The Outer God Needs Warmth-Chapter 248: Unfortunately, I got attached to it (13)

The third world became a weekday.

I woke up early as usual, prepared breakfast, ate, and then took a shower. Since the water facilities are managed by the royal family, they work surprisingly well.

Anyway, after tidying up my appearance, I headed to school.

It’s common that many people try to die on the day when the holiday turns into a weekday, no matter the world.

When I entered the classroom, I could see the kids who had caught the "Monday blues."

I sat near the front. That way, people will naturally fill up the back. Due to the classroom layout, the farther back you sit, the higher your rank tends to be, as those with higher status aim to go up.

It’s instinctual to choose higher ground since it’s safer to look down from above.

Thinking that, I placed my textbook on the desk and waited quietly.

As I waited, students gradually entered the classroom.

The front seats are for those who either have wealthy parents like Victoria or have some special talent that got them into the Royal Academy.

It’s not always by rank, though, as people tend to sit in factions, grouped by various connections.

It’s not as simple as just saying "the faction order" in the classroom. The factions in the school are entangled with those of the parents.

There’s even a formal system for this.

Yes.

There is a system.

It’s called "etiquette."

It’s the technique used to maintain one's own territory while undermining newcomers.

I’ve been here for over half a year, and I’ve gained the knowledge of high-ranking nobles, so when it comes to knowledge, I’m thorough.

Using that knowledge in the right place is another issue, though...

But since I don’t have any plans to rise to such a rank, it’s fine.

If I were going to be a leader, I’d have done it earlier.

The method of creating a cult is quite detailed, you know?

First, you create a nonexistent, fictional god.

You must NEVER become the god yourself. The key technique in running a long-lasting cult is separating the god from the ruler.

That way, you won’t get grabbed by the followers asking why the god doesn’t grant the miracles they desire.

The grievances are borne by the fictional god, while the ruler gets to enjoy the best part. If things go well, it’s thanks to me, but if it fails, it’s because your faith was lacking.

It’s simple, right?

Then, once you’ve secured a pyramid scheme and assigned ranks and income, the basic framework is complete.

Afterward, you gradually increase the scale, and make sure the followers marry each other to propagate the religion.

Once the number of followers grows, you start contacting the political sphere. Of course, you don’t directly interfere with politics. At first, you just speak a few words at events.

Each time, it’ll cost money, but people will come easily if you offer them money and ask for just a few words.

A large-scale religion can influence a community. You gain the weapon of influence.

Then, the other side will start making requests, and by fulfilling those requests, you’ll naturally bind them to your cause.

This is how you use religion to rise up.

Not to mention, I can perform true miracles, healing and empowering people.

It’s perfect for deceiving others.

However, if society recognizes it as evil, it’ll end up like the second world, so I don’t go down that path.

To do that, you have to lie.

If you're dumb like me, you’ll definitely get caught.

Well, if I fail, I’ll die, and I can’t run away, so I’ll choose methods that involve minimal loss, even if the gain is small.

Because time is infinite.

Although I wish it were finite, I don’t think I’ll die anytime soon at my current age.

With that, I attended the lesson.

What? You think I wasn’t paying attention?

If there are no limitations on multitasking, it’s totally possible.

During class, it was actually kind of funny how tense the teacher seemed.

Well, considering there’s a complete set of royal blood from this continent in the class, it’s understandable.

Then, lunchtime.

I was left alone.

Polaris took this opportunity to speak to Victoria.

However, judging by Victoria’s reaction, it seems like meeting her within a day or two is impossible.

Unlike the first year, the second-year classrooms are on the second floor.

So unlike last year, this time I went down the central staircase and headed to the cafeteria, which is located a bit farther away from the main building where the classroom is.

I had lunch there.

I sat alone at a table, and noticed foreign students who had entered. They didn’t go to the area where food was set out to take some; instead, they headed to pre-set seats.

Then, a person from their country checked the food before they began eating.

Next to them, there was clearly a non-student standing. That person was their bodyguard.

I can understand that.

No, honestly, I don’t think there’s any student here who wouldn’t understand.

Why?

Because there are students from countries that are as hostile as mortal enemies.

If you compare it to a country from a faded memory, it’s like the relationship between China and India.

The border is constantly in turmoil, and the relationship is so bad that no one would feel relaxed with such a person next to them.

Of course, if they did something in this place, the focus of all countries who sent students to the Royal Academy would immediately fall on them.

But not everyone thinks logically.

And no one can guarantee that the person who’s not thinking logically isn’t in a high position.

While eating, I thought it’d be nice if they got poisoned or stabbed.

Then, I could heal them immediately.

The only exception is Tiana Amphibia, but according to her memories, there’s no country with a relationship as bad as that of the Maldobia Kingdom.

If, instead of a princess, they turned a prince or a young lord into a harvester, there would be many descendants from that union.

"Hey, can I join you for lunch?"

Suddenly, someone spoke to me.

I looked up and saw someone I hadn’t met before.

Not too tall, not too short. Thin limbs, very skinny. Due to her hunched posture, her long, black hair looks like it was poured out like ink but stopped halfway.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Her clothes were pretty bad. The material was fine, but the overall look was worn-out. The only thing that stood out was her large chest, which was awkwardly prominent due to her crooked back.

"Sure, go ahead."

When I replied, she carefully sat across from me. Looking around, it seems there’s no empty spot.

Well, strictly speaking, there is space.

However, that spot is reserved for people who belong to certain factions or have some rank, so it's not a place someone like the girl in front of me can sit.

It's a traditional approach to emphasize class differences when food is present.

When the great ones eat, the humble ones wait.

That’s how it works.

I ate slowly, watching the girl in front of me with interest.

She’s probably a first-year student.

She’s not from commoner origins. Judging by the material of her clothes, they’re certainly fine. However, the outfit as a whole is ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) outdated, and there are some alterations to follow trends, but it’s a year behind, so she’s probably a regional noble?

The clothes must be hand-me-downs.

She has accessories, but some of them are for men.

But she’s definitely from this country. If she were from another country, I wouldn’t be able to analyze her so precisely. I don’t have memories of them.

A junior?

No, I didn’t scan that deeply, so why am I asking if she’s a junior? The memories just light up like that.

Automatic keyword search, it’s really annoying.

Anyway.

I ate at the same pace as the junior and stood up shortly after.

Her name?

I didn’t ask.

After all, once she becomes a harvester, I’ll gain her memories, and if not, we’ll just pass by each other.

That’s how lunchtime ended.

By the way, Polaris failed in convincing Victoria.

It seems the emotional gulf in Victoria’s heart was deeper than Polaris had thought.

The fourth world. It’s been about three days since the bird escaped, and nothing has changed.

I remember hearing that Zever was planning to raid my house, but there’s been no word.

Possibility of being repelled?

No.

Because, right now, the only chimera at Zever's house that isn’t a harvester is the assistant chimera.

Except for her, all the chimeras have become harvesters.

At first, there was only one chimera with a brass and bronze necklace.

Then, a chimera that was summoned after impregnating a god and a demon, and that hybrid, wearing a silver necklace, was raised with their abilities.

They weren’t supposed to become harvesters.

But then, an accident happened.

The hybrid was strong.

Even though it was still young, no—because it was still young, it couldn’t control its strength and ended up severely injuring the chimera that scolded it. It was just rebelling against an adult scolding, but the difference in strength caused an accident.

Even though Zever tried to heal that chimera with magic, it didn’t work.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a demon hybrid but a god hybrid. Isn’t that strange? The magic didn’t work.

Zever, after much deliberation, brought it to me.

I turned them into harvesters.

And I learned something interesting.

The chimeras wearing the silver necklaces, each with a name.

They have knowledge and personalities to the point of teaching children. From the perspective of a regular chimera, I thought this was created with quite expensive resources.

But these ones...

Zever personally taught them.

At the time, I’m not sure if the technology was lacking, or if it’s still something he can’t do now, but he couldn’t just mass-produce them like the chimeras with the brass and bronze necklaces.

And it wasn’t just Zever who taught them.

The assistant chimera taught them too.

It’s pretty interesting, isn’t it?

Right?