—Lumis Guild—
The murmurs in the guild hall fell silent for a moment after the argument between Maya and me. No one dared to say a word.
Maya narrowed her eyes at me, as if unaccustomed to anyone talking back to her. Then she clicked her tongue and turned away.
"Hmph. At least you've got some guts," she muttered.
The receptionist stepped in with a timid smile.
"Sorry to interrupt, but… the dragon quest has been pending for quite a while. It's becoming urgent. As you may recall, the request requires at least two S-Rank adventurers."
Her words carried a clear implication—she needed our help.
Maya stopped dead in her tracks.
"Tch! How many times do I have to say it?! I work alone."
"You don't have to form a permanent team," the receptionist added quickly. "Just a temporary party to accept the quest."
I shrugged. I wasn't entirely convinced, but the reward would come in handy.
"I don't mind a temporary team. Just until we finish the mission… and collect the reward," I muttered.
"What a pain… Fine. It does seem urgent, and you don't seem completely incompetent. I'll accept—just this once. But don't think I've acknowledged you as a partner," she said, jabbing a finger at me.
"Wonderful! I'll prepare the paperwork right away," the receptionist said, visibly relieved.
We signed the temporary party form and received a copy of the quest details. We were to depart at dawn the next day.
Maya walked away without another word, her demeanor icy. I wondered if there was a reason behind her attitude. Hopefully, this won't complicate the mission…
I left the guild as well. The situation had gotten more dramatic than I'd wanted. I needed some fresh air.
But the sky wasn't in a good mood.
No wonder I'd heard thunder earlier. Within seconds, a heavy downpour began, drenching the city in a freezing curtain of rain.
Huh? Someone else running… Maya?!
Our eyes met.
"You again?!"
"I'm running from the rain, same as you!"
"Tch… Follow me. There's a shrine nearby. We can take shelter there."
We sprinted through the alleys until we reached the place. It wasn't large, but it was well-kept, with stone pillars and a small inner chamber. It seemed to be a temple dedicated to some local deity.
"We should be safe here," Maya said, relieved.
I was surprised to see her so shaken just moments ago.
She sat on the altar steps, wringing water from her braid. The rain drummed against the roof, and the air smelled faintly of incense.
"Do you… have a fear of rain?"
She shot me a glare.
"Who do you take me for? I'm not scared of it—I just can't stand it."
Her expression softened slightly. She looked up at the candles on the altar, as if recalling something distant.
"When I was little, my village was destroyed by a flood… After that, I had to learn to survive on my own. Fire saved me more times than I can count." She paused. "Not that you care."
"I didn't realize… That must've been hard."
Maya gave me a sidelong glance, as if gauging whether I was mocking her. Then she snorted.
"You're not a bad guy, after all."
For a moment, I didn't see the explosive warrior from the guild—just a girl carrying scars beneath her armor. Maybe she was more sensitive than she let on…
A clap of thunder interrupted my thoughts, and a flash of lightning illuminated the shrine, casting the altar statue into sharp relief. It looked familiar. Wait… is that…?
"Hey, this place… is it a temple to some goddess?"
"Huh? You don't know? This is the Shrine of Purin-sama, one of the many deities worshipped in this kingdom."
"Purin-sama?!" I shot up in surprise.
"What's your problem?"
"Ah… nothing. I'm from a really remote village, so I'm not familiar with the beliefs or customs here," I lied quickly. Purin had warned me not to tell anyone about my arrival in this world.
"You've never heard of her…? You're weird. Anyway, this place is dedicated to Purin-sama. They say she's a kind goddess… We shouldn't have any trouble taking shelter here."
"I see…"
Without thinking, I approached the statue and placed my hand on an inscription on the altar. In that instant, a flash of light enveloped me.
—Ren!—
Purin's voice echoed softly in my mind. I found myself standing before her, bathed in a warm golden glow. She floated in the air, cheeks puffed and arms crossed.
"Who is that explosive woman?!"
"Purin…? Where am I?"
"Don't change the subject! You and that armored girl looked awfully cozy in my shrine. What's going on between you two?"
"Maya? She's just a temporary teammate for a quest…"
"I saw how she looked at you! And you still agreed to team up with her!"
"It's just a one-time thing! Wait… why do I have to explain myself to you? And more importantly—where are we?"
Purin floated in circles, her dress fluttering as she pouted. I had to admit, she looked adorable.
"You're in my celestial space. Well… a compact, temporary version of it. I can't keep you here for long, but it's enough for us to stay in contact. Think of it like a dream… but special."
"Why now?"
"Because I wanted to see you! And because this is the first time I've been able to since you arrived in this world," she said, her voice softening. "You have no idea how happy I am that this worked."
"Is this part of the 'special qualities' you mentioned before?"
"Exactly! You can establish a direct connection with me. Even with some limitations, I can talk to you outside this space too. But it's important that no one finds out."
"Why? Is there a reason to keep it secret?"
"Yes, but don't worry about that yet. There's an organization—the Celestial Council—made up of other gods like me. They oversee our actions, and they don't always approve of us getting too close to humans. But they haven't detected this channel we've opened, so… for now, we're safe."
"And if they find out?"
"Well… we'd be in very, very big trouble. But don't you worry! Let's just be happy we can talk like this!"
"Alright... So, you've been watching me all this time?"
"Obviously! I'm your goddess, remember? I can see what you're doing, though not always clearly. But that armored girl? I saw that very clearly. Too clearly!" She crossed her arms in annoyance. "I even summoned that rain just to mess with her!"
"Wait, you made it rain? (Why is this turning into some kind of divine jealousy scene…?)"
"Hmph… Anyway, I'll let it slide this time. I know you're still learning about this world, and I want to help you." Her voice grew quieter. "This world is different from yours. It's full of wonders, but also dangers. And though I can't intervene as much as I'd like… I can guide you."
"What about my abilities? You said there was more."
"Yes. You're special, Ren. Very special. You have latent power that will awaken over time. It won't be immediate or obvious, but when you need it, it'll appear. For now, just trust in yourself. And in me." She tapped my chest lightly with her fingertip.
"Purin…"
"Just remember—I'll always be watching over you. And supporting you, even if I can't be by your side all the time."
"I understand… Thank you."
"But!" she added suddenly, her possessive tone returning. "No falling for that armored warrior! You already have a goddess looking out for you!"
"I-It's just a mission partnership!"
"We'll see!" She giggled. "We'll meet again, my dear Ren!"
A gentle magical push sent me back to the shrine.
Maya was shaking my shoulder, her face etched with concern.
"Ma… Maya?"
Her expression shifted instantly.
"What the hell was that?! I've been calling you for five minutes! I thought something happened to you."
"Sorry. It's nothing, but… thanks for worrying," I said as I stood up from the altar.
Maya turned away, trying to hide her face.
"T-The rain's stopped. We can leave now," she muttered, suddenly shy.
"You okay?"
"Of course! I'm not as soft as you."
We finalized the preparations for tomorrow before going our separate ways to rest.
Back at the inn, my mind wouldn't stop racing. A goddess watching my every move, unknown abilities waiting to awaken, and a mission partner who could split me in two if I annoyed her—though she didn't seem like a bad person.
Well, for now, I shouldn't overthink it. If Purin's words were true, I'd figure things out as I went. Time to rest—tomorrow's an early start.
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, in the frozen wastelands north of the Icy Abyss…
A lone figure trudged through the snow.
Their crimson hair whipped in the wind, and each step left a firm imprint in the ground.
"Lumis…" they murmured against the howling gale. "Should be in that direction."