The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

"Your sister, who transformed into a different species... it's caused by being possessed by a deity, you say?"

We had moved from the library to inquire with Arsia, who seemed quite intrigued, resting her chin in her hand as she pondered. Given her ancient lineage, perhaps even older than Eleona, she might know something.

"I think I've heard of it before... I haven't seen or experienced it personally, but I think I've heard the name..."

Her hesitant expression made my heart flutter with nervousness. Could she provide an answer to this dilemma?

"If I remember correctly... to solve such a phenomenon, you'd naturally have to draw out the inner magic. There are various ways to do this, but currently, they are impossible."

Disappointment replaced hope. If the solution existed but was unattainable, what good was it? It was as tragic as preparing a favorite meal for a sick wife who had already passed away.

"Why can't it be cured now?"

"If it's a matter of a spirit possession, it could be extracted with a sealing stone, albeit pitiful for the host. But in the case of magical possession, it often fuses with the host like one entity, making it nearly impossible to remove with ordinary means."

Her explanation was surprisingly convincing, deepening the complexity of the situation. Was there really no solution?

"In ancient times, many gods and great dragons died, leaving behind their magical essence and byproducts, which often got absorbed or inhabited others."

I thought of Mir, the last great dragon who gained strength by consuming the power of a fallen deity during the ancient wars. Her existence itself was proof that Yuriel's case wasn't unique.

"Whether willingly or not, once such magic takes hold, it can lead to losing oneself or becoming overwhelmed by the power and going berserk. Hence, solutions were devised."

As she spoke, she reached out to Yuriel and began to perform something akin to magic, her fingertips starting to glow. "Hmm... maybe this isn't it... It seems my abilities are not enough."

As a blue crystal appeared to embed itself in Yuriel's body, there was no change, and Arsia's expression turned bittersweet, hinting at failure.

"I've forgotten all the ancient magic... I haven't used it for so long, and there hasn't been a need for it..."

The headmistress's regret was clear. I comforted her, saying, "It's okay. You were under no obligation to help. Just the fact that you wanted to is enough for me."

"Harold..."

Her confidence seemed to return as her sapphire-like eyes sparkled again.

"Your smile always encourages me. It feels good, you know?"

She then unexpectedly made a comment that would have embarrassed anyone else.

Crack!

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Suddenly, there was a sound of something breaking. Turning around, I saw Yuriel exuding an overt emotion.

"Yuriel?"

"Uh... Huh?!"

But as soon as I called her, she reverted back to her usual self, an ironic response.

"Anyway... continuing from earlier, there certainly used to be magic to remove embedded magic... but it has been forgotten over time. The war ended, and with the new era, these ancient practices faded."

"It's a natural progression, I suppose. As the death of transcendent beings ceased, the frequency and need for such magic diminished, eventually becoming one of the forgotten ancient spells."

So, does this mean no one knows of this magic anymore? Every effort to find a solution seemed to end in despair.

"Maybe you should visit Lucilia? She is my true form and an ancient deity... Although she has been asleep or wandering for a long time, she might know, as she existed before me and is a higher being."

That reminded me of other connections I had yet to explore – Lucilia, Marika, and Erina.

"Or... how about visiting the 'Library of Ruins'?"

This was a name I had never heard before, not even mentioned in the game – a completely unfamiliar place. "The Collapsed Library...? What is that place?"

Arsia's expression was uncertain, but she began to share what she knew.

"It's said to be a mystical library containing knowledge of the past, present, and even the future. Its existence is unclear... but it's rumored to be a pinnacle of knowledge encompassing everything in this world."

A mysterious and extraordinary place, its existence uncertain... an enigmatic space.

"Who manages it, or by whom it exists, is unknown. Those who have sought it either never returned or found nothing... "

A place indistinguishable between reality and illusion, almost like a story passed down through legend.

"It's just something I mentioned in passing; you don't have to take it too seriously."

Arsia concluded with a shrug, seemingly not entirely convinced about the existence of the 'Library of Ruins.'

We then headed straight to the Temple of Fate, intending to see Morione.

"Harold...! I knew you'd return, welcome back!"

The reason for our visit was to uncover the identity of the mysterious library as mentioned by Arsia and also because Lucilia was believed to be there.

"Where had you gone?! Suddenly, my partner vanished to an unknowable distance, and I was sealed in this pendant for a while!"

Morione's passionate welcome was accompanied by the ancient deity, Lucilia. From her words, it seemed she had been trapped in the pendant while I was away.

Her manifestation was tied to my magic, so if I went too far away, the connection would break, making her unable to maintain her form.

After my disappearance, Morione had been briefly in charge, for reasons unknown.

"Brother... who are these women? One of them... I must have misheard, right?"

Yuriel, alarmed by Lucilia's words, urgently questioned me. Just like at the entrance and in the library, the atmosphere became tainted with her distinct unease. "Hmm... I've already heard about this girl of a different race from the Goddess of Fate, so I'm well aware of her identity. I suppose I should explain."

The Goddess who can peer into fate already knew? Did that mean she didn't need an explanation?

"Yuriel, was it?"

Lucilia approached Yura with a cold demeanor, confidently striding forward to make her declaration.

"Harold is officially my partner. So, sister or whatever, stop interfering!"

Yura was shocked by Lucilia's bold proclamation.

"What...? Brother, you're lying, right? You have a partner? I can't believe this..."

Yura pleaded, her eyes full of desperate hope for a denial. The situation was overwhelming.

"No, it's not a lie. Due to certain reasons, he is indeed my partner, and we are in love. Don't meddle in this!"

Lucilia's harsh words added fuel to the fire for Yura, who was already in a fragile state.

"What...? Ugh..."

Confusion and dismay shook Yura, her breath turning shallow.

"Yura, I'll explain everything later. Just calm down for now."

I wrapped my arms around her to soothe her, and finally, Yura seemed to regain some composure. It seemed best to let Yura rest at the inn, considering her condition.

"By the way, Harold, you came here to find the 'Collapsed Library,' right?"

Morione suddenly brought up the main topic, clearly aware of my purpose here.

"Yes, that's right. I'm looking for a way to restore my sister... I thought maybe you'd know something, Morione..."

"Indeed, the library does exist, and I've already pinpointed its location."

I was amazed at her words - the library that seemed like a fantasy was real, and its location was already known. The Goddess who can see fate proved her worth with this revelation. "Here's the map. I'd like to embrace you right now, but resolving your sister's problem is more urgent, isn't it? I'll save my feelings for you as a reward once everything is settled."

Morione seemed to understand the situation well, preparing things with such sensibility, impressing me again with her insight.

"We should hurry, I have some other matters to attend to... Normally, I wouldn't have let anyone else have this."

The Goddess of Fate quickly urged me to leave. Her haste was suspicious, but I also needed to move quickly, so I decided to leave the temple as she suggested.

"My partner, you'd better be careful."

Lucilia’s and Morione's behavior today seemed a bit off, as if they were urgently pushing me away.

Why were they acting like this?

As I hurriedly left the temple, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

"Lucilia... You felt it too, right?"

After Harold and Yura left, the two goddesses remained alone in the vast temple.

"Yes... Clearly, Harold and that girl are not true kin, and he doesn’t even know... A perfect situation to steal a partner without either of them realizing..."

Before Harold's arrival, what conversation were these goddesses having?

"So, do you believe me now? About my prophecy that there will be a battle over him soon?"

Morione's vision of fate, revealed right after Harold’s return, what scene did it depict?

"Having seen it... I have no choice but to agree, even if I don't want to. I'll trust your words, Observer of Fate."

Lucilia reluctantly nodded, accepting the terrible future Morione had glimpsed.

"Too many women desire Harold, making it hard to tell friend from foe. It's likely to turn into a chaotic battle. I predict that the power of the Fox Goddess is extraordinary, not just any being who was killed in the past..."

As Morione’s claims gained credibility, Lucilia remained silent, absorbing the unfolding narrative. "Even so, she won't be alone... Goddess Abne will likely take her side as well."

Lucilia extends her hand towards Luceria as if signaling her to join forces.

"The more we can clearly identify friends and foes in that fight, the better. Having a larger group will be advantageous. So, let's negotiate."

The Goddess of Love pondered over these thoughts, staring at the extended hand. Reluctantly, she considered the inevitable compromise needed to emerge victorious.

"A temporary alliance... How about it? Two are better than one, right?"