The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

"Harold? You seem different today..."

Although I had met with Mir on the way, I managed to arrive at the guild hall without any issues.

"What happened yesterday? You seem a bit off today."

Erina, who had arrived at the guild hall before me and was waiting, greeted me. But as soon as she saw my state, she asked me with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"Nothing major, really."

To be honest, there wasn't any lie in this statement. I had merely run into a female acquaintance on the street. I might have been slightly later than usual, but I hoped she'd overlook such a minor issue.

"Hmm... Really?"

However, Erina, who usually trusted my words, looked at me with suspicious eyes this time.

Was my demeanor that different from usual? I expected her to be a bit surprised, but I hadn't anticipated such a defensive stance.

Her tone was almost accusatory, as if saying, "I'm suspicious of you," and her piercing gaze tried to read my every thought.

"Tell me the truth. What happened today or yesterday?"

She interrogated me like a detective, and I involuntarily trembled.

"Oh... your expression says it all. You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Was I that bad at hiding my emotions, or was she just exceptionally perceptive? Either way, she caught on quickly.

Her suspicions were now turning into certainties, and I hesitated on how to answer.

To be honest, I was reluctant to tell her I had met Mir.

She always acted defensively, even aggressively, toward any female who might be a potential romantic interest for me.

Moreover, she'd always make sure I bore the brunt of her jealousy. If I tried to associate with Mir or any other deity, she'd exert an oppressive aura that would suffocate me.

And if she ever reached her breaking point, she'd commit a major crime in a fit of rage. So I always had to tread carefully on such topics.

"Speak up..."

Her calm yet stern voice felt threatening, as if a knife was pressed against my throat.

Naturally, I couldn't reveal everything, so I chose my words carefully.

"I just ran into Mir on the street. That's all."

At this, she looked at me with an even darker gaze, trying to decipher my every word.

"Hmm~ What could have possibly happened with that outdated dragon that made you come in here like a completely different person?"

While she ridiculed Mir, her expression was not one of amusement, and I felt increasingly cornered.

"Tell me what happened."

The only answer I could give to that was, "I definitely can't."

She was already worked up just hearing about Mir. If I were to reveal the details of our encounter, I feared what might transpire.

If I had to summarize our encounter, I'd say that Mir had passionately kissed me. Moreover, we discussed that I'd have to endure such actions periodically.

Discussing this topic would be dangerous territory.

"Speak!"

The tone of her voice became harsher, pressuring me to reveal something.

The only statement that came to mind that might appease her was:

"I just sought her assistance with the curse. I've been struggling with it, and after her help, I felt better. Maybe that's why I seemed different to you."

At the mention of the word "curse", Erina tilted her head and then widened her eyes in shock.

"A curse? Harold, are you cursed?!"

The cold anger she displayed moments ago vanished, replaced by a sorrowful expression, tears even forming in her eyes. Ah... She probably doesn't know.

After all, I hadn't known either until I met Mir. It's only natural she'd react this way to the sudden revelation.

"Remember the last trial we underwent? I took a dagger hit in place of Mir. It seems that dagger was cursed..."

At this, Erina's expression shifted to one of shock, almost exaggeratedly so.

"My God... So the fit you had back then was because of the curse?"

"But it's okay. As I said, thanks to Mir's help, I'm much better now. Even though a complete cure seems impossible and I might have to endure periodic relapses, it's still much more manageable."

Although the diversion might have seemed a bit over the top, I felt relieved to have successfully redirected the conversation.

"So, you're saying the root problem hasn't been resolved... Don't we need to find a way to break the curse?"

The worry in her eyes weighed on me.

"Of course, we need to find a way. But the treatment Mir provided really works. It's not as bad as before."

I tried to reassure her with a faint smile, but Erina vehemently shook her head.

"No! This isn't something to be taken lightly. You remember how painful it was back then, don't you?"

She had a point, so I tried to calm her down as she grew increasingly agitated.

"Of course, I'm prioritizing finding a way to break the curse. Honestly, before meeting Mir, the frequent attacks made daily life impossible. But for now, I think I'll be okay."

Despite my words, she still looked somewhat uncertain.

Yet, I continued, "The change you sensed in me is probably due to my seriousness about wanting to break the curse as soon as possible."

Fortunately, she seemed to accept this explanation.

"Well, if that's the case, we have a clear plan now."

Erina squared her shoulders, looking determined.

"It's okay, Harold. I'm here with you. We've always tackled problems together."

Successfully diverting the conversation away from Mir, Erina now focused solely on the curse, which made me feel slightly guilty.

"Thank you, Erina."

She responded with a bittersweet smile.

"Why wouldn't I be? You've given my life meaning. It's the least I can do."

Although her words weighed heavily on me, I managed to bear them.

With Erina on my side, I felt we could easily navigate this challenge. Her unwavering support always bolstered my confidence.

"But how do we proceed? We have the objective to 'find a way to break the curse', but I'm not sure how to go about it."

Pondering, I scratched my head.

"I might not have much knowledge about black magic or similar fields... But it won't be as simple as beating up monsters, will it? Maybe we should go to the cathedral and seek guidance?"

Even if Erina wasn't sure of the path forward, her willingness to help was more than enough.

"For now, let's carry on as usual. Thanks to Mir, I'm not as worried about the attacks. There's no rush."

Though this might sound complacent, I tried to assure her with plausible words.

According to Mir, there might be clues among the heretics. No matter how reluctant, there was a storyline that intertwined with the heretics.

There wasn't much progress left until that storyline would be upon us. So, it might be more important to follow the main storyline centered around her rather than rushing off in search of a solution. "If you say so... Alright..."

She nodded, albeit with a hint of anxiety.

"We'll carry on as usual, but if the curse becomes too overwhelming, we'll immediately seek a solution, okay?"

I wanted to say that we should just continue as is, but without solid evidence to back that up, I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Yeah... So let's get our usual quests today."

With that, I headed towards the notice board.

But then...

"....?"

Suddenly, a pang in my heart made me pause.

I didn't know precisely what was happening, but I was certain of the sensation.

The pain from the curse.

Usually, the pain would be so intense that I'd writhe in agony, but thanks to the treatment Mir forcefully administered, the pain was now more of a slight discomfort.

"Harold, what's wrong?"

Erina seemed puzzled by my sudden halt, not knowing the reason.

Once again, I silently expressed gratitude towards Mir and continued my act.

"It's nothing, let's hurry."

Although the curse still lingered, thanks to Mir, it felt almost non-existent.

What should I say if we meet again?

And if we have to do the tasks we did today... my thoughts about Mir became intense.

I shook my head, erasing those thoughts and resumed my calm smile.

This should be fine... We can proceed with the story without worries for now.

Alright... Let's get ready for the next main chapter.

Within the game, there were three chapters in the overarching main story.

The first was the initial part, where our current guild was the main setting.

The second signaled the middle of the story, which would be set in the academy and involve heretic investigations.

The third and final part would take us to another continent.

My main focus now was the academy, the middle chapter.

As mentioned earlier, in the academy chapter, I would need to interact with countless heretics.

Thus, being cursed at this time might be a blessing in disguise.

Though we're still in the first chapter, we're approaching the end, and not much remains before we start the second chapter at the academy.

I need to hurry...

As much as I wanted to be serious, I wondered how I ended up in this situation.

The next quest seemed entirely out of place.

"Harold!"

From a distance, a cute red-haired girl ran towards me, waving.

"How do I look?!"

Erina twirled around, seeking my opinion.

"Won't you look at me too? Why are you only focusing on her?"

Mir, too, was desperately trying to catch my attention.

Both were dressed so provocatively that I didn't know where to look.

"The beach feels so refreshing today! The cool breeze is invigorating!"

Right before my eyes, the two girls were wearing provocative swimsuits, clinging to me.

Even if our quest location was a beach, it felt more like a vacation than a mission.

Just two hours ago, I was worried about our situation, but now the mood was entirely different, and I was flustered.

"So, Harold! What do you think of my swimsuit?"

Growing impatient with my lack of response, she grabbed my arm.

"Look at me too!"

Mir, feeling left out, clung to my other arm, further complicating matters.

A comical 'boing' sound seemed to echo in my ears, and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Where should I look...

"Let's go into the water together!"

"Me too, look at me!"

Both of them, each in their respective bikinis, pressed against me, making it almost impossible to keep my eyes open...