CHAPTER 15

Ira didn't want to delay their talk any longer, so she spilled the beans,

"All I could say is that, I was...BORED. YES, it's because of BOREDOM.".

She said more and more, while she was walking around in mid-air,

"Living and managing a PERFECT WORLD can be boring sometimes you know.".

Though, Yumine tried to dis Ira's self-proclamation of her world,

"Right...PPPUUURRRFECT WORLD...".

Ira didn't mind Yumine's comment, as Ira just brought out a luxurious-looking throne magically. It was afloat in mid air. She sat on it like she was an elegant lazy member of the royal family. She snapped her fingers. Suddenly, her other vacant hand carried a bunch of grapes. Her whole form depicted she was an uninterested Goddess.

"Though, I don't know the reason why MASTER is strengthening and spreading his powers of DISTORTION behind closed doors...",

Ira said unsurely. Then, the juicy grapes were eaten by her afterwards. Somehow, she looked-like a regal princess, as she was her snack. Yumine just didn't mind Ira superficial actions. Though, as Ira was eating the grapes without any hint of shame, Yumine looked envious. Thereupon, Yumine snapped her fingers. She didn't have a bunch of grapes. Instead, she had a floating bowl of powdered sugar strawberries dipped in cream. She took a piece of a strawberry, although she was absorbed in her thoughts first,

"I guess Ira wasn't all that bad. Though, she's still EVIL, VAIN and MANIPULATIVE nonetheless!".

The two majestic Goddesses were eating their snacks, while they were in mid-air, as they were waiting for their friend's arrival through the finish line. A little while later, Yumine noticed that her bowl was nearly empty. There after, she asked Ira,

"Then, what happened next in your story?".

As Ira noticed Yumine's tiny bit of interest in her story, Ira masked an entertained smile. Then, she continued to tell more of her past memory with amazing imagery and detail.

Nassus in his youth and Ira were at the guild tavern. The guild was lively, as there were more people than ever before. Ira and Nassus were at a certain table. The both of them were eating their bowls of potato salad and macaroni. Nassus wasn't that secretive nor shy anymore, as he had gotten used to living with Ira, as she was his guardian or caretaker. Same as for Ira, she was more and more open upon conversing with little Nassus. While they were eating their meals, they were having small talks about the quest they had completed before. They looked-like mother and son in some way or another, even though they weren't blood-related. Everything was going well. As long hours had passed, the sound of grueling thunders were heard outside, proving the surging storm shall follow. That sudden moment, someone barged-in through the front door, that were near beside Nassus and Ira's table. The one who came was a battered and rugged-looking adventure that almost had escaped from the dire consequences. Everyone was startled over his sudden entry. The man looked-like he was terrified of something,

"HE'S A MONSTER!".

Later, the receptionist went to the scarred adventurer. The receptionist let the adventurer rest at the certain table and she gave him water. The adventurer told the receptionist on what he had witnessed. As the receptionist heard his tale, she masked a very worried look. The receptionist went inside the guild master's quarters. Sooner or later, the receptionist came back and brought out a black-inked wanted poster. Though, all it had was a vague looking man in a hood and the information written about him were all question marks. Undeniably, he was still a dangerous guy as the rank was SSS rank. The adventurer from before had calmed down quite a bit. He stood up and tried to leave. As he was almost out of the guild tavern, he exploded in mysterious distorted hues of sparkling white and miasma-like darkness. In turn, everyone was shocked, as they saw that the man was gone from existence and the only thing he had left was his tattered pieces of clothing. Murmurs were heard around the whole tavern upon the aftermath. They looked dubious mixed with utter nervousness. Ira noticed that young Nassus's hand was shaking, so she held his tense hand and smiled at him,

"Don't mind about that Nassus.".

Nassus had stopped feeling a cold shoulder, as he heard her and saw her heartwarming smile. The two of them left the tavern afterwards. For some reason, Ira didn't look that much surprised, as she already knew the real culprit behind the recent incident that happened in the tavern. They returned home and they sat on the sofa. Nassus took a short nap beside Ira. The place may look calm but, the air surrounding the place was very different than before.

"I know you're there, MASTER.",

she called with a suspicious look. The next moment, the mysterious hooded fellow emerged from the dark shadows once again. Ira didn't want to prolong their conversation any longer, as she asked him straight, while she was caressing Nassus's head,

"You're the one who ruptured that GUY'S SOUL from before, didn't you?".

The hooded stranger wore a devious smile and said,

"Hoh? Why would you say that...my dear Goddess?".

He sat beside Ira. The atmosphere turned stiff, as his malicious aura had seeped throughout the place. Thankfully and quite sadly, Nassus was still deep in his sleep. Soon, Ira responed to the hooded guy's question, regarding on what happened to the adventurer before,

"No one or no God or even a Goddess could do that, except you.".

The mysterious male scoffed, as he heard that hilarious assumption of his Goddess. Suddenly, he held her delicate chin once again and released his not so sweet words,

"Yes I did that but, that was just a WARNING for you. Since, you are already MINE to begin with.".

He gripped her hand tight and both of them vanished. They had appeared once again, although Ira was lying on the wooden floor, while her hooded master was on top of her. He was holding her down such as he was a daring predator. Then, he said to her straight with an intimidating look,

"If you don't comply with my demands, then your people shall soon become like the one you've witnessed, my dear Goddess.".

Ira wasn't pleased of his action and words. Back in a snap, they were back at the sofa. It appeared, Ira's master had the powers of teleportation or he just moved that frickin' fast, dragging Ira along the way. Though, that was just one of his set of powerful abilities. Her mysterious master released his hold on her afterwards. He opened and walked through the door. Though, before he left, he said his final warning,

"Also, leave that child. You already HAVE YOUR OWN don't you?".

Ira gulped and touched her womb, as she felt that his seed was already implanted inside her. Then, her master continued to say,

"Don't you dare forget about your amazing plan you've said before, about nurturing my powers of DISTORTION. I have my trust in you.".

The roaring thunder was heard afterwards and he was no longer there. His whole presence had already gone elsewhere. It seemed it was raining hard outside, as the lightnings and thunders were raging from the skies. The place was silent and the only thing that was heard was the constant rain droplets. Even though, Ira's cold-hearted master had already left, she was still feeling tense. Her eyes closed and she relaxed her nerves. She turned to look at Nassus in his slumber and caressed his soft hair. Her expression was filled with worry, as she said with her soft voice,

"Sorry Nassus but, I'll have to leave everything to you now...".

The sleeping Nassus was feeling her divine caress, making Nassus to smile while, he was in his sweet fluffy dreams. Though, Ira wasn't feeling happy outside. Thereon, she said more and more, while her tears were ready to pour, even though she was wearing a forced smile,

"You see, my CORRUPTED HEART already belonged to someone else.".

She let him feel her forehead for quite a while, proving she still hold him deep in her warm heart. It looked-like Ira was about to give her final goodbyes to her little Nassus, even though a piece of her heart doesn't want to,

"If you miraculously defeat him, maybe you can return my sanity back and save me from my own demise. That I've regrettably chosen before.".

Afterwards, Ira left a note at the table. As she was almost outside of the house, She took a last glance at the slumbering Nassus, not knowing anything going on. She let out a crystal tear aided by a frown and said her final message,

"Become stronger Nassus and goodbye.".

She shrouded herself with a monochromatic cloak that blended nicely around her body. Then, she left Nassus all alone at the house and never came back for him.

Soon, Ira had stopped telling her colorful memory. For some reason, Ira had grown attached to her little Nassus before, basing from her story. In turn, Yumine had huge holes of doubts about Ira. Ira felt exhausted and ended her explanation,

"That's when Nassus became independent and tried to save me. Sadly, he failed and he was transferred to another world by my master's powers...so on and so forth. Oh and I don't feel anything special as I saw Nassus again quite honestly."

Yumine sighed and tried to analyze the whole situation in her disturbing thoughts,

"Really Nassus, you're both lucky and so unlucky. Now I understand why you wanted to save Goddess Ira even though it's not really necessary.".

For some reason, Yumine still felt some kind of pity for Nassus. She closed her eyes and tried to recall Nassus' stance in Ira's story. Yumine felt a deep understanding about Nassus in her thoughts,

"You just wanted to save your first non-blood related Goddess. Isn't that right, Nassus?".

She pulled out the last strawberry from her bowl. She stared at it with a deep sorrowful look, as she was engrossed in her thoughts once again,

"That's why you tried to enslave us Goddesses and utilize our powers to defeat that powerful madman master of hers.".

Yumine opened her eyes and saw that there was a huge holographic screen showing the race of Otorine and dragon. For some unusual reason, Yumine looked-like she had seen something very absurd,

"What the?".