I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 31

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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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Episode 31
—Everyone only cares about external beauty, don’t they? Not me! I have a beautiful inner self!
—Your inner self doesn’t seem all that great, either…….
—Who keeps contradicting what I’m saying!
—Ahem.
Regulus’s younger sibling began to puff and bristle with indignation.
—Ignore him. Let’s get back to what we were discussing.
—I can hear everything!
—Oh my. I misspoke.
I wanted to tear into popcorn watching this amusing spectacle.
Regulus burst out laughing at the scene.
—Come now, ladies? The handsome adventurer here must be heading back now.
At Regulus’s words, the ladies showed signs of reluctance.
Fortunately, Regulus didn’t seem to have any intention of keeping Sirius around long. If he had, I would have sent him a mission to bring him out.
Introverts drain my energy quickly, after all.
—Haha! Thanks to you, my sibling seems to be about to start managing himself!
On the way back, Regulus laughed loudly.
—Right, you said your name was Sirius. Is there anything you want? I’d like to repay you.
Why offer a reward now when you said you’d give one from the start?
Unfortunately, in a world where commoners had to obey nobles’ orders, such behavior was common.
Of course, I’m the one who arranged for Sirius to meet Regulus with this reward in mind.
—I would appreciate it if you could come to my aid when I request assistance in future battles.
—That’s no problem.
He patted the sword at his waist.
—I’m quite strong, after all.
Regulus smiled in a good-natured way.
Success! I’d secured a future ally!
In the original story, Regulus made this same promise.
And Sirius ended up being killed by the Listener.
The reason?
Because Regulus would have a death worth dying for.
<Absorb me. Take my power. With your ability.>
How heartbreaking that line was.
The Listener would never know.
* * *
On the way out of the city, I found the Temple again. I was curious whether the Temple I’d first acquired was running well.
[ (⚆0⚆)? ]
But what was this about?
Decorations shaped like shooting stars were scattered about here and there.
I’d never given any such instructions…….
Even at the center of the Temple stood a statue of a faceless goddess. Though it didn’t resemble the Listener’s physical features, it was beautiful.
So that’s what the whole business about inspiration was.
Sirius gazed quietly up at the statue. I couldn’t tell what was on his mind.
[‘The Listener Drawing Oblique Lines’ is curious about your thoughts.]
—I would truly beg your pardon, but I cannot speak of it.
Fine. Whether you speak your mind or not is your choice.
I let go of my curiosity about what Sirius was thinking, though with some regret.
But then Sirius suddenly lowered his posture, knelt on one knee, and offered a prayer.
[‘The Listener Drawing Oblique Lines’ is flustered.]
Even after seeing the message, Sirius pretended not to notice, rolled his eyes, and rose to his feet.
—I simply wished to offer my respects.
Who offers respects on bended knee?
[‘The Listener Drawing Oblique Lines’ asks that you treat him with ease.]
—That is not possible.
Why can’t it be? Just treat me comfortably!
But I couldn’t simply tear down walls just because Sirius felt a distance between us.
I decided I’d simply have to treat him well going forward and make him see me as a friend.
* * *
[Communicator: I mentioned you to someone, and they want to meet you. Care to see them?]
While scrolling through broadcast footage on the move, I received a message from the Communicator.
Someone wanted to meet me?
There was no reason to refuse. Perhaps they’d offer me a good deal.
[Transfer]
I moved to the address the Communicator had given me.
My vision filled with a riot of colors—it was like an amusement park, decorated everywhere with balloons as if a party were in full swing.
Had I been a child, wouldn’t I have felt my heart race just stepping into such a place?
“Hello there!”
The Communicator, still small and cute, bounded over with a greeting.
“Ah, you’ve come.”
And beside them stood a man.
He had coarse red hair with a dull crimson sheen, dressed impeccably in a black suit.
“Pleased to meet you. You may call me Clown.”
He bowed with courteous grace.
“If I may ask, how would you prefer to be addressed? A Dreamer perhaps? A Wisher? A Listener?”
“Call me the Listener.”
“Then I should call you that too.”
The Communicator spoke as if they’d been waiting to do so. Since the god’s alternate names were so numerous, it seemed everyone chose their own title.
“Well then, Listener, you must be curious about why I’ve summoned you?”
I nodded in response.
“I’m simply someone who enjoys observing newcomers.”
So they’d called me just to gawk at a newbie?
“Ha! You’re the first one who doesn’t get angry here. Your reputation for composure is well-earned.”
What sort of reputation did the Listener have? A calm madman?
“Nothing too important—I called you to show you a hidden function of the Cosmos. Come along, then.”
The Clown led us to a display counter stacked high with shrink-wrapped Cards.
“This is where you can obtain something called a ‘Card.'”
He emphasized the word Card. These didn’t seem to be ordinary playing cards.
“Cards grant you additional skills.”
It sounded like a concept similar to skill scrolls.
“How do skills appear in your Contractor’s world? In my world they usually come as books.”
“They come as scrolls.”
“I see.”
So not every world produced skills in scroll form.
“Well then, go ahead. Pick whichever Card appeals to you.”
“You can draw multiple Cards, but each Contractor can only receive one, so choose wisely.”
[Purchase a Card?]
[Purchase cost: 5,000p]
[Yes] / [No]
I pressed Yes, then grabbed a random Card from the towering stack, unwrapped it, and drew it out.
[Bubbling Protective Shield]
[Envelops yourself and a designated target in a protective barrier shaped like bubbles.]
“Oh! That’s a good one!”
“Among defensive skills, that’s considered quite potent!”
Judging by their enthusiasm, I’d drawn well. My own instinct told me the same.
A protective shield keeps you from getting hurt, after all.
Besides, I could already think of places where it might be useful down the road.
“You like that one? Want to reinforce the Card?”
Not knowing what Card Reinforcement was, I watched the Communicator quietly. I thought it would be unbecoming of the Listener to ask about something unfamiliar.
“We can give a Contractor just a plain Card, or we can give them a reinforced one. Come this way.”
The Clown led us once more, this time to a place with an anvil and a hammer.
“Reinforcement requires Points as well.”
At that, I opened my Points balance for the first time in a while.
[Current Points: 9999999]999999+
That bug-like number was still there.
“Well then, strike the hammer and the reinforcement will take place.”
[Reinforce the Card?]
[Reinforcement cost: 10,000p]
[Yes] / [No]
“Reinforcement is quite expensive, you see? But there’s no helping it…….”
Bang!
[Failed!]
“Ha ha. Well now, I didn’t expect it to burst right from the start. Seems your luck isn’t particularly good today.”
[Proceed with Card Reinforcement?]
[Reinforcement Cost: 10,000 Points]
[Yes] / [No]
Boom!
[Failed!]
“No…….”
[Proceed with Card Reinforcement?]
[Reinforcement Cost: 10,000 Points]
[Yes] / [No]
Boom!
[Failed!]
“Listen here.”
[Proceed with Card Reinforcement?]
[Reinforcement Cost: 10,000 Points]
[Yes] / [No]
Boom!
[Failed!]
“Excuse me?”
I must have reinforced it about a hundred times.
Ding!
[Congratulations!]
[You have achieved the highest Card grade!]
[Bubbling Protective Shield +9]
[Envelops yourself or a designated target in a powerful protective barrier shaped like bubbles.]
[Points Held: 9999999]999999+
My Points balance still hadn’t budged at all.
“This is remarkable……. I’ve seen many newcomers come through, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen one achieve the highest Card grade.”
“Wow! Your Contractor will be thrilled about this. Congratulations.”
The two of them stood side by side and applauded.
I turned my gaze back to the broadcast I’d left running.
[‘Listener of Wishes Who Draws Lines’ has sponsored the ‘Bubbling Protective Shield Card’.]
The moment the sponsorship went through, the Card appeared in Sirius’s hand.
-Your Divinity?
Caught off guard by the sudden sponsorship, Sirius looked up at the empty air and spoke in confusion. Vega’s eyes widened in surprise as well.
-Sirius? What is that?
-It appears to be a Card bestowed by the Divine One.
-Wow! It looks so strange.
[The skill ‘Bubbling Protective Shield’ has been activated.]
As Sirius used the Card, Vega found herself enclosed within the bubble barrier.
-Whoa. How did you do that?
Vega gazed at the soft-looking surface of the bubble shield, her eyes gleaming with wonder.
-I used the Card given to me by the Divine One.
But how did you use it?
In a world where everyone possessed their own unique abilities, it seemed one could use even an unfamiliar Card without any warning signs.
“Oh! Your Contractor just activated a skill! Looks like he’s a quick learner!”
Thank you for the praise.
Though of course, it wasn’t directed at me.

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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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