Chapter 378

378 Nectar of the Gods #8

“So, what’s the status of Bacchus? Where is he now?”

“In the underground of Babel Tower. He’s being treated in a place where no one can approach. The healers say that a large quantity of nectar is required to detoxify the poison—”

“Is that so?”

“You’re known as the Healing God, right? So, can you cure this Eight thing of his, as you mentioned?”

Curing poison, huh.

Can I really do that with pressure points? While it might work for curses or the like, I’m not familiar with any acupressure methods for curing poison. At best, I might be able to maintain the body from necrotizing.

I asked:

“What’s the distance from here to the City of Babel?”

“Two days on the fastest horse.”

“Would he last that long?”

“No one can guarantee that. Bacchus’ condition right now is in a situation no one ever expected. This is unprecedented, not even foretold or recorded. It’s probably because of the interference of beings from other continents.”

“….”

Bacchus might d*e.

If he does, the concept of alcohol in this world might vanish, and without alcohol, what will the poor of Gaia Continent use to relieve their stress? And it also means I won’t be able to taste Bacchus-brewed nectar anymore.

At that moment, I suddenly remembered that this unconscious nymph Ignor of ditch water had stolen something related to the brewing method of nectar.

“What are you planning to do?”

“If we ask this guy, we might understand how the situation developed.”

“You hit his sternum. Even if he wakes up, it’ll be days before he regains full consciousness.”

“That’s something we’ll find out once we try.”

I grabbed the nymph’s thin wrist and pressed a pressure point on the wrist with my thumb quite forcefully.

Then the nymph Ignor emitted a strange shriek—”Eeuuaaak!”—and woke up abruptly.

“It hurts…!”

“You just woke her more effectively than I thought you could.”

Shilaya seemed to be mildly impressed, but what’s important now is not being flattered, so I spoke to Ignor, who was making a sour face.

“Hey, Ignor. I’ve heard a lot about you. They say you tried to poison Bacchus? Bold move for a nymph. Tell us everything you know. Otherwise, you might experience even more pain than you just did.”

“I don’t know anything. I really don’t. It’s all news to me. How could I ever think of poisoning Bacchus-sama?”

At that, Shilaya frowned.

“Is it not because you, expelled from Bacchus’ followers, sought to retaliate out of ill intent? The evidence already speaks for itself. It’s best not to try to argue.”

“No, I really didn’t. I just wanted Bacchus-sama’s attention. Really, I didn’t think of poisoning him…”

A single tear fell from the only eye of Ignor, the nymph of ditch water.

I suddenly thought of Paranoi and softened my heart, but Shilaya frowned even more at the sight.

“Tears, despair. These are tools of deceit frequently used by your kind, the ditch water nymphs. You’d better drop your cheap tricks.”

I suppose that’s why, as a woman, Shilaya wasn’t swayed by the pitiful tears of the nymph. However, Ignor simply continued to cry silently despite such threats.

“I just wanted to regain Bacchus-sama’s favor. I wanted to be the prime disciple who could be lifted up or petted by him like in old times.”

Shilaya might not think so, but I at least felt that this nymph, Ignor, wasn’t lying.

I’ve heard so many lies from Paranoi that I’ve become fairly adept at discerning the truth or falsehood in what nymphs say. I thought that, as the god of nymphs, Hassan the expert in nymphs, it would be appropriate to first calm the nymph’s agitated emotions.

Thus, I placed my hand on Ignor’s head and tousled her hair, something I often did to Paranoi.

“Hey, don’t just mess with my hair—fake god! Stop pretending to be Bacchus!”

Ignor’s reaction was quite prickly. I heard that nymphs are typically very loyal to their masters. So it’s probably why Ignor didn’t like me, not Bacchus, touching her head. Still, her breathing and shoulder shivers visibly became calmer.

Mouths may lie, but the body never does.

After I took my hand off her head, I asked her:

“I might be able to save your master Bacchus. So, calm down and explain the situation clearly. Your truth could save Bacchus.”

“T…truth….”

I saw a strange emotion flash in the crimson eye of Ignor, the only one she had.

Much like all nymphs, Ignor originally was a simple-minded ditch water nymph.

But the city of Babel, compared to Sodomora, was much harsher and had little compassion, making it quite difficult for a single ditch water nymph to survive alone.

So, Ignor, who was originally a ditch water nymph, found herself gradually tainted with muddied mana, thus transforming into a muddied ditch water nymph.

“I was caught stealing, and that’s how I lost this eye.”

Ignor pointed to the scar on her face with her finger. It looked painfully evident. I’m familiar with how nymphs can be melodramatic even with a minor pain, so it’s easy to imagine the agony she must have felt when enduring such a serious wound. Of course, it was her fault for having been caught stealing.

I asked her:

“So, what’s a muddied ditch water nymph exactly? Do they have special abilities?”

The honey nymph Doris is said to have the ability to communicate with bees. Echo, the brook nymph, is characterized by her mature and modest nature.

So, I wondered what the defining features were of a muddied ditch water nymph.

Ignor replied with one sentence:

“When I lie, I don’t feel a pang of guilt. Even if I do bad deeds, my chest remains undisturbed. That’s the trait of a muddied ditch water nymph.”

“Is that so.”

“Anyway, I’ve done a lot of bad things, and lost an eye, so I’m a worthless nymph. Even then, Bacchus-sama welcomed me as his disciple. But one day, during a festival, I broke a precious wineglass Bacchus-sama cherished, got scolded by everyone, and was chased away…”

An increasingly melancholic Ignor. Shilaya asked her:

“So, you poisoned the wineglass to take revenge on everyone?”

“No. I just… I just wanted to be forgiven for the sins I committed. I thought I should brew the best wine Bacchus-sama had never tasted and present it to him. But those guys… They told me…”

“The elves?”

“Y…yes. The elves told me that if I put this into the wineglass, Bacchus-sama would see me again. That’s what they said… I spent all the money I had saved up in my life, three gold coins, to buy this…”

Sliding into her bosom, Ignor brought out a glass bottle about the size of her fist.

The transparent glass bottle contained a liquid that allowed one to easily gauge what was inside.

“When Bacchus-sama collapsed, I just ran away out of fear. I was just really scared…”

I had a clear picture in my mind of what happened.

Ignor, attempting to win Bacchus’ favor, used a dubious substance to make the wine. The elves, who took advantage of Ignor. And as a result, Bacchus collapsed.

“There was no one I could trust. So, I learned that there was a relief foundation that helped nymphs in Sodomora, and I fled there. But they were all gone.”

“Is that so?”

There seemed to be no connection between the nymph relief foundation and Ignor, the muddied ditch water nymph, so I decided to erase that suspicious foundation from my mind.

Shilaya asked in a tone that showed she didn’t understand:

“Ignor, but you did steal the brewing method that fell on the ground. How do you explain that? I saw you steal and run away right on the spot.”

“This is Bacchus-sama’s treasure. I couldn’t let someone else take it away. Everyone, at the time when Bacchus-sama fell, was more interested in this brewing method than Bacchus-sama. If I didn’t take it, someone else would have stolen it!”

The demeanor of Ignor, who had been depressed just moments ago, suddenly became as sharp as a hedgehog. I tried to make sense of her words in my mind.

“So, you’ve been holding onto it to protect the secrets of the brewing method, right?”

“Y…yes. If you don’t believe me, then so be it. I’m a muddied ditch water nymph, a rejected creature, but it’s the truth.”

“Got it. Ignor, you’re not lying now. When nymphs lie, the tips of their ears turn a strange red.”

Ignor touched her own ear in response to my words.

“S…so you believe me?”

“Yeah. Most of it seems true.”

“…”

With my words, the suspicion in Ignor’s eyes seemed to dim slightly. She probably realized that my words were not a lie.

Compared to Paranoi, who was full of expedient tricks and cunning, this muddied ditch water nymph Ignor was relatively easy to understand.

“So, I’m interested in the brewing method you have. Could you show it to me? With that, we might be able to produce a large quantity of nectar. It might also help Bacchus, who you like.”

“…”

Ignor looked at me with a suspicious gaze again. I suppose after all my grandstanding, asking for the recipe at the end raised her guard.

While I’m not fond of making promises lightly, it’s still the best way to simplify things.

“I swear by the honor of my shrine and by the River Styx that flows deep underground, I’ll help Bacchus.”

“R…really?”

The Styx oath is strong. It supposedly represents a pact or norm that even gods can’t escape, right? Knowing this, Ignor’s expression brightened significantly.

“Will you really help Bacchus-sama?”

“Yes.”

At that instant, Ignor took out a small scroll from her bosom and handed it over to me.

“I’ve committed an unforgivable sin, I suppose I’ll be executed and sent to Tartarus. But that’s okay. Please, save Bacchus-sama…”

“Understood.”

I took the scroll. To be honest, my personal gain was at the forefront of the oath I made to the Styx River.

Because I thought that if I handled this matter well, Bacchus would recover, and I might obtain another bottle of nectar—possibly two.

Also, creating a debt with Bacchus, a large corporation, is no small thing either.

But as a nymph tamer, I couldn’t help but feel anger and suspicion towards those who had used this nymph, Ignor.

“So, I’ll take responsibility for Ignor’s safety. That’s about as far as I can go with the golden necklace I wear. Since it’s divine business, it’s your job to handle it from here on out.”

Shilaya bound Ignor’s wrists and entire body with ropes to an extent that seemed excessive. Of course, she’s a savage criminal who harmed Bacchus, so that’s normal.

I asked:

“What will happen to her now? Ignor, I mean.”

“Hmm, she’ll probably stand trial. The outcome is pretty obvious. It’s an unforgivable crime.”

“Yeah, that seems about right.”

I was sentenced to the maximum punishment of execution for setting fire to the city and the arena.

So, what kind of punishment would someone who harms a god receive in this world, steeped in religion and faith?

At the memory of the courtroom experiences that resurfaced, I subtly frowned. Seeing my expression, Shilaya added something:

“It’s pitiful when you listen to the details, but what can you do? At least letting her go through a trial is merciful and humane.”

“Is that so?”

“There are tons of Bacchus followers outside who’d literally rip her to shreds.”

That’s also true. Following a fair judicial procedure is probably the final grace Ignor will receive.

“So, I’ll leave now—I’m going to chase the elves. I don’t have any business in Sodomora, so if you have any messages, contact Mars Guild in Babel.”

“How do we contact?”

“The guilds have a postal pigeon service between them. Anyway, I’m off. It was nice meeting you, little goddess.”

With that, Shilaya disappeared somewhere fast. Her steps appeared normal, but her speed was quicker than people running—worthy of someone with a dexterity of 15.

When I was finally alone with the scroll in hand, I could finally give it a proper look.

Is this really the recipe for making that divine nectar? I’m just the son of the Health Center. If I have the ingredients, I’m sure I can brew some alcohol.

“Let’s see what this nectar thing really says.”

Slurp, Slurp.

I untied the poorly tied knot and read the letters inside.

“Recipe for making nectar, one bottle of wine. Five cups of water.”

Ah, five cups of water.

Feels pretty legitimate. But when I glanced at the next ingredients, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

“What the…?”

Because the following items written were strange cipher-like ingredients I couldn’t comprehend.

“Recipe for making nectar, one bottle of wine. Five cups of water. A single feather from a 100-year old snake. A single tooth from a tree that is 300 years old. One laugh from a dog. One curse from a woman in love. One tail from a deer. Two horns from a cloud, a handful of clown mushrooms. And, finally, the most important ingredient…”

What the heck is this for ingredients?

I had imagined something like a bottle of water, a few bunches of grapes. But this went wildly off the mark. Is this even real?

Worse, the last bit of the page was smeared by something wet, and the characters following “the most important ingredient” are completely illegible.

What is this?

Pock, pock.

Someone approached me as I stood there, slightly dumbfounded.

“Master Hassan, were you hiding here in the isolated section of the graveyard and doing something? Did you perhaps eat the honey you were hiding…?”

It was Paranoi.

Paranoi seemed interested in the paper I held and sniffed the air around it.

“Ah! I can smell other nymphs on you, Master Hassan! What is this scroll…?”

“Who are you to look, huh?”

This recipe, no matter how rough, is something that must remain secret. So, I pushed Paranoi’s face away with my palm. But she shouted,

“A hundred-year-old snake feather… A tree tooth… Could you be reading the recipe for health beads given by Lady Luna…?”

“What kind of recipe?”

“Did you already consume all the health beads given by Lady Luna? I thought there were still a few days’ worth left!”

“Is this supposed to be the recipe for health beads?”

Slurp.

I glanced at the scroll again. Below where I stood, Paranoi looked up curiously and started reciting like it was something monumental.

“Tree tooth, dog laugh, woman’s curse…”

And indeed, they were all the ingredients written on the scroll, spoken word for word.

I asked:

“What, how do you know this?”

“These are all the ingredients Lady Luna uses to create her health beads! Since Paranoi helped make them a lot, I know them well!”

Well, that makes sense. It felt like lightning struck in front of me.

“So, do you know the final ingredient? Is there another ingredient missing?”

“The final ingredient…? That is Lady Luna’s secret ingredient, which she never revealed to me!”

I found the answer from an unexpected direction.

“Paranoi, good job.”

I messed up Paranoi’s hair again with wild abandon.

When I messed up her hair and back, Paranoi acted like an irritated cat: “Ahh! I just styled my hair, don’t ruin it like this! I don’t like such uncivilized pets!” she complained nervously.

But the tips of her pointy ears were strangely blushed.

The sight reminded me of Ignor from before.

By now, Paranoi had pulled out a comb from somewhere inside her mouth and was combing her hair back into place. I told her:

“Paranoi, you don’t need to go overboard trying to earn my favor. Just stay as you are.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Just stay the same, let’s be friends like this.”

“Not changing? Impossible!”

“What, really?”

“Paranoi is learning height exercises from Amazon Hippolyte! I’ll soon grow tall like Brook nymph Echo!”

“Whatever, try your best then.”

“At least, I will grow tall enough to look down on those Kang boys! This will be the great rise of Paranoi!”

Paranoi continued emphasizing that she was drinking milk and exercising morning and night to grow tall.

While listening to Paranoi’s story, I looked toward the southern sky. I remember that Ideope is a group of islands beyond the southern edge of the continent.

Then somewhere among the clouds floating in that direction, Luna might be there. It seemed like the subtle scent of maintenance from Luna floated in the southern breeze, or maybe it was just my imagination.

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