Chapter 101: Ch 100: No Longer a Goddess

Goddess Apophis narrowed her eyes at that answer. She looked ready to smite Goddess Paphelia where she stood once more.

"You still have the nerve to say that?"

"I do."

Paphelia answered calmly.

"I took Aiden because I believed I needed him. I was wrong about many things, but I do not regret trying to save my own existence or trying to further my kingdom. After all, Gods are selfish by nature."

Aiden could not help but feel complicated after hearing that.

Goddess Apophis, however, did not seem moved at all.

"You are still trying to justify yourself after stealing what belongs to me."

"I suppose I am guilty. And I am going to lose everything because of this..."

Paphelia looked toward Aiden for a moment before turning her attention back to Apophis.

"But I can see that he has already made his choice. I would like to ask him one last time before I fade away. Aiden, won’t you serve me?"

Aiden froze.

He suddenly felt both goddesses looking at him, and he knew that whatever he said next would be extremely important.

’Why does this feel like I am being asked to choose between two women?’

Aiden swallowed nervously.

He already knew his answer. There was never a doubt in his mind about whom he served.

"I apologize, but the only person I can serve with my whole heart is Goddess Apophis. There is no one else in my life, nor will there ever be."

Aiden assured the goddess, who let out a sigh at his words.

"I see. I guess I expected this to happen. Aeloria, please don’t look so sad. I will come back to you one day. After all, gods don’t truly disappear. I will remain by your side."

Goddess Paphelia assured her final follower, who looked heartbroken.

"Please no! Goddess Paphelia, no! You cannot leave me here like this. My goddess-"

But it was too late. Goddess Paphelia had already shattered into different pieces, and they were all scattered around.

What was left of her original body was a small black butterfly that fluttered toward Aeloria and sat on her shoulder.

"Goddess Paphelia...is that you? My dear goddess..."

A sob escaped Aeloria, and her resentful eyes looked at Aiden and his goddess.

Aiden became defensive, and he immediately stood in front of his goddess as her guard. He refused to let her become a victim of this abuse as well.

"You killed my goddess-"

"She killed herself by making her own decisions. She decided to go after me when her people were suffering, and she was also the one who was powerless and went out and kidnapped someone."

Aiden pointed out, and Aeloria refused to say anything else.

However, Goddess Apophis was not done. She took a step toward Aeloria, which made the priestess panic, and she turned her body to save the butterfly that she held against her chest.

"Hand that butterfly over. I am not done with it."

"N-No way! This is all that remains of my goddess. How can I-"

"That is not my problem. For her crimes, I will erase her very existence from the face of this earth. I will do what I have to and-"

"P-Please leave my goddess all alone. She is harmless now. I-she is so small and weak. She will never be a threat."

Aeloria tried to reason, but her actions showed that she was willing to put herself at risk in order to ensure her goddess’s safety.

It was a touching story, but unfortunately, Aiden’s goddess had no intention of letting her live.

"Hand her over. Now!"

Goddess Apophis demanded, and Aeloria refused again.

Sigh

"It seems like I have no choice. But you and your goddess can lie here dead."

Goddess Apophis opened her palm and let out a vortex of power that threatened to crush the priestess-goddess pair. It made Aeloria close her eyes and clutch her goddess even tighter.

Aiden had no intention of interfering, but he could not help but feel sorry for them.

He knew he did not and should not help them, but this time, Aiden decided to help someone out.

"Goddess Apophis, I think these people have learned their lesson, so we can let them be. We will need Goddess Paphelia’s presence in order to control her people initially. So let’s take that as our payment for now."

Aiden pointed out, and Goddess Apophis’s anger turned toward him next.

"Are you saying we should let your kidnappers off scot-free? Aiden, you are my beloved, but choose your words carefully here. Or my mood will not be good."

Goddess Apophis warned Aiden, and he nodded. He knew that saying these words to his goddess was a risk. But he still felt like he needed to say such things to his goddess.

"Just think about it, Goddess Apophis. Losing her people’s trust and having them turn toward a new priestess would be far more crushing for Goddess Paphelia than simply killing her. Moreover, we can even make use of her later."

Aiden suggested, and he noticed how his goddess brightened when he said the first sentence.

’I managed to successfully change Goddess Apophis’s mind regarding this. Now people will think of her as a merciful goddess even more.’

That was one of the reasons Aiden proposed keeping Goddess Paphelia and Aeloria alive. But he had a feeling that if he told this to his goddess, then she would not be happy with him. So Aiden tried to appease her bloodthirsty side first.

Goddess Apophis stared at Aiden for a few seconds before the anger in her eyes slowly faded.

"You really are good at making me reconsider things, aren’t you?"

Aiden smiled warmly at his goddess with his face flushing with pride.

"I only want what is best for you, Goddess Apophis."

"I know. But sometimes, it really pisses me off."

She reached out and gently placed her hand on Aiden’s head. Her action was gentle, telling Aiden that he was forgiven by his goddess.

"That is why I cannot stay angry at you for too long."