Alice looked in surprise at the self proclaimed goddess in front of her, only to hear,
"How rude, then again I shouldn't expect much from mortals, especially with how your father was." Alice froze when she mentioned her father, before the goddess laughed and said,
"Don't worry about it dear, the fathers sins don't belong to the child. What I wish to talk to you about is much more interesting." At her words one of the mirrors seemed to melt and an image appeared on it, Alice being pushed up against the side of a building.
She then watched as right before those men defiled her, Leo rushed in and saved her from them, killing each and every one. She slowly turned to face the one who saved her, and said,
"My hero." Before she kissed him for the first time. Alice felt both warm, and awkward watching the scene where she fell for Leo, and could see how he and Iris thought it was strange. Venus let out a sigh, and said
"Ah, young love. No matter how many times I see it, the tragic heroine falling for the dashing hero always moves my heart. Which brings me to why I brought you here." She turned to look at Alice once more, who felt even more awkward being under the goddesses spotlight. Venus then had a somewhat serious face before saying,
"You see, with all the gods mobilizing against Arthur, I can't have it said I'm not doing my part. And while I do currently have a champion, she was a worthless disappointment, and will naturally parish in a year anyways. So, this is the deal, I want you to be my next champion." Alice had an idea of why she was brought here, but actually hearing it stunned her.
She then was suspicious, if Venus wanted a capable champion then Iris would be the best choice, as she belonged to no God or goddess, and was a very capable warrior. Then Alice realized what was most likely going on, Venus was more than likely trying to cause strife between her, Leo, and Iris! She was suddenly quite angry, and glared at the goddess. Venus however read what Alice was thinking and when she started glaring at her, started laughing. She then said,
"I won't deny my tendencies to cause similar troubles before, but at the moment the situation is very different. As for why I didn't choose Iris, well there's quite the list of reasons, but I'll just leave it as I prefer a human or elven champion, as they are usually the most beautiful." Venus wasn't lying, though the power and majesty of the werewolves was very beautiful to some, she cared more for how they looked physically. But, there was also the fact that Iris's surrogate mother is marked as her current champion, Iris would never trust her. Plus she decided having more capable people around Leo was better than making someone already strong, stronger. Alice then declared,
"Either way, I don't care! I refuse to be your champion!" Venus almost had an ugly look on her face at being talked to in such a way, almost. She then smiled charmingly and said,
"So you prefer being a worthless damsel in distress?" At her words Alice shuddered. She hated not being able to do anything for Leo, being in the way, and always causing him trouble. Knowing what she said got to her, Venus continued,
"I'll give you a year, when my current champion dies, to change your mind, and complete some tasks I want you to do to prove you can actually be of use." Alice didn't say anything as Venus continued, uncaring.
"First is that I want you to get your family's former subjects to accept you. Convince them you are all on the same side, and that you are their ally.
Second, confirm a real relationship with your beloved. I don't care if you're a wife, concubine, or just some whore he visits when he's lonely, a real physical relationship needs to be established. It won't be considered official, while you are still pure.
And third finally, you need to conceive his child. It doesn't have to born by the time limit, just conceived. As the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and also sex, these are the basic requirements I'm placing in order to become my champion, and prove that you are capable at doing something productive-"
"I still haven't agreed!" This time Venus did have a somewhat ugly face, as she was suddenly interrupted, but only for the briefest of seconds. She then had an almost sickly sweet smile, as she said,
"Then perhaps some incentive is in order, look at the mirror girl." Alice hesitated, before looking into the mirror in front of the goddess. What she saw would've churned her stomach if she was in her physical body. She was looking down on herself, being torn apart by high wolves as they ripped pieces of her flesh apart for their meal. She watched as they ripped out her intestines, removed limbs, and swallowed her heart.
"Or how about this?" The goddess said as the image changed, and instead she was in some kind of bandit camp, as they ravaged her body for their own pleasure. She nearly became sick again, as the image sped up as if through time and then showed her as they still enjoyed her body, while her belly was swollen with one of their children inside her. Seeing her obvious displeasure, the goddess smiled, and said,
"And finally we have this one." The image this time showed Leo and Iris, happy, as her belly similarly grew. Then it finally it went back to normal, but she now held a child in her arms, and they both looked happy to see it. She then saw herself, in the background, not part of their happy family. Alice then watched as the number of their children grew, and grew. And over time Leo and Iris were joined by a few more women, who started having children as well. But as time went on, they stayed the same, and Alice, who was never part of their family, aged. As the image progressed Alice started growing wrinkles, and her hair turned grey. Before she finally turned to dust, and bones.
Alice was stupefied, and horrified at what she witnessed. How her life became tragedies in ways she never imagined, and how she was seemingly forgotten by the one she loved. Venus relished her reaction, and said,
"Arranging futures as these is easy for me, a chance to be taken when everyone's gazes is turned away. Or simply cursing you, to never realize your love as you watch your beloved live happily without you. So should you fail my expectations, and not complete the tasks I set to you, then one of these futures will be waiting for you. I don't need you to agree right now, just finish what I set to you, and you have a chance for the happily ever after you wished so dearly for. Or if that's not enough incentive, then how about a future where the one you love meets the tragedy?"
Alice looked up at her words, scared more than she had been with the previous images. Venus seemed to realize what she was thinking, and started laughing once more.
"No, no, this isn't something I would cause. It is what would await all of you, should you reject every available resource. One of the many futures that can happen. Yet easily changeable." At her words another image appeared in the mirror, yet when Alice looked at it, her vision went dark.
When Alice could see again she was kneeling on the ground, hands tied behind her back. She was surrounded by mountains that were burning, and buildings laid to ruin around her. When she saw the women holding her captive, she paled, as she recognized them from the last time she saw them ten years ago. However the fear she felt at seeing them paled in comparison when she saw the one in front of her.
"Arthur" she whispered.
(A.N. Using a really roundabout way to post, but still somewhat able to manage. For those who didn't see my comment last chapter, webnovel fucked up the app for some reason, and I can't post there anymore. Don't know how often I'll post due to it, also depends on if what I am using works, but I'll try to stay active.