Chapter 258 – The Crushing Reality For A Goddess

"Nature's Beauty!" Aqua said, growing yet another flower. Dinner time had come and gone, and John still hadn't returned to the castle, so she was doing what she could to make the place a little less severe-looking by adding some plants. Most of the Moonfall clan had called it a night already, so she was wandering around the castle to provide them with some entertainment while she performed her magic. However, most seemed to already have found their own entertainment.

It would be nice if I didn't keep catching them having... making love to each other! What is so great about se- doing that anyway? I mean, I've read a bunch of romance novels from Earth that had the act in them, but those are stories; why are they running around trying to procreate like this? And that woman, she had his thing in her mouth! Doesn't it taste bad? Why would you want to... Argh! There is another group of them! Have they no shame? And she is on top of his mouth while the other is riding... oh, Me! I need to get some fresh air!

In her rush to get away from the lewd, perverted acts that were happening inside, she almost missed Mica, who was seated on the grass beside the door of the keep. She was leaning against the wall, carving some runes into the axe she had been using as a weapon.  

"You okay?" Mica asked her, pausing in her work. 

"Just... a little overwhelmed. Your people are inside and... ah... are breeding like bunnies!"

"Not surprising, it's been years since we could. The Devil King already stole our children once, so we haven't made any more since we were enslaved. Now that we are free, we need to start repopulating our people before time takes that option away from us."

"Couldn't they do that in private? I swear, every other room I went into to place some plants, they were already there, having... making love! And not just couples, but sometimes two or three women with one man! It isn't right!"

"It's our way. We have fewer men than women, so this is how we keep our population growing. Would you prefer those other women not to find a man? I know your church is very welcoming to two men and two women getting together, so what is the problem with several women with one man, or even vice versa?"

"Love should just be between two people. Adding more just dilutes it!"

"Maybe a bit, but the way this world has gone, it's just not feasible for every relationship to be that way. Once the Devil King has been defeated and we are at peace for a generation or two, hopefully our population will have regained an equilibrium and can return to your way. Until then, we do what we need to do to continue existing." She replied, touching her belly where her pink tattoo stained her skin.

"He... didn't force himself on you, did he?" 

"Hah, no. If anything, I forced myself on him. He is going to be a great man, destined to bring change to our world, but he is also a good man, and I'm lucky that he accepted someone at my age."

"A good man? He has been nothing but mean to me since that first day. How is that a good man?"

"I don't know your story, but I think he might be trying to teach you something. Something he thinks you need to know."

"Teach me? Teach me what? How to move rocks?"

"I can make a guess, but if I tell you what I think, you might focus on that and miss discovering the true answer yourself."

"Ahhh! Is this some sort of riddle? I'm not good with riddles. I just want him to treat me nice again, like he did before." Aqua said, flopping down beside the wolfkin. 

"Before what?"

"I... I can't remember. I just know he held me gently in his arms, comforting me when I was scared. I don't even remember what I was scared about now! He even took care of me when I was drunk. Then he made me feel good... really good, with that perverted healing magic of his. I just want... I want him to accept me."

"Aqua, this might sound strange, but do you have a crush on John?"

"Crush? Nonsense! I'm a goddess, he is a mortal. I-I couldn't possibly have a crush on him."

"Good."

"Good? Why would that be good?"

"Because you don't like to share and would want to hoard him for yourself." She replied, examining the rune she just finished carving before standing up. She looked down at her with those silver blue eyes, almost like she was the goddess judging a mortal instead of the mortal addressing a goddess. 

"I can... I could..." She replied, stumbling over her words as she realized what she was about to say. Sharing love? With other women over a man? What weird, trashy romance novel was this?

"Could you? Hypothetically, if Eris were with John right now, could you share him with her?"

"Eris? She is even more innocent than I am. Why would she be with John?"

"Reasons don't matter in love, and you avoided my question. What if Eris and John were right here, just kissing and holding each other under the moonlight? How would that make you feel?"

"I... I don't know. Jealous? Like I would want to push my way between them. Why do I feel that, though?"

"Who knows. But being jealous of the other woman while in a poly relationship is a good way to destroy that relationship. You should be happy for your sisterwives, allowing them to have time with the man without forcing yourself into their moment. That way, when it is your time, you don't get your time interrupted by them. If you couldn't let Eris have that moment, you are not ready for that kind of relationship."

"What? I could let her... wait! What are you saying? That I have... oh, Me, I do have a crush on him. Why do I have a crush on the man who mistreats me!?! I'm not a masochist! I just want to be loved tenderly! To be worshipped like I was a goddess. Wait! I am a goddess; I don't need a relationship. I have the love of my followers!"

"Really? Well then, maybe John has nothing to teach you after all. Now, if you excuse me, I need to go prep our bedroom. Did you choose a room for yourself yet?"

"Room for myself? Why would I do that?"

"Because love, I'm going to be having sex with John every night and possibly every morning. I don't care if you stay, but unless you're planning on being one of my sisterwives, or are into watching, I would suggest you find a new room." 

"Ahh! I... guess I can get my own room... Can I come in after you... finish? He is a comfy pillow." 

"Hah, you just want the sweet parts of being in a relationship without needing to do the dirty parts, don't ya. I'll leave that decision up to John, but if I were him, you are either all in or not at all."

"Do you hate me? I swear he already does, and now it seems like you do too."

"Hardly. You resurrected several of my people and healed many others after our struggle with the undead. I have deep respect for you, and I am grateful for your actions. I won't speak for him, but if John actually hated you, do you think he would have brought you with him? Or would he have left you back in the city to fend for yourself?"

"I'm an Arch Priestess and the Goddess of Healing, it would be foolish to leav-" She started to reply, but stopped, something dawning on her. He had healing magics as well; he didn't need her other than in the worst-case scenarios, which she still didn't have all the spells he needed an Arch Priestess to have. He was injured even before his arrival in this world, but didn't complain when she took non-healing magics with her points instead of regeneration to fix his body. He didn't even ask her to heal him.

According to Eris and the bosses, I'm supposed to be his boon for coming to this world. Other than a couple of questions, he really hasn't asked anything of me other than to save my money so I could take care of myself. Does he not trust me? Am I really that unreliable? Oh, Me... I had to borrow money from him, beg him for food. Even when we fought those undead, he had to save me from breaking my neck... And what did I do for him? Take more Party Trick magic to make me happy because I'm stuck down here on the planet against my will.

"Anyway, Goddess or not, even if you two are friends, I don't think it's too much to ask for some privacy with the man who is going to be my husband in our bedroom. Now- What is that?" Mica said, breaking her gaze with Aqua and looking away.

"Hun?" Aqua said, looking towards the still broken gates. A blue light was being emitted from somewhere beyond her line of sight, bathing that side of the courtyard in an eerie light. One of her wards activated, causing her to jump to her feet. "Undead!?! They're back! A lot of them!"

"I'll rouse the clan!" Mica said, moving towards the door. Not stopping, she asked over her shoulder. "How long will your wards be able to hold them?"

"Against normal undead, we have nothing to worry about, but teleportation means they must have an magic user with them. They might be able to break my wards, given enough time. Or if it is one of the generals, they could probably resist its power."

"Then we'd better not delay." She replied, rushing inside the keep and shouting for her people. 

Aqua turned back to the gate, drew her staff out of her pocket dimension, and started going through her spell list to try to distract herself from her shaking knees. Something was already trying to dispel the wards she placed around the gate. She did have a few of her goddess powers still, but she wasn't a frontline fighter. Fighting the undead was one thing, but taking on something more powerful was a terrifying prospect. Especially since her only allies were wearing rags and armed only with simple tools.

"John, where are you? We are going to need your help."

Earlier

Devil King's Castle

Deep in the bowels of the castle, a black-armoured Dullahan was holding his head in one hand, and a clear crystal decanter with a glowing green gem inside it. To anyone watching him who didn't know what it was, it would appear he was having a one-sided conversation with the container.

"What? Were you attacked and defeated by one of my subordinates? What was their name? John? I don't have any minions by that name! Are you an idiot, Duke? How is this my fault? I sent so many people to check on your progress, you just assumed he was yet another minion? I should just break this phylactery right now and be done with your insolence! Bah, I'll deal with your failure, but you are going to pay the ultimate price for it. Don't worry, you're going to love it! Have to change your name, though. How about Dutchess? HAHAHAHA!"

The Dullahan, also known as General Beldia, placed the phylactery back on its stand, ending his conversation with his aide. He was going to have to find an attractive woman with a big ass and tits to push that broken soul back into now. He chuckled at that; workplace harassment was his favourite game.

"Speaking of... ahh, Wiz, you ran away from me, but I'll find you soon, HAHAHA!" He said, touching the next phylactery. Its crystal was dim, letting him know she was still walking the lands. He missed her little yelps, blushes and indignation she displayed when he rolled his head under her dress or when he hid it in the bath to spy on her. He only did that last one a couple of times before Sylvia happened to come in the bath instead. He shuddered at the memory of seeing the tall and beautiful chimera woman naked... with her extra appendage between her legs putting most men to shame.

"Are you being a pervert again, Beldia? Leave poor Wiz alone, or do you want her to beat you up again?" A deep yet feminine voice said behind him. He spun around quickly, coming face to face with the tanned-skinned chimera. The other general was wearing her revealing red-and-white dress, her massive breasts contained only by the fishnet that connected the top of her dress to the collar she wore. Her arms were covered in long white gloves, the long slit in her dress revealing long, powerful-looking legs covered in very thin black stockings through which he could see her skin. If it wasn't for the extras, the former Oni would be the perfect woman for him to perv on now that Wiz had left the castle.

"W-W-What? Oh no, no nothing of the kind. I just have some issues in Axel I need to go and deal with, and I thought about her. She is still there, right?"

"You know she is. You might be able to fool the Devil King with this foolish plan of making a foothold where the goddesses are dropping these reincarnated people, but I know the real reason you are doing this. It isn't going to work. Wiz doesn't like you; at most, she just tolerates you. The only reason she hasn't cast explosion on you again is that she doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore."

"Nonsense! I am only doing this to prevent the human kingdom from gaining new heroes and to deal a blow to their food supplies. If they are hungry, they will be forced to surrender, and this war will be over for good."

"I can see through you, Beldia. Leave Wiz alone, else I will come after you myself!"

"Perish the thought! I am an upstanding knight, not some crazy stalker! I'm just trying to end this war quickly."

"Keep telling yourself that, but don't expect me to support your actions."

"Sounds like the typical position of the Monster Enhancement Division; you never support the undead armies directly unless it is just with your failed experiments. Don't worry, I'll deal with this little hiccup personally." He said, then stepped past her and left the room. He had to gather his army and take back his new castle before the intruders had a chance to dig in. He also had to wrangle those slaves. Maybe some time in actual chains will do them some good.