Chapter 197: Ari Seizes the Future
The group of people followed in Freya's footsteps, like stars revolving around the moon. They forcefully passed the guards and arrived inside the oasis mansion.
Walking in, the crowd cried out in amazement.
The floor was white enough to be reflective, the walls were inlaid with various gems, and the mansion was filled with a large number of plants. It was luxurious, noble, and magnificent. And the one who now owned it was the goddess whose appearance, power, and bearing could match it—Freya.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and bring all the food and wine you have!"
The goddess gave the order with the natural air of a superior, directing Bofman and the other merchants, who were still in a daze.
And she, herself, swayed her body and went to the very top.
She walked down a long corridor, past an indoor fountain, and arrived at a platform raised several steps above the floor. She plopped down into a sofa. Her hand rested on the armrest, propping up her face as she enjoyed watching the people below wolfing down the food that Bofman and the others had brought.
The former slaves, who had been ravaged by war, were exhausted in body and mind from the management and the flames of war. Once they relaxed, they felt the hunger in their stomachs and began to eat ravenously.
But this unseemly appearance did not make them look ugly. On the contrary, one couldn't help but feel happy for them from the bottom of their heart.
Because this was a praise for their love of life.
In contrast, Bofman and the others, because all the slaves had been bought, were so short-handed they were about to go crazy. The large-scale mobilization of manpower, and the sweeping up of all the ingredients and wine in the market, had thrown the entire town off its usual pace.
And the first thing this goddess did after buying the mansion was to feed the slaves she had bought.
Rather than calling it a good deed, it was more like the most basic morality. After all, the "beauty" of the Goddess of Beauty was not just her well-known appearance, but also the fact that she would do things that befitted her supreme status.
"I remember a certain philosopher once said that the greatest use of money is not for self-satisfaction, but to share with others. Do you also think so, Kobayashi?"
"..."
"If a certain bad friend of mine heard me say this, he would surely have scoffed."
"..."
She looked at him, who was beside her.
Although his expression had not changed, the tense and oppressive atmosphere had gradually dissipated. It was just that when the goddess used words to probe him, he was silent.
It seems this child (Kobayashi) is not simply kind, but is one who can still maintain his kindness after knowing the evil side of the world.
What an outstanding child.
Unfortunately, his inside is already in a state of chaos.
At this moment, a beautiful woman with wheat-colored skin, her eyes full of infatuation, walked up, holding a platter of various fruits. She respectfully knelt on one knee in front of the Goddess of Beauty.
"Lady Freya, please have some!"
"Oh my, thank you."
She smiled, picked a grape, and popped it into her mouth.
It wasn't just her. The handsome men and beautiful women who had been bought and sold for this kind of demand were all serving by her side.
He was almost squeezed off the platform by their eagerness.
This was by no means forced or charmed. It was that they held the deepest love and loyalty for the beautiful goddess who had saved them, and were doing this of their own accord.
A harem? A reverse harem?
Both are too green!
To be served by handsome men and beautiful women at the same time... for an ordinary person, this could be said to be a luxurious and beautiful dream that one would want to achieve at least once in their life. It was truly the ultimate luxury and enjoyment.
He frowned and retreated behind the crowd.
Two children, on the contrary, squeezed in, but they were not blamed, because they were also grateful to the goddess and were offering their own loyalty.
"Goddess Freya, thank you for saving us!"
Such a frank thanks could completely represent the feelings of all the former slaves.
And then—
"Please let us join your Familia!"
They made such a pure request. Their purpose, naturally, was to repay the goddess who had saved them.
But it was not to be.
Although the only condition for joining her Familia was to see her mood, the atmosphere of the Familia was such that even if a person was talented, they might become a stepping stone for others. If the immature children were thrown into it, they would definitely be eliminated, and they would surely meet a tragic end.
Therefore, she refused.
And then, under their disappointed expressions, she said that if they could grow up strong and make their seeds blossom and bear fruit, then at that time, the goddess would gladly accept them.
Even if it was a verbal promise, she would never go back on her word. She was that kind of goddess.
Then, with the children's actions as a start, the adults also vied to make their requests. She responded to the others with the same attitude, promising to take them in as non-combatant members, but she would not grant them her divine blood.
In short, it was the relationship between a main god and her believers.
Even if they were treated differently, their loyalty to her did not waver in the slightest.
"I see, I see. What a good move. I've really learned something."
He pinched his chin and muttered to himself.
In general, it was to bring them hope in their time of need, to make them feel grateful and swear loyalty.
But unlike his own crude methods of establishing a holy kingdom and an orphanage, she, with her rich experience, had a more exquisite technique, and was also better at winning people's hearts. Even with her looks as a buff, her style and methods were the most important.
He felt that he had learned the essence and would have to do the same in the future if he had the chance.
"...I say, are you even listening?"
The goddess's complaint rang in his ear.
He came back to his senses and found that she was not talking to him, but was scolding Bofman, who was exhausted to the point of collapse.
"Y-yes! Goddess Freya!"
Only then did Bofman realize how hard it was to accompany her.
But—
"Goddess Freya! Not only my merchant association, but even I, am willing to bow and scrape for you! Therefore, when you have achieved your goal, I hope that I will be fortunate enough to receive your 'favor'... Duhoho, duhohoho!"
At this moment, Bofman was staring intently at her beautiful legs, panting heavily as if he could smell her body fragrance, and at the same time, letting out a strange laugh.
This was his true purpose.
There would always be some people who, like this, would shamelessly expect a "reward." She let out a disappointed sigh.
It's my turn, isn't it?
Just as he was thinking this, before he could make a move, four figures appeared silently.
"What do you think you're doing, you black pig!"
"Want to be castrated, you black pig!"
"I'll dig out your eyes, you black pig!"
"This damned black pig!"
It was the pallum quadruplets.
While cursing, they formed an incomparably tacit cooperation, kicked him to the ground and pressed him down, and a strange sound came from his limbs, as if he were a black pig waiting to be slaughtered.
"Oh my, so you were here?" Freya said, voicing his question.
"We were thoroughly checking to see if there were any assassins or other unruly people hiding in the house," the leader of the pallums replied, and at the same time, his dangerous gaze glared fiercely at him.
No, all four of them were glaring at him.
It was unknown if they were blaming him, an unqualified guard, for not thoroughly checking the mansion, or if they were jealous that he had been getting along too well with the Goddess of Beauty and wanted to teach him a lesson.
As expected.
"A black pig like this, who holds such improper thoughts, is not qualified to be by Lady Freya's side. Please wait a moment, we will teach him a lesson."
"You can't cripple him. We need someone to be our guide and our wallet."
"As you command."
Obeying the goddess's instructions, the four pallums forcibly dragged him away, and they were dragging him all the way.
As they left, they shot him a glare. It felt like he was implying something.
"Goddess Freya?! Please save me! Save me!!!" Bofman screamed for help, but she just waved her hand and responded with a smile, as if telling him to enjoy it.
The other slaves were scared silly, cold sweat breaking out in fear.
It was not hard to imagine what kind of fate awaited him. And so, they threw all their clever little requests to the back of their minds and decided to just thank her.
At the end of the line of thanks, the girl with the black hair, purple eyes, and brown skin appeared. She was the girl who had been chosen by her, and who might also be the partner she was looking for on this trip.
Seeing Ari, her mood clearly improved.
"You've come."
"...Thank you for saving my life."
Ari's expression was very tense. She said the same words of thanks as the others. Her right hand subconsciously wanted to press against her chest and kneel on one knee, but she suddenly stopped her movement halfway and bowed in an awkward, yet proper, manner.
This girl is not simple.
Seeing this, she narrowed her eyes, but asked in a relaxed tone, "Ari, is your body alright?"
"Thanks to you, I'm much better..."
In contrast, her way of speaking was strangely unnatural, as if she were wary of something.
Little did she know that she had already been exposed.
But in her eyes, all of this was very interesting. The smile on her face deepened. She lifted Ari's chin with her fingers and brought her face-to-face.
The two were so close that their lips would touch with the slightest carelessness.
Freya's divine, silver eyes looked straight into hers, her lips moved slightly, and she exhaled a captivating, fragrant breath. With endless charm, she said:
"Well then, you will come to my room tonight."
"—Hmm?!"
Being stared at from such a close distance by her, Ari first trembled all over, then bit her lower lip to hold back her flushed cheeks, and forcibly averted her gaze to break free from the charm.
She resisted again. A mortal girl, who has not had her vessel sublimated, nor has she received the grace of a god, is able to resist the charm of the Goddess of Beauty.
In that case, her soul is truly outstanding.
At this point, she could no longer restrain her curiosity. She leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Although I was rather extravagant in my shopping this time, in truth, my target was only you. So don't even think about slipping away."
"...What?!"
As the goddess retracted her hand, Ari staggered backwards, her brow furrowed and her expression extremely grim.
Her feeling of resistance was strong.
For a mortal to show such an expression after encountering the Goddess of Beauty... it could be said to be unprecedented. This made her look forward to it even more.
To be able to receive the goddess's favor!
—While the others were staring at the girl in shock, she stood up from the sofa.
"Remember to wash your body before nightfall. At that time, you must show your most beautiful side to prove that you are worthy of stepping into my bedchamber."
The domineering goddess had given such a command, which further proved the girl's uniqueness.
And Ari, after being stunned for a moment, quickly turned her head to observe the surrounding situation, even before Bofman's attendants could approach her.
At this moment, as if she had suddenly remembered, she offered a piece of advice. "I said I wouldn't let you slip away... that wasn't a threat, but a fact. This house is now under the control of my Familia. No matter how you try to escape, it will just be a waste of effort."
As if in response to her words, four gazes instantly landed on Ari.
The girl's eyes widened.
And she, seeing the girl's frightened expression, turned and left, her face wreathed in a joyful smile.
Ari clenched her fists, and seeing Bofman's attendants approaching, she tensed and retreated.
It seemed she still had not given up on the idea of escaping.
The girl refused to cooperate, and Bofman's men did not dare to harm her, because she was the one the goddess had her eye on and was to receive her favor tonight. If her beautiful skin were to be scratched, they would be unable to escape the blame.
And she, seeing that these people did not dare to harm her, had thought she could just run away. But suddenly, her back hit something.
No, it's a person!
A warmth came from behind her. Her body tensed, and her heart was filled with despair.
It seems I've been caught after all.
"What do you think a mortal is in the eyes of a god?"
"...What?"
"In the eyes of a god, a mortal is just a seasoning. That's right. A seasoning to bring a little fun to their endless lives. You, me, them... we're all just seasonings."
The question that came from her ear made her freeze.
She really wanted to take the opportunity to escape, but for some reason, after hearing the question from behind her, her feet stopped, refusing to obey.
And then—
"Although some gods like mortals, and choose to live and blend in with them, at most, they are just passersby who bring a little fun to their endless lives."
"What does that have to do with me?" she asked in return.
The man behind her let out a light laugh. "And for Goddess Freya, this is even more so. At most, they are divided into insignificant beings, and a few interesting children. Even this war is the same."
"...What are you trying to say?"
Her heart tensed.
For some reason, she had a premonition that the words the man behind her was about to say would surely trigger some major change.
For herself, for the desert, and even for her country.
"Since the gods only care about whether mortals can bring them fun, then is it possible to use their power to achieve one's own goals? For example—changing the course of this war."
"—Hmm?!!!"
Ari, like a startled rabbit, left the man's chest and turned to look at him.
His appearance was very handsome, with a different style. Even among the handsome male and beautiful female slaves, he could still stand out.
He was the man who had been following by her side.
His eyes held a hint of playfulness. "Admittedly, to seek a reward from a goddess carries a great risk. But... 'he who would achieve great things does not sweat the small stuff.' What's the big deal about just bringing a little fun to a god?"
"...Are you the same?" she asked in return.
"What?"
"Are you also following her because you want something from her?"
"That's right."
He admitted it openly.
He was actually no different from Bofman. It was just that that guy coveted her body, while he was interested in the essence of the grace that a god bestows.
"The future is right in front of you. Can you grasp it?"
"The future..."
Under her pensive expression, he turned and chased after her in the direction she had left.
(End of Chapter)