Genki stroked his bruised chin in contemplation. His brain worked hard, sorting through every word he knew. Yet not one was even similar to this "waifu." Already drunk, the frustration of thinking caused a headache, so he gave up, “My what?”

Kentaro, who was the most read of the three siblings, had never heard such a word. But he found a word that sounded similar. Attempting to understand, he questioned Haruto, “Is that another word for wife perhaps? If so, Genki is unmarried.”

Genki's mouth became a circle as an "Oh" escaped. Only now had his brain come to the realization that the word wife existed.

Haruto shook his head. Some time ago, a weird glint had begun to shine in his eyes, “Close, but at the same time so far away, young Kentaro. The waifu transcends such nonsense as a wife. A waifu is love. A waifu is life. A waifu is glory.”

Fumiko shot worried glances hearing such fanaticism escape from Haruto's mouth. Even Kentaro sat a bit straighter as if believing the topic now may be leading to a dangerous end. The three had run into religious fanatics before, and well, it was not the best memory for them.

Thomas, who was on his fourth pint of beer butted in, “sounds like a god. I should know I am one. I thought you were a heathen, young master.”

Haruto clicked his tongue, somewhat frustrated that they could not understand the glory he was sharing. “I am a heathen to you false idols. But Remsama is no god. She is the one true waifu that guides my heart and my soul. always.” Like a missionary in Africa, Haruto greedily inspected the heathens ripe for conversion. “Young Genki, you wish to peer into the abyss and find the strength I have attained, no?” 

Genki nodded his head up and down. Yet, contradictorily replied, “No.” 

Kentaro rubbed his temple, letting out a sigh, “he means yes.”

Haruto spread his arm as if welcoming a lost son back home, “Then repent and accept the one true waifu into your heart. Accept Remsama as your everything, join her flock, and you will fly higher than you could ever imagine.”

Genki scratched his head and sheepily replied, “But I already follow the goddess Zeyana…”

A fervorish aura rolled off Haruto. It was a lot scarier than his usual shogun aura, “Nonsense. I know of that pretender she claims to be a goddess of light, but Remsama is the only light in this universe. Have you ever had one prayer answered by this Zeyana?”

Leonard, who was just passively listening, became a bit interested upon hearing this claim. He was also raised following Zeyana, yet not once had he or his family had a prayer answered. Their business had been on a steady decline for generations, their wealth stolen, and their pride as ale makers ruined. Now the tavern would be stolen by the pig noble. If Zeyana was the god of man, why would she let such injustice continuously unfold?

The fervor continued to expand, becoming almost palpable. The glint in Haruto’s eyes became sharper and sharper. As if reading Leonard's mind, Haruto denounced, “The false and sadistic gods of this universe do not care about you or me. They find their pleasure in the misfortune of us mortals. They say they teach love, but it is love only for those who submit to them. Hate is bred into the hearts of those who follow them against nonbelievers. They wish for us to pray and be thankful, as we toil away meaninglessly in life, as jerks and douches enjoy ease and wealth. Young Genki, do not feel obligated to follow, because you were raised to follow them. If you follow someone, it should be someone you choose. Only then will you have pride in your life and your faith. You have lost the bet. I will not use it to force you to join Remsama, but to choose who you truly wish to follow.”

Thomas, in a drunk state, grumbled, "Still sounds like a god to me." But when the aura from Haruto came crashing upon him as if warning him to watch his tone, he sobered up pretty quick. I should be quiet for a while.

Kentaro and Fumiko shot glances at each other. Both sighed. It appeared only someone eccentric was worthy of Requis.

Before Genki could reply, Leonard collapsed onto the ground. Crawling towards Haruto, he was clearly stirred by the strange fervor Haruto gave off. “Lad, is it possible for someone as weak and useless as me to follow this waifu?”

Haruto tenderly smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Remsama teaches love for those who are weak and useless. She accepts you and all your idiotic choices. Even if it is the choice to not choose her, she will accept you. Rise, my son, for you are already welcomed in her house. You merely must take a step in.” Haruto's aura no longer suppressed Leonard. Instead, it wrapped around him like a cocoon.

Feeling the aura surrounding him almost as if it were caressing his soul, Leonard began to drunkenly cry out, “I take the step. For too long, I have followed Zeyana. And for what? My tavern was destroyed, and I was almost imprisoned. I wish to join. Pleaseeee.” This grown man was reduced to a crying little child not by a priest but by a weeb.

Haruto hugged the crying old man. Soothing him, “SHHH. It’s ok, my son. You may have been abandoned by the false idols, but you were never truly abandoned, my child. Remsama has been searching for you all this time, and finally, she has found her lost lamb. Rejoice.”

The sobered Thomas watched the spectacle with interest. The boy has more charisma than the most talented preachers from the holy church of the sun god. Perhaps I should ask him to help me spread my religion.

Fumiko also watched the fiasco with keen interest. Who is this Remsama, and why does she get so much love from him? He speaks as if he personally knows her. Is she not a god? Is she perhaps his unrequited love?”

Genki scratched his head confused. How'd this go from an arm-wrestling match to the old barkeep crying, “I don’t think I can cry like that. Is that part of the initiation?” 

Haruto, who was hugging the crying man, looked upon Genki. “No, my child. He has merely been stirred by her glory. This is not too rare. I have seen this phenomenon many times before. Hell, even I cried when first seeing her glory. Her grace still has so much to offer. Shall you join her as well?”

Genki’s brain began working hard, which for him was merely processing something other than attacking or listening to Onee-chan. “I uh, I uh, I don’t know. What do you think, Oneechan?”

“No,” Fumiko said one word filled with an array of emotions to Genki and became quiet.

Such a quick and decisive answer helped the overthinking Genki, “Thank you, boy, for the offer. But this "waifu" is not for me. I will find me own strength.” 

The currently zealous and quite possibly drunk Haruto glared first at Fumiko, then towards Genki. The strange aura began to grow, causing the atmosphere to become oppressive, nearly killing the growing friendly environment. No one said a word as Haruto stared silently at Fumiko. Thomas, who had sobered up, placed his hand on a wand in his pocket. Kentaro seeing this grabbed the hilt of his longsword. 

Fumiko met the gaze of Haruto with determination. 

The thick-skulled Genki looked around in confusion.

Leonard, who was still crying and enjoying the aura's warmth, had yet to notice the awkward standoff.

Thomas finally broke the silence. Carefully choosing his words, “Is something the matter, young master?”

Haruto stopped looking at Fumiko. His fanatical aura landed on Thomas instead, “Nothing at all, why?”

Thomas, who was sweating buckets due to the stare, slapped his drenched forehead, “Then why the death stare?”

Haruto tilted his in confusion, “Death stare? What are you talking about? This is my normal face.”

Thomas stared deeply into Haruto’s eyes yet found no deceit, “perhaps you are unaware, here.” Pulling a pocket mirror from his robe, Thomas handed it over to Haruto.

Haruto snatched the mirror with haste. “Oh no….” Reflected in the mirror was an extremely serpent-eyed Haruto with a strange glint dancing in his eyes. “I seemed to have gotten a bit too excited. I didn’t expect to speak of waifus and even find a new follower. We shall discuss this another time, my dear Leonard.” Haruto, becoming dejected, sat down. In his sorrow, he drank his pint of beer, no longer worried about the taste.

Leonard, feeling the strange aura fading, felt the tears and snot on his face. Standing up in a hurry with a cough, he walked off to wipe the tears from his face. And hopefully, calm his own fried nerves.

The room was quiet as the friendly atmosphere was beaten close to death by Haruto’s fanaticism. One would think with the fanaticism gone, the atmosphere would improve, but now it was being strangled to death by Haruto’s depression.

After some time, Thomas removed his hand from the wand. Taking a few sips of beer, he soothed his nerves. Shooting Kentaro a friendly smile, he admitted, “I’ve been curious since seeing you three steal my young master. But it must be said you are quite large to be human.”

Kentaro observing Thomas move his hand away, also moved his hand to sip his beer. He jokingly replied, “To us, you guys just seem quite small. But you are correct. Compared to the average human, we are indeed larger in stature. If you are curious, just ask. I will try to answer to the best of my abilities.”

Thomas had always been fascinated by anomalies. So he was happy to continue his inquiries, “Were your parents also very tall? Perhaps you come from a long line of extremely tall individuals? Or maybe a mage did experiments on you three as children?”

Kentaro took a sip from his beer then looked at his younger siblings, “Who’s to say. We never knew our real family. Not our mother or our father, it has always been just us three, since as far back as I can remember.”

Thomas stroked his chiseled chin as his imagination ran wild, “Perhaps… Perhaps you are a half breed like the hero Beowulf, and come from the mythical giant race.”

Fumiko shook her head, “Nonsense if we were from such beings, why would they abandon us so easily, and where are they now?” Fumiko gulped down more beer as anger became evident on her face, “You are correct, though. Our parents were not human.”

Kentaro shook his head dejectedly, already seeing where things were going. Ah, we were just getting back on track.

Thomas, on the other hand, had his curiosity piqued, “I guessed as much. What race were they?”

Fumiko drank more beer, “They were a rare race of trash. You see, this race specifically abandons their young for no reason. They leave their young in an unknown world, scared and lost. They leave them to fend for themselves in the harsh, unforgiving cold. They leave no knowledge, so the offspring are unable to even communicate with others. They leave their offspring to be discriminated against for looking different and continuously believe themselves to be unfortunate for even being born. The only similarity between them and the mythical giants is no matter how hard one looks and hopes for them to exist, they never find them.”

Thomas glanced around the room, seeing three different expressions on the siblings’ faces; one of anger, one of sympathy, and one of confusion. He coughed in embarrassment, “It seems I’ve said something I shouldn’t have. My apologies.” Why tell me to ask away if this was a touchy subject? I will never understand mortals. Bah.

Now for sure, the friendly environment's funeral would be held. Survived Haruto to die by the lich.

Kentaro forced a smile, “No need for apologies. Who wouldn’t be curious? Perhaps it would be better for us all to turn in for the night.”

Fumiko, losing some of her anger, grumbled, “let’s just go to the guild. I’m sure they have space for us all to stay.”

Genki nodded his head in agreement.

Thomas, who did not need to sleep ever cautiously, looked towards Haruto, “Is that acceptable young master, or would you like to find an alternate spot? If you really want, we can return to the cave and just come back in the morning.”

Before Haruto could reply, Leonard stumbled back out, shouting, “Nonsense, you can all stay here for the night. This wouldn’t be the first time some drunks slept over.” Finishing that, he pulled out some sleeping bags tossing one to everyone except Haruto. 

Looking Haruto in the eyes, tears began to pool as Leonard stammered, “You have given so much, paid for my freedom, and shown me the true way to salvation. I can never in this life repay my debt, so I can only offer all I still own. My tavern, my alcohol, and even my bed. All belong to you.”

Ah, my faithful flock. Only you still see me as normal. Haruto smiled tenderly at Leonard, “I was never one to refuse a gift, and one given in the name of Remsama must be accepted. I will sleep in your bed tonight, and when we have time, there will be much to discuss. Hahaha,” A drunk crazed laugh trailed out of Haruto’s mouth. Causing the others to fear his strange aura would return. Thankfully, Haruto drunkenly made his way to Leonard’s bed, not raising a peep after making it there. 

Everyone else found a spot on the floor and quickly fell into drunken slumbers. 

Everyone except for Thomas, who just sat there hiccuping. After about two hours, the even breathing of everyone signaled to Thomas that all were asleep. With a sweeping motion of his arm, a plethora of flying eyeballs flew out of his robe, dispersing themselves throughout the village. After watching the eyeballs disappear, the dashing Thomas closed his eyes, becoming still as a rock, dark energy began to revolve around him.