?Church of Artemisia Headquarters
Goras
Beast Kingdom
May 19th
Year 1053
[Whew…that sure was a close one.]
Kayla muttered as she plopped down onto the couch behind her, wiping the sweat on her head with a towel.
She looked around for a fan to cool herself with, but in the next mont, a surge of cold air suddenly filled the room.
It was as if soone set an AC to the lowest temperature possible and faced it on her face.
[Too cold!]
The sudden cold was too much for even Kayla to bear, however, it didn't last long and gradually tuned down to an acceptable level.
Seeing this, Kuro, who had transford into his humanoid form shook his head silently with a soft sigh.
He, just like Kayla, appeared to be around 12-13 years of age, with chalky black hair and eyes. He had two cat-shaped ears on the top of his head and a black tail extending from his lower back.
In his hand was a brush which he used to groom said tail.
Opposite him and Kayla, was a woman dressed in priestly robes with a golden rose symbol embroidered on it.
The golden glow in this priest's eyes, however, hinted that it was soone else inside; and said person was only using the priest's body as a vessel.
"It's a good thing you reacted quickly. If you were any later then you'd have caused even more of a commotion than Evan did."
The woman, Aidos' Chief goddess, Artemisia, spoke as she pressed her fingers to her temple.
Well, given she was possessing the body of one of her vessels, then it wasn't exactly hers, but that's beside the point.
[I told you to tell when Master was about to wake up, didn't I?]
Kayla asked Artemisia with a pout but the goddess only waved her off with an offhanded reply.
"I was busy. No way I could be keeping track of Evan all the ti."
[What's keeping you so busy that you can't even spare a portion of your consciousness here?]
This ti, Kayla was genuinely curious about this, and Artemisia's reply made her jaw drop in shock.
"Seems like soone destroyed so worlds under that 'old fogey's' control. He was quite furious and summoned everyone."
Shrugging her shoulders, the goddess continued.
"I was simply too far away."
Kayla went silent when she heard this reply, as she knew that Artemisia's version of 'too far away' involved several hundred million light-years at the very least.
[Are you sure he simply wasn't trying to draw you away from Aidos?]
"No, he was not.
More importantly, Kayla; you realise that reinforcing the seal is only a temporary solution, right?"
Artemisia's serious tone made Kayla turn silent, and even Kuro who was focused on his tail looked up at the both of them.
"Eventually Evan is going to find out. The seal is based on 'Awareness' after all. Ever since you first used your Spirit Raint in front of him, Evan has had his guesses and they've been slowly getting closer to the truth.
The fact that you can now use a bit of spatial power is proof of this."
[…even so, they are just guesses in the end.]
"That's awfully arrogant of you. Are you looking down on Evan?"
Just as Kayla was about to refute Artemisia's words, another voice that didn't belong to any of the three rang out in the room.
[That's right. Are you looking down on Mr Bourne, Little Empress?]
Three pairs of eyes turned towards the only empty couch in the room, and imdiately after, the figure of a certain 'woman' materialised on it.
It was a 'woman', with long black hair that cascaded down 'her' shoulders and to the ground, and a pair of multicoloured iridescent eyes.
"Aidos…"
[Hello, Artemisia. Been a while, hasn't it?]
The incarnation of the planet's consciousness greeted the goddess with an amicable smile and a light wave of 'her' hands.
[I'm not. It's just that with how busy he is, he would not have ti to properly think about my situation.]
Kayla replied to Artemisia's question like she originally intended to, but before she could turn towards Aidos and tell the 'woman' to stop calling her 'Little Empress', the silent Kuro spoke up.
[Lady Kayla, your words just now were a flag.
A big red flag.]
The spirit put his brush away before looking up at Kayla before continuing.
[I'd advise you to start thinking about your counterasures from now.]
When he finished speaking, Artemisia sent a slightly worried glance towards him and asked.
"I hope no problems on your end?"
[None whatsoever. I have fully unlocked the High Rank now.
I can even sustain this form outside your temples, but I've gotten used to my full cat form so I'd stick in that one more.]
He then proceeded to curl up on the couch and transform back into his cat form.
As for Aidos, the planet's incarnation was casually ignored by the three of them. Even Kayla who had wanted to speak to 'her' earlier simply didn't care for 'her' existence now.
[Wow…just, Wow.]
'Her' voice finally attracted their attention once more, after which Kayla voiced out a question.
[Why are you even here?]
[Girl, have you forgotten what I am? I am 'HERE'. 'HERE' is .]
Aidos shook 'her' head slightly before turning toward Artemisia and stating why 'she' was even here in the first place.
[I had a little talk with Mr Bourne.]
"I know."
[Of course, you do.]
Aidos didn't seem to care whether Artemisia knew of 'her' talk with Evan or not; the goddess was never going to know the contents of the conversation after all.
[From the way I see things now, we may not need to use those extras you and I prepared.
But…if he contracts with another Deadly Sin, I might change my mind about that.]
After Aidos spoke, the planet's incarnation vanished from the room, just as silently as 'she' had appeared.
◇ ◇ ◇
Highguards Comrce Head Office
Capital City Agla
Republic of Wolfen
May 19th
Year 1053
A man wearing a perfectly tailored three-piece suit and circular frad glasses sat on the CEO's chair as he went through the various docunts on his desk.
The sound of papers rustling was the only thing that could be heard in the room, as the only other person who was present remained completely silent without making a single noise.
This person was a lion beastman who boasted a commanding presence with his imposing physique. His golden-brown fur, reminiscent of a majestic mane, frad a face marked by a pair of intense amber eyes.
Rippling beneath his attire that blended the rugged with the refined, were a set of well-defined muscles.
He wore a black shirt and brown tie, under a brown waistcoat, as well as brown trousers and black dress shoes. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his powerful forearms adorned with so tattoos.
This man stood in silence as he waited for the glasses-wearing man in front of him to finish going through the papers.
"…where's Kethryllia now?"
"With Master Second."
The Lion beastman replied to the CEO's question with barely a mont's pause, prompting the glasses-wearing man to nod.
"She personally took action at the end, huh? But I didn't expect that Dandeyr Eladi was that close.
Or rather, the greatest 'unexpected' occurrence was the Dungeon Break.
From the mont the break occurred, the plan had already derailed."
"Kethryllia tried her best to salvage the situation, but that didn't do much as well. What's more, that dragon Faldo also perished before he could wreak havoc as planned."
When the beastman spoke, the CEO flipped to the next page of the report and saw the details about the two beings who had killed the dragon in question.
"David Thancreed…and Evan Eris."
The second na was one both n were genuinely tired of seeing and hearing, and yet, it had co up again.
"What do you think, Deram?"
The CEO posed this question to Deram and the Lion Beastman went silent for a mont before speaking.
"No matter how I look at it, Evan Eris was aware of this beforehand as well.
I pulled a few strings and was able to get data on his movents in April. When I mapped them, I noticed that he had been moving towards Lacertilia from the get-go.
He had details about the World Isolation Barrier, and was also the one who had told the Beast King's daughter to get Dandeyr Eladi to co over."
The CEO sighed and facepald, leaning back on his chair and staring up at the lightbulb on the ceiling.
"I just decided to do a little bit of research on the Fake Heroes, and now, this happens."
He sighed again while pressing his hands to his temple and took a deep breath.
"When Kethryllia wakes up, I want her to be sent to . I'd be in Terrok since we're closing down Highgaurds…the GWE's pressure is too much."
He redirected his focus to the papers on his desk, but before he could continue, Deram spoke up first.
"I have an idea for Tarse."
"What is it?"
Deram placed a hand on his chin and stroked his stubble as he spoke.
"Seeing as Evan Eris had killed Xakon Ilmoth in Geto, I suggest we give them a chance for vengeance."
The CEO understood the man's words and after pondering on them for a few monts, he agreed and sent him off.
After receiving permission to execute his plan, the man; forr 'disciple of the Second Finger', and current 'Fifth Finger' of the Demonic Hand, Deram Hester, bowed lightly before turning around and breaking open a spatial gate which he disappeared into.
His Destination, The Desert Country of Tarse.
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