"Precisely. Despite their usefulness, they had to stand on my way in the end… Those kinds of occurrences are always a setback… And now, just when my plans are this close to fruition, and all I need is someone powerful enough--- You appear, with a high spirit affinity… You even managed to cross to their dimension. A simple 'advanced' affinity wouldn`t allow that, you must have a 'godly' affinity in the least. Am I correct to assume that?"
*Gulp* Her eyes are ice cold right now. I would like to take some time to appreciate her beauty, if only they were not directed at me… This must be the first time I got this scared since coming to this world, and I don`t even have to say how the things here were the scariest happenings of my life. And I say it with conviction, that that movie about the exorcist doesn`t even begin to compare to a hungry bear trying to eat your ass in reality… But right now, it isn`t just my mind. All of my instincts – and maybe even some instincts that are not my own – are telling me that I should be trembling in fear…
Despite my fear, I also noticed she just said I must have a godly affinity at 'least'. Which means there could be even higher tiers of power? I cannot even begin to imagine what an actual god would be capable of… So something even beyond that… I don't know, maybe these levels are just an exaggeration. Even though my status says 'godly' it doesn't necessarily mean it would be the same as an actual god. How are these classifications even measured?
But I digress, she`s expecting an answer and I can`t lie here.
"Y-yes, it says 'godly'…"
"And now, I have an important decision to make… You understand that as well, correct?"
It seems she's basically deciding whether I'll live or die… If I can`t convince her here, then I`m screwed.
I need to pull myself together and calmly reason with her.
"Then? Was your idea to simply come here and threaten me into joining you? To pick my head and analyze the likeability of me having 'dangerous ideas' in the future? The problem is, whatever the case, you'll only be able to infer an assumption. How could we possibly know what I'll be aiming for in the future when I don't even have any sort of information? I haven`t even met any demon yet to be able to know anything about them, how do you expect me to derive a conclusion then? How could I make such an important decision without knowing anything? I can`t even decide what kind of food to eat when I go to a shopping center! I--- well, I kind of just close my eyes and decide by luck! So what would stop me from swearing my loyalty to you now and changing my mind later!? I don't know, is it even possible for me to prove my intentions to you!? Then, independently from anything I say, isn't the problem in your way of making others work for you? If I just told you whatever right now, in order for you to make me an ally, who would guarantee I wouldn`t stab you in the back later on? Isn`t this the reason why some heroes went against you in the past? How come you simply summoned some random people and expected them all to just obediently work for your goals!? In my case, for example, that simply made me extremely furious! You forced me to abandon my sister! My only family! Who do you think you are to do that!? And now you come here and threaten me to join you!? Khhh!!! Fucking bitch! @#$* Goddess!!!"
"Bi-!? Whaaa???" Going out of character, she finally shows me a genuine reaction. She's staring at me wide eyed, and with an open mouth. She doesn't look angry or offended, simply surprised. She must've never seen anyone snapping at her like this before.
…
Huh…? W-what did I just say--- O-oh shit… I'm dead.
What was I even thinking…? I let myself get completely carried away…
It wasn't a surprise just for her, I managed to surprise even myself as well…
I often get annoyed, but it`s very rare for me to actually get angry. But whenever I do, I simply snap out in a stupid way just like this. Without a care of who I`m talking to, timing or occasion…
I have to simply accept what's coming for me now… I have no idea of how I could possibly mend this situation.
…
"Ah… No, I`m sorry, I didn`t mean it…"
"…"
I did mean it, but I wasn`t supposed to say it… I never imagined there would be a day in which I would get killed for blasphemy…
I have no choice other than making up some random terrible excuse. How do we take back 'f*cking b*tch! @#$* Goddess'…?
"I-I stuttered… What I meant to say was 'A kung fu-ing witch! Look out, my Goddess!'…" I shake my arms around and flip my head, making an action pose. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore…
"…"
"The witch… Heavenly… Cultivation… Ascendance?"
She`ll definitely kill me after this…
Her usual poker face returns, as she asks.
"And, where is this witch right now?"
"A-after I screamed, she ran away through a p-pocket dimension…?"
Why is she continuing the conversation instead of simply dropping a lightning bolt at my head…?
"How did you figure out her martial art style and state of cultivation?"
At this point I`m already sweating cold, feeling like a bug that`s being toyed with by a cat, forced to die a slow death. On one side, I'm almost begging her to just kill me already. On the other, I don't want to die after all and would rather just grab at any opportunity of staying alive, even if I have to play the clown for her…
"S-she was such an e-experienced f-fighter that I could even see h-her years of training emat-emga-emanating from her fighting s-spirit…?"
At this point, I`m just trying to fix a severed arm by using chewing gum…
Nothing more than a roach with broken wings trying to fly from a cat's grasp.
But to my surprise…
"Fufu, you remind me of someone…" Even though she should be furious at me, her lips curve into a discreet smile.
The cold in her eyes disappears for a second, replaced by something that resembled warm nostalgia.
From now on, I should be called His@ka…
"No, really, I`m sorry, please don`t kill me! What I meant to say was that your way of looking for allies isn`t ideal… How can you expect to trust someone if they can`t even trust you…?"
Her eyes cool down once again, and turn even sharper than before.
"When expressed in such clear manner, I am able to comprehend your anger, hero. Such feelings are not something I usually take into consideration… In retrospective, this habit might account to some of my biggest failures… However, be as it may, it is a tried and tested method. Why risk a setback at this point? Should I simply eliminate those who fall outside of my predictions after all…?"
"Wait wait wait, there's no need to jump to such permanent conclusions! You seem to be missing the point! You can't simply assume to deal with everyone in a single way. Human relationships are way more complex than that, and they vary case by case! You should adapt yourself to face each situation in a different and appropriate manner, depending of whom you're dealing with. Instead of carelessly creating enemies at every turn…"
…
"Then what would you suggest instead?"
"We should make a deal."
"A deal?"
"Yes. That way we both could work towards our own interests, while cooperating with the other party on the points we need. I`ll do something you can`t do without me, and you`ll do something I can`t do without you. What I would want on my part is very simple; I just want to go back to my own world in order to stay with my sister."
"I see… Very well. As I have previously mentioned, it is not possible for me to fulfill such request presently. I do not possess the ability to freely control space."
"Then how were we brought here…?"
"In order to summon heroes I need to make use of a special art I do not have complete control of… However, with your help I'll have access to information that will allow me to fulfill your request."
Is she telling the truth? She can`t send us back at will…?
It made sense she would say that in front of the others, but it wouldn`t benefit her to lie about that now. If I were to believe she actually can`t do it, then I`ll be unsure of whether she`ll be able to hold onto her part of the bargain after I go through the trouble of helping her… She should have told me she could do it any time she wanted to, even if it was just a lie. That way it would be easy for her to have my cooperation…
Either way, I would have to help her first, since our deal would be over after she sent me back.
Her intention might be to keep that away from the other heroes, in case I might end up telling on her. But none of them even showed any reaction when Akane brought up the subject of returning to their own worlds. And even then, it would be my word against the Goddess'. No one would believe me unless I brought up a ton of evidence…
I don't see any reason for her to be lying right now. It's true I'm still missing on a lot of information, but I'll assume for now she really cannot send us back to our own worlds.
She's either way to naïve for telling me the truth; or she is simply that confident on her position of superiority in this negotiation. Even both maybe. Well, it's true she could just kill me at any moment she wanted…
Then, she's been using such dangerous magic without even properly understanding how it works…? What would happen if she ended up summoning a Demon King by accident? What a reckless Goddess…
"And what would you have me do?" How nice would it be that she doesn't answer 'to fight in the war'…
"I need you to secure 100% of the Soul."
'Secure'?
Who would have thought she would ask the same she did when we first arrived here? Well I didn't think it would deviate much from that… If it was going to end like this anyway whether I stayed on the castle or not, then it would have been easier for me to stay. Though, at least now I should have more chances of running away if things go bad… Either way, that`s a tough deal, considering my situation.
"And you are simply perfect for that end." She coldly complements.
I can feel my stomach falling down to my knees as she`s saying that. The reason why instead of 'sealing', she told me to 'secure' it… Does she know I'm the Demon Lord…?
"What, why me specifically…? And secure? I thought you said you wanted to seal the Demon Lord's soul, why change your words now?"
The way she said it, it would even seem she was trying to secure all of the Demon Lord's soul for herself right now… Could it be…
…
"… Do you intend to use the soul to extend your rule over both races?" I cautiously question her.