Yimen

“Ugh… my head hurts…”

“Where is this place?”

“I remember… wasn’t I eaten by some kind of monster?”

“Could this be the afterlife? It’s so beautiful…”

One by one, the unconscious people woke up.

They looked around in confusion, their memories—like Alice’s—stopping at the moment they were swallowed by the Worm of Naraku.

“Your Highness…?”

At that moment, a familiar voice—Aria’s—drew Alice’s gaze.

The maid, who had just woken, held her head with one hand, her half-lidded eyes hazy as she staggered slowly toward Alice.

But after only a few steps, Aria lost her balance and began to fall forward.

“Aria!”

Alice was about to rush to catch her, when a pink figure suddenly appeared at Aria’s side, scooping her up in a princess carry.

“A pretty girl’s face is very precious, you know ♪ If it were injured, I’d be heartbroken~”

“You are…?”

Looking at the glowing figure who radiated soft pink light, Aria couldn’t quite see her face.

But from the voice alone, she was sure the person had to be a very beautiful girl.

“My name is Edenia~ You can just call me Little Eden, adorable maid girl~”

Coming to Alice’s side, Edenia gently set Aria down into her arms.

Alice quickly supported Aria’s body, worry written all over her face.

“Aria, how are you feeling? Do you feel unwell anywhere? Please, you must tell me if you do.”

Leaning against Alice’s shoulder, Aria slowly shook her head.

Her gaze drifted toward Edenia, who had just carried her.

She watched as Edenia, after bringing her safely to Alice’s side, turned and walked forward again.

In a faint, puzzled voice, she asked,

“I’m fine, Your Highness. My body just feels weak from waking up.

But… if I recall correctly, we were swallowed by that creature—like some kind of worm, right?

So doesn’t that mean this is the inside of its belly? But… we seem unharmed. What happened?

And also… who was that just now?”

Aria’s mind was full of questions.

Before she was swallowed, she had already resigned herself to thinking they were beyond saving.

Yet now, not only had she awakened, but the strength that had been drained away was slowly returning.

The surroundings, too, didn’t resemble the pitch-black nightmare she had imagined inside the monster.

Instead, they were surrounded by a magnificent starry sky.

Most striking of all was the pink-haired girl she had never seen before—shining with brilliant light, as if the universe itself had descended into human form.

Why did she feel so strangely familiar and dear to her?

Aria had no memory of meeting this girl.

And yet, she felt as though they had already shared a long history together, as if they were very close.

She couldn’t help but give voice to her confusion.

Hearing Aria’s words, Alice also turned her gaze to Edenia.

Her lips curved into a soft smile as she said quietly,

“She’s the one who saved us. Without her, we’d probably all be dead.”

“…I see.”

Alice’s gentle tone eased Aria’s doubts for the moment, making her hold back further questions.

After all, compared to her confusion, she felt that ensuring Alice’s safety came first.

With that in mind, Aria lifted her head from Alice’s shoulder.

Her body already felt like it had returned to normal.

She resolved to ask Edenia if there was a way to help, and to offer her assistance if possible.

Just as she was thinking this, Edenia—already standing at the front before everyone—produced a pink megaphone.

She gave it a light tap with her hand, cleared her throat, switched it on, and finally raised it toward the still-dazed crowd.

“Hi ♪ How’s everyone doing~”

Her sweet voice, amplified by the megaphone, grew loud enough for every single person present to hear clearly.

All at once, the confused crowd turned their eyes toward the source of the sound.

And then they all saw her—the radiant Edenia, glowing with starlight and exuding a divine aura.

“Is… is that a goddess?”

“Am I dead? Has the goddess come to take me?”

“So beautiful…”

Everyone was stunned by the sight before them.

But Edenia only gave a soft smile and said,

“Don’t worry, my beloved ones ♪ Nothing has happened to you~

My name is Edenia~ I’m your pink lady, always smiling and guarding by your side ♪

Now, let’s work together and leave this place~”

Still wearing a sweet smile, Edenia lowered the megaphone.

With her other hand, she formed a peace sign and held it up to her eye, playfully winking at the crowd.

That simple gesture hit the gathering like a bomb, instantly igniting their emotions.

“Ohooo~”

No one knew who shouted it first.

But within moments, the same sound echoed again and again through the crowd.

Edenia’s charm struck too deeply.

Her overwhelming natural warmth and affinity made it impossible even for Alice to resist the urge to lean on her.

Everyone’s hearts—whether male or female—were thumping wildly from her playful cuteness.

“It’s true! The goddess has saved us!”

Suddenly, one person shouted it aloud.

And like waking from a dream, the entire crowd immediately echoed in agreement.

“The goddess came to save us!”

“A living goddess, even more beautiful than the legends!”

“She feels so gentle… just like a mother.”

Their excitement swelled like a tidal wave, as though they would all become Edenia’s worshippers on the spot.

And none of it was flattery—it was genuine, heartfelt truth.

From the very first moment they laid eyes on Edenia, they had been enveloped in a warmth that erased all fear and confusion.

All they could feel now was hope, and an endless drive forward.

This was exactly what Lophiel had feared.

Even someone like her—reborn once before, with a mind of iron—had struggled to resist Edenia’s charm.

So what chance did this group of immature nobles have?

“Ara ♪ I’m truly overjoyed that you all like me so much~ But I’m not a goddess, so there’s no need to worship me like that.

And besides, rather than some lofty relationship of gods and mortals, I’d much rather be your friend ♪”

Her words sent the crowd into an even greater frenzy.

Their feelings had already passed the point where words could capture them.

In the end, all their emotions boiled down to just two simple syllables, repeated over and over as a chant of love for Edenia.

“Eden!”

“Eden!”

Like an echoing chorus, the two syllables resounded again and again from every mouth.