"Master, please taste the food I cooked."
Madame Aisha, her forehead adorned with an auspicious mole, wore an Indian-style sari with a star-and-moon pendant on her brow. She cheerfully brought plates of food to the table, wearing a maid outfit imbued with Indian flair. A bright smile lit up her face, and her posture as she served the dishes was perfectly maid-like—brimming with enthusiasm and joy.
Calling Roy "Master" didn't faze Madame Aisha at all. She had always been thick-skinned and lacked the typical Campione's pride. Her outgoing personality extended to calling Marquis Vauban "big brother" and Cult Leader Luo Hao "big sister," leaving those two ancient Campiones utterly helpless against her.
Roy stared at the food on the table. Judging by appearance alone, the dishes seemed fine. While his Clairvoyance had assured him that Madame Aisha's maid skills were passable, there was a big difference between seeing something and experiencing it personally.
Picking up a knife and fork, Roy closed his eyes as if preparing for battle, cut a piece of steak, and brought it to his mouth. He chewed with a solemn expression, much like a soldier facing imminent danger. After what felt like an eternity under Madame Aisha's expectant gaze, Roy opened his eyes and said, "...Well, I thought the steak would have an overwhelming curry flavor, but surprisingly, it doesn't. It's also not English dark cuisine. The taste is decent." (T/N: Idk why people think that Indians only eat curry, this stereotype gets on my nerves if I am being honest)
Madame Aisha, an Indian who had once worked as a maid for English nobility, had a culinary background that invited skepticism. However, Roy realized he'd underestimated her. While the food wasn't extraordinary, it was far from bad. For a maid, it was average—competent at the very least.
"Although it seems like you're praising me, I don't feel happy at all. Also, your words sound a bit discriminatory against Indians and the English."
Madame Aisha pouted and complained.
"I'm not a fan of Western food. If you can cook oriental dishes, Madame Aisha, make oriental cuisine next time."
Roy ignored her complaints, calmly making the kind of request a master would.
"Oriental cuisine? I did try learning it from Sister Luo Hao, but her skills are impossible to replicate. I can't cook oriental dishes at all. From this perspective, I really am an unqualified maid." (T/N: Can she not cook Indian dishes? They are considered oriental, right?)
Madame Aisha sighed wistfully.
"Madam, your self-awareness is truly commendable. I'm very relieved."
Roy added with a sigh of his own.
Nearby, Princess Alice—who had arrived uninvited—looked at the food with regret. Having come in her astral form, she couldn't eat. Straightening her posture, she inclined slightly forward and addressed Madame Aisha elegantly: "...Madam, do you remember me? We've met before."
As always, the White Princess of Europe maintained her ladylike demeanor in public. However, when no outsiders were around, she was a whirlwind of chaos. And in private, she was far from shy, particularly in bed, where she was known for her enthusiasm. She had even expressed an eagerness to bear a powerful witch for Roy, claiming it would create stronger magic progeny.
"I remember—your name is Alice, right? Last time we met, you were just a child. I didn't expect you to grow up so fast. I guess I must have been traveling in ancient times for quite a while."
Madame Aisha's excellent memory kicked in, and she spoke with sudden realization.
"That wasn't because you traveled in ancient times for so long. You're just old enough to have lost all sense of time, Madam."
Roy quipped in response.
"What? I'm a 17-year-old beautiful girl. I've always been 17!"
Madame Aisha waved her fists in protest, like a petulant child.
Athena, seated nearby, remained silent, quietly eating her food. The proud goddess had no desire to communicate with humans—let alone Campiones—except for Roy.
Erica and Liliana joined the conversation, their sociable natures adding to the lively atmosphere. With the addition of Princess Alice and Erica, both skilled conversationalists, the dinner table became vibrant and harmonious.
The only exception was Annie Charlton, who wore a troubled expression. She remained unmoved by the joyful atmosphere and instead focused on planning the next steps for their mission.
Although Madame Aisha had a kind disposition, her kindness was of a different nature than Annie Charlton's. Madame Aisha's goodness stemmed from an unwillingness to see others injured, prompting her to treat anyone hurt before her. Her kindness was devoid of a sense of responsibility. In contrast, the North American God Slayer, Annie Charlton, was a quintessential figure of responsibility and duty.
The meal ended amid a cheerful atmosphere of jokes and laughter.
…
In Manhattan, Roy and Athena strolled side by side along a street near the canal.
"The Divine Ancestor Asherah should be about ready by now," Roy mused.
His gaze shifted from the waters of the canal to the distant seashore. He knew that Asherah was currently completing her final preparations there, while Annie Charlton lay in wait, ready to intervene the moment Asherah completed her transformation into a serpentine dragon.
"I sense the essence of the earth and water gathering quickly. Asherah is on the verge of transforming into the 'Serpent God Leviathan,'" Athena said, her tone calm but precise.
As an Earth Mother Goddess, Athena had a deeper understanding of the abilities of her kind. Her explanation was both thorough and insightful.
"Leviathan, the envious snake, also known as the Lord of the Flies. No wonder Asherah named the secret society she founded after it," Roy said, nodding slightly. He now fully understood the true form Asherah would assume upon her descent into a serpentine dragon. (T/N: I have some doubts here, is Leviathan really the same as Beelzebub?)
"Asherah may be able to transform into a serpentine dragon, thereby gaining power comparable to a God-Slayer, but she is already a Divine Ancestor and has long since lost her divine power. Transforming will strip her of the immortality of both the earth and snakes. Her deep hatred for the God-Slayers and this world drives her to such a desperate choice. This is the fate of many ancient goddesses who fell into the ranks of the Divine Ancestors," Athena said, her voice tinged with melancholy.
It was the sorrowful lament of an ancient Earth Mother Goddess mourning the tragic ends of her kind.
The age of Earth Mother Goddesses was long gone, as was the era of feminine divinity. The patriarchal system of the Father Gods now reigned supreme, and the Earth Mother Goddesses could do nothing but accept this harsh reality.
"Well then, let Asherah and Annie Charlton fight it out. Whether they win or lose, live or die, it has nothing to do with me. Compared to the rebel Leviathan and the North American Campione, I'm far more interested in you, Guinevere, named after the wife of King Arthur!"
As Roy and Athena walked along the quiet street by the canal, Roy suddenly turned around. At some point, the pedestrians who had been around had vanished. Not far behind them stood a stunningly beautiful fair girl, around thirteen or fourteen years old. She stood tall and graceful, her lips curved in an elegant smile. There was no trace of humility or fear in her demeanor. She simply looked at Roy and Athena with calm, collected eyes.
The girl had golden curls that draped over her shoulders, forming elegant arcs that complemented her refined and symmetrical facial features. Her very presence exuded a dignified and noble air.
Hearing Roy address her, the girl lifted the hem of her skirt and performed a perfect curtsy, her movements filled with grace befitting a noblewoman. She spoke with an even tone, neither timid nor overly bold:
"...Good afternoon, Lord Roy, and Lady Athena!"