Chapter 43 - Commander And Subordinate

Chapter 43: Chapter 43 - Commander And Subordinate

Deina cleared her throat loudly, trying to assume a casual appearance as she slowly stepped out into the open, looking up at the sky as if inspecting the cloud formations.

"Oh! What, uhhh, lovely weather we are having today! So lovely in fact that I decided to take a stroll in the main city! Just strolling along and minding my own business!"

Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Dee, stop acting like an idiot. I knew you were following us the whole time. Come here."

"Who, me? Hiding? I have no idea what you’re talking about–"

"Dee, come sit with us" Maribelle called out whilst waving her hand.

In an instant, Deina’s defensive facade melted away. Her shoulders dropped, and her eyes lit up as she hurried over. "Mari! Vinny! It’s so wonderful to see you both!"

She offered a bright, lovely smile to mother and son, before casting a curt, formal glance at Natasha. "Greetings... Commander Natasha."

"Commander Natasha? Since when do you call me by my full name? What happened to ’Nat’?"

"I’m simply showing proper military respect to my superior officer," Deina replied with an uber fake smile. "I mean, I wouldn’t want to be overly familiar, ma’am."

Without waiting for an invitation, Deina happily plopped down on the bench right next to Vincent – wedging herself tightly against his side, prompting Natasha to glare daggers at her.

"Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!"

"What? There isn’t any other space on the bench. Unless you’d prefer I sit on his lap?"

"Don’t you dare–!"

"Anyway!" Deina cut in smoothly, turning her full attention to Vincent. "Little Bird... about what you were saying just now... regarding merging the time streams between Earth and the Divine Realm?"

Vincent nodded, holding up the three glowing, golden paper slips again.

"Yeah. Her Majesty gave me these permission slips. Up to three divine beings can go to Earth and investigate the God blocking my passage.

"While they’re there, if they can somehow meet the God in charge of time and reality down there like Her Majesty suggested, they can ask that person to permanently sync Earth’s time with the Divine Realm.

"That way, you guys won’t have to worry about waiting hundreds of years for me to return whenever I leave for Earth–"

SWIPE!

Before he could even finish his sentence, Deina’s hand darted out like a striking viper, snatching one of the golden slips straight out of his fingers.

"I’ll do it!" she declared firmly, clutching the slip to her chest as if it were her lifeline.

Stunned and furious that Deina had acted first, Natasha immediately snatched the second golden slip from Vincent’s hand.

"Of course I’m going to do this for him! He’s my lover! Why the hell are you going, Subordinate Deina?!"

"Because I care about him too... as a friend! You aren’t the only one who acted as his instructor, you know! I also trained him personally on the topic of divine power for well over two hundred years! I just want to see my beloved pupil happy and reunited with his family! Besides..."

Deina leaned in slightly and smirked smugly. "...did you already forget, Commander Natasha? Little Bird and I even shared a kiss."

"HAH?! That was just a friendship kiss, and you know it! V and I have done much more than some silly little kiss!"

"Oh please. Friends don’t kiss the way he and I kissed. The passion, the heat–"

"SHUT UP! IT MEANT NOTHING! He belongs to me! We share a deep bond that far surpasses friendship!"

"Is that right?! Well at least I didn’t–!"

While the two Goddesses bickered at each other in the background, Vincent looked down at the single, remaining golden slip resting in his hand.

He turned toward his mother, holding the glowing paper out to her with a hopeful smile.

"Mama... this is your chance. You can go to Earth and finally see Dada and Kathy."

Maribelle’s eyes widened in shock.

For a brief second, a flash of yearning desire washed over her face. But then, her expression softened into a deeply affectionate, melancholy smile.

Gently, she reached out and pushed Vincent’s hand back toward him.

"Mama...? Why? I know how much you miss them. And I’m sure they’d be happy to see you... I know for sure Dada will. This might be your only chance to visit Earth."

"I know, baby. And trust me, my heart aches to hold Dusty and Kathy again. But... if I went to Earth right now, I would be worrying about you every single second I was away."

"M-Me?"

"Yes. Right now, I want to stay here. I want to be waiting for you with open arms every time you return from Pristina. I imagine that this is going to be a very stressful time in your life.

"Being permanently bound as a Familiar to a princess is sure to bring you so much struggle and confusion. When you are feeling lost, or when you just need to vent... I want to be here to hold you."

"... Mama, I can take care of myself. I’m strong now. Really strong."

Maribelle cupped his cheek in her soft, warm palm. "I know you are. I’ve watched over you for five hundred long years. But even after all that time... even with all your divine power... you are still my baby. And a mother’s place is supporting her child when he needs her most."

She smiled brightly as a tear glistened in her eye. "Don’t worry about me missing my chance. Eventually... I will get to see them. I just have to be patient."

Enamored by her incredible strength, selflessness, and affection, Vincent wrapped his hand over hers on his cheek and looked into her eyes with absolute resolve.

"I promise you, Mama... Somehow, someway, I will find a way to bring us all together, so that we can be one big happy family. No matter if it’s back on Earth or here in the Divine Realm. I swear it."

"Aww~ Mama will be rooting for you every step of the way."

"—WELL AT LEAST V AND I HAD SEX ALL DAY THE DAY HE RETURNED MY FEELINGS!" Natasha’s hysterical scream suddenly blasted like a thunderclap.

The surrounding area went into dead silence.

Several divine beings passing by froze in place, staring at Natasha in unbelievable shock over what she had just declared.

Natasha realised what she had just yelled at the top of her lungs. A blush so intense, swept over her face that she looked like she might spontaneously combust.

"EEEEK!!"

In a panic, she dove straight onto the bench, slamming her face directly into Vincent’s chest, covering her head with her arms as she whimpered in terminal embarrassment.

Deina, with her jaw practically touching the floor, slowly turned toward Vincent as a terrified twitching, forced smile spread across her face.

"Little Bird...is... is that true?"

Maribelle beamed with sudden excitement. She leaned in dangerously close to her son with hopeful eyes. "Oh! Is it true, baby?!"

Vincent sought Natasha for help, but the red head was completely out of commission. Feeling his cheeks burn with heat, Vincent squeezed his eyes shut, looked away, and offered a tiny, embarrassed nod.

"Kyaaah~!" Maribelle squealed like a teenage girl, clapping her hands together. "Nat! Oh my goodness! Can I expect grandbabies already?!"

"NO, MARI! It’s way too early for that! B-Besides... V made sure to pull out every single time!"

"Awww... What a waste of good divine potential..."

"THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN!"

Meanwhile, Deina looked as if her entire world had just been shattered into a million pieces.

Seeing her rival paralyzed, a smug, victorious smirk broke through Natasha’s deep blush.

She wrapped her arms around Vincent’s waist, holding him close. "What’s the matter, Subordinate Deina? Don’t have anything clever to say now?"

Deina’s lips trembled. A mix of hurt, jealousy, and sheer embarrassment flushed across her face.

"I... I... UGH!"

Unable to take another second of it, she unfurled her wings and launched herself into the sky, flying away at breakneck speed.

"Dee! Wait–!"

"No, V!" Natasha caught his wrist, setting him back down onto the bench.

"But Nat–"

"What are you even going to say to her once you catch up? V... what happened between us happened. We love each other. If she can’t handle the fact that we’re together... that’s something she needs to work through on her own."

"Don’t worry," Maribelle stood up. "Leave Dee to me. I’ll go talk to her and make sure she’s okay."

Maribelle leaned down, pressing a sweet kiss onto Vincent’s cheek and giving Natasha a gentle pat on the head. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"I imagine that you’re going to Earth as soon as you can, Nat? Why don’t you two take the rest of the day for yourselves."

With a graceful stroke of her white wings, Maribelle took off into the sky, following Deina’s light-trail.

Once she was gone, the quiet ambience settled around them.

Natasha didn’t get up from his lap. Instead, she turned around and curled up comfortably against Vincent’s chest, resting her head on his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Like Mari said, I want to leave for Earth tomorrow morning," she whispered softly as she placed her hand over his heart. "That way, Dee and I can sort out this unknown God problem for you as soon as possible."

"I’ll call Deina later and tell her to meet us at the golden gates tomorrow. We also need to inform Her Majesty to sync the time streams right before you guys jump through."

"We will," Natasha agreed quietly. "But... we still have a lot of time left in the day... and we’re already here in the Divine City..."

"Oh? What are you suggesting?"

Natasha flushed slightly, biting her lower lip as she looked at him with big, pleading eyes.

"I... I want to use this chance... to go on our very first official date together. Just the two of us... exploring the city... Are you in?"

"A date? Oh hell yeah. I’m in."