The Goddess Made A Mistake Again

Veronica came beside me as I made myself look hard, a bit solemn.

What we stood before was the chaos caused after my full powered punch. The range of it was too big for anyone to think that a single human being could do it, especially one without the help of sigmat.

Veronica quietly stood beside me as she looked at the spectacle. I couldn't see her eyes, buy by the way I knew her mind worked, she probably wouldn't love this.

After a while, she asked, "Do you blame yourself?"

"For so many deaths… of course."

Lying was the best way to go here.

"Does it matter?"

"No… not really. What happened has happened and nobody would give a thought to my own guilt. They'll just look at my actions today and picture me in their mind through the sheer size of this thing." I point to it.

Veronica slowly turned to me, "If you knew what would happen… would you change your action given you had the chance?"

I had to swing it here, it didn't matter if it was right or wrong, it's my swing.

"No" My voice was resolute as the words came out, "Even if I knew what happened and was given the chance, I'd still make the same choice."

Veronica's hard face didn't change.

"The death's warranted by me was by my choice and I would live with that guilt. But my choice would stay the same, otherwise those lives that died wouldn't matter."

"Good" I turn to her in shock and see Veronica smiling, "That is how you should think." First published on M|V|L!EMPYR.

"You… don't disapprove of this?"

"Well, I can't say I do, but I definitely don't approve of it." Veronica slowly say, "Yet I understand that being a leader, a man in your position must make choices that will heavily impact everyone's lives."

"The decision may be good or bad, but it still must be done as you have a responsibility to the men you lead." Veronica patted my shoulder, "You need to stay strong not for yourself but for them."

"From now on, you need to hold yourself with resolution." Veronica's eyes hazed as she thought of another moment, "After what happened, you have opened yourself to this world's criticism."

"And believe me when I say the world can be very cruel. So no matter what, don't break to it, it will easily devour you."

"If you ever have any trouble… remember you have a friend here." Veronica said with a gracious smile to me.

And to her shock, I hug her.

Not a friendly hug nor too close to make it weird.

But a man hugging the woman consoling him. I wasn't acting as a boy anymore.

Veronica was shocked for a second before she reciprocated the hug as well. Her mind subtly replacing Henry's young visage to the growing warrior he is becoming.

"Thank you, Madam Veronica." I say, "Your words hit me deep, truly making me feel good about myself after so long."

Veronica only smiled as she closed her eyes too… taking in the hug of a warm stranger after so long.

We stayed there for a while before I deliberately chose to break it before she woke up and broke it herself.

"Hah!" I act awkward, "I'm sorry for hugging so long, I didn't check the time."

Veronica's eyes wavered as she suddenly lost her warm embrace. But quickly picked up, "It's alright, I didn't mind it."

"Well, I was hugging the most beautiful woman in the kingdom so my mind went into another point, haha." I said as Veronica's face blushed for a second as she smiled awkwardly too.

Veronica quickly changed the subject, "Wh- Why don't we go into camp, I heard that their making soup."

"Yeah, it is getting late." I look up and nod, "Let's go, Madam."

"Veronica" Veronica didn't know why, but that word spoke out of her, "Call me Veronica from now on."

I act surprised for a second before a large happy smile spread on me, "Veronica… let's go and try some soup."

Veronica's face tinged a bit reddish as she walked with Henry. She looked up at his side face and suddenly a thought so forbidden crept up within her that she shook her head immediately.

'What am I thinking! He's so young for goddess's sake!'

I didn't know the internal dilemma that just went through Veronica's mind and only joined to camp with her and tried out soup.

Night came and dinner too.

I sat with Veronica who felt much closer to me than before. We talked about a bit about ourselves and happily enjoyed dinner under the many jealous eyes staring at me.

Veronica seemed to not notice them or she simply turned it off after being observed so long. We talked a bit more about many stuff and I made damn sure not to bring up Arthur.

Because if anything, once you start talking with a mother about her child, believe me everything will go straight to hell.

As time passed and the moon lit up through the night sky, it was time for sleep.

The weather was going nicely without any clouds so there was no need to make tents. The beds already having made under the night sky was enough for the soldiers.

Only the patients had their premium bed covered by tents as Veronica bade me goodbye to go in her private one.

She was a very respectable and renowned woman in the kingdom with a crazy status, so she had to sleep in her own private place with maids surrounding her.

"Until later, Henry." Veronica waved to me.

"Yes, Veronica. Get a good sleep, you need it after the great work you did today." I said as I saw her face crouch in strains of tiredness.

Veronica gave a nod and smiled before leaving.

"You know…" I hear a familiar broken single guy's voice, "I hate when you do that."

"Do what?" I ask Jacob.

"That thing where you act all nice and respectful while making your guard down on a woman." Jacob said as he eyed Veronica's back lazily, "You make them wear down before slowly but steadily step in them."

"Jacob…" I place a hand on his shoulder as I sigh, "This is the true way to make a girl fall for you."

"Wear them down and take advantage?"

"Absolutely! How else do you think normal people have chance of getting a hot girl."

"But you're not normal."

"Yeah, but compared to her, I definitely am." I say as we both walk to our space, "Do you really think with everything I got, I could match her?"

"Her, who's temperament, attitude and status is heaven defying for someone like me?"

"When you place it like that…" Jacob nodded reluctantly, "It does give reaso-"

"Yeah so now that you understand, don't fucking mess it up for me."

"How am I going to mess up your thing!"

I ignore his rant, "Learn from me, otherwise you would never be able to get rid of your virginity."

"I'M NOT A VIRGIN!"

"Paying for sex isn't really losing your virginity. You need to really wear a girl down and give it to her man, I'm telling you!" I tell him, "Money only helps so much until you face a quality girl."

"I'm not gonna listen from you."

"Really? The guy who slept with every girl that's top of the line?"

"…FUCK!"