Raven took a breath, steadying the giddy tremor in his hands as the squirrel fanned him with renewed vigor, sensing something monumental was about to begin.
He opened his system again, this time tapping on the second name blinking at him:
[Smoke_Trader: 4 messages]
Click.
Four previous messages lined the screen:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven sighed. "He would never change, I guess."
He was the god who would send him messages like internet adds.
’Want free, single goddesses to talk to? You are in the right place, message me for more information.’
’Want to eat something tasty? You know who to contact (me, of course).’
These type of adds.
So, Raven typed a one-word message to the guy.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Smoke_Trader responded instantly.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven didn’t reply immediately.
He let the silence stretch, as he knew what type of god Smoke was.
Despite being a fun guy to be around and the fact that he had many connections, he was the typical greedy merchant type.
He wouldn’t even take deals that didn’t have big margins. Worse, the things he wanted—artifacts for mortals—always had small margins.
Raven wasn’t even sure if this guy would trade, but he still had to try.
After all, beggars can’t be choosers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There was a beat of silence as Raven wondered if he should turn to Windy already, but somewhere in the back of his head, he felt like there was something he could get out of this guy.
However, before he could speak further, Smoke’s messages came one after another. They were so fast that Raven couldn’t even follow them until they stopped coming.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Seeing those messages, Raven sighed, but trusting his protagonist instincts, he finished his sentence.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Nothing came for five seconds.
Then a single message came.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Looking at it, Raven shrugged. ’What was I even expecting.’
There was no way a guy like him would be interested in dealing with mortal artifacts.
But when he was about to shift to the other chat, Smoke’s messages came.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It was Raven’s turn to be surprised. ’Wait, actually?’
The most greedy guy he knew was willing to deal with mortal artifacts? That was newer than Alex getting beat up by a tree trunk.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
With that, Raven waited.
The squirrel fanning him didn’t know what was going on.
In its eyes, Raven seemed to be making expressions while staring at the air, and it was weird.
It was weirder than a squirrel fanning a human.
But the squirrel remained quiet; that was until some time passed, and Raven’s expression scratched.
’Why is there still no reply?’
Raven frowned.
Still, he waited a few more minutes before he finally sent the messages.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There was still no message.
Heck, the guy was offline!
A greedy merchant-type guy who never gets off the trading app was offline—
"Oh, fuck it!"
Rave cursed, flailing his arms as he realized that he was probably blocked.
But then, feeling something wriggling under his arms, he frowned, only to see the squirrel buried beneath it.
"Oh, shit—!" He quickly gets up, helping the squirrel stabilize. "I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry."
The squirrel, who was fine as Raven didn’t put weight on him, huffs, then jumps off the bed and runs away, squeaking curses.
It was saying things like ’weird human’, ’almost killed me’, and some curses in squirrel tongue.
Raven stared at the fluffy creature jumping out of the window before he lay back on the bed with a tired sigh.
He couldn’t believe he thought that guy would—
’Fuck. Whatever.’
"Bastard," Raven muttered. "May your socks always be damp."
But thankfully, Smoke wasn’t the only divine contact he had.
With a grunt, he opened his system again and tapped the next blinking name.
[Windy_Wishbone: 10 messages]
Click.
The screen scrolled rapidly.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There were messages of different dates, and Raven stared at them for a long minute.
Then muttered, "...I’m the worst."
Windy was the only god who talked to him like a person, not a transaction.
Used to be, he’d reply to her wholeheartedly, joke around, and chat about nonsense.
But these days, he barely made time to talk to Grandpa, let alone her.
He sighed, then straightened up and began typing like a man about to commit social fraud.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
He didn’t want to lie to her, but he didn’t want to risk it like Smoke, so he made a sob story.
As a minor god herself, he was sure she was also close to her worshipers. He was making use of those sentiments.
There was a long pause.
Then—
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven coughed. ’It’s good that she bought it, but now I feel a bit bad for getting her all riled up.’
But then, he whispers. "It’s all business. Don’t think about other stuff."
Then, he continued the chat.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Windy’s reply was immediate but slightly hesitant.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven grinned.
It was time to play his next card.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There was a pause.
Then—
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
’That means she can at least prepare those things!’ Raven exclaimed inwardly before he cracked his knuckles.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven wasn’t kidding this time.
He was going all in.
As he said, he had some divine artifacts, and for many, the divine artifacts he had would be the best thing they could hope to get.
Windy’s next message came slower this time.
Like she was digesting that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven chuckled. "Wind massages..."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven took a deep breath.
This was the deciding moment.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven went through them again, and after looking at them at least ten times, he nodded.
’Yes. That’s all of them.’
Then, Windy’s messages came.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Raven felt a sense of déjà vu as he looked at the last message, as Smoke had sent something similar.
So, to ensure that it was his paranoia, he sends another message.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There was a pause, but before Raven could start a tantrum, Windy’s status changed to typing.
Before long, her reply came.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
’Thank heavens—’
Raven sighed in relief before he slumped on the bed.
He was happy that Windy didn’t turn out to be like Smoke. If she were, then Raven would’ve crashed out.
However, suddenly, another notification’s sound reached his ears.
Ding!
[Smoke_Trader: 2 messages.]
It was Smoke.
He was online and still typing.