Bhaalankaarat

The grandeur of a being deemed as a God transcends mere mortal comprehension. 

It's not solely their unparalleled strength or mesmerizing aesthetics that elevate them, it is the amalgamation of unparalleled might, breathtaking beauty, profound wisdom, and myriad other qualities that weave together to forge a creature beyond the scope of mortal existence. 

It is this exquisite convergence that bestows upon them the revered title of 'God'.

"Oh ▀▀▀▀, can't you remain on one side when things start heating up? I want to see Zei's actions right now" (Cera)

I'm not entirely convinced if sending Hylia there is the right choice, truth be told.

However, this remains the best option available. Considering it's a world where gods and humans coexist, even forming a 'Familia.' There lies the possibility for Hylia to learn about the essence of those referred to as 'Gods' and even their 'offspring.'

Despite inevitable misunderstandings that may arise, at the very least, Hylia will grasp the significance of figures termed 'Gods,' accompanied by Cera in that realm.

"Jeez just calm down already she's fine with me, as long you keep giving me Zei's PoV that is. Anyway, are we talking about those Gods in this current era? Or maybe the one from my past?" (Cera)

In the realm where Cera and Hylia currently resided, it was a place unlike any other.

Here, gods and mortals cohabited in a delicate harmony, forming a tapestry of existence that wove divinity into the fabric of everyday life. And from here on, are some parts of their story.

"Here come my part, alright stand by, rolling and... action!" (Cera)

Stop reading the narration.

In a city boasting towering spires that pierced the sky at its heart, there stood a clothing store frequented by the duo.

It was a modest shop, offering a selection of simple attire tailored for the adventurers who delved daily into the dungeons beneath the Babel Tower. 

Hence, the store lacked opulent or extravagant clothing, featuring only practical garments suitable for their rigorous explorations—perfectly aligning with Cera's low-key design.

"Oi..." (Cera)

"Ceraaa! I'm done, how do you think? How how?" (Hylia)

From a fitting room within the store, Hylia emerged with excitement, adorned in the new attire that Cera had deliberately chosen for her.

In contrast to her usual white garments, the clothing Cera bestowed upon Hylia reflected a rogue-like style. It comprised a set of lightweight armor, a dark cloak, complemented by light gauntlets, and a pair of boots.

Yet, there seemed to be something lacking in the appearance of the fair-haired girl.

"Ah... you could add a hair ornament, like this white flower. It might just complete the look." (Cera)

"Truly? Will this make me beautiful? Thank you!" (Hylia)

The feasty haired girl exclaimed, her enthusiasm akin to that of a child's, twirling around in delight at the praise from the woman. It seemed to warm the young girl's heart to such an extent that pure joy radiated from her.

"A beauty wouldn't laugh like that pipsqueak." (Cera)

"Aghuk." (Hylia)

"Fuwa fuwa!"「Fuwa」 

Sadly, her twirling ended abruptly when a playful hand chop lightly landed on her head.

Even the shop owner and Fuwa, who observed them from the sidelines, found amusement in their interaction. That's just how they were at that moment.

Upon finishing their selection of equipment, Cera settled the payment with the shop owner using gems before taking her leave, followed closely by Hylia and Fuwa trailing behind.

It appeared the shopkeeper was taken aback by the payment they had just received.

"Thanks shopkeeper! Cera, Cera! Where are we going next?" (Hylia)

"Next it... hmm, could you give me directions ▀▀▀▀?" (Cera)

As Cera walked through the bustling crowd, her hand gently grasping Hylia's arm, she began muttering to herself amidst the city's flurry of activity.

Her actions drew the attention of a few passersby due to a word she attempted to utter.

I am not an AI guide neither your Google Map Cera, and I'll repeat it no matter for how many times, don't try to reduce the distance between the 4th wall endlessly.

Something bad will happen, and even if it's me, there's barely anything I could do to stop it.

"Alright you stiff guy, I guess we're going to the Pub Lia. You must be hungry right?" (Cera)

"Now that you say it, I think I'm hungry. But Cera, did you just say ▀▀▀▀?" (Hylia)

Hylia, who could distinctly hear the inaudible words, also noticed this slip-up. So, when Cera kept repeating the word she shouldn't have uttered, Hylia tugged at her arm, as if asking for an explanation.

Now it's your turn to explain to her.

"I'm on it geez, but let's head there first. We don't know who might overhear us talking on the street. Up to the go!" (Cera)

"Alright! Go!" (Hylia)

"Fuwa!"「Fuwa」

...

....

.....

「Hostess of Fertility」

Murmur-Murmur

Seated behind their table inside a bar, restaurant, or perhaps a pub, Cera and Hylia sat opposite each other, having finished their meal.

One could say they were both satisfied with what they had eaten, unlike Fuwa, who continued to devour anything available as long as the feathered ball could still place an order.

"Fuwa!"

"Y-You want more? We don't have much money anymore Fuwa, Bel and Tia will be angry with us if we splurge like this." (Hylia)

"Don't worry Lia, I exchanged few of my treasure in back alley shop. So I got some Valis with me." (Cera)

"Is that fine? Even these cloths and equipment were from yours..." (Hylia)

"It's fine, it's fine. I got payed by much more than this, right ▀▀▀▀?" (Cera)

Again, no reading allowed.

Let's set aside Cera and Hylia's affairs for a moment and let's delve a bit into the world in which they currently reside.

"You don't have to tell them about it. If we're talking about Adventures, Tower of Babel, god and familia along with Valis then it should be obvious right?" (Cera)

If it's that much obvious, then let's get straight to the business. 

The name of the place where they currently reside is Orario, a city reminiscent of the medieval era where there are no full-auto weapons or advanced technology.

Considering that the inhabitants of this world often rely on 'Magic' more than technology, this seems fitting, but it's not the issue at hand.

Orario is known as the City of Dungeons, a city where a tall tower, known as the Tower of Babel, stands tall at its center, creating dungeons beneath it.

Within these dungeons, there exists a plethora of monsters that serve as the daily source of income for adventurers who frequently venture in to test their luck.

"There's an adventure guild, a few business associations, and numerous groups called Familia that drive the fate of this city. Roughly, that's how it is, but yeah... probably some already know about it." (Cera)

Cera is aware of the connections in that world among gods, dungeons, and primal forces, which is why she keeps a vigilant watch for anything she perceives as a potential threat.

Because, who knows, there might be unique events looming on the horizon that could potentially affect them.

"For Lia, yes. For me, no." (Cera)

Despite Cera's words, in reality, she was gradually being drawn into the unfolding tales of that world. The same applied to Hylia, who had her own story intertwined with Bel and Tia, along with an elven servant who came to greet her.

"Its not common to see you alone without Bell Cranel around. Is this your company?"「Ryuu Lion」 

"Yep, I'm gathering my Valis to buy some goods, coincidentally, I ran into her inside the Dungeon." (Hylia)

Smoothly delivering the scenario they had planned, Hylia glanced at Cera, who greeted Ryuu Lion warmly, although it was met with a sardonic gaze from the elf.

"Don't do anything strange."「Ryuu Lion」 

"Sure." (Cera)

There wasn't much more exchange between them as the elven servant was soon summoned by another table.

With Ryuu Lion's departure to a table crowded with other adventurers, Hylia, still with something weighing on her mind, began turning her head back towards Cera. Looks like she's still awaiting for Cera's answer from back then.

"Do you want to talk to him?" (Cera)

"Him, do you mean ▀▀▀▀? How do you know..." (Hylia)

"It's just that obvious to me, you're just like a chick who got lost from its mother from how I look at it. So, do you want to? " (Cera)

Hearing Cera's words, there's a mixture of happiness and nervousness within her heart as Hylia reached out and grasped Cera's arm with both of her hands.

"!!! ... yes, I want to talk with ▀▀▀▀." (Hylia)

Initially, she wanted to happily jump from her chair and shout with Fuwa on her back, but considering the circumstances around them, Hylia restrained herself from following through with her intention.

"Huhu, so you want to jump off your chair? Ahaha. Looks like, we're actually more than what we're read through the line yes?" (Cera)

"E-Eh? W-Who why?!" (Hylia)

Her face showed a hint of embarrassment when Cera somehow knew what she intended to do. This left Hylia curious, but unfortunately for her, Cera remained tight-lipped whenever she got asked about how she could discern what lay within her thoughts.

"No~ Not gonna tell~" (Cera)

"... Hmph, I don't care!" (Hylia)

Crossing her arms while Fuwa continued eating, Hylia pouted, seemingly unwilling to hear anything more from Cera. If this behavior persisted, there was a significant chance that Hylia would indeed become the person who would confront Cera in the future.

'You're surprisingly concerned about me ▀▀▀▀, well putting stuff away, can you talk to her with my help?'

Good for you to have one, but that's not important.

'Not important? This is crucial for the stability of this child's heart. She's cast into a foreign world with no one to help her except Fuwa. She's undoubtedly going through a hard time.'

That's true, no doubt she's going through a tough time. However, that's the reason she was created, to become a third-rate character who will ultimately bring about the downfall of this story.

All the hardships she faces are part of the destiny she must endure on her journey to find direction.

'That is harsh, and more like irresponsible from how I think. What kind of ▀▀▀▀ lets the fate of their created character go untouched by their own hand.'

...

'Even if there are things impossible to change, it doesn't mean everything is the same. That's what I believe from watching that fool's journey.'

Cera gently rubbed Hylia's head which hidden beneath the hood of her attire, drawing the feisty-haired girl's attention though with a slight pout on her tiny face.

Then, there's something caught Hylia's attention about the oxblood-haired woman before her. She seemed to perceive something peculiar in Cera's eyes, which held a different hue.

"Cera? Your eyes..." (Hylia)

'...Innocence, purity, bravery, loyalty. The aura possessed by this girl is far from that of a 'Destroyer' I encountered at another time. Do I need to explain how I can see someone's aura? Ehehe.'

"Uh? Cera, you're going to mess up my hair..." (Hylia)

As Cera continued messing with her hair and hood, Hylia tried harder to stop the aggressive action. She seemed displeased with someone messing up her hair and began to feel annoyed by Cera's actions.

"Sorry, sorry, your face is just too cute when you pout like that. Try it again~" (Cera)

"Muuu..." (Hylia)

Puffing out her cheeks and turning away, Hylia refused to talk to Cera—at least until her mood improved later, which also made Cera ceased her cute-aggression.

...

Just one simple ask from me, Cera. If he were to choose to spend his life with Sakura Megumi, what would you do.

"Well that's much is obvious." (Cera)

'If he indeed chooses a life like that, then there won't be any relationship between the two of us anymore, at least until another era dawned upon us again.'

"Too bad, I couldn't see more~" (Cera)

'We once promised not to concern ourselves with each other's departure when our story's end arrives. And if Zei decides to start his own story anew, I won't interfere.'

After finishing her silent contemplation, Cera decided to tease her once again and lightly touched her left cheek, gently rubbing it with her finger and playfully press and pull the side of Hylia's cheek.

"Cera, I'm still angry at you." (Hylia)

"Ah my how scary~ But I'm really sorry, apparently he's still busy with something. Maybe we can try to talk to him later.." (Cera)

'His story will only be his, even if I'm not there.'

...

Fine, just passable for me.

——————————————————

『???』

"Huh? This is... that place. But how did I?" 

When Hylia opened her eyes, she found herself in a room engulfed entirely in white. It was a space drowned in the solitude of a single ray of color, an expanse of blank radiance.

Oddly, as she looked at her hands, feet, and attire, they remained unchanged.

Amidst everything around her engulfed in a void of white, there's barely any alteration evident in Hylia as she stood alone within that space.

『To think it would be this soon, you really are a newborn.』

"Eh? You're me? Wait, but... could it be..."

However, her solitude and train of thought were disrupted by someone with a semblance like hers. Their form was identical to how she appeared now, although their voice felt distant from what could be heard.

"▀▀▀▀?"

『What did you need from me.』

Seeing her doppelganger speak, the girl's eyes inexplicably began to well up, resembling gemstones bathed in rainwater on a sunny day, that slowly arrived at the edge of the sea.

"▀▀▀▀!▀▀▀▀!▀▀▀▀! ... I'm glad to meet you again. There's so much I want to tell you!"

She was like a cannonball hurtling directly towards its target when fired, only to soak her doppelganger with a face that seemed childishly teary. Her emotions echoed similarly, trickling down in those tearful droplets.

『But I don't.』

"Eh?"

Seemingly disbelieving what she heard, Hylia displayed a shocked expression and even halted her bear hug that she had been doing until then.

『I don't have anything to tell you because it seems you haven't found what you're looking for.』

"That... I'm sorry."

As Hylia bowed her head, a sense of embarrassment washing over her. Despite her joy at being able to meet the figure she longed for, all those feelings were extinguished by the words she received.

『Why are you being ashamed and regretful?』

"..."

『Didn't you promise yourself to find it? Then why have you returned without what you sought?』

"..."

The weight of each word Hylia heard intensified with each acknowledgment that what she heard was true. It further burdened her heart, swapping the joy she felt for regret and guilt due to her inability to fulfill her promise.

It's true, this isn't a good thing to do, especially during a moment of reunion. These times should be incredibly enjoyable, captivating, and charming, rather than being clouded by a guilt trip like this.

However, I just can't do it.

She's already a part of this story, so she shouldn't know the meaning of the future or love, along with her dreams in a place like this. That's why I pray that she becomes the person she aspires to be, as envisioned by herself along with everyone in there.

『Nevertheless, it seems you already have your own story.』

"!!! Y-Yes! There's a lot I want to share! So... would you listen?"

Behind the girl's words, there's another intention, "Please don't scold me," as she doesn't want to ruin the existing relationship that hold a huge meaning for her existence.

And also, "I really wanted to meet you again, but not like this," stemming from her reluctance to mix the existing relationship with envy and resentment. She believed the being impersonating her harbored animosity towards her.

『...』

"Will you? I apologize for still not being able to fulfill what you desire, but in return, would you listen to me?"

Her tears shifted from those of happiness to fear and worry, truly an act that was foolish and naïve for a girl seeking the essence of death. But then again, considering her growth, it wouldn't be weird if she already had her own logic.

『Let's hear it then, because in any case... it's a story you've already lived through.』

"Yes!"

『And also... forgive me.』

Upon receiving this affirmative response, Hylia began speaking incessantly while continuing to shed tears in front of the figure she was conversing with. There's just too much words to memorize from her mouth, but it doesn't matter.

Because it's from her after all.

...

....

.....

————————————————

As time slipped away unnoticed, daylight surrendered to nightfall. With the pub adhering to its own serving schedule, Cera made the decision to depart, carefully carrying the slumbering Hylia out with her.

"Oh? You two done? Don't worry, I know when to listen and when not to. So how is she?" (Cera)

Walking through the bustling streets of Orario as the evening hour approached, the trio navigated amidst a vibrant scene teeming with adventurers and merchants seeking amusement once the sun had set.

She has grown quite well, it seems. Meeting Bell Cranel in her current world doesn't seem like a wrong choice after all.

"Wait hold up, did she told you about some weird story of how she got to met a Bell Cranel that she thought as a rabbit?" (Cera)

Indeed, whatever it is make sure to watch your tongue.

'Ooops, forget about that.'

As she inadvertently drew attention by speaking to herself, Cera once again engaged in her solitary thoughts.

'Pretty scary for a girl like this to think of a Protagonist as a rabbit. She must not know much about what humans and animals are, huh?'

...

'Oi, you really didn't teach her? Sigh.'

As the three of them continued walking towards their destination, there was a stir from Hylia being carried. Much like a squirming infant awakening, Hylia slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them to survey her surroundings.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake. How's the princess mood right now?" (Cera)

"Sleepy... but Cera's back is too stiff ehehe." (Hylia)

"Don't doze off again you little brat!" (Cera)

Cera shook her body, intentionally preventing Hylia from falling back asleep due to the earthquake on her makeshift bed. Clearly, this made it difficult for Hylia to doze off again as she was treated like a bouncing ball on the stiff mattress.

"You two..." (Cera)

"Fuwa?"

"Guuh, so you're the only one with my side Fuwa. Hiks, thank you." (Cera)

Observing Fuwa seemingly trying to comfort her, Cera felt moved. Unfortunately, even that furrball jumped as well and also chose to be nestled behind Cera's back and slept beside Hylia who was embracing her.

They look cute with each other, aside from the stiff mattress carrying them.

"💢" (Cera)

'I swear... I'll make you regret this.'

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— I use Bhaalaankarat with the meaning of pretend. —