There was no mistaking it. That glamorous, white flying ship was definitely Rena’s ship.

  Rena’s ship was heading straight in our direction.

  As it came closer, I could see Rena and the valkyries, her subordinates, standing atop the deck of her ship.

  Voices of admiration could be heard from the angels and goddesses who admired Rena.

  I mean, that’s just how beautiful Rena was.

  She was donned in golden ornaments over her white clothes and her blonde hair sparkled as it reflected the sunlight.

  Even I ended up being entranced upon seeing her figure. Yeah, that’s just how beautiful Rena was.

  It’s vexing but she might be the most beautiful, if not a second-most, beautiful woman under the heaven. Her beauty definitely wouldn’t fall behind the goddess of love and beauty.

  Rena’s flying ship passed by the goddesses’ flying ships and headed straight toward us.

  「It’s been a while, Faeria-sama. My deepest apologies for my inability to show myself until now.」


  Rena gave her greetings after she boarded our flying ship.

  Her smile was really beautiful.

  It didn’t seem like the smile of someone who’d just secluded herself in her own room after her lover got beaten to a pulp.

  「It’s okay, Rena. What about you? Is it true that you were feeling down until now?」


  「Yes, I’m alright. I know that I can’t stay locked in my room forever due to my sadness.」


  Rena sent a glance toward me.

  This is why I hated her. She must be sneering at me, who’s always locking myself inside my library.

  This woman’s personality was the worst.

  「Long time no see, Rena. Quite lively, aren’t you.」


  「Long time no see you too, Ishtar-sama.」


  Rena returned Ishtar’s greeting.

  「Humph. Aren’t you becoming more and more beautiful? Just as I expected, women change when they know love. Now I’ve really become more and more interested in your lovely hero of light.」


  She was licking her lips as she spoke.

  「Please stop with that bad habit of yours, Ishtar! 」


  Mother almost snapped at her.

  Because Ishtar, the goddess of love, often sneaked herself into the bedroom of the man she got interested in. Even if that man already had a wife.

  「Oh my, I don’t see any problem with it. You cannot take a good man for yourself.」


  But, she didn’t seem to have any intentions of restraining herself.

  「Ishtar-sama, Reiji is my hero. If possible, I want you to stop that but…」


  Rena made a troubled face.

  As expected, even Rena would find it distasteful if someone was aiming for a one night stand with her lover.

  I could even feel the thorn in her tone.

  「As expected, it seems you also hate it if I try to steal your man. Well since that’s the case, maybe I should try to woo the Dark Knight who beat your lover. At least you have no worries if I go after him, right?」


  「「YOU CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」」


  For some reason, my cries overlapped with Rena’s.

  We looked at each other with puzzled looks on our faces.

  My mother, sister and the other goddesses made a shocked faces due to our screams.

  「Dear me, what’s wrong with you girls?」


  Ishtar asked with a puzzled look on her face.

  「How can I not scream, Ishtar-sama!! The Dark Knight is the subordinate of that Demon King, Modes!! He’s Elios’ enemy!! You mustn’t approach someone like him!!」


  Rena’s expression took a 180 compared to before.

  She seemed to be flustered for some reason. Maybe she didn’t want anyone to approach the Dark Knight since he was her lover’s enemy.

  Though it was for a completely different reason, I felt the same way as her.

  I absolutely didn’t want another woman, except for me, to approach Kuroki.

  「Uhm, Ishtar-sama… The Dark Knight is someone who hurt the hero of light, Rena’s lover. I’d feel bad for Rena if you’re interested in that kind of person.」


  So I spouted some lies to trick Ishtar.

  Rena looked at me with a curious look on her face. Rena and I never get along with each other. That’s why I even thought it was strange.

  「Just as Rena and Totona said, Ishtar. How can you even go as far as being interested in the subordinate of that disgusting demon king…」


  My mother’s face changed too.

  There was fear painted all over her face.

  Upon a closer look, she was also trembling non-stop.

  My mother hated Modes. Or should I say, she was afraid of him.

  To be exact, she was afraid of the Goddess of Destruction; Nargol, Modes’ mother.

  From what I knew, my mother apparently saw the scene of Nargol killing the holy mother goddess; Mina, my grandmother from a hidden place.

  It seems she was extremely scared of Nargol’s expression when she killed Mina, that’s why everyone said that mother was suffering from “Nargol Phobia” ever since then.

  For that reason, she was really scared of the Demon King; Modes who’d inherited his mother Nargol’s power.

  Since in terms of influence, mother stood alone on top of the other Elios goddesses, everyone hated by mother would be hated by the other Elios’ goddesses too.

  Using such influence, she plotted against Modes to exile the latter from Elios.

  By now, not only was mother’s body trembling non-stop, color had also drained from her face.

  The angels were also confused upon seeing her current state.

  「M-My bad Faeria. I promise you that I won’t approach the Dark Knight, so calm down, okay.」


  「Even if it’s a joke, you went too far this time, Ishtar. Even though I can’t see the face behind his helmet, from the fact that he’s the subordinate of that ugly Modes, I know that he must’ve an extremely atrocious face. Since you’re also Elios’ goddess, that kind of face must be far from your liking. Right, Rena, Totona?」


  Mother turned around as she asked both Rena and I.

  「Yes, Faeria-sama. It’s as you say. Ishtar-sama should never ever think about approaching the Dark Knight.」


  Rena spoke with a smile on her face.

  I could only tilt my head in puzzlement upon seeing that.

  It looked as if she felt relieved that Ishtar wouldn’t approach her lover’s enemy anymore but it must be just my imagination.

  But then again, why did I feel this way?

  Thus, I looked at Rena while pondering about that feeling in my heart.

  ***

  ◆Goddess of Wisdom and Victory; Rena

  「Welcome back, Rena-sama.」


  Denebola, one of my valkyries, bowed her head as she welcomed me back after returning from Faeria-sama and co’s garden party.

  「I’m home, Denebola. How’s Kouki’s condition?」


  「About that, he started crying aloud when he realized that you weren’t by his side, Rena-sama.」


  「I see. Sorry for troubling you with this.」


  I went in a hurry to Kouki’s place.

  Kouki was Kuroki’s and my son.

  I, who learned Japanese from Chiyuki, decided to name Kuroki and Mine’s child Kouki(Light Tree), as opposed to his father’s name, Kuroki(Dark Tree).

  My baby Kouki was starting to grumble in the bed in the middle of my room.

  I held Kouki in my arms.

  He calmed down immediately as soon as I held him in my arms, and fell asleep as he leaned on my chest.

  「My dear son, you really are resembling your father in this regard.」


  I looked at Kouki who was sleeping peacefully nestled up against my chest.

  He loves my bre*asts, just like his father.

  Good grief, he keeps troubling me just like his father too.

  I had to stay in my room when he was still in my stomach.

  It would become a huge scandal amongst the Elios goddesses if they knew that I was pregnant with the child of someone from the enemy side after all.

  This matter was an absolute secret, especially to Faeria. That’s why only my valkyries and I knew about this matter.

  I hugged Kouki, my baby as if to tell him that I loved both him and his father.

  I mean, I’ll raise this child as my hero. And once he grows big enough, I have no need for Reiji anymore.

  「Fufufu, grow-up quickly, my cute hero.」