GRP Chapter 5

Mariaeks wanted to raise her hand and cover her chest. Those blue eyes seemed to dig through her skin, peering at the small heart beating inside. Before the thought of danger could even form, instinct moved her back a step. Something primal stirred in Rhaevydie as well—the moment Mariaeks retreated, she reached out. That thick-veined hand lunged to seize Mariaeks's arm with predatory speed.

Just then, a large snow crystal fell onto the back of Rhaevydie's hand. She stopped cold. Only her eyes moved, slow as syrup. Mariaeks understood what that backward-turning gaze sought.

This was the place where the truest 'god' slumbered—the oldest, the strongest, the most beautiful, the most perfect, sovereign over all gods in these primordial mountains. Before the great god fell into slumber, she had given Rhaevydie a command: this 'thing' was too fragile, so guard it well from harm.

Conflicted eyes swept over 'the thing'—lips gone deathly pale, body trembling like water disturbed. Rhaevydie exhaled in irritation, breaking the heavy silence. She turned her grasping hand away and folded her arms instead, looking down with her usual arrogance. The familiar Rhaevydie. Mariaeks had never imagined she'd feel relief at seeing those eyes that looked at her like a crawling insect.

Sensing the shift, Ullri and Baen rushed over and dressed Mariaeks. Meanwhile, Rhaevydie simply watched, lips pressed thin with displeasure. Usually such expressions preceded her barbs and mockery, but today was different. Rhaevydie smiled—soft as melting snow.

"Still cold?"

"Yes."

"How pitiful. You didn't want to be born with such an incomplete body, did you?"

"Yes."

Rhaevydie bent down until their faces were close. The hand that had shown raised veins and savagery now stroked Mariaeks's cheek with impossible gentleness, as if it had never worn such a vicious aspect.

"Looking at your pathetic state reminded me of something. For someone like you..."

Her gaze alone expressed precisely what 'someone like you' meant.

"For someone like you... there's a way to fill in some of what's lacking, they say."

Mariaeks only blinked.

"You eat the heart of a god or divine beast."

Rhaevydie whispered sweetly.

"If you eat it while the heart's still beating, you can absorb divine power. We don't need to do such things, of course... but your situation is different, isn't it?"

'We' meant the gods of the divine realm Heimdrykze. Mariaeks was indeed a god of Heimdrykze, but she was not included in that 'we.'

"Of course, finding a target in Heimdrykze would be difficult for you. Even the demigods below the mountain are stronger than you, so that's out too. Goodness, Mariaeks! How would you survive without me?"

She'd probably survive much better.

"Let me share some good news."

Rhaevydie continued in that coaxing tone.

"Recently, some human force has settled across the river."

Listening, Mariaeks pictured the landscape beyond the river. Like Heimdrykze, it was a silent land buried entirely in white snow. Long ago, humans and various species had lived there in groups, but for the past hundred years even their traces had vanished beneath the snow.

"A famous hero from the continent leads them, apparently. Quite strong, they say, so he'd hold more divine power than ordinary humans. But a human is still just a human, no matter how strong. Surely even you could handle a single human?"

When Mariaeks nodded, Rhaevydie's voice brightened as she persuaded her.

"Bring me that human's heart, Mariaeks. It won't make you like me, but at least you'll feel the cold less."

Having concluded her grand story, Rhaevydie gazed at Mariaeks with expectant eyes. Mariaeks didn't shine with excitement at receiving such valuable information. She didn't bow her head in gratitude. She just blinked. At that flat response, Rhaevydie's eyes narrowed.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, it's not that."

"If it's not that, then what."

"You said to eat the heart while it's alive, so..."

"So what?"

"It sounds kind of disgusting."

Rhaevydie couldn't continue her reflexive retort. She was speechless.

"You eat caterpillars that crawl in the dirt, but you're saying..."

Rhaevydie swallowed the thought that had slipped out and put her sweet mask back on as she persuaded Mariaeks. Mariaeks nodded earnestly, pretending to listen attentively to humor her. Then she shattered Rhaevydie's sweet mask with comments like 'Ullri and Baen once cooked me a reindeer heart, and it was gamey' and 'So I don't think a human heart would suit my taste either.'

If I stay here, I might kill this incomplete half-thing. Rage filling her to the crown of her head, Rhaevydie stormed off. The clearing was left pockmarked and ruined from her tantrum. Ullri and Baen, who loved the snow spread soft as carpet, mourned.

"Why does she get nastier every time?"

"She's rotten through."

Mariaeks finally released the sigh she'd been holding. Something in her chest felt unsettled, refusing to sink back down. It wasn't as if this was the first or second time Rhaevydie had dropped by irregularly to cause trouble. She'd seen that thirst reflected in her eyes several times before. The problem was that today, that faint desire had become utterly blatant.

Also, today Rhaevydie had been 'kind,' wearing a 'smile,' offering 'help' through 'sweet' 'persuasion.' It wasn't just somewhat strange—from one to ten, none of it was like Rhaevydie. She'd dangled what she thought was sweet bait, but rather than being tempted, Mariaeks had only felt threatened.

Mariaeks stared beyond where Rhaevydie had vanished. White breath bloomed and faded. She had no way of knowing what Rhaevydie wanted. Even if she knew, there was nothing she could do about it. Therefore, thinking about it was meaningless.

Before she knew it, the sky was staining orange. Mariaeks took the two boys' hands and returned to the temple together. It was time to choose books from the library-slash-storage room.

Evening came. From far away, the earth trembled. The frost giants were waking. Mariaeks lay down on her creaking old bed and closed her eyes. The window was shut, but the sound of falling snow reached her ears clearly. Fat snowflakes made sounds like thunk, thunk—like sparks popping from a bonfire.

Mariaeks listened to that sound and burned away everything Rhaevydie had said today. Methods to grow stronger, the hero who'd settled on the ruined kingdom's land across the river—things that had nothing to do with her.

When she opened her eyes, tomorrow would bring another identical day. If only ten nights passed this way, she'd forget even this restless feeling completely.

Exactly ten days had passed since Rhaevydie's rampage. Mariaeks faced a shocking reality. Her belief that the same days would repeat had begun to crumble.

The meals had changed. Considering the twins' cooking method of throwing in every available ingredient and boiling it, the food on the table now was far too suspicious. A clear meat stew made with only reindeer meat and snow, with just a bit of fat and fur floating on top. Simple and plain ingredients that actually tasted normal.

Why... why does this taste normal? Why does it taste good?

Confused, Mariaeks had an inadvertently rude thought. The twins acted as if the amount of affection in cooking was judged by the number and quantity of ingredients. By their standards, this dish might as well have been picked up from somewhere. And the faithful attendants Ullri and Baen had never once served her something picked up from somewhere, something without any devotion.

Mariaeks poked at the stew with her bent spoon. Looking closer, the portion size was different from before too. The meat cut into small pieces would disappear in about four bites. Thinking back carefully about why she hadn't noticed, Mariaeks was surprised by the twins' meticulousness. Yesterday it had been about five bites' worth, two days ago about six bites' worth. They'd reduced it gradually to minimize the sense of something being off.

There was one more strange thing. The twins, who always stuck by her side chattering during meals, hadn't come out of the kitchen. After finishing her meal in precisely four spoonfuls, Mariaeks moved. In the small pantry attached to the kitchen, Ullri and Baen had their round heads together, talking with serious expressions.

"Ullri, Baen?"

The two attendants' eyes flashed.

"Master! You shouldn't be in here!"

"We told you not to come in."

It sounded like something a teenage son would say, but it came entirely from hearts concerned for Mariaeks. They consistently insisted that 'great gods shouldn't enter places like kitchens' and 'eating the food we prepare and wearing the clothes we provide—that's what great gods should do.' Mariaeks turned back out of the kitchen at their sharp scolding. The twins followed.

"Don't come looking for us. Great gods don't seek out their inferiors first."

"We'll come running if you call our names, Master."

"Right, I'll do that next time."

"So, what's the matter?"

Only after hearing the question did Mariaeks finally remember why she'd sought them out.

"The meal portion was small."