OF COURSE, these gods would want Neoma to lose.

If Neoma loses, she instantly becomes the Upper World’s new Aether.

Ruto could tell by the festive atmosphere that Helstor had already convinced some of the major gods to help him change the rules of the upcoming war in his favor.

He had an idea about how the God of Eternal Darkness would force Neoma to agree with the changes he proposed: by complaining about how Neoma and Trevor had tricked him into signing an unfair contract with a hidden clause.

It wasn’t really a hidden clause, per se.

Trevor just made a really, really tiny— barely visible— clause that even a god like Helstor had missed.

The mastermind was, of course, Neoma— the empire’s greatest scammer.

"Yoan, when will the little Moonasterion princess visit us?" Astrid, the Goddess of Beauty, asked in an unusually cheerful voice. "You’ve already told her about the change of rules, haven’t you?"

At the Goddess of Beauty’s question, all eyes fell on Ruto.

Ah, it just so happened that he was having a meal— that was almost a feast because of how many foods were on the table— with the major gods of the Upper World.

Helstor was there, of course.

Levi, too— Ruto’s divine father.

These petty gods gathered here to mock Neoma and me.

"I was expecting Princess Neoma to come here and strangle me with her bare hands as soon as she heard the news," Helstor said, smiling as if he had already won the war. "But our princess is taking her sweet time, isn’t she?"

At times like this, Ruto was glad that most of his emotions were pretty much dead.

Hence, Helstor’s provocation didn’t make him flip the table.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t angry.

"Helstor, who do you think you are?" Ruto asked calmly, sipping his red wine— made by the God of Booze (Aspen’s father) himself— before talking again. "It’s Neoma who gets to summon an insignificant banished god like you and not the other way around."

The atmosphere instantly turned cold.

Some of the gods found that exchange entertaining, though.

Only a smart few shivered from fear upon realizing that Ruto, the God Slayer, was being eerily calm.

"Are you angry, God Slayer?" Helstor asked, still smiling. But it was clear that he had taken a hit when Ruto insulted his insignificant existence earlier. "But what did I do wrong? Bringing children to the war isn’t illegal. Even humans make children fight during wars. You’re not going to talk about having morals, are you? You and Princess Neoma don’t have the right to lecture me about being ethical."

Naturally, the gods who were already influenced by Helstor chimed in.

"Helstor is right, Yoan."

"It’s not Helstor’s fault if the de Moonasterion princess can’t kill children."

"Moreover, it’s not like the children involved are powerless children— they were either blessed by the gods they serve or were raised to fight."

These gods are really shameless.

It was as if they had already forgotten why Helstor was banished from the Upper World in the first place.

Ruto could see where they were coming from, though.

Helstor’s promise to defeat Neoma and turn her into an Aether to purify the Upper World must have outweighed Helstor’s past crime.

And these gods claim that humans are fickle.

"Enough with your nonsense," Ruto said coldly— using a voice cold enough to give even the major gods a shiver down their spines. "We all know that most of you are supporting Helstor because you’re planning to turn Neoma into an Aether once she loses."

That successfully dampened the festive mood.

Good.

"I won’t stop you from changing the rules or bringing children to the war."

Ruto’s declaration shocked everyone.

Even Levi, who seemed determined to ignore all the chaos around him, lifted his head to look at Ruto as if he were surprised.

"I’m a little disappointed that you are all taking the easy way out, though."

His new claim shocked the gods even more.

Why are they reacting that way towards anything I say?

Anyway, maybe it was a good thing that these petty gods were listening to him.

"Aruna de Moonasterio, Ramona Crowell, and Edna— the Black Witch," Ruto said, mentioning each name with utmost respect. "Those three women who almost killed Callisto de Luca with their brilliant teamwork, do you still remember them?"

Nobody answered verbally.

But Ruto saw several eyes sparkle.

Of course, they still remember.

"Aruna de Moonasterio, Ramona Crowell, and Edna were the last humans who entertained you greatly, correct?" Ruto asked, but he wasn’t really waiting for an answer. Hence, he continued. "I wasn’t born yet during that era. But growing up in the Upper World, I’ve heard all of you talk about them at least once. Even the mid-tier and minor gods wouldn’t stop recounting that story. So much that I feel like I was there when it happened. It was that legendary, wasn’t it?"

The festive mood was back.

But, this time, the excitement of the major gods came from somewhere else.

"How can we forget about something that great?"

"I still laugh every time I remember how Aruna and Arche de Moonasterio switched souls to mess with Callisto de Luca. It was even funnier how Callisto de Luca fell for Arche de Moonasterio thinking he was Aruna de Moonasterio."

"It was funny, but you also can’t forget how Ramona Crowell and Edna the Black Witch almost ended their own clans just to help Aruna de Moonasterio."

"They achieved that much, even though women barely had human rights at the time."

"Aruna de Moonasterio was the most legendary de Moonasterion princess before Neoma de Moonasterio was born."

"Ramona Crowell was remarkable as well."

"But you can’t deny that Edna the Black Witch was the missing piece that completed the puzzle."

"It was a shame that they lost the fight in the end, but they did great."

"I was rooting for them. Too bad we weren’t allowed to meddle back then."

Yes, this was the atmosphere that Ruto was aiming for.

"Why are you suddenly bringing them up?" Helstor asked. This bastard god probably noticed that Ruto was doing this on purpose, and so he stopped the other gods from walking down the memory lane. "What does their story have to do with the topic?"

"I’m just saying that you’ll be missing out on Neoma’s legendary ’performance’ if you all allow Helstor to win easily," Ruto said while putting down the wine glass on the table quietly. "We all know that Neoma and her people can’t kill children. If Helstor’s side only bring children to fight, then their victory is already guaranteed."

"And what’s wrong with that?" Astrid, who refused to be swayed, asked defensively. "Is it our fault that the little princess can’t kill children?"

"Where did I claim Helstor’s strategy was wrong? I’m just saying that it’s going to be a boring route," Ruto refuted. "And, well, it’s going to be everyone’s problem if Neoma loses the fight. Do you think she’ll just sit and let you turn her into an Aether?"

"Of course, we can do that," Helstor argued. "That’s why we have a contract—"

"Neoma’s Contractor is none other than the Trevor Kesser," Ruto said, cutting off Helstor rudely. "You can’t outsmart the last Sorcerer in the world, especially if it involves contracts."

Helstor clenched his jaw tight.

"And I will kill all of you the moment Neoma loses the war unfairly."

At Ruto’s threat, the major gods directed their bloodlust at him— everyone except Levi.

His divine father stayed calm.

Hence, Ruto also remained unfazed.

That level of threat was nothing to him, especially since...

These petty gods won’t act recklessly in front of Lord levi.

"We can avoid that gruesome route if you all agree to change the rules in a fair way, " Ruto said, leaning against his seat. "And think about it. I understand why you’re all desperate to turn Neoma into an Aether. But when was the last time you witnessed an entertaining fight?"

These gods were starved of entertainment.

They’re not interested in human wars— but this is the first time a war directly involving gods is happening. There’s no way these bloodthirsty beasts can ignore that.

That was why Helstor tried to blind them with the promise of turning Neoma into an Aether.

But Ruto had already broken the God of Eternal Darkness’ strategy.

Gods are selfish— they will always choose the option that will give them personal entertainment over the option that’s good for everyone.

"Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio, the woman destined to be the first empress of the de Moonasterion Empire. Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio, the first male Roseheart born after the purge of male Rosehearts. Hanna Quinzel, the new genius of the Quinzel Clan who has already surpassed Gavin Quinzel. Lewis Crevan, the last Silver Fox before we unearthed his frozen clan members. Dahlia, the Black Witch capable of killing the de Moonasterios and the children of the Moon God. Trevor Kesser, the Sorcerer who inherited the Devil’s Grimoire."

Ruto introduced some of the amazing people around Neoma.

But he didn’t stop there.

After all, he could see several significant gods already wavering.

"Do you not want to see them fight?" Ruto asked, raising an eyebrow. "Would you really choose the easy route over the route that would give you the chance to witness another legendary war... just to secure a new Aether? Since when have the gods of the Upper World become boring?"

"Stop it, Yoan," Helstor said coldly while glaring at Ruto. "I know what you are doing—"

"But Yoan is right."

Hah.

It worked.

The corner of Ruto’s lips slightly turned up when Arien, the God of War, finally opened his mouth.

This bastard took his sweet time.

"I don’t want to watch a boring fight, especially if the children participating in the war are children who came from legendary bloodlines," Arien said, his eyes already frenzied from excitement. "Anyone who wants to choose the boring route, come out— come out and I’ll deal with you."

"Who are you to decide for us?" Astrid snapped at Arien. "You are not our leader, you brute!"

And that was when the major gods began arguing with each other.

Done.

Ruto picked up his wine glass again, satisfied.

I set the stage for you, Neoma.

He felt bloodlust aimed directly at him.

When he looked up, he saw Helstor glaring, as if the God of Eternal Darkness wanted to grab his collar and punch him.

Ruto just smiled at Helstor.

You think only you can run your mouth here?

As if Helstor had read his mind, the God of Eternal Darkness scoffed before getting up from his seat and walking out.

Pathetic.

"That little princess’ craftiness has rubbed off on you, my poor son."

"You should be grateful that I only ran my mouth, my Divine Father. This isn’t my fight, so I held back for Neoma’s sake," Ruto said, glancing at Levi, who looked paler than usual. He sighed and shook his head. "Please go back to your slumber, my lord."

Levi should be sleeping deeply.

But Helstor’s arrival at the Upper World had woken up his Divine Father from his slumber.

And, now, Lord Levi can’t go back to sleep.

"Your beloved chose the Upper World to be her battlefield," Levi said, scoffing. "How can I sleep knowing that a bloody war might start at any moment?"

Right.

"Don’t worry, my lord," Ruto assured Levi confidently. "Neoma will win."

***

"WHAT are you doing here again, Princess Neoma?"

"Ah, I’m glad to see you again, Your Majesty," Neoma said sarcastically, smiling at Tara— the Queen of the Spirit World. "Cheer up, Queen Tara. Are you really going to be like this when we haven’t seen each other for quite some time?"

"Say that after you see what your Wood Spirit has done!" Tara yelled angrily. "You and your Spirits... you’re all troublemakers!"

Neoma tilted her head to one side. "What did our Namoo do?"

***

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