Surviving without God

“So, let’s begin with the most important thing...”

Brody looked at me intently and suddenly stood up from her chair. Her clear orange eyes glowed softly.

— First, I need to thank you. Truly, truly thank you, Gunther. Thanks to you, Eddie came back alive and unharmed.

— You value Eddie more than I expected.

— Our aunt... she died.

For a moment, silence settled between us. Brody spoke again, enunciating each word clearly:

— For a merchant, it’s excruciating to realize there’s a debt left behind that you’ll never be able to repay in your lifetime.

— ...So I helped you settle that debt?

— Yes. You helped more than you know.

Brody gave another faint smile. She was doing her best to remain composed, but her voice trembled. The atmosphere made me uncomfortable. I shook my head.

— ...I was just carrying out a request. If you handle mine just as well, that will be enough.

At the moment, I had three requests for Brody.

The owner of the hidden cultivation technique. The Society of Forgotten Books. Ellen Beyra.

To be honest, the hidden cultivation technique wasn’t urgent right now. Even if I obtained it immediately, I would still need to advance in Art of the Pure Heart and gather additional required materials before I could begin training.

But the other two... Especially the Society of Forgotten Books. My curiosity about them had surged the moment I met the scarred man.

‘An organization studying ancient gods...’

There were many questions. Why were they studying ancient gods? Did they know of others connected to them—people like me or that man? If they discovered my existence, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) would they make contact first? And so on.

— There may be someone connected to the Society of Forgotten Books, so keep that in mind.

After passing along the information about the scarred man, I asked what had been bothering me.

— By the way, how do you manage to access information from the Upper City?

The Upper City was closed and exclusive. That much was obvious from the way it floated in the sky like a separate world. It was the embodiment of elitism: a refusal to even touch the lower strata. The gap between the Upper City and the rest was far greater than the one between the Middle and Lower Cities. And although she was a promising entrepreneur, the fact that she, a native of the Lower City, had connections up there... even I, the one asking for them, found it surprising.

— Ah, that?

It might have been a trade secret, but Brody answered plainly.

— The Upper City is still a place where people live. No matter how efficient golems are, there will always be corners that require human hands.

— And?

— I supply the Upper City with experienced... and properly vetted servants. From household management to document handling, personal secretaries, caregivers... the people up there never leave such positions vacant.

— They’re your trusted agents?

— “Trusted agents” is too much... They’re more like people who owe me.

...Connections through servants. It reminded me of the beggar clans from martial arts novels—seemingly worthless errand boys who in truth possessed all kinds of information and secrets. Beings who slipped into the most private corners of aristocratic homes in the Upper City, becoming their ears and eyes. What impressed me most, however, was Brody’s business acumen—running such a dangerous enterprise while holding information so delicate in her hands.

— May I ask one question as well?

— If it’s something I can answer.

I had just been prying into her secrets. Nodding, I prepared myself to answer almost anything.

— It’s not a difficult question.

She said that, yet hesitated deeply. The confidence that usually shone clearly in her eyes dimmed.

‘What kind of question is she about to ask...’

I felt myself growing tense. Brody avoided my gaze for a long moment, and finally—

— What do you think about...? — she ended up asking something completely unexpected.

***

Gunther let out a short laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

— No, you...

— What?

What do you mean, what.

— What do you... th-think about partnership?

After a long pause, a proposal of business partnership followed. The tension Gunther had unconsciously felt in his shoulders disappeared.

— ...Why are you proposing partnership like you’re confessing your love? You scared me.

But when he laughed, Brody’s face suddenly flushed with indignation.

— What do you mean “why”...

— Hm?

— Proposing partnership is a hundred times harder than some confession.

...Some confession? Wasn’t that a rather severe view of romance for a girl her age? But Brody was adamant.

— What is a confession? It’s just saying, “I like you,” and that’s it, right?

— Well... I suppose?

Gunther wanted to argue, but her momentum overwhelmed him.

— And partnership? It’s a declaration that I trust you enough to stake my future, my assets, and the dreams I’ve been building. I’m telling you about my sincerity.

— Hm.

— So being nervous is only natural.

Brody nodded to herself in satisfaction, as if convincing herself she was right.

— To compare that to romantic feelings, it would at least have to be on the level of a marriage proposal, wouldn’t it?

Only then did Gunther understand what “partnership” meant to Brody. Yesterday’s message surfaced in his mind.

[“Brody Wilder” has joined your scenario as an ally]

For each person, the weight of the word “ally” was different. For Brody, it was the literal embodiment of “trust.” Something far deeper and sturdier than he had imagined.

— So, what is your answer...?

Gunther looked at her silently for a moment before replying with a serious expression.

— I’ll let you know after I consider this proposal favorably.

— Phew... thank you.

Brody nodded with obvious relief.

— Won’t you ask why I’m not agreeing immediately?

— The decision to board the same boat as someone who was a complete stranger just a month ago should be weighed carefully, shouldn’t it?

She smiled faintly and continued:

— Good. On the contrary, if you had agreed right away, I would have been a little disappointed. I like people who take me seriously.

Gunther gave a slight smile and nodded.

— Of course I have to be serious, considering who my partner would be.

Tiling!

[Affinity level with Brody increases]

— I-if you need any documents or materials to make your decision, request them at any time. I’ll provide everything with complete transparency!

— Thank you.

Gunther did not hide his smile. This partnership was clearly beneficial for both sides. Brody would gain military strength, and he would gain a stable base.

‘A perfect deal, where each can fill the other’s gaps.’

Above all, the enormous advantage lay in gaining access to the Upper City already in Act 1.

‘With Brody’s help, I’ll be able to step into the Upper City sooner.’

Early acquisition of hidden fragments. Contact with useful connections. Preemptive response to Luthien’s schemes, and so on. The advantages that came to mind were endless.

‘Luck is walking straight into my hands...’

Just a few months ago, Gunther had been consumed solely with meeting the official protagonist according to the canon storyline. Because of that, he hadn’t even considered using characters not mentioned in the canon, subconsciously disregarding them. But once he entered the main scenario, he realized that such “out-of-scenario” figures like Brody were tremendously helpful in achieving his goals.

‘From now on, I need to look wider.’

That kind of perspective was necessary to reach the true ending. The moment Gunther made that decision, Brody beamed brightly and said:

— I’m going to head to the office now, and what are your plans for today, Gunther? Going to rest at home? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Gunther shook his head.

— I was going to, but...

Tiling!

His gaze froze on the message that had just appeared.

— Something came up.

[Hierarchy evaluation quest confirmed]

[Would you like to check the contents?]

...Something very important.

.

.

.

Hierarchy. What is hierarchy?

At present, Gunther possessed combat power comparable to the 3rd hierarchy, even though he himself was only at the 1st. Did that mean hierarchy was nothing more than decoration?

‘Absolutely not.’

In this world, hierarchy was—

‘A numerical measure of how far a person has progressed toward God.’

The higher the hierarchy, the stronger the resistance to transcendental influences such as divinity, madness, curses, or prophecies. In addition, the risk of losing one’s sanity or suffering essence erosion when encountering high-ranking gods was greatly reduced. The possibility of additional interactions was a pleasant bonus.

‘The simplest example: if my hierarchy rises, I’ll be able to retain my memory even when meeting that witch I saw before.’

Of course, system rewards were also enormous. Stat efficiency and resistance to divinity increased, and blocked class transitions opened. Depending on past deeds, specific options and unique skills could be unlocked. It was power that allowed one not merely to grow stronger, but to “approach” the laws of the world.

That was why raising hierarchy was necessary. And Gunther couldn’t help but feel nervous.

[Revealing quest for hierarchy advancement]

The content of a hierarchy evaluation changes depending on the path the player has walked. The hero has his path; the commoner has his. What path awaited Gunther, who had endured so many trials in this world? He stared at the next message.

Tiling!

[Complete the following task to advance in rank]

— Burn into your body the Stigma of a new god.

※ Deity rank: Officer or higher.

Estimated difficulty: ★★★★

Reward list:

— Advancement to 2nd hierarchy.

— Level cap expansion to 80.

— High-difficulty completion: application of special reward table.

The first to react were the three gods.

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats frowns]

[The Drug-Addicted Saint looks at you anxiously at the absurd difficulty]

[Alphonse of Red Street stares at the word “Officer” and smirks]

There was a reason for their reaction.

A god of Officer rank.

That term referred to a divine status one tier above the lesser gods Gunther had been associated with so far: the King of Ninety-Nine Defeats, the Saint, Alphonse, or the One Who Sends Love Letters. Even if the King’s rank had risen, he still did not reach Officer level. To obtain that status, a deity needed, at minimum, faith rooted at the scale of a village and possession of an official temple. Beings with far greater influence than lesser gods.

‘...They can grant a 2nd-level Stigma.’

Through trials or revelations, they could also bestow additional rewards upon their contractors. Among them, those rare Officer gods whose faith had spread to the scale of a city displayed power on an entirely different level.

[Alphonse of Red Street grumbles, reminiscing about old times]

Gunther did not take his eyes off the message.

— Hm...

The four-star difficulty was certainly justified. To make contact with an Officer-rank god and receive their Stigma was a task an ordinary person could spend a lifetime pursuing without success. Yet strangely, a wide smile spread across Gunther’s lips.

‘What luck...’

He had a way to resolve this quest easily.

‘I’ll probably finish it today.’

Lighthearted, Gunther completed his preparations to go out.

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats narrows his eyes, wondering what you’re planning]

‘There are things old men don’t know.’

[The Drug-Addicted Saint looks at you with a stunned expression]