Chapter 98

       The place was enveloped in tension the moment Goddess uttered those words.

[Get into the point…. do you mean about that person?] ( Earth Goddess)

[That person, huh….] (War Goddess)

[Truly persistent….] (Sea Goddess)

       Everyone in this place remembered the same thing and deeply sighed at the same time.

[The fact that we, four pillar goddesses, have gathered…. what’s left is just that girl….] (Goddess)

[Well, it’s an impossible task for us and we can’t directly interfere either….] (War Goddess)

[We most likely are going to lose in nine cases out of ten….] (Eart Goddess)

[I thought so too….] (Sea Goddess)

[I never thought that person would be able to break the god seal and the seven supplementary seals that we placed ourselves….] (Goddess)

[It’s really troubling….] (Goddess War)

[I dislike it….] (Earth Goddess)

[Even though we put the seal with our utmost power….] (Sea Goddess)

[This might be impossible with the seal. I get the feeling that that person’s power is getting stronger than before] (Goddess)

[Can we do something about that peddler first? Or ask Wazu-sama to do something for us?] (Earth Goddess)

[It’s useless. It’s already a matter of time. The seal will be broken eventually no matter what we do now.] (Sea Goddess)

[I agree. Right now, we need to consider the actions we should take after that person revives.] (War Goddess)

[I thought so too. Because even Wazu-san won’t be able to win at his current state. First of all, we have to find a way to manifest in the world…..] (Goddess)

[ [ [ …………… ] ] ] (Earth, War, Sea)

       The silence flowed for a while, and then Goddess muttered these words.

[However, when that girl comes back….. I wonder if she will also fall in love with Wazu-san…..] (Goddess)

       The other three pillars responded to that remark.

[No, No, that’s impossible no matter what, isn’t?] (Earth Goddess)

[That’s right, impossible!!] (War Goddess)

[Yeah, that’s unlikely to happen…..] (Sea Goddess)

       Everyone had a subtle expressions, but that couldn’t hide their anxiety. No one could say it with confidence and just averted their eyes from each other.

[ [ [ [ ……………it can’t be denied!! ] ] ] ]

       It was spontaneous unanimous answer.

[B-But still, Wazu-san will choose me!!] (Goddess)

[No, it’s me. Wazu-sama is definitely seeking healing place on me!!] (Earth Goddess)

[No, No, it’s me. He is looking for someone who can fight on equal terms, that is me!!] (War Goddess)

[That’s wrong. He is looking for someone who will accept everything about him like the sea, that is me!!] (Sea Goddess)

       Everyone stood up while scattering sparks from their eyes. Then, Goddess put out her opened hand in front and loudly declared.

[If it’s so, then it’s war!!!!!!] (Goddess)

       The goddesses entered battle mode. The means of victory or defeat would be decided using Babanuki game.

(TL : More known as Old Maid card game but I keep the Japanese name for the reason bellow. It’s often played in anime so I’m sure you know how to decide the winner and loser at least. Click here for more details!)

.

.

.

.

.

       Sitting on all sides of the round table, there were plenty of played cards at the center. It wouldn’t be long until the battle settled.

       Because Earth Goddess and Sea Goddess were already out of the cards, the rest was only the battle of War Goddess against Goddess.

       Earth Goddess and Sea Goddess who were ahead in the game, stand from their seats and watch the two goddesses struggling with triumphed smile on their face.

[Good luck, you two~] (Earth Goddess)

[Fufu~….. How delicious this victorious tea…..] (Sea Goddess)

[ [ *gununu…..* ] ] (Goddess / War Goddess)

       Earth Goddess and Sea Goddess merrily enjoyed their tea as the winners. Being shown such a scene, Goddess and War Goddess could only grit their teeth in vexation. Still, the two goddesses never looked away from their opponent. That being the case, the number of remaining cards are 2 in Goddess’s hand and 1 in War Goddess’s hand.

       War Goddess made a gulping sound. Her hand slowly reaches out one of two card in Goddess’s hand, she grasped the card on the left side and grins when seeing Goddess’s reaction.

[I understand your habits. This is the correct card, isn’t?] (War Goddess)

       That was just a bluff. She tried to derive the correct answer from Goddess’s reaction by using those words. That was also the reason War Goddess never averted her eyes from Goddess. However, Goddess stared back at War Goddess’s eyes and laughed dauntlessly.

[What a stupid idea. I have no such habits.] (Goddess)

[Stupid idea? Don’t you realize it? I tell you the truth here.] (War Goddess)

[How foolish….. I can see that you are telling a lie.] (Goddess)

[ …………… ] (War Goddess)

[The reason I figure out that those words are a lie is simple. I guess you get nervous when telling a lie. There is sweat flowing from your left cheek after all.] (Goddess)

       Flustered because of those words, War Goddess released her hand from the card and touched her left cheek in hurry. However, there was nothing there.

[Fuh…. who is the liar here?] (War Goddess)

       War Goddess felt relieved because she wasn’t sweating. She then reached out her hand towards Goddess’s cards once again, but stopped halfway. The reason was because Goddess showed ecstatic smile to her for some reason.

[Fufufu….. kukuku….. hahahaha…..!! Are you sleeping? How stupid!! Is your head made from muscle? The important part isn’t that you aren’t sweating!! Your behavior just now confirmed that my words were right!! Your behavior was proof that you told a lie!!] (Goddess)

       The last words from Goddess made War Goddess finally noticed her mistake. Just as Goddess said, her behavior revealed her lie. It was a trap set by Goddess.

       War Goddess wouldn’t check her left cheek if she was telling the truth. But everything was a lie, so she moved without thinking after hearing Goddess’s words, because she thought that her lie had been found out.

       However, it was also a gamble for Goddess. She was doubting herself whether she really had such habits. Her heart was throbbing, but she won the the bet in the end.

       She won because she was lucky. Therefore, Goddess was convinced with her victory and proclaimed it with confidence.

[Now, please draw the card!!! Then lose!!!] (Goddess)

[Damn~~~!!!!!] (War Goddess)

       The war goddess realized her own defeat. She drew one card with a self-abandoning feeling. The picture of card she drew was same with the picture of card in her hands.

[Whoa, I did it!!] (War Goddess)

[Im-Impossible…..!!!!!] (Goddess)

       Goddess collapsed on the spot. On the other side, War Goddess, Earth Goddess, and Sea Goddess were celebrating their victory.

[It’s our victory!!] (Earth Goddess)

[We did it!!] (War Goddess)

[It’s a natural result.] (Sea Goddess)

       Apart from the three pillars that were pleased with each other because of their victory, Goddess was laughing darkly after she recovered from the collapsed position.

[Fufufu…..] (Goddess)

[Oh? Is the loser wanting to say something?] (Earth Goddess)

[Oi-Oi, is the loser dog going to howl now?] (War Goddess)

[It’s unsightly~] (Sea Goddess)

[I see….. it’s true that I lost in this game….] (Goddess)

[ [ [ ??? ] ] ]

       The three pillars tilted their heads because they didn’t understand Goddess’s remark. Then, Goddess uttered the following words.

[Certainly….. as the name suggests, remove the “baba” and all that remains is me, a young maiden!!] (Goddess)

(TL : ババ抜き= Babanuki, can be literally translated as remove the old hag (baba) or without the old hag (baba) )

[ [ [Why, you!! Bring it on, we are really going to war this time!!] ] ]

       The goddesses started again the game named war….