Kannon, Henna, Shayna, and Maven - all four people in the room could only stare speechlessly at the priestess who had tumbled into the room. They were all used to Fae’s obsessions and generally disappointing behavior, but nobody had expected her to spy during their secret discussion. If Maven had her wits about her, she would have asked Henna to phase into the rooms and halls like she usually does to check the situation, but today had been an emotionally draining day.
Fae, for her part, just chuckled nervously while sheepishly looking off to the side - unable to bear the dumbfounded stare coming from her goddess.
“Ehehe……… Fancy meeting you guys here. I…… was just…… listening for termites! Yes, that’s definitely was I was doing. Just a routine check for wood damage. I had just started, too; I definitely haven’t been listening at the door for the past hour. That would be ridiculous!"
Maven just stared at Fae as she rattled off word after word, desperately attempting to explain herself. Unfortunately, Fae never could hold herself together for more than 30 seconds in Maven’s presence, giving herself away immediately.
Obviously, she heard every word Maven said over the last hour - meaning, she now knew the truth as well. Why she had continued listening for such a long, Maven would never know. Maven told Shayna her secrets an hour ago. Who continues listening to a silent room while its occupants just cuddle inside?
Though displeased with Fae’s eavesdropping, the situation wasn’t as bad as it could be. If someone else absolutely had to learn Maven’s secret, there was no better choice than Fae. Odd and fanatical she may be, but Fae would never betray her - Maven could literally feel Fae’s faith in her. Knowing this, Maven reluctantly got off Shayna’s lap to pitter patter her way toward Fae.
……I’m scared to find out how she’ll treat me from now on…… She treated me like her own personal goddess before, when I didn’t even do anything. How is she going to act now, knowing that I have some actual divinity of my own and hang out with actual goddesses?
The little girl knelt on the floor beside the grown woman, placing her little maple leaf-like hands on Fae’s cheeks. Maven gently turned Fae’s head in her direction, getting Fae to look her in the eyes. Maven spoke to Fae gently, almost if to a child, with the knowledge this method would work best.
“Fae…… I want you to know... I’m not mad. But, you heard everything - didn’t you?”
Fae sheepishly nodded her head. “Y-Yes, my Goddess…… I heard everything.”
“So…… You know who and what I really am, don't you? Now that you know, can you please, finally, stop calling me Goddess? You should have heard, I'm definitely not a goddess.”
Violently shaking her head in rejection, Fae vehemently denied Maven’s request.
“But you're my Goddess! Reincarnation, demigod, or even those two goddesses by your side - I don’t care about any of that! Kannon? Henna? All I care about is you. You…… saved me, from a dark and lifeless world. A world without memories or joy, you saved me from that! How could I call you anything except my savior Goddess?”
Maven breathed out heavily, finally accepting that this was a loss cause. She’d never get out of being addressed as a goddess. Might as well move past that and face the future. Now that Fae and Shayna both knew the truth, perhaps they could now help Maven avert the apocalypse.
Looking deeply into Fae’s eyes, Maven hit her with the biggest puppy dog look she could muster.
“If you heard everything, then you know why I’m here. You should also know who that disappointing fairy and mischievous ghost really are. Are you really okay with that?”
Fae nodded excitedly, pleased beyond measure at the chance to be of use to her Goddess. It was so easy, it almost felt like exploitation.
“You want to save the world! Exactly the kind of thing I’d expect from you, my Goddess.”
Maven smiled stiffly in response, “It’s not exactly like I want to save the world or anything, but more like I have no choice but to save it. Those two made sure of it.”
Sporting the purest smile she could muster, Fae replied, “It doesn’t matter what you want to do. I have faith you’ll bring happiness to everyone else, exactly like you did for me - just by being who you are.”
Shayna used this moment to contribute, “I have to agree, Miss. I’ve been with you every day since your memories returned. You’re still the sweet little girl I’ve known for all these years.”
Hearing encouragement from the only two people in the world who knew her secret, courage bloomed in Maven's heart. If she had wonderful people like these on her side, she felt like she'd be able to face the future resolutely. An unclouded smile blossomed on Maven’s face, lighting up the entire room with its purity.
Heart unburdened and ready to begin acting seriously, Maven asked the two, “Are you two willing to help me save the world?”