Chapter 45 – The Weight of Thought
The silence that followed was almost sacred.
Dozens of eyes—glowing, gleaming, and alive—remained fixed on me. Each face, each gesture, every breath held as though afraid that even the smallest sound would desecrate the moment.
The hall of Asgard shimmered with divine brilliance, the crest of Three Burning Eyes still hovering above us in radiant gold. The light reflected from the polished crystal floors, catching the faint outlines of countless figures standing in perfect formation.
It was strange.
Even though I had created this place, this sight still didn't feel real.
It was overwhelming—beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.
And then… my racial ability, the passive instinct of every Doppelgänger, flickered to life.
The ability wasn't something that required activation; it was always there, a subtle hum in the back of my mind. Psychic Reflection—the power to perceive surface thoughts, emotional echoes, and even fragments of memory.
Originally, it was just a tool for performance—used to perfect mimicry.
But now, surrounded by hundreds of awakened minds, that same gift became a flood of voices and visions.
---
Whispers.
Fragments.
Flashes of devotion.
> Our lord returns to us.
His gaze alone is proof of our purpose.
He breathes—therefore, the sanctum lives.
If he asked it, I would gladly fall into the void.
Each thought was drenched in reverence—pure, unshaken, almost painful in its intensity.
They didn't just obey me. They worshipped me.
I staggered slightly under the weight of it all. I hadn't expected to hear their thoughts so clearly, so… personally.
I'd designed them with loyalty and pride, yes, but this?
This was something else—belief so deep it bordered on divinity.
A lesser man might have basked in it, drunk on power.
But all I felt was a strange mixture of awe and guilt.
These beings existed because I wanted to fill an empty game with life. And now, they loved me as if I were their god.
It was too much.
---
"I…" My voice broke slightly as I stepped down from the central dais. "I'll… need a moment."
The assembled NPCs didn't move, but I could sense their confusion ripple through the hall.
Their thoughts brushed against mine like waves on a shore—concern, devotion, longing for command.
I raised a hand lightly. "You've done well—more than I could have hoped. But I need to step outside for a while. I'll be leaving the base for a short expedition."
At once, the silence fractured into collective shock.
Valter Mortis took a step forward, his armor screeching against the marble.
> "My lord, that cannot be permitted. The lands beyond remain uncharted. Unknown dangers may—"
Ignivar's molten gaze flared.
> "Allow me to accompany you, my liege. I will burn away any threat before it can draw breath!"
Blanc's voice was calm but cold.
> "Or let me freeze the path ahead. You should not expose yourself to unnecessary risk."
I lifted both hands to quiet them, but even as I did, I could feel the flood of thoughts intensifying.
> He leaves the sanctum?
What danger is worth his presence?
We must not allow harm to touch him…
Even if it means our destruction.
"Enough."
The word came out firmer than I intended, and the hall fell silent instantly.
"I appreciate your concern," I said slowly, "but I'm not going to war. I only intend to gather information. We need to know what kind of world this is now. If we're to survive here, we need data—knowledge."
They still looked uneasy, but no one spoke.
"HIME," I called softly.
She stepped forward from beside the dais, her silver automaton body gleaming faintly beneath her ethereal cloak. The gentle hum of her core filled the air.
"Yes, Ren-sama," she said—using that old honorific from her coded days.
Even after all this time, hearing her call me Ren-sama still made me uncomfortable.
It wasn't the title itself—it was the sincerity behind it.
Her tone wasn't artificial. It was reverent, affectionate… human.
"I'll leave defense management to you," I said. "Prioritize stealth and containment. If this new world has any intelligent species or magic, we can't risk detection yet."
HIME bowed slightly. "Understood, Ren-sama. Shall I implement Defense Protocol Seven and Isolation Barrier Delta?"
"Yes," I nodded. "Activate them both. Also, prepare scout units. We'll need long-term data collection once I return."
"Affirmative."
She turned slightly toward the assembled NPCs, already streaming orders into the guild systems through her direct link.
Then I turned to the others.
"I'll take only a minimal escort—two attendants at most. This isn't a campaign. I don't want to draw attention."
Gasps and protests erupted again.
> "My lord, impossible—"
"You cannot face the unknown with so little support—"
"Allow the entire guard to accompany you!"
I raised a hand, cutting them off. "No. This is an order."
The air thickened as silence fell once more.
Their minds screamed their objections, but none dared voice them.
I took a moment to think.
"Ethael," I said at last. "You'll accompany me. Your specialization in shadow and reconnaissance will be useful. You'll be my eyes in the dark."
From among the assembled Eight Attendants of Asgard, a slender figure stepped forward. Her black uniform shimmered faintly, like liquid ink under starlight.
Her expression was unreadable, her tone calm.
> "As you command, my lord. I shall remain unseen until needed."
"Good." I looked back toward the crowd. "One more. Someone adaptive, capable of combat if needed—but also skilled at blending in."
Before I could decide, HIME's voice cut gently through the air.
"Ren-sama, may I suggest Echo?"
I blinked. "Echo?"
HIME nodded. "Greater Doppelgänger. Former duelist of Midgard's division. Adaptive to all humanoid templates. Able to conceal presence through multi-layer mimicry. Perfect for reconnaissance in populated regions."
I considered that for a moment, then nodded. "Approved. Echo, you'll accompany us."
From the lower rows of NPCs, a tall, lean figure stepped forward. His form shimmered faintly, skin tone and features subtly shifting—never constant.
He bowed low, expression neutral.
> "It is an honor, my lord. My blade—and my face—are yours to command."
"Good." I turned back toward the crowd. "The rest of you, remain here. Follow HIME's directives. Keep Aeternum Sanctum invisible and secure. Do not engage unless directly ordered."
A chorus of voices replied in perfect unison:
> "By your will, our lord."
The sheer synchronization of it sent chills down my spine.
---
Before leaving, I took one last look around the hall.
Hundreds of eyes followed me—adoring, protective, fanatical in their devotion.
Even without using my racial sense, I could feel their thoughts pressing against me, their desire to protect me overwhelming.
I wanted to tell them to relax, to just live—but that wasn't something they could understand. To them, protecting me was living.
"...Very well," I murmured at last. "I'll return once we've gathered enough information."
I raised my hand, opening my inventory. A faint shimmer of blue light enveloped my palm as dozens of data scrolls appeared around me—mercenary summoning scripts, each inscribed with the sigil of the Hanzo units.
Thirty in total.
The perfect number for silent surveillance.
I activated the scrolls simultaneously.
In a burst of purple mist, thirty shadowy figures appeared, kneeling in unison. Each was clad in layered black robes, faces hidden behind featureless masks, blades sheathed across their backs.
The Hanzo moved with quiet precision—no sound, no wasted motion.
I gave the order.
"Disperse. Infiltrate the nearby city—take positions across key districts. Do not engage, do not reveal yourselves. Report only to Ethael and Echo via secure message link."
The Hanzo bowed deeply.
> "By your shadow, we move, Master."
And in the next instant, they vanished—melting into the air, leaving nothing but a faint ripple in the mana around us.
---
Ethael stepped closer, her voice low.
> "The city lies only a few kilometers west of our current location. Shall we move immediately?"
"Not yet," I replied, glancing once more toward HIME.
"Run another systems check first. I want to make sure the sanctum remains stable before we leave. Once we confirm, we'll depart."
She bowed again. "Understood, Ren-sama. May the sanctum guard your steps."
Her voice was soft, but there was something unshakably earnest in it.
It wasn't a line of code—it was faith.
I exhaled slowly, watching as the hall doors opened before me, revealing the glowing sigils that led upward to the surface world.
As I walked toward the light, hundreds of voices whispered behind me, in perfect unison—like a prayer carried on the wind.
> "May our lord's path remain eternal. May his shadow never fall."
The weight of their words pressed against my heart.
Even with all the power I possessed, it still felt too heavy.
And yet, I couldn't show hesitation.
"Let's go," I murmured to Ethael and Echo.
We stepped through the shimmering veil, and the grand hall of Asgard disappeared behind us—its radiant silence replaced by the soft rustle of the forest outside.
Above us, the unfamiliar stars burned brighter than any sky I'd seen before.
And as I took flight into the cool night air, one thought echoed in my mind:
> If this is truly a new world… then I'll have to protect them, just as they believe I can.
---
End of Chapter 45 – The Weight of Thought