Chapter 349 - Suspension Bridge

Celeste.

She first noticed something was wrong with her body when her ability wouldn't activate.

"....?"

Egostic.

She had followed him to ruins in the middle of the desert, that smooth-talking man who pretended to be a devotee of the Sun God.

...And not once had she been wary of him.

She had sensed early on that he carried something like a gun, but she hadn't cared.

After all, the difference in their abilities was absolutely clear.

Between herself, directly chosen by God and blessed with His grace to the fullest extent.

And Egostic, who received the false god's power of stars but felt truly weak.

She could have crushed him with a single gesture, but she had held back solely because she was chosen by an angel.

Celeste never imagined he could do anything to her.

Because she had always been strong.

Not once had she ever been robbed of the immense power swirling within her body.

That's why.

For the first time, when her ability wouldn't activate.

Celeste couldn't help but panic in a way that was unlike her.

"Wait..."

And with those words came dizziness washing over her head.

"Ugh...!"

As she clutched her head and staggered for a moment.

Something unbelievable happened.

'Wait... my, my power...'

Her ability had vanished.

The power she had possessed her entire life.

In an instant.

As if whoever had granted her ability had taken it back, she felt all the power she had built up until now disappear.

And then.

"Ah..."

In this situation.

Far beyond Egostic's expectations.

Celeste felt extreme confusion and fear at how incredibly weak her body had become.

Because she had never been weak, not even once.

As a child, when she was starving and desperately prayed to God, she received her current ability and was saved.

Since then, she had never been weak.

Celeste. She had always been at the pinnacle.

So when all her power, including her defense mechanisms, vanished in an instant.

She felt dizzy from the extreme change in circumstances, as if she'd been thrown naked into a crowd of people.

In that state of extreme confusion, wondering helplessly what was happening.

"I'll take care of this."

"No... what is..."

Without even hearing the voice coming from in front of her.

She looked down at her hands, muttering with a trembling voice.

Her ability to see through things was blocked, forcing her to view the world with open eyes rather than closed ones.

As she struggled to accept reality in confusion.

When she finally began to grasp her situation.

Only then did she remember.

That there was another person here besides her.

"Ah..."

At that thought, she raised her head.

Only then did she see the man standing before her.

Dressed in black clothes, wearing a mask covering half his face, smirking.

A man she could have killed more easily than a bug before.

...But now, a grown man with a gun who could kill her with a single gesture.

Egostic, his figure.

'I'm going to die.'

And in that moment, such fear consumed her mind.

Death. When was the last time she had thought about it? Practically never except in her early childhood.

This place had been a trap all along.

She shouldn't have come here.

Why had she dismissed Egostic? Even though she knew he'd been eliminating things related to the gods.

It's over now.

Is this where she dies?

As such fear enveloped her.

Egostic, standing before her.

"Shall we continue?"

He merely smiled slightly and said this.

After saying that, he turned his back.

As if he had no interest in her, he walked forward with his cape fluttering.

Watching his retreating figure.

Celeste was dumbfounded.

'...He's not... touching me?'

Thinking that, feeling relieved.

Embarrassed by her momentary fear, she blushed and clenched her fists.

'Ugh... how could I be afraid of a weak man like Egostic...'

Though she thought this.

...The problem was that reality was harsh.

The truth was that she didn't know how to get out of here, so she had to follow him, trembling in fear of when he might shoot her...

'...Still, I don't know how to get out of here.'

I should follow him. For now.

With that thought, she cautiously followed Egostic.

Keeping her distance.

***

And contrary to Celeste's worries.

Egostic didn't touch her at all.

"Why would I harm you? We're both devotees of the Sun God, haha. I don't know why you lost your power, but I'll focus on helping you get it back."

He just smiled and said such things.

...She didn't believe him, but it was true that he wasn't touching her.

In fact, if he wanted to kill her now, she wouldn't be able to resist at all.

'Does he have no intention of harming me...?'

And that point struck Celeste as very unfamiliar.

She knew herself well. If she lost her power, there would be many people who would want to bring her down from her position at the top. She didn't even trust her own subordinates. They followed not "her," but her "power."

Of course, he could suddenly change his mind and try to kill her...

After thinking it through, Celeste concluded that possibility was extremely low.

The reason was, none other than.

That prophecy she had so strongly denied.

'...Clearly, in that future scene, I was k-kissing Egostic...'

Until she kissed him, she wouldn't die.

It was simple. It meant her death would come after that.

That thought reassured her, but.

...Still, she couldn't help feeling ashamed. Believing in that prophecy was no different than admitting she would eventually kiss Egostic.

And not just that, but without particularly resisting. Rather, looking up at Egostic with moist eyes. Not pushing him away, but hugging him tightly. And k-kissing him again and again...

"Ugh..."

"..? What's wrong?"

"...It's nothing. Be quiet."

You beast.

...Swallowing those final words, she sighed and hid behind a wall away from Egostic.

...She was afraid of him, but more than that, her face kept turning red whenever she got close to him as that kissing scene kept flashing in her mind...

With such thoughts, she quietly followed behind Egostic.

Crossing through the Sun God's ruins.

And then.

"Ah..."

When they finally reached a fairly spacious area deep within the ruins.

She couldn't help but gasp and look around.

Pure white buildings with golden patterns interspersed throughout.

Murals depicting the sun, the origin of the god, captivated her heart without her realizing it.

No matter what anyone said, she was essentially a Sun God fangirl...

'The records of the god, so vast...'

Looking at the mythological images drawn on the walls, her eyes sparkled.

In fact, not many records of the Sun God remained.

It seemed the god had descended to live among humans in ancient times, but those records were almost completely destroyed.

In the end, only a few oral traditions and scriptures remained, continuing as an ancient religion that no one believed in. Even she could barely find any remaining historical materials.

But here, so many records of the Sun God.

Had survived in this place.

"Are you enjoying it that much?"

As she was staring at the murals with wide eyes.

A man's voice came from right behind her.

Startled, she turned around to find Egostic casually looking up at the same mural she had been examining.

'...What? When did he approach?'

Having lost her abilities, she hadn't noticed him coming close.

...Still, perhaps because she was now convinced he wouldn't attack her.

She decided to just stay still.

By the way.

'...Egostic, this man.'

How does he know more about these things than me, the holy maiden of the god?

She wondered about this.

...To the point where she became confused, wondering if the Sun God had truly abandoned her and chosen him instead.

Of course that wouldn't happen... but she couldn't help thinking there might be something special about this man.

With such complicated feelings, after viewing the murals, she continued following him deeper into the ruins.

Grrrrrrrrrr-

"Eek...!"

At the sudden bestial cry echoing from inside, she involuntarily made a strange sound and froze.

...Celeste. She was intelligent, having run the world's premier villain alliance for a long time.

And having possessed such immense power, she understood her current state well. She was now just a weak woman who could be torn apart by a single wolf.

So in her extremely sensitive state, hearing the monster's cry without any defense mechanisms was enough to frighten her.

When Celeste was startled.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. Hide behind me."

Suddenly appearing before her, smiling and saying that while hiding her behind his back, Egostic's actions.

"...H-hmph. Of course you should."

...Were enough to make Celeste clear her throat and blush without realizing it.

Somehow, she found herself thinking that she felt safe by his side.

***

Deep in the ruins.

I watched Celeste trembling slightly behind me and quietly smiled.

'Good. According to plan.'

The suspension bridge effect seemed to be working properly...

For world peace, I needed to get closer to Celeste. And in my experience, this method was classically the best way to become friends.

'It's a bit of a trashy thought, but...'

It can't be helped. Villains have villainous methods. It was all for Stardust.

She would understand, right?

'Of course.'

Thank you, Stardust...!

After this internal dialogue, I nodded to myself.

Let's keep going like this!