The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

"Wow...!"

Spread out before me was a feast, mostly made up of various meats, but each dish was prepared with different ingredients and methods. Just looking at them made my mouth water.

"How is it? Isn't it generous for the price?! Of course, most of the students from our school are regulars at this restaurant."

Seeing my satisfied reaction, she smiled brightly.

It certainly smelled good enough to make one wonder, "Is this really the price?"

"Try it!"

I couldn't find a reason to refuse, so I grabbed a piece of meat in front of me and put it in my mouth.

With every bite, the juices flowed, and the flavors of the meat and seasonings harmoniously danced on my taste buds. The taste was so exquisite that it felt like I was eating a high-end dish.

The atmosphere of the restaurant felt somewhat like a pub. The food looked delicious but wasn't overly fancy, giving it an affordable feel. Yet it felt more comfortable for me than an aristocratic ambiance.

She smiled proudly at my review.

"I feel rewarded introducing you to this place!"

She smiled at me and then took a bite of her own food with a fork.

As we chatted and enjoyed our meal...

"By the way, Aris, I have something to ask..."

About halfway through our meal, I turned to her with a more serious tone. She seemed to catch on and looked back with a focused gaze.

I had several questions about why I had set up this meeting today.

"What is it? I'll tell you everything I know."

Aris smiled confidently.

Originally, Marika should have been here too. I thought it would be better to hear from both of them, but since Marika had unexpectedly left, I had to ask Aris.

"I heard some bad rumors about the academy... Do you know anything?"

The reason I came to this academy, something related to the Order...

According to the letter I received from Lady Morione, they believe that the souls of ancient gods reside in the academy's shadows.

Their objective was to resurrect their ancient god, and for that, they needed a young, strong body.

And there's no better place than an academy full of vibrant youths.

Recently, there have been rumors of students disappearing and sightings of strange villains.

Most shockingly, the academy's principal, Ms. Arsia, is alleged to be aiding them.

"Um..."

Aris gave a vague smile in response to my question. Did she know something?

"Well... I don't know for sure, but the mood in the class hasn't been great lately. There are rumors of a suspicious organization within, and the biggest issue might be the change in the principal..."

From her precise description, she might have more information than I do.

"Should I ask about Ms. Arsia?"

"Regarding her, I know better than anyone."

I felt like I was onto something big. It seemed she knew something about her...

"But I don't know why she changed like that."

My hopes were shattered.

However, something felt off. If it were just a simple student-principal relationship, there would be no need for such words. Her usage of the term "she" suggested a closer relationship than just a student and principal. "Why did you say you know the principal best?"

As I asked that, her smiling face shifted to one tinged with sadness.

"Most people don't know the principal's surname. Her full name is Arsia Vil Her..."

Vil Her?

That surname... it was Aris's surname...

"....?!"

A realization crossed my mind.

The same surname...?

Wait... does that mean...?

"She's your mother?!"

I asked with a mix of shock and speculation.

"Uhm..."

But she slightly shook her head, implying that wasn't the case.

It was a relief, in a way. If the principal had indeed been her mother, that would've been shocking on its own.

Now that I think about it, they do look similar...

"I guess most people would think that way, right?"

Aris's expression turned even sadder, as if she had anticipated my reaction.

"I was a part of her that broke off and saw the light of the world. Maybe I'm a sort of split spirit... She existed before me, the main body. So, she might be like a mother figure...?"

At first, I didn't understand what she meant.

Ordinary people wouldn't describe their birth in the way Aris did.

What she was saying sounded as if... she wasn't human, but a different species...

Aris is a split spirit of Principal Arsia?

Seeing her after knowing that fact, I noticed similarities between her and Principal Arsia.

"Can you explain in more detail?"

"If it were anyone else, I would've refused... but since it's you, Harold, I'll tell you."

With that, the atmosphere between us grew heavier.

"She is of the Spirit Clan. And I am something like a byproduct that separated from her for some reason..."

The Spirit Clan.

From what I knew, the Spirit Clan was one of the longest-lived races, created by ancient gods and considered as a sort of demigod. They were so rare that I had only heard about them. They are beings of pure magic and are said to possess powerful magic that can pierce mountains.

When I first met Principal Arsia, she mentioned that she appeared young due to her race's characteristics... Was she referring to this?

Thinking about it, a spirit being alive for such a long time, accumulating knowledge and wielding powerful magic, and rising to the position of principal of the academy, it all made sense.

And if Aris is derived from Arsia, who is of the Spirit Clan, is Aris also a spirit?

"Why did you separate? What was the reason?"

I overlooked the minor details and focused on her statement about being separated for some reason. Her response was a bit vague.

"I'm not sure... but I think it might have something to do with the suspicious organization that's causing the rumors in the school."

So, I have to either investigate the heretics or directly find out from Principal Arsia...

But this was enough information.

It felt like pieces of a puzzle were coming together.

The Spirit Clan created by the ancient gods and the Order worshiping the ancient gods... There was no evidence, but it felt right.

"Thanks for telling me. I feel like I ruined the mood... haha..."

Realizing that our conversation had made the atmosphere heavy and the food had gone cold...

But contrary to my awkward tone, she acted as if nothing happened.

"It's okay! Let's eat before it gets completely cold!"

I tried to match her and returned to the previous mood. We resumed our meal, and due to ordering excessively, we struggled to finish.

"It feels like I overate after such a long time..."

I managed to finish all the food.

I felt so full that it seemed like my stomach was about to burst.

At first, I thought of leaving some food, but since it was so tasty even when cold, I ended up eating more than usual...

"Was it good?"

In contrast to my discomfort from overeating, she smiled comfortably.

Aris, who eats much more than she looks... Next time I eat with her, I'll have to be more considerate. "Alright! Now that we're full, let's head over there!"

Before I could even respond, she excitedly took my hand, pulling me along like a child leading their parent. We ended up wandering around the main street, doing various activities.

We watched a play, strolled through a flower-filled park, and browsed various general and accessory stores.

Now, we were in a jewelry store, looking at various adornments...

"Wow! This is beautiful!"

Aris exclaimed, looking at a stunning silver pendant with more enthusiasm than she had for any other item. She seemed utterly captivated, not taking her eyes off the pendant as she picked it up with a gleam in her eye.

"How much is this?!"

She eagerly asked the shopkeeper about the price, but...

"5,000 Luins."

"Ugh... that's expensive!"

She muttered, taken aback by the price. She quickly covered her mouth, looking embarrassed. She glanced at me and awkwardly laughed before hastily leaving the store.

5,000 Luins... indeed, it was a steep price.

But thanks to the endless wealth bestowed upon me by Morione, it wasn't too burdensome for me. Recalling Aris's reaction earlier...

"I'll take this pendant for 5,000 Luins, please."

I decided to buy it as a gift for her, thinking she'd love it.

The shopkeeper, having received the correct payment, smirked mysteriously.

"Thank you, young man! She's your girlfriend, right?"

The shopkeeper jumped to quite the conclusion.

"Uh? No, she's not—"

"Ah, youth! It's a beautiful thing!"

Before I could correct him, he continued speaking, not giving me a chance to clarify.

"I'll give you another one for free!"

With that, he handed me two identical pendants.

"May your relationship last long!"

The shopkeeper, clearly under a major misconception, but since I got a free item, I decided to let it slide.

"Thank you."

After expressing my gratitude, I looked around for Aris, who had already moved quite a distance away. I sprinted after her, managing to catch up after an exhausting chase.

"Haha... I must be crazy..."

As I approached her, she was murmuring something, seemingly lost in thought.

"Going off and asking for the price of such an expensive item..."

It seemed she was talking about the pendant. Was the price that shocking to her? She looked more anxious than necessary for such a simple mistake.

"What if you'd left me alone, Aris?"

I tried to console her, but...

"Oh! What was I thinking? I'm sorry for leaving you behind!"

She finally snapped back to reality, looking surprised and genuinely remorseful. She gazed at me with puppy eyes, making me feel guilty for some reason.

"It's okay... But, here..."

I handed her the pendant I had bought earlier.

"It's a gift for you."

Seeing the shimmering silver pendant in my hand, she gasped.

"O...?!"

She stared at the pendant for a moment, seemingly trying to understand the situation.

"This...?!"

"Seeing how much you liked it, I bought it for you."

Her eyes welled up with tears, moved by the gesture.

"Really... for me?"

Although she double-checked, my answer was already clear.

"It's okay, just accept it."

"Harold..."

Overwhelmed with joy, she tightly gripped my hands, shaking them enthusiastically.

"Thank you! I was inexplicably drawn to it! I'm really, really grateful!"

Her reaction was even more enthusiastic than I expected, making me feel proud of my choice.

"Listen... I already got a gift and I feel a bit guilty... but I have a favor to ask."

Suddenly, she became serious and sat me down, swallowing nervously before asking for a favor. "A favor...?"

As I mumbled, she let go of my hand and leaned in a little closer, tilting her head.

"Could you... put it on for me?"

She looked at me with a slightly tense face.

"Alright."

Her pleading eyes made it hard to refuse, so I hung the pendant around her neck.

"I'm happy... I'll treasure this pendant."

At her words, I nodded and admired how the pendant looked even better on her than I imagined. It complemented her so well that I felt even more satisfied with my gift choice.

Hmm... It suits her well.

Just as I was about to continue our journey...

"Harold...!"

Aris, who had been silent for a moment, called me with a serious tone.

"Hmm?"

I tilted my head, curious about what she wanted to say, when suddenly...

Whoomph!

I felt a warm and weighty embrace.

Aris hugged me.

"Aris?!"

Her sudden action took me by surprise, and I hesitated, unsure of how to react as she held me even tighter.

"Thank you so much... You saved me and took care of me... And instead of repaying you, I even accepted a gift... I'll never forget this kindness..."

She poured out her feelings toward me.

"Ever since you saved me, I've felt strange... My heart races when I see you... It's like I'm going crazy...!"

Aris's mood shifted unexpectedly, and my instincts began to warn me of potential danger. It felt like my gift had inadvertently triggered a switch in her.

"Can you let go of me for a moment?"

I politely asked her to release me, but she continued to cling to me. I noticed her eyes were unfocused, as if she had lost her senses. Her pupils were slightly dilated, and I could sense a hint of madness in them.

"Being with Harold, who's so kind and warm... I think I fell for your kind heart at first sight...!"

She confessed, holding onto me even tighter.

Excuse me, Miss Aris?!

For some reason, Aris's breathing became ragged, and I instinctively knew I needed to get away quickly. She was dangerous now!

But even as I tried to escape, she held me firmly in place.

"Harold... You smell so good... It's intoxicating..."

Aris, in a daze, rubbed her face against my chest.

"Aris?!"

I called her name in shock, but it seemed she couldn't hear me.

A fleeting memory crossed my mind...

From what I knew, the spirit race had a particular vulnerability to intense emotions...

Was this the reason for Aris's behavior?

"Alright, just let go for a-"

I tried to resist, but for some reason, I couldn't overpower her.

Smack!

Suddenly, I felt a soft sensation on my cheek. It happened so fast I barely registered it.

"?!?!"

Aris was kissing my cheek. I was so stunned that for a moment, my mind went blank.

Her sudden surprise attack left me in such shock that I momentarily doubted reality.

But then...

Thud!

A heavy sound, like a metal tool falling, snapped me back to reality. As I regained my focus...

"Harold...?"

An unfamiliar voice murmured my name.

Who is it?

I turned towards the direction of the voice and...

"Huh...?"

A red-haired girl I'd never seen before was staring at us with a shocked expression.