Chapter 519 (2): World Famous Painting—the Goddess of Darkness, Newly Married

“It’s impossible here, but who knows? Maybe there’s a chance outside.” Wayne could tell what Ines was thinking. “The world inside the box is vast, but compared to all of the Astral Plane, it’s only a tiny part. The true universe is infinitely vast. One day in the future, I’ll show you the world of infinite possibilities.”

Ines’s eyes lit up in pleasant surprise. “Can you go outside the box and reach the higher dimension like Elohim?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Ines didn’t understand. Wayne had acquired more knowledge than Elohim had possessed, so whatever Elohim could do, Wayne should be able to do, too.

“I don’t understand, either. In theory, I should already be the second coming of Elohim after acquiring Heaven and Hell—unless He’d left only part of His legacy,” Wayne said thoughtfully. “Perhaps knowledge is only part of it, and becoming god is another necessary condition. Only by meeting both requirements can I get out of the box.”

“Can you sense your divine fire?” Ines explained godhood to Wayne. He had learned about it from his lessons with Aztimor. In theory, with the amount of knowledge he had acquired, he should have reached the threshold of godhood even if he couldn’t ascend immediately. Simply put, he should have hit the ceiling of demigodhood.

However, the threshold of godhood seemed beyond his reach, which concerned him. He might remain trapped in the box his whole life.

“It’s all because of my life essence!” Wayne sighed. The Book of Greed was wonderful in every way, but it raised his ceiling too high. Anyone else would’ve become a god already.

Even so, he knew that the path to ascension was already blocked in the Chosen Land. Without the Book of Greed, he, a faithless man, would’ve become a free mage and then a servant of a higher being on the path to evolution. All his life, he would be no more than a slave with an allegiance divided between the five goddesses.

The Book of Greed changed his life. The first time he met Ines, She had been all arrogant and looked down at him like he was trash who lacked self-awareness. Now, on the other hand, Her ever-prideful eyes looked at him like he was ‘trash’ who lacked ‘self-awareness’.

It was all in good fun. Her disdain was spice to their private life. The different intention changed the meaning of Her gaze.

“Once you acquire Kaleb’s and Siluk’s knowledge, and then Elian’s, will you be able to get out of the box?” Ines asked.

“Who knows? But I have to try.” Wayne smiled, clenching his fists hard. Now that he had become stronger, he could defeat Ines even in Her Divine Realm. His power didn’t allow him to keep a low profile. It was time to visit the Divine Realms of Sun and Moonlight to have a heart-to-heart with the two goddesses.

Given how convincing he was, he was certain that the two goddesses wouldn’t ask for suffering at his hands!

Then, they would all invade the Divine Realm of Nature and subdue the last goddess. The slave serving five goddesses would become the master instead.

Ines pinched Wayne’s waist, displeased. “I can tell you’re having offensive thoughts. Let me guess. It’s about Kaleb, isn’t it? You’ve always been fond of her.”

True. Fire elements attract each other!

“You’re overthinking again,” Wayne countered, tightening his arms around Ines. “Don’t worry. You’ve been and will always be my only goddess. No matter how extraordinary Kaleb is, She’s only a passerby. She won’t stay by my side for long.”

“I won’t tolerate even that!”

“Um... hear me out,” Wayne said in resignation. “You goddesses—goddesses aside from you, I mean—all have different plans. Although you know that the Final Judgment is coming, you waste your time plotting against each other. With vermin like them, how is the Chosen Land going to fare well? Once the day arrives, we’ll all be doomed if we can’t work together.”

Rather than each one fighting for themselves, it was better to gather their strength and concentrate power. A wise uncle once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”. In all of the Chosen Land, Wayne alone could defeat the five goddesses and take in all of their subordinates as watchdogs. With him spearheading the operation, he and the five goddesses would fight the new gods awakening on the day of the Final Judgment together.

It had to be him. Someone else might get it wrong.

Well, Elian might be able to do it, but both Ines and Aztimor harbored grievances for the Goddess of Nature, as did Kaleb and Siluk, who were still members of the Life Alliance in name. They condemned Elian for being stubborn, overbearing, and beyond arrogant.

When there was smoke, there was always fire. Even though none of the four goddesses who criticized Elian were honest pushovers, Wayne still subconsciously thought of Elian as an arrogant, dominant, and unreasonable goddess.

Ines said in a resigned tone, “I had a solid plan, but you just have to be so talented. You’ve rendered all of my hard work for said plan obsolete.”

“Look at the bright side. Elian and the others will have to live at your mercy in the future. Darkness will triumph.”

“Ha, you won’t even subject Aztimor to my mercy.” Ines scowled at him.

“That’s different. Back then, I had no choice but to corrupt Aztimor. It stands to reason that I should coddle Her to some degree since I put Her in that situation.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t you going to corrupt Elian and the others?” Ines frowned deeply. “Stop trying to play the hero. Since you’ve already offended the goddesses, commit to it fully. I know them too well. They won’t be grateful to you just because you go easy on them. Instead, they’ll interpret that as their chance of turning things around.”

“Oh, are you not going to get jealous over that?”

“I’m not an unreasonable woman. I can tell what I should and shouldn’t do. You’d better do the same.” Ines scowled. “It’s your decision whether you want to liberate them in the future, but you must turn them into your vassals now. Only then would they lower their pride as goddesses. Believe me... They are used to being above everyone else. They won’t listen to you.”

Wayne was silent for a moment. “We’ll see. I’m going to visit Kaleb first. If She’s willing to work with me, Siluk will certainly—”

“Then Elian, Kaleb, and Siluk, the three goddesses who refuse to listen to your command, will come together, and you’ll take them along to fight the Final Judgment?” Ines snorted. “If you put your trust in them, they will betray you. Listen to me. I can’t stop you from keeping up a front, but if I lose my lover, I will not hesitate to marry someone else, and it’ll be beyond your control!”

Wayne’s face darkened.

“Why are you glaring at me?” Ines huffed. “You’d better turn all three of them into vassals, or I’ll do just that.”

They vanished from under the starry sky. Ines paid greatly for Her threat.

***

The next day, August sixth in the Chosen Land.

Ines ended Her honeymoon prematurely. She knew that this wasn't the time for Her to enjoy romance. Seven days were long enough. Wayne had to take control over the other three goddesses as soon as possible.

Kaleb from the Divine Realm of Sun would be the next target. Wayne decided to start with Her to recruit both Sun and Moonlight.

The question was how he was to enter the Divine Realm of Sun. He had to make preparations for that. If all things failed, he would just invite the goddess to afternoon tea and have Kaleb bring him into Her Divine Realm.

Ines updated Her knowledge base and stayed in Her Divine Realm to sort it out, while Aztimor returned to the Underworld, aggrieved. Neither followed Wayne back to the mortal realm. Once he acquired the coordinates to the Divine Realm of Sun, they would follow and surround Kaleb.

It would be three against one. Kaleb would be brought to Her knees once She opened the door!

***

Londan, Windsor.

Manor of the Holy Maiden of Darkness.

Vichy, who had witnessed the newlyweds’ honeymoon from start to finish, took the initiative to rile Wayne up for once. She had been a passive party up to this point. She was so worked up all because of how heavy-handed Ines had been. If She had kept it behind closed doors rather than flaunting Her relationship, someone as loyal as Vichy wouldn’t have targeted the first wife.

Anastasia, a gentle soul, chose to go easy in the beginning, but started going hard not long after. Her composure was clearly a front to hide all her grievances.

The Holy Maiden of Darkness and the previous Darkness Knight had come together to make a world-famous painting—the Goddess of Darkness, Newly Married!

In the first-floor living room, Darienne was diligently practicing cards while eavesdropping. She heard nothing because of the soundproof barrier. Since she couldn’t hear the commotion upstairs yet had an overactive imagination, she felt even worse.

Sukra, who remained trapped by the sofa, mocked, “What did I tell you? Even though you’ve become his knight, he will never make a move on you. Things won’t end well if you keep dragging things on. It’s the same with Vichy. You have to take initiative.”

“Shut up, you shameless, pantiless Holy Maiden.” Darienne huffed, seeing right through Sukra’s trickery. She would not pave the way for her. Never.

Sukra blushed. “I’ve worn something. It’s just not obvious. And I wear that because it’s too hot.”

“Yeah, yeah. What a clever girl you are.” Darienne found a release for her frustration. She tackled Sukra and pinned her petite body to the sofa, cackling. “Let this heretic see if the Holy Maiden of Death is wearing panties today!”

She laughed like Wayne always did.

“Kekekeke—”

She was known for her thick skin, and with her raw strength, she could easily subdue Sukra if she put her mind to being a bastard.

The Holy Maiden of Death struggled to keep her dress down against Darienne’s naughty hands. Then she suddenly stopped, gazing coldly at Darienne’s antics.

“Wow, how depraved, you shameless Holy Maiden. Tell me. Who did you put this on for?” Darienne waggled her eyebrows at Sukra. Meeting her deathly glare, Darienne pinched her face and said, “What? Are you trying to scare me? Just because you pretend to be the Goddess of Death, I... I—”

Darienne silently let go of Sukra’s dress and stood aside, not daring to make a sound. She could tell from that gaze that Sukra had been taken over by a goddess she couldn’t afford to antagonize!

I’m dead. I just lifted the Goddess of Death’s dress and pinched Her face, even calling Her depraved.

Of all the Moonlight Knights, she would probably be the one who had achieved the greatest feat against heretics.

She was truly doomed!

“The fact that someone as immoral and ill-mannered as you has become the Moonlight Knight tells me how morally bankrupt Siluk is,” Aztimor rose and chastised Darienne upon Her descent. At the same time, She cursed at Sukra in Her head. She would like to know who the shameless Holy Maiden was trying to seduce, too. Sukra had brought dishonor to Death with her lack of self-respect!

Darienne didn’t dare voice her grievances. Instead, she lowered her head and put on a meek act. Rather than dealing with her, the Goddess of Death headed to the staircase. Darienne hurriedly said, “Goddess of Death, I’d advise against going up now. Why don’t you sit in the living room while I get Wayne downstairs?”

Aztimor stiffened, but didn’t say anything. Then, pretending that She had heard nothing, She continued up the stairs. Her gait was determined.

Darienne hissed. It seemed that Death had fallen so far that She was giving Herself away for free.

“As expected of my student, even the goddess...”

Her face paled. Thinking of herself and the oracle she had been given, she clenched her teeth and stomped her way to the second floor. Whatever happened to her, happened. For the goddess, she could not allow another goddess to succeed!

“Ah—”

The soundproof barrier collapsed. From the bedroom on the second floor came Wayne’s embarrassed scream, followed by his roars.

“Why are you staring so hard, Darienne? Get out!”

“Huh? Why must I alone get out?”

“Out!”

“Hmph, fine. As if I wanted this.”

Darienne huffed as she stalked out. When she slammed the door shut, it broke with a crack.

See? Not only had she left, but she had even politely taken the door with her.