The recreation of Vera shook her head.
"I’m afraid that’s one thing I cannot answer just yet."
"May I know why...?"
The Goddess gave him a faint smile.
"That’s a secret as well! But don’t fret, you’ll learn in due time, darling."
’I see.’
Ash hung his head and sighed.
’Fate, luck, fortune, and destiny... it’s all a bunch of BS.’
Ash didn’t believe in anything except obsession and conviction.
At least, he hadn’t...
However, doubting such forces after everything that had happened was simply foolish. Maybe luck didn’t exist, but some version of fate clearly did.
Ash wasn’t going to blindly trust everything the Goddess told him, but he wasn’t going to cast it all away as worthless, either. She’d presented the possibility that she was a prophet and had even offered some proof; nothing conclusive, but enough for the scales of reason to tip in her favor.
That also meant whatever she told him... and whatever she kept from him... served a future she desired.
And that...
That was a bit horrifying.
Especially coming from the mouth of a woman he’d once killed.
Maybe the path toward that end held some benefits for him, but nothing suggested the end itself would be in his favor.
There was the last thing Cross had said to him, after all...
’"Find something to live for, so I can take it away."’
If this Vera was an empty shell, who knew what indoctrinations Cross had fed her? Her entire goal might be to break down Ash’s character.
To strip away every aspect of who he was until dependence took root.
Perhaps she was even trying to make him dependent on her, seducing him by calling him ’darling’ and ’dressing’ so scantily.
Trying to become his reason for living, only to betray him.
All to fulfill Cross’s promise of retribution.
’What can I even do if that’s her goal...?’
If fate was truly a force that existed, was it something Ash could defy?
He could say ’yes’ all he wanted, but those words were hollow, with nothing to give them substance.
He’d first have to learn what type of force fate was before learning how to defy it...
If it could be defied at all.
Staring at her effervescent smile, Ash formed the brightest one he could and said:
"I don’t trust you. Not at all."
With glee-filled eyes, she cheered:
"I’m aware! Hehe!"
Forcing his smile even wider, Ash asked:
"Where is he?"
Her face immediately darkened.
"..."
Ash’s gaze hardened, his smile fading.
"Where is Cross?"
After a long silence, Spring floated back to the ground and said:
"Ah, I’m afraid that is a question without an answer."
’Not that she can’t answer?’
Ash replied bluntly:
"So... he’s dead?"
Vera shook her head.
"That is... another question without an answer."
’Is she merely being evasive?’
Or had something mystical happened to the loathsome fellow?
’Or it’s all a trick to make me think she lacks a connection to him.’
There wasn’t much Ash could determine for certain, other than that his life had just become a whole lot more complicated. And that wasn’t even considering everyone else who would soon be summoned or the looming war for the Rite of Return.
He still had plenty of questions, but if she hadn’t answered the others, there was little chance she’d answer the rest.
Instead, he asked a question wholly unrelated to the instance.
"This land... was born of your tears, right?"
A blush crept across the Goddess of Spring’s face, the tips of her ears turning red.
"Correct... why bring that up now?"
"You said I was establishing the Holy Land on your body, so I got curious."
The crimson tint spread to her cheeks as she yelped:
"Hmph! What does that have to do with anything?!"
"I was wondering if that basin was made of your tears."
"Guh—! How much do you think I cry? Well... it waaas formed from my tears... but not made of them! Seriously, why ask?!"
"Don’t you know that?"
Vera tilted her head, the blush fading almost instantly.
"Oh. Yeah, of course I do. You wanted to know whether I was going to help you expand your territory by helping you feed the Totem. Sorry, not a chance. Nope."
Ash sighed.
’Seriously... is every reaction she has cultivated?’
How did one even surprise a prophet?
He’d learned that expanding his territory and strengthening its defenses required him to feed the Totem ’ingredients.’ These could range from a Marauder tooth in his inventory to a random stick lying on the ground. They were also central to the Totem’s quest function, which would request specific ingredients that granted bonus progression when fed to it, alongside EXP.
Naturally, feeding the Totem wasn’t the only function of ingredients, as they were also used in Trades.
Ash shook his head, then said:
"Is there even a point to talking? Could you not just tell me what I want to know?"
Vera placed a hand on her forehead, floated back into the air, and spun.
"How hurtful! Normal conversations like this are what keep me going! Don’t you dare try to take that from me, hmph! Did you forget the deal we made? Isn’t your whole schtick about sticking to promises?!"
Ash’s eye twitched at that last remark.
He hadn’t forgotten. However, the promise was to ’keep her company,’ not necessarily talk to her. Still, if that was what she’d meant from the beginning, he would willingly oblige and fulfill his oath.
"Very well... I do have another question."
The Goddess of Spring abruptly stopped spinning, sending her hair flying over her shoulders and momentarily exposing... everything.
"Oh!"
Though she didn’t seem to mind.
’Selectively embarrassed...? Quite the odd trait.’
But...
’That reaction seemed a little genuine... though in advance.’
"Can I call you Vera?"
Strands of water lifted her hair and arranged it once more, securing a few locks over her breast as she exclaimed:
"Of course you can! Heh."
’I asked for the sake of simplicity...’
Though he kept that reason to himself.
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