Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 605: In The Goddess’ Chambers

Through the powers of the devil in her, the radiant high priestess had taken a liking to visiting her goddess ever so often. With presents from the mortal world, she would sate her anger for being a constant intruder in her prison. Athenia, of course, didnʼt mind much–that is, unless her day had been far too rough for any visitors.

Today was no different. Erika had arrived with a basket of persimmons and a fine bottle of dragonʼs blood ale. From Helgaʼs personal stash, sheʼd swiped the bottle, an act she wasnʼt too proud of but too blinded by her faith to not act out on.

”Would you mind a glass?” She asked Athenia, the goddessʼ gaze dejected by the burden of recent news brought to her by her angels.

But before she could answer, Athenia turned her head to find Erika already pouring her a glass. Being an immortal, the ale wouldnʼt help her cure the bitter taste in her mouth, and yet, taking the glass full of ale, she downed it in a second and offered the glass right back to be filled again. Leaning her head on the back of her palm, she continued to watch as Erika poured her the alcohol with a gentle smile.

”How are you so calm? Didnʼt you hear what I just said?”

”About those twelve souls from Gaia?” Lifting her head with a curious look, Erika stared at the shining beacon that was her goddess. ”The other gods can have their own soldiers, but we now have an army, and the hero wonʼt lose to some outsiders, much less to the chosen of false gods.”

Erikaʼs trust in Athenia was quite concerning, even to the goddess herself. Her faith was like a torch that canʼt be put out, and although thatʼs what she wanted from a high priestess, it was still unnerving as Erika was the very first to earn that title under her.

”My clones first noticed forty souls, but now only twelve remain,” shaking her head, Athenia turned to the front with her eyes staring at nothing at all. ”Whatever the other gods are planning, it canʼt be good if not even half of the souls made it even a full year…”

”A hundred of our soldiers died too, but that gave the rest incentive to get stronger much quicker than they otherwise wouldʼve.”

”I know what you mean, and thatʼs exactly what worries me.” Staring sideways at the priestess, Athenia took the extended glass from her hand. ”The remaining twelve souls, theyʼd been trained by the gods to stop us–itʼs the only thing that makes sense. But since theyʼre not on any land that I control, I canʼt really do much.”

”Could they potentially get in here?” A bit curious whether someone else could visit the goddessʼ prison as she could, Erikaʼs concern finally grew. Squinting her gaze, she conjured a glass made of flowing water and began pouring herself a drink. ”Maybe theyʼre training them to target you directly instead of us?”

Having not considered that possibility yet, as it felt utterly absurd to her, Athenia gazed into the future and skimmed through countless possibilities and in not a single one of them, she could see herself being defeated by a mortal whoʼd only trained a single year for battle.

”Unlikely, but I wonʼt put it past the gods to try,” she responded, taking a sip.

Opening her eyes, Athenia conjured a mirror through which she followed the lives of her chosen and their companions. Currently set to follow Mono–the most volatile of the allies, she paid close attention to the queen as she worked on a massive mechanical beast with her body covered in grease.

ʼWhat is she up to now?ʼ Thankfully, Raven would soon meet up with her. Thus putting her corner to the side, Athenia turned to Erika once more. Watching her drinking through a glass of water, she let out a chuckle before heaving a sigh.

”Either way, you need to be prepared. For all we know, these souls can be worse than any horror that we know.” Downing another glass, Athenia handed it back to the priestess. But this time, as she was about to pour, she stopped her with an extended hand. ”That would be enough, and you should return too. Iʼm sure the injured soldiers must feel your absence.”

With a gentle bow, Erika responded.

”As you say.” Not a moment later, Erika used Asmodiaʼs powers to walk through a portal and arrive back on the ship on which the injured soldiers were being tended to.

ʼI love that girlʼs enthusiasm, but I donʼt even think I trust myself as much as she does…ʼ Staring at the spot where Erika had stood for about half an hour without moving, Athenia wondered what made the priestess put so much of her trust in her. Through her own lens, the goddess saw herself as no more than a mediator–a mere bringer of normality compared to the other gods. After all, if they were allowed to run rampant, the next holy war would destroy them and the people of Atlaria once and for all.

”Hmm…” With a sigh, Athenia turned her head in the direction of the infinite library. ”If destruction is inevitable, then why would Father ever upkeep that library at all?”

It made little sense to record destruction if nobody was left to learn from the mistakes of the ancients. That thought brought hope to the goddess, and like many weeks and months, she began making her way to the library knowing full well that not a single book can be taken out from the shelf and by the time she would return–even if it was only a few seconds for her, a handful of days wouldʼve already passed in the mortal world.

Yet carrying hope in her heart that one day she could read through those selves about the past and the future, she made her way confident as ever. And although nothing had changed in the library this time, she noticed a book with the word ʼThe twelve souls from Gaiaʼ written on its spine.

ʼFather already knew?ʼ It was no surprise that he did, but that realization made her wonder. ʼI suppose the more time passes, the more titles I can decipher.ʼ

They say not to judge a book by its cover, but such was not the case for the infinite library, for even a title of these books could save countless lives. And thatʼs exactly what the goddess planned to do by leaving behind a handful of her clones to examine every bookʼs spine.

ʼIt might take a week, a month or a few years, but at least I will get some answers.ʼ Knowing full well that the return of the clones alone would take weeks or months, Athenia returned to her throne and observed her chosen once more.

A lot has changed in the time that she was away–a week had already passed, and there was much for her to catch up on–especially Ravenʼs visit to the prince of Nile and the Iron queen, Mono.