The Golden Gravekeeper - 124 Chapter 124

Regis looked incredibly pleased when I informed him of Alan’s request. Folding his arms, he nodded in approval.

“So you’ve accepted the request?”

“Well…uh, not yet. That’s why I’m here…I was going to ask you for permission.”

“Ah.”

Regis nodded gratefully. The chain of command was there for a reason. I couldn’t just bypass my superiors and do whatever I wanted. The moment I did that, I would descend a slippery slope and end up being a military dictator like every other ambitious general in history. This wasn’t just because I didn’t trust myself to be incorruptible, but also to reassure Regis that I was still loyal to him and wouldn’t plot anything behind his back.

“Well, you have it. I authorize a mission to help the human resistance and rebels.” Regis was actually delighted with the news. “Any help we can get against Kobayashi would be very much appreciated, whether it’s from the humans themselves or otherwise.”

“Death to the False Emperor!” I hollered and saluted. Regis raised an eyebrow, and then chuckled.

“Well, yeah. I guess.”

The guy obviously did not play Warhammer 40,000…or even if he did, he obviously did not pick Chaos as his main faction. Speaking of which, my main faction was Imperium (hence all my Malthas tanks and Hellblade), but I still knew the reference. I blame it on my fanboy affection for the tragic story of the Thousand Sons. All their Primarch wanted to do was warn his father of Horus’s treachery. Magnus did nothing wrong.

Well, except that he inadvertently tore a hole in the Webway gate on Terra that the Emperor had been building, allowing Daemons to flood the castle and wreck the Golden Throne and important mechanisms of the Webway gate. Ouch.

Anyway…

“I’m counting on you, Colonel Tanaka. Oh, can you stay where you are for a day or two? I’m sending your battalion much needed reinforcements.”

“Much needed?” I repeated incredulously. “Uh, I’m grateful and I really appreciate it, but my men haven’t taken many losses, if any.”

“Oh, no.” Regis laughed. “You’re a Colonel now. I’m assigning you an entire regiment – at least seven tank companies and two infantry battalions to bolster your forces. Her highness Queen Scarlet has also assigned another two vampire companies to complete the current infantry company into a vampire battalion. You’re getting a full regiment.”

“Uh…thanks?”

I wasn’t sure I knew how to feel about this. Regis smiled warmly.

“It’s long overdue. You deserve to command your own regiment. I have complete faith in your abilities, and furthermore, the final battle is drawing near. I heard you captured the Marrina fleet and their armada is now in your hands. Excellent work.”

“I see.” Regis nodded understandingly. “Once that is done, you’ll have a larger group of humans on your side…with enough people to crew the ships.”

“That’s right, your excellency. I can’t say we should fully trust them, but…”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ve already dispatched the Mereid Tribes to the Marrina Isles. They will be arriving soon to help keep an eye on the Marrina navymen and assist with crewing the ships.”

The Mereids were apparently aquatic type demons. They remained mostly humanoid, but they retained the ability to breathe and swim freely underwater. They were usually a very beautiful people or so I’ve heard.

“Thank you, your excellency.”

Regis waved my thanks away.

“Well, I’ll be counting on you then. Wait for your tanks and soldiers…they’re mostly fresh recruits just out of basic military camp, so they lack experience. I’ll be relying on you to whip them into shape and give them the experience they need.”

“There will be plenty of chances,” I assured him. Already we would be heading out to a major battle to relieve Captain Dante Infernius and his beleaguered knights. I expected heavy fighting and at least significant casualties.

Just like any battle, huh…

“I also have one surprise in store for you.” Regis was grinning broadly. I felt a chill at that, but said nothing. “Look forward to it, eh?”

“Um, yes, your excellency.”

I was already so not looking forward to it.

“All right, if nothing else, I’ll be off.” Regis looked exhausted all of a sudden, as if abruptly reminded of all his emperor duties that he put off just to talk to me. “I’ve got a few reports to tend to, and the council wants my decision regarding the budget allocation of this war. Plus there are quite a few people who are pretty upset with the current state of affairs.” He sighed. “If we could just win this war tomorrow, it would solve a lot of my headaches.”

“I’ll do my best, but that’s impossible.”

“That’s all I ask, Colonel. That’s all I ask.” Regis waved and then switched off the holographic screen. I watched the blank picture fizzle out and then dismissed the hologram. Stifling a yawn, I ran through the rest of the administrative work for my regiment before finally heading to bed. Running a single battalion was hard enough, and now Regis had put me in command of an entire regiment.

Oh, God-Emperor…this is going to be tough.

I didn’t know how long I was asleep for, but the next thing I knew, a voice woke me up and I sat up groggily on the groundsheet I was using for my bed. Like my men, I was using a groundsheet to sleep on. Like hell I would abuse my officer’s authority and enjoy the comfort and luxury of a bed or cot while my soldiers slept on the ground with nothing between them and the cold, hard earth except a rough piece of fabric.

“Hey.”

I blinked and glanced around, confused, before I put my glasses on.

“Hurry up and come to the beach.”

…the beach?

I froze when I listened to the voice, but all that followed was silence. I felt a strange sense of unease as I waited, only to realize that I would only hear the rest if I followed the instructions and headed to the beach.

That voice…it sounds familiar…I think I’ve heard it before.

“…”

A bead of perspiration rolling down my face, I considered for a few moments, and then decided to pull on my uniform over my admin attire. Sneaking out of my tent, I dismissed my sentries and strode toward the beach by myself.

It was empty.

“There’s no one here?”

I would think there would be at least a patrol or sentry on the beach, but there was no sign of any life, human or demon. There wasn’t even an animal or crustacean on the beach, no crabs crawling sideways or fish flopping about. Or even starfishes.

Something’s not right here.

Just when I thought that, a gentle voice spoke up behind me.

“So you’ve come.”

I turned around, only to see the familiar figure of Evelyn floating behind me.

“Oh…”

Under the moonlight, she was smiling arrogantly and looking down on me with a smug expression. As always, she was dressed in a revealing white dress, which showed a lot of skin for some reason. Fanservice, maybe.

“Goddess Evelyn.”

I took a deep breath and faced her in a stalwart manner.

“Are you the one who called me here?”

Evelyn folded her arms proudly and nodded.

“Yes, I am.”

I pushed my glasses up my nose as I watched her warily. There were dozens of thoughts that ran through my mind, first of which was…

This woman…she’s the goddess who just stood by and did nothing but watch when Kobayashi and his flunkies threw me off the transportation spell.

Granted, she was completely taken by surprise and was much too stunned by Kobayashi’s brazen attitude to react. But she was a goddess, for goddess’s sake. It wasn’t too much of a stretch for her to save me with her goddess powers or at least stop Kobayashi and the other bullies from trying to murder me.

Before I could grumble, Evelyn stepped forward and lifted up my chin with a delicate, snow-white finger.

“To be honest, you’ve surprised me. I’m impressed.”

“…uh, why? I didn’t do anything.”

Evelyn chuckled at that and shook her head.

“Still as humble as always. You’ve grown up so much in such a short time.”

“Grown up?” I shrugged as I glanced down at myself. “Not really. I’m still the same size as I was when you summoned me here. Maybe I even lost a lot of weight. Rather than growing up, I bet I’m actually shrinking.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Evelyn gazed at me, her eyes shining fervently. “To be honest, I initially thought you were useless trash…a weakling with no potential or talent. But…I was wrong.”

Her finger traced my jawline and she gently cupped my face with her hand, caressing my cheek almost lovingly.

“You might be a little rough and raw now, but if I polish you thoroughly enough, you’ll be a priceless diamond, gleaming brighter than anyone else. You have the potential to be the greatest hero Restia has ever seen!”

“Sorry, not interested.”

I immediately shot Evelyn down flatly. Her lip curled slightly, but she kept her emotions under control and continued that smiling façade.

“Don’t be too hasty. You know…I can consider sending you back to your original world once you’ve accomplished whatever I summoned you here for.”

“Really?”

Takeda Tetsuo had the same ability, so it wasn’t weird that a goddess would have it. But if I could ask Takeda to send me back, why would I need the goddess to do so?

“However…there is one condition.”

Evelyn held up a finger.

I sighed. There always had to be a catch, didn’t it?

“Become my follower.”

“Huh?!”

Now that was unexpected. I raised an eyebrow and stared at Evelyn suspiciously.

“I’m sorry, but right now I’m already the follower of the goddess of knowledge, Lyia. So I can’t just become any other god’s followers.”

“There’s no need to worry.”

Somehow, Evelyn’s figure turned sinister and ominous. I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my spine when I saw her smirk. Raising her hands for dramatic effect, she offered what sounded like an outrageous solution.

“If that’s the case, all you need to do is betray her.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“…what are you hesitating for?”

“I’m not hesitating,” I countered crossly. “I already said I don’t wanna. I don’t care what you have to offer me, I’m not betraying Lyia. My loyalty is my only redeeming feature. That, and my hardworking personality.”

“Oh, you give yourself far too little credit. I know how intelligent you are.” Evelyn shook her head, and then continued to proudly spread her hands to boast. “I’m much more powerful and more beautiful than your Lyia. It’s obvious that I’m an excellent goddess. I can grant you much more power than Adamantium Will and the Library of Eden ever can!”

“Not interested.”

What kind of bullshit was this? Was Evelyn stupid or something? I didn’t need any power she could grant me. Thanks to the Adamantium Will that Lyia bestowed upon me, I profited massively from being a zombie, and with the Devour special ability I attained slightly later, I was able to plunder and steal special abilities from her heroes. In other words, I didn’t need Evelyn to give me anything. I could just take any of her powers for myself by killing and devouring my former classmates. Well, to be accurate, I no longer possessed the Devour ability, but I could still somewhat steal my former classmates’ abilities by drinking their blood, and I already had at least four special abilities that I swiped from the heroes – abilities that Evelyn had bestowed upon them.

Basically, I didn’t need any powers Evelyn offered since I could just take them for myself without having to suffer the binding terms of a contract of loyalty. To be honest, even if I couldn’t steal the heroes’ abiltiies, I had no intention of changing my mind. Evelyn just stood by dumbly and watched as Kobayashi and the others tried to murder me right in front of her eyes. In contrast, Lyia reached out and offered me assistance when I needed it the most. It was a no-brainer who I would rather swear fealty to.

Evelyn seemed to change her tack when she realized that I would not be swayed by power or ambition, for she switched her strategy.

“Love, then. I can offer you any girl you want. Make her fall for you.”

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“Uh, I already have…”

Lilith, or so I was about to say, but Evelyn interrupted me.

“I can deliver you any girl you want, make her fall so deeply in love with you that she’ll devote her entire life to serving you and satisfying you…you can do whatever you want with her, including satisfying your lust with her body. Think about it.” Evelyn glanced across the sea and toward the Marrina Isles. “Her name is Hoshizaki Kozue, isn’t it? That girl I summoned along with you, who seems to take a liking to you. All I need is give her a little push…”

Hoshizaki Kozue? I mean, she was pretty cute and likeable, and she was friendly to everyone, including an outcast like me. But I wasn’t delusional enough to think she actually took a liking to me. Evelyn was obviously trying to sway me with lies and lure me into a honey trap. But this sort of temptation didn’t work on me.

Especially since I had Adamantium Will.

“No. sorry, but not interested. I already have someone I like, and I don’t need your assistance regarding that.”

“That vampire girl, huh?”

A look of revulsion flickered in Evelyn’s eyes, but she concealed her disgust quickly and smiled sweetly.

“If you’re worried about your current…condition, I possess the power to return you to being human. You no longer need to be an undead or a vampire. I’ll turn you back into a pure human being, free of any demonic taint.”

“I’m fine with the way I am.”

Evelyn swallowed, but suppressed her temper. “Then what is it you want?”

Nothing, you bitch.

Anyone with a quarter of a brain could see what the goddess was trying to do. The heroes she summoned had turned into insane, psychotic murderers who enslaved the very humans she summoned them to save. And I was going around kicking their asses and cleaning up her mess. After losing a lot of face, she figured the only way to preserve what little remained of her dignity was to persuade me to be her champion or hero, and then tell all the other gods and goddesses that everything was part of her divine plan.

Of course, this was all conjecture. There was no telling what or how a goddess thought or how her thought processes worked. Not that it mattered.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.

“I understand that there are many advantages in becoming your follower.”

“That’s right,” Evelyn affirmed with a nod.

“And you are offering me powers other than Adamantium Will or the Library of Eden.”

“I certainly am.”

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Lady, I had already been stealing the abilities you bestowed upon your heroes even without you giving me anything. I didn’t need her to give me anything. On the other hand, I wondered if she knew what I had been doing all this time – if she did, she didn’t seem to mind that I was slaughtering her chosen champions right and left. That made her all the more suspicious.

“Furthermore, it’s every man’s dream to have the woman they love fall for them and reciprocate their affection.”

“Of course. So you understand, after all!”

“Oh, I definitely comprehend everything.” I took another deep breath. “And my answer is…”

“Now, say it out loud!” Evelyn exclaimed animated, stretching out both hands as if to welcome me. “Betray Lyia! Become my follower!”

What the fuck was with that dramatic gesture? Was she trying to act like a manga character or something?!

Good thing I had already decided on my answer. I wanted nothing to do with this bitch goddess.

“I refuse.”

“…what?”

My answer stunned Evelyn so much that she was dumbfounded for a few seconds.

“Dumb bitch,” I scoffed. “You think you can deceive me so easily? Besides, it’s too late for me to become your follower.”

Shaking my head, I pointed my thumb down toward the ground.

“And even if it’s not too late, I don’t care. I have no intention of ever being your follower. I’ll stay loyal and true to Lyia for eternity. She was the one who took me in and looked after me when you abandoned me. What makes you think I will simply abandon her to crawl to lick your feet? Fuck, no. I’m proud to be a follower of the goddess Lyia, and I’ll never pledge my loyalty to you.”

Raising my hand, I jerked my thumb across my throat.

“Now, get lost, you old bitch.”

A vein popped in Evelyn’s temple when she heard that.

“…did you just call me, a beautiful, great supreme goddess…an old bitch?”

“Do you need me to repeat myself, old bitch? Or slutty hag? No, I wonder if whore-bitch would be a more appropriate…”

I never finished my sentence. The sheer aura that Evelyn emanated threatened to overwhelm and crush me. Her once beautiful face had turned into a demonic visage reminiscent of a hanya mask of an onibaba from a Noh play. Well, of course that was entirely my imagination. It wasn’t as if she actually turned into a demon.

“Die.”

I almost blacked out from that single utterance. As expected of a goddess, she was on a completely different level from anything else I had faced thus far.

“Uh oh,” I muttered. It seemed like I was going to be killed right here, right now. Damn it, just when I was so close to getting my revenge on Kobayashi…

A gigantic fireball materialized in one of Evelyn’s hands, flaring as fiercely as the sun itself. Towering over her head in a gargantuan flaming projectile, Evelyn made as if she was about to throw it at me.

“…and I won’t stop by just killing you.”

The enormous conflagration throbbed and blazed to her divine rage.

“I’ll incinerate you over and over again. You won’t die just once but an infinite number of times for eternity, slowely burned to death countless times. I wonder, just how many deaths would you need to experience before your sanity snaps?”

I gave her a surly look. “What makes you think I’m sane to begin with?”

“Enough of your cheekiness!” Evelyn bellowed and hurled the fireball at me. “Now, disappear from my sight and suffer for eternity!”

I gritted my teeth and drew my Blood Dragon Sword. Between my demonic weapon and my Redwood jacket, I was hoping that they would protect me from complete death, but I was under no illusions that the both of them combined could withstand a divine attack from a goddess herself. That said, I had no intention of meekly dying like this.

I was going to fight to my last breath if necessary.

Fortunately, the fireball never hit me. The massive conflagration was suddenly doused by a tsunami of seawater just before it reached within a meter of me. Steam billowed about me, scalding my skin, but I regenerated pretty quickly, my angry, reddening flesh healing in a matter of seconds.

“Eh?”

Lowering my Blood Dragon Sword, I watched in disbelief as three people stepped in front of me.

“Just in time.”

One of them was the goddess Lyia, who I pledged my loyalty to. Beside her was a familiar-looking man, the guy I met in my dream. Chronos, the god of time and space, and also Lyia’s husband. Apparently I was also his follower because he and his wife were one.

The third party, however, was a lady I didn’t recognize, but she was clad in a similarly exquisite and divine raiment that bespoke her status as a goddess. She turned to smile at me in a warm and friendly manner.

Who is she?

I couldn’t say I recognized the new goddess. I had never seen her before.

Evelyn clicked her tongue in frustration and gnashed her teeth at the sudden interference.

“Tch…”

Swinging a hand, she snarled at Lyia.

“Get out of my way, Lyia!” she shouted. “That trash there dares to insult me, a goddess. I won’t be satisfied until I punish him!”

What the fuck? She was a goddess, right? How petty could she be?!

“…this boy here is my and Chrono’s follower. I won’t let you do with him as you wish.”

Lyia threw out a hand to shield me. Chronos also stepped forward, smirking.

“But if you wish to fight, then I’ll be happy to oblige, Evelyn.”

Evelyn eyed Chronos warily. Evidently she seemed to fear his power a little, for she withdrew slightly and her voice turned a little meek.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of killing him. I’ll just make him disappear.”

“Um, excuse me…”

The new goddess raised her hand and spoke up good-naturedly.

“If you break the treaty, I’ll report you to Father.”

“What…?”

Evelyn stiffened at that and gulped.

“Oi, don’t go spoiling people’s fun,” Chronos complained. “Give me a reason to slap that old bitch about.” Then he pretened to jolt up. “Whoops! I called her an old bitch too! Is Evelyn going to incinerate me for all eternity too?”

He then grinned and the environment changed. I almost fell to my knees under the godly pressures that clashed upon the beach.

“I would like to see you try.”

“Dear,” Lyia chided him gently and placed a hand on his arm. “Don’t do that.” straightening herself, she turned to glare at Evelyn. “Laying your hands on the follower of another god or goddess is a breach of the treaty. You know that. Even if it’s you, Father will definitely not forgive you for breaking the treaty if he hears about it.”

“…”

Evelyn clutched her arm tightly as she glared at Lyia in sullen silence.

Then she suddenly turned around.

“I’ll let him go this time.”

However, she wasn’t done yet. Throwing a devious glare in my direction, she issued a chilling warning.

“But don’t think this is over, though. Prepare yourself.”

With that, she disappeared from the beach, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

I’m saved. Thanks to the goddess of knowledge, Lyia…as expected, she’s kind. Oh, and Chronos too…

But Chronos was looking all eager and enthusiastic.

“Exactly what I wish for! The one who should prepare yourself is you, though. I’m so gonna kick your ass so hard you’ll be screaming…”

“Dear!”

“Sorry.”

Chronos looked a little chastened when Lyia snapped at him. Meanwhile, the third goddess giggled at their antics.

As for me…

“Um…excuse me…”

I bowed deeply when the three god and goddesses turned back to me.

“Thank you very much for saving me.”

“Fu fu, you’re welcome.”

“Yeah, it’s only natural.” Chronos nodded and added after Lyia’s response. Then he blinked and glanced at the third goddess.

“Speaking of which, I should introduce you to her, Tomoyuki.”

“Ah! That’s right!”

The third goddess clapped her hand and greeted me happily.

“I’m the goddess of the sea, Mirriel!”

Goddess of the sea?

While I was trying to wrap my head around what had just happened, Mirriel continued in her usual lighthearted manner.

“I’m here to thank you, Tomoyuki-san.”

“Huh? Thank me? For what?”

I didn’t remember ever doing anything for Mirriel to thank me for. In fact, this was the first time I had ever met her.

“First of all, for liberating Marrina Isles from the self-proclaimed Emperor of Humanity.” She bowed her head slightly. “The people of the Marrina Isles are my followers and are supposed to be under my protection. But because of the non-interference rule, I could do nothing but watch as they were enslaved by Kobayashi Kenji.”

“That bitch-goddess’s champion,” Chronos added necessarily before Lyia silenced him with a glare.

“Secondly, for eliminating the Leviathan of that hero…Mizuno Umi. The sheer presence and magical power it exuded was disrupting the sea.”

“Um…and my ancient dragon wasn’t?”

“I won’t deny that he didn’t, but at least you don’t abuse your powers by summoning him every single time and setting him loose on every single thing.”

I could hardly imagine Mizuno doing that, but then again, most of my former classmates were insane. It wouldn’t be surprising for them to do stupid things.

Mirriel clasped her hands eagerly. “I want to repay you somehow. So…”

“If you ask me to throw something into the sea, I’m going to leave.”

Like hell I was going to rip off Shingan no Yuusha.

“Why would I ask you to do that?” Mirriel looked at me disapprovingly. “I don’t want my sea to be polluted.”

Right. Back in my previous world, we had a serious environmental problem with people dumping their garbage into the sea. Mirriel was going to suffer the beginnings of that now that Restia was entering the Industrial Revolution.

“It’s a manga he’s reading,” Chronos whispered. Mirriel stared at him, confused, and he shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Well, anyway, all I can do is help your naval fleet.” Mirriel looked at the Marrina naval armada in the distance. “As a reward, this is what I’ll give you…”