Chapter IV: The World of Tomorrow
I arrived at the Pantheon Temple. It was a holy place that existed beyond the heavens; a gathering point for the gods of the Divine Realm. Essentially, it was an area for all the divine to have some downtime and hang out.
I wasn’t a fully-fledged god yet, but my connection to God Almighty let me bypass any restrictions and I was generally allowed to come and go from the pantheon as I pleased.
I had mixed feelings about that, to be honest... It was kind of like nepotism, in a way. I hadn’t gotten in on my own merit, after all. I didn’t feel super comfortable there, either... The air was tense, and kind of intimidating... but what else would you expect from a place full of literal gods?
Heading through the pantheon gates, I found myself in a large courtyard. The pantheon was made up of several rooms and spaces, and there were no fixed routes to get to any of them. If you were used to that kind of disorderly structure it was fine, but if you weren’t, then it was easy to get lost.
The courtyard was a central hub of sorts, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to reach Karen from there. As I pondered the matter, a sparrow fluttered by and landed on my shoulder. However, it was no ordinary sparrow.
“Oh, the newcomer. Long time no see, child.”
“Ah, hey. Nice to see you. You’re the uh... god of flight, right?”
“Indubitably.”
This little bird was a fully-fledged god. I’d met him the last time I came to the temple with Karen... Since he was the god of flight, I wondered if his domain included other flying things like planes or bees.
“What brings you here today?”
“Oh, well... I’m here to meet Kare—er, the goddess of love. I’m not entirely sure how to get to her from here, though...”
“Ah... I see... Her...”
The sparrow sort of made a nervous motion and shook his head, inexplicably wiping his bird-brow with one wing.
Uh, what’s with that response?
“Well, no matter... We might as well make a tour of it. Come.”
The sparrow flapped his tiny wings and launched from my shoulder. I didn’t understand, but I decided to follow him all the same. Not like I had any other options, really.
We headed through an archway in the courtyard and were greeted by another completely new sight as we exited the other side. This time it was a large room with a spiral staircase made of glass that trailed upward.
To be more precise, we were on the staircase and a glass, cylindrical wall surrounded us. On the other side of the glass was a beautiful gathering of marine life that was freely floating amidst the blue.
What, are we underwater now?
“This way. Don’t get lost, or you might end up wandering forever.”
...R-Really? Like I can’t even use [Gate] or my divinity warping here? That’s a scary thought...
I quickly followed the god of flight up the staircase. And as I did, I looked a little closer out at what I was assuming to be seawater and noticed people there too. Some looked like regular two-legged folks, while others were mermaids. They were probably gods and those with their blessings.
Upon even closer inspection, I realized the fish were probably members of the extended divine family as well... It was unlikely that anything mortal existed here.
Another archway waited for us at the top of the staircase, and we passed through it. This time the entire room was pitch black, save for the glittering of numerous far-off stars above our heads. It was a corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. All I could do was keep my vision trained on the sparrow in front of me, lest I lose my way.
“Speed up a little. If you take too much time in here, they’ll get you.”
“They?!”
The god of flight’s words instilled a primal fear within me, so I picked up the pace. From behind, I suddenly started to hear the sounds of clicking tongues and smacking lips... I heard the sound of something heavy dragging itself toward me in the pitch black... so I pretended not to hear any of that and pressed onward. It got to the point where I was charging through the darkness after the god of flight, and eventually, we made it to the next “room.” The place was a terrifying labyrinth without end... Or at least, that was how it felt.
We carried on through several rooms, spaces, and realms after that. I greeted gods, fled from entities, and just tried my best to match pace with the sparrow. Eventually, we made it to wherever Karen was supposed to be.
“Huh...?”
We came out into a place filled with dense foliage and blooming flowers. A cool breeze blew through the area, and a beautiful stream ran along nearby. There were spirits gathered near the treetops, and in the distance, I spotted a dazzling white gazebo. There was a tunnel of flowers leading toward it. It was like we were in a fancy, expensive rose garden.
As I stood there stunned, the god of flight made straight for the gazebo. I followed him through the flower tunnel until we arrived at our destination. There was a table there, and a lone woman sitting at it. But she wasn’t sitting, she was slumped over.
“Karen?!” I roared as I ran over to the table to try to support her. For some reason her face was pale and her eyes were unfocused. She looked weak.
I quickly cast [Cure Heal] and [Recovery] on her, along with various other restoration spells, but she was completely unaffected by any of them.
Shit, does regular magic not work on gods?! But I’m a god, right? If it works on me, it should work on her... Don’t tell me she’s been attacked by that venom from last time?!
“Tou...ya...”
“Don’t waste your energy, it’s okay! I’ll get God Almighty to help you!”
I reached into my pocket and began scrambling for my phone, but then...
“Hung...ry... Want... food...”
“...”
“...Ow!”
I let go of her, prompting her to fall and smack her head.
Hold on a goddamn minute. She was just hungry?!
“What the hell is going on, Karen?”
“I haven’t eaten in days, you know?! I can’t take it! I know I won’t die without food because I’m a god, but I miss food! I’ve had a taste and now I want more! More, you know?!”
I ignored my sister’s prattling and turned to bow my head towards the god of flight.
“Thanks for all your help. I’m heading home now, though.”
“You can’t go home, you know?! You can’t abandon your sister!”
“Ack, geez! Let go of me, you idiot!”
Karen wouldn’t stop crying and clinging to my coat, so I let out a sigh and reached into [Storage] for some of Lu’s cooking. The aroma of tasty food filled the area.
“Woohoo! That’s my Touya! The best delivery service in the universe!” Karen said merrily as she picked up a spoon and started eating.
You sure turned those tears off fast, you little shit! You’re the worst!
“I’m... sorry you have to deal with her, newcomer.”
Please... Please don’t look at me with such pity.
I sighed quietly, staring up through the gazebo’s semi-transparent ceiling.
? ?
“So, what are you doing out here?”
“I’m in the middle of my Ascension.”
“Your what?”
Is that like a promotion?
“It’s a test to raise her divinity. I’m sure you know that there are various rankings when it comes to us and our roles. There used to be a strict hierarchy of gods back in the day, but nowadays, things are a touch more progressive. We all stand on a roughly even keel, but the higher ranks generally get a little more admiration... What is this thing?! I can’t stop pecking at it! It’s so tasty!”
The god of flight couldn’t keep himself from jabbing his beak into Lu’s food over and over again. It was an omelet, by the way... One covered in ketchup, resulting in him looking more like a blood-splattered sparrow than anything else.
“So you take it to increase your rank?”
“I suppose. Not many have taken it over the last few tens of thousands of years, though. The promotion doesn’t really do too much to affect your standing... Most of the exam stuff is more annoying than anything else.”
Huh... I see... So wait, why’s Karen going to all the trouble of doing something that doesn’t seem all that important, then?
Karen stopped eating her omelet, then turned toward me as if to speak. Had she read my mind again, I wondered.
“Touya, you’ve been granted God Almighty’s blessing, you know?”
“So?”
“You’re going to be in charge of that world eventually. And managing a world is something tasked to a higher tier of god, you know? That means... if things carry on, you’re gonna outclass your big sister!”
“...Huh?”
...What’s her problem, exactly?
“You’re my little brother! You can’t be better than me! That’s why I gotta study my butt off and get to the bottom of this! You can’t—Oof!” Karen started getting heated, so I brought a swift karate chop down on her head.
“I haven’t seen you in days! I was getting worried, you idiot! And this is your reason?! I’m gonna karate chop you again, dumbass!”
“Why twice?!”
Sure, God Almighty favored me, but in terms of divinity, I was still way lower than any of the gods I’d met. Hell, I knew it’d take roughly ten-thousand years for me to be properly recognized as a god anyway. I’d be nothing but a rank novice until then, and that was that.
Any god worth his salt would know the stark difference between Karen and me. And so, even the god of flight looked utterly baffled by her reasoning.
“Owie... But my dignity...”
“You never had any dignity to begin with!”
“I absolutely did, you know?! At least a little!”
Good grief, what a moron... Stop worrying me... Guh, Moroha was right, I should’ve just left you be.
Divinity was one thing, but your actual ranking was another. Though it was true that you generally took on more responsibilities if you had more divinity.
Still, now I knew why this moron was out here... The only thing left to figure out was what to do with her. I knew that Yumina and the others were worried about her well-being, so ideally, I’d want to take her back home...
“When’s this exam over, exactly?” I quietly asked Karen, who responded with a nervous expression. Evidently, something was wrong, but what?
“I’d like it to be done, but... it won’t end until I resolve the current situation...” Karen mumbled as she looked up at the sky, a tired sigh escaping her lips. She then mechanically brought the omelet to her lips. Her eyes were so lifeless that I wondered what had even happened. Karen was in no state to answer, so the ketchup-soaked god of flight spoke in her place.
Uh, lemme wipe you down a little first...
“In order to progress, you need to show clear development in your area of expertise. You effectively need to show that your abilities are good enough to justify the upgrade to your station. So in the case of a god connected to love...”
“Uh...She has to show a mastery of love?”
“Indeed. A couple of gods are currently in a lover’s quarrel. If she can resolve their differences and bring them back to a happy relationship, then she’ll pass. If not... she fails.”
That made sense. Helping resolve a lover’s spat was certainly a good test for a god of love.
I nodded quietly, then suddenly heard bickering voices from a nearby rose bush. The voices were drawing closer... Could they have been the voices of the couple Karen was supposed to save?
“Crap... They’re here!” Karen groaned quietly, dropping her spoon and staring down at her plate. She looked mortified.
“W-Well, that’s my cue to leave. See you later, newcomer! I’d love to try your interesting food again next time!”
“W-Wait! You can’t just leave, you know?!”
But leave he did. He flew away from the gazebo. His panic actually had me concerned... Could this squabbling couple be that bad? My question would soon be answered by a voice from the nearby cobblestone path.
“Hey, Love Goddess! Tell this stubborn bag already!”
“Love Goddess! Tell this shallow man what’s what!”
The two gods scuttled over to the table and slammed their hands down on it.
So it’s these two, huh? They’re a little scary...
The man had dark, tanned skin and a muscular body overall. He came off as pretty athletic on a whole. He had sapphire-blue eyes, short blond hair, and wore what resembled a stereotypical Roman toga and golden sandals.
The woman had fair skin and long black hair. She was more of a slender beauty. Her eyes were hazel, and she wore what resembled a white kimono with a blue sash. She also donned black leather boots on her feet.
“Uhm... How about, for now, the two of you talk. It’d be good if we calmed down, you know?”
“I’ve been trying to get her to calm down for a while now, but she just won’t listen!”
“Who’s the one who isn’t listening, hm?! It’s you! You just close yourself off like a spoiled brat!”
“What’d you say?!”
“You got ears, don’t you?!”
The two of them glared at one another. The intensity was palpable. Frankly, I was a little frightened. My parents sometimes had spats like this, but they didn’t usually last long. Either my mom would apologize, or my dad would immediately fold.
“So uh... Karen? Who are they?”
“The god of the seas and the goddess of the mountains...” Karen sighed quietly as she pointed to them both. I would’ve expected the guy to be the god of mountains, personally... but it still kind of made sense. After all, the Greek god Poseidon was famously associated with the seas and he was most certainly male.
It was true that mountains had more of a rugged, manly feel to them, but there was also the concept of “mother earth.” It wasn’t worth fretting about in either case.
“So they’re a couple...? I wouldn’t have expected them to pair up like that...”
“Usually they work well together, you know? They just happen to get stubborn when they disagree...”
Upon hearing that, the two turned to Karen and roared, “I’m not the stubborn one here!” in unison. Karen most definitely had her work cut out for her.
“You’re way too hard-headed! You’re like a mountain hermit, woman! Try being freer like the sea’s currents!”
“Ha! You want me to think more like you, jellyfish for brains?!”
“What’d you say?!”
“You got ears, don’t you?!”
This is non-stop, huh? They can’t even pause to hear each other out...
The two of them turned to glare at Karen, their terrifying gazes fixed on her. Then, at the same time, they both roared, “Tell us your thoughts, goddess of love!”
It felt like I was seeing things, but I could almost visualize the blazing fire between the two... Like the wrath of the gods had been personified, or something. Slowly, Karen opened her mouth to talk.
“W-Well, um... Oh, Touya! You’re a newlywed, yes? That means you can give them advice, you know?”
“What?!”
H-Hold the hell up, Karen. What are you volunteering me for?!
“Who is this?”
“He’s my little brother in the mortal world. You know, the newbie around here.”
“Oh! You mean God Almighty’s newest muse? He’s married. That might help things plenty.”
No, no, no! Wait! I-It’s true that I’m married, but I’ve never had this kind of fight before! I’m no help! If we ever disagree, they usually outnumber me, so I just give in!
“You’re a guy, so you should get it! Wives need to know their husband’s needs, yeah?”
“Huh?! How am I supposed to know what you mean when you say ‘Can you pass me that thing?’ Am I supposed to be a mind reader?! Just tell me what the thing is and I’ll pass it!”
“Like I said, any good wife should know off the bat!”
“I’m your wife, not your mother! Why should I be running around after you, anyway? What do you think, newbie?!”
“Oh, well... I mean... He should at least say thanks if you do stuff for him...”
I didn’t really know how to respond to the goddess of mountains... I always tried to thank my wives for the things they did for me, but there were times when I’d forget. In response, she gave a smug grin, prompting the god of the seas to click his tongue.
“You’re always so damn nitpicky, though! How many times do you want me to say sorry for something that happened like ten thousand years ago...?! Haven’t I made it up to you by now?!”
“That’s a fair point... If he’s already apologized about it, it’s uh... not super fair to hold it over his head, right?”
“See?!”
“Hey! Whose side are you on here?!”
...I’m not on any side!
The two continued to argue wholeheartedly. If either asked me for my opinion, they got mad if I said the wrong thing. The whole thing was a major pain in the ass. Constantly having to ask them to calm down was wearing away at my sanity.
Why was I even handling this to begin with? I glanced back at Karen, only to find her finishing up her omelet without a care in the world.
This is your mess, so fix it already!
I groaned quietly as the goddess of mountains followed my line of sight. Her eyes fell upon the omelet.
“...What is that? It looks good.”
“Hm? Is this food from the mortal world?”
The two of them seemed awfully curious about her food all of a sudden.
Huh, they seem pretty interested.
Gods didn’t need food or drink to survive, but there was actual foodstuff in the divine realm. There was wine, known as the nectar of the gods. There were berries known as amrit. And there were also fruits, referred to as ambrosia. They were supposedly the most perfect foods in all creation, so maybe they viewed mortal food as novel or fascinating.
“All the gods of cookery holed themselves up in heaven’s kitchen a long time ago... I haven’t had mortal food in tens of thousands of years... Hey, you got any more of that?”
“Uh, sure but... Actually, yeah! Why not try some? You always feel better after a good meal!”
Upon hearing the god of the seas’ words, I quickly opened up [Storage] and set out a few dishes on the table. This was a prime chance to distract them from their argument.
“Ooh!”
“Now that looks delish!”
I brought out all kinds of different foods, from light snacks to heavier platters. The two of them paused their fighting to admire the vast array of food before them.
Sweet... It’s not exactly a solution, but if this stops them from fighting even a little bit, I’ll take it.
I sighed in slight relief. However, I still had no idea how to help them out in the long run.
? ?
“Here you are, dear. Say aaah!”
“Mmm! Yummy! Hehe... It’s even better when you feed it to me.”
“Geez, you’ll embarrass me saying things like that...”
I took a sip from my coffee as the duo in front of me exchanged sugary words. My drink was supposed to be straight black, but something about it was sweet.
“Ohhh! This is amazing too! A bountiful harvest from the mountains! Ah, it’s a subtle earthy flavor... but it’s just as lovely as you...”
“And this seafood. It’s so rich and deep... Though the flavor’s plain, it’s accentuated by so much else... It’s just as charming as you, dear.”
I gulped down my coffee, hoping they’d stop fawning over one another before long. I wanted to barf, frankly.
Bitter... I need my coffee way more bitter...
“How’d it come to this...?”
As the two began to eat, they started sharing their thoughts. At first, they simply agreed that the food was good, but then they started suggesting dishes to each other. Before long, they were happily talking and even feeding one another...
“I thought for sure this would be another long quarrel, but they’re calm as can be. Fine job, goddess of love...”
“It wasn’t me, you know?”
The god of flight had returned without me even noticing. This time he was covered in marinara sauce. Was he into tomatoes or something? Karen was just sitting there, utterly stumped. She quietly sipped some fruity water through a straw. She was probably feeling utterly defeated... And why wouldn’t she? The problem she’d been struggling with basically just resolved itself.
It would’ve been better just to leave them be, most likely. There was a saying about not getting involved in marital spats, and it was probably true here.
“You’re so sweet, dear!”
“Geez, no! You are!”
I stared blankly at the scene unfolding before my eyes. How had it come to this? How could they be so openly affectionate? I felt bad for anyone who saw them in this state.
Karen quietly muttered something in my direction. Her expression was still one of utter defeat.
What’s that?
“What are you thinking...? You’re just like that with your wives, you know? How can you not know that?”
Wait... what?! Th-That’s not true, is it? Sure, we’ve been greeting each other more often with hugs and kisses, but... it hasn’t been bad enough to make people angry, right? R-Right...?! Hrmm... I mean... I only just got married, so it’s natural to get closer like that.
“You’re newlyweds, so I think it’s only natural.”
“R-Right! Exactly! It’s normal!”
I’m a newlywed! It’s totally normal! That’s right, bird!
I downed the rest of my coffee in one big gulp to hide the nervous blush on my face.
? ?
In the end, Karen failed her test. It was because she hadn’t brought the couple back together... They’d done it of their own accord. She had the option of retaking the exam with a different subject, but she just accepted the rejection for now. I think she was tired. It was understandable, really.
Once she returned home, Karen was swarmed by my wives. They’d been concerned for her safety.
“Welcome home! We’re happy to see you safe.”
“Hey, you okay?! You don’t look so good!”
“O-Oh, we’ve drawn a bath for you, if you’d like to come with us!”
“Waaaaaah! You’re all so kind!” Karen bellowed. She was so moved by the kind words from Yumina, Sue, and Linze that she hugged them all. She’d really worried them.
“Welcome back,” Moroha chuckled as she spoke to me and Karen.
“It was tough...”
“I told you not to go after her, didn’t I?”
You could’ve given me more details... If I’d known it was something so dumb, I’d have just stayed home. Then again, if I hadn’t gone, Karen might still be there.
“Not interested in taking the exam, Moroha?”
“No need. I’m happy down here with my swordplay. If I went up in status, I’d have more responsibilities, which would leave less time for training. There’s just about no benefit in it for me.”
Guess that makes sense... The only really higher-up gods I know are God Almighty, Granny Tokie... and uh... Oh yeah, the god of destruction, too.
Granny Tokie was always knitting or having tea, so it seemed to me like she had a lot of spare time.
“She’s an exception. This is her first vacation in tens of thousands of years. Though time doesn’t exactly matter to someone with her powers.”
Good point... She can control time and space, so I bet she could travel through time if she felt like it.
“...Felt like it? Don’t you know? Old Tokie’s been to the future a few times already. She’s played with your kids once or twice, too.”
“She’s what?!”
She’s playing with my kids before me?! That’s not fair! You can’t mix your work duties with your personal life! Maybe I can get her to bring back a photo or something...
Either way, that was that. I was pretty damn tired.
Karen and the others went to take a bath together, and Moroha joined them.
I wanted to take a bath as well, but I had some business to attend to before dinner. Kousaka would get mad at me if I put it off too long.
Oh yeah, gotta talk to Ende about his wedding, too. I’ll have him meet me at the tavern tonight.
I pulled out my phone and gave Ende a call.
? ?
“Why wasn’t I here when something so interesting happened?! That’s... no... fair! You know?!” Karen exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on the table, groaning all the while.
I’d told her about everything that happened with the black mask incident, and that was her reaction. I didn’t personally think it was that interesting. It was more a hassle than anything else, honestly.
“Damn it all! Why’d my test date have to be now? If I were there, I could’ve helped Listis and Reliel get to know each other better!”
“Y-Your love powers aren’t solely heterosexual?!” Linze’s eyes just about lit up as she spoke.
“Why would that matter when it comes to love? Gender, race, status, all things matter little in the face of love, you know? Feelings are what count, and whether they can be nurtured. It has to go both ways, though. One-sided love is never pretty, you know?”
You sound kind of like Reliel right now... I know love is love and all, but don’t go poking your nose into their business at this point...
I sipped my coffee quietly, rolling my eyes at Karen’s behavior.
Oh, got a text. Looks like Ende’s waiting on me. Time to head on out.
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Huh, you’re leaving?! It’s fine to hang out with guys, but you can’t leave your wives high and dry too often, Touya!”
“Okay, who’s teaching Sue weird stuff again?”
Cesca, who was standing quietly in the corner of the room, whistled a bit as she swept the floor.
You goddamn perverted maid! That’s it, I’m issuing a punishment when I get back. No lewd comments from you ever again!
I glared at Cesca, then used [Gate] to head to the tavern. Once there, I pulled up my hood and went inside, finding lively music and general hustle and bustle in my ears. This place was lively as ever...
Wait... who’s on the piano over there? Is that... Sousuke? Why’s the god of music here?
“Yo, Touya. Over here.”
“Sorry to keep you-—Huh?”
I was surprised to see Ende was already seated with his companions. Lycee sat by Ende’s side, while Ney and Melle sat opposite them. It was a rare sight.
“Good evening, Touya.”
“Been a while.”
“Evening.”
The three of them were wearing their pendants, giving them the outward appearances of regular human girls. They didn’t quite look as prim and proper as they had the last time, however. Oh, and their clothes were real, too. It looked to me like they were getting pretty used to the world in general.
“It’s rare to see all of you out here at once,” I said as I pulled up a chair and sat between Ende and Melle. The four of them had already ordered their food and drinks, so I ordered a fruit wine. I was at a bar, so having one drink was fine. Even if I was still technically underage on Earth... Hurray for other worlds!
“It’s my wedding day too! It’s only natural I’d be here.”
“Leaving everything to Endymion would spell chaos for Lady Melle. It’s only natural I’d be here.”
“I want to make sure the food’s good. It’s only natural I’d be here.”
...I guess so.
I offered Ende a forced smile, noting that he was downing his ale rather fast. The poor bastard.
“So the venue’s fine, but how many guests do you want, exactly?”
I wasn’t sure what kind of relationships they’d even established. I knew I’d be attending, but I didn’t know who else.
“I’m a silver-ranked adventurer, Touya. I’m friends with a lot of other adventurers and guild officials. Melle and the others have casual friends in the town, too.”
Damn... Didn’t expect that, honestly. I always took you guys to be kind of antisocial.
“I was Sovereign once, so I am used to dealing with other people and their needs. It’s a similar principle here. I simply listen to others and help solve their problems,” Melle spoke very matter-of-factly. That made me wonder if there was some way we could make use of her skills.
Maybe she can work in a supporting role under Kousaka or something...? Eh, we’ll save it for later. Their wedding’s the focus today.
“That reminds me, you guys in contact with any other Dominant Constructs?” I asked.
Melle was the Sovereign Phrase, and her species had followed her here in search of her power. Some wanted to take it for themselves, while others wanted to bring her home. After the whole thing with Yula and the mutants, however, all the other Phrase sent to this world ended up being destroyed.
“I know Lycee’s fine here, but you originally wanted to bring Melle home, right? Have you given up on that?”
My question prompted Ney to turn to me and start talking.
“It’s far too late for that now... I did want her to return to Phrasia with me, but I now realize that wasn’t what I truly desired. I simply wanted to live by her side, as I do now. I was envious of Endymion, so I wanted to drag her back to Phrasia in order to keep her there with me. But now that I’m here, I’ve come to terms with my feelings. There’s no need for me to take her away.”
Melle smiled softly, giving a little nod at Ney’s words.
“Hehe... Don’t worry, Ney. I’m with you now.”
“L-Lady Melle! P-Please don’t say such things in public, a-ah...”
Ney’s face turned red, which was quite the rare, adorable sight. Part of me wondered if I shouldn’t record it for posterity, just to prove she was capable of such a thing.
Ultimately, this situation had turned into a harem based around Melle... But if they were happy, I wasn’t going to judge.
Eventually, the food arrived, so I picked up one of the meat skewers and took a big bite. It was really good.
“Oh right. Your brother is the new Sovereign back on Phrasia, right?”
“That’s correct. His power as Sovereign is less than mine, but he’s ruling compassionately. I feel sorry for causing him such trouble, but I hope we may meet again under brighter circumstances...”
Personally, I felt she could’ve gone to see him if she wanted to, but it was probably more complicated than that. If the old Sovereign suddenly showed back up, it could be seen as trouble for the current one who was struggling to make the best of a bad situation. I’m sure Melle didn’t want that for him.
I couldn’t go back to my home properly, either, so I understood how she felt. We just had to make the best of things in our new homes.
I didn’t want to take things off in a sad direction, so I steered us back toward the main topic.
“So, uh... you want the ceremony done at our church, right?”
“Right. It’s less of swearing before any god and more like making a vow before the spirits, isn’t it? I’m fine with that.”
Ende himself was a recipient of a god’s blessing... so technically, that put him above the spirits, but I neglected to mention that fact. After all, the spirits that presided over my wedding were my direct subordinates.
“And we’ll host the wedding reception at the Silver Moon Inn, sound good?”
“Mmm. There’s enough room, and the food is good there. Is the set menu I requested okay?”
“It’s just fine. Then we’re just about sorted. Oh, wait... There’s the matter of the wedding cake. I have some samples. My friend Aer, who runs the Parent Cafe, baked us some—”
“Ah! That’s the most important thing of all! Let’s see!”
Upon Lycee’s urging, I reached into [Storage] and produced printout photos of each different type of cake that we had available.
“Amazing! They look too good to eat!”
“Hmhm... I like this white one with the flowery icing... But this fruit-filled one looks superb as well... Oh, I can’t decide...”
“There are four of us, so... could we not have a cake each?”
No, no! That is not happening. A wedding cake isn’t meant to be eaten like that... You’re not eating one cake apiece on your wedding day!
Ende quietly stared at one particular photo. It was a two-meter-tall cake.
“That’s so big, man... What would happen if it fell? That’d be terrible.”
“Oh, the really big ones are more imitation than real. They prioritize appearance over actual taste. A lot of these are inedible, actually.”
“...” Silence reigned until Melle and the others plucked every tall cake photo from their hands and cast them aside. Evidently, they weren’t interested in anything they couldn’t stuff their faces with.
While they went over their lists, I turned toward the waitress to confirm our order.
“Lessee... Bean salad with simmered yams, sausage platter... and salted wings. Is that everything, folks?”
The waitress was met with utter silence from my four companions. They had gone completely still, staring into space blankly.
Uh... You guys okay? Hello?
“I can hear...”
“Huh?”
I heard Melle mutter something, but I couldn’t quite make it out.
“I can hear an echo... It’s faint... but I hear it...”
“Uhhh... A what now? What’s going on, exactly?”
I was clearly confused, so Ende moved in to explain.
“The echo is the resonant sound that Phrasian lifeforms emit. It’s the noise you sealed, remember?”
I did remember that. But if Melle was picking something like that up, surely I’d have known. We installed those sensor boards at the guilds to pick up those exact signals, didn’t we?
“Huh...? Wait, doesn’t that mean—?”
“That a Phrasian lifeform walks among us, yes.”
I was about to stand up, but Ney grabbed my arm.
“Calm down. It’s only one lifeform. Though, the reading feels strange.”
“It’s like a dominant construct... but also different, somehow.”
“What?!”
A Dominant Construct?! Another one of Yula’s followers?! Different, like a mutant?!
Ney immediately moved to dispel my anxiety.
“It’s a complete unknown to me. I’ve never sensed this specific echo in my life.”
“So he’s not with Yula? Couldn’t he be one you never met? Or like... Yula’s offspring, or something?!”
I’d heard that the phrase could self-replicate... so maybe Yula had done something like that before dying.
“No, it’s not like that. Asexually produced Phrase share the same echo as their parent. It sounds absolutely nothing like Yula’s did, so it can’t be related to him. If anything, it feels more like...” Ende trailed off as he nervously glanced toward Melle.
“It feels just like yours, Lady Melle... Could it be the Sovereign?”
Wait, what?
Lycee’s words freaked me out even more. The Sovereign was Melle’s little brother, right? Had he been mutated without us knowing?
“It is similar to mine... but it can’t be my brother. It doesn’t feel the same as him. Though, perhaps if he mutated, it could be different?”
Melle’s expression seemed very conflicted. Even if it was the Sovereign, it would be very difficult for him to break through to this world now that the barrier had been repaired... so what was going on?
“Touya. Pull up your map.”
“Huh? Oh, sure.”
I did as Ende instructed, prompting him to stare at it for a few moments. After a while, he zoomed in on it and pointed toward a certain area.
“Right here. This is the source of the echo. Can we warp there now?”
“It’s the Lassei Military Kingdom... I’ve never visited the area, so using [Teleport] might be unreliable. But I could manage it if I mix in a little divinity. You wanna go now?”
The four of them nodded. I knew Ende could use some form of teleportation magic, but apparently, it wasn’t so good with long distances. Still, the course was set. Everyone wanted to go.
I canceled my order and paid the small compensation fee. I was a little annoyed about the extra expenditure, but there was no point worrying. Sousuke was still playing the piano, so I made sure to tell him we’d be out for a little bit in case anyone got worried.
The five of us headed into a nearby alleyway, and I told everyone to hold tight to Ende. No way was I going to be caught dead with the three Phrase girls clinging to me.
I placed my hand on Ende’s shoulder, mustered some divinity up, and cast [Teleport].
“Oof!”
We manifested atop a building’s roof, then promptly stumbled. Thankfully, we weren’t right next to the edge, so we managed to steady ourselves on the roof without falling. I was stupid and hadn’t considered taking the differences in distance from the ground into account.
“Didn’t think we’d pop out into a city... Where are we, Touya?”
“Uhhh... Amatsumi. Yeah. It’s a town, not a city. It’s not that large, either.”
Though it wasn’t large, it was certainly lively. It was night, but the street lamps and neon signs illuminated the area pretty well. The wide streets were packed with bustling Gollem carriages.
The architecture was definitely unlike anything you’d find elsewhere on the western continent. It kind of felt like a town from an old western flick. There weren’t any outlaws or cowboys, though.
“The town hasn’t been destroyed yet, then...” Ney muttered quietly, her cautious eyes scanning the streets. Personally, I didn’t like the ominous phrasing she’d opted for.
She had a point, though. If there was a Dominant Construct here, why wasn’t it trashing stuff?
We scurried down from the roof and kept an eye on the people walking along the streets.
“Is it in this town, or...”
“I hear it... We’re definitely in the right place. This way,” Melle said, pointing toward a crowd of people at the end of a street. There was some kind of commotion going on over there.
There were so many people around that you’d think a celebrity had shown up or something.
“Hey, someone get the peacekeepers! And the Gollems, too!”
“There! Get him!”
“Take him out!”
...Huh? A fight? The Sovereign isn’t getting in some kind of scrap over here, is he?
“Don’t be stupid. Even if he’s weaker than Lady Melle, the Sovereign is still insanely powerful. Neither humans nor their mechanical puppets could stand against him,” Ney had clearly heard me muttering, and she was quick to correct me.
She was right. If a Dominant Construct was running wild, I doubted that it’d be a fight. It’d be more of a massacre.
Either way, whatever we were looking for was right in the middle of the crowd. I couldn’t see because of all the people.
“Welp. Let’s get this over with. [Prison].”
“H-Huh?! What the hell?!”
I formed a rectangular [Prison] in the middle of the crowd, forcibly pushing it apart like Moses parting the Red Sea. The five of us walked through the middle, and finally... we found what we were looking for.
“You little brat!”
“Too slow, bub! You’re not gonna catch me moving like that. You even moving at all, mister?!”
The boy was surrounded by three burly men, but he was talking as if they were no match for him. He looked even younger than Renne... Six or seven, maybe? And yet, he moved with a startling level of grace, like a cat.
Or... a kitten, maybe? I couldn’t help but compare him with Ende, who was standing next to me with a puzzled expression on his face.
The boy had flowing silvery hair, a teasing smile on his face, and a long scarf around his neck. He looked startlingly similar to Ende... Maybe a little too similar, even.
“E-Endymion... You don’t have a younger brother, do you?”
“Uh, no... And if he’s the source of the echo, he can’t be one of my species...”
Ney asked the same thing I was thinking, but was promptly shot down.
It’s not his brother? But he looks just like him...
The boy turned to look at us. Hadn’t taken him long to notice us, at least.
“Mmm? Oh, finally. Took you long enough. I ended up getting caught up with these weirdos!”
“Ghah?!”
“Hgagh?!”
“Bwagh?!”
The little boy casually struck all three men with incredible speed, knocking them to their knees.
What the hell is going on here? I could barely track those hits. He might be small, but he’s seriously tough.
“Huh?!”
The boy ran right up to me with a huge smile on his face.
Do I know you, kid?
As the kid drew closer with that beaming grin, I realized I’d made a mistake. This wasn’t a boy at all... It was a little girl!
Her icy blue eyes focused right on me.
“Wow, you guys don’t look all that different! A little younger, I guess? Hey, can I get a photo?”
“Hold up... Who are you?” I asked, feeling exasperated. This kid was seriously full of energy.
The four behind me were so confused that I was the only one capable of interrogation at this point.
“Oh, riiight! You don’t know me yet, huh? It’s nice to meetcha, then! I’m Allistella! But my moms and dad just call me Allis. You can call me that, too!”
“W-W-W-W-Wait, hold on. You’re Allis, and your... uh... Where are your parents?”
The girl, Allis, casually pointed toward Ende, then Melle, then Ney, then Lycee.
“That’s my dad. And those are my moms.”
Silence reigned for a good few moments. The blinking of the neon lights intensified as the world spun around me. I was taken aback, but not nearly as much as the four people behind me.
In unison, they all screamed into the night, their resounding, “WHAAAAAAAAAT?!” echoing through the streets of Amatsumi.
? ?
“E-Er, so... this is Ende’s daughter?”
“Apparently, yeah...”
I informed Yumina about the situation as I sat down on the sofa, glancing toward the little girl leaning against Melle’s lap.
We’d returned to Brunhild in order to hear what Allis had to say, but... well...
“Sleepy... Naptime now...” she murmured, slumping down like her batteries were out of charge and rested her head against her mother’s(?) lap. The girl sure marched to the beat of her own drum, that was for sure.
I turned to Ney, who was quietly thinking to herself.
“So uh, what’s this all about, exactly? Do you think she could be your kid with Ende?”
“No. I don’t think so. Not that way, at least. She has Phrasian characteristics, but her echo isn’t similar to mine or Lycee’s. She sounds more like something between Endymion and Lady Melle. That sound alone is proof of their relation.”
Well, she does have Ende’s hair color... And those icy eyes are just like Melle’s too.
She probably called Ney and Lycee her moms because they were in a relationship with Melle as well. And in that case, Allis was Ende and Melle’s biological child. But that meant...
“Are you guys doing a shotgun wedding because you knocked her up?!”
“...Touya, don’t joke around like that ever again.”
“I certainly don’t remember giving birth.”
Both of Allis’ presumed parents glared at me.
I was just trying to lighten the mood!
“Well, my best guess is that she is their child. From the future.”
“...From the future, Yumina? But... Wait... could Space-time magic be involved?!”
Yumina clapped her hands together. We didn’t want to wake Allis from her sleep, so we spoke in hushed tones.
“Hey, Dad. How about you take her to bed?”
“Gah! I just told you not to mess with me!” Ende grumbled quietly as he picked Allis up and walked out of the room behind our head maid, Lapis. Ney, Melle, and Lycee followed after them. They seemed understandably on edge.
It was kind of nice seeing her get carried like that... My dad used to do that to me when I was little.
“Space-time magic... That makes sense. There’s precedent for it, after all,” Leen said as she leaned forward and nodded her head.
We knew about Alerius Palerius, the master of Space-time magic. We also knew that his son, Lerios Palerius, traveled to the Reverse World by mistake and founded the Primula Kingdom. When he landed there, he was blasted back around two hundred years, but he hadn’t noticed that at the time.
Though it wasn’t a formal school of magic or anything, time travel had precedent under this world’s magic system.
“So you’re saying she might be a Space-time mage?”
“No, I think it might have been unintentional on her part. In the case of Lerios, it was an accident, remember?”
I didn’t know about any spells that allowed for direct time travel, so she’d probably come back due to some kind of mistake. But that made me a little worried... Was something bad going to happen in the future?
Augh... This is stressing me out!
“What about Granny Tokie? Isn’t she the goddess of Space-time?”
“Oh, right.”
As I grumbled, Sue suddenly asked the right question.
Granny Tokie was the goddess of Space-time. If anyone could tell me what was going on here, she could. Hell, maybe she was the one who brought Allis back here? Moroha told me that Tokie had made visits to the future before, after all.
“Where is she?”
“Uhm... She was on the balcony earlier, but...” Linze trailed off before telling me Tokie’s daily routine. In the mornings and afternoons, she sat on the balcony knitting away. She was actually repairing the shredded world barrier through her knitting. Around dinner time, she’d eat with the girls (and me if I was around) before chatting with Sue, Linze, and the others. Then, she went to bed fairly early.
It was already past ten at night, so she was probably asleep.
Right when that discussion ended, I felt a presence behind me. I turned to find Tokie waving at me.
“Apologies for keeping you waiting, dear.”
She’d received the blessing of God Almighty in the same way that I did, so we both had the ability to sense one another.
I opened my mouth to ask her a question, but she suddenly spoke up as if she knew what I was going to ask.
“I understand, dear. It’s about little Allis, isn’t it?”
“You know about what happened?”
“She was time-warped. I could hardly not notice, dear. I thought she’d appreciate it more if you all went to fetch her rather than me. I was certain she would be able to take care of herself in the interim,” Granny Tokie said as she smiled gently. She seemed pretty familiar with Allis’ mannerisms.
“So is she Ende and Melle’s kid?”
“Indeed. She was born to the two of them in the future. Unlike Melle and her kind, she grows much like a human being. Though she has the traits of her mother’s species as well.”
So Ney was right. Allis was the biological daughter of Melle and Ende. But why had she come from the future? That part was still completely eluding me.
“Did you bring her here?”
“In a manner of speaking, but not directly. The girl was caught in a timequake. One of the fault lines between space and time had shifted, creating a ripple in time itself. The ripple soon became a wave, catching the girl and threatening to sweep her away. That was why I guided her here, lest she become trapped elsewhere.”
So she might’ve been adrift in time and space without your intervention, huh? That’s nuts.
Back on Earth, there were urban legends about people who’d been spirited away to times not their own. I didn’t know if those stories were true or not before, but they seemed more likely than not at this point.
“I tried to explain what was going on as she was set adrift from her location, but she was somewhat restless and sped off. A bit of a tomboy, she is.”
Tomboy’s an understatement. She beat the crap out of those huge dudes.
“But wait, what’s that timequake thing? Does that mean something bad’s gonna happen in the future?”
I’d seen a lot of movies about people coming back from ruined futures, so the thought of this being a similar scenario was more than mildly concerning.
“No, nothing like that. The timequake is a simple distortion in the fabric of Space-time. When a water droplet impacts a still surface, ripples run out, but the surface soon goes still again. The girl just happened to be near the impact point at the time. The future itself is quite peaceful, I assure you.”
“Won’t Ende and Melle be worried in the future, though?”
“Why would they be? After all, would they not already know that their child visited them in the past?” Granny Tokie smiled at Linze as she answered her question.
Huh? But...
“If the future Ende, and the future all of us, knew about the timequake, why wouldn’t we try to keep Allis away from it?”
“There’s no need to prevent it. The children caught up in the timequake return after only a few minutes from the future’s perspective. The past is predetermined, dear. What has happened has happened. You couldn’t have prevented it even if you tried.”
So... the future can’t be changed? I guess it’s like one of those time travel stories where someone comes back and tries to change the future, only to find out they were part of the events that led to it to begin with.
“Allis’ arrival didn’t affect the future or anything, right?”
“Not on my watch, dear. I have a job, after all. There’s nothing to worry about in that regard.”
Oh, fair enough. Guess she is a high-ranking goddess, and one of God Almighty’s beneficiaries to boot. That’s a little reassuring.
I asked for a little more detail and she mentioned stuff about time spirits repairing anything out of order, but I didn’t fully understand. Either way, Allis’ presence and us knowing about her being from the future wasn’t enough to change it. Apparently, Granny Tokie would ensure that nothing would stray from its course. She’d ensure the world would converge no matter what. Kind of an ominous power, all things considered...
“I suppose that means Allis’ arrival in the past is already confirmation enough that she’ll return safely to the future...” Leen quietly pondered to herself.
I remembered that Doc Babylon’s artifact didn’t let you gaze into fully established futures, however... It made sense that something traveling back would make things more concrete, though... Plus, well... we had a literal goddess working with us. Expecting complete sense out of something like that seemed unreasonable.
I wondered if Tokie considered this interference on her part, so she was committed to not have it change anything.
“Hey, Granny! How long are we gonna have Allis here?” Sue leaned back against the couch and raised a brow toward Granny Tokie as she asked that question.
Hm... It’s true that she’s supposedly gonna return safely. But even if she’ll only be gone for a few minutes in the future, what if she ends up staying here for a year or longer? It’d be bad if she stayed long enough to see her own birth!
“Oh, well... I will need to wait for the timequake to subside, dears. It shouldn’t be much longer than a few months though, I’m sure. I’ll be sure to send her safely on her way once the time is right.”
“Er... I’ve actually been wondering something...” Hilde tentatively raised her hand.
Hm? What’s on her mind?
“Earlier you said... children? When you were talking about being caught in this timequake... could you perhaps have meant...”
“Oh, yes! Of course! Apologies, I didn’t quite explain that. I can’t believe I forgot something so important!” Granny Tokie clapped her hands together and gave a light chuckle after saying that.
Uh? What?
“Allis wasn’t the only one caught in the timequake! All of your children were as well. I’m sure they’ll pop up in this era sooner or later.”
A resounding “What?” rang out through the room. I was in perfect synchronization with my wives on that front.
My mind went blank. I could barely even process what I’d just heard. It was probably the same for the others too. It was as if time itself had stood still. I couldn’t move a muscle.
...She didn’t freeze time, did she? No... I... I can still think.
Our confusion gradually reached a crescendo. Then, the screaming began.
“WHAAAAAAT?! G-GRANDMOTHER, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!”
“K-KIDS?! M-MINE, TOO?!”
“A-AH! D-DON’T FAINT, SIS! H-HEY!”
“A CHILD OF MINE MIGHT BE HERE, THEY MIGHT?! WHATEVER COULD THIS MEAN?!”
“M-MINE AND TOUYA’S...?!”
“G-G-GRANNY, REALLY? IS THAT TRUE?”
“What an astonishing situation... But really... my child with my darling? Could they be here already?”
“I-I’m not ready to be a mother yet! I-I’m not!”
“Th-This is much too soon! Far too soon!”
Everyone was in a panic. I was too struck by shock to say a thing. I couldn’t even get a word in edgewise.
“Er... When did this happen? Did they all come together?”
“When they’ll appear depends on where they were in relation to the timequake’s epicenter. Allis happened to be the closest, that’s all. If your children were close to one another, they may appear as a group.”
“Th-This could be a disaster, couldn’t it?! What if the children end up somewhere dangerous?!”
Granny Tokie gently squeezed Lu’s shoulder to ease her anxiety.
“Allis and most of your children are gold and silver-ranked adventurers. They’ve slain many Behemoths without any special equipment, even. I wouldn’t worry.”
A resounding “What?” rang out through the room. Once again, I was in perfect synchronization with my wives on that front.
Gold and silver-ranks, seriously? And they’ve killed Behemoths? I had to use a Frame Gear the first time I duked it out with one... My kids aren’t gonna surpass me that much, are they?
“G-Grandmother Tokie! Is my child silver or gold?”
“U-Uhm, how old is mine?!”
“How’s my child’s swordsmanship?!”
“Now now, settle down. You don’t want me spoiling the surprise, do you? I’m sure you can learn things from them yourselves when the time is right. I’ll make sure Allis doesn’t go running her mouth, either.”
All of my wives let out small, sad sighs upon hearing that.
But seriously, what?! We’re skipping pregnancies and childbirth and going straight to meeting them, huh?
“Sorry, Ende. But your problems seem pretty goddamn small right now! Oh man...” I quietly opened up a search engine and typed in “how to deal with children.”
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