Chapter XVII: Nature Apostle, Enter!

Kenneth's sleep was peaceful. With his now trained mind, he was able to complete Jandru's training. The next day, something unexpected happened.

"Young master, it is time to wake up." Kenneth was awoken by Catalyn. 

"Good morning, Catalyn." 

"?! Good.. morning, young master." Catalyn was surprised. Kenneth never answers her this nicely. 

"Good morning, little bro." Lena opens the door to the tent and pokes her head inside. "Did you have a good sleep? I have something to tell to you." Lena looks tired, haggard and has dark circles on her eyes.

"Yes, indeed. Catalyn, could you leave us for a bit?" Catalyn nods and leaves the tent.

"Did your god also talk to you yesterday?" Kenneth says exactly what Lena was thinking.

"You two little bro? Illia started training me all night when I fell asleep." Even though I slept a whole eight hours, I feel as if I had been awake the whole day...." 

"Did she also mention about something happening a month later?" Kenneth asked.

"She did! Something about being invaded. I'm not sure where it's going to happen, though."

"Jandru said it was big enough that the gods couldn't interfere. Let's assume the invasion will at least, be on the whole country. If not, then the worst it would be was that the invasion was at a scale that it'd affect this whole world. And I hope it won't be the latter." (Kenneth)

"I feel much stronger than before, too. Tired, but stronger." (Lena)

"That's good. Shall we head on over to Lucas and Catalyn? I'm hungry..." (Kenneth)

"Good idea. Come here, let me lick you up." Lena wraps her arms around his body, lifts him up, and heads outside.

"Good morning, you two. Did you sleep well, Kenneth?" (Lucas)

"Yeah. What are you cooking?" (Kenneth)

"Something that you can eat by yourself. A porridge, but minus the rice. You'll have to make do with soup, haha." Catalyn seemed sad to hear that.

Meanwhile, Kenneth's thoughts were mostly, "Fuck yes! No forced kissing!" 

Instead his breakfast was fed to him with a spoon. Even though he wasn't used to it, spoon feeding was about ten times better than having Catalyn's tongue go through his mouth again.

After the breakfast, they had nothing else to do, so Kenneth went back to dozing off. Though he wasn't really resting. He called to Jandru in his mind, for another round of training.

"Back again so soon? And here I thought you were traumatized from last time." Jandru was there, still drinking wine.

"I'm ready for another round. Could you stop it by around the time when lunch starts? Got something to do." (Kenneth)

"You do you, buddy. I'm probably the last person you'd want to hear this from, but do things in moderation." Jandru left him off with this line, and with a snap, he was back onto the chair from yesterday. Except it didn't have chains that tied him up and restricted his movement.

Kenneth still had bad memories from yesterday's incident, but he sat on the chair nonetheless. The lack of chains tying him up to him, also meant that Jandru trusted him not to go crazy like last time. 

A few hours later.

"So far, so good." Jandru took off the V.T.G from Kenneth's head.

Today's training was the same as yesterday. His family members were killed, harassed, publicly shamed, humiliated. Plenty of horrible things done to them, and yet Kenneth didn't bat an eye. Whoever did this in real life though, he'd make sure they'd pay. Twice.

"Good job for today. Next time we'll try a different form of training. Instead of your family members being the ones hurt, let's see how long you can withstand some of the most brutal punishments.

With that Kenneth left, and it was now lunch when he woke up.

"Psst. Little bro." (Lena)

"Wha? What is it?" (Kenneth)

"An unknown person claiming to know is has arrived. She's riding a whale. Do you know anyone who rides a whale?" (Lena)

"Not that I know. Could you lead her here? I'd like to talk to her then." (Kenneth)

'Plus, I can use this opportunity try out something I've been working on for a good bit.'

A few minutes later, a frail looking elf entered the tent. Her eyes, two different colors, one a shining yellow-gold, and the other a black-as black can be. Kenneth also noticed the pointed ears on her head. 

'An elf. Come to think of it, this is my first time interacting with any other humanlike race.' 

"Good day to you, my lord." The elf bows down and prostrates.

"Whoa, whoa! Where'd that come from? No need for this "lord". Stop that..." Kenneth was taken aback by the elf's kind attitude to someone she probably didn't even know.

Catalyn stares daggers at the elf girl. The elf acted like she didn't know, and just sat there, talking with Kenneth.

"Once again, I guess I should introduce myself. I am Freia, a Tree Elf, and the current apostle of The True Nature Goddess, Gaia." 

"Uh, Kenneth. Mind God Apostle." A short introduction is Kenneth's reply. "Tree Elf?" Does that mean there are other species of elves?" Kenneth asks, curious.

"I come from the continent of Hudra. We, the Tree Elves primarily live in dense forests. But as a show of my devotion to my goddess I decided to leave the continent and search for you. I wish to aid you on your quest to defeat the False Gods." (Freia)

"Uh huh. How'd you get here, anyway? I don't recall seeing you with a boat." (Kenneth)

"I have received the protection of Krodoa, and can call upon many animals to my aid. The whale who accompanied me is called Bert; he's a magical beast." (Freia)

"I probably would have reached Fahndra two weeks later, but I was notified by my goddess that you were much closer. Might I ask why you and your group are on this Uninhabited Island?"

"Uh yeah, so this is how it happened..." Kenneth explained everything from the start. Even the functions of the V.T.G, and the A.T.C, since Hudra didn't have those things. 

"I see. So your god sent you here to train for an event that would happen a month later. Could I ask for you to let me be part of it? I promise that I will be of help." (Freia)

"Sure, we'd love to have you. Oh- Jandru just said that tomorrow the beasts that ran away from The Rumbling in the north would arrive at this Island soon. Could you help us fend them off? Hopefully we can hitch a ride on your whale pet too, so we can get home quicker." (Kenneth)

"It would be my honor. I have one request, though." (Freia)

"Uh, sure, hit me with it. I'll see if I can grant it." (Kenneth)

"I ask from my master, a name. I left my continent as a new person, to serve my goddess. She gave me a new purpose in life, and I owe her a great deal. She has ordered me to serve you as if you were my master. When I left my home, I left my name too. Now I hope you can grace me with a new identity." (Freia)

"Uh, right. Then, Aurelia. The first thing that caught my eye when I saw you was your beautiful golden eye, shining brightly. It means golden in the human continent.

"Aurelia. I see. Thank you very much. Well then, I shall now proclaim myself not as Freia, but as Aurelia from today onwards." (Aurelia)

"Uh, yeah. Glad to be working with you. Let's drive back all the monsters tomorrow." Kenneth shakes Aurelia's hand, the soft feeling clinging to his skin.

"Now then, let's formulate a plan." (Kenneth)