The rumors had started quietly.
At first, only a few people called Noel by the strange title.
The Golden God.
Then merchants began using it.
Then travelers.
Then children.
Noel, however, had no idea.
He was currently standing in the middle of the marketplace, arguing with a carpenter.
“Why does a chair cost this much?”
The carpenter looked nervous.
“Lord Noel, the wood had to be transported from the southern forest.”
Noel stared at the chair.
“It’s a chair.”
“Yes.”
“It’s four pieces of wood.”
“Technically, six.”
Noel sighed.
“Fine.”
He paid.
The carpenter bowed.
“Thank you, Golden God.”
Noel froze.
“…What did you call me?”
The carpenter immediately looked terrified.
“I-I said Lord Noel!”
“No.”
Noel narrowed his eyes.
“You said Golden God.”
The carpenter swallowed.
“…Maybe.”
Noel looked around.
Several people suddenly became very interested in anything except him.
He sighed.
“Who started this?”
Nobody answered.
The Statue Problem
Noel returned to the central plaza.
His original statue stood there.
The faint golden glow was brighter than before.
He stared at it.
“…Is this why?”
The elderly woman who had helped establish Liyue approached.
“You shouldn’t be surprised.”
Noel turned.
“Why?”
She smiled.
“You created the oasis.”
“You protected the people.”
“You gave us water.”
“You built our homes.”
“And now you’ve brought one of the great Tailed Beasts here as our guardian.”
She looked at the statue.
“To some people, that is what a god looks like.”
Noel sighed.
“I’m not a god.”
The woman smiled.
“Perhaps.”
Noel frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means people will decide what you are.”
Noel had no answer.
Isobu Gets Involved
Isobu was floating peacefully in the water.
“Isobu.”
The Three-Tails opened one eye.
Shukaku.
“Do you know what humans are calling me?”
Isobu thought for a moment.
Shukaku?
“No.”
Sand Beast?
“No.”
Desert Monster?
“No.”
Isobu looked confused.
Then what?
Noel sighed.
“They’re calling me the Golden God.”
Isobu stared at him.
Then burst into laughter.
HAHAHAHA!
Noel’s eyebrow twitched.
“It’s not funny.”
It is extremely funny.
“I’m serious.”
Isobu continued laughing.
You built a city, made a glowing statue, give people supernatural crystals, and now you’re surprised they’re calling you a god?
Noel opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
“…When you put it that way…”
Isobu laughed harder.
The First Shrine
That afternoon, Noel discovered something even more surprising.
A small building had been constructed beside the statue.
He stared at it.
“What is this?”
A citizen bowed.
“A shrine.”
Noel’s eyes widened.
“A shrine?!”
The citizen nodded.
“We built it for you.”
“Why?”
“To pray for protection.”
Noel rubbed his forehead.
“This is happening way too fast.”
The citizen looked confused.
“Lord Noel?”
Noel sighed.
“Never mind.”
He looked at the shrine.
It wasn’t extravagant.
Just a simple stone structure with a small golden symbol.
Noel didn’t destroy it.
Instead, he gave one rule.
“If people want to pray here, they may.”
“But nobody should be forced.”
The citizens nodded.
The system appeared.
[Religious structure established.]
[Public perception: Guardian Deity.]
[Morax Template Synchronization: 10.1%]
Noel stared at the notification. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“…Ten percent.”
He smiled slightly.
“So the people believing in me actually affects the template.”
[Public recognition contributes to synchronization.]
Noel became thoughtful.
“Interesting.”
The Guardian Beast’s Shrine
Near Isobu’s lake, another small structure was being built.
This one depicted the Three-Tails.
Isobu watched the construction.
Why are they building another one?
Noel shrugged.
“You’re the Guardian Beast.”
Do I get a title too?
“You already have one.”
Isobu looked pleased.
Good.
Noel smiled.
“And your statue is almost finished.”
Isobu groaned.
Again with the statue.
😂
A New Visitor
That evening, the city gates opened.
A caravan entered.
But these weren’t ordinary merchants.
Their clothes were different.
Their weapons were better.
And at the front was a man carrying a strange symbol.
Noel noticed immediately.
He walked toward them.
“Welcome to Liyue.”
The leader bowed.
“We have heard of your city.”
Noel smiled.
“Then you’ve come a long way.”
The man looked around.
His eyes eventually settled on the golden statue.
Then toward Isobu’s enormous lake.
Finally, he looked at Noel.
“You’re the one they call the Golden God.”
Noel’s smile disappeared.
“…I was hoping that title wouldn’t travel this far.”
The man chuckled.
“It already has.”
Noel sighed.
The visitor then handed him a sealed document.
“We come with a proposal.”
Noel accepted it.
He opened the document.
His expression slowly changed.
It wasn’t a trade request.
It wasn’t a request for protection.
It was something much bigger.
The document proposed a formal alliance between Liyue and several desert settlements.
Noel looked toward the horizon.
The small city he had created was becoming something much larger.
The beginnings of a country were forming.
And perhaps…
The future Land of Wind had just taken another step toward existence.
To be continued…