Restoration Work Begins, Pregnancy Imminent?!

Horus was drifting through a void of nothingness, a space without a single ray of light.

She opened her eyes and smiled, bitter.

"Did I... lose? To Mother and that apostle of hers."

It was absurd. That a mere mortal — a human, of all things — would unite with a god and stand against her.

An approach she'd never heard of, never seen. And yet Horus didn't feel all that terrible about it.

Strange. I lost to my mother, who's riddled with flaws. I lost to a mortal.

She groped her chest, then squeezed hard and clicked her tongue. She ran her hands over her body here and there, then let out a sigh.

Even so, I can't just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stay here. I... I have to do what I must. The extinction of humanity.

Her conviction that humanity had to disappear hadn't wavered. Of course, she understood what ideology drove Isis to protect them.

Humans are peculiar creatures. They can even pull off miracles like that. But... that's precisely why they must be wiped out.

As long as humanity existed, there was no guarantee that the old incident wouldn't happen again.

So Horus decided to rest a while longer in this void. At least until she could erase a nation with a mere flick of her wrist.

Still, she couldn't forget Lashu's face as he charged at her.

"Lashu... was that his name? I look forward to seeing what you'll show me next time. Even if you are just a mortal."

She smiled faintly and closed her eyes once more. The moment they shut, the void sank back into darkness.

The moment I opened my eyes, there was only one thing waiting for me.

There was even a title.

A dizzying barrage of notifications to greet me. Still, I wasn't complaining.

I'd grown again, huh.

This sense of accomplishment never got old, no matter how many times I tasted it. And check out these clothes?

More outfits...? I'll have Mom try this on. She's a former adventurer, so a military uniform should look great on her. Eheheheh!

Then I felt a warm touch. I turned my eyes slightly.

Isis's hand was resting over mine. And then I saw her face.

"Goddess..."

Tear tracks ran from her eyes down her cheeks. Seeing her like that, I laughed. A terribly bitter... laugh.

"If it was hard, you could've just stayed inside me. Why are you out here like this? I know the reason, though."

She'd been watching over me. As a goddess.

I sighed and reached out, stroking her hair.

Then a voice drifted in through the window.

"Alright, Mr. Johnson! Let's start from here!"

"Got it. I'll bring the materials."

"This is a temple? What's with this wreck? Fixing all this is gonna take forever, I tell ya. Forever."

The workers had arrived, apparently.

I glanced outside. Restoration work was already underway.

I got up and laid Isis down on the bed.

"Goddess, I'll be right back."

I stepped out of the watchtower. Looks like Kalsas had actually passed the word along properly, given how early the crew had shown up.

"Hello! I'm Lashu, the Hero of Gale Wars!"

"Well hey there, good to meet you!"

I exchanged introductions with the workers and bowed my head.

"Please take good care of this place!"

"Hahaha, we're the ones who should be thanking you!"

A man who looked like the crew leader came over, a yellow towel slung over his shoulder.

"Never thought the Hero would be such a little guy. Pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. How long will it take? A while, I bet?"

The leader glanced back, then shook his head. Unexpected.

"We did get started as early as we could. Since we're not restoring the whole thing — just the basic groundwork — it shouldn't take too long. About a week?"

"Oho, I wanna make more money so I can see you guys more often!"

"Hahaha! We're the ones who should be thanking you. Lately the roads to other countries have been blocked by some weird monsters, and work's dried up."

The construction industry was struggling? That didn't make sense — the Empire was in the middle of a boom. Even going by the game and the original ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠timeline, this should have been a golden age.

"Things been tough lately?"

"Don't even get me started. Plenty of workers have been left out on the streets."

"What kind of weird monsters?"

"Ah, monsters wreathed in black smoke. Apparently they're unusually violent."

Black smoke? The only thing that brought to mind was Kahloom.

Did they get addicted to Kahloom or something? The monsters?

That was strange. Why would monsters be getting addicted to Kahloom?

Kahloom was supposed to be in the hands of Those Who Recite Sins.

A lot of thoughts surfaced, but I decided to set them aside for later.

I'm tired right now. Even standing is about all I can manage.

I called out to the workers with as much energy as I could muster.

"Anyway, I'm counting on you!"

"Yeah! Don't you worry, Hero sir! Heheheh."

I watched them get to work. Maybe because they hadn't had a job in a while, every one of them had a good look in their eyes. The way they threw themselves into it so cheerfully was reassuring.

Thank god.

Now, should I compose a hymn to Goddess Isis? I needed to make sure people knew about her the right way.

Yes, Goddess.

She was awake, then. I headed straight back into the watchtower.

When I climbed up to the bedroom, Isis was perched on the edge of the bed with a gloomy face. The look she gave me was anything but bright.

"Apostle. When we became one, I was able to see my past — the past that you witnessed."

"So it really was the past."

"...Art thou disappointed?"

She searched my gaze like someone who'd committed a crime. When I tilted my head, she spoke with a self-deprecating smile.

"Before I became a goddess, I was just an ordinary woman... art thou disappointed? And even after becoming a goddess, I am an imperfect being who was merely betrayed... that is what I am asking."

I looked at her. The goddess before me — Isis — had the air of someone laying everything down, as if in confession.

I walked toward her. I gave her a small smile and met her eyes.

Then I reached out with both hands and cupped her face. Warmth bloomed from her cheeks against my palms.

"Why would I be disappointed? I'm happy, actually."

"Happy?"

"I got to know more about the woman I love. I got to see just how merciful a goddess she really is. That's why."

"I was merely... betrayed."

"Aren't humans incomplete beings to begin with? The fact that you still didn't wipe out humanity, even after all of that — that alone makes you the most magnificent person I know."

I meant every word. You're not at fault. You're the most magnificent of all.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Isis shook her head, as if she couldn't believe it herself.

"But I am weak. Horus will come again someday. When that time arrives, we..."

"Goddess."

I shook my head. I pressed a finger to her lips and let out a short sigh.

What was she so afraid of? That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd leave?

If that was it, then the woman in front of me was the most foolish woman in the world — and also the cutest, the most lovable.

"So what?"

"...Would it not be better to follow a goddess like Horus instead?"

I shrugged. I scratched my neck and put on a cocky air.

"My goddess is a dummy."

"What?"

"You still don't know me? This Lashu Leonhart? A one-track Isis fanboy! Who else in this world is like that besides me?"

"Even so..."

I was sure of myself. Come back if you want.

You dare set your sights on our sacred airspace... I mean, our goddess? You want a fight? Bring it on!

"If Horus comes again, let her come. We'll stop her together, just like this time."

"Lashu..."

"What are you so afraid of? We're the strongest couple there is. Two who are one!"

I declared it with total confidence. Isis's eyes went wide, and then her face flushed a brilliant red.

"C-c-couple...? Nnh♥ How dare you use such a vulgar word that mere humans use...♥"

"Well, you can pick whatever title you want. Anyway, I like you, Goddess Isis. From the first time I saw you until now, that hasn't changed."

"I feel the same."

"So please guide me. My goddess."

I lowered myself. I dropped to one knee before her.

I looked up at her with reverence, then kissed the back of her hand.

"Mwah."

With the firelight of the hearth at her back, Isis simply gazed at me.

And as she did, tears welled up in those jewel-like eyes of hers.

"Hic... Lashu, you really are a fool! A fool! Hic, thou art a fool, an idiot, a complete imbecile!"

"Yeah. The fool who only knows you. Right here."

"Hic, ahh-hic, I thank thee, thank you. To me, hic, you are everything... because you... you make me complete!"

She found the courage to cry it out. The moment that cry reached me, something swelled in my chest.

The sound of her voice was so beautiful. So deep, so sincere, so sweet.

I stood and wrapped myself around her. And I kissed her.

"Goddess... mmnh."

"Lashu... mmph♥ nnh♥ haah♥"

When the kiss ended, I spoke.

"That's enough. Don't cry anymore. You dummy goddess."

I lay down on the bed with Isis. We faced each other and smiled, a little embarrassed.

Whoa, her affinity shot way up. She really was moved, huh.

I remembered someone once telling me I was like a prince from a fairy tale. A fairy-tale prince, huh.

I was just a mortal, so becoming something like that would be hard. But maybe I could try.

If it was for just one woman.

Isis suddenly snorted.

"Hmph. Do not get the wrong idea. I am a noble goddess. Should a stronger apostle appear, I shall switch over at once!"

"Huuuh, then I guess I'd better grow like crazy, huh? So I don't fall behind anyone else! So nobody steals my goddess!"

"Yes! Strive! For thou art a fool, Lashu!"

"Yes, yes. My adorable goddess!"

I stroked her hair. She pouted, but she didn't pull away or tilt her head out of reach.

That meant she liked it. Haah, so cute.

"E-even so..."

"Yeah?"

"Because we became one, I was able to draw closer to your heart. The resolve with which you live each day, and what you strive toward."

"Is that so? I felt something like that too. I like you even more now, Goddess."

After we'd united, the life she'd lived had come through as vividly as if I'd lived it myself.

It was a strange thing. I hadn't known there was an upside like that.

"Fufu. I have grown stronger as well. Next time, I shall show you only my finest self!"

"Oh, I'll be looking forward to it. My goddess!"

We smiled at each other like that. Then I pointed toward the growing commotion outside.

"Ah, the workers are here."

"Thou intendest to repair the temple?"

"Yeah. Just the groundwork for now. Next time I'll make more money and restore the whole thing properly."

"I thank thee, thank you... my Lashu♥"

"If you're that grateful, how about bearing me a child? Haha, just kidding!"

A filthy, trashy joke worthy of a Beastly Hero — payload delivered!

To my surprise, Isis was smiling. Then she looked at me with burning eyes and pointed at her lower belly.

"I feel something wriggling inside me... perhaps that is it? Ohoho♥"

Isis laughed lewdly. I stared at her, doubting my own ears.

What, already? She's already pregnant?

"A-already?!"

"Already? After you pumped that much into me so thoroughly♥"

I was completely thrown. No matter how thoroughly I'd pumped her full, that shouldn't... work, right? This wasn't some instant-pregnancy thing.

I stared at her blankly, then smiled.

Strangely enough, I felt even better than before.