The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

The pristine white temple evokes thoughts of paradise, and the woman in the matching dress gives a meaningful smile.

The Goddess of Fate, Mori One, who claims to have the power to foresee and even influence the inevitable destinies of herself and others.

It's as if a deity, who can accurately predict someone's future, is speaking to me.

A fallen knight destined to be her loyal follower.

Such words were perfect to fill my mind with confusion and questions.

"What do you mean by that?"

My voice rises with skepticism and a hint of disbelief.

If the one saying this wasn't the goddess looking down from the high altar, I'd have scoffed and ignored it.

I honestly wish it were so.

This being, acting as if she's known me from the beginning, warmly treats me and refers to me as a knight who will fall in the future and become her follower.

"Exactly as I said, in the future, for some reason, you will lose your status as a divine follower and become my knight."

Her confident words made my nerves stand on end. Erina and Mir, sensing something amiss, give each other uncertain glances.

"Why would you say such a thing to a stranger like me?"

I cautiously ask, but she gives a sly smile and shakes her head leisurely.

"I can't reveal that. If I did, it might change the future I've seen. And who would pass up the opportunity to gain a loyal servant in the not-so-distant future?"

Though her reasoning feels somewhat manipulative, considering it from another angle, it's hard to argue against such a practical point.

A moment of silence ensues.

Recalling the scroll of recommendation I've kept, I present it to her.

"Here is a recommendation letter from one of your honorary followers. Please give me your advice."

Though I felt like I was making a bold move, Mori One seemed to have anticipated even this.

"I already knew you'd bring that out. I foresaw you meeting the elder and obtaining that recommendation to come here."

Did she know all along...?

"Then..."

"I can't give you advice so easily, but I can answer the question the two girls wanted to ask."

"Who will Harold end up with?"

At those words, Erina and Mir, who had been looking at Mori One with skepticism, seemed slightly relieved.

"Hmm... interesting."

"What's the answer?"

It felt like they were more intrigued by Mori One's statement than concerned about me.

It seemed as if they were trying to cover something up, which left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"I'll give you a hint about what I said earlier. How's that? Not a bad deal, right?"

Is she reading my mind, or did she foresee my complaints, making this offer preemptively?

She seemed to be controlling the conversation to her advantage, making it a bit tiring to converse with her. We didn't seem to be the best match personality-wise.

"In that case... okay."

Reluctantly agreeing to Mori One's proposal, she nodded in satisfaction and pointed to the two women.

"Black Dragon and the female adventurer, come up to the altar. I'll answer who Harold will end up with first."

Though they hesitated, they began to ascend the stairs.

But a question naturally arose in my mind.

"Why am I excluded?"

"If you know your destiny through me, depending on how you take it, you might change it."

"The question is about which woman Harold will end up with. If you, the center of the matter, know the truth, the fate I've spoken of might easily change. That's why I called only the two."

Her seemingly logical explanation made me involuntarily nod in agreement, alleviating some of my earlier resentment and providing a sense of relief. "Alright, I'll tell you."

As Erina and Mir stand in front of Mori One, she lowers herself to be at their eye level and begins to whisper in a way that I cannot hear.

Having nothing to do while they converse for quite some time, I distract myself with the surroundings, trying to fend off the boredom.

"I understand for now... I'll try to trust."

"Those words, they aren't lies, right?"

Having heard whatever Mori One has shared, Erina and Mir start to show disbelief on their faces.

"It might be hard to believe, but trust me. I, Mori One, swear on my title as the Goddess of Fate."

Recognizing their skepticism, Mori One sincerely assures them of her honesty. Erina and Mir, although initially hesitant, eventually seem to accept her words, as they silently descend from the altar.

"What did she tell you?"

As they approach me, I ask without much expectation.

"The goddess said we shouldn't tell you, and... never mind..."

For some reason, they cast a displeasing look at me, making me feel as if they were doubting my very existence.

What could Mori One possibly have said to make them look so troubled?

I couldn't even begin to guess.

"Now that matters concerning the two women are settled, I'll give you a vague hint about what you wanted to know."

She flashes a faint smile, bringing about a suspicious atmosphere once again.

"Due to certain events, your goddess will break her oath with you, and you will become a fallen knight who serves no one. At that moment of crisis, I will take you in."

Mori One's words were utterly shocking.

Among the things I wanted to know, the main question was why my current goddess, Eleona, would abandon me. She often calls me her 'Eternal Knight' and shows an obsessive attachment to me.

Would Eleona really break our bond out of her own will?

I couldn't understand or believe such advice based on my current knowledge.

"That's impossible. My goddess would never abandon me."

Despite my protest, she smiles in a way that amplifies my anxiety.

"Mark my words. If you don't stay alert in the future, your goddess, Eleona, will come to me in tears and ask me to take you away."

I came here to find out about my destiny, but her cryptic words only left me feeling more uneasy.

"Remember what I said earlier."

What she said earlier...?

"I mentioned 'a certain reason', right? A terrible event will befall you and many others. If you handle that 'certain reason' well, everything I've said today will turn out to be empty lies."

"You said earlier that you didn't want to miss the opportunity to have a loyal knight, right? So why are you saying all this?"

Revisiting everything Mori One has said, her previously relaxed demeanor shifts, and her gaze becomes more profound.

"Of course, wanting a loyal knight is my true desire, but..."

With a compassionate and sympathetic look, she gazes into the distance and says words I can't quite grasp.

"I am a goddess who can foresee even the fates of other gods. So, I'm telling you this."

"As much as... no, even more than I do... there's a god who desperately wants you. I feel a bit burdened about stealing you away. But that doesn't mean I want to give you up entirely."

"That's why I want to give you at least some chance."

Her recent words and demeanor make me see Mori One in a different light. My defenses drop, and I start to see her with a hint of trust.

It felt like she had her reasons... I couldn't simply despise her.

"Well... that's all I have to say for now. We may meet again someday, and I'll share more with you."

Though I'm still unsure about the whole truth she's hiding, I'm confident that she's not entirely antagonistic towards me. "Take care, and I hope to see a happier expression on your face next time."

Receiving a somewhat friendly smile, the door to the virtual reality starts to open, indicating that there's nothing more to discuss.

Surrounded by pristine white structures, we quietly exit the virtual reality, having nothing more to say.

From the moment we left the temple, my mind was filled with nagging questions, making it hard to maintain a pleasant expression. What was behind Mori One's lingering expression at the end? Was she hostile or friendly towards me? What did she tell them, and why would Eleona, in the future, plead to hand me over to Mori One while crying?

I was frustrated by these unclear doubts.

"Harold."

As we descended the countless steps and finally left the temple grounds, Mir, sounding a bit down, whispered my name.

"What's wrong?"

She slowly tilted her head in response, maintaining silence and gazing into the distance.

"Do you not want to be with me, Harold?"

Her ambiguous question left me speechless.

"What are you talking about..."

"Harold, as I've told you before, my life's meaning lies with you. Without you, I'm nothing."

It felt like something had weighed heavily on her since our meeting with Mori One.

"What did the goddess tell you two? Why has the mood been so off since?"

I asked, but they maintained their silence.

"Harold, let's part ways for today. There's something I want to prepare for."

Breaking the ongoing heavy silence, Erina gave a slightly melancholic smile and hurriedly left.

"I have something on my mind too. I'll be going."

Mir spread her wings and flew away, disappearing from sight.

"What's going on...?"

The atmosphere had drastically changed after meeting Mori One, intensifying my uneasy feelings.

Flashback to the moment when Erina and Mir were listening to Mori One; they both looked somewhat flushed, perhaps due to anxiety and hope about the possibility of being with their loved one.

"Goddess, please tell me, who will Harold end up with?"

Erina cautiously asked Mori One for guidance on their destiny, while Mir silently and anxiously awaited her response.

Their mood seemed hopeful, but Mori One's expression became grave.

"It may be hard to believe, but listen closely."

Mori One, with a stern tone, suddenly said, "If things continue as they are, Harold will leave you both, maybe within a short time frame of 1 or 2 years."

This unexpected and somewhat ambiguous revelation left them in shock.

"What do you mean?"

Though Mir's tone grew harsher, Mori One gestured for her to calm down and listen to the full explanation.

"Calm down a bit! I'll tell you everything I know."

Mir managed to hold back her anger, and Mori One, sweating slightly, continued.

"Harold's destiny takes a form that is distinctly different from this world's existence... so different that even I find it hard to foresee his future."

Then, with a confident and serious expression, she declared to them,

"One thing I'm certain of, for whatever reason or meaning behind it, if left as it is, Harold will completely vanish from this world in the near future. It will be as if he never existed... as if he wasn't from this world to begin with."

This revelation left the two of them deeply anxious and skeptical. "Does that mean he might die... or leave us for some reason?"

Erina, seemingly on the verge of losing her composure, manages to find the words and asks desperately.

"Yes... So, you must keep in mind what I've said and change his fate. You don't want him to leave forever, do you?"

"How can we keep Harold with us? Please, tell us..."

Mori One puts her hand on her forehead, seemingly at a loss for a direct answer.

"While I can't pinpoint an exact method, I think it's best to create a reason for him to stay with you."

At her words, both Mir and Erina seem lost in thought, a tense silence filling the air. But soon, they both seemed to have an idea and simultaneously looked up.

"To create a reason... would this be possible?"

"We have one question."

With a twisted confidence, the two whispered to her so that Harold wouldn't hear.

"What if, regardless of whether he likes it or not, we confined him somewhere and watched him forever? Wouldn't he never leave then?"

"If, regardless of Harold's opinion, a child is born between him and me, and he has a life to be responsible for, would he stay with me forever?"

"Wh... What?"

Stunned by the audacious proposal, Mori One starts to stutter, but the ominous aura emanating from the two women forces her to reveal a truth she shouldn't.

"I... I'm not entirely sure, but... that might be more certain...?"

Upon hearing Mori One's words, the atmosphere around Mir and Erina darkened, engulfing them in a deep abyss.