episode_0044

There’s so much I want to ask Serena.

But.

I’m not her top priority.

“Ria, Sophia, you both must have a lot to say to her, right?”

“I’ll give you some space.”

Ria just met the mother she thought was dead.

She said she was the Goddess of Light, Serena,

and that she was alive in the celestial realm—but that was just hearsay.

Hearing it from someone else,

versus confirming with her own eyes that her mother is safe through a direct conversation—

the difference is clear.

The same goes for Sophia.

Until she was five, she was a saintess who could hear the voice of the Goddess of Light, Serena,

but after that, she lost the ability.

She was told they’d meet again someday,

and while she was gone, the Goddess of Love did grant her divine power and even spoke to her—

but Sophia was still the saintess of the Goddess of Light, Serena.

She might not resent her for leaving her alone for twenty years… but,

she must still feel hurt.

So.

They need to talk it out.

…With that thought, I stepped away for a while.

“I’ll wait outside too.”

Elise also came out.

“I’ll wait out here.”

Sophia said she’d wait for her turn and stepped outside.

“Mom…”

Left alone, Ria choked up as she spoke.

[My daughter…]

Even the Goddess of Light, Serena—for this moment—was not a goddess, but a mother, her voice trembling as she spoke.

I don’t know what Ria and Serena talked about.

I don’t know what Sophia and Serena talked about either.

They spoke strictly one-on-one,

and even set up a barrier to block any sound from leaking out.

A perfectly secret conversation.

‘Sigh…’

‘I really want to know what they talked about…’

I thought it was some hidden story not even in the game, and now my whole body itches with curiosity.

But.

Lee Junseong, the ultimate chad, is a man who keeps his word once given.

I said I wouldn’t listen—so I won’t!

…With that thought, I started planning my next move.

Creak.

After about thirty minutes of strategizing,

I saw Ria step out, sniffling.

“It’s over… sob…”

She must’ve had a tearful conversation with her mom,

but next was Sophia.

After another thirty minutes of strategizing,

I saw Sophia step out, sniffling.

“Lady Serena…”

Sophia was praying with tears in her eyes.

What could they have talked about?

I’m dying to know.

But.

Lee Junseung, the ultimate chad, doesn’t do lame things like asking about secret conversations.

…With that thought, I stepped inside.

Ria, Elise, and Sophia followed in order and took their seats.

Then.

The Goddess of Light, Serena, pointed at me.

[Cain.]

[I’ve been waiting to speak with you.]

The goddess spoke formally.

In this world, people only use formal speech with those of higher status than themselves.

Using formal speech means

acknowledging the other person as superior.

…Thinking about it, a god using formal speech with me should be impossible.

But.

A god’s formal speech carries a completely different meaning.

It’s a tone used to exude authority as a transcendent being.

…That said,

in Korean, both are translated the same way, making it impossible to distinguish.

‘In short, a translation issue.’

But.

It’s not a big problem.

If a god is using formal speech,

just take it as them wanting to project an authoritative presence.

And if they drop formalities?

‘It means they want to talk on friendly terms.’

…With that basic knowledge in mind, I pondered.

‘Should I respond formally here?’

‘Or drop formalities and go for a friendly tone?’

Common sense says responding formally is the right answer.

Gods are beings far above humans,

so using formal speech to show respect is correct.

But.

Serena’s case was a bit ambiguous.

‘One of her wishes was to meet someone who’d speak casually to her.’

That’s why she spent centuries preparing to come to the human realm.

Not to meet a worshipper,

but to make a friend who could laugh and talk with her.

A neighbor, lover, family, colleague—

anything was fine.

She wanted to experience a relationship beyond god and believer.

That was Serena’s wish.

‘Thanks to her daughter, she’s partly fulfilled that wish, but…’

It wasn’t enough for her.

Being on good terms with family bound by blood since birth was nice,

but she was a goddess who wanted to experience bonding with a complete stranger.

But.

Serena’s visit to the human realm was pure despair.

Hiding her identity, she couldn’t get close to the villagers.

She was just ostracized.

As a goddess, everyone worshipped her,

but as a human, she realized she was someone no one liked—a pitiful existence.

‘In reality, they were just wary of outsiders.’

‘And because divine power weakened after Serena left, they blamed her as a harbinger of calamity.’

Since Serena was gone,

the divine power they could receive from her naturally diminished.

But.

The villagers didn’t know that.

They thought a witch of calamity had arrived and caused the decline,

so they tried everything to drive her out.

They failed each time due to divine punishment,

but with each failure, the belief that she was a calamity only grew stronger.

‘That’s why she was ostracized.’

But.

Serena didn’t know that.

Clueless, she watched as people treated her with hostility,

and it wounded her heart—

she might’ve even cried alone somewhere.

‘Well…’

‘Just speculation.’

I could guess based on Serena’s in-game dialogue and actions,

but that was it.

Still.

If my guess is right, I can’t just leave her like this.

‘I want to see an ending where everyone is happy.’

So.

I plan to save Serena too.

…With that thought, I spoke.

“Serena.”

[Yes.]

[You must have many questions. Ask them one by one.]

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

[……What?]

“The way the village ostracized you.”

“It wasn’t because you were someone with nothing left once the goddess was gone.”

[Th…Then why?…]

[Why were my daughter and I so hated?…]

“The fewer outsiders a village has, the more wary they are of them.”

“They would’ve hated anyone who showed up.”

[So it wasn’t my fault?…]

[Anyone who came would’ve been treated the same?…]

“Yeah.”

[Then…]

“You just picked the wrong place from the start.”

She probably chose a rural village thinking it’d be peaceful,

but that was the worst choice.

The more remote the village, the more they distrust outsiders.

Why?

Because normal people don’t go to the middle of nowhere.

Bandits looking to raid the village.

Fugitives who can’t go to big cities.

Dark mages who want to kidnap villagers for experiments.

When a stranger shows up, it’s usually someone like that—so wariness is inevitable.

…I even added that extra explanation.

Then.

Serena sighed and said:

[Sigh…]

[Because I chose wrong, not just me… but my daughter too…]

“Well…”

“You did pick wrong and suffered for no reason, yeah.”

[……]

“But.”

“It’s not a bad ending yet, right?”

[…..?]

“Once we kill the Demon King, you can live in the human realm again.”

“And you’ll get to spend happy times with your daughter.”

I said with a smile.

“I’ll help out too when that happens.”

“Feel free to visit without worries.”

[……]

“What?”

“Don’t like the guide?”

[……No.]

Serena’s voice carried a faint smile.

[Many have prayed to me for help.]

[But you’re the first to offer me your hand… I… I was so happy… I couldn’t respond right away.]

“So I pass as a guide?”

[Yes.]

[After the Demon King is defeated, I’d like to ask for your help myself—that’s how well you’ve passed.]

[So, about that…]

“?”

[Um… well…]

[Could you… be my first friend?…]

“No problem.”

[Th…Then…]

[Ahem!]

Serena’s voice shifted from dignified to relaxed as she spoke.

[Si…Since we’re friends…]

[We should speak comfortably, right?…]

“Sounds good.”

[Ah… aah…]

[I suddenly have a friend, I don’t know what to say… ugh…]

“Just relax.”

“Friendship isn’t that complicated.”

[R…Really?…]

“You want to be close to me, and I want to be close to you.”

“That’s enough, isn’t it?”

[Uwaah…]

Serena let out a sound that was both embarrassed and happy.

[U…uu… Ahem!]

She composed herself and steadied her voice.

[Cain.]

“Yeah.”

[Thank you.]

[For becoming my friend, thank you.]

[For saving my daughter, thank you. For fixing my body, thank you.]

Her voice grew a little more serious.

[You’re not the Hero’s party.]

[But seeing what you’ve done so far, I think it’s more than enough.]

No trace of embarrassment—just sincerity.

[I’ll grant you a wish.]

“A wish?”

[Not because we’re friends.]

[As a goddess, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done, so tell me what you want.]

Wow…

I never even thought about getting a wish.

But here it is.