Starting the day, Ben couldn’t help but wonder if there was a festival going on he just hadn’t been told about as he moved through the city to get to work.

People were out and about everywhere, high in spirits and looking ready to party. He could see shops were having sales and musicians were starting to play in the streets, only raising the atmosphere all the higher.

And here’s little old me, going to be stuck inside with some royal pains in the ass. Only a week left, thank god. Actually, I take that back. No god bothered warning me that the people they wanted me to teach sucked so much, they’ve all earned my wrath.

The lack of comment in his head about that told him nobody was listening, meaning he was going to be stuck with the worst company the city had to offer, or at least he'd thought. To his small surprise though, at least two in the room were in refreshingly good moods, with only Xilly keeping up her regular demeanour.

Still, if they were going to act a little more pleasant then he’d do his best to have some real positivity to him instead of the fake bit he’d been forcing on to be professional.

“Good morning everyone,” He told them brightly. “Hope you guys are ready for some more practice.”

“Can you take it down a notch. It’s early.”

“And an especially good morning to you too Xilly, I see you haven’t been infected with the city’s festive atmosphere. Speaking of, is it a holiday or something?”

“It will be,” Zallith said smugly, not answering the question in any meaningful way as Ben waited for more, with Nati being the one to properly explain things to him.

“We just got the news last night that one of my grandfather’s believers has risen to become a third-tier skill holder. The first one of his believers to do such a thing too. Given the rarity of it, it’s big news and everyone’s excited.”

Holy crap holy crap holy crap. Be calm, be cool, it’s not necessarily Falk.

“That’s incredible,” He told them, trying to contain himself the best he could. “And is there any word on the person’s name? Or what skill this guy’s awakened to?”

“We don’t know the name, but it’s actually a skill someone else has managed in the past,” She explained, feeling proud enough of the mystery person who shared her faith that she was feeling agreeable. “Soul smithing. Aside from the soul mages, it’s basically unheard of for someone to get the same skill someone else did in the past, but this is good news for everyone. A soul magic user who can enchant with their power is basically a blessing to the world.”

Holy shit, it really is Falk. No wonder Nare’s been so busy. And this also means the plans I helped design freaking worked! Oh my god, I really am the best, the guy better be ready to show his full appreciation for all I’ve done for him. And also be ready to go talk to Sanya ‘cause if I get back to Stonewall and that hasn’t happened I am going to ruin my fantastic teacher’s life.

“Try not to look on with too much jealousy,” Zallith laughed. “Not every faith has what it takes to have someone who’s capable of such a thing, least of all a smaller god.”

“Okay, that was super unnecessary but whatever. This is great news and I’m sure you guys don’t want to be stuck with me all day so why don’t we keep the lesson to an hour and then you all can run off to enjoy the celebration?”

He got no argument for his suggestion, not that he’d been expecting one, and was happy to move through teaching them to the best of his power to finish up for the day as fast as he could.

Myriad, answer me. Tell me I’m right about this. Tell me it’s Falk and not some random asshole who somehow managed to achieve my teacher’s dream. Ben thought in tandem with all of his minds to try and make sure he was getting his god’s attention, with a swift answer coming for the act.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

<Yes, of course it’s Falk and no need to yell it at me. Infinite hells, I’m so glad other mortals can’t pray like that.>

You know you love the attention. So the weapon works then?

<It does. For all of the material cost and effort that went into it, we can at least say the danger for that particular gate has shrunk tremendously.>

So why didn’t you guys tell me Falk awakened! He did it days ago, right? Come on, I’m his sweet, sweet, precious student, he’d want me to know!

<Well first, we didn’t want you doing anything to bother him, given the level of work you created with that plan he passed out after he finished and had to spend the next day surrounded by healers, even with all of the vitality he’d just gained for reaching that tier->

Oops.

<Don’t be bothered by it, it worked. Second though, he’s had a lot to discuss with Nare. the man’s going to become a god when he passes, it’s the sort of thing that demands some proper discussion with a person who understands what that means.>

Okay, okay, fine. So has he spoken to Sonya yet? How’d it go? Should I be expecting a baby or a broken heart by the time I’m back in Stonewall?

<Succubi don’t reproduce that quickly, and so far neither. He’ll likely be back there in a few hours from now and then you’ll see how that turns out. Also, why do you seem so much more invested in that than the fact your teacher has risen to godhood?>

I just have my priorities. Trust me, now that Falk’s managed that, he’s never going to know peace again so long as I’m around but we’re putting a pin in that for now. You say he’ll be back in a few hours? In that case, I have a favour to ask. Do me a solid and grab Anailia.

He took some time to wander the city a bit, enjoying the celebratory atmosphere all of the more since it was for someone he cared about so deeply, before heading back to the embassy to wait until Thera flew into the room, ecstatic in her feelings and making it clear to the world as she jumped into Ben’s arms in her excitement.

“I can’t believe it! I really can’t believe it!” She laughed. “He actually did it! This is incredible! Gods above, I can’t wait to talk to him about this when we get back, he actually needs to show me his card, I want to see the skill on it.”

“Ha, if he has the sense he'd never return to Stonewall given how much of a pain in the ass I’m going to be pestering him to make stuff. I absolutely want to see what a third-tier skill can do, but it looks like it’s too late for that. I’m told he’s already heading back so come on.”

“Come on? Where?”

Without a word he led her to the bed, getting her to lay down and close her eyes as her questions only grew.

“Uh, Ben? I don’t really think this is the time-”

“Definitely not what you’re thinking. Give it a sec.”

He took a seat beside her, getting comfortable as a familiar sensation overcame him, bringing both up to his god’s realm where a few others had already gathered while his girlfriend dealt with the sensation of divinity filling the place, all but forcing her to a bow as she mustered enough will to get some accusatory words out.

“You could have told me we were coming up here.”

“Ha, sorry, I thought it would be more fun as a surprise. Honestly, can’t you guys rein in whatever it is you give off a little bit?”

“It will just take a moment for her to get used to it, it’ll be fine,” Helori told him as a different goddess, Anailia, moved to ease the force on Thera, lightly touching her with her tale and seeming to have the desired effect.

“Sorry child, we aren’t usually grouped like this when we meet with mortals and given how well your lover handles it, it can be easy to forget.”

“Oh no, Anailia, it’s fine,” Thera rushed to say, not able to let herself be apologized to by the one she worshiped. “It was just unexpected. But why exactly am I here?”

It was Ben who answered, cracking a grin as he did. “I don’t know about you, but I wanted to see how Sonya and Falk’s little talk goes and it should be happening soon. To do that I needed Anailia’s help and I figured you might want to see as well.”

“Wait, we’re spying on them? Ben, this is such a huge invasion of privacy.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to watch?”

“...I mean, I didn’t say that.”

She objectively knew that spying on such an intimate moment in the lives of her precious family members wasn’t okay, but she couldn’t deny her desire to see something that she’d been unsure would ever really happen, and depending on how it went it would be good to know how to react. Assuming things went well, she could carry on and enjoy the rest of her vacation with a weight off her mind, but if her uncle were to break her aunt’s heart she’d be rushing home, both to support one while giving the other hell.

“Ha, fantastic. Well then, now that all of our pesky morals are out of the way, let’s get watching already.”

Before their eyes, Anailia changed the empty realm for them, creating a scene of Stonewall as the two waited in eager anticipation.