"Oh, that sounds ever so exciting!" cried the first girl excitedly, almost bouncing in place as she did, her drill-curled hair looking like a pair of springs. It was quite clear that the idea of this great feat, this combat with such a ferocious man who called himself the Bandit King, was appealing to the girls.

At least... to was appealing to two of them. The youngest of the three seemed decidedly uninterested. It wasn't as if she didn't think it was a good thing. Rather, she was simply looking away slightly as if she didn't want to hear about it.

When Fleuri added to the story, the girls seemed to be in total awe. With the exception of the youngest, at least.

"Fell a tree in a single blow... no armor..." repeated the second girl slowly, as if the words had initially failed to register to her. In fairness, such a thing was stunning to hear about for anyone. It was clear that the Bandit King had been some abnormal warrior of extreme capability, after all. "Was... was he some kind of beast? A fallen divine like the Witch-Queen?!"

The youngest girl stared incredulously at her.

"The Witch-Queen? He was a bandit who had too many muscles," she said, simply, "Don't be silly..."

"That might be going a little far, Angenese," commented the first girl, scratching the back of her head with an awkward laugh, "The Witch-Queen, really, eh-heheh..."

"Well, no, not her... she was killed so long ago, and even if she was still around she looks like a little girl now, right?" asked Angenese.

This earned a heavy sigh from the youngest girl.

"You really believe that old story...?"

"They could be true!" declared Angenese, defiantly, "Besides, if he was so strong, maybe he really was a fallen divine! Wouldn't that make the story even more amazing?!"

She turned to the two knights excitedly.

"Tell us more! Do you think he was a fallen divine?!"

"I don't think he was a fallen divine... but I really want to hear more! How did you overcome such a monstrous bandit?!" asked the first girl, as well.

The third simply sipped her drink.

A fallen divine... Of course, there was no way Jeremiah was one. He was a mortal man, who had died like one. A servant of the gods who had descended to the world after its creation, who had rejected their own origin and became an opponent to those who dwelt within it, would never have died so swiftly. Besides, what would a fallen divine even be doing in such a place?

It was absurd to think about.

[@HereComesTheSnow][@Crimson Paladin][@PaulHaynek]