An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

Arthur straightened, looking at the seven goddesses assembled before him. "Now that introductions are out of the way, let's get to the real reason I'm here," he said. "You didn't bring me here just for a friendly chat, right?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sylva smiled knowingly. "Well, it is one of the reasons. But not the only one."

"Not the only one? Then what else?" Arthur asked, raising a brow.

"To warn you," Kali said, her tone serious.

"Warn me?" Arthur's curiosity deepened.

Sylva nodded, her eyes dark. "Yes. About what's coming. I am not the only one with the ability to see into the future. The demon god Laplace can glimpse fragments as well. His visions aren't as clear as mine, but he must have sensed the shift in destiny."

"He may have already issued an oracle to his followers," Seraphina added, her voice low. "The demons will start investigating the disturbance."

Nyx stepped forward. "And if they trace it back to you, they'll do everything in their power to eliminate you."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "Confidence is good, but don't let a single victory go to your head. That nether demon you defeated? He was merely a lesser demon, hardly a real threat. But if the demons discover you're the one causing this shift in destiny, they won't waste time sending small fry next time. You could find a demon lord hunting for your head."

Arthur's confidence faltered as he swallowed hard. "So... what do you suggest? That I hide away until I'm strong enough to face them?"

"Of course not," Sylva replied, a knowing glint in her eyes. "We didn't bring you here just for a warning. We brought you here to give you an edge."

She exchanged a glance with the other goddesses, then looked back at him with a determined expression. "Each of us will bestow a piece of our divinity upon you. With this gift, you'll be able to wield divine mana—the ultimate nemesis of demonic energy."

"Cool. But then… what about Ares? Aren't all Ludwigs supposed to be blessed by him?" Arthur asked, his tone uncertain.

At this, the goddesses burst into laughter, their voices ringing through the hall.

Arthur frowned, feeling a bit embarrassed. "What's so funny? Is this a joke to you? I might be the only Ludwig man not to receive Ares's blessing!"

Selene smirked. "I'm laughing at your ignorance."

Seraphina leaned in, amused. "You're in the presence of the seven primordial goddesses, Arthur, and you're worried about the blessing of some low-ranking god?"

"Ares is… low-level?" Arthur repeated, his confusion deepening. "There's a hierarchy among gods?"

Seraphina smiled. "Yes. There's a hierarchy, even among gods."

Sylva continued, "At the very top are the three supreme gods: Brahma, the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver; and Shiva, the Destroyer. When Brahma created the universe, we—the primordial gods, embodying life, death, light, darkness, space, time, and nature—came into existence. We are the essence of the universe itself."

She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "Below us is the god race. They aren't true gods like us but are a superior race to humans because they possess divine mana. They're simply fortunate to have been born in the Heaven realm. Not everyone there is considered a god, though. Only those who can gather faith energy from followers are given that title."

Arthur nodded, absorbing this new information. "So… what makes them gods, then?"

"Faith energy," Sylva replied.

Arthur scratched his head. "Faith energy?"

Nebula explained. "Faith energy is the power gods draw from their followers. Prayers, worship, offerings—each one fuels a god. A deity with more followers grows stronger. So these so-called gods bless humans not out of benevolence but to secure a steady supply of faith energy. The so-called goods aren't exactly protecting humans out of kindness.

If demons conquer Eldora, there will be no one left to fuel their power. To some gods, humans are little more than cattle."

Arthur's jaw dropped slightly. "So... not all gods are what we believe them to be?"

"Correct," Nebula said, her eyes gleaming. "Some even create cults, luring followers with promises of wealth or power, all for the faith energy they gain. So, be careful. If any god starts offering you favors, don't take them lightly."

After taking in all the information, Arthur asked, "Then what about the family god of Ludwig, the war god Ares? He's a good god, right? The skills gained from his blessings are incredibly useful in the fight against demons."

Sylva sighed. "Well, that depends on how you look at it. Right now, you might see him as 'good' since he's shared his divinity with your family for generations, aiding in the war against the demons. But what about the times when demons weren't invading Eldora? Ares is the god of war—he thrives on it. His power grows through the prayers offered in times of conflict.

"Now, with a common enemy, his influence seems beneficial. But before that, he incited wars among human kingdoms. No matter which side claimed victory, humans were the ones who paid the price."

Arthur nodded, understanding. "So... 'good' and 'bad' are just situational."

"Precisely," Sylva said, smiling approvingly. "And now that all explanations are over, let's move on to the reason you're here. Enough time has passed already; I can sense your family is worried sick."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Wait… how long have I been unconscious?"

"About an hour," Sylva replied calmly.

"What?!" Arthur exclaimed, startled.

Selene chuckled. "Did you think time stood still outside?"

"Well… yes," Arthur admitted, sheepishly.

"Foolish boy," Selene said with a smirk. "Time never stops."

"Now, if you don't want your mother to worry herself to death, I'd suggest you return soon," Sylva added, amusement flickering in her gaze.

At her signal, the seven goddesses surrounded Arthur, their hands glowing with divine energy. Arthur felt warmth and strength surge through him as they each passed fragments of their divinity into him, filling him with an intense strength, unlike anything he had ever felt.

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At the same moment in the ancestral hall, Arthur's family sat on the floor, despair etched on their faces. They had tried everything to separate him from the aether crystal, but nothing worked. As time dragged on, a dreadful conclusion settled over them—that Arthur's soul might have been trapped by some malevolent deity.

But just as hope was slipping away, Arthur's body began to radiate a spectrum of colors—gold, black, green, and more—each color shimmering with a divine glow that bathed the hall in an ethereal light.

"What... what's happening?" Iliyana gasped, eyes wide with astonishment.

Lucious shook his head, equally stunned. "I don't know. I've never witnessed anything like this."

The vibrant light gradually faded, and Arthur's eyes fluttered open. As he returned to awareness, his family's worried faces came into focus. Iliyana was the first to move, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce, relieved embrace.

He didn't say anything and let her hold him, knowing they must be worried sick. The embrace was filled with a mix of relief and lingering anxiety, words unnecessary at that moment.

After a brief moment of silence, a bombardment of questions began.