I Healed the Cold Dark Goddess’s Loneliness, and Now She Won’t Let Me Go! - Chapter 6

Having had Lady Reine generate every seasoning I could think of, and feeling good about the progress in our relationship, I was heading back to Mina’s or rather, the Village Chief’s house when I heard raised voices on the road.

“I hate this place! I’m leaving!”

“Don’t say such reckless things! Are you really going to abandon this village?”

It was the voices of a young man and an older man. From the looks of it, it was a fight between father and son.

“Lord Sulug’s domain is lively and bright. It’s the total opposite of this gloomy village! Nothing good ever happens here!”

“Even so, this is your home! It’s only because of Lady Reine’s protection that you.”

“Protection? I’ve heard rumors that Lord Sulug gives even greater protection! We’re going to Lord Sulug’s place!”

“Linda, you’re saying you’re leaving too?”

“…Yeah. I’m sorry…”

Standing beside the young man was a girl my age, looking apologetic. They seemed like a couple; the argument felt exactly like two people fighting with their parents about moving to the big city.

If I could, I wanted to stop the fight, but as someone who knows nothing and is being treated as a Shrine Maiden, my interference would probably just complicate things. Thinking that, I quietly made my way back to Mina-chan.

“Haruno-san! Welcome back! …Um, what are those?”

Mina-chan greeted me and immediately asked about the various seasonings I was cradling in my arms.

“Heh-heh~ These? These are, you see… well…”

I intended to brag a bit, but I fumbled for words, unsure of how to explain. Lady Reine already knew the truth, but it was probably better to keep the “other world” stuff a secret from Mina-chan and the rest of the villagers for now.

“R-Right! They’re a blessing from Lady Reine!”

“A blessing…!?”

“She gave them to me in exchange for the food I offered! She told me to use these to work even harder on my cooking.”

“Wh… Lady Reine gave you items never seen before as a reward…!? Haruno-san, you truly are…”

As I spun this plausible cover story, Mina-chan’s eyes filled with more and more respect. Ugh, it’s a lie, though I really just pestered her for them… my conscience hurts!

“Th-this is a major event…! I have to tell Grandfather, the Chief at once…!”

“Wait, wait, wait!”

“? Is something wrong?”

“Well, it seems Lady Reine doesn’t want a big fuss made about it. So, I’d like you to keep this a secret…”

The truth was, these were things I received personally, and I just didn’t want to cause a scene.

“I understand. If you say so, Haruno-san.”

Mina-chan obeyed with such sincerity that it made my heart ache even more. I’ll make sure we eat some delicious food with these seasonings together, okay…?

“Anyway, changing the subject… on my way back, I saw some villagers having a fight…”

I asked Mina-chan about what had been bothering me. She explained with a lamenting expression.

“…It happens often.”

“Often?”

“I’ve heard that lately, many young people yearn for Lord Sulug’s domain and choose to leave.”

Lord Sulug. I knew that name. He was the counterpart to Reine, the Male God of Light who split the world with her. In the game Contrast, he played a vital role in guiding the protagonist, so I knew his personality. If he was like the game, he was essentially “Light” itself like the best parts of the sun personified. Honestly, it was no wonder he was more popular than Lady Reine.

“Mina-chan, is Lord Sulug’s domain really that popular?”

Mina-chan’s expression turned complex as I asked.

“Yes. In Lord Sulug’s domain, there are large cities and many villages, and people live with great vitality. Besides, Lord Sulug occasionally visits this domain to check on things and every time he does, more people are drawn to his character.”

“Wait, what!? Lord Sulug comes to the Domain of Darkness!?”

“Y-yes. While visiting Lady Reine, he treats us with kindness and concern, without any discrimination.”

“Whoa…”

Certainly, the Sulug I knew would be kind even to those not from his own domain. Objectively speaking, I could understand why young people would choose him over Lady Reine, who seemed to only communicate through methods like sacrifice.

But wait, so Lord Sulug comes to see Lady Reine? Unlike the era of the game, are they actually on good terms right now?

“To be honest, I also feel that Lord Sulug is more trustworthy than Lady Reine.”

“Ah, hey, wait a minute…”

“? What is it?”

I suspected that Lady Reine could hear this conversation even now. I worried that such a comment might sour her mood but then again, if that were the case, the couple I saw earlier would have been in serious trouble.

“Um… does Lady Reine do anything to the people who leave like that?”

Mina-chan shook her head.

“I’ve never heard of punishment befalling those who depart.”

“I see…”

That was actually a bit surprising. Lady Reine demanded sacrifices to ensure humans didn’t forget their gratitude, yet she did nothing to those who actually abandoned the village to serve another God.

“Alright… I’ve decided. I won’t get anywhere just thinking about it, so next time I see Lady Reine, I’ll try to ask her about it casually.”

“What!? To ask Lady Reine something like that directly…!”

“It’ll be fine. If you just talk to her, she’ll answer. She’s actually quite kind.”

Even as I smiled, the worry didn’t leave Mina-chan’s face. I suppose the “Lady Reine” I talk about doesn’t match the image of the Goddess she’s known her whole life. …Maybe I should take her with me to see Lady Reine next time?