After finishing three days of venting? my anger, the first thing I did upon returning home was, of course, an update.
Strength: - I 44 => H 101
Endurance: - I 55 => H 112
Agility: - I 38 => I 89
Dexterity: - I 34 => I 69
Magic: - I 5 => I 64
With a total increase of 249, as expected, it had grown tremendously.
"This is..."
Moreover, there was one more unexpected thing.
[Cognitive Shaping]
- If you understand it, the form is created.
- When engrossed, enters a state of shaping insight.
It was a new skill.
'So this must be the true nature of the gift I received back then.'
"If you understand it, the form is created..."
After carefully examining the new skill, the god hurriedly finished the update and began explaining about the skill.
"First, my intuition is that this skill seems to be of the type that activates when you create something. It's likely a method where if you understand the general shape and how it works, you get a correction when making it."
"...How can you understand that just from such a short description?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure of the exact reason, but gods can sense things about their children's skills or magic, including their effects and how to use them."
"Sense them?"
"To put it simply... it's like a kind of feeling."
"...I think I know what kind of feeling that is."
"Anyway, with a total increase over 200 and a new skill... It seems like the things we have to hide only increase as days go by..."
"Ahem... You know I'm not doing this on purpose, right?"
"...I wish you hadn't said that."
After finishing the update like that, I hurriedly tried to make something to test the new skill, but
"What were you thinking, going to the dungeon on the day you're supposed to cook..."
"Ah..."
As punishment for forgetting my promise and heading to the dungeon, I became the cooking duty for a week.
"Is there any food you'd like to eat?"
Well... since I've always enjoyed cooking, it didn't really feel like a punishment, but
"Hmm... How about the curry we had last time?"
"If I'm going to make it, let's do a different flavor than last time..."
It was a dish I had only made once because spices were expensive, but since I had earned a lot of money from the dungeon, curry was decided for tonight's dinner.
"There's still some time left. I should go buy the necessary spices first."
As I was preparing to go to the market to buy spices, Naza remembered something she had forgotten and spoke to me again, saying
"...Oh, and you don't have to worry about the debt anymore."
This was somewhat unexpected.
"...What?"
"I don't know what happened, but that damn old man Dian Cecht came to the shop yesterday. At first, I thought he was going to talk about money... but suddenly he started having this and that conversation with Lord Miach, then called for me."
"Senior? Wait, more than that, if it's not about money, why did he come here when he never visits otherwise?"
"He said he had some business nearby and stopped by for a bit. Anyway, Lord Miach said it was good timing and suggested that we repay the debt by supplying the Dual Potions I made to that old man Dian Cecht..."
"Dian Cecht isn't the type to pass up such an opportunity, so you must have accepted."
"Right, thanks to that, I don't have to prepare money every time for the biweekly visits anymore, that's what I mean..."
Naza made a somewhat smug expression, but since it was a sufficient achievement, I applauded and congratulated her.
"Wow! As expected, Senior, you've done something great."
"Hehe... So from now on, when you call me, don't call me Senior, call me Noona."
"Yes~ Senior, then I'll be going."
Lightly brushing off Naza's joke about calling her Noona, I hurriedly left the shop.
"Tch... Anyway, you're so unaffectionate..."
Upon leaving the shop, I could hear Naza's characteristic powerless voice, but I pretended not to hear it.
'My original age is 28, so calling an 18-year-old Naza "Noona" is a bit...'
Even if she were in her twenties, but since she's still a teenager, I felt some inexplicable resistance to calling her "big sister" or "brother."
"...I'll get used to it gradually."
After that, upon arriving at the market, I bought a bunch of spices needed for making curry and ingredients and spices I had wanted to buy but couldn't due to lack of money.
"Now, if I can just return without any incidents..."
But for some reason? My intuition was screaming that if I went forward now, I would surely get involved in an incident.
"...What day is it today?"
I looked around just in case, but all I could see were people enjoying the festival, and there were no particular problems.
"...Wait, festival?"
Since the first thing I saw after leaving the dungeon was monsters, I hadn't noticed, but thinking about it, there was an incident that happens on festival day.
"I'm sure it was the episode where the protagonist gets his专属 weapon..."
As expected, I could see Bell running in the distance, carrying a woman with black twin tails on his back.
"To forget this... I must have been really out of it due to memory issues."
After assessing the situation, I immediately approached Bell, and Bell, having noticed me, hurriedly came towards me.
"K-Kai! Please help my goddess!!"
As soon as Bell reached me, he showed me the unconscious goddess and asked for help, and I immediately checked Hestia's condition.
"Her breathing is slightly rough, but it's not a problem level, and her body temperature is normal, and her pulse has no particular issues."
I had given up on potion-making talent, but I was confident enough in medical knowledge and basic diagnosis since my mother is a doctor.
'Moreover, since the god of my Familia is a medical god, I can't not be able to do this.'
"T-then why did she suddenly collapse?"
"Simple overwork. The causes can vary, but judging from these dark circles that seem recent, I think the cause is lack of sleep."
"Simple overwork... I'm glad it's not serious..."
Upon hearing that it was fortunately simple overwork and being told not to worry, Bell's expression, which had looked as if the world had collapsed, instantly relaxed.
"Even if it's simple overwork, it's not good to keep carrying her in this state, so it would be better to ask somewhere nearby to let her lie down on a bed."
Although it was overwork, it wasn't that severe, so if she lay down on a bed and rested for a while, she would recover quickly, but unfortunately, my and Bell's homes were a bit far from here.
"Then, how about coming to our shop?"
Just as I was wondering what to do, a familiar voice came from behind. It was a voice with no malice at all, but for some reason, I got goosebumps for a moment.
"S-Syru?!"
The owner of the voice was none other than Syru, and as expected, right next to her was the elf employee as always.
"It's been a while since I've seen both of you."
"...Huh? Kai, why are you suddenly using formal speech?"
I had been speaking casually, thinking she was the same age as the protagonist, 14 years old, but I absolutely couldn't say that I found out she's actually a year younger at 13.
"There's a reason... for that."
As I awkwardly dodged the question, Syru made a mischievous smile, but
"Anyway, it's related to the goddess, right?"
In the brief moment I glanced at the elf employee who had approached near the goddess Bell was carrying, she had returned to her original expression.
'This girl seems to be hiding something, but I don't know what... I really should have finished watching that manga back then...'
"Syru, I'll go back to the shop first and explain to Mia's mother."
"Thank you, Runoar."
And, though it's a bit sudden, people in this world all seem to hold goodwill towards gods, and they don't hesitate to help in difficult situations, which I found amazing every time I saw it.
'For an elf, who avoids others except for those they acknowledge and their own kind, to step forward and help to this extent... or is that employee special?'
Anyway, as we carried the collapsed Hestia to the Hostess of Fertility, Mia's aunt, who had heard the situation from Runoar and was waiting, readily agreed and went to guide Bell to a room.
"If it's related to a god, we have to help. There's a cleaned empty room, so lay her down there."
Having put out the urgent fire, I tried to make a quick escape before being caught, but
"...Then, I'll be going!?"
"Hehehe... Last time there was a bit of an accident, but this time it's not, nya~"
Naturally, I was caught.
"Let me go..."
Does this woman, Chloe, have no sense of shame? Every time she catches me, she holds me from behind in a hugging form, and at that time, something soft touches my back, which is troublesome in many ways.
"Since we have a collapsed goddess, why not try making some health food for when she wakes up?"
"While you're at it, wouldn't it be even better if you made a meal for us too, nya~"
Their eyes filled with desire, not even trying to hide the reason for catching me, was absurd.
"...Unfortunately, I'm on dinner duty for my Familia today, so I don't have time."
I refused with a simple but clear reason, but their eyes were still the same.
"Um... could you let me go..."
For some reason, with a chilling sensation, my voice unconsciously became smaller, and upon seeing that, the three people suddenly became mischievous, smiling with somewhat sinister smiles, each taking their positions.
"Don't worry, we won't eat you."
Runoar stood right in front and fiddled with my cheek, and
"If you feel really in danger, just shout for help, nya~"
Anya watched it happily from the side.
'Your expressions are already dangerous, you know?!!'
"H-help!!!"
I hurriedly called for help, but
"Oh dear~ Mia's mother, Runoar, and Syru went to the next building to help the white-haired boy, nya~"
As always, expectations ended in betrayal, and in the end, I was forced to receive petting from the three until Bell and the others returned.
"Nya~ that was satisfying, nya!"
"Your hair was unbelievably soft, nya."
"Your cheek was also soft and nice."
While the returning group was lost in thought about what this situation was, Bell hurriedly ran towards me, who had slumped to the floor, but
"K-Kai?! What happened in that short time..."
"Ugh... I've been defiled..."
My mental state had already hit rock bottom.