Fate-san came bursting in just as dinner was approaching.
To sum up her long-winded explanation, she had worked hard today and wanted me to praise her for it... I’ve thought this many times now, but is this woman really a Supreme God?
“...Um, Fate-san?”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“...What exactly is this situation supposed to be?”
“I’m currently replenishing my Kai-chan components!”
“...I-I see...”
As for my current situation—though I have no idea how it came to this—Fate-san was sitting on my lap, her hands firmly locked around mine.
I didn't know what kind of components she was supposedly extracting from me by doing this, but I knew for a fact that this situation was extremely dangerous. Setting aside the soft weight on my lap, she was holding my arms in a way that essentially forced me to embrace her from behind. Her ample chest pressed against my arms, and I felt as though my sanity were being slowly singed on a charcoal grill.
However, even if I wanted to resist, the gap in power between Fate-san and me was absolute. My hands hadn't budged an inch since she grabbed them.
Whether she noticed my inner turmoil or not, Fate-san seemed to be in high spirits, leaning back against me and slacking off completely. She was treating me entirely like a chair.
Well, she wasn't trying to force me into anything "dangerous" like she usually did, so I suppose this was better than the alternative...
“...Err, thank you for your hard work today.”
“Seriously, though~ Why do things like ‘work’ even exist in this world? I hate it so much... and I still have more to do tomorrow. I wish tomorrow would just never come.”
She sounded like a student on the final day of summer vacation, despite being one of the highest-ranking figures in the God Realm. It wasn't really my place to worry, but was she actually going to be okay?
Still, I wondered why Fate-san hated working so stubbornly. Compared to someone like me, her knowledge and processing speed had to be on a completely different level. If she actually got serious, wouldn't she be able to finish everything in an instant?
Then again, I didn't know the first thing about what divine work entailed. Perhaps it took a long time even with Fate-san’s abilities.
“Fate-san, why do you hate working so much?”
“...Because it’s ‘boring.’”
“Boring... Come to think of it, you said something similar when I visited the God Realm before.”
“Yeah... Being able to make everything go exactly the way I want is seriously boring. I hate it from the bottom of my heart. That’s why I have zero motivation.”
As she spoke, Fate-san lightly flicked her finger, telekinetically bringing a water pitcher from the table over to us. Then, she began to pour red wine—which she had produced from thin air—into the pitcher.
“Normally there’s no need to say this out loud, but I’ll do it so it’s easy for you to understand... ‘Don’t mix.’”
“!?”
The moment Fate-san muttered those words, the red wine being poured into the pitcher didn't blend with the water; it separated perfectly, floating like oil.
“...’Mix.’ ...’Separate.’ ...’Return to the bottle.’”
“...”
With every word Fate-san spoke, the red wine mixed into the water, then separated again, and finally—defying every law of physics—it flew back into its original bottle.
“...Kai-chan, did you know what my actual ability was?”
“Manipulating fate... right?”
“Hmm, that’s not wrong, but it’s a bit different to be precise. I govern fate... If I feel like it, I can even ‘create’ a destiny that shouldn’t be possible in the first place.”
Manipulating fate was already a massive cheat, but it seemed the power Fate-san possessed went even further.
Creating destinies that shouldn't exist... Making wine that had already been poured return to its bottle like a video being played in reverse... Fate-san could manifest phenomena that were fundamentally impossible.
As expected of a god, she could overturn common sense with a casual remark. It was a true Authority.
“That’s why I can move almost everything in this world as I please. This power of mine is a Fragment of Shallow Vernal-sama’s Power... If I were to get serious, even the God of Space-Time or the God of Life couldn't resist me.”
“...Fate-san, your eyes...”
“I showed them to you once before, right? When I truly exercise my authority, my eyes change to the same color as Shallow Vernal-sama’s. Actually, this is my original color; I just normally suppress it because it’s way too powerful~”
Fate-san gave a wry smile, and her eyes, which had turned gold like Shiro-san’s, reverted to their usual reddish-purple.
Apparently, those reddish-purple eyes were proof that she was holding back her power—a power capable of twisting the very laws of the universe.
If Fate-san truly tried, even Chronoa-san and Life-san would be helpless against her. However, she almost never used her power at full strength, having only done so during the ancient War between the God Realm and the Demon Realm.
“...Like I said before, there are only four beings in this world I can’t move as I wish: Shallow Vernal-sama, the Underworld King, Shaltan... and Kai-chan.”
“...That’s because I have Shiro-san’s Blessing, right?”
“Right. That’s why, you know, when I first found you, Kai-chan... I was so happy. I was really hyped. I haven’t called anyone a ‘Soul Friend’ since Shaltan.”
“...”
According to what I heard later, when Fate-san and I first met, she had been manipulating fate specifically to ensure no humans could approach her. That was why there had been absolutely no sign of anyone else around when we encountered each other.
Fate-san fell silent for a short moment, then slowly spoke again.
“...Hey, Kai-chan. Can I ask you something?”
“Eh? Yes, what is it?”
“...I want you to answer honestly. Do you hate me? Do you find me a nuisance?”
“...Huh?”
Her voice was weak—so fragile that I couldn't have imagined it coming from the usually bright and carefree Fate-san.
Perhaps that was why I didn't even stop to think. I simply let my honest thoughts slip out.
“...No, I’ve never thought of you that way.”
“...Really?”
“Yes. I do think you’re a handful, Fate-san, but I’ve never once felt like I hated you or found you burdensome.”
“Ahaha, I see~”
Upon hearing my words, Fate-san flashed a happy smile and squeezed the arm she was holding even tighter.
“Then, one more question... See, my body is small, but for you, Kai-chan, does someone like me count as an ‘object of desire’?”
“Pffft!? Wh-What are you...”
“It’s fine, just tell me~”
She had completely returned to her usual high energy. She asked the outrageous question in a leisurely, playful tone.
Flustered by the query and pushed by Fate-san as she rubbed the back of her head against my chest, I eventually spoke with a sense of resignation.
“...I mean... you do count...”
“Fufufu, I see, I see~ I thought so~”
This felt like a dangerous turn of events. My current position was especially bad—every escape route was blocked. If she came at me like usual right now, I wouldn't be able to get away.
As I stiffened my body in anticipation, Fate-san seemed to sense my thoughts. She turned her head toward me and flashed an innocent grin.
“You don’t have to be so on guard. I’m not going to do anything else today~”
“Eh?”
“I’m already plenty satisfied for one day. Ahh~ Kai-chan is so warm~ You feel way better than a cushion.”
“...E-Err...”
Fate-san appeared to have shifted entirely into lazy mode. She leaned her weight against me, becoming as limp as melted cheese.
I didn't quite understand why, but she seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. She was so relaxed that I thought she might actually fall asleep right there.
“...Kai-chan.”
“Yes?”
“You really are interesting~”
“...Hmm?”
“I can’t move you as I wish, and things don't go as I planned... but you’re kind and fun. Hmm, you really are my absolute favorite after all. I’ve decided—I’m definitely going to let Kai-chan support me! Yes, let’s go with that!!”
“...”
Dear Mother, Father—Fate-san was, well, as chaotic as ever, but it feels like we’ve grown a bit closer. She showed me a side of herself I’d never seen before. Well, when all is said and done—I don't hate her.
Underworld King-sama: “...Is that barely safe? If she had tried to jump Kaito-kun, I would have had to discipline her...”