A doll like cute girl in her early teens dressed in a school uniform with a woollen knit cap on her head stood at the door.
Her rather short silver hair contained radiance like liquefied moonlight, while her eyes reminded them of jet black onyx hued in royal purple.
"This is... a Heretic God?"
Erica and Liliana gaped at the delicate and beautiful little Lolita at the door in amazement. Her cute face with slightly chubby checks shot right through their hearts, unconsciously evoking their maternal proclivity.
Her short stature and feeble shoulders involuntarily invoked one's desire to protect her from all harms, making it impossible to associate this 'harmless child' with the terrific Heretic Gods who brought catastrophes upon human civilization.
If any of the peoples sharing same staunch ideologies with Romani were present, a sizeable Flower Knights squad or rather an army would have inaugurated on the spot.
But the aura emanated from this cute little girl, though vague felt regal and towering just like an archaic monarch.
They were all indeed telling Erica and Liliana that the girl present in front of them was none other than a noble Goddess who came after the Gorgon Stone, while shattering their dreams of petting her.
"It's freezing cold outside. Let's close the door and sit inside, warming ourselves with a cup of coffee, right, Goddess Athena—Ktêsia?"
Roy held not a tinge of surprise at the abrupt appearance of the goddess, as if her sudden arrival was within his expectations.
He put down the coffee cup in his hand and made a 'please' gesture towards the seat in front of him.
"—This is the first time this Goddess has seen a Campione inviting a God. Since you are so sincere with your invitation, this Goddess shall be magnimious and not refuse your request, human."
The cute little girl held her head high and announced with a crisp and tender voice like a vaunty lark. Then with a dignified expression she lifted her daintly feets and walked into the welcoming hall as the doors closed on their own.
As the heavy doors closed with a 'bam', the hurling sound of wind and snow stopped, the remaining cold wind was buried under the heat of the flames that burned in the house, and the hall returned back to it's peaceful state, or maybe not.
The environment became deathly quiet as if the world had stilled down, but this stifling atmosphere made Liliana and Erica feel restless and suffocating.
The human perception of time distorts with the circumstances, just like joyous moments pass swiftly and sad moments seem to be never ending and slow.
Quite similarly, with the addition of it's new occupant, the spacious hall seemed to have become smaller and compact, atleast this was how Erica and Liliana felt at the moment.
Such close contact with a Heretic God made them feel fear erupting from deep within their genes. A faint sense of trepidation of being locked in a dark cage like a captivated beast was holding onto them.
Erica and Liliana tightly squeezed on to the hilts of their sword until they turned blue, their backs were soaked in sweat, but even so, their focus didn't waver as they unyieldingly held their standings, staring at the cute lolita who was just too cute to look away walking over with her adorable gait until she took her seat.
"This goddess is just Athena, for now that is. The Goddess has lost her status as the queen of the Trinity so she no longer holds the title of Founding Goddess Queen—Ktêsia. The only things that remains in the memory of this goddess are the mother's sigh, the shame of the queen, and the wisdom of the old woman."
"The glory and honour of this Goddess has been mutilated, only the remants of the earth and darkness that resist the rule of the king of the sky and thunder is left. Therefore, the stone of Gorgon is the only thing that this goddess yearns for and asks form you, human."
Obviously she was asking for something, but her tone didn't waver in slightest, as long as she gets the Gorgon Stone, her strength will be restored back to the peak.
But this kind of self-rightious behavior of asking an enemy from Athena's mouth, not only didn't feel uncomfortable and gaunk to her stupidity, but also showed her profound wisdom and brave fearlessness.
From what she has gauged from this small interaction, this Campione is more peculiar than any other she has ever seen, her tricks in accord of wisdom will not work on him but rather only avert any miniscule chance.
"King, the Gorgon Stone can't be given to her. Now Athena is at her weakest! King should kill her now and usurp her power!"
"Yes, King!"
Erica and Liliana interjected loudly with hurried expressions. Having spent a full solid year with their King, they were fully aware of his whimsical nature which much to their frustation, he said to be the 'unpredictable joys of life'.
"Speaking of slaying this goddess right in her presence. Huh! How Bold!"
The petite Athena gazed at the two young knights with wintry eyes. Although her current strength is weaker than her peak, she is ultimately a divine Goddess, a lifeform way advance than any human. Even though she is weak, mortals cannot bear to resist her anger.
As Athena's eye turned on them, Erica and Liliana both fell boundless pressure fall on them as if sky came crashing, their faces turned pale, but the two girls are ultimately the top premier geniuses of this era, mana surged from their body to suppress the instinctive pressure.
"There, there. No hard feelings."
Roy also stood up to block Athena's sight. He relieved his two knights with a comforting pat each, and then naturally bent down to swipe the snow and icicles on Athena's clothes.
Athena doned a rustic brown sweater on her figure coupled with a dull woolen cap that rested on her head, which put together on a youthful young girl looked revolting.
People say that individuals depend on clothes to increase their charm, but for true blessed people, no matter what clothes they put on, they will naturally pull off to be exactly beautiful if not more.
"Your sweater is stained with snow and ice, when it melts, you will get soaked. It is easy to catch a cold in this cold weather while wearing damp clothes. It is better change your dress. Of course, you are all welcome to dry yourself before the fire stove."
Roy's voice was gentle, and his movements were even gentler. After swiping the visible icicles and snow from Athena's body, he got up and returned back to his seat to comfortably lean down again.
Athena didn't contemplate Roy's unexpected behavior at all. She blankly stared at him with her gem-like amber eyes, and after a long time she laughed hautily and ridiculed:
"This goddess is a noble God. She can't catch a cold, foolish human."
"Ah! I see—Tsundere in flesh!"
"What—?"
"Ah, sorry, just a slip of tongue. Basking under the noble and beautiful look of Goddess Athena made me forget your identity. But to be honest, ever so slightly, I still have the urge to take you home and raise you tenderly."
Roy shrugged and said with a yearning expression.
Athena's sharp and beautiful eyebrows clashed together as she berated in a penetrating yet adorable voice, "Human, this goddess finds your words to be offensive and derogatory. You—!"
"But this is to praise you, goddess, you should be able to hear the sincerity in my words, there is no insult or irony hidden. Only deep praises flowering directly from my heart."
Roy denied with a sincere expression.
Athena slightly lowered her jaw, and said with a little restraint, "This goddess' wisdom says so... This goddess readily accepts it."
Erica and Liliana on the sidelines watched the ongoing conversation in a daze. They couldn't help but doubt if the duo sitting before them were a Godslayer and a Heretic God, the biggest arch nemesis of human history.
"Don't be stunned, Lily! The goddess herself has graced our humble abode. We cannot be lacking in hospitality now, right? Why don't you present our goddess a cup of your special Liliana styled Cappuccino."
"...Compared to those that are too strong and bitter, the cappuccino with raw milk and milk foam is more suitable for little girls to taste."
Roy's words pulled back Liliana to her senses, she answered with a stammering 'yes' and hurried to the kitchen.
The patron goddess of Athens, who was sitting across, harrumphed with a high voice filled with indignation:
"Don't treat this goddess like a little girl. This facade is just an outer show, not my age, foolish human."
Her arrogant expression was lessened on her cute face, her small face briefly reddened in indignation, but the only thing it did was to fuel the fire.
"Don't get excited. Goddess Athena! There is a host's care for his esteemed guest. Please accept it. Wouldn't this show your tolerance as a tsun—, I mean, a noble goddess?"
Roy smiled and stopped Athena who had stood up with puffy checks, motioning her to continue sitting down.
Athena frowned, and sat back slowly as a thought sounded in her mind.
'What a strange human.'
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Greed is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but it is also the motivating force for mankind, which includes me.
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Special thanks to *Oluwatimileyin Olayemi* and *GooseElite*
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