(Lian Li POV)
At first I thought this Goddess still had something against us when she brought us into a completely empty hall that did not have a single piece of furniture inside it.
That thought was soon proven wrong when she explained that as a Goddess, she did not have the need for sleep and thus had no prearranged bedroom prepared.
She then conjured up a few beds out of thin air and left us to it. It was a little awkward to be in the same room as someone who was hostile to us just this afternoon after all.
Master came by a bit later as promised to tuck us in for the night, amused at the state of the room that we were given.
Master did help us make the room a bit more 'normal' by rearranging the beds but we were content to just have beds to sleep on that night. We were already expecting to camp outside today so this was already a step up.
We simply ended up sitting around and chatting with Master about our journey so far. He made an offhand comment about our stop here today and we emphasised that we did not mind the delay. Perhaps we could even get more chances to play around with Master just like we did today, none of us would certainly mind the extra chances to be intimate with Master.
As always, we did try to suggest that Master sleep with us tonight but there was no way Master would agree since Cai Hong was here too.
Speaking of the little dragon, she ended up following Master back to sleep with her Papa anyway.
Just as I was finishing up my night meditation, the Goddess returned in a flash of light, appearing in the centre of the room.
All of us were immediately on guard, just in case she was here to finish what she couldn't do this afternoon.
"I came to apologise," She admitted, not showing any reaction to our hostility. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."
"That's an understatement," Tsuki growled at her.
"Yes... I was jealous that all of you get to be so close to Daddy and got a bit emotional... You have to understand that there is nothing I would not give to be in your position right now."
"Ufufufu~ We know," Manami giggled, extinguishing the fireballs at the tip of her tails. "And every single day, we thank Master for our good fortune. If you think we take our position for granted, then you are sorely mistaken."
All of us nodded at Manami's words.
The Goddess nodded, "Yes, I know that now... That is why I hope you will accept my apology for my earlier actions."
Diao Chan crossed her arms, "Come now, let's dispense with the pleasantries. There's something you want from us, spill it."
She made a bitter smile, "Because of my stupidity... I am in a position where my existence is pretty much seen as unnecessary by a certain being and I could be made to Fall or, worse, be completely wiped from existence..."
We all know who it was of course, since there's only one being in existence that would do such a thing in the first place.
"So? You aren't asking us to fight her for you, are you?" Kiyomi asked.
"No, no... No one in existence is even a match for her except for Daddy, I know that much. But... But I know Daddy would value your opinions so if Daddy were to ask... Could you please not reveal my stupidity to Daddy? If that being decides to wipe me from existence anyway, that's fine... But I don't want Daddy to have a negative impression of me before my existence ceases to be..."
I tilted my head at her, "Huh... I thought you would be pleading with us to ask Master to change Iri... I mean... The End's mind?"
She widened her eyes and frantically looked around the room, only relaxing when nothing happened.
"First of all... Do not speak her name, it will get her attention. Second of all... No... I made a mistake and I will accept the punishment for it... I just don't want Daddy to be disappointed in me..."
Oh? How admirable of her. I would be totally sympathetic with her if it weren't for one glaring problem...
"Enough with the sob story," I sneered. "Anyone who knows Master would know Master isn't that kind of existence. Even if we were to tell Master of what you've done, Master is too benevolent to even feel any sort of disappointment for you. Master would have simply just saw you throwing a tantrum at most."
The Goddess stared at me for a few moments before narrowing her eyes, "You... You aren't joking... Are you not aware of what will happen to Daddy?"
I frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Daddy's personality now, you know it's only temporary, right?"
We gave her the look that told her we did not.
"Are you not aware of this? That being even showed up too so I was sure that it will be nearing the final stages soon."
I was getting a bit fed up, "What final stages? Speak properly!"
"That being is here, that means she is returning Daddy back to his original self. You do know how Daddy's original self is like, right?"
"Supposedly loving everything equally which is similar to loving nothing? Yes," Brendan answered helpfully.
"But we have already stopped her from completing her goal though," Elaria pointed out. "She tried to do it but we managed to stop her. Onii-sama beat her and even got her to back down!"
The Goddess shook her head before glancing at the door nervously.
She shuffled a little closer to us and her voice dropped into a whisper, "I can only tell you this because that being has all her attention on Daddy right now... But this is not the first time she has succeeded in returning Daddy back to his old self."
I furrowed my brows, "Wasn't Master like this because He was struck during some kind of war you Gods were having?"
"Yes it started with that but that was a really, really long time ago... So long that some galaxies had yet to even form back then. That being had returned Daddy back to his old self but it seems like it's a perpetual thing where Daddy would constantly turn himself into a mortal again and go wandering off. Then that being will start her plan of returning Daddy back to his old self once more."
Eris tightened her grip on her sword, "How many times has it been?"
The Goddess pursed her lips, "I do not know... This was already going on even before I came into existence. But between my birth and now... She has succeeded at least three times."
"But... We already stopped her, right?" I muttered. "She already gave up and accepted our Master."
The Goddess shook her head, "That being... She never gives up. She is the final chapter of a story and if the story does not conclude the way she has written it... Then it just means that the story has yet to finish... There is a reason why she is called you know what after all."
"Even though Master does not want it?" Kiyomi asked.
She pursed her lips, "I do not know... I have not met any of Daddy's mortal incarnations before until today but that being has always succeeded..."
We were still reeling from the new information she told us when she took a step back, "As the companions of the current Daddy... I... No, I've said too much... Just be careful of her..."
With those words, she disappeared in another flash of light, leaving us alone again.
