Goddess, Laughter, and a Forbidden Deal

"A god? You're mistaken." Zenyph chuckled nervously and took a few steps back from the woman with dazzling purple eyes.

The woman chuckled and said nothing as her purple irises traveled downward across Zenyph's body causing him to flinch involuntarily. Her lips curled upwards as he reacted instinctively to her stare and she slowly leaned forward with an expression that reminded him of Lynette.

"Oh please forgive this one for her actions," The woman's seductive smile widened even further and Zenyph couldn't stop his eyes from trailing up from her exposed collarbones and past her perfect neck as she tilted her chin to the side and stared down at him playfully.

"One cannot blame such a divine specimen of a man to be tempted so easily."

"I agree my lady," Zenyph replied calmly and regained control of his emotions before continuing with his original intention of escaping the awkward situation by creating distance between them.

"Yet it wouldn't be proper of me to fall prey to your charms,"

"Therefore I must decline your advances," said Zenyph while backing away cautiously as he kept eye contact with the enchanting woman.

"Wait!" the woman exclaimed excitedly with her finger pointed at Zenyph's face.

"Your reaction is exactly as I imagined it."

"Impossible!" She exclaimed while pressing both palms against her cheeks and shaking her head in disbelief.

"No mortal has ever resisted my gaze before,"

"To think you not only avoided succumbing to my allure but also displayed indifference at the sight of my glorious physique,"

"And you even rejected my advance with such refined and eloquent vocabulary," the woman rambled with a strange look of ecstasy on her face.

"You truly are my Ze-" Before she could finish her sentence the sound of crashing waves interrupted her speech. Suddenly Zenyph's mind clouded over and he found that he could no longer move his body without immense difficulty. Not only was he rendered immobile but he felt a piercing pain in his abdomen that made him want to scream out in agony.

"What is the meaning of this goddess?" asked the lake lady. "Were you planning to deceive me?"

'Goddess?' Thought Zenyph dully as he fought back the excruciating agony tearing his insides apart.

'Could she mean?' Zenyph's eyes widened at the prospect of meeting a real deity in person despite being tortured by an unknown force. His thoughts were shattered when the goddesses eyes darted downwards and locked onto his body before narrowing dangerously.

Her once beautiful features morphed into anger and rage as she glared furiously at the source of his suffering.

"You dare hurt him?" growled the woman angrily.

"Answer me!" She screamed fiercely as gold mana exploded outward from her body and sent shock waves rippling across the lake.

The lake lady used her own white mana to resist the attack but was flung backwards nonetheless and smashed into a nearby tree. She groaned weakly from the impact as she slowly struggled back to her feet while clutching her stomach with one hand.

"I should kill you right now but unfortunately my sister's rules prevent me from doing anything drastic so I'll settle for a warning." warned the goddess sternly as she moved in front of Zenyph protectively with one arm stretched out and palm facing the lake lady while her other held the aching man against her chest possessively.

"Hurt him and I will kill you Luciana Sylvalis," she declared firmly.

"I can't stay here for much longer Zeny but I'll always always be watching you. Okay? If anything happens call for me alright?" she whispered softly and tenderly patted his head affectionately before turning back around and giving him an apologetic smile.

"Oh before I go I want to show you something." said the goddess with an expectant look on her face.

"Look Zeny."

Not even magic was enough for Zenyph to make sense of what he saw.

A presumed Goddess wearing a modern day t-shirt where the text says 'Zenyph's Property Forever' and a drawing miniature version of the goddess locked in a cage. With a blush on her face and her eyes sparkling while looking directly at him with hearts floating above her.

Then it got worse. A lot worse.

"Now if you behave I might consider being your actual slave. How exciting is that?" she asked as she licked her lips mischievously while winking at Zenyph.

Surprising everyone Zenyph's response was immediate and firm. He looked at the goddess with absolute certainty in his voice and answered the bizarre proposal without hesitation or uncertainty.

"Sure why not."

But the answer confused the Goddess.

Before the goddess could've asked her question, another portal opened up revealing a feminine arm.

"Yea yea sister I'-" the goddess was instantly dragged into the portal by her hair. Leaving the two alone near the lake with broken trees.

Suddenly the pain that Zenyph was feeling stopped and his mind cleared as well.

"What the fuck." said Zenyph as he processed what happened with the goddess.

He collapsed to the ground completely spent and exhausted. He was drained physically and mentally. Zenyph closed his eyes and tried to take a nap until he was interrupted by a kick to his head.

"What is the fourth prince doing with a goddess?" demanded Luciana as she loomed threateningly over Zenyph with one foot planted atop his skull.

"I have no idea." replied Zenyph honestly while raising his palms in surrender and averting eye contact with Luciana as she glared menacingly at his trembling form beneath her shadow.

"She just randomly came out of nowhere and forced me into the portal," he explained urgently while shaking his head vigorously.

"Are you suggesting that a celestial being who rules our realm descended to meet an unimportant commoner prince like yourself?" questioned Luciana suspiciously as she leaned forwards so that her nose almost touched Zenyph's forehead and stared straight into his eyes without blinking once during her interrogation.

"Yeah pretty much," admitted Zenyph nonchalantly before quickly adding "but to be fair she's kinda crazy though."

"Clearly," deadpanned Luciana.

"She threatened to murder someone for touching me." remarked Zenyph.

"And yet you're still kicking me," pointed out Zenyph sarcastically while wincing in pain when Luciana applied additional pressure to his head with her leg muscles.

"Stop being dramatic." snapped Luciana impatiently as she lifted her foot off his face.

"I'm using the same amount of force a baby would use. Your pathetic body should be able to withstand my kicks without getting injured so quit complaining." scolded Luciana while smirking arrogantly .

Zenyph shook off his injury and immediately sat upright once Luciana removed her foot. 

"So is this Nexus Royal Academy?" inquired Zenyph sarcastically.

Luciana frowned before answering, "We're a few days away from the academy gates."

"Wasn't the portal supposed to take me to the academy though? Why didn't it?" questioned Zenyph curiously.

"Why don't you ask your little goddess? You clearly have quite a strong connection with her." mocked Luciana venomously while rolling her eyes in irritation.

"Come on help me out here Luci, you don't want that goddess to come back here right? Let's just make amends and talk everything out." pleaded Zenyph desperately hoping that Luciana would see reason and accept his offer of cooperation.

"No." denied Luciana flatly before proceeding to walk towards the opposite direction from where they originally arrived.

Zenyph sighed disappointingly but nevertheless followed closely behind her.

It took nearly four hours of walking through thick trees and dense brush before they emerged into a clearing where one wooden cabin lay in the middle.

"Is this your home?" asked Zenyph while looking around the area and noticing how clean and neat everything looked despite the fact that they were literally in the middle of nowhere with barely any civilization in sight.

"No it belongs to a friend of mine that I met back when I first enrolled into the academy." replied Luciana casually without turning around to face Zenyph before heading towards the entrance.

Zenyph tried to enter behind her but was blocked by a mysterious force that prevented him from moving forward beyond the threshold of the doorway leading inside of the cabin interior.

"You will stay outside unless given permission to come inside." commanded Luciana without bothering to explain herself further befpre slamming the door closed behind her leaving Zenyph stranded outside without any means of entering due to whatever magical barrier kept him out.

With a huff Zenyph leaned against the outer walls of the building and slid to the floor defeated. He sat quietly in silence. Until he finally decided to try and talk to her.

"Hey Luci," Zenyph called out hesitantly from where he stood outside.

"What do you want?" responded Luciana harshly.

Zenyph cursed under his breath and banged his head against the wall repeatedly until he calmed down sufficiently to continue their conversation.

"Luci I'm a prince you know? Treat me with respect." begged Zenyph plaintively while banging his fists on the invisible barrier.

"And what? You think I'm afraid of Notos? I'll treat you the way I see fit regardless of your royal status." sneered Luciana dismissively.

Zenyph bit his tongue.

"Can't you at least give me food and shelter?" Zenyph asked hopefully but his request fell upon deaf ears.

"Look I really don't know anything about the goddess okay? I'm just an innocent bystander that got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time." pleaded Zenyph earnestly hoping that she'd listen to his reasoning.

"And I didn't even get a good look at your body back at the lake so what more do you want from me?" exclaimed Zenyph loudly in exasperation as he threw his hands into the air in frustration.

"Really?" questioned Luciana incredulously before bursting into uncontrollable laughter as tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

"I can't believe it. This is too hilarious." said Luciana in between bouts of hysterical cackles.

"Well I guess you don't deserve to die by my hand yet." Luciana chuckled lightly while wiping away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek.

"What's so funny?" complained Zenyph annoyed by her attitude.

"It's nothing," lied Luciana unconvincingly as she struggled not to burst out laughing again.

"Just tell me already," whined Zenyph.

"The opening ceremony doesn't begin until tomorrow. We'll stay here until you fess up about your relationship with the goddess and then we'll return to school together. Do you understand?" ordered Luciana sternly causing Zenyph's mood to sour instantly.

"Fine." mumbled Zenyph irritably while crossing his arms defiantly across his chest and refusing to cooperate with his captor's demands any longer.

"Good boy." teased Luciana mockingly before closing the door in his face.

Zenyph sank lower and groaned tiredly as he realized how screwed he actually was.

He obviously wasn't going to tell Luciana that he's from another world but what does he say when she inevitably questions him? Should he make up some nonsense story or try and convince her that the goddess was crazy? He pondered this dilemma silently for a while before.

"Luciana how about we make a deal."