A Man's Romance
I was already on top of the clouds before I even noticed.
Above me, endless blue sky. Below, white clouds stretching on forever.
At first, I was a little startled. But I adjusted fast.
This isn’t my first time here.
“Akito.”
“Figures it’s you.”
The Goddess appeared before me.
She’d summoned me to this world, and given me the crafting magic—DORECA.
“Knew you’d call.”
“Thought you would?”
“Yeah. About the Saint Night incident.”
“Precisely.”
The Goddess nodded.
I’d anticipated this.
After all, Saint Night and I were summoned at the same time. And Saint Night… I sent her away myself. (…well, you know.)
I figured something like this was bound to happen.
“You’ve gone and done it, haven’t you?”
“Is that so?”
“Couldn’t you have fixed it?”
“Maybe I could’ve.”
I nodded. It was possible, just as she asked.
But I didn’t.
“I wanted Risha. So Saint Night became an obstacle.”
“Yeah… You’ve gotten stronger.”
“Huh?”
“The face of a human who wields power. The kind of face that’s used to it. Doesn’t question it.”
“You’re not complimenting me, are you?”
“No, I am. The world can’t be reborn without people like that.”
That’s right. The Goddess had asked for “world rebirth.”
To restore a world torn to shreds and utterly ruined by the Demon God.
That was her command. That was her purpose.
So I expected this.
Saint Night, who’d accomplished nothing, gets retired with no punishment at all.
“Besides…”
“Huh?”
“You’re still looking at me like that. Normally, power breeds arrogance. People become selfish, greedy.”
“Am I? I forced myself on a slave.”
“You don’t exploit the people. You don’t use them to feed your own desires.”
"Because there's no need to. DORECA's way is way more efficient."
And in that process, you can admire the slave, make them smile—see their face light up.
Twice as delicious. No need to squeeze it out of the common folk at all.
...Good thing I could call you.
Something about it didn’t make sense, but the Goddess smiled gently.
Don’t know why she thought that, but the reaction was fine.
"Anyway, about this..."
I pulled the DORECA from my pocket.
The Saint Night's Item, now just a normal card—DORECA, mine.
I showed it to the Goddess.
"What do I do now? What should I even return?"
Honestly, not needed.
I’d like to give cards to the slaves—but slave cards will do just fine.
No need to go through the trouble of carrying another card.
Take it. You'll need it someday.
"Yeah? Got it, I’ll keep it."
Slipped the second DORECA into her pocket.
No need to carry it around, but no obligation to return it either.
If having it might come in handy someday, might as well keep it.
"Is that all for today?"
"You built a nation. Your people are nearing ten thousand."
"Yeah, that's right."
Almost exactly ten thousand.
Considering how few real-world countries still exist with fewer than ten thousand people, that’s quite impressive.
"I’ll give you something nice when you hit a hundred thousand."
"What, that?"
"That’s still a secret. I’ll call you again when you reach a hundred thousand."
"Got it."
A hundred thousand.
The idea of a "nice thing" doesn’t exactly send a thrill down my spine, but we’ll get there anyway as we rebuild the world—might as well grab it when the time comes.
"Please."
The Goddess looked at me, then reached out and took my hand.
Straight on, eyes nearly begging.
"You’re the only one I can rely on."
Being begged by the Goddess.
Didn’t feel bad at all.
☆
I realized I was back in my room.
The royal city of Libek, in the palace—his own room.
He stirred awake, the ordinary sensation of it all.
“Was that… just a dream?”
He almost thought so.
But no, it wasn’t.
He sat up, stared at his own hands.
The feeling remained—the grip of the Goddess.
“Soft… and… surprisingly nice scent.”
The lingering touch told the truth: she had been there.
Or rather, it was making his heart skip.
The last time someone had held his hand…
Something odd settled in his chest—like warmth under his ribs.
Knock knock.
The door creaked open.
Risha peered in, face just visible.
“Ah, good morning, master.”
“Good morning. Come in.”
He allowed it. Risha stepped inside.
“Good morning, master.”
“Huh. Good morning. What’s up? Something good happen?”
“Eh?”
“You’re making that face.”
Risha ran her fingers over her own face.
“There’s… something, I guess. I wanted you to see it.”
“See it? Where?”
“Um… the office direction.”
“Got it. Help me with morning chores.”
“Yes.”
Risha nodded, then brought me my clothes.
I stared at the hand offering the outfit.
Something about it—more than the fabric—I reached for the hand itself.
“M-Master?”
“….”
I took Risha’s hand without a word.
“Risha.”
“Yes!”
“Hold my hand.”
I let go, then commanded.
Risha tilted her head, but obeyed.
Her hand in mine.
“W-What’s wrong, Master?”
“Hmm.”
I released her hand, then sniffed it.
Nothing else like it. No way to describe it.
But… goddamn, it smelled amazing.
“Master!?”
“It’s… good.”
“Eeeh?”
“It smells like a slave.”
“Well… I am a slave, after all.”
Face says, What’s that supposed to mean?
“Nothing much. Come on, let’s get to work.”
“Yes!”
Risha nods with a smile. The gem on her collar seems, if anything, to glow a little brighter.
I’m certain of it.
I like a slave far more than I like a goddess.
☆
When I arrived at the office, Nina was waiting there.
The moment she saw me, she dashed over.
“I missed you, King! Look, look, this is a new blueprint. I made it with First Slave Risha’s help—just for you, King!”
“Calm down, calm down. Blueprint? First slave—Risha, you mean? What’s going on?”
“Made it for you, King… puh-uh—”
Nina suddenly burst into a nosebleed, overcome with excitement.
I’d kind of expected it, so I dodged just in time.
“Alright, settle down. Risha, explain it. Wiping that later’s fine.”
She’ll probably bleed a few more times, anyway.
Risha, who had entered the room with me, nodded and began explaining.
“Um… Do you remember that warship blueprint you gave me before?”
“Yeah? Ah, you mean the one I drew on the ground and you copied?”
“Yes. We improved it together, and turned it into something actually buildable—this is the design.”
Risha pointed at a sheet of paper on the desk.
I leaned in to look.
Far more detailed than anything I’d drawn.
Too detailed for me to understand.
I could just vaguely tell it was… a ship?
“Huh. What the hell is this?”
“A land-bound warship,” she said, grinning.
“Not you. Risha, explain.”
I listened to Risha.
Still, Nina had already said it: a land-bound warship.
Big. Armed with dozens of modified Neetka cannons as main guns.
Yeah, this is definitely a warship.
"Ah. You've thought this through."
"You're incredibly strong, so you don't really need something like this."
"No, you've thought it through. Thank you, Nina."
"Puuu—"
She collapsed, nose bleeding.
Heaven-face, lightly ascending to the afterlife.
"Alright, build this."
"Eh?"
Risha startled.
"What's wrong? Why the surprise?"
"Umm..."
Risha fidgeted, her words stumbling out awkwardly.
"Speak."
"Yes. Um... the magic required for construction... it's supposed to be nearly ten million."
"Huh."
Ten million. That’s a serious amount.
"And besides, you're strong enough already, so you really don’t need something like this—"
"Risha."
"Yes!"
Risha snapped straight, spine stiffening.
"You'll take full responsibility for building this. Use the magic. It's yours to spend."
"…Understood."
She hesitated for a heartbeat—then, as a faithful slave should, accepted the command without protest.
A battleship. How delightful.