Chapter 288-289 - Calamity that soaks in

Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan, Doraha-san, and I -Kourin Karen- were driving in the sky.

Flying with their usual flying machines, they fly past the plains and continue.

The destination is Hydra Ville. The Water Church’s headquarters and the place where Celestis-chan lives.

“Hey, is it true that Hydra Ville is in danger?!” (Celestis)

Straddled onto the flying machine and going at full-speed through the sky, Celestis-chan shouts loudly.

Mirack-chan answers shouting as well.

“I don’t know!! But it is what this cow says, so there’s no way we can ignore it!!) (Mirack)

Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan, and I were riding our respective flying machines, and Doraha-san was sitting at the back of mine, but there was a single cow hanging with the three ropes coming from our three machines.

None other than Phalaris-san.

About half a day ago, we had finished clearing up the live venue in Muspelheim, and this cow-san had come charging at us bellowing.

(You idiotic woman!! This is no time to be lazing around!! Coacervate is planning on doing something!!) (Phalaris)

And so, hearing this, Celestis-chan and I thought this at first…

““THE COW SPOKE!!!!””

Because you know, cows normally don’t talk.

At first, I thought that my ears and head had gone crazy and I was truly scared, but within that confusion, Mirack-chan alone remained composed.

In contrast to our confusion, she heard out the cow-san and gave out her decision.

“We are going to Hydra Ville.” (Mirack)

And so, we are on our way to Hydra Ville.

“Geez, I don’t understand anything anymore!! Why is Hydra Ville in danger?! And why is that cow telling us this?! In the first place, why can this cow talk?!” (Celestis)

The mouth of Celestis-chan was shooting a rapid-fire of sound questions.

Those were questions I also held and we were expecting a proper answer from Mirack-chan.

But…

“…I don’t know.” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan only said this.

“But if it is something this cow said, there’s worth in believing. That’s all I can say!” (Mirack)

Such an out of norms talk, most people wouldn’t even give an ear to it. That’s why we let the soldiers we brought stay in the Fire capital and we heroes headed to Hydra Ville.

If something really did happen there, regret wouldn’t begin to describe what we would feel after.

(…That Coacervate…) (Phalaris)

A voice once again resonates.

It is Phalaris-san that’s hanging from our three flying machines. He was unexpectedly obedient hanging there.

(Looks like he still hasn’t fixed that bad trait of his about flaunting the schemes he has thought of to someone else. Even though that made him fail last time. Apparently, he can’t change that nature of his. In order to prove that he is intelligent, he always needs someone that’s more stupid than him.) (Phalaris)

Is that really the voice of Phalaris-san?

But why?

That voice is not something that anyone can hear, and Doraha-san who is currently clinging onto my back and the people we harvested from the ceiling couldn’t hear it either.

Only us three could hear it.

What’s with this?

(You three had been inserted a factor to become God Heroes by that super ill-natured Inflation. Because of this, your souls can resonate with Gods more easily.) (Nova)

Even if you explain it to me in that way, I still don’t understand at all.

(Everything is because of the appearance of the Demon Lords. Because of them, everything is beginning to twist. The boundary between human and God. This boundary that was properly separated, you are the first people to step into it. Just like how a crack spreads, the boundary between humans and Gods is slowly crumbling.) (Nova)

“I don’t care about that!!” (Celestis)

An agitated voice cuts off Phalaris-san.

“You said Hydra Ville was in danger!! I didn’t hear anything about that! Why when I am absent of all times!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan was the number one out of it when hearing about the emergency of Hydra Ville from Phalaris-san.

That’s a matter of course. Hydra Ville is where Celestis-chan lives, and she is the water hero that must protect that place after all.

There’s nothing as pressing as her being absent at such a time.

Even with that, Celestis-chan didn’t say something like ‘I shouldn’t have come to reinforce Muspelheim’.

“Calm down, Celestis-chan! Hydra Ville has the previous hero Sarasa-san, right?!” (Karen)

It is exactly because she left the place to her that Celestis-chan was able to leave the Church.

“The previous heroes surpass us current heroes in technique. If she is there, most of anything can be dealt with!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan also cooperated in trying to calm down Celestis-chan.

It is true that we were also letting our guard down.

That’s because we took at heart the words he left behind. The words of the Demon Lord Michael that left without settling the fight.

{…Our battles with you humans must be ones that make us grow. Thus, our battles can’t be underhanded and foul.} (Michael)

Michael seemed to have felt something from his battle with Mirack-chan.

{The next time I fight with you people, I will be frontal about it. I won’t pull a single trick to bring you down. Therefore, wait with a comfortable heart for our next battle.} (Michael)

Uriel and Raphael also joined in and said.

{We also want to heal the wounds that Kuromiya Haine dealt to us. So we will tag along with our whimsical leader.} (Uriel)

{You have done it, humans. Your lifespan has lengthened. The time when we are in perfect shape, will be the time you people disappear. Enjoy the short time you have left!} (Raphael)

We took that at heart and, after the battle, we were truly acting comfortable.

We took our time in returning, and even did a live.

But now that I think about it, there was one Demon Lord missing in that place where those Demon Lords were giving their words.

“The Water Demon Lord Gabriel!!” (Karen)

There’s no way of knowing what the Water Demon Lord is planning.

But the words of Phalaris-san: ‘Coacervate is planning on doing something’, is he talking about one of the six Gods of creation, the Water God Coacervate-sama?

The name of the Water God that was suddenly mentioned; the Water Demon Lord whose whereabouts are unknown; the dots were connecting too well.

That’s why we have no choice but to go. To Hydra Ville that’s connected to water as well.

• 289: The disappeared Hydra Ville

“I can see it now! Hydra Ville!”

With the highest speed of the flying machines, it took around half a day. The distance between Muspelheim and Hydra Ville was around that much.

This time it took around that much time and we finally arrived at the Water capital.

And then, we soon noticed an abnormality.

“The water hero Celestis has returned! Please grant me an audience with Papa— I mean, the Water Founder-sama!!” (Celestis)

Parking the flying machines at the Water Church headquarters, in order to understand the situation, we ask for an audience with the Water Founder —the father of Celestis-chan.

If something happens in the Water capital, there’s no way a report wouldn’t go to the Founder’s way.

But…

“Someone, is there anyone?! …Damn it, the soldiers are slacking at a time like this!!” (Celestis)

“Celestis-chan, calm down!” (Karen)

In the time Doraha-san and I were untying Phalaris-san’s ropes, Celestis-chan was heading deeper and deeper.

“Now that it has come to this, I will go directly to Papa! Wait here everyone!!” (Celestis)

We can’t do that.

We do our fastest to untie Phalaris-san and chase after Celestis-chan who ran off.

I have come to the Water Church headquarters before, so we managed to chase after Celestis-chan without getting lost.

“Founder-sama! I will be intruding without permission!!” (Celestis)

Even if they are father and daughter, Celestis-chan maintains her etiquette as a hero towards the Founder.

And just as I thought that, Celestis-chan kicks open the door lacking all sorts of etiquette.

“Water hero Celestis has returned after finishing a small errand! I got information that there’s danger approaching the Water capital—!” (Celestis)

But there was no one to answer Celestis-chan.

The office room of the Founder had no one in it.

“What. Even Papa at a time like this?! At this time, he should be at the office room! Better not be another drinking party!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan was getting pissed off all over, but we who were slightly more composed than her had begun to notice the strangeness.

“…Hey, Celestis-chan. This is kind of strange!!” (Karen)

“Ah no, sorry. Our Founder says that connections are important, so he has a habit of leaving when in working hours to parties and those kind of things… It is a scandal, so don’t go spreading it, okay?!” (Celestis)

“That’s not what we mean!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan also felt the strangeness of the situation and her voice trembled.

“This is the Water Church’s headquarters! One of the five Grand Churches of the world, and there’s several thousands of people regularly working here!” (Karen)

“Eh? Well, of course. Why are you stating the obvious?” (Celestis)

“And yet! We parked our flying machines outside and came all the way here to the office room of the Founder…!” (Karen)

“And we didn’t pass by anyone!” (Mirack)

Since the moment we entered the headquarters of the Water Church, no, since the time we arrived at Hydra Ville, we haven’t seen a single human aside from ourselves!

“Is that even possible?! Hydra Ville is a big city, right?! It is the biggest commercial city, right?!” (Karen)

“It is on a whole different level from the sticks! The Water capital of today is way too silent! Last time we came, it was a lot more lively!!” (Mirack)

Being pointed this out, Celestis-chan finally managed to pick something up.

Her cheerful face began to cloud and she ran out from the office room.

“Celestis!” (Mirack)

“Celestis-chan! Where are you going?!” (Karen)

We also hurriedly chased after her.

“I am going to the worship shrine! If it is there, there should be people offering prayers all the time! If we go there…!” (Celestis)

And we arrived.

There was no one.

If it were the usual, the preaching of a priest would be resounding over this sacred precinct and the prayers of the pious water people, and yet, it is now silent.

“The training field! At the Stream Marine’s station, there’s always at least 20 people on standby in case of emergencies!” (Celestis)

No one was there.

Leaving the emergency station empty is a big offense, and yet, there was not a single soul in the Stream Marine’s station.

“The dining room! When there’s something, everyone gathers at places with a lot of food!” (Celestis)

There was no one.

“Maybe the basement! When an emergency occurs, it is written in the manual that they should take refuge there!” (Celestis)

No one.

“What’s this?! What’s with this!” (Celestis)

There’s no doubting anymore.

People have completely disappeared from the Water Church, and probably from the whole Hydra Ville as well.

But what in the world had to happen to be in this state?

Leaving aside the fact that people have completely disappeared, the city of Hydra Ville is no different at all.

No buildings damaged, no things fallen at the streets; in other words, no traces of chaos.

Hydra Ville’s population should be more than tens of thousands.

To have that amount of people disappear without any chaos. Is that even possible?

“…Karen-sama…and the other people.” (Doraha)

The one who spoke to us while we were walking around was Doraha-san.

We couldn’t leave her in Muspelheim so we brought her here but, what is the matter?

“Please follow me. There’s something here.” (Doraha)

“Eh?!” (Karen)

‘What do you mean by that?!’, is what I wanted to further say, but Doraha-san didn’t give me the time and ran to somewhere.

“O-Oi, girl!!” (Mirack)

“Where are you planning on going?!” (Celestis)

Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan and I had no choice but to chase after her.

Doraha-san ran out of the Water Church and entered the Water city.

We followed after, but as expected, there wasn’t the shadow of a single person around the city.

“What is this?! What is going on?!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan speaks as if she were going to break into tears at any moment.

This is the city she lives in, so Celestis-chan being the one hurting the most at this view couldn’t be helped.

And so, we chased after Doraha-san and ran, ran, and ran…

The moment I was beginning to think how long we would be running and was running out of breath, we finally encountered it.

“…Ara, there were still people that haven’t melted?”

The strongest and worst calamity threatening this world; the ultimate monster, the Demon Lord.

The fourth of them; the Water Demon Lord Gabriel.