"You're saying…the goddess Aqua is in Axel?" Shichen asked, face unreadable.
"I really don't know for sure," Cecily replied with a bright smile, "but Aqua-sama herself guided here."
"Onee-san, are you serious?" gumin looked at her in disbelief.
"Call Cecily."
"O-Onee-san—"
"It's Cecily, okay~"
"…Shichen, could you throw her out for ?" gumin pleaded.
"How could you be so cruel, gumin?" Cecily put on a pitiful act.
"I bet you're just making things up. There's no goddess Aqua here—at most there's a ditz who happens to share the na." gumin pouted.
"Oh? Soone with the sa na as Aqua-sama? Where is she? May I et her?"
"She's—mmph!"
Shichen covered gumin's mouth. "Don't worry about her. She's only a faker using the goddess's na."
"Is that so? If she's an Axis follower she must adore Aqua-sama, right?"
"Not necessarily. She could be faking an Axis affiliation to cause trouble and might actually be with the Eris Church."
"Hm, I suppose that's possible…"
"Exactly, so you'd better track her down quickly; it would be bad if she tarnished the Axis Church's reputation."
"True…"
Cecily nodded gravely, then looked at Shichen with admiration. "You care so much about the Axis Church—why not join us?"
"Sorry, not interested."
"What a sha… The Axis Church offers excellent benefits, you know."
"Really? Then why are you looking for a sugar daddy?"
"No, no—you've got it wrong. I only want a handso sponsor. That's different."
"You're awfully proud of that."
"Anyway, won't you help find that impostor using Aqua-sama's na? The reward is generous~"
"No thanks—"
"I can pay ten million eris!" Cecily suddenly produced a bulging money-bag.
"Whoa!" gumin's eyes sparkled.
"T-ten m-million?!"
"Well? Want to help?" Cecily smirked at Shichen.
"No." Shichen shook his head with a smile.
"W-why not?" Cecily asked, incredulous.
"We're not short on money—and who knows what you're really plotting."
"Plotting? This is official church funding, fully at my discretion!"
"Church funding?"
Cecily's expression turned solemn. "Arch Priest Zesta heard Aqua-sama's divine voice. It said—I am Aqua, the goddess the Axis Church worships. My faithful one…"—
She paused, features twisting—"…could you lend so money?"
Shichen's lips twitched. That did sound exactly like sothing Aqua would say.
In this world the gods are real, so hearing an oracle isn't strange—though an oracle like that is hard to swallow.
"Isn't that way too suspicious?" gumin muttered.
"The voice ca from Axel, so I ca to investigate," Cecily went on.
"Where did you travel from?"
"From the holy city Alcanretia—headquarters of the Axis Church! You should visit soti~" Cecily bead.
Yep, she was a true believer.
"I'll pass," Shichen said, shaking his head. "If I had to choose, I'd rather follow Eris. The Eris Church is the state religion—much more reliable than the Axis Church."
"What? Convert to Eris? No way! Goddess Eris is totally flat—what's so great about her?"
"Flat-chested, so what? Aren't you a loli-con? Shouldn't that be your thing?" Shichen shot back.
"That's completely separate from my faith!" Cecily sniffed.
"Whatever you say."
"I feel attacked…" gumin rolled her eyes at Shichen.
"When will you accept reality?"
"Grr!" gumin glared at Yunyun.
"M-gumin?" Yunyun shrank back.
"Maybe I should just slice them off."
"gumin, what are you talking about!" Yunyun smacked her lightly on the shoulders.
"Hmph! That excess flesh is ruining our friendship!"
"Is not!"
"Spouting nonsense again?" Shichen tugged at gumin's cheeks.
"Mmph… See? You do like her excess flesh!"
"Don't worry, gumin," Cecily chid in. "There's still hope—I know a way to help you grow fast!"
"What way?" gumin brushed off Shichen's hand, eager.
"Ever hear the rumor that with the right… massage, they'll get bigger?"
"You an kneading."
"So you know! Want to help? Heh-heh~" Cecily's eyes locked onto gumin's chest, a drooling smile on her face.
"Keep dreaming!" Shichen wrapped an arm around gumin's upper body, blocking Cecily's gaze.
gumin tilted her head up at him and blinked.
"My, soone's possessive," Cecily laughed.
"Of course. gumin's my party mber. I have to protect her—especially from perverts like you."
"Hey, I'm not a pervert!"
"No one believes that. Are you going to hunt the impostor or not? Night's coming—perfect ti for her to act. Don't you care?"
"Of course I care! No one defas the Axis Church on my watch. But Axel's huge; I might not find her alone."
"Relax—we definitely won't help you," Shichen said with a gentle smile.
"So heartless!"
"Nothing to do with us. But here's a tip: if she's pretending to be Axis, stake out the Eris Church—she might show up there."
"Good idea!"
"Off you go, then."
"So eager to kick out… Fine, fine." Cecily stood, took one last deep sniff of the pillow, set it down, and walked to the door.
gumin eyed her pillow with disgust. "Ugh…"
"Oh—this is for you." Cecily turned back and tossed over the huge money-bag.
"Huh?" Shichen caught it, puzzled.
"I heard on the way that a high-level demon appeared here. I thought Aqua-sama's oracle ant I was to slay it, but it seems you already did. So the money is yours."
"That generous?"
"I'm Aqua's faithful servant—it's my duty to punish evil." Cecily grinned proudly.
"Impressive. You almost make the Axis Church sound appealing. All right, we'll accept it."
"Then why not join while you're at it?"
"I'll pass."
"Che—heartless man. I'm leaving. Bye, gumin~" Cecily pouted and left the room.
The door closed. After a brief silence gumin asked, "Shichen, isn't Aqua exactly the one Cecily's looking for? Why did you lie to her?"
~~~
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