The first question facing Noah was whether he should join a Familia.
On an intuitive, emotional level, he didn't want to.
First of all, Noah disliked gods. He had disliked them ever since his previous world. There was so much suffering and evil in this world. That meant the gods were either kind-hearted but not all-knowing and all-powerful, or all-knowing and all-powerful evil gods who enjoyed watching people suffer.
Second, although the gods' divine powers were sealed in the Lower World, they could still use all sorts of other abilities. It was hard to say whether they might see through Noah's true nature.
Finally, his past experiences had made him suspicious by nature. Falna was a power entirely at the mercy of a god's whim, and he would rather do without it.
But once he calmed down, Noah pushed all those thoughts aside.
Power was power. It wasn't a question of whether it was reliable; what mattered was whether he could control it.
If he refused Falna because a god could take it back, then weapons could break, too. Was he supposed to fight bare-handed?
Weapons needed maintenance to ensure they remained reliable. Relationships between people naturally needed to be cultivated over time as well. He couldn't expect someone to be ready to lay down their life for him right from the start.
It was like the people Noah had seen in his previous world: they stayed cooped up at home all day, yet were obsessed with stories about meeting beautiful elves, beastfolk, dragon girls, or princesses... In short, they hoped to meet a beautiful girl who would fall madly in love with them.
Leaving aside whether girls like that even existed, how were they supposed to meet one if they never left the house?
Were they expecting a beautiful girl to break down their door like a bandit?
If he couldn't choose a god who would keep his back safe, then he had only himself to blame.
Just like in his previous world: if he was betrayed, he could only admit defeat... and then kill everyone so they could all die together!
With that, Noah made up his mind and came back to himself. He realized he had wandered onto an unfamiliar street.
Judging by the sun's position in the sky, he had gone from the eastern part of the city to the north.
A delicious aroma drifting through the air caught his attention.
Looking around, he saw stalls lining the entire street. The fragrant smell wafted on the breeze from the great pots, while children ran around eating sliced fruit.
Guild members in uniform hurried back and forth among the long lines of people, keeping order.
Noah realized what was going on. It was a charity food distribution.
To help the people in Orario who had lost their jobs in the unrest and could no longer even support their families, the Demeter Familia was providing supplies. They were responsible for most of the city's agricultural produce, while the Guild and other Familias were helping distribute the food for free.
At the thought, Noah suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten today. But he had nearly spent all the money he'd had over the past few days.
So, should he go over and—no, wait, help them get through the work faster?
After all, if they didn't hand out that mountain of food, those people probably wouldn't be able to clock off, either.
But when he saw the long line of people nearly filling the street, Noah thought it over and decided against it. He turned to leave.
He hadn't gone more than a few steps when someone called out to him.
9 Lia
"Um, big brother, are you hungry?"
The one who called out to Noah was a little girl of about seven or eight, holding a teddy bear in one arm. Her hair was tied into twin tails at the back of her head.
Her clothes were a little old, but clean. It was clear her parents doted on her.
Maybe because of her temperament, she seemed even younger than the blonde girl Noah had rescued a few days ago.
Under Noah's emotionless, almost otherworldly gaze, the little girl couldn't help shrinking her neck.
Like a rabbit poking its head out of its burrow, she looked at him with wide, round eyes full of nervousness.
But, perhaps remembering something, the little girl bit her lip and bravely held out the candy in her hand, placing it in Noah's.
"If you're hungry, big brother, you can have this."
It was a milk candy wrapped in wax paper. Even without opening it, Noah could smell its faint fragrance. It might even have had a hint of fruity sweetness.
Though Orario had more abundant material goods than the outside world, thanks to the knowledge and power of the gods and the existence of magic-stone technology, it wasn't so prosperous that children could get sick of eating milk and fruit candies.
And from her clothes alone, it was clear the little girl in front of him didn't come from a wealthy family.
What's more, she couldn't help sneaking glances at the candy in her hand, in a way anyone could notice. She swallowed every so often, reluctant to give it up.
She must have gotten it from the charity food distribution, right?
If so, why was she giving it to him?
A trace of curiosity rose in Noah's heart, so he bent down to meet the little girl's eyes.
"You must want to eat it, too. Why give it to me?"
"B-because Lia thinks you look really hungry, big brother. You must have run into some kind of trouble lately, right?"
Noah wasn't warm or friendly, but neither did he give off any sense of danger or intimidation. Feeling that, the little girl named Lia gradually relaxed.
"So because I'm in trouble, you want to help me? You know, you're just a child."
Noah had simply stated his most direct question in a flat, emotionless voice.
But the little girl seemed to think he had insulted her. She immediately pouted, her face turning red.
"But Alise said that everyone has the right to help those in need, whether they're adventurers, ordinary people, or even beggars! Because justice belongs to everyone! It doesn't matter if I'm a child!"
The girl spoke hurriedly, her voice rising without her realizing it and drawing the attention of a few passersby.
When she came to her senses, her face flushed with embarrassment. She hurriedly grabbed one of her twin tails and rubbed it against her cheek.
Noah, meanwhile, felt dazed for a moment, his throat suddenly dry.
"Who is this Alise you mentioned?"
"Huh? You don't know?"
Lia's eyes widened at the question. She looked at Noah in disbelief, as if he were a wild man who'd come down from the mountains.
"She's the captain of the Astraea Familia, Alise Lovell! They're the Familia of justice! You don't even know that, big brother?"
Following the direction Lia pointed, Noah saw a girl flitting through the crowd like a bird.
There was a masked Blonde Elf, a red-haired girl with emerald eyes, and a long-haired girl in a serene kimono... Eleven in total.
They were busy with all kinds of things, whether horsing around, arguing, or working, barely able to catch their breath. Yet they gave off a bright, cheerful energy unlike anyone else around them. The sunlight seemed to grow brighter and more radiant around them, making them easy for Noah to pick out.
The sounds of laughter and conversation left Noah standing there, lost in a daze. Another scene appeared before his eyes...
Golden evening sunlight, long shadows across the mountains, a clear stream...
The evening breeze swept away the unbearable summer heat. It brushed against clothes soaked with sweat, its coolness sinking into his lungs...
In the distance, cooking smoke rose from the city. Red dragonflies took flight from the grass nearby. Before his eyes were the varied faces of his companions...
It was a vivid landscape that existed neither in this world nor this age, known to no one else and preserved only in the depths of Nolan's memories.
It was buried so deep that he thought he'd forgotten it, yet he knew he never could...
"...Big brother? Hey, big brother?"
Coming back to himself, Noah felt a faint warmth deep in his eyes. Lia was watching him with curiosity and a hint of mischief.
"I know Alise and the others are really pretty, but don't get too caught up staring! If you want, Lia can introduce you to them!"
Ignoring the girl's playful look, Noah took a deep breath and composed himself.
Looking at the little girl, who had a bit of a mischievous streak, Noah didn't smile, but his eyes softened considerably.
"Thank you for the candy. Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
The sudden change of subject made the little girl tilt her head, looking adorable but a little dim-witted.
"R-repay me?"
"Of course. You did something just, so shouldn't I repay you?"
Lia came to her senses and immediately shook her head firmly.
"How could I?! Alise said justice expects nothing in return!"
For an instant, Noah's gaze turned solemn.
But he quickly recovered, so quickly that Lia, standing right in front of him, didn't notice at all.
He didn't contradict her directly. Instead, he asked another question.
"Do you think there are more strong and wealthy people in this world, or more weak and poor people?"
Though the topic had changed abruptly again, Lia answered right away this time.
"Um, of course there are more weak and poor people."
"Then do you think justice with a reward would attract more people to take part, or justice without a reward?"
The girl's mind stalled completely. She stared at Noah with her mouth hanging open, unable to say a word.
"Justice that expects nothing in return is a game for the strong and the wealthy. Justice with a reward is justice for the weak and poor—for most people in this world!"
Noah held out his hand to Lia.
"So, tell me what you wish for."
Lia felt there was something wrong with this, but she couldn't say what.
"I, I..."
"You can be a little bold. Think carefully: what's your greatest wish?"
"Huh? How could I? It's only one piece of candy. I can't be too greedy—"
Noah raised a finger to stop Lia and gazed into her eyes.
"Little girl, you have to admit that people aren't all worth the same. So the same gift can have entirely different value to different people—"
Noah pinched the milk candy and lifted it up.
"If you gave this candy to a beggar who was about to starve to death, all it would do is keep them alive for one more day. The only reward you could get would be a thank-you. But if you gave it to me—"
Lia felt, for some reason, that the silver-haired boy before her gave off an aura that terrified her, yet fascinated her.
Though he was looking her straight in the eye, she felt as if he were looking down at her from above. She couldn't help wanting to tremble and submit.
Her heart raced, her breathing quickened, and her cheeks grew hot. It was as if she were standing at the edge of a sheer cliff, trembling from head to toe.
"It would only make me a little happier, but the value it could create is beyond anything you can imagine. So, tell me what you wish for..."
A child's instinctive honesty made Lia feel, for some reason, that the choice she made next would affect her entire life.
10 Noah: You Heretics Who Profane the Name of the God of Death!
"...I-I want peace!"
Clutching her stuffed bear, Lia's eyes blazed with light.
"I want Mama, Papa, and everyone in Orario to stop living in fear! I want everyone to be able to smile!"
After she finished speaking, Lia found herself breathing a little heavily. She watched Noah anxiously.
In her eyes, Noah slowly nodded and rose to his feet.
Whether this was what he'd expected or he simply didn't care, Lia couldn't see anything unusual in his expression.
"No problem. You'll get what you want."
Like a god pronouncing the future, Noah spoke lightly, yet with certainty.
Then he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd as the girl watched.
At a stall selling rich meat soup, the masked Blonde Elf, who was helping cut fruit, suddenly seemed to sense something and stopped what she was doing.
Her sky-blue eyes swept over the crowd. When she found nothing unusual, she furrowed her brows.
How strange. Had someone been watching me just now?
That gaze had bothered her more than a little.
Before you continue