"What is the one thing that you want me to do? As long as it's not something bad, I'm willing to help for old time's sake," The Goddess of Life and Death answered.
"Don't worry. It's not anything bad. It's just something to do with the God of Time and the God of Space," Janus replied.
"The two guys who were his friends but stood against him? Are you going to scheme against them?" Eliena asked, getting cautious. She wasn't going to betray her fellow gods if that was what Janus wanted. It was against her consciousness and certainly something she couldn't do.
Janus didn't answer. Instead, he gazed in the pond, which had returned to showing two fishes that were circling each other.
"Why do you even want to involve them in it? I know they stood against him, but it's been so long. They have already stopped involving themselves with other stuff after that day, instead opting for staying in a separate realm, far away from others, not leaving even once," the goddess of Life and Death told Janus strongly.
"What they did and what it led to had a strong impact on them as well. Can you not involve them in your business? If you did and they found out, we would be forced into another useless war," she continued.
"Stop theorizing. I only said that my request is related to them, and you already started dreaming of doom. Don't worry… I have some common sense as well. They are too strong. The farther I keep him from them is the best. If they find out about him, things won't end like they did last time," Janus answered softly.
The Goddess of Life and Death breathed out a sigh of relief as she heard Janus' confirmation that he wasn't going to do what she thought he would.
She asked, "Then what do you want?"
She seemed calmer now. Whatever he wanted couldn't be that bad since it was just like he had said. He wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't do things that would put them in jeopardy.
Janus stopped looking at the pond, instead gazing in the deep eyes of the Goddess of Life and Death.
He snapped his fingers once again. Everything around them turned grey.
"It's your place. You don't have to cast your Domain since no one was going to be able to come here without your permission anyway," Janus answered softly.
Janus didn't comment on her words. Instead, he started answering her other question.
Janus told the Goddess of Life and Death what he wanted, exceptionally slowly. He wanted to make sure that she heard each of his words clearly.
The Goddess of Life and Death had vivid expressions as she heard Janus' words. She seemed to be getting more shocked the more she heard. Each of Janus' words seemed like a hammer that was striking against her ears.
Janus finished his explanation before he turned back and walked closer to the sun and moon fish in the pond, gazing at their shining selves.
The Goddess of Life and Death stood stunned, unable to collect herself together for quite some time. It was only after a long time that she was finally able to get her thoughts together
She opened her mouth after quite some time, only to scold Janus. "Did you go completely insane?" She asked
"No. I didn't go crazy. Why do you say so? I told you to do nothing that could be against your conscience," Janus answered, rolling his eyes.
Janus' words once again stunned her since he was right. This was not something that was against her morals but still, how could she do this? She didn't understand.
"You are right but still! This… This…" She tried to say something, but she failed to find excuses to give while finishing her sentence.
"Don't stress yourself. You are the only one who can do it, and I'm sure you will. Just think of it as a return for him helping you in his last days here," Janus answered, seeing what she was trying to do.
If she was going to do this, Janus wasn't going to stay back either. He was going to play his ultimate card in this situation— emotional blackmail.
"Help in the last days here? What do you mean?" The goddess of Life and Death asked, confused.
"You still don't know, do you? How my brother saved you," Janus answered as he sighed.
"What do you mean?" The Goddess of Life and Death asked.
"Who was the one that was really responsible for getting all gods against my brother? Who is the main reason behind this all?" Janus asked.
"It… Was the Goddess of Destiny," The Goddess of Life and Death asked Janus.
'Exactly. You weren't part of the last great war, but I'm sure you saw it in its entirety, didn't you?" Janus inquired again.
"You're right. I saw it," the Goddess of Life and Death answered, nodding her head.
The last moment of my brother, do you remember the two people that were in the range of his attacks?" Janus asked.
"This…"
The Goddess of Life and Death tried to remember about what she saw. It was still deeply etched in her memories, so it didn't take her long.
"What! How come I didn't realize it before? The two people in the range of his attacks were the God of Light and the Goddess of Destiny!" She answered.
Janus nodded his head, subtly. "Exactly. Why did he not kill the Goddess of Destiny then? The woman was one of the main people responsible for getting people against him, wasn't she?" Janus asked softly.
"Because he was in rage? He wasn't thinking clearly?" The Goddess of Life and Death theorized.
"Hah, you know my brother. Did you really thought he would lose his senses with just that much?" Janus rolled his eyes as if he couldn't even believe she was saying such things.
"You're right. He wouldn't. Maybe it was because he hated the God of Light more since he used to be a friend and then stood against him?" The Goddess of Life and Death asked, finding it difficult to find a good reason. She was just finding anything she could to make sense.
" Then he would have killed the God of Space first. He had many opportunities to do that, didn't he? If he really wanted to kill the three, no power in this world could save them. Instead, he killed the gods that came before him, not prioritizing anyone," Janus said.
His tone was not too loud or too low, but it was crystal clear. He continued, "It was only in the last moment when he had a choice, and he selected his long-time friend instead of the main enemy. Why?"
"Why?" The Goddess of Life and Death also asked this question again. She had given up.
A world-encompassing sigh escaped the lips of Janus as he inclined his head a little, gazing towards the sky.
"It was because of you," he answered.
"Because of me? How?"
"You want to know? It's something that you never knew. How he was fighting for you until the last moment," Janus answered in a melancholic tone as if he was finding it extremely sad.
"How! Tell me what he did!" The Goddess of Life and Death asked as her heart started beating faster. It was as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest.
Did Ryder actually do something for her at the last moment? What did he do? She couldn't be at peace without knowing.
"You really want to know?" Janus asked.
"Yes! Tell me!" Eliena said impatiently.
"Why should I? If you can't even do what I asked you for him, then you don't deserve to know what he did for you. It's better you stay ignorant." Janus let out, shaking his head lightly
"You, Janus, don't keep me in the dark! Tell me what he did! I'll do what you ask! I can do anything for him. Just tell me what he did!" Eliena said, seemingly angry that he wasn't telling her such an important thing.
"You will do what I asked?" Janus inquired softly.
"I will! Now tell me!" Eliena agreed.
"Fine. First, prove that you can. I will tell you everything after you finish it. I will also tell you his last words that he had told me to tell you. I kept them a secret until now as well. Since he lost his memories, I'm the only one who knows. You want to know these two things, do what I asked," Janus answered. His face was expressionless, not letting out his expressions.
It was impossible to know if he was telling the truth or bluffing.
"You are lying to make me do your bid!" Eliena let out.
"You can think what you want. If you want the answer, you'll do what I asked. If you don't want to, you can consider it a lie," Janus answered.
