Chapter 34: Ch 34: A Feast in your name

The preparations for the feast began soon, and the elder ex-god gave Aiden and his goddess the best room in the temple—his own room.

He quickly left them alone soon after, and the duo got settled in.

"How are you feeling, Goddess Apophis? Does the new power make you feel much stronger?"

Aiden asked as he rubbed her head with his finger. His goddess leaned into his touch, almost as if she was asking for more, before she replied in a pleased voice.

"It’s not much better, but I do feel stronger. I can also feel that this village has been extended into my territory."

She replied while closing her eyes and leaning more against him.

Aiden considered this good news, but something still bothered him. He felt like something bad was going to happen during the feast today.

He was not sure if he should bring this up or not, but his goddess noticed his hesitation and decided to address it.

"I know what you are worried about. This place has been God Rain’s territory for so long, so of course there would be resentment if we take it over. But that’s why it is necessary to take it slow. In the future, we will have more territories that won’t welcome us and will be hostile. It’s better to take what you can for now."

That made sense.

Naturally, if someday another god tried to take over his goddess’s territory, he would protest as well. But if his goddess interfered, then it would be a different matter.

The situation was not the same, but it was similar enough for Aiden to understand.

Still, he did not feel safe. Something about Selene’s eyes and her behaviour kept bothering him. He had a feeling that she would try something weird.

Besides, his quest about clearing his and his goddess’s name had not finished. That meant that there was still something left for him to do.

Sigh

"It seems like there is no point in worrying about it fruitlessly. Let’s get ready for the feast tonight."

Aiden still felt conflicted, and his goddess spoke up once more.

"Do you know that most gods fake their emotions? They might care for their followers, but they care more about themselves. So when it comes to self-preservation, their own safety would always be put first."

Goddess Apophis told Aiden this, but he was not sure why she was telling him this. Seeing his confusion, the goddess continued.

"If anything does happen, we can punish the culprit since it will be under our authority. Rain will never interfere because that is the kind of god he is. Of course, I am different. My care for you goes beyond any reasonable rationality."

The goddess promised, and Aiden believed her. Well, besides her words, the fact that her life was bound to his also helped. And so did her possessiveness.

The same could not be said for Lord Rain and Selene.

"Of course I believe you, my dear goddess. I will always choose to believe your words. However, it never hurts to be too careful."

Aiden told his goddess as he quickly looked through the system store for anything he could need.

He expected his goddess to look her best, but she refused to turn human. In the end, he brought her in her snake form with him.

...

"Lord Rain, why would you do this? Your divinity...why would you throw it away for those outsiders? I don’t understand..."

Selene questioned with a tired look on her face. She wanted to accept her god’s decision, but it just did not sit right with her.

She was sure that her god understood her worries, but he still chuckled at her question and looked up at the temple’s ceiling that was falling apart.

"I might have been a god, but I was only one in name. I got a lot of offerings, but none of them made it to me. My priests took everything, leaving me with just enough to get by. But I was even about to lose that due to this latest incident."

"But Lord Rain, I-"

"You alone wouldn’t have been able to sustain me. In the end, I would have sucked you dry as well and then disappeared from this world without a single trace left. So when I saw a chance, I took it."

Lord Rain told her, and Selene looked at him with a pitiful expression.

She had heard all she wanted, but her heart still refused to believe that this was real. She...needed more time to accept it all.

Sigh

"You will get used to it, Selene. Remember, I am no longer a god and my loyalty has changed. Please, don’t do anything that would cause me heartache."

Lord Rain told Selene, and she nodded to show that she understood. But in reality, she could not understand.

Nor could she begin to accept the reality.

What she did know was that she had to fight against this! If her lord wouldn’t fight, then she had to be the one to do it instead.

"I...understand! Don’t worry! I know what I need to do from here on out."

She promised with a smile on her face. But in reality, her insides were boiling, and she was already thinking about her next move.

She was sure that her god had been forced into a position where he had no choice but to give up his divinity. And that was where she came in.

It was Selene’s job to show the world that Goddess Apophis was a backstabbing snake who only cared about herself. So once that goddess lost the support of the people, her god would have no choice but to take up the mantle again.

’I am sure Lord Rain is not saying anything, but this is what he wants as well. And I will give it back to him.’

If the ex-god standing beside her could hear her, he would have smacked her on the head and told her to forget all about her revenge. But he was only a human now, so he had no choice but to face what was about to come next as well.