Perhaps Maven was taking this world a little too lightly thus far, for the sight  her face blanched the second she landed at the scene of the battle. Having lived a sheltered life high on a pedestal, the scene of carnage she saw when she landed was a complete shock to her senses.

*Bleghh*

A dozen dead elves lay scattered in broken heaps across the ground. Sheltered little princess that she was, Maven had certainly never been involved in a battle before. 

[K-Kannon…… This is too much. How could anyone do this to another person?] Maven said in a rigid voice, completely locked in place.

 Unfortunately, Maven did not get any time to collect herself, as a man’s cold voice cut through the air before Kannon even had the chance to reply.

“Who are you?!” A deep roar filled with dark killing intent came flying Maven’s way.

“Please, help me!” 

Forcing her shaking eyes away from the bloody scene, Maven finally looked at the source of both voices. A man completely wrapped in dark robes and a violet aura held a gorgeous, well-built woman with striking green hair and pointed ears at knife point.

“C’mon Maven, let’s punch that guy all the way to tomorrow!” Kannon said while playfully shadowboxing the air, showing zero respect for the atmosphere.

Maven just stared at Kannon disbelief, wondering how she could act so lighthearted with everything going on around them. Unfortunately for her, Kannon just didn’t seem to understand the problem - simply tilting her head in confusion. 

As a goddess who’d been around since the birth of humanity, one who’d seen the rise and fall of empire, she was just completely unable to understand why Maven wasn’t getting to the baddie punching already.

“Please miss, save me!” The elf said with tears in her eyes.

The desperation in the woman’s voice finally moved Maven to action. She forced her shaking limbs to move, causing the man to bring the knife closer to the elf’s throat.

“Stop right there!” The man said in a cold voice, causing the elf girl to let out an involuntary little, “Eep!” 

《What do I do? What do I do, Kannon??》 Maven asked Kannon in turmoil, absolutely petrified by the killing intent blatantly being directed at her for the first in either of her two lives.

《What’re you so nervous about? Just make a shield around that girl, then it won’t matter what that guy does. Give ‘em a nice pop to the face!》 Kannon said.

《B-B-But……》 Maven stuttered, frozen in place. She knew she needed to act, but her modern sensibilities were holding her back. 

《Ugh…… Stop being such a kill-joy, Maven. If you’re not going to do anything, I’ll just take care of it myself!》 Kannon said with a fed up voice, before she secretly lobbed a ball of light magic at the girl. 

One should never underestimate a goddess, even one with access to a mere fraction of her normal power. Kannon managed to envelop the elf with a shield with the man being none the wiser.

《There! Now she’s nice and protected… So, come on, give him a great big punch to the face! Save the girl! Be a hero!》 Kannon pressed Maven to act. 

The cute little goddess could certainly take care of this guy all by herself, but Kannon thought this was the perfect opportunity for Maven to ease into battle. Just one, admittedly scary, guy who needed a punch to the face.

“I got it, I got it.” Maven said while trying to force her feet to move. 

“Don’t you dare!” The man screamed as he tried to draw blood with his blade. Unfortunately for him, Kannon’s shield was far too sturdy. So sturdy, in fact, that it somehow broke the blade with a resounding snap after a light tap.

Though the man held enough strength to take down a dozen elves single-handed and radiating that frightening purple aura, that strength meant nothing before a demigoddess like Maven. 

All she had to do was channel some of her divinity together with a physical reinforcement blessing. Combine those two little tricks and she could suddenly move faster than the man could see.

*Boom*

With a single punch, the man was sent flying back - eyes rolled into the back of his head and completely unconscious. 

The attacker now out of the picture, it was now Maven holding the terrified elf girl in her arms.

*Sob* *Sob* *Sob*

The elf, realizing that she was now safe, collapsed into Maven’s arms and bawled her eyes out. Befuddled by the unearthly beauty hugging her for all she was worth, Maven was only able to gently stroke the girl’s head.

“It’s okay, it’s okay… You’re safe now, Ms……?” Maven said hesitantly, not having much experience comforting anyone.

“I’m… E-Ela…… Th-Thank you! Thank you for saving me! I-I was sooooo scared!!” The elf cried, burrowing her way further into Maven’s embrace.