After this, Chiaki and this... can I say strange goddess?

Honestly, I lack comparatives.

Anyway, those two went to sit down on a nearby bench.

Observing them I guess they have something familiar.

I try meanwhile to suppress my own aura to stop myself from turning this ethereal place into something evil.

Also, I stroke Kuri to prevent her from straying or coming too close to that goddess.

This puts her in a tranquil state so I can still concentrate on the other two.

I don't want to eavesdrop but have to admit that I'm halfway interested in the contents of that talk.

And so I eavesdrop.

Or rather an ear that grew close to them does so.

Which is a very literal form of dropping a hearing organ.

I couldn't control this as it's tied to my subconscious curiosity.

Even if I force it away another one directly replaces it.

So I have not much choice on this matter.

"So who was I?" (C)

"You were a person the word 'grand' applied to in every way. Your presence was like the sun, your smile enchanted the people, and your power and wisdom were unparalleled." (So)

Wisdom? Chiaki?

We're talking here about someone who was suggesting I should go jogging against my terminal sleep deprivation!

I admit she’s quite smart in school as it seems the answers just come on their own to her.

But I wouldn't consider that as wisdom.

"Wait! You're a goddess, right? Isn't this a bit above a human? How comes that you have such a high opinion about one? As if you were equals." (C)

"You shouldn't apply this kind of thought. You can believe me, in your demeanor and power you were absolutely outstanding." (So)

"It still does sound strange. I thought gods would be the ones getting worshipped." (C)

"Oh, believe me, you were worshipped. While it's true that you had just a human origin this doesn't mean you were insignificant. With the kind of soul you carry and your mastery over the divine arts, there wasn't too much setting you apart from a god. Also, there are cases of humans who not only were able to impress gods but also contract them as equals." (So)

"You had a contract with her?" (I)

Whoa, no reason to shoot me a death glare.

"Hey, don't be like that to Iori!" (C)

"You... I'm sorry, but demons are our natural enemies! Consuming life essence is the only primal instinct that drives them all. The urge to gather it and increase their own power makes them terrifying opponents. And their presence alone is turning the land into a poisonous hell of death and decay. We fought them together for centuries and now you're telling me you're siding with them. If I knew it would turn out like this I'd never made that promise." (So)

There was quite much at once now.

First, this is quite a rude description regarding how nice Kuri can be.

Yet I can't deny that it isn't healthy to breathe in her miasma.

Also, now I've gotten rather curious what exactly happened there.

And this is not only because a goddess tells the story.

"I already told ya that Iori is no demon!" (C)

"Even if that's the case, she absolutely doesn't belong here. Her simple existence will drown this world in chaos. Her release before spread her influence in the whole area and shattered the balance. I have no idea how many entities will perish before I'm able to restore it." (So)

Okay, I need to agree that this is bad.

"I'm sorry. I can't control this and everything is still rather new to me. I try to push it down most of the time." (I)

"And this shall soothe me? That something that just needs to have the wrong thought to end the world is clueless about what it even does?" (So)

"Hey, I'm really trying, and as far as I'm able to understand what I am you at least shouldn't antagonize me." (I)

For a moment I see fear.

Not really what I was aiming for to prove that I'm not bad.

"Hey, hey, you two! Stop fighting. Why don't you tell me about my former self? What kind of relationship we had, Soraja?" (C)

"Okay. You basically summoned me to help your country. The whole range of blessings. Bountiful harvests, wealth, good health for the people. I did a good job I need to say." (So)

"That sounds quite benevolent of you." (I)

"It wasn't purely altruistic. In exchange I became the official goddess of the land and was worshipped as such." (So)

"Is it like this: If no one believes in you you vanish?" (C)

"Not exactly. There is a relation but my base wouldn't cease to be just like this. Yet it's true that I gain my strength from the prayers and offerings. While I have no believers anymore I am still a goddess even if my domain shrank down to these few hectares of forest." (So)

"And now? Do you hope with Chiaki's help you can regain your old status?" (I)

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Sigh. It doesn't work like this. Today's faith is if anything just superficial. Nobody prays for a good harvest as their greatest desire and they don't plea to me for protection anymore." (So)

"Protection against what?" (C)

A glance to me and Kuri.

"Demons, what else? The only positive point of the general lack of tradition and the ridiculing of the old ways as superstition might be that this concerns demons as well. Most feed and form through fear after all. The human's lack of faith decreased the number of portals that open and the manifestation of thoughts." (So)

This is rather interesting to finally get some understanding of this crazy world.

"So demons were really bad, huh?" (C)

"That's an understatement. One could say they were mankind's sole threat. When they didn't slaughter each other. I simply don't know how to tell you how bad they are. You must've seen some of them by now." (So)

"Uh, yes it's true. I had a hard time for a while. But now it's better. Iori protects me and I'm learning how to control this energy inside me." (C)

"She might not be the perfect example but you need to know how cunning they can be. You cannot trust them!" (So)

"I even know some personally. I can testify that Kuri there has not a single bad thought. Then there is this other... Okay, she might not be the best example to prove my point but she didn't do anything to me and helped me out." (C)

Wow, if this isn't a panicked look.

"You, you let a demon help you!? Did you promise her anything in return?!" (So)

"Uh, no. It was a favor for Iori." (C)

Now I get the same look.

"Ehm, I may have promised her a favor. Is that very bad?" (I)

And now her look turns slowly into "we're all going to die".

"I, I am not too sure regarding you." (So)

"Until now she wasn't unreasonable and our only source of information regarding supernatural stuff." (I)

I'm sure Zika knows I won't help her to kill someone.

The goddess, Soraja was her name if I'm right, turns back to Chiaki.

"I really believe that it would be better to restore your memories. But this would go against my promise." (So)

"What kind of promise was this? You're mentioning it quite often." (C)

She shows a sad smile and proceeds.

"To let you die." (So)

"What?! Why would I want that? Or even ask that of you?" (C)

"Oh, this might have sounded a bit more drastic than it should. I didn't do anything. It's just... at one point you stopped to sustain your body with your lifeforce. The aging process set in and after insignificant fifty years you grew too old while denying all my offers to rejuvenate you." (So)

I hear the sadness in her voice and how hard it must've been to accept this.

"Why did I do this?" (C)

"You told me that a life that has no end is unnatural. Or in your words "It's no fun if you've already experienced everything at least once." You wanted to die to see the world with new eyes in a new life." (So)

"And what's this with the memories you want me to recover?" (C)

"If I'd do this you would probably hate me. You said that a new life is losing its value if it's just one of many. It's the same issue in another way." (So)

"Would I really be angry at you? Even if I ask?" (C)

"We're talking about so much time that would come back to you. While the soul is the base that stays the same, memories form it. You would probably mainly become the person you were, shaped by your experiences. And then remember that you asked me specifically not to do this." (So)

"And you still wanted to do this before?" (I)

"There are limits! One is when my great saint starts to associate with demons because she doesn't know better!" (So)

She really hates my guts, huh?

"Why don't you simply tell me a bit more about myself? Just some random stuff." (C)

"Fine, why not." (So)

After that, she tells some tales about her time as this godly saint thingy.

The stories are on one side far too fantastical, on the other they're disturbingly reminiscent of Chiaki.

Apparently at one time she pranked Soraja by coloring her temple completely in gold.

"Seems like we went through quite some stuff together. It must have been hard when it ended." (C)

"It's so frustrating! I even couldn't approach you on my own. Just when you regained some of your power. Like this, you came on your own volition. I knew she couldn't ignore my aura she knew so well." (So)

It might be more, that she like a child, or cat, ran after the levitating light.

"Why was Chiaki born so close to you? Isn't it a bit too much of a coincidence that you live so close to her? I mean she could live now in America or Europe. You're no stalker, right?" (I)

Now she looks guilty.

"I may or may not have used our bond through the contract we made to ensure that you wouldn't reincarnate too far away." (So)

So she's a stalker.

"Ehm, isn't that kinda against that promise?" (C)

"I never even approached you! The attraction is purely subliminal. Or would you really have wanted to live as a woman in Saudi Arabia, starving in Africa, or, urgh, be reborn as an American?" (So)

She almost spits the last part out.

I feel offended.

"Well, there are certainly worse places than Japan. I don't know how my former self thought about this but it's not too bad. And because of this I met Iori." (C)

Rather forced yourself into her life I need to say.

And did you have to embrace me like this?

"Sigh. You never change." (So)

"Okay, now that this is settled and you somewhat stopped trying to kill us, what do we do now with this situation?" (I)

"I would advise that you find yourself another realm, forget how to contact this one, and completely cut yourself off in an eternal slumber before you inevitably swallow worlds." (So)

"Hey!" (C)

"Okay, now about something that doesn't include me doing something that I'm definitely not going to do." (I)

"It was worth the attempt. But you know how much this world is at risk while you roam it?" (So)

"Not the slightest, but most don't bother to explain me anything. I had to figure everything out by myself." (I)

"I can't even imagine how many times we already were close to the collapse without noticing." (So)

"It went better than you believe." (I)

"What about that thing with your mother?" (C)

"That was an accident!" (I)

"What about what?" (So)

"She demonized her mother." (C)

Traitor!

"Kuri did it!" (I)

"Who assigned her?" (C)

"Grmph!" (I)

"Or your bathroom?" (C)

"It's not so simple!" (I)

"You could at least admit that you are troubled. Otherwise it's hard for others to help you." (C)

"Oh great, a troubled eternal horror." (So)

"I'm really trying! I just don't know what to tell my dad when he eventually will return from his business trip. Also, my mum's side of the family is pretty traditionalistic. They might have their issues with demons. God, the visit this year will be hell. And if I'm honest, we still don't know what to tell people if anyone asks us about Kuri. And at school, I'm constantly on edge if anyone might notice me doing something unnormal. But as long none of these things blows up I'm sure it will work out." (I)

Never thought I would see such a perplexed face on a goddess.

Or see a goddess in general while I'm at it.

"We are doomed." (So)

"Nah, if we help her everything will be fine." (C)

"All due respect to your optimism but if I weren't bound to this world I would have already left this sinking ship together with you." (So)

"This would be called kidnapping." (C)

While those two proceed to banter like old friends I look on my phone.

"Sigh. Chiaki, it was already late when we went here and tomorrow is a school day. We have to leave now." (I)

Then I address this goddess.

"Listen, I know you don't want to part, so is there any way to contact you? I doubt you have a phone number?" (I)

She turns to Chiaki and hands her a scroll.

"Here! This is something like a prayer. It's a bit weaker than a summoning ritual but it should suffice to establish contact. Please return. I could guide your training. It would be the least I can do." (So)

"What about me?" (I)

"Are you really an outer god? Don't you have your all-enveloping presence?" (So)

"What about a way aside from the things I don't want to think about and try to suppress." (I)

"You two already have enough. This much will suffice." (So)

If she had a phone she would certainly block me.