The normally tranquil city of Utopia was buzzing with laughter and shouts of excitement from its entire population, human and puppet alike. The festive atmosphere was evident in every structure decorated with dozens of colors, with black and gold being the most frequently used by the inhabitants, as these were the colors that represented their god.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the streets, the Cathedral of the Madman also lacked its usual tranquility. Hundreds of hurried footsteps echoed through the aisles, preparing everything necessary for what everyone considered the most important mass of the year.
"Is the classroom clean yet?" Bella asked, holding a notebook with all the pending tasks.
She was no longer the young woman who years before had arrived in Utopia with only the hope of a more peaceful life. Now she was a forty-five-year-old adult, in charge of managing the entire Cathedral and ensuring that everything was perfect for the celebration.
"Yes, but we have found defects in some seats," reported one of the cleaning maids.
Bella sighed; problems like these always appeared at the last minute, she was used to it by now.
-What are you doing to solve the problem?
-Due to time constraints, we have decided to exchange them for seats in other rooms. We will look for replacements after the ceremony.
Bella nodded and dismissed the attendant, heading towards one of the busiest hallways. Maids were hurrying about, some carrying cleaning supplies while others wore garments in the sacred colors.
In one particular room, the hurried coming and going of maids was much more frequent compared to others.
"This is too much!" shouted a female voice from the crowded room. "We've been at this all day, I'm exhausted and hungry!"
The woman showed no intention of stopping even as her servants tried to calm her down in every way possible.
"But miss, today is a very important day, especially for you!" a young maid reminded her.
-I know. But you're exaggerating! Why was a bath with rose petals necessary?
Bella let out a long sigh upon hearing the constant complaining and walked toward the room. The maids, noticing her presence, cleared the way for her to enter without any trouble.
Bella recognized the source of the screams immediately just by seeing her back.
The young woman, too engrossed in her conversation with the young maid, didn't notice Bella's arrival until she saw her reflection in the mirror. The girl turned and stood up to greet her, and although her movements revealed nothing, the slight blush and averted gaze betrayed the embarrassment she was trying to hide.
"Athanasia, aren't you a little too old to be throwing tantrums?" he scolded her.
The young woman shrugged, still not intending to make eye contact with the newcomer. Noticing the atmosphere, the maids quickly left and closed the door to avoid disturbing them.
Bella sighed again as they all left and stared at Athanasia. The little girl had long since vanished, transformed into a beautiful woman. Her once short, wavy blonde hair now reached just below her waist, and her blue eyes were so bright that many compared them to the finest sapphires.
Of course, no matter how grown-up she looked on the outside, Bella knew she was still a child on the inside.
"But Bella, do you know how much I've suffered?" she pointed to the door through which the maids had left. "They've treated me like a doll since I woke up!"
Bella shook her head. She approached Athanasia and gently pushed her back to the mirror, seating her on the small bench so she could see her reflection.
"You know they're doing it for your own good," she reminded her gently. "It's your big day, and you should look as beautiful as you do now."
Athanasia looked at her reflection with a certain resignation. However tired she was, she could never deny that all the maids' efforts had been worthwhile.
The dress she wore was crafted from sumptuous black velvet that enhanced her elegance. It featured a deep sweetheart neckline and puffed sleeves that cinched at the wrist, creating a dramatic contrast of volumes. The bodice was meticulously adorned with intricate gold embroidery forming floral and geometric motifs, while the A-line skirt flowed in perfect pleats to the floor, maintaining the black hue but with the subtle sheen characteristic of velvet that majestically caught the light.
The colors black and gold were sacred in Utopia, as they symbolized the Lord. Citizens typically wore small ornaments in these colors to bring good luck, and they were only worn in full garments during festivals. Even priests usually wore only ornaments in these colors, mostly dressed in white. Outside of select occasions, wearing both colors together in clothing could be considered offensive. The only exceptions were the Pope, deacons, and finally, the saints and angels in the service of the Lord.
Athanasia was now part of the third exception.
"Today you will be officially named a saint blessed by the Lord," Bella announced, giving her a small hug, careful not to wrinkle her dress. "From now on, you must set an example as a high-ranking figure while fulfilling your new responsibilities."
"I'll keep that in mind... I just need some time for myself." Bella nodded understandingly.
"I'll tell them you don't need any more arrangements and they can leave you alone," she said, turning away from Athanasia to walk towards the exit. "Just remember to head to the main hall in an hour."
Athanasia nodded. She watched Bella leave before getting up and lying back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
She was tired; she needed to close her eyes and try to relax. Although her body wasn't tired, her mind had been working all night and she hadn't been able to rest.
A little nap didn't sound bad in his mind.
But of course, it seemed they wouldn't let him rest.
"Are you tired already?" a male voice asked from the doorway.
Athanasia stood up abruptly and looked at the newcomer with narrowed eyes.
-Why did you come, Lucas? Don't you have other duties to fulfill?
"Well, I think I can take some time off to visit my old friend and future partner," he remarked as he stopped right in front of her.
His words only increased her suspicions. She crossed her arms and looked at him with a distrustful expression.
-I don't believe it. Tell me why you're here, or leave now that you've seen me.
Lucas huffed and looked at her in frustration.
-You're still the same spoiled brat I knew.
"Oh, really?" He uncrossed his arms and pointed at him with his left hand. "Ex...!"
Lucas, anticipating her intentions, quickly covered her mouth with his left hand and used his right to grab her wrist and redirect her elsewhere.
"Okay, okay, calm down," he said, removing the hand that covered his lips. "I was just worried," he said, looking away, embarrassed, and letting go of her wrist.
Athanasia blinked repeatedly, not believing his statement.
"Worried about me? Now? But I've already completed my ascension ritual! Isn't it a little late for that?"
Lucas let out a sigh, and putting aside his embarrassment, looked at her again.
"That's not what I meant... I was talking about your new responsibilities. Are you sure you can handle them?"
Athanasia did not respond for a few seconds, until suddenly her lips curled and her eyes burned with determination.
"Of course. The only thing I can't stand is spending so much time just getting dressed... it's a waste," she declared confidently, giving a slight twirl to make her dress ripple.
"I think you look good," Athanasia said, not noticing the slight blush on her cheeks.
"That's quite a compliment coming from you,"
Lucas joked, clicking his tongue at the comment. His right hand lifted his hair, trying to smooth it down. "
Stop joking around and come on," he said, extending his hand. "It's almost time; we have to get to the hall. If we're late, Bella won't leave us alone for the rest of her life."
"There are still several minutes to go. Couldn't we move using one of my doors? We'd arrive instantly," he asked, but still didn't refuse the outstretched hand.
"You know it's forbidden to use Beyonder abilities inside the Cathedral," he reminded her as he led her out of the room.
"And whose fault was it?" he asked with clear sarcasm.
"It was the Pope's design," he reminded her.
"Of course I had a good reason for it," she looked at him with piercing eyes. "It was a rule established after you had fun for days using your puppets to scare everyone in the Cathedral."
"It was necessary to digest my position as a Puppeteer," he excused himself.
-Couldn't you have done it any better than to play with the Lord's believers in their own Cathedral?
"He allowed it," he stated immediately.
"Only because he found it funny," she replied.
They both remained silent after the exchange. The central corridor was quiet despite being the only path to the main hall, but considering the time, it was safe to assume that everyone was already in their assigned seats.
"Hey, Lucas..." he called suddenly.
-Tell me.
"Do you regret the decisions we made that day?" he asked, his mind immersed in old memories.
"No," the answer was immediate, accompanied by an arrogant smile. "Life has been much more entertaining since that day. And you? Do you regret it?"
Athanasia smiled, shaking her head.
-Of course not!
---
It had happened many years ago, when they were just a couple of children who had recently arrived in Utopia.
As newcomers they did not have a defined home, so they had been staying at the Cathedral until Bella, the one in charge of taking care of them, decided on a permanent place.
"Lucas, I don't think we should go. You know the basement is off-limits; the Pope himself warned us," Athanasia cautioned him, watching as her friend forced open the door to the cathedral's basement.
"Don't be a coward, Athi. We've already visited every part of the building; we're only missing the basement. Aren't you curious about what might be down there?"
"No!" Lucas turned around and covered her mouth.
-Shh; you're going to give us away without even coming in.
Athanasia slapped Lucas's hand away and pointed at him angrily.
What if we get kicked out of Utopia because of your damned curiosity? Do you want to wander those monster-infested wastelands again?
She wanted an immediate answer, but Lucas didn't seem very interested in giving it to her.
-Lower your voice. Besides, since when do you know words like 'damned'?
"Ever since I heard Uncle Hector say it," he replied.
"I wonder what Bella would say about this," Lucas thought for a few seconds before returning to the subject. "We'll just take a look; if no one notices, nothing will happen."
As he finished his explanation, the padlock on the door came loose and with a gentle push the door opened, revealing a staircase leading down.
"How dark," murmured Athanasia, remembering her time adrift. "Are you really going down?"
"I already told you yes. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to." Lucas lit a small lantern and prepared to descend. "Are you coming or not?"
The black-haired boy extended his right hand toward the blonde girl. She hesitated before taking it.
"I can't leave you alone; you're my best friend," he declared firmly, even as his eyes looked at the dark stairs with a certain fear.
"Silly girl," he whispered affectionately, but the girl didn't hear him. "Come on."
Without letting go of each other's hands, they descended the stairs by the dim light of the lantern. As time passed, Athanasia clung tighter and tighter to her friend, growing increasingly nervous.
"Everything will be alright, you'll see," he whispered to calm her down.
Athanasia nodded, but her strong grip did not soften at all.
Finally, they reached the last step. The basement was not what they expected. Before them stretched an enormous room, the end of which they could not see.
"Incredible," exclaimed Athanasia. "Perhaps it's as large as the Cathedral."
"I'd say it takes up all the space underneath it. Remember, the entrance's in one of the corners"—the boy, despite his comment, seemed disappointed—"But I was expecting a warehouse full of forbidden items, not a ballroom."
"And you still wanted to come!" he shouted at her.
"What's with the shouting? If someone's downstairs, they must have heard you by now." Athanasia covered her mouth with both hands and looked away, embarrassed. "Let's investigate a little more; we still have some time before Bella comes to our room and realizes we're not here."
The two children walked around the spacious room without finding anything; it seemed completely empty. They were about to leave because of the time when Athanasia noticed something in the distance.
"Lucas, there's something over there!" he warned, squinting as he tried to see what it was.
-Where?
He no longer cared about Athanasia's screams; if after so many years no one had come to look for them, that meant there was really no one down here.
The girl didn't point in the direction; she simply grabbed her friend's hand and dragged him toward whatever it was she had seen.
"What is it?" he asked curiously, tapping it gently. "It seems to be made of wood."
"Athanasia... this is a coffin," Lucas informed her as he raised the lantern to better illuminate the object.
"WHAT?!" He fell backward in surprise. "What's a coffin doing in this place?!"
"How should I know!" she said nervously for the first time. "We'd better leave before something else happens."
But before they could leave, they heard a soft knock coming from inside the coffin.
"Did you hear that?" Her voice trembled.
"I'm not deaf, of course I heard it," he said, grabbing her to help her up. "Quick, we have to go."
When Athanasia was standing again, the coffin lid began to open, causing a chilling noise that froze them in place. By the time they reacted, the coffin was already fully open.
-Lu...Lucas-- Athanasia called, scared.
-Calm down; let's try not to attract the attention of whatever is inside.
Both children tried to back away, but stopped again when a human figure rose from the coffin.
"Ugh, I've been asleep in the same position for ages," a sleepy voice muttered as its owner stretched. "It's not time to wake up yet. Who's making so much noise?"
Lucas turned instantly towards Athanasia, his gaze was piercing. Beneath it, Athanasia could only shrug with a hint of guilt.
-Children?
They both turned when the voice sounded too close. The figure was now directly in front of them, causing them to back away in terror.
"KYAAA!!" Athanasia shouted at the top of her lungs, making Lucas cover his ears in pain and the figure grimace, seemingly just as uncomfortable as the dark-haired boy.
"You have a very strong voice," he assured her, though Lucas couldn't tell if it was a compliment or an insult. "Come on, children, tell me what you're doing here. Don't you know you're not allowed to come down here?"
"We know, but..." he pointed at Lucas. "This idiot was curious."
Lucas opened his eyes when his friend betrayed him. He glared at her, inwardly vowing revenge.
--Hahaha--the figure didn't hide its amusement--So what are you doing here?
"I couldn't leave him alone," she said, crossing her arms in defense of her position.
Lucas wondered if Athanasia had forgotten that she was conversing with a mysterious entity that had just emerged from a hidden coffin beneath the Cathedral.
"It's good not to abandon your friends, even when they do something stupid"—this time it was praise; he even patted him lightly on the head—"Keep it up and you'll be a great person"—Then he turned to the boy—"And you, haven't you ever heard that curiosity killed the cat?"
"But he died knowing," the response was instinctive.
Realizing her response, she covered her mouth with her right hand and watched as the figure's smile widened.
"You have a talent for provocation. Oh, Medici will be so jealous in the future—" The words made no sense to the children.
~Who is Medici?~ they both thought.
"So, what am I supposed to do with you now?" The figure smiled, amused to see them tense up.
"He can't do anything to us!" Athanasia warned.
"Oh, really?"—his tone was mocking.
"YES!" he assured her, showing no signs of backing down.
"Athanasia, don't provoke him!" Lucas warned, fearful for what might happen to his friend.
"Shut up, it's your fault we're in this situation!" she shouted before turning back to look at him. "If you touch us, the Lord will not leave you in peace!"
-...Why do you think he cares about you?
"What god would want a murder to be committed in his church?!" he questioned as if it were the most obvious thing.
Lucas resisted the urge to silence Athanasia with blows.
"What if I were a direct servant of God?" he asked, causing both of them to open their eyes in surprise. "His faithful servant or a mere believer? Who is more valuable?"
"That's false!" he pointed out quickly, leaving the entity speechless. "You can't be an Angel of God!"
"Why not?" He crossed his arms, curious about the girl's reasoning but also somewhat offended.
-God only has the Angel of Liberty as his servant; there is no other Angel!Well, that's what the Pope told us," Lucas whispered, and was heard by Him.
"The Pope doesn't have to know all of God's servants," she pointed out.
But Athanasia still didn't back down.
"Even so... we've only heard of the Lord and His Angel... and you can't be Her because, first of all, you're a man..." Athanasia's eyes shone as if she had reached a great conclusion. "And if you're not an Angel..."
~Athanasia... why are your eyes shining like that?~ Lucas stepped back with a bad feeling.
"If you're not an angel," Athanasia pointed at him with a confident smile, "you're God!"
-...
-...
Lucas and the organization were speechless at the blonde's "outlandish" statement. The younger boy, more accustomed to his friend's careless behavior, was the first to react.
"What kind of miserable reasoning is that!" he grabbed Athanasia by the shoulders. "Don't you have a brain?!"
"But he's not even denying it!" Lucas stopped and looked at the entity.
-It can't be...seriously?
The figure finally reacted and shook its head.
-How could God be asleep under his Cathedral? God clearly lives in his divine kingdom in heaven.
-Who says so?
"The Pope? Besides, according to the stories, 'The Angel of Liberty descended from the Divine Kingdom'," he justified. "How can he descend from the ground?"
"Excuses!" He looked at his friend with renewed energy. "Lucas, I never would have imagined that God was always under our feet!"
The black-haired boy didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.
"How could this girl use such stupidly flawed reasoning to arrive at a correct answer?" Merlin thought, giving up arguing with the girl who kept pointing at him as God, which he indeed was. "Could it be true that my acting skills have sunk to such a low level?"
---
"Meeting God was quite fun," Athanasia said excitedly.
"I still wonder why God put up with you that day. His patience truly is infinite," Lucas declared as he placed his free hand over his heart.
"You should be more grateful that I forgave your feline curiosity! Otherwise, you would have become that black cat who died for knowledge, as the Lord mentioned that day!"
"I don't know what you're talking about! God really liked my personality," she assured him. "Besides, when did he ever clarify that the cat was black?!"
"It's because your hair is black; you know, you're the cat," she said, letting go of his hand and running forward carefully so as not to step on his dress.
"Hey, you can't run in the main aisle, especially not in that dress!" Lucas followed her at the same pace. "Do you know how much trouble you'll have if you rip it before the ceremony?!"
"Hehe, you're running too," he pointed out, before creating a door and disappearing.
-ATHANASIA!
---
Meanwhile, above the Spirit World, Merlin observed the exchange between those he considered two children despite their age.
"Those two haven't changed a bit in all these years," he commented as he leaned forward in his seat and watched intently as Lucas reunited with Athanasia right in front of the living room door. "And they're almost late; Bella must be fuming."
The day they found him, Merlin had left his original body beneath the Cathedral while he focused all his attention on manipulating every puppet in Utopia. This was the method he had used during his first ritual, and it was the most effective. Unfortunately, it had the consequence of causing him to lose his humanity very quickly, for by keeping his body suspended and his mind concentrated on becoming a perfect puppeteer, he created the ideal state to deepen his divinity. Not even the fact that his puppets also prayed to him could compensate for the loss.
In the end, he had depended on his truly living believers to keep his humanity in balance with his divinity.
When those children interrupted him, he was forced to leave the puppets in what could be considered "automatic mode," delegating control to some of the spirit insects that formed him while his original consciousness attended to the unexpected visitors.
Who would have thought that because of one of the strangest deductions he had ever witnessed, his identity as the Mad God was revealed.
Merlin couldn't say whether it was good or bad.
The children continued to visit him, eventually receiving two visits a week. Although this interrupted his concentration on the ritual, it also helped to strengthen his humanity.
~I'm still curious to know how they found out about my love for sweets.
After a month of continuous visits, the children began bringing him different kinds of snacks, all stolen from the Cathedral's kitchen.
"Perhaps I should have controlled myself when they first brought them... but it had been so long since I'd tasted real food that wasn't just historical projections," Merlin lamented.
[*The Fool who does not belong to this era. The First Distortion of the River of Destiny. The Incarnation of Miracles who brings good luck*]
Hundreds of scarlet stars began to shine in unison as his honorary name was recited over and over again by every believer in Utopia.
~The ceremony finally begins.
Merlin rose from his throne.
With a grasping gesture, he pulled a cauldron from the void of history. With another movement of his hands, several elements floated toward him.
First, he mixed the secondary ingredients: nine specialties from the spiritual world. These had been very easy to obtain.
When they blended perfectly, it brought out the feature it needed. It resembled a translucent black velvet curtain, eagerly absorbing what little light was around it. It seemed to become increasingly transparent and illusory, to the point of being difficult to notice with the naked eye.
This was Feature Sequence 1: An Assistant of Mysteries.
When she dropped it into the cauldron, it quickly mixed with the liquid already brewed. The resulting potion was as dark as the night sea and as light as the wind.
~Who would have thought I'd be trying for a promotion today of all days?
Merlin watched her for a few seconds before bringing the substance to his mouth and swallowing it. A day as important as today, when believers were more devout than ever, was perfect for his ascension.
---
"Brothers and sisters, today is a truly happy day," the Pope began his speech, all under the watchful gaze of everyone present. "Not only do we celebrate the birthday of our Lord, but we also welcome a new Saint appointed by Him."
The double doors opened, allowing a blonde-haired woman to enter with an elegant bearing, followed by a black-haired man who kept an expressionless face.
"Has Miss Athanasia finally been named a Saint?" asked an excited believer.
"Yes," another agreed as he watched Athanasia walk towards the Pope. "Since Lord Luke was named a Saint a few months ago, we have all been expecting his appointment soon."
-It was inevitable. Besides, she seemed very confident when she was arguing with the Saint, as if she were sure of her promotion.
-The future of Utopia is bright with a new Saint.
The Pope clapped to get everyone's attention; at his command, everyone fell silent.
Athanasia arrived in front of the Pope and slowly knelt on the dark carpet, clasping her hands and placing them on her chest, keeping her head down at all times.
"Athanasia, because of your continued efforts and accomplished work, the Lord has bestowed upon you a new title. It is a great honor that has only been given once before." The Pope turned his gaze to Lucas, who had remained silent in one of the seats closest to the altar. "You must know that, from now on, your responsibilities will only increase. Are you ready to face them?"
"The same question Lucas asked me. Did he know I would ask it and that's why he asked it first? To prepare me?" Athanasia remained calm and, without raising her head, answered firmly, "I am."
"In that case, pray. If your words are sincere, God will answer." Gently, she turned and pointed to the sacred emblem that watched over everyone in the room from above.
Following the Pope's request, Athanasia raised her head, opened her eyes to look at the sacred emblem, and began to recite.
"The Fool who does not belong to this age. The First Distortion of the River of Destiny. The Incarnation of Miracles who bears good fortune"—he pronounced the honorific name in Ancient Hermes—"I implore you to turn your sacred gaze upon this hall and confirm before all those who will become my witnesses, that I, Athanasia, will become your faithful servant and your spokesperson for mysterious theories."
Lucas opened his eyes upon hearing the last line of the prayer; the Saint found it very difficult to resist the urge to hit his face with his hand.
"You couldn't help it, could you, Athanasia?" she complained internally. "Did you really have to reference the events of that day? Putting 'mysterious' next to 'theories' doesn't make the sentence sound any better!"
While the other believers bowed their heads curiously at the last line, the Pope, as if he had expected it, widened his smile and pointed to Athanasia, who still kept her eyes on the divine emblem.
-God has heard your sincere prayer.
Just as it ended, a black veil with golden edges from which bells hung formed out of nowhere and gradually fell over Athanasia, covering her back completely and leaving only part of her face exposed in front.
"A miracle! It's a gift sent by God!" exclaimed the believers, ecstatic at the vision.
"Stand up," the Pope ordered, and she did.
Gently, she stood up; the long veil billowed softly, giving the beautiful and elegant girl an innocent and pure appearance.
"Welcome, Saint Athanasia," she said, giving a slight bow to the Pope before turning and repeating the action towards the faithful.
"It looks great on you," Lucas praised internally as he watched Athanasia's smooth movements with her newly delivered veil.
As a saint, Luke had also gone through this process. At that time, God had also sent him a gift, though instead of a garment, it had been an old-looking book. He always carried it with him, for days after receiving it he had been scolded for leaving a gift from God unattended in his room.
"I hope she gets used to wearing a veil," she teased as her eyes made eye contact with the blue ones now slightly hidden under the black veil.
The grateful smile that Athanasia gave only to him made his heart tremble.
"Praise be to the Mad Lord," the new Saint exclaimed, followed hastily by the other believers.
"Praise be to the Mad Lord!" they chanted in unison.
The Pope, who was observing everything, imitated them as he raised his head and looked at the ceiling of the Cathedral as if he could see something in it.
"Praise be to me?" he whispered so that no one could hear him.
---
At Sefirah Castle, Merlin regained his human form after successfully completing his ritual. He smiled, feeling his humanity, lost during the ritual, return thanks to the sincere and continuous prayers of his followers.
"I'm glad my gift was delivered as planned," the wizard said, raising an eyebrow as Athanasia's statement echoed. "You're still that stubborn girl. Never change."
His still dark gaze turned towards another star; it was one of his many puppets, this one in particular representing one that he had placed at the edge of the fog that blocked the passage to the Western Continent.
"Just a little longer. Just a little longer and we'll be able to meet again, my dear daughter," he whispered as memories of Morgana's farewell flooded back to him.
In the silence, two features from Sequence 1 of Wizard of Mysteries trembled on the bronze table, and on his face the smiling clown mask became visible for a few seconds.
Do you miss me as much as I miss you?
---
On the Western Continent, on a now desolate island, a girl with snowy hair and amethyst eyes sang in the rain amidst unrecognizable ruins.
"Kimi wa Kimi dake shika,
inai yo,
Kawari nante hoka ni,
inainda,
Kare naide,
Ichirin no hana"
The soft melody traveled through the ruins created by his own hands, now bloodied despite appearing clean.
"Itami mo kurushi mi mo,
subete wo,
uketomero yo dakara,
naka naide,
waratte ite,
Ichirin no hana"
The voice of the King of Angels sounded tired and distant. She sang with her gaze fixed on the sky covered with dark clouds. To the sole observer, she appeared sad and nostalgic.
~Do you miss something...or someone...with so much power, can't you return to their side?...or is it not yet the right time?
The red-haired youth remained hidden behind the collapsed pillars, secretly watching the mythical creature, intrigued by its loneliness.
What he didn't know was that she was already aware of his presence, but had simply ignored him.
"This is my gift to you, sir," she thought, her voice unwavering. "I know it's impossible for you to hear me, but... Happy birthday."
And so, in solitude, the Angel King continued to sing his song, with the faint childlike hope that his words would reach him in his divine kingdom, beyond the barrier that separated them.
---
Extra #1: Children and God
"I never thought God liked sweets so much," the girl commented as she watched Merlin express visible satisfaction with each bite he took of that candy. "Do you think we should tell Belle?"
"It's true I'd be delighted, but can you imagine what would happen when all the believers gave her sweets as an offering?"—she pointed at Merlin—"Instead of a Mysterious and Worthy God, we'd have a football."
Merlin stopped his tasting and looked at Lucas with narrowed eyes, clearly annoyed by the comment.
"Even if I eat all the sweets in Utopia, I won't gain weight," she declared. "But many of my spirit insects will surely suffer a drastic sugar rush."
"Hey, I want that ability too!" exclaimed Athanasia.
"Only you? Everyone would want it; you're not the only one worried about gaining weight lately," Lucas mentioned. "Even Bella has put on a few pounds since we started living here."
"Before, we didn't have proper food, soft beds, or shelters. Now that we do, it's obvious that many will improve their health, while others will lose it because they're lazy."
"It is true that the struggle for survival uses more energy than it generates," Merlin agreed with the boy's words.
"So, is there any way to obtain that wonderful ability?" Merlin looked at her; his eyes shone with the hope of devouring sweets without consequences.
-Become a being made of worms.
"Huh?" Both children looked at him, puzzled.
"It wasn't a joke," she remarked, resuming her meal and savoring each sweet treat. "The little joys are the best."
...
The children looked at each other, unsure how to deal with a God made of worms.
---
Bonus #2: The reason behind the gift
"The veil suits her, but why a veil of all kinds as a gift?" he wondered. "I mean, it's perfect for her, because it hides... her mischievous expressions and... her elegant posture... But it also gives her that aura of innocence and delicacy that will only attract more admirers!"
At Sefirah Castle, Merlin, still in the midst of his ascent, heard Lucas's thoughts and couldn't help but respond.
"I'm tired of hearing complaints that my Saint casts biting glances at anyone who dares to look at her with anything more than innocent adoration," his voice sounded directly in his head, surprising the young man. "I sent that gift specifically to cover her up so that others wouldn't see the figure you so desire but lose by denying your feelings like a fool."
"Mr. Crazy?" Lucas asked, surprised.
"Confess once and for all, or I'll start calling you curly-haired baboon!" God's warning left the Saint completely bewildered.
~A curly-haired baboon? What on earth is that?!
But since Merlin had already returned to his ritual, no answer ever came.