I slowly opened my eyes, which had squinted shut reflexively, to find myself at a seaside temple filled with the scent of the salt breeze. Perched atop a small hill overlooking the vast blue sea, the temple was a picture-perfect vision of beauty.
Despite the stunning view, my eyes were filled with nothing but exasperation as I turned toward the culprit standing beside me.
"Fate-san... I have a lot of things I want to say to you, but let’s start with this: why on earth are we in the Hydra Kingdom all of a sudden?"
Yes, I was currently standing at a temple near the capital of the Hydra Kingdom. This was one of the few nations in the Human Realm I had yet to visit, though I recalled Alice mentioning it was a country famous for its thriving trade.
"That’s an excellent question, Kai-chan."
"It’s not an 'excellent question'! I’ve been completely abducted!"
"I know, I know... it’s a long story, but..."
Fate-san completely ignored my protest. Narrowing her eyes as she gazed out over the sea, she began to slowly recount exactly how things had come to this.
It had all started several tens of minutes ago. Fate had been loafing around as usual in her temple in the Upper Level of the God Realm. She had just settled into a pile of cushions, having firmly decided to spend the rest of the day in that exact position, when it arrived.
"God of Fate! You’ve finally crossed the line!!"
"Whoa!? S-Space-Time God? Chronoa? W-What’s wrong?"
"What do you mean, 'what’s wrong'!? What happened to the status reports for the Hero Festival? Yours is the only department that hasn't submitted a single document!"
"B-But... what about the God of Life?"
"She finished ages ago!!"
Each of the Supreme Gods was responsible for one of the major nations in the Human Realm. Chronoa, the God of Space-Time, oversaw the Kingdom of Sinfonia; Life, the God of Life, was in charge of the Arclesia Empire; and Fate, the God of Fate, looked after the Hydra Kingdom. All the low-ranking Gods residing in those respective countries served under them.
Because the Hero Festival was scheduled for this year, they had more to do than just the usual reports on Blessings. They had to coordinate festival preparations for each country, manage meetings between the God Realm and the royal families, and finalize the schedule for the day of the event.
"I-I... work is a form of torture..."
"Don't be ridiculous! If you don't issue instructions, the low-ranking Gods can't proceed to the next stage of the meetings! In some cases, the Gods and the royal families are meant to co-host events. We won't make it in time unless you move immediately!"
"N-No, I mean, look, I’ve been doing my job properly until now... surely it's fine if I'm a little late..."
"Fool! You’ve pushed nearly all your responsibilities onto the Calamity God!!"
"Ugh..."
Yes, as per usual, Fate hadn't been doing her job. In fact, she had dumped almost every single task onto the High-ranking God directly beneath her, and Chronoa had finally caught on. Chronoa looked absolutely livid, her hair practically standing on end. She radiated an aura that suggested she wouldn't be letting Fate off the hook today.
Fate sweated profusely while trying to scramble for an excuse, but Chronoa let out a heavy, weary sigh before she could speak.
"Fine. Since you refuse to change your attitude, I have an idea of my own."
"A-An idea?"
"Yes. If you go there in person, the meetings should be settled quickly, wouldn't you agree? Go to your assigned country, the Hydra Kingdom, and participate in the negotiations yourself."
"Ehhh? I don't want to. Why should I have to do something so tedious..."
Fate voiced her complaints, having no intention of obeying Chronoa’s cold, deadpan directive. However, Chronoa simply watched her with a thin, sharp smirk.
"By the way, God of Fate... you’re looking forward to the Six Kings Festival, aren't you? It is, after all, one of the few festivals we Supreme Gods are allowed to attend."
"Y-You don't mean..."
"Indeed. If you refuse to work, so be it. But if your work isn't finished by the 15th of the Month of Light... consider your invitation to the Six Kings Festival revoked!"
"Gah!? H-How could you... You monster! You devil!"
"Call me whatever you like; the decision is final. If you don't complete the tasks I've specified, I will use my full power to block your entry to the festival. Don't you dare forget it."
With that ultimatum, Chronoa departed, leaving a dejected Fate behind.
"...And that’s how it happened! She’s a total devil, I tell you!"
"This is entirely your own fault, isn't it!?"
In short, she got scolded for slacking off, and her punishment was to handle the negotiations in the Hydra Kingdom personally. If she didn't, she’d be banned from the Six Kings Festival. So, she was reluctantly doing her job... and yet, no matter how I looked at it, Fate-san was the one to blame.
"Wait a minute. That doesn't explain why I had to be brought along at all."
"Well, you know, it was a whim!"
"A whim!?"
"Because, look, I’m being subjected to the torture of labor! I need some emotional healing. In other words, I need Kai-chan! So, let's get married!"
"Stop it, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Her logic was as nonsensical as ever, but it seemed I had been dragged here simply to kill time—to be someone for her to talk to during her breaks. It was incredibly irrational, but by now, I was more or less used to her antics.
"Hah... Well, I did want to visit the Hydra Kingdom at least once, so I guess it’s fine. But I can't help you with the negotiations, you know?"
"Oh, that's fine. The meetings are just between me and my subordinates. Kai-chan, you can just wander around and go sightseeing while I'm busy~"
"I see. Fair enough."
"And after that, let's go on a date!"
"I'll... take that into consideration."
"That’s the kind of thing people say when they’re definitely not going to do it, isn't it?"
I gave a non-committal answer to Fate-san’s proposal and surveyed our surroundings once more. I could see what looked like a port town a fair distance away. It was a large city, and even further beyond that—just a hazy silhouette from here—stood what appeared to be a castle.
"So, are we heading to that city first?"
"Eh? No. Let's meet up with my subordinates first. They’re waiting for me at that temple over there."
"Understood."
"Yep! Okay, here!"
"...Eh?"
From where we stood to the temple was only about two hundred meters. It wasn't a long walk by any means, but as I started to move, Fate-san spread her arms wide and looked at me expectantly.
"...Um, what are you doing?"
"Kai-chan, hold me~"
"Excuse me?"
"Or a piggyback ride! That works too!"
"..."
Seriously, what is this woman talking about?
"I’ll ask, just for my own sanity... Why?"
"Because walking is a pain!"
"What happened to your usual flying cushion?"
"Well~ I thought something like this might happen, so I left it—I mean, I forgot it!"
You definitely just said you left it on purpose. It was intentional, wasn't it?
"Right... let's just go."
"Nooo! Carry me! Give me a piggyback riiiide! Kai-chan, you wouldn't abandon me, would you? You wouldn't leave a delicate lady like me to suffer, right!?"
"..."
I desperately wanted to ask who exactly she thought was a "delicate lady," but I swallowed the retort and looked at her with exasperated eyes. Fate-san’s eyes were moist as she gave me a pleading, upturned look... a gaze that proved she knew exactly how to exploit my weaknesses.
I knew I was being soft, but I really didn't want to enable her laziness this time. I really didn't want to... I...
"Uuuu..."
"...F-Fine. A piggyback ride, then."
"Yay! I knew I could count on you, Kai-chan! My hubby!"
"Stop calling me that, it’s a total misunderstanding."
I let out a heavy sigh at her usual behavior, feeling a bit resentful of how easily I folded when someone cried to me. As I crouched down, Fate-san hopped onto my back without a hint of hesitation. Two soft mounds, far more substantial than her height suggested, pressed firmly against my back.
"H-Here I go!"
"Oka~y."
My heart pounded at the sensation, but I did my best to appear calm as I stood up and began walking toward the temple. Fate-san seemed to have shifted into total relaxation mode. She clung to me even more than I’d expected, resting her chin on my shoulder and draping herself over me like melted cheese.
"Hah~ Kai-chan’s back is so warm. It feels so good. I think I’ll just live here. I’ll spend the rest of my life on Kai-chan’s back~"
"Please don't."
As she spoke, her breath faintly tickled my cheek, and a sweet scent like sun-ripened peaches wafted from her. Her hair brushed against my neck, and the heat in my face began to rise. Overcome by embarrassment, I quickened my pace toward the temple.
Dear Mother, Father—I’ve ended up in the Hydra Kingdom with Fate-san. Her reason for dragging me along was as ridiculous as always, and the situation she's in is entirely her own fault. Truly, Fate-san is—quite a handful.
King of Sinfonia (Overworked) — Overseer: Chronoa Emperor of Arclesia (Vixen) — Overseer: Life King of Hydra (???) — Overseer: Fate
It feels like they all have overseers who match their personalities, in a way.