Make me stronger than Gaia can?

I’m not sure I believe her.

Yes, I had both witnessed and experienced this thing’s power, but it should pale in comparison to anything that Gaia could do. She was the one true god of these lands. I can’t think of another god that has been worshipped since I had first achieved sentience, from either man or monster, and I’m one of the older beings in Aohan, I think.

Admittedly, I haven’t necessarily been the most proactive in exploring the world, nor even really interested, but I still think I would have heard at least one other god’s name by now, if there was one.

That’s completely ignoring the fact that I know next to nothing about this ghastly creature, its intentions, or how it originated from my people. I should tread with caution.

Eunha, following my thoughts like they were breadcrumbs, is not amused at my speculations.

(You thought something really asinine just now, kid. Don’t worry about my capabilities or my objectives. All you need to know right now is that I’ve accepted you as a suitable host. The rest will come with your own experience, and experience you shall on the road you travel.)

Objectives? That’s worrying. Knowing that she has some sort of ulterior motive doesn’t exactly make me relieved. Also, this experience she talks about doesn’t sound like anything that keeps my welfare in mind. Ignoring my thoughts, Eunha walks towards me.

(But first, I need to rest. I thought it appropriate to appear in front of you, considering we hadn’t truly met yet, but I forgot how tiresome speaking to a new person is. Your mother was the only source of conversation I had for the past few millennia, so allow me some time to get used to you.)

She taps my forehead and her figure dissipates, the weight in my pocket disappearing. I reach into my cloak, and the rock is no longer there. I feel the power from last night surging back into me. Apparently I had not noticed that it left with her materialization. Regardless, it felt good to have back.

Wait a second, come back here. You haven’t explained yourself at all yet. In fact, you barely just arrived. Aren’t you supposed to answer my questions? What are your motives for helping me? What makes you believe you have more capability than god?

Completely filtering out my thoughts, Eunha pretends she isn’t aware of my confusion.

(Ah… it feels good to not be stuck in that crude rock anymore. I look forward to working with you, Sun. I’m sure both of us will get what we want out of our mutual relationship.)

No no no, this certainly doesn’t count as a mutual relationship if you’re just going to live in me and not give me any context-

(Oh, and you should stop trying to force explanations out of everyone you happen to encounter. It’d do you better in terms of how people view your character. You’ll need a bit more finesse from now on, so it’d be beneficial to take my words to heart. I’ll be watching your journey, but I have faith in your independence. Good luck.)

There’s nothing in my head anymore but silence.

She really just showed up, let me know of her existence, and then left. That was on par with an interaction between a home-owner and a door-to-door salesman. Was this really okay?

I guess she was the type of being to do that sort of thing, being freakishly powerful and all. It seems like anything that achieves prominence in the world is just complacent and doesn’t care at all about the feelings of those below it. I feel bad for those who regularly pray to any god, Gaia or otherwise. They have to deal with this every day of their lives.

Well, her preference for concise and unhelpful conversations is annoying, but at the very least I know that I’m not being attacked when I hear her voice now.

I’ll find out what she’s hiding from me one of these days. For now, I’ll focus on putting food on my plate. I pack up all my stuff and head downstairs to the lobby, praying I don’t encounter anyone.

_____________

This is why I don’t pray anymore.

Lillia is awake at the front desk, holding a mug of some hot liquid, and Anya is standing around, in all probability waiting for my arrival. It’s early in the morning, so I’m surprised at both of their demonstrated continuance; Anya for her persistence in whatever goals she had regarding myself, and Lillia because she’s still posted up at the front.

Lillia’s hours must be extremely strict to have gone to sleep after me, and then woken up before, so perhaps it wasn’t such a wonder that her inn hasn’t gone under quite yet. I give her credit where it’s due.

Upon spotting me, Anya makes her way over.

Her confident walk makes it clear that she’s built up the confidence and resolve to ask something of me today. That is the only option I can think of that would still have her still vying for my time, remembering her expression when I began to return to my room.

Whatever it is, I plan to shoot down her request, not out of spite this time, but out of necessity. I really need to make some money, and I still haven’t thought of a way to do that yet. I’m still horribly unfamiliar with how humans carry out their financial distributions and operations, so possible avenues of fund accrual are simply not things that I can pull off the top of my head.

Anya now stands in front of me, and I listen to her request, fully prepared to reject it. She clears her throat and speaks her mind.

“Please join my party”, she says.

“I would be glad to.”

“-I don’t know of anyone I can ask in Ochseid anymore, everyone knows my bad habits during missions now. They’ve all abandoned me, and you came at the perfect time. Please help me.”

“Yes, I said I would.”

“I can get listings from the guild, and you can just come with me. I’ll split the rewards with you and the guild will never suspect-”

Anya stops talking.

“Really?” She’s in complete disbelief, as if she never thought in a million years that I would agree to her request.

It’s out of necessity.

“Yes, really. I need money to live. Don’t make this weird.” I try to make it as clear as possible that I’m not doing this out of the kindness of my heart. I’m not some human sympathizer like Eunha makes me out to be. I have needs, just like every other living thing in this godforsaken world, and it just so happens that they include money at the moment.

Freckles sips on her hot morning drink, already fully aware of what’s about to happen.

Anya tackles me.