I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 44

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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 44
-Yes. You’d make a fine Festival dancer.
-W-wait, are you making fun of me?
-Not at all. I mean it sincerely. The headband suits you well.
Vega’s face flushed crimson again at the compliment.
It suited him perfectly, that was all.
Vega fidgeted with the headband, uncomfortable with it. His unconscious gesture bent and straightened the rabbit ears repeatedly, only making him look all the more endearing.
Ah, how adorable.
If my heart were any weaker, I’d have collapsed by now.
-L-let’s go do something else!
-Very well.
Was it just my imagination, or did Sirius seem oddly pleased?
The two walked further down the Festival street, but Sirius suddenly came to a halt.
-Vega.
-Yes?
-What about that?
He pointed at an enormous teddy bear.
-It’s so c-cute……. W-where are you going!
Finding his answer in Vega’s reaction, Sirius turned away and headed toward the booth.
-I wish to participate in this event.
-Oh, you’ve got quite a bit of strength, do you?
[Show off your power!]
[If you exceed a certain score, you’ll win a giant teddy bear!]
It was the Strength Contest Venue.
-Now, strike this with the hammer to measure your strength! Go over 900 points and you’ll get a reward!
The event staff member pointed to a silver disk. Beside it stood a three-digit scoreboard that seemed designed to convert the force of impact into a numerical value.
It was much like a modern punch machine.
Sirius examined the hammer the staff handed him, then grasped its handle and brought it down hard against the ground.
Bang!!!
A tremendous boom echoed across the venue.
From Sirius’s blow, the silver disk shattered, and the scoreboard spun past 999 before breaking down entirely.
-I will compensate you.
-N-no, please, just let me keep my life…….
In the end, the round and adorable giant teddy bear became Sirius’s prize. When he lifted it, the bear was nearly as tall as Sirius himself.
-Good heavens.
-That guy’s a complete monster, a total monster.
The noise drew attention, and people murmured their astonishment.
Our Sirius was a bit of a monster, it was true.
As his Contract god, I felt nothing but pride.
-Vega. This is for you.
There was something almost maternal about Sirius’s expression—like a hunter returning triumphant with the prize.
-H-how am I supposed to carry something this huge!
-I shall place it in my Pocket Dimension Pouch.
Vega’s teddy bear vanished smoothly into the Pocket Dimension Pouch, that essential item of any fantasy dweller.
-I will retrieve it when you sleep.
-I can sleep on my own!
-Nevertheless, sleeping together would be warmer and more pleasant.
Just then, Sirius abruptly stopped. When he halted, Vega stopped as well.
-Sirius?
Following his gaze, I saw a young couple on the Bridge pressing their lips together.
Ugh. Why are we even seeing this! Why would they do that in public!
-During the Festival, lovers who exchange vows on that Bridge are said never to part.
A passerby nearby offered an explanation of the couple’s actions.
As if that’s something to queue up for and do with such abandon.
Sirius watched them in silence. I’d expected him to be indifferent, but his gaze lingered there quite deliberately.
Was Sirius that lonely? Yet it seemed odd for me to find him a lover.
One day good fortune will come his way! Sirius, fighting spirit!
Trust in that handsome face of yours!
* * *
In the quiet dark, Vega lay cradling the teddy bear, making soft snoring sounds.
Sirius lay in the Guest Room bed after getting a massage.
[The Wish Listener Who Draws Diagonal Lines asks how the Festival was.]
—It was a bit disappointing.
[ ( ᐛ )? ]
I thought you’d say it was good, but you didn’t?
—I wanted to enjoy the Festival with you.
Ah. I see. I wish I’d gotten to enjoy the Festival with you too.
[The Wish Listener Who Draws Diagonal Lines says they feel the same way.]
—Really?
For some reason, Sirius was far more surprised than he should have been.
—Ah. No.
He returned to his usual composure almost immediately.
[The Wish Listener Who Draws Diagonal Lines asks why.]
—Just… I’m happy.
Sirius spoke while averting his gaze, trying not to show his embarrassment.
I’ve never heard him say he was happy before!
How much must he like me to say something like that?
[The Wish Listener Who Draws Diagonal Lines says they’re happy too.]
You’re the best contractor I could ask for.
[ (b ᐛ )b ]
—…….
Sirius fell silent for some reason.
Was a god’s affection too much of a burden?
Still, as fellow persons, this can happen, can’t it? Maybe I’m overthinking this.
What’s so special about being a god anyway? Besides, I’m hardly godlike to begin with.
—…… Thank you.
I couldn’t tell what exactly he was thanking me for.
—I’ll get some rest now.
[Mission Success! Reward Item Dispensed!]
[Bread ×1]
Right. He must be tired from playing, so he should get to bed early.
Sleep well.
* * *
I’d been invited to the Omniscient One’s gathering.
The attendees were myself, the Omniscient One, and the Clown.
Though it was called a gathering, it was just a small affair with friends eating snacks together.
As the Listener, I should have abstained, but given my current circumstances, there was no real reason to skip it, so I attended.
I had to glean whatever scraps fell from gatherings of the stagnant and immobile.
I didn’t need to worry much about the broadcast—Sirius was still enjoying the Festival, which hadn’t ended yet.
“I hear the Evil God showed up to your contractor? The news came late and I couldn’t confirm it.”
“That’s right.”
My response was so dry that even the Clown was taken aback, his mouth falling open.
“The Evil God must’ve been hungry and tried to eat your contractor.”
The Omniscient One shrugged.
“It ate other worlds too, apparently. Does it like eating? Hmm. I don’t know much, so I can’t say for sure. Don’t you know something? You’ve been watching that world the whole time.”
The Omniscient One turned the question to me.
“I don’t know either.”
“Shame.”
“But there’s someone I can ask.”
“Hm? Who?”
“Narrative or Frigid Light.”
“What?”
“Why are you so surprised about who they are?”
While the Omniscient One was reeling, the Clown tilted his head and asked.
“The Frigid Light reflected on the lake has a connection to you, sure, but Narrative—the Narrative upon the unfolding hand?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow. I’ve never heard that god exchange with anyone before. They don’t even answer chats most of the time.”
Narrative seemed to be quite a famous deity.
It was stranger that someone who could see the future wouldn’t communicate more often, really.
Still, I hadn’t known that Narrative was a solitary hermit-god who only communicated with me.
What in the world was going on? Did Narrative have some sort of connection with the Wish Listener, or what—a Divine Connection, even?
“Does Narrative treat you well?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know why?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Hmm.”
“Isn’t that god just fond of you?”
“I don’t think so.”
For that to be true, there would be no reason to call oneself old. It seemed less like an appeal to someone he favored and more like an attempt to arouse pity.
“Ugh. How boring.”
The moment I flatly denied it, he seemed to lose interest.
“Anyway, Wish Listener, you’re going to keep trading, right? Who’s next?”
“The Repeating Black Dream.”
“Gasp.”
“This kid doesn’t even know to fear gods.”
The Clown drew in a sharp breath, and the Omniscient One placed a hand on the child’s waist as if to chide them.
Yet it looked trivial because of his appearance.
“Isn’t that name ominous to begin with?”
“If I’d judged based on names, I wouldn’t have reached out to them at all.”
If I’d judged by names, I wouldn’t have contacted the Victor first.
“Sigh… Alright. You’ll learn once you go through it. Go on. I just hope nothing too bad happens.”
Was that all? Should I refuse to go even now?
But the thought of Sirius stopped me.
If I kept choosing trading partners like this, I might not be able to trade with anyone at all.
[Dream: Welcome.]
Besides, I’d already sent a message to them.
I tapped the address the Dream had sent me and moved to their space.
This space was a dark night. It contrasted with my own space, which was night yet bright.
Still, there were lanterns placed here and there, so I could see something.
Following the path lined with lanterns, I saw someone sitting in a grotesque wooden chair.
They wore a black robe so thickly that only their lower jaw and hands were visible—nothing else of their form.
“So you’re the one who sought me out?”
“That’s right.”
The Dream spoke in a slow voice, and I affirmed it.
Even from their voice, I couldn’t distinguish their gender, so I could glean almost no external information about them.
“What do you want?”
“Please provide a good item as a reward for my contractor.”
“Ah, that’s not difficult.”
The Dream pulled a Four-Hole Button from their Inventory and showed it to me.
It looked ordinary at first glance, which made me curious.
“What kind of item is that?”
“It’s really good.”
As the Dream pushed the button toward me, a system window appeared.

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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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