Chapter 23 – 023. Reunion With the Goddess (1)
“Here…”
If you come to your senses, you will find yourself in a pure white space.
I realized that I had this experience a long time ago.
Feeling a sense of déjà vu for too long, Eunhyeon was nervous.
There is only one possibility that comes to mind.
“No way…”
Eun-hyeon looked around her with a thought of hope.
When she turned around, she saw three thrones in sight and a woman sitting on a central throne, but she was convinced that she was right.
“Female…”
Eun-hyeon, who had longed for her and was happy with her, tried to call her, but she couldn’t bear to speak her words.
She didn’t understand why she called her again.
Usually, there are three main reasons why bosses call their subordinates.
The first is to praise a subordinate for a great achievement, the second is to entrust a subordinate with an important task, and the third is to scold a subordinate for making a big mistake.
‘Maybe it’s not the third time… ? If it was the first or second time, wouldn’t it have been called when I died and came back to life? Calling me at this timing, when the Baron Hersha case was over… Did I do something wrong, really?’
[Whoops, there’s nothing to worry about.]
“Yes?”
Eunhyeon looked up at her head, startled by the voice of the goddess ringing in her head.
Eun-hyeon, who was agonizing in her head with a complicated expression, was welcomed by a goddess with gorgeous blonde hair with a benevolent smile.
“Oh, Goddess…”
It was the first reunion in nearly 400 years, so Eun-hyeon felt awkward about this reunion.
She once cried out in pain and sought the goddess, and each time she continued her lonely fight, she was alone and missed her goddess’ name more than once or twice.
Her goddesses must have felt sorry for not giving her answer to Eun-hyeon every time, but Eun-hyeon had never resented them.
There were so many things she wanted to say if they met again like this, but when she stood in front of them, her mouth wouldn’t come out.
She just put the first words that came to her mind into her mouth.
“Long time no see.”
He got down on one knee, put his hand on her chest, and bowed her head reverently.
[Okay. Come closer.]
Eunhyeon nodded at Belldandi’s words, then stood up and walked toward her throne.
When she climbed the long stairs and stood in front of Belldandi’s throne, Belldandi stood up and embraced her silver string with both arms.
“Uh… Uh…”
When she first met Belldandi, she recalled that she had had similar experiences, but she couldn’t adapt and stiffened her body.
She’s the embrace of a goddess, she’s not something that can be calmed down.
[You have suffered. I’ve been really struggling.]
“Ah…”
Eun-hyeon felt a deep satisfaction in her heart as she felt Verdandy pat her on the back as if praising her son for winning her prize at her school.
It may have been more joyful because it was the words of Belldandy, who knew all about Eun-hyeon’s 400 years of asceticism, which no one else knew about.
“That one word is enough.”
Eunhyeon smiled bitterly and replied to the goddess.
“But Goddess, did you come alone this time? You don’t see the other two goddesses from when I first met you.”
[The child… Is it something I don’t like… ?]
“Yes?”
[Why am I looking for other sisters when I came to greet my child like this?]
Rather than disliking it, Belldandy has a tone and expression that makes him feel strangely sad.
Seeing her expression, Eun-hyeon realized that she had made a mistake.
“That’s not it… I was also empowered by the other two. If I see you again, I really wanted to say thank you.”
[Is that really all there is?]
“Sure.”
Eun-hyeon smiled bitterly at Belldandi, who still had a suspicious look on her face.
[… Looking at the child’s face, I will trust her now.]
Belldandi looked at Eun-hyeon as if she were looking at her pathetic son and sighed.
Eunhyun tilted her head as if she didn’t know what she was talking about.
“If we meet again, there are many things I wanted to ask.”
Eun-hyeon soon talked about the main point.
[I guess so.]
Belldandi also saw Eunhyun’s serious expression and nodded her head as if he knew.
“Was it the grace of the Goddess that brought me back to life from the grave?”
[Yes.]
“Why?”
[Why?]
“Why did you bring me back to life?”
[… Does that really need a reason?]
“It’s not like that…”
Belldandi didn’t like that Eun-hyeon was still confused because she didn’t die and didn’t know why she existed in this world, rather than being happy that she was resurrected. Did not
[I just didn’t want to see my child die like that.]
“Yes? What is that…”
[For our purpose, we arbitrarily brought you here, forcibly gave you a mission, and moved only for our long-cherished wish, but we didn’t want to see you meet your end without receiving any reward.]
“…”
Eunhyeon realized it when she saw Belldandi, who didn’t make eye contact with her as if she was really sorry, and explained as if she had no face.
That she is greatly mistaken for her now.
“Goddess. I didn’t think so. If you’ve already seen it all above, you know it. When I died, I did not go with resentment against the Goddess and other goddesses. Rather, I thought I had met a satisfying end.”
[Even if the child is satisfied, I hate it.]
“You are being reckless.”
Eunhyun smiled bitterly.
She’s no one else and she thinks she’s okay, and the feeling of being denied that was complicated, but it wasn’t such a bad feeling.
It was proof that Belldandy cared for his apostle, Eun-hyeon, that much.
“Then what should I do from now on?”
[The child’s mission itself does not change. It will just be slightly less restrictive than before.]
“Restrictions?”
[Yes. Previously, as an ‘extra’ without being noticed, I was ordered to play the role of supporting the ‘hero’, but now I don’t have to.]
“That word…”
[It means that it doesn’t really matter if you do whatever you want. Although the restrictions are not completely lifted, at least the gods who watched the child’s penance will treat her child cooperatively, so they decided to look after the child’s personal behavior to some extent.]
“That… I see.”
It’s a pretty unconventional condition.
It is as if I have achieved great results with this number of cases and become a recognized employee within the company.
Thanks to Eun-hyeon, did Belldandi also go around with her shoulders covered by other goddesses?
The expression of Belldandi who explained it was also elated, so Eunhyun laughed.
[What’s funny?]
“I thought it was beautiful that you were smiling.”
[What, what… ! Big! You can’t use it if you make fun of the goddess.]
Berdandi, who was embarrassed, lightly scolded Eunhyeon and then continued his explanation.
[Thanks to Ai and the heroes blocking the summoning of demons, the fate of ‘the destruction of the underworld’, which was confirmed, was pioneered. But another problem arose here.]
“A different future has arisen.”
At Eunhyun’s simple guess, Belldandy nodded as well.
[Right. In the fate pioneered by the child, new destinies were created again, including dangerous destinies such as this threat. In fact, it was my desire to revive the child, but it was also because there was nothing bad in the eyes of the other gods.]
“I am… Because it was a successful case…”
A human with no connection or talent was chosen as an apostle just because he was walking on a path that deviated from his predetermined destiny, and twisted the fixed destiny of ‘the destruction of mankind’.
Many gods ridiculed the attempt of the three goddesses of Norn, saying it was impossible.
Eunhyun, who was chosen by the three goddesses, achieved excellent results beyond the expectations of the other gods.
Even to them, the existence of ‘Eunhyeon’ was treated like a joker card to cope with the difficult problem of ‘the destruction of the underworld’.
[I didn’t like being treated like a lab rat, but I had no choice but to agree as a condition of reviving the child.]
“Okay.”
Eunhyun calmly nodded his head.
Eun-hyeon kept thinking about why he revived himself if a new danger was approaching again and what role he should play in that situation.
[And they say that other gods also have plans to follow Ai’s example and welcome humans who show potential as apostles.]
“That…”
Eunhyun made a strange expression.
It was because he thought that other humans might have the same experience as himself.
It is said that she lived a life that was not lacking because she was endowed with overwhelming strength and ability than others, but the most difficult thing for Eun-hyeon was the loneliness and bitterness that came when she greeted her colleagues who were going up to the sky at the end of their lives.
[Hey. The authority I gave to the child is something only I can bestow. The authority that other gods can bestow on their apostles is limited to the abilities of each god. Not all gods can make the apostles ‘immortal’ like me.]
In other words, it means that all the apostles’ powers are not the same.
“Okay. But that word…”
[Yes. The other gods said that if they met, they would like to help if possible.]
“Okay…”
How would you feel if you heard parents say, “Take care of my child!”?
Eunhyun smiled bitterly and nodded his head.
“And I have another question. There is one child I saved this time. Was that also the guidance of the goddess?”
This time, Eun-hyeon brought up the story of Erin he saved.
[You knew. He was such a pitiful child. Fate is also harsh. How can a child…]
Belldandy nodded his head and put on a bitter expression.
The three goddesses of fate assume the fate of life as it is born, but cannot change the fate itself.
That’s why the goddesses themselves chose Eunhyeon, who is not affected by fate, as their apostle.
She led the lives who had the qualities but were born with a bad fate to Eun-hyeon to save them.
Many of Eunhyeon’s colleagues, including Riod and Illyana, were such people.
The same goes for Erin, who received help from Eunhyun this time.
“Okay. Thank you for speaking up.”
Eunhyun bowed her head and thanked Belldandy.
“And… This time, I have something to report and give to you.”
[Are you talking about the witch child?]
“Did you know?”
[Didn’t I tell you? Although she could not interfere, she watched her child’s every move. That…]
Soon after hesitating to speak, Eunhyeon hardened her face when she saw Belldandy’s blushing expression.
“No way… Did you see everything?”
[…]
Belldandy, who naturally turned his head away and avoided Eun-hyeon’s gaze, could not answer Eun-hyeon’s questioning.
