I Healed the Cold Dark Goddess’s Loneliness, and Now She Won’t Let Me Go! - Chapter 27

Guided by Lord Sulug, we set out to see the center of the Domain of Light—what you might call its thriving capital. When Lady Reine and I emerged from inside the palace, where guards were supposed to be stationed, the people were initially startled. But once they realized we were the Goddess paired with Lord Sulug and her Priestess, they became incredibly formal and reverent. Well, given that Lady Reine’s aura has been more intense than ever after our earlier exchange, I can’t blame them for being nervous.

“This is one of my favorite places,” Lord Sulug said.

The palace garden, which the people had apparently built for him, was a paradise. A fountain sat at its center, surrounded by a riot of colorful flowers, and I could even hear the chirping of small birds.

“Oh, it’s beautiful!”

“Isn’t it? I’m glad you like it, Haruno.”

Lord Sulug and I smiled at each other. Perhaps displeased by this, a scowling Lady Reine interjected.

“…Hmph. I could manifest something like this in an instant if I felt like it.”

“That’s not the point, Reine. Everyone built this thinking of me. It’s the sentiment behind it that matters.”

“Trivial.”

“Do you think so? I suspect even you, Reine, find special value in the things Haruno makes for you.”

“…………”

Ah, she got argued down. …Putting that aside, it means Lord Sulug cares for all his people in the same way Lady Reine cares for me. That’s why he can so easily sacrifice himself for them. In a way, he’s a God like the ‘Happy Prince.’

After that, we left the palace, and Lord Sulug showed us around the city. It was even larger and more vibrant than the place we visited yesterday. Everyone we passed was smiling and looked genuinely happy.

“Lord Sulug!”

“Thank you for everything as always!”

People on the street called out to him one after another. Lord Sulug responded to each person, calling them by name. He’s truly beloved. Not to be rude, but unlike Lady Reine, he looks like a perfect God—so why would such a plot… Ah, wait! I still love the imperfect Lady Reine the most!

“Is something wrong, Haruno?”

“Hieee!? A-ah, no…”

Lady Reine, who seemed fed up with Lord Sulug being constantly surrounded by crowds that made it impossible to get close, peeked at my face. Since I had been thinking something slightly disrespectful, I accidentally started acting suspicious.

“Haruno?”

“It’s just… I was wondering why anyone would target his life when he’s so cherished…”

“…”

When I voiced the doubt I was harboring, Lady Reine’s annoyed expression shifted into something intellectual. Ah… she’s so cool—wait, no.

“The answer is simple. They are spoiled.”

“Spoiled by Lord Sulug?”

“No matter how arrogant they become, they believe Sulug will never punish them. That is their complacency. A portion of the humans think this way. In short, they look down on him. I say this is exactly when humans need an example made of them but this is all the result of him over-pampering them.”

“…A portion… I see. You’re right.”

Lord Sulug is incomparably more approachable than Lady Reine. That means there’s no fear, and while the majority love him for it, a small group sees it as an opening to exploit. Yes, only a few people. With this many people around, it’s natural for some like that to be mixed in.

Lady Reine probably used fear. The system of sacrifices that led to our meeting to make an example and ensure that didn’t happen in her domain.

“…Haruno. It is time to go back.”

“Eh, but…”

“It is a waste of time. He is—”

…It was then. Suddenly, a blinding light rose from the plaza a short distance away.

“A-an explosion…?”

“What was that!?”

“It’s over by the plaza…”

Unease spread through the crowd like a ripple. I, too, felt a sickening premonition swirling in my chest.

“Everyone, please stay calm. I will go see.”

“Lord Sulug…!”

Calming the people, Lord Sulug headed toward the scene with a resolute expression. Wanting to deny the anxiety rising within me, I asked Lady Reine.

“Lady Reine, what was that just now…?”

“Highly likely a trap.”

Contrary to my hopes, Lady Reine stated coldly that it was a lure to draw Lord Sulug in.

“B-but, so soon after yesterday…?”

“The place where we overheard the plan was a different city. It is indeed fast for things to set in motion, but the explanation is simple. There were likely others thinking the same thing.”

Right now, Lord Sulug is in danger. Yet Lady Reine seemed to have no intention of intervening, speaking as if it were entirely someone else’s problem.

“L-Lady Reine! We have to…”

“No. We are going home, Haruno.”

“But…”

“Do not fret. I have a plan for the ‘rampage.’ If the humans, emboldened by killing Sulug, dare to bare their fangs at me, that is when I shall slaughter them all and engrave their place into them.”

“That’s not the point!”

I looked up into Lady Reine’s eyes, wondering if she really felt that was okay. If things ended like this, their last interaction would be nothing but an argument.

And I realized something. Lord Sulug might be willing to throw his life away if it’s what people want, but surely… no, undoubtedly, there are more people who want him to live. I felt it was wrong to ignore the wishes of so many people and sacrifice his life for the sake of a few.

“…Hmph. I suppose witnessing his unsightly end wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Lady Reine…!”

I don’t know if she truly understood, but Lady Reine changed her mind. She took my hand and we followed after Lord Sulug.

When we reached the plaza, about a dozen people had gathered there, surrounding Lord Sulug.

“…Was this your doing?” Lord Sulug asked, his voice still calm.

But the men’s eyes were clouded with greed.

“Lord Sulug. You are not fit to be the vessel.”

“You try to share power equally with everyone. No matter how much of a piece of trash or a fool they are, you make no distinction.”

“That won’t do! Power only has meaning when held by those who deserve it!”

“Therefore—”

One of the men stepped forward.

“You will give all of your remaining power to us alone.”

“…If that is the case, I’m afraid I cannot simply let you have your way.”

The attackers’ ideology didn’t align with Lord Sulug’s. Because of that, it seemed Lord Sulug no longer intended to die quietly.

“Lady Reine…!”

“Fear not, Haruno. You are safe as long as you are by my side.”

“Not that…! We have to help Lord Sulug…”

“That is also no problem. If he is so inclined, he could escape that lot without even needing to counterattack.”

“R-really…?”

Magic began to rain down on Lord Sulug. Seeing what I’d only seen on a stage being used to attack someone was, honestly, terrifying. But just as Lady Reine said, Lord Sulug deflected it all with ease.

However, he didn’t seem to have the breathing room to escape; he was stuck entirely on the defensive.

“Ugh… reconsider this!”

“Shut up!”

Lord Sulug refused to counterattack, trying instead to settle the situation through persuasion. I felt like we couldn’t just let this go on and was about to beg Lady Reine to move when it happened.

“Lord Sulug, are you safe!?”

“You bastards, prepare yourselves…!”

“We’re here to help!”

Multiple voices and footsteps. A group dressed in uniforms appeared. Somewhere… that’s right. Those were the uniforms I saw at Lord Sulug’s palace. In other words, they were his allies.

“Lady Reine! Those people are on Lord Sulug’s side, right? See, it’s not just people who want him gone…”

“…Those are indeed the ones who follow Sulug to maintain order. However…”

“The police, you mean? But what do you mean, ‘however’…?”

Feeling a chill at Lady Reine’s ominous tone, I looked. And I saw it.

“Tch! They were quick to sniff us out…!”

“Please step back, Lord Sulug!”

“Ah, but please, handle this as peacefully as possible.”

The attackers cursed. The police stepped in front of Lord Sulug. Lord Sulug stepped back, his guard lowered. —And then, the twisted smiles on the faces of everyone there, regardless of which “side” they were on, and the police officer preparing to fire magic into Lord Sulug’s back.

“Lord Sulug…!”

“What—Haruno!?”

Everyone who had appeared here was a traitor. I felt I had to save Lord Sulug. The thought consumed me, and forgetting the promise I’d made to Lady Reine, my body moved on its own.

Before I could think, my legs were moving. I lunged in front of Lord Sulug—

“Haruno!”

I heard Lady Reine’s scream, and then—light pierced through me.

“Agh…!”

Agony. My body felt hot. My vision dyed white.

…I did it now. Doing something like this, she’s going to be so angry, Lady Reine.

I’m sorry, Lady Reine.

My consciousness faded away.

“HARUNO!!”

—Haruno collapses.

Moving before anyone else, Sulug’s actions were swift. Catching the falling Haruno, he instantly used his full power to attempt emergency treatment.

(I can do this…! I can still save her with this…!)

Assessing Haruno’s condition and applying the appropriate treatment, Sulug was certain he could save her but his back was once again completely exposed.

The traitors, who had been stunned by the sudden intruder, were not about to stay silent when the chance appeared before them again.

There had been a miscalculation, but to achieve their goal here and now, they all lunged at Sulug at once.

“Prepare yours—ah?”

No. All they managed to do was take their stance to lunge.

The “vanguard,” the man whose attack had struck Haruno, realized the arm he had thrust out was already gone. White-hot pain. And just as he thought his vision had turned to darkness, he screamed as he felt the skin of his entire body being shredded away. But even that didn’t last long; the man drew his last breath, leaving behind nothing but finely minced scraps of meat.

The others were paralyzed by the carnage. Before that shock could turn to terror or dread, darkness swallowed the plaza.

Crushed, shredded, incinerated, twisted apart, flayed, burst. The divine punishments handed down were all instantaneous. With pain as a secondary concern, Sulug gasped at the mountain of corpses efficiently piled before him.

“Reine…”

The Goddess who had unleashed her power, her face looked as if all emotion had vanished beyond the point of anger.

“…I am sorry, Reine—”

Sulug did not blame Reine for killing the people he loved, for better or worse. If Reine had committed slaughter for Sulug’s sake, perhaps he would have blamed her. Sulug believed that the wishes of humans should take priority over Gods. However, because Haruno was injured, regardless of Reine’s actions, her anger was justified even to Sulug.

But Lady Reine showed no interest in what was in Sulug’s heart.

“Move.”

Reine forcibly took Haruno’s body, pushed Sulug aside with the emotionless disregard one uses to remove an obstacle, and vanished.

Left behind, Sulug collapsed to his knees in a state of utter lethargy.