Gaius looked at the happy scene that was currently playing out in Xanadu’s room, which had been going on even before they left. Nakama, La-Ti, Reinford and Xanadu were now all seated around a large table, playing yet another board game with a bunch of teenagers who had all arrived at the Heaven-cleaving Fortress. All of them had come in the hopes of protecting the Five Lands from the demons, but with the abrupt defeat of the Demon God, these hopes that scattered.

He still couldn’t quite believe that the Demon God, who was the equal of the Preserver, had died. To be fair, the bugger had stepped out of the Wildlands, which, according to just about everyone, was his actual seat of power. Once outside his territory, the Demon God’s strength had been limited.

Birds that clipped their wings voluntarily didn’t exist in nature, but gods who chose to weaken themselves apparently did. The only complaint that Gaius wanted to make was that the war had happened too early; he had been hoping that the Five Lands, under the threat of a common foe, would unite and get along.

No matter how Gaius looked at it, the Demon God’s defeat was supposed to be a ‘Happily ever after’ end. It was supposed to be the catalyst for worldwide unity and justice, of an era where people could sit around a table and play board games with each other. The struggle against the Demon God was meant to usher in a new age of peace, not internecine struggle.

His lips twitched as the joyful atmosphere within Xanadu’s room turned into that of open hostility. The kids were playing a social deduction game called ‘Werewolf’, and right now, everyone was accusing each other of being a werewolf. The harmonious atmosphere had deteriorated in the blink of an eye, and before long, one of the game pieces that represented La-Ti was walking over to the miniature gallows in the middle of the gameboard.

The guillotine fell, and a plastic head fell into a small bucket.

“Is this game appropriate for children?” Isabelle asked quietly.

“Uh.” Gaius looked at the guillotine, and then at the giggling La-Ti, who was very much amused by the decapitation of the game piece that represented him. To be honest, since there wasn’t any blood, he wasn’t quite sure what to think. It did feel safe in his book, but Isabelle clearly was having second thoughts.

The internecine struggle of accusations and even more accusations continued to fly, and Gaius found himself thinking about the things he had overheard earlier while talking to Reinford. “Say, Isabelle. Doesn’t this look like what’s probably going to happen when the Five Lands invade the Wildlands?”

“Which part? The accusations? Or the diplomatic outrage from in-game atrocities that would vanish when this game ends?” Isabelle giggled. “It’s a bit funny, but I feel that politics and watching them play don’t seem all that different at times. None of them want to be defeated.”

He didn’t know if that last sentence was talking about the kids here, or the adults ruling the Five Lands, but they seemed applicable to both situations. Rubbing his nose as another game piece walked towards the gallows, he replied, “Both.”

Nakama had a sad look on her face, which immediately turned into one of delight as her game piece was decapitated. Gaius and Isabelle glanced at that expression, which was completely at odds with what had happened to her in Werewolf, and once again, Gaius found himself wondering if this game was actually age-appropriate.

That said, there really wasn’t any danger in the fake gallows in the centre. Gaius had examined it before, back when he visited Flynn years back. The moving part was a blunt blade that couldn’t even cut a strand of hair, and rather than actually chopping off heads, the game pieces that represented players would have their re-attachable heads fall off on their own.

“Is this game really suitable?” Isabelle asked again, worried.

“I think so. Flynn doesn’t have any age warning on this, and there’s no dangerous parts to it.” Gaius cleared his throat. “Besides, the two kids know how to distinguish reality from fiction. They should be alright.”

The laughter from everyone else around the table, including Xanadu, was making him wonder if they were cheering because a werewolf had been discovered, or was it because a game piece had been decapitated.

Maybe it was a combination of both.

“What now, though? The Demon God has been defeated, and the Five Lands are safe.” Isabelle reflected on her words for a moment. “As safe as it could be for now, anyway. If war truly breaks out across the Five Lands after the Wildlands issue is settled…”

“It’s not like we could change the hearts of people forever,” Gaius replied. “Even if I exerted my full strength, I would not be able to persuade the Five Lands to put aside their greed. This coming invasion is going to destroy whatever semblance of diplomacy the nations had going on; I am very certain that they’re going to sabotage each other in their efforts to gain more resources.”

“Fortunately, we haven’t exactly turned in the paperwork to withdraw.” Isabelle glanced at a merry Reinford, who had successfully convinced the others to execute one of the newcomers — in the game of Werewolf, not in real life — winning the game for her side.

“We’ll be running around like headless flies, though,” Gaius replied. “At least the two of us can actually fly in there. With this advantage, we’ll be able to put out proverbial fires everywhere…hopefully.”

Isabelle pinched his cheeks lightly. “Don’t look so down. We’re trying to make a better world for the two kids, right? If you’re sad all the time, how are you ever going to accomplish that?”

“It’s hard not to be,” Gaius retorted. “You don’t look that happy either!”

Unfortunately, while Isabelle was free to pull and tug at his cheeks, Gaius didn’t quite dare to do anything that required him to pull, just in case a freak accident happened. He had gotten over such issues some time ago, but his newfound strength was essentially impossible to determine.

He didn’t want to rip anyone’s face or hair off. That was just a no-go, especially for Isabelle.

Who said gods could do anything? There were few things more saddening than being unable to prank your loved ones, and after making do by playing with her hair — which didn’t help him convey his thoughts all that well — he led Isabelle out of the room.

“Where are we going next?”

“We’re going to make sure that nothing funny happens between the nations,” Gaius replied, casting a glance at Xanadu’s room. He had no intention of letting any possible sparks turn into roaring infernos of war.

Not with his departure from Orb so imminent.