I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 47

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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 47
The Mage Tower’s master, Betelgeuse.
Her nickname was Betel.
That child had been using her youth as an excuse, claiming she didn’t know what overtime was.
Sirius pondered for a moment, then returned to the Mage Tower.
-Betel.
-Yes, that’s my nickname. How did you find out?
The girl, Betelgeuse, answered as her nickname was called.
-You said you didn’t know what overtime was.
-Yes. What is it?
-Overtime means working late into the night.
-Ah, I see.
Betelgeuse responded as if hearing it for the first time. But Sirius saw through her act—she was pretending not to know.
-How many hours do your mages work in a day?
-I don’t know. There’s no clock in the tower.
Betelgeuse tilted her head and kept up the pretense. But even without a clock, one could tell night had come when the sky darkened. And if the Mage Tower—wealthy as it was—wanted a clock, it could certainly afford one. The fact that it didn’t have one meant either they chose not to install one, or someone had prevented them from doing so.
I watched the situation quietly and sent another Mission.
Sirius checked the Mission and opened his mouth.
-Have your mages work only from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening on weekdays, and grant them weekends and holidays off.
-Ugh, I don’t like that.
-Why not?
-Obviously they should work at night too, and on holidays as well.
Betelgeuse was still young, with boundless energy. In modern times, she’d be the kind of child racing around a playground making dolphin sounds.
Sirius fell silent in thought for a moment before speaking.
-Then could you perhaps add Mana Stones as additional compensation?
-What?! What did you just say? Absolutely not! Didn’t we finish talking about Mana Stones earlier?
-We haven’t drawn up a contract yet.
-That’s….
Betelgeuse’s body went limp. Had she just realized her defeat?
-So this day has come after all.
Clap, clap!
Betelgeuse suddenly wiped the expression from her face and clapped twice.
-Mages, please draw up a contract for me!
The two mages Sirius had brought earlier appeared and set their quill pens to parchment under Betelgeuse’s command.
-Here, this is the contract.
Moments later, Betelgeuse thrust the completed contract forward.
[‘Sirius’ shall grant ‘Mage Tower’ special Mana Stones for free, and in exchange shall defeat whatever enemies must be defeated.]
[Furthermore, ‘Betel’ shall abolish overtime, having the mages work only from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening on weekdays, and granting them weekends and holidays off.]
[Should this contract be broken, all mages belonging to the Mage Tower shall perish.]
The fact that Betelgeuse had written “all mages belonging to the Mage Tower shall perish” showed just how desperately she wanted those Mana Stones.
At the same time, it revealed her confidence that she could crush anything that came her way.
-Could you modify the clause about all mages perishing if the contract is broken?
-Huh? Why? If they’re afraid of dying, they’ll work harder to keep the contract, won’t they?
-No matter how much I want to honor the contract, I don’t desire something like that.
-Oh, fine. I’ll change it.
[Should this contract be broken, all mages belonging to the Mage Tower shall suffer severe indigestion.]
This time, Betelgeuse had written a punishment befitting a rather young child.
-Here, take this Communication Stone. With just this, you can reach me by voice. I’ll contact you when the research results come in.
Not that I care much about the research results.
Still, giving me a Communication Stone was welcome. I’d originally planned to buy one.
Could I get more if I played this right?
[Mission]
[Obtain another pair of Communication Stones.]
[Mission Reward upon success: Bread ×1]
-Could I obtain another pair of Communication Stones?
-Yes, yes. Of course. I could give you ten pairs if you’d like.
-Just one more pair will suffice.
[Mission Success! Your reward has been granted!]
[Bread ×1]

[Mission Success! Reward granted!]
[Bread × 1]
[Mission Success! Reward granted!]
[Bread × 1]
Three missions cleared simultaneously: safely completing the transaction at the Mage Tower, ensuring the mages’ welfare, and receiving an additional pair of Communication Stones.
Back at the Mage Tower, Sirius was treated with utmost care by the mages who had returned.
These were people who knew how to repay a kindness.
-Is there anything else you’d like to eat?
-This is already more than enough.
Sirius spoke while gazing at the numerous plates arrayed before him—all dishes the mages had prepared and offered.
-Sirius, there’s so much amazing stuff here.
Vega came trotting over after playing for a while, and from a distance, Betelgeuse waved her hand.
Then, as she drew close to Sirius, she lowered her voice.
-Should I reveal that I know how to use Healing Magic?
Knowing how to use Healing Magic alone would be enough to gain entry into the Mage Tower. The art was that rare.
-Do you wish to become affiliated with the Mage Tower?
-Well, I’m not entirely sure…. But it does seem like it would be nice to belong somewhere. Even without revealing my Healing Magic, they said they could teach me ordinary magic. They said they see talent in me. If I learn magic, maybe I could help you.
[ ( ᐛ )b ]
I’m in favor of it.
No matter how much of a cutthroat operation the Mage Tower might be, they wouldn’t treat a child like Vega harshly.
-The Divine One recommended that you receive instruction.
-Then we’ll need to spend some time apart. I’ll stay here for a while.
What? Stay here? I didn’t realize the training would take that long.
So what do we do about our healer?
In truth, since Vega hadn’t existed in the original story, I could manage without her.
Then it’s decided—we part ways with Vega for now.
For her growth.
Sirius withdrew an appropriate sum of money from his Subspace Pouch and placed it in his inventory, then handed the pouch to Vega.
-But Vega, did someone tell you to hide the fact that you know Healing Magic?
Now that I thought about it, that made sense.
It was far more likely that someone had told the young child to hide it than that Vega had decided to hide her ability on her own.
-My mother told me to. She said my grandmother had the same ability and was sacrificed because of it. She also told me that if I met someone strong and kind, I should tell them about my ability and ask for their help.
That someone was Sirius. So that’s why she asked him to take her with him.
I came to understand this belatedly.
But where was Vega’s mother…….
No, I think I know. The odds were high that she was no longer in this world.
Those words were likely her final request.
* * *
Late at night, Sirius, who had been feigning sleep, rose and sought out Betelgeuse.
From what I’d observed thus far, the Divine One seemed to sleep alongside me when I slept at night.
Therefore, she wouldn’t be able to hear this conversation.
“Would you be willing to grant me one more favor?”
“Let me hear it first, then I’ll decide.”
Betelgeuse smiled with an innocence befitting her age.
* * *
Guided by my mission, Sirius used a Transportation Stone to make a brief visit to the city of Aquamarine.
His steps led him to the shop “Lark,” where Bluebird worked.
-What brings you by this time?
-To deliver a Communication Stone.
-Oh my, a Communication Stone? Are you saying you want to keep in such personal contact with me?
Bluebird spoke in jest, but Sirius didn’t so much as blink.
-Sigh…. A man who doesn’t laugh at jokes is rather uncharming.
Still, that’s fine. Sirius is so handsome that he overflows with charm anyway.
-In any case, I’ll accept the Communication Stone.
Good. Now I had no problem staying in contact with everyone I’d met so far.
With a means of communication established with the Azure Feather Merchant Guild, gathering people would be child’s play.
* * *
I was watching Sirius’s broadcast as usual when Tongdalja called me over.
When I entered his space, he spread both hands wide and bounced excitedly.
“There’s a Divine One who wants to recommend a deal to you. The Intervention Level is 9, but it should be worth taking.”
I searched for the alias that Tongdalja had given me and sent a message through the chat.
[Needle: Yes. Let’s make a deal.]
Using the address he provided, I moved through space.
In the place that materialized before me, a woman with long platinum-blonde hair continued her knitting. She had been knitting with no technique whatsoever, and the cloth had stretched terribly.
As I drew near, a heavy presence emanated from her.
“Good to see you.”
Needle greeted me in a graceful voice. I nodded in return.
“Bring me the Four-Leaf Clover. Five of them.”
The Four-Leaf Clover?

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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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