Kousuke, Asura, the three great goddess sisters, and Clara were all touring the floating island that had been completed after some fine-tuning.
“So this is how it turned out. It’s quite good, isn’t it?”
As Asura said this, Clara, who had been trailing at the very back, let out a sigh of obvious relief.
Of course, she did it secretly, so Asura wouldn’t notice.
Spica, who was walking beside her, patted Clara’s shoulder.
This was finally the end of the floating island’s creation, which had begun with Asura’s grand command after a long time.
However, Asura’s plan was not simply to create the floating island.
Rather, for Eris and the others, this was where the real challenge would begin.
While the goddesses were preoccupied with their own thoughts (?), Kousuke strolled leisurely beside Asura, engaging in conversation.
“I feel the same way. As expected of goddesses who govern the world.”
“What are you talking about? If it weren’t for Kousuke’s Sky Stone, this plan wouldn’t have been possible?”
From Asura’s perspective, the land covering the floating device and the natural objects like mountains that sat upon it were merely abilities of a god who managed the world.
In comparison, Kousuke’s power to create the Sky Stone was truly a part of his power as a creation god.
When asked which was superior, the power to manage using what exists in the world, or the power to create the world itself, to Asura, the latter was undoubtedly superior.
Unaware of what Asura was thinking, Kousuke wore a thoughtful expression.
“Well, I just added various modifications to the Sky Stones that were already made.”
To Kousuke, who genuinely thought so, Asura and the other goddesses could only smile in silence.
They understood that this was Kousuke, for better or worse.
“Come on. Well, that’s fine, but just remember that without Kousuke, this plan couldn’t have been conceived.”
“Understood.”
Kousuke replied with a bitter smile to Asura’s insistence.
Kousuke and the others, who were strolling leisurely on the ground (?), proceeded directly to the castle.
The final destination was not the castle itself, but the main mechanism of the floating island located behind it: the floating device.
However, even though it was a device, all that could actually be seen were the giant Sky Stone floating in the center of the room and the walls.
On three of the four walls, excluding the entrance, neon-like light emanated, with characters and drawings used in magic circles occasionally shining.
These served the role of making the floating island hover in space.
Kousuke felt a bit embarrassed seeing the underside of a device he had created, and had tried to hide the visible walls themselves, but was stopped by the goddesses who had overseen the work, and he gave up.
They had gone along with the momentum, thinking that since it was an effort, they should consider it part of the decoration, and that’s how it turned out.
Asura let out a sigh of admiration as she looked at the numerous magic characters that were Kousuke’s masterpiece, left behind by the goddesses’ efforts (?).
“……This is truly amazing.”
“Huh? Really?”
Kousuke, who had never expected Asura to say such a thing, looked utterly bewildered.
Kousuke still didn’t fully grasp what he had done.
In his mind, he felt like he had just continued his work with the same approach as before.
Asura sighed in exasperation at Kousuke.
“That’s right. Well, since I know what kind of person Kousuke is, I won’t say any more about it.”
“Hmph…”
Still not quite comprehending, Kousuke received reproachful glances from the other goddesses.
However, Kousuke was so dense at times that he was completely oblivious to their gazes, as if he couldn’t understand what they were thinking.
“Be that as it may, as the others said, this is certainly interesting as a decoration. It’s fine to touch it, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. If it had any effect just by touching it, I would have made sure it wasn’t exposed from the start.”
The magic circles that appeared on the walls were merely the result of events that had occurred.
Since the results were already manifested, stopping the phenomena visible on the surface would have no effect.
To put it simply, it’s the same as covering a lit light bulb with your hand; it doesn’t turn off the light itself.
Of course, measures had been taken to prevent it from being easily extinguished.
However, rather than Kousuke processing it, it was the goddesses who insisted on leaving the walls as they were, who enthusiastically implemented protective measures.
When Kousuke mentioned this, Asura burst into chuckles.
“Well, seeing this, I can understand why you’d want to do that.”
As Asura said this, the three sisters and Clara behind her nodded in unison.
Those four were also implementing various protections in this room.
Perhaps sensing the atmosphere, Asura’s expression suddenly turned serious.
“…Yes. Since it’s an effort, perhaps I should try something too?”
“?!”
The other five people were stunned, never expecting Asura to say such a thing.
Seeing their reaction, Asura looked slightly hurt.
“Oh. Are you planning to leave me out?”
“N-no, that’s not what we intended! It’s just that this floating island will be moved to Asgard, so we were wondering if you really meant it…”
Eris hastily explained, but Asura waved her hand dismissively.
“It doesn’t matter. My use of power won’t be revealed anyway. And even if it is, I don’t mind.”
If it were known that Asura’s power was in this room, it’s more likely that someone with such power would have noticed Asura’s existence from the beginning.
Much like when Kousuke discovered traces of Asura in Gazenran Tower.
Asura’s thinking was that even if that were the case, it would still be fine.
Eris was merely surprised, not trying to stop Asura.
Therefore, Asura proceeded to exercise her power in front of the five watching.
“By Asura’s name, I command the world. Show me the power that allows no one to approach, by my authority.”
It was a simple incantation, yet all the powers within the divine realm gathered in the room where Kousuke and the others were.
The protective measures already in place in the room, which even Kousuke thought were impossible to break, became even stronger with Asura’s incantation.
If asked to break these protective barriers now, he would immediately answer that it was impossible.
And Eris and the others had different impressions than Kousuke, but he didn’t notice.
After all, trying to break a barrier created by the absolute god from whom the world originated is itself an impossible feat.
Ignoring the surrounding gazes, the person in question nodded with a satisfied expression.
“This should be enough. …What’s wrong?”
Finally sensing the atmosphere around her, Asura asked.
“No, your exercise of Asura’s authority was so magnificent that I was mesmerized.”
“Wh-what?! What are you suddenly talking about!”
Taken aback by Kousuke’s sudden words, Asura became flustered, and the people around them cast exasperated glances at Kousuke.
Of course, Kousuke had uttered the previous line without realizing it.
It’s very rare for Asura to seriously exercise her power.
Honestly, it’s the first time, or so it seems from the author’s memory.
(The one she used when she first met Kousuke doesn’t count.)
