. A blade that defies all such concepts to sever and bind, unify and separate.

Timeless Love (Ungraded) - With your powers, even time and space will not stop your affection. Allows limited temporal distortion so long as causality is not broken. Shattering causality will resort in a forced recall prior to the temporal distortion while locking this ability for 24 hours in your timeframe.

Affectionate Temperance (Ungraded) - You are a man who can drive women insane for your affection. However, you are a man who understands the dangers of such circumstances. Unfortunately, only divine intervention could save you. Fortunately, you possess divine intervention. When emotions threaten to burst into conflict among those you love, you will exude a calming aura to allow proper mediation and a chance to resolve it.

xxx

I blinked, reading and rereading the abilities again. And then I looked up at Gula, staring at her statue. "...Why does it seem like the real danger in the future is going to be from the women I love and not from the Parasite Queen, Gula?"

[Telling you would break causality.]

I groaned and rubbed my face. "Right... Well, I guess this solves a few major problems. But... as much as I appreciate you helping me out, shouldn't the focus be on fixing Paradise? Isn't there anything that you need to tell me or things that I need to do?"

[Well...] Gula trailed off before continuing. [You really should use the Divine Stigmata, but now is not the best time for that. The situation with your lovers is precarious and- Tch.]

"...I'm starting to get really concerned about the fact that causality is threatning to break everytime we start talking about my love life, Gula."

[And I wish I could tell you why that is the case. But some things must come to pass. Ah, but I will say that you made the correct decision in moving to Eva.]

"Good. At least I have that going for my life." I stretched and said, "It's important later, right?"

[For you, not particularly. It just prevents a major war erupting if the Princess decides to claim you as her husband... Hm? *That* does not break causality?]

"...I'm starting to get confused about what causality is, Gula."

[...In any case, you have much to do, Jihu. Though I enjoy our discussions, it would be best to get going, would it not?]

"Yeah." I swiped away my status window and then turned around to leave. "Appreciate you, Gula. We'll talk soon after I sort out a bunch of stuff... Oh." I paused and said, "You guys sorted out the thing with Eun Yuri, right?"

[Your wife has brought the issue to our attention and we have indeed settled it, yes.]

"Great. Then I'll talk to you... probably at the September halfway point when we set up the class change things. Ciao."

I waved at Gula and then set off.

Now, Hannah mentioned something about going on a trip to visit Eva in person. Ian talked about wanting to come along to help scope the place out too... After that, I needed to properly set things up for Jinhee, Seunghae, and Yuri to enter the September halfway point tutorial... Not to mention staffing the place.

Ah. Then there was Vlad and Oana too. Had to introduce them to the rest of the team...

I scratched the back of my head and muttered, "No rest for the wicked, huh? And considering the girls I've got in love with me, I guess I'm definitely wicked..."

Well. C'est la vie. Just gotta get going and do my part.

xxx

Gula watched Jihu leave her temple and then frowned.

[I did say that a black hole distorts even information itself... but what in the world is this?]

At first, she thought it was just coincidence. The soul that subsumed 'Seol Jihu' who would become her child was similar enough that she thought it was simply due to the irregular effects of sending two souls back to the past.

But now that it had reached this point, it seemed that something else was at play as well.

[Seo Yuhui's memories were sent properly and Seol Jihu properly received the sentiments of the <Spear Demon.> The fact that Sung Shihyun's fractured soul latched onto the regression was unexpected, but not outside the margin of error. And yet...]

It was odd.

Like Jihu said, the fact that speaking of his future love life would break causality was strange. But what was stranger still was that telling him about the potential for a war erupting over his attention if he did not move to Eva would not break causality.

[I had known that many things were mixed up inside of that child, but... Could it be?]

Karma was a power that cut across time and space. Something that could bind even gods.

Then there was Jihu's ability which could peer into the essence of the gods themselves.

Gula's frown deepened and she looked up at the distant stars. [...Is some being beyond our ken using Paradise as a testing ground...?]

A faint shudder. Something reverberating deep inside Gula's core, as if she realized something she should never have even considered.

[...Let us leave it at that.]

Gula muttered and then went back to quietly observing Jihu's actions and the flow of the stars.

Even if that realization was gravely concerning, at the least, she could be sure of one thing.

Paradise would be safe.

Jihu, on the other hand...

[...May the stars have mercy on your soul.]

xxx

"Achoo. Dammit." I rubbed my nose and frowned. "People talking behind my back again?"

Hannah laughed and then lightly smacked my arm. "That's what you get for being such a womanizer, Husband."

Ian nodded from his seat across us and said, "Yes. You should be grateful that it is just talk and not collusion, Jihu."

"...Please don't tempt fate."

Ian laughed. "Considering all that has happened recently, are you sure you haven't?"

I sighed.

We were on our way to Eva now to check and settle things in person, riding on a fancy cart that Resa let us borrow.

It was supposedly first class and supposed to be extremely comfortable. And I guess it was. Unfortunately, it was kind of hard to relax with everything going on.

Hannah frowned and then said, "If you keep sighing at this rate, you'll be a wrinkled old man before you have your first child, Jihu."

I glanced at Hannah and then muttered, "A bit too late for that."

"Hm?"

I shook my head and then decided to lean back and take a quick nap.

...Maybe the world would make some more sense after I smacked some idiots around in Eva...

[author]

Plot threads. Chekhov's guns. Throwaway references that aren't really throwaway...

orz

Maybe I should just drop all my stories for a bit and do a mad dash to completion and knock them all out one by one...?

Anyway, Happy New Year! I'll see you again on the other side in 2023.

[/author]