Chapter 130

"Hehehe…" The Balladeer let out a low chuckle, his expression filled with disdain.

"What are you laughing at?" Raiden Ei frowned as she asked.

"What am I laughing at?" The Balladeer glared at her. "I'm laughing at the coldness and heartlessness of you gods. Can you just discard something because it's a mere creation?"

"Why not?" Akio asked, genuinely puzzled. "You're not her actual child, so why not? To put it bluntly, you're just a puppet, a thing Ei made."

"If I make a defective product, don't I have the right to throw it away? To destroy it?" Akio continued, his tone curious. "Just because a god discards a flawed creation, does that make the god cold and heartless?"

Akio wasn't accusing; he was just genuinely curious about the Balladeer's thought process.

He turned to Lumine and asked, "Lumine, am I wrong? If I make something defective, don't I have the right to throw it away? It's like if you cooked a terrible dish, wouldn't you throw it out?"

"I think you're right," Lumine nodded seriously. She also didn't understand the Balladeer's logic. At the end of the day, the Balladeer was just a puppet, a thing Ei had created. Why couldn't Ei discard him? This guy's thought process was truly baffling.

"I knew it! This is how humans think. Humans are utterly untrustworthy! And gods? I despise them all!" The Balladeer, having been rebuked by everyone, finally snapped. He roared in anger.

"Oh? And what right do you have to despise anyone?"

In the next moment, Raiden Ei drew her blade and with a single slash, severed the Balladeer's left arm.

"Hahaha! Come on! Kill me, Beelzebul!" The Balladeer, now missing an arm, continued to laugh maniacally.

But his laughter was cut short when Akio produced a beautifully crafted chess piece crackling with Electro energy.

"The Electro Gnosis!" The Balladeer's breathing grew heavy as he stared at the Gnosis in Akio's hand, his excitement palpable.

However, he quickly calmed down. He knew that with two gods present, there was no way he could obtain the Gnosis.

"It seems you're quite obsessed with this," Akio mocked. "Is a mere toy of the gods enough to make you so infatuated?"

Akio tossed the Gnosis playfully in his hand, a sneer on his face.

"Beelzebul, you even gave the Gnosis to Akio?" The Balladeer glared at Raiden Ei, demanding an answer.

"It's just a chess piece. If Akio likes it, he can do whatever he wants with it," Raiden Ei replied indifferently.

"Damn it!" The Balladeer's eyes burned with jealousy as he stared at Akio. His lifelong pursuit was nothing more than a disposable trinket in their eyes?

"I don't like the look in your eyes." With a wave of his hand, Akio summoned a Subspace Lance and crippled one of the Balladeer's legs. But being a puppet, the Balladeer didn't utter a sound, even with only one leg left.

"Balladeer, I know what you've been up to in Sumeru," Akio said with a smile.

"!" The Balladeer's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression one of disbelief as he stared at Akio.

"The things Dottore and the Akademiya have been doing are quite… interesting," Akio continued, still smiling. "Ei and I have discussed it."

"To make things more entertaining, I'll let you have this Gnosis for now." Akio tossed the Gnosis to the Balladeer.

"Huh?" Lumine and Paimon were stunned. What just happened? Did Akio really just throw the Electro Gnosis to the Balladeer?

"!" The Balladeer was equally shocked. He hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events. Akio had actually given him the Gnosis?

"I hope you'll put on a good show and entertain me," Akio said, his smile filled with malice. "I'm really curious to see how much power you can wield with the Gnosis."

"Consider it a temporary gift, a way to fulfill your wish," Akio added. "So, do you think I'm being merciful, hm?"

"Hmph…" The Balladeer turned his head away in disdain.

"Hold onto it. In a few days, Ei and I will come to take it back," Akio said with a laugh.

"Now scram. Go play with the little toy your dad gave you."

Hearing Akio's words, the Balladeer wanted to retort, but he realized the spatial restraints holding him were gone. He immediately fled as fast as he could.

"Akio! Ei! Hurry, chase him!" Paimon urged, and even Lumine looked anxious.

"It's fine. We always intended to let him play with the Gnosis for a while," Raiden Ei explained calmly. "Akio thought it would be too boring to just kill him outright. Giving him the chance to become a god is more interesting. I also want to see what he's capable of once he ascends."

Akio nodded, though he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the people of Sumeru. But what did Sumeru have to do with him? The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nahida weren't his wives, after all.

"You two… is this the twisted sense of humor of gods?" Paimon sighed, though she knew just how powerful Akio was. There wasn't much to worry about.

Lumine nodded in agreement. She could already foresee the Balladeer's tragic future.

"Akio, thank you for today," Lumine said sincerely, looking at him.

"I knew you'd be reckless, so I left a bit of my power in you just in case," Akio replied. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Of course not!" Lumine shook her head, her eyes softening. She stepped closer and said, "Thank you for saving me."

"No need to thank me. How about repaying me with your hand in marriage?" Akio teased.

Even if Akio hadn't shown up, Lumine wouldn't have been in real danger. Akio knew that somewhere nearby, a certain short, blond-haired individual with a braid was hiding.

"…" Lumine's face turned bright red. "You already have so many beautiful women around you!"

"Yeah, yeah! Akio, you're such a pervert! How dare you set your sights on Lumine!" Paimon chimed in, hands on her hips. "You're not thinking of making a move on me too, are you?"

"??" Lumine couldn't help but notice that Paimon seemed a little too excited about this.

"…" Akio looked at Paimon, exasperated. "Paimon, you're still too young! If you were older, I wouldn't let you off so easily."

"Lumine, see? He's got his eyes on me too!" Paimon exclaimed.

"You little mascot!" Akio couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Paimon and started pinching her cheeks.

"Lumine, I'm serious. Think about it, okay?" Akio said with a smile, especially since he could practically hear a certain someone grinding their teeth in frustration nearby.

"I… I…" Lumine hesitated. She was tempted. Akio had saved her so many times! Sure, he was a bit of a flirt, but he really did fit the ideal she had in her heart.

"Akio, I still have four nations to explore… and in the future, I might even leave this world… I…" Lumine lowered her head, her voice soft.

"Take your time to think about it," Akio said, not pressuring her. Lumine was different from the other girls he knew. He gently pinched her cheek and said, "Lumine, as long as you're willing, I'll always be by your side."

"What I said to the Balladeer earlier applies to you as well."

"Okay~" Lumine nodded, her gaze gentle as she looked at Akio.

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