I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28
“It’s delicious! God, your baking skills are amazing! The flavor is so clean, nutty, and soft!”
Only you would praise bread I could barely justify buying with my own money.
But you’re going to eat all of that? The loaf is bigger than you are.
Hamie finished the bread completely.
Her cheeks did look a bit fuller lately.
After a moment’s hesitation, I poked her gently in the ribs.
“Why are you doing that, God?”
“No reason. Just checking.”
She was soft and plump.
I’m never washing my hands again.
Of course, that was just a fleeting thought—hygiene was always paramount. I washed my hands and returned to the dough.
Did the other gods with Contractors bake bread like this too?
No, probably not. They’d likely Sponsor something else, since it’s less taxing.
I provide bread mainly because it doubles as emergency rations if needed, but how much longer can I sustain this? I couldn’t help but wonder.
“Hamie, do I really have to keep struggling like this to make bread?”
“If you raise your Involvement Level, the Baking Set can level up too. As the Baking Set improves, it’ll become much easier to use!”
So there was no way to raise my level just a little without spreading word of my existence across the world?
That’s when something strange emanated from the broadcast screen beside us.
Whoooosh.
The sound of a violent wind from a distant place. Sirius and I recognized it instantly.
When the space rupturing a Dungeon closes, the Dungeon either vanishes on its own or transforms into a vortex.
If it transforms into a vortex, danger follows. Monsters trapped inside break loose and run rampant.
“If we don’t contain that Dungeon’s collapse in time, we’ll be in danger too,” Sirius said, gazing toward the horizon.
He was speaking to me, I assumed.
“Would you permit me to spend some time here?”
A righteous protagonist, as always—willing to step in for strangers just passing through.
[ ( ᐛ) ( 　ᐕ)₎₎ ]
“Thank you.”
Sirius spoke to the coachman and brought the carriage to a halt. I was grateful he didn’t leap out recklessly this time.
“Please look after the child. Take her into the Village and leave her at the first Inn you see.”
“Understood.”
Sirius was entrusting Vega to the coachman temporarily.
He handed the man enough coin and compensation for Vega’s stay—enough to judge from the coachman’s kind expression and his unnervingly sincere demeanor that he wouldn’t betray that trust.
Sirius also pressed money into Vega’s hands.
“Vega, go ahead. I’ll catch up with you.”
“But……”
“It’s too dangerous for a child.”
Vega stared down at his own feet, frustrated that he couldn’t be of use.
“When we meet again, I’ll ask for your healing.”
“Yes, yes……!”
Realizing then that he had a role to play, he no longer resisted going ahead.
Sirius immediately headed toward the source of the sound. The loud noise was coming from a corner of some Village.
But Sirius didn’t go there directly. Saving people took priority over slaying Monsters.
So he followed where the cries of the townspeople echoed from.
“This way!”
“Up the mountain! Hurry!”
They had reasoned that higher ground would delay the Monsters’ advance.
A bat-like Monster lunged at a villager with its claws.
Clang!
But Sirius’s sword blocked the strike.
“Keep going.”
Sirius escorted the people, moving alongside them.
This led them up the mountain, where they found a Temple. From the statues and engravings visible throughout, it was clearly a Temple to the Water God, one of the two deities of this world.
“Please! Please come back to us, God!”
“Have mercy upon us!”
Inside, people were begging a god who would never return for their lives. It was such a pitiful sight that I wanted to look away.
[‘Empty Temple’—will you take dominion over it?]
[Yes] / [No]
And suddenly, a system window appeared before me.
What is this? Can I control the Temple?
I didn’t know the details, but I figured it might be a system used in some kind of territorial game among gods. And since I was the only god in this world, I thought I could claim all the land myself without issue.
[You have taken dominion over the Empty Temple.]
A low hum resonated through the air.
Crash!
Statues and water-shaped ornaments—anything fashioned from water—began to shatter.
—My goodness, what is happening?
—The traces of the god…!
—A terrible omen.
Only the symbols of divinity were breaking apart, deepening the sense of dread spreading through the crowd.
—It is no omen of ill fortune.
That was when Sirius stepped forward.
—How am I supposed to believe that?
There it was. The way to raise my Involvement Level.
I worked quickly, my fingers moving across the interface.
[Mission]
[Reveal that you are a Contractor of a new god.]
[Reward upon success: Bread ×1]
I need to make my existence known! I have to raise the level of my Baking Set!
—I am a Contractor of the god.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd at Sirius’s words.
—Is that the truth?
—How are we supposed to believe him?
Judging by their reaction, it seemed no small number of charlatans had posed as divine Contractors before.
Sirius pressed on, unbothered by the whispers.
—The god with whom I have made a covenant is not one of the two gods you know, but another entirely.
—Another god?
—Yes. This god bears the title: The Listener of Wishes Who Draws Straight Lines.
The crowd showed no sign of believing Sirius’s words.
It was only natural. I wouldn’t have believed it either.
—I beseech you, great Listener.
Sirius turned toward empty air and spoke with reverence.
—Grant us a blade with which to stand against the monsters.
Out of nowhere?
I hadn’t expected Sirius to ask me for Sponsorship like this.
Well, it’s nothing. I’ll give it.
[Sponsorship message from your Contractor God, ‘The Listener of Wishes Who Draws Straight Lines’]
[ ( ^ ᵕ ^ )⸝♡ ]
[Sponsorship items: Old Sword ×10]
When swords materialized from nothing before their eyes, the crowd fell silent in astonishment.
—And, might you provide sustenance for the people?
[Sponsorship message from your Contractor God, ‘The Listener of Wishes Who Draws Straight Lines’]
[ (´ε｀)⸝♡ ]
[Sponsorship items: Bread ×30]
[Sponsorship message from your Contractor God, ‘The Listener of Wishes Who Draws Straight Lines’]
[ ( ❛֊❛)⸝♡ ]
[Sponsorship items: Water ×30]
My blood and sweat—the bread and leaf-shaped water containers I’d poured myself into—appeared in stacks.
—The grace of the god!—
—Divine presence!
With food before them, their reaction was fervent. Now the crowd seemed ready to believe Sirius.
—I shall face the monsters alone and vanquish them. I will spread benevolence in the god’s name.
[ (((( °Д°)))) ]
I hadn’t called him here expecting him to handle everything by himself.
—The monsters that have appeared in the Village are not particularly strong. I alone am sufficient to deal with them.
Sirius added this as if to reassure me.
But reassurance didn’t come. Even if the monsters were weak, their numbers could become a problem—like when we first encountered that horde of rabbit-like creatures early in our covenant.
—I am capable of wielding Aura, so dealing with monsters is well within my abilities.
—Ah….
When Sirius’s blade glowed with soft white light, the crowd gasped in wonder.
I know, I do know. But still.
[ ‎(•᷄-•᷅ ) ]
-There’s no need to worry.
Sirius’s gaze was fixed on the system window.
Only I knew that fact. To everyone else, it merely looked as though he were staring into empty air.
The villagers debated whether to entrust the Village’s safety to Sirius, whom they had met for the first time that day.
Most of them had recognized his virtue, and the opinions that circulated were largely positive.
-Still, don’t we need someone to show him the way? We have an adventurer in our Village. Wouldn’t it be better if they traveled together?
-What? Why should we have to go? Isn’t it enough that we’re adventurers without having to follow someone into danger?
-Haven’t the two of you seen plenty of monsters already? Do this for the Village’s sake.
The two people who appeared to be adventurers initially refused to accompany Sirius. But unable to resist the villagers’ insistence, they ultimately agreed to go with him.
Sirius and the adventurers descended from the Temple and headed toward the Village.
Fortunately, the monsters weren’t clustered together but were spread out at some distance from one another.
-You’re an adventurer, not a knight?
One of the Village’s adventurers asked.
-That’s correct.
-Even for an adventurer who’s made decent coin, that getup is a bit much, isn’t it?
And I’m the one who picked out that armor.
[ ( •̀ ᴖ •́ ) ]
As the one who had chosen the armor directly—or rather, as a god—I was not pleased.
-In my day, no matter how much coin you made, you couldn’t dress like a knight~
It slipped out.
In my day.
-Ugh, how dull.
When Sirius showed no particular reaction, the two quickly lost interest and began their warm-up exercises.
-Should we wager on who catches the most?
-Sounds good.
A wager? I couldn’t miss this.
[Mission]
[Participate in the wager.]
[Reward upon Mission success: Bread ×1]
I’m placing my bet on Sirius’s victory.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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