Chapter 18 #2
I gulp and find the nearest empty chair available.
Fortunately, it’s right next to Cait, who’s been saving it for me.
To my surprise, on the other side of the chair is Gelasius.
Both Ione and the man she’s crushing on are in the same place.
I’m tempted once again to wrap up two quests in one day, but I’ve really messed things up so far. I can’t afford to rock the boat.
Gelasius is focused on the elders, so I don’t expect it when he greets me as I sit down. I’d watched him pass right by Ione like she wasn’t even there. He seems like the type of person who can’t be bothered to socialize, yet he’s talking to me.
“Your friend told me you’re a Cleric of Aphrodite,” he whispers. “I’m arranged to be married to a young woman who will arrive here tomorrow. Would you be willing to give her a fertility blessing?”
Oh, fuck. He’s getting married tomorrow? Well, now I have to speed up my process. Feels like I should have done his side quest today and Amalthea’s tomorrow. Then I wouldn’t be stuck working at this stupid ceremony.
“Um…sure,” I whisper back.
Cait elbows me in the ribs and nods at the elder in charge. He’s glaring at me again. Did he hear me chatting with Gelasius?
“Now the cleric will give her blessing,” the elder says, clearly repeating himself.
Shit. I’ve never blessed anything or anyone. How does this work?
I think back to the times I had dinner at a religious friend’s house. They always did a blessing before they ate. How did it go again? Ah yes, it was the Johnny Appleseed song!
I get up and stand next to the elder, then clear my throat and try not to waver as I sing.
“Oh, the Lord’s been good to me! And so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seeds.
The Lord’s been good to me! Amen. Amen. Amen, amen, amen!
” The blank stares as I finish cause embarrassment to wash over me like ice water.
“I mean…the gods have been good to me, of course.”
I don’t even look at the elder as I scurry back to my seat. I know he’s probably fantasizing about the assassination he’s going to order on me.
Cait’s biting her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing, but I can still see that her chest is shaking from the giggles trapped within. She’s been so grumpy all day that this is a welcome sight.
“Shut up,” I whisper to her, but I’m fighting back a chuckle myself.
“I haven’t made a peep,” she whispers back.
“You know what I mean.”
Cait smirks at me. “Did you really just sing the Johnny Appleseed prayer to a temple of NPCs who worship the Greek pantheon?”
“I panicked, okay?”
Fortunately, my dismal failure means that the elder no longer calls on me to do anything at all.
I have no idea what this grand ceremony is for, but it’s quite boring.
I struggle to stay awake the entire time.
When it finishes at last, I hear the notification ping and sigh with relief that this side quest is now complete.
Now to make a miracle happen for Ione. Gelasius gets up and moves to follow the elders out. Not thinking, I grab him by the wrist. “Wait! We need to talk about tomorrow!”
He stares at me like I’m some weird bug that he almost stepped on. I guess my poor performance changed his opinion of me.
“Sorry, I’ve changed my mind about blessing my union,” he tells me. “Please let me go.”
“No, it’s not about that,” I say. “Well, I mean, it kinda is, but I’m not going through with the blessing.”
Gelasius pulls his hand from mine and wipes it on his pants. Are my hands really sweaty or something?
“Then, we’re agreed. Please, leave me alone now,” he says and walks away.
“The bride you intend to marry will make you the unhappiest man in Peripeteia!” I call out to him.
This time, I don’t need to grab him to make him stop. Gelasius turns around, and I can see in his eyes that I’ve touched on a genuine worry of his.
“How would you know that?” he asks.
“Aphrodite gave me the favor of sight,” I say.
It’s not a lie like when Guy said it to Dolius. I have Near Future Vision now. It wouldn’t tell me if someone would be happy in a marriage long term, but he doesn’t need to know that. Besides, that doesn’t matter. He should be with Ione. If he’s with the wrong woman, he really will be unhappy.
Gelasius is still looking at me like I’m a weirdo, so I continue, “I know I messed up the prayer. I wasn’t supposed to help with the ceremony today.
Amalthea thrust it on me last minute. Aphrodite doesn’t task me with stuff like blessings.
I’m in Thebe to give certain people important messages about love. ”
This causes a laugh to ripple from Gelasius who has been far too serious every time I’ve met him. “Are you telling me that Aphrodite cares about my love life? Love is a story we tell children, and I don’t have time for that.”
“Love is real,” I insist. I’m shocked at the words coming from my lips, the conviction in them. Am I this desperate to end this quest chain, or am I actually starting to believe in love again? “I’ve seen it happen firsthand, and you will soon, too. But hopefully, it won’t be too late.”
“Is this what your goddess has told you?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say. “I even know who it is. I know she pines for you every day, but you’ve never even noticed her. You’re too focused on what you must do as an elder’s heir that you’re not taking time to do what you must for yourself.”
“Fine,” he says. “I’ll play along. Who’s the woman?”
“Ione!” I call out, hoping that Phemie’s family hasn’t left yet and also that I’m heard over the chatter of the crowd.
Probably only a second has passed, but it feels much longer. Then, I hear, “Yes, Lauren?”
I turn to see Ione, looking just as gorgeous as ever. Though she’s addressing me, her eyes are on Gelasius. Somehow, she seems even more smitten than before.
Gelasius turns his smug face away from me to see who I’m talking to. The shift in temperament is instantaneous. His smirk drops, leaving his lips parted in awe. His eyes are wide with surprise. Within a second, he shakes himself out of it and chuckles. Then he looks at me.
“Just because she’s beautiful doesn’t mean this is love,” he says.
I shrug. “I guess you’ll never know unless you learn more about her,” I say. “She comes from a very loving family, has yearned for even a second of your attention for years, and knows your family inside and out.”
“How?” he asks.
“Because I’m one of your maids,” Ione answers.
In the time that I’ve been talking, Ione has come closer. She’s now close enough to make out the pretty pink blush of her cheeks and smell the subtle floral scent of her perfume.
Gelasius scoffs. “A maid! You want me to give up a proper marriage for a maid?”
Ione winces, and I wish I could hug her. Gelasius is such a snob. What does she even see in him?
Phemie storms over, a wrathful expression on her face. “You would be lucky for anyone to love you, you stone-hearted boy! And though being a maid is nothing to look down on, Ione isn’t just a maid. The girl is in school learning to be a mage. Top in her class, as a matter of fact!”
So, this world has mage schools. The developers really copy-pasted a standard fantasy game instead of doing their due diligence on studying Greek history and mythology.
Gelasius seems stunned again, looking at Ione with more than lust. Now she’s earned his respect. “You’re going to school?” he asks.
Ione nods. “The same one you went to. I-I saw what you could do, and I wanted to learn to do it myself. You’re so talented. I hope to even come half as close…”
“If you’re top of your class, I’m sure you’re much more than half by now,” Gelasius says. He looks at the floor, seeming almost humble for a moment. Then he lifts his eyes to hers and puffs his chest with pride. “Well, if you want to be as good as I am, I suppose I must mentor you.”
“You’ll mentor me!” Ione exclaims.
“Starting tomorrow,” he says.
“Aren’t you supposed to be getting married tomorrow?” I ask him.
“Perhaps it’s best I hold off on marriage,” he admits and then looks at Ione. “At least until I find the right woman to marry.”
A notification pings. I open it, worried that some new wrench has been thrown into my plans. To my relief it says that this side quest is complete. The only one left is to escort Dolius and Cyrus to Dardanus.
“Let’s go,” I tell Cait. “I need to work out travel plans with Dolius.”