Chapter 50: How Can It Be You?!(150 P.S Chapter)

Acheron had built her temple atop the river that coursed through her city-state.

The river itself formed the backbone of the entire settlement. Sea sirens swam upstream and carved out cliffside caves as their tribal dwellings. Layer upon layer, these siren clans surrounded the temple, which floated serenely at the water's surface. Beyond them were districts where other demi-human races congregated.

The imparty plaza, where that infamous "ceremony" had taken place, was set near the river mouth, likely for both convenience and spectacle.

"My goddess!"

The sirens standing guard at the temple spotted Acheron and quickly bowed their heads.

Although they were a bit curious why their goddess had returned so soon—was the experience that… unsatisfying?—the instinctive awe and obedience engraved in their bones left no room for casual gossip.

"Prepare guest quarters for my honored visitors," Acheron commanded. "Treat them exactly as you would treat me. With the same respect."

Though they could sense something different about their goddess, not one of them dared question her order.

"Yes, my lady."

With her followers dismissed, Acheron immediately turned to Eros and flashed a fawning smile.

"Professor Eros, what do we do next?"

Wow. That technique was really effective. No wonder villains love corrupting others, it did feel kind of great.

But as for next steps…

They had time. Poseidon probably wasn't even back in the ocean yet.

While prepping clothes and bait, Eros still had plenty of time to have a little fun.

Watching the sirens build their nests underwater and glancing at the rough, ramshackle architecture downstream, an idea began to take shape in his mind.

This was a rare opportunity.

Why not play a real-life city builder, Monster Girl Skyline edition?

It's not like he'd be the one paying for the consequences anyway.

"From now on, I want your entire clan to follow my instructions. No questioning allowed. Understood?"

Naturally, Acheron agreed without hesitation. Only afterward did she tilt her head and ask:

"But… how does this help me become queen of the seas?"

"Of course it helps! Transforming your home into a true Silver Paradise is part of the master plan."

And thus, Eros, the Wall-Facing Strategist, enjoyed the power of the universal excuse.

Acheron, entirely convinced, relayed his orders to her people.

From that point on, the sirens she had created, her sacred followers, became Eros's construction crew, working tirelessly to build whatever he requested.

Eros dived in like a college student discovering a new favorite game.

No man could resist videos of carpet-cleaning, hoof-repairing, or bolt-tightening. Deep down, men were just beasts of burden with civil engineering souls.

Hera and Amphitrite, on the other hand, were baffled. What had gotten into Eros? Why was he suddenly so passionate?

But since he'd said it was all "part of the plan," they figured he must have his reasons.

Eros quickly launched a full investigation into the city's layout. How best to redesign it?

After some initial surveying, he confirmed his suspicion:

This entire city-state had been built around one god, Acheron.

The main temple for worship and residence, the astral plaza for celebration, statues of Acheron at nearly every corner… The grandeur of her infrastructure was undeniable.

And yet, the demi-humans who lived here?

They still resided in flimsy sheds, poor imitations of her temple's majesty.

It was… postmodern as hell. History really was just a big circle, wasn't it?

Once his assessment was complete, Eros returned to the temple and began drafting his transformation plan.

Step one: overhaul their production model.

They couldn't rely solely on Acheron's divine gifts to survive anymore.

After all, unlike humans, these demi-humans required more food and resources. And under constant stimulation from Acheron's "life essence," they had already overpopulated far beyond what local resources could sustain.

If Acheron were ever to disappear, they'd face instant famine and disbandment.

Maybe this was why, in so many myths, mortals could never stray far from the gods.

The gods raised their followers to a level they could never sustain alone. If a deity fell or simply stopped giving, the whole system collapsed, just like a war economy falling apart once the war ends.

This extreme dependency fascinated Eros.

What would happen if he slowly weaned this city-state off its god?

Could it stand on its own?

On top of that, the city also had an invisible caste system.

Sirens, Acheron's personal creations, sat at the top.

Other demi-human races were quietly sorted and treated based on their species and skills.

And if he wanted to go a step further… well, wasn't Acheron herself the biggest symbol of divine privilege?

cough cough cough—any further and he'd be touching territory not allowed to be mentioned.

Not that Eros had come here to start a revolution anyway.

And besides, if the productivity didn't keep up, any talk of reform would be pure nonsense.

But still, this god-based city was weird enough to stir some real thoughts.

In Eros's mind, he recalled many historical systems long abandoned—not because they were wrong, but because they no longer fit.

So what kind of system did fit a twisted divine society like this?

He scribbled down idea after idea, letting his imagination run wild.

It felt like playing a Paradox Interactive game, stuck trying to choose the perfect civic path.

Time flew until late into the night.

At one point, Amphitrite dropped off dinner. She sat with him for a bit, then left quietly when she saw he wasn't in the mood for anything… intimate.

That's just how men were—if they were deep in a game, not even the lewdest scenes could distract them.

It wasn't until the table was completely covered in plans and blueprints that Eros finally stopped.

He'd written down everything he could think of.

Now, he just needed to pick the right place to start.

A short break wouldn't hurt.

Stretching, he strolled out onto the temple's high platform.

Beneath him, the river flowed endlessly. The night wind tugged gently at his robe.

The rest of the city had fallen quiet, save for the astral plaza, still blazing with lights and music from the imparty.

And above it all, the night sky glittered. In this world, the Milky Way was always beautiful, no matter what kind of night it was.

Eros breathed in the silence, letting his mind go blank.

"Still enjoying the view, I see."

A soft, familiar voice echoed beside him.

Startled, Eros turned.

"Dione?"

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