After defeating Hades and making the medicine, we were on standby in the waiting room at the Bloody Manor.
Nyarl was resting in a separate room to try and shake off his motion sickness from the carriage ride back. Rosalia must have been waiting for the two of us to be alone before she spoke to me. When she did, she wore a serious expression on her face.
“Lord Weiss, what was that thing?”
“What if I told you that he’s a god? And, to make matters worse, an evil god that is trying to take control of this country?” I asked, bracing myself for her reaction. “Would you believe me?”
Despite my sudden reference to something so ridiculous, Rosalia nodded earnestly. “You’re telling the truth, aren’t you? I saw just how much power that being possessed. He seemed like the real deal, and more importantly, I trust you. However, it doesn’t matter who or what he is. I will protect you no matter what.”
I was moved by her strength of heart in the face of a literal force of evil. Rosalia was truly amazing. At least I knew the conditions required for him to appear. We likely wouldn’t have to worry about him for some time.
“Don’t worry,” I reassured her. “We beat him this time. He can only take control of the bodies of his worshippers, and after appearing once, he can’t appear for multiple years afterward.”
The flip side to this was that Hades would reappear in a few years. Despite the desperate situation we found ourselves in, she smiled at me, impressed.
“You know so much.”
I couldn’t help but be a bit perplexed by her reaction. “You’re not going to ask me how I know all of this?”
“I’m not. If you haven’t told me already, then that means you have your reasons, right? I will gladly wait until you are ready to open up to me about it. As I said, I trust you.”
I looked at her smiling face and promised myself once again that I would protect her no matter what.
Still, it was not good that Hades was aware of my somewhat irregular presence in this world. In fact, it was entirely possible that I might get wrapped up in some real trouble, just like the game’s protagonist had. I didn’t have plot armor like him, so I wasn’t sure how far I’d be able to go, but I had Weiss and Rosalia on my side.
“Thanks. I can’t give you all the details yet, but this nation is heading down the path of chaos due to the Hades Church. I need to strengthen our territory before things worsen. That way, we can fight back. I’m going to need your strength in order to make that happen. Would you lend me a hand?”
“Of course. I am your spear.” Rosalia smiled happily. I shot her a puzzled look, so she continued, “Didn’t I say I wanted you to rely on me? When you became the lord, all I could do for you was be by your side, but now you’re actually coming to me for help. Lord Weiss, I vow to never leave you alone ever again.”
“Thanks, but I’m going to end up really leaning on you if you say stuff like that.”
“Hee hee, be my guest. Actually, would you like to rest your head on my lap?” she asked jokingly, then patted her thighs.
When she said all she could do was be there for Weiss, she must have been talking about when he’d started falling apart…
I’m going to be okay. I won’t try and handle everything on my own. I know I’m not alone, after all.
“Kew, kew!”
As Rosalia and I gazed into each other’s eyes, the Divine Beast on my shoulder chirped proudly, as if to proclaim that he was here to help as well.
“He certainly likes you quite a bit,” Rosalia said. “He even followed you out of the woods… He must really adore you.”
“Yeah! I should give the little guy a name.”
“Kew, kew!”
The Divine Beast started dancing happily on my shoulder, almost like he understood our conversation. The strange power I felt welling up inside of me that had helped me defeat Hades was no coincidence; this little guy had forged a pact with me. As proof of that, not only could I still sense that mysterious power, but the little Divine Beast had followed me home.
In other words, he had the same powerful desire to support and protect Weiss and Rosalia as he did toward the hero and his party in the game’s timeline.
I was grateful knowing that he was as much of a fan of my faves as I was, so I gently pet the beast, who in turn happily leaned into my hand. What a cutie.
“As for a name…” I wondered aloud, “what about White Tear God Rabbit?”
“Kew?!”
“Lord Weiss, um…”
Both Rosalia and the Divine Beast shot me bewildered looks. Wasn’t Rosalia just going on about how she trusted me unconditionally? What, was my naming sense really that bad?
“Ah, my apologies. It’s just, um, the name you came up with is so…unique!” Rosalia said diplomatically. “What if we shorten it to just White?”
“Kew, kew!” White leaped off of my shoulder and ran over to nuzzle Rosalia’s thigh.
“How adorable,” she said with a giggle. “I think he likes it.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Weren’t you supposed to be on my side, little buddy?”
Just then, I heard a knock at the door.
“Lord Weiss, Lady Rosalia. Lord Reinhard awaits.”
“Right,” I replied, “We’ll head over, then.”
We quickly got ourselves in order and followed the maid out of the room. Was White Tear God Rabbit really that bad of a name? I thought it was cool as hell.