"Welcome, people from the lower world. You have come far. And now, you stand before Turivel..."
Lower world?
So that's how people here call us, huh?
Then, the man descends from his throne.
"What a union you bring before me…"
He begins scanning us one by one, his eyes sharp but unreadable. His gaze rests first on Yomogi and Chantal.
"Descendants of the ancient wolf and panther. Bloodlines shaped by instinct, Earth, and Lightning."
Yomogi straightens beside me, a bit breathless. Chantal tilts her head with a lopsided grin, as if she's half amused, half impressed.
Next, his eyes drift toward Kimberly and Pinna.
"Women of Wind magic and boundless Cosmic logic. You are of the mystics and the empirics. You walk the border between miracle and design."
Kimberly lowers her head gracefully, and Pinna silently blinks once.
Then, his gaze shifts toward the tiny creature on my shoulder.
"A curious spirit. Something beyond simple creation."
"Kyuu!"
Puck replies proudly, like it understands everything.
The man lingers, then turns his eyes toward Salacia.
"You must be the kraken from the depth..."
And Salacia shivers from his voice.
Then, his attention moves again... this time to Manas.
"And you... a dragon who has reached the very summit of her kind."
Manas's eyes widen as if she's being recognized by this man.
Finally, he locks eyes with Lilith.
"And I believe you must be Lilith… Asmodeus's former general."
Lilith doesn't flinch and bows deeply instead.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Michael."
Ah, so his name is Michael, huh?
So, he's not just a high-ranking angel or some political leader here.
He's the Archangel.
And if Michael said she used to serve Asmodeus, that means the Demon Lord's name must be... Asmodeus.
Lilith straightens again, eyes lowered.
"I deeply apologize for what happened four thousand years ago."
Michael doesn't blink. His voice remains calm, almost gentle.
"It is fine. We were all created by the same goddess, after all. Such things happen."
Wait… what?
And I suddenly speak.
"Hold on… what do you mean 'created by the same goddess'?"
That's when Michael turns to face me directly, his expression doesn't shift, but his gaze sharpens just slightly.
"You are a human."
"Y-Yes?"
"And you don't know?"
"No..."
Then, Michael lifts one hand just enough to gesture around us.
"This world, Acrusse, and everything within it... the eight elements and the peoples of land, sea, sky, and subterranean were created by a single goddess. And the name she left behind for us was this world's name itself. Acrusse."
"I see..."
Honestly, I really don't expect this.
I've been living in this world for a long time, and only now do I find out that Acrusse has a goddess, let alone... this is a world named after her.
Then, Michael continues to speak.
"I must offer my apologies. This is the first time Turivel has ever received visitors. I fear the hospitality of our realm may fall short."
I bow slightly, reassuring him, and he replies with a smile.
"Thank you, Lord Michael. Just being able to discover this place with my own two feet is already more than enough for me."
"You are an interesting human..."
Then, he curiously asks me again.
"May I ask what your occupation is? "
"Ah, well… I run a store back in Remantia. And I'm a B-rank adventurer too."
His brows lift slightly in surprise with the faintest glimmer of admiration in his eyes.
"Remarkable. To build a life of commerce while rising through trials of strength. You walk two demanding paths with grace."
"Thank you, Lord Michael."
After that, Michael's gaze shifts again to all of us.
"And may I know all your names?"
"Oh, yes. I'm Motegi."
Then, I begin to motion toward them one by one.
"The wolfkin is Yomogi."
Yomogi bows gently.
"The pantherkin is Chantal."
So is Chantal.
"The elf is Kimberly."
Kimberly offers a serene nod.
"The automaton is Pinna."
So is Pinna.
"The kraken is Salacia."
Salacia also bows.
"The dragon is Manas."
And Manas nods.
"And this little one is Puck."
"Kyuu!"
Puck chirps from my shoulder again.
Michael's gaze passes over each of us again, and he repeats our names slowly.
"Motegi, Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, Pinna, Salacia, Manas, Lilith, and Puck. Your names shall be remembered in the history of Turivel as the first visitors from the lower world to ever set foot here."
"Ahaha… thank you… I, uh… really don't know what to say honestly…"
And I mean that.
I feel like a random guy who just accidentally walked into the VIP lounge of the gods, and they're actually congratulating me for it. So it's just a little overwhelming for me.
After that, Michael gestures to the figures on each side of him.
"Then allow me to introduce those who stand by my side."
He points first to the left, to a radiant man without wings, yet his very skin seems to shimmer with divine light. And Manas murmurs under her breath.
"This is Aloysius, Commander of Chastity."
"I feeleth an aura of unyielding purity…"
Michael continues, now gesturing toward a semi-transparent, cloud-like woman beside Aloysius. And Kimberly's eyes are wide.
"This is Cirra, Commander of Temperance."
"I can't... believe… I'm seeing… a nephele…"
Then comes a lively figure, a young woman with the aura of a dancer beside Cirra that captivates Yomogi.
"This is Menka, Commander of Charity."
"She's so beautiful…"
Next is a four-faced, four-winged man on Michael's right that left Salacia blinking in confusion.
"This is Tetrion, Commander of Patience."
"I don't even know what part of him to watch…"
Then, Michael motions toward a unicorn woman beside Tetrion, and Pinna already runs her analysis as usual.
"This is Selene, Commander of Kindness."
"Unicorn form, equine traits, aura aligned with benevolence. Consistent with folklore linking kindness to mythical purity. Correlation: high."
And finally, Michael gestures to a towering man with six vast wings rising behind his back that leaves Chantal overwhelmed.
"This is Kethriel, Commander of Humility."
"He's huge..."
Seven, again. But these aren't Sins, they're Virtues. With Cirra's and Selene's identities already clear, I silently use [Appraisal] to check the other ones, and the results are just as I expected. Aloysius is a saint, Menka is an apsara, Tetrion is a cherub, and Kethriel is a seraph.
Wait... it should be seven, right?
So I raise a hand gently to Michael.
"Sorry, don't you think you might've missed one?"
Michael blinks, then nods with a slight sigh.
"Ah... yes, forgive me. As for her… I imagine her welcome was… less than friendly..."
Her?
But before I can even form a question...
"HOW DARE A FOUL DEMON STEP FOOT UPON THIS SACRED REALM?!"
A female voice crashes down from above, sharp and unrelenting. When I turn toward it on instinct, a single white feather flutters past my face, and soon after...
CLANG!
I spin around and already find Lilith protecting herself from a swing of a massive greatsword with a black mist around her arm. The figure who holds the blade is a female with a golden halo above her head and a pair of white wings behind. And the two of them remain like that as Lilith giggles.
"Fufufu~... still as unfriendly as ever, hmm?"
Then, her voice lowers with mock affection.
"My darling Commander of Diligence, Brunhild~..."
Brunhild's greatsword remains locked against Lilith's black mist, but Lilith just keeps smiling and teasing as Brunhild's glare sharpens.
"Is this really how you treat an old friend, Brunhild~?"
"I do not recall being on friendly terms with someone who placed my entire battalion under a wicked spell."
"Oh, come on… I was a spy, remember~? What did you expect me to do? You're so mean, are you really still mad about that~?"
And Brunhild presses her blade forward even more.
"As I thought. You make light of everything."
So, given the way they talk... I think this is the angel Lilith once talked about from the war back then. Though honestly, I didn't expect this kind of welcome. But after hearing what Lilith did to her unit, Brunhild obviously has every right to be pissed.
And since Lilith is the former General of Lust because she's a succubus, it's no surprise that Brunhild is the Commander of Diligence too. Especially after I peek at her race through [Appraisal] and notice she's a valkyrie.
Then, Michael calmly cuts through the standoff.
"That's enough, Brunhild. There's no need to be so hostile to our guests."
Brunhild doesn't flinch, but after a beat, she lowers her sword. Then she turns, facing Michael fully before dropping to one knee in a graceful, practiced motion.
"Forgive me, my Lord. But my actions were necessary. No soul from the lower world has ever entered this sacred realm… let alone a foul demon."
Her voice is somehow polished, elegant, refined, and high-born. Strict and proper but also oddly beautiful, and it makes her feel like some aristocratic warrior princess.
Michael nods with quiet understanding.
"I know you are only doing your duty, Brunhild. And I understand your history with Lilith may still weigh heavily. But I ask you to welcome these people without judgment. They are more than their pasts."
Brunhild lowers her head even further.
"I cannot accept it in my heart, but if it is your request… then I shall comply, my Lord."
She rises to her feet, and the moment she turns her eyes toward us, I just stare.
Aside from her wings and halo, she's just breathtaking. Her face is gorgeous, just like Yomogi's and the others'. Her long, snow-white hair flows in waves down her back, and her eyes are icy blue, so clear they almost look lit from within. Her skin is pale, like whiter than Kimberly's even.
And I think Manas just loses both her title as the tallest girl and the one with the biggest breasts, because Brunhild has claimed those at once. Brunhild's height is almost the same as mine, maybe just a tiny bit shorter. Her breasts are enormous, her hips are wide, and her butt has that same round, full shape the others have.
As for her outfit, she wears a strapless white dress that clings to her curves. Her arms are adorned with elegant white gauntlets that reach her elbows, and her legs are hugged by thigh-high boots of the same color. At the center of it all, just above her eyes, rests a golden armored tiara.
Then, Michael finally introduces Brunhild to us.
"And this is Brunhild, Commander of Diligence."
After that, he introduces us one by one to Brunhild.
"This man is Motegi."
I offer her a polite nod. Her cold blue eyes flick to me, then slide away, unimpressed.
"The wolfkin, Yomogi. The pantherkin, Chantal. The elf, Kimberly. The automaton, Pinna. The kraken, Salacia. The dragon, Manas. And the small one upon his shoulder is Puck."
"Kyuu!"
Brunhild gives the tiny creature a neutral glance but says nothing. Michael pauses and then glances toward Lilith.
"As for the succubus, I believe no further introduction is needed."
As Brunhild's jaw tightens visibly, Lilith leans her body against mine, pressing her head against my shoulder as she murmurs with mock fear and smiles at me.
"Oooh, honey~... she's still so scary even after four thousand years. Won't you protect me a little~?"
Brunhild's gaze sharpens like a drawn blade, and I'm caught off guard by what she says.
"Heavily infected."
"Eh?"
"She has tainted your soul. I can feel it festering."
Then, without warning, she suddenly raises her greatsword and points it directly at me.
"You, human. You no longer deserve to stand upon this sacred realm."
"Huh?"
"I hereby challenge you to a duel. Should I prevail, I shall cleanse your soul of this demon's corruption."
And we're all shocked.
Once again, I'm dragged into some unexpected clash, and now the reason is even more ridiculous, as I'm deemed as tainted for just being with a succubus.
But then, I think back to my earlier encounter with Salacia and Manas, in their kraken and dragon forms, respectively, which were pure magic battles. As for Lilith... that was just sex, and it wasn't a fight. Then this one will be a real swordfight, one-on-one, with a valkyrie.
And honestly, I'm kind of excited.
"Alright, I accept your challenge."
Brunhild turns immediately and drops to one knee again before Michael.
"My Lord, forgive me for overstepping. But I request permission. Allow me to cleanse this human's soul."
Michael exhales, long and weary, as if this isn't the first time a holy warrior has gone off-script.
"Very well. But remember the rule."
"There shall be no blood spilled in this sacred realm. I understand, my Lord."
And just like that, she rises and begins walking across the hall without another word, and I hand Puck to the girls, and then I follow Brunhild.
**********
Once Brunhild and Motegi stop at their position, Michael raises one hand from his throne.
"Begin."
In an instant, Brunhild cries out and launches forward, swinging her greatsword down.
"Hyaaah!"
CLANG!
Sparks burst at the impact as Motegi raises Yamitsuki, his katana meeting the divine blade mid-swing.
Brunhild steps back with a sharp breath.
"Not bad for a corrupted soul..."
Motegi exhales, a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
"Sorry, is that a praise or an insult?"
Their swords clash again... once, twice, a storm of strikes too fast for ordinary eyes.
Brunhild's strikes are relentless, pure, disciplined, and radiant. As someone who bears a Judicator class, she's not only a peerless wielder of the greatsword but also a living vessel of divine purification, as she can dispel what she deems impure.
Even though Salacia can heal, her affinity lies with Water. It soothes injuries and mends wounds, but it cannot purify because only Light can do that.
However, Motegi, as usual, has already activated [Temporary Boost] and all his stats are now at infinity. And the most important stat is Intelligence because when it's pushed to infinity, his mind floods with every possible sword style, form, and counter. In return, it makes him move like a man who's trained for a thousand years.
Across the hall, the girls watch in silent awe.
"It's amazing. Motegi-chan… can keep up with Brunhild…"
"Motegi-kun and his sword… they're crazy..."
"So… this… is Motegi-sama's… sword ability…"
"Master and Brunhild are currently on equal ground. However, Master exhibits slightly higher adjustment speed. His adaptability increases with every exchange."
"Fight hard, darling! You've got this!"
"If this battle continueth… mine king shall triumph."
"I feel kinda guilty dragging honey into this. But if Brunhild actually loses, that would be unbelievable…"
And even Puck chirps like it's cheering for its owner.
"Kyuu!"
At the center, Michael watches with quiet wonder.
"Astonishing. For a human to push a valkyrie this far…"
The six commanders behind him remain frozen, stunned by what they see.
After another clash and locked blades, Motegi twists and slides to the side.
"You've got a big gap right here, Brunhild."
CLANG!
"Ah!"
He ducks low, sweeps under Brunhild's guard, and with one swift strike, Yamitsuki slams upward. Brunhild's greatsword flies from her grip, spinning across the floor before clattering loudly against the far wall. She gasps, and then cold steel brushes the base of her neck.
"I win this duel."
Brunhild stares at him, silent and wide-eyed. Her knees give out, and she sinks slowly, landing on the floor.
"I lost. To a corrupted human… no less…"
Motegi keeps his blade at her throat, but his voice softens.
"I don't really get why you keep calling me that. But you should know something..."
And he looks her in the eye.
"I love all of my girls. Every one of them. Even Lilith. And if that's what you call corruption, then I hope you learn to see it for what it really is."
Brunhild doesn't speak, but seven hearts pound behind him.
"Motegi-chan…"
"O-Oi… you can't just say that stuff out loud, Motegi-kun!"
"So direct… Motegi-sama…"
"Master, my emotional expression… is elevated…"
"Darling, you're gonna make me melt~…"
"Mine king… thy words be… unfair…"
"Oh, honey~…"
Michael raises his hand once again.
"The winner of this duel... is Motegi."
A chorus of cheers erupts from Motegi's girls as they rush forward to him. As for Brunhild, she remains kneeling where she is, and her sword lies far behind her.