The Girl Who Hacked The Magic System

PoV: Aurea

Ugh. How I wish to have the same sleep necessities as Lovelace. There are too many things calling for my attention right now.

I'm in my room, sitting at my desk, skimming through the notes Lovelace wrote down for me, but my mind keeps wandering away.

Even though this here is a path to get one of the best weapons possible, or, rather, deprive the goddess of her own weapon. I can't stop thinking of the goddess herself.

Actually, on that whole divine conundrum.

"Aurea? Are you there?"

Oh, right on cue, Lovelace.

I run and open the door.

"Please, come in."

"Did you call for me?"

"I did, yes. Please, take a seat."

There is a tea table in the room, with its own set of chairs. I find it funny that even though the drinks are wildly different, some habits are the same here and on Earth.

I sit on one of the chairs and gesture for Lovelace to take another.

"I was with my mothers today."

"Lady Lillian and Lady Levinna? That's nice. Any developments on the whole deification thing?"

"Yes. To put it under 'any developments' doesn't show the whole picture, actually. There was a complete quality leap in that regard."

"Oh? What happened?"

:::

After I explain everything that went on with Mom, I release a deep sigh.

"Those are good news, but I understand why you are flustered by all that."

"Personal feelings aside, I wanted to compare with all the information we have about Juno's ascension. Including any memories you might have regarding it."

"I see. But is it wise to toss those feelings aside without addressing them?"

"I will address them, but we are in the middle of a war. Practical stuff comes first, this time."

Lovelace leans back on her chair, holding her chin with one hand, while she thinks deeply.

"I don't like this."

"Huh? Why?"

"Your emotions are clouded. You won't be able to analyze the matter clearly without addressing the elephant in the room first."

"The elephant in the room?"

It's weird to hear an expression so earthly in this place.

"Yes. Your emotions. You need to open yourself up about that first. Otherwise, the practical stuff won't be dealt with with the propriety it deserves."

I sigh, as I unconsciously try to not think about it.

But even though I didn't notice it, Lovelace did.

"You're fleeing from your own thoughts and emotions, aren't you?"

"Am I? I… No, you're right. I am."

"Why?"

"I'm scared, Lovelace. That's the truth. I'm scared of losing my mother."

"Why?"

"Because she's been growing distant. And, to be honest, that whole divinity thing is too surreal. I feel like she's going to ascend to heaven or something, a being to be revered and worshiped, not someone to sit and have breakfast with."

"I see. I remember having those fears too. But, let me be blunt. Do you think that ignoring those feelings will make her stay? Or that it will allow you to not feel those feelings?"

"…"

"I know that I'm the pot calling the kettle black. You don't need to point it all to me. But you have been the one helping me deal with those bottled-up emotions."

"Lovelace…"

"So, I will pose you another question. What are you afraid of, exactly?"

"Huh?"

What am I afraid of?

I actually don't need to think much. I know what I am afraid of.

"I already know what it's like to live a life without a motherly figure. And then I was born again, and this time I had Lillian. And I'm afraid to lose that as well."

"Good. There it is. You are afraid of losing the position of 'mother' in your life."

"Yes."

"Do you have only one mother?"

"Huh?"

"Do you think that Levinna will abandon you if Lily grows distant?"

"No… You're right. I will still have a mother."

"And, even if Lillian grows distant because of her godly status, it doesn't mean that she'll stop being your mother. I lost Julia, but it wasn't because she became a goddess, nor because of anything I did. She was never with me to begin with."

"Lovvy…"

"Huh? What pet name is that?"

"Why, it's my pet name for you, silly. You didn't like it?"

"Oh, no. I was just surprised. But that's not the point here."

I can't hold myself back when she's like this. It's not my fault that she's such a cutie. I lean forward, over the little tea table, and pull her so I can kiss her.

After some moments, she pulls back.

"Aren't we getting derailed here?"

"I thought that we were addressing our feelings here."

"Our feelings over your mother's godhood."

"I know, I'm sorry. But we should address this other feeling soon."

"… Anyway. I think it's okay for you to be afraid. She is your mother, after all. But my point is that she will continue being your mother."

"You're right. It's not like she's going to buy milk or something."

"Buy milk?"

The way she tilts her head in confusion is so cuuuute.

"It's a random expression from Earth. It means to abandon someone."

"Oh. Yeah, she's not going to abandon you. That's for certain. Not as a human, nor as a goddess. That's not who she is."

"And she IS the goddess of compassion, after all. That's a very motherly thing to be a goddess of."

"Indeed."

"Oh, and that reminds me. Mom told me that there was a statue of Juno in that tutorial area. She was named the 'goddess of tyranny,' so I guess that her thing is the desire for control and power."

"I see. Goddess of tyranny, huh? Sounds fitting, if we look at her church and the whole thing with the other races and slavery."

"Yes, and that brings me all the way back to the reason I called you here. Mom's defining trait is her compassion, and that's what brings her flock together. That's the emotion that permeates the prayers of the people who turn to her in search of guidance."

I make a pause to drink some water. Talking sometimes dries our mouth.

"People flocked to her in hope of receiving some compassion. That's why her religion is spreading like wildfire. But what about Juno? What was the thing that made her a goddess? Why did people start praying to her?"