The fires were finally gone.
The village was not.
Nothing remained except blackened beams, scorched earth, and drifting ash.
The strange purple crystals had burned everything.
Wood.
Stone.
Even the soil itself.
The attack had left them with an undeniable truth.
A handful of wooden houses would never survive the enemies they now faced.
Only the truly insane dared enter the Null Forest.
And the truly insane were often the most powerful people in the world.
The Demon King.
The Heir of the Underworld.
The Hero of the Empire.
The former Queen of the Underworld.
Jemina didn't think that the monsters she should be wary of were the ones from outside the forest.
Only now did the weight of that reality finally settle onto her shoulders.
The responsibility felt heavier than ever.
She walked away from the others until she reached the river.
Without a word, she plunged her head beneath the water.
Cooling both her body...
...and her panic.
She later noticed that she could still breathe underwater, and that was because the time had stopped.
"You did well."
The goddess's voice echoed through the stillness.
Jemina, however, was in no mood for compliments.
"You're seriously saying that now?"
"I saw what happened," the goddess said. "Your reaction was perfectly normal."
"Says the goddess."
Jemina folded her arms beneath the water.
"What would you know about being human?"
"I created some."
"I don't want life advice from someone who keeps dumping her responsibilities onto me."
"We have rules, dear."
The goddess sounded entirely unbothered.
"I cannot interfere whenever I please."
"Convenient."
"It is."
Jemina sighed.
"...Fine."
"So."
The goddess clapped once.
"Time for your performance review."
"...Performance review?"
"Yes."
"You are my champion. I evaluate my champions."
"...You're a terrifying employer."
"I've been told."
Jemina sighed again.
"Fine. Go ahead."
"The monster parade was a good idea."
Jemina blinked.
"...Really?"
"It was."
The goddess smiled.
"But that man was correct. You cannot command every familiar at once. You need only those you understand."
Jemina nodded slowly.
"I noticed. When I focused on the mudwolves, owl snakes, and Ghastlies, everything became easier."
"Exactly."
The goddess nodded approvingly.
"And have you noticed something else?"
Jemina frowned.
"...No?"
"The familiars you spend the most time with..."
"...are beginning to imitate your will."
Jemina blinked.
"They acted without orders."
"The mudwolves protected the villagers on their own. They knew what you would have wanted."
Jemina became thoughtful.
"I guess...I never told them to save anyone."
"No."
"They simply learned from you."
Jemina smiled faintly.
"That's..."
"...actually kind of sweet."
"It is."
The goddess continued.
"Also... No more wooden houses."
Jemina looked offended.
"But they're pretty."
"They're flammable."
"...That's also true."
"You need stronger homes."
"The women I send deserve better."
Jemina groaned.
"...Speaking of that..."
"Can I have a vacation before you send the next one?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I cannot tell you."
"What an awful boss."
"I'll file a complaint for workplace harassment."
The goddess ignored that.
"They will arrive when the time is right."
"I'm already losing my mind. Jake survived. But he'll probably carry those scars forever. Ysilvern is still unconscious. The owl snake eventually spat Sigrid back out. Well, most of her. And somehow...Milena still insisted on nursing her. What am I supposed to do with that tomato head? I just want to bash her head with royal velvet apples whenever I see her."
Jemina sighed and calmed down.
"She said..."
"'She's still Ysilvern's mother.'"
"My heart actually hurts for her."
The goddess became quiet.
"...Now you understand."
"What?"
"What I feel every time another one of those girls willingly walks into suffering simply because they're kind."
Silence lingered.
Then Jemina tilted her head.
"...Wait."
"I never actually asked."
"Which goddess are you?"
The goddess froze.
"...You mean..."
"...you still haven't figured it out?"
Jemina squinted suspiciously.
"You looked shocked."
"I was not."
"You absolutely were."
"I wasn't."
"So, who are you?"
"You'll have to discover that yourself."
"Oh, come on."
"You've clearly overestimated my memory. I barely remember what I ate yesterday, let alone the things that I read back when I was in the noble society. "
"If you figure it out..."
The goddess smiled.
"...I'll give you a vacation."
Jemina's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Two months."
"Fifteen days."
"That's criminal."
"I bet the other gods are nicer."
"...For example..."
"...Goddess Marina."
The goddess immediately stiffened.
"...Marina?"
"Yes."
"I bet she'd—"
"That woman!"
The goddess exploded.
"Fine!"
"One month!"
Jemina grinned.
"Wait."
The goddess narrowed her eyes.
"...Why did you specifically mention Marina?"
Jemina's grin widened.
"Oh, I don't know... Maybe, because a certain goddess is at odds with goddess Marina, and I felt like comparing the two of them because that certain goddess is not treating her champion right."
Silence.
The goddess stared.
Then sighed.
"...You little brat."
"You tricked me."
Jemina burst into laughter.
She only remembered fragments of the old stories.
But one detail had always stood out.
The endless petty rivalry between Goddess Remuna and Goddess Marina.
Apparently...
It was completely real.
Remuna was one of the least worshipped goddesses despite being incredibly famous.
Most people believed she hated men.
Whether that was true or not...
Jemina had no idea.
But judging from today's conversation...
She definitely held grudges.
Jemina continued laughing.
Then,
Her lungs suddenly burned.
"...Oh."
She had forgotten.
Time had resumed.
"JEMINAAAA!"
Lucas's voice echoed above the river.
"Oops."
The goddess vanished.
A second later, someone yanked Jemina out of the water.
"What were you thinking?!"
Lucas grabbed both of her shoulders.
"You nearly drowned!"
"W-Wait—"
Her words became meaningless as Lucas continued shaking her.
"Lucas."
Rosaline gently touched his shoulder.
"Please let her breathe."
Lucas immediately let go.
Like a thoroughly trained puppy.
Rosaline crouched beside Jemina.
"You've been awake for three days."
"You need sleep."
"I'm fine."
Lucas snorted.
"You were about to sleep eternally."
"I'm awake now."
Jemina stood and stretched.
"I've already got ideas. We're rebuilding."
Lucas made an expression that clearly said:
I don't trust those words at all.
The three began walking back.
Rosaline suddenly stopped.
Lucas stopped beside her.
Jemina, still yawning, continued forward.
Then walked straight into someone.
"...Ow."
She rubbed her forehead.
Then looked up.
Noctellis stood before her.
His uniform was stained with dust.
His hair was disheveled.
Dark circles rested beneath his eyes.
He looked as though he hadn't stopped moving since receiving the news.
For one long moment...
He simply stared at her.
Then...
He pulled her into a crushing embrace.
"I thought..."
His voice was unusually quiet.
"...you were hurt."
Only then did Jemina remember.
The village no longer existed.
From Noctellis's perspective...
He had arrived to find nothing but ashes.
Her heart softened.
Then, without warning...
Every ounce of exhaustion came crashing down.
She buried her face against his chest.
"I'm tired."
"A crazy mother-in-law burned down my village."
"Jake is badly hurt."
"He'll probably have those scars forever."
"I haven't slept for three days."
"I'm starving."
"My feet hurt."
"My toenails are annoying."
She continued complaining about increasingly ridiculous things.
Noctellis simply listened.
Patiently.
Without interrupting once.
Then he lifted her into his arms.
Rosaline and Lucas quietly walked ahead.
Leading the way toward the temporary camp.
Behind them...
Jemina's complaints gradually became softer.
Then stopped entirely.
Rosaline glanced back.
Jemina was already asleep.
Her head rested peacefully against Noctellis's shoulder.
Noctellis adjusted his hold so she would be more comfortable.
Only then did he speak.
"Where..."
His voice had become frighteningly calm.
"...is Sigrid Valen-Hyde?"
Lucas and Rosaline felt the air grow heavy.
The gentle husband had disappeared.
The Hero of the Empire was gone.
Standing before them...
...was the monster who had destroyed cities and burned his enemies to ashes.