“So………… A massive war is coming sometime in the next 15 years. But what what should we do now?”

Shayna continued pumping Kannon for information. The little brown-haired maid had proven her worth over and over again this day. Not only had she reassured Maven when she felt doubt, but she had also taken the lead when the conversation veered off-course. Through several well-placed threats, Shayna had thoroughly tamed Kannon.

Not wanting to displease her newfound superior, Kannon snapped to attention. “I-I told you, I don’t know! I can only just barely hear the most fervent of prayers. How am I supposed to just have a plan for you, wrapped up in a pretty bow?”

Oh Kannon…… Haven’t you learned your lesson yet? You should know not to talk back to big sis……

Shayna’s eyes flashed dangerously, sending Kannon into a panic. “I-If I absolutely had to give a response, I’d say we should check out the King and other nobles…… Especially those who have something to gain or who hate demons. Lots of nobles bear a grudge from their battles with demons over the years.”

Sighing at the lack of direction, Maven replied, “So your only suggestion is intelligence gathering? That’s spectacularly unhelpful…”

As if to remind Maven of her presence, Fae raised her hand. “I have something to add! Goddess, we should probably investigate the organization that I used to be a member of too.”

“You mean the Church?” Maven asked with a quizzical tilt of her head.

Shaking her head in denial, Fae said, “Well, I am a priestess of the Church…… But I wasn’t always. I am, or was, a spy - sent to infiltrate the Church.”

“Really?! Who would trust a disappointing girl like you with a job like that?” Maven asked doubtfully.

Crestfallen, Fae asked, “Is that really what you think of me, Goddess?!”

“Why would I ever think anything else? How can you not realize, especially with how you’ve acted over the last month? Those little fits of yours, that shrine in your room…… I know all of it!”

“H-How?? N-Nobody was supposed to know about the shrine……” Fae sputtered in response, before trying to shift focus away from her misdeeds. “A-Anyway…… I was originally an infiltrator, sent here to worm my way into the Church.”

“I’m not sure I understand. Why tell us? That certainly doesn't make you sound like a very good spy……”

“Because I wanted to warn you! About the people who sent me…… They’re the kind of people who snatch orphans off the street, wipe their memories, train them, and send them into powerful organizations - all to gather intelligence and perform assassinations. I don’t know where everyone I met there was sent, but I know some people from my group were sent to infiltrate merchant associations, powerful noble houses, the military, Mage Guilds, and the Church.”

Too sheltered to fully comprehend cloak and dagger things, Maven interjected, “So they’re everywhere…… But again, why tell us??”

“Because I quit, for you - Goddess!” Fae shouted, her voice dripping with rapturous affection.

“What do I have to do with it?!” Maven asked, drawing back from the excitable priestess.

“Remember the first time I taught you magic?”

“Yes…… but that was just a simple healing spell, I didn’t know anything about magic back then!”

“Well… I don’t understand it myself, but you saved me with that spell. Whatever you did, it gave me my life back. I used to be a soulless machine, with no memories or thoughts of my own - dedicated solely to the mission given to me. My world was dark and empty, devoid of any joy or real purpose. You returned it to me. Through the blessing of your divine presence, my soul was filled with light and life. My childhood memories returned to me and I could feel again. I felt your love reverberate in my very being!”

“There was no such thing!!!!” Maven retorted in panic, vehemently denying any insinuations of love.

“But there was! I could feel it in the very depths of my body, so warm and comforting. I swore that day that I would follow you the rest of my life, that I would protect you from any and all harm. So, the second the organization asked me for information about my Saintess, I cut contact. Anybody who plots against my Goddess deserves death!”

“I wish you had told me this sooner…… it’d have been nice to have information about this shady group a whole lot earlier.” Maven said while holding her head in her hands, not knowing how to handle this odd priestess.