Journey to Planar World

Chapter 496: Embrace of the Goddess of Justice

After the commotion subsided, Charlie lowered the Holy Sword Severian and turned toward the crowd of Gods and Goddesses watching from a distance. He wore a thin smile that appeared friendly, yet the look in his eyes contained an undeniable firmness.

"Noble Lords and Ladies, I believe today's performance has reached its conclusion. Would it not be better if you all returned to your respective homes to rest?"

Charlie spoke in an exceedingly polite tone, yet he paused for a moment before continuing with a deeper resonance.

"Of course, I hope there will be no need for reports to Goddess Hera claiming that I felt intimidated by your presence here. You yourselves know her temperament well."

"If she were to decide to end her exile and return to Orario simply because she felt I was being bothered... Well, I cannot guarantee the future peace of this city."

"..."

Instantly, the surrounding atmosphere turned cold.

The expressions of the present Gods froze. The mere image of Hera—a Goddess known for a temperament that could shake the Heavens—made their skin crawl.

They did not want that "Psycho" Goddess returning and rebuilding her terrifying Familia. Without needing many more words, the Gods dispersed one by one under the pretext of sudden business, vanishing even faster than they had arrived.

As for the other spectators?

Charlie did not even need to make a sound. A single "warm" glance from him was enough, and they immediately ran away in a terrified scramble.

The power Charlie had just displayed had planted a deep-seated terror in the souls of anyone who witnessed it.

Meanwhile, the majestic Azure Dragon, Qilin, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise gradually shrank and returned to their adorable chibi forms.

"Good work, everyone. Thank you. Thanks to you, the damage around the residence was kept to a minimum."

Charlie did not forget to express his gratitude to the Divine Beast Spirits. After all, he was aware that the initial method by which he had contracted them was not honorable; he had used threats against their Shrine Maiden to make them submit.

Thanks to the Crystallized Wisdom skill which allowed him to speak with all types of animals, Charlie was now able to communicate with and understand the feelings of these Divine Beast Spirits on a deeper level.

His footsteps then led Charlie toward Ais, who was still standing with slightly labored breath and clothing torn in several places.

"Ais, thank you very much. Your help today was invaluable to us. I promise to repay this favor properly next time."

Ais lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes with a slightly dimmed gaze.

"I... actually, I didn't do much, Charlie. I only held back a few people, and then you came and finished them all off by yourself. Compared to what you did, I feel a little useless..."

Seeing the doubt in the Sword Princess's eyes, Charlie reached out his hand. Gently, he patted Ais's head and stroked her smooth golden hair.

"Don't say that. The enemies you faced just now were not weak at all. If any other adventurer had been in your position, they might have lost from the very beginning. Besides, it must have been very troublesome for you to look after me while I was in a coma yesterday, right?"

Charlie smiled warmly, causing Ais's face to flush slightly.

"Listen, occasionally you should take a holiday and enjoy your life, Ais. Don't force yourself into the Dungeon too often. You also need time for relaxation."

"Um. I will do that."

Ais answered briefly with a small nod. Feeling the warmth of Charlie's hand, she decided not to stay any longer.

As an experienced adventurer, she understood that Charlie needed time and space to handle the remaining chaos post-battle. With a feeling that was slightly lighter yet still carrying the weight of self-reflection, the Sword Princess turned around and walked away toward Twilight Manor.

However, neither Charlie nor Ais realized that this casual suggestion would actually become the trigger for catastrophe for the girl in the days to come.

Charlie was an anomaly, a foreign variable that was not supposed to exist within the fabric of this world's destiny. His presence had created a massive butterfly effect, where every word and action was capable of bending the destiny lines of many people in unimaginable directions.

◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆

Following Ais's departure, the focus shifted to clearing the battlefield.

Assisted by Aishia and Est, Charlie began to gather the scattered corpses of the attackers into one large pile.

However, just before they could incinerate the remains, the sound of rhythmic, disciplined footsteps was heard approaching.

The Ganesha Familia patrol team had finally arrived with full reinforcements, including the figure of their captain, Shakti Varma, leading at the front.

Unfortunately, their intervention came too late. By the time they stepped into the courtyard of the Empyrean Citadel, all that remained were piles of corpses and the lingering essence of magic in the air.

Shakti immediately approached Charlie, demanding a thorough explanation regarding the bloody incident that had just occurred.

Given that the Ganesha Familia was the official authority responsible for public safety in Orario, Charlie chose to be cooperative without complicating matters. He recounted most of the events honestly, though he carefully kept secret the details regarding Enyo's involvement specifically targeting him.

An intensive examination was conducted by Shakti and her members on the pile of bodies. The results of the identification revealed the fact that 90% of the attackers were members of Evilus whose names had long graced the Guild's most-wanted list.

The appearance of such a large radical group in the heart of the city, even launching an open attack on the surface, served as a stinging blow to the Ganesha Familia's reputation.

With a face full of regret, Shakti offered a formal apology for their negligence in maintaining security. She also provided a guarantee that all the damage inflicted upon Charlie's residence would be fully covered as a form of restitution.

Without any intention of refusing the compensation, Charlie allowed the Ganesha Familia to take away all the corpses as official evidence. This action indirectly helped him significantly, as he no longer needed to expend energy handling the remains of his enemies independently.

"Charlie!"

Not long after the Ganesha Familia party departed from the devastated residence, a soft voice filled with anxiety broke the silence.

Astraea arrived with hurried steps, her face radiating a mixture of deep worry and overflowing joy. The moment she saw the figure of the man she was concerned about standing tall, the Goddess of Justice seemed to lose control over herself and reflexively threw her body into Charlie's embrace.

"Careful, Goddess Astraea."

Reacting quickly, Charlie stepped forward and caught Astraea's body just before the Goddess lost her balance. If he hadn't, the Goddess might have sprawled onto the ground.

"Thank goodness... Thank goodness you're alright, Charlie." Astraea whispered with ragged breath against Charlie's chest. "When I saw the direction of the commotion was coming from here, I felt as if my heart would stop. I was so worried something terrible had happened to you, especially since you were still in a coma when I left you earlier."

"I'm sorry for making you experience such a terrible feeling, Goddess Astraea."

As he returned the embrace to stabilize their position, Charlie could not help but notice the physical sensations assaulting his senses. He felt the soft pressure of Astraea's breasts pressed tightly against his chest—a softness that could only belong to a woman.

An intoxicating fragrance wafted into his sense of smell; the scent of soap and fresh flowers, indicating that Astraea had only just finished cleansing herself at the Divine Bathhouse before the riot broke out.

Several seconds passed in an intimate silence, until finally Astraea became aware of her impulsive action. Once she realized she had just lunged at a man in an incredibly tight embrace in public, the face of the Goddess of Justice instantly flushed a deep crimson, reaching even the tips of her ears.

"Ah... t-that... I-I'm sorry!" Astraea stammered, releasing her embrace with awkward and flustered movements.

She looked down, trying to hide her burning face while tucking her slightly disheveled hair behind her ear—the typical gestures of a girl overcome with embarrassment in front of a man she secretly liked.

"I-I mean, I just... I really want to know what actually happened here? That commotion earlier... that purple dome... is it all over?" she asked with a slightly trembling voice, trying to divert the awkward atmosphere.

Charlie glanced around the still-messy courtyard, realizing that many eyes—including the gods who might still be peeking—could hear their conversation.

"This is not the right place to discuss serious matters, Goddess Astraea. Let's talk inside instead."

With a polite manner, Charlie led the way, guiding his two spirit girls—Aishia and Est—as well as Astraea into the warmth of their home to get away from the cold remnants of the battlefield.

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