Now Balder's physical body was still sealed under the waters beside Sun Island, but inside it there was still Lopod's soul. Only after he completely killed Lopod's soul in the future would Balder's soul be able to return to his own body.
So, Aiden felt fortunate that he had struck a little later just now. Otherwise, where would he go to find Balder a suitable body?
Although Balder, being a Sage, felt a bit repulsed by a body created by a demon, in soul-state he was rather fragile. After thinking it over, he still chose to enter that body.
It had to be said, Mundus's aesthetic sense was fairly normal.
This body wasn't ugly. Compared with Balder himself it could only be considered average in looks, but its physical strength was unexpectedly high.
After all, it was meant to contain his demonic soul. If it were too weak, it would be easy for someone to kill.
Watching Balder stretch his limbs and adapt to the new body, Aiden took out the Right Eye of Light he had kept in storage and handed it to him.
The closing of the timeline made what should belong to the Sage return once more to his hand. Only, whether this particular Right Eye was the one of this world, Aiden couldn't be sure.
The great battle ended, the border between Hell and the Human Realm returned to peace, and the goddess of Light and Darkness, Omne, vanished after defeating the God of Chaos.
But no one noticed that before leaving, Omne lowered her head to look once at Aiden. If anyone had been able to meet her gaze then, they would surely have seen in Omne's eyes a curiosity full of wonder toward the unknown.
The gods of this world stand above time. The moment Aiden appeared, the timeline of this world had already changed, some things were added, and some things were gone.
But to the gods, the unknown… does not necessarily bring fear…
Leaving the border, Aiden and his group returned to the small town at the foot of the Holy Mountain.
But to everyone's surprise, the town had actually been restored to its original state. The collapsed houses, the completely destroyed town square, all had returned to how they were before.
Aiden and the others even saw some townsfolk who had come back kneeling sincerely in prayer toward the Holy Mountain. It seemed they believed it was the work of the legendary angels who guarded the mountain.
"Hmph, those winged guys got to take advantage for nothing." Jeanne snorted.
She guessed this must have been the doing of Omne, the goddess of Light and Darkness. Only such an omniscient, omnipotent true god could possess such might.
"This no longer has anything to do with us." Aiden shook his head and said, "All I want now is to go home and sleep well."
The price of summoning Original Sin was a bit too great. Right now he felt especially exhausted, and since this time he had acted personally, his consumption of stamina and mental power was even greater than last time.
He only wanted a peaceful sleep to make up for the strength and spirit he had lost. Of course, if after waking he could also eat Jeanne's delicious cooking, that would be even better.
Hearing Aiden's words, Bayonetta turned her gaze toward Balder. She first tried hard to overlap the Balder in her memories with the muscular, overly-strong Balder before her.
Only after that did she ask, "Father, will you come back with us?"
But Balder shook his head, his face carrying a trace of remembrance. "I want to go to Vigrid, to see Rosa. If possible, I wish to settle down there, and keep her company properly."
If it were not for a love carved into the bone, how could a Sage and a Witch ever have joined? Balder's feelings for Rosa, even after five hundred years, had not diminished the slightest.
"All right then!" Bayonetta was not disappointed. Instead, a smile bloomed on her face. Her father's love for her mother made her very happy.
"In the future, if you have time, you must come visit us!" Bayonetta said again.
Balder nodded, his eyes falling on Aiden. "Take good care of Cereza. In the future I will go to Country Z to look for you."
'Uh… then you probably won't find us.'
Aiden was already planning to return to reality in a couple of days. After all, the Witch's first- and second-generation storylines had already been experienced!
But Aiden still nodded firmly. "I will."
———
After leaving the town, Balder went alone to Vigrid, while Aiden and his group boarded a plane back to America. On the plane, after sleeping seven or eight hours, Aiden had also recovered much of his strength.
At the airport exit, Enzo, having been notified, had been waiting long in advance. Seeing them come out, he loudly shouted about treating them all to drinks at Rodin's bar.
Of course, no one objected, especially Dante, who even rubbed his hands together and asked if they should play another round of cards for fun.
Facing the fat sheep that came to his door, Enzo naturally was delighted. He had been worrying about how to earn back the commission money he'd paid Dante!
So half an hour later, the group appeared at Rodin's bar.
Because Rodin had been informed ahead of time, he directly hung a "Closed for Rest" sign at the door. So this time, inside the bar it was only them.
Rodin wasn't a stingy man. This time he brought out all his treasured fine liquors. The group drank as they watched Enzo and Dante play cards.
Honestly, whether in skill or in luck, Dante was especially terrible. In only two hours, Enzo had won back all the commission money he had paid Dante last time.
Rodin advised him to quit while he could, but Dante began pawning his Rebellion sword and twin pistols, and even pledged the coat he had worn who-knows-how-long. Bare-chested, he swore to fight Enzo to the bitter end.
The utterly predictable outcome no longer held any interest for the onlookers. Aiden and the black-and-white witches went back to sit at the bar, and Trish also came over.
She didn't join the three's conversation, just leaned on the bar with a glass of liquor in hand, her eyes never once moving off Aiden.
Back at the border, Aiden had saved her life. Grateful, she had immediately formed the idea of giving herself to him. But she had never found the chance to say it aloud.
Just as she was thinking whether she should find some excuse to call Aiden aside alone, Aiden and the two witches suddenly stood, said a word of farewell to Rodin, and walked toward the bar's exit. They were preparing to head back.
Watching the three about to leave, Trish's eyes flickered a few times. Then she set down her glass, thanked Rodin for his hospitality, and followed them out.
With demon's blood flowing in her veins and a witch's remnant soul mingled in her own, she was absolutely not a reserved woman.
So, just as Aiden was riding the motorcycle he had brought back from Final Fantasy. With Bayonetta on the back, preparing to return home with Jeanne, Trish also rode up on a bike, appearing between the two.
Aiden looked at her with some surprise.
"You don't mind one more person, right?" Trish boldly met Aiden's eyes. Then she turned to Bayonetta. "I already queued up. This time it should be my turn, right? Besides, you only said that night wasn't okay."
Sure enough, she still remembered what Bayonetta had said to her a few days ago.
Bayonetta rolled her eyes. Of course she remembered what she'd said that night. But that time had been purely to brush Trish off.
So, she looked at Jeanne, asking with her eyes what her sister thought.
"If darling can handle it, I don't really mind." Jeanne thought for a bit, sighed, and said.
"Then why not just say you don't mind. Mr. Cat is still very strong." Bayonetta gave Jeanne a side-eye, then said to Trish, "Call us 'big sisters,' let's hear it!"
Roberta was the earliest riser in the house aside from the androids. Her years in the army and as a maid had fixed her biological clock at six o'clock in the morning.
Of course, except when she shared a bed with Aiden. At those times she didn't mind staying in bed a little longer with him. And those were also the moments she felt most relaxed.
Even the head maid needs proper rest.
Last night hadn't been her turn, so today she opened her eyes just as the alarm was about to point to six. Before it rang, she shut it off.
Although her body clock was precise, she still worried she might oversleep. That's why she was the only one in the household who bought an alarm clock… everyone else just used their phones.
Putting the clock back on the nightstand, the head maid got out of bed.
She didn't have the habit of wearing pajamas, nor did she like lingerie or underwear. So even when she slept, she wore a sports bra and tight hot pants that made movement easier.
Yawning slightly, she didn't open the curtains she had drawn last night. Instead, she went straight to the wardrobe to pick out what to wear today…
In truth, the clothes in her wardrobe were very simple. Aside from a few casual outfits for going out with Aiden, almost all of them were different styles of maid uniforms. After all, once the androids had their own rooms, they too stuffed their closets full.
"Today let's wear this one. It's Aiden's favorite set." Opening the wardrobe, she murmured softly as her fingers slid over the row of maid uniforms, finally taking out the one kept in the far back.
In fact, all her maid outfits were nearly the same, but Aiden liked them all.
Quickly dressing, the head maid stood before the full-length mirror and carefully straightened her uniform, then returned to tidy the bed.
Once everything was in order, she took a loaded pistol from under the pillow. Although the country was very safe, and she had never yet encountered a shooting incident, carrying a gun on her person and sleeping with it under her pillow had already become her habit.
Lifting her skirt, she slid the pistol into the thigh holster strapped there. Only then did the head maid leave the bedroom and head to the bathroom. After washing up, she went to Fabiola's room. She didn't knock, just opened the door and walked in.
Fabiola's room was warmly decorated. On the bed were many dolls she had bought with Aiden while shopping. She was, after all, still a girl in her teens.
Even though she now had skills surpassing elite professional soldiers, her girlish nature made her love everything cute.
At this moment, Fabiola was still fast asleep among the pile of dolls. Even though the phone on her pillow kept ringing nonstop, she acted as if she hadn't heard a thing.
"Becoming lazier and lazier. How will you ever be a qualified personal maid like this…"
Even Roberta, who could remain absolutely calm in battle, frowned and muttered. Then she yanked off Fabiola's blanket, exposing the girl's body in just a cute bra and shorts.
It was already past October, so the mornings were still a little chilly. Feeling the cold, the little maid, eyes closed, stretched her hands around searching for her warm quilt.
But instead of her blanket, she touched a hand, slightly hard. At once she snapped her eyes open in alarm.
"Roberta-sis…" Seeing the head maid sitting coldly at her bedside, the little maid immediately sat up, scratching awkwardly at her hair, messy from sleep.
Like a strict older sister, the head maid glared at her, her tone carrying a chill, "From now on, no gaming past midnight. At twelve sharp, you must be in bed."
"O-okay!" The little maid nodded quickly. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked in a small voice, "But what if Aiden asks me to play games with him?"
With some helplessness she said, "If Aiden calls you to play, that's an exception… Now hurry up, it's time to go buy groceries."
"Mm, mm, mm…" The little maid nodded vigorously, then picked up the uniform she had tossed by the bed last night and put it on.
Seeing this, the head maid shook her head helplessly. 'How long had it been? Where had the once-obedient Fabiola gone?'
Thinking this, her face once more turned stern. "Hurry up. I'll wait for you in the living room downstairs."
Saying that, she rose and left the little maid's room.
But as soon as she was gone, Fabiola, now dressed, lay back down on the bed. She planned to laze just a little longer. At worst she'd just wash up faster later.
However, she could never hide such little tricks from the head maid. Just as she was about to pull the blanket back over herself, the head maid poked her head back through the door, staring daggers at her.
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