After Emma asked Mary if she was okay, the green-eyed girl thought about it for a while.
"Hmmm, I'm fine. Thank you."
Mary said to Emma with an awkward smile.
"Where does he find these kids?"
Emma mumbled in irritation.
"What's wrong?"
Mary asked Emma, who seemed to be struggling with something.
"If I answer your question, will you answer mine?"
Emma asked, and the same aura of strength and that devilish smile from before appeared again.
"Okay..."
Mary answered reluctantly, unable to object.
"My husband keeps finding kids that are practically incapable of revealing their true emotions, and they are all in terrible mental states."
Emma explained her issue in the most simplistic way possible.
In truth, even the demon god himself was in a bad mental state when he was younger, and so were many members of his group.
"Well, maybe you just need to let them grow on their own."
Mary tried advising Emma to distract her so she would forget about their deal.
'This girl... She will get worse if she doesn't learn to deal with her issues. I hope Danny is right about Shu.'
Emma thought to herself and looked at Mary with an expression of pity.
"Why are you looking at me like this?"
Mary asked Emma the moment she understood what emotion her expression demonstrated.
"It's nothing," Emma answered quickly and changed her expression to that same devilish smile she had used before.
"So, what is your issue?"
Emma asked, and Mary wished that some chaotic event would occur and she won't have to answer.
"My father, whom I have not seen for years, tried killing my best friend because he thought my best friend betrayed him in some way, I don't get it, and in return, my best friend basically said that he doesn't have any romantic feelings toward me, though why should he with how I act, though it's not like I care or anyth..."
Mary rambled for a while until Emma lifted her hand to signal her to stop.
"I know you were probably asked this already, but do you like Shu?"
Emma asked in that same motherly tone, and Mary's mind started working overtime.
"It's okay. You don't have to answer it now, but the moment you find your answer, you need to remember that dependence stops being a good thing when you reach the point when you put all your hopes in someone else's hands."
Emma said with that same comforting smile.
"I will keep it in mind."
Mary said and started going back to the hall.
********
After their fight, on their way back to the hall. They walked in silence until Thomas broke it.
"You know, if you like her and you will ask me, then I'll give you permission to date Mary."
Thomas said out of nowhere.
"I just don't think I like her."
Shu shrugged Thomas's comment off.
"Well, suit yourself."
Thomas said with a short sigh.
"Thomas, can you please come back without us?"
Danny asked Thomas and put his hand on Shu's shoulder.
Thomas nodded and proceeded without them.
"What's wrong?"
Shu asked with an anxious expression. There was no way Danny would not go to the party for an unimportant reason.
Danny led Shu to a side corridor and a small room at the side of that hallway.
"What's the matter?"
Shu asked. Danny's silence on the way to the room worried him even more.
"Emma asking you those questions was mostly intentional, and there is one answer I'm truly not satisfied with. Are you following me only to repay your debt? What is your reason for doing everything you did until now?"
Danny asked with another expression Shu had never seen him make. It was full of disappointment.
"Yes, in the start, it was all about my debt."
Shu started saying.
'Damn me, I knew it!'
Danny thought while putting all the blame on himself.
"But now, well now, I want to beat this guy for all the death he has caused."
Shu finished his sentence, and Danny's expression barely changed.
"After this 'meeting,' I won't ask you to pay for any debt. You are already dealing with way above your pay grade." Danny said with an ashamed expression. "So what are you going to do then?" He added, and Shu was stumped.
"....."
Shu was unable to think of anything he wanted.
"Well, you got two days to decide."
Danny said, and Shu had nothing to say.
********
They returned to the room, and both Shu and Mary tried to enjoy their evening as they thought about their future.
"Hey, how are you?"
Shu asked Mary while handing her a drink.
"I'm fine. How are you?"
Mary answered quickly.
"I'm thinking about my future."
Shu said and then drank the entire bottle he was holding.
"Well, that's uncommon."
Mary said and chuckled.
Shu wanted to say something, but it was rather complicated to argue with fact.
"Well, kids! I hate to cut the party short, but you got two long days ahead of you. So 'cubiculum.'"
Danny said, and they were each teleported to their rooms.
********
The next day. Chaos briefed them on what is their role.
"In short, you are there to help lower their numbers if their numbers are too big."
Chaos said with no additional information.
"Aren't you all gods? What do you need us for?"
Dam asked.
"Since we destroyed the limiter, the chances for a mortal that can beat us have risen, and even without such an overpowered mortal, if there are too many strong mortals, it would be harder for us to win."
Chaos answered.
"Can a mortal kill a god?"
Alexander asked. He was surprised at the news of such a concept.
"Well, yes. All of the gods that will be there with you, including me, are people who were born as mortals and contributed to defeating the last old gods."
Chaos said, and they were all surprised.
Mortals can defeat gods?!
More than that, The demon god and all these monsters were mortals once?!
"How did you become gods?"
Mary asked.
"There are two ways for mortals to become gods, though they both require two steps, and one of the steps is the same."
Chaos answered without explaining what he meant.
"What do you mean?"
Alexander asked, his voice sounding a bit desperate.
"I'll let you find out on your own."
Chaos answered, and they were all stunned by the knowledge that a mortal could become a god.
"Do you have any final questions?" Chaos asked, and none of them answered. "Okay then, if you need special equipment, ask Danny to make it for you. You are all dismissed."
Chaos said, and they all left the room.
********
Shu was going straight to his room, he was still thinking of what he should do after, and now there was that god-thing.
"So, what do you say? Will you become a god?"
He heard a woman's voice in his head.
"Who is it?"
Shu took a fighting stance and asked.
"I'm Ishtar. I'm on your side. You can ask Mary."
The voice said.
"What do you want?"
Shu asked.
"I don't want your answer. I simply want you to think about it. Who will be the first person in your group you will jump to protect?"
Ishtar asked, and the voice stopped. It seemed like she really didn't want to hear his answer.
Shu shrugged her answer as just another god messing with him and went to his room.