I Can See the Comments on the Doomed Novel - Chapter 160



The True Enemy

The youngest of the hearth fire.

Hestia, one of the twelve gods of Olympus.

She was also one of the goddesses who had supported me from long ago.

I had wondered if I might meet her.

But encountering her like this was unexpected.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Hestia.”

As I bowed, Hestia smiled brightly.

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“I’m the one who’s grateful for your warm welcome.”

“You’ve been cheering for me for a long time. Of course, it’s only natural.”

“Your battles have been quite enjoyable to support.”

Seeing her again, her attire was somewhat plain.

Compared to other goddesses, it could be considered modest.

Of course, that didn’t diminish her beauty in the slightest.

‘In mythology, Hestia was known as a quiet and generous goddess.’

In a way, that was the image of Hestia I knew.

She smiled bashfully and continued speaking.

“Actually, I’ve wanted to talk to you like this for a long time.”

“I wanted to meet you too, Hestia.”

“Hey, isn’t your reaction a bit too different from mine? Huh?”

Apollo chimed in from the side.

Hestia quietly raised her eyes and looked at him like an older sister.

“Apollo, please don’t interrupt without any awareness.”

“Oh, yes~ yes~ I’ll just step back, being an unpopular god.”

With that, Apollo waved his hand and really left.

Hestia turned back to me, placing a hand on her cheek and sighing.

“That boy never changes, even with time.”

“That’s the charm of the Greek gods.”

“Hmm, is that so? I think so too.”

“I believe you’re a good goddess just from this brief conversation.”

“Haha! What’s that? You’re making me laugh.”

Hestia was a goddess whose laughter was quiet and graceful.

She took a sip from the tea beside her and continued.

“Personally, I wanted to make a contract with you, but unfortunately, the opportunity didn’t come my way.”

“I’m sorry about that. I ended up meeting another connection first.”

“I know. Still, I’m glad you found a good goddess. You feel the same, right?”

“Well, yes.”

Eve is not a famous goddess like those here.

Naturally, she cannot bestow me any great blessings.

If I had to count, perhaps the spirit sword she gave me.

And the barrier I can create myself.

But I am satisfied with the fact that I made a contract with Eve.

She gives me power beyond what is simply visible.

“Is it like having a younger sister to protect?”

“Oh my… you must never say that to her.”

“If I did, she’d sulk for days.”

With that, we sat in silence for a moment.

Even though it was our first meeting and silence hung in the air, the time didn’t feel awkward.

Perhaps it is the power of the goddess Hestia that feels oddly comforting.

“Hmmm, actually, there’s something I want to share with you.”

“A story?”

“There’s going to be a grand event at Olympus soon. One that even deities from other worlds will participate in.”

At her words, I wet my lips with my tongue.

Just the involvement of a single deity like Hela would be monumental.

It could almost determine the fate of an entire world.

But not just one—an event where all sorts of deities gather?

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what might unfold.

‘Is this story slowly approaching its climax?’

I glanced around the party, taking in the deities present.

Though it seemed peaceful now, I knew what could happen if they were to fight earnestly.

“What will you all be doing together? From what you’re saying, it doesn’t seem like a casual gathering.”

“If I had to put it into words, it would be a contest of the gods. Deities and their contracted players. They will participate and directly compete against each other.”

“Hmmm.”

I let out a low murmur.

Just hearing about it made it clear that this would be an extraordinary event.

“It will likely be on a massive scale, and it won’t be an easy fight for anyone. The rewards will be great, and it might even be entertaining.”

“The reason you’re telling me this is—”

“Of course, it’s because I want you to participate. It’s a kind of invitation.”

So that’s it.

I had somewhat anticipated this from the moment she began to speak.

Surely, one of the twelve gods wouldn’t choose to discuss such matters casually.

“Why me, of all people?”

“Hmm, perhaps it’s because I find you intriguing?”

Hestia answered with remarkable honesty.

“I believe you are someone who will make a significant impact. And a hero like you shouldn’t miss out on such a grand event.”

“I’m neither a god nor a hero, so I’m not quite accustomed to such grand tales yet.”

“Well, then you’ll need to get used to it from now on.”

There was a strong conviction in Hestia’s words.

It reminded me of the strong tone I had used with Apollo earlier.

“Just as you, who once knew peace, fought and triumphed over zombies, that opponent has merely become a myth. If you don’t keep fighting and growing, you’ll fall behind.”

Her words echoed the survival methods I had been contemplating all along.

If you stop to rest, you’ll be left behind.

In this world, you had to keep moving forward and continue to grow, no matter what.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to defeat the next enemy you encountered.

“I understand. But right now, I’m overwhelmed with what’s in front of me, leaving no room to think about what comes next.”

“Ah! That’s true. I may have overstepped a bit.”

Hestia stood up, clearing her throat awkwardly.

“Still, please don’t forget what I told you today. If we meet again, I’ll be your patron.”

“If I manage to survive here, I’ll come find you.”

“Hehe! I believe you’ll do just fine. Now, pat pat.”

After giving my head one last affectionate pat, Hestia left, looking satisfied.

Just then, a cat appeared in the center of the party, announcing:

“Now, we shall begin the auction! Those wishing to participate, please gather!”

Quite a few deities were present for the auction.

It didn’t seem like they all intended to bid.

There were likely others, like me, who had come just to watch.

Hera, who had arrived early and secured a good spot, waved lightly in my direction.

‘There’s no seat next to you.’

‘What about me?’

‘Just sit anywhere.’

‘Oh dear.’

Hera was still surrounded by other goddesses.

It seemed that everyone, except for me, was part of the in-crowd.

From a distance, I could catch snippets of the conversation between Hera and the other goddesses.

“Why don’t you come over to our side? We could treat someone like you quite well.”

“Hmm, but I still have my duties—”

I tried not to eavesdrop as I settled into a nearby empty seat.

It’s not the best location, but it’s not like being conspicuous brings any benefits.

‘By the way, I still haven’t seen Hild even once.’

I had followed along, playing the role of a squire of sorts.

In the end, aside from escorting to the party venue, I had nothing else to do.

It’s a pity, but I had the sense not to intrude among the goddesses.

From what I could see, most of the deities seemed to prefer taking the initiative themselves.

“It’s been a while since we last met.”

Now, even when someone approached me, I wasn’t flustered.

Above all, it was a voice I recognized.

“Hatmaker.”

It was the Hatmaker, the one who ran the Ruinous Shop.

I used to visit often to buy items, but due to various circumstances, it had been quite a while since I last saw him.

“Haha! May I sit beside you?”

“Feel free. It’s not my seat anyway.”

With my permission, he tipped his top hat slightly and took a seat.

That posture looked quite familiar.

“What brings the shop owner to the auction house?”

“A merchant can’t miss out on events like this. It’s a chance to acquire good items.”

Well, it is an auction where even weapons from Norse mythology are up for grabs.

From his perspective, it must be an event he absolutely cannot miss.

‘Besides, if he’s a merchant, he must have plenty of money.’

This could mean a rather dangerous competitor has appeared.

I trust Hela’s wealth, but I can’t help but feel a bit worried.

As I was lost in thought, the Hatmaker brought up a different topic.

“I found your efforts to save the last deity quite impressive.”

He’s already bringing up a story from thirty chapters ago.

I nodded quietly.

“It just turned out that way.”

“To be honest, I can’t say it’s much to praise. If there are many other deities willing to contract with someone like you, even less so.”

“……..Why is that?”

Without realizing it, my words had taken on a slightly sharp edge.

Perhaps it was because the hatter’s words seemed to imply that Eve should have been left to die.

“That’s an act against the system of destruction.”

“Of all people, that’s not something you should say.”

“It’s a sincere piece of advice.”

The hatter let out a deep sigh.

“Have you ever thought about the problems that arise from defying destruction? The derailment of the story… it endangers everyone’s lives.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

At my careless response, the hatter turned his head away.

“Destruction continually puts us in danger through quests, and some just watch. It’s too much to not even let us struggle to survive.”

“And if that results in ruining this world?”

“If the story can only be completed with a child’s death… I will deny it time and again.”

The hatter’s eyes gleamed sharply.

Not with the gaze of a customer, but with the eyes of an enemy.

“She’s just a goddess. Weaker in power than anyone else here.”

“But she’s Eve.”

Of course, I did not shy away from that gaze.

“That thought… means you intend to completely oppose me.”

“What is it that you want?”

“Peace. Eternal and flawless.”

“In a world where countless lives continue to perish?”

“At least from your perspective, isn’t that true? You must have had countless opportunities to change that.”

For a moment, there was silence between us.

Unlike earlier with Hestia, this silence felt a bit uncomfortable.

What he said was somewhat impressive, yet it came from a perspective so different from mine.

At least, I couldn’t say I felt that way in that moment.

I had never felt that this world itself was peaceful.

In the end, the hatter sighed deeply.

“Ah, let’s stop this conversation. I seem to have become a bit sentimental.”

“Right. We’re not exactly in a position to fight right now.”

Just then, the cat in charge of the auction announced the start.

We didn’t need to say more, though.

We could already feel that we were rivals.

“This auction is going to be quite interesting.”

“Indeed.”

We quietly watched the items being presented.

Before long, both Hela and the hat maker raised their hands simultaneously.