"Then... why are you clutching your chest?"
Before Jiang You could answer, Hakuno clutched her chest and retreated to the side. While he would inevitably need to find a teleport point to mitigate the effects on his Spirit Origin when they went to Fate Extra, and Hakuno was the most likely candidate, he wasn't in such a rush.
"Don't you dare try to claim my body!"
Hakuno glared at him as if he were a lustful oni. According to the lore, Mikos of the Outer God essentially dedicate their entire lives to their corresponding deity, and Hakuno insisted they weren't close enough for such a commitment.
"Actually... this binding can be broken."
Jiang You also found the condition absurd. Most characters hadn't even reached that level of intimacy with him, and a lifelong lock was far too extreme. Before coming here, he had asked Bubble for more detailed instructions and discovered that the contract could indeed be terminated.
The situation had unfolded like this:
"Otherwise what? Mikos will inevitably betray the faith or violate its tenets. Would they still retain their status then?"
Bubble shrugged. "This status is granted by the gods, after all. Of course, the Cult also recognizes certain mikos themselves. But all such positions can be revoked at any time. Usually, such cases end with a blood sacrifice or something."
"That's terrifying! So, it's practically a lifetime sentence?"
If being stripped of your status means death, isn't that essentially the same thing?
"This depends on the Cult's doctrines, doesn't it? If you're fine with it, then it's fine. As the Supreme God, you certainly have the authority to make such decisions."
Bubble flipped through her book nonchalantly. "Just so you know, this type of contract creates a stronger bond. Even if you try to dissolve it yourself, there'll be a waiting period—about a year or two."
"Then why didn't we just use a simpler method back then?!"
Jiang You suspected Bubble was just trying to make him look foolish, given the unwarranted disdain he'd been receiving.
"It's not that I didn't want to, but this was the only way for you to find a miko. First, you didn't have the time to establish your own Cult and perform a full ritual. Second, you weren't in a complete state yourself."
That's exactly what Bubble was thinking. Since Jiang You didn't understand anything anyway, she could say whatever she wanted.
"And... you actually..."
"Various reasons, I suppose."
Jiang You couldn't very well admit that players typically abandon games after a few years, and that it was unrealistic to expect more. In this world, which continued to evolve even when players weren't around, it seemed pathetic to bind a character as his personal possession. Such a statement would sound melodramatic and invite ridicule, so Jiang You chose to evade the topic with vague generalities.
"Is that so?" Bubble tilted her head, studying Jiang You thoughtfully. "You truly are remarkably human."
"Are you insulting me right now?" Jiang You retorted.
He wondered if Bubble had been logged into remotely again, taken over by Customer Service. Who compliments someone like that? It's dripping with sarcasm.
His thoughts snapped back to the present.
"So... casual?" Hakuno mused, convinced that Jiang You's pantheon must be some kind of joke.
"Well, there's no one above me anymore, so I can do whatever I want," Jiang You shrugged.
That's the prerogative of a Great God—absolute freedom. "You think I wanted to rush this? If I hadn't been worried about my Spirit Origin affecting you all, I would've taken my time to carefully select a miko, you know? I'd have at least made a proper selection process, not just picked someone at random."
"Hey! You're making me sound like a defective product!"
Hakuno snapped, finally losing her cool. After all, she was still a vibrant young woman, and she cared what others thought of her.
"Well, you are pretty dangerous. When we get to my world, I'll have to be your temporary miko."
"Stop acting like you're doing me a favor!"
"Who says I'm not?" Hakuno retorted with a smirk.
Hakuno nodded. "Who goes around kidnapping people to spend their whole lives with?"
"I'm not trying to start a band here! Just you wait—I'll drag Nero and the others to your world for a Royal Orchestra Concert and turn everything upside down!"
"But... those bystanders are innocent..."
Gudako could only pray for the innocent bystanders who would inevitably be caught in the chaos.
-
Transit World, Current Library
Abby stared nervously at the white-haired girl flipping through a book. The girl hadn't bothered to hide her identity, and Abby felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity radiating from her. After so long, she was finally meeting Father God... though this Father God didn't quite feel like Father God. Should she call her Mother Goddess instead?
"You don't need to worry about that," Bubble said, her voice gentle. Abby had done well this time, and Bubble was pleased.
"Gender doesn't matter to us. You're my miko, you can call me whatever you like."
"Then... can I call you Mommy?"
Abby hesitated repeatedly, asking in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. The audacious thought had been brewing within her, and since hiding anything from Bubble was futile anyway, she blurted it out in a desperate gamble.
"..."
Bubble lifted her gaze. While she wasn't entirely ignorant of human relationships, including familial bonds, her perception differed from that of humans. Abby was indeed a cherished devotee, almost like a daughter to Bubble's true form. Jiang You's memories from a certain timeline—specifically Abby's swimsuit form—provided further evidence of this. The only problem was that Bubble might struggle to grasp the boundaries of such a relationship.
"Of course, my daughter."
Having agreed, Bubble felt compelled to act like a mother. She beckoned Abby closer. "Come, into Mommy's arms."
Abby happily dove into Bubble's embrace, relishing the gentle caresses on her head. At heart, she remained a child with a childlike mind, yearning for the warmth of a family.
"Did I come at the wrong time?"
Illya had just returned to the Library when she witnessed the scene before her. Mother-daughter roleplay was still a bit too advanced for her tastes.
"You came at the perfect time," Bubble replied.
Bubble found the fact that humans were perpetually in heat rather troublesome, as they seemed to sexualize everything. Even Jiang You was no exception, constantly making her worry. No wonder her original self had abandoned this Avatar and fled. Fortunately, she was in human form; otherwise, Illya might have jumped to even stranger conclusions.
"Has B.B taken care of everything on her end?" Illya asked.
"Everything's been handled."
Illya nodded. She now possessed a legal identity in Jiang You's world, officially registered as a high school student accompanying her parents who were working there on work visas. Originally, she had hoped B.B could forge student visa documents, which would have given her more free time. Unfortunately, her appearance made that implausible; even portraying her as a high school student seemed somewhat forced. She had to settle for this compromise.
"The future of this world rests on your shoulders now."
Bubble chuckled meaningfully.
Illya blushed slightly but remained silent.