The sisters guided the two to the back of the rectory. It was a simple building that served both the residence and office of the church. A modest, stone building with sparsely furnished wooden furniture and simple decor. Link was invited to eat the leftover lunch with the sisters, and it explained the reason for their disappearance. As the boy ate, he was shaking a little and trying to hold his spoon straight. It wasn't going well. He was relatively pale.

He wanted to be left alone, so the sisters watched over him from a distance.

Meanwhile, Bato and Aita were in the rectory office, just as he was finishing the shared vision he had with Link. She listened with quiet reflection, never interrupting once. "Had I not see it with my own eyes, I would have said that was quite the tale." She sipped on some lukewarm tea.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Remember how you glowed green when you prayed before the Goddesses? This time the both of you glowed red. The sisters and I were returning from our midday meal when we found the both of you before the altar. We made sure that there wasn't anyone else around to avoid a scene. At times, the two of you flashed bright red. Then, there's the boy."

"What did you see?"

She was silent for a moment, gauging Bato with her eyes. "Cuts and wounds started to appear all over. We heard some cracks in his little body. After a while, he looked like he was going to fall over. Then, his body miraculously healed."

"You didn't think to stop it?"

She shook her head. "How can we interfere with divine providence? Like you said, you met with the goddess. It explains the strange things that have happened to the both of you." Aita did have a point. Both Bato and Link were chosen by the goddesses and were connected to them. It makes sense from a spiritual standpoint. "But I am glad that it worked out, though it seems the boy has yet to recover from the experience."

"He's seen the face of one of his goddesses. It would be quite the experience for him."

"Most people see visions or dreams. What you describe is so vivid, so real. You actually saw her, didn't you?"

"Yes," Bato admitted quietly. He didn't want anyone else to hear, though he made that admission in front of a group of nuns. No doubt that the word will spread. "We did."

"Then there's more to you and that boy than meets the eye." She got up and walked over to a nearby window. The church was adjacent to the rectory, and she saw people walking up and down in front of the church. "As much as I would like to know about the two of you, I think it would be best if you two kept it to yourselves. This vision of the goddess is for the both of you, alone."

He looked at her, surprised. "I would think you wanted to know everything about the Sacred Realm and our connection."

"If you told me, then how could we have faith?" She turned to him, sternly. "We've always known that the goddesses exist and are watching us. You are blessed to see them, Bato, but those of us who haven't seen them must believe in them. It is why the church exists. To carry forth the goddesses' will to the best of our ability."

Nodding, Bato thought for a moment about the young Link that remained ignorant of the Goddesses asked, "then I need a favor."

She raised an eyebrow, "a favor?"

"Though Link has been chosen, he isn't very knowledgeable about faith. I'd like you to teach him."

"It would take some time. Proper discernment would take a year at most, but I have a feeling you don't have that long." Aita was very perceptive. Bato had to give her credit. "We can give the boy an understanding of the basics and prayers for him to meditate on. Most likely it will take us until early evening."

"Which works out well for us." Bato got up and bowed. "I would be indebted to you."

"This is our calling, our faith. To spread the word to those who haven't heard. Besides, you've done plenty for us. Did you take a look at the community kitchen? Thanks to you, plenty of people are being clothed, fed, even given jobs. This is the least we can do."

"I think he must learn about this. After that experience, I wouldn't want to leave him with more questions."

"You won't be lounging around the church, will you?"

"No. I have some business with the commerce guild."

She smiled. "Tell Baza I said hello." As he was walking out, she called to him, "Bato? What is this child to you?"

His hand on the knob, he turned and answered her.

Link didn't like it. The idea of being alone with the sisters while Bato went somewhere else. "But I want to come with you!!"

"I think after what you've seen, you need at least a basic understanding of who the goddesses are and what faith is all about. We won't get another opportunity like this. Besides, you can meet me at the castle later in the evening, before the feast."

The whole experience left Link feeling agitated, scared and confused at the same time. But Bato wanted him to know what he just experienced. The hidden skills, the Darknut and the Goddess Din. He didn't really want to separate from him, but he wanted him to learn. "Okay. I'll meet you at the castle, in your room. Okay?"

Bato nodded and smiled at him. "Sounds fair. Make sure you don't rush your studies. Although this is a basic rundown of the faith, I want you to study hard on this. Understood?"

Sadly nodding, Link gave him a hug before he left for the commerce guild.

The mood was subdued when Bato got to the commerce guild. It made sense since it was early afternoon. The other adventurers and laborers were not finished for the day. He looked around, seeing most of the receptionists away. The main reception area was still open, so he found himself walking there. When he did, he met a young lady. She wore the same outfits as all the other receptionists, but her face didn't exactly scream 'welcome.' Short auburn hair and a boring face, she lounged around at the main desk waiting for something to happen.

"Afternoon." Bato tried to plaster a smile to an unenthusiastic young lady. "I'm looking for the guild master."

"He's unavailable," she said with a sassy attitude, not paying attention to him, at all. "Talk to him tomorrow."

"Okay?" He was a bit turned off, but he continued with the niceties. "Can I leave a message, then?"

"Talk to him tomorrow," the girl drooly replied.

"Okay, yeah, I'm done being nice for today." He decided to be firmer with her. "So, you're telling me that you can't be asked to pick up a scroll and an ink pot to write down a message?"

She looked annoyed. "Yeah. Because, honestly, the guild shouldn't be associating themselves with assholes like you."

His eyes went wide. "Okay, rude. Then find someone who can help me because obviously, you're new to your job and don't know how to show some common courtesy."

"Don't get snippy with me! I said the guild master won't see you! Get your ass out of here, or I'll call the guards!"

Suddenly, the back of her head was smacked by the head receptionist that helped him a year ago. She fell hard on the floor as a result of that. "Idiot! How many times do I have to tell you not to antagonize the members?!"

"He started it first!" The girl was slowly standing up. "He wants to see Baza! He said specifically not to interrupt him for anything!"

"So that gives you the right to treat the members like this?!" The rude receptionist didn't say anything. "Just because you're his granddaughter doesn't mean you can treat everyone like crap!"

"I didn't want this job!!" She yelled back. "I was forced here!"

"Forced or not, you're here to do a job on guild time!" The head receptionist got into her face. "This is your final warning! Now pull your head out of your goddess damned ass and start helping us properly!!"

"I don't have to listen to you! You're not my mother!" The auburn haired girl shoved everything that was on the help desk and stormed off.

"Well, damn." Bato thought while the head receptionist sighed and started to pick up things. Afterward, she returned to the front desk and continued to organize the items while talking. "I apologize for that lack of professionalism there. She's a recent hire. The guild master's granddaughter, to be precise. So, she has a sense of entitlement."

"Nepotism can be like that," Bato said, trying to make light of the situation.

"I understand that you want to see the guild master but," she said, looking at the man properly now, "he emphasized that he didn't want…to…" Stopping, she stared at Bato for a moment. "Bato?"

"Yes?"

"BATO?!" Her eyes grew wider, and she started to back up.

"Yes, that's my name. Don't wear it out. So, can you just leave a message with him? I can certainly see him some other ti-" The head receptionist was already going up the stairs to the second floor. There was a running sound coming from the top and a door opening.

"I thought I told you I didn't-" The sound of Baza's voice passed through the walls. They were paper thin. "What?! You're shittin' me!!" Now, the running of two sets of feet came from the top. The man himself rushed himself down, almost tripping on the stairs. "Bato!? Hylia's tits, it's really you!!"

"Hi, Baza." Bato sheepishly held out his hand, but he was met with a gigantic bear hug. "Oh goddess! Too hard! Too hard!!"

"I haven't seen you in a year, you rat bastard!! I'm gonna hold you tight so you'll never leave!" He hugged him a few times, lifting him up in the air for a moment, before setting him down.

"Good to see you, man! We have to talk!!"

"I thought you were busy."

"Busy?" She looked at the head receptionist. "Not for Bato. You see how fast I came down here? Who said I was busy?"

"The short hair girl that decided it was a good idea to get snippy with me and threw a tantrum when her boss reprimanded her."

His jovial mood was replaced by annoyance. "I swear that girl is more trouble than she's worth. If it wasn't for her mother."

"She didn't know him, sir. She considered him to be a new member, perhaps? It doesn't excuse her for treating him the way she did."

"I gave you free reins on her because I know you don't tolerate bullshit and have pride for your work. But I'll set her straight again if you want me to." Baza put his hand on Bato's shoulder. "That's not your problem, though. It's actually a good thing you showed up. I wanted to talk to Lord Cobn about your farm."

When both were in Baza's office and the door closed, Baza took a deep breath and began to explain. "So, many developments have been happening while you were away. I…" He hesitantly spoke up about this. "I was informed by Lady Impa about what happened to you and the Lost Woods."

"Really?" Bato, baffled by this omission, asked, "who else knows?"

"Myself, Lady Impa, Lord Cobn, and Canoness Aita. I'm not going to pry into this more than I have to, but let's just say that with you gone, things took an ugly turn."

"Yes, Commander Cobn told me about the happenings during my absence."

"Good, saves me time to explain." He folded his hands together. ". As you know, the soil used can produce crops twice the size of regular ones. But they grow just as long as regular crops. Nevertheless, we were able to make profit on the stockpile and the crops planted in the coming seasons."

"So at least you broke even. Is that it?"

"Yes. There was plenty to go around for the guild, the church, and House Cobn that stewarded the land after you left. We had a good arrangement until Rowan showed up. The short of it is this: if Rowan gets his hands on your land, then everything that we've been doing will be all for nothing. That lord would obtain the land with or without you and has already petitioned the king to have it transferred to him. He'll cancel the entire arrangement; he made sure to make that clear."

"I know. I got to the castle yesterday afternoon, actually."

This got Baza's attention. "Really?"

"Yes. I'm pleased to report that Rowan has been charged with high treason, corruption, and collusion with other houses trying to defame Cobn's family. Evidence was submitted to the king; witnesses took to the stands, and I reiterated my claim to the farm."

This blew the wind out of Baza, who just sat there silently. After a moment's contemplation, he just sighed. "You know what? I'm not even going to question it. If that means Rowan's out of the picture, then that's all the better. That man was the lowest of the low. I heard he did countless unscrupulous things to dig Lord Cobn's name into the dirt. But the man hid himself well enough."

"His misdeeds were a highlight in yesterday's court session. Presently, he's in the castle dungeon, stripped of his titles and land."

"Ha!" Baza slapped his hands together. "He almost won; you know. Then you come in and took everything from under his nose!" He started to laugh uncontrollably. "With you back, I'm sure we'll be able to get things back to the way they were."

"About that." Baza didn't like that sound of uncertainty. "For my past deeds and payment rendered, I've been offered Rowan's manor and property. I'm planning to move there soon."

"Seriously? Then, congrats then!" Baza rubbed his chin. "There would be two issues with that. One: what happens to the farm? Two: will you still supply the produce for the guild?"

"I'll be more than happy to continue our arrangement. But I'll have to wait until I get back from Gerudo valley. I got roped into travelling with the Hyrulian delegation to make nice with the loyalists and traitors."

The guild master shook his head, mournfully. "Always getting yourself into trouble, aren't you. Glad that hasn't changed."

"As for the farm. Since I got it under a plot agreement, it still belongs to the state. But I'll see if I can transfer the rights to the guild."

Baza stood up from his desk and slammed it. "What?! Why?"

"Well, I'll probably upsize my production by moving into the manor. The work that I put on that farm is massive but, regardless, I can increase my yield more at the manor than there. I'd like to leave the farm in your capable hands. On one condition."

"That would be?"

"That you share the produce with the church. They're the ones on the front lines helping the less fortunate, after all. I don't want them to be left behind."

Putting his hands off the table, he paced around the room. "It's not the worse deal. The land has proven its value. Sharing with the church would be a small price in terms of making up a profit." He looked at Bato. "But I need to be sure that I have guarantees that this deal won't fall through."

"My trip to Gerudo Valley will take me a couple of months. During that time, I'm hoping everything will be sorted."

"Then, I look forward to that day." He extended his hand. "I look forward to the day when we finalize arrangements."

Exiting the guild, Bato made his way back to the castle. By now, most of the laborers and adventurers were returning to report on the status of their jobs. The main street started to become flooded with people coming from the city gate. Everyone of all shapes and sizes, various builds, different genders, skills, and trades. He walked absentmindedly, his thoughts always returning to Link and whether the limited understanding that the sisters had given him would be enough to satiate his hunger for answers.

He had given the guild due warning; he wasn't going to come back any time soon. With the land dispute over and Rowan's plans in ruin, the guild would have an easier time trying to restart the crops on the farm to make up for lost profit. It was an arrangement made one year ago when Bato was interred in the Great Deku Tree. As the castle stood imposing on the horizon, he thought back to experiences and regrets. Moreover, on the things that he gained and the friends he made along the way.

The afternoon soon turned into early evening, and he had to prepare for the feast. Tomorrow, he would bid adieu to Castle Town and make his way through the harsh Gerudo Desert.