Chapter 40

"You caught my Interest, Girl, what's your Name?"

"I'm called, Marie, my Lady."

"So the Gods really sent me a little Commoner Girl as help?"

"Well whatever, tell me, Marie, what do the Gods want from me on this lovely Day?"

"Pardon?"

"Now now, do you really want to play dumb with me?"

"Lying in the House of the Gods is actually quite sinful, Marie."

"Shouldn't a Sister of the Faith, even a little one, be wiser than that?"

It seems like your newest Companion isn't all that bright, but if it means you can finally figure out what the Seven actually want from you, you're more than happy to show a bit more kindness to the Girl. For all you knew, this was simply what happened to the Mind of a Human when a God decides to interact with it, and seeing as the Girl was little more than a Messenger, you could hardly be annoyed with her. Though, it was still quite frustrating that she genuinely thought she could hide her Connection to the Gods from you, like you were a normal Person.

There was no way that the Gods left her in the dark about her future Role, meaning the Girl was most likely crushed by Fear to still have such a reaction despite knowing better. You of course needed only a few moments to open her up again after she became so cutely defensive about her Knowledge, pointing out a way of improvement to the little Fanatic worked Wonders in that aspect. Perhaps the Gods had chosen the Girl in front of you to do more than just repeat their Wishes, mayhaps they even thought that she could turn you into a better and more devout Person or some such madness.

And seeing how strongly her innocence is literally permeating your Surroundings, it really didn't feel like your Thoughts on the matter were landing all that far from the Truth. You decided after observing what you would call a Mini Prayer of Apology, that you would take your little Oracle back with you to the Rock, for you were sure that she would do as the Gods commanded her soon enough. You had waited Years to properly explore your Home, and you waited even longer to do so freely and without Pain, you could wait a bit longer for the Gods to reveal the future, it might even be better that way, seeing as they were most likely a bit annoyed with you after you poked them for a Week.

"So, what do you think of my Home, Marie?"

"It's big."

"That's not wrong, I guess, though I expected a little more enthusiasm."

"It's your Home now as well, you know."

"You really can stop being so fearful now, it's not like I will bite your Head off, Marie, it's a bit annoying."

"Yes, my Lady."

"No Honorifics either."

"I know that you know my Name, you can be yourself while only my Knights are around, in Fact, I order you to be yourself."

"That's mean, my Lady."

"No, that's mean, Azami, it's not that hard, Marie."

"Ugh, you know that just because you know a few things about me that I won't be mad, right?"

"You knew?!"

"Sigh, of course I know, and just so you finally get it, I wouldn't invite someone I didn't trust into my Home, nor my Retinue."

"You, Marie, were chosen by the Seven to assist me in my Mission, of that I'm sure, or in clearer Words, I'm willing to make the first step when it comes to trusting you, as long as I believe you're acting in good faith."

It seems like you will really have to send someone over to check on your newest Companion, no one can be that slow, she still isn't trusting you, what more can you possibly do to make her happy? Marie really wasn't living up to your expectations here, you could feel that even your Knights were more at ease around her, and you were able to see that she wasn't unsatisfied with the Situation, while still remaining so annoyingly quiet. Thinking back on the Week, she was also quiet while you prayed, but her little outbursts told you clearly that she was a sociable Person at Heart.

"Say, Marie, is it my fault that you're so uncomfortable?"

"You are a bit insistent, Azami."

"And I can't really see you."

"Like when you talked to me the first time, I was sure we were supposed to meet one another much earlier."

"That does sound a bit off-putting, but I can't really do anything against that, you know."

"The past is the past, and it's not like a Week makes much of a Difference anyway."

"Can't we just be Friends?"

"It feels like the Gods would approve, and I would have use for someone with your amount of Charisma, Marie."

"You're not right, Azami, I don't know why because the Gods didn't show me, but you're feeling really corrupted."

"Well, at least you're finally being honest."

"But I truly don't believe that I could change that for you, Marie, I am who I am."

"But that doesn't mean you have to be fearful all the time, you're already in the Lion's Den if you will, and you haven't come to any harm, at least that I know of."

"Not all of my Father's Vassals will like you."

"Okay, but why not, you told me I'm charismatic or something like that, didn't you?"

"In the Sense that the Seven are blessing you, yes, but even normal Nobles would want to serve me, meaning a Commoner will have it rough."

"That's not fair at all."

"It's not fair that the Gods are helping you either, but I can't hear you lamenting that matter, Marie."

"Yeah, fine, I still don't need that Lesson from someone that had everything from birth, and then some, Azami."

"You needed to be reminded, Marie, I'm simply the one that did it."

"You won't complain about your Life?"

"Why would I, I have, or at least will have, everything that I could possibly want, there's no reason to complain about the few struggles I come across, if others face much worse for much less."

"Huh, you still feel corrupted, Azami."

"Sigh, do you want to play with my Lion?"