Chapter 162

CHAPTER 5 Underworld “I-I can summon him! I can summon Seiya!” I scream with joy in the dilapidated building. Cerceus, on the other hand, furrows his brow. “But wouldn’t his level be reset to level one again? I don’t think summoning him like that is really going to help us right now…” “So you’re going to get us out of this, then?!” “Argh! My gastritis, pneumonitis, and nephritis…! Sorry, I wanna help, but…!” “…?! Even a level-one Seiya would be a thousand times more useful than you! Just go keep an eye out for dragonewts while I summon him!” After forcing Cerceus to keep watch at the window, I make preparations for the Hero summoning. I grab the summoning chalk from under my lapel and begin drawing a magic circle on the dirty floor. Maybe summoning Seiya with all of his stats reset isn’t going to help us. Not only that, but I’d be putting Seiya in danger as well. Nevertheless, I continue frantically drawing the magic circle on the ground because what I want the most right now is to see him. I don’t deserve to be a high-ranking goddess anymore… The instant I say Seiya’s name aloud, the magic circle glows, illuminating the dim room until a Hero emerges from the light. “Seiya…!” This is the third time I’ve summoned Seiya. As always, Seiya Ryuuguuin has the body of a model, which is complemented by his gallant features and— What the…?! That’s when I notice his attire is different from usual. Seiya is usually wearing clothes you’d wear around the house, like a T-shirt, but this time he’s wearing a camouflage uniform. He looks just like a military solider. “Um… Seiya…! I know this is sudden and all, but what’s up with your clothes?” “Body armor. This is a bulletproof vest. Incidentally, I’m also wearing a stab-proof vest underneath. I realized that when you summon me, I can only bring what I’m wearing with me to the spirit world and other parallel worlds, so I’ve been wearing this body armor every day, twenty-four/seven, in preparation for my summoning.” “Y-you were wearing all that?! You seriously spent every day of your normal life in Japan wearing heavy body armor?!” “Yes. The police did question me from time to time, though.” Y-yeah, I’m sure he must have looked suspicious! But…it’s perfect! This cautiousness of his is exactly what we need! While he may be only level 1, it’s still a huge relief. Seiya surveys the area, looks at Cerceus, then knits his brow. “Oh. Hello, Seiya, good sir! Long time no see! How have you been?” Seiya ignores the man lowering his head to him and says to me: “This isn’t the spirit world, is it? I assume it’s a parallel world.” “Yes, Seiya! Actually, we’re in big trouble! We’re—” But Seiya holds his hand to my face. “I’ve already figured out what’s going on. You can’t return to the spirit world, which is why you summoned me to a parallel world instead of the usual chamber, and you’re in danger. I can easily imagine what led to this as well.” That’s Seiya for you! Not only did he come prepared with body armor, but it sounds like he already figured out that Mersais attacked us! Ha-ha! He’s like a detective! But as I stare at him in admiration, he looks back at me with reproach. “Rista, you messed up again and angered the gods of the heart, didn’t you? They must have sent you to this parallel world as punishment.” “What the…?! No!!” “Then you must have run off to this parallel world to elope with Cerceus. Am I right?” “What?! No! In fact, you couldn’t be more wrong!” “Hm… Hold on. Is that even the real Cerceus?” ““What?!”” Cerceus and I are taken aback. “You’re almost certainly Rista, since you’re the one who summoned me, but this Cerceus could be an impostor.” “Wh-what?! No! I’m the real Cerceus!” “Exactly what an impostor would say. Prove you’re really him in twenty words or less.” “I’m the owner of Café du Cerceus! I took care of Jonde and Kiriko! Please believe me!” I listen to their exchange in utter amazement. He’s nothing like a detective! All he’s doing is imagining every possibility! There goes not being worried! “S-Seiya, no! Mersais finally attacked the spirit world—you know, the thing you were really worried about?!” “Oh. I didn’t think you’d still be in one piece if that happened, so… Hm… I guess we can forget about Cerceus being an impostor for now.” “I keep telling him I’m the real Cerceus… Why doesn’t he believe me…?” Ignoring the disheartened Divine Blade, Seiya says: “Rista, I need you to explain to me everything that happened. Down to the last detail. But make sure to keep it concise. You have ten seconds.” “Y-you’ve gotta be kidding me!” I end up explaining things while Cerceus continues to keep watch at the window. …I tell him about how Mersais, Zet, and a woman who claimed to be a former Hero attacked us. …I tell him about how Cerceus and I found ourselves in Gaeabrande after waking up. …I tell him about how the gates I make only connect us to the underworld and not the spirit world. Although I couldn’t do it within ten seconds, I explained the situation as quickly as I could. “So now we’re hiding from some dragonewts who are carrying weapons imbued with Chain Destruction!” Seiya cautiously approaches the window and peeks outside. Then, after using the rotting furniture in the room to create a barricade in front of the door, he approaches me once more and… Bonk! “Ouch!” He suddenly hits me on the head! “Could you have possibly summoned me at a worse time? If a dragonewt finds us, I’m going to be killed on the spot. It’s like you want this body armor to go to waste.” “I-I’m sorry!” “See? What did I tell you? You made him angry.” Bonk! Seiya’s fist rains down on the smug Divine Blade’s head as well. “Ow! What did you hit me for?!” “Just felt like it… Anyway, Rista, open a gate. We have to get out of here.” “B-but I told you already! I can only open a gate to the underworld! And there was some creepy weirdo there with a hollow face that tried to eat Cerceus!” “Yeah! That place is dangerous!” But Seiya’s expression doesn’t change. He stoops before the window and focuses his attention on what’s happening outside while saying: “That won’t be a problem. I’ll come up with a plan while Cerceus is being eaten.” “What?! How is me being eaten not a problem?!” “At any rate, that underworld place is probably still preferable to this one. That person you ran into didn’t have Chain Destruction, right?” “Oh yeah! Now that you mention it, she didn’t!” “We won’t have to worry about dying in the underworld, which already makes it safer than here.” “A-are you sure about this? I’d rather not go back…”