"Okay, look." Luca started. "When I first got there, I was just doing recon, right? Trying to understand how the humans were operating—their leadership, their armies, the reason for the war against the demi-human continent."
He sighed again, his voice taking on a serious edge.
"But what I saw…it was disgusting. The entire human continent was rotting from the inside."
Her brows furrowed, but she didn't interrupt, so he went on.
"The nobles were corrupt beyond belief. They were hoarding wealth, exploiting the poor, and funding wars just to expand their own territories."
"The ministers were rewriting laws so they could benefit themselves and their friends."
"The officials were taking bribes like it was a normal salary."
His tone darkened as he added,
"And it wasn't just politics. Thieves, slavers, rapists, smugglers—they ran the streets freely."
"Entire villages were ruined by the cruelty of those in power. It reeked of sin, and no one was doing anything about it."
The goddess raised an eyebrow.
"And so you thought you would?"
"Well, yeah." He said bluntly. "At first, I figured it wasn't my problem. I was just supposed to deal with the invasion issue, not fix their whole society."
"But then, after I finished my duties, I thought—why not help them while I'm at it? I mean, I can. I have the power, the ability. And honestly…it sounded kind of fun."
"Fun?" She echoed, aghast.
Luca winced. "Okay, maybe not fun fun, but…satisfying to go all? You get what I mean."
"I do not." She said flatly.
He cleared his throat, trying to salvage the conversation.
"Anyway, I didn't just go wild. I actually thought it through. I gathered information, did some scouting, and compiled a list—an entire list—of the worst offenders."
"The absolute trash of the continent. The ones causing suffering for everyone else."
She frowned.
"You're telling me you made a kill list to 'help' the world?"
"Exactly!" He said cheerfully, missing her sarcasm completely. "So I went region to region, dealing with each of them. Quick, clean, efficient. I didn't toy with them or draw it out, I just…got it over with. Then moved on to the next. And the next."
"...Until the whole continent was purged."
The goddess just stared at him, speechless, while he continued proudly.
"And that's how we got that sixteen thousand number you mentioned. I didn't just go around killing random people! I helped!"
"I removed corruption! The continent's probably way better off now."
He spread his hands innocently.
"I mean, if I hadn't done something, that rot would've just kept spreading. So technically, I improved the world, didn't I?"
There was a long, stunned silence. The goddess tilted her head back, pressing both hands to her hips, her chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths.
"In… and out…" She whispered, clearly trying not to explode again.
Then she finally exhaled, letting all the air out at once, before looking down at Luca with an expression that was a strange mix of frustration and reluctant admiration.
"You know what's the worst part?" She said slowly. "You're not wrong."
Luca blinked. "Wait—what?"
"What you said is true." She admitted grudgingly. "After what you did, corruption across the human continent has dropped dramatically."
"Murder rates have plummeted."
"Kidnapping, slavery, bribery—it's all gone down."
"The noble courts are purging themselves to avoid your wrath."
"Ministers are actually working instead of scheming. The people are…happy."
She looked off into the distance, her tone becoming more gentle.
"Families that suffered for generations are finally free. The common people are praising a mysterious savior who punished the wicked."
"There are even festivals celebrating the 'Phantom Hero'—that's you, by the way—and some have even started building statues of you."
"You've become a symbol of divine justice."
Luca blinked, genuinely surprised.
"So…you're saying I helped?"
"Yes." She said, almost begrudgingly. "You helped. Tremendously, in fact. The continent is cleaner, safer, and far more stable than before."
"And you somehow managed to do it without causing civil war or riots, which…is nothing short of miraculous."
He grinned triumphantly.
"Then there's no reason to scold me, right? I mean, I did something good after all!"
The Goddess stared at him, her star-filled eyes unreadable. Then, with a faint sigh, she finally said,
"What you did was…good."
Luca blinked, unsure if he heard right.
"Truly." She went on, voice steady. "The things you did have actually benefited the world. You've changed the structure of an entire civilization, purged corruption, and even restored balance among their common folk."
"It's… honestly, something praiseworthy."
"So… you're saying I'm forgiven?" Luca brightened instantly.
For a fleeting moment, it almost looked like she was going to say yes.
But then, she let out another long sigh, one that seemed to carry the weight of the heavens themselves.
"Sadly for you, no." She said.
Luca froze. "…what?"
"You did good deeds, yes." She admitted. "But you did them on the wrong side of things."
He blinked.
"The wrong side? What do you mean the wrong side? There's a side to doing good now?"
"Yes." She said, folding her arms. "You're under the protection and authority of the Goddess of Equivalent Exchange, not any human goddess."
"Your duty, your divine alignment, your very purpose—it all lies with the demi-human race. You're bound by their faith and their cause, so everything you do should be for them."
Luca frowned in confusion.
"So… killing those nobles and saving the humans is bad because…?"
"Because it had nothing to do with your assigned world."
She cut in, her tone stern.
"When you slaughtered the invaders who attacked the demi-human continent, that was acceptable. It was within your domain."
"You were protecting those you were sent for."
"Even when you destroyed the human royal family—the ones who led the invasion—that too could be excused."
"You were stopping a war. It aligned with your duty."
"But everything you did after that..." She pointed her finger at his chest. "...all those killings, purges, 'justice' crusades. Those weren't for the demi-human race."
"They were for humans. And that's what you did wrong."
Luca frowned.
"So you're saying… even if it helped people, it was wrong because it wasn't my assignment?"
"Exactly." She said sharply. "If the humans had summoned a hero, and that hero's purpose was to end corruption by any means necessary, then yes—his actions would be justified."
"Even if he slaughtered thousands, it would still fall under his divine role."
"But you were not summoned for that."
"You were a hero bound to the demi-human faith, to the Goddess of Equivalent Exchange. Everything you do is meant to preserve the balance in their favor...not the humans'."
She stepped closer, her expression stern yet patient.
"Do you understand what that means, Luca? When you went to the human continent and began executing their nobles, you crossed into territory that wasn't yours."
"You interfered with another goddess's domain. You caused chaos where there shouldn't have been any. That's why this problem happened."
Luca's eyes widened slightly as realization dawned.
"So basically… I went over my duties? I did something unnecessary? Even though it turned out to be a good thing?"
"Precisely." She nodded. "You overstepped your line. You crossed boundaries that weren't meant for you."
"It's the divine equivalent of invading someone else's kingdom and trying to rule it yourself. It's not about whether it was good or bad, it's about balance."
Her tone grew more serious.
"Because of that, the world's equilibrium was disrupted. The demi-human race is now at an advantage, far more than it should be. And that's something the heavens can't ignore."
"The balance between both sides is what keeps reality stable. And your interference…tipped the scale."
Luca rubbed his forehead, sighing.
"Alright, alright, I get it. I basically overdid things and went way off track. Sorry about that. If I'd known there were all these cosmic politics involved, I would've just stayed put."
The goddess smiled faintly, though there was still exhaustion in her eyes.
"I believe you. And honestly, it's not entirely your fault. I should have explained it better from the beginning."
"I assumed you'd focus on the demi-human continent and didn't expect you to go full-blown crusader on the humans."
"I even wanted to intervene, truly, but the holy laws restrict me. Once you act in the mortal realm, I can't directly alter your choices."
Luca nodded, feeling a bit guilty.
"So… it's both of our faults, huh?"
She let out another long sigh.
"Yes. It's all over now anyway, so there's no point in dwelling on it. What's done is done."
But then her expression darkened, and she looked him dead in the eyes.
"However, because of what you did, there have been… consequences."
Luca raised a brow, uneasy. "Consequences?"
She nodded gravely.
"The goddesses of the human side were furious. They demanded repercussions—justice, as they called it. My sister had no choice but to grant it to preserve peace among the divine realms."
He frowned. "Grant what, exactly?"
"Balance." She said softly. "To restore the equilibrium you broke, the humans have been granted heroes of their own. To match your existence."
"Heroes…?" Luca asked in disbelief, not expecting such a twist.
"Yes, and not just one." She said. "Multiple. An entire classroom of heroes—dozens of them—summoned from another world."
"Each one blessed by the human goddesses themselves. Their divine mission is to stabilize the human continent, rebuild its power…and ultimately, to defeat you."
Luca stared at her in disbelief. "Wait, what?! You're telling me—"
She nodded solemnly.
"Yes. You, Luca—the hero of the demi-human race—are now the greatest threat to the human continent. And those heroes were brought here for one purpose."
Her voice dropped, heavy with divine finality.
"To hunt you down."