Overall, the meal is rather mediocre, which is to be expected. The both of us head upstairs, where I suggest we split until the morning. Another moment of hesitation, but she nods in agreement. With that, I head into my designated room.

I march toward the green fabric lying on the bed, and pull out the pocket brush. With a tug, the cap separates from the brush. One hand pushing through the cloak, I turn it inside out. I press the tip on the hood and make a downward stroke. The brush is soft, so it glides against the cloth.

There are four required items for enchanting—a dip pen and ink mixed with dust and a droplet of blood. This invention I hold in my hand combines these into a compact travel item. It’s not a big step, but it’s nice to see creativity still flowing from these mortals.

After the initial downward stroke, I create a hexagonal spiral. Each stroke is connected by a dot, but the patterns of these dots are irregular. The markings are a little rough. I’m a bit rusty. Still, my muscle memory remains, and it’s easy to pick up what I’ve missed. When I can no longer ink without overlapping, the enchantment for Obscure is complete.

The enchantment only wraps around the inside of the hood, which is enough for now. This is enough to hide my hair from peering eyes. I roll up the cloak, carrying it under the Sister’s cloak. After listening to my surroundings, I conclude there isn’t anyone else on the second floor. If I come down without the Church’s robe, I might cause a bit of suspicion.

The crude lanterns attached to each building barely light the dirt road. No clouds block the moonlight as it shines on the town. Most humans shuffle back to their resting place, while others rejoice in the night. It’s easy for me to slip into the darkness of the alleys when there isn’t a large crowd. Now donning the olive green cloak, I depart from the alley.

A tour around this village doesn’t even take me an hour. The tavern is still open, but I’m not in the mood to drink mediocre ale. I can gather more information about how the lesser goddess screwed this village over.

…

Nah.

As I pass by the tavern, I notice the sick lady from before. She lays bare on the dirt, yet nobody bats an eye at her. In her hand is a piece of paper that held the medicine. The woman is so stiff that I thought she was dead until she started hacking her lungs out. She lifts her head, recognizes my face and expresses, “I’m sorry, Sister. For you to see—”

I block out the rest of her sorry excuse. How can she look like she’s on the verge of death and apologize for it? There isn’t anybody else around. Even the lantern’s out where she lays. Any sign of hope is dim.

The medicine has helped her through another night, but it won’t heal her worsening condition. She needs treatment. The state she’s in makes me wonder if Mercy is the only person who helped this woman. ‘I shouldn’t…’ I know. Sometimes, I understand some Gods who want to burn this world and start over. We are Gods. However, if she had kept that mindset, the world would’ve been on its third reset.

Hand on her shoulder, I emit a small healing aura. It’s enough to bring her back to a reasonable condition. Shocked, she sits up with no resistance. Her lips quivering, she mutters, “O’ Goddess…”

Finger on my lips, I shush the woman. She nods, and after a million thank you, she walks off into the distance. Hopefully she has a home to return to.

I curse at myself as I glance around the area. ‘Idiot! Why would you do this in public? What if someone saw you?’ Listening in on the far distant voices, the conversations are rather dull. It’s better than discussions about my ‘blessing’. There’s nothing else to see here, so I begin my trek back to the inn.

In the inn's vicinity, I note a man lying next to the door. He sticks out like a sore thumb with his blond hair and dark green suit combo. The outfit, despite its fancy appeal, does not resemble a nobleman’s. ‘Though it has been a while since I’ve seen a noble.’

Eyes aimed in my direction, he points away from the inn. Then, mouthing out his words, he suggests we have a discussion elsewhere. It’s always an odd feeling seeing this man, and I ultimately comply. By the time we stop, we’re near the wall that separates this village from the outer world.

“Well, that was a surprise, wasn’t it, Therese?”

Almost as if we’ve already been in a conversation, he starts off at an odd point.

“What are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything. I’m just talking about what you did for the lady.”

‘I should’ve known he was watching me.’

“Thought you said you didn’t want mortals to depend on your ‘Godly essence’ and yet here we are.”

My arms crossed, I scoff. “Hmph! Have you come to heckle? If someone like you is considered the ‘upper echelon’, then it’s no wonder why the rest of the Gods are so haughty and insipid.”

I intend it to be an insult, though he deflects it with a simple smile. “You know I don’t fully intervene with Gods or mortals. A simple chat, or banter, isn’t going to change any major events.“

His voice never wavers, always so smooth and concernedly soothing. How many times has he said that line? How many loops has he experienced?

“Since you say wouldn’t intervene, care to explain why you’re here?”

That smile turns into a mischievous one. “Am I obstructing you from anything at the current moment? If so, I can leave you to this innocuous night.”

He never fails to ward off any undesirable questions. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I release a loud and hefty sigh. “Fine. Do whatever you wish.”

His facial feature is so plain that it’s hard to remember his face once I avert my gaze. Everything else about him stands out, yet his face is the only thing he keeps a secret. The color of his eyes, is it green? Or is it blue? The moment I wonder about this particular skill of his, my vocal chord works its magic.

“Tell me, what is that charm you’ve put around your face?”

His hands caressing his own face, he invokes, “That’s a rather roundabout way to say that I’m ugly.”

A brow raises, I counter, “It’s not that you’re ugly, it’s more like I can’t retain your features.”

“That’s a pretty bold statement, considering who you’re talking to.”

“Please, if you actually had a problem with the way I talk, I wouldn’t be here.”

He thinks about it, feigning bewilderment. “You’re right! That’s why I can’t get rid of you. How come you never told me you were a Time God? I thought I was the only one.”

My face digs even further into the palm of my hand. It’s so maddening to look at his forgettable expression. “If you’re here to waste my time, then I’ll be taking my leave.”

“This ‘charm’ of mine is simply a side-effect of repeating so many cycles.” For a moment, he looks solemn. “So, Therese, do you want some black dye? Since you’re hiding and all.”

“I’m starting to feel like a broken record, but didn’t you say you don’t meddle with Gods?”

He beams brighter than the moonlight. “I said not fully. Besides, I just like to test that temper of yours. Now, do you want it or not?”

“Honestly, I feel drained just listening to you.”

“Damn… again,” he murmurs.

“Hm?”

“Haha. I expected as much. I guess it’d make the journey too easy for you.”

I’ve always had a sharp ear, but sometimes he makes me doubt my own abilities. “Actually, speaking of journey, do you have any idea why I’m here in the first place?”

Wrapping his fingers around his chin, he thinks about it. “You’re on the right track by following Mercy.”

That’s… reassuring. The ray of the sun ensnares me at a rapid pace. I turn around, scanning my surroundings. It’s the sunrise. ‘Have we been talking for that long?’

“It’s been fun, Therese, but I gotta go.”

And just like that, he’s gone. Reminiscing on the previous conversation, a hole is burned into that man’s face. It has always been the same result, yet I’m irritated every time. What’s worse is that he didn’t bother to reintroduce himself, as if he expects me to remember his name. ‘Fun, huh? I suppose it wasn’t a humdrum night.’

After confirming that there isn’t anyone around, I quickly change back to the white cloak and make my way back to the inn.