Chapter 319

Here’s the English translation of the provided novel excerpt, adhering strictly to the given glossary and maintaining the original tone and style:

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319 God of What #6

“Water.”

That was my short command.

But those who understand would know just how much thought, struggle, power play, submission, and humiliation are packed into that single word.

You could say it’s an extension of the power game that’s existed since the dawn of time between younger sisters and older brothers.

Gloria seemed to know it too.

Swoosh—

She looked at me as if questioning whether I was serious.

But I stood firm, as though it were the most natural thing in the world—as if it were every younger sister’s sacred duty to pour water into their older brother’s cup.

Perhaps sensing the gravity of my expression, Gloria—who had been carelessly ruining the banquet’s atmosphere just moments ago—slowly rose to her feet.

Then, step by step, she approached my seat, took the pitcher, and carefully poured water into my cup.

Drip-drip—

Oh, would you look at that?

Unbelievable. The ruthless holy warrior of Juno, frozen in place like that…

The same woman who once spat in Prince Friedrich’s face…?

They say she’s Pluto’s chosen heir—truly terrifying.

Is this the Archduke of Hell? To dare make that wild Gloria serve him like a handmaid! I can’t believe my eyes!

People gasped in awe at the simple act of pouring water, their admiration unrestrained. I could practically feel their evaluation of me rising in real time.

The whole situation felt surreal.

Not only had I encountered Gloria, the most infamous Samaritan in the kingdom, but I was now treating her like a servant fetching my water.

Of course, it was only because this Samaritan woman had mistaken me for her older brother or something. In that case, wasn’t it best to take advantage of it for now?

And it worked like a charm.

The brewing fight between Hippolyte and Gloria had been halted, and this banquet could finally proceed somewhat normally—all thanks to my quick thinking.

“Now, behave yourself.”

“……”

Handling a younger sister who obeys you as her older brother is easy.

I’d been trained as an older brother since the day my sister was born—I might as well have been a natural-born sister tamer.

My real sister was a disobedient brat, but Gloria, despite her ferocity, was the perfect younger sister.

Of course, this peace was as fragile as a sheet of paper.

If she realized I wasn’t her brother, who knew what would happen? What the hell was she even thinking?

As I eyed Gloria warily, someone burst into laughter—a middle-aged man with a large X-shaped scar on his forehead: Marquis Carvigas, the master of this mansion.

“Truly remarkable. The holy warrior of Juno, who bows to no one—her reputation is well-known. Yet here she is, tamed so effortlessly. Everyone is too stunned to even speak.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

I brushed it off as if it were no big deal. The Marquis continued.

“Hassan, I’ve heard you made a name for yourself as a Samaritan adventurer. And Gloria is the most famous Samaritan on the continent. I arranged this gathering wondering what would happen if the two of you met—but this was beyond my expectations.”

It was then that I realized why this violent Samaritan, Gloria, had lunged at me earlier. He’d set up this event like some kind of test.

Was he trying to gauge me?

Thankfully, Gloria had some strange facial recognition quirk. If not, I might’ve gotten tangled up with this bizarre Samaritan in a very bad way. The thought sent a chill down my spine.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but recall:

The nobles of this world are like political warriors, raised from birth to reign over others.

To them, a soft, inexperienced god like me might just be easy prey to test and judge.

Right now, I’m pretending to be Gloria’s brother—but shouldn’t I really be acting the part of a skilled religious leader, Pluto’s heir, the Archduke of Hell?

The Archduke of Hell?

The thought of having to play that role made my head spin.

I’ve never even been to Hell, nor do I know what it’s like—yet here I am, suddenly cast as its envoy to the mortal world.

But, thinking about it, this wasn’t my first time. Hadn’t I lied to Paranoi and Antiope before, calling myself Hassan, Archduke of Hell?

It wasn’t intentional, but if I treated that as practice, I could at least vaguely picture how to act now.

Imagine being the successor to Team Rocket—stroking Paranoi’s head instead of a Persian cat, swirling a wine glass lazily.

Now that was the image of a truly fearsome crown prince of evil.

As I lost myself in thought, the meal ended, and maids swarmed in to clear the plates scattered before us.

I marveled at their professional skill as the messy table was swiftly cleaned—

When Marquis Carvigas, elbows on the table and fingers steepled, broke the silence.

“So, Hassan—what kind of god are you?”

I felt everyone’s eyes turn to me.

Their gazes were sharp with interest, their hushed breaths laden with anticipation.

Before I could answer, Carvigas added:

“What can you offer your believers?”

Swoosh—

I could feel Hippolyte’s eyes on me from the side. Her gaze carried a silent encouragement.

I’d already prepared answers for questions like this before arriving.

Just as Hippolyte predicted, he’d asked what I could do for my followers.

What will you give me if I pledge my faith to you?

It was a fundamental question.

In my shallow understanding, people follow religions for a reason—whether it’s salvation, heaven, enlightenment, or worldly desires.

What could I offer my believers?

What kind of god would I be? What divine power would I awaken?

It was a question that cut to the core of my existence.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure.

But I knew what I had done. I just needed to show them the blessings I could bestow.

“What I can do for you—I’ll show you now. Paranoi. Come here.”

“Y-Yes, sir…!”

I positioned Paranoi before the crowd and made her open her mouth for all to see.

“Ah—”

“Good gods, look at that nymph!”

“Her teeth are perfectly aligned!”

“Such incredible power! This is madness!”

Isn’t it too early to be impressed? And Paranoi’s teeth have always been like that—it’s not my doing.

They seemed to have misunderstood, but the excited atmosphere worked in my favor, so I pressed on.

“See how empty her mouth is? Now, does anyone have a coin?”

Like a seasoned magician, I addressed the crowd. The sudden request for a coin drew puzzled looks.

Soon, someone handed me a copper coin—a single cooper, cheap and common.

“Here.”

“Watch closely.”

I placed the coin in Paranoi’s mouth. Moments later, when I retrieved it, the dull copper had transformed into a gleaming silver coin.

“Behold. This is the power I grant you.”

I returned the silver to the man. His expression was utterly bewildered. I scanned the room for reactions—

“By the gods, copper turned to silver!”

“How is such power possible? The kingdom’s economy will collapse!”

“This is insane! I—I wasn’t ready for this!”

Eyes widened in shock. Whispers erupted as people turned to each other, buzzing with excitement.

The response was as I’d hoped. Watching copper become silver was astonishing—Luna and I had been just as stunned before.

But the trick was simple.

Paranoi’s Squirrel Hoard blessing was literal—like a squirrel stuffing its cheeks, she could store items in her mouth. A 4D pocket, if you will.

I’d swapped the copper for a silver coin I’d hidden in her mouth earlier. A one-cooper for a one-silver—technically a loss for me, but—

“Incredible! You can multiply money at will!”

With reactions like that, it wasn’t much of a loss. Though I couldn’t control how they interpreted it.

It felt like lying, but according to Hippolyte, in these circles, even fantastical tales were better if they sold dreams. So I had no choice.

If my followers grew and my sect’s influence expanded, I might actually become Hassan, the God of Gold, churning out endless wealth.

“Fascinating.”

While everyone murmured in awe, only Marquis Carvigas wore a relaxed smile.

“Creating gold—straight out of myth. A demigod ought to be capable of at least that much.”

He applauded, and soon, nods and claps of agreement spread through the room.

Swoosh—

Then, Carvigas handed me a peculiar note.

“What’s this?”

“Kingdom law requires at least four noble houses’ approval to build a new shrine. This is my endorsement. I’d be honored if you accepted.”

Gasps erupted.

“Marquis, isn’t this too hasty? We’ve barely seen anything! Turning copper to silver is impressive, but…”

Even I thought he was rushing. I had more to show.

Hippolyte seemed equally puzzled.

“Carvigas, what convinced you to support him so readily?”

“No particular reason. My approval is trivial compared to the trials Hassan will face. No need to strain or frown over it.”

Swoosh.

His scarred face gleamed ominously. Hippolyte pressed on casually.

“You gave your eyes to Pythia in exchange for glimpses of the distant future, didn’t you? Did you see something in Hassan?”

“Perhaps. A battle against a great monster. An exceedingly great one—something that would dwarf the Kraken or Hydra you’ve slain. Hassan, you will face it.”

“A monster?”

“No, forgive me. I merely wished to offer my humble support to the great Hassan, son of the Three Supreme Deities.”

Laughter rippled through the room.

But I couldn’t laugh.

Somehow, the blind man’s hazy gaze felt like it was piercing straight through me.

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『Hassan’s Status

Believers: 3

Foundations: 0

Shrines: 0

Priests: 0

Blessings: 0

Overall: A young, frail boy god—his followers are like blind sheep, each acting as they please.

Advice: Build a shrine and appoint priests.』

My believers hadn’t increased.

Had my performance failed? How do I gain more followers?

“They’re looking for you, Hassan. The banquet’s star shouldn’t disappear for long.”

Hippolyte joined me on the balcony

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