[385] : Goddess of Acting—Equivalent Exchange!

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Here, no God was intentionally targeting humanity. They were simply too weak.

This world's humans had no supernatural abilities. But the Gods did, and so did most of the races they created. After all, everyone understood the importance of power.

Thus, humans, who had once been the sole intelligent species on the planet—were relegated to the same status as monkeys and other animals.

"What a tragedy," Mika sighed after reading their history. After understanding the cause and effect, he could only describe humanity's current situation as being born at the wrong time.

Yes, just born at the wrong time.

Just as Riku and the others hoped, this war would have an end.

It was just that the end would come at a time far too distant for mortals to comprehend. But if they could just hold on—by Mika's estimation, the final victor of the Great War would be the God of War, Artosh.

At that time, the other races might be wiped out by the Flügel, but humanity, having been created by no God and possessing no supernatural abilities, would be allowed to survive.

Then, the Flügel would become the "Gods" of future humanity.

Artosh would be called the "God-King." The world would simply evolve into a different version of the other worlds he had seen. It was a common pattern.

In the grand scheme of things, humanity was just in its most dangerous, most desperate hour. But it was also the time that required the most struggle. And it was because of their struggle that future generations could live in happiness.

In the original story, Riku had indeed, through his own struggle, ushered in a future without war for humanity.

Though his own ending was not a happy one.

But since Mika had come to this world, he would not allow that ending to happen.

Putting down the book, he looked at Riku and Couronne, who were listening intently to Athena's stories of other worlds. A faint smile touched his lips as he thought to himself.

Riku, I will change your and Schwi's ending. But in exchange, you'll work for me from now on.

And I'll take Couronne too, while I'm at it.

It's an equivalent exchange, after all.

————

For Riku and Couronne, who had fought for their very survival since they were children, the stories Athena told were nothing short of miraculous—tales of a world so wonderful it was almost painful to imagine.

The Saints.

Great warriors who would risk everything to protect humanity. Their unwavering virtue captivated Riku. To him, the Gold Saints Athena spoke of were idols, paragons of heroism.

When faced with danger, they would cast aside all thoughts of their own safety, willing to lay down their lives to protect their comrades.

This ideal struck a painful chord within Riku, who, whenever faced with danger, was forced to sacrifice his comrades so that he could live to fight another day.

He felt a profound sense of shame, of his own inadequacy.

Of course, in the eyes of Mika and Athena, Riku was no less a hero than the Gold Saints.

The Saints could make the ultimate sacrifice because they had comrades they could trust, allies to whom they could entrust their will.

Riku had no such luxury. He had no one to whom he could entrust the fate of the settlement. Every single life rested upon his shoulders.

He could not die.

And that was the source of his endless torment.

"That's enough storytelling for today," Athena said suddenly, her voice gentle but firm.

"Aww, why?" Couronne immediately latched onto Athena's arm, her face a mask of disappointment. "Please, just a little more."

Even Riku, sitting on Athena's other side, looked at her with eyes full of anticipation.

"No," Athena refused, but her tone was warm. "Don't worry, we won't be leaving just yet. We'll be staying here for a while, so there will be plenty of time for more stories."

"Besides," she continued, "you must have other things to do, having just returned from your expedition. And even if you don't, you need to rest. Especially you, Riku. You must be exhausted."

"Oh, that's right! I almost forgot." At Athena's reminder, a look of realization dawned on Couronne's face. Unlike her, who had remained in the settlement, Riku had been on an expedition for four long days.

Out in the wastelands, proper rest was impossible.

Between the harsh environment and the constant threat of other creatures, a fragile human body was pushed to its limits. He must have accumulated a considerable amount of fatigue.

Couronne had noticed how intently Riku was listening to Athena's stories; he was clearly just as captivated as she was. If she insisted on continuing, Riku would surely stay, forsaking his much-needed rest. As his sister and his staunchest supporter, she couldn't bring herself to hold him back like that.

"Then I guess that's it for today," Couronne said, reluctantly pushing down her craving for more tales of other worlds and getting to her feet.

"Then let's be off." Mika, who had finished reading all the historical and cultural books in Riku's room in an impressively short amount of time, also stood up.

It was indeed time to sleep. While his current physical condition and strength meant he no longer required sleep, Mika still enjoyed it. It was a habit, a comforting ritual, and a proof of his own humanity. When there was nothing else to do, he always kept a regular sleep schedule.

"Well then, we'll continue our chat tomorrow, Riku," Mika said with a wave. "Try not to get too excited and stay up all night."

With that, Mika, Couronne, and Athena left Riku's room.

The "chat" Mika was referring to was mostly just him and Athena aligning their stories with Couronne, ensuring they didn't accidentally reveal their true identities to the rest of the settlement.

Neither of them was ready for that yet. As for the other important topics, Mika and Riku had already discussed them on their two-day walk back through the wilderness.

Though, to be honest, they hadn't exchanged much information. Mika, knowing Riku was a sharp analyst, had played the part of a traveler who had just arrived and knew nothing, all to avoid creating any rifts between them.

Mika's acting skills were top-notch, and as for Athena?

After countless eons, calling her the Goddess of Acting wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Because of this, there wasn't much they could talk about.

But Mika had another reason for holding back.

The other half of this world's legendary duo had yet to make her appearance.

The Ex-Machina, Schwi.

Until she appeared, Mika had no intention of making any major moves. As a collector of sorts, he couldn't just settle for one half of a matched set.

Riku and Schwi, the tragic couple who won the war but lost each other—Mika had no intention of letting them be separated.

So, for now, he needed to "gather intelligence."

Riku, who was unaware of the true extent of Mika and Athena's power, naturally agreed.

He was an expert in utilizing intelligence himself.

In his eyes, Mika's caution—his insistence on gathering information despite possessing immense power—was the hallmark of a true powerhouse.

————

After leaving Riku's room, Couronne led Mika and Athena outside.

"By the way, Mika and Athena, are you planning to stay together or in separate rooms? I need to prepare them for you," she asked, stopping suddenly and turning to them.

"You probably don't have guest rooms prepared, do you? In that case, we can just stay in one room. It'll save you the trouble," Mika replied with an easy smile.

This wasn't because he had any particular designs on Athena. It was a simple, practical thought. After all, they had already bathed together. Compared to that, simply sleeping in the same room was nothing.

"I understand," Couronne responded seriously. "I'll go prepare the room for you now."

Her eyes scanned the settlement. "Found it." A small smile touched her lips as she spotted her target.

"Ivan, over here!" Couronne shouted, waving her hand. Ivan, holding his daughter, quickly jogged over.

"What is it, Couronne?"

"I need to prepare a room for Mika and Athena. Could you show them around the settlement for a bit? You're already acquainted, after all."

"Leave it to me!" Ivan laughed, confidently patting his chest. He then turned to Mika and Athena with a smile. "We meet again, you two. I will be your guide."

"Then we'll be in your care, Ivan," Mika replied with a light laugh.

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