CHAPTER 37

A New Friend

Seiya doesn’t flat-out tell me no, nor does he casually say okay. He simply turns and stares at me. A cold sweat runs down my back as he looks at me with eyes void of all emotion.

Just say something! Anything! This is making me way too uncomfortable!

All of a sudden, Kiriko, who has been hiding behind me, takes a step forward.

“P-please…! I beg of you! I promise I won’t get in the way! I—I want to join you on your journey…and one day grow up to be an amazing woman like Rista!”

“Kiri…!”

Kiriko is faintly trembling. She already understands all too well how frightening Seiya can be, and yet, she mustered up the courage to speak even though she’s a Killing Machine with the soul of a little girl. Seeing her like this solidifies my resolve.

Heh-heh-heh! There’s no way I can hold back after seeing that… Very well! I’ve got no other choice! I’m going to get on the ground and bow so hard that the friction between my forehead and the ground causes sparks! I call it Ristarte’s Ultimate Groveling Technique!

“Seiyaaa! I beg of you!! Pl—”

But the instant I get down on all fours…

“…Sure.”

Time stops the moment Seiya answers, and it takes a few moments for me to process what just happened.

“Whaaaaaat?! I don’t have to beg?! But you were so against Elulu and Mash coming with us when we were in Gaeabrande!”

“Because they were people. She’s a monster, so I don’t have to worry about when and where she might die.”

I’m taken aback by his heartless reasoning, but Kiriko jumps up and down, blissfully waving her arms.

“I’m so happy! I will do everything I can to be useful!”

“You can start by carrying my stuff.”

“Okay! My pleasure!”

Kiriko cheerfully takes Seiya’s bag. Staring at the Hero’s bored-looking expression, I think:

…When all is said and done, Seiya probably understands Kiriko’s situation. Who knows what would happen to her if we weren’t around to take care of her? I’m sure that’s why Seiya decided to bring her with us—well, I’m actually not positive that’s why, but that’s what I want to believe.

Jonde, who watched the exchange from the side, eventually walks over.

“What are you going to do now? Are you going to fight the Vengeful Empress Celemonic in the south?”

But Seiya shakes his head.

“No, there’s something I want to do even before that.”

“And what is that?”

I decide to speak up in Seiya’s place.

“Seiya plans on going to the spirit world to train.”

“What?! At a time like this?! U-usually, you w—”

I lightly pat Jonde on the shoulder before he gets too worked up.

“Come on, Jonde. We’ve done this bit enough already, and to be honest, I’m sick of it.”

“What do you mean, you’re ‘sick of it’?! What’s a ‘bit’?!”

“Anyway, we’re going to the spirit world, but we’ll be back soon, okay?”

I open a gate to the spirit world, but Jonde promptly stands in our way before we can go through it.

“Don’t worry. It won’t take long. We’ll be back in an hour.”

“…It’s not that.”

Jonde wears a serious expression.

“Surely there is a god who can help me ascend to the heavens in an instant. Would it be too much to ask to bring me with you?”

“What? Come on, Jonde. You’re fine the way you are.”

“There is nothing fine about this! I am tired of being half-dead, dreading the day I finally lose my humanity!”

It’s my fault for being too weak to help him ascend. Plus, after seeing him so serious like this, I…

“Okay.”

I have no choice but to bring him with us. After walking through the gate, we find ourselves in the unified spirit world’s plaza. Contrary to the dismal atmosphere of Ixphoria, the spirit world is clean and refreshing.

“So, Jonde, Kiri, what do you think? Pretty amazing, huh?”

But when I look back, Kiriko is holding her head while Jonde is wearing a somewhat pained expression.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel so good!”

“Me either!”

Oh no! Is the divine energy of the spirit world hurting them?!

While they may bear no ill will, that doesn’t change the fact that they’re monsters. It looks like my assumptions are correct…which means there’s only one way to settle this.

“Follow me!”

I take Kiriko’s hand and begin to dash off.

After taking their seats at Café du Cerceus, Kiriko and Jonde both look up at the owner, Cerceus, with joy.

“I feel so much better now! I don’t feel any divine energy coming from this person!”

“Yes, it is rather comforting! It feels no different from standing next to a normal human.”

“…?! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Cerceus is fuming, but I’m just glad I was right. There is almost no divine energy here. I gleefully smile at Cerceus, who doesn’t give off any divine energy despite being a god.

“Hey, he said the café was ‘comforting’! Shouldn’t that make you happy as the owner?”

“No! Besides, that’s not what he meant when he said that! Anyway, Rista, I hope you know you don’t give off any divine energy, either!”

“Huh?!”

Kiriko nods a few times.

“Yeah, I never feel sick when I’m around Rista.”

“S-say it ain’t so, Kiriko!!”

The moment I yell, Kiriko and Jonde cover their faces and let out anguished groans like they are staring directly into the sun.

“Don’t let it bother you. Not much time has passed since both you and Cerceus were reincarnated as deities.”

I turn around at the sound of the familiar voice to find Aria standing behind us.

Apparently, Jonde and Kiriko couldn’t directly look at her because of her blinding divine energy.

O-oh, Cerceus and I don’t have much divine energy, since we were humans in a past life. But still…I don’t like being on the same level as Cerceus…

Kiriko notices that I’m somewhat depressed, so she tries to cheer me up.

“But I’m so happy, and I have so much fun with you, Rista!”

“Kiri…!”

Feeling the love, I wrap my arms around Kiriko and hug her as Jonde talks to Aria. He probably realized that Aria is a high-ranking goddess due to her brimming divine energy.

“As I am sure you are well aware, I am undead, and I am actually looking for a deity to send me off into the heavens… Would you be able to help me?”

Aria apologetically shakes her head.

“Powerful healing magic or holy magic is necessary to send off undead. However, Rista’s true healing capabilities have been sealed, and the God of Light is currently saving another parallel world, so he isn’t here.”

Naturally, other gods in the spirit world summon heroes to save other parallel worlds as well, and unfortunately, the God of Light is one of them.

As Jonde frowns in silence, Aria sends him a smile.

“Maybe you’re better off not rushing anyway.”

“But when I think about how I’ll one day lose my humanity…”

“Your brain still hasn’t been affected as far as I can see. You should be okay for another few years at least. I guarantee it.”

“R-really?!”

Jonde breaks into a smile the moment he hears those words.

“That’s wonderful, Jonde!”

“Y-yeah, it is! Now I can focus on rebuilding Termine!”

It would probably make Queen Carmilla happy to have Jonde by her side as well. And if the queen’s happy, I’m happy.

“Then that settles it! Jonde, Kiri, just sit back and relax at Cerceus’s café until Seiya’s done training, okay?”

Both Kiriko and Jonde seem fine with that, but Cerceus complains:

“Hey, don’t make decisions for me. Why do I have to babysit these monsters? I’m busy managing this entire café myself, you know?”

The café seems even quieter than usual today to me—not even Adenela’s here—but I keep that thought to myself and propose:

“How about having Kiri and Jonde help out, then?”

“‘Help out’? They’re monsters.”

“Oh my. You haven’t heard? Cute monsters from parallel worlds are all everyone’s talking about lately. A lot of heroes are even neglecting their missions to cuddle with them!”

“I could see that. A cute, fluffy monster could even be the café’s mascot. However…”

Cerceus trembles as he points at Kiriko and Jonde.

“Look at them! That one’s a giant hunk of metal, and that one’s a disgustingly muscular undead! Those are the exact opposites of fluffy and cuddly!”

All of a sudden, Seiya, who has been quiet this entire time, turns a stern gaze at Cerceus.

“Cerceus, I’m busy. Stop whining and look after them. Now.”

“B-but…while I respect you and wish I could help, this is just…”

Cerceus must really not want to do this, seeing as how he’s standing up to Seiya for a change. Seiya thereupon lightly taps his foot on the ground with an annoyed look on his face. The dirt under his foot slightly bulges.

“Fine. I’ll throw in a bomb boulder, too.”

A bomb boulder suddenly emerges from the ground with an eerie smirk. Cerceus cries:

“Not only is that not fluffy, but that’s literally just a rock! And I’m going to go out on a limb and guess from its name, but that thing can explode, right?!”

“Yes, Cerceus, it can. It’s your choice: Take care of them or go with the explosion.”

“You’re threatening me now?! You never change! You’re sick!”

After being threatened, Cerceus reluctantly agrees to look after Jonde and Kiriko. Once that’s taken care of, Seiya is finally able to get down to business.

“Aria, I need to start training for my next enemy.”

“Okay. I can introduce you if it’s a deity I know, but…”

Aria suddenly falls silent for a few moments before looking my way and smiling.

“Before any of that, Rista, Great Goddess Ishtar said she wanted to see you. She’ll be waiting for you in the sanctuary.”

…After leaving Seiya in Aria’s hands, I walk through the sanctuary alone until I reach Ishtar’s room. I then knock on the door and let myself in. As always, the clairvoyant great goddess is perched in her usual chair with a gentle smile on her face.

“It looks like Seiya Ryuuguuin was able to defeat not only the Beast Emperor Grandleon but the Machine Emperor Oxerio as well.”

She already knew, before I even told her.

“Y-yeah! Th-things weren’t looking so good for a short while there, but it turned out to be an act, and Seiya ended up crushing Oxerio!”

After I enthusiastically ramble on, Ishtar cheerfully lets out a laugh.

“Oh-ho-ho. He defeated Grandleon in direct combat, yes? The Beast Emperor’s stats exceeded even those of the Demon Lord’s attributes from last year. There is perhaps no enemy left in Ixphoria who can defeat the Hero.”

I’m struck with astonishment the moment I hear that. While it’s obvious with a little rational thought, I didn’t even realize it until now! There was no reason to be worried about the machine corps! Seiya already defeated Grandleon, which means he’s already more than ready to defeat the Demon Lord!

“Seiya Ryuuguuin has far exceeded human limitations.”

Ishtar brilliantly smiles. It almost feels like I’m being complimented, too, which naturally makes my lips curl.

“He is truly one of the strongest among the numerous heroes out there.”

“…Hmm?”

There was something off-putting about how she worded that, so I timidly ask:

“W-wait… So there’s a Hero who’s stronger than Seiya?”

“The unified spirit world has a long, rich history. There have been Heroes stronger than Seiya Ryuuguuin. However, simply being strong isn’t everything…”

Both Aria and Adenela, who have had much more goddess experience than I, have unanimously agreed that there was never and will never be a Hero like Seiya.

And yet, there have been Heroes even stronger?!

Personally, I’m starving for details, but…

“But we can talk about that some other time.”

Ishtar casually changes the subject.

“The mist that swallows Ixphoria has considerably cleared up after the fall of two powerful foes—Grandleon and Oxerio. Therefore, there is something I need to tell you. You are aware there are evil spirits who can grant dark power, similar to how we deities grant Heroes our blessings in the spirit world, yes?”

“Are you talking about demons?”

“Yes. And just like with the deities of the spirit world, demons have rules they must follow as well. Just as we cannot directly kill the demon lords of parallel worlds, demons cannot directly attack Heroes, either.”

So just as we summon Heroes, support them, and indirectly defeat demon lords, demons can grant powers to demon lords in order to defeat the Heroes… I guess that means the demon in Ixphoria won’t be able to directly attack Seiya.

“Please be careful. The demon hiding in Ixphoria is very likely terrifyingly powerful, seeing as I cannot use my foresight or clairvoyance. In addition…I honestly cannot even imagine how the Demon Lord Ultimaeus might have changed after receiving the Dark God’s Blessing.”

I shudder the instant I hear that not even Ishtar, who can see the near future, can imagine it.

“Rista, please let me know if you ever learn anything about that demon—even a name or some characteristic should suffice. We can prepare for them if we know who they are. Nevertheless…demons hardly ever introduce or show themselves, so I am sure it will be difficult…”

“O-okay, I’ll let you know if I figure anything out!”

“Thank you.”

Ishtar then quietly utters:

“Oh, one more thing… I sensed the presence of two monsters when you returned to the spirit world—a soldier turned undead and a machine with the spirit of a human.”

“Oh! I-I’m so sorry I brought monsters with me to the spirit world!”

Figuring she’s going to get mad at me, I promptly bow, but Ishtar quietly shakes her head.

“It isn’t an issue. I do not sense any malice from either of them.”

“Yeah, Kiri is an extremely sweet girl, and Jonde is a good guy for an undead… Oh! But he’s kind of a perv!”

“They say that even a meeting by chance is preordained. I believe that cherishing connections is important for both humans and deities.”

Yeah, and it sounds like Jonde really took care of me when I was a human, too. It’s as if fate mysteriously brought us back together…

As I deeply ponder fate, Ishtar picks up a ball of yarn off her desk and starts knitting.

“Please have a safe journey.”

“Thank you so much!”

I bow once more before I’m about to leave the room, and then…

“Ristarte.”

Ishtar suddenly stops me on my way out. But when I turn around, I’m shocked, for there is a trace of sorrow on her face for a change.

“Could you please tell Seiya Ryuuguuin to come see me alone?”

“Alone? Okay…I’ll tell him.”

I feel that there’s something odd about her request, but she puts on her usual kindhearted smile and begins knitting once again.