Janus felt many emotions. Happiness, embarrassment, anger, resentment, and sadness. He didn't know why he felt the last three. He stopped thinking about it when her hand left his head. He became a lost as if he is missing something.

“Sorry. I couldn't help myself. I have this weird habit to touch anything soft.”

“Ah. It's nothing. But next time inform me. I was got off guard here.”

“Oh sure.”

Hidden in his bush, Hammond was dumbfounded. He then reminisced the time when his little brother would still let him pat his head. But now, he reached his rebellious stage. He went against him and decided to go work for the Lord of Fates instead of Janus. He suddenly felt bitter.

“Why didn't you defeat him?”

“What made you think I would be able to?”

“The punch you gave earlier was strong enough to one shot him.”

“True but I don't want to bring more animosity and I needed to understand how far they would go. It seems like I will have to use force.”

"Indeed. It's not the same as Earth where there are laws to protect you."

"Laws aren't omnipotent either..." dryly said Astrea.

“... Yeah. Let's not talk about that anymore! It's lunchtime right now. Would you like to eat together?”

“Does a god even need to eat?”

"No, but we still like to do it to experience the taste."

“Mmmh. Well, sure. We can eat together. You should also invite Hammond. He seems to be lonely in his bush.”

“Hammond.”

“I am here.”

“Well, shall we go?”

They took a platform and have gone to a high-class restaurant in the school city. They ate in a private room reserved especially for Janus when he comes to visit. The food here really was exquisite. They took their time while eating and so Astrea could finally ask her question.

“I forgot to ask but... what happened to my teacher? And shouldn't you have chosen Theodore instead of me?”

“This... is quite a complicated story. I don't know if I should tell you.”

“Please. Even if we stayed together for only one year, they are a second family to me.”

“... Sigh. Okay. I will tell you.”

“Thank you.”

“Your friend, Theodore, has been kidnapped.”

“!?”

"He got caught by an evil goddess to become her sacrifice."

“What's the difference between you and an evil one?”

"Gods are worlds' administrators. They must make sure it stays balanced. It can't thrive too much or it will eat away at its resources too fast and it mustn't be mistreated or it will suffer and die. That's why there are nature gods who take care of the planet, administrator god who establishes rules, and the evil gods who act like diseases and slow down the energy spending. They aren't necessarily bad. But the one who caught your brother... she is crazy. She likes to make her victims play deadly mind games for fun."

“Huh!?”

“They either die a gruesome death or they become insane from the torture.”

"We have to save him!" said Astrea as she suddenly stands up from her seat.

“Woah! Calm down! Your master is taking care of this. He has gone to free him.”

“B-but he is against a god...”

"He isn't going to fight her. We managed to negotiate and he has gone to get him back."

“Okay...”

'It's the first time I see her panicking this much. Those two must mean a lot to her...'

“Well, sit back. Hammond still hasn't finished eating.”

“Oh!? Don't mind me! We can go whenever you want.”

'I don't even need to eat. And I was too busy listening to what you said...'

“Oh. Sorry. Please take your time eating Mr.Devain.”

“Just call me Hammond. I will also call you Astrea. Okay?”

“Sure.”

'Huh!? Why!? What gave you the right to call her Astrea while I still call her Ms. Elysium!?'

As Janus thought that he stared resentfully at Hammond. Noticing his boss' resentful stare, he just smiled and said nothing more.

After they finished their meal, the two men accompanied Astrea to visit the city. The decoration was very medieval and it was very fascinating for her as she only saw photos of those kinds of sceneries. They to a museum and they showed her the various species she would see at school. They gave her a lot of information such as how they lived, what was their weakness and so on... They made sure she was prepared for when she would once again be assaulted.

When they finished exploring, it was 8:00 pm. They ate at a road stall and sent Astrea to her dormitory. It was another eventful day.

The next day, Cecilia was this time the one to knock on the door. They got down together and talked of yesterday.

“So you were with two handsome guys! How nice! I had to stay with a bunch of maniacs...”

“It wasn't so great you know. I got assaulted.”

“Hee! Who did!?”

“Morrigan Niall.”

“Oh! Her! No wonder. She was always singing her love to your brother disciple.”

“I heard it was because he compared us?”

"Un! But I think he compared with your much younger self. Because the description I heard is different."

“What did he say.”

"The part about your appearance is coherent on how you would look like before. But when he talked about your personality, it's totally different from what I heard. He said you were cheerful, energetic and overbearing. You liked to play pranks and often disobeyed your teacher."

“...”

“Well, people always change when they grow up.”

'Yes but not as much as I did...'

"About Morrigan. She isn't a bad child. She is just emotionally unstable because of her young age."

“You know that she is 532 years old.”

“What!?”

“Oh. You didn't.”

"But.. she really looks like a kid."

“I heard from Janus that after a person attained a certain level of power, they keep the appearance they had at this moment.”

“She must be a genius then.”

“But of course I am!”

In the middle of the corridor was Morrigan. Behind her was standing the giant Simon.

"I am the strongest necromancer in this school and number 29 out if the hundreds of teachers here!"

“Miss Morrigan? What are you doing here?”

"Kukuku... I came here to officially challenge Astrea Elysium to a death match!"

“What!?”

'Oh. So that's why those two took their time to explain the different duel system and weakness of each race yesterday. How thoughtful.'

“Sure.”

“Hee!? Astrea!?”

“Um! You at least understand you can't escape. Seems like you know the rule. Then we can sign the contract. Where is the administrator?”

Then someone ran toward them from behind the two intruders, panting.

"Gasp. I- I'm here. Ah... Please! I already told you to slow down before!"

“Yeah. Yeah. So, the contract.”

"Of course she won't do it." whispered the man "Here you go. The usual."

Morrigan got a pen out and then proceeded to sign it with her blood. She threw them at Astrea when she finished. She read it and also did the same.

The pen disappeared out of thin air, the paper multiplied into three. One flew to the girl, the other to the administrator and the last one stayed in her hand.

“The duel will take place in the Westhill cemetery at dawn, 3 days from now!”

"Heee!? But it's the first day of school!"

“Exactly what I wanted! See you then. Kukuku...”

After leaving with this sentence, Cecilia turned to look at Astrea just to see her indifferent face.

She got a little mad and questioned her.

“Why did you accept? You could have refused!”

“I can't refuse.”

"As she said." affirmed the administrator. "If you refuse, you get featured in the wall of shame and you receive a reduction of salary for the entire school year. You will also have to pay for damage and interest for the one who asked for the duel. You will be mocked by the student and teacher as being a weakling... Of course, Ms. Niall must fill a file proving what you did against her and the administration deemed it to be reasonable."

“But she did nothing against her.”

“Not her, but her teacher did.”

"Huh!? What does it have to do with him?"

"He destroyed the majority of Ms. Niall's puppets by using them as school experiment without authorization, stole her rare ingredients, left her lost in the infinite labyrinth and tore into pieces her cat plush toy, Misha. And as Mr. Kalvimani is unable to fight for the duel, as his disciple, miss Elysium has to replace him."

“Just because she is his disciple, she has to fight to death!?”

"When you take someone as a teacher, they become their second parents. If he is unable to fight for whatever reason, in the name of filial piety, the disciple will carry his master's burden." calmly said Astrea.

“That's bullshit!”

“Woah! Careful with your language miss Melba!”

“Calm down.”

“But!”

Astrea just patted her head.

“Let's go eat.”

“...Okay.”

"Take care of yourselves, Ladies."

The administrator waved at them and expressed his good wishes.

Cecilia just glared at him in hatred and ignored him. He was deeply hurt by this and left crying.