"Agreeing to be your partner if my wishes are fulfilled?" My suggestion seemed to transform her sorrowful face into one filled with innocent curiosity and wonder.
"Really...?"
Her demeanor, far removed from the historical records of a malevolent and ruthless ancient deity, evoked a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Not a lie, right?"
She looked almost like a child pleading with a parent, filled with simple, pure emotion. For a moment, I even doubted if she was the same being.
"Of course, as long as you keep the conditions I'm about to set..."
I trailed off, slightly embarrassed by my own words. Making such a commitment felt oddly shameful, almost as if I was proposing marriage.
"Hmm... Let's hear it then. If it's within my power, I'll grant your wishes."
She regained her composure, realizing the seriousness of the negotiation, prompting me to set aside unnecessary emotions.
"First, if what you said is true... If my life has been manipulated and memories have been stolen, then I want you to prioritize helping me recover my original life."
Securing my right to choose was crucial, especially if I were to return to the outside world. It was important to get a firm promise from Luceria to prevent any backtracking on her part.
"Understood. I don't like the idea of my partner being someone else's puppet either. I'll prioritize helping you regain your freedom."
Her expression seemed sincere, indicating no ulterior motives. She nodded genuinely, agreeing to my condition.
"Secondly, don't try to rule the world. I suspect your reason for seeking a partner is to engulf the world in darkness and ascend to its pinnacle. But you need to let go of that ambition."
This was perhaps the most challenging point of negotiation. According to legend, she would become an unstoppable force once united with her partner.
The conditions I set were aimed at ensuring my autonomy and preventing Luceria's destructive aspirations, while also seeking her genuine assistance in uncovering and rectifying the manipulations in my life. In response to my conditions, Luceria agreed surprisingly easily. It was almost anticlimactic.
"Why? Is there a problem with me accepting your conditions?" She looked genuinely confused at my reaction.
"No, it's just... isn't your aim to unite with a partner and use that overwhelming power to corrupt the world's justice into evil?" I asked, skeptical of her easy acquiescence.
"That's not entirely my goal," she replied promptly, dismissing my assumption. "Sure, ruling the world would be nice, but it's only a secondary concept, not my ultimate objective."
"But I thought your purpose was to dominate the world!" My confusion was clear, and she frowned, turning the question back on me.
"Why do you think that?"
As I explained, based on historical knowledge, she sighed deeply. "Harold, history has been recorded from times far more ancient than you imagine. Over time, those who learn and record history have varied widely. Can we guarantee that these stories, stretching back thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years, have never been distorted?"
She spoke with a mix of confidence and a hint of justified resentment, trying to prove her innocence. It was as if she was showing off her honesty and righteousness. The history that has been recorded over various pasts, can it be completely unaltered? Luceria said, "I did talk about ruling the world if possible, but that was never my true goal."
"And honestly, if you remove the tainted view that I'm corrupted, even the current gods want to be the greatest beings, shaping the world according to their definition of justice, right?" It made sense; history is often written by the victors, those who survive tailor it. Her explanation was persuasive.
"So, what's your real goal then?" I asked, still skeptical, as her desire to be the world's master was a known fact.
She took a moment to gather her thoughts before responding, "Well, obviously... to marry my partner and build a family, isn't it?"
Her life goal seemed too simple, almost ridiculously mundane for a being of her stature. "Is that really it?" My voice was filled with disbelief.
"Yes," she replied confidently. "It's true that awakening with a partner gives me power, and I could rule the world with it. But that power is fundamentally for protecting my partner... There has never been a mortal who married a god, and such a union would attract unwarranted envy. So, this power is meant to safeguard the family."
Her logic behind the power she'd gain upon awakening was typical yet profoundly respectable – a patriarch's strength to protect his family.
Her earnestness and the credibility of her reasons felt genuine. "My sole purpose is to bond with a partner. All I really want is a husband who loves me."
"If my husband asks me to abandon other dreams, then I must comply. After all, compromise is a part of marriage."
Luceria's goal was in line with her past as a goddess of love – seeking genuine, shared love. As I was pondering, Luceria suddenly hugged me. Her eyes were filled with a genuine longing for me. She promised, "If you sincerely love me, I will be content. No matter how unreasonable your conditions, I will find a way to fulfill them."
Her passionate confession left me feeling unexpectedly shy. I tried to brush it off, but she affirmed her sincerity, saying she had longed for me since ancient times. Embarrassed, I coughed to change the subject.
Returning to the main point, I said, "Lastly, thirdly, free Marika." This seemed to put her in a tough spot. She agreed but mentioned she needed somewhere for her soul to reside, so she could remain by her husband's side.
She suggested a meaningful object as a solution, noting she wouldn't have her full strength without a proper body, but it was the best option.
Thinking, I showed her a pendant I had. Her reaction was a mix of nostalgia and unfamiliarity. She asked where I got it, and I explained it was a simple market find, desired by the daughter of her daughter, Aris. I had kept one pendant for myself.
The white pendant, which Aris had been drawn to and which had become her weakness, hinted at a deep connection with Luceria and Aris, who was related to Arsia. This connection made the pendant a suitable candidate for Luceria's soul. Luceria, holding the pendant I showed her, speculated it was a long-lost artifact from when she was known as the Goddess of Love. She revealed that the pendant was originally crafted by her as a sort of engagement ring intended for her future partner. Realizing this, it suddenly made sense why Aris was so drawn to it and why it was her weakness, and also why the cult possessed it. The pendant, after all, was Luceria's creation.
Luceria mused about the pendant's history, how it survived while other relics of a fallen god were destroyed, and its design became replicated over time. She took the pendant, held it close, and seemed to be lost in memories. "This will suffice," she said, explaining that keeping the pendant, with its symbolic meaning of engagement, would allow her to manifest using my magic.
She then agreed to release Marika, stating that since Marika hadn't been under her influence for long, her consciousness would still be intact. However, Luceria cautioned that Marika's mind might be deeply affected by the darkness she had been exposed to, and asked if I was confident I could comfort her. I nodded without hesitation, committing to help Marika.
Luceria then performed a spell, and in a moment of seriousness, she reminded me that by accepting this arrangement, I was essentially acknowledging our union. She advised me to remember that I was now a man with a committed partner, hinting that I should act responsibly. However, as I prepared to accept Luceria's warning, my attention was abruptly drawn to Marika, who had suddenly appeared, still in agony.
"Marika!" I called out, rushing to her side. Despite my repeated calls, she remained unresponsive, lying there with her hand chillingly cold. Desperately, I called her name again, gripping her hand.
Finally, Marika's eyes fluttered open. She was engulfed in an endless void, feeling her existence fading away. The terror was overwhelming, a fear so intense she couldn't even muster the courage to scream. Desperate for comfort, for someone to reach out, she felt engulfed by emptiness.
In her fear, she called out for me, the prince who had shown her mercy and rescued her from peril. As she reached out in her despair, she felt a familiar hand grasp hers. It was me.
Relief washed over her at my arrival. She felt a flicker of hope and a familiar yet new emotion as she gazed at my face, filled with kindness and a strong determination. She remembered how kind I had been to her, even when our first encounter was the worst. The warmth from my touch brought a blush to her cheeks.
"Harold..." she murmured, realizing something she might have known all along. Her true feelings had been longing for me. "I think I've been in love with you since we first met..."
Thankfully, Marika regained her senses this time, though she looked unwell, probably from her own strenuous struggle. She muttered my name, slowly coming back to reality. "Ah... Aah..." Marika, overwhelmed with emotion, started to sob, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Harold!!" She called out my name with a mix of desperation and longing and then, with all her strength, she threw herself into my arms.
"It was so painful! The endless void, feeling myself disappearing, struggling meaninglessly... It was truly... truly hard..." Marika, burying her face in my chest, began to cry like a child. She seemed unwilling to let go for a while.
"It's okay now, I'm here," I reassured her, patting her head gently, which only made her hug me tighter.
"Thank you so much...! Really... I'm so, so grateful!! I don't know how to express my gratitude..." Her demeanor was a stark contrast to the composed royalty she had always been.
For a long time, she clung to me, seeking comfort, almost entirely dependent on me.
"Harold..." she finally lifted her face from my chest. Our eyes met, and then...
Suddenly, she kissed me. The soft touch on my lips caught me off guard.
"Marika...?" I was surprised by her swift kiss.
"There's something I want to tell you..." she said, hinting at something serious. I wondered if the ancient deity, Luceria, was watching this unfold.
"The day you promised to be my knight... I realized it, I had fallen for you, willing to face any danger for me..." she confessed, brushing her hair back from her ear. It seemed like her affection had grown too strong in the darkness.
"I think... I love you, Harold..."
At that moment, an unbearable sense of malice emanated from behind. It was as if Luceria's presence was reacting to Marika's confession.
"Didn't I just mention it? This is a different story now, isn't it?" Luceria's voice, filled with a hint of threat, emerged from the background.