Chapter 26 - A fight to Oneself

26 Chapter 26 - A fight to Oneself

"The next time we meet, Olivia, I will not hold back,"

Those words reverberated throughout the room as Olivia's tear-stained eyes followed Ryuk and Amayara as they disappeared.

"You've changed, Ryuk!" she cried, collapsing to the floor, her hands clasped and pressing against her forehead, overwhelmed by emotions.

'Where did it all go wrong?' Her mind filled with thoughts about the time since Ryuk started paying her less attention.

Everything fell apart like a deck of cards because of his responsibilities. 'This damn thing.'

Her pupils darted around before stopping, shifting toward her left shoulder as she felt a touch.

Lifting her gaze, she locked eyes with one of the maids.

"Remove it this instant!" Her mind teetered on the edge, already on the brink of snapping, feeling the hand became even more enraged, wanting to lash out at the maid.

"Calm down, Olivia. Weren't you the one who wanted to destroy the Selvius Empire a moment ago?"

"T-this voice." Olivia's mind spun, realizing the maid in front of her had a very familiar voice.

HUSSH

Seated there, Olivia's gaze shifted slowly to the maid, whose hair started turning blue, eyes changing to the same deep hue, followed by her face and body transforming into someone she knew well.

"D-Diana?!" Olivia swiftly stood, staring at the woman who was eerily familiar to her.

Many women had already left Ryuk's side, and the first was this woman in front of her.

"You...!" Olivia wanted to say something but restrained herself, realizing the maids present inside the room.

Diana, understanding Olivia's unspoken message, looked at the maids with blank eyes and commanded, "You all can leave the room and continue talking non-stop."

Her words acted like a directive, causing all the maids, accompanied by Vivian, to leave the room.

Once outside, they engaged in conversation about various random topics, giggling and laughing among themselves.

Observing Diana's ease in handling everyone, Olivia felt bewildered and continued, "You can even change your appearance, and what's the deal with these maids?"

Olivia herself felt confused.

Unlike others brought by Ryuk, Diana arrived unexpectedly, settling in the palace, while even Lady Alisia remained silent on the matter.

No one knew about Diana's abilities; she remained aloof and distant.

The only person she interacted with was Ryuk, but now, the girl in front of her didn't resemble one form her memories.

"You don't need to know what I can do or not," Diana smiled at Olivia before adding, "Just know this: I can help you deal with the Empire."

Hearing those words that might have irritated her previously, now seemed like a beacon of hope she could lean on. "R-really?"

Olivia, looking at Diana, understood that her abilities were potent enough to support her words.

Witnessing how she entered the palace undetected, Olivia found hope in her.

Hope to make things right.

"Then, help me."

A smile formed on Diana's face as she observed the woman, understanding that her chances of success were increasing with every passing moment.

She was on the verge of achieving her ultimate goal—having Ryuk exclusively for herself.

"We will just take this Empir—" Diana began, suggesting a way to deal with the responsibilities binding Ryuk, which acted as a hurdle for her too.

However, unlike Olivia, who reacted immaturely, Diana was well aware of the burdens a ruler must bear.

But she cared nonetheless.

After all, why did this insignificant continent matter to her when her end goal was something else entirely?

"Not only that," Olivia interrupted, her ruby eyes shining as she turned towards Diana, contemplating a better way to make things right. "Make him unable too."

'!?'

Diana's eyes widened, feeling perplexed by such words coming from Olivia's mouth. She inquired, "And why do you want that?"

Looking at Diana for a moment, gathering her thoughts, Olivia explained, "Destroying the Empire would only lead him to find another distraction. Knowing him well, he will just create another one, and this cycle will persist. I want him to become incapable of doing so."

Recalling moments when even the smallest wounds made him anxious, Olivia gritted her teeth. 'I want all those moments back.'

"He will not leave my side if he can't even walk, right?" A smile formed on Olivia's face, revealing her clear intentions—she was determined to have Ryuk at all costs, even if it meant causing him harm.

'She's lost it, huh?' Observing Olivia's behavior, which might be considered abnormal from an outsider's perspective, Diana felt a connection with her. 'After all, anyone can become like this.'

A grin spread across her face as she reminisced about losing herself—her mind and heart—to that man.

'Ryuk is magic, hehehe.' Her inner thoughts swirled with a mix of obsession and possessiveness.

"We can just do that."

"But he is strong," Olivia interjected, acknowledging Diana's exceptional abilities, yet recognizing the difficulty of facing Ryuk in battle.

"It's okay." Diana glanced at Olivia with narrowed eyes, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction to receive support from someone like Olivia. Given Olivia's specialization in crafting artifacts, Diana added, "There was a reason for me to leave first."

Olivia's eyes widened, comprehending what Diana was hinting at.

『 Child, your sincere dedication has already surpassed the norms of worship and trust a person has in their deity. I give you the boon of eternal immortality. 』

'!?'

"T-this?" I couldn't believe what those words meant. It felt surreal to suddenly receive such a thing.

『 No need to feel bewildered; it is a gift bestowed upon you by me. Death will never fall upon you; your divinity will always shine, and you are free from the restrictions of a saintess. 』

Drip

'Why do my eyes feel blurry?' Slowly lifting my hands, I felt dampness in my eyes, gazing at the figure who always helped me.

The restrictions that bound me to my duties—as a saintess required to pray daily to the goddess in exchange for pure divine energy, were now removed.

This meant I could help people beyond the confines of this monastery.

"Thank you, Goddess, thank you," I kowtowed, genuinely happy with the gift I received.

'I will not leave you this time, Ryuk!'

In my previous life, my duties prevented me from aiding the wounded outside the Selvius Empire.

My divine energy needed intense concentration, which could only be sustained through prayer, rendering me incapable of leaving prayer for more than a day.

Standing, I felt the density of my divine energy rising rapidly.

While all the nodes seemed to still take 5 years to completely open.

'I still have time to stop that heretic.' It was his fault for not saving my mother and arriving on time, as he had done before.

Things wouldn't have changed much if he hadn't destroyed my Goddess's religion; everything was ruined due to his decisions.

WHOOSH

Suddenly, the density of the black fog increased, making it hard to breathe.

"Cough! What is this?"

'What is happening here?'

I couldn't understand how such ominous energy could exist in front of the goddess.

Turning towards her direction, I found nothing. 'Where is she?'

I couldn't feel her presence.

'Is it a nightmare?'

....

"Is she dead?" One of the priestesses from the Monastery looked at the girl lying on her bed without breathing or any signs of life, while she kept poking her cheek.

"Is she your daughter or something? Just leave her." Saying that, the other woman turned to wear her priestess dress.

"Haaaa... Haaa," Suddenly, Maria's eyes snapped open, sitting up and gasping for air.

"Kyaaa~!" Both women shouted suddenly after seeing the little girl, whom they thought had died, wake up so suddenly.

"Are you an idiot or something?" Holding their chests to calm their racing hearts, they looked at girl.

"Where am I?" Maria felt confused.

'Wasn't I with the goddess?' Feeling things complicated and slowly understanding that it was a revelation given by the goddess, 'But what was that energy?'

She still felt that the black mist was trying to harm her, yet her divine energy didn't seem to work on it.

Turning her gaze towards both seated women, she asked, "Where is Priest Kermit?"

'Is she insane or something?' One of the women couldn't help but find this girl not in her usual state.

The reason being the person she first asked for was none other than the head of this entire monastery.

"H-he is receiving the Crown Prince right now." Suddenly, the other woman informed Maria about Kermit's location, leaving the other one feeling confused. 'And here I expected her to scold this lad.'

"W-what!? Why has he come here again?" Swiftly standing from her bed, Maria ran out of the room, gritting her teeth, leaving both women behind.

Seeing Maria's retreating back, one of the women nudged the other using her elbow, "Hey, why did you tell her so easily? You should have scolded that brat!"

Finding no answer, she turned towards her only to find her drenched in sweat, feeling perplexed at her look before getting a hit on her head.

Smack

"Ouch! What the hell, girl, did you just hi—" Before she could retort, the woman shouted.

"Idiot! That brat you're talking about has become a Saintess!"

Read Important points of this Chapter ~

1. Ryuk Knew but still waited; He is a human and just like how you will never harm a cat whom you brought from street and took care even it scratched you, we are talking about literal people.

He had created a bond with them and wanted his heart to also follow his brains direction, That's why remained silent

2. MARIA IS NOT SOME RANDOM WOMAN - She is a Heroine and it was impossible for her to not have some Overpowered ability bestowed upon her by Heavens.

3. About that Goddess, She is Real, and about her origin let's put it for other time, about what that black mist was~ Demon Seed and due to it being from System not even Goddess could detect it, making it clear that System possesed Laws of world in itself, Definitely not Overpowered like others but it is far capable of rivaling the Others-- Like Host Like System