Colt stood before the three statues of the Goddesses. He barged inside the church without so much as an iota of respect, and almost immediately, Neun panicked.

“Young Master, please, don’t cause a ruckus…!#@ [email protected]$%#@ [email protected] #?????”

But as Neun was trying to speak up against Colt’s actions, Sister Mary jumped on him and covered his mouth.

Neun pulled Sister Mary’s hands off his mouth. He looked at her with a perturbed expression. Unable to comprehend her actions.

“Sister Mary?”

“Shhh! Don’t talk, the Young Master… he’s… Divine Energy surrounds him.”

“What!?”

Bam!

Neun had his head buried on the ground by Sister Mary.

“I said, shut up. Don’t disturb him…I thought the Divine was just watching over him, but it appears that he’s something else entirely. He…he might be an Apostle of one of the Goddesses.”

“…”

Silence prevailed. Neun could not correctly react to the stream of information.

Inside the church, Colt raised his head and stared at the statues. His mortal body was there, but his mind was already in the white space.

“How dare you scream at us like that — or so I would like to say, but hello, Colt, what brings you here?”

Before him were the three Goddesses who gave up dressing to impress those who wander in their realm. Their baggy clothing and lazy disposition had only grown since he last came.

“I know that you’re aware of what I want. Please, tell me where my wife and daughter are.”

Root and the other two had a shift in their expression. They became serious all of a sudden.

“I think you’re aware that we can’t help you. If we help you, then we’ll be breaking our creed. You know we can’t just interfere with the world. We set up order and law to ensure we won’t mess up the balance. Listen, if we, the beings who created you all began interfering with the smallest of problems, then, your lives, to lack of a better word, will become meaningless.”

A puppet without will. They would be no better than dolls. That was not something the Goddesses want. To become a puppet was worst than death.

“You Mortals have limited life, but that what makes it special. To enjoy it to the fullest and pursue your ambitions, that is life. There is no string pulling you along. There is no destiny, neither is there fate. The future is uncertain; that’s what makes life worth living. Colt, we know your pain, but we cannot help you.”

Colt clenched his fist so hard that his skin began to rip. He looked at the Goddesses, with tear stains forming in his eyes.

“You lie, that is not all there is to it! I know that you have intervened with the world in the past. You have sent apostles and called them your children. You saved the world from certain doom, is that not interference? If you truly want to become neutral, then why interfere? Why not let it happen?”

“…” The Goddesses had no answer.

“I don’t want to scream at you guys, for I do not know the weight of your responsibilities. But, please, just this once, help me. You asked me two favors in exchange for a single piece of advice. I only ask you to give me an answer for the price of the other favor.”

Colt fell to his knees, his tears continuously flowing.

“I don’t want to lose them.”

With his words, the Goddess Light stood up and walked towards him.

“Are you prepared to tread on a valley of knives to save them?” she asked in a curious tone.

Colt nodded his head without hesitation.

Light smiled and began to speak, “You see, I was the reason why we can’t go and help Mortals…”

“Light! Stop talking! He’s a Mortal. You know the risk!” Darkness, who had been listening, stood up and tried to stop Light.

Light, however, raised her hand and shook her head, telling them it’s alright, “You see, I messed up, and many things led to another, and now this is the current situation. We still occasionally send Apostles to the surface to give Mortals hope by saying that we are with them. But that does not change the fact that I left a massive scar on the world. Tell you what, if you help me with a single request, then I’ll tell you where they are.”

“I will do what you want! Just help me, and I will do whatever it is you ask of me.”

The Goddess Light showed him a bright smile, “Then, I shall grant you your wish. I will show you what happened to Mina and Filla, and whatever it is that you see, it is your choice on how you use it. A Mortal’s mind is incapable of processing something like this. You, however, are fortunate for you have received a King’s Gift. But it will still hurt, however.”

Light leaned to kiss Colt on the forehead. An aureate blaze engulfed Colt’s body. And just like she said, sharp pain assailed him.

His physical body trembled as Fluff was forced to support Colt’s mind to keep it from breaking down.

The Chick and Fluff were on the edge of the church’s door. They could enter but chose not to. And as the Chick watched Fluff support Colt, it could only shake its head.

After a while, Colt’s body calmed down.

It had been a couple of hours since Mina and Filla were taken. And sadly, that was enough to make them suffer.

He looked at the statues for the last time, making a silent oath to finish the Goddess Light’s request.

He may be completing Goddess Root’s request, but what’s the harm of taking another? He then heard Light’s echoing voice.

‘Your mind is in shambles, calm yourself, and regain your rationality. And don’t try carrying the burden on your own. You’re not alone. In short, don’t be an asshole.’

He stepped out of the church, and his two Soul Partners leaped onto his shoulders.

“Nyaa?”

“Are you okay?”

The two asked with a concerned tone.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

Colt wiped the tears away and made use of Fluff’s Gift to grant him peace of mind.

He turned to look at Neun and Sister Mary, and with a soft expression, he spoke…

“I have been rude to you earlier. I would like to apologize, Teacher, Sister Mary.”

Sister Mary laughed, “Don’t worry over such minor things. We understand what you’re going through.”

Neun merely shook his head.

Colt smiled as he remembered Light’s words.

“Would you help me reclaim my family?”

The two fell to their knees.

“I obey your command, Young Master.”

“I listen to your request, Lord Apostle.”

Colt heard Sister Mary and shook his head, “Sister Mary, don’t get me wrong. I am not an Apostle; I am merely an Aberration for the Goddesses.”

Sister Mary grew confused, but Colt didn’t explain and only showed her a smile.

Colt looked at the horizon and saw the setting sun, ‘Wait for me, Mina, Filla, I’m coming to save you.’

Thus, the first step of the Legend was taken. And with his back turned to Neun and Mary, a tear of blood escaped him.

Colt had seen Mina and Filla’s fate, and inside him, his morals had begun to show cracks.

Neun called upon Alpha to carry Colt. Without wasting any time, they head Southwest in an unnamed forest.

Colt recalled the information Light gave him.

Entering the tree line, Colt looked at Neun and Sister Mary.

“We’ll split here, please, take care of the Master-level Warriors and the Mages. There are no Illusionists around, but please be careful.”

Neun and Sister Mary nodded their heads.

“Are you sure you don’t need my help in fighting the one who took the lass?” Sister Mary asked.

“Thank you, but I am the only one who can use Darkness Aura. I’ll also be able to take on the one who took Mina.”

Colt separated from the rest with Fluff and the Chick with him. He clad himself with Darkness aura, dampening his presence. He went around the future battlefield and decided to take the long but safest route to Mina and Filla.

He disappeared into the darkness of the night, while Sister Mary and Neun searched for an enemy they can kill.

“I heard that the Dracian Fate has a powerful order of Valkyrie that fights for their cause.”

“Hehe, and I heard there’s an Old Monster who can mutate his body using two Partners.”

Sister Mary and Neun disappeared into the forest with a laugh.