"Uh… thanks?"
Though a little confused by Ishtar's sudden intervention, Ritsuka offered a tentative thank-you first.
"Hmph… those weaklings? Even without my true form, they were nothing. But don't misunderstand—I only stepped in because of a certain deal. And even if you survived this round, whether you'll live through the next is another matter entirely."
"A deal?"
Ritsuka didn't seem too bothered by Ishtar's ominous tone.
After all, she'd heard plenty of people say similar things before—and yet, here she still was.
"More importantly, you… uh, have you seen something I dropped around here?"
"Huh?"
Faced with the goddess's unexpected question, Ritsuka tilted her head, puzzled.
"You know—the thing… the one that looks really amazing…"
"You mean… you've lost something important?"
At Ritsuka's hesitant question, Ishtar immediately bristled.
"What? No way! I'd never make such a careless mistake! It's just that someone asked me—yes, someone asked me to help look for their lost item!"
"No… you still haven't actually said whose it is, have you?"
"That doesn't matter! Just tell me clearly—did you see it or not? It's a simple yes or no!"
Ishtar's patience was visibly thinning, irritation radiating from her like heat.
"Well, actually—"
GROOOAAAR!
Ritsuka wiped away a bit of cold sweat, about to reply when a deafening roar cut her off.
"Sorry! I was so focused on the last issue I didn't notice—more beasts have appeared! Wait, what's going on? There are several times more than before! Has this city already turned into a monster den?!"
Romani's voice came sharp with alarm from the communicator.
"Hm… just mentioned it, and 'next time' came quicker than expected, huh? A shame I didn't get my answer," Ishtar muttered casually, as Romani rapidly analyzed the data.
"Damn it! All escape routes are sealed! Their numbers are increasing—your only way out is airborne! Ritsuka, try negotiating with the one beside you. If it's her, maybe—"
"Wait, wait, wait! Don't just assume things on your own!" Ishtar snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. She shot Ritsuka and the two Servants an irritated glare.
"I've already helped twice—that's the absolute limit of my generosity! Don't even think about me carrying you humans away. That would mean letting you touch my divine body! You might not realize this since you've just arrived, so I'll make it clear: touching me means instant death in this world!"
"Master—Ritsuka, was it? If you can't handle something this small, then all your talk about restoring humanity is just a childish fantasy. Go back to your Chaldea or whatever it's called. If you can't even do that, then find some random corner and die quietly. Listen well—only heroes earn a goddess's recognition. I won't help weaklings with no hope of victory!"
With an indignant snort, Ishtar guided her heavenly boat upward, vanishing into the distance and leaving only a trail of golden light behind.
"Ah… as expected, that didn't work. I thought there might've been at least a tiny chance…"
"Doctor, who was that anyway—?"
Ritsuka began to ask, only to be interrupted by Romani's shout.
"We'll talk later! Monsters are closing in fast! Analysis complete—break eastward! That side's weakest; you'll have the best chance of escape!"
"Alright! Head for the eastern ruins! Mash, Lily, let's move! I'll heal any injuries right away!"
"Yes!"
"Mash Kyrielight, moving out!"
...
"Oh, my King! This child is mine! You must uphold justice for me!"
"My King, don't listen to her lies! This child truly came from my womb!"
Having just stepped out of her temple, Ophis found herself confronted by two women kneeling before her, each clutching the same baby and wailing theatrically. Her expression twitched slightly.
…This really sounds like something Solomon would have to deal with.
Then again, maybe his troubles weren't so different from hers after all.
That thought oddly made her feel better about the stone tablet in her hand—covered in mundane inheritance squabbles and reports about two missing sheep.
"Just cut it in half…" she muttered under her breath, rubbing her temples.
Truth be told, seeing whose child it was would be trivial for her…
…But neither of them was related to the baby at all.
Ophis's expression shifted subtly. With a faint gesture, a plain staff appeared in her hand—a simple black rod topped with a golden orb.
One woman immediately panicked, backing away and surrendering the child, while the other loudly insisted that cutting it in half was perfectly fine.
…With that kind of intelligence, you think you can fight for custody? You'd be the first to die in any palace drama.
"Siduri, take them away. You can decide the outcome yourself."
"Yes, my King."
Siduri bowed lightly, signaled the soldiers to escort the women out, and followed after them.
She was clever enough to know what to do. Even if neither woman was the real mother, giving the child to the one who truly cared was the right choice.
Ophis paid the matter no further attention. She casually swung her staff toward the sky. A single beam of light shot upward, splitting into two, then four, then eight—until the heavens filled with countless glowing streaks.
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!"
Unluckily for her, a certain idiot goddess happened to be flying through the area on her heavenly boat—or perhaps the beams had been targeting her from the start.
The goddess's evasive maneuvers—or rather, her boat's automatic defenses—were impressive, but limited. After taking several glancing hits, Maanna began to smoke and nosedived toward the ground.
Ophis calmly stepped aside as the smoking craft slammed into the spot where she'd been standing. The temple's outer floors were reinforced with magic, so the impact caused little real damage.
"…Oh, it's just Ishtar. I thought it might be a beast attack."
"You definitely did that on purpose!!"
While the temple's defenses held, Ishtar's divine aura had cushioned her fall just enough to leave her half-buried in the floor. She yanked herself free, glared daggers at Ophis, and stormed over in fury.
Ophis tilted her head slightly to avoid the spittle flying her way and spoke with calm detachment.
"So? What's your impression?"
"They're fine, I guess," Ishtar huffed. "That girl—the Master—she's weak in power and talent, but her soul burns brighter than any hero's… though I still can't see through yours."
"Hm." Ophis nodded thoughtfully at Ishtar's words, then tossed her a sparkling blue gem.
Catching it deftly, Ishtar's eyes lit up for a brief instant before she schooled her expression back into the aloof dignity befitting a goddess—at least, in theory.
"Hey! Just this one?"
"This is only a deposit. Continue helping, and you'll receive as many as you want."
"Oh, really? In that case—wait, wait! Wasn't this supposed to be a one-time thing?! Why are you making it sound like I'm permanently employed now?!"
"Aren't you?" Ophis asked, tilting her head innocently.
"Of course not!!!"
The only reply was Ishtar's frustrated scream echoing through the temple.
---
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl