I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Paya’s Bizarre Adventure （2）

I stared intently at Udan’s totem. Certainly, I didn’t feel a mysterious energy like the Evil God Idol.

A totem without a Loa’s energy imbued in it. That’s quite strange.

The reason for making a totem similar to a Loa is to let the Loa know, ‘I worship you.’

If you create an idol that imitates the appearance of the Loa you want to serve and breathe spiritual power into it using ritualistic materials, a signal goes to the corresponding Loa.

Like Nix and Bojak who completed the Malak totem, and Maljuk who heard my call, a signal goes out, ‘Loa-nim, look at this! I made this for you, Loa-nim!’

Even if that signal only reaches the Loa, the Loa’s energy is imbued in the totem. This is an indirect connection, so the Loa cannot exert influence through that totem.

If the Loa responds to that call, it becomes a ‘Descent.’ In this state, the Loa can exert some influence on the earth.

It becomes a buff dispenser, or rather, a ‘Luminous Vibrating Totem,’ like me.

Going further, by consuming a vast amount of divine power, the Loa can summon its spiritual body in the Spirit World（earth）. This is ‘Manifestation.’

The fact that the Loa’s energy is not felt in the totem is actually impossible. A totem is something that, if made correctly, has energy imbued in it.

The Starlight Naru Tribe wouldn’t enshrine an incomplete totem that hasn’t even received energy, would they?

Then, is there a problem with Udan?

━ Hmm.

I have a bad feeling about this. I need to look into this.

Fortunately, I have a follower with a superpower optimized for investigation and tracking.

I summoned the Saint using the ‘Follower Summoning’ blessing. Of course, I didn’t forget to get her permission before calling her.

I can’t summon her while she’s bathing or sleeping, can I?

“It’s been a while since I’ve been outside the church. The mountain air smells nice.”

The Saint, summoned in a modest posture, took a deep breath. She’s enjoying the natural air.

“…”

Paya’s complexion seems to have worsened. What’s wrong? Is it my imagination?

━ Saint. Would it be possible?

I asked her if she could touch Udan’s totem and see what happened. The Saint’s ability didn’t work on divine beings, but wouldn’t it be okay with a totem that doesn’t even have energy?

“To be honest, I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it before.”

She’s never touched a totem before? Well, she’s the Saint who couldn’t even touch my totem（to be precise, Rake didn’t let her touch it）.

She wouldn’t have had the opportunity to touch the idol of a foreign god.

━ Don’t feel pressured. If you feel it’s dangerous, just take your hand off.

It wouldn’t be dangerous just by touching a totem, but still.

“Phew, I’ll try it.”

The Saint, after taking a deep breath, placed her hand on the totem.

“Hmm…”

The Saint, who was touching the totem here and there with a subtle expression, sighed.

“As expected, I can’t see it well. The gaps between the scenes are cut off, so they don’t connect naturally. Even the scenes I can see are too blurry.”

━ Hmm.

“Even though it’s gone, it’s an idol that contained the energy of a divine being. A mere mortal with a peculiar ability can’t peek into a god.”

━ Is there no way?

“Not that there’s none at all…”

The Saint, who muttered softly, continued.

“I can also leave memories using objects as a medium.”

━ I know.

The Pope touched the fabric the Saint left behind and read the memories contained in it. That’s how we were able to raid the Evolutionist School’s headquarters.

The Saint can not only read but also leave memories through objects or humans. It’s truly a super psychometry ability.

The Saint suddenly turned her head towards Paya.

“Priestess Paya, you said you can feel the energy of the Loas, right?”

Ordinary priests cannot feel the energy of Loas. It’s a unique ability that only Paya, a Spirit Master, possesses.

“That’s…right?”

“If I receive Priestess Paya’s help, I might be able to see the memories of the totem.”

“Really? How can I help you?”

Paya, who was looking at the Saint with a suspicious eye, showed a happy expression at her words that she could help.

Hmm. Is she starved for recognition? I praised her a lot when she activated the Evil God Idol.

Of course, after that, I put Paya in ‘self-quarantine’ for over a week for her safety.

The child almost got into big trouble because of the Evil God’s energy, so of course I had to protect her. Of course, of course.

“When I touch the totem with one hand, please hold my other hand. Then I might be able to borrow a bit of your spiritual power, Paya-nim.”

“Okay.”

Paya was holding out her small, soft-looking hand as if she wanted to do it right away. The Saint stepped back slightly with a troubled expression.

“The reason I didn’t tell Malak-nim from the beginning is because there might be side effects. Unlike objects, it’s very difficult to resonate with people.

Especially since spiritual abilities are intertwined, there might be ‘bad variables’ that I can’t control. Mystery is an uncontrollable element.”

She’s making me nervous saying that.

━ Let’s go back. We’ll come back when we have a chance.

I decided to wait for the next opportunity. It’s not a critical issue in the current situation where we’re facing a decisive battle with the Seven-Headed Dragon Demon.

Maybe that bastard Udan just used some method to cut off his energy because he didn’t want to hear the cries for help from his followers.

I was curious about what happened to Udan, but I don’t want Paya to be put in danger to find out.

Just thinking about the time when that Evil God bitch poured her energy into Paya makes my hands and feet（I don’t have any） tremble.

“I can do it.”

Paya looks at me with a serious expression.

━ It’s dangerous.

“It’s something only I can do.”

━ You could get seriously hurt.

“Other warriors are risking their lives to fight.”

━ This is not something worth risking your life for.

We can find out slowly after making safety measures later.

“I, I can do it too!”

━ It’s okay. Let’s go back.

She seems to be getting stubborn, but it’s important to calmly retreat at times like this.

Paya suddenly closed her eyes tightly and shouted.

“I’m not a child who needs to be protected anymore! I can be helpful! I can do it like Chieftain Rake!”

━ …

Was that it?

“Hic!”

Paya hiccuped, as if she was embarrassed by her own words.

I’ve been going around with Rake alone since the early days of the Tribal Federation, and Paya didn’t like that very much.

She must have felt like a daughter watching her father go around with an unreliable stepmother.

I thought her jealousy had faded over time, but it hadn’t. She was just hiding it.

Come to think of it, we’ve been apart for quite a while. Saving Bangguseok Choseon, going on a high-ranking demon subjugation to obtain Manifestation…I was too busy with my schedule to take good care of her.

━ Paya, you’re being helpful enough.

It’s a little late, but I need to comfort her now.

━ You’re the one who made me descend. All the achievements of the Tribal Federation, they wouldn’t have been possible without you.

It’s true. Conversely, you could say that I was possessed in this world because of Paya…but it’s not Paya’s fault.

This child would have known that I would be dragged here. She just asked a god for help. If you want to blame someone, blame the Goddess and Jin Malak.

━ Don’t underestimate yourself. I didn’t stop you because you’re weak and young.

Actually, it’s true that I stopped her because she’s a child, but I can’t say that directly.

━ I was worried that you, my first priestess, might get hurt.

It’s true that I want to save the earth, and it’s also true that I’m worried about Paya. Let’s just call this a ‘white lie.’

…I don’t even know what I’m thinking. Oh, I don’t know. Let’s skip the complicated stuff. Anyway, the important thing is that I’m sincere.

“…Sniff.”

Paya quietly sniffed. Her eyes are welling up.

━ If you really want to do it, your safety must be secured. We’ll need Rake.

Paya, who puffed out her cheeks as soon as ‘Rake’s’ name came out, nodded her head.

“I want to do it. It’s a shame to come all the way here and go back empty-handed.”

Paya hesitates for a moment.

“And…I’m sorry for getting angry. Was I childish?”

━ It’s okay.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. She’s cute.

After waiting for the cooldown to end, I summoned Rake using the ‘Follower Summoning’ blessing.

“I understand. If anything seems strange, I’ll intervene immediately.”

After hearing Rake’s promise, we immediately started working.

Oh, wait a minute.

I asked the Saint if I could give her the ‘Divine Possession’ blessing. It was a blessing that could only be given to a kinsman, that is, a priestess, but the Saint was treated as a kinsman because of her special ability.

If I give her Divine Possession, I can partially share vision and body with the priestess, so I thought I might be able to see information about that totem.

“I’m curious about the principle.”

━ I’ll show you now.

The time has come for the long-unused blessing to be active again.