I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 7

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

Chapter 7
The Innkeeper turned to leave, then hesitated—as if something had just occurred to him.
-Might I ask where you’re headed?
Sirius couldn’t discern the man’s true intent, but knowing he meant no harm, answered readily.
-We’re traveling to Tourmaline Village.
The Innkeeper’s face brightened. He turned and called out loudly.
-You heading that way? Could you give these two a ride?
Though unseen on screen, it was easy to guess who he was addressing.
-Ah, no problem. Come along with me.
A moment later, we arrived at a Cargo Cart waiting in the yard.
Oh. A cart—excellent. In a fantasy world, it was a fine means of travel.
Yet an odd unease crept over me.
Why? A quick ride to comfortable rest should be welcomed.
As I pondered, I activated a Mission Sponsorship.
[Mission]
[Remain vigilant while traveling in the cart.]
[Reward: Bread ×1]
* * *
The Innkeeper’s acquaintance was a Wagon Driver who hauled goods. Sirius and Vega now sat inside his Cargo Cart.
Vega kept glancing sideways at Sirius but said nothing. Sirius noticed her looks yet remained silent himself.
Judging by his nature, he wasn’t ignoring her—he simply seemed at a loss for words.
‘What do I do with these introverts? We’ve become something like companions, yet it’s so awkward.’
‘Is it because we’ve only just met? I hope things improve later.’
I sighed inwardly and fixed my attention on Sirius. Since climbing into the cart, he’d been scanning the surroundings, keeping watch.
‘He’s doing what I asked. But is he just burning energy for nothing?’
‘That might actually be better. Better than if something really did happen……’
Crack.
That’s when the brush beside the road betrayed another presence. Sirius’s eyes snapped toward it.
‘No, surely just some wild animal passing by?’
A rabbit’s head emerged from the undergrowth. Finding one here wasn’t strange, but it offered no comfort.
It had long ears and fur, so they called it a rabbit, yet I harbored serious doubts whether that name applied.
Its appearance was far more fearsome than a western rabbit. Its enormous ears resembled two clubs, and its developed fangs gleamed razor-sharp.
If you held a microphone to that creature and asked, ‘What’s your staple diet?’ it would surely answer ‘humans’ before tearing the interviewer apart.
It was probably a Demon Beast, not a rabbit.
Its dead-fish eyes tracked the cart as we passed.
‘But what good is staring like that going to do?’
‘Such a small body can’t keep pace with a moving cart, no matter how hard it tries.’
Rustle-crack.
The creature withdrew from the brush, revealing its full form.
Distant now and rendered small, yet its silhouette was unmistakably strange.
Its grotesquely long legs resembled a frog’s. Fully extended, they’d be more than twice the creature’s body length.
‘Damn. One leap and it could clear trees.’
Yet the Demon Beast showed no intention of using those legs to gather fruit from branches above.
It simply gave chase at a manic speed.
‘At this pace, it’ll catch us?’
‘Still, there’s only one, so dealing with it shouldn’t be……’
Rustle-crack-crack-crack.
‘……What?’
‘This bastard brought friends?’
Demon Beasts poured ceaselessly from the undergrowth—brown-furred creatures surging toward us with singular purpose, like murky floodwater churning with dirt.
‘Fight fair and square with us!’
‘At least match the numbers! Though naturally, Vega and the Wagon Driver can’t fight, so send just one!’
But the Demon Beasts observed no courtesy of one-on-one matches. Their sole ambition was a gang assault followed by feasting on flesh.
‘What do I do? What can I accomplish here?’
‘If I stay still, Sirius will handle it. He’s the protagonist—there’s no way he dies here.’
But I couldn’t simply sit and watch.
‘Yet what do I have to offer……’
‘Wait. Is that even possible?’
I rapidly swiped my fingers across the Sponsorship item shop window, hoping against hope.
-Click.
But what on earth was that sound?
Hearing the strange noise, I turned my gaze to the broadcast screen — and witnessed something shocking.
[ Σ( ⊙o⊙) ]
Insane! What are you doing?!
Sirius leapt from the moving cargo cart. Bare-handed, from a cart at full gallop.
It was madness — no different from jumping out of a speeding vehicle.
Fast as Demon Beasts are, there should have been time to ask the cart to slow even a little.
Yet he tried to roll on his own, without my ever asking him to.
No automatic tumbling required.
Contrary to my fears, Sirius executed a perfect Falling Technique. It was as if he’d trained specifically for jumping from moving carts.
Perfect score. But please never do that again.
Sirius straightened from his crouch and braced himself for the battle ahead. The Demon Beasts’ eyes — all of them — rolled toward him in unison.
Sirius drew the Old Sword and dispatched the few Demon Beasts rushing at him from the front with ease. Mercifully, aside from looking terrifyingly grotesque, they didn’t appear particularly strong.
The problem was their numbers.
While he dealt with the creatures in front, one suddenly lunged from the side and tore at Sirius’s skin with its massive fangs. His eyes narrowed in pain.
The Demon Beast licked the blood from around its mouth. It was the kind of sight that haunts your nightmares.
[ (꒪Д꒪三꒪Д꒪;) ]
I grew anxious for Sirius. If watching a man get torn apart by monsters doesn’t concern you, you’re either a psychopath or a listener.
This has to work. I moved my fingers faster.
The Demon Beasts surrounded him from all sides. In the blink of an eye, he was encircled.
To escape this situation, he’d have to accept a certain amount of injury. There’s no way to block attacks coming from every direction at once.
Sirius’s gaze grew distant. He seemed to have anticipated this situation already.
Only then did I understand the true intention behind his action — jumping from the cart without a word to anyone else.
He was trying to bear the burden alone.
That’s right. That’s who you are.
But here’s the thing: you’re not alone.
[Your Contracted Deity ‘The Listener Who Draws Straight Lines of Wishes’ has sponsored an Old Sword.]
[Your Contracted Deity ‘The Listener Who Draws Straight Lines of Wishes’ has sponsored an Old Sword.]
[Your Contracted Deity ‘The Listener Who Draws Straight Lines of Wishes’ has sponsored an Old Sword.]
System windows continued to flood Sirius’s vision.
He lifted his gaze beyond them. Countless blades were filling the empty air.
Swords appeared, their edges pointing downward.
The swords’ time in the air was brief. The world would not permit them to stay.
The ground pulled them down.
Like invisible threads snapping one by one, each sword fell in staggered succession. Blades poured from the sky like rain.
-Shriek!
-Screech!
The Demon Beasts fell, pierced by the falling swords.
Thank goodness. It worked!
As for how I managed that…….
[Sponsorship item designated.]
[Please select where the Sponsorship item will be sent.]
[Recipient’s Inventory] / [In front of the Recipient] / [Custom Location]
When I designated a Sponsorship item before, this window would appear. I pressed the third button here — “Custom Location” — positioned the sword’s edge downward above the Demon Beast, and sent it through.
In other words, I bent the rules a little.
Since I could sponsor without entering any message content, I was fortunate I didn’t have to type it out laboriously, character by character. That would have been tedious.
When all you’ve got is money, you might as well show off a little.
-Thunk.
A sword spawned from thin air and pierced the final Demon Beast.
[ ✧( < *ᵘ ᵕ ᵘ* )/✧ ]
Did I do well? Making that contract was completely the right call, wasn't it?
Sirius gazed quietly at the sword embedded in the last creature.
Hmm……. Could it be that you wanted to finish that last one yourself in a cool, dramatic way?
Probably not. Sirius isn't the type to care about looking impressive.
Sirius said nothing. He simply steadied his breath, rough from battle, and wiped away the black ichor of the Demon Beasts splattered across his cheek.
The situation was over.
[ ( ･-˙ ) ]
So now what?
The cart had gone. All that remained were countless Demon Beast corpses and Old Swords scattered about.
I suppose we'll have to walk.
That was when it happened.
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
The thunderous sound made Sirius turn. It was the rhythm of hooves striking earth.
The Cargo Cart he'd been riding in just moments before.
An unexpected turn. The cart was coming back.
The approaching cart slowed gradually, then came to a halt near Sirius.
Sirius looked up at the Wagon Driver, his eyes full of questions.
-That little one was shrieking something fierce about how you jumped from the cart and that I needed to fetch you. Tiny thing's got lungs like a bellows.
The Wagon Driver chuckled heartily. Behind him, Vega's gaze slipped away in embarrassment.
-But what's with all these swords? Are they yours?
-No, sir.
The Wagon Driver regarded the blade embedded in the Demon Beast with puzzlement. Every direction bore the marks of someone having attacked the creature.
How am I supposed to explain this?
There was no way the Sponsorship materials could have been recovered like this.
Sirius chose his words carefully and opened his mouth.
-I received assistance.
Well, it wasn't a lie.
-Is that so? A traveler passing through here—now that's rare.
Fortunately, he assumed that a kind stranger had simply helped and moved on.
-Climb aboard, then. We should be moving.
-Could you wait a moment, please?
-Of course. Take your time.
Sirius collected every last sword, dragged the Demon Beast's corpse off the road, and climbed back onto the cart.
Vega, huddled inside, kept stealing glances at him between furtive peeks.
Anyone seeing her would think she was a guilty pup caught misbehaving.
-Thank you.
At Sirius's words of gratitude, Vega's downcast eyes sparkled. She seemed genuinely pleased that she had been of use to someone.

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