Prologue: The Water Goddess's Prophecy
Princess Sophia (or more accurately, Eir in Sophia's body) smiled, her eyes a beguiling gold. But then, an ominous statement left her lips.
"At this rate, Roses will fall."
"What's going to happen?" I asked. After all, Eir was the goddess that protected Roses.
"Well...not even I know that," she replied. "Not even you...? But you're...Eir."
There are things the gods don't know?
"Of course, there are," Eir said. "We goddesses aren't omnipotent. Or did you think we were all perfect beings, Mako?"
That brought a memory of my own goddess to mind—after Fujiyan had appraised my dagger and I'd discovered that it belonged to a wicked deity, I could remember Noah sinking down to her knees before me.
"No...I understand that you're not."
"Right? So I want you to investigate my revelation. But all of that would just worry Sophie and Leo, so keep it quiet."
I let out a hesitant noise. I have to keep the prophecy a secret from Princess Sophia?
"Yes! It's a private matter between Sophie's goddess and you, Mako!" Eir said meaningfully. Not a second later, her golden eyes abruptly returned to their normal color.
"O-Oh...I must have fallen asleep..." Princess Sophia was once again in her own body, though her blue eyes looked somewhat vacant.
Otherwise, she seemed to be back to normal. "Hero Makoto...? Did something happen?"
Something sure did—Eir had delivered a prophecy that Roses would fall... I couldn't say so, though.
"Nope. We should head back," I said, offering her a smile and hiding my unease.
"Personally, I think we could sta—"
I cut her off gently. "All riiight, back we go." "Hmph."
Even as I soothed her on our way to the castle, I thought of what was to come. We'd escaped the danger facing Highland, but there was apparently no time to take it easy.