I Healed the Cold Dark Goddess’s Loneliness, and Now She Won’t Let Me Go! - Chapter 13

Climbing the long flight of stairs to the temple, I mentally prepare myself.

Lady Reine is going to be in an incredibly foul mood. I hugged Mina-chan over and over, and then I talked forever with the village chief and the other villagers. Even though I just made that promise to her, I went and made her anxious right away. I mean, I never imagined her “jealousy threshold” would be so low… well, actually, I probably could have guessed. Yeah, I’m the one in the wrong here.

“But in the end, there’s only one thing to do.”

I reach the top of the stairs and stand in the empty lower level of the temple. Just as I’m about to call out as usual, my vision shifts before I can even make a sound. I’m pulled up into the upper sanctum.

The expression on Lady Reine’s face as she appears before me isn’t so much anger as it is a mix of anxiety and loneliness. The look of a wounded child.

“…You’re late.”

The words drop softly between us. I start to say I’m sorry, but I stop. Words can wait. I feel like I should show her with my actions first and more than that, it’s what I want to do.

“Lady Reine!”

Without a second thought, I run to her and throw my arms around her cold body, hugging her tight.

“——!?”

Her body stiffens for a moment. But I don’t let go. If anything, I hold her even tighter.

“Haruno…”

“I’m home. I could hear your voice, and I was lonely too, Lady Reine.”

“Huh!”

Seeing that look on her face makes me want to hold her. I intentionally avoid mentioning how upset she is and just pour out my honest feelings.

“…I… Haruno was… No!”

For a split second, I feel her hands touch my back, but she pulls them away immediately. It seems a simple hug isn’t enough to make her honest with me yet, but that brief moment makes me happy because I feel like I caught a glimpse of her true heart.

“D-don’t think I’ll be satisfied with just this! I am angry!”

“Did I make you anxious?”

“…”

Silence gives consent. With her pouty face, she seems to have her back up and has no intention of forgiving me easily.

“Oh, Lady Reine. I told you, didn’t I?”

“…Told me what.”

“That if you’re anxious, you can bind me until you feel safe.”

I whisper my resolve into her ear once more. I’m serious. I truly want to be her support.

“You can do it. With your power. You could change me so I can only see you. You’re so kind that you might not be able to do this to other people, but with me, it’s okay.”

“Haruno, to go that far…”

“I mean, it’s actually pretty scary but it’s a promise!”

When I convey my innermost feelings, her eyes waver violently.

“…Enough. Your feelings have reached me.”

“They have?”

“However, I shall say two things. First, do not treat your own heart so lightly. I know you do it for me, but… this is a problem of my own inability to trust you completely. I have not fallen so far as to be coddled to that extent.”

It seems she wants to tell me not to just give away the right to handle my entire self so easily. That said, my only real “selling point” is that resolve… but since she’s telling me to stop thinking like that, I guess I have to fix my attitude.

“Second, I truly do not wish to restrict your friendships too much, but beware of Mina.”

“Ah… well, it did seem like Mina-chan looked up to me more than I expected, but I don’t think there’s anything for you to worry about…”

“There is. She was intended to be a sacrifice; I am well aware of her upbringing and character. Based on that, I can declare with certainty: she is seriously aiming for you.”

Saying that, Lady Reine finally hugs me back. Her strength is intense, as if she has no intention of letting me escape.

“Whoa—”

“…It was the first time for her. To have someone treat her as casually as you do. Since then, she has begun to show expressions I have never seen before, and that she would desire you so strongly is… understandable.”

“Is it really like that?”

She’s the one who has watched over everything in the village, for better or worse. I’m sure her image of Mina-chan is more accurate than my impression. But even so, Mina-chan is just starting out. She’s a girl who can make friends and fit into the village from here on. So, it’s probably only a matter of time before I’m not “special” anymore. Ugh… saying that out loud makes me a little lonely.

“But even so, I want to monopolize you, Haruno. No matter what reasons Mina may have, I do not want to hand you over. I do not even want to permit you to smile at others.”

“…I’m happy. That you care about me that much.”

I mean it. I basically just said “I’ll do anything, so please take care of me,” so it’s almost strange to have such intense possessiveness directed at me. …I guess it just shows how precious having someone close to her is for Lady Reine.

We stay locked in that embrace for a while, but eventually, Lady Reine gently strokes my head with affection, then suddenly lifts me up and stands.

“Wait…!? Lady Reine!?”

My brain wonders how she’s doing this with arms that don’t look like they have a shred of muscle, but then I remember she’s a God and immediately accept it.

“Now, Haruno. We shall prepare your room.”

“Eh…? Ah…”

Come to think of it, we did agree that I’d be living here starting today, but this upper level of the temple… this place where she lives has absolutely nothing. There isn’t a single thing a human need to survive. It might be no problem for her, but it’s impossible for me.

“I shall transform this place however you wish. Envision what you need.”

“Oh, okay.”

I see. It’s like when she produced those seasonings; she’ll bring out whatever I imagine to set up the room. As I’m thinking that, her face suddenly moves closer, until finally, our foreheads are touching.

“Feh!?”

“What is it? Quickly, envision the things you like.”

“Even if you say that…!”

Calm down, stay calm, Haruno…! Let’s see, things needed for living… a bed, a desk, a chair… and then…

“Ah.”

The next things that come to mind are the Great Appliances whose value I realized all too well back home. A refrigerator, a washing machine, an air conditioner, lights, a microwave. Things that seem like they’d be useless here flash through my mind like a montage.

Eventually, Lady Reine pulls her face away. In the next instant, darkness gathers in the space before us and begins to take shape. Emerging from it is a refrigerator with a very familiar silhouette.

“O-ohhh…?”

It’s a plain white, two-door refrigerator, almost identical to the one I used to use. It sits sturdily on the temple floor. It’s so surreal or rather, such a mismatch for this setting that I can’t help but let out a noise.

“…It is surprising that humans have advanced to the point of creating such things.”

Even Lady Reine, who produced it, is staring at the fridge with interest. Her expression is tinged with genuine surprise and admiration.

“Ah, but we don’t have electricity… even if it’s here, it won’t run…”

Naturally, there’s no power grid here. There’s no way it would work as is… wait, would she have to manifest a power plant too…? As I’m trembling at the thought, she speaks.

“So it seems. It will not function like this, however…”

As she speaks, she approaches the fridge and gently places her hand on its surface.

“…I have understood the design philosophy.”

“Eh?”

An aura of darkness flows from her hand into the refrigerator. Suddenly, the hum of a motor echoes, and the fridge begins to run.

“Wha—!? How…?”

“I have restructured it using my power to perform the same function. This should pose no problem.”

The way she says it so casually, she really is a Goddess. So cool.

“We shall continue like this.”

“E-eh, right!”

From there, Lady Reine continues to read my images one after another, creating furniture and appliances in the upper sanctum. Everything I imagine takes form: furniture, decor—even a kitchen, bath, and toilet are installed with modern specifications.

“Um, excuse me… isn’t this a bit too much pampering? A-are you sure there isn’t some kind of catch?”

The treatment is so lavish I can’t help but feel anxious. Is it really okay for me to have all my wishes granted like this?

“Do not worry about it. For my Haruno, these are trivial matters. Besides…”

“Besides…?”

“Well… I cannot send you back to your homeland. So, I thought I would at least give the room its atmosphere…”

“Lady Reine…!”

To think she’d go that far for me, she’s so kind. Also, “My Haruno”… hearing that again makes me feel pretty embarrassed.

“T-then, I’ll take you up on that!”

“Yes, do not hesitate.”

I went on to imagine every comfortable daily necessity I could think of. Lady Reine created them all, arranging them throughout the upper level.

Before I knew it, the once-barren upper sanctum had been transformed into something like a room in a luxury apartment, a space far more comfortable than my room back in my original world.

“Is this sufficient?”

“Y-yes! Thank you so much!”

Satisfied, Lady Reine nods and sets me down on the newly created bed, giving me a gentle smile.

…She really is kind. Thinking this right now might make it seem like I’ve been bought with material things, but from the bottom of my heart, I’m glad I became Lady Reine’s Priestess.