The goddess sat and ate in silence.
Her expression was unreadable. It wasn't the look of someone offended by the food, but it wasn't exactly a face full of joy either.
She didn't hate it, yet she didn't love it.
Well, at the very least, it seemed like she had tempered her expectations.
That alone was a small relief.
After that, we decided to call it a night.
There was no inn to rent and no beds to rest in. It was just the bare minimum. Two small sleeping bags, worn and faded by time, enough for the both of us.
When she found out that she was expected to sleep in one of those, she immediately began to protest.
With a scowl, she repeatedly complained, "Why do I, a goddess, have to sleep in something this pitiful?"
But reality gave her no alternative. So with loud grumbling and exaggerated reluctance, she eventually slipped herself inside the sleeping bag, muttering curses under her breath.
We rested near the fire. It was the same fire I had used to grill our meal earlier. Its soft glow still crackled gently, sending little embers into the air, casting faint dancing shadows across our faces.
The warmth it gave off would be enough to keep the cold at bay through the night.
I turned slightly to look at her.
She was lying on her side now, back turned toward me, her hair spilling gently onto the fabric.
"…I'm sorry about all of this," I said quietly.
To be honest, I had no clue if an apology could even begin to soothe the weight of what I'd done.
After all, I had taken away her title, her divinity—her entire existence as a goddess—just like that.
It couldn't be something a simple "sorry" could undo.
"If I hadn't punched you back then… you wouldn't be here right now, right?" I asked.
She had said it was because of that strike that I'd unlocked the condition needed to receive this blessing. A blessing that, in turn, forcibly removed her from her position.
"But… I couldn't stick with the Farmer's Blessing—not while Alice is still out there, in danger," I said.
The Farmer's Blessing had its perks.
It could've helped my family and lifted us from poverty. Maybe even given me a shot at a normal life, like marrying a noblewoman, raising kids, and living peacefully.
Thinking back on it, that blessing wasn't useless at all. It had real potential. A real value.
But it wasn't the kind of power that could save Alice.
"I want to save Alice," I told her, more resolutely this time. "And the Farmer's Blessing just isn't enough. If using you is what it takes… then I'll go that far."
With that, I turned away from her, laying on my side with my back facing hers, and shut my eyes.
But just as I was about to drift into sleep, her voice cut softly through the quiet.
"At least… you're somewhat decent of a person."
I wasn't sure what she meant by that, exactly… but maybe, just maybe, she didn't think I was completely rotten.
That small thought lingered in my mind as I finally allowed myself to rest.
***
The next morning, we resumed our journey.
The sky was still bathed in soft pre-dawn light, and the air was cool—brisk against the skin, but fresh and energizing.
It was better to start early rather than let the day slip by and deal with sweltering heat later.
Behind me, the goddess groaned with every step.
Dark circles ringed her eyes, and her face looked utterly drained.
She trudged along with a slow, unstable gait, swaying side to side like a puppet that had its strings loosened.
It was obvious she wasn't used to waking this early. Or maybe she simply hadn't slept well last night.
Either way, I didn't say much. I just kept moving forward.
As we continued, we eventually stumbled upon a river.
It flowed smoothly across the land, its waters sparkling like liquid glass beneath the golden kiss of morning sunlight. The way it shimmered… it looked almost enchanted.
"Hey, Goddess," I said, glancing over my shoulder. "Want to take a bath or something? The river looks clean."
Her reaction was immediate.
"What? Get naked and bathe in front of you? No way!" she barked, flailing her arms and hugging her body like I was some sort of wild pervert sent to devour her whole.
"I just thought it'd be smarter to wash up now," I told her, almost matter-of-fact, "since there's no telling if we'll get another shot at this during the rest of our journey to the capital."
I glanced down at the old, worn map my father had given me, its creases nearly torn from constant use. There were no other rivers or lakes marked anywhere near our path forward. Sure, it might rain, but the thought of rinsing off in muddy puddles or catching droplets under a leaf wasn't exactly appealing. Nothing beat a clean, quiet stream surrounded by the peaceful hush of the wild.
"As for me," I continued, rolling up my sleeves and loosening my boots, "I'm going to take full advantage of this opportunity. Besides, there seem to be plenty of fish swimming around in here. We might even be able to get by with just those for a while. That way, we can preserve more of the meat we brought along."
Without waiting for her response, I began unbuttoning my shirt. The fabric, damp with sweat and dust, clung stubbornly to my back as I peeled it off. I stepped into the river, letting the chilled water rise slowly up my legs until I was waist-deep.
The morning light spilled gently over the treetops, casting golden ripples across the water's surface. It reflected off my skin like soft fire, the cold water contrasting just enough to send a refreshing jolt through my senses.
"W-What are you doing…?" Her voice wavered as she spoke, her tone sharp with embarrassment.
I turned toward her just in time to catch her looking away quickly, the tips of her ears tinged pink. Her hands were half-raised, hovering in front of her chest like she wasn't sure whether to cover her eyes or cross her arms.
"You're really taking a bath there?" she asked, incredulous.
"Why not?" I replied casually, dipping lower into the water. "Didn't I just say we might not get another chance like this? I'm not going to waste it."
I submerged further and started to scrub away the grime on my arms and shoulders, savoring the clean sensation of water washing over tired muscles. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her still standing stiffly at the riverbank, arms folded, clearly fighting some kind of internal battle.
"If you're not going to take the plunge now, you may not get another chance for days. Are you really fine with that?" I called out to her.
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes, lips pressed into a stubborn, razor-thin line, clearly trying to block me out.
I shrugged and added with a chuckle, "You know, no matter how divine you may be, and no matter how high you think of your own beauty… if you're dirty and reeking, all that allure goes right out the window."
She twitched, just barely.
"It'd be kind of rough traveling with a goddess who smells like she crawled out of a swamp."
"Ugh…!"
And there it was... the moment her pride gave way.
"You seriously piss me off!"
With a burst of frustration, she darted forward, sprinting straight at the river and launching herself into the air. She landed with a loud splash right in front of me, sending a wall of water cascading outward like a mini tidal wave. I barely had time to brace before it smacked into me, soaking my entire body.
The river wasn't shallow—just deep enough to break her fall—and as she surfaced, water dripping from her hair and sleeves, her triumphant expression sparkled with mischief.
Then she laughed—a full, boisterous, carefree laugh.
"Fuhahahaha! You're soaked!" she beamed, pointing directly at my drenched self. "That's what you get for teasing me and trying to force me to bathe with you!"
She stood proudly in the water, her clothes sticking to her like a second skin. "And since I'm bathing fully dressed, you won't get to see my perfect body, pervert!"
I didn't reply right away. Honestly, I didn't need to.
Because, ironically, the wet clothes she'd kept on for modesty were doing the exact opposite. The fabric clung to every contour of her form, outlining her body with such precision that I couldn't help but glance—just for a moment.
It wasn't intentional. But it happened.
"Ah!?" she shrieked, catching the look in my eyes. Her face turned a furious red in an instant. "Y-You pervert! What the hell are you staring at!?"
She quickly scooped up a hefty wave of water with both hands and flung it directly at my face.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" I shouted.
She jolted, immediately wrapping her arms around herself in a flustered motion, as if my gaze alone had the power to peel away her modesty.
"It's your fault for thinking something like that, you perv!" she snapped back, cheeks flushed and eyes blazing with embarrassment.
"And it's your fault for coming in here fully dressed!" I snapped back. "If you're gonna accuse me of being a pervert anyway, you might as well have just taken off your clothes from the start!"
"Then stop staring!" she huffed, turning her back toward me with a sharp huff. Her wet hair clung to her back like ink spilled down pale parchment. "Ugh... and here I thought you were a decent person. Even back when we first met, you wondered what color hair I had down there, didn't you? You thought it'd match my hair and eyebrows!"
"Well, I couldn't help it, could I?" I said casually. "Everything about you is white. Of course I got curious. But... I confirmed that last night, so I'm not wondering anymore."
Her face turned scarlet. "You really are a pervert!" she screamed, lashing out with both hands and sending a splash of water right into my face.
"Hey! Now you're really pushing it!" I shouted, wiping water from my eyes and retaliating with a splash of my own.
She shrieked—not in anger this time, but something closer to laughter—and launched another wave at me.
"You...!"
And just like that, it turned into a water war. We flung handfuls of bathwater at each other like kids, laughing and shouting, the earlier tension melting into something lighter.
I guess it was the first time I'd genuinely had fun with her. With this goddess.
Eventually, the water war ended, both of us drenched and breathless. We climbed out of the bath, and set our soaked clothes near the fire to dry.
The goddess, oddly casual now, didn't even hesitate. She pulled off her wet garments with one graceful motion and stood before me in nothing but a simple set of underwear—plain, borrowed from my older sister, and yet somehow... incredibly alluring.
There was nothing extravagant about it. Just modest fabric, barely clinging to her curves. But maybe it was the contrast. Her divine features—soft skin, that pale gleam, those shimmering eyes—made even the plainest thing look enchanting.
I found myself staring.
"Hey," she said. "Stop looking at me like that."
I blinked and looked away, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm just surprised, that's all. Weren't you making a huge fuss about not wanting me to see your body just a minute ago?"
She flipped her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated pride.
"Well, obviously," she said, lifting her chin. "A body like this should be something to show off and be proud of." Then, with a more honest tone, she added, "But I also think it's kind of useless to hide it from you at this point... You've already seen bits and pieces anyway."
That... kind of made sense. I wasn't sure if she was being bold, shameless, or just honest. Maybe all three.
"Well," I said, stretching my arms out, "we should just wait for our clothes to dry for now." I glanced at her still-damp form. "And you should probably change out of that wet underwear too. If you stay like that, you might catch a cold."
I wasn't even sure if a goddess could get sick, but still. It seemed like the right thing to say.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Are you actually concerned about me?" she asked slowly. "Or are you just looking for an excuse to get a full view of my naked body?"
"If you're going to worry about every single thing, then you're bound to go bald from stress," I said, smirking a little as I glanced at her with a casual shrug.
She frowned, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. "But I don't know where I'm supposed to change... I mean—sure, you've seen it once before—but that doesn't mean I'd ever change in front of you."
Her voice was defensive, a little flustered, and her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as she looked away. Honestly, I couldn't blame her.
That hesitation made sense.
Since she clearly wasn't going to do it out in the open, I figured I could at least help make her feel a little more comfortable. After rummaging through my pack, I pulled out the large curtain I had brought—mostly meant as a ground cover or for makeshift shelter—and set it up between a few low-hanging branches. With a bit of effort, I managed to create a proper enclosed space, tall and wide enough to give her some privacy.
Her entire body would be shielded from view. Not even a silhouette could be made out through the thick fabric.
Honestly, it wasn't just for her. It was for me, too. I didn't want to be accused of anything... or tempted by anything.
"Here," I said as I stepped back, gesturing toward the makeshift changing booth. "You can go and get changed in here."
She looked at it for a moment, then slipped behind the curtain. But before I could take a breath, her head suddenly poked out from the side, suspicious eyes narrowing at me.
"Y-You're not planning to peek... are you?"
I raised an eyebrow and gave her a half-smile. "Depends."
Her eyes flared in irritation. "P-Pervert…!" she growled. Then she lifted her hand in the air, grabbed at an invisible object, and twisted her wrist sharply, as if she were wringing something dry. "If you try anything, I'll twist it."
"R-Right. Got it. Loud and clear."
As much as the idea of stealing a glance at a goddess in the middle of changing sounded like something straight out of a fantasy, the risk of having that twisted was enough to snap me back to reality real quick.
She disappeared behind the curtain again. A few seconds later, I heard the soft rustling of clothes being removed, the subtle sliding of fabric over skin. She was changing. Probably slipping out of her damp underwear and into the dry pair she had. Then came the sound of clothing being pulled over her shoulders and adjusted.
Oddly enough, that simple sequence of sounds—soft cloth brushing against her skin, the faint jingle of a buckle or snap—was far more erotic than I wanted to admit. It sparked images in my mind that I immediately shoved away with gritted teeth. I had to focus.
"I'm done!" she called out cheerfully.
She stepped out, now properly dressed again. It was still the same tunic I was wearing—plain, functional, and far from fashionable—but it did the job. Since we didn't have any proper adventurer gear yet, we had to make do. The tunics were a parting gift from my mother before we set off.
After that, I quickly changed as well, and once our clothes were dry enough, we packed up and set back on the road.
We made our way deeper into the forest.
The farther we walked, the more I noticed something off. There wasn't a single sign of a monster. Not even a rustle of movement or a single low growl in the distance.
The silence was unnerving.
It was too quiet—unnaturally quiet. The kind of quiet that pressed on your ears and made your instincts scream.
For a forest known to have monsters lurking in nearly every shadow—where you'd expect to fend off at least one attack every hour—this calm felt wrong. Eerie, even.
Ever since we started our journey, we hadn't come across a single threat.
That wasn't normal.
What the hell was going on?
As that thought crept into my head, a sharp sound suddenly cut through the silence.
Both the Goddess and I stopped dead in our tracks.
Clink. Clang.
The sound rang again. It was metal clashing against metal. Blades meeting in combat. It echoed faintly, but clearly, through the forest.
"It sounded like someone's fighting…" the Goddess whispered, her tone suddenly serious.
The rhythmic crash of swords continued. Not just two fighters. It sounded like many. A skirmish, or maybe even a small battle.
Clang. Clink. Clang.
"There's a lot of them," I said, narrowing my eyes toward the direction the sounds were coming from.
Without another word, I turned to her and nodded.
"Let's head that way. Just for a bit. Let's see what's going on."
With that, we picked up our pace, carefully making our way toward the growing storm of steel and noise.