"Divinity has its own ways to be shared with the people. Through Miracles was one of them." ~Shallies Mythernal

"Hello. I am Gar. Just Gar. Thank you for the help you all have done for me."

It was weird to hear a giantkin talk so politely, Shallies realized. Especially since she had correlated the low, rumbling voice that made the ground shake to usually being followed up by the same ground breaking and turning into a crater. Presumably from an attack by said giantkin.

In terms of height, Shallies barely reached the lower part of Gar's chest. And as it was custom in giant tradition, he bent himself into a bow, until his head was lower than hers. It was an effort, given that he was suffering from internal injuries as well, but his pride wouldn't let him take it easy. Of course, the others—save probably Arun'dul—knew this gesture of respect. They felt sympathy for his pain, but they kept their silence as a way to return such respect.

"You're most welcome, Gar," Shallies said almost too quickly, so that the giantkin could straighten up sooner. "I would offer you hospitality inside my tavern, however, I think you might bump your head a few times in there. Care to rest outside, instead? I assure you, it's just as relaxing."

"I appreciate it. Thank you."

"And you two?" Shallies asked Amabelle and another man, who both had joined Gar on his way to the tavern. She quickly recognized the man as the banker who had helped her open a second account.

"We'll stay with him outside," said the Flame Devout. "Thank you, Shallies."

"We might as well join you here," Phey'lan said, urging the rest of her kin to join.

"We can probably have an early dinner, then," Shallies mused. "Apple will set you up."

With that, the teacup fairy quickly fashioned a large chair to fit the muscular giantkin. While she was at it, she made a large table as well to fit the group. Valor'el and Arun'dul took the chairs from the porch, and even a few ones from the tavern interior.

Shallies wondered if she should consider renovating the dining area next, to fit larger customers. Aside from giantkin, there were also treewalkers, centaurs and minotaurs, and harpies, just to name a few especially tall creatures that could live in society and use the System. She pushed the thought for later consideration, since it wasn't a priority anyway. At least, until such customers started visiting her place.

With Phey'lan's help, Shallies was able to cook up a feast. A lot of the food wasn't from her menu, but she had made sure to include the ones she thought of adding. Of course, this included Catelyn's Vinegar-Braised Pork, now improved and matched with rice. She even managed to include two large trays of Cottage Pie.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, Skewered Pork Belly Barbeque Chunks with Garlic Vinegar Sauce, an extra large Steamed Tilapia, and ten Charcoal Grilled Ribeye Steaks, which Shallies had adjusted to match the Cinterbrim Region staple. As a side, she prepared different sauces as well as a large bowl of salad, filled with as many leafy greens and other vegetables as possible.

Gar was visibly drooling at the sight of the feast as each entrée was served on the large table. When the presentation was finally done, however, he became hesitant.

"This feast is incredible," he began. "Regrettably, I'm no longer able to eat most of these. The pain's no longer there, but I'm afraid, I cannot process most of these anymore. I'll have the salad instead."

"That's why I asked you to come over," Phey'lan said, urging the giantkin to stand up. "Belle, dear, lend me a hand?"

Before any of them could start, the female seraph gave a subtle signal to Shallies. She received the message and went inside the tavern, pretending to get more food.

In reality, Shallies adorned her Vanishing Rejuvenating Manaweave Coat of Quick Casting +9 and pulled the hood to make herself invisible. Then, she placed multiple layers of disruption around her person, and stayed still.

Outside, Phey'lan, the Archdevout, and Amabelle, the Devout, were working in tandem to perform a Great Miracle. This was why Shallies had to hide.

Lesser Miracles and Miracles had very little chance of attracting the attention of whatever god these Devout were devoted towards. A Great Miracle, however, would most likely earn a glance.

Miracles, by its nature, bent or broke the rules commonly followed by mortals. While any other Class with healing capabilities could reconnect a severed limb, for example, only Miracles could grow one back, provided other conditions were met.

Gar's case was similar, only internal. A competent healer using Spells could mend any damaged internal organ, as long as they were not irreparable. However, completely dissolved by poisonous acid had rendered the giantkin's internal organs to such a state.

A Great Miracle could fix such damage, and that was all well and good, but Shallies couldn't risk being recognized by the Flame God Syfrus, or the Light God Lorf Orel. Syfrus would surely proclaim her whereabouts to other gods and everyone else, while Lorf would probably make fun of her and visit her nonstop. She couldn't help but groan at the thought of his brilliant form and shiny teeth, as if he was trying to blind everyone.

Guy's too proud of himself…

Regardless, Shallies stayed completely still while the Great Miracle occurred.

Phey'lan led the manifestation while Amabelle served as provision. More like a back up, really. The seraph was already more than capable of manifesting a Great Miracle. However, the ability to call upon such divine power had its own drawbacks. So, it was common sense to perform such Miracles in tandem when able.

Shallies had no idea how Phey'lan had met the young Devout. But the easy conclusion was when the seraph visited Cinterbrim Town on a date with Valor'el. It was, indeed, a good choice to inform her of the giantkin.

The Godkiller had considered a lot of things, but in reality, it took only Phey'lan and Amabelle a minute to perform a Great Miracle. She closed her eyes as soon as the holy radiance filled her courtyard. Shallies didn't have to see. Her instincts were already honed enough to detect a god's gaze.

It was Phey'lan, of course. Because it was her, the only seraph who had avoided the Curse by becoming Lorf's Favored One, the Light God himself turned his gaze.

"A Great Miracle to heal a giantkin of no note?" said the god, his voice carrying all the way from where he resided. For no divine being would expend effort to move locations without considerable purpose or reason. No, Lorf was still in his domain while he spoke.

Shallies held her breath calmly while she observed the Great Miracle with her awareness, as if a predator stalking its prey. Lorf's comment on the giantkin was delivered as a casual truth, a fact as far as the realm of the gods was concerned. She didn't need to correct him for such a trivial matter.

"Yes, if you would be so kind, Lorf, God of Light," Phey'lan said, her smile carrying just a hint of nervousness. She didn't expect to attract his attention.

The rest weren't allowed to speak, not even Valor'el, who had been backed by a dead god. Now, he had to sponsor himself, as Acting Deity, but that clearly meant he just wasn't powerful enough to stand before the gods either.

Not that Lorf was a tyrannical god. Far from it, as far as Shallies was concerned. His pranks, when irritated or offended however, were life-altering jokes. Harmless, in the grand scheme of things, but it would usually revoke the offender any confidence to speak before a god ever again.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"You do realize this is a Great Miracle, yes? Even with a Devout helping your cause, the burden you must carry is all the same. My ability to intervene for your sake and protection will be taken away until you're able to perform Miracles again."

"I understand what must be offered, Great Lorf. And I offer it willingly."

"Hmm… Curious. If that is your wish, then so be it. Recite your personal prayer, and I shall grant it."

Just like that, Lorf was gone. Before anyone could stop her, Phey'lan quickly gave her prayer. Radiance returned, but briefly, enveloping Gar. And as fast as it came, so too did it went, leaving the giantkin fully restored. His posture suddenly returned, no longer leaning over to compensate for the constant pain. Indeed, it was as if nothing had happened.

Phey'lan began to fall. Fortunately, Valor'el was quick to catch her.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she said, though she still clung on her partner. "Thanks."

Shallies took that as her cue to appear, bringing with her pitchers of cold orange and mango juice.

"That was surprising," she began, placing the pitchers down on the feast table. "Didn't think Lorf would take a gander. I think he really likes you."

She took the seraph's hand and gave her some Stellar Mana. In a masterfully subtle way, of course. It ought to alleviate the burden of the Great Miracle.

"Thanks, Shallies. Yeah. I think he has a lot of free time, lately." Phey'lan smiled. "Nevermind that. All that matters is that it was a success."

"Are you alright, Lady Phey?" Amabelle asked, trying to assess the seraph. Her eyes widened. "You're not as spent as I thought you'd be."

"Lady Phey'lan!" Gar almost shouted. He was too excited. His rumbling voice caused the food on the table to vibrate. "I don't feel the ache anymore. I think it worked!" Then, he saw the seraph's state. "Lady Phey'lan? Are you hurt? Is this because of the Great Miracle?"

"I'll be fine, Gar," the seraph said, standing on her feet. "It's a backlash caused by handling too much divine power. It's the reason why Archdevout services are so expensive. But I'm used to it, so don't worry. After a week or two, it'll be as if nothing's happened. That's a better deal than letting you endure pain and be unable to eat what you want for the rest of your life, right?"

"I…" The giantkin fell to his knees and dipped his head all the way to the ground. "I don't think I'll be able to repay this kindness! But I offer you my sincerest gratitude! You only need say the word, and I'll do as you say!"

"Get up, Gar," Phey'lan said, tapping the giantkin's shoulder. "You're being overdramatic. Besides, now that you're healed, we should eat! The food's getting cold!"

Though reluctant, the giantkin did so out of respect for the waiting meal. Food should never be made to wait after all. After a short prayer of grace, everyone started digging in.

The feeling of awe left by the Great Miracle was quickly replaced by delight for the food. Delight and amazement. Amabelle couldn't stop praising the flavors. Even Arun'dul couldn't keep quiet for much longer. Valor'el and Phey'lan, who had known Shallies' cuisine way before she even opened a tavern, reminisced at the feast. It had been so long since she went all out. As always, Apple was taking a tea bath, but with special, mixed fruit infusion. Her flower dress glistened with vibrant colors.

Then there was Gar. He had devoured an entire steak in one bite. Even after Shallies had increased the portions in preparation for him, his appetite, after having been deprived for so long, was almost insatiable. And just as she assumed he would gorge on the entire table, the giantkin abruptly stopped.

Then he cried. A river of tears flowed from his eyes. No matter how much he tried, Gar couldn't hide his tears and embarrassment.

"Ah, apologies… I…" Gar sniffed, and started cry-laughing. "I'm not sure what's happening."

"Relief from pent up stress, self-sacrifice, and toughening it out," Amabelle dictated, as if those were the explanation. "You never told us how much you missed being able to eat meat. But we know."

"I… I thought I would never be able to eat something like this again." Without much choice, Gar gave up on hiding and simply let his tears go. "Yes. I feel so relieved I can eat properly again."

"It's okay, buddy," said the banker. He took his steak from his plate and gave it to the giantkin. "Here, you can have mine."

Shallies blinked. "Wait a sec!" she called out, causing everyone to turn.

Her jaw dropped. It was rare, but there were times where she would forget people were around her.

"Are you a Shadow Walker?" she asked the banker. "Better yet, this is the second time we've met, but I still don't know your name."

The banker scratched his head and smiled shyly, as if he was caught in the act. Whatever the act was.

That's some quiet presence. Like he's purposely shrinking it.

"Sorry. I didn't want to steal the spotlight. I'm Siobhan Malleed. I work for Cinterbrim Bank. And yes, I'm a Shadow Walker, but I've long since retired from adventuring."

"That explains it, then," Shallies said. Shadow Walkers specialized in stealth. Normally, it would be difficult for an Advanced Class to hide from her, but she had to put all her attention on hiding from Lorf.

It hasn't even been a month yet, and I'm already losing my edge. Shallies scolded herself.

[Shallies… You're on vacation. It's a break. Semi-retirement was the original plan, but whatever. Vacation still counts. You're allowed to lose your edge from time to time. It's not like you're dealing with gods.]

Fine.

Within that small internal conversation, Siobhan already made friends with Phey'lan and Valor'el. They teamed up on Gar, urging him to eat more. The giantkin was no longer crying. He was full of life and vigor.

That reminds me…

"Gar," Shallies asked. "Now that you're all healed, are you thinking of returning as an adventurer?"

"Oh… Now that you mention it, I can go back, can I?" Gar pondered for a moment. "I think I'll pass for now. Yes, I should visit home. My injuries gave me a lot of time to reflect, and I haven't seen my family for a long while now. I heard Ren and Tayin will be under your wing. In that case, I should have nothing to worry about."

"I understand." Shallies smiled. "Let me know when you're going. I'll pack some food for you and your family."

"Oh, I don't want to impose."

"You're not." After taking the last bite of her Pork Barbecue, she pointed the stick at him. "Do you know Pat?"

"Pat, the Fearless?" Gar's eyes sparkled at the mention of the name.

"The very one."

"Yes!" he bellowed, causing plates to shake. "Our greatest general! Climbed an Abyss Tower on his own. Slayed a hundred dragons and a thousand demons inside and conquered it in a week! He's the idol of every giantkin out there! Of course, I know him!"

"Great." Shallies smiled even more. If Pat's kin knew how much his legend had been watered down, he would be furious. "Let's just say, Pat helped out my ancestors back then. So I would like to return the favor, even just a little."

[Congratulations, Shallies. You're now Chef Level 10!]

Lorf was floating in the air. Upside-down. His silken robes folded to let his arms cross. The clouds parted to make sure he was seen by the life around him. He was like the sun, slowly moving from one side of the horizon to the other.

His handsome face made a small effort to show some wrinkles to indicate to his domain that he was frowning. Lumilettes stopped what they were doing and bowed, not out of nervousness, but to await the inevitable orders coming from his golden voice. Their twinkling figures halted to a stasis, making them look like frozen constellations.

He didn't give his command. Not yet. He had to think.

[A question, God of Light?] Sobel, his System Assistant, asked. He was the only one allowed to speak out of turn and not offend Lorf by doing so, for his job was too crucial. [I'm here to help.]

"Why does Phey'lan have to heal a giantkin with Advanced Class?" he asked. Though soft and calm, his voice carried throughout his entire domain. The lumilettes knew not to answer the question. Though they were not prohibited from whispering guesses to one another.

"Pity?" one said.

"No payment, right? So charity?" said another.

"Maybe paying a debt? Blood debt?"

"Why didn't God Lorf just ask her?"

"Shh! He'll clip your wings!"

"Ah! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

I won't clip your wings… Do they think I'm a psycho?

Without any definite answer to latch on to, Lorf continued to float. He considered his options next.

"Do I pay her a visit?" he asked Sobel.

[Valor'el is with her. I think they're back together. They're in some province north of El'doron Kingdom. They're probably there for a vacation. Visiting isn't recommended.]

"Shame, but I never planned on wooing Phey'lan. A friendly visit shouldn't be that bad."

[That's what you always say, but you can't stop thinking about her whenever she does anything that you're mildly involved in.]

"A crush. Alright? I admit it. I admitted it way back then, too. You were there. You knew I was rejected. So drop it. I'm not a psycho who clips my lumilettes' wings, and I'm not a scumbag who takes what doesn't belong to him! I'm a god, not a mad god, for Bernadette's sake!"

[Ooh… You were not supposed to mention her name in vain, remember?]

"Shit!"

[Ooh… You're going to get it now. And you invoked her Godkiller name to boot!]

"Damn it! We should prepare, in case she decides to visit."

Panic ensued within Lorf's domain. Lumilettes went every which way to clean and to decorate. Gold and white was everywhere. Old furniture was replaced by new ones. Food for the gods was prepared.

But nothing…

The entire day went by, but Godkiller Bernadette never appeared.

Lorf raised an eyebrow. He began to whisper. "Bernadette. You're a little kid."

[Are you trying to start a Divine War!?]

Lorf didn't listen. "Bernadette. You forgot to wear your underwear that one time—"

A speck of stardust entered Lorf's eye. He fell on the clouds of his domain as he kept rubbing his eye irritably.

"What the hell!"

As if in response, another speck assaulted his other eye.

Shallies was on the roof of her tavern, staring at the starry sky and the large blue moon making its revolution around Ysvil. The Godkiller was mildly irritated. How Lorf, God of Light had come up with invoking her name was beyond her, but it made her raise her guard. She listened in on his musing, making sure she hadn't been caught.

Then he started purposefully messing with her.

She sent her Divine Retribution quickly.

"Idiot."

With a sigh, Shallies went to sleep.

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