“What kind of favor?” I dared not agree too readily, for if she were to make some strange, outlandish request, I would surely be trapped.
“Quite cautious, aren’t we? But it’s nothing major.” The female voice in my mind spoke.
“Then what is it, exactly?” I was not about to trust a strange entity that had inexplicably burrowed into my body.
“It’s a trifle for you, really. Just killing one person.” The female voice spoke again.
“No.”
“Why not? It’s just one person. I can offer you a reward that will satisfy you, you know.”
“No.”
“Surely you can at least name a single request?”
“No.”
“Then what will it take?” A hint of impatience laced her tone.
“Nothing will make me agree. I won’t kill an innocent person for my own selfish desires.”
“Hmph, well, I might not be a good person, but that doesn’t mean everyone I kill is innocent, does it? Rest assured, the person I’m asking you to kill absolutely deserves their fate.”
“Really?” I asked, skepticism warring with a flicker of belief.
“Really.” Her voice was filled with exasperation.
“But… if it’s a major villain, I can’t possibly defeat them…” I voiced my biggest concern with genuine sincerity.
“That’s not an issue. As long as you can find him, the rest won’t be a problem.” Her reply was brimming with confidence.
“Emmm, so, who is he? What’s his identity? Where does he live?” I still felt somewhat reluctant, for murder was no small matter. Yet, I wondered what she might do if I refused.
“His name is Alkmene. He lives in the Dark Realm. As for his identity… he used to be a general. What he is now, I don’t know.”
“Al… Alkmene…” The name was a bit of a mouthful, making it even harder for someone like me, who struggled to remember Western names, to grasp.
“Alkmene.” She repeated it.
“Oh, Alkmene.”
“It’s… never mind.” She clearly gave up on correcting me. “Anyway, you just need to stand properly in front of that guy. Leave everything else to me.”
“Alright, fine…” I conceded. “Oh, by the way, what should I call you?” It wouldn’t do to always be unsure of her name.
A long silence stretched between us. “Si,” a voice tinged with a sigh, finally responded.
****
“What are you spacing out for over there?” The God’s Agent stood before me, arms crossed, frowning as she questioned me.
“Huh?” I snapped awake, realizing I had been so engrossed in my conversation with Si that I’d ignored my surroundings. “W-what’s wrong?” Completely clueless, I could only stare blankly at the God’s Agent.
The God’s Agent pressed a hand to her forehead. “Phew—” She let out a long breath. “Earlier, I received news that something is about to happen in the Divine Realm. They all have their own matters to attend to, and your current condition makes it risky for you to go to the Divine Realm. So, will you return to the academy, or stay here in the Land of Disorder to find Leixar?”
“The Land of Disorder, of course. See, it’s perfect,” Si said in my mind.
“I’ll stay here.” I had originally intended to return to the academy; after all, I was a god with a strong homebody nature and disliked running around. But since Si had spoken, I could only agree to stay.
“Leixar isn’t far from here. You can walk back yourself. If anything happens, they will help you,” the God’s Agent said, wasting no time. It seemed Lavishly Karafar and the others wanted to say more, but they were promptly dragged away by the God’s Agent.
“Alright, let’s head straight to the Dark Realm.”
“Shouldn’t we go to Master Leixar first?”
“Huh? Are you an idiot?” Si’s voice was filled with astonishment.
“What’s wrong?” I was utterly bewildered, unsure why she was so surprised.
“I’m asking, are you missing a few screws? Do you really think that if you tell that Leixar person, she’ll let you leave?” Her tone was dripping with condescension, as if speaking to a simpleton.
“So? Just run away? Wouldn’t that be bad…” I pondered, thinking the God’s Agent and the others would worry.
“It’s fine. We’ll be back quickly. They won’t blame you,” Si assured me.
“Then how do we get there?”
“Nonsense, by carriage. Are you suggesting we just fly? In your current useless state, it would be a miracle if you made it. Please, think before you speak.”
Feeling repeatedly scorned and my confidence severely battered, I fell silent. If I asked her anything else, my mouth would feel as toxic as if I’d swallowed pesticide.
****
“Hey, I say, why aren’t they back yet?” A middle-aged man squatted in the corner, asking a handsome blonde youth beside him.
“Perhaps they were delayed by something,” the blonde youth replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
“But we’ve been left here for four days… Do you think they might have forgotten about us?”
“…….”