by Fujino Omori
“…I found my way to this village. I was unable to cast away the life that she had saved.”
After he met several others who had walked a similar path, they took him in with open arms. Crying tears of joy, he decided that he would one day be buried here. The Status on his back had been sealed due to the fact that his goddess was no longer in this realm—and he left it alone as the only remnant of the bond they once shared. He committed himself to the village that took him in and eventually attained the rank of village elder.
“…In that case, Rina and the others are…?”
“Adopted. Some of them lost their parents to the plague, others were abandoned…I took in every child who didn’t have a place to go.”
He admitted that he wasn’t related to any of his “sons and daughters” by blood.
Kam, who had sworn his love to a goddess but had been unable to protect her, couldn’t have a normal life, get married, and have kids of his own.
“Bell…please, please protect your goddess.”
He doesn’t need to ask me to do that because I fully intend to, but Kam does anyway.
“Cough!” He covers his mouth, and I take a worried step closer, but he just smiles at me.
“You must not live life with the regrets that I have.”
Now I finally understand why he was so protective of the goddess, so quick to welcome us into his home.
He saw his younger self in us when we arrived, and he helped us so that I wouldn’t go through the same loss he did.
That smile and his words make their way into my heart. They’ll stay there for a long time.
“…Blah…”
Hestia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and bored out of her mind.
“I can’t sleep anymore…”
The day was practically over. The last of the red sunlight in the sky was fading. Only dim light came in from the window, night descending on the view outside.
Hestia used her elbows to prop up her top half and sat up.
“Still no energy…But I’m better, probably.”
She looked down at herself, convinced that her drowsiness was the result of sleeping on and off for the past three days.
She wasn’t sick, and her appetite was alive and well. Hestia felt that the worst was behind her, and she didn’t have to take it easy anymore.
“Uph.” She started pulling up her sweaty shirt—a hand-me-down from Kam’s daughter that was tight across the chest. Her twin black ponytails, still messy from three days’ worth of bed head, swayed to and fro as she adjusted herself.
There came a knock at the door.
“Please excuse me…”
“Wall-Wallensomething…?”
Aiz stepped inside the room, holding a tray in her arms.
Hestia watched her approach with unblinking eyes. The blond girl set the tray on the table next to the bed, steam rising from a bowl of soup on top of it.
“Have you recovered…?”
“I-I’m fine, but…wh-where’s Bell?”
“Talking with the village elder, I think…”
The goddess asked why it was her and not Bell who came to check on her, and Aiz responded in a quiet voice.
Kam’s daughter had made the soup, but she was summoned to help with something outside. So she had asked Aiz to deliver it to Hestia in her place.
Hestia had been so surprised to see Aiz that only now did she notice what the girl was wearing. She practically gasped.
“Wall-Wallensomething, what’s with those clothes?”
“Rina lent them to me…”
“You trying to tempt Bell or something…?”
Hestia’s body shook, a vein bulging in her forehead. Aiz, on the other hand, tilted her head in confusion.
Hestia knew. She knew that the boy liked the simple charming appeal of the girl-next-door type.
One look at the female knight standing in front of her, dressed like thisBell blushed more times today than he does in a year, no doubt about it!
“Grrrr…” Hestia growled under her breath, on the verge of divulging her thoughts on the matter when it was neither the time nor the place to do so. But then she realized this was her chance and changed her mind. There was something she wanted to find out once and for all.
“Have a seat, Wallensomething.”
“?”
Seeing the goddess flick her wrist toward a chair next to the bed, Aiz did as she was told.
“For starters…Thank you for saving me. Sorry you had to get mixed up in this.”
“It’s noth—”
“—But, and this is important, what do you think of my Bell?”
“What do I think…?”
“You know, it’s that, um…! How do you see him? What’s your impression?”
Hestia couldn’t ask her directly if she had feelings for the boy. She tried but ended up blushing too hard and tripping over her own words.
No matter how doll-like Aiz’s aloof expression was, it was impossible to lie to a deity.
Hestia cast her divine gaze onto the human girl, determined to find out what emotion was lurking inside her heart.
Under the goddess’s intense gaze, Aiz casually looked up at the ceiling and gave the question some thought. She answered after a few moments of heavy silence.
“…A rabbit?”
Hestia closed her eyes and nodded decisively upon hearing her answer.
“I always believed in you.”
“…?”
Thump, thump. Hestia reached out and petted Aiz a few times on the shoulder.
Although the answer was a little bit out there, she now had proof that Aiz didn’t see Bell as a man—that is, a member of the opposite gender. Her spirits lifted immeasurably.
“But be warned, don’t be too nice to him. While I agree that rabbits are very cute, if you’re too nice to him, it’ll go to his head. That’ll be nothing but trouble.”
“Under…stood…?”
Aiz once again tilted her head, not comprehending what the deity was telling her even as Hestia continued to enthusiastically pat her shoulder.
“Oh, My Lady, are you feeling well?”
That’s when Kam’s daughter appeared at the doorway. “Very much so, thanks to you,” said Hestia with a genuine smile to the girl who came to see how she was doing.
“You seem to be sweating. Shall I prepare a change of clothes for you?”
“Hmm, that might be a good idea…”
Rina handed Hestia a towel and a glass of water as the goddess considered taking her up on the offer. She stopped in her tracks.
One quick glance at Aiz’s outfit, and her eyes flashed with the spark of an idea.
“Sorry, but may I make one more selfish request?”
“The festival has already started…”
Kam and I talked for a long time, much longer than I thought we would. I take a look out the closest window when I finally leave his room, and my jaw drops at what I see.
It looks like the dead of night outside, and all the villagers have gathered in the main square. Everyone’s talking, having a good time as logs are being assembled to make a bonfire.
My muscles relax as memories of the festivals in my home village come to the surface. Feeling nostalgic, I start walking to the guest room where the goddess is resting.
“Bell!”
“What, Goddess—eh?”
She’s in the hallway, right in front of me, and wearing something that takes my breath away.
It’s almost the same outfit that Aiz is wearing. But instead of the red colors that made her stand out, the goddess is wearing a more calm blue—although it looks like she forced herself into that blouse. I can almost hear those buttons in front of her chest screaming…
Standing next to Aiz like this, the two of them might as well be sisters.
“Hee-hee, so? How do I look?”
“You look great, but…are you sure it’s okay to be out of bed?”
Yes, she looks really cute, and the butte
rflies are back, but my concern for her well-being is a little bit stronger right now. “Yep, I’m sure!” she says with a grin. Apparently, she made a special request, and Rina went out of her way to help.
Kam’s daughter is standing by her shoulder opposite to Aiz, smiling just as wide.
“Since you are once again in good health, My Lady, why don’t you come watch the festivities?”
The goddess immediately accepts her invitation.
Maybe it’s because she’s been in bed for so long, but she seems excited about the idea and yells, “I’d love to come!” I’m still worried about her, though. She should be getting some rest, but in the end I join her and Aiz as Rina leads the three of us out of the house.
“Um, are you sure this is a good idea, Goddess? You shouldn’t push yourself just yet…”
“I’m fine! After spending so much time so close to you, I’d be worried if I didn’t get better!”
She claims that staying in that room would make her feel worse. Seeing her giddy like this is making me only more concerned.
She looks fine, but…maybe I’m being overprotective after hearing Kam’s story. I’m still thinking it over as we arrive in the village square.
“…!”
“Now, this is nice!”
“…Gorgeous.”
The bonfire is already burning bright as all three of us voice our reactions in turn. The tables surrounding the bonfire are covered with a wide variety of food. The villagers see us coming and wave while holding their drinks in the other hand.
The goddess and Aiz bask in the warmth of the festival sprawled out in front of us. This energy is infectious; even I’m getting drawn in.
“Ah! My Lady!”
“Are you feeling well enough to be outside?”
Several villagers gather around us.
The goddess has been bedridden for days, and everyone is worried about her. At first, Hestia is overwhelmed by all the men and women voicing their concerns, but it doesn’t take her long to start thanking them and smiling.
News of her recovery rapidly makes its way through the square as the festival starts to feel more like a celebration. Aiz and I get swept up in it, along with the goddess.
“So, My Lady, why did you come this far into the Beor Mountains?”
“Word is you got lost. Is it true?”
The villagers start pressing for details.
The three of us do our best to answer them as the villagers form a ring around us. I almost forgot; we’re supposed to be in hiding. What if all this noise and the bonfire give away our position to the Rakian soldiers? This village might be hidden deep in a valley surrounded by mountains, but this bonfire would be easy to find…I glance at Aiz. She notices me and lightly shakes her head, as though she’s thinking the same thing. A bead of cold sweat runs down my neck.
Orario’s Alliance would have found them by now, and even if they haven’t, I doubt that the Rakian army would stay in the mountains for three days in the first place…
“The truth is, an idiotic god took us for a wild ride. Then again, this whole mess started because I ran away from home—.”
The goddess says that much before freezing on the spot. “Ah.” The sound comes out of my mouth as I remember, too.
That’s right, Hestia and I were fighting—well, not really, but something close to it.
The goddess slowly turns my way, craning her neck. A jolt runs through my body, and I quickly look away.
The villagers and Aiz stare at us with bewilderment.
N-not good! I have to apologize, and quickly…!
An apology might not solve the problem, but it certainly won’t hurt. Glance, glance. The goddess is looking around, waiting for me to make a move.
I scramble to come up with the right words, to make an apology here and now, when…
“Oh…?”
People are singing.
It’s an upbeat melody, and others are clapping along to the beat. I look past the people surrounding us toward the bonfire and see pairs of men and women starting to dance in the crackling light.
“Is that this village’s traditional dance? Most of the dancers seem young…”
“Ahhh, you see…”
The goddess notices, too, and has a look. Just as she said, the villagers dancing around the fire right now are a mix of humans, elves, dwarves, and animal people, but the one thing they have in common is youth. Well, that and their shy smiles.
An older gentleman answers the goddess’s question for us with a dry grin on his face.
“It’s not a law of our village by any means…but it’s said that when an unmarried man invites a woman to dance during the festival, it’s the same as a confession of love. Should she accept, the two shall be blessed with a lifetime of happiness as lovers. Or at least that’s how the story goes…”
“O-oh?”
His explanation fascinates me. For some reason, the goddess starts fidgeting.
“Please dance with us, Goddess! Today is our fertility festival, after all!”
“Please bestow us with a bounty of blessings!”
Several villagers use the start of the dance as an excuse to approach the goddess and say their wishes.
I don’t think Lady Hestia has any power over fertility, but…this might be the first time they’ve seen a deity in person, so they’re probably all the same to the locals. In any case, they ask her for good fortune.
Surrounded by villagers, the goddess closes her eyes and, “Ah-hem,” clears her throat.
Step, step, step. She slides over to me with shifty feet.
“Oh—Bell? It looks like there’s an urgent need for me to fulfill my role as a goddess, you know…So, eh, yeah.”
Her face is turning red, redder than the warm light coming from the bonfire on her face. Actually, I’d say she seems nervous.
“If you’ll dance with me…I’ll consider that incident to be water under the bridge.”
I blink a few times.
Almost as if on cue, the villagers surrounding us start happily whispering to one another.
My shoulders jump the moment I realize their excitement means it will be extremely difficult for me to turn her down. Well, if she’s willing to let the problem slide if I dance with her, then yes, that’s what I want…And also, I might enjoy dancing with the goddess.
Fulfilling her role as a goddess will help these people, too, so I fight back my nerves—and put up with the burning sensation in my cheeks. Then I nod to the goddess.
“All right…I’ll dance with you, Goddess.”
But for some reason, her cheeks are pulling back into a smug grin. This is what she wanted, isn’t it? Why does she look annoyed?
“If you’re going to invite me to dance, do it right, Bell. Like you did with Wallensomething at Apollo’s Banquet, when you invited her to dance.”
I freeze, my eyes wide. Aiz, standing right next to me, does the same.
The burning feeling in my cheeks grows to an inferno. My body jerks toward Aiz. She’s still got that puzzlement in her eyes, tilting her head to the side.
W-well, it is true that I danced with her during Apollo’s Banquet of the Gods, but…!
“There’s a line you have to say at times like this, isn’t there, Bell?” says the goddess, looking at me through half-open eyes. Meanwhile, I’m shrinking away from her, my skin pulsing red.
“But…but, Goddess…!”
“It’s your job to start things off right by setting the mood. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
She seals off my only hope of escape by appealing to the villagers surrounding us.
I can’t go against the wishes of people who want her to be happy. All of them are nodding, urging me to take the first step.
I glance over at Aiz with sweat rolling down my face…She’s staring back at me. It’s almost like she’s waiting to hear my answer.
I feel like I’m surrounded on all sides, trapped in a pincer of monumental proportions…but in the end, I ca
n’t go against the goddess.
“…W-would…would you dance with me, Goddess?”
I bring my hands together in front of my red face. The goddess looks back up at me with a satisfied smile that stretches all the way across her face.
“Whoa!”
Her thin, soft fingers wrap around my wrist.
She leads me by the hand, almost like a child, toward the bonfire.
The villagers give us an energetic send-off—I can’t see Aiz’s face, though—and we join the ring of young men and women.
Holding each other’s hands, we start to mimic the movements of the folk dance already in progress.
“Th-this is pretty hard.”
“Ah, aha-ha-ha-ha…”
“Bell, would you take the lead so I can focus on building up my divine energy?”
I’m trying to pick up the dance without staring at the couples around us, but it’s not as easy as it looks. The two of us awkwardly drift around the bonfire with the rest of the dancers. I feel like a fish out of water, but the goddess seems so happy, dancing away with her hands in mine.
The light of the bonfire illuminating half her beautiful face, the skin beneath her villager’s clothing is bright red. We spin around in time with the beat, and I feel the heat of the flames on my cheeks. However, I don’t think that’s the real reason my body feels so hot.
She smiles at me, so genuinely happy. I can’t help but do the same.
Sparks from the bonfire dance high into the air. Our shadows drift across the trees and nearby mountainsides. I feel her warmth through my hands.
The older villagers are watching us, singing and clapping along as we continue to dance.
“Whew…”
My dance with the goddess around the bonfire doesn’t conclude until after many, many more verses.
Finally satisfied, the goddess releases me and goes to join a group of kids trying to learn the steps to the folk dance.
I start to ask her not to push herself…but one look at the kids’ excitement and I hold my tongue.
A smile grows on my lips as I watch the goddess teach a little girl, probably of mixed descent, the dance. The joy on that kid’s face…She’s having the time of her life.
“Wait a minute, where’s Aiz…?”