Hermes
"Hermes. Please, my lady, it's time to wake up."
"... What?"
"It's time to go."
Oh yeah, I was reincarnated into a different world. I guess it wasn't a dream. That's good to know. "... Just five more minutes…"
"I would, but we really need to start getting ready."
"Fine. What time is it?"
"It's around eight."
Why did I sleep so long? I am a morning person, so I usually wake up early. Last night was pretty rough. I just couldn't fall asleep for the life of me. It didn't help with the sun and moon floating around whispering god knows what. It's so creepy, and it's still following me.
"If you could please wait outside, I and David will take down the tents and get everything ready."
"Sure. Who is David?
"Ah yes, you didn't meet him yesterday. He's an old friend of mine who helped to resurrect you."
"Oh, okay." It's really warm outside; it's nice. Wait, why does the sun look like that? It looks like something straight out of a painting! This fantasy world is insane! It's still insane to think that I'm in a fantasy world. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it. I still can't wait to learn magic. Magic in this world is bizarre. It's not your typical magic. You can make these weird objects that can apparently whisper unknown and forgotten knowledge of magic. I do wonder why they look like the sun and moon.
"Hello, Great Sage."
"Oh, hello, sister. Where are the other two?"
"They are packing up, getting ready to leave."
"Oh, okay."
"Would you like a drink to help you wake up?"
"Yes, that would be great! What is it?"
"It's Jade milk. Don't worry, it's like coffee."
What?! How does she know about coffee? Does coffee exist in this world as well?
"mhcjoʃ pzefjmhɔsn!"
Wow, she just summoned a fireball to light the campfire. I want to do that! Wait, where did she get that coffee pot?
"mhcjoʃ çæksn fjepz!"
She's using magic for the water as well. Then she placed the coffee pot on top of the fire and waited for a few minutes. She then added a strange blue flower to the pot with the water. She gave it a few more minutes, then she took the pot off the fire and got two cups.
"Here you go."
"Thank you very much."
"Please keep the cup steady while I pour the beverage."
"Okay." Wow, it's blue. Why is it blue?
"Go on, try it. You won't be disappointed."
"I'm not so sure about it, but here goes nothing… This is amazing!!!"
"Heh, I told you, you would like it."
"I don't think I've ever tried something so good in my life!"
"I knew you were going to like it, but I didn't think you were going to like it this much."
It's like warm milk, and when I drank it, I just felt this burst of energy. What other fantasy drinks are there? And what other fantasy foods are there? I would like to try all of them!
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
Who's laughing at me? Wait, it's those weird floating things. Why are they laughing? "Hey sister, do you know why they're laughing?"
"Sadly, I could not tell you why they were laughing. They are mysterious things that no one truly comprehends."
"I've also been meaning to ask, what language are they speaking?"
"They're speaking in the language of Thoth."
"The language of Thoth?"
"Yes, the orbs of knowledge speak the language of Thoth."
"Oh, to perform magic, do you need to know the language of Thoth?"
"How astute of you, Great Sage. Yes, you need to know the language of Thoth to perform the chants or make a magic circle."
Yes, I must learn more! More, I say, more! So, I must be fluent in the language of Thoth to use magic. "You said that the orbs of knowledge whisper unknown and forgotten knowledge of magic."
"Yes, but it gives this information in cryptic ways. So, it is difficult to figure out what it's saying."
"Hey, sister, can you teach me magic? Like how to cast spells?"
"But of course. What should I teach you first? Ah, let's teach you how to make a simple snowball."
"A snowball?! Really?! I am the Great Sage Hermes!"
"I am well aware of that fact, but you said you wanted to learn how to cast spells. So let's start small."
"Fine, at least I get to learn to cast spells."
"First close your eyes… Close your third eye as well."
"Sorry, I'm still getting used to it."
"?"
"Ah, nothing!" That was close. I can't believe I split up. I need to be more careful.
"Okay, then imagine mana flowing in your body. Then imagine a snowball. Imagine how cold it is, how your hands hurt holding it. Imagine the weight of it in your hand. Then speak these words! mhcjoʃ çʔɪd rækmhɔsn!"
So, I need to imagine mana flowing in my body! How do I do that? This is going to be difficult. I mean, no one said it would be easy. Wait, I think I feel it! It's a tingling sensation! Okay, now imagine a snowball. This should be pretty easy. Imagine a snowball. Imagine how cold it is. Imagine the weight of it. Then! "mhcjoʃ çʔɪd rækmhɔsn... Nothing happened!"
"Yes, nothing to worry about. You just need to keep practicing it."
Man, I would have liked to be a natural, but it looks like I'm going to have to work hard. "Hey, Sister."
"Yes, Great Sage?"
"Please call me Hermes."
"As you wish."
"It's time to go. Are you ready to go, Hermes?"
"Yep."
"Alright, let's get going!"
"Wow, what is that?!"
"This? This is a Bolg."
It looks like a giant lizard with a flat face and covered with fur! It's freaky!
"It helps us carry our supplies."
"Yeah, I guessed that much." Well, ignoring that thing, finally we're off to the nearest town. I love adventuring, so this is going to be a lot of fun. It's kind of like I'm in The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. "Hey John, who is this?"
"This is David. He's the one I talked about earlier."
"Nice to meet you, David."
"Hello, young lady. John tells me that you lost your memory."
"Yes, it looks like something went awry in the resurrection."
"Well, that's a real shame. But you're here, so that's good."
"Is it?"
"Yes, a war is about to start."
"So, I heard. Who is this Uriel character?"
"John, do you care to explain?"
"But of course. You and Uriel were friends at one point. It was five hundred and sixty-two years ago."
"Wow, it's been that long?"
"Yes! You, Uriel, and Maitreya, the Buddha, were close friends if the old texts are to be believed. But Uriel betrayed you and Maitreya."
"Why?"
"That's one of the many questions so many scholars and theologians want to figure out. Why did Uriel betray you? Was it because Uriel turned evil, or was it out of jealousy of Maitreya? We just don't know."
"How strange?" This is so fun learning all this new information about the lore of this fantasy world. So, at one point the other Hermes was at one-point friends with Uriel. And for some reason he betrayed her. I wonder why. "Who is Maitreya?"
"Maitreya is the Buddha. I take it you don't remember him?"
"No, sorry. What was he like?"
"Well, he was amazing. He brought so much joy and happiness to the world. He gave us so much. He gave us knowledge and new ways of thinking. His impact on our world is incomprehensible. You also greatly impacted this world. The time you two were alive was a golden age, a renaissance, and now that you're back, we may enter a new golden age. But this time the age may never end. An endless golden age."
"That sounds amazing."
"John actually saw this future."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes, the Buddha gave me a vision of it. That's why we resurrected you."
Something strange is going on. Is there a god who is behind all of this? Manipulating everything from the shadows. Is this hypothetical god the so-called Buddha? It's possible, but what does it want? Is there a specific purpose in bringing me to this world? Is it to defeat this Uriel guy, or is it something else? Something more nefarious? Well, if I know isekai tropes, most of the time the god takes pity on the main character and reincarnates them. Or it's just because they're bored. The real question is, should I be worried? The question isn't if a god really does exist because I think with all the evidence presented, there is a god in this world. I mean, look around; this is a fantasy world. I have been reincarnated. It wouldn't be unnatural to think that there is a god or a godlike being in this world. The question is, what does it want? What are its plans, and do they involve me?
"I must say that ritual was pretty strange, to say the least."
"Was it?"
"Yes, I remember I was waiting for the ritual to be completed, and then the next thing I know, I'm on the ground in pain. It must have been even stranger for you, John. Which reminds me, how did you lose your hand?"
"Well, I am as confused as you are about what happened."
"Really?"
"Yes, I think I was in a trance, but I'm not too sure."
"Really, that's terrible. Great Sage, why did you allow the sisters to live?"
"Ah?!"
"David, do you question the Great Sage!"
"No, I'm just joking."
"John, it's okay."
"Fine."
He's really protective of me. It's kind of cute. It makes my maiden heart skip a beat. This world is so beautiful, just open plains as far as the eye can see. There are a few trees that dot the land, but that's mostly it.
"Man, those three are so quiet. It gives me the heebie-jeebies."
"Oh, come on, they aren't that bad."
"They are that bad. They are monsters. They are Thalassa worshipers, for crying out loud."
"Watch it!"
"It's okay, John. This is a good thing. Just because they are Thalassa worshipers doesn't mean that they are bad people. Sure, they have done bad things, but that doesn't mean they can't be redeemed."
"We all know the reputation of Thalassa worshipers. Come on, John, back me up here."
"I mean, he's not wrong."
"Well, I believe that they can change."
"Well, what do you think, sister?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think you could change?"
"No, I am a horrific monster who has done unforgivable things."
"See, even they don't believe they could be saved!"
"What about the other two?"
"They also think this."
"Well, even if I can't save them, they still could be useful to me."
"... What?"
"Hm?"
"What do you mean they could be useful?"
"It means exactly how it sounds."
"I'm just taking back what you said about measuring how useful people could be."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh, sorry."
"No, no, it's fine. It was just shocking to me. That's it."
I am not good at pretending to be someone else. I'm just now realizing this.
"Well, I think it's time to take a little break. Let's rest by this tree."
Man, I'm working up a sweat. It's getting really hot. Oh, I have an idea! I should try and make a snowball using magic! I could use it to cool me down! Okay, first imagine a snowball. Feel it in my hand. Feel how cold it is. Feel the weight of it in my hand! Then! mhcjoʃ çʔɪd rækmhɔsn! Ah, again!"
"It looks like someone is struggling, hahaha!"
"Shut up, hahaha!"
"Stop glaring at me, John!"
"Sorry, I can't help it."
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!" I wonder what I'm doing wrong. I did everything Sister told me to do, but it's still not working! This is so annoying! I just want to cast a spell! Is that too much to ask? "Hey, sister, what am I doing wrong? I just can't manage to do it."
"It's probably because you're having a hard time imagining the coldness of a snowball because of how hot it is. Here, let me help you. mhcjoʃ oʃcn suɲ!"
"Aaahh!"
"Sorry."
"No, no, it's fine." I wasn't expecting her to make a cold spell to cool me down. "What spell are you using?"
"Ice hand."
"... Are you sure it's going to work?"
"It should."
"... Go on and try the spell now, Hermes."
Okay, imagine the feel of it in my hand! The coolness of it! The weight of it! Feel the mana rushing through my body! Then! "mhcjoʃ çʔɪd rækmhɔsn!" ...…. "I did it! I actually did it!"
"Congratulations."
"Great job, Hermes."
"It's about time."
"David, I will slap you!"
"Sorry."
"Hey, David, heads up!"
"Aaahhh!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha! I think this is cause for a celebration. I will make a bountiful meal for lunch."
"That sounds great. Do I need to cool down every time I want to cast this spell?"
"No, it should get easier the more you use it."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Okay, teach me another spell!"
"I think that's enough magic practice for today."
"What, really?!"
"Yes, you don't want to overexert yourself."
"Fine! Hey, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"John and David say that you guys are Thalassa worshipers. Why is it viewed so negatively?"
"Well, I'm not a Thalassa worshiper, actually. The other two are."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. I'm actually a worshiper of you, Hermes."
"Oh, I thought you were a Thalassa worshiper. Why didn't you tell me?"
"It just didn't seem important to correct. Especially since I was sure I was going to be killed after the ritual."
"Well, I'm glad that Hermes spared your life. I have to admit that I was too quick to judge you."
"I don't know, I'm still on the fence about you."
"David!"
"What?! They still killed people, and she might not be a Thalassa worshiper, but the other two are."
"Not to be rude, but you two have also killed people. Whether it be in war or for the ritual, you killed people."
"Wait, you killed people for the ritual?"
"..."
"... I was hoping that you wouldn't find out, but yes. In order to bring you back, we needed to create a new body for you, and that required some sacrifices! And one of those sacrifices was killing someone."
"Oh…"
"Are you angry with us?"
"No, it was for the greater good. It had to be done." In full honesty, I don't really care. I mean, how could I feel anything if I didn't know this person? And if they hadn't been used for the ritual, then I probably wouldn't be here right now. It's messed up, but I'm glad that they died. I'm in a fantasy world where magic exists, and it was only possible because this one person died.
"Thank you for being so understanding."
"Not a problem."
"You said you wanted to know more about the cult of Thalassa?"
"Yes, please."
"Well, Thalassa worshipers obviously worship a god called Thalassa. It's an old cult that existed long before you and the Buddha were born. It's said that they sacrificed children for their unholy god and practiced sin. So, you, Hermes, took it upon yourself to destroy the religion. The religion only survives by the practice of a few."
"How interesting."
"Sorry, that's about all I know."
"No, no, it's fine. Thank you for this much. Wait, can those two tell me more since they are Thalassa worshipers?"
"They don't really speak. So, I don't imagine you will get a lot of information out of them."
"Oh, okay." That's unfortunate, but it's not like I didn't learn anything.
"Lunch is ready!"