Chapter 66: Let's play

In the form of a young girl, the relic gives up resisting after getting to understand that she is fighting a losing battle. When the gods arrive at the scene, she knows that it would be hard for her to slip away like the other times since they are not distracted. 

Despite having the powers to do so, they have not done anything to her like that fallen saintess. That demoness would just toss her around despite being a relic. 

Her limps sway as Erebus has her around his arm. She looks dazed at the ground as she gets carried through the streets of the city. She is currently breathing through her mouth since her nose got stuffed with tissue to stop her nosebleed. 

The other four are silent. No one can open their mouths without having the impulse to talk about what happened. Kyrie and Ian cannot even look at each other without blushing hard enough that flames ignite on their cheeks and burn their heads off. 

Their arms brush against each other, and they flinch when feeling the contact of the other. They peek at each other at the same time but look away, embarrassed when they catch each other in the act.

Phanes, on the other hand, breathes deeply while pursing her lips together to resist the laughter that slowly starts to creep on her lips in the form of a distorted smile. 

She cannot help but think that those two are so innocent and cute showing their affection. Of course, she totally discards the entire fact that they are leading somewhere 'a bit' less innocent than what she is thinking. 

She fantasizes about their sweet love, but her fantasies get shattered when Erebus's deadpan face comes to mind. Her love interest only knows how to show a face that seems like he is seeking revenge for his family's death and currently walking on a road of a thousand poisonous needles. 

She asks for a date to this deadpan faced god, and his response makes her want to just wish she has never mentioned anything. 

'What date?' 

She scuffs at that response that echoes in her mind. This favored god has misinterpreted her intentions with a day of the human calendar. This just goes beyond her.

She looks at Erebus, dissatisfied with her mood spoiled from her own thoughts. Erebus stares back, innocently shocked at her hostility. 

The relic finally breaks the silence, "You must have done something terribly wrong for that stare."

Erebus sighs defeatedly. There is no way that he could discover. He notices that it would be easier for him to learn about the entire universe before getting slightly what is going on inside this goddess's mind.

From this development, Erebus will take a while to wrap around his head that her intentions are 'a bit' beyond what he would normally expect from the interactions with other gods.

"Hey!!!" 

Their attention turns to a man screaming and waving his arm as he runs towards them with an apron and his hair wrapped around with a bandana. He carries in his arms a brown paper bag. Everyone's eyes land on the paper bag since their nose catches a fragrant smell coming from it.

Eric cheerily shows them the croquettes he had made this entire time when he was supposed to look around for the relic. His mission to get a wife has somehow prioritized his life. 

After walking around the street aimlessly without a clue how to look for the relic, his nose guides him towards a stall that makes croquettes. 

Enlightenment enters into Eric of the ultimate secret to a woman's heart. There are no human beings who do not lower their guard when it comes to their stomach. He smirks at his discovery. If he wants to get a wife, he must first satisfy a woman's stomach.

Although normally, it is the woman who would think of that when looking for a husband, but at least he understands an important point to a woman's heart. A woman's eternal wish centers on eating deliciously without getting fat, but the focal point is 'eating deliciously.' 

They arrived at the inn. They enter first in the lounge area, where it is still crowded. Everyone joyfully converses with their seemingly close friends.

"We need a quiet place," Phanes looks at the relic.

The relic snaps her fingers reluctantly, and the people disappear into thin air. 

"I won't escape…" says the relic while still being held around Erebus's arm.

Erebus places the relic on the floor. The relic extends her hand towards Eric, motioning him to give her a croquette. 

She nibbles at it while she sits down with the rest. 

"You did not mash the potatoes well," the relic critiques the croquette.

The girl's eyes run around the five, and after a pause, she says, "I will show you where the treasures are with one condition," says the relic.

The relic points at Kyrie and Ian, "I want these two to play with me starting tomorrow!" 

Kyrie frowns at the relic. Unlike the adventurers who came to explore the dungeons for treasure or the gods to investigate the weird occurrences of people entering and never coming out, Kyrie and Ian are stuck inside this illusion of the past. Their goal is to find the enchantment circle and break it before the time is up. 

However, he does not know if there is a restriction on what he can say. 

"Fine," Kyrie agrees to the deal. This is the most logical choice, plus he can always ask the relic whenever they are alone. Ian nods as well.

"Why can't we all join?" asks Phanes to the relic.

"Because you three are no fun," says the relic while swinging her legs.

Phanes buffs her cheeks up in annoyance, but she has more important matters to do as well. She has to investigate the missing people that came into the dungeon and never went out. When they navigate the tunnels, the numbers of people who have gone missing and the cadavers they encounter are not adding up. Those people are most likely to be dead. It is not a bad idea that they separate while keeping the relic busy.

She is letting it go this time.

"What is your name?" asks Eric looking at the little girl in front.

The relic stops swinging her legs, and she goes pensive.

"Maya…" The relic replies while spreading a smile. 

"Here!" Maya throws towards Eric a scroll, "This is my recipe for the croquettes."

"You know how to cook?" asks Eric.

"Yeah! I know how to do everything!" says Maya. 

After all, she has so much free time that she started to learn all the skills from the people of this city. She can learn because she has access to the memories of Udarr that was left behind. 

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Maya asks cheerfully at Kyrie and Ian.