#878 A Story about Ancient Gods

It’s me, yours truly.

Whew, talk about exhausting.

Transforming into a special effects hero and appearing before such a crowd, basking in their attention — it’s no wonder my mental HP felt like it was getting chipped away bit by bit.

Leaving a saint-worshiping group to their own devices is never a good idea; you never know what they might get up to. That's why I had to nip it in the bud like that. 

At first, they didn't believe for a second that I was the Saint, which worried me, but thankfully, everything worked out in the end.

I made sure the grown-up kids who packed the venue remembered their promise with Masked Saint.

Promise number one: don’t be a nuisance to others.

Promise number two: avoid dangerous acts.

Promise number three: no reselling.

Remember these and enjoy your saint-worshipping activities!

I can’t really dictate personal beliefs, so I couldn’t ban worshiping me.

Not that I can respond to it, anyway.

Thus, the potentially troublesome saint-worshipping group was successfully pacified before things escalated.

With the Human Republic officially up and running, the world finally found peace, resolving major issues.

Has this world become entirely free of worries?

Just as I began to feel this way, something happened.

***

“The world has indeed taken a fair turn for the better, has it not?”

The one who said this was none other than Gaia, the Mother Goddess of All.

A long-awaited reappearance.

She’s the deity among deities who supposedly created this world itself.

Above the current guardians of this world — Hades of the underworld, Poseidon of the seas, and others — she reigns supreme, the most magnificent Mother Goddess.

...You might wonder why such a grand entity is here.

But think of it as just another day on the farm.

Here, everyone’s in relaxation mode. Even Goddess Gaia is munching on dried squid today.

“In the days when I entrusted it to Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus, there was much uncertainty about its fate. But now, it seems to have settled into a proper order. Although, it irks me somewhat that it was not the gods themselves, but their progeny, who toiled to achieve this...!”

Isn’t that a bit too nitpicky?

Mortals are, after all, creations of these gods, so their achievements should be attributed to the gods, too, right?

“And to think, the very catalyst for peace was not even a creation of ours, but a visitor from another world....”

“Gulp...!”

That otherworldly visitor is none other than me.

After all my haphazard actions, the world finds peace. Does this mean the gods didn’t really do much?

Poor Hades and Poseidon... Their roles seem even less significant now!

“...Er, maybe go easy on them, Goddess Gaia? They are your sons, after all...!”

“Huh? But they art not mine own sons.”

“What?”

That unexpected reply threw me off.

What does she mean?

Isn’t Gaia supposed to be the mother of all deities?

So shouldn’t that make Hades and Poseidon, among others, her sons?

“They art mine own grandchildren. For beneath me is mine own son Cronus, and his offspring art the likes of Hades.”

This is turning into a deep dive into Gaia’s family history.

“Hm, may I expand upon this tale? It ties in with the purpose of mine own visit today. Besides, it makes for a rather intriguing story over drinks.”

Her purpose for visiting today?

What could it be about? I assumed she, like other gods, just came to have food and drinks.

But it seems the primordial mother goddess has more sense than the current generation of gods.

“It is a tale of an ancient war among the gods.”

That’s a pretty grand topic for a chat over drinks.

“Cronus, once the sovereign ruler of all gods, was plagued by a prophecy that he would be overthrown by his own child. In his paranoia, he devoured each child as they were born.”

“That’s a terrible father. Didn’t he have any love for his children?”

As a father myself now, the thought of harming my children for my own sake is repulsive.

“There is no need for such fury. After all, such myths art common across many lands.”

“Can we not go meta, please?”

“I did counsel Rhea, spouse to Cronus, in an artful stratagem. She presented unto him a stone swathed as her youngest child, and Cronus, beguiled, did consume it whole. Thus was the fate of the youngest of their progeny spared amidst the many whom he had devoured.”

“And who was the youngest?”

“Zeus.”

Immediately, a sense of “This isn’t going to end well” fills the air.

But this backstory is crucial for understanding the present. Without Zeus’ victory, our world wouldn’t exist.

Zeus, having escaped his toxic parent, overthrew his father, Cronus.

He rescued his swallowed siblings and established a new reign of gods, leading to today’s prosperity.

Of course, there were still sibling rivalries, involving mortals in their disputes over the earthly realm...

“Defeated in battle, Cronus was sealed deep within the earth, alongside his followers, in a place even deeper than the Underworld where Hades dwells – Tartarus. Even now, as the age of creation has passed and mortals rule the earth, the ancient gods remain in their eternal imprisonment.”

It’s quite a mythological tale.

A war among gods that unfolded and concluded before mortals ever set foot in this world.

Such legends are common across world mythologies, nothing particularly unusual.

Usually, the gods of creation and those of rule are distinct, with the pinnacle of power being transferred either through war or abdication.

“Yet, I think the time hath come for the sentence to reach its rightful end.”

“Pardon?”

I’m taken aback as Gaia herself suddenly says this, leaving me bewildered and clueless about her intent.

“Countless eons have passed since the ancient wars, and the gods of Olympus, who rose to dominion, have committed their fair share of follies. These have since subsided, and the world now revels in an unwavering normalcy, impervious to minor disturbances.”

Mainly thanks to the efforts of humankind, right?

Everyone has worked hard to secure this peace.

“I believe this moment to be most opportune. The world is devoid of strife, and Hades and Poseidon, I wager, have finally matured. I trust they have cast aside old grievances and now dwell in harmony.

“With whom?”

“Cronus.”

That’s the ancient god from earlier, the one who waged a great war against the current gods, right?

What about him? ...Huh? Resurrect him?

“Verily, it is for this very purpose that I ventured to thy abode today, having been summoned by the immortal king. It seems prudent to seek counsel with thee before the gods embark upon any new endeavors to ensure a smoother passage.”

I greatly appreciate the communication and coordination!

It’s reassuring to see that the Mother Goddess, unlike other gods of the sky, earth, and sea, seems to understand common sense.

But the action she’s planning to take is extraordinarily unconventional, beyond any normal scale.

Wouldn’t the revival of an ancient god defeated in antiquity potentially spark a massive war with the current gods?

And wouldn’t that wreak havoc on our hard-won peace?!

“Fear not, for both Cronus and Hades have endured for countless eons and surely possess the wisdom of age.”

I’m not sure about this Cronus fellow, but considering the behavior of gods like Hades and Poseidon when they visit the farm, they hardly seem the type to be described as having ‘judgment.’ 

In fact, they seem the farthest from it!!!

“Moreover, in anticipation of any unforeseen eventuality, I have sought thy presence beforehand. Pray, dispense with further objections, and lend thy cooperation.”

“Pardon?!”

What on earth is this Mother Goddess planning?

Ever since being summoned to this otherworldly realm, my consistent policy has been to avoid troublesome matters. Yet, there’s something about this god that’s dragging me into this.

I guess that’s just a primordial deity for you.

So began the Old God Liberation Project, orchestrated by the Mother Goddess of All, and we, the residents at the farm, were inevitably involved.

What will emerge when the lid sealing the ancient gods is opened?

Well, the ancient gods themselves, of course.