Chapter 368: Never Ending Trial and Inversion
When Penny heard the word trials, she thought there would be hardship involved, like sweating over an accessory that she had painfully forged on her own, over fixing a weapon that had been broken due to time.
In reality though, she was sitting on a cushioned couch, eating snacks across from her supposed diety:Violetta.
The Goddess had a smile on her face. She was genuinely happy when she treated Penny like she was a daughter of hers. It was something that Penny was unused to, having grown up with a waste of a father, and being ignored by his siblings.
The only one who had ever really been there for her after her mother died had been Adam. And even then, he couldn’t be around her always. Violetta seemed to really care about her, and for some reason, it bothered her. A lot.
"...Okay, you gotta tell me what’s going on here," she said, with sass in her voice.
Violetta leaned back on the couch, her beautiful hair tumbling over her shoulder like a silken river. She set her teacup down with delicate precision before meeting Penny’s eyes. "What do you mean, little one?"
"What do I mean?" Penny repeated, narrowing her eyes. "You’re supposed to be my goddess. Trials usually mean pain, blood, sacrifice, maybe some kind of monster breathing down my neck, right?Not... pastries and cushions." She poked at one of the sugar-dusted biscuits as if it might suddenly sprout fangs.
Violetta’s laughter was soft, but it filled the chamber with warmth. "Ah, so that is what you expected. You thought I would demand you to break your hands forging until the skin bled, or that I would set you against impossible odds. That is not the nature of my trials."
"Then what is the nature of them?" Penny asked, folding her arms. "Because right now it just feels like I’m on some awkward tea party date with a stranger who is being way too nice to me."
The smile on Violetta’s lips faltered for a fraction of a second. Her gaze softened, and she leaned forward, resting her chin lightly on her hand.
Unlike those who walk the path of combat, my supposed trials are constant and neverending. Much like the pursuit of perfection in ones craft."
Penny frowned. "That sounds like work. Not a trial."
Violetta tilted her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "And what is work, if not a trial? Every piece you forge demands patience. Every mistake demands humility. Every creation demands that you pour yourself into it, knowing it may never be flawless."
Penny shifted in her seat. She wanted to argue, to call it nonsense, but something about the way Violetta spoke made her chest feel tight. She hated how much it resonated.
"So, what, you just want me to sit here and keep making things forever?" Penny asked. Her voice was sharper than she intended. "That’s not a trial, that’s a chore. At least with monsters or some bloody battlefield you can win. You finish. You move on."
Violetta reached forward and gently brushed a crumb from Penny’s sleeve, her touch light. "Yet the heart of a true craftsman never finishes, little one. Creation does not end. The trial is not to defeat, but to endure."
Penny looked down at the half-eaten biscuit on her plate. It had seemed sweet a moment ago, but now it felt heavy in her stomach.
She did not reply right away. She chewed at her lip, staring at the crumbs scattered on the plate in front of her. The silence stretched until Violetta leaned back, her posture relaxed, a smile settling on her face once more.
"Of course, I will always respect your freedom," the goddess said, her voice calm and warm. "But that does not erase my concern. The connection you have to the Singularity is not something I can ignore."
Penny’s brows pulled together. She gave a sharp little laugh and crossed her arms. "What is this, are you trying to stop me from seeing a guy or something?"
Instead of being offended, Violetta’s smile only widened. Her eyes glimmered like polished gems, and she tilted her head slightly as if amused by Penny’s attempt at sarcasm.
"Quite the opposite," Violetta said. "I hope that bond of yours can be solidified. But it must be done with one principle in mind. Inversion."
Penny blinked. "Inversion? What does that even mean?"
Violetta’s gaze softened as she folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Think about the nature of your gifts. Every ability you possess is rooted in control, in defense, or in crafting. That is your foundation. But imagine, just for a moment, if inversion could be applied to you. Even if only temporarily."
Penny tilted her head, unsure if she wanted to hear more, but Violetta continued.
"You could escape the limitations of your race. You could go from possessing the strongest defense with no means of attack, to wielding the strongest attack at the cost of all defense."
Penny’s mouth fell open. The words struck her like a hammer. She would actually be able to defend herself? The thought sent a thrill through her chest. If she could do that, even for a little while, it would change everything. No more hiding behind others. No more waiting for someone to protect her.
But then a single word slipped back into her mind. One that scratched at her like an itch. Hypothetically.
Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by hypothetically?"
Violetta simply smiled and lifted her shoulders in a casual shrug. "The Singularity has never actually existed this long before. No one has ever attempted to apply inversion through a bond with one."
Penny shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. "Are you kidding me right now? You’re using me as a guinea pig for some weird experiment?"
The goddess’s grin widened, playful and unshaken. "My dear, art is all about experimentation. Is it not?"
Pennys eyes were wide as she stared at the beautiful Goddess sitting opposite of her. She could see a madness burning brightly within her eyes.
"It’s official. I am the last sane girl in an insane world."
Violetta didnt even hesitate nor did her smile falter as she countered.
"Don’t flatter yourself"