Just fifteen seconds after the abrupt summons, the God of Fertility came rushing in, her face pale. Life-san nodded with satisfaction at her arrival.
"Well done, God of Fertility. To arrive precisely within the time allotted is truly impressive."
"...Th-thank you... S-so, what did you need me for?"
"Miyama-san expressed an interest in getting to know you. Give a brief self-introduction."
"Eh? Oh, I see... Understood."
The God of Fertility looked blank for a moment at Life-san's words, but she quickly shifted her gaze, noticed me, and nodded in understanding. She walked over to stand before me, offered a gentle smile, and gave a light bow.
"It is the first time we have spoken directly like this. My name is Erne, the God of Fertility. I am a low-ranking god primarily in charge of the Arclesia Empire in the Human Realm."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Kaito Miyama. I’m sorry for the sudden summons."
Erne was a woman with long, soft-looking brown hair tied back loosely. Her appearance and aura exuded kindness; she seemed like an incredibly gentle person. Standing at about 150 centimeters, she was somewhat short, but her figure was exceptional, and I found my eyes inadvertently drifting toward her ample chest. Overall, she gave the impression of a kind, gentle "big sister" with a soft, airy atmosphere.
"Please, don't let it bother you. I have also wanted to speak with you someday, Miyama-san, so I am happy to have been blessed with such an opportunity."
"The God of Fertility is extremely capable in both character and ability, and she is someone I hold in high regard," Life-san added. "She is the only one among the low-ranking gods permitted to enter and leave my temple freely. I believe she is a being of great value. I would even like to add her to my direct subordinates, but since the God of Fertility has been given the vital role of managing the Arclesia Empire by Lady Shallow Vernal, that is simply not possible."
"I... I am truly honored, but if you could be a little more considerate with your summons... No, I know that the God of Life-sama never demands anything I'm incapable of, but you always push me to the absolute limit. If you could just show a little more mercy..."
"Hmm? What was that?"
"N-nothing at all!"
It was an exchange where I keenly felt the difference in their power dynamic, but Life-san was quite full of praise—almost gushing—about Erne. I also gathered from their interaction that Life-san was the type to be strict with those she evaluated highly, or perhaps she simply became demanding instinctively.
Regarding the thirty-second grace period for the summons, she probably just specified a time that Erne would be able to make if she hurried. When making a request, she set the standard at a level that Erne could only achieve if she tried her absolute hardest; as a result, she seemed quite severe.
It seemed that Erne understood this as well. While she was happy to be highly valued by Life-san, she felt the pressure every time and wished for a bit more leniency.
"Kaito-san, if you have the time, why don't we sit down and talk for a while?" Life-san suggested. "So far, you've only exchanged names."
"That would be great, and I'm fine on time... but is it okay with you, Erne-san?"
"Eh? Me?"
"Yes. If it's inconvenient or if you have other things to do, you don't have to force yourself..."
I tried to tell her it was okay to refuse, but for some reason, Erne looked blank, as if she didn't understand why I was even asking.
"...Um, God of Life-sama? In this situation, would my schedule even matter compared to what Miyama-san desires?"
"It would not," Life-san replied. "For one who has received the Blessing of Shallow Vernal-sama, the only thing that takes priority over his requests is a direct order from Shallow Vernal-sama herself. No other circumstances are worth comparing. However, Miyama-san is very kind-hearted, so he was likely showing you consideration."
"I see... Honestly, since Miyama-san is so far above me in status, I was momentarily bewildered. I truly appreciate your concern, though. My schedule is perfectly fine. And it's not just because you asked—I really don't have anything planned. So, please, I'm at your disposal..."
"If that's the case, I'd be happy to talk for a bit since we're here."
She was certainly Life-san's subordinate; her way of thinking seemed similar to Life-san's to a certain extent. Life-san also gave the impression of having very high loyalty to Shiro-san among the Supreme Gods, despite her somewhat easygoing atmosphere, so Erne might have similar values.
In any case, I had wanted to engage in some small talk, so I was grateful for the opportunity.