"Ah... A Fruit of God?"
Lappei once again forgot to use telepathy. She was startled.
"How do you know about that?"
I smiled, losing a bit of the innocent devotion I had in my gaze and unintentionally twisting it into deadly cunning. I watched as Lappei flinched.
"You... Who are you?! What do you want from me? Were you sent by Hevendrone to harass me to be his wife again?!"
Betrayal flashed within Lappei's eyes.
"Are you not one of my faithful?"
She blinked her tears away, her voice was shaking with sadness.
I tilted my head, finding her outburst adorable. My little creation was cute when she cried.
I waved my hands, "I do not work for Sir Hevendrone, my goddess. Rest assured."
"Oh..." Relief passed through Lappei when she heard my words. But then she realised that I addressed Hevendrone, the god of prophecy and future calculating, by a title.
"Y-you! You called Hevendrone by sir! You really are his lackey!"
I laughed, "I'm only messing with you, my goddess. I couldn't help it. I deeply apologise."
Lappei pouted. Her cheeks puffed up in a display of adorable indignance.
"To mess with this great one— You're not an ordinary mortal, are you?!" She drifted towards me, putting her hands on my shoulders and shaking me, "Who are you? Tell me your name! And don't you dare lie!"
"I'm Caelum Phricius, a simple 16-year-old mortal who wants to go to college," I replied without batting an eye.
I watched as Lappei's eyes squinted. She was probably discerning if what I said was true or not.
"That's true— But I feel like you're hiding something! Something big!"
...I guess she really was the goddess of foresight. There was something she could see in me, and that was probably the fact that I made this gods-forsaken world.
"Hehe~" I laughed, smugly, "My secrets are my secrets, goddess~ I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you what I know~"
"YOU! I demand you tell me now! Or I'll..." She stuttered, "I'll smite you!"
As if she had the power to do so. Nonetheless, I could not allow this goddess to force me into anything.
"No." I put my foot down, "Raasthad,"
Whoooooom!
The sword, desperate to not get sacrificed, flew straight into my hands.
"Since you're so demanding, I won't be your faithful anymore." I hefted the sword with great effort and pushed the goddess away.
"Goodbye."
I then turned around to leave.
"No! Please don't leave!" Lappei was suddenly startled. The glow of her body weakened after Raasthad was pulled away from the altar. "I'll do anything! Please, just stay being my faithful!"
Her desperate cry coupled with her beautiful voice stirred something in my sadistic heart. I loved it. It was ecstasy.
But enough playing around,
"Anything, huh?" I raised a brow, "Then make me your chosen one."
Hesitation suddenly flashed across Lappei's face.
"B-but you're so... weak." She said softly as if she was afraid to anger me.
"Me? Weak? What do you call yourself then? I'm your only believer. If not for me, the world would have forgotten you in forty days if you still refuse to marry Hevendrone." I stepped closer to Lappei and gazed straight into her beautiful white eyes.
"I am all that you have. So make me your chosen one, and give me what I requested."
Lappei shook, hearing my words. "So you even know about my time limit..."
Yes, Lappei was supposed to disappear and fall into slumber soon. That was why, when Virion made it here in the fourth volume, the altar was godless. There was no one left to sacrifice to.
She looked at me, her eyes filled with a myriad of emotions. Desperation, loneliness, sadness, and overall helplessness.
She was a tragic character.
I placed a weak hand on her shoulder, "Put your faith in me, goddess. I will be the strongest this world will ever see. I will keep you from death. Just make me your chosen one, feed me a Fruit of God, and give me a vial of your blood."
I felt like I was exploiting this god a bit too much.
"O-okay," Lappei nodded, albeit hesitantly. "I will put my faith in you,"
She stepped forward, with her face just inches away from mine. She placed her hands on my cheeks and then allowed her thumbs to rest near my eyes.
"Close your eyes, my chosen one."
I complied.
Lappei then moved her thumbs up and onto my eyes. She then breathed, allowing a mysterious force to seep into me. I instantly felt rejuvenated by the experience. The exhaustion that had piled up from all my meditation and the subsequent trip to this dungeon disappeared.
I enjoyed the warmth of being held by a goddess as I felt myself get blessed by power.
It was like this for a few seconds as the mysterious force circulated throughout me. This was Lappei's concept. Her pure power, and a part of her life force.
If I died, it would be a huge problem for her. She would have no hope to live any longer.
When it was all over, Lappei let go of me and stepped back. Her holy glow had lessened a bit, and her complexion had paled. She had paid quite the price to make me her chosen one.
I then handed her Raasthad.
"Here, the sword that my goddess is now the rightful owner of."
"Thank you," She accepted the blade with grace.
I nodded.
"And the rest?"
Lappei snapped her fingers and a golden apple appeared in the palm of her hand, together with a test tube filled with a beautiful golden liquid.
"Ichor," I marvelled, "The blood of the gods,"
"Here," She handed me the items I needed. "I need to rest now, my chosen one. Please, be safe."
"I will~"
Just like that, her body dissipated into a white fog before eventually disappearing completely.
Lappei was now gone.