11

CHAPTER 11

"Val Grove greets the Great Mother."

The lady in the black body suit bowed slightly with her fists cupped after standing.

"…" The gray-haired beauty dubbed 'Great Mother' stared at them silently as though expecting something until the lady in the black bodysuit—Val, exited her stance and finally looked up at her superior to speak.

"Reporting to the Great Mother. A distortion in space appeared in one of the floors under my jurisdiction, and so I was notified and arrived before the portal properly formed." Val said. 

"Once I saw that it was only a mortal with no cultivation, I checked the records and matched his appearance to one of the candidates your Benevolence had ordered us Valkyries to keep an eye out for. He was provided with sustenance to compensate for the drain of energy he suffered during suspension while crossing the void before I revealed my presence and verified that he was indeed who he appeared to be and not one of those… things. 

After confirming that he was indeed who I suspected him to be, I immediately brought him up to seek an audience with you."

After she was done, she paused before bowing and adding; "This Valkyrie awaits your Benevolence's next orders."

"…I see." Cassian who had been staring at the beautiful woman on the throne the entire time, possibly either entranced or curious, didn't see her lips move at all. But he could hear her ASMR-like voice loud and clear! 

"Valentine. You have done well. Inform the Task Master to add another two months to your tenure. You are allowed to speak of your reward to the others but, do not be condescending about it. Afterward, you may return to your post."

Val, whose full name is Valentine and is actually a Valkyrie, raised her head to look at her master with a huge smile on her face as she thanked her like a kid that just got their favorite Christmas present from their parents even without asking.

"This Valkyrie thanks her Benevolence for her grace!"

"…Mm." The still motionless 'Great Mother' acknowledged her appreciation. "You may go."

"To hear is to obey!" Val turned around and made her way back towards the elevator they had come up in.

Cassian watched her leave, and only turned around after the elevator's doors closed.

"SHIT!!!" 

Cassian jumped back in fright and shock as the first thing that came into view when he turned around was a pair of purple crystal-like eyes peering into his, no longer from the otherworldly throne but barely a few centimeters from his face.

The gray-haired woman had finally moved, and was floating horizontally, as though lying in the air, right before him.

"You…" The woman's voice reached his ears but her lips had yet to move. "I don't know whether to call this fate or you unlucky."

"…?" Cassian who was still trying to unpack his experience thus far had chanced upon more things to mull over. 'What is this creepy seductress talking about now?'

"To be tied to that one…" She continued speaking as she floated towards him. He tried to retreat but an invisible force held him in place as she reached out and touched his left chest, heart area, with her right hand. 

"She even went as far as installing a failsafe. If I try to forcefully undo it, then…" Her eyes shifted from his chest that she had been caressing softly. 

"…I might end up ripping your soul apart."

'…!' He panicked. Although he did not understand what she was saying, hearing certain words in her sentences was far from comforting. He found it ominous and scary. 

"W-what are you talking about? What do you mean?!" He asked. "What knot?! I feel perfectly fine!"

Whatever the case, if trying to undo this 'knot' was not actively harming him, then why risk such a dangerous endeavor to untie it?

The purple eyed woman blinked five times in the span of two seconds before her voice reached his ears again.

"Just because one doesn't notice the symptoms of an ailment doesn't mean the ailment does not exist," she said. "Not every poison causes pain before snatching one's life away."

She sighed audibly. 

Well, he heard her sigh but, her chest did not move as one drawing and/or releasing breath would.

"No matter." She turned around and slowly floated back to her throne where she resumed her 'one leg over the other' seating posture. Even from that distance, he could still hear her voice like she was right beside him. "If you fulfil your role and meet my expectations with the aid of what you will receive from me, you will naturally discover and sort out the issue yourself."

There was a period of silence as she didn't say anything after that.

"…" After deliberating for some time, Cassian finally rose to his feet and met the woman's gaze. It was like they were having an impromptu staring contest. Alas, he lost. Quickly might I add. Biting his bottom lip, he finally spoke. "Great Mother… or your Benevolence… I'm not really sure of the etiquette here…"

"Feel free to speak casually. I'm not hooked on formalities." She said, earning his silent approval until she added; "Although a genius goddess rarely seen in eons, my concept is 'Benevolence' so I will be Benevolent and grace you with the freedom to do so."

"…" 

Cassian was momentarily speechless, unsure if he was interpreting her words properly. Somehow her 'Benevolence' did not seem so genuine to him. He felt it was… pride? Or was it only his imagination?

Shoving his musings to the back of his mind, he opened his mouth and continued where he left off;

"Thank you. In that case… Ma'am." He paused and only continued after confirming that there was no negative reaction from her. In fact, there was no reaction at all. "I just want to clarify a few things."

"…Go on."

"Mm. First and foremost, where am I?" He began. "What is this place?"

"Here? This is my divine realm," The smooth and somewhat melodious voice reached his ears again. "The Benevolence Divine Realm. But that's not what you want to know, is it?"

"…Mm. I'm no longer on Cute Predator Star, am I?" 

"No, you're not," She answered. "You're currently on Earth."