Chapter 260: Takatsuki Makoto prepares for the Demon Lord Battle

We returned to Laberintos.

It has been an actual half of a year since we have been back.

“Johnny-san, the population has increased…” (Makoto)

I let out my voice in amazement.

“Umu, Ancient Dragons are maintaining the safety of the city after all. The residents of neighboring settlements have come seeking shelter.” (Johnny)

Johnny-san nodded satisfied.

I watched the big metropolis that extended in the whole underground lake of the Mid Floor.

It has become bigger than even Makkaren.

“Waah, Momo-chan, it has been a while~. Have you been doing well? You have gotten bigger!” (Julietta)

“Julietta-san, it has been a while! …I don’t grow though.” (Momo)

“A-Ah, right. You are a vampire after all. Ahaha.” (Julietta)

Momo and Julietta-san were rejoicing in their reunion.

“Hey, you…are you really Abel?”

“I am telling you I am not Abel, I am Anna, Volkh-san!” (Anna)

“Y-Yeah… I did hear from the Fire Hero Olga that Abel had a special constitution, but…to think you were a woman…” (Volkh)

“Just saying, but even in this form, my skills with the sword can’t even be compared to before!” (Anna)

“Hooh, then, let’s do an actual duel here.” (Volkh)

“Okay!” (Anna)

The Earth Hero-san and Anna-san were having a swordsman-like conversation over there.

It has been a while since I have seen them, but they are looking healthy.

“Dragon Mother-sama! It is great to see you back!”

“Umu, have you been faring well?” (Mel)

“Yes, our dwelling has been the same! And so, you will be returning to the Deepest Floor, right?”

“Hm? I intend to fight with the Demon Lord together with the Spirit User-kun, so—” (Mel)

“What nonsense is that?! What will you do if this reaches the ears of the Dragon King-sama?!”

“But…” (Mel)

“Please rethink this, Dragon Mother-sama!”

“That’s right. You should have fulfilled your duty plenty enough!”

“Please come back! There’s no need to drag us into the disputes of the surface world!”

“Dragon Mother-sama!”

“…Hmm…” (Mel)

I heard the conversation of the dragons (in human form) and Mel-san.

Looks like it is a bit crowded there.

There’s no doubt I am the reason for that though.

Mel-san has been a great help to us for half a year.

It seems like her family is worried about her.

In the story passed down about 1,000 years ago was that the Holy Dragon-sama was a comrade of Savior Abel till the Great Demon Lord’s subjugation, but seeing as how things are going here, that might be difficult.

How much should I involve Mel-san into the battle against the Demon Lords?

This is troubling…

—I look at the Mid Floor underground city that had a complete change.

There were street stalls of varied sizes lined along the underground lake of the Mid Floor.

The children running around.

Everyone is smiling.

Is this really a dungeon?

It is hard to believe that this is the same Mid Floor as the one where Lucy and I were on the verge of dying from being attacked by a mob of monsters.

Won’t the future change?

“Of course it has, idiot Makoto.”

“Eh?” (Makoto)

I was surprised by that voice and turned back.

There was a beautiful girl standing there with fine clothes.

A familiar face.

“W-Why are you here?” (Makoto)

“I have been waiting, Takatsuki Makoto.”

The one who said this majestically with a hand on her waist was the Destiny Oracle Esther.

And Ira-sama must be possessing her.

“Now that I think about it, Esther-dono was waiting for Makoto-dono. Makoto-dono, if you are going to fight the Demon Lord, give me a call. I have already done the preparations.” (Johnny)

Johnny-san left the place with his tied long hair swaying and without a single smile.

With that long katana hanging at his waist and that attire that looks like a hakama, I could see him as nothing other than a samurai.

How to say it, he really is one picturesque guy.

“Thank you very much, Johnny-san.” (Makoto)

When I thanked him, he looked back a bit and laughed with a short ‘fuh’.

So cool…

“Hey, you’ve got guts ignoring me.” (Ira)

“Sorry about that, Est—Ira-sama. By the way, why are you here?” (Makoto)

“Obviously because I have something to talk with you about, right? Come here for a bit.” (Ira)

Saying this, Ira-sama pulled me behind a shadow.

◇◇

—The cave at the back of the big waterfall in the Mid Floor.

There were no people there and only the sound of the waterfall resonated comfortably.

This place is great for secret talks.

It reminded me of the time when I reunited with Sa-san.

“What are you reminiscing for?” (Ira)

Ira-sama flicked my forehead and I snapped back.

“Sorry about that, Goddess-sama.” (Makoto)

Right, I am in the presence of a Goddess.

“Hmph, I was worried about you, so be grateful that I came to see how you were! Be grateful! You have changed the history of Laberintos greatly, so I have to make adjustments later… This is a real pain.” (Ira)

“So changes in history are really happening…” (Makoto)

I have never heard of a giant city like this being made in the Mid Floor of Laberintos.

Will the Lamia ancestors of Sa-san be okay?

“That’s not something for you to worry about, Takatsuki Makoto. More importantly, what do you plan on doing about the battle against the Demon Lord? You have a chance, I hope.” (Ira)

Ira-sama throws me a sharp gaze.

I chuckled at that.

“Leave it to me. We are perfectly ready.” (Makoto)

It is not like we have been playing around for half a year.

But Ira-sama glared at me with narrowed eyes.

“I wonder about that. You challenged the Deep Sea Temple several times. What were you planning on doing if you ended up dying?! And you failed them all in the end!” (Ira)

“Well, the results were a shame, but the process is important. Thanks to that, I managed to make an important promise with him.” (Makoto)

“Well…that’s true. I am surprised you managed to make that kind of promise…” (Ira)

She laughed with an amazed face.

“So, tell me your plan. I will give it a check.” (Ira)

“Okay. First, I will go ahead of everyone and prepare—” (Makoto)

“Uhm!”

““Hm?””

Someone intruded while Ira-sama and I were having a talk.

“Mel-san?” (Makoto)

“Oh my, if it isn’t the White Dragon-chan.” (Ira)

The interloper was the White Dragon-san.

Her eyes were opened wide.

Is her talk with her dragon comrades already over?

“I felt divine mana, so even when thinking it was rude, I listened to the conversation and…could it be that you are…the Destiny Goddess…Ira-sama?” (Mel)

Ira-sama and I look at each other.

So it has been exposed.

“Uhm, about this…” (Makoto)

“I won’t tell anyone! Aah, to think I could meet you again…” (Mel)

Mel-san rarely gets flustered by anything, but she was currently incredibly moved.

Now that I think about it, she said she was saved by Ira-sama a long time ago, right?

I was remembering that, and then Mel-san suddenly looked at me with teary eyes.

“So you were the Apostle of the Destiny Goddess Ira-sama.” (Mel)

““Eh?””

No, I am not.

I am Noah-sama’s Apostle.

“A person that can speak in such a familiar manner with Ira-sama… The puzzle pieces have finally aligned. I will convince my dragon family and obey the Apostle-dono of Ira-sama. My deepest apologies for interrupting your conversation. Please continue your secret talk.” (Mel)

Saying this, Mel-san left.

““……””

Ira-sama and I were left behind.

“You will become my Apostle?” (Ira)

“I won’t… In the first place, you have someone else, right?” (Makoto)

“I don’t. Or more like, Althena-oneesama banned the apostle system.” (Ira)

“Banned?” (Makoto)

This is my first time hearing that.

Though even in the future, I met with Heroes and Oracles, but I didn’t meet an Apostle like me.

“Heroes and Oracles can only hear the voice of the Goddess, but an Apostle can even see the figure of the Goddess, right? But if a person of the Mortal Realm sees a God, it would affect them mentally in some way at the very least, right?” (Ira)

“Affect them mentally?” (Makoto)

“Mental Pollution… Putting it simply, it makes you go crazy.” (Ira)

Now that she mentions it, I think I heard that from Noah-sama.

“I was fine though.” (Makoto)

“That’s because you are weird.” (Ira)

“That’s rude.” (Makoto)

“Who is the rude one. The White Dragon-chan said it before, right? You act way too familiar with a Goddess. What are you doing looking down on me? Kneel.” (Ira)

Ira-sama pressed my head down.

She may be a small and weak girl, but she was a good match against me who has low stats.

“I don’t wanna! I only kneel to one person!” (Makoto)

“Heeh, is that so? Then, I will have the Apostle of that woman Noah yield.” (Ira)

“What a terrible personality!” (Makoto)

“Fufufu, my merciful heart has perished with those words! I will have you lick my boots.” (Ira)

A massive sadist!

A super sadistic Goddess!

“I don’t wanna! The only one who can make me lick her boots is Noah-sama!” (Makoto)

“Are you a pervert…? At any rate, you are weak.” (Ira)

“Stop!” (Makoto)

I tried to struggle, but it was fruitless, and the small Oracle straddled me.

My physical strength is seriously low.

“Now, I have caught you. Obey me.” (Ira)

I am under Ira-sama now.

“Kuh, kill me!” (Makoto)

“Fufufu, give in, Takatsuki Makoto…” (Ira)

At that moment when we were having that silly exchange…

“Makoto-san?”

“Master… What are you doing?”

I hear the voices of other people in the place where there’s supposed to be only me and Ira-sama.

Anna-san and Momo.

““““……””””

The roaring sound of the waterfall resonates.

“T-This is a misunderstanding…” (Makoto)

“That’s not it…” (Ira)

Right at the moment when Ira-sama and I said this at the same time…

“Makoto-san, you idiooooot!!” (Anna)

“Stupid Masteeeeer!!!” (Momo)

Anna-san and Momo left running.

Ira-sama and I were left there absentminded.

“You, those two are the main force of your party, right?! Isn’t this bad?!” (Ira)

“You can see the future, right, Ira-sama?! You should tell me!” (Makoto)

“Everyone makes mistakes!” (Ira)

“You are a Goddess, right?!” (Makoto)

“I have descended right now, so I am more of a human!” (Ira)

Ira-sama and I were playing hot potato with the blame.

There was no end to it, so it was decided that I should chase after the two.

The misunderstanding was resolved…I think.

And in this way, our preparations for the battle against the Demon Lord began.

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