Chronoa and Fate finally returned to the reception room of the Arclesia Imperial Castle, where Chris had been waiting. Though Fate had only been gone for a few minutes, the time Chris had spent alone with Life had left her in a state of nearly catatonic distress.
As the Supreme God overseeing the Arclesia Empire, Life held ultimate authority over every low-ranking deity stationed within its borders. Among them, the God of Fertility was a figure of paramount importance; her blessing was the only reason crops could grow in Arclesia’s notoriously stubborn soil. For Chris, Life was a being to whom she owed absolute, unwavering deference.
Yet Life had remained motionless in her seat. Whether she was deep in meditation or simply lacked the desire to speak, she had stayed perfectly silent. Fearing she might disturb a divine trance, Chris hadn't dared to utter a word. Those few minutes spent waiting in a vacuum of silence with a Supreme God had been nothing short of a hellish ordeal.
In reality, Life hadn't been asleep at all. Negotiations were usually Chronoa’s domain, and Life simply hadn't known what to say once they were left alone. Since the White God Festival, she had become much more sympathetic toward humankind, but that newfound empathy actually worked against her; she had stayed silent out of a paralyzing fear that some clumsy remark might terrify the mortal Empress.
Life had felt the awkwardness just as keenly as Chris, and she felt a wave of internal relief when Chronoa and Fate finally stepped back into the room.
"Apologies for the wait, Emperor of Arclesia."
"Ah, no, please, think nothing of it. It was only a few minutes..."
"I’m back! Oh, and I properly picked up some for Ris-ris and the God of Life, too. Here, help yourselves."
"…Eh? Oh, thank you very much... Hmm? What is this? It looks like a drink, but..."
With a breezy smile, Fate held out beverages made from the Fruit of the World Tree to both Life and Chris, presenting them like casual souvenirs. Chris took the glass, her head tilting in confusion. She had been told that Kaito’s stall was a general store, and she had already confirmed that his inventory did not include food or drink.
"That’s right! I picked these up at Kai-chan’s stall," Fate chirped. "World Tree fruit juice!"
The blood drained from Chris’s face instantly. Her expression shifted into one of pure, unadulterated despair. Her heart simply couldn't process the implications of Kaito entering the beverage market—the economic and political chaos such high-demand items would cause was unthinkable.
Noting her distress, Chronoa shot Chris a look of genuine pity. "I understand your fear, but you can rest easy. This drink was a special request the God of Fate forced Miyama to fulfill. It isn't a stock item, and he has no plans to sell it to the public."
"Ah... I-I see... What a relief. Truly." Chris clutched at her stomach, her face finally showing a spark of life through the tragedy of her stress. Chronoa watched her with a heavy sigh, empathizing deeply with the mortal’s plight.
Ignoring the drama, Fate took a long sip of her drink and turned to Life. "This is actually pretty good. But... hmm, God of Life, is it just my imagination? I feel like I'm overflowing with power."
"It is not just your imagination," Life replied, tilting her head. "I feel the same. In fact, looking at you, it seems your divine capabilities have doubled."
"What?" Chronoa’s eyes widened in shock as she examined them. It was unmistakable; the magic power radiating from both Fate and Life was twice its usual magnitude. No standard support magic could ever hope to double the power of a Supreme God. The sheer pressure of their presence was becoming immense. "What on earth is in that drink? Does the Fruit of the World Tree really have an effect like this?"
"I'm not sure," Life mused. "The World King keeps a very tight grip on the supply, so it wouldn't be surprising if there were hidden properties beyond simple recovery. If it truly is this potent, I can certainly see why she restricts its distribution."
"Wait," Fate interrupted. "Wasn't this fruit from Nebu-rin’s tree? Her tree isn't like the normal ones. Maybe the effects are unique to her?"
"That would explain it," Chronoa agreed, her expression turning grave. "The fruit is rare, but it does circulate. If the common variety had properties like these, it would be impossible to keep it a secret."
As Chris watched the three Supreme Gods deliberate with such intensity, she felt the familiar weight of a new crisis pressing down on her. The conversation had spiraled into a realm far beyond her comprehension. She clutched her stomach again as the pain flared.
"Well," Fate said casually, "the World King is supposed to arrive soon anyway. Why don't we just grill her about it directly?"
The prospect of a forced interrogation between the Supreme Gods and a King of the Demon Realm caused Chris's eyes to glaze over. She stared blankly into the distance, her spirit nearly broken as she contemplated the impending disaster.
Serious-senpai: "That follow-up stomach blow really landed. Chris is officially a veteran Stomach Pain Warrior now."
???: "And it looks like the flags are already being set for Lilliwood-san to get dragged into the mess. She thought she could finally relax after Isis-san stayed home, but her luck has officially run out."