The Childish Gods

Fren bit Vanessa’s cheek playfully, as though tearing into bread.

— Bang! —

The door burst open as if it were about to break.

A woman with brown hair twisted up like a crown strode inside with the boldness of a victorious general.

Her long red cloak billowed behind her like a triumph flag with every step.

Standing before the elders, she put her hands on her hips and shouted,

“Behold, for I have arrived!”

But no one paid her any attention.

Iason and Medeia were already bloodied from fighting.

Polyphemos’ bangs covered his eyes so completely that no one knew where he was looking.

Fren and Vanessa looked at Io politely, but only out of courtesy.

Io was painfully aware of that fact.

Her shoulders drooped for a moment, but she instantly straightened up again, loudly proclaiming,

“You lowly ones, cease what you are doing and kneel immediately! And praise me with all your hearts!”

Vanessa glanced at Fren, then rose and knelt on the floor.

He spoke respectfully,

“You look magnificent today, Elder Io.”

“Oh, yes! You are beautiful like a flower too, Vanessa!”

Io grinned so wide it nearly split her face.

Watching Io rejoice like a child over a single compliment, Fren chuckled softly and nodded.

“Hello, Io. We see each other again already, after last night.”

“Fren! You asked the others for understanding about my lateness, right?”

“Of course. Were you feeding your pet ox?”

“Indeed! Naturally!”

Io placed her hands on her waist and laughed loudly,

“I devoured five fresh slaves today!”

“……”

“I wanted more, but the last one they brought was a senile old geezer and my ox refused to eat him. I don’t know why humans age so quickly.”

“……”

Vanessa continued to gaze at Io with admiration.

Fren added,

“Isn’t it tiring to personally feed it every meal?”

“No task is too troublesome if done with love.”

“Your sense of responsibility is admirable.”

“This is only natural. Ah—Fren.”

Io suddenly remembered something and asked excitedly,

“If you ever have time, would you paint my Minotaur? He turns fifteen next month.”

“We’ll see once this issue is resolved.”

“No need to see or resolve anything! That arrogant brat Artua killed himself, didn’t he?”

Io pressed her palm to her forehead and shook her head dramatically.

“When I heard it, you can’t imagine how devastated I felt.”

Fren hugged Vanessa back onto his lap and asked,

“Io, did you not sense that something is wrong right now?”

“Hm?”

Io looked around.

Fren cradling Vanessa affectionately.

Polyphemos giggling creepily to himself in the corner.

Medeia strangling Iason.

She tilted her head.

“Looks normal to me.”

“They look like they’re going to kill each other.”

“They always want to kill each other.”

“That’s true. But today they’re not fighting about that.”

“Then why are they fighting?”

“Iason thinks Medeia planned this incident.”

“Oh! Medeia, was it you? Wonderful! You should have included me!”

“AAAAARGH!”

Medeia, already at her limit because of Iason, now exploded after Io poured oil on the fire.

“No, you idiot!”

“…Idiot?!”

Io looked devastated.

“I didn’t kill him!!”

“I… idiot… she called me an idiot…”

Io began to cry big jewel-like tears.

Vanessa immediately approached and wiped her face gently.

Io buried her head against Vanessa and sobbed.

Medeia sighed and said,

“It really wasn’t me.”

“Then who killed him?”

“…Stop acting like you want to dispose of me so badly. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself.”

“I know that without you saying it.”

The conversation went nowhere, and growing irritated, Medeia screamed again.

She brushed past Iason and headed for the door.

Polyphemos jumped up in a fluster,

“W–wait. W–where are you going?”

“Home. Someone ruined my mood completely.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and sit down, Medeia! The meeting isn’t over!”

“What kind of meeting is it when you try to accuse innocent elves with nothing but suspicion?”

“SIT DOWN!”

“Don’t you dare order me—!”

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Medeia stopped.

She turned back to Iason and smiled coldly.

“How’s your father doing lately?”

Iason’s brow twitched at the ominous question.

He demanded sharply,

“Why are you asking that?”

“Oh, no reason…”

Medeia smirked.

“Just wondering if he’s taking his medicine properly.”

“What are you implying?”

“Who knows?”

Laughing wildly, she exited the chamber.

Iason glared at the open doorway with bloodshot eyes and muttered,

“Vile woman.”

Fren asked with mild concern,

“Iason, are you leaving too?”

“Today, I’m going to fix that witch’s manners once and for all.”

He stormed out.

Two elders vanished in an instant, leaving the room eerily quiet.

Polyphemos crept toward the door and said,

“T–they’re better off d–divorced.”

“Right?”

“I–I should g–go now too.”

“Have fun with your friend, Polyphemos.”

“Hehe…”

He scurried away like a baby chick.

Fren rose from his seat, and as he told Vanessa they should leave too, Io’s face turned pale.

“What? It’s over already? After I came all this way?”

“Everyone already left. We can’t help that.”

“This always happens. We gather for nothing, and the meeting dissolves because of the others. And again, only you and I remain…”

Tears welled in Io’s eyes once more.

Vanessa quickly took out a handkerchief.

Io pouted her thick lips.

“Is there nothing for me to do again?”

“You’ll have something next time.”

“……”

Io stared at the floor angrily and finally said,

“I want everyone to know how great I really am. Soon.”

“You already are great, Io.”

Vanessa nodded in agreement.

But Io’s expression remained dark.

“The two of you aren’t enough.”

“……”

“I just want to… Ugh, what am I even saying.”

Io snapped her head away.

Startled, Vanessa dropped the handkerchief.

Io widened her eyes and forced a bright smile.

“I’ll go cheer myself up spending time with my Minotaur. And choose which s*ave to feed him tonight.”

“……”

“See you later, Fren. Goodbye, Vanessa. I shall take my leave!”

Io stepped on the fallen handkerchief and raced out.

Vanessa remained bowing low until Io disappeared completely.

As soon as she could move, she checked Fren’s expression.

Fren was smiling sweetly, whispering like sharing a secret,

“It’s hard to believe I’m the youngest among the elders.”

“That’s right.”

“And that all of them are older than me.”

They threw tantrums when anything displeased them.

They acted without thinking, drew conclusions alone, were obsessed with playing with friends, and were desperate to prove they were special.

Just like children.

“But we have to endure it. They ended up like this because of you, after all. Isn’t that right, Vanessa?”

“How could they be mine? I only act under your orders.”

Vanessa smiled faintly.

“You created me, Master Fren. And if not for your command, I wouldn’t even move. I am your creation.”

“No, Vanessa.”

Fren gently stroked Vanessa’s cheek.

“You did this.”

“…Did I?”

“You did.”

Fren wrapped his arms around Vanessa’s neck like a snare and asked in a tempting voice,

“It’s about time we completed some more pieces, don’t you think?”

He meant eliminating the other elders, as they had Artua.

Vanessa hesitated.

“If too many are completed too quickly, it might raise suspicion. You may dislike my incompetence, but if you give me more time—”

“No?”

Fren whined like a puppy.

“Really no?”

Looking at Fren’s unbearably adorable expression, Vanessa could never resist.

Blushing, he looked down shyly and nodded,

“I’ll do it.”

“Oh, I’m so happy.”

“For now, you should return to your residence.”

As Vanessa escorted Fren out, he noticed the handkerchief Io stepped on earlier.

It felt nice to the touch, but Vanessa did not pick it up.

Fren hated dirty or damaged things.

That was also why he intended to remove the other elders after Artua.

If those pieces of trash had stayed quiet, Fren might have spared them.

But the trash kept rolling into his space and even dared to touch him directly.

So Fren had no choice but to order Vanessa to drag them out of existence.

And Vanessa was—

“How will you dispose of them?”

“I’m thinking.”

—an absolute genius at destroying trash so thoroughly that no one could ever know what it once was.