Chapter 350: To Kill A Planet (06)

--This chapter is written in Catherine's POV--

Things had changed in the room where the Gods watched the Divine Event since I left, and not for the better.

While at first glance the mood seemed the same and everyone wore their usual polite smiles, an uncanny silence would occasionally settle between conversations.

It was like a taboo hanging over everyone's minds, yet unspoken by their tongues.

I knew not the cause, but I was familiar enough with common courtesy not to ask or comment on the heavy, oppressive instances of silence.

Lapis: "Did the demon scare you, Cathy?"

I sat on the couch, and before I could relax a single muscle, Lapis snuggled beside me. Pressing her head against my arm, she flailed her legs like a child.

Catherine: "Not particularly."

Compared to being around the monsters called Gods, I'd be happy to face a few dozen demons like that one.

Catherine: "I was intrigued by the rain demon, though."

Though plenty of minor clans and races existed scattered throughout Hell, I had never heard of a rain demon in the several millennia I spent living there before Elizabeth became inescapable.

Even after I fled, to this day, the existence of such a race eluded me.

Azure: "What a coincidence! I was also quite surprised to see Alkztaer's face again."

Her enthusiastic voice cut through the noise of the Lenses of Divination and other conversations.

She hopped onto the sofa with a small, silly dive. Lying across Lapis and me, she rested her back on my lap, while Lapis' thighs became a cushion for her head.

From her casual tone, I figured that she knew Alkztaer personally, but I refrained from making any assumptions. After all, even though we hardly knew each other, she treated me the same way.

Lapis: "Your friend scared Cathy~"

For a long second, Azure crossed her arms and blankly stared at the ceiling, as if reminiscing.

After a deep sigh, she shook her head and shifted a little to make herself more comfortable.

Azure: "We're not friends. Far from it. I'm the one who sealed him."

Since I already refused to conflate her friendly attitude with being on friendly terms, her revelation didn't surprise me.

At least, not as much as Lapis, who gasped in awe and let an "Oh!" escape her.

What concerned me more was staying as still as possible so that Azure wouldn't hold a grudge against my failings as her makeshift bed.

After our brief confrontation during the Divine Event, I had to be careful even with the way I breathed near her so as not to damage our relationship any further, else she'd find reason to bury me in the depths of an ocean planet.

Lapis: "Hmmm~ But I thought that mercenary Champion came from Lazo's world? How did he have the book!?"

Pressing both index fingers against her head, Lapis pretended to use all her brain to come up with the obvious question that no one would be naive enough to ask.

The very source of the silent pressure weighing on everyone's minds.

Lazo: "...Relics travel, don't they?"

The angel leaned over the back of the sofa.

He spoke while wearing a smile similar to the polite ones I'd seen, but different enough that I'd call it patronizing, had I the courage.

Azure: "So does news. Yet I was never informed that the book left my vault?"

Seeing the intense way Azure and Lazo locked stares, it dawned on me that I was trapped between a tiger and a dragon.

Lazo: "I mean... Why didn't you just kill the Rain Demon to start with? Same goes for the vampire, of course..."

I thought I'd escape the worst of it as long as I kept to myself, but somehow, I was dragged into the crossfire.

Before I had set foot in the room, I believe my actions were worthy of celebration.

Gods and mortals alike witnessed me perform the most Goddess-like thing I had done in years.

Not only had I protected the Champions of my world against a demon, but I might've even obtained another chance to speak with Elizabeth's master on better terms. All whilst within the boundaries set by Asdrea and the others for this Divine Event.

I never expected a room full of applause, but wasn't such a punishment equally unwarranted?

Nyxie: "That's true. Why did you not get rid of that vermin, Lady Catherine?"

Another troublesome one joined, as if piling on me was her favorite pastime.

Even though she was terrible at maintaining the tone of a humble maid and most of the Gods in the room knew of her true identity, she insisted on it.

Alas, she wasn't someone I'd ever understand, nor someone I should understand.

Azure: "For Alkztaer to die, you must first dry the world and yourself of any liquids. It was impossible for me, and it's impossible for a vampire. All things considered, she did well..."

While I scrambled for an excuse, Azure threw a lifeline my way.

For all of my efforts, she rewarded me with a thumbs-up and a small, strangely proud smile.

It was a far cry from the applause I'd already lost hope for, but I appreciated a step toward repairing the rift born between us after the Divine Banquet much more.

Overjoyed, I silently nodded in acknowledgment.

Unfortunately, the Fang Thorn Queen cut short any respite I had a moment later, thinking it amusing to burn the rope I was about to climb.

Nyxie: "I see. In that case, I owe you an apology, Lady Catherine. I thought you were showing preference for that man and his followers once again."

Her words grabbed the attention of the other Gods.

Their stares hid judgments and calculations to varying degrees, and suddenly, the pressure was on me.

Lapis: "Eeeh!? Cathy's interested in someone!? That's rare~"

Wearing a devious smile, Lapis leaned her head against my shoulder.

Her eyes brimmed with amusement, as if she had found a new toy to play with.

Nyxie: "Yes. She visited one of her Champions, the trash who owns the nympho Living Armament, and almost spilled details about the final phase..."

She shook her head disapprovingly, her lips curled downward.

Nyxie: "Could you imagine it? She'd have spoiled my Lord's fun..."

Her mood swung in a second, and her dejection turned into quiet rage as she held clenched fists over her knees.

It seemed like she cared much more about the latter issue compared to me interfering with a Champion.

Catherine: "I'm sorry. Since I'm still new to this type of-"

While trying my hardest to stare forward and avoid confronting Nyxie's gaze, I saw the woman who always walked beside Lazo standing before the Lenses of Divination.

Diana: "...You've met Cassandra?"

All eyes that lay on me turned to her as soon as she opened her mouth.

She spoke in a low tone, soft and almost inaudible, yet it was impossible to confuse her voice with another's, no matter how hard it was to believe she was speaking.

In the twenty years since I became a Goddess, it was the first time I had ever heard her voice outside of low, wordless "Um" and "Mm". Even those sounds, she only spoke when prompted...

Ever since this Divine Event started, I came to believe Diana was-

Lapis: "Eh!? I thought she was mute, Lazo?"

The angel closed his eyes and shook his head.

Lazo: "I said she doesn't speak. It was a vow of silence after the death of her twin sister."

My joy at the attention shifting to someone else was measured, as the room fell into a second of excruciating silence.

Lapis was dangerously amused, Azure was terrifyingly quiet, and Lazo's words were increasingly contestable.

It was easy to tell that everyone had something they wanted to say, but no one wanted to risk speaking first.

With Lazo on my back, Lapis and Nyxie on either side of mine, and Azure resting on me, I was caught in the eye of a heavy storm with no escape.

Diana: "...How is my sister? Is she doing fine?"

The Heavenly White Vestment knelt before me and slowly removed my sandals.

Her calm and modest voice paired well with her incredibly soft touch as she massaged my feet.

Heavenly didn't do her justice. My body melted with comfort every time her fingers ran across my soles.

She was a far departure from her sister, the obnoxious Accursed Black Sword; however, I wasn't without bias.

A sword's purpose was to take lives, whereas an armor's purpose was to improve survivability.

In my perfect world, there were no swords, only armor.

Catherine: "Well... She was healthy."

While Cassandra Novaes was far removed from her prime, the same couldn't be said about her twin sister.

I had no words to describe the degeneracy I witnessed that night without offending her sister, and I feared that if I were to speak of it, Nyxie would suffocate me on the spot.

Nyxie seemed to approve of my decision, and to my benefit, I avoided telling Diana exactly what I'd done to her sister.

Diana: "Healthy... I see."

Her lips curled slightly. It was too small to call it a smile, but it felt oddly refreshing.

After she finished massaging my feet, Diana replaced my sandals with white high heels of a similar ordinary design.

At first, I thought it was strange, but once I noticed the massive list of defensive buffs that the heels granted me, I decided not to question it and accepted her gift.

Catherine: "Oh. Thank you-"

Diana held her palm over her lips, and after a polite bow, she returned to her master's side behind the sofa.

For the rest of the day, she didn't speak a word to me or anyone else.

Of all the Gods I'd met, she was the most pleasing.

Perhaps if I could have Cassandra, Lazo would agree to trade the twins?