The Clown's Harem

It took all of Solomon’s focus to remain calm after hearing the words of Aurora. If he reacted, he would expose the fear that he was feeling.

The Clown crossed one leg over the other and leaned back on his chair.

Of all gods, it had to be you...

"Is something wrong, Mister Clown?"

Solomon flashed the woman a confident smile.

Yes, I have drawn the attention of a ferocious god.

"No. It’s just that I am not on the greatest terms with Ba’al, and I assume he is the one watching you."

Aurora almost audibly gasped. Many thoughts were running through her mind at that moment.

Have I inconvenienced the Clown by bringing the attention of his enemy to his tent?

More importantly, is the Clown so strong that he can rival one of the Pillars?

...

Wait, this makes sense. Did the Clown not once say that his ultimate goal was to become the most powerful god? If that is the case, then it’s only natural that he would not be afraid to make such enemies!

She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she knew that it was wise to apologise first.

Aurora dipped her head low.

"I am so sorry for bringing his attention here. If I had known, then I would have stayed far, far away from Redsham." Her words came sincerely.

However, Solomon shook his head.

"If that had happened, then I would not have gained a worshiper. Lift your head. There is something I would like you to do for me." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Relieved that the god was not angry at her, Aurora raised her head.

"Anything, Mister Clown. I will do anything, as long as it’s in my power."

Don’t worry, this is well within your power.

"Tell me everything you know about Ba’al."

And so, Aurora explained.

...

The world of Altearth was split into four islands: the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Islands. Within each island were a varied number of kingdoms, and within each kingdom, different gods were worshipped.

The Pillars were the eight most powerful gods worshipped within the kingdoms. Each island dedicated worship to at least two of these gods.

So far, Solomon only had knowledge of Juniper, who was worshipped by two kingdoms on the Eastern Island, and Ba’al, who was worshipped by one kingdom in the Southern Islands.

However, Aurora was able to confirm to him that the third kingdom of the Eastern Island, known as The Kingdom of Calvin, worshipped the God of Creativity, whose name was unknown.

There was perhaps more knowledge that she knew of other gods, but since Solomon had specifically asked about Ba’al, it would be unnatural for him to pry into information about other gods.

Besides, if he was a god himself who wished to become the most powerful, would it make sense for a random woman to know more about the gods than him?

The only reason it was not unnatural for him to ask about Ba’al was due to the fact that she had personal experiences with the god that might be able to give him insight into the god’s nature.

Aurora went on to explain that the God of Decay adored the concept of things naturally coming to an end. The flow of time gradually draining the life out of humans until they are eventually reduced to nothing physically. Humans often showed their worship by actively speeding up the process of decay, whether that be through depriving their bodies of necessities or sometimes welcoming diseases into their bodies.

Solomon knew nothing about this, as he was only a newcomer in this strange world. However, a lot of things were starting to make sense to him.

For example, he now knew the reason why Juniper had seen Ba’al as her long-sworn enemy. The concept of restoration went against the concept of decay in many ways.

How had I not seen this before?

Solomon rubbed his chin after hearing the information given to him by Aurora.

Should I pray to this strange god, in hopes of meeting him?

...

No, that would be foolish. If he decided that I truly was his enemy, he would try his best to kill me in this very tent.

...

Still, I have to deal with this situation soon. The longer I keep Aurora in my tent, the more issues it creates for me.

...

Eventually, an idea came to Solomon’s mind.

He decided that if he wanted to deal with this situation, it was best to deal with it head-on.

However, he would not come alone. First, he would summon Juniper and ask the woman if she was prepared to engage in battle with the God of Decay.

Afterwards, he would pray to Ba’al and hope that he turned up.

Being somewhat of a god himself, Solomon planned to aid Juniper in her battle to ensure that he won.

Of course, his plan relied on a lot of uncertainties, but he saw no other way to accomplish his goals.

Godhood came with risks and dangers, and he would not rise to power without taking them.

So, he finally turned his attention back to Aurora.

The blonde, tanned woman looked at him with wide eyes, noticing that he was finally about to speak.

"In three days, the God of Decay will appear in this tent, and his life will be taken from him," he said, with more certainty than he actually felt. "After this, will you still follow me?"

Aurora couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

She suddenly felt as though she had been drawn into a conflict far larger than anything she had ever experienced. It felt even larger than all the wars that had taken place in recent history.

Still, she knew her answer.

If the Clown was right, he had saved her from Ba’al’s evil gaze. The God of Decay had seen her as a traitor for seeking out the God of Restoration, and it was the God of Information who had protected her and even brought her into his home realm.

There was only one answer that made sense.

"I will always follow you, Mister Clown."