Ch.313313. The Woman Who Returned

“Inevitable existence.”

By this point.

He.

Or more precisely, I could understand why the gods had come looking for me.

The complete opposite of before.

I was no longer a being who blocked and twisted fate, but one who stood at its center.

“So, the protagonist who leads destiny.”

For them, it meant I had become the most necessary human.

Bellas placed his hand on his chest.

It was meant to be a noble courtesy, but frivolity leaked from every gesture.

Slowly bowing his head, Bellas declared to me in a whisper.

“Our freedom.”

“You speak quite presumptuously.”

I didn’t hide my displeasure, but Bellas continued speaking with his head still bowed.

“I hope your story has a beautiful ending. And I believe without doubt that its conclusion will be our freedom.”

As he slowly raised his head, his eyes were filled with greed. But it wasn’t for wealth or carnal desires.

It was greed for the dream of freedom.

“You’ve twisted various fates, causing the end to come faster. A story that would have taken 5 years has been shortened to just about 2 years.”

“……”

“The ending of the story must have changed in many ways too. Even we don’t know what choice you’ll make at the end.”

The protagonist had changed, and the content had been altered.

“O great one.”

With a slight smile, Bellas showered me with praise. Adulation from a god wasn’t particularly welcome.

“You who are humanity’s grave and the gods’ freedom.”

“……”

“We will watch your end with bated breath.”

Slowly.

Bellas’s divine form began to disappear. There were many things I wanted to say, but they merely surfaced in my thoughts before sinking again.

In the end, to put it simply.

The end of the story was approaching.

And the choice had been placed in my hands.

It meant that the fate of the continent rested with me, a stranger who had arrived from elsewhere.

But for now.

“I’m tired.”

I wanted to rest a little.

* * *

“Phew.”

Returning to my private chamber in the royal palace, I lay down on the bed without even changing my clothes.

Although it was only evening, I wanted to lie down for a while due to fatigue.

‘I see now it wasn’t just because of the drugs.’

I realized that the reason for this sudden fatigue and my body’s collapse was because I had taken on the destiny of a hero.

I was growing stronger at such a steep rate that it could be called a dramatic transformation, and my body, already damaged by drugs, couldn’t keep up.

By the way, Pelestan had followed me back to the palace and was now imprisoned.

Like Luanes, it was his own choice to take responsibility and accept punishment, which I respected.

Press, press.

A soft pressure on my thighs.

It was Stella’s massage, which I had become somewhat accustomed to by now.

Without me saying anything, she was diligently massaging me, concerned about my fatigue.

[It would have been better if we had oil and fragrance.]

Stella lamented.

[Using those would help your body relax more smoothly and ease your mind too.]

At her words, I suddenly remembered the items I had received from Lucia before.

“Would you look in the dressing table drawer?”

[Huh?]

Stella opened the drawer by the dressing table and brought out a small pouch engraved with the temple’s emblem.

Inside were fragrance and oil used for massages.

[…These are top quality.]

“It wouldn’t be bad to use them when we get the chance. They’re just taking up space.”

I put it off for later as I didn’t want to do anything too elaborate right now.

But Stella made a subtle expression while looking at the temple pouch.

[Why do you have these anyway?]

“Lucia gave them to me. She said I looked very tired and should use them.”

[Did she offer to do it herself?]

“……”

Stella returned the oil and fragrance to their place and resumed the massage. It was a bit more forceful than before, slightly painful.

[Should I not do this?]

“I told her I was fine too.”

[But that’s different. Lucia is off-limits.]

“……”

[If you compare a dead Saintess with a living one, obviously the living one is better.]

I glanced down at Stella, who continued massaging with puffed cheeks. Seeing her expression somehow made me feel like my accumulated fatigue was dissipating.

“You misunderstand something.”

I also didn’t want her to have the wrong idea.

“I’m not with you because you’re a Saintess.”

[……]

“I’m with you because you’re Stella.”

At my words, Stella’s hands relaxed slightly. Her cheeks deflated as an unmistakable smile kept peeking through.

Then, as if finishing the massage, she slowly moved closer to me and asked.

[Can I brag about what you just said to my senior?]

“…Don’t.”

[Why not? Please?]

She naturally lay down beside me and began whispering in my ear.

A pleasant warmth began to spread through my body.

The warmth from the goddess of hearth and fire spread throughout my body, releasing the tension.

[Sleep well.]

With a gentle pat on my head, I slowly closed my eyes.

* * *

“Mmm.”

As I slowly opened my eyes, it was dark around me. Even through the window, darkness was seeping in, making it difficult to see my surroundings.

But I could feel a heavy weight on both my arms.

‘Stella and the Dark Spiritmaster?’

Stella, who had attained divine status.

The Dark Spiritmaster, who had become an inevitable existence after Luanes.

They were no longer mere souls.

Especially considering I could feel their weight like this.

“Dark Spiritmaster, Stella. Get off.”

When you wake up, your body doesn’t respond properly. I asked them to move, but something felt different.

As I became more alert, I realized it was too heavy to be the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella.

Like real humans.

“Well.”

A familiar voice from my right made me flinch momentarily.

It was close to a sigh, but I could clearly feel how displeased she was.

“Are you used to sleeping with women on both sides? Even calling them by different names?”

“……”

“Hmm? Master.”

In the darkness, blood-red eyes glowed faintly, glaring at me.

It was Findenai.

“Then on the other side……”

Turning my head slightly, there was a black-haired woman curled up asleep.

It was Deia Verdi, who should have been in Norsweden.

Unlike Findenai, she seemed to be genuinely asleep, breathing softly.

It would take some time to understand why they were here like this.

But Findenai didn’t give me time to think about it.

“Hmm? Master. You’re determined to make me angry after meeting again after so long? I said I’d try to tolerate you being with other women, but you’ve become a womanizer?”

Apparently quite angry about ruining the reunion she had been waiting for, her hand resting on my chest began to move like a spider.

“I need to check.”

Crawling across my chest, poking my navel, reaching my belt.

Click, click.

Her skill at undoing a belt with one hand was quite impressive. Perhaps she deserved a competition.

“That’s enough.”

I tried to twist away, but my strength wouldn’t come properly.

Just as I felt her hand trying to enter my pants, I was about to summon mana to blast her away, but.

“That’s enough, isn’t it?”

A cold hand from the opposite side grabbed Findenai’s wrist.

Deia, now awake, glared at Findenai with murderous intent.

So she was awake.

Her pretense of sleeping was masterful.

“Like brother and sister, even your words are similar.”

“Shut up.”

The two immediately began bickering. Deia tried to push Findenai away with her foot, but Findenai withstood it contemptuously.

The important thing was that they were fighting with me caught in the middle, which was uncomfortable.

“Before I use magic to throw you both out the window, get off.”

Only after I seriously gathered mana and warned them did they finally get up from the bed.

Findenai turned on the light, illuminating the room.

I hadn’t noticed in the darkness, but Stella and the Dark Spiritmaster were sitting on the guest sofa, resting their chins on their hands and glaring in my direction.

[Looks like the horndog is in heat.]

[……]

The Dark Spiritmaster called me by a strange name while Stella glared coldly.

I pretended not to see them and turned my attention to Findenai and Deia.

“You came quickly.”

“Ah, of course I did. My master might have gotten himself into trouble again and needed me.”

Though she spoke playfully, I could feel her sincerity. Especially since she would have known I was fighting with the guild over drugs.

Feeling bad for making her worry, I smiled gently and replied.

“I only issued a declaration of war. I was ripening the fruit until you returned.”

I had deliberately waited for Findenai to return so she could take the lead.

Pleased, she grinned.

“Well done. My master is weak, so it’s dangerous without me around.”

Though not incorrect, I didn’t want to respond, so I turned my gaze to Deia.

Without me even asking, she began explaining defensively.

“I-I’m not staying long, so I just said I’d share a room with you. The bed was wide and I was tired, so I just lay down and fell asleep!”

“I didn’t say anything. Don’t be so defensive.”

“You son of a—”

Deia started to curse but quickly swallowed her words. She sighed and got to the point.

“I brought evidence that the drug manufacturers in the Republic of Clark were in cahoots with the Wellingson Guild. I also brought witnesses.”

“……”

“If Findenai came alone, she wouldn’t be able to explain things properly to you.”

This, too, wasn’t wrong.

If it had been just Findenai, she would have given a rough explanation and then gone off to smoke.

“The Wellingson side probably cleaned things up well, but people who do illegal business rarely completely incinerate their ledgers. They usually keep them hidden as a last resort, either to die together or to sell out their business partners.”

Deia shrugged her shoulders.

She looked eager to storm into the Wellingson Guild and present the evidence she had brought.

“They played with Illuania and Sevia, so we need to kill them properly.”

“Yes, well done.”

Various issues lay before me.

Even if the Dark Spiritmaster situation was mostly resolved.

The Wellingson Guild matter remained unsettled. And the religious circles entangled with them were also troublesome.

And then a god had visited me, entrusting their freedom and fate to me before departing.

Though complex, I could sort through them one by one.

Let’s set priorities.

“Findenai.”

What needed to be done right now.

“Contact Professor Per.”

“Huh?”

“I need a prosthetic.”

It was time to meet Aria Rius, who was probably playing with Elenoa.