...That dictate....

[loop 15]

After her last loop and gaining the information of someone named 'Wretz' and their workshop, Verum set out to find them. She had barely remembered the address she was given, thanks to drinking in the last loop. As she arrived near her destination, the time had come to around 15:43

As her heroic self complained about her forgetfulness as she walked across the street, Verum gave a huff. "Look, I know they're a goblin. How hard is it to pick a goblin out of a crowd of people?" She smirked but her feral side chuckled at the words.

"Read that sign." She pointed. Verum's gaze soon crossed onto the street named 'Little Gobita'. "How the hell are we gonna find a goblin in a street full of goblins?" The rodent groaned. But the sounds of squelching resembling a horses clopping began to ring around the streets. 

Suddenly, a large inky black horse ran right past them, pulling a carriage made of golden caramel chocolate. The carriage stopped outside of the only building that didn't look dishevelled and run down. 

A young goblin woman with striking red hair with a pink streak stepped out and entered the rather furnished looking workshop, not bothering to look at the jeering crowd. The other goblins were yelling and throwing random bits at her as she entered the workshop, calling her things like a 'betrayer' and 'murderer'.

"What are your bets that our goblin friend is tryin' to do good by her people?" Verum joked to the other two, failing to notice they had vanished. The rodent waited a few minutes for the crowd to die down before slinking next to the workshop and using a step ladder of light and shadow to sneak inside through an open window. 

The goblin was in the middle of undressing out of her rather noble looking attire that had a more chef themed look. Though as she undid her buttons, the sudden appearance of a rat eared woman falling from the ceiling and crashing down in front of her, made her jump in surprise. 

Verum wearily stood up, clutching her head in pain as she glanced around the room. "My name... I thought I was good at that... Oh hello." She grinned as her eyes landed on the half naked goblin in front of her, looking her over.

She quickly covered herself behind a curtain, pulling out a flintlock pistol from her waist and pointing it at the rodent. "Yo, you Wretz? Biz sent me." The rodent explained, leaning down to the goblin's level. 

Wretz lowered her gun slightly, raising an eye brow. "What is it I want?"

"What you want? Why do I care what you wa-?" Before Verum could finish, she was shot between the eyes and fell limp. Once again, her stupidity had gotten her killed.

________________

[Loop 16]

Wretz lowered her gun slightly, raising an eye brow. "What is it I want?"

"Our sins to be forgiven." Verum said, quickly covering her forehead just in case she got shot again. But Wretz fully lowered her pistol and rushed off to fully change. As Verum waited for Wretz, she began exploring the workshop.

It was quite entertaining, since she got to fiddle around with things that were completely foreign to her. After all, she wasn't ###, who had a basic understanding of everything. And she wasn't ######, who knew when to not screw with objects. 

Her eyes soon fell onto a mysterious glowing orb that had multiple warning labels saying 'do not touch.' Sadly, paper wasn't going to stop her. 

Verum put a hand out and touched the orb. In an instant her body melted into a pile of goo. 

_____________________

[Loop 26]

It took her a few loops to try everything in the workshop at least once, but after her 9th time of dying in this workshop, she decided to actually wait around. 

Once Wretz returned, she was wearing a more traditional goblin outfit that, while rough around the edges, was better for working around machinery. "I guess the plan is finally in motion... Did the priestess recover the artefact and the heroes?"

"The heroes? You mean the fox guy and ghosty?"

"Who else?" The goblin snickered while climbing onto her seat, spinning on it playfully. Verum let out a playful squeak as her tail flicked. "They're dead. Some beautiful woman had managed to defeat them in a fearsome battle."

Wretz face dropped at the words. Her entire plan had fallen to pieces like a house of cards. "T-Then... There's no hope of beating the queen."

"Queen? You guys have all been goin' on about this queen of yours, so tell me somethin'... Can she like, turn people into food?" 

Wretz nodded her head, explaining her encounter and how it was her fault the queen even rose to power in the first place. Despite her lack of care over the kingdom, Verum figured if she wanted to escape this loop, she'd probably have to fight the queen.

"Yeah, I know 'em. I can off 'em if ya want?" She asked rather casually, considering what she was talking about. The goblin looked a bit confused, sighing in annoyance. "If you want to try and beat her, be my guest... Just know I can't stop her when she turns your insides to ice cream."

"Whaaatever. Speakin' of which, you guys got an artefact that can turn back time, right?" She grinned, leaning down to Wretz level. The goblin looked a bit concerned, only a few people were even meant to know about its existence, with her being one of the now two people left.

"D-Did Sunny t-tell you?"

"Sunny? Uh, yeah..." She gave a confirmatory nod. "W-Well, y-you should probably speak to her then. Meet her at the usual spot." The goblin explained. Verum looked out the window to see the looming clock tower before sighing, summoning a blade of light and pinning Wretz to the floor. 

"Sorry, I'm not really in the mood to keep acting. Can you tell me where this 'Sunny' girl hangs out before I kill ya?" The rodent asked with a chipper smile. The goblin on the other hand, was in a full blown panic. 

Between the begging and the sobs, Verum couldn't make out what she was saying. But the word "Church" was the only thing she could actually understand. "Got it, church. Thanks, Gobby." She smiled before easily killing the goblin without so much as a second of hesitation. 

After washing her bloodied hands, Verum began checking herself out in Wretz's mirror. "In my holy name, do I look good." She laughed before jumping at the sight of her doppelgangers suddenly appearing behind her. 

Both of them seemed a bit frustrated, yelling about how unnecessary that was. But Verum just laughed at her doppelgangers, waving away their concerns. "Relax. She'll be alive again in the next loop. So, why don't we go find this sunshine gal' and speed things up?"

"You're a monster, you know that?" The heroic one muttered. "Eh, I'm you and you're me. We're all monsters. Difference is, I'm a god."

"You're not a god." The feral one answered with a playful smirk. Though Verum just continued to snicker to herself as she left the building. With what time she had left in the day, she decided to go out and get another bagel.

________________

[Loop 30]

The kingdom was much bigger then Verum realised, as she was forced to go to every church of every religion that resided in V'atruth. But as the clock struck 18:00 and night had begun to fall, she entered the last church on her list. The one that happened to be close to the castle.

"A threat in plain sight. I like this girl's thinkin'." She snickered. As she entered the church, she was hit by the smell of lilies. Wandering through the many aisles of seats, she made her way deeper into the candle lit church to find a young priestess, roughly around the same physical age as Verum, chatting to two small Rat-folk.

"Well, we managed to convert about twelve people this month. I think we did pretty good." Rattia said with a bit of gusto, leaning against her sister. "While we had a bit of trouble in Bug-beat, it went swimmingly." Millia added, shoving her sister off.

The young priestess's mouse like ears flickered, quickly turning around to see Verum standing in the door way. "Well, hello beautiful." The truth telling rodent greeted with before getting a cross throne at her head.

"Ow." She snickered, watching the three women scramble to get a grip. They all quickly summoned rather flimsy looking weapons made of divine light in a similar vane to her own power. "Okay, calm down, calm down. Wretz and Biz sent me." 

"And you are?" The mouse eared woman questioned, standing behind her little rats in order to protect them. "Well, I'm your new hero. The one who'll strike down your queen and save your miserable existences." 

Verum soon struck a dramatic pose, making the priestess crack a small smile as she tried to stifle a laugh. "You're... Striking a pose when we're trying to commit a bit a treason? Are you insane?"

"Lightly." She smirked, stepping over to the three of them with a chipper shuffle. 

"So who are you?"

"Not important."

"You... Aren't from around here, are you?" The priestess giggled, scratching behind her ear and making it flicker a bit. Verum gave a playful shrug as she leaned in closer. "Well, I need to beat the queen to get out of somethin'. Know how I can do that?"

"I suppose... IF you tell me your name at least." The priestess smirked, getting just as close. "Verum. Just call me Verum Rodentia."

"Verum, huh? Neat name. You can call me Sunny. Sunny Gate."

Something about the brief interaction with this woman made Verum's heart flutter a bit. It was a new sensation for her. Familiar, sweet. It all became clear as both her doppelgangers appeared behind her with a loud, almost mocking laugh.

"She's in love already!" They both cackled in unison.