Volume 1 - CH 18

Act 1-18 : Meeting With Rena

In the center of the Alrena Temple; Goddess’s room.

A massive round pillar stood tall in this large room, a solemn atmosphere enveloping it.

This wasn’t the first time Chiyuki and the others had visited this room, because this was the place they had arrived in when they were summoned to this world; the very first view they set their eyes upon.

Once they entered the room, Rena had immediately descended from heaven; the scene Chiyuki and her companions witnessed was astonishing as always.

The Holy Republic of Lenaria’s temple was Rena’s residence in the mortal world. Rena would descend every now and then to this place to guide humanity. Chiyuki who had heard about this fact a long time ago once again realized that Rena really was a Goddess, whose existence influenced many people.

「It’s been a while, everyone.」

Rena greeted them with a bright smile on her face, it was bright enough to charm Chiyuki and co. [TL : That smile is a TRAP!!!]

Gazing at her, Chiyuki once again realized that the Goddess before her was truly a transcendent beauty.

A beautiful face, snow white skin, br*asts bigger than Sahoko’s, who had the biggest size among Chiyuki and her companions, and lastly, a constricted and extremely thin waist. Chiyuki and the others had never seen such a beauty, even back in their original world.

Though Chiyuki had confidence in her figure and appearance, she was no match for Rena.

Reiji aside, Chiyuki thought that Rena’s beauty alone was enough to topple countries and convince any man to do her bidding.

「It’s been a while, Rena. I missed you so much you know.」

It had been a long time since Reiji last saw her, his sparkling eyes could not leave her figure. He had really missed seeing the beautiful Goddess before him. His fervent gaze was understandable as the last time Rena had descended was right after his fall into a comatose state, after his battle against the Dark Knight.

「It’s been a while, Reiji. Is the wound you got from the Dark Knight fully healed now?」

Reiji’s expression darkened as soon as he heard Rena mention the Dark Knight. It was really the biggest shame of his life.

「I definitely won’t lose next time. Don’t worry, Rena, I will defeat the Demon King for you!」

「Okay, I’ll be waiting for that day, Reiji.」

Rena was extremely delighted with Reiji’s declaration. However, no one shared her sentiment, especially Chiyuki who had mixed feelings about the whole ordeal. Reiji had almost died in his duel with the Dark Knight, that’s why she was against him going into another battle.

（In the first place, it’s already strange that only us are fighting against the Demon King and his army. What in the world are those Elios Gods doing up there? Watching a soap opera?）

Chiyuki decided to ask Rena about that matter.

「Goddess Rena. Can you please answer my questions?」

「What’s the matter, Chiyuki?」

Rena tilted her head with a confused look on her face, even such a simple action was extremely graceful.

「First, why did the Gods of Elios just leave the Demon King on his own devices til now?」

Chiyuki asked her first question.

「It’s not like we wanted to leave him unhindered… It’s just that we have our own circumstances.」

Rena replied with an apologetic look on her face.

（Circumstances? What kind of circumstances do the Gods have I wonder?）

After hearing Rena’s vague answer, Chiyuki wanted now more than ever to visit the Heavenly Realm, Elios, to confirm everything firsthand. She was curious about what circumstances could make everything so baffling to them. But, seeing Reiji frown as he gazed at Rena’s troubled expression, Chiyuki decided against asking any further questions about this particular topic.

「What are these circumstances you’re talking about, Rena?」

However, unlike Chiyuki’s composed self, the innocent and simple-minded Rino bluntly asked the question, ignoring the state of her surroundings altogether. Though not as much as Rena, Rino was a one of a kind cutie. She could make any man do her bidding if she wished for it as well.

Yet, her charm did not work on the ravishing Rena since she was still seen as a normal woman in her eyes.

「Sorry, Rino. I’m not allowed to say…」

「Humph.」

Rino puffed her cheeks with displeasure. That particular action raised her cuteness by 200%, though unfortunately, it still didn’t work on Rena.

「Are those all of the questions you wanted to ask me?」

「No, there’s still an extremely important inquiry I want to make.」

「Important inquiry? What might it be, Chiyuki?」

「Goddess Rena, is there another summoned person in this world aside from us?」

Rena’s face turned grim as soon as she heard this particular query.

Chiyuki and the others were really surprised to see this kind of expression on Rena’s face. This was the very first time she had shown them such a face that was neither her usual smile or her cute and pitiful expression. It really made them on edge.

「So you noticed it too, Chiyuki. Your foresight never fails to surprise me… Even I never expected for another person to perform a summoning ritual like me…」

Rena shook her head as she revealed the fact with a sad look on her face.

After her response, Chiyuki concluded that the one who summoned that mysterious pervert wasn’t Rena. She was even more convinced of that fact since Rino, who possessed Lie Detection magic, didn’t react in any way.

「I’ve told ya, there’s no way Rena will keep those things from us.」 [TL : SHE DID, D*CKHEAD]

「Yeah, Reiji-kun’s right. Ahahaha.」

「Indeed, Rei-kun’s right.」

""

Both Shirone and Sahoko affirmed in tune with Reiji.

Rena looked at Chiyuki and the others’ state with a curious look on her face.

Chiyuki dismissed that as a natural reaction since Rena had no way of knowing the topic of their discussion during the emergency meeting before they came to meet her.

（Sorry for doubting you, Rena.）

Chiyuki apologized to Rena in silence.

「So, this means that there’s another summoned person aside from us. Do you know what kind of person he is?」

「I have no information about him, Chiyuki. The only thing I know about him is that he’s extremely powerful. As for his powers and the world he comes from, it’s a complete mystery, even to me. This matter is currently under investigation, I’ll let you guys know once we have some results. Do you have any other questions?」

Rena heaved a deep sigh as she touched her forehead.

（We already know about him being summoned and the fact that he’s extremely powerful. In addition, Rena doesn’t seem to know that he came from the same world as us. I guess there’s no need to ask her more questions since she has less information than us.）

Chiyuki decided to change the topic since there was no need to ask Rena more questions about the mysterious summoned person.

「Well, that’s all we need to ask about that mysterious summoned person. But, we still have a request.」

「What kind of request, Chiyuki?」

""

「Please send Shirone and I back to our original world.」

Rena showed a troubled look on her face upon hearing that request.

Chiyuki actually wished for everyone to go back with her and Shirone. But, Reiji had declared that he won’t go back until he completed Rena’s request.

However, more than a year had passed since they were summoned. They had to to go back no matter what. After further discussion, they had come to a consensus that only Shirone and Chiyuki would go back.

「 Does that mean you don’t wish to continue the Demon King’s subjugation? 」

Rena asked, her eyes moist as if tears would flow at any given moment.

「It’s already been over a year now, we can’t stay in this world any longer.」

「Can’t you change your mind?」

The pleading look on Rena’s face plucked everyone’s heartstrings, including the members of the same sex.

「It’s not like we have to return right away, right Chiyuki? Look, even Rena is troubled by your request.」

Reiji stopped the discussion as he looked at Rena.

Chiyuki heaved a sigh as realization dawned on her.

「I understand.」

「What do you understand, Chiyuki?」

「After our discussion here and careful deliberation, I can conclude that there’s another person who can use summoning magic.」

Yes, Chiyuki realized that they only needed to search for that person. This would solve all of their problems. They wouldn’t need to subjugate the Demon King to be able to leave.

（The most worrying thing is that pervert, but… that’s also the only thing we have to worry about, unlike if we wait for Rena.）

Rena’s expression became even more severe than before in hearing Chiyuki’s words.

「What do you mean, Chiyuki?」

「If you can’t grant my wish, I just need to go to that person’s place.」

Rena showed a frightening look that she had never shown before, more chilling than the one prior, upon hearing Chiyuki’s declaration.

That look alone sent chills down Chiyuki’s spine. Even Reiji was visibly surprised seeing that expression.

「Do all of you have the same thought?」

Everyone in the room knew that Rena was upset.

（It seems I stepped on a land mine. Well it does seem like we’re abandoning her.）

Chiyuki felt slightly bad for Rena, but since she felt that she was only forced to get herself involved in this matter, she definitely wouldn’t back down on her request.

「Rest assured, Rena. I won’t abandon you.」

Reiji was confused about Rena’s anger, but still uttered this statement to appease her.

「Yes. I’m the only one who’s considering that option…」

That was the truth, Chiyuki was the only one who wanted to return, along with Shirone.

Rena’s expression returned to normal as soon as she heard Chiyuki’s confirmation and everyone heaved a sigh of relief as soon as it did.

「I understand, Chiyuki. I’ll make the preparation to send you back then.」

Rena adorned a sickly sweet smile as she spoke.

◆

Two days had passed since Kuroki’s encounter with Reiji’s little sister.

Kuroki, who was currently living in a certain dilapidated house in the outer city, noticed that there was a large scale search for him.

The house he was using right now was Dozumi’s hiding place. Dozumi had prepared this hiding place in case of an emergency and had entrusted it to Kuroki before he left.

（In the end… I can only rely on Nut to gather informartion.）

Kuroki sighed. He felt that he lost his original goal for coming to this place. He hadn’t stayed low-key as planned and had instead alerted his enemies. Now, he could only rely on Nut for intelligence gathering.

Nut was currently sneaking into the temple.

Following the rumors floating around amongst the priests, Kuroki was now aware that the Goddess, Rena, had descended and was currently in the temple.

（The one who summoned Reiji and the others descended, which means that something happened.）

Nut returned right when Kuroki was pondering about that matter.

「I’m back, Kuroki-sama~」

「Welcome back, Nut. Do you know the reason behind Goddess Rena’s descent?」

Nut shook his head.

「It seems she has something to talk about with the hero and his companions, but I have no idea what they’re discussing since the security around that room is too strict~.」

Kuroki wasn’t irked by that fact, it was within his expectations that the security around the Goddess would be too strict for Nut to pass by.

「I see, it can’t be helped then… Thanks a lot, Nut.」

「But… there’s a certain thing that I’m worried about.」

「What is it?」

「Well, it seems they’re making preparations for another summoning ritual.」

「… Pardon?」

Kuroki couldn’t believe what he just heard.

「Preparations for a summoning? She’s going to summon another person?」

Nut shook his head.

「This is just my guess, but I think they’re trying to send someone back and bring another person in their stead.」

Hearing that piece of news had convinced Kuroki that not even Nut knew what was happening.

「But still, I hear that the one they’re going to send back are the ones called Chiyuki and Shirone…」

Sure enough, that piece of information was worrying.

「Eh, wait a minute… There should be no way to send us back to our original world, right?」

「Indeed.」

「Then, is there actually… a way to send us back that we don’t know of?」

–Could it be that Modes was the only one who thought that there’s no way back while in fact, Elios had already developed a magic to send us back?

Kuroki couldn’t help but muse to himself.

「Kuroki-sama! Heibos-sama won’t do something like deceiving Modes-sama!」

Nut declared a moment later.

Kuroki had been told that the Blacksmith God, Heibos, was Modes’ BFF. Just as Nut had said, Heibos wouldn’t be so stingy with the information he shared with Modes.

It really was as Heibos had said, there was no way to send summoned people back to their original world. Doing so might cause the person involved to be trapped in a rift within dimensions forever.

–And yet, Shirone wants to go back to our original world.

Even though there was no way for them to go back to their original world for now.

（What’s the meaning of this contradicting information?）

–There’s also the possibility that Rena might have already known that there was no way to send a summoned person back to their original world.

–And yet, she’s still trying to send Shirone back despite knowing that?

–Shirone might be in danger right now.

Worry dominated Kuroki’s mind as he thought of the danger his childhood friend would face.

「Rena is the one who will perform the ritual, right?」

「Yes!」

「And she’s currently staying in the temple, right?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

–Then the only way to confirm this matter is to ask Rena herself.

Kuroki decided to make his move.

「Nut, it’s time to raid the temple. Let’s disturb the ritual to make it impossible for her to summon another person.」