The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

"I truly welcome you back, Harold. With your return, time in my world starts flowing again."

As morning dawned, her words, laden with various meanings, made my face burn with embarrassment.

"Goddess... please stop teasing me..."

The previous night, unable to control my emotions, I had gone too far.

Waves of guilt and shame overwhelmed me.

She looked at me, wide-eyed and seemingly innocent, as if unaware of the problem.

"Is there a problem? I was just expressing my happiness at your return."

How could she ask such an innocent question... I was mortified, recalling last night's events.

"Ahaha ~ Are you reacting this way because you remember last night's events ~?"

"Mmm... Last night was certainly wonderful, I'm glad I could reaffirm your feelings."

She closed her eyes, savoring the memory, her nodding head almost annoyingly playful.

"Ha-ha! Okay, I understand! I won't continue, why would I, as a woman who loves you, keep doing something that makes you uncomfortable? Sorry if I upset you."

Thankfully, she stopped teasing and lightened the mood.

Whoosh...!

"Goddess?"

Suddenly, she embraced me, burying her face in my chest.

"You might be embarrassed about last night... But I need to say this..."

The mood turned serious, and I too became more solemn.

"I'm truly happy you're back with me..."

I wondered what her expression was. The air felt much heavier compared to before.

"I'm so relieved... that you're back... I'm so happy, I can't even begin to express this feeling."

I looked at her silently, unintentionally inhaling the pleasant scent of her shampoo. "Umm... I got overly excited again, sorry about that..."

She quickly composed herself, blushing at her recent embrace.

Her averted gaze and awkward cough were quite telling, revealing that even a goddess feels emptiness and embarrassment after expressing true feelings, just like humans.

"It's okay."

I reassured her gently and then asked about the current situation.

"By the way, Goddess, what's happening with the academy now?"

She pondered for a moment, resting her chin on her hand, before updating me on the current situation.

"Right now, the academy is wrapping up issues related to the order. And... due to our commotion yesterday, the street near Morione's temple is in chaos."

The latter wasn’t in the game, but the former was a line from it, signaling the end of the second episode of the main story's three-part arc.

The original game plot would have ended with preventing the resurrection of the ancient god, but now the storyline had significantly shifted due to the recent major events.

The past me, without the knowledge of the game, somehow managed to see it through to the end – quite a marvel.

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Looking back, in moments of crisis, my memories of the game seemed to spark back to life...

Was it impossible to suppress the passion of a once avid gamer?

Anyway... the story progression was now about 70% complete, not much left.

"It's going to be noisy for a while..."

I reflected on this while watching Eleona continue her explanation.

"But it seems it will be peaceful, albeit chaotic, for some time."

The game's main story was nearing completion. Though I had no concrete proof, I believed that completing the game’s storyline would allow me to return home.

Honestly, this wasn’t a new concern; it had been on my mind since I first started feeling favorable towards Eleona.

"All we need to do is stay together, as we did in the past..."

If I ever return to reality and have to part with her forever, will I be able to leave decisively? "At first, I was merely repulsed by your twisted obsession and wanted to return as soon as possible, but..."

"I will never let you go again."

Now, I've ventured too far... Throughout various journeys, I've formed bonds as strong as those in my own world.

Not just with Eleona, but with many girls who now look at me with more than just friendly feelings.

But to leave them behind without a second thought?

It seemed far from easy.

To be honest, there were moments when I thought about not returning at all.

But...

"Yes, that would be nice."

I reassured her with a promise I couldn't keep, reaffirming my true purpose in my heart.

Yes... I feel sorry for them, but I have responsibilities in my own world...

My parents, who retired early, and my younger sibling, born late... a family that needs and depends on me.

I have no idea how my world is faring now, but my absence must be causing a detrimental void.

I need to return quickly.

Knowing my sibling, they must be struggling to fill my shoes, deceiving our parents.

"Umm... always with Harold..."

Perhaps it's time to decide the conclusion of my journey.

"Harold?! Is your memory really back?!!"

Erina, at the hospital, welcomed me with a joyful smile when I shared my news.

She seemed to have suffered greatly from the battle, bandaged all over, despite her rapid healing abilities.

Are there magic spells or attacks designed to counter such powerful recovery abilities?

"Yes... I'm not sure how to apologize to you... It's a bit ironic, the overlap of my original memories and the ones from the academy."

Feeling guilty towards her, I realized how much trouble I must have caused Erina, even though my memories had been manipulated.

"No, no! I'm just so happy you're back! Waking up under an unfamiliar ceiling, I was so worried! Just knowing everything has been resolved is enough!"

Her excitement made it hard to process all she said at once, leaving me a bit overwhelmed. "Was she always this talkative? Well, it must mean she's really happy."

"Where are the others? They might be here too..."

After updating Erina on my recent situation, it was time to reveal the truth to the other connections I had made at the academy, based on memories that had been manipulated.

It wouldn't be easy...

How would they feel, knowing that someone they had a bond with was actually a completely different person?

"Yes, they are in the room next to mine."

Fortunately, they seemed to be nearby.

"Huh?"

As I was about to leave, not wanting to bother Erina and let her rest, she suddenly grabbed my sleeve.

"Whoa?!"

Erina pulled me towards her with overwhelming strength, opening her arms as if to welcome me.

Whoosh!

I found myself embraced in her arms.

"I’d love to keep you here with me, but that would trouble you, wouldn't it...?"

She still wanted to monopolize me as much as possible.

But she willingly suppressed her desires, considering my feelings.

"I'll be satisfied with just this... being able to embrace you freely again..."

After a tight hug, she let go, showing a new level of consideration for me. I wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Go now, I want to shout for you to only meet me honestly, but you should explain to the other girls too."

With a complex expression that even I found hard to describe, I nodded and reached for the doorknob.

After a brief conversation with Erina, I proceeded to convey the truth to the other connections I made at the academy.

Aris, Arsia, and Marika...

"I hope you'll continue attending the academy. As the principal, if my benefactor is studying at my school, I want to support you in any way I can."

First, I visited Arsia to explain my situation, and she uttered somewhat ominous words.

"So it's true... You were deceived by Goddess Morione..."

Aris's reaction was, perhaps, the most normal of them all. Among them, she was the least complicated, so her response was somewhat expected. "Does that mean you're not leaving me? You won’t withdraw from the academy, will you? I'd really like you to stay by my side..."

Marika seemed most concerned, fearing I would leave her side and return to my past life.

"You made a promise to me... Even so, your guilt won’t just disappear, right? You should at least take responsibility. Besides, maintaining good relations with the princess could be beneficial..."

It seemed like Marika developed a dependency after being once engulfed in darkness by Luceria. While she remained a commanding princess in front of others, to me, she was like a desperate puppy, clinging to its owner to avoid abandonment.

"Quiet, girl."

Marika's almost pleading voice was met with a glare from Luceria, who suddenly appeared in a corner of the room. It seemed her soul-embedded pendant was here.

Marika must have had unpleasant memories associated with Luceria... Who had placed the pendant here? Or had Luceria chosen to stay in Marika's room on her own?

"Promises or whatever... I wish you would stop bothering my husband..."

Luceria glared disapprovingly, trying to corner Marika, but Marika simply ignored her and continued speaking to me.

"Harold... I wish you would stay with me..."

"Oh, the nerve... Saved by me and yet so ungrateful, provoking me like this..."

Luceria seemed ready to pounce in anger.

"Hold on, hold on... Calm down, Luceria... I’ll apologize on her behalf, please forgive Marika."

Unable to just watch, I tried to appease Luceria. Initially, her face contorted in anger, but she finally sighed in resignation.

"Hmph... Since my husband asks, I'll specially forgive her this time..."

It seemed that Luceria and Marika would continue to have a strained relationship...

Having spoken to Erina, Marika, Aris, Arsia, and Luceria, only one person was left.

The little girl who looked remarkably like Miru.

"Where did Miru go? I heard she was staying here..."

After calming everyone down and setting out to find Miru, I wandered for a while, but she was nowhere to be found. According to Erina, Miru was seen at the hospital just yesterday...

Where could she have gone now?

She's always been a mysterious child, both in the past and now.

Once again, the question of Miru's true identity arises in my mind.

"Harold."

A voice calls out to me from behind.

Huh...?

This voice... it's been a long time since I've heard it.

Once a constant presence, but then it became distant, almost unheard.

"It's been a while."

Miru...

Appearing as a grown version of herself, a dragon that consumes darkness.

"Miru? Why are you here so suddenly?"

Her appearance is utterly unexpected.

How did she know I was here? Several questions flood my mind.

"Finally, the time has come... I've been waiting so long for you to regain your memory."

She speaks as if she has witnessed my entire journey at the academy.

"What...?"

"Everything is in place now, I've found a place where those other girls can't interfere... So now you... "

Miru pulls out something ominous, grinning maliciously.

Thud!

The object pierces my heart...

"You're mine... forever -"

Her chilling voice is the last thing I hear.