Chapter 226: Chapter 226 - Plans and Agreements
Juno was pacing back and forth in the hall of her divine temple, muttering inaudible things to herself.
The three girls who followed her had already gotten used to this new environment. It was a long shot from the experience they had in the centuries prior to Juno’s trip to challenge that dragon. And yet, they got used to it.
Humans are the race with the highest adaptive skills among all the living sentient races of the universe. And those three, although now divine beings, are human in origin.
But having adapted to the new environment doesn’t mean being ok with it.
They are not ok with it.
"Master, please, share your burden with us."
"Yes, we want to ease your burden. We’re here to serve you and help you."
"Do you want a massage? Do you want me to kiss your feet?"
Flavia, Livia, and Claudia, the three angels who were born as humans in Earth’s Roman Empire and decided to follow their master to this world, were trying their best. And Juno knew that.
((And that’s one of the problems. Their best is still useless in a time like this. They can’t even see the matter at hand unless I point it out to them. Ugh.))
It seems that choosing your closest aides based on looks alone will end up biting your ass in the end, after all.
"The heroes are a complete letdown, you three are utter disappointments, the world’s balance is hanging by a thread, dragonkin keep pouring in, and that fucking dragon is following me. Did I forget something?"
Juno didn’t even notice that she was shouting at them as they cowered in fear.
"E-even the heroes, Master?"
"Yes. The ones I sent to Calem and Castro are at least doing their jobs. But the one who was to contain the Saint’s spread in the East is doing a grand amount of nothing. Instead, she seems to be actively working against me."
"If she turned against you, why not kill her? We could do it ourselves..."
Livia’s words made an impact on the goddess’ mood, as her frown melted into a smile.
"Yes... do that. So sad, she was an urchin who lived on the streets, and here we gave her everything... power, wealth, everything a person could ever want. And yet she dared to betray me."
The three, seeing the change in her mood, dared to stand up again. Yet she continued rambling, oblivious to the three.
"I was having a hard time finding out how to steer the power of the System to the heroes because of her betrayal. But if she is dead, I can do that. That’s a great idea. I’m such a genius..."
Livia was hoping to earn some words of praise. Hearing her Master praise herself instead - claiming Livia’s idea as her own - was a painful punch to her guts.
:::
On the far southwest, the fields bore witness to an unprecedented carnage.
Thousands upon thousands of humans and dragonkin lay slain on the ground. The biggest battle ever fought in the never-ending war had just happened, with a Pyrrhic victory for the humans.
Of the few human survivors, three were on a hill nearby, looking at the devastation.
"I don’t think anyone will want to live here for a long time after that battle."
"Fully agreed there, Jonas, this scene is too gruesome. Will this become like a place prowling with undead or something? What do you think, Urraca?"
"I think that it’s possible, Nakata. Undead aren’t prone to happen when people are properly buried with the correct rituals. But all those bodies there... I doubt that we would be able to perform the proper funerals in time, even if we had the manpower."
"And manpower is..."
"Yeah."
Yumegami Nakata interrupted her comment about lack of manpower in the middle, but still Urraca agreed. Words weren’t needed regarding that, as both knew that the continuing warfare had been exhausting the reserves of their army.
The number of dead bodies, counting both humans and dragonkin, easily surpassed a hundred thousand. And the funerary rites that can prevent the spawning of undead are individual.
"Our army is in tatters, but at least we managed to shatter the core of their own army as well. We stopped their advance over the capital and decimated them. They’ll have no choice but to fall back and reorganize."
When Jonas was talking about ’the capital,’ he meant the capital of Calem, Portus, obviously. That’s the country he’s the Hero of.
"We should put up the pressure and force them out of our territories altogether. Though I don’t know if we are capable of doing that."
"Urraca... our army can’t, but we can. I still have a lot of fight in me."
"You’re right, Nakata. I wouldn’t want to further endanger human lives. The three of us will be enough to lay waste upon their lines."
And that’s how the three of them went alone, without talking to anyone, to try to turn the tides of this war once more in Humanity’s favor.
:::
In the space right outside the stellar system, an ancient dragon stopped.
He had already locked in the planet where the oathbreaker lived, but a woman had just come from that same planet to talk to him.
"I warn you, ape. If you stay in my way, I’ll kill you."
"I intend not to stay in your way, noble dragon. I merely ask for a moment of your time. Would you allow me to ask you some questions?"
Lily bowed as she talked, speaking while still keeping her head lowered.
Despite his anger, Nurtawalladi Za Nadin Zeru’ibni Ere is still a royal among his race. He knows better than to scorn a show of proper etiquette. Thus, he nodded approvingly.
"I am Nurtawalladi Za Nadin Zeru’ibni Ere, dragon god of rulership. I thereby approve your inquiry."
"Thank you, noble Nurtawalladi. I am Lillian Annes, also known as Saint Lily, goddess of compassion. I humbly ask you what your intentions are with my world, that planet you’re going to."
The dragon god bit back his anger, for this goddess was showing him the proper respect that would be expected from a primate. Instead, his voice softened as she answered her query.
"I see. I seek to exact punishment over a certain goddess who came to my resting place to challenge me, only to turn tail and flee, scorning the sacred traditions of the dragons."
Through all this conversation, Lily didn’t raise her head, maintaining the subservient posture. She knew that the way to a dragon’s heart lay in observance of all the old rules. And in showing deference to them.
"I have no goal with the world itself, even though I have once governed it. Nor do I intend to attack any other person. Yet, I will slay any person who dares to stand by her side."
"I understand, mighty Nurtawalladi Za Nadin Zeru’ibni Ere. You are definitely right to enact punishment on such an unworthy goddess. She has broken too many rules. Yet, I am afraid that your incredible power might tear apart the delicate balance of the world, rendering it uninhabitable."
"Delicate balance? Umm, I see... the world has a weird mana signature. But I thought that it was the natural state of a world with humans. What is the matter?"
"That goddess is sucking the planet’s mana into a System, to give power to humanity while maintaining a perpetual war with the dragonkin. It’s draining the whole planet dry. I’ve been fighting it, but it’s been less than a year since I became a goddess, so she still has the upper hand."
That revelation surprised the dragon god, enticing his anger back again. Yet, he still controlled it.
"Draining the planet’s energy to empower one race against others... that is outrageous! Unacceptable! She must be punished at once!"
Despite his harsh words, he was still reining in the depth of his rage.
"But I understand now what you said. If the environment is hanging on a delicate balance, I might end up destroying it along with the goddess. I took the time to go to the seat of my power to don my regalia before coming."
Though at first sight he looks like a normal dragon, a closer look reveals the rings on his fingers, the earring-like objects on his horns, and the painting on his wings.
But his strongest asset wasn’t visible even with that closer look. He has put his heart inside his body for the first time since he decided to retire. His true heart, the one that holds his godliness.
"And yet, I have no authority to intervene in your war, Saint Lily. You are aware of the laws of gods, I presume."
"I am, mighty Nurtawalladi Za Nadin Zeru’ibni Ere. I know that I can’t ask for your assistance in this conflict. I want to revive the world, creating a place where dragonkind and mankind are able to coexist in peace."
"A noble goal. And you’re saying that if I destroy the world, even without intending it, the result would shatter that dream. I see..."