Chapter 12: Goddess of Protection
[space_man][space_man]I arrived at the deepest part of the cave. This place has a lower temperature compared to other areas. It’s not to the point where my breath turns white like it used to, but I can feel a chill in the air.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Suddenly, I look at a hole in the ground. It’s the place where the magic sword Tempera was stuck. Before Eld took the magic sword, many adventurers came to this cave and tried to pull out Tempera, but only a few could even touch the hilt. Even if they could grasp the hilt, only Eld was able to pull it out.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”We’ve come this far, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular change. Was the client just overthinking it?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]There are no visible changes, but considering the possibility that it might vary depending on the time of day, Eld decides to come back again later. As he turns towards the exit, he is suddenly struck by a feeling of floating.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Looking down, the ground that should be there is gone, and Eld feels himself falling into the hole.
[space_man]
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[space_man][space_man]The next thing he sees is a pale, bluish-white, empty space. He has the sensation of standing firmly on the ground, not floating in the air.
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[space_man][space_man]”Wh-where is this……?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld looks around.
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[space_man][space_man]”My, my…… Did someone come to a place like this?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Startled by a voice other than his own, Eld turns towards the source. There, floating in the air, is a woman. She has golden hair, which he has never seen before, and black eyes. White wings sprout from her back.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Oh my～? Why is there a human in a place like this? Did the barrier break? ……Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha! The barrier broke!! A～hahahahahahahahahahaha!!”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Eh…… Why are you laughing all by yourself…… It’s not even funny……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The woman suddenly bursts into laughter at her own words, which she herself declared not funny. Hearing this, Eld takes a step back.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld’s retreat wasn’t just because he was put off by the woman’s laughter. Golden hair, black eyes, and white wings. If this wasn’t a dream, then the 【Goddess】 he’d heard stories about was right before his eyes.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Most people cannot see Goddesses. Only a very few, perhaps one in hundreds of years, can see a Goddess and exchange words with her. The appearance described by those people perfectly matches the woman standing before him.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”A-are you…… a Goddess……?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]At Eld’s question, the 【Goddess】 stops laughing and looks at Eld.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That’s right. I am Aleamia, the Goddess of Protection. I was just taking a little nap during my break.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld ponders the fact that he, unexpectedly, is someone who can see a Goddess.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hmm. It seems you came here by chance. The path I took to get here happened to resonate with your magic power. You seem to have a tremendous amount of magic power for a human.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Aleamia floats and examines Eld’s entire body.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I see…… So how do I get back to where I was?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Huh? Humans are supposed to prostrate themselves when they see us, but you’re different.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Aleamia’s face is filled with astonishment.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”No, I’m not particularly interested in whether you’re a Goddess or whatever. I just want to go home quickly.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Eh～. You should at least have some tea since you’ve come all this way～.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld wonders what good it would do to have tea in a place like this.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’m sorry for disturbing your nap. I’ll just be on my way……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The Goddess stares intently at Eld.
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[space_man][space_man]”You are cursed, you know.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld is shocked by the sudden words.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”C-cursed!? By who!?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”The color is faint, so it’s hard to tell, but it’s probably from around your grandfather’s generation. It’s a curse on the level of eradicating the entire family, not just an individual.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]But, because a considerable price was paid in your Otou-san’s generation, it’s not something that would kill you in your generation. At most, you’ll lose your home. Does anything come to mind?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]He recalls being driven out of his home.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah, that look on your face means you’ve mostly figured it out. But rest assured. The curse that remains on you seems to have already been activated, so nothing more will happen. Well, there’s a chance the curse will be passed on to your children since some color remains.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Can’t that curse be lifted?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hmm…… It’s not impossible…… But even with its weakened power at the clan level, I don’t know if your life alone would be enough……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing that, he naturally declined.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I can protect you from the curse that was cast.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld is a little bewildered. How many times in the past has he prayed to the Goddess, only to have his prayers go unanswered?
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]He can’t count how many times he prayed for his birth mother’s recovery, for his father and stepmother’s safety.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Can you really…… do that……?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Of course. I am the Goddess of Protection, after all. When it comes to protection, I’m second to none.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Aleamia says, puffing out her chest.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing those words, the faces of his parents, who died despite his prayers, flash through Eld’s mind.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……Then why……”