I'm a Goddess to Be Devoured by the Protagonist - Chapter 77

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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 77
“We should investigate this area,” Sirius suggested.
I nodded in agreement. There was no Boss Monster in sight, and it didn’t seem like there was anything else we could do.
As we moved forward, we repeatedly defeated the Demon Beasts that pursued us.
After wandering for a while, we discovered the Black Temple.
“It looks like we’re supposed to go inside,” Sirius said.
I followed Sirius as he led the way into the temple. Torches hung at intervals throughout the interior, so it wasn’t dark.
A moment later, a floor made of dense lattice patterns came into view. Beneath the lattice, the torchlight didn’t reach, and nothing was visible below.
“Will we fall through?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” Sirius replied.
True to his word, the lattice floor didn’t crumble or give way even with both of us standing on it.
I was glancing around to see if there was anything unusual nearby when—
—Avoid the lava for three minutes.
A solemn voice echoed from all directions.
Lava? Where was there lava?
Confused, I was looking around when chunks of lava began firing from various points.
At first, only a few appeared, so it wasn’t difficult to dodge, but as time passed, their number increased. Dodging became harder.
I was especially careful not to let Hatchling get hit as I weaved between the lava chunks.
Fortunately, the Lava Avoidance wasn’t difficult. The lava moved slowly.
“It looks like it’s finished now,” Sirius said.
No more lava chunks appeared.
Then Sirius’s eyes widened as he glanced behind me.
Bang!
Sirius swung his sword and struck down a lava chunk.
Gasp. If Sirius hadn’t been there, I would’ve turned into roasted meat. It had come from behind, and I’d missed it completely.
“Thank you, Sirius.”
“I was merely doing what needed to be done.”
So this was what it meant to be protected.
I gazed at Sirius with tears glistening in my eyes—though I wasn’t sure how obvious it showed on my face.
We ventured deeper into the temple.
Before us lay a floor with gaps between sections, and axes hanging from the ceiling swung back and forth like pendulums.
“It looks like we should jump to the platforms ahead while avoiding the axes,” Sirius suggested.
But how was I supposed to jump that accurately? I was terrible at controlling my strength.
Seeing my hesitation, Sirius asked me directly.
“Can you not manage it?”
I deliberated for a moment, then nodded.
“Then I shall carry you and jump across.”
“Won’t I be too heavy?”
“Not at all. You’re quite light, Wibis.”
This made the third time a prince had carried me.
Sirius bounded nimbly across with me in his arms, weaving between the menacing axes.
With Sirius around, nothing seemed frightening.
We passed through the trapped chamber and arrived in a vast, dark space.
At first I was relieved by the emptiness, but as we moved forward, burning Demon Beasts emerged from the walls.
By the time we neared the exit, we were surrounded by them.
“What should we do?” I asked.
“I will strike down the Demon Beasts and create an opening. You must escape through it,” Sirius said with steadfast resolve, drawing his sword. He was every inch the valiant prince on horseback.
In the midst of this, Hatchling’s large eyes rolled about. At first I thought she was afraid, but that didn’t seem to be it.
“Mama? Danger? No way!”
Whoosh!
Hatchling unleashed an enormous blaze.
Her blue flames were so intense they melted even the fire of the Demon Beasts.
I felt like I was holding an uncontrollable flamethrower.
How was I supposed to turn this off?
Phew.
Thankfully, before everything burned to ash, Hatchling closed her mouth and extinguished the flames on her own.
“Hami…”
What exactly had I brought with me?
* * *

“Did you have a good outing?”
Hami asked as though she knew nothing at all.
“Hami, what exactly is this Hatchling?”
“What? What!”
The Hatchling mimicked my words like a parrot, then giggled to itself.
“Oh, that Hatchling? It’s a Divine Dragon.”
A Divine Dragon?
I had no idea what that meant, but it sounded like some magnificent creature.
Should I really be keeping something like this?
I still had no idea what Needle had actually given me.
I sent a message to Needle in a panic.
[Listener: Hello?]
There was no response. He’d said he was sleeping for several days, so there was no way he’d reply.
I tried pressing the address to his space, but the send button was grayed out—I couldn’t go there.
My head throbbed. I rubbed my temples frantically, and my usually neat hair fell into disarray.
Sirius, watching me with concern, spoke up.
“Wibis. Would you mind if I combed your hair for you?”
“Does it look messy?”
I tilted my head with a playful smile, and Sirius’s expression stiffened.
“Not at all.”
“Then I suppose that’s fortunate.”
“If a starlit night sky were to become a waterfall, I believe it would look like your hair.”
Had Sirius always been so eloquent? I’d never seen him offer sincere praise to anyone, so I couldn’t be sure.
“Then why do you wish to comb it?”
I was simply curious.
“May I speak honestly?”
“Of course.”
“Because I wish for your hair to touch my hands.”
Combing my hair seemed preferable to the usual praise lavished while running fingers through it.
I bought a comb and gave it to Sirius.
Soft. Soft.
My silken hair was drawn through without resistance, smooth and fluid.
In that moment, Sirius looked like a beautiful god drawing melody from a mere mortal.
“All done.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. I would comb your hair a thousand times over if you asked.”
Sirius seemed to have taken a liking to the act of combing my hair. Perhaps I might ask him again next time.
* * *
I examined the cooked meat from every angle.
It had cooled just right.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yay!”
The moment I placed the plate of meat on the dining table, the Hatchling, which I’d set there as well, bounded toward the food and buried its head in it, munching away happily.
Now, what should I call this Hatchling?
“Sirius, I think we need to give the Hatchling a temporary name.”
“I agree.”
I couldn’t call it Hatchling forever.
But I hesitated to give it a proper name, knowing that Needle was its true owner. So a temporary name would have to do.
“I’m going to give you a temporary name.”
“A name?”
The Hatchling lifted its head from eating, and while I wasn’t sure it understood, it looked pleased.
I racked my brain. Then a name came to me.
Alexandrite Cheol-su the Third.
Hopeless.
Had I ever resented my disastrous naming sense as much as this?
I waited quietly for Sirius to name the Hatchling instead. He gazed into the creature’s eyes, thought deeply for a moment, then spoke.
“What of Sapphire? The dragon’s eye color resembles a sapphire.”
As he said, the Hatchling’s blue eyes did resemble a sapphire, and the name fit well.
“Sapphire?”
“Sapphire?”
Let me try calling her once. Hatchling mimicked my pronunciation awkwardly, tilting her head.
“How about Sapphire? It’s your temporary name.”
“Sapphire, good.”
I wasn’t sure if she properly understood my meaning, but since she said it was good, it seemed fine to call her that.
“Sapphire.”
“Chirp.”
Sirius rolled the name around in his mouth as he called her. Sapphire understood how he was addressing her and chirped in response.
With that, the matter of Hatchling’s name was settled.
[Seosa: Ugh, I’m bored. Isn’t there some deity who’ll play with me? (￣3￣)]
It was the moment I was moving the plate Sapphire had emptied to the sink. The solitary elderly deity sent a chat message, her demand passive-aggressive as always.
Since I was planning to show Sapphire around anyway, I decided to visit.
[Listener: Seosa. I have something to show you.]
[Seosa: What could it be? (￣∇￣)]
Was it just my imagination that she seemed to already know?
“Sirius, I’m going to meet Sapphire with another deity for a moment.”
“Understood.”
I cradled Sapphire from below so she could settle comfortably in my arms.
“Mom, where go?”
I needed to explain that we were going to Seosa’s space.
But how should I describe the relationship between Seosa and me?
“To meet Mommy’s friend.”
“Friend? Friend!!”
Sapphire seemed delighted by the word friend, fluttering her small wings.

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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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