Another day another barely averted disaster. Not more than a day after dealing with the aftermath of the escaped vampire than a monster attacked one of the small villages to the northern boarder. It wasn't anything too crazy however, just an abnormally large bear that had wandered down from whatever mountain crag it normally lived in. It was dealt with by chasing it away again, something a two-hundred foot tall girl could easily do. Lots of praise and worship for me from the villagers afterwards of course. Good stuff.
After that situation I was allowed to go back home to my castle and think a bit while answering other prayers. The topic which weighed on my mind most being the issue of Yoko and the vampire. Thankfully the mage's condition wasn't worsening and it seemed his personality was stable. Whatever had happened with him and the vampire it caused some serious trauma for him. Even Ferherlyn had been shocked at the state he was in.
There was a brief explanation for the head mage about what I knew was going on and he was given instructions to take Yoko under his care. Basically while Yoko was out of commission for however long he would be hidden away for all intensive purposes for his own protection. There was a childlike air about him which could easily be taken advantage of. I told them both I'd come visit as often as I could until he was capable enough to operate on his own again. This wrapped up that situation pretty nicely though I wondered how that man ended up the way he was in the first place.
My prayer answering and thoughts were interrupted when a particularly interesting prayer came in. It was one of the servants in the castle of the royal family. He was praying for a meeting to go well today. Apparently some merchants from a foreign kingdom were coming for a visit with the king to discuss things, from the kingdom to the north called Pheoa specifically. This kind of potentially juicy political drama and just general information gathering was something I couldn't resist. So without further refrain I portaled myself over to Norlov Castle.
Because I can see the location and movement of every human or living thing with goddess vision it was super easy to portal in someplace nearby the foreign merchants. They were the two people I didn't immediately recognize the souls of which made them stick out. So after I appeared in the hallway behind where they were walking I just waited and watched them walk down the hallway.
There were two men and they had a small escort of castle guards to take them to the meeting hall. Obviously they wouldn't be wandering through the castle alone. They also each had a large buff looking man in full plate armor along with them which were clearly personal bodyguards. Their dress was also pretty typical of rich merchants what with the flowing robes and fancy jewelry.
The one on the left was apparently named Zellmo. He was in his mid thirties and had short gray hair. His eyes were green and his skin pink. The other one was a man in his forties with curly black hair. He had brown eyes and tan skin. Neither of them were especially fat or thin and looked pretty average overall. If they were from Pheoa then they had traveled a very long distance to get here. You don't make that kind of journey without something big in mind, like meeting with the king as they were now.
Once they had made it down the hallway to the door of the meeting room I ran up behind them as quiet as could be and just stood there behind them waiting for the doors to open. The castle guards went wide eyed at the sight of me and I just smiled and winked at them, giving them the hush gesture by way of my finger over my lips. Both of the merchant's guards noticed me as well but ignored me due to my stature.
The doors opened and the castle guards showed the foreign guests in with my walking in innocently behind them. Inside the room at the huge wooden table the king Alphonse was already sitting down with some papers in front of him. Normally a king would have his financial advisor alongside him but he didn't at the moment. While suspicions it wasn't necessarily my business what was going on in his business. He did have at least one servant standing by, a butler who wasn't a worshiper of mine I noticed.
As we walked in Sezar finally noticed me and stopped, turning around to face me. He looked quite annoyed and his voice sounded exasperated. He motioned to the castle guards and called out for them stop.
“You guards!” He cried. “Who is this little girl following us? Take her away this instant!”
This got the attention of the rest of the room and everyone stopped to look at me. I just stood there smiling innocently with my arms behind my back, my little legs moving back and forth as my body swayed. The castle guards wanted nothing to do with the situation and after one look from my adorable face they vanished through the doors which slammed shut behind them.
While these guests didn't know who I was the king certainly did. Alphonse stood up from his chair and pointed an accusatory finger at me, his face red as his anger rose to the surface.
“You!” He shouted angrily. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I just swayed forwards and backwards a little more while looking up and around at all the new faces, the smile still on my face.
“Oh nothing really kingy.” I said confidently. “I'm really surprised I wasn't invited honestly.”
Zellmo with his deeper voice turned to the king, his concerns removed as this little girl was clearly known.
“You know this little girl?” He asked. “Is she your daughter?”
Alphonse scoffed and his face only got redder from his anger as he glared down at me across the room.
“No!” He almost shouted. “She isn't my daughter and she certainly isn't welcome here!”
Zellmo looked back to me with confusion on his face now.
“If she isn't then who is she?”
I had decided to keep my true identity a secret for now to see how they reacted around me as a human first. Without permission I walked across the room, through the four gathered visitors, and to the large table. Then I jumped up onto one of the chairs and sat down, wiggling my butt and making myself comfortable.
Sezar walked up next to me with a somewhat kind expression on his face. He was clearly trying to keep from scaring me, at least for now. He also tried to reach out and touch me which I avoided by scooting the chair an inch to the left.
“Now listen here little girl.” He said calmly. “Us adults are having a special conversation here.”
My chair scooted another inch to the left making his hand narrowly miss my shoulder again. This brought a little smug grin to my face as I sensed his frustration growing. I continued my innocent act though.
“But what if the goddess wants to know what you're talking about?” I asked shyly.
Alphonse was sitting across from me with a look of glowering rage on his face as he glared at me. Of course he was up to something shady and even if it didn't involve me originally he didn't want it to. He remained silent probably out of a combination of anger and fear. Surely he was worried about the situation but his mind was likely frozen up from overthinking.
Instead it was Zellmo who spoke as he walked over and took a seat across from the king.
“I've heard rumors that there was an actual goddess walking around Celudunn.” He said with a curiosity to his tone. “She's supposed to be nothing like any goddess that's ever been before.” He then scoffed and crossed his arms. “She's got to be the most ridiculous goddess I've ever heard of.”
This was what I was waiting to hear and I couldn't stop a big grin from spreading across my face. I crossed my own arms over my chest and my chair floated slightly off the ground, rotating so I was facing Zellmo in his chair. This surprised the others who were still looking at me. The tone of my voice had also shifted from an innocent little girl into a much more serious and mature one.
“So you have heard of me?” I asked.
Zellmo now was looking at me and his expression was both confused and unnerved. He hadn't seen me do anything that wasn't possible by a regular mage so he turned instead to the king with an inquisitive look.
Alphonse had reeled in his anger at this point and almost seemed smug now that he was seeing someone else be messed with by me. Certainly I was still his enemy but he could use me to his advantage he was surely thinking. He huffed into his mustache and put his hands on the table together.
“May I introduce our goddess Jenna.”
The two merchants looked down at me in disbelief. Sezar was still standing near me and looked down with a frown.
“She's clearly just a mage.” He said firmly. “Mayhaps a particularly gifted one for her age but a goddess she is not.”
I waved my left hand dismissively and scooted my chair back until it was at the left end of the table, leaving plenty of space between me and the others.
“Sure sure.” I said. “I'm sitting in on the conversation anyway. So what business do you two have here today?”
The king looked surprised I hadn't immediately corrected them and done some display of power. He didn't seem opposed to it however as he was likely already wracking his brain for ways to use it to his advantage.
Sezar finally walked to his seat next to his companion and sat down. He gave me another glance and then looked back over to Alphonse with narrowed eyes.
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“You had said this would be a private conversation your highness. Having her here isn't private.”
Alphonse looked particularly smug as he addressed me again. It seemed he had figured something out.
“He's right. You should leave. You are just a mage after all.”
Now it was obvious they were planning something sneaky and probably vile. I was definitely figuring out it and the best way to do that would be to hear it from them directly. An idea started forming in my mind and I decided to act on it. If they wanted to play games I'd play games with them.
I stood up on my chair so I was looking down at them, a look of both anger and delight on my face. My eyes were glowing as I held my arms out from my sides.
“You want to play games with me you little shits?” I snapped. “Well why don't I play a game with you?”
The room started getting dimmer for a moment before many things all happened at once. First I summoned a conversation cone directly big enough for everyone present around the table to fit into, about fix feet across in all directions. Then the light within that area was snuffed out leaving everyone in total darkness. I then summoned a chess board in the middle of the table with three of the pawns missing and moved the three men into the air with telekinesis. They were then shrunken down to the size of pawns, about two inches tall, and placed on the board while I moved to sit down where the king had been seated at the table before.
This all took place within only a single second, maybe two. From the outside all anyone could see was a large pitch black sphere of darkness in the middle of the room engulfing the table. The two bodyguards and servant of the king hesitated before moving close to it. Then its surface crackled with power and they stepped back in fear. Whatever was going on inside there was out of their control. They couldn't even hear anything going on inside which was deeply unsettling.
As for the people inside the sphere they were soon disclosed their situation when the lights came back on. The lights being in the form of my glowing eyes and brilliantly shining hair. They saw me sitting at the table and looming over them while game pieces their size and larger stood all around them on the board. Only a small area of the table was lit with the light from my hair and beyond that nothing but deep darkness.
I was leaning on the table with my left hand supporting my chin while my right arm lay down on the table. My expression was one of smug contentment as I looked down at them, my eyes slowly fading back to their normal color while my hair remained illuminated.
While all three of the men were panicking to some degree it was Alphonse who was most used to my shenanigans. Instead of being overwhelmed he instead was visibly furious, his voice now squeaky due to his small size.
“How dare you!” He shouted up at me. “Undo this immediately!”
The other two men had been standing there stunned in pure terror, unable to move or even look away from my face high above them. They had finally regained their senses enough now however in order to move. Their first act being to turn and flee in opposite directions.
Ignoring the king I sat up straight and lowered my left hand down onto the chess board, moving one of the pawns to block off Zellmo's escape route. He fell down as the huge piece moved in front of him. Meanwhile the sight of my giant arm moving overhead causes Sezar to stumbled and fall over himself.
“I'm the one playing the games here.” I said grinning as I leaned in over the table and therefore over them. “Ya'll come to my kingdom and plot secret meetings with my king. That's a big no no for you and him both.”
Sezar was stammered and blubbering, his brain still processing if this was real.
“W-What's happening? Wh-Where am I?”
I let out a small sigh and move another of the chess pieces, this time one of the white knights out which boomed down on the board a fair distance away from them. Though its impact was felt by their tiny bodies.
“You're going to tell me everything I want to know.” I said sternly. “Explain it to them.” I pointed down at Alphonse with my huge index finger.
This seemed to snap Alphonse out of his angry attitude and he stepped back nervously. He then turned to the other two man and gulped.
“I'm afraid the goddess always gets what she wants.” He said almost shyly. “For all our sake's we'll have to do what she says.”
I smiled smugly as I watched him follow my orders and I then sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest again. It seems the rich really did only speak the language of force and violence. No one was more capable of both than me.
Both merchants had began to calm down and at least regain the ability to stand. Pants were pissed and revelations had. They weren't in just any old kingdom anymore, now they were truly in the realm of a goddess. As their heart rates began to stabilize they started moving further away from me, though the wall of pieces kept them from going too far from the center of the chess board.
Zellmo gulped and looked up at me with fear in his eyes.
“W-What do you want t-to know?”
I lifted my left hand and waggled my finger in the air. “What do you want to know goddess.” I corrected.
“What d-do you want to know... G-Goddess...” He stammered.
With another grin I leaned in over the table again, my arms once again supporting me.
“First I want to know what goods you two supposed merchants trade in.”
Sezar gulped and moved closer to one of the pawns and put his back to it. The thing was as tall as he was and he looked up at me also filled with great fear.
“I-I trade in gemstones and jewelry g-goddess!” He said. “F-From the expansive mining Pheoa h-has.”
Zellmo was next to speak, though he mostly stood his ground when faced with my overpowering presence.
“My trade i-is spices and salts m-my goddess.”
While the two of them cowered on the opposite side of the game board Alphonse had moved to the right side so he wasn't between me and the two merchants. It was clear he was doing this in hopes of staying out of my line of sight and avoid notice. He was under no false pretenses of escaping this situation but the less attention I gave him the better. His plan was foiled however when I reached for him. He squirmed around little a little bug as my fingers gently lifted him up and moved him near the other two men.
I rolled my eyes at his squeaking. “Don't think I've forgotten about you. You sit there with your playmates.”
Seeing the king being handled like this by me certainly put the fear of the goddess in the hearts of the two little scumbags and their knees did start a shaking anew.
I smiled rather gently this time and moved my arms closer underneath me.
“So...” I started. “What are your intentions in my kingdom? Your real intentions.”
The two merchants looked at each other and then over to the king. It was clear there was no reason to lie as it was much too dangerous to do so. Surely they wanted to but at this point they certainly didn't think they could get away with it. Here they were in a black void the size of insects with a little girl goddess looming over them with fury in her eyes. Any mistake right now would definitely end in their untimely demise.
It was Sezar who finally spilled the beans. He fell down on his knees and begged up to me.
“Please goddess have mercy!” He groveled. “We... We were going to sell our goods directly to the king and then have him sell them to the market.”
Alphonse looked away clearly not wanting to elaborate further on this otherwise inconspicuous scheme. Instead Zellmo took his turn falling to his knees and began cowering before me.
“Yes goddess!” Zellmo chimed in. “Please forgive us! The king planned to use taxes to buy them so really we're innocent in all this!”
My left hand lifted to my chin while I thought for a moment. Using the taxes to pay for goods huh? Because that money was taken from the people purchasing things with it especially made them free, at least as far as the crown was concerned. Utilizing public funds for personal gain was the hallmark of a corrupt politician after all. Reselling these goods bought with public money back into the kingdom was therefore pure profit and quite the scrupulous scheme indeed.
I lowered my left hand back onto the table and sat back in my chair, my hands now placed down in front of me. My anger had now faded from my expression and I was left looking more disappointed than anything. This seemed to ease the terror of the two merchants and left them only fearful. Alphonse on the other hand was sweating bullets and avoiding looking at me.
“I'll admit its a clever plan.” I said calmly. “And its true you two merchants don't have massive implications in the bulk of the crime. As far as I'm concerned you're free to go.” I leaned in a bit. “Without following through with it of course.”
The two men stood back up and nodded with slight whimpers as they agreed with me.
I then turned my head to the king and frowned. My left hand reached out and my hand descended on him.
“As for you...”
Alphonse started panicking and yelling. He took off running across the game board trying to avoid my approaching fingers though of course it wasn't possible. He was probably really terrified of what I was going to do with him.
My hand stopped suddenly as the situation outside the sphere changed. Because I was constantly observing it with goddess vision I could see everything that happened out there. The crown prince Turshok had entered the room and was standing there in shock as he looked at the large sphere of darkness consuming most of the table. No one outside could hear what was going on inside and the reverse was also true. Except for me of course.
Turshok ogled the guards with disbelief. “What in the world is going on in here?” He demanded.
Suddenly and once again within only a couple seconds I reversed everything. The sphere of darkness vanished and the chess board was dematerialized. All three of the men were simultaneously restored to their proper sizes and placed sitting back in the chairs they had originally occupied as well. I on the other hand appeared standing on the floor behind the two merchants and in front of the prince. My eyes were closed and my hands were held together behind my back.
I kept my eyes closed and my head lowered slightly as I started walking forward and towards the door, passing the prince on the way.
“Nothing. I was just dismissing myself.”
Turshok seemed surprised to see me, though the shock of the strange darkness was now gone completely. Having me around really explained most things for those who knew me.
“G-Goddess!” He stammered. “I didn't realize you were here! You should have told me and I'd have-”
I cut him off as I passed him and reached the doors. At that point I also paused for a moment and opened my eyes, glancing at him in my peripheral vision without turning my head.
“Not necessary kid.” I replied. “Oh and you'll not want to linger here either. Bad juju.”
The prince clearly had nothing to do with this so him being here was just coincidence. Turshok was one of my worshipers and as such I could read his mind to some degree even from a distance. He had come looking for his father to ask him about some affair of state and had no part in this money laundering scheme. He tried to be a good royal and I'd hate to see him fall into the depths of depravity his father had.
Turshok was still confused but he turned to face me and bowed.
“V-Very well goddess.” He said respectfully. “Please have a good day then.”
My arms remained behind my back as I walked from the room and into the hallway, the expression on my face one of disappointment.
“You too.”
I then looked forward once again and walked out into the hallway and away from the room.
The three men sitting at the table were coming back to their senses now. There was so much light and noise now it would've been pretty overwhelming for them. Their perspective of me would be forever changed and I didn't actually care that much. They were scum and I'd not have them misappropriating public funds in such disgusting ways. The three of them had only escaped my little playtime because of the intervention of the prince, something they probably would never realize was as lucky as it had been.
Honestly this entire thing had put me in a fowl mood and I needed to sit down and think things through before I did something rash. Sub-chan would definitely need to be brought into it as well. Her input was nothing I didn't already know but having a healthy internal dialogue is important. Most people didn't literally talk to themselves however.
The royal family definitely had all sorts of terrible schemes like this going at all times in every corner of the kingdom. Though their machinations were just a drop in the bucket compared to all the nefarious plots of every noble and rich merchant spread out over the kingdom combined.
Such things were largely unavoidable without drastic intervention on my part and for now I'd keep with the non-interference policy for the most part. I would however keep a closer eye on the king himself. While he was unlikely to do something like this again in the near future he'd need to be reminded from time to time that this kingdom was mine too.