Whoosh!
The moment I stepped outside the portal and into Lora's world, the wrongness of the place hit me like a physical blow.
The air, which should have smelled of sun-baked earth and wildflowers, was thick with the metallic tang of dried blood and the acrid stench of burnt magic.
However, the air was the least of the problems.
The land itself was weeping.
The grass was brittle and brown, crunching under my boots like shattered glass. The trees, once tall and proud, were now skeletal husks, their branches reaching toward a grey, listless sky like grasping fingers. The rivers, which should have been sparkling with life, were sluggish and murky, their waters choked with ash.
"This is... worse than I imagined," I muttered, my ears flattening against my skull.
Lucy and Katarina were silent, their faces grim. They had been living with this for months, witnessing the slow decay of a world that was a direct reflection of its goddess's psyche.
"It's a graveyard," I said, my voice low and vibrating with a growl I didn't bother to suppress. "And she's the one burying herself alive."
"It wasn't always like this," Lucy whispered, clutching her controller to her chest like a shield. "In the beginning, it was just... quiet. Then the flowers started dying. Then the sun stopped moving. Now, even the shadows feel like they're trying to choke you."
"We need to focus on getting Lora out of her depression before this world is permanently damaged," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
"She's not just depressed," Kat said. "She's dying."
The ground beneath us pulsed faintly, like a weak heartbeat. A tremor rolled through the dead grass, subtle but unmistakable.
"A divine world doesn't rot unless its god is actively rejecting it," I continued. "This isn't neglect. This is self-punishment."
"Can we… fix it?" Lucy swallowed.
"..."
I didn't answer and simply walked deeper into the dying world, heading to Lora's temple.
The silence was the worst part.
No birds. No insects. Not even the wind dared to whisper through the dead trees. The only sound was the crunch of our footsteps on the brittle ground, each step a reminder of the life that had been extinguished.
As we got closer to the temple, I spotted familiar figures.
Lora's followers and two pink cats.
"MOMMY!" one of the pink cats exclaimed, rushing toward me.
"Nyari'ael!" I smiled, picking her up. She immediately started nuzzling my neck, purring loudly. "It's good to see you, too, sweetheart."
"I've missed you!" she said, her voice muffled by my fur.
"I've missed you too," I said, stroking her back.
"Goddess Morgana," the other pink cat greeted with a respectful nod.
"You can call me Mommy too," I said, winking at her.
Cute Cat blushed, a cute shade of pink dusting her already pink cheeks.
The followers stood a short distance behind them.
Or what remained of them.
Once, they had worn vibrant robes, colors tied to seasons and joy. Now the fabric hung dull and faded, like it had been leeched of meaning. Their eyes were hollow—not empty, but tired. The kind of tiredness that seeps into the soul and refuses to leave.
They dropped to their knees the moment they saw me.
"My Queen," one whispered, forehead pressing to the dead earth. "You've come."
"Of course I did," I said, my tone softening despite the knot in my chest. "I'm not letting her destroy herself without supervision."
A few of them let out shaky laughs.
Others cried.
Nyari'ael tightened her grip around my neck.
"Big sis Lora won't talk to us anymore," she murmured. "She tells us to go away. Says she doesn't deserve us."
"Yeah," I muttered. "That sounds like her."
Lora lost about 300 followers during the attack on her world by the two collectors. A heavy price, yes, but it could have been worse. That blue-haired bitch Ria took her time in the killing for pure fun.
"Are you gonna help big sis Lora, Mommy?" Nyari'ael asked, her big, hopeful eyes looking at me.
"..."
I was about to respond to the question of the pink fluffy cat in my arms, but then I recalled something, something important I completely forgot about.
"First, we need to talk about you, my dear Nyari," I said, flashing a 'gentle' smile.
"Me?" Nyari'ael's ears twitched, her tail curling nervously around my arm.
"Yes, you," I said, reaching into my inventory, pulling the flat stick. "We need to talk about the fact that you placed yourself in danger."
"!!!" Nyari'ael paled. The pink cat froze in my arms, her purr dying in her throat.
"Mommy, I can explain!" she squeaked, her little claws digging into my skin.
"No need," I said calmly, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous purr. "You're my daughter. And I love you. So I will make sure you learn your lesson."
"P-Please... Mommy," she stuttered, her big, pleading eyes looking at me.
But I paid no attention.
"Don't worry, Nyari'ael," I cooed, raising the stick. "This will only hurt for a second. And it's for your own good. And Mommy's sanity."
"Now show me your furry little butt."
"NOOOO!!"
SMACK!
....
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Lucy was rolling on the floor with tears in her eyes.
"..."
I looked down at Nyari'ael, who was now rubbing her sore bottom with a pout, her pink fur slightly ruffled.
"..." Cute Cat, on the other hand, was standing there, frozen, with a look of pure horror on her face.
"There," I said, putting the stick away. "Now we can go and see your big sis Lora."
"Do you really think that was necessary?" Katarina asked, shaking her head.
"Of course," I replied with a smirk. "She needs to learn that she can't just run off and get herself killed. I'm her mother. It's my job to teach her these things."
"..." Lucy finally managed to get her laughing under control, wiping tears from her eyes. "That was the best thing I've seen in months."
"I'm so telling my other mommy," Nyari'ael mumbled, still rubbing her bottom.
"!!!" Cute Cat flinched at that and quickly pulled Nyari'ael, silencing her.
"What was that, sweetie?" I asked, my tone dangerously sweet.
"...nothing, Morgana," Cute Cat squeaked.
"Good girl," I said, patting her on the head.
"Anyway," I said, turning my attention back to the temple. "Let's go see Lora."
The temple loomed ahead.
It should have been radiant—floating spires, singing light, warmth that wrapped around the soul like a hug.
Instead, it looked like a corpse refusing to fall over.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the wooden structure.
Not stone.
Wood.
That was the part that hurt the most.
Lora's temple had never been marble or crystal or floating bullshit carved from ego. It had grown. Living wood shaped by divine will—massive trunks woven together, bark polished smooth by time, leaves that glowed softly like lanterns at dusk. A sanctuary meant to breathe with its world.
Now?
The wood was blackened and split, veins of rot running through once-living grain. Sap leaked slowly from the cracks, dark and sticky, dripping like blood down the walls. Whole sections had warped inward, as if the temple itself was curling up, trying to protect its heart.
It wasn't a corpse.
It was a wounded animal that accepted that it would die.
We passed through the main archway. The air inside was heavy, tasting of salt and despair. The light was weak and watery, filtering through the shattered dome above like a death sentence.
Then I heard it.
A whimper.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't dramatic.
It was… small. Broken. Like someone sobbing into their hands so hard they couldn't breathe. A sound that didn't echo because the temple had lost the will to carry it.
Nyari'ael whimpered softly and pressed closer to Cute Cat. Even the followers lowered their heads, ears flat, tails drooping. This place wasn't rejecting them.
It was ashamed of them seeing it like this.
"She locked herself in the heartwood," Katarina said quietly. "The inner sanctum. The place she carved herself. The wards aren't aggressive—they're… apologetic."
I placed my hand against the temple wall. The wood didn't react. No warmth. No pulse. Just a cold, weary resignation, like a patient waiting for the end.
"I'll go alone from here," I said, my voice low and firm.
"Morgana—" Lucy hesitated.
I shook my head once.
"This isn't a group effort," I said quietly. "Not anymore."
Katarina understood immediately. She always did. She gave Lucy a small nod and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her back.
"We'll wait," Katarina said. "She needs you."
"Mommy… don't yell at her too much." Nyari'ael looked up at me, ears drooping.
"No promises." I snorted softly.
"Please… bring her back." Cute Cat bowed deeply, tail stiff with anxiety.
I didn't answer. I just turned and walked deeper into the temple. The wood groaned beneath my steps, not from weakness, but from weariness. The light faded, plunging me into near darkness. The only source was the soft, pulsing glow of my own divine aura.
Then I hit it.
The barrier. Something Lora set up to keep everyone out.
It wasn't a wall of force. It wasn't a spell of rejection.
It was a wall of guilt.
"Sigh.... this is worse than I thought."
I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts before opening my mouth and shouting.
"LORA! THE BIG BAD HENTAI IS HERE TO SEE YOU!" I bellowed, my voice echoing through the dying temple. "OH! AND I DIDN'T WASH MY HANDS!"