episode_0107

“It was fun.”

“…What?”

Thinking I might have misheard, I replied with an irritated tone, but the lunatic god continued to laugh cheerfully like a mischievous child, repeating the same words.

“It was fun! Do you know how entertaining it was to see you struggle desperately to survive? Hosting a hostage drama! Drafting a slave contract to torment your younger brother! Kick… Such a delightful time may never come again!”

“You, you…”

“Why did it have to be you? And why did you possess the body of ‘Beatrice’? Because I was bored! Tired of tormenting my brother, tired of receiving praise! Even the future I glimpsed out of boredom was unbearably dull!”

As if bursting like a flood, in a frenzy of madness, I unconsciously took a step back.

Didn’t they say that incomprehensible madness induces fear?

The fear grew larger than anger, causing me to retreat, and Agathon followed as if pursuing me.

“I was curious! How can someone who doesn’t enjoy this boring content change the future! Overcoming the destined fate, reaching a different conclusion! But you see…!”

Clap clap clap!

Applauding vigorously, the lunatic god exclaimed in ecstasy.

“Ah… You’ve made me so happy in ways I didn’t expect! So, I tweaked each episode little by little to see how far I could go! Hehehehe!”

“But you haven’t disappointed my expectations at all! On the contrary! You succeeded so gloriously, making me even more excited! Ahh…! To feel this ecstatic! To be this joyful! To be this happy!!!”

“I want to thank the reader who relieved my boredom! But… I won’t apologize. You don’t apologize to a toy for breaking it, do you?”

…This is insane.

I thought from the beginning that they weren’t in their right mind, but this was a lunatic I couldn’t possibly handle.

Could there really be someone crazier than Lorian? No, perhaps it’s natural, considering that Lorian worships this god.

Just as the lunatic cannot understand the thoughts and emotions of the culprit, likewise, the culprit cannot comprehend the thoughts and emotions of the lunatic.

I chuckled ruefully, mocking myself.

“If you bang your head against a criminal’s mouth and get bitten, it’s the fault of the one who banged their head.”

Giving the lunatic the benefit of the doubt was clearly my mistake.

Revenge for all the trouble?

Frustrated by that lunatic sight, my vengeful spirit dissipated without vigor.

“Just… Let’s never meet again.”

That should suffice.

Avoid entangling with such a lunatic and simply live happily.

I recalled the dream I had envisioned since the beginning of the possession.

“If you bother me again or appear before me, I will kill you by any means necessary. Remember that.”

“Hehehe…! Are you already looking forward to it? Please, don’t disappoint my expectations.”

“…”

Knock knock knock.

Upon hearing Agathon’s response, I immediately knocked on the prison door.

Who would want to keep conversing with a lunatic?

I no longer wanted to stay here.

I wanted to go outside the prison and just rest in the comforting embrace of the sword.

Creak…

After waiting briefly, the old high priest promptly opened the prison door, as if he had been waiting.

“The story… judging by your expression, it doesn’t seem to have ended well.”

“I’ve achieved my goal, so it’s fine. Thanks for helping me at this late hour.”

“After saving the crisis-stricken nation, I should do at least this much. Have a good night.”

“You too, have a good night.”

With the high priest’s assistance, I escaped outside the prison and headed towards the shabby inn where the sword guy would be waiting.

Thud thud.

“Sigh…”

Moving forward, I let out a long sigh.

It’s already tough on my body, and mixing with a lunatic has even worn out my mind.

I didn’t expect to receive an apology… I never thought there could be a bottom even beneath the bottom.

“…It’s hard.”

Lost in deep exhaustion, I absentmindedly walked and suddenly arrived at an inn.

Heading to the assigned room, unsurprisingly, my beloved lover was waiting there.

I embraced him without saying a word, silencing his lips with mine.

“Viche, if you’re hurting, where… are you hiding it?”

“Don’t ask anything, just hold me. Let me shake off these gloomy thoughts.”

“…As you wish, milady.”

Embracing me, he teased playfully and enveloped me.

Thus, a stickier, more tender night began than the previous one.

—–

Meanwhile, inside the witch’s departed prison.

With remnants of madness lingering, Agathon, borrowing Lorian’s body, was joyfully laughing.

“Aren’t you just adorable, Lorian? Coming to pick a fight and then running away in a flash… Oh, if only I could bite you.”

“Forget about that and return my body now, will you? Wait a bit longer. There’s still one more guest to come.”

“I should start heading back to my original place too, right? Our union was just a momentary amusement? If it had succeeded, maybe, but since it failed, there’s even less reason to stay here. Isn’t that so?”

Agathon muttering as if conversing with someone.

Shortly after, a bright light started shining in front of her, revealing a blonde angel.

“Archangel Sandalphon, I greet the goddess.”

“Oh, you’ve finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for you. Please, separate me from this body?”

Smiling brightly, she made her request.

However, Sandalphon, with emotionless eyes, simply gazed at Agathon, taking no action.

Perplexed by Sandalphon’s reaction, Agathon looked at him with questioning eyes, tilting her head.

“…Sandalphon? Is this disobedience to orders? Do you not know that rebellion is a serious offense?”

“I know better than anyone else; I have personally judged sinners.”

“Why would someone like you be acting this way… Oh, could it be a rebellion?”

“…”

With Sandalphon offering no response, Agathon chuckled as if he had seen through something.

Though there were signs, he didn’t expect to rise immediately upon vacating his seat.

Did I really hit the mark with that one?

However, sly rabbits know how to dig three burrows.

Agathon, who still had a way out, casually threw a question towards the angel in front of him.

“Seeing you rise without hesitation like this, it seems like you’ve accumulated quite a bit of stress, doesn’t it?”

“…Oh goddess, everything that has happened is because of you. Do you have any idea how much we suffered to clean up the mess caused by your reckless pursuit of pleasure?”

“Hmm, is that so? No one seemed to be suffering much since no one said anything.”

“Hah.”

Upon the irresponsible goddess’s response, Sandalphon felt extreme disappointment.

He had expected at least an apology for the suffering they endured.

How could she focus only on her pleasure even after hearing those emotional words?

If there was even a hint of remorse or reflection, he would have tried to help her return to the divine realm, always being on her side.

But his thoughts changed.

Even if it took decades, even if it took centuries, this woman would not even have a hint of regret.

Was there a need to show mercy to such a being?

After pondering, Sandalphon finally spoke up while observing Agathon maintaining his arrogant attitude.

“Recently, you’ve been pulling souls from other dimensions here, haven’t you?”

“That’s right! Thanks to that, how much joy did I experience! That beautiful soul striving to live…”

“In that dimension, there have been multiple attempts to contact you. If you don’t return it, who knows what might happen. I’ve suggested it before… but you didn’t even listen.”

Wasn’t it said that you could just play a little more and then return it?

Recalling the bewildering response from that time, Sandalphon spoke.

“Because you didn’t return the soul, the transcendent being from that dimension eventually visited the divine realm. The cherubim tried to stop him, but they all ended up kneeling before his overwhelming power.”

It was an absurd sight to think about again.

To incapacitate all the cherubim with just one blow, what kind of power had he gained?

Suppressing the creeping fear deep in his heart, he took out an amulet from his bosom.

“That transcendent being said, ‘We pity you, so we’ll wait a little longer considering you might face consequences. If you make up your mind, call for yourself.’”

“What does that mean…?”

“To be honest, if you had apologized for neglecting your duties all this time and said ‘thank you’ for your hard work, all the cherubim would have forgiven you.”

Crack!

“Oh goddess, you are still only chasing pleasure. Having deemed it hopeless, I will now begin the judgment.”

As the torn amulet fell to the ground, a man covered in golden fur emerged within the prison, where flames suddenly ignited all over his body.

Seemingly having engaged in intense exercise, his body was drenched in sweat.

With a stern face, the muscular man briefly surveyed his surroundings, then spotted Agathon and flashed a menacing smile.

“Ah, is this the one? The woman who recklessly stole souls from another dimension?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Man, what on earth did you do to make this kind-hearted fool betray us all? You’re quite something too!”

Destroying all restraints binding Lorian, the muscular man grabbed her by the hair.

Realizing something had gone terribly wrong, Agathon hurriedly tried to explain why she needed to return to the divine realm, but—

“S-Sandalphon! Do you think a world without gods will function properly? Surely destruction will come swiftly…”

“For thousands of years, there hasn’t been any issue, so it should be fine. And a successor to your position has already been prepared.”

“W-who is that…”

“The witch, Beatrice. With your help, she reached the pinnacle of magic and ascended to divinity. Surely you’re not unaware of this as well.”

As if there were no other choice, Sandalphon entrusted Lorian to the muscular man, nodding his head towards him.

This can’t be happening.

I can’t be taken like this…!

Struggling and resisting in a pitiful manner, the goddess was knocked unconscious by the muscular man, seeming annoyed, and carried away.

“Am I taking her? Any objections?”

“None. Please take care of her.”

And so, as the muscular man disappeared with Agathon, Sandalphon blankly gazed at the spot where she had been.

“…May the new person we receive be a normal one.”

After fervently praying, Sandalphon also concealed himself within the prison.

The empty prison was devoid of all beings.

Only the cold air circulated around.