Dio sucked in a sharp breath.
He had never expected Demeter to make a demand like that!
A goddess wanted him to take her out of this world?
Could he possibly agree to something like that?
Absolutely not!
Unfortunately, his life was currently in her hands, so refusing outright did not seem especially wise either.
“And don’t even think about lying to me,” Demeter added with a sweet smile.
“Mortals can’t deceive gods.”
She had neatly closed off his only possible escape before he could even try it.
Dio sat rigidly in place, completely unable to give her the answer she wanted.
“Can I refuse?”
He stared at her with a strained expression.
He truly did not want to agree to this.
The gods of this world had their divine power sealed while they lived in the Lower World, but that restriction might no longer apply once Demeter left it.
Taking a goddess into another world sounded like inviting disaster into his own home.
Who knew what kind of power she might wield once those restraints disappeared?
What if she turned on him after arriving in the next world?
What if her very existence as a goddess caused some kind of catastrophe?
Dio would go down in history as the idiot responsible for unleashing a divine calamity.
More importantly, he had no idea whether the Dimensional Gate could even transport anyone besides himself.
The previous time he had crossed through it, he had traveled alone.
Nothing about the gate suggested that it could carry passengers.
If he recklessly made the promise now, only for the gate to reject Demeter when the time came, she would be left behind.
Just imagining the consequences made his scalp prickle.
Naturally, Dio had no desire whatsoever to take her with him.
“You don’t need to answer immediately,” Demeter said.
“Take some time to think it over.
Until then, though, you’ll stay close to me and behave yourself.
No objections, right?”
“Can I refuse?”
It was the same question, but this time Demeter raised one finger and wagged it from side to side.
“Of course not.
Unless you’d prefer every god in Orario to learn that you’re from another world, can travel between worlds, and possess such….
an embarrassing Skill.”
Dio sank into despair.
He lowered his head and slumped into the chair as though every ounce of strength had been drained from his body.
So much for escaping one disaster.
He had only stumbled into another.
He had thought arriving in this world with such a promising Magic and Skill would open the door to an easy future.
[Slaanesh] was humiliating, certainly, but combined with [Dreamwalker], it had incredible potential.
His path ahead had seemed bright.
Then, before he could even begin planning his wonderful new life, this seemingly kind and gentle goddess had wrapped him around her finger.
“Goddess…”
Dio raised his head and forced out a smile that looked more painful than crying.
“You’re a deity.
Why would you want to follow an insignificant mortal like me out of this world?
You already have your own Familia, followers, responsibilities, and a respected place here.
Leaving all of that behind to start over in a completely unfamiliar world doesn’t sound like a worthwhile trade.”
Demeter tilted her head and appeared to seriously consider his question.
After a moment, a meaningful smile touched her lips.
“You’re right.
I do have a Familia, followers, work, and a place in this city.
But…”
She rose from the bed and walked over to the window, gazing out at the sky, which had been painted gold and crimson by the setting sun.
“I’ve lived in the Lower World for many years.
I wouldn’t say I’m tired of it, but very little here feels truly new to me anymore.”
She turned back toward Dio, an unusual spark shining in her eyes.
“But you’re different.
You came from another world—one I have never seen.
What is it like?
What landscapes does it have?
What cultures, people, and stories exist there?
I want to know.”
“Curiosity?”
Dio stared at her.
“That’s right.” Demeter nodded.
“As a goddess, I’ve watched countless children of the Lower World live out their lives.
I’ve seen their happiness, sorrow, love, hatred, births, and deaths.”
Her gaze sharpened with unmistakable interest.
“But another world is a place even the gods cannot reach.
You’re the first person from one that I’ve encountered in my entire existence.
Do you honestly believe I would let an opportunity like this slip away?”
Dio fell silent.
He had to admit that her reasoning was convincing.
Had their positions been reversed, and he had met someone from a completely unknown world, he probably would have felt the same overwhelming curiosity.
“But…”
He made one last attempt to resist.
“I truly don’t know whether the Dimensional Gate can bring another person through.
What if I can’t take you with me when the time comes?”
“That’s fine.”
Demeter interrupted him without concern.
“If it doesn’t work, then I’ll accept it.
At least I’ll have tried, and I won’t be left wondering what might have happened.”
Then her expression turned sly.
“But if you try to sneak away alone…”
Her smile remained perfectly pleasant.
“Do you think I could release my divine power and kill you before you escaped?”
Dio stared at her in silence.
The threat was so blatant that there was not even room to pretend it had been anything else.
“All right, all right.”
Dio raised both hands in surrender.
“I agree.
If the Dimensional Gate really can bring another person with me, I’ll take you along.
But I have several conditions.”
Demeter raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s hear them.”
“First, until we leave this world, you must keep all of my secrets.
No one can learn my true identity, where I came from, or what my abilities can do.”
“Agreed.”
“Second, while I’m testing how [Dreamwalker] interacts with [Slaanesh], you can’t interfere with me or casually invade my privacy.”
“That one…”
Demeter hesitated before eventually nodding.
“Fine.
However, you are not allowed to use [Dreamwalker] to harm innocent girls.
If you try to violate someone through their dreams, I will not ignore it!”
“It’s only a dream.
As long as I don’t actually do anything to them in the real world, stay out of it.
Deal?”
Demeter hesitated again.
Something done inside a dream was not so different from fantasizing about someone, was it?
Probably.
“Fine,” she said at last.
“Third, while I’m living in Orario, you cover all my expenses.”
“No problem.”
Demeter agreed without hesitation.