I am back – Chapter 44

“So… this place is,”

Dana opened her mouth, looking around rather awkwardly, as if her usual confident demeanor had been left behind. For someone who always studied phenomena in nature, what was happening now felt entirely alien to her.

There were quite a few stories about this space, after all. Among the ancient sages, there were those whose faith was strong enough to directly converse with the Goddess, just like Pia, who was here with them.

But no matter how much they were told, even if one of them could draw, witnessing it in person was a different matter. It didn’t matter how magnificent her appearance was when described in illustrations; the feelings evoked could never be conveyed in such a way.

“I’m not really here in the conventional sense. Technically, there’s no way to be here alive. I just borrowed your consciousness for a moment. Someone said it was the Goddess’s power or something like that, but anyway, that’s the gist of it. For now, you can think of it as everyone dreaming the same dream from their respective perspectives.”

Of course, even after hearing that, many questions flooded in. Why could she see this scene so clearly when it wasn’t in her head?

Why did every sensation felt within this consciousness seem so vivid?

Of course, even if she asked more about it, a single word, “Goddess’s Power,” would leave her with nothing else to say. After all, even as a Mage, Divine Power wasn’t fully understood.

“So, who wants to start talking?”

It was confusing.

In fact, Pia was the only one who could accept the sight of the Goddess in front of her. For the other three, the appearance of the Goddess was… divine, of course. She radiated a beauty and an aura that felt untouchable. However, she looked a bit different from what they had always imagined.

The depictions of the Goddess in the Church always portrayed her as a high and authoritative being that one could never look at carelessly. In the Holy Bible, the Goddess’s speech was always compassionate and graceful.

“Well, that’s how the authority of the Church is preserved. The viewers naturally bow down, making it convenient for me.”

As if she had read their thoughts, the Goddess spoke that way.

“Anyway, we don’t have time, so let’s skip the formalities and just talk. Who’s going first? Or should I choose for you?”

Tap, tap, tap…

The Goddess’s fingers rhythmically tapped on the table. Kalia noticed not just boredom in her gesture but a kind of impatience. Of course, it was unlikely that the Goddess would show such feelings.

… Or maybe not? This was Kalia’s first encounter with the Goddess. After all, among the people in this world, only Pia and the Hero had the chance to meet her directly, so it was understandable.

Showing anxiety was something even noble humans wouldn’t do. Kalia thought the exalted Goddess couldn’t possibly display such emotions so directly.

And just as Kalia was lost in thought, her gaze met the Goddess’s.

“Alright, then let’s hear your story first.”

“Ah, yes!”

Within the Kingdom, there wasn’t a knight higher than Kalia now. In other words, Kalia was one of the highest-ranked soldiers in the Kingdom. She was used to being treated with respect wherever she went, so she had no reason to adopt that unwavering posture before anyone now.

However, the being in front of her was not just a ‘person.’

Persuade the Goddess.

Even the Goddess’s own words were weighing on her. What should she do?

Feeling a chill of sweat for the first time in a while, Kalia managed to open her mouth.

“The Hero, Siyun, has accomplished feats that no other human has ever achieved. In the Kingdom, or rather, among all the people in Irrelaysia, there is no one who can diminish Siyun’s achievements. We owe him so much, and thus, we have an obligation to repay him. Therefore, we hope to bring him back to our world… no, to the Goddess’s world.”

Making a correction at the end, Kalia finished her speech.

The Goddess didn’t hesitate to respond.

“You cannot just call back someone like him. It was me, the Goddess, who brought him here, and naturally, I should pay the price as well. And the price he desired has already been paid by me. He wished to return to the world he originally lived in, and so it has come to pass. He hoped to meet the ones he loved, and that too has come to be. Do you truly think he wanted to rise to a high position in your world? Or do you not realize that granting him a title would simply burden him with obligations?”

“….”

Kalia couldn’t respond. The Goddess’s majestic tone differed from what she had seen before, leaving her at a loss for words.

Because it was the truth.

He had never asked for anything from the world Kalia lived in. Helping others was simply the right thing to do, and he helped people because he had the ability to do so. Perhaps it was precisely because he was such a good person that many still remembered the Hero and gathered to pray, leading to such miracles.

“Y-But!”

Dana, who had been shrinking back, suddenly opened her mouth.

She was holding a tattered old notebook to her chest. It was the notebook about the language Siyun used while studying, written in his world.

“Even if you say you paid, it doesn’t mean we don’t owe him anything. We haven’t been able to repay him properly. Everything we gave him in that world was merely a means to defeat the Demon King, and we couldn’t provide him with anything beyond that. Now we have the means to do so. We can take our time to talk properly and give him what he wants.”

“You speak as though you know what he desires.”

Dana’s mouth opened slightly at the Goddess’s words.

And although she seemed about to say something, she soon hung her head weakly.

What he wanted didn’t include riches or power. Throughout his journey, all he truly thought about was defeating the Demon King.

Seeing Dana’s head sink further, the Goddess spoke slowly.

“… He claimed to be someone already dead.”

At the Goddess’s sudden words, Dana’s gaze lifted. A question arose in her eyes as she looked at the Goddess.

“He believed that being able to live again and accomplish such meaningful things was a rewarding life, and that in itself was already enough reward… or so he claimed.”

“….”

Yes.

He was that kind of person.

If he had achieved such deeds, no one would have blamed him for wanting something in return, even just a little. No, even if he made unreasonable demands, who would have dared to question it?

“The urge to tell him not to spout nonsense seemed to rise in my throat, but I had to hold it back. After all, I couldn’t bear to curse at someone who suffered so much because of me, a mere Goddess.”

However, the gaze of the Goddess speaking those words had narrowed. It was as if she was recalling an old memory.

“Then… next.”

The Goddess’s gaze shifted toward Arna.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“…….”

As the Goddess’s gaze turned, Arna bit her lower lip.

Arna had been silent for a long time. She was the one who had spoken harshly to the Goddess earlier. If the Goddess had been watching over the Hero, she would certainly have seen that part too.

Having blamed the Goddess for preventing the souls of the dead from finding peace and imposing burdens on them, Arna didn’t know what to say.

After all, it was the world that owed everything to the soul who could not find peace and bore the burden.

Even Arna and the Elves had indebted their entire lives to him.

Consequently, Arna knew that the Goddess’s choice had been the right one.

“That’s right.”

Although Arna had said nothing, the Goddess suddenly stated that.

Surprised, Arna lifted her gaze from the floor.

The Goddess was quietly looking at her, as if she knew what she was thinking.

And slowly, she opened her mouth to speak again.

“Your thoughts are correct.”

With those words, the Goddess’s gaze appeared sorrowful.

“That one should not bear the burden of the world simply for having met an unfortunate death without any wrongdoing. It was merely because he was incredibly kind that he accepted my request. No matter what additional rewards I give him, I can never repay that debt. I only wish that the reward I gave him can bring happiness to his remaining life.”

“…….”

Arna’s gaze slowly fell again. She could guess what the Goddess was about to say.

“But because of that, I wish for his remaining life to be uncomplicated and peaceful. I hope he does not get caught up in the complex power struggles and conflicts of your world. I hope he can meet someone he loves in the place he is reborn and live a happy life.”

The sadness in the Goddess’s voice was palpable.

Arna did not offer a single word of rebuttal.

Because she was the one who had said that his soul should find peace.