Chapter 10 – [The Lady Who Reads The End] [2]
"Repeat that, Desdemona's Spawn?"
The Goddess's words were not loud, but they struck inside Cassius's ears like vicious thunder.
He winced, his body shook and stooped, feeling a pressure as if a god's hand was coming down on him, intending to flatten him like a worthless ant.
For a moment, Cassius truly believed it would happen. But no. The pressure was waved off by the Goddess's casual gesture of her threaded hand, giving him the ability to straighten himself again.
He didn't.
He was exhausted to his core. Not only was his Essence drained, the whirlwind of emotions he had been carrying since reincarnating into this world was slowly catching up to him.
He needed to rest his mind, Cassius realised. But that would have to wait, as the impatient voice of the Goddess rang out again.
"I said repeat it, Desdemona." She hissed, a storm of power threatening to erupt once more. Fortunately, she stopped herself.
"I don't recall repeating being part of my deal." Cassius whispered, drawing a deep breath and pulling himself back upright.
The Goddess's blue eyes narrowed, yet a light of understanding moved through them, as if she had just grasped the hidden motives behind his words.
He smiled — always, always — and continued. "I promised you three Knowledges you wouldn't know. That's exactly what I delivered. Anything more will require another deal between us, my Lady."
He tilted his head, taking a leap of confidence. "Are you willing?"
"So that was your plan." She said. The Wheel hovering above her head increased in speed.
"I'm afraid I don't follow."
"You knew about me, Desdemona." She continued. "You baited me, embarrassing as it is for one of my station to admit, by offering knowledges I didn't possess. Only someone who understands my attributes could think of that."
"Ah well." He shrugged loosely. "My favourite saying is: know all the ingredients of a meal so you can cook it correctly."
"Allow me to guess… the quote is yours?"
"Oh my," Cassius exclaimed. "Who spilled my secret?"
The Goddess ignored his sarcasm and went straight to the point. "What do you want?"
Cassius's crimson eyes gleamed. "I w—!"
"Allow me to guess."
His lips twitched at being cut off.
"…you want to be my Blessed."
"Is that a proposal? If yes, I happily accept." He said, smiling widely with lips trembling in tiredness.
"And you plan to give me the location of the God's corpse in exchange." She resumed, her voice growing more amused by the second.
"I mean, yes, I'm not shameless enough to give you nothing in return."
"What makes you think, Spawn, that I would be interested?"
"I don't need to spell it out." Cassius tilted his head slightly. "You are a Goddess. You know better than anyone the benefits of having a god's corpse within your grasp."
"And I certainly know the inconveniences." She countered. "Those alone are enough to place me in a whole realm of danger, if what you say is true. Why should I take the risk?"
"You already know the answer, my Lady."
"Humour me."
Cassius looked at her deeply, turning his tongue slowly inside his mouth, searching for the right words.
"Let's not focus on the bad side for a moment." He finally said, gesturing elegantly. "Instead, Goddess, envision a world where you managed to take advantage of that corpse before any tangible danger reached you. Which, I believe, is not a difficult affair for you."
"Oh? How so?"
"You are the Goddess of Fate and Secrecy." He smiled confidently. "If anyone can hide something, it's certainly you."
"I admire your confidence in me."
"Take it as a show of trust."
"Have you ever considered becoming one of my believers?"
"Make me your Blessed, and in addition to the information, I will sing your praises day and night." He grinned. "And I will build you a Church in the Badur Kingdom. In the future, of course."
At that, the Goddess tilted her head, her face splitting into a cold but deeply amused smile. "You plan to plant yourself on the Territory of Vorn, the Lord of Death."
"Only for you."
She fell silent, observing him deeply. Slowly, silence closed around them like invisible jaws, Goddess and mortal locked in a staring contest.
Everything passed between them through their eyes, and understanding dawned on both sides.
The Goddess knew Cassius wanted her Blessing and was willing to part with crucial information — about the God's corpse or other matters — if necessary.
Her ability to distinguish truth from falsehood told her he wasn't lying. But not lying didn't necessarily mean the whole truth.
That was the first hurdle.
Possessing a God's corpse was also a dangerous endeavour. Even with all her power, the likely likelihood of being discovered was far from zero.
That was the second hurdle.
But there was one last thing…the identity of the mortal standing before her.
'Desdemona's bloodline.' She mused inwardly, her mind reaching into the distant past. 'A bloodline hated by mortals and gods alike. But mainly by gods.'
For they knew what mortals did not and could not begin to fathom.
Tying herself to such a bloodline was tantamount to inviting the glares of other gods. Not the kind ones.
That was the third and final hurdle.
Everything pointed to this being a bad idea.
And yet…and yet…
'I want to see it.' The Goddess thought with a ridiculous hunger. 'I want to know why. Why them?'
Her decision was made faster than she expected.
"You want my Blessing, Desdemona?" She said, smiling thinly.
"Yes." Cassius nodded. "Not just any Blessing, my Lady, if I may add."
"Which one?"
"The Blessing of Absolute Fate." Cassius said, his words like a falling star, making the Goddess's eyes widen for the first time.
Then a loud laugh erupted from her throat, shaking the very realm.
"Do you understand what you are asking, Desdemona?" She cried, gripping the armrests of her throne with devouring excitement. "You are asking me to be Yours! To become one of your Nexus Strings of Fate! You are asking me to—!"
"Not only Read the End." Cassius cut in, pressing his index finger to his own head, suppressing a cough of fatigue. "But to live it. Experience the story with me…until the End."
He grinned. "Until the Epilogue. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
'Your title says everything about you, my Lady.'
BADUM—!
"Are you worthy?" She asked, rising slowly from her throne, walking toward him with graceful steps.
"I don't know if I am worthy, my Lady." Cassius retorted. "But I promise you one thing."
"Which is?" She said, now standing face to face with him, an inch between them.
She was far taller. Cassius craned his neck upward, locking his tired but bright eyes onto her blue godly ones, and parted his lips.
"By watching my End unfold, you will witness the End of many things. Their Epilogues yours to manipulate, weave, hide, and reveal."
The Goddess grinned.
"The best ones?"
Cassius mirrored her expression.
"The best ones."
—End of Chapter 10—