The group admired the newly-awakened Goddess with mixed feelings swirling within them—ranging from awe and surprise to a sense of glee and bliss. The girl stood tall—pretty much tip-toeing—and proud, her intense gaze set on those who had been clinging to her beloved knight for so long: Lyra and Lilithra.

Though before she could even begin to chastise them, a more important thought crossed her mind. Her expression softened into a joyful smile as she leapt forward, landing in Ascalon’s arms once again.

“Ascalooon!” She exclaimed as she landed, the knight cushioning her gently. “My beloved knight, at long last!” She added while hugging him tight, rubbing her cheeks on his torso.

Ascalon was still in shock, and her current display of affection toward him did nothing but further add to his confusion. Still, he forced himself to snap out of his bewilderment, and spoke up with a respectful, gentle tone.

“My Goddess, you are awake!” He said with a shred of relief in his voice, as the tiny girl let out a giggle, muffled due to her face being buried in his chest.

The rest watched in stunned silence, wondering when would be a good time to interject. Lilithra felt increasingly jealous—she wanted to hug the small Goddess too! Lyra, on the other hand, was covering her mouth with both hands, finding the scene before her absolutely adorable. Selorien, to no one’s surprise, was doing his best to stifle his laughter at the sudden development.

“Yes! I have waited for so long, my dear Ascalon!” Athanya’el rejoiced as she pried her face away from Ascalon’s torso, taking a moment to peer at his face. “Ah, to feel your gentle touch—how much I have dreamed of this!” She declared as she raised a hand and softly caressed Ascalon’s cheek.

Ascalon was at a loss of words. On one hand, he was overcome with happiness. His Goddess had woken up at last, and seemed to be fine and in high-spirits, for the most part. But the affectionate treatment was escalating into something awkward the more time it passed, especially given her divine status—and her current childlike form.

Clearing his throat slightly, Ascalon spoke. “My Goddess, what happened to you?” Ascalon mustered one of the many questions that preoccupied his mind, and the tiny girl tilted her head in curiosity.

“Hmm?” She muttered, her smile turning a bit shy. Then, realization started to dawn on her. Amidst her excitement she had overlooked something quite important. “Huh?” Athanya’el blinked a few times as she looked around, a sense of unease washing over her.

“Wha…?!” She jolted suddenly, jumping off Ascalon’s lap and landing on the floor. Then, she extended her arms and started appraising them, her eyes darting to each of his limbs before her own body. “Nooo!” She suddenly screamed in anguish, her eyes tearing up. Seeing her panic, Ascalon stood up from his chair and knelt in front of her, in order to be at her eye level.

“What is wrong, my Goddess?!” He asked with clear concern, as the rest gathered around him, their expressions a mix of worry and curiosity.

The tiny Goddess looked up as she patted her dress, then her face, and finally her chest. “Wh-why is my form so tiny?!” She questioned with a whimper, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

Everyone stared at her with affectionate eyes, completely charmed by her adorable display—though it was not the appropriate time for that! “I too was wondering about that… was it not your decision?” Ascalon responded with another question, and the small Athanya’el shook her head frantically, her absurdly long hair bouncing around her.

“No! Why would I choose an infant appearance!” The Goddess complained in frustration, small, shimmering beads slowly descending across her cheeks. Ascalon frowned in sadness, unsure of what to do, and simply placed a hand on her head. As he gently caressed her hair, she seemed to calm down a little.

“Oww…” The Goddess whimpered with a sniffle, then rubbed her eyes with her small hands. “I may have hurried things along too quickly…” She added cryptically, earning intriguing stares from the rest. Ascalon hesitated for a moment, but steeled his resolve and extended his arms, gently picking her up.

Athanya’el didn’t complain nor show any discomfort, so he raised her high and brought her back to the table. The group followed suit, and everyone sat down once more. Athanya’el looked up with confusion in her eyes, as Ascalon spoke up again.

“Could you tell me what happened?” He asked with a reassuring smile, and the tiny Goddess nodded shyly.

“Well… where do I begin…?” She asked with some reluctance, gauging Ascalon’s reaction.

The knight wanted to ask so many things—especially from his last battle in Excadia—but he realized there would be a better time for that. For now, he had a more proper question in mind. “How did you end up in the emblem, my Goddess?” Ascalon asked with a firm voice, and the rest perked up in anticipation.

The tiny Athanya’el pondered for a moment, averting her eyes from Ascalon. She seemed hesitant, deep in thought, but eventually relented. “I… I am not sure.” She began, clasping her hands together and fiddling with her fingers. “I only know that I had been inside for a long time, waiting.” The child continued, raising her gaze to meet Ascalon’s.

“Waiting?” The knight echoed, and she nodded.

“Yes, waiting for you, my knight!” Athanya’el stated with a mix of confidence and affection in her voice. “I knew you would find me eventually, so I waited.” She explained, smiling shyly.

Ascalon was taken aback, wondering how she could have had so much faith in him, especially after having failed her. But before he could delve deeper into those thoughts, another question crossed his mind.

“Then, why did you not come out earlier?” Ascalon said with a pensive expression, and the Goddess whimpered once more.

“Oww… I really wanted to, but…” She replied with a mix of frustration in her voice, looking down at the floor. “I was weakened. I have been gathering energy for a long, long time…” Athanya’el commented, a palpable sense of curiosity exuding from the rest of the group.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“But it would have taken even longer if it were not for you, my knight!” She suddenly stated with joy, while Ascalon raised an eyebrow in doubt. “You provided me with so much energy in such a short time!” The girl said as she swung her legs, her tiny body brimming with enthusiasm.

“And you also brought me to my brother’s statue…” Her tone shifted slightly, her brows furrowing. “Though his monument had barely any energy left in it!” The child complained, puffing her cheeks in indignation.

Lilithra gasped at the adorable sight, resisting the urge to join in and even hug her—after all, even if she looked tiny and cute, she was still a Goddess. Ascalon let out a thoughtful ‘hmm’, realizing some of his theories were partly correct. Athanya’el had indeed been weakened, and was dormant while gathering power. His own existence, along the objects from Excadia, seemed to hold within the energy she needed to regain her divine strength.

It was fate at work once more. Ascalon had already resolved himself to seek out all the other emblems and related artifacts from his world—but now he had another, even greater reason to do so: for his Goddess to reclaim her powers. He felt a surge of motivation, as if his goals had been validated somehow, strengthened by a clearer purpose.

As he was pondering about that, a voice cut through the air abruptly. “Ahhh! I can’t wait anymore!” Lilithra exclaimed, surprising everyone—especially Athanya’el who jumped slightly in Ascalon’s lap. “Introduce us already, Ascalon!” Lilithra demanded as she frowned and puffed her cheeks, her impatience evident. But before Ascalon could even process the situation, the child spoke up.

“You…!” She hissed, taking refuge in Ascalon’s arms. “You demon girl!” The Goddess added with a growl, and Lilithra shrank back, her heart clearly wounded. An awkward silence filled the table, though Athanya’el made sure to break it once more. “Do not think I was asleep the whole time! I saw your s-s-s-shameful behavior many times!” The girl protested, pointing a tiny finger toward Lilithra, and then to Lyra.

“And you, too! I will not let you two corrupt my Ascalon any longer!” She declared as she puffed out her chest, despite still hiding in her knight’s arms. Lyra gasped with sparkling eyes, and Lilithra’s sadness was melted away by a warm feeling as she watched over the adorable, tiny, cute, animal-like, endearing, charming, and utterly enchanting Goddess.

“She’s so cute, I can’t even get mad…” Lilithra whispered as she clasped her hands together and rested them against her cheek, her eyes sparkling with adoration. Lyra nodded frantically, and Selorien finally burst out laughing, catching everyone off guard.

“Oh… I’m… hahaha… I’m sorry… hehe…” The elf excused himself as he hid his face, his whole body shivering as he tried to suppress his giggling.

Athanya’el was completely confused, while Ascalon chuckled slightly, amazed by his friend’s reactions. Despite the Goddess’ aggressive attitude toward them, Lilithra and Lyra seemed to adore her. Clearing his throat, he smiled softly and caressed the child’s head.

“My Goddess, these are my friends—would you please treat them with respect?” He pleaded, his sole eye reflecting a deep gentleness. Athanya’el looked at him for a moment, and then pouted once again.

“Not fair, my knight…” She said as she blushed slightly, nodding with reluctance, and Ascalon took it as a sign of acknowledgment.

“Allow me to formally introduce you…” Ascalon began, raising a hand and gesturing toward Lilithra. “She is Lilithra, my proud pupil.” The knight explained, and Lilihtra smiled with glee, waving at the Goddess. Athanya’el turned her face to the side, letting out a soft ‘hmph!’, which caused Lilithra to squeal with excitement in response.

Pointing toward Lyra, Ascalon continued. “This is Lyra, our newest friend—it is thanks to her that we came here.” He continued, as the cat girl fidgeted in her seat, clearly bashful. The tiny Goddess glanced at her, and then looked away, her pride still quite palpable. And yet, just like Lilithra, Lyra melted at Athanya’el’s adorable defiance.

“And this is Selorien, he is a mischievous elf.” Ascalon said with a smug grin, while Selorien recomposed himself slightly and waved at Athanya’el. She nodded slightly, seemingly partial to elfs, and both Lilithra and Lyra puffed their cheeks with jealousy.

“And this, everyone, is Athanya’el, Goddess of light and the third throne of the great Gods!” Ascalon declared with a grandiose tone, proud to announce his Goddess. She crossed her arms and smiled boldly, while everyone suddenly clapped. Their reactions were expected, since she was a Goddess! But still, Athanya’el felt a bit bashful.

After the greetings were over, Ascalon felt a bit awkward. He had been introducing his friends quite briefly, as if presenting them to a child… he hoped the Goddess wouldn’t take offense at that. As if to clear up his doubts, Athanya’el spoke without any sign of discomfort.

“Hmph! I have known them for a while. But I suppose it is better to have a proper introduction…” The Goddess exclaimed, her tone ringing with shyness. “Thanks for assisting my knight…” She added, causing the rest to gaze at her with warmth. “But do not think I will forgive your indecorous behavior so easily!” Athanya’el declared, her eyes darting from Lyra to Lilithra.

The girls simply smiled at her with sparkling eyes, still enchanted by her demeanor. The Goddess felt like she was talking to a wall, and somehow, began to feel very tired. As she yawned, her eyelids began to waver slightly. “Oh… seems like I have spent my… energy…” The girl commented, earning a few concerned gazes.

“Are you okay…?” Lilithra asked with a pained expression, and Athanya’el studied her for a moment, as if gauging her expression.

Despite seeming reluctant, she replied. “Yes… I just need… some more rest…” And as she spoke, her eyes gradually closed, and her breath steadied. She had fallen asleep once more. Ascalon pondered for a moment, observing the slumbering child.

“I suppose this is normal, since she is still in the process of recovering her power…” He said with a smile, though he felt a bit guilty. She had been meaning to awaken and reveal her existence to him, yet he felt as if he had forced her into a stressful situation. Perhaps introducing her to his friends so abruptly had drained her, especially after the shock she received from her own current appearance.

Sighing with a mix of resignation and relief, he caressed the Goddess’ head. Dwelling on the matter wouldn’t be of any help right now, so he decided to push those thoughts aside. As he glanced around, he noticed the restaurant’s staff and some of the other clients were all staring at the group, and finally realized what a commotion they had made.

“Ah… I apologize for the ruckus…” Ascalon suddenly blurted out, causing the rest of the group to also notice the current mood in the establishment. Lilithra and Lyra blushed with embarrassment, while Selorien smiled mischievously. As if prompted by their reactions, the strangers in the room awkwardly resumed their own meals and tasks.

Soon, Ascalon and his friends received their food, and enjoyed a proper rest after the hectic, divine event. As they ate, they couldn’t help but converse about it, obviously.

“I love her so, so much.” Lilithra declared with utmost seriousness, her yellow eyes fixed intently at the sleeping child. “If something were to happen to her, I would-” She began to explain a most dangerous train of thought, but was cut short by Selorien, who waved a piece of chicken in front of her.

“Yes, yes. We get it!” He said while giggling, with Lyra mimicking his laugh.

“She is so adorable… it must be a Goddess’ charm…!” Lyra chimed in with clear excitement, her smile radiating happiness. It was such a relief to see Lyra in high-spirits, taking into account her brother’s current condition. Levi had done the right thing by prompting her to accompany the group and take a break!

“She is… quite something.” Ascalon added, sighing softly. It was the first time he saw her ‘childlike’ form, as her depictions back in Excadia had always been of a grown woman. Still, it didn’t matter what kind of form she took: she was his Goddess, and he would do anything and everything in his power to help her regain her former glory.

With these thoughts in mind, his resolve was strengthened! Though for now, he wanted to keep eating some of that spongy, and delicious, chocolate cake. Perhaps the other matters could wait for a bit longer, after all.