My Goddess
Ethan Cass stepped forward into the inner sanctum of the temple.
Clack.
A fresh, emerald-green footprint shimmered into existence directly ahead of him.
“Another set of footprints.”
They were nothing like the ones he had been following moments ago.
For a moment he crouched and ran his fingers across the floor.
“Who are you?”
Head tilted upward, he addressed the empty air.
A voice, gentle as a mother reading bedtime stories, filled his mind.
—I am all that can be and yet nothing at all, child.
The air shimmered.
When the shimmering faded, a woman stood before him, her head draped with dark-green lace that shimmered like moonlight on water.
Through the delicate gap between her lowered lashes, silver rings and delicate piercings adorned her nose, lips, and throat.
—It is only polite for the guest to introduce himself first.
Her tone was warm, exactly like a mother telling a fairy tale.
—What is your name, child?
The clear, rose-pink lips moved silently.
Ethan lowered his head with perfect courtesy.
“I beg your pardon. I am Ethan Cass.”
A satisfied voice echoed in his thoughts.
—A proper gentleman.
Her long lashes curved into a smile.
—I am Vespera.
—You are the goddess of fortune?
Sapphire-bright eyes, as brilliant as the heavens themselves, looked straight into his.
—One who has traveled all the way here, child, is a guest of a century or more.
—Even in such a short time, this place has grown rather… dull.
Ethan thought to himself.
Just what kind of speech is this? She’s been building up to it for ages.
A beautiful priestess stood before him, yet something felt off.
I really want to say something, but I can’t.
His natural rebellious streak had vanished.
He was simply speaking in the standard imperial tongue that noble houses used.
This is so frustrating.
From the direction of his lowered head came the sound of a throat being cleared.
—Hmph… hmph!
—T-this empire is in danger, child.
Eh?
What was that supposed to mean?
Ethan raised his head.
“What did you say?”
The polite mask he had been wearing instantly shattered. The words that came out were pure local dialect.
The woman slowly lifted the hem of her robe.
The sharp line of her jaw moved as she spoke.
—You are trying to retrieve the Imperial Seal from the Crown Prince, are you not?
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“How do you know that?”
—I know all things, child.
The mysterious robed woman began to speak in the slow, measured tone of ancient tales.
*
“In short…”
Ethan swallowed hard.
“If we leave the Crown Prince alone, the Demon King will revive?”
—That is correct.
“And the empire will fall into his hands?”
—You understand quickly, child.
Ethan folded his arms and lowered his gaze.
So the plan was never to just steal the seal and be done with it?
A small laugh escaped him.
“I thought once I recovered the seal and became emperor, everything would be over.”
Ethan sighed.
—That is not the case, child.
The gentle voice returned.
“What is it, then?”
—A complete Imperial Seal carries the power to summon an era of peace in and of itself.
The woman walked slowly forward and lightly tapped his shoulder with one fingertip.
—If you recover the seal, the Demon King’s forces will destroy themselves without your help.
“…”
—But if the Crown Prince holds the seal, the empire is doomed to fall.
Ethan’s expression softened.
“Then… how am I supposed to find the seal?”
—An answer to such a profound question requires traversing countless universes.
The voice brushed his ear like a sacred wind.
—If you swear an oath to me, you will be able to follow the trail of the seal.
Ethan nodded.
“Then do it.”
—…
The woman blinked rapidly.
—Do I need to hear the oath?
“Why would I force you to come all this way? Are you going to steal my soul as well?”
Ethan had already made up his mind the moment the word “seal” was mentioned.
Whatever she says, I’ll take it all.
In webtoons, many gods appeared, but this woman’s presence beside him felt strangely comforting.
I’ve always been good at reading the room.
So he would swear whatever oath she demanded.
The goddess’s eyes widened slightly.
—You have a noble heart.
—With such bravery, walk through the darkness ahead.
She slowly placed one hand on his head.
Her other hand clasped his right one.
—By the name of Vespera, I command thee.
—Ethan Cass, born with the breath of the darkest night…
—shall embrace the dazzling sun of the day.
Her hand glowed with a soft emerald light.
Soon a green aura wrapped around Ethan’s entire body.
Ethan closed his eyes without realizing it.
—…
The goddess said nothing, her hand still resting on his head.
Ethan opened one eye, then both.
“Is it over?”
—…Eh…
The goddess’s voice trembled.
—This… this cannot be.
She jerked her hands away and stepped backward.
—There… there is no existence…??
The goddess hastily pulled her robe back over her head.
She pressed her face right in front of Ethan’s nose.
“Eek! I almost kissed you!”
Fine wrinkles appeared between her brows.
—Child…
The gentle voice grew heavier.
—You are not an existence born in this universe.
*
Ethan stared at the triangular mark on the back of his right hand.
Absolute Defense
Exactly like this.
A perfect inverted triangle.
When he looked up, the goddess was still pacing in place before him.
—How is this possible…
—For hundreds of years, the contract with mortals has always required a price…
—I was supposed to absorb all my power, yet I received nothing in return.
—What kind of nonsense is this…
Her voice came from somewhere outside.
“Return… return it?”
“What?”
A hint of intimidation had vanished from her tone.
Vespera hesitated, twisting her nails.
“T-that power… the power of fortune.”
“Ah, this is the power of fortune?”
“No! It’s not any power at all! It’s just a curse! Give it back to me and you’ll live!”
“I like ghosts, so I’m used to curses.”
“N-no, it’s not a curse! It’s a blessing! A blessing!”
“That’s even better. Whew. Double you double you.”
“Aigoo, child! Listen to me!”
Ethan quickly covered the triangular mark with his sleeve.
“You already gave it to me.”
A flustered voice sounded.
“B-but contracts are supposed to be based on mutual trust… right?”
“Why is this in the goddess’s possession? It’s mine!”
“D-don’t you dare insult this body!”
Vespera was frantic.
After encountering countless absolute beings across nearly an eternity in this world, this was the first time someone had stolen her power without a word!
“How can a mortal body be born without a soul…?”
I had always found that line a bit irritating.
Ah, I don’t have a soul?
Eh, I was never a good person to begin with.
From the moment I entered Shifu School, I felt that fate required me to carry half of this filthy shifu’s blood.
That’s rough, though.
Special Forces training will get me through anything.
Even if I’m not a ghost-catching marine, I can handle it.
“Thank you for the power. I don’t know what I’ll use it for, though.”
“W-wait a moment.”
“Refunds are not possible, goddess.”
Vespera grabbed the hood she had pulled back and dragged it all the way down to her chest.
“Being backstabbed by a mortal… is unheard of.”
“Justice is always served.”
Vespera unleashed her aura.
—Unfair contract—!
BOOM!
A powerful gust swept around her and exploded outward.
Of course, Ethan remained untouched.
“Ah, it feels great, goddess.”
“What is going on…?”
“I must have gained a bit of power.”
Ethan folded his arms calmly.
“What should I do with this?”
“Ugh…”
“First, send back the item to the wicked person who already wired the money?”
“Aigoo…”
Vespera the goddess.
She had had her entire protective power stolen by Ethan.
Normally such contracts did not exist because one party usually gave something in return, but—
—A contract with no compensation at all—!
Yet Ethan received zero penalty.
Honestly, he hadn’t even touched the fine print.
But morally, this is still on the level of a treaty.
Of course, I wasn’t any better than a Japanese colonialist, so I decided to hear her out.
“Then I’ll take it—”
“How fortunate.”
Vespera cut him off.
A wrinkle appeared between Ethan’s brows.
“…Did you read my mind?”
—This body is omniscient…
“I’ll cancel the favor I was going to give you.”
“I, I know! I won’t read your mind! Don’t say that!”
Vespera stamped her feet in place.
Her necklace bounced wildly over the valley of her chest.
“Hmph. To make me feel emotions for the first time in hundreds of years… you are truly a remarkable child.”
Ethan thought to himself.
That’s huge. Is she going to get a bonus?
Vespera’s voice trembled.
“I-I-It is rude!”
“Hey, stop reading my mind.”
—It cannot be helped! This body also needs practice…!
Vespera pressed her lips shut and pressed her fingers against the hollow beneath her collarbone.
“I appeared in the form you like the most… but—”
“Was that true?”
“D-did it show?”
Ethan scratched his head.
“No, but that size is kind of… big for a goddess.”
“I am a goddess! I should be this big!”
“Is that actually true?”
“Yes! Otherwise it wouldn’t work!”
“Yeah, I guess there’s no plastic surgery clinic on the holy mountain.”
Ethan finished his rude thought.
“The conversation wandered off topic.”
“…It’s your fault.”
In truth, if Vespera hadn’t been reading his mind, none of this would have happened.
“So… what favor do you need from me, goddess?”
She placed her hand over her chest.
“Right now, I have only recovered one-third of my power.”
“You said the other half of the seal in the Crown Prince’s hand was bound by the second power, right?”
“That is correct. The first power was already given to you.”
Ethan stepped slightly closer.
“So you want me to find the third power?”
“That is correct.”
A gentle voice sounded.
—Go find my divine servants who bear my power.
She raised her head.
The night-sky star-like emerald eyes shone brightly.