Chapter 197

“So you’re a gloomy girl, huh? Heh. A gloomy shadow.” “Uh……” “Koharu! Be serious! I’m so sorry, Kilty,” said Karla. “It’s okay. I know I’m gloomy…” Kilty chuckled self-derisively. “Excuse me,” Sakuna interjected timidly. “Could you please tell me about Ms. Komari? You know something about her, don’t you?” “Y-yes. That’s what we were supposed to be doing. Nobody cares about my gloominess… Take a look at this.” She rummaged through her backpack and took out an old scroll, then unrolled it on the table. It was a map of the Netherworld. “There’re so many countries I don’t recognize. And the Heavenly Paradise and Mulnite are in different places… The land itself is different, too.” “Yes. Legend says the second world was a mostly uninhabited wasteland, but it became like it is now by copying the first world…” “Copy? The first world?” “Ah, um, there are more important things to discuss at the moment…” Kilty pointed to a spot on the map. A little way off from the middle of the Netherworld was JOULE VILLAGE. “I think Villhaze, Esther Claire, and Nelia Cunningham are here.” “Wha…?” Karla was shocked. Kilty had already found them? “Not exactly in Joule, but in a hidden village near it… Lumiere Village. There was conflict near there, and Mulnite soldiers were sent there for repairs. According to my associate hidden in the village…the three of them are all right.” “Three?” Sakuna repeated anxiously. “What about the rest…? What about Ms. Komari…?!” “Prohellya Butchersky and Leona Flatt haven’t been found. As for Terakomari…I received a report saying Spica La Gemini abducted her.” “What…?!” Karla’s brain couldn’t process it all. Kilty cast her eyes down apologetically. “My associate camel said Terakomari, Nelia, Villhaze, and Esther were teleported and traveling together. They crossed the desert on their way to the Mulnite Empire, but they fought Star Citadel in Lumiere Village… Terakomari was the only one the Wicked God Slayer made off with…” The Wicked God Slayer—Spica La Gemini. What was the terrorist who plunged the Six Nations into chaos doing in the Netherworld? “…Inverse Moon destroyed my family,” Sakuna said in a soul-chilling voice. “They did terrible things to Ms. Komari…and to Ms. Villhaze, too. They only think of people as tools. We can’t let them run free.” She turned to Kilty. “Ms. Kilty, how did that happen? Is Inverse Moon trying to hurt Ms. Komari again?” “I don’t know what Spica La Gemini is thinking… We have a spy in Inverse Moon, but they haven’t found anything… And Inverse Moon is not our only enemy. In fact, I believe Star Citadel is a bigger threat…” “Huh? What are you saying?” “Eep?!” Kilty shrieked under Sakuna’s sharp glare. It was no surprise a frightening expression had come to her face. Sakuna had lost her family to Inverse Moon and had led a life tainted in bloodshed because of them. “I know because I was there. Inverse Moon is more dangerous. Ms. Karla, we must go find Ms. Komari right now,” said Sakuna. “But we don’t have any clue—” “We do, actually,” Kilty said fearfully. “Like I said, we have a spy in Inverse Moon. They’re fickle and only give us intel on a whim, so maybe they’ve changed sides, but…” Karla sighed. “Not a very good spy. Perhaps we shouldn’t trust their intel.” “H-huh? Did the former Goddess not tell you…?” “Huh? About what?” “It’s your cousin…Kakumei Amatsu.” “ ” Karla’s brain broke. …What? Kakumei? My brother, who’s been missing for so long? “Amatsu sent a pigeon for the first time in a while the other day…but the note was in code, apparently. It said, ‘The moon is in the golden sea.’” “W-wait a second! My brother is in the Netherworld?! You’ve met him?!” “Huh? H-he is a member of the mercenary group Full Moon… I’ve met him, and he’s helped me plenty before…” After the previous Goddess disappeared, Karla found out a massive secret from the letter the woman had left behind. She had learned the former Goddess was herself from the future, that the world would crumble if Inverse Moon was left to their own devices, and that she had to protect Komari so she wouldn’t vanish. But the note hadn’t mentioned Kakumei Amatsu. Yet from what Kilty said, her future self should have known where her brother was. Why? Why didn’t I tell myself?? The confusion was killing her. “Oof, you hear that? She stole him from you,” said Koharu. The shock was killing her, too. “Um, going back on topic,” Kilty said timidly. “We’ve also heard of sightings of someone who could be Spica La Gemini… Nothing for certain, but her appearance does stand out.” “Where is she?” “D-down south… Far south of the God Slayer Tower in the middle of this map, and going off the reports, it sounds like Inverse Moon is heading even farther south… Considering Kakumei’s message, they must be going here…” She pointed to the borderline between the Lapelico Kingdom and the Toumor Republic. The map said MINING CITY OF NEOPLUS in sloppy handwriting, obviously added afterward. “It’s an artificial city built recently, a ghostly place where greed storms… There’s been a gold rush lately, so many mercenaries are gathering there… I’ve been ordered to go there with you in place of my busy boss to rescue Terakomari.” “…!” Their destination was set. Star Citadel, Inverse Moon, Komari…and Karla’s long-lost brother. There was so much to do, but it would all be solved once they were south—so thought Karla. Down south, on the border of the Toumor Republic, stood the mining city of Neoplus. It had been eight years since the once-quiet rural village was transformed via a government development initiative into a land tainted by greed. Violence was part of daily life here, to the point it had been named the most dangerous place in the Netherworld that wasn’t an active war zone. The only orderly place in the entire city was the governor’s mansion, situated in the best district of the city and protected by thick walls. In an office in the manor’s luxurious hall, two people faced each other. One was a girl wearing a golden hair ornament. She had on a revealing, exotic outfit as she sat haughtily on a shiny golden chair. Her exposed skin was naturally dark, browner than someone paler could attain through suntanning. She did not belong to one of the six common races. “So? You lost the battle?” she asked, spinning the toes of her crossed leg. “No, I have not lost,” answered a girl in shambles, like a soldier who’d escaped death by a hair. Her clothes were frayed, and her face was swollen, the injury from the punch she had taken still unhealed. The traveling biwa bard Tremolo Parcostella, Dead Maestro of Star Citadel, stared at the girl’s bare feet while making an excuse. “To begin with, Nefty, there’s no need to fixate on the outcome of that single battle. When you look at the big picture, it’s clear Star Citadel’s wish will come true. While it may appear as though we lost to a third party, the reality is…” “Shut your trap already!” “Wah!” Tremolo wobbled as Nefty poked her with her gaudily pedicured toes. The dark-brown-skinned girl, Nefty, rose to her feet in irritation. “Are you taking this seriously? First Nerzanpi, and now you. Do you think you can just get thrashed and come crawling to me for help? Where’s your shame?” “As I said, this isn’t a matter of victory or defeat. What must be first on our minds is whether our wish comes true.” “Oh, give me a goddamn break! Grow up and own up to your mistakes! Keep spouting nonsense, and I’m locking you up in a coffin to see if you like the mummy life.” “Please listen to me. I made a strategic retreat. I couldn’t have won back there. You know how strong the Wicked God Slayer is, don’t you?” “Sure, but what pisses me off is your attitude. Get on your knees and beg if you want my help. I’ll even grace you with a foot-stomping.” “But we’re allies…” “Are you saying there’s no sense of respect between friends?” “I think it’s a miracle we’re working together. We joined hands under Yusei’s ideals despite being like oil and water. Goes to show that she really is the incarnation of harmony.” “Stop changing the subject! Ugh…whatever. Let’s move on.” Nefty’s veil fluttered as she leaned back. She glared at Tremolo and asked, “So? Yusei’s mad. What’re you gonna do?” “How mad are we talking?” “Hmm, let’s see…” Nefty looked down and to the side.