Rian was truly convinced he was dead again.
"What did I die from this time? May I know?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"You are not dead," Goddess Bodas's voice chimed. "Your soul was called by me and connected directly here the moment you prayed to me."
"So, I'm not dead?"
"No, you are not," she answered, a teasing lilt to her voice. She then asked, "So, how is your second life? Are you having fun?"
"Fun? What part of it was fun?" Rian protested. "Why didn't you revive me as a baby? And why did you drop me in the middle of a forest filled with monsters?"
Goddess Bodas tilted her chin. "But the result was good, wasn't it? You've become strong now after getting out of that forest," she replied, a faint, proud smile on her lips.
"Yes, but…" Rian wanted to argue but had no words.
"But what? You were the one who walked into danger. It was your own fault. You were reckless, arrogant over your achievement of defeating your first troll, even though it was already sick," Bodas explained, annoyed that he was blaming her.
"You're right," Rian conceded, bowing his head in thanks. "But I am truly grateful for the unique skill you gave me. It was very useful for surviving in the forest."
"Yes, may it continue to be useful," Bodas said, her tone softening. "And congratulations on all you have achieved in your journey so far. That is all from me. Continue your struggle on the path of righteousness."
"Yes, I ask for your guidance. Oh, what about the other gods? Why aren't they here?" Rian asked.
"They have their own duties and their own places. You should worry about your own life and uphold your principles. Your journey has only just begun. Enjoy it," the goddess said, her voice fading as she vanished.
Rian's eyes blinked open. He was still in the same kneeling position, praying. He turned to Livi.
"Have you ever met Goddess Bodas? In a dream or something?"
Livi shook his head. "I never have. But my parents once did, in a dream. They only ever said they met her; they never told me what was said."
Hearing this, Rian realized that not everyone could meet a god. He was one of the lucky few.
"Sir, how long do you plan to stay here?" Livi asked.
"I haven't decided yet. Perhaps until I'm sure you can be left on your own," Rian replied, signaling his intent to watch over Livi.
After their talk, they went their separate ways. When Rian arrived back at the chief's house, Catty was waiting for him.
"Where have you been? The chief came back a while ago. Weren't you supposed to be together?" she asked, worried.
"I was at the church, praying to Goddess Bodas," Rian explained.
"Oh, I see. Alright," Catty replied, relieved.
Rian opened his Storage and took out the ancestral weapon the chieftain had gifted him. It had a long shaft like a spear, still wrapped in cloth. The end was bulbous but curved, like a sickle.
"Is that the gift from the chief?" Catty asked.
"Yes, he said it's an ancestral weapon," Rian said as he unwrapped it.
From within the cloth emerged a black polearm. Its carvings were simple yet elegant, and the curved, scythe-like blade at its tip gleamed in the moonlight filtering through the window. Rian held it. The weight was balanced, but it felt… ordinary.
"Catty, come with me to the yard. I want to test this weapon."
Outside, under the cool moonlight, Rian took a stance. He focused his mana, letting it flow through the shaft to the tip of the blade. He infused it with wind magic, and a soft green light enveloped the weapon. He swung it—a slash to the right, a slash to the left, a thrust forward.
"It feels light, easy to move," he thought. "But I don't really understand how to use it, and I'm not that interested. I prefer Gramps' sword."
He walked over to Catty, who was sitting under a tree watching him. "This weapon is light and channels mana perfectly," he said.
"That's great! Do you like it?" she asked.
"I do, but I don't want to use it," Rian said, holding the weapon out to her. "Do you want it? I'll give it to you."
"But Rian, wasn't it a gift for you?"
"Yes, but the chief said he entrusted it to my side. That doesn't mean it has to be me who uses it," Rian explained.
"Alright, let me try," Catty said. She stood and took the weapon, moving to the center of the yard. She swung it in wide, powerful arcs, leaping, spinning, and thrusting. The scythe seemed to be a natural extension of her body.
"It suits you," Rian said, walking up to her. It looked elegant, yet deadly in her hands. "Especially with her beautiful face," he added silently.
"Okay, I'll use this. Thank you, Rian," she said, a happy smile on her face.
They sat together under the tree, enjoying the cool night breeze.
"By the way, Catty, can you use magic?" Rian asked.
"I've never tried, not since I got this body," she admitted.
"I'm curious," Rian began. "After you died… what happened? Before you entered this new body."
"When I died as an animal, my soul simply left my body," she explained. "I awoke in a place that was completely white. There, I met Goddess Bodas. She praised me for my courage, for fighting a creature I knew I couldn't defeat for the sake of protecting another."
Rian grumbled under his breath, "Hmph. Weird. When I died, she just laughed at me. That goddess definitely plays favorites."
"What did she say after that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Goddess Bodas explained that as an animal, my soul had no evil in it. And because I died honorably trying to save you, she gave me permission to go directly to Goddess Bereum, who would then guide me to the gates of heaven."
"So you had already decided to go to heaven?" Rian asked, his voice quiet.
"She actually offered me a chance to live again in this world, but as a half-beast," Catty confessed. "The moment I accepted, I immediately thought of you, Rian. I thought… I wanted to live with you longer. I wanted to know you better. It seemed like it would be fun."
"Then how did you appear when I was practicing the summoning spell Gramps taught me?" Rian asked, confused.
"The goddess had already warned me. If I chose her offer, I would have to wait until someone called for me. Her command was simple: when someone calls, I just have to answer, and I would return to my world in a beast-kin body."
"So you were waiting all that time until I summoned you?"
"No," she said. "It felt like only a few moments. I heard you call my name, I answered, and suddenly the white realm spun, my consciousness faded, and I woke up in front of you."
From her story, Rian began to think that Goddess Bodas had wanted Catty to return to him all along. He was sure of it; behind it all was the goddess's hidden intention to reunite them.