Chapter 58
The goddess looking for a dwelling, a little passed noon, she encountered Izumi in the girls' dorm. For the goddess who wept as she begged for salvation, Izumi wiped her mouth and put her clothes in the laundry. And it was there that the former goddess' stomach let out a magnificent roar.
This is the school story of such a goddess…
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Dressing the goddess of growling stomach in her own clothes, Izumi led her to the girls' dorm cafeteria. The form of her leading the goddess by the hand made one imagine a parental figure. The former goddess nervously looked around as she showed interest in a dining hall different than the one in the boys' dorm.
"What's that!? They didn't have those cakes or sweets over there! The flan here even has whipped cream over it! Ah, but that cake looks nice too."
As the former goddess frolicked, Izumi gave a warm smile as she ordered a lunch set along with a cake. Unlike the boys' dorm, the food there was served with appearance in mind, with portions on the conservative side. But surprisingly, the most popular item on the menu was the heaping portion lunch set one wouldn't want to be caught eating in the world beyond.
The two found an empty table and took their seats. And as the goddess began eating, as expected, she soiled the area around her mouth.
"Over there, the taste is thick and the portions are plenty, but this isn't half bad… this cake is nice and sweet. The candy that Aleist kid brought doesn't hold a candle to it. From here on, I'll put a prerequisite on quality and… ah, I don't have a temple anymore."
As the goddess went through a cycle of delight and sorrow, Izumi occasionally stepped in to wipe off her mouth.
"I heard what happened from Rudel. I can't quite understand, but you've had your troubles… may I hear your name?"
"Name? … Don't have one of those."
Her cheeks stuffed with cake, she continued chowing down as she answered. As she never had one from the start, perhaps she never attached much importance to it, and Rudel didn't try to decide a name for her. When she said that to Izumi, Izumi let out a sigh.
"How very like Rudel. I'll put in a word, but if you do ever remember your name, please tell me."
While Izumi still didn't understand Rudel's story or what it meant to be a former goddess, perhaps she was right. Who would ever think this young girl eating cake with her mouth all dirty was a goddess?
"It's already this late? I'm sorry, but I have to go to class, so I'll guide you to the exit. I'll give your clothes to Rudel tomorrow or so. And you can have what you're wearing right now."
From the former goddess' story, she learned that Rudel didn't prepare much clothing for her, so Izumi decided to give her some of her own. How kind… the former goddess' heart was moved as she was led to the girls' dorm entrance where she parted with the Izumi. Forgetting her original objective, her stomach was full and she was going sleepy.
"Is there anywhere I can sleep?"
Still fearful of Fina in the girls' dorm, the former goddess sat on a bench some distance from the dorm. Noon had gone by, but the sunlight was still pleasantly warm, the weather weighing down on her eyelids…
"Good night…"
She ended up falling asleep alone.
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"H-huh? It's already evening! It's time for dinner!"
The former goddess woke to the sound of her own stomach, but the area was already beginning to grow dark. She had already forgotten her original objective, and she tried to return to the boys’ dorm, but… as the area grew dark, the feel it gave of changed, leaving her lost once again.
"As I recall, you go down this path… no, but it could be this one too. Urrgggh."
The former goddess felt she would burst into tears again. But there, some demi-humans appeared to surround her. In the darkening campus, the eyes of the demi-humans that looked as if they glowed startled her. Looking around to see what was going on…
"Ah, this woman has master's smell… what to do, I don't think I can let this pass."
"*Sniff*, that really is Rudel's smell."
"The smell of a strong male…"
Ness of the black cat tribe appeared as if emerging from the darkness, and this time girls of the tiger tribe began to saunter out. Ness' scary statement with her suspicious face, and the tiger tribe women over two meters in height surrounding her. Perhaps frightened by their talks of smell, the former goddess trembled as she looked for her path of escape.
As she did, this time, white cat Mii looked at the former goddess as she spoke.
"Ah, this person is Rudel-sama's pet who came by around noon. The princess said she was a junior apprentice, so we have to harshly drill in the pecking order. She was making quite a ruckus, so I remember it."
I'm saved! The goddess thought, but the demi-humans reacted to the contrary.
"Pet!? When he already has a slave in me, such a woman stays by Rudel-sama's side… unforgivable."
"I see, so I simply have to defeat her and take her place."
"Great thinking boss! You're a genius."
"That's definitely strange! That idea was definitely a fail. More importantly, just what is Rudel-sama supposed to be!?What did he do for things to come to… hey, white cat, can't you save me!?"
"… But the princess told me to be harsh on you…"
"What!? I-it couldn't be you're kin to that rude little girl!? She's followed me all the way here… at this rate, I really will be killlleeeedd!!!"
"I won't let you escape!"
"Chase her!"
"It's hunting timeee!!!"
Caring not for appearances, the former goddess fled. But the demi-humans, the women of the beastmen tribes were considerably fast on their feet, and even when the former goddess was running for dear life, they were gradually beginning to close the distance. What she recalled were the days when the people honored her, but by the black knight's unjust resentment, the people all stopped coming to the temple… it all flashed by like a revolving lantern.
"Wat's with you all!? Don't get any closer!!!"
As if the heavens had heard out the former goddess' plea, the demi-humans suddenly suppressed their bloodlust, slowing down the speed at which they gave chase. As the former goddess turned around in wonder, following Ness' lead, the tiger tribe girls were beginning to get their clothing in order. With gestures as if they were mindful of their appearance. The former goddess looked around to see what was going on.
As she hadn't come back, Rudel had come out to search for her, and he sotted him walking her way.
"So this is where you were. I was looking for you."
"U-uwaaaah!!!"
The former goddess cried as she jumped at Rudel. And Rudel pet her on the head. Once Rudel noticed Ness and the others, he came to a misunderstanding. That these feline girls had guided the lost former goddess all the way here…
"It seems I've caused you some trouble. I really am grateful. I know this child is quite a handful, "but you've really helped me out today.
Hearing those words, the demi-humans seemed delighted, and after exchanging a few more words with Rudel, they turned to leave. Rudel turned to look at the former goddess, but perhaps from relief, she had fallen asleep still clinging onto him. Lifting her up just like that, Rudel started off towards the boys' dorm.
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"A name?"
The former goddess had safely returned to Rudel's room. After finishing dinner, she jumped right into the bed there and leisurely relaxed.It was at that moment that Rudel spoke as if recalling something.
"That's right. No matter how you look at it, it's hard to address you. Izumi cautioned me on it… so I think it's time we decided your name."
Saying that, he showed the former goddess the name candidates put down on papers. The former goddess looked at the number of names, but she couldn't quite decide on her own. Sha hadn't used the very concept of names for a long time, but to start with, she couldn't understand letters. From when she was a goddess, her knowledge al came from what she saw and heard. But as a goddess, she was never taught.
For a goddess who would live an eternity, perhaps that would be fine, but this former goddess… perhaps she had grown conceited, as her knowledge load was lower that Rudel's. Rather, at the very point she couldn't read or write, she was considerably lacking in knowledge. Only learning what she liked, in her long years of storing information, it had become a bad habit.
"… I can't read. Read them to me, and if there's one I like, I'll make do with it."
"Are you really fine with that? Very well, then listen closely. I took in everyone's opinions, so first we have 'Granny' from Aleist, then we have, 'Useless' from Luecke, third we have 'Marin' from Eunius, and fourth we have 'Sakuya' from Izumi. Finally, I submitted 'Magamon'."
"Pass on Aleist! And the second is out of the question! Number three- Marin- isn't bad at all."
"Yeah, apparently, it's the name of the number one at the shop Eunius goes to."
"Number 1? What does that mean?"
"It's a place where older women pour you wine and look after you. For the popular ones, I get the feeling he said you could spend a fortune for a night…"
Marin was a lady from the saloon Eunius frequented. Rudel courteously explained to the goddess how she had become his favorite lately. And as Rudel seriously went into explanations on how it was part of the night service industry, the former goddess' face turned red as she refuted the name Marin with every fiber of her being.
"I-I'm a goddess! I haven't been tainted yet! Marin is rejected! It's definitely no good!"
"You think? Well if the one in question says that, then there's no helping it, but… I think it's something different from being tainted. How about Sakuya then? Since Izumi said it, I'll give my recommendation."
"It definitely is nice. But it doesn't fit my image, so I'll reject it. Since it's a name Izumi thought up, I'm hesitating, but images are important with goddesses, you know."
"Then that means you're Mogamon."
On Rudel's words, the former goddess jumped off the bed in protest. Why did it come to that? Her face seemed to say, but what's wrong? Rudel's face spoke as he looked perplexed at the former goddess' reaction.
"Why am I being forced into Mogamon!?"
"I told you to pick from the candidates. If the first four were no good, then naturally the last candidate is automatically selected. Good for you, Mogamon. Having a name is a good thing."
"In that case, give it a bit more thought before you put out the candidates!!!"
The former goddess and Rudel's debate continued a while more. And at the end, Rudel folded, and the former goddess' name selection was put on hold.