Chapter 305: Ereshkigal: Why Does Your Underworld Have Flowers?
Omphalos.
"Hahaha, what is all this? I feel like I need to wash my eyes♪"
After watching some Gintama, Elysia couldn't help but laugh. No wonder you have to abandon your scruples. "Everyone in there is a real 'talent,' and I love the way they talk. Whether it's the tsukkomi or the perverts, they're all hilarious. It's just, some of the scenes are so hard to watch."
"It's just as they say: 'Once you enter Gintama, it's a sea too deep; from then on, your scruples are a stranger.'"
"When you watch this, you can just toss your scruples aside. Whether you can pick them back up... that's up to you," Kenji said.
"Hachimi, given up on running?"
"Don't call me Hachimi. What's the point of running if I can't escape?" Sephir lay on the windowsill. "His power is even more broken than Oronis's. There's just no playing against that, it's too OP."
She had tried to run a dozen times in the last two days, but Kenji caught her every single time. She'd even run until her legs cramped in a dimension he created. Now she's behaving, just waiting for Kenji to feed her.
Seamstress, it's not that I don't want to go back, it's that I can't. Besides, aren't you the one who signed the contract?
"'Shut-in Princess,' what are you doing here?" Sephir was idly looking outside when she saw an old acquaintance approaching.
"?"
Xiadie didn't know Sephir "belonged" to Kenji now and was surprised to see her staying in Aohma for so long.
"Lady Sephir, why are you here?" Xiadie asked, confused.
"Oh, nothing. Heard some uninvited guests showed up, so I came to see." Sephir didn't mention the embarrassing details.
Xiadie nodded. She felt Sephir wasn't telling the truth, but didn't press.
"An aura of death... it's special. Looks like you're connected to the Underworld."
The blonde Eresh circled Xiadie. Pointy ears. An elf?
"This guest is...?"
A stranger. Xiadie had never seen her, but she could feel a kindred aura.
"Ereshkigal, Mistress of the Underworld. You can call me Eresh, like Kenji and the others do," Eresh said.
"Come on. I'll take you to find your sister."
"Eresh, you've already found the location of the Underworld, haven't you?"
"Found it a while ago. I was planning to check it out."
While Xiadie was still completely baffled, the scene shifted. The group arrived in a sea of flowers. The most obvious feature of this space was the fragmented sphere hanging in the sky, like a half-eaten moon.
"The End of the West Wind. The Underworld of Omphalos," Kenji said.
"Wait, why does this Underworld have flowers?" Eresh was losing her composure. "My Underworld... before Kenji came, it didn't have a single blade of grass. But this Underworld is a sea of blooming flowers. This isn't right!"
Eresh crouched down, touching the flowers, feeling a bit jealous.
"These flowers carry souls. That's... interesting."
"So familiar..."
Xiadie held her head. It was clearly her first time in this sea of flowers, but a familiar feeling welled up from deep in her heart.
"It should feel familiar. Here, this is for you."
Kenji took out an ice-blue crystal. This was a Memory Crystal from Fuli, containing all of Omphalos's memories to date. As an Aeon, Fuli had recorded it all instantly. "This one is related to you, Xiadie."
Xiadie took it. The crystal melted into her palm, and an immense flood of memories washed over her mind, but it caused no harm.
"Polypoetia... Senatos... Loop..."
Xiadie opened her eyes, a complex, ancient look flashing in her violet pupils. She had seen so much. She saw Sir Bai'e taking Fire Seeds from her time and time again, and she saw the sister she had forgotten. The impact was a tremendous shock.
Click... clack...
The sound of wheels rolling slowly on the ground was heard. A young girl in a wheelchair appeared.
"Long time no see, my sister... Polypoetia," Xiadie said softly. She had received all the memories related to Polypoetia and knew this was her sister.
"Sister? You remember me?" A look of clear surprise and joy appeared on Polypoetia's tranquil face.
"Mhm."
"I remember it all. So much has happened," Xiadie nodded.
A lot had happened. Omphalos had already been through so many loops. Dying over 30 million times... that feeling was... complicated.
"What a cute little sister! Do you not have any shoes? Do you need me to help warm up your feet♪?" Elysia asked with a smile.
"Er..."
Polypoetia shyly curled her toes. The gaze was too intense. Even though no one was touching them, it felt like small hands were rubbing her feet.
Bonk.
"Reel it in." Kenji tapped Elysia on the head. Her daily "episode" was acting up.
Xiadie blinked. She thought back to the "sterile" issue. Wait, are feet really that attractive?
"Since it's my first time here, I didn't bring a gift. How about a few light novels?" Kenji produced several novels as if by magic.
"Thank you. This handwriting..."
Polypoetia's eyes snapped open. She had clearly seen something incredible. Even after all these years, she still recognized Xiadie's handwriting.
Is the content... this 'shippable'?
"Wait, this isn't...?"
Xiadie panicked, trying to snatch the light novels from Polypoetia, but she was held back by Elysia and Eresh on either side, forced to endure a public execution.
It's over. My wonderful image as an older sister... it's all over.
"Tsk tsk tsk..."
Polypoetia flipped through the pages, clicking her tongue. How did I never notice before? My sister has this kind of hobby. Looks like my sister has been doing okay all these years.
Her intuition told her there were more than just these few.
"Sister, this is really well-written."
Polypoetia gave a thumbs up. She'd been alone for so many years; it was rare to find this kind of reading material.
"Uweee~~~"
The good ship 'Xiadie' has crashed. The blush spread all the way to her pointed ears.
At this moment, she wanted to ask Hei'e to just end her. Start the next loop! Then I can forget this shame!
(Hei'e: You have such a request?)
"Polypoetia, want to come outside with us?" Kenji asked.
"Eh? Can I?"
Polypoetia looked hopeful. She was all alone here. She was so, so bored. There was nothing. Even a few entertainment facilities would be nice, but there was only this sea of flowers.
If it was possible, she absolutely wanted to leave. She didn't want to be "sitting alone for eternity" here.
"Of course you can. I'm the most caring person there is. I can't bear to see sisters 'separated by life and death.'"
Xiadie: "..."
Polypoetia: "..."
Although it made them sweat a little, the description wasn't wrong. One in the living world, one in the Underworld... that's exactly what "separated by life and death" means.