What the Goddess Does (6)
What the Goddess Does (6)
"A request?"
I tilted my head, looking at Athena who was hesitating uncharacteristically.
"A high-society social gathering is scheduled for next week. Would you be willing to attend with me as my partner?"
"A social gathering?"
"I haven't shown my face for a while. I fear that staying away too long might lead to troublesome aftermath."
Hearing that, I finally understood what she meant.
There were plenty of upper-class people everywhere who wanted to form connections with the goddesses who had descended from the heavens.
And to govern the continent more stably, it was necessary to maintain decent relationships with them.
"If possible, I'd like to attend as a couple......"
Athena spoke hesitantly, discreetly gauging my reaction.
Certainly, if I, her husband and the hero, attended the social gathering with her, she would be able to be more comfortable in many ways.
Because she could more flexibly decline the flood of hospitality attempts and dance invitations.
"Alright."
I nodded without much thought.
"I'll go to the social gathering with you too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Upon hearing my affirmative answer, Athena immediately broke into a broad smile.
Seeing her so delighted, perhaps her previous words were all just an excuse.
Maybe her true wish was simply to attend the social gathering with me.
"I won't forget this debt, Ion."
Athena, looking satisfied, personally poured vodka into my glass.
And then we clinked our glasses again with a cheer.
"Having dinner like this, just the two of us, is indescribably delightful."
"Me too, Athena."
In the fully ripened atmosphere, we, the married couple, laughed warmly.
"I am truly glad that you have regained your former self."
At Athena's words, muttered as if flowing, I reflexively paused the glass I was bringing to my lips.
Former self... I couldn't help but know what that ambiguous phrase meant.
It seemed Athena's faith in me was still solid.
"What's wrong, Ion?"
Athena, as if catching something subtle on my tightly shut face, asked cautiously.
It was the moment I should have answered, 'It's nothing,' or 'It's nothing important.'
"......Athena."
But my mouth, the source of disaster, let out different words.
"Well, you see......"
I tried to keep my mouth shut somehow, but couldn't stop my moving tongue.
"What if my illness hasn't healed yet?"
I continued speaking with my head deeply bowed. I didn't have the courage to look at Athena's face.
"If I'm still suffering from that wall. If you or my other wives are still with other men besides me......"
Kung!
At the sudden loud noise, I flinched and reflexively lifted my head.
Then Athena came into view, gripping her vodka glass tightly.
The noise just now was most likely the sound of Athena slamming the glass she was holding onto the table.
"......Let me say this once more, clearly, Ion."
Athena moved her lips, completely unconcerned that the spilled vodka was dirtying her hand.
Her expression, staring intently at me, was infinitely serious and frightening.
"I have not the slightest intention of doing such a thing. Allowing my body to any man other than Ion Rayhard is the greatest humiliation on earth for me!"
Athena continued speaking clearly, as if to say, 'Engrave every single word without missing a single letter.'
I accepted her words quietly, my body shrinking.
"Ion, I am your wife and at the same time the Admiral of the Ortina Fleet, commanding tens of thousands of soldiers. Is it even conceivable for me to mix my body with another man? Do you truly think so?!"
Athena, having slammed her clenched fist on the table, raised her voice increasingly.
"S-sorry......"
I could only stutter like a child who had done wrong and apologize abjectly on the spot.
When I no longer brought up anything related to my wall, Athena stopped pressing me and withdrew her anger.
But she couldn't completely hide her displeased expression.
"......Please don't say such things anymore."
Athena closed her eyes, pressed her fingers to her brow, and spoke in a tired voice.
I nodded hesitantly at her request.
"I'm sorry for getting angry. I got a bit emotional for a moment......"
"No, don't worry about it......"
The heavy silence brought by my words turned the rare dinner atmosphere infinitely cold.
But fortunately, Athena spoke to me first again, so we could avoid the worst situation where the meal would just fizzle out.
To restore the awkward atmosphere to its original state, we talked nonstop, occasionally letting out awkward laughter.
"Hmm......"
But as we talked more, I felt as if Athena's eyelids were gradually closing.
At first I thought it was my imagination, but seeing Athena answering only in short responses to my words for a while now, I became certain.
"Athena, are you okay......?"
I cautiously asked Athena, who looked drowsy.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine......"
Athena blinked and answered quietly, but she didn't look fine at all.
"Uh, um......"
Athena, who had been unconsciously lowering and raising her head, soon closed both eyes and tilted her head sideways.
Seeing that, I immediately stood up and slowly approached Athena, who was leaning back in her chair and sleeping soundly.
"Athena......?"
I lightly shook her shoulder and called her name once, but she remained with closed eyes and showed no response.
Truly immovable, as if she wouldn't even notice if someone carried her off.
"......I'm sorry."
After confirming that Athena had completely fallen asleep, I looked at her sleeping form and once again uttered words of apology.
Even to myself, it was an apology that was nothing but a hideous facade.
Ttok ttok ttok ttok.
Just as I was harboring an indescribable sense of guilt, a prearranged signal of four knocks suddenly came from the front door.
I glanced once at Athena, who was breathing softly in her sleep, then turned and headed straight for the front door.
For a moment, a hint of hesitation flickered in the hand that grasped the doorknob, but that was all.
Unable to resist my instincts, I finally opened the door and welcomed the second guest of the day, whose visit had been prearranged.
"Hello, Ion-nim~."
Richard, who had been released with the gem just yesterday, gave his usual greeting from outside the front door.
"It looks like things went well according to plan, so that's a relief."
Richard said, dramatically patting his chest.
He had been watching the whole situation from start to finish through the magic stone installed in advance.
"May I come in?"
When Richard, who had been blatantly staring past me into the hallway, asked that,
I fidgeted with the hem of my pants and nodded quietly.
Having received my permission, Richard immediately came in as if he had been waiting, and carelessly took off his shoes next to the neatly lined-up long boots.
I followed behind Richard as he strode toward the kitchen, and together we reached the regrettable table where the meal had been interrupted.
"Ooh~."
Seeing Athena defenselessly asleep in her chair, Richard smacked his lips and revealed a sinister smile.
"Can I really do it?"
Richard suddenly turned his head toward Ion and asked such a question now, as if it were something new.
Was it simply to tease me, or was even Richard a little hesitant about what he was about to do?
Either way, it didn't matter much.
"It's fine. Do as prearranged......"
Because my answer had been decided from the moment I opened the door.
Having received my permission, Richard let out a satisfied laugh and slowly approached the sleeping Goddess of War, drugged with sleeping pills.
Richard pulled out the dining chair next to Athena and sat down so close that his body touched hers.
"A pleasant fragrance......"
Richard fiddled with Athena's blue hair at will, then brought it to the tip of his nose and became completely absorbed in her scent.
Watching Richard freely fondle the unconscious black-haired goddess, I felt a fire ignite in my lower body.
"That I'm not a man of good quality?"
Richard muttered quietly toward Athena, who couldn't answer.
"That even at best, it's hard to see me as having normal sociality......"
Chewing over the criticism about himself he had heard in real-time through the magic stone video, the now-free Richard curled his lips ominously.
"You'd better pray desperately in dreamland that that's not the truth."
He gently caressed the unresisting goddess's cheek and whispered into her ear.