A few days later, just as peace had finally returned, Pandora—who had been scheming mischief again—was, as expected, strung up by the door to dry.
The silver-haired elf writhed like a caterpillar, baring her teeth in pain. Her swollen backside burned sharply, and the golden cursed chains binding her tightened the more she struggled. Whenever her movements grew too violent, the chains split into two whips—one on each side—snapping across her buttocks again and again.
The engraved curses, "Intensified Agony" and "Heightened Senses," made her whole body ache and tingle, forcing her to fully appreciate the tormenting power of this restraint.
The Calamity Girl drew in a hiss of cold air, drooped her head, and quietly returned to being a harmless little bunny, pitifully hoping her "old father" would be in a good mood soon enough to release her before she turned into dried meat.
Even in such misery, Pandora's mind fumed with curses.
That filthy snake! Rotten worm! Tricked me again!
The time before last, he claimed he was going on a long trip, but he only circled back to hide behind the reef, waiting for me to break the rules.
The time before that, he had that stupid bird Circe leave the potion powder in plain sight, then mentioned its effects during lunch—only to lie in ambush that night to catch me.
Last time, I finally got my hands on the powder and spiked his tea. He stayed unconscious for half a day... but it was an act! In the end, I was the one who got caught and beaten again.
Remembering these bloody lessons, the silver-haired elf felt a dull ache rise from her "special treatment" area. Bitter and resentful, she could only sigh at her own misfortune.
Her most recent failure, however, struck an even heavier blow to her confidence.
At that time, Samael—the greatest threat—had left Aeaea for a while. Feeling triumphant, she decided to teach the three pretenders on the island a lesson. But that blue-haired, horned woman smacked her into the rock layers with one punch—as if swatting a fly—sending her crashing more than ten meters deep.
What truly broke her was that her proudest weapon, the Sin-Desire she had painstakingly cultivated, vanished completely once unleashed—like sinking into the sea without a ripple.
Later, when she was strung up again, the so-called traveler returned leisurely, smiling warmly as he watched her hang there. That smile turned out to precede the worst beating of her life.
Still unwilling to give up, Pandora plotted several more rebellions behind Samael's back. She managed to prank a few fools successfully, but before she could celebrate...
The monster named "Tina" once again showed her what fear and helplessness felt like.
Unaffected by the black mud's corrosion, immune to spiritual pollution—her divine power and strength were both absurd. Even sneaking away was impossible. The surrounding seas were under her control.
If Pandora dared leave Aeaea, she wouldn't get far before hundred-meter waves slammed her back to shore. Worse still, every time she was caught, Tina's punishments grew harsher.
Damn it! How does this make sense? Wasn't she supposed to be the embodiment of all the world's evil? The walking calamity? The End of the Human Era?
Yet on this tiny island of four humanoid beings, two were her natural counters! The odds were insane—there was no fun in this at all!
Swaying in the cold wind, Pandora's thoughts churned with rage and despair. Unable to accept defeat, she struggled again in frustration.
Ssshh...
It hurts... my butt hurts...
Whipped once more by the cursed chains, the silver-haired elf grimaced, her body shivering before she finally went limp.
No... those two monsters are too terrifying. A direct attack won't work. I'll have to use my wits instead.
For now, I'll find a way to earn their trust... and then... heh heh...
As for how, Pandora stared at the silver hair drifting before her eyes, her crimson pupils gleaming.
Speaking of the Seven Deadly Sins of Humanity—if they truly came from that serpent, they must carry his innate desires. Then as a being born from the Demon Box, her form must inevitably reflect the deepest cravings hidden in that creature's heart.
Recently, Pandora had noticed that whenever that serpent looked at her, it often mentioned two names with striking frequency.
Justeaze... Irisviel...
Could this be the breach in that bastard's psychological defenses?
The cunning Calamity's Daughter seemed to have found the perfect way to break the stalemate. Her upturned lips curved into an eerie smile.
"Smack!"
"Ow!"
Amid the sharp crack, Pandora's previously good mood was shattered once again. Her pretty face twisted as she screamed into the wind.
At the same moment, within the cavern, Tina, alerted by the noise, instinctively lifted her head to look outside.
But her delicate head was gently pressed back down by Samael beside her, who gave a disdainful snort.
"Ignore her. That woman won't die."
Then, the ancient serpent took Tina's soft hand, gestured toward the intricate Magecraft array before them, and gave a slight nod.
"Let's begin..."
The Goddess of Beginning nodded lightly, rose, and stepped into the array. Azure, crimson, blue, and black light burst forth from her divine core, swirling and flowing in radiant patterns around her.
Moments later, a faint, ethereal aura traveled through her fingertips into Samael's mind.
A familiar sensation of weightlessness surged through him. His consciousness was lightly drawn out of his body, and after breaking through a thin "membrane," he once again arrived at the Sea of Imaginary Numbers.
"Aaaa!"
A high chant echoed through the luminous mist, cutting through endless chaotic storms to carve a clear path forward.
Samael glanced at the outline before him—larger than he remembered—but with time pressing, he quickly steadied his focus and spread his consciousness ahead.
Before long, familiar auras resonated in response, echoing his presence.
"Samael?"
Ereshkigal, the Underworld Goddess, paused mid-motion as she loosened the soil around her flowers. Stunned yet delighted, she called out in surprise.
"Yes, sorry. Some unexpected complications came up here, so it took me a while to get through."
"Whether you contact us or not doesn't matter. It's not like we're desperate for it anyway... As long as you're fine."
Ishtar, who had been sipping afternoon tea with a certain pointy-eared Empress in a palace pavilion, hurriedly stood and left. She came to the courtyard pillars, gave a soft snort, lowered her tone, and muttered to herself while turning her head aside.
"Alright, back to business. The plan's hit a snag. I need some help."
"Help? Us? Are you serious?"
Gilgamesh set down his clay tablet and glanced at the towering piles of treasures behind him, his brow creasing in irritation.
Enkidu gently nudged his friend's back, speaking in a calm voice.
"Is Mother with you too?"
"Yeah, Tina's safe."
"What can we do?"
Samael looked at the Goddess of Beginning beside him, the corner of his lips curving slightly as he shared his idea.
"Hmm... quite bold... Sounds fun. How about adding me in too?"
Shamhat's eyes sparkled, her tongue clicking in amused astonishment.