"What if you take me in exchange for the villagers' lives?"
Astraea looked at the bandit leader with utmost seriousness.
Her words shocked everyone present. The old village chief's eyes widened in disbelief.
"No, Lady Goddess! How could you do such a thing?!"
The chief struggled to stand, but was immediately forced back down by those beside him. His mouth was gagged with cloth, leaving him only able to make muffled "mmph" sounds.
Upon hearing her proposal, the leader's expression became vivid—barely restrained excitement flickered across his face.
Although he more or less understood what the goddess meant, it was better to confirm.
"You mean...?"
"Yes. Exactly what you're thinking," Astraea replied calmly. "I will use my body in exchange for the lives of these villagers."
"You are not to harm anyone here. I will go with you. What do you say?"
A greedy smile spread across the leader's face.
While mortals could not forcibly act against a god, if the god willingly consented, that was another matter entirely.
He knew that in the Labyrinth City of Orario, there existed a pleasure district where even goddesses engaged in such acts.
Just imagining it—a beautiful goddess, normally far beyond his reach, now within his grasp...
His entire body trembled with excitement.
He hardened.
"If that's the case..." The leader licked his lips, desire growing ever more obvious in his eyes. "Then we'll spare Kate Village this time."
"But in exchange, you'll come with me."
"Of course," Astraea agreed casually, as if the matter were of little consequence.
Even so, the leader was no fool.
Mortals could not lie before gods—but could gods lie to mortals?
The answer was yes.
Gods could lie. Otherwise, why would there be trickster gods?
"However... I don't trust your word. As a goddess, you surely won't break your promise," the leader said, pointing toward a nearby house. "So let's settle this immediately. Right here in the village."
His words caused Astraea's heart to tighten, though her expression remained composed.
If she were alone, she could easily escape. But with villagers as hostages, the situation became far more difficult.
There were both clever and foolish people in the world, just as there were good and evil.
The clever were not always good, and the foolish were not always evil.
She had intended to use this method to stall the bandits, but the leader was clearly not an idiot. He knew that even gods could deceive.
Now, Astraea found herself in a dilemma.
She wanted to save the villagers—but as the guardian goddess of Virgo and a goddess of purity, she had never even shared intimacy with another god, let alone a mortal of the lower world.
"Well, Lady Goddess? What will you choose?" the leader pressed, clearly unwilling to let her go.
From their exchange, he could tell she was very likely a benevolent deity.
And that made things easier.
Some kind-hearted gods were far too willing to sacrifice themselves.
How fortunate for him.
Seconds ticked by as Astraea hesitated...
She wanted to drive these offenders away with divine authority, but if she did, they would surely return. When that happened, the villagers would suffer even more.
If the problem could not be solved permanently, it would only bring endless trouble.
"Lady Goddess, can you hear my voice?"
The voice that suddenly reached her ears made Astraea pause.
But it did not stop. It continued, explaining a plan.
"I understand. Thank you very much."
A smile appeared on Astraea's face as she turned toward the bandit leader.
"Well, Lady Goddess?" the leader asked eagerly, still lost in his fantasies of pleasure.
"Sigh... if that's the case, then there's no other choice," Astraea said, her tone filled with apparent resignation.
Her words delighted the leader, who assumed the beautiful goddess had finally made her decision.
"In that case, let us—"
He was about to continue, but was suddenly interrupted.
"I had intended to spare you. But since you insist... I have no choice but to deliver divine punishment."
"Huh?"
Her words stunned him. The emotional turbulence born of his fantasies quickly settled.
"What nonsense! Gods aren't allowed to use divine power in the lower world!"
It was common knowledge—everyone knew this rule.
But...
"Some forms of divine punishment don't require divine power," Astraea replied kindly.
The moment her words fell, one of the bandits holding down the old chief collapsed to the ground.
The sudden sight drew everyone's attention.
"What happened? Why did he suddenly fall?"
"I don't know—he was fine just a moment ago!"
The surrounding bandits instantly fell into chaos, shouting over one another.
Then something even stranger happened.
Another bandit collapsed, his expression identical to the first.
"Why did he fall too?!"
"Did anyone see what just happened?"
Even as the same phenomenon repeated, they still could not comprehend what was happening. Some of the more timid ones had already begun backing away in fear.
"This is divine punishment!"
"It's your fault!"
"Why did you provoke the goddess?!"
One after another, the bandits fell. Panic spread rapidly. Only the villagers remained standing, completely unharmed.
The remaining bandits began blaming their leader, some already retreating toward the edge of the village.
Only the leader remained, standing in place with a furrowed brow.
He was a Level 2 warrior and had learned things about gods from his patron deity.
This was nothing like what he had been told.
Had his god deceived him?
"Do you still wish to continue?"
Astraea looked at him with a hint of pity.
All of his companions had fallen. He alone remained, staring at her in terror.
"Honestly... if you hadn't chosen evil from the start, it wouldn't have ended this way..."
Her voice echoed in his ears.
Unfortunately, by then, he could no longer hear anything.
His vision blurred, and like the others, he collapsed to the ground.