Some things were starting to get clear.
Now Edmund understood that the goddess of beauty felt sad to see the world infected, everything looking ugly and unpleasant when she was the one in charge of bringing beauty to them. In charge of making them become pleasant again.
He understood that the Goddess of Misery had to die or become weak so the Goddess of Beauty could do her job.
That there needed to be someone powerful to help in killing her.
He even understood that that's why she created a system to help in controlling that person.
However, some other things were still unclear. Some things like the Droplet of Desires and the Dreadful Dagger. That's why Edmund lifted himself off the bed and said:
"OK! Beauty Goddess! I understand that you need me to kill all the Venomous Beauties for you. That you want me to become the next God of Desires. Can you make it more clear? I mean, how?"
The Goddess of Beauty reached for his right hand and pulled him off the bed once again. Like before, she led him up the white stairs, stood in front of the white table and said:
"Before that monster prank, I was about to tell you why I'm able to lift the Dreadful Dagger."
Edmund was going to tell her he didn't know about the Dreadful Dagger when he remembered the heavy sword. For that reason, he nodded, prompting the Goddess of Beauty to continue.
"It's because I drank God of Desires' blood. Only one droplet was enough to make me able to lift his sword."
She paused and stared at Edmund like she expected a question.
Edmund had a sea of questions to ask. That's why it took him quite some time to choose.
"Can you summarize it?"
That was a story from thousands of years ago. He knew he could not hear it in one go.
That's why he wanted her to introduce the basics. As for the full story, he would have to cover it while hunting those beauties.
The Goddess of Beauty let out a sigh.
"I'm afraid it's not that easy to summarize a story of that length."
Before Edmund could add anything, she added, "But don't worry! I will try to be brief."
She then started a long and boring narration.
"Goddess of Desires always swore to go easy on human girls brought to him as a reward for his deeds toward humankind."
"However, once the deed started, he would give in to his inhuman desires and end up forgetting to limit himself. Every girl he killed made him feel regretful. Not long after, his regrets piled up and became something heavy."
She paused a little and picked the rusty sword from the table. Surveying it, she continued.
"Those regrets would always drown him before he could reach the island of joy. The island of climax. That's why he created this sword and infused it with all his regrets. Only he could lift it because the regrets were his."
Edmund felt like crying. All he wanted to know was how the beauties were finally able to kill him and where he could find them. He wanted to know what their weaknesses and strengths were.
"Is that really how you are brief on something?"
The Goddess of Beauty gave him a long look and said, "Seems like you're in a hurry. I've told you you're currently unconscious. Where do you want to go?"
"There's nowhere I want to go. It's only if you keep telling every detail, even a year would not be enough to give me the basic knowledge."
Edmund didn't know if this feeling of wanting to hear in brief was being influenced by his life on earth where he always didn't have time for long conversations or if it was really because that's what he needed right now.
Trying to give it a meaning, he came up with this theory.
If he was still unconscious, it meant once he woke up, his life was going to continue as usual.
He would need to explain why he came out of the cave to cause troubles. Because, if Kyron's life held the future of the whole castle, everyone was probably going to sympathize with him.
That's why Edmund needed to know the basics, sort his thoughts and prepare his next move.
Meanwhile, the goddess of Beauty was still staring at him with a helpless expression that screamed admiration.
"Can you tell me how to be brief, tough guy? I really want to be brief too. Because, we really don't have much time."
Edmund could understand why she couldn't be brief. She felt like telling him everything and, for her, she had lived for thousands and thousands of years.
She didn't know how time was scarce because she was immortal... if not in the battle with other gods, of course. That's why Edmund came up with an idea.
He glanced at the rusty sword in her hands. "How can I be able to hold that thing?"
Goddess of beauty glanced at it too, and offered him a smile.
"Interrogation would really work."
She then extended her arm, as if giving it to him.
"Now you are able to lift it. Didn't you receive the Droplet of Desires for completing the Trial Quest?"
At the mention of the Droplet of Desires, Edmund reached for the sword, his gaze fixed somewhere else. At the wine-glass-like thing. The glass with a vermillion liquid inside.
Before he could ask, the Goddess of Beauty had already heard what he wanted to ask because he had thought about it first.
"That's God of Desires' blood. Once you drink all that glass, you'll receive a quarter of his powers."
Edmund shifted his gaze off the glass and stared at the rusty sword, still mesmerized by its weight. Though he could now lift it, it was too heavy for him to fight with it.
Like before, the Goddess of Beauty answered his question before he could open his mouth.
"That's why I'm giving you the Droplets of Desires. More blood, more power to lift it easily."
"Why are you giving me the droplets then when you can give me the whole glass? Don't you want me to be strong as soon as possible?
"I would have given you an extra droplet for such a performance back then. However, everything is pre-set. Only the system knows what to give you next, how and why."
Edmund felt like he missed something.
"Why did you pre-set it? Wouldn't you have found a person, given him all you had and pointed your finger in the direction of those beauties?"
"Oh darling, that's not wise, don't you think? How can your body right now be able to resist that wholesome of powers? How can you even control them?
"God of Desires was not a god. He was many gods, many goddesses and many demons. I mean, he had killed many deities and entities. That's why you need time to learn and get familiar with powers he took from all those entities, one at a time."
That was a reasonable reason. This made Edmund move on to another question.
"What would the quests of the system be like?"
Goddess of Beauty chuckled as if reminded of something funny or... embarrassing? Edmund was not sure because her reaction was kinda weird. Maybe her words would make him understand.
"Oh! That! The overall mission is to satisfy me, mostly by killing the Venomous Beauties. But there would be a quest to get your name back, a quest to hunt the first Venomous Beauty and..."
She grinned.
"...and a quest to lose your virginity. All of those are important, don't you think?"
Edmund didn't know where being a virgin or not would be needed.
However, that was not something he could complain about. His only complaint was, "Where are those goddamned beauties you keep telling me?"
When he asked that, he didn't expect the Goddess of Beauty to say, "I don't know! They are good at hiding."
His mouth fell open.
"What the f..."
"Easy darling! You will only have to find one of them. Finding others after that won't be difficult."
Edmund snorted.
"Then how will I find that one?"
Her answer was also unexpected.
"Those beauties have one thing in common. They want someone who can satisfy their Desires. They're like me. If you prove you can, they're going to bring themselves into your trap."
To be honest, Edmund didn't find any clue or crucial information in her words. That's why he let out a sigh.
He had been telling her to be brief but it seemed like this story couldn't be summarized. The more he knew, the more he asked himself.
But wait! Did he prove he could satisfy her desires? Did he really have or do something to attract her?
'Whatever! I will learn with time. Now, I better focus on winning back my name and training this body. Everything will come along the way.'
Goddess of Beauty's stare became more eerie, a mixture of lust and admiration.
Edmund gave her a dubious look.
"What?"
"What what?" she asked.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Didn't you say I can not even have a bite?"
"That was a long time ago," she replied. "After you killed that monster, I had to change my mind. Now, your thoughts are also full of wisdom and bravery. It doesn't fit with your age, don't you think?"
"Did I hear it correctly, or you're falling for me?"
Surprisingly, the goddess blushed. Edmund was stupefied. Even his little brother reacted to that weird reaction of hers.
"Oh darling, you don't have to be so direct. About falling for you, that's not a big deal. There's a reason I chose you, right? It's only that I didn't expect you to be beyond my expectations."
"You also need to have experience about sex before setting out to hunt those beauties. That's why I'm preparing my mind for what I'll have to do with your virginity before you start your expedition."
'Did I hear right?'
Edmund could not even open his mouth to ask. But she had heard him of course.
"Yeah! You heard it right. I'll soon deal with your virginity. I don't want you to be seduced by those beauties and forget what you went there to do."
Her reason was somehow... reasonable? Hell, yeah! But, will he really have his first with a goddess?
'Oh man! It's so tempting! So scary!'
He met her lustful gaze, this time a bit scared.
He couldn't picture himself making love to a Goddess of Temptation. A creature of such beauty. Will he be able to satisfy her?
'What are you thinking about, fool?'
Edmund wanted to ask her why she chose him out of all the guys out there.
Come to think of it, the original Edmund was nothing but a waste. Did she know he had transmigrated?
No way! She couldn't have said his wisdom and bravery didn't fit his age if she knew who he really was. What was the reason then?
Normally, the Goddess of Beauty would have heard his thoughts and answered him before he could even bother to open his mouth. Instead of that, she placed her right hand on his forehead.
Edmund felt a sudden change in her aura and he could tell something was wrong. This was like when she told him the Infected Monsters were coming. Was she going to prank him again?
As expected, her lips parted to say, "I think you have to go."
There was no seduction in her voice.
"No no! No more fights please!" He then used her favorite words as if that would add anything.
"It's not going to be a great idea to lose me while your affection level toward me has increased, don't you think?"
She ignored him and said, "The Patriarch is coming to see you. I'm afraid that it's your only chance to speak to him. Let's continue our conversation later."
Before Edmund could react, green smokes enveloped him, then he was gone.