Yog-Sothoth, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, suddenly found the conversation turning toward him.
For a moment, he was rather bewildered.
Although he had experienced many things and taken on many avatars,
when it came to actually being asked about an outstanding debt by someone who had only just become a Great Old One,
Yog-Sothoth was a little dumbfounded.
After all, this was a first for him as one of the Three Pillars of Flame!
"This seems to be getting interesting."
Yog-Sothoth's interest in the proceedings suddenly grew considerably.
First came the rare spectacle of the Great Old One Ithaqua meeting his Waterloo and being forced to eat humble pie.
Then, all of a sudden, he himself experienced the unprecedented sensation of being in debt.
"How did you calculate it?"
Yog-Sothoth asked the Mysterious Lord with considerable interest.
The Mysterious Lord produced an abacus fashioned from fragments of countless blazing stars, polished smooth.
After flicking its beads a few times, he revealed a gentle smile.
"Let me calculate. This planet was born six hundred million years ago. After one of my disciples, who specialized in cultivating his physical body, died, his remains gathered meteorites around them and became this planet. You could call it my disciple's burial ground."
"First, we must account for the original cost of a planet. Then there is my disciple's grave, which holds my memories and affection. Moreover, my disciple's descendants multiplied on this planet for nearly a hundred million years, leaving behind a vast number of remnants of their civilization. So we must also include the added value of its civilization and art."
"Then, ever since this planet first stood on the verge of collapse, Violet Thornflower and I have been using our power to keep it from falling apart."
"For over