CH 9

note : this chapter is crazy, so I’ll use colored text, or should I use it fully on every dialogue? Also sorry for any errors.

What the hell just happened…?

As time passed, my consciousness became clear, but my body was completely paralyzed and I couldn’t lift a finger.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a dangerous spell, it’ll only make you unable to move. It will last only for a while, then you’ll be back to normal, so don’t worry~.”

She preemptively answered the question that I couldn’t even articulate, leaving me wondering if it was a mere coincidence or if she had the ability to read my thoughts.

“Hey, I even lifted you off the floor and placed you on my own bed, a personal bed of goddess~! Consider it an honor and show your gratitude, fufu~.”

Then, on the altar in the middle of the room, Abne laid my body on the bed and tapped her hands on my chest

Lying down in the middle of the room, I looked up at the ceiling as if gazing at a star-filled night sky. A mysterious sensation forcefully calmed my mind.

As I lay there, the soothing scent of fragrant perfume filled the air, bringing a sense of tranquility and relaxing my muscles, creating a more comfortable experience.

“Since the first moment I laid eyes on you, I’ve been irresistibly drawn to your uniqueness. There’s something about you that sets you apart from everyone else~.”

It seemed obvious that I was meeting the goddess herself but it seems like she has been keeping an eye on me…

“Huhu~ Why do you wear such expression? Are you angry? Being followed, realizing the person you know isn’t the real one, and then suddenly being treated like this~”

This situation is really bad right now, but Goddess Abne just speaks calmly with a gentle smile

“Harold… Actually, you’re not from this world, are you?”

At that moment, my heart starts beating loudly.

Ba-dump!

An inexplicable secret that should remain concealed even from the goddess I serve…

Goddess Abne was the wisest and most enigmatic among the gods.

When the goddess reveals my identity with a sinister smile, an unfamiliar fear of what lies ahead grips my heart.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

“Uh… how…”

I barely managed to keep my mouth open, and I tried to squeeze the words out of my mouth, but I could hardly speak freely because of the spell that the goddess cast on me.

“How~? I possess the ability to peer into the depths of individuals, though it may not be flawless. However, I am adept at discerning an indistinct sense of identity through the very ambiance that emanates from them~.”

… Hence, it was possible to understand why she possessed the ability to see through deceit and relentlessly seek the truth, being herself the embodiment of truth.

“Ah, you said that the goddess you follow is named Eleanor, right? That childish goddess… I had presumed her to be but a fading memory, and the notion of mentioning her name had long been gone… Yet, she has entwined herself with an unique young man, marking him as her knight, no less…”

She appeared to be acquainted with Eleanor… No, maybe they are closer, to a point where Abne is addressing her casually…

“how…”

“Unn~? What is it~?”

As I was struggling to utter the words… she leaned in to catch my words, as if she had heard them, and wore an expression of curiosity.

“…E..lea.nor-..sa..ma… how… did…y..”

Despite the ambiguity in my words, she displayed an understanding and wore a gentle smile.

“I think I know what you’re trying to say, are you curious about my relationship with Eleanor~?”

nod

Summoning all my strength, I mustered a slight nod, and in response, she replied with a gentle smile.

“Eleanor and I… we’re like siblings, born at the same time, and that makes us somewhat of a rivals~.”

“But we didn’t get along very well, because she and I are the completely opposites from each other.~”

Then, as if reminiscing about bitter memories, she directs her gaze towards the ceiling, wearing a beautiful expression on her face.

“Unlike me, who is born beneath the tranquil moon adorned with shimmering stars, Eleanor emerged under an exceptionally vibrant sun… yet one that exudes both warmth and serenity.”

The sun huh…If I think about it, Eleanor did felt as gentle as the sun,-

when she’s in her normal state.

“Initially, she had devout followers who revered her…

However, being introverted and lacking in confidence she is, she struggled to oversee the shrine, and eventually, people drifted away from her.”

“Eventually, she found herself utterly alone, without a single knight nor believers…

and the other gods would not give her any place in the royal road, ultimately deserted her in the depths of the forest after reaching agreements on a meetings between gods.”

“Well~ That’s all you need to know. I don’t know how you got to know her, but I don’t care, the one in front of me now is you, not her.”

Having said that, she slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath as if she had finished reminiscing.

sssspp

“Now tell me about yourself, Harold.~”

The previously somewhat melancholic atmosphere undergoes a swift transformation, and with eyes brimming with keen interest, she bombards me with questions.

“Uh?… Yes …?”

“Where did you come from? What world were you in, and how did you get into this world~?”

Before my mind can fully grasp the story, the questions came without any pause, leaving my thoughts jumbled and my head heated in a state of bewilderment.

“Uhh … please wait a minute Abne-sama !…”

Having scarcely managed to compose myself and analyze the situation, I am swiftly engulfed by the next wave of distress.

Should I be honest?…

The reason I concealed my secrets until now was the fear of being branded as a nonsensical lunatic, due to the sheer absurdity of it.

But since she already know who I am…

should I just tell her?

I could speak more freely because the paralysis spell had loosened a bit, granting me some relief and freeing my voice.

And then, I began telling her the story…

…

…

Even though it was a long story, she did not lose interest the whole time she listened to it.

“Hmm~ So, the disparity between this world and yours is truly that significant…?”

After I finished speaking, Abne seems to be lost in her thought for a moment, holding her chin. And then, she gently opened her eyes, revealing a warm and friendly smile.

“How fascinating~….A world solely for humans, devoid of magic and gods, but with highly advanced technology.”

She murmured softly and motioned for me to come closer.

As I approached, a soothing sensation enveloped my body, relieving the effects of the paralysis spell and granting me the freedom to move.

“What was that thing again? That thing called smartphone… Being able to capture the beauty of landscapes and communicate with someone far away in real-time… I really want to have one~.”

After being able to move again… I tried to get up and get out of bed… but-

“Ah.. you still have a lot of story to tell, Harold~.”

Thud!

But for some reason Abne pushed me down to the bed again.

“uh… what..?”

“Hm~ You came here to see me, didn’t you? If you want to, you can become my guardian knight alongside Paulo. What do you think, Harold~?”

“…Thank you for the offer, Abne-sama…but…, I will politely decline…”

I couldn’t break my pledge with Eleanor.

After everything that has happened, when I hear such offers, my brain instinctively rejects them, leaving me with a somewhat fearful sensation.

I do want to break the oath…, but this time, if something happens again…

I don’t know what Eleanor would do to me…

“Hmm… hmmm~? Wow~ You’re so kind, Harold~.”

“Yes..?”

As I tilted my head in confusion at those words, she gently caressed the nape of my neck, in a manner that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Hmm~ So the reason you rejected my offer is because of her… and not due to resentment and anger? Even though I’ve treated you in such a manner, it appears that the emotions you harbor towards me are more aligned with respect rather than anger…”

To be honest…, it’s because I’m afraid of what Eleanor might do to me… but it’s best not to let Abne know.

“Uh.. yes?…”

“And the purity within you… so untainted~… It really entices me, I must say~…”

“A-…Abne-sama…?”

This pattern again!… don’t tell me!

I could sense the scent of danger and instinctively attempted to escape from this predicament, but…

shudder! shudder!

“Ugh?!”

Abne then proceeded to cast the paralysis spell on me once again-

! Not this again!

Clink! Clink! Clink!

Within moments of being paralyzed, I find myself bound by magical chains, entangling my hands and feet.

“I’m sorry, Harold~, I never intended to let you go in the first place, only to let such a enticing man slip away…

There’s now fucking way I’ll allow that to happen~.”

Then, she put her hand on my chest and a magic circle began to form, causing something in me to move-

“Hmmm~ Even in this situation, you don’t despise me… You’re so kind, Harold~!

Haah~… I truly desire to corrupt that innocence of yours…~“

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!! Ba-dump!!!

As my heart begins to race uncontrollably, I desperately struggle against the restraints, but I’m no more than a fish floundering out of water-

“Don’t worry about the oath~, I’ll take care of it for you. I’ll replace it with special method that even that damned Eleanor won’t notice~.”

…What?… So, does that mean that Eleanor won’t be able to forcefully teleport me back like she did with Mir last time?

“By the time she discovers that her one and only knight’s pledge has been broken, it will likely be too late~.”

Then…, I concentrated my thoughts on the golden orb that represented the pledge… hovering above my chest, as it gradually transformed, taking on an indigo hue.

Similar to what happened with Mir before, I can feel something within me shattering, triggering a frantic warning from my defensive instincts.

“Hm~~ There are rules among the gods, and to abide by those rules, we made a pact with one another. It’s a pact that states the further they are from their temple, the weaker their power becomes… so~…”

Even the faint hope that I held was shattered upon hearing those words… Perhaps it was because she had delved into the depths of my being, responding to the thoughts she had discerned.

I had truly held onto the hope that Eleanor would teleport me back once again…

However, upon hearing Abne’s words, even that flicker of hope transformed into overwhelming despair.

The madness that I could sense seeping through my skin… It was precisely the reason why I desired to leave Eleanor as well.

In essence, it signifies that I do not wish to make any vows with Abne… I must find a way to escape from this place, or else I will be doomed.

“It’s better not to resist, Harold~ you’ll just waste your energy… It’ll be easier to just accept it.”

“Now~, if you become my knight, I will give you everything, Harold~. Moreover, you will be bestowed with privileged knowledge that remains elusive to other members.~”

Then she caressed my cheek with an creepy smile.

“Don’t make that expression, Harold~. If you just accept me, you’ll truly find yourself smiling~.”

No matter how much she says it, the only word that keeps resonating in my mind is-

‘rejection’.

..Now, half of my pledge with Eleanor is shattering, the other side of the orb has been covered in indigo hues,

…does Eleanor really not notice at all..?

But even when the orb dazzling golden light had now almost completely darkened, I still haven’t noticed anything like last time with Mir….

No.. way…

Am I really going to become Abne’s knight like this…?

The last hope began to fade from my mind.

The moment when the pledge is almost fully darkened and is about to be engraved…

thud!

“What..?”

Shingg!

Amidst the tremors that shook the surroundings, the vow reverted back to its original golden glow. It appeared that the goddess Abne had lost her concentration, causing her to fail at revering the pledge.

thud!

As the vibrations rattled the surroundings once more, Abne fixed her gaze on the door, a glare burning in her eyes.

“What the hell is happening?”

Her face lost its relaxed expression, replaced by a look of surprise as she face the door.

“Why is that monster…”

Muttering to herself, Abne began to channel magic through her fingertips.

thud!!

The huge door rattles with a loud vibration felt once more.

What the hell…? The overwhelming power that I can feel… Is it Eleanor ?

However, Abne’s earlier words left me uncertain.

Then… Who is outside?

Bang!!!

The huge door is shattered with a huge burst of sound, and various fragments are scattered, turning this room into a battlefield.

And someone comes in… But the light leaking from outside was so bright that I couldn’t see anything

I hope… it’s really Eleanor-

“What are you doing to my Black Knight?”

As soon as she entered the room, I recognized her… Even from a distance, her energy emitted a dark and menacing aura.

“..Mir…?”

I call out her name, just to be sure… And I lock my gaze onto Abne, whose eyes have turned dark and empty, resembling the bottomless abyss, similar to Mir’s.

“Hmm~… the quest for subjugation… It seems like it failed, huh~”

With an annoyed smile, Abne channels the gathered magic into her hands, unleashing a powerful surge of energy in an attempt to suppress Mir.

… How did she know I was here..?

However, instead of succumbing to Abne’s energy, Mir responds with even greater hostility-

“Abne… You will pay the price for laying your hands on the man I desired…”

Despite the threats, Abne defiantly puffed up her chest and gathered a massive amount of magic, seemingly mocking Mir.

“Huh~ The weakened lizard sure talks a lot..~

Haah~

…. I’ll make sure to erase you from the world this time, you fucking lizard.”

Mir clenched her fists, her ruby-red eyes burning with anger, upon hearing Abne’s words.

“Get ready, Abne, today… a star in the night sky will perish…”