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Sounding amiable, the dog replied, “Right to the point I see. Don’t fret, it’s but a trifling thing. I agree to your stipulation.” With a nod of assent from the girl, the dog continued, “My gift for you is a warning and counsel. The warning is this: your time on this island is ending soon.”
Crossing her arms, the girl voiced her displeasure, “I can’t help but get the impression you go out of your way to see that I’m dispossessed of the things I rightfully earned, bitch.”
Starting to sound a bit irritated, the dog responds, “You also rightfully earned the consequences of your actions, <span class="mu-i"> my dear </span>.” Then composing herself again, the dog said, “Regardless, I’m not here to banish you or serve an eviction notice. My counsel is to aid you in finding a … comfortable retirement, let’s say.” Somehow putting a sly grin onto her canine features, she continued, “I hear you’ve been getting along unexpectedly well with the widow of Ithaca’s king… and with her son.”
The winged girl’s face turned red as she burst out, “Do you really have nothing better to do with your time than pry into my business?! Shouldn’t you be more concerned about the world’s mana depletion or something?”
“I’ll have you know I’ve put quite the effort into discerning the nature of the phenomenon that’s weakened Gaia’s authority.” The dog said defensively, speaking of matters that really are going over your head. Though wait, maybe this has something to do with the True Ether fading from the world that Avenger told you about? The dog continued, “A god from another pantheon I visited called it a side-effect of this Yuga cycle, to be further accentuated in the Kali Yuga. It’s my dearly-held hope that this ‘human order’ is a transient phase than will burn itself out in the next couple millennia, but unfortunately it’s beyond even the power of the gods to directly oppose.” Refocusing, the dog then said, “But I’m getting off-topic. My counsel in light of your predicament is this: proceed with your ‘son-swapping plan’, but know that the four of you may wish to retire to the White Island with my aid.”
Though she grimaced in embarrassment again when the dog revealed knowledge of her ‘son-swapping plan’, the winged girl recited, “Elysion…” contemplatively after hearing mention of the ‘White Island’. Her mood softening, she said to the dog, “Maybe you’ve turned over a new leaf, given the changing circumstances. I’ll give your counsel some thought, and send word of my decision to you once I’ve finished deliberating. And perhaps I’ll clean up your altar before I make my supper.”
