The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

"L...?"

Taken aback by her unexpected remark, I inadvertently blushed.

"What...?!"

The goddess in front of me seemed equally surprised, as if she had let slip something she shouldn't have.

I hadn't introduced myself, so how did she know my name?

However, at this moment, something else caught my attention.

It was the gaze of the goddess named Eleona.

She looked at me with a hint of skepticism, her eyes narrowing slightly, yet there was a deep longing and melancholic look in her eyes.

"Well... you see..."

"How do you know me?"

She remained silent in response to my obvious question.

"For now, let's move on. I have a question to ask."

At this, her complexion seemed to improve slightly.

"I'll tell you whatever I know."

This might not be the best question, but ever since I noticed the tent, I've had a burning curiosity and decided to ask.

"As far as I know, the stature of the tent a deity receives corresponds to their reputation."

While I had anticipated this, the tents varied in size, reflecting the popularity of the deity.

Deities with no known followers received smaller tents, while Goddess Abne's tent was so grand that it took up half the plaza.

But before I entered, the size of Eleona's tent was so modest, it was almost like a regular tent – just a bit roomier for a single person.

"Hmm..."

She seemed aware of this fact and appeared slightly uncomfortable. There was a sense she wanted to defend herself but was hesitant.

"To put it bluntly, your tent, Goddess Eleona, seems notably smaller compared to others... How many followers do you currently have?"

"Zero."

Her immediate response left me stunned.

"Pardon?"

The fact that she spoke of such a sensitive topic so openly made me question if I had heard her correctly.

Even if she was a forgotten deity, it's almost unheard of for a deity to have no followers at all. This would mean she possesses a feeble power, something embarrassing to admit...

"I exist in name only, a powerless deity. Currently, no one serves me, and naturally, no one resides in my temple except for me."

Yet, she seemed accustomed to this grim reality, looking almost pitiable.

"From the beginning, being so powerless, I didn't even have a place in the Royal Road. My temple is in a forest where no one goes."

But why...

Although she looked sad, there was something different about her focus.

"Well... there was a single human who served me up until recently... Of course, they have left me now..."

Her expression was not of mere sadness, but of yearning, like she was longing for someone precious, someone she could no longer meet.

"Where is that person now?"

In response to my question, Eleona gave a faint, sorrowful smile and whispered as if speaking to herself.

"I don't know... but I'm certain they are both much closer and much farther than I think."

Her cryptic words seemed to deepen the mysterious atmosphere.

"By any chance, the person who left you..."

It was clear that Goddess Eleona was mourning the loss of someone dear. It might be disrespectful to keep probing about such a painful matter, but...

Why...

I couldn't help but be curious about the follower who had abandoned Goddess Eleona.

This strange feeling of wanting to comfort her while feeling wary, I knew nothing about this person, their face, identity, or anything else... Why did I feel such sympathy and a desire to understand?

Considering that a deity, who has lived for such a long time and typically remains unemotional towards most events, is this saddened, that person must have deeply hurt her. Normally, one would feel animosity towards such a person, but... That follower must have had their reasons... there must have been an inevitable reason...

I wanted to sympathize with the person who left Goddess Eleona, making excuses for them.

"Do you hate them?"

At my question, she looked slightly surprised yet intrigued. After a brief silence, she smiled gently and replied,

"It's hard to explain, but there were complicated circumstances that led them to leave... I'm sad they're gone, but I understand."

It might be fortunate... at least she didn't seem to be filled with regret. Given that she herself acknowledged this, there wasn't much I could say.

"Anyway, why did you come to see me? If you have any wishes for this goddess without followers, tell me."

Sharing one's troubles with someone else can be comforting, and it seemed Goddess Eleona felt somewhat relieved after opening up to me about her feelings.

However, from her words and the lingering sorrow and longing in her eyes, I could tell that the single follower meant a lot to her. This stirred my curiosity.

"I'll do whatever I can to help," she said, urging me to explain my purpose. But in truth, I didn't have a specific request when I entered. Perhaps it was an inexplicable allure... By the time I gathered my thoughts, I was already inside. Not knowing what to say, a silence descended, making both the goddess and me feel awkward.

Should I just leave...? Or should I ask more about that follower?

Lost in these thoughts, the world suddenly became still.

Huh?

A sudden eerie sensation made my face contort, a cold, hair-raising silence enveloped me, and I felt as if I was submerged underwater.

The words "single... follower..." echoed in my mind.

Suddenly, a wave of pain surged through me.

"Argh?!"

This wasn't a new sensation, but a familiar yet unsettling pain... a pain I had experienced just an hour ago.

"What... what's happening? Are you okay?!"

Goddess Eleona, seeing me writhing in agony on the ground, looked panicked and concerned.

Why is my body reacting this way? Why does my head hurt when I think of specific words?!

My mind screamed with unanswered questions and continued pain.

"O... 009...!!"

But I couldn't cry out, thinking of those waiting for me outside and not wanting to alarm them. So, I just endured the pain.

Why is this happening... why does it hurt...? Something feels off... It feels like I'm recalling something... Then...

"Be at ease."

A calm voice pierced the situation, and my headache vanished instantly.

"Ugh.... Whew..."

I couldn't understand what had just happened. Why did the pain suddenly stop?

"Harold, are you okay?"

Another voice rang out, and as I looked up, I recognized...

"I'm glad I wasn't too late... I was worried when I sensed something happening to you."

It was my goddess, Morione.

"Goddess...? You were here too?"

She gently nodded in response and helped me up.

"Yes, how would I not know? I rushed here as soon as I sensed my precious follower in distress."

She gave a reassuring smile.

Only then did I begin to understand the situation.

So, to summarize, did Goddess Morione come to me because I was in pain for an unknown reason?

"Thank you, but what exactly happened..."

As I dusted off my clothes and responded with a smile, she gently shook her head. "There's no need to thank me. Caring for my cherished follower is a virtue of being a deity."

Goddess Morione's signature smile, which was familiar from my memories, made me feel genuinely comforted amidst the pain.

"But..."

However, her warm smile soon faded, and she looked ahead with deep caution.

"Promise."

She muttered a short word, its intent unclear.

"Uh..."

At that word, a mix of guilt and bewilderment began to surface in Goddess Eleona's demeanor.

Yet, that was it. She neither spoke nor expressed any other emotion, just exchanged a tense gaze with the goddess I served.

"Let's go, Harold... Since I'm here, there's something I want to discuss with you. Let's have some time alone in my tent."

Yet, after that heavy exchange of glances, Goddess Morione said so and, without waiting for my consent, grabbed my arm and began to pull me away.

I didn't have any reason to resist, but her unusually forceful demeanor caught me off guard.

"Wait...!"

But just before we exited the tent, a faint voice tinged with sorrow reached my ears.

"...?"

I turned my head to look back, and everything seemed to move in slow motion.

What I saw was the same sorrowful eyes from before, but now there was an added look of despair on Goddess Eleona's face. She was murmuring something, but it was too soft for me to hear.

"Don't..."

I couldn't read lips, but as she stared at me intently, I tried to decipher what she was saying.

"Lea..."

I couldn't figure it out.

"Don't leave..."

But one thing was clear.

"Harold..."

Goddess Eleona was looking at me with eyes filled with intense longing and pain.