Even a Worm Will Squirm
Nodens. He calls himself the "Great Lord of the Abyss," while the pantheon refers to him as the "Old God Who Keeps His Oaths." Most Outer Gods are branded as evil deities by every soul on the continent. It makes sense—mere manifestation from an Outer God drives humans mad, and a single swing of their arm can reduce an entire city to rubble. The northwestern archipelago stands as a grim example. Once a peaceful island nation home to hundreds of thousands, it was cleaved in half by an Outer God's assault from beyond the shoreline.
Beings of such overwhelming power and presence meant that countless lives were lost the moment they appeared. The same held true when he first revealed himself to humanity. A colossal Outer God materialized abruptly along the coast at the continent's edge, its grotesque form towering over the waves. People were losing their minds, taking their own lives or screaming prophecies of their horrific deaths, when another massive figure descended on the opposite shore.
Unlike the first, this one bore a form closer to human. Witnesses described an elderly man with white hair and a long beard, riding a massive seashell chariot wreathed in foam. The radiant light pouring from his body restored people's sanity, and with a single stroke of his blazing sword, he cleaved the grotesque Outer God in two. After dispatching the threat, he bathed the wounded in that same brilliant light, healing every injury before vanishing with the foam.
Humanity rejoiced at the first Outer God to show them kindness and began to worship him without hesitation. Whenever other horrors attacked thereafter, he would appear amid the foam to strike them down. As his followers grew, his statue took its place in the pantheon, and the faith dedicated to him was soon recognized as an official religion of the continent.
Having appeared in so many texts, I naturally knew of him as well. Noticing the similarities—both Outer Gods who didn't harm humans and possessed humanoid forms—I had asked Lilith if she knew him.
"...Arthur. What did you just say?"
Ah. I must have touched a nerve. Crimson eyes fixed on me.
"How do you know that name?"
"I... read it in a book."
"Oh? What did it say?"
"Um... that he cares for humans..."
A single crease appeared on Lilith's pale forehead. I swallowed nervously and pressed on, my voice trembling.
"The oath-keeping..."
Another line formed.
"Great and..."
Yet another.
"...powerful Outer God... or so I read."
By the time I finished, Lilith's expression had twisted into something thoroughly displeased. She chewed on her lovely lips before exhaling a long sigh and lowering her head.
"Haah... Well, it's not like you did anything wrong. That hypocrite is the real problem."
...Hypocrite? Who? Nodens?
"Listen carefully, Arthur. Everything you described about Nodens is a lie—except for one thing."
"Huh? Just one?"
"The part about him being a powerful Outer God. Everything else is a blatant falsehood. Pure hypocrisy."
"...Really?"
Lilith beckoned me closer. Sensing her foul mood, I hurried over, and she clasped my hand tightly. Meeting my eyes, she spoke in a calm voice.
"You don't believe me?"
"No. I believe you completely."
"...Really?"
"Yes. If I can't trust your words, Lilith, I'd rather tear out my own ears and rip apart the mind that doubts them."
At my answer, Lilith's face softened into a faint smile.
"I asked if you knew Nodens, didn't I? I do. I know him very well. In fact, there's no one in this world who knows him better than I do—well, except maybe Yog-So... Anyway, I know him intimately. Want to know why?"
When I shook my head, Lilith gave a bitter laugh.
"That bastard is my... well, sort of an ex."
"......What?"
Wait, what did she just say? The shocking revelation made me try to stand, but Lilith's grip on my hand didn't budge an inch.
"Keep listening."
The serious look in her eyes as she held my gaze left me no choice but to sink back down.
"Sorry. That must've surprised you. But calling him an ex is generous. There was no love or anything real between us—just an empty relationship born of a bit of rebellious spirit. I never felt anything good about it. Still, we were together for quite a while. Until recently, anyway."
Anger flickered in Lilith's eyes, which had held sorrow moments before.
"What happened?"
"...He stabbed me in the back and tried to kill me."
"What? Just like that?"
"Nodens and I belong to different factions. Our two groups have been enemies for ages. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened."
"Still, that's betrayal."
"It is. And among all the images he shows humans, the one thing that's actually true is his strength. I was helpless against him and barely managed to escape—with severe wounds."
Severe wounds? Could it be...?
Lilith nodded, reading my expression.
"That's right. The injuries I had when we first met in Dreamland—that was his doing."
"You were on the verge of death!"
"I was. I nearly died. If it weren't for you."
Various emotions crossed Lilith's eyes during our conversation, but what remained now was directed at me.
"Thanks to you, I survived. Looking back, I never properly thanked you. Thank you for saving me, Arthur."
"N-No, I didn't really do anything..."
It was true. I couldn't find medicine, so I'd wrapped her wounds in leaves, shared my body heat, and brought a few fruits. That was all.
"You stayed with me. That alone let me live. Just by touching you, I could absorb a faint trace of life force."
"Ah..."
So that was why the prickly cat had been so eager to cling to me.
"Lilith."
I took her hand in return.
"You're all right now, aren't you?"
"Mm... Not completely, but much better. All thanks to someone who's been diligently sharing their life force."
Lilith tapped her lips with a gentle smile. Remembering what that gesture meant, I ducked my head in embarrassment. Life force seemed to hold more meaning for Lilith than mere sustenance.
Uh, does that mean I'll have to share it more often from now on...?
While I pondered that with a hint of ulterior motive, Lilith asked,
"Mind if I ask one last thing? The timing's a bit odd, but there's something I really want to know."
"Of course. Ask anything."
"How should I phrase this without sounding strange..."
Lilith muttered to herself, choosing her words.
"Um... Arthur."
I met her gaze as she began.
"After eating with me, have you ever felt dizzy, extremely tired, or had a nosebleed? Anything like that?"
What kind of question was that?
"Um... No? I don't think so."
There had been plenty of dizzy spells and exhaustion lately, but none of it was Lilith's fault—it was the whirlwind of changes in my life. Expulsion notices, becoming family with an Outer God, even discovering an Outer God-themed erotic novel in the academy library's forbidden section. Summarizing it all just made me feel dizzier.
"Really?"
Lilith seemed to mull it over before saying,
"...Shall we eat first?"
I couldn't shake the feeling she was dodging the topic, but my stomach growled.
"...Shall we?"
I was far too hungry to refuse.
----
"...Lilith? What is this...?"
"A giant albino penguin egg! An excellent ingredient packed with protein."
Then she whispered in a suggestive tone,
"You used up quite a bit earlier. We need to replenish it, don't we?"
Good heavens.
"Lilith, please..."
"Hehe."
Ignoring Lilith's stifled laughter, I stared at the egg before me. When she'd described it, I hadn't understood why a "giant" descriptor was needed for something as small as a penguin, but one look at the egg made me nod instinctively. It was roughly one and a half times the size of my forearm.
"What kind of penguin egg is as big as a penguin...?"
I recalled seeing pictures of penguins in books before. The ones I knew were small and cute...
"The adults of this species are taller than you, you know?"
Wait, at that point, could it even be called a penguin anymore?
"I brought it because they say it tastes amazing when roasted."
Black flames Lilith summoned engulfed the glossy egg. After a short while, the slightly discolored egg emerged from the fire.
"Hah!"
With a shout, Lilith brought her hand down like a blade, and the shell cracked open. The whites, presumably once pale, had browned appetizingly from the heat, while the yolk remained faintly visible through the translucent whites. A savory aroma filled the room, whetting my appetite, but...
"...Isn't this way too big?"
Again, it was one and a half times my forearm. I couldn't approach it with the casual mindset of cracking a chicken egg.
"Is it? Then I'll eat with you."
Ah, right—she'd said she could eat even if it wasn't her main food source. Lilith's hand descended again, neatly dividing the roasted egg into eight pieces.
"Let's eat."
"Enjoy~"
I popped a piece into my mouth. A rich, savory flavor spread across my tongue.
"Munch munch... It's not that different from regular eggs, actually."
"They used to be ordinary penguins. Just evolved differently."
"So they look similar too?"
"Uh... Honestly, I'd recommend not looking. They live in caves, so their appearance has gotten a bit... unusual."
Penguins that aren't cute... Are those even penguins? I couldn't picture it. But if I was eating their eggs, maybe it didn't matter.
Eggs had a way of leaving your mouth feeling dry after just a few bites. As I started to feel thirsty, Lilith placed a glass in front of me.
"The Golden Mead you drank yesterday. It'll go well with this."
Having my mind read like that could be quite convenient.
"Gulp gulp... Can all Outer Gods read people's minds like that?"
"Huh? I can't read minds. At least not here in the real world."
"Then how did you know I was thirsty?"
"Because we're family."
When she put it that way, I had nothing to say. Yeah... that made sense.
Suddenly, an idea struck me—a way to get back at her for all the teasing. I picked up a piece of penguin egg and held it out to her.
"Lilith. Ah~"
Lilith's eyes widened in surprise. Her reaction filled me with confidence.
How about that, Lilith? Even a worm will squirm when stepped on!
But my expectations were dashed. After her brief moment of surprise, Lilith rested her chin on one hand and looked at me with an amused, affectionate gaze.
"Ah~"
Then she parted those lips, which shone brighter than the eggshell.
This isn't what I wanted...
I'd hoped for more embarrassment. Hesitating, I tried to feed her the egg when—
"Mmmph..."
Suddenly leaning forward, Lilith took not just the egg but my fingers into her mouth as well.
"L-Lilith?!"
Her lips sealed shut as she chewed. Something damp occasionally brushed against my fingers inside. Once she'd swallowed the egg, Lilith smiled softly and...
began sucking on my fingers.
"Suck... suck... slurp~"
"Urgh..."
It felt like an electric current was running through my fingers. The movement of her tongue licking them left me no choice but to surrender.
"Ugh... I'm sorry, Lilith."
Only then did Lilith release my fingers with a pop and pat my head.
"Hehe, how cute. Did you want to win against me?"
"It wasn't so much about winning... I just wanted a little revenge..."
"Oh my, when have I ever put you in a difficult spot?"
Honestly, Lilith's very existence was a bit difficult for me... Thanks to her earlier actions, I suddenly needed to visit the bathroom again.
Scrape. Lilith suddenly stood and moved to sit beside me, the last piece of egg in her hand.
"Here, Arthur. Ah~"
Accepting it as karma for my earlier move, I obediently opened my mouth—only for Lilith to place the egg piece between her own lips instead.
"Mmm~"
With her eyes closed and body leaning forward, Lilith's posture made it clear she wanted me to take it from her.
"D-Do we really have to eat it like this?"
At my trembling question, Lilith opened her eyes wide.
"Mmm~!"
It was an urging to hurry up.
"Urgh... Fine."
I reached out to take the egg, but Lilith's hair pinned my hand to the chair. Wait a second—
"...You want me to eat it with my mouth?"
"Mmm!"
Lilith nodded with an adorable sound.
"You won't stay still, will you?"
"Mmm~?"
Lilith tilted her head with an innocent, baby-like expression. I knew it was all an act, but there was nothing I could do.
"Then..."
Slowly bringing my face closer, I used only my teeth to grab the edge of the egg piece.
If I just pull it away like this...
My gaze, fixed on the egg, suddenly shifted to Lilith. Seeing her gently curved eyes, filled with both playfulness and warmth, my reason snapped.
"Mmph!"
In an instant, I leaned forward and covered both the egg and Lilith's lips with my own. Lilith's eyes widened in shock at my sudden movement. This time, I pressed the attack to make her surprise last longer. I roughly chewed and swallowed the egg before kissing her lips fiercely.
"Mmmph... W-Wait... Slurp... Arthur... Hah...!"
Emboldened by Lilith's flustered reaction, I continued my assault. The strength in her hair weakened, and taking advantage of the opening, I freed my hand, wrapped my arm around her nape to keep her from escaping, and pressed even closer.
"Mmm... Slurp... Suck... Suck..."
I drank deeply from Lilith's lips, stealing every drop of saliva. How much time passed? Finally, our lips parted, leaving a silver thread that stretched and then vanished into the air.
Panting, I spoke to Lilith, whose expression remained frozen in surprise.
"Hah... Hah... How about that... Can you still call this just a meal?"
Realizing I'd taken the lead for the first time filled me with an inexplicable confidence. As I caught my ragged breath, I soon—
"...Huh?"
—witnessed an utterly bewildering sight.
"Huh huh?? Lilith?"
The change that finally appeared on Lilith's frozen face was that shocking. It was an expression I'd never seen from her before—one I hadn't even imagined she could make.
Lilith was...
"Hnnn..."
Blushing furiously.