"Oh, really?"
William could discern that the voice was utterly devoid of emotion, and he sensed that if he nodded in agreement, he might lose another invaluable ally, just as he had lost Anne. Nevertheless, despite this intuition, he nodded— because, at that moment, it seemed the only option available to him.
William braced himself, awaiting the impending verdict. To his astonishment, however, the Goddess— who had moments before been so emotionally detached— suddenly smiled warmly and said, "Alright, I forgive you."
William's head snapped up in disbelief. He saw the radiance of her smile, and although he found it difficult to accept that she could forgive him so easily, something about her presence compelled him to believe it.
"Just like that... with no repercussions?" William blurted out, immediately regretting his words.
