“Qiweiya, it’s time to wake up.”
“Just let me sleep…”
“For one minute?”
“For a year~”
“…”
Lysander gazed expressionlessly at the mound beneath the blankets. Without a word, he unleashed his secret technique: the Blanket Flip.
Qiweiya, looking utterly adorable, reached out her small hands, groping around. “Huh? Where’s my dear Mr. Blanket? Lysander, stop messing around and give my beloved Mr. Blanket back!”
Expressionless, Lysander stated, “Today, we have an other-world version of teriyaki chicken cutlet rice.”
Qiweiya’s eyes opened a fraction of a slit. “Quickly, give me back my Mr. Blanket.”
Expressionless, Lysander offered, “Braised pork chops.”
“Ugh… give me back Mr. Blanket.”
Expressionless, Lysander continued, “Kung Pao chicken.”
“Er… give it back to me.”
Expressionless, Lysander added, “Stir-fried pork kidneys.”
“Darn it! It’s just a blanket, isn’t it? I don’t want it anymore! Let’s go eat some delicious, spicy food!”
Lysander nodded. “Let’s go, Lady Qiweiya.”
“Hehehehe~ Meat~ My little bits of meat!”
Lotharia and Karin’er, who were already eating, stared blankly at Qiweiya’s bizarre demeanor.
Lotharia rubbed her eyes. “This… this person isn’t brain-damaged, are they?”
“Bang!” “Ow, ow, ow!” Karin’er blew on her faintly smoking fist, then shot Lotharia a cold glare. “Eat your curry rice.”
Lotharia sniffled indignantly, burying her head back into her failed, dark and unappetizing curry rice.
Karin’er watched Lotharia dutifully gnawing on her ‘black earth,’ a satisfied nod gracing her face. Then, she turned to the composed Lysander. “What’s wrong with the Goddess?”
“Nothing much,” Lysander replied. “It’s merely a side effect of Lady Qiweiya being forced out of bed. It will pass shortly.”
Karin’er nodded, seemingly understanding yet not quite.
****
Qiweiya patted her stomach contentedly, letting out a refreshed burp. “Burp~ Now, you two, pack your things.”
Karin’er, bewildered, asked, “What are you planning to do, Goddess?”
Qiweiya smiled playfully. “We’re going to stir up trouble in the Demon Realm.”
“Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!”
Qiweiya looked at the inexplicably coughing Lotharia. “What? Do you have an objection?”
“Slam!” Lotharia shot up from the table. “Of course I do! Don’t you know how brutal the Demon Realm is? With our current mindset, it wouldn’t be surprising if we ended up getting ‘dumpling-wrapped’ at any moment!”
“I am Qiweiya! Do you think I can’t handle them? Those underdeveloped, unevolved species wouldn’t stand a chance against me.”
“Underdeveloped — my foot! They are beings capable of clashing with the gods themselves! Do you think they’re that simple? Do you think it’s just an easy AI opponent? Darn it! They are true descendants of the Chaos Demons!”
Qiweiya leaped up. “Holy cow! So I was tricked by the Creator God again? It’s all just schemes…”
[The Creator God sneezed: ‘Who’s talking about me? Someone must be thinking of my handsomeness again! But schemes truly are a good thing~ In this world, only schemes can warm people’s hearts.’]
Lotharia rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know that Creator God is utterly shameless? Do you think he’d let you off easy? I’d rather jump into a cesspit! So, don’t even think about stirring up trouble. Just live your peaceful little life, alright?”
Qiweiya slumped onto the sofa, disgruntled. “But… I really want to go play in the Demon Realm! It feels like my heart is constantly itching with anticipation.”
Karin’er, standing nearby, interjected, “Goddess, I truly believe it’s best not to go to the Demon Realm. It’s fraught with danger, a place where the strong prey on the weak, and only the fittest survive.
“Moreover, you are already the greatest enemy of two major factions. If you’re discovered, it’s highly probable they’ll seize the opportunity to severely wound you. I hope you’ll reconsider and act within your capabilities.”
Qiweiya deflated onto the sofa like a leaky balloon. “This won’t do, that won’t do! Am I really destined to be a mere gate-keeping BOSS in this world?”
“I refuse to accept it!” She sprang to her feet. “I am the unique Origin God! The sovereign of a higher world. If I’m forced to cower in a corner by a bunch of mid-tier world races, would I still be myself?
“Even the Void cannot hinder my path, so why would I fear these petty demons, humans, and gods? What a joke! Aside from my unyielding spirit, I have nothing else to be proud of!
“Therefore, even if they are local tyrants, they will kneel before this mighty dragon!”
Lotharia looked at the spirited Qiweiya before her, a strange expression on her face. “Did you eat dog gall?”
Qiweiya, not understanding, asked, “What do you mean?”
Lotharia nodded. “Yes, it seems I accidentally put some dog gall, which boosts qi, blood, and courage, into your dish.”
Qiweiya’s eye twitched. “So you’re saying I lack self-awareness? That I can’t beat those muscle-brained humanoid beasts?”
Lotharia replied as if it were obvious, “Of course~ Otherwise, do you think these demons, who have fought against the gods for so many years, are simpletons? I wouldn’t believe it if you told me they didn’t have help from other external races.”
Qiweiya grew serious. “Like…”
“The Void Race!” Both exclaimed simultaneously.
Qiweiya looked utterly shocked. “Holy moly! Do I have some cursed fate with the Void? Why are their shadows everywhere?!”
Lotharia shot Qiweiya a disdainful look. “The Void Race is the most colossal power outside of the Creator’s world. Did you think they’d only cause trouble in your outer domain? I’d wager that if we randomly jumped to any world, eight or nine out of ten would likely be a breeding ground for the Void.
“If I’m not mistaken, the Void is behind the demons. Otherwise, how could they have contended with the guardian God Race of this world for so long?”
Qiweiya wiped a bead of cold sweat from her brow. “Do you think the World Consciousness has also been kidnapped by the Void Race? Or perhaps controlled? Otherwise, why would it constantly target me?”
Lotharia thoughtfully stroked her chin. “Hmm, it’s possible. Given the Void Race’s profound foundation, controlling a World Consciousness would be incredibly simple. After all, World Consciousnesses are typically rather naive little entities.
“So, the Void likely slandered the meaning of your existence, and then~ you understand.”
Qiweiya felt like crying but had no tears. “So my mission is this arduous! And I can’t even cheat? My true origin is still in my original world! My strength has plummeted to such a meager amount…
“This is truly a desperate situation, cutting off all retreat and severing any sliver of hope.”
As she spoke, she pulled out two holy swords. “These two holy swords probably have issues too. I should find a way to destroy them sooner rather than later, to prevent any further complications.”
Lotharia jumped in alarm. “Whoa! Don’t mess around! These are the condensed essence of the planet’s core. If you destroy them, we’ll likely be buried along with them!”
Qiweiya looked at the two holy swords in her hands, which felt chillingly cool, and became deeply conflicted. “Destroying them is bad, not destroying them is also bad. What on earth should we do? Should we keep them only for them to betray us?”
Lotharia’s eyes lit up as she thought of a brilliant idea. She leaned close to Qiweiya’s ear. “We can do this, and then that, and then this other way…”
Under Karin’er’s curious gaze, Qiweiya nodded intermittently, her expressions incredibly varied – sometimes smiling, sometimes serious, then a mix of laughter and tears, or even a mischievous grin.
Karin’er shivered just watching them, silently mourning for a few seconds for whoever was about to be schemed against by the duo.
“Alright! In that case, we’ll depart soon~ Karin’er.”
“Is there something you need, Goddess?”
Qiweiya cleared her throat. “I think you should be in charge of safekeeping these holy swords.”
“Huh? Why me?”
Qiweiya tilted her head, stating matter-of-factly, “Because I’m your boss, of course.”
“But…”
“I’m your boss.”
“However…”
“I’m your boss.”
Karin’er helplessly raised her hands in surrender. “Alright, I understand~ I’ll take good care of them.”
Only then did Qiweiya pat Karin’er’s shoulder with a beaming smile. “Work hard, I have faith in you~ You’re a star in the making, believe in yourself, you can do it! Ganbatte!”
Karin’er didn’t know what ‘Ganbatte’ meant, but she assumed it was something akin to encouragement. She listlessly responded, “Ganbatte…”
“Come on, come on, let’s go pack up! Lysander, hurry, we have important business to attend to!”
“Yes, Lady.”
Karin’er looked at the two holy swords in her hands, feeling like they were burning her. She didn’t know what to say… Did she just get on the wrong ship? Had she dug her own grave?