Chapter 298 – The New, New Maid.

Chapter 298 – The New, New Maid.

"Even if you can kill their Avatars, don't we still have the same problem?" Amakusa commented from a safe distance away from where Akagi's shadow was supposedly at. "Sure, you might bump a few off, but then the rest are just going to hide, and then we're back at square one."

{Why would they keep staying down here if they started dying?!? They're Gods, they can't be that stupid, right?!?} (Amakusa)

"I suppose the pet does have a point." Akagi laughed. "So then that means that we're to have to figure out how we're going to either get me into said Heaven or drag the Gods out."

"I actually have an idea on how we can do that." Halifax snapped her fingers as she remembered something from the past. "Kalmya's got a way into the God's realm." Her use of that name caused a scowl to form on Elariel's face.

"Kal what now?" Akagi had no idea what that place was.

"Within the Holy City is an extremely dangerous Dungeon." Elariel's mention of such a place instantly got Akagi's attention. "We created it in the distant past as a way to test the people of this world. There are one hundred floors, each more deadly than the last."

{Why does that sound familiar?} (Akagi)

"If you managed to reach the pinnacle you'd be faced with a fight against one of the Gods' children. Who it is depends on a variety of factors, but if you win, you would be allowed to enter the Heavenly Realm and granted the reward of either a drop of Divine blood-" Rebeckah was cut off.

"Or the chance to bond with a Divine Weapon." Halifax finished explaining.

"Seriously?!?" Amakusa exclaimed. "Why didn't you mention something like that to us?!?" She figured that getting a power boost like that would've been helpful.

{We could've used that kind of help!} (Amakusa)

"You four already received an equivalent to the Divine blood we give out, so there was no need to have you take a challenge that would likely result in your deaths." Elariel explained that even they would've struggled with such a thing at the beginning. "Not to mention that it would've taken you out of the fight for countless months or even years, and we didn't have that luxury."

"I mean... I wouldn't have minded some cool Divine Sword." Amakusa's comment elicited a cough from Halifax. "Besides you, of course." She started whistling.

{Lucky me that by the time said Dungeon got created I was well on my way to wondering the continent...} (Halifax)

"So then our destination will be the Holy City." Akagi stood up and stretched. "I'll just fly up and beat the daylights out of whoever shows up, easy."Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

{And then it will be all happy snuggles and pets!} (Akagi)

"It won't be that simple I'm afraid." Elariel sighed.

"Please don't tell me you actually expect me to do a hundred-floor death dungeon." Akagi groaned.

{I've already done that before...} (Akagi)

"It's funny because that would be the second one of those you've done." Yumi gave a wry smile as she recalled the Dungeon in question from FWO.

"Don't remind me of fucking Calmira." Akagi's face turned into a scowl. "That place was a pain in the ass. It took Hishya and I fuck knows how long to actually clear some of those puzzles and those bosses downright cheated with their move set." She started grumbling about a giant spider having flaming swords.

"The inside could probably be skipped by you, it's the final challenge that's the issue." Halifax explained.

"Isn't it fighting a Demi-God?" Akagi asked. "That's not too bad."

{I can just eat them, so problem solved.} (Akagi)

"It's more than that." Rebeckah spoke up. "No matter which Demi-God you face, the only way the portal will open is if you manage to defeat yourself afterward."

{Reaaaaaaally giving me fucking deja vu to fucking Calmira...} (Akagi)

"It's not a pleasant experience, and it requires that everyone conquer their own inner Demons." Elariel explained. "If you fail to win out over the darkness within your heart, then you'll be swallowed by it and perish."

"Well, I kinda already did that a few months ago. So I might be overqualified." Akagi laughed.

"Yeah, and now your inner Demon is a happy kitty that gets pets and eats treats from my hand." Yumi chuckled.

"MEW!" Akagi meowed as she hopped in Yumi's lap, turning into Catkagi.

"Ah..." Elariel looked between Akagi and Halifax.

{What?!?} (Elariel)

"Just go along with it." Halifax moved over and scratched Akagi's ear. "It's better if you don't think about things too hard."

"So... cute..." Rebeckah's inner thoughts leaked out for a moment. "Excuse me..." She looked away and blushed.

"Everyone likes the kitty!" Akagi laughed as she was fluffed.

"Not me." Amakusa scoffed.

"Do you like the kitty, pet?" Akagi asked her.

"Of course! Catkagi is the greatest thing in all existence! One could scour all realities from now until the end of time and never find anything as cute, adorable and downright amazing!" Amakusa was forced to speak, which caused her to grumble afterward. "It's mid at best..."

"Getting back to the topic at hand. I'm afraid that the Kalyma portal won't be a possibility even if you can handle the final challenge.” Elariel shook her head.

“And why's that?” Akagi rolled her eyes, annoyed that every solution seemed to be a deadend.

Yumi gave a small clap, which Akagi appreciated.

"Release me this instant!" Elariel hissed. "I will not be made a fool of!"

"Join the club..." Amakusa said with a defeated look on her face.

{OK, that's TWO things I didn't expect to see today. Now the Demon Lord has put a leash on a God and basically turned her into a slave... Is it too early to go to bed and call it a day?} (Rebeckah)

None too pleased with this turn of events, Elariel looked to Halifax for support but got none.

"If you actually think I'm going to try and talk Akagi out of this, then you're even stupider than I thought." Halifax laughed. "I more than approve of this, and I look forward to seeing you suffer."

{And knowing Akagi, this is going to be good!} (Halifax)

"Yumi, what should we do with this stupid God?" Akagi asked the one who was playing with her ears.

"Hmm." Yumi thought for a minute. "Well, with Mizumi gone, we could always use a new maid!"

{MAID?!?} (Elariel)

"OH! I like your way of thinking!" Akagi gave Yumi a high five. "Ten points to Yumi!"

{There's a score?!?} (Halifax)

"Alright, for now, the bitch Goddess will be my new maid! You'll report to my base to serve as Silfana's personal attendant once we handle things here in the Capital. There are no paid holidays, the work is grueling, and nobody thanks you. So have fun!"

Halifax started snorting from laughing so hard. "I can't wait to see it!"

"I WILL NOT BE SOME DEMON LORD'S MAID!" Elariel screamed.

{Better that than PET!} (Amakusa)

"Sure you will." Akagi snapped her fingers, changing Elariel into a maid outfit. "Look! You already have the uniform!"

"Why can't I remove it?!?" Elariel tried tearing at the maid's outfit, only to find that it wouldn't come off.

{Is it bad that I would've found it funnier if she dressed her in one of those naked apron maid outfits?} (Halifax)

"Is that the same stuff that you used on Silfana?" Yumi asked.

"A variation on it, but yes." Akagi laughed.

"You should've given her the onesie instead! The googley eyes would've been great!" Yumi laughed as she continued to pet Akagi.

"Maybe next time." Akagi shrugged.

"I don't care what outfit you put me in! I will not serve as some maid!" Elariel growled.

"Well, the way I see it, this can go two ways." Akagi's smile vanished. "You can do it willingly, or I can compel you, and as you can see with the pet, choice two isn't very fun."

{And I can assure you that if I have to go through the process of messing with a Goddess' essence I'm going to do a bit more than just make a separate personality that pokes out every once and a while.} (Akagi)

"It's downright awful..." Amakusa chimed in.

{0/10, would not recommend...} (Amakusa)

"Can you actually do that to her? I mean, she is a Goddess and Gods don't have souls." Halifax asked.

"She's going to be a bit more resistant due lacking a soul for me to mess with and the fact that she's got much more willpower than the pet will be a point in her favor, but yeah. At the end of the day, I can brute force it." Akagi nodded.

“Neat.” Halifax smiled.

"So what will it be? Do I need to start rewriting parts of your personality, or will you comply?" Akagi wasn't entirely sure if she could pull it off since Gods lacked a soul, but Elariel didn't need to know that. However, she could force the Goddess's hand by applying negative reinforcement, which was something that she'd had tons of experience with.

"Should I get out the branding iron and the whip?" Yumi asked.

"I was thinking we do some good old-fashioned waterboarding!" Akagi laughed.

"I personally favor ripping finger and toenails off." Halifax threw out her own ideas.

{Why is the Priestess of all things in on this kind of nonsense? And why do I get the feeling that Halifax has actually DONE that before?!?} (Amakusa)

"You are all horrible people." Elariel grumbled. "Fine..." She said reluctantly. "But I swear I will pay you back for this."

"How many times is that now, Yumi?" Akagi turned around to face Yumi.

"I think that line's been said four hundred and thirty-six times now, give or take a dozen." Yumi snickered. Akagi had finally gotten around to recording how many times she heard certain lines, and Yumi joined in since it was fun.

{I take it back, you aren't horrible people, you're insane...} (Elariel)