The gods seemed eager to learn about Rebecca's world. "Tell us about your world," Astra's voice echoed gently, followed by murmurs of interest from the others.
Rebecca decided to keep it simple. "My world... it's different from this one. We don't have magic or gods like you, but we do have science, technology, and a lot of rules. People live in cities, far from forests. I don't think we have magic in our world and no one has ever heard of or seen real magic as in here. We focus more on what we can see and understand."
She paused, gauging their reactions, knowing this relationship was based on exchanging information. She didn't want to overwhelm them, nor did she want to reveal everything at once. Trust had to grow between them. If they were to consider each other friends one day, they would need to stay together with no ill will. Rebecca could sense they had no intention to harm her, at least not yet, and she was content with letting things unfold slowly.
"I'll share more when the time comes," she added, her tone light but cautious. "But what about this world? Tell me something about it."
The gods were willing to give her a brief overview. One of them, Lunaris, spoke first. "This land was once united under a great empire before it was split by the rise of demon lords and war. Now, kingdoms fight for power, and magic governs much of life."
Eiro, the God of Wisdom, added, "The energy you possess doesn't belong to this world."
Rebecca listened carefully. Each god gave her pieces of the puzzle, revealing the tensions between kingdoms, magic's influence, and how beings like Valen, her ex-husband, might have risen to power using ancient dark arts.
The gods' voices grew softer as they spoke among themselves. "We've found something interesting here," one of them said, followed by murmurs of agreement.
"We'll be going for now," another voice added. "But we'll meet again soon."
Rebecca nodded, feeling their presence slowly fade. As the silence settled, she took a deep breath and stood up, deciding to check on Draven.
When she entered his room, she saw him sitting on a small, worn-out chair, intently reading a battered old book. He didn't seem to notice her at first, so Rebecca quietly stepped closer.
"What are you reading?" she asked gently, her voice breaking the stillness.
Draven looked up, startled, and clutched the book tightly. "It's a book I've had for a long time," he said. "It's the only one I have."
Rebecca's heart sank as she realized the boy had only one book to read, and it was falling apart. "You only have this one book?" she asked, surprised.
Draven nodded. "It's about basic magic. The butler taught me how to read it. I finished learning it last year, but I still read it. I know every word, every spell, and I even remember which page each thing is on."
Rebecca felt a pang of sympathy. The boy had been alone with nothing but this book for company, and now he was clinging to it as if it were his only source of knowledge. She could see that he was hungry for more—more knowledge, more understanding.
Rebecca gently reached out and softly patted Draven's head, noticing how he froze in surprise at the unfamiliar gesture. His eyes widened slightly, as if he wasn't sure how to react. Rebecca offered him a small smile, her hand lingering for just a moment before she withdrew.
"I'm going to rest now," she said quietly, turning to leave the room.
Draven didn't say anything, still stunned by the simple act of kindness. Rebecca made her way back to her room, her steps slow and thoughtful. Only when she closed the door behind her and sat down on the edge of her bed did the realization hit her.
I've been talking with my mouth this entire time when I was speaking to the gods, she thought, feeling a wave of embarrassment. They didn't even mention it… was I supposed to communicate with them through my mind?
Rebecca furrowed her brow, wondering if perhaps she lacked the ability to talk with the gods through her thoughts. Or maybe they chose not to correct me?
Her mind raced with questions. Could she communicate with them mentally in the future? Should she ask them directly when they meet again? She knew she'd need answers before she made any assumptions.
Rebecca's body felt unbearably heavy as she lay down on the bed, her muscles aching from fatigue. She tried to focus her mind on Draven's education. First, I need to gather information from the butler about the education system here... and the books that are available... Her thoughts trailed off as a wave of drowsiness swept over her, pulling her into a deep sleep without her realizing it.
Hours later, Rebecca was jolted awake by a gentle, persistent knocking. Groggy and sore, she slowly sat up, feeling the ache in her body from being in bed too long. She glanced around, disoriented for a moment, before realizing it was already afternoon. The knocking continued, steady but soft.
Rebecca forced herself to her feet, her movements sluggish as she made her way to the door. When she opened it, she found Draven standing there, his small figure tense. His expression shifted when he saw her face, which must have still shown signs of exhaustion. Misunderstanding her tired look, Draven spoke nervously.
"I… I was worried you might be hungry," he stammered, avoiding her eyes. "I kept knocking because… I didn't want you to miss lunch. Did I disturb you?" His voice trembled slightly, clearly afraid he'd upset her.
Rebecca shook her head, softening her gaze as she tried to reassure him. "No, you didn't disturb me at all. Actually, I was really hungry, so it's good you knocked and woke me up. Thank you."
Draven seemed to relax, though his shoulders were still slightly hunched. Rebecca could sense that this was his small attempt at reaching out, a cautious step toward her, and she felt a warmth bloom in her chest.