Danmachi - Eldritch Apostle

Azathoth smiled at me before hugging me tighter from behind. I was shorter than her; she was, by my guess, a 185 cm tall lady.

"You two look like a great couple. I'm so happy that you found such a nice child, Azathoth. He shows potential to be by your side, although he still needs a lot of experience to gain in his new life."

Nekros finished his cup of tea and immediately refilled it with his godlike powers.

"You are her first and only reincarnation, so be sure to treat her with respect. She wouldn't ever pick up a soul to lead if it wasn't for me to convince her. Even though my involvement wasn't crucial for that, something was telling you to pick him up, right, Azathoth?"

Nekros glanced over at her for a moment. She still held me cuddled, but this time her grip tightened.

"That is right... I feel bad for fooling you, Niall. I'm sorry," she apologized for all the tomfoolery I'd been experiencing since I got reincarnated.

"It's alright, I guess. It's not like it bothered me that much. I'm just glad that my god isn't some kind of tentacle goofy-looking monster."

My comment made her laugh for a moment. "Haha, I can still change my appearance to that if you wish, but it's not like I like it either."

"Speaking of, Nekros..." Nekros reverted his focus onto me, amusement evident on his face.

"What are the names of those two reincarnators you are so proud of? Can you tell me more about them in general?" I asked.

Nekros calmly nodded as he sipped his cup of hot tea. "The one who's giving me the most trouble is Lyze, a child with powers from the Seven Deadly Sins. He's stubborn and hates my guts, but that doesn't stop me from loving and caring for his wellbeing."

Nekros paused to sip his tea before continuing, "The second is Minecrafter, who is called Steve. His full name is Stephen Hewer, but most people call him Steve. He's doing okay. I've given him a better start than Lyze, but I would dare say Lyze has greater potential, even though Steve has much potential too."

It seemed like Nekros had a favorite child, but I wondered why Lyze hated him since Nekros appeared so polite and formal. Some questions are better left without answers.

"Well, the tea was nice, but I have to go. It was a pleasure meeting you, Niall, and I will watch your career with great interest," Nekros said, winking at the end of his comment, obviously referencing Star Wars, which I always liked except for the sequels after the Empire fell.

"Going already? For the love of God, please don't just barge in like that next time. You almost made me attack you!" Azathoth released me from her arms, and I stood to my feet, intending to shake hands with Nekros.

"Haha, don't worry. I will be sure to inform you properly next time. Niall, once again, it was a pleasure to meet you. Just keep living your life and take care of your wife—ehm, I mean goddess."

I raised an eyebrow for a second, but before I could ask anything about that, he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"You are lucky to be under my care, you know? Nekros is older and a good friend of mine, but his way of doing things can be harsh..." She looked in the other direction before returning her gaze to me.

"What do you mean by that?" She sighed at my question. "Ehh, that Lyze guy he was talking so proudly of—Nekros beat him half to death. He says it was needed for Lyze's growth, but I say it's just his cruel way of doing things."

"Although I believe he had the best intentions, it doesn't change the fact that it's too cruel to beat his child like that." 

"But don't think I'll go too easy on you. I will give you challenges to complete and quests to undertake. I believe with your strength, you will manage to do them all. The only question is how you will approach them."

If I hadn't mentioned it before, her voice was motherly yet strong—a feminine voice.

"It seems that Nekros was right. I should've introduced myself properly to you from the very beginning instead of putting on that little act. Listen, I wanted to introduce myself to you after a little bit of time, but this is the best since Nekros was here."

"I am new to all of these outer-versal things. I was just a lone goddess roaming around the Void, spending time sleeping and lazing about. But now I have you to guide and lead you on the right path. With you by my side, I don't think I'll ever be bored."

"Why do you want me to unlock the underwater dungeon?"

My question seemed to surprise her for a moment. Looking down at me, she then turned her gaze up to the sky and began speaking.

"There's a reason, a good one in fact."