Camaxtli looked up, and nodded once. His swords vanished from his hands. “Acceptable. If you can summon the Light of the Goddess, then it is likely you have the strength you say.” And then he toppled over and lay still.

Lakshmi was the first to move, her magicannon vanishing from her grip with a burst of light as she rushed over to him. “Nononono! No, you can’t be dead!” She said.

Camaxtli opened his eyes and looked at her. A strange flicker of emotion passed over his face.

“I cannot die. I am still functional, though repairs will be necessary. Your distress is illogical.” He seemed… strangely puzzled, almost childlike with his confusion.

I winced. Regardless of the fun of unleashing Holy Heck… and I couldn’t help giggling a little at that phrasing… this made me feel very wrong. But… he’s the one who insisted! I ground my teeth together and hurried over.

“Right, so now that you’ve tested our might, and your stupid macho posturing is over, may I heal you now?”

Camaxtli rotated his head to the side to face me, sparks splintering from his neck and eyes. “You will not be able to heal me. I am not a biological construct.”

“Oh just shut up and accept my help.” I snapped at him, and chanted the {Heal} spell over him. The glowing white light of my {Heal} surrounded his body. The various broken and shattered fragments of his body faded away, his body returning to health, though his clothes were still burnt ragged.

I felt a little bit of pride at that. So the no knowing primitives have a head up in clothing magic huh? I smirked.

Camaxtli blinked in confusion, finding himself restored to health. “This is… impossible. You are not… a mechanic. I am not… a biological… what…” He patted his hands down his body. “What did you do?!” His voice finally cracked in real emotion.

Lakshmi thwacked him on the shoulder. “She healed you! I thought your super advanced civilization brain could comprehend such a primitive outcome?” She smirked.

I frowned in frustration. “Why do you think it’s impossible for me to {Heal} you, Camaxtli? What is supposed to stop my magic from healing you?”

Camaxtli was silent for a moment, sitting up slowly and slowly flexing his body. Finally he said “Can you repair your airship with this healing spell of yours?”

I blinked and then stared over at the partly disassembled Sparrowhawk. “I… don’t think so? I’ve never tried.” I took a few steps towards the hull and chanted my {Heal} invocation. Though I could feel the warmth within me, and the gem of my staff glowed brightly, my mana didn’t lower, and there was a… a feeling of emptiness. It felt as though the spell was waiting for a variable that hadn’t been provided. I frowned thoughtfully and swung the spell towards Daniyel, and immediately felt a slight ‘click’ within me, the {Heal} immediately surged out and surrounded Daniyel with the familiar aura of light, his wounds vanishing under the glow.

“Huh. That’s interesting.” I murmured to myself. So the emptiness is the feeling of missing target information. I thought.

I turned back to Camaxtli who was sitting up and observing me.

“I judge from the results that you were unable to repair your vessel.” He said. He seemed to take a deep breath and then proceeded. “That is why this is… should be… impossible. I am not a biological construct.”

Soriya took a step up and said “I think I know what’s going on. Camaxtli, does the Nocturnus civilization recognize the existence of the soul?”

Camaxtli shook his head. “Not as such. We recognize that other civilizations and species believe it to be a real thing, but our technology has been unable to find it.”

Soriya tapped a finger to her cheek. “What about gods?”

“The question is unclear.”

“Supernatural entities that have power over one or more aspects of reality, and exert control over those aspects that break the rules of reality as you understand them? Do you recognize those as existing?”

He nodded. “Yes. We recognize the Goddess of the Alliance as such an entity.”

“Huh.” Soriya took a step back in surprise. “Interesting, I wasn’t expecting that answer.”

“It was hypothesized that Nocturnus could create such an entity through a suitable research project, but it was deemed unfeasible. The specific variables leading to her creation were too unpredictable.”

“So Nocturnus doesn’t believe in ghosts, or souls, but you do believe in the Goddess?” Soriya summed up. “But you think she was created… by the Alliance? By… accident?”

Camaxtli nodded. “That is correct.”

Soriya murmured “Fascinating…” quietly to herself then said “Then I think what’s going on… somehow, you’ve been bonded with a soul. Lily’s magic works with the binding of soul to body.”

Camaxtli opened his mouth again, then slowly closed it. “I… cannot say. This does not match established expectations or hypothesis…. I… have… a soul?” He looked down at his chest, and laid a hand on it gently, staring at it as though he’d never seen such a thing. He was silent for a moment, then lowered his hand and stood with a smooth graceful motion, looking at us with determined eyes.

“Your offer to accompany you is accepted.” He said firmly. “I must… I must learn more. It is imperative that this… hypothesis… be tested, and this new knowledge be recorded to the archives of Nocturnus.”

I sighed in relief, then stiffened in surprise, as the World Soul echoed in my head. <{Orator} Advanced to level 6. For recruiting the {Ancient Guardian} to your party, you have advanced to {Orator:6}>

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I looked around quickly, seeing the same slightly glazed look in everyone’s eye as well. I shook my head, putting my staff away and walking over to Camaxtli. Holding out my hand to him, I said “Well, this didn’t go anything like I expected… but welcome to our little quest, Camaxtli.”

“Hey, what about my Sparrowhawk?!” Lakshmi spluttered.

“Ah. Your vessel. Yes.” Camaxtli seemed to stare into midair for a moment, and then several flying robotic units dangling mechanical limbs like a jointed squid appeared in midair with flashes of light. Without a word, they moved to the Sparrowhawk’s hull with a soft whirring hum and flutter of air magic. Extending manipulators and probe arms, they rapidly began to affix hull plates, welding pieces together, and reassembling the ship with a rapid competence.

Lakshmi watched, entranced, her eyes shining as the various machines spat sparks and moved components.

“Wait, wait, no no no! That can’t go there!” She suddenly yelped and rushed over to the robots. She tugged on its limbs, and then turned to Camaxtli. “Make it stop, I need them to listen to me!”

Camaxtli raised his eyebrows then nodded with a bemused expression on his face. “I…. Very well.” He closed his eyes and appeared to be focusing on something. The drones abruptly halted their tasks, and Camaxtli opened his eyes again. “The drones have been instructed to obey your commands.” He said to Lakshmi with what sounded like bemusement.

I wonder if this is the first time he’s been able to explore his emotions? I thought idly. That is the usual personal arc that those kinds of characters go through.

Lakshmi turned back to the drones and rapidly started issuing orders, as well as giving names to the various robots so she could order them about more effectively.

It didn’t seem like they were as quick, but I couldn’t help wondering if maybe they would be a bit more effective. Lakshmi was frightening good at what she did.

I nodded. “Well, as soon as our ship is repaired, I think we can be going. Urm… in the meantime, is there a place we can stay? One that’s not in the way of the Jubilee?” I asked hesitantly.

Camaxtli shook his head. “No, but this should not be too much difficulty. The loan of sleeping materials is acceptable, and this hangar is suitable for temporary quarters.”

I looked around, and frowned a bit, then shrugged. “Well, everybody? Is it ok if we just bunk down here in the hangar while the ship is repaired?”

“How long will that take?” Eshaan asked, crossing his arms and frowning.

Uh oh. I… I need to do something about that. Later? I could feel both halves of me rolling my eyes. No, Lily, now! This is exactly the kind of subplot that needs to get resolved or it turns into a whole huge thing!

Camaxtli said calmly “I estimate that at the speed which your mechanic is operating, that repairs should be completed in 2 days. It would be more efficient if-“

Lakshmi spun around and pointed a wrench at him.

Where on earth did she get that wrench from…!? I thought in bemusement.

“Don’t you dare! I do not want more weirdo tech that I didn’t design or understand going into my ship!”

Camaxtli tipped his head to the side. “Query. Does that mean that ‘weirdo tech’ you did design would be acceptable?”

Soriya and Daniyel burst out laughing at the same time, Soriya with loud exuberant cackles, and Daniyel with a much more staid and calm chuckling.

Camaxtli looked around in confusion, while Lakshmi blustered, before finally saying “That’s… not… ok, no. My tech is not ‘weird’, it’s perfectly understandable and coherent if you understand the basic principles!”

Daniyel said “Princess, the fourth manual of Vos Lunguard’s Aeronautic Principles of Crystalline Harmonics cannot be considered a ‘basic principle’.”

Lakshmi pointed her wrench at Daniyel emphatically. “That’s just because nobody studies the standard formula for calibration! If people would just read a little, this would all be obvious!”

While Lakshmi held her argument with Daniyel, as a bemused Camaxtli looked on with what I judged to be slowly growing curiosity, I sidled over to Eshaan. I’d never felt so nervous in my entire life. Either of my lives, and that was saying something!

“So, um…” I poked my fingers together, feeling oddly shy. This is harder than touching the artifact that marked me as the Saintess. I thought, biting my lip so hard it almost bled.

“Hey.” Eshaan said, shuffling his foot.

I took several deep breaths and then started “I wanted-“

At the exact same time Eshaan said “So it’s-“

We both stumbled to a halt looking at each other. I stared at him, and he looked at me, and suddenly I could feel the tension crack, and we both started to laugh.

Well… I guess stereotypes live for a reason… I thought. At least I hope I’m not going down the wrong path here. Maybe we can skip a few steps ahead. Personal growth sucks entirely too much.

“You go first.” Eshaan said, gesturing to me.

I couldn’t help myself, my Lily instincts demanded that I reply “No, no, it’s fine, you go first, I insist!”

Eshaan took a deep breath, and then nodded. “Ok. Um. So. I’ve been thinking. You know. About things. And that… and the kiss you gave me-“

I groaned inwardly, cringing. Oh please, tell me that he’s not going to-

“-and I understand that you probably were overcome by all the excitement and all, and I wanted to let you know, it’s ok-“

I wanted to kiss him. I really did. I desperately wanted to will myself to kiss him, but it was almost impossibly hard.

If I don’t do it now, it’ll just get harder! Don’t I want to do this?! Do I want to do this?! But I might… no… it still feels weird for half of me! But the other half likes it a lot.

“-and so I just wanted to let you know it’s ok.” Eshaan awkwardly stumbled to a halt.

I could feel myself balanced on a precipice; two paths laid out before me. I didn’t know which way I wanted to go; I didn’t know which way I should go.

What would the candy haired girl do?! Does that prolong a stupid romance plot or… but the romance plot ends with marriage! I cringed internally. Am I… but that other me is dead! Should I…?

“Lily? Please… say something?” Eshaan said, his brown eyes filled with worry.

That was enough to tip me over. I smiled at him, a little wistfully, and a little sadly, then stepped up to him and stood on tiptoes to kiss him. I felt a shuddering twang of an overly tense bowstring, the world warning me that I was not supposed to be so forward. And I couldn’t bring myself to care. It felt so incredibly good for our lips to meet again, though I almost smushed my nose into his before tipping it quickly to the side, my past life giving me some quick tips.

I pulled back after a long moment, resting my palms flat on his chest, and said softly “There. Does that answer your question? You infuriating, annoying, fisher solider archeologist boy?”

Eshaan’s eyes were suspiciously bright as he looked at me, and he nodded like a puppy. “Yes! That is! If you’re sure?! I mean-”

I smiled sadly again. “Eshaan, I haven’t been sure about anything since I woke up 2 months ago, and realized I was a pink haired heroine. But… but I like you. I think I might… I might like you like you.” I said, feeling the heat of my blush spreading across my face and making my ears burn. “I don’t know. So… isn’t that what being girlfriend and boyfriend is about? Dating, to see if it works out?”

Eshaan nodded again eagerly. “Yes! I mean, no! I mean…” he swallowed again, and then said “Lily, I would be honored to help you find out if you want to be my girlfriend!”

I smiled, a lot less sadly this time. I took his hand in both of mine and held it close to me. “What’s the ‘if’? You already are my boyfriend. Let’s… lets find out if both of me think that’s a good idea?” I giggled. “You know. While we’re in the middle of saving the world and everything.”

He laughed, and rubbed the back of his head again. “Yeah. While we’re doing that. Great first date, huh?”

I smiled, and squeezed his hand, looking into his wide brown eyes. “It has a few perks.”