I am the Goddess Destined to be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 06

========== EPISODE 6 ==========

I was worried an accident might happen if they rushed, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

Perhaps because there was no need to scramble on the way back from hell to the surface. People climbed up one by one using the ladder connected to the entrance.

Meanwhile, Sirius just stood still in his spot, watching.

So, I couldn’t tell what the situation was like above. It was because the broadcast screen kept focusing on Sirius.

I could guess things were going well thanks to hearing the sounds of those who left the basement warehouse sighing in relief and expressing their gratitude.

-Oh God, thank you.

But most of them were saying things like that.

Um… please direct your thanks to the innkeeper’s acquaintance who saved you.

It wasn’t me who saved them, so why are they thanking me? If it were someone I had actually saved, I would’ve been flabbergasted.

-God, you say?

-Has God returned?

Nope. I guess they were so surprised by the sudden mention of a god that they didn’t even have time to be flabbergasted.

The people above, far from being dumbfounded by those not thanking them, let out surprised voices.

-No. A new god has arrived.

-What? Is that true?

I understand the desire to announce the arrival of a god, but if things go on like this, everyone in Quartz will find out that Sirius is a god’s contractor.

That won’t do.

[Mission]

[It is too early to reveal the existence of your contract god, ‘Listener of Wishes Drawing Lines’. Do not let it be known as much as possible yet.]

[Reward: Bread x1]

[Your contract god ‘Listener of Wishes Drawing Lines’ has arbitrarily ended the mission.]

[Mission]

[It is too early to reveal the existence of your contract god, ‘Listener of Wishes Drawing Lines’. Do not let it be known as much as possible yet.]

[Reward: Bread x1]

[Your contract god ‘Listener of Wishes Drawing Lines’ has arbitrarily ended the mission.]

I emphasized my intent by sponsoring a mission and then canceling it.

The reason I ultimately canceled the mission wasn’t to tease them about whether or not to give the reward. It’s because it’s annoying to have the mission window constantly floating there.

It was a mission where I didn’t know when it would count as a success. It would keep floating there unless I or Sirius got rid of it.

Besides, Sirius wouldn’t do a mission just to get a piece of bread anyway.

-Understood.

You understood correctly, right?

I wish he would’ve answered like, ‘Ah. You mean I shouldn’t reveal your existence. Understood,’ but a taciturn protagonist character like Sirius would never do that.

A little time passed, and it was Sirius’s turn to leave. He climbed up onto the rubble that used to be the inn.

Not a single person from the basement warehouse had left. They all looked at Sirius as he emerged.

-Ah, that person…

-The god’s contractor…

The people seemed to have a lot to say to Sirius.

But they couldn’t say anything.

-I have something to say.

His words carried the meaning, ‘I know you have a lot of questions, but listen to me first.’

-The god said they do not wish to reveal their existence.

The people’s eyes were filled with surprise and doubt. With reactions like that, I wonder if the previous gods were attention seekers.

-Why is that?

-They said it is still too early.

The people still couldn’t erase the doubt from their faces, but there were no further questions. It seemed they concluded that they, as mere humans, could not understand the will of a god.

A few people did ask Sirius questions, but there was no way he would know anything. Having heard only unhelpful answers from the god’s contractor, the people gradually started talking among themselves, and interest in Sirius slowly faded.

Sirius watched them for a moment before starting to walk away. It seemed he judged this to be the right time to leave.

Then, someone approached him.

-U-um…

Sirius turned around at the small voice.

However, he hesitated for a moment because he didn’t see anyone, then realized the voice came from below and lowered his head.

The one who stopped Sirius was the child who had been in the basement warehouse. The child the Hopeless Trio had been targeting.

The child couldn’t properly meet Sirius’s eyes and spoke while looking down.

-Could you please take me with you?

What? Take them with you? Why?

Only questions came to mind. Judging by Sirius’s gaze, his thoughts didn’t seem much different from mine.

Recalling the content of the novel, the two had never exchanged a single word while trapped in the warehouse.

Seeing Sirius’s reaction, it seems nothing changed even while I was asleep.

-May I ask why?

Sirius, being a polite-speech character, asked the child in polite speech as well.

Even at Sirius’s question, the child couldn’t answer and only twitched their lips slightly.

Ah. Don’t tell me.

Something suddenly occurred to me. I didn’t think Sirius would let the child starve.

The kid has a good eye. Picking the right person to ask for help.

So what should I do? Is it okay to take that child?

It wasn’t for the heartless reason that the child would be a burden on the journey ahead. I was worried about a child accompanying a protagonist of a dark fantasy story.

The ‘protagonist awakens after someone they grew attached to dies’ cliché might trigger.

Even so, if I left the child behind, the probability of them starving to death was high. They were probably already struggling to eat, and the situation had only gotten worse.

I scanned the surroundings. It wasn’t just the inn that had collapsed. It looked like a storm had swept through; nothing was intact. Finding food would become twice as hard.

It’s a bit much to save them only to let them starve to death, isn’t it? What should I do?

Then I hesitated.

Is it okay for me to decide whether to take them or not?

All I can do is send messages or items. If they were to travel together, Sirius would have to do all the taking care of them.

Also, if I told him not to take the child, my impression could be seen as a crazy psychopath telling him to abandon a child who would die if left alone.

Thus, I decided to leave the choice to Sirius.

Sirius just stood there looking down at the child. He had no expression, so I didn’t know what he was thinking.

Perhaps because the child became anxious at his silence, they lowered their voice and spoke.

-I, I… I also know how to use healing magic… though only a little…

What? Healing magic?

Take them immediately! This noona and that hyung will do our best to protect you.

In , healers were such rare beings that they were only mentioned and never appeared until the end.

The child didn’t seem confident in their healing magic, but even that was something to be grateful for. Here, it was impossible to buy potions like buying bottled water at a convenience store in every village like in a game.

While I was counting my chickens before they hatched, imagining Sirius attending the child’s wedding as an adult and clapping, Sirius lowered his posture to meet the child’s eye level.

-Could you tell me your name?

Come to think of it, I didn’t even know the child’s name.

When they hadn’t been trapped in the basement warehouse for long, the people had a time to introduce themselves to kill time. Someone had asked for the child’s name then, but the child just shrank back and didn’t reveal anything about themselves.

The child had come to the basement warehouse after being brought by the innkeeper while running away alone. They probably didn’t intend to stay long in a place where even the atmosphere was unfamiliar.

It would be strange if a child who already looked timid was perfectly fine in a dark space filled with adults they were seeing for the first time, while also being terrified of being trapped in an unfamiliar place.

I waited quietly for the child’s answer. Fortunately, they answered this time.

-I’m Vega. I’m ten years old…

They were ten? I thought they were younger.

The child was too small for their age. It didn’t feel good thinking about how they must have starved to the point of not being able to grow properly.

If it were up to me, I’d want to feed them delicious food until they were stuffed, but I couldn’t.

I fixed my gaze on Sirius. Seeing as he asked about the child, it seemed highly likely he would take them.

I guess I have no choice but to pressure him to feed them instead of me.

-Understood.

Sirius announced his acceptance with a short phrase. Relief washed over the child’s face.

Tada! Healer Vega has become a companion!

Having gained a new companion, Sirius stood still and thought about something.

Why is he doing that? A moment ago, it looked like he was going to go somewhere straight away.

In the novel, he went to the lodging… Ah. That was an adventurer’s lodging.

In this harsh world, physical training was essential to be an adventurer.

Plus, a rough personality comes as a bonus. It was terrifying just to think of such people looking down on a fragile child.

So it seemed he was agonizing over where to go.

Both of them must be physically and mentally exhausted and need a place to rest comfortably right away, but the only inn in this village had collapsed and was covering the ground beneath their feet.

Then…

[Mission]

[Go to ‘Tourmaline Village’ located northeast of here.]

[Reward: Bread x1]

I will get rid of that worry for you.

As it happens, I knew of a village with an inn. The problem is, I don’t know how long it will take to get there.

Sirius checked the mission.

Since his worry was gone, he was about to start walking, but this time, the innkeeper approached.

He must have come in a hurry after spotting Sirius about to leave, as he said while catching his breath.

-You, your name is Sirius… was it?

-That is correct.

He remembered Sirius’s name. Perhaps he remembered the names of everyone who had introduced themselves.

-Thank you for stepping up back then. If it had been just me, I wouldn’t have been able to stop them.

The innkeeper gave a good-natured smile. It seemed he was referring to when Sirius stepped up to protect Vega.

This middle-aged man was also a quite good person. Unlike Sirius, he had no combat ability, yet he stepped up in front of the thugs.

A person like this should receive a brave citizen award along with Sirius!

-Are you taking the child with you?

-Yes.

The innkeeper’s gaze rested on Vega.

Vega seemed to want to hide anywhere, but knowing that the person had stepped up to protect them, they couldn’t.

-It seems God has a good eye.

It seems he misunderstood that I had chosen and contracted Sirius among the countless people in this world.

That wasn’t the case, but even if I had had a choice, I think I would have chosen Sirius.

-It was an honor to meet a god’s contractor.

The innkeeper bowed politely as if to a person of high status.