When The Cute Godkiller Opens A Tavern [Stubbed]

Chapter 119 - Signs of Their New Normalcy

”It’s not meant to last, but it’s never good to rush things.” ~Shallies Mythernal

Grace had seen Shallies fight multiple times before, but the spectacle in front of her was leagues beyond what she had already witnessed. Even then, she had known that the Godkiller was more than capable with hand-to-hand combat. But to see just how much with her own eyes for the first time had moved her beyond words.

Not to mention she had tried a bout or two against Valor’el and Phey’lan before, and she could confidently say that the two were currently not holding back anymore.

There was just one caveat, she noticed. Not one of the three were utilizing Stellar mana.

Of course, she instantly understood why that was the case. They were simply having a spar. Just a spar that any other person present would probably consider a fight to the death.

Grace believed that Shallies wasn’t pulling her punches either. At the very least, she was fighting in a way that would be considered serious effort for a high-level adventurer. She wasn’t following any ridiculous restrictions, like mimicking a Level 20 monster, or wearing mundane clothes.

But what really surprised her was how the two seraphim were able to defend and retaliate against the Godkiller. Timing was their best weapon against her, covering for each other at the last moment to create enough distance or make an opening.

In other words, this was no training.

Grace turned to see her friends were just as in awe as she was. After Yoshelle had explained what Isoworld was, revealing that Valor’el’s second class was World Hero, she had gone silent to admire the fight. Tayin kept squealing like an excited child, pointing out exact moments that everyone could see. Ren and Arun’dul were making silent grunts, their arms moving ever so slightly as if they were the ones fighting.

The half-orc was reacting the same way. But more than anticipating what she could be capable of in the future, Grace felt exhilarated that she was able to keep track of what she was looking at.

Sure, she still couldn’t always explain how Phey’lan and Valor’el could hold their defenses against Shallies’ assaults, but the moments she was able to spot filled her with inspiration and confidence.

I can see them! I can follow!

Engaging her Focus attribute, and then combining it with Constitution from time to time to protect her eyes, allowed Grace to observe the fight with relative clarity. She could see the moments of impact, the feints, the deftness and cleverness of each fighter’s movements. That ability to be able to follow along was enough to lift her spirits.

It was a clear sign of her improvement. Not just hers, but her partymates’ improvement as well. It was something that numbers on a screen wouldn’t be able to show.

Their training was paying off.

Grace was so overwhelmed by this internal enlightenment, that she almost missed Shallies opening her Class Inventory. She and her friends braced themselves, and so too did the two seraphim actually sparring with the Godkiller.

Only to be surprised when Shallies pulled out a large package made out of mana-fabrics.

---

“That’s ten minutes,” Shallies began. She stood there in the air, relaxed. “Good job on surviving.”

She waited for both Phey’lan and Valor’el to catch their breaths, while she mindlessly held her package. Her actual ‘safe travels’ gift.

The female seraph recovered first. It had less to do with her Mana Energy and mana reserves, and more to do with the curiosity urging her on. She was still taking deep breaths as she made her way, almost as fast as she had when she’d been attacking earlier.

“What is it?” she asked, her red eyes twinkling.

“Just some cookies and biscuits,” Shallies replied, handing the package over. “Been practicing some baking lately.”

“Oh, yay! The kids will surely love it!”

The Godkiller raised an eyebrow. As the female seraph reached out to accept the gift, she withdrew the package out of reach.

“You mean your three-hundred-plus-year-old kids, right? You’re not asking me to investigate if my Divine Mandate’s fading out, are you?”

Phey’lan tilted her head in confusion, processing the question. The realization kicked in a second later. She frowned and pointed at Arun’dul.

“They’re well-mannered, three-hundred-year-old kids. But they’re still kids, at least in our eyes.” She shrugged. “If we ever broke your Divine Mandate, I’m sure you would’ve known about it before either me or Val discovered it.”

“We’ve been with you this past few weeks, Lady Shallies,” Valor’el started, finally dispelling his Mana Armor. “Not once have you probed with that possibility. Why now?”

“I’ve never had an evil god trying to resurrect either,” Shallies admitted, running a finger along the new golden streak on her hair. “And Chaos is messing up with my skepticism. And I was actually just joking… Mostly.”

“It’s messing with your aesthetics, that’s for sure,” Phey’lan said, eyeing the Concept of Chaos disguising as part of the Godkiller’s hair. “Still cute, though.”

“Thanks.”

“I assure you that your Divine Mandate is intact.” Valor’el made a formal bow and his partner followed suit. “But you are correct. Now that new possibilities have emerged, we should be doubly vigilant with our current situation. I’ll issue an investigation as soon as we return.”

Shallies scratched her head, passing her ‘safe travels’ gift to Phey’lan.

“Actually, don’t bother,” she started, descending to her students. “I can do it on my end. You have more things to catch up with and worry about. We only have five years to prepare.”

“That’s a lot of time, isn’t it?” Ren asked. All of them had overheard the discussion. Including Arun’dul and Yoshelle.

“If we’re just to prepare, sure,” Shallies said. “And by we, I mean you, the Gaiamaxims Guild, and Avel Paradise. What about the rest of the world? What about the gods that want to help us? What about the gods that want to help her?”

“Help her?” Grace asked this time, a little alarmed. “Help the evil goddess? Why would they do that?”

“Not every god is in good terms with the current natural order,” Shallies explained. “We can’t be a hundred percent sure that all of them will be on our side. A lot will abstain from this, that’s expected. It’s not their job, after all. But there have been Divine Wars in the past where some gods tried to take advantage of the situation, one way or the other.”

“What happened to them?” Tayin asked this time. “Are they still around?”

“Forced retirement.” Shallies crossed her arms. “Naturally. No other way with all the other gods pressuring them after the war.”

“You didn’t kill them?” Yoshelle asked from the back of the group.

“I only have ‘killer’ in my title,” said the Godkiller, frowning. “It’s my title, not my personality.”

“Ah, right. Sorry.”

“Besides, they weren’t mad enough to push their luck against me after they’ve already lost. And if you’re worried that they might show up this time, then you don’t have to. The only way that’s going to happen is if their reincarnations also became gods and refused to learn from their past lives’ mistakes. But none of them have regained their divinity.”

Shallies closed her eyes, silently reprimanding herself.

“If I keep talking, I’m going to jinx it.”

She felt Valor’el’s stare. “I know we haven’t talked about it, Val, but now’s not the time. This isn’t something that we can influence from our end. And we don’t have the resources to spare for your god right now.”

“That’s not what—”

Shallies returned the stare. He sighed.

“I understand.”

At that, the Godkiller gave a nod, dispersing any potential awkwardness that had appeared between them.

She gave way for everyone to say their goodbyes. And try as they might, Grace and Tayin couldn’t help but feel emotional. Especially the halfling, who was bawling her eyes out. Ren and Arun’dul were more reserved. And Yoshelle was the most neutral of them all.

“You have to make sure to attend our wedding,” Tayin said as she wiped her tears. “You too, Yoshelle.”

“Oh, right! When is it?” Phey’lan asked. She was going through her emotions as well, now quickly perking up from the invitation. “It can’t be after the Divine War, right?”

“We originally thought of doing it after Thrush’ven Alir,” Ren said, giving Shallies a glance. “But we can’t wait five years either.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Valor’el said. Shallies gave a gesture of agreement towards the seraph, while he continued. “Don’t let matters of the divine be in the way of your one and only life. While you’re bound to participate in the war, you’re not restricted in everything else… Mostly, that is.”

“Mostly?” asked the halfling.

“Not a topic for this time,” Shallies replied. “But I assure you that I won’t get in the way of your wedding. Just… Maybe let me in on the planning, so I can adjust accordingly. I don’t want to send you on a quest when you’re in the middle of preparing for it.”

“And of course, we’ll be there!” Phey’lan added. “Just give us the details and we’ll make sure to attend!”

“Same for me,” Yoshelle said last.

With their goodbyes coming to a close, it was now time for the seraphim to depart. All except for Arun’dul.

Shallies stood beside the young seraph, silently supporting him as The Premonition vanished into the skies. He simply stood there, not knowing what to do.

“Regretting it already?” Shallies asked, smiling softly.

“I think so,” he replied. If he hadn’t accepted being Daryl’kan’s vessel, he would’ve been flying back to Avel Paradise with them. “I just don’t know what to do next.”

A few sets of footsteps approached from behind them. The Shalliesters Party. They were smiling at the young seraph.

“Come on, Arun!” Grace urged, taking his arm.

“Where to?” he asked, sparing a confused glance at Shallies.

The Godkiller, for her part, softly pushed him, allowing the half-orc to drag him along.

Grace smiled. “Didn’t that sparring fire you up? Of course, we’re going training!”

Shallies could only sigh. “I suppose I’ll let them.”

---

Arun’dul felt like he was going to die. He couldn’t feel anything in his legs anymore.

Not because of the training that afternoon, no.

It was because his body was half-submerged in lava.

The pain was too real for a dream. Too real for a nightmare. And yet, that was the only explanation as ti how he was still conscious despite the excruciating experience.

The shock had long since passed, and his mind couldn’t let him ignore the pain anymore. He was burning and healing at the same time. From afar, although muffled, he could hear the screaming laughter of a woman.

Nefurul. The evil goddess.

Is there a Concept named Evil? Is she the Goddess of Evil? Is there even such a thing?

Arun’dul’s mind did what it could, coming up with every excuse, to stop thinking about the pain. He was surprised at his own rationality.

I’m burning and healing at the same time. How’s that possible?

Suddenly, the laughing stopped. Arun’dul waited silently, persevering through the pain without so much as a groan. Then he heard a sigh and a thought not of his own.

Boring.

Arun’dul shot up awake, bouncing on his feet as if something had literally pushed him out of bed. He felt rested, despite the nightmare. And he was more annoyed than anything else.

Frowning, he made his way down the tavern, intending to find something to drink. But when he saw the dim lights flickering from the stairs, it made him hesitate. Before he could return to his room, however, he heard the sound of glass.

“I don’t recommend going back to sleep after having a vision,” Shallies said from the kitchen, her voice carrying lightly. “And while I know you’re feeling intimidated by me, I still think it’s better that you get used to my presence, rather than enduring the visions by yourself. It’ll only get worse.”

Arun’dul made his way down. “You’re protecting me from the visions.”

“I wouldn’t just subject you to torture.” Shallies gestured from across the bar, presenting a cup of latte. “Though, I’m afraid you won’t be completely immune from it.”

“You said it’ll only get worse.”

“Not if you train.” They made a small toast and drank.

“It seems that the answer to everything is training,” he commented. He wasn’t exactly sure if he was being sarcastic or not.

Shallies shrugged at that. “The answer to everything is training. That’s the only thing I do. That’s the only thing I’ve ever done. Like what I tell everyone else, ‘what you’re looking at is the tip of the iceberg’. And all of you are currently making your own.”

“And I suppose you have a training regimen to endure annoying evil goddesses, painful visions, and curses, then?”

When the Godkiller smiled, Arun’dul didn’t know whether to be scared of her confidence to make stuff up, or the implication that she had gone through all of those things herself.

“Which of them do you want to train for first?”