I Healed the Cold Dark Goddess’s Loneliness, and Now She Won’t Let Me Go! - Chapter 31

A light, carrying a warmth unlike that of the moon, poured down from the sky.

I… no, most of the people in our village, were seeing such a sight for the first time.

Grandfather called it the “Sun.” He said it was an existence that constantly illuminated the lands in the Domain of Light.

Why was it here, in the Domain of Darkness? No one had the answer to that question.

As confusion and anxiety gradually spread, that person appeared.

“Is everyone safe!?”

Lord Sulug. The male deity of the Domain of Light, the counterpart to Lady Reine. With the arrival of Lord Sulug, who is beloved even in our village, a sense of relief washed over everyone.

With a panicked expression I had never seen before, Lord Sulug explained the situation.

“Reine’s protection has vanished from this land, and my domain is encroaching this far. Honestly, even I cannot predict what will happen. For now, I need everyone to evacuate with me…”

To evacuate to the Domain of Light with Lord Sulug.

No one spoke up to object to his words.

Except for me.

“Please wait, Lord Sulug! Haruno-san is still…!”

“Huh… Mina-kun…”

When I mentioned Haruno-san’s name, Lord Sulug’s face visibly clouded over.

Feeling a sickening dread, I instinctively pressed him.

“Did something… did something happen!? To Haruno-san…!”

Straining his voice and clearing the bitterness from his face, Lord Sulug shouted.

“Haruno… the Priestess of Darkness, is even now alone, soothing Reine! She is fulfilling her duty as a Priestess!”

That response wasn’t meant for me.

It was incredibly effective; the voices of the villagers, who had grown to love Haruno-san and were anxious about her absence, shifted into voices of belief in her.

“Lord Sulug… that was a lie, wasn’t it…?”

“…”

When I asked in a whisper, Lord Sulug looked down and closed his eyes.

Taking that as a silent confirmation, my grip on my fists tightened.

“Answer me. Haruno-san is…!”

“She is… even now, fighting at Reine’s side…”

“Fighting? What do you mean…!”

“I’m sorry, Mina-kun. I am truly sorry… but even if I told you, there is nothing you could do…”

“Huh…!”

It felt as if the ground were crumbling beneath my feet. I have tasted this feeling of powerlessness so many times before.

Again… once again, I can’t do anything… anything at all for Haruno-san.

“I am worried about Haruno as well. Once I have secured your safety, I will head to her immediately. So please, follow me for now.”

“…I… understand…”

And so, led by Lord Sulug, we came to the cliff near the border of the Domain of Light, looking down at the other side.

As I watched Lord Sulug rush back, my heart was full of Haruno-san. I couldn’t bring myself to join the circle of people excited about seeing a “city” for the first time.

“Mina-chan, are you worried about the Priestess?”

Turning toward the voice, I saw a friend my age looking at me with concern.

“…Of course, I am.”

I replied, omitting the many overflowing emotions I felt. There were several others worried about me, but my responses were hollow. I couldn’t help it.

I was just so worried about Haruno-san. I wondered if Lady Reine was putting her through something terrible again. After some time had passed while I was lost in those thoughts…

It arrived.

“What is that…?”

A figure silhouetted against the sunlight, fluttering jet-black wings.

Pointing at her in the sky, voices rose up calling her pretty, beautiful.

Of course, she was. Because—because that was…!

“Mina-chaaaaann!”

“Haruno-san…!?”

It was Haruno-san. Without a doubt, Haruno-san was coming toward me. Carrying a divinity like a messenger of the gods, she landed right there and then collapsed into a posture that didn’t suit her appearance at all.

“Ha… haah… phewwwww… that was scary…!”

“Are you alright, Haruno?”

Lord Sulug, who landed a moment later, supported Haruno-san as she panted for breath.

“My eyes… the air made my eyes hurt…”

“Well… you’ll get used to that. You did a great job for your first flight.”

Having caught her breath, Haruno-san turned toward me once more.

I wanted to ask what happened to her, what that form was, so many things—but everything was blown away by Haruno-san’s next words.

“Mina-chan! I… I’ve ended up having to be sealed away with Lady Reine!”

“…Eh…?”

What did she just say? What did that mean?

To remove the danger of the Gods going on a rampage, and to move the era from Gods to humans, Lord Sulug would hand over his power to the people, and Lady Reine and Haruno-san would depart to a place where they would no longer affect this world. Such an agreement had apparently been made between Lord Sulug and Lady Reine. She explained many things like that, but most of it felt trivial. Because there was only one thing that mattered.

“Th-then Haruno-san is…!”

“I’ve been sealed with Lady Reine, too…”

“Huh!”

With an apologetic look, Haruno-san spoke the words I wanted her to deny most.

“Why…! Haruno-san, you’re always getting dragged into things! Lady Reine’s circumstances shouldn’t have anything to do with you!”

“M-Mina-chan…?”

“Are you okay with this!? Haruno-san, is this what you want!? Because if you do this, then Haruno-san, you and I…”

“…It’s goodbye, isn’t it?”

Goodbye. With a bashful, pained face, Haruno-san said it clearly. Ah… so that was it. I knew it. I knew Haruno-san wasn’t the type to lie at a time like this, but just for now, I wanted to hear different words.

“It’s wrong… it’s all wrong! Haruno-san, you’re always being jerked around by the Gods’ whims…!”

“…But you see. Lady Reine needs me.”

“…..”

Again. It was that again. Even though I met her first, Haruno-san is always thinking about Lady Reine.

“Then… then! I need Haruno-san too! If you’re not here… hic…”

I reflexively hugged her, weeping against her chest. I was a child, pure and simple. Clinging to her and troubling her, even though I could do nothing for her. But Haruno-san stroked my head. That alone warmed my heart. However…

“Mina-chan. That… it’s different now, isn’t it?”

“っ!”

Haruno-san turned her gaze toward the villagers watching us from a distance.

“You made friends, didn’t you?”

“That’s…!”

It was true. After I stepped down from the role of sacrifice, I began to live a normal life. And Haruno-san only appeared in the village once every five days. It had already been a year. Naturally, the number of people I could talk to had increased.

Friends I could laugh with. Adults other than the grandfather who looked after me. A warm place where people cared for me.

But none of that was a replacement for Haruno-san. All of it had been given to me by Haruno-san in the first place, and she… she was the only one who was special.

Just as I looked up to say that, Haruno-san spread her jet-black wings. Their sheer beauty stole my breath away.

“And you know, it’s not ‘nothing to do with me’ anymore. Lady Reine poured her power into me… I’m told I’m basically like a God now.”

“——”

Suddenly, Haruno-san felt like something far away. Even though she was right there, even though I could touch her, she felt distant like I was looking up at the moon or the stars.

“She said that if I stayed, it would be almost the same as Lady Reine staying, and it wouldn’t mean anything. That Gods and humans can’t stay together anymore.”

“A… God…”

A declaration that felt like all hope was being severed. And yet, looking at Haruno-san in that form, I found myself accepting it. A God from a different world than the one I live in. That was the kind of existence Haruno-san had become.

“So, it really is goodbye.”

“Yes…”

It was all I could do to squeeze out a trembling voice.

“…I’m sorry, Mina-chan.”

“Eh…?”

“The truth is I wanted to stay together longer. The time I spent with you was short, but… it was so, so precious to me.”

Haruno-san stroked my head. Just that gesture brought back all the days when she lived in my house.

“Mina-chan, you’re a good girl. You’re kind, and you try so hard. So, being loved so much by a girl like you made me truly happy. Honestly, it was more than I deserved… wait, uh, that’s not it… I want a girl like you to keep living happily from now on. If you can do that, nothing would make me happier.”

“Haruno-san…”

The tears wouldn’t stop. Because Haruno-san’s words were so kind, it hurt even more.

“Well, the current Mina-chan will be just fine even without me! You’re much more reliable than Lady Reine, after all!”

“That’s not… I’m not fine…”

There were mountain-loads of things I wanted to say, things I had to say. “Thank you,” and “Goodbye.” But it all got tangled deep in my chest, and I couldn’t put it into words.

“…Is that enough, Haruno?”

The words wouldn’t come out.

“…Ah—yes, Lord Sulug.”

“Now then, everyone. From here on, I intend to give you power, just like the people of my domain.”

While I remained unable to say anything, Lord Sulug moved the conversation forward. He said that the humans of the Domain of Light were given a power called magic. And that in handing over all power to humans, he would prioritize giving it to us, who had none.

“Then… if that’s the case!”

I shouted in the middle of his speech. Everyone’s gaze focused on me.

“I… I want Haruno-san’s power! Please give it to me!”

“Eeeh!? Mine!?”

Haruno-san was flustered by the unexpected request, but I pressed on. I wanted it so badly. Some proof of my bond with Haruno-san. Something that would remain in a tangible form, something that would let me feel her.

“Haruno-san, you said you were like a God now! Then you should be able to do it!”

“Can I do that!? Lord Sulug!?”

“It shouldn’t be impossible if I support you.”

“Please!”

With Lord Sulug’s blessing, I asked again. When I looked up, Haruno-san’s eyes were still wavering.

“Eh, but when Lady Reine did it to me, it was incredibly painful…”

“Then I want that too! Whatever Haruno-san endured, I…!”

“No, no, no, no!”

I couldn’t forgive it. That she had made Haruno-san suffer so much just to make her the same kind of existence. Even if it was impossible now, even if it was meaningless, I wanted to share that pain. I wanted to carry even a little bit of the same burden as Haruno-san.

“…Mina-kun. Transferring power beyond the limit involves unimaginable agony. But if it is only up to the very edge of that limit…”

“Please!”

And so, while the other villagers received Lord Sulug’s power, I alone received power not from Lady Reine, but from Haruno-san.

I held Haruno-san’s hand and felt her with my whole body. Lord Sulug stood behind me, apparently guaranteeing my safety to ensure nothing went wrong with my body.

It was warm. Haruno-san’s warmth. I never wanted to forget this sensation.

But then, a cold power of darkness flowed in from there, and my body began to scream. It hurt. It was agonizing. I almost let go of Haruno-san’s hand. We had promised that I would signal her if I couldn’t take it anymore, but I endured until the very limit.

Surely, this was nothing compared to what Haruno-san had endured. And… I didn’t want to be the one to let go of her hand.

“Mina-chan. …It’s over now.”

But even though I hadn’t given the signal, the pain ended abruptly. Haruno-san had been the one to let go.

“Haruno-san… why?”

” I could tell. You were pushing yourself, weren’t you? You’ve got sweat on your forehead. So, we’ll stop here.”

“You see… through everything, don’t you?”

With tears in my eyes, I looked up at her.

“But with this, I can stay connected to Haruno-san…”

“Yeah. We’ll be together forever.”

I felt power in my body. Even if it originally belonged to Lady Reine, this was something I had received from Haruno-san. As long as I had this, I would never forget her. I could never forget her.

Without even a moment to linger on the feeling, Lord Sulug finished distributing the power in an instant.

And then, Haruno-san was leaving.

Floating in the air with her wings spread, Haruno-san waved to me.

“Mina-chan! Take care!”

“Haruno-san…!”

At that moment, the things I wanted to say finally slid from my throat.

“I’ll never… I’ll never forget you! Haruno-san, I will love you… I will love you forever!”

I waved back desperately. The villagers were waving, too.

Haruno-san flying away was so beautiful; she surely left an impression on everyone here, but I must be the one who had her etched most deeply into my heart.

Just then, something fluttered in the center of my vision. A black feather. I picked up what Haruno-san must have dropped and clutched it tight.

Eventually, when I could no longer see Haruno-san’s back, I shed the most tears of my life.

I felt something strangely warm from the feather in my hand, and I understood that it was truly a part of Haruno-san. Somehow, I felt that with this treasure, I could walk forward alone.