So how are things looking up there? Ben asked as he continued to pat Sachel’s head, waiting for her to calm down.

Excellent.

It was an implication that Ben had been aware of from the start. If it was possible to forcibly awaken a plant mage by helping them materialize a seed, then it should be possible to help awaken anyone with a physical magic, with what that could mean for the world as a whole obvious to any god or mortal who gave it any thought.

Well first, they’re forgetting one, and second, they don’t think I’m working for free, do they? I owe Jagal and will be awakening her plant mages, that’s it.

There were a few other combined branches that they could do too, but Ben’s focus was elsewhere as he let his eyes flicker to Vasta.

Non-affinitied. The best way to awaken it is by using four branches together for a spell, right? The fact that I was able to do it with my own means it should be possible, and there’s gotta be at least a couple people on the world who’re close to it no matter how hard it is, right?

You’re the best. When everyone calms down a bit, bring me up and we can discuss payment.

I’m not exactly thrilled with how things have gone when I’m not around you know. Someone up there is going to try to screw me over and I want to be there to call them out on it.

Myriad fell silent, no doubt stressing at the idea of Ben going up to talk to the gods given how things had ended the last time, as the apostle focused on the next thing he needed to do beyond that.

“You good now?” He asked, looking down at Sachel as she looked away awkwardly, rubbing her eyes.

“Um, yeah, sorry about that.”

He could see that she was trying to get herself under control, the feelings that had just swept her away still simmering beneath the surface as her hands tightly clenched the seed she had created, not wanting to lose it.

With his own power, he quickly materialized a lidded jar she could put it in, handing it over so it wouldn’t be lost as he went to pat her head one last time.

“Don’t be, I get this was an emotional moment but why not take time to properly thank the others that helped, miss oracle, ‘cause I need to talk to Valaria for a minute or two.”

“Oh, of course.”

She immediately tried to figure out if she should focus on the soul mages or the other two believers of her faith first as Ben looked to Valaria, nodding his head to the side to step away to chat.

“So you got your job levels then?” He asked her, already knowing the answer from hearing it in her head.

“I did, thank you very much for the opportunity.”

“Bah, it’s nothing less than you deserve,” He said as friendly as he could, all while trying to figure out how he wanted to trick her into taking the role of high priestess. “Myriad is lucky to have a believer acting as devoted as you.”

“Your praise is really too much, I’m not doing anything in particular that deserves it.”

“Nonsense. I’ve been told that you’ve been acting as a central figure for many of the believers and that’s obvious enough given that the two you chose to bring along weren’t succubi.”

“Ah, I just chat with the few I see in the church, it really isn’t anything so great.”

She stubbornly insisted on deflecting any compliment coming her way, displaying a level of humility that he wanted no part of. “Valaria, you really shouldn’t sell yourself so short. Why do you not want to accept that you’re well thought of by both our god and the other believers of our faith?”

“It’s all very flattering, it really is, I just don’t think I’ve done anything to deserve this level of praise, I’m only doing what I should.”

Got her. Myriad, you standing at the ready with the title?

What could possibly be wrong about it?

If that didn’t matter when you got me then it shouldn’t matter now. Now don’t distract me with your ethical concerns, I’ve got some hardcore apostling to do.

“Well, if you don’t think you’ve done enough to deserve it, would you be against me asking you to take on a little more responsibility? Only if you’re willing of course, I don’t want you taking on anything that would make you uncomfortable.”

Again, ixnay with the ethical concerns.

“Of course! I’d love to do more to help if I could.”

Her eyes were gleaming, a desire to do more for the god that she felt had done so much for her clear given that she still didn’t think she deserved such kindness from a being she viewed as so high above her, feelings that were exactly what Ben had expected and was more than prepared to take advantage of.

“Ha, well it warms my heart to hear you so eager for our god, but at least hear me out first. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but Myriad is pretty lacking in priests. It’s not the most surprising thing in the world given that he’s a smaller god, but it’s still something I’m doing my best to address as his apostle. Given that he has a church in Anailia and that you were the one who saw to its construction, I was hoping that you might be willing to act as a priestess.”

Immediately he saw the look of uncertainty in her eyes, the lack of confidence that she could fulfill the role obvious when she hadn’t converted out of any heartfelt belief or desire, but instead because she’d been asked by her previous goddess and he rushed to put it to rest before she could say no.

“I’m sure you know by now that Myriad is rather lax with things, all things considered. If you accept you wouldn’t even need to do much more than you already have been. It would mostly be talking with believers and maybe giving the odd sermon if you really felt like it, nothing that would take up more of your time or keep you from the work you already do. Hell, being an apostle doesn’t even take up much of my time so I’m still acting as a full-time craftsman. At worst, as a priestess, Myriad might go to you for help with things he couldn’t ask a standard believer of, that’s all.”

He could see in her eyes that he had her, her longing to do more for their cube being just the lure he needed, all that was left was putting the final nail in the coffin.

“Of course, I understand this might feel like a big choice. I just thought I’d bring it up with you before I look at other options because I know it would personally make Myriad happy if you took the role. He’s quite fond of you.”

“I’ll do it.”

That sealed it. How could she turn down something if it would specifically make her god happy? It didn’t sound like it would be much more work either, so there was no reason to decline. At least not till the notification rang off in her head, naming her not as a simple priestess, but the high priestess of her faith as her eyes went wide and her jaw fell, all while Ben grinned and took her hand to shake while she was trapped in a shocked daze.

“Excellent, it’s going to be a pleasure working with you Valaria, I know we can expect some great things. Hey Sachel, come over here and introduce yourself to the new high priestess of Myriad!”

He was quick to step away after that before she could get a word out as Sachel ran over, eyes still glowing from her own growth and only growing more excited at the news for Valaria.

Another job well done. God, I really am such a good apostle. You’re so lucky to have me.

Good thing this room is full of healers then.

Having finished with that he walked over to his friends, all of them giving mildly surprised looks except for Thera, whose eyes were instead on the new priestess, looking at her with sympathy.

“Did you really just trick her into that?”

“Tricking people into taking major roles under Myriad is a tradition of sorts at this point. He did it to me and now I’ve done it to the other two. Really should have gotten Sachel to do it to keep the chain of deceit going, but I don’t think she actually knows she was tricked to begin with so this is good enough for now.”

With that he officially had even less he’d need to do for the faith, being able to toss any bit of responsibility to others as he basked in the feeling of it, already seeing a future where he could focus more on his own things.

Hush now, let me enjoy this.

Really? That’s pretty fast.