Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: End of the Past Arc
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"……You win. Take her."
"Uncle!"
No sooner had Jermina finished speaking than Sia threw herself into my arms.
Damn. Soft breasts. Undeniably Sia's skin. So glad to have her back.
I stroked her hair so vigorously it became a mess.
Jermina raised her hand.
Immense energy gathered at her fingertips, forming a red aurora.
Soon, the red aurora transformed into golden chains that bound Jermina like a snake.
Sia and I looked at Jermina together.
"The Goddess of Destruction commands.
By rightful authority, I return Ilesia to Decal,
and vow no further interference with either of them. This shall be enforced by taboo, upon my life."
……I won.
Against the despicably vile Rank 9 goddess.
Who dragged countless gods and people into her tantrum.
And finally got what she wanted from a Rank 2 goddess.
"……I've kept my promise, so you must release the suggestion you placed on the goddesses.
You know what I mean."
"Got it."
It was a threat from the start.
A safeguard to keep Jermina from killing me.
I never had the guts to trigger it while alive.
"Thanks for everything up to now, Lady Jermina."
"War means the victor takes all from the loser.
Get out of my sight. I never want to see your face again."
"Let's go home, Sia."
We returned to our original world.
How long had I left it abandoned?
Barren fields, ruined barns.
And our house, covered in dust. Just a year neglected, and it looked desolate like a haunted ruin.
"Um……."
I mumbled awkwardly.
"Sorry.
No time to pretty it up for your return."
"Pfft."
Sia burst out laughing.
"I know it's because of your work. ……That's why I was so shocked when you came to get me back."
"I said I needed a maid, remember?
Look at this place. Be my maid again."
"Ugh……. I'm a higher-rank goddess than you now, you know? Shouldn't you be my maid instead?"
"Wanna try leaving it to me?"
Sia flinched and shook her head vigorously.
"I was wrong……."
"Good.
Oh, right. You, a mere maid, talked back to me before you left."
"Eek……! That was…… not sincere."
"Bad maids need punishment."
I picked Sia up and openly kneaded her ass.
Sia gazed at me steadily and said,
"Uncle…….
You're so typically you."
"I aged a ton getting you back."
"While rolling around with prettier goddesses.
You never had a real plan, did you?"
"……No.
But I missed you."
"……."
Sia fell silent, flustered.
Her cheeks flushed like she'd been hit with an unexpected attack, and she kissed me.
I held Sia and kissed her deeply.
"I missed you too.
Uncle. Remember what I said back then?"
"What you said back then?"
"The day we first agreed I'd be your maid."
"Oh……. You said you'd repay the favor by my side."
"Before that. You said you were my god. You still are. You're my god, Uncle."
"……."
No way. She felt that way from back then……?
Nah, couldn't be.
It's just the sentimental mood from everything.
If I asked if she liked me, Sia would laugh it off. She's never said anything like that.
I was scared to confirm her feelings with words.
"Then, will you be my maid again?"
"Yes, sir. First…… I'll clean up. Can't have you rolling in a dust pit."
"Dust pit? That's harsh."
"It's basically a dust pit."
"Then I'll step out for a bit."
"Where to?"
Sia clung to me tightly, reluctant to let go.
"To release the suggestion."
"Don't. Okay?"
"What if I get hurt and the world ends?"
"……I'll protect you, Uncle."
"A mere maid, what could you……."
Oh no.
Sia hugged me tight and wouldn't let go.
I was stronger, but I couldn't shake off her desperate clinginess.
"Uncle. Don't go. Please?"
"Okay……."
Should I leave the suggestion as is?
Sorry to Jermina, but there was never trust between us anyway.
Better to hold the knife here.
"Jermina's the type to kill you without hesitation.
That suggestion…… it'll definitely help you."
"You're okay holding the world hostage? You're a naughty goddess too."
"I'm your maid, Uncle. I can do bad things."
She said that before.
Now I know it's sincere, so I can't just laugh it off.
Sia would do bad things to protect me.
"Don't worry. I said world-ending if I'm hurt, but
my suggestion only triggers if Jermina attacks me."
No accidental world-ending from unforeseen injuries.
It's a minimal safeguard against unintended button presses.
Fine to leave it for now.
"Uncle!"
Right then.
Sia sensed something and shoved me away.
"Huh?"
Too late when I realized.
Something pierced through my chest.
Vomiting blood, pain hit.
"Thought I'd need to watch a bit longer. No need."
A cold, male voice.
I felt the arm that pierced my chest.
Its owner, soaked in my blood, wore gloves emblazoned with the Holy Knight Order's sword emblem on the back of the hand.
"Wha, this…… ugh……."
"Ah, mister…!"
Ilesia, stabbed instead of me, bled profusely.
"If you hadn't tried to interfere half-assed, you'd have died painlessly in an instant."
"Ugh……. Hah……."
Jermina……'s minion.
Couldn't move herself, so sent a human.
The holy knight pulled his arm out and stepped back.
"Gah!"
With a huge hole in my chest, I collapsed.
Body wouldn't move.
Pain so bad I might pass out. Breathing leaked all outside air.
"Don't take it personally.
You started the war.
Such schemes are endless in war. She wields immense power yet deceives without hesitation. It means your defeat."
"……Keh…….
Way more…… shameless than me……."
Told me to keep promises…….
Just realized she was at a disadvantage and stepped back temporarily…….
"Even left like this, the spirit core will shatter…….
You were too cocky with Lady Jermina. Time to crush your skull."
"Don't touch him!"
Light orbs floated around Ilesia and flew at the holy knight.
"Whoa."
The holy knight dodged back with a smirk.
"Impressive magic power.
But a goddess who's never fought. Not enough to beat me, Captain Atos of the Holy Knights. Heh heh."
"……Ha. Hoo……."
Clap.
I clapped my hands.
"N-No……!"
Sia rushed to me, hands pressing my gushing chest, voice breaking.
"Don't speak! Don't say it……."
"H-Holy Knight Captain……
Commit suicide……."
I desperately mustered strength.
A god's command to a holy knight is absolute.
But I lacked the strength to say 'I am your god.'
"I can't…… I have a mission……
To serve as Lady Jermina's limb and assassinate you…!"
"Commit suicide……."
Over and over.
"Uncle! Stop! I'm healing you. Don't talk!"
"Commit suicide, Atos…!"
Before I died, somehow.
I had to finish this suggestion.
I clapped to wake Atos.
"Ugh, uwaaaah!"
Atos danced madly, swinging his sword at empty air.
"No! Suicide? I can't! No! I will commit suicide. No! I can't commit suicide!
Only the command from my god is absolute to me!"
Rejection far fiercer than a headache.
But I felt relieved.
Hypnosis wins in the end.
"……U, uuugh!"
Atos slit his own throat with the sword and fell.
No good.
Vision blurring terribly. Like my spirit core was shattered instantly.
Sia gritted her teeth, focusing on healing me. Warm light seeped into my chest.
Managed to prolong life; speaking got a bit easier.
"Uncle. Uncle…!"
But the fated death couldn't be avoided.
Seeing Sia bow her head sobbing, I could guess the future.
Shouldn't have tried something new.
"Jermina. Jermina did this to you……! I can't forgive her. Can't forgive!"
"Yeah……. Can't forgive till I creampie her pussy……."
"Uncle! Are you lucid?"
"Don't wanna die. Wanna punish Jermina."
Babbling weakly.
No clue what I'm saying.
Compromised goals, approached vaguely—that vagueness doomed me.
Had to hypnotize Jermina to win.
Beautiful but vile and cunning goddess.
Regret not claiming her.
Regret not spending promised time with Sia……
"Uncle. Don't give up…!"
"Hm……?"
Sia took my hand.
"I'll make your wish come true, Uncle.
You'll just sleep long. So……! We'll definitely meet again."
"What are you…… planning……."
"I'll take your divinity.
Your authority, your memories……. I'll find a way to separate them into a vessel,
even if it takes thousands, tens of thousands of years."
"……."
I chuckled.
"Mocking a god's life.
Bet you'll forget in a century. You'll forget me……."
"Uncle……."
"But thanks for saying that. I'm relieved."
A century would be impressive.
Took only fifty years to forget the prettiest woman I ever loved.
"Don't get relieved!"
Sia held me.
"Uncle. This time, I'll save you.
I'll handle all the complicated stuff. You just come to the world I make."
"……."
"Give me a suggestion. So I can do everything. So you can close your eyes knowing I'll succeed.
Make me your slave."
"No."
"Please……."
Sia begged, grasping my hand.
"Make me your slave, Uncle…!"
"I can't……."
"You idiot! Trash! Better use me till the end and die than leave vaguely!"
"……."
Won't even let me die.
"Figures from a trash god's hypnosis!"
"You……."
Die casting trash hypnosis till the end, huh.
Well……
Better than inescapable karma.
"Fine……. But no suggestion to enslave you for thousands, tens of thousands of years……."
"Why……."
"Suggestions are simple, but required actions too complex…… ugh!"
I vomited blood massively again.
Really the end now.
This memory's edge. Arrived at the cliff.
Proof my life was nearly gone.
Slave suggestions make people passive.
Destroy personality too. I knew that much.
If I lived as master, could enjoy varied reactions.
But what's the point for a lone slave without master.
Make Sia loyal for thousands, tens of thousands of years.
To revive me.
To restore my memories and authority.
No way to force such long-term effort with suggestion.
With time and leisure,
maybe layer ten…… or twenty suggestions,
making her autonomously think for me, achieve miracles.
But impossible now.
Can't etch dozens, can't calibrate them.
I'm dying soon.
"……Just one suggestion."
"What……?"
"Give me the 'Love forever' suggestion."
"You're insane."
Such an embarrassing suggestion.
Never even tested.
"Uncle……. It's my lifelong wish."
"……."
"That alone, and I'll definitely do anything."
"With hypnosis……
You'll love me forever, no problem?"
"Yes. Please."
Got it.
Use love, huh.
Hollow laugh. At the last moment, saying what I never expected.
"How much trash will you make me?"
"I'm okay with that."
"Alright……."
My final hypnosis of this life, gladly.
Clap.
Sia in trance.
"Hah……!"
Immense pain assaulted, vitality draining rapidly.
Hurry……
"Sia. You love me…… forever."
Done.
……That's it.
"……I can't."
No, reject at the very end?!
Ugh……
Damn. Demoralizing.
"You asked for it, you damn maid……."
Trance leaves mind defenseless.
But not absolute obedience.
Like with Atos, strong-repelling commands trigger instant rejection.
Dodging questions, etc.
What in this case.
Loving me impossible under any circumstance?
Stabbed in the back at death's door……
"I'm already in love."
"……."
……What?
"What did you say?"
"I'm already in love.
Logically… can't fall in love again."
Right.
……Should've asked directly.
I…… confirmed even my beloved's heart with hypnosis.
So ridiculous, I laughed.
Wound throbbed unbelievably, but pain faded somewhere.
Clap.
I clapped without commanding.
"Haha."
"Uncle!"
"It's set. No regrets, you."
"Made me love you properly?"
"Surprisingly resilient, so made you think of me always. You're in trouble. You'll regret stomping the ground.
Can't be with other men…… ever."
Bluffing with all my might.
Close my eyes.
"……Uncle. Good night. I love you."
I fell asleep in Sia's arms.
That was my last memory.
Space folded, crumpled, vanished.
Like a long dream.
My consciousness finished the long journey to reclaim memories, returning to origin.
Melbrit's library.
I open my eyes.
Before me: Melbrit's student council president, Rank 3 Goddess of Light, and my maid Ilesia.
Watching over me.
"How was…… it?"
========== Afterword ==========
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