Got Engaged to the Man They Call Ugly - Chapter 11
Yet, to have an eternally youthful body and become the adopted daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom…
Who wouldn’t envy that? Could she really accept something this precious so easily?
‘People say nothing is free in this world. They warn you never to blindly accept good things…’
As if sensing her internal struggle, Nerva smiled softly when their eyes met.
Her calm, laurel-leaf-green eyes carried a reassuring charm that made her instinctively want to trust her.
…But since it’s from the Goddess of Wisdom, maybe it’ll be fine?
Entranced by that gentle gaze, she swallowed the fountain water without thinking.
Gulp.
She felt it slide down her throat.
…It doesn’t taste like anything special.
She smacked her lips curiously, then her eyes widened in shock.
The huge pond, almost as big as a swimming pool, suddenly dried up completely, as if someone had just pulled the drain plug out of a bathtub.
“Elinne the Mortal!”
As she hesitantly stepped back, worried she’d done something wrong, a strong hand gripped her firmly.
“From this moment, you are my adopted daughter and my sacred kin. I, Nerva, Goddess of Wisdom and War, declare it!”
With that fierce proclamation, Nerva slammed her spear against the ground. Her voice was utterly unlike the gentle tone she’d used before, it was sharp and commanding, like when she’d rebuked Vishtar.
“And I hereby grant you the position of Tactician in the Kingdom of Metis, the land of wisdom and gold under my reign.”
“W-who, me?”
Standing dumbfounded, she blurted out a stupid response.
She felt as though she’d found a designer bag full of money on the street and dutifully taken it to the police, only to be told she could keep both bag and cash because no owner appeared.
Part of her wanted to jump for joy at her sudden good fortune, while another wondered if it was really okay to accept it.
Someone once told her:
There are no free lunches, and nothing easy ever comes without a cost.
“Yes. But if you don’t perform your duties well, even with all that vast wisdom, you’ll find yourself relegated to calculating and distributing supplies for soldiers.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’m not the kind of goddess who gives special favors just because you’re my child.”
And sadly, her uneasy premonition wasn’t wrong.
“Remember, I’m also the Goddess of War. Therefore, as my adopted daughter and tactician, you must cultivate the virtues fitting your role. You’ll attend daily prayers and training without fail, starting tomorrow morning.”
For a brief moment, she had a terrifying thought.
…Maybe it would’ve been easier to just die from that chandelier at the museum.
“Oh dear, Elinne. Have you changed your mind already and wish to descend to the underworld?”
“N-no! I’ll do my very best!”
“Yes, that’s the spirit.”
Watching Nerva smile warmly, she sighed inwardly.
Still, becoming the daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom seemed a lot better than going to hell.
* * *
“Oh, Elinne! My personal goddess of beauty!”
Actually, hell might’ve been preferable.
She buried her head deeper beneath her blankets, groaning at the voices shouting from outside her window at dawn.
Here in 『Metis』, a kingdom ruled by Nerva, Goddess of both Wisdom and War, the people were aggressive and fiercely passionate, true to their country’s nature.
Regardless of gender, everyone was required to train in weaponry, constantly obsessed with improving themselves.
In short, it was a terrible place for a lazy modern-day person like her.
Worst of all was the Metisians’ daily routine of being early to bed, early to rise, morning exercises before dawn, literally living what people called a “godly life.” [1]
Because of that, she had to rise at the faint crack of dawn, even before Helion, the Sun God, made his appearance.
She didn’t even need a smartphone alarm to wake up that early.
“Oh, Elinne!”
“My love! Please, show us your lovely face, even just once!”
Because those damned suitors’ nauseating cries served as a perfect alarm.
How they could even enter the Goddess of War’s palace was an utterly pointless question to ask, considering most of these idiots were war heroes or noblemen of Metis.
Listening to her daily “morning alarm,” Elinne rubbed her aching temples.
Ever since the incident with the Golden Apple, she avoided all men like the plague. She never knew when or where Vishtar’s curse might strike.
Thus, even though she couldn’t avoid encounters altogether, she tried to avoid deep conversations as much as possible.
Translator’s note: [1] ↩
