Chapter 6: A Shift in the Storyline
Lucretia Zola was a magus known by the title of the Witch of Sardinia, a woman who had maintained a deep friendship spanning several decades with Godou Kusanagi's grandfather.
This woman was one of the key figures responsible for setting Godou Kusanagi on the path to becoming a Campione.
She lived in a rather secluded spot within the small town of Oliena, having built a house right near the edge of the forest.
The stone house sitting in the small yard gave off a deeply ancient aura, one that practically radiated from the entire structure. On top of that, there were no other houses anywhere nearby, giving the place an incredibly quiet and isolated atmosphere.
Yumesaki looked out across the yard, noting that the inner grounds were completely filled with overgrown wild plants tangled together in a messy display.
It was blindingly obvious that the owner of this place had absolutely zero interest in gardening, leaving the weeds and wild growth inside the yard to run completely rampant.
Of course, there was also the distinct possibility that she was simply too lazy to clean it up.
Before Yumesaki could even raise a hand to knock on the door, a heavy creaking sound rang out, and the door swung open all on its own.
As Yumesaki and Erica stepped inside, a black cat was already waiting for them right at the main entrance.
Even though this cat possessed a beautifully slender body and soft, sleek fur, its overall appearance did not look cute in the slightest.
Without waiting, the black cat led them deeper into the house, bringing them to a room that looked very much like a bedroom.
The room was filled to the brim with the heavy scent of herbal plants, and the interior was an absolute mess. On a bed positioned further inside, a woman was sitting up, with only the upper half of her body raised upright.
"Welcome, both of you, to my humble abode. I am Lucretia Zola."
Yumesaki cast his gaze toward the woman before him. She was a beautiful lady dressed only in her underwear, welcoming her guests while lounging casually across the bed. Her vacant, dreamy stare radiated an incredible, almost intoxicating charm, and her long linen-colored hair was exceptionally beautiful.
She looked to be in her late twenties.
However, as a dear friend of Godou Kusanagi's grandfather, this woman's actual age was even greater than Tsunade's.
The only reason she looked so young was because her personal Magical Energy had reached an incredibly mature and refined level, allowing her to flawlessly maintain her beautiful form.
This was, after all, the exclusive privilege of a Witch.
Erica possessed a similar capability as well; even after decades passed by, her physical appearance would not undergo any drastic changes.
Furthermore, the reason Lucretia was displaying herself in this state wasn't because she was some kind of exhibitionist.
Rather, it was because she had severely overplayed her hand.
Anyone who knew the storyline was well aware of what happened. After Verethragna broke free from his mythology and descended into the mortal realm as a Heretic God, he went searching for his own defeat, practically begging for a devastating blow.
Naturally, that desire triggered the arrival of the God King, Melqart.
The two entities clashed fiercely on the Island of Sardinia, resulting in a battle that left both sides utterly ruined.
One was severely wounded and yet to recover, hiding away inside a hidden shrine, while the other had lost his memories and even his physical incarnation.
As for Lucretia, she had attempted to intervene and stop the two Gods during that clash. The result of her interference was the catastrophic injuries she sustained, leaving her fit only to lie here like a corpse, slowly recovering day by day.
Even so, Yumesaki actually quite admired the choice she had made.
For the sake of protecting the Island of Sardinia, even while knowing damn well she was no match for them, she had still stepped forward to do everything within her power.
In the old days, a person like that was called a hero.
Because Yumesaki respected her resolve, he casually cast a healing spell in her direction.
In an instant, Lucretia felt her severe, crippling wounds mend themselves at a speed that could be tracked with the naked eye.
Within a mere matter of seconds, she was completely healed.
"Incredible."
Lucretia stood up straight from the sofa and offered a deeply graceful bow toward Yumesaki. "Thank you for the divine assistance, O Great God."
As a Witch who had lived for decades, she immediately understood Yumesaki's true identity.
Unlike Erica, who was a relative newcomer and not an absolute expert, Lucretia was someone who had encountered Gods before, and more than just one.
The divine aura radiating from Yumesaki was something she could never possibly miss.
"Don't mention it."
Yumesaki casually pulled up a chair and took a seat. "The reason I healed you comes with a condition. I want to see your book collection."
Having lived for decades as a premier Witch, the Grimoires Lucretia had amassed were far more extensive than just one or two simple books.
Among them were rare texts that were entirely unique, the only copies existing in the world.
For instance, the Grimoire of Prometheus.
That specific item was another major reason why Godou Kusanagi was able to become a Campione in the original timeline, given its unique ability to transfer or even steal divine authority.
Godou Kusanagi had used that very object to steal Verethragna's divine power and slay him.
Of course, the item wasn't currently in Lucretia's hands; it was in Godou Kusanagi's possession.
But if things went according to script, Godou Kusanagi should already be well on his way to this very house.
Aside from the Grimoire of Prometheus, Yumesaki was genuinely curious about what other kinds of Grimoires Lucretia had tucked away in her collection.
"I see. So the God has come for my book collection? Of course, that is absolutely not an issue."
Lucretia understood perfectly well that she could never oppose the will of a God, especially one who had just fully restored her health.
Because of that, she agreed without a single moment of hesitation.
"Very good."
Yumesaki cast an approving glance at the woman, speaking in a calm tone. "I won't make you give them up for nothing. In return, you will receive some alternative magical knowledge from my own hand."
Lucretia froze, completely caught off guard by the unexpected stroke of good fortune.
This was an incredibly massive gain.
Once she quickly finished getting fully dressed, she immediately guided Yumesaki toward her private library archive.
Yumesaki picked up a Grimoire at random, opening it up and flipping through the pages with genuine interest.
Seeing him engrossed in the text, Lucretia quietly backstepped out of the room.
Stepping out along with her was Erica.
"Ah, how should I address you, young lady? And what exactly is your relationship with the God?"
Once they were clear of the doorway, Lucretia turned a curious gaze upon Erica, speaking up to ask her question.
"Erica Blandelli, Great Knight of the Copper Black Cross. Due to various twists of fate, I am currently traveling alongside the Lord God."
Hearing that name, a sudden look of recognition dawned on Lucretia. "Ah, so you are Sir Paolo's niece. I've heard rumors about you more than a few times. Looking at it this way, the reason you came out to a remote place like this must have been for that Heretic God. Your actions are truly daring."
"You praise me too much."
"How exactly did you encounter this God?" Lucretia asked, her curiosity piqued.
Erica then proceeded to recount the entire sequence of events from when she first crossed paths with Yumesaki.
The two women conversed as they walked, eventually making their way back to the living room.
Lucretia listened in silence until the story concluded, pouring a fresh cup of coffee for Erica. "Hearing you describe him like that, this Shinigami seems to be a rather benevolent God."
"At least for the time being, Lord Yumesaki is not a cruel deity."
Lucretia let out a long sigh of relief. "That is truly a massive relief. There are already two Heretic Gods running loose on the Island of Sardinia. If this one also happened to be tyrannical, Sardinia would likely be reduced to nothing but history."
Erica nodded her head in absolute agreement, taking a small sip of her coffee. "I share the exact same sentiment."
"But thinking about it further..." Lucretia traced her fingers along the rim of her coffee cup. "I never expected this God to actually be an entity originating from another world. That is an incredibly rare phenomenon."
"Who could have ever guessed?"
Erica flashed a bitter, wry smile. When it came to Gods from other worlds, she had never even heard of such a concept existing.
Yet now, one had materialized right in front of her face without any attempt to hide it. It had taken her quite a while to finally wrap her head around the reality of the situation.
"Um... excuse me, is anyone inside?"
Right at that moment, a youthful voice echoed from outside the front door.
Erica's eyes flickered with amusement, a small smile playing on her lips. "It seems the grandson of your old friend has arrived."
"You mean Godou Kusanagi?"
Lucretia realized it instantly as well, remembering the email she had received not long ago from Godou Kusanagi's grandfather, informing her that the boy would be dropping by for a visit.
"In that case, you two must have already crossed paths on the road."
Erica nodded her head. "We met once."
As she thought back to that moment, she couldn't help but make a cynical remark in her own mind. 'If I hadn't crossed paths with Yumesaki, the current me would probably be standing right next to Godou Kusanagi, coming along to visit you together.'
Lucretia signaled the black cat to welcome Godou Kusanagi inside, greeting him with a warm, friendly smile. "You must be Godou Kusanagi, correct? Ichirou explained the entire situation and his reasons for sending his grandson here in his email, so I've been waiting for you."
"Huh?"
Because Godou Kusanagi had never interacted with Erica in this timeline, he was completely oblivious to things like Heretic Gods, magic, or the supernatural world.
He could only stare blankly at Lucretia like an idiot.
In his memory, a person who could maintain a deep friendship with his grandfather for decades should have been an old, wrinkly grandmother.
Why on earth was the person standing before him a gorgeous woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties?
"Are you really Grandma Lucretia?"
"Grandma?" Lucretia couldn't help but snap a sharp glare directly at Godou Kusanagi. "That is incredibly rude. Do I look like an old grandmother to you?"
Godou Kusanagi quickly shook his head in panic.
Lucretia added, "Maintaining a youthful physical body is a special privilege reserved only for a Witch whose Magical Energy has reached complete maturity, you know."
"Huh?" Godou Kusanagi was left utterly dazed once again. What kind of Witch? What on earth was this woman talking about?
Lucretia let out a soft sigh. "It seems Ichirou didn't tell you a single thing."
Godou Kusanagi was entirely filled with confusion, unable to grasp her meaning. However, now that he had confirmed Lucretia's identity, he reached into his backpack, pulled out the Grimoire of Prometheus, and held it out toward her.
"To cut a long story short, please take this first... this was originally Miss Lucretia's property that was left behind in Japan, which my grandfather arranged for me to return to you."
The Grimoire of Prometheus was referred to as a Grimoire, but in reality, it was a solid stone tablet.
Carved onto its surface was the detailed image of a man bound tightly in heavy chains.
The reason it wasn't an actual book made of pages was because the artifact was an ancient relic dating back to the Mythological Era, a time when paper didn't even exist.
In those ancient times, Grimoires created by Gods to pass down their divine wisdom and power were crafted out of stone tablets.
After all, stone could endure far longer across the ages compared to simple parchment paper.
Furthermore, stone had no fear of howling winds or torrential downpours, and with the added protection of divine power woven into it, the artifact could be preserved for an immensely long time.
Lucretia reached out to take the Grimoire of Prometheus, a pleasant smile gracing her features. "This is an immense help, Godou. Thank you very much."
If this had been the past, she might not have paid much attention to this particular Grimoire.
In fact, she would have gladly handed the Grimoire over to Godou Kusanagi permanently.
But things were completely different now. A literal God was currently browsing through her library collection.
Perhaps this specific Grimoire of Prometheus could be the key to gaining even greater benefits for herself.
On the other side, now that Godou Kusanagi had successfully delivered the stone tablet, he let out a massive sigh of relief. With his mind completely at ease, he politely said his goodbyes to Lucretia.
Lucretia made no effort to keep him there, instead carrying the stone tablet straight back into her private library archive.
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