The Dark Rebirth of Pandora: Revenge of the Abyss

Chapter 610: Everything Aligned

”...Azraelith, what do you need? Make it quick because I’m talking to Evangeline.” Mom asks me while she’s spoon-feeding that woman she calls Evangeline. Apparently, this woman is my reincarnated ’aunt.’

’Pandora is so focused on improving her element that she’s started ignoring me... but it doesn’t seem like Mom is happy to see me here.’ I shrink back a little.

”Mother, I just came to find out about the things that will be taken out of the Abyss. I want to help Pandora with whatever she needs. She already told me the area where everything is so it can be taken along, so I wanted to know if there’s anything from the outside...” I say to her, but she practically ignores me.

’Pandora needs information...’ Weight, structural size, quantity of things—all of this is information Pandora will need to move the castle out of the Abyss without leaving anything behind.

I look at Mom, and she stops ’playing’ with Evangeline and looks at me. For the first time in a long time, she actually looks into my eyes with some interest.

”For Pandora? Not for me, but for Pandora? You want information to help her, and not to help me take the castle outside...”

”...” I fall completely silent, since I don’t have much to say about that. Of course I want to help my mother, but this time I came here to help and support Pandora, who is busy and shouldn’t have to worry about such small things.

”Pandora is quite interesting, don’t you think? She even managed to change someone like you. Do you like her?” She asks, leaning forward a little.

”Yes... I like Pandora...” I admit without trying to hide anything. I like Pandora. She’s someone I like and who helped me not be so dependent on our mother. Her words helped me see a little value in my own existence.

”That makes sense. Pandora is very convincing. She knows how to attack others’ weak points to generate the emotions she wants. But it’s curious that you chose her over me this time.”

”I-I didn’t...”

”Don’t deny it. But I don’t mind. It’s better this way. Now you have someone who will give you the attention you’ve always sought.” Her voice turns very cold as she tells me not to deny it.

”Ah...” I immediately feel sad, because it’s as if she just admitted that she will never give me the attention I want from her, and that I should seek that attention only from Pandora.

”T-That’s fine, then... I... I’m making good progress with Pandora... she... she’s great to me, and she’s fun, and I like her personality.” I don’t want it to seem like I’m just settling for Pandora. She’s nice, but still, that’s what it looks like.

But I told the truth. She’s great to me, a little mischievous and provocative, but she still helps me in every way she can and always motivates me when I need motivation.

”Yes, Pandora is a wonderful girl. That’s why I adore that girl. If I went back to the past, I wouldn’t do anything differently regarding Pandora. She was one of the greatest successes of my life.”

”...”

”Yeah... she really must have been the greatest success of your life...” I feel frustrated. She’s clearly doing this on purpose because she knows her words hurt me, but I just bottle up the uncomfortable feelings.

”Here. This is what you need to know.” She tosses a long, large, rectangular object. I catch it, open the lid, and see hundreds of papers—maybe thousands.

”Thank you, Mother... I’ll be going now. I’ll deliver this to Pandora as soon as she stops what she’s doing.” I try to leave, but she calls my attention again.

”Azraelith, Pandora seems to be doing something interesting. I overheard your conversation with her... Congratulations. You did a good job motivating her.” She gives a smile. A smile for me. A rarity, indeed.

”...H-Huh?” I’m confused, staring at her as if I heard the most unbelievable thing ever. She thanked me? For real? Sincerely? She’s never said thank you to me like that before.

And no matter how much I try to stop it, my tail wags back and forth, and my heart races.

”Keep up the good work. Always boost Pandora up. That’s a role I never imagined for you, but you did it well, and that makes me satisfied. Now you can go. I’m busy with my sister.” She returns to her cold tone but keeps that small smile on her face, proof that I didn’t hallucinate.

”O-Okay!!” I quickly start to leave, my heart pounding like never before and my emotions completely jumbled by what I feel.

...

...

...

”Keep up the good work. Always boost Pandora up. That’s a role I never imagined for you, but you did it well, and that makes me satisfied. Now you can go. I’m busy with my sister.” I say to Azraelith.

”O-Okay!!” She stammers, somewhat embarrassed, as she starts to leave while I turn my full attention back to my sister.

”Evangeline, what do you think? Want to try exploring the Abyss a little with me? Since this place will soon cease to exist, maybe it’d be interesting to show you some of the beautiful chaotic scenery that exists around here.” I offer to her with a wide, loving smile.

”...Echidna, that’s pretty mean to your daughter, you know? She looked really sad when you were cold to her, and her joy at being praised is even sadder considering it was just a ’good job’ and a congratulations.” Evangeline says with a small smile.

”...Are you going to try to give your opinion on how I treat my daughters? Then how about we talk about that massage you gave Pandora?” Does she really think I didn’t see? Of course I saw. I just don’t have such explosive jealousy. Besides, she helped Pandora with advice.

”A-Ah, hahaha, o-of course not. Obviously, you’re the one who decides. But still, your voice and tone are full of barbs for a daughter who is nothing but submissive.” She dodges a potential minor conflict.

”Ironic for you to say that, since I learned this attitude from you.” I hug her, pulling her onto my lap. I learned to treat people this way because of Evangeline—or rather, because of my sister in the past, when she was a goddess before becoming this reincarnated human.

”Really?” She asks, incredulous, as if she never imagined being that kind of person, and that kind of attitude isn’t among her memories.

”Uh-huh. I don’t remember very well because it was a long time ago, but you treated one of our sisters that way. She adored you, but you didn’t like her, and you hated how clingy she was. So you scorned her indirectly and got annoyed around her easily.” Those are some funny memories, even if they’re quite fragmented.

My sister in the past didn’t like certain goddesses very much, while she liked others, and especially me. Maybe more a matter of personal taste.

”She was very close to Elysia, and she’s already dead, so I can’t say much more about it.” These are things no one would remember after so long. There are things that get discarded among memories, even among the memories of goddesses. And when a goddess is erased from existence, memories of them disappear completely or turn into scattered fragments.

”Oh... I seemed like such a mean girl.” She looks into my eyes, speaking flirtatiously while gently raising her eyebrows several times as if tempting me.

”I learned a lot from you. So if I’m mean, maybe it’s your fault, right? So don’t be a hypocrite.” I say playfully. It’s obviously not her fault. I wouldn’t lie like that, and she herself must know that fact.

”But it’s curious, Echidna. You adore Pandora. What sets her apart from Azraelith? They’re quite similar. The only difference is that Pandora did a few extra little things for you.” Her question is amusing.

”...Hehehe. HAHAHAHA!” I burst out laughing. She wouldn’t understand, and I’m not going to be the one to explain it. Pandora clearly doesn’t want them to know about her past, and her past hardly matters.

”Pandora is special. She is my perfect creation. That’s why I treat her so well and am so patient with the nonsense she does sometimes. After all, she is my favorite, and I will never deny that fact.” I only feel gratitude for her and for what she has done and is doing for me.

”Alright, I won’t say anything more about it!! And yes, I would like to explore the Abyss, Echidna. But please be gentle with me!! And let’s actually explore, instead of you throwing me against whatever surface you find to mess around.”

”Of course. I was just satisfying something I haven’t felt in years. But I’m serious about exploring. We can go now. Pandora is grounded in her room anyway and is busy. Although, me leaving through the Abyss might cause complications for the balance of the entire place.”

”But I don’t care. You matter more than the little time the Abyss has left. I can’t wait to see Pandora make this horrible place disappear.” I love this castle. It holds many memories of the past. But the Abyss itself I hate, even if I am the Goddess of the Abyss.

”Perfect!” She clings to me affectionately as I stand up with her to go enjoy the time we have together.