Chapter 9

The End, and a Confession

"Thank goodness my eyes look normal..."

For the first time in my life, I took a good look at my face in the mirror. Before, I couldn't even see my own face clearly when I took off my glasses. I wondered what I would do if I had Number 3's eyes, like in a certain old gag comic, but I was glad to see that they were more normal than I thought.

Afterwards, I discovered on the day that Leon was injured, it was a knight of the First Order who burned the demonic incense.

To be precise, it was Mayu's command.

In addition to Mayu's frustration with her inability to use the Goddess's power, that First Knight was upset that he had been challenged by a Second Knight, who did not need assistance to achieve his goals and foiled his plans again and again.

The truth surfaced because Mayu's divine powers faded away. The other party confessed to me that he had no reason to protect a selfish and cocky woman with no power, let alone a fake goddess.

To be hated that much, Mayu must have been very selfish...

The first knight commander, who I heard was very much in love with her, left her as soon as she lost her power. Afterwards, the high priest Zachariah, hearing that I had the Goddess's power, came babbling to me. I tried the thing where I held your hand over a crystal ball and chanted a spell, and it glowed radiantly. It was probably a hundred times brighter than Mayu's at that time.

Mayu was on her knees, but thanks to the fact that I was not recognized as a goddess at that time, I was able to come to the Second Order, so I'm not mad at her.

The second knight order employed more maids to clean and serve because I healed all the injuries of the former knights who were working for me. Now that the knights’ injuries have been healed, some of them have returned to the frontlines, while others decided to take up other jobs because their injuries have made them too afraid to fight anymore. We ended up losing most of our menial workers. We built bath houses and lavatories for women at a rapid pace. I'm quite satisfied with the bathrooms because I didn't want to bother the knights while they were using them.

I'm happy, but....

I secretly sighed.

***

When I left the changing room after using the bathroom as usual, Leon was working at his desk. As I glanced over at him, he put down his quill and turned to face me, as if he had noticed my downcast expression.

"What's wrong? Is something troubling you?"

"I'm not sure if it's okay for me to stay here with the Second Order forever.”

"What do you mean?" Sir Leon frowned quizzically.

"I've been able to help out a lot here, if I do say so myself. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it again. However, I am afraid that if properly trained maids come in the future, there will be no room for me as an amateur. Besides, I seem to be a Goddess, so I'm afraid I'll cause trouble for everyone by staying here. Besides, you said before the Second Knights don't need divinity, so I would just be a nuisance to you."

Leon gave me a sharp rap on the head.

"You're an idiot. What kind of nonsense are you cooking up? Is this the first time you've thought something silly like that? Huh?"

He grabbed both my cheeks and squished them, making me look like a fish. It hurt a bit.

"I have no idea what you mean. No one can replace you, no matter how good the maids are. Your self-esteem should be higher than that."

Really?

If Leon said so, I guess I could believe him.

He... needs me.

His hand finally left my cheek, but this time, he gently stroked my forehead, where he bumped me earlier.

"You're right, we don't need the Goddess. We need Rina. It's not important whether we need you because you're a goddess or not. Don't read too much into it."

My heart soaked up Leon's words. I saw now. Whether or not I was the goddess, I was me.

"Yes."

"Good girl."

I smiled and nodded, and he patted my head. Looking up at him, I gazed into his kind eyes. Blood rushed to my cheeks as I stared into his deep indigo eyes that seemed to see through everything.

He said I was "needed." I had always been a "nuisance" in my former world. The happiness of being needed by someone I loved made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. My cheeks naturally loosened up. I was sure I looked squished and disheveled now.

"The reason why we had to bring in maids was because you went around healing everyone's injuries. In a way, you caused this."

"Eh... You have a point."

I didn't have a reply to that...

For some reason, Sir Leon wickedly grinned at me.

"I don't think you're a nuisance at all," he said. "Even if you want to leave, I'm not letting you go. I won't release the woman I love so easily."

"Oh, okay... huh?"

My late reaction probably seemed stupid...

Sir Leon chuckled bitterly. "Is it so surprising? Have you already forgotten what I did to you the other day?"

He grabbed my chin, kissing me on the mouth. Just like the previous time, his lips that were pressed against mine quickly pulled away, but it was enough to confuse me.

"H-huuuuuuuuuuh?!"

"Remember now?"

I nodded violently. Yes, I did. Just like that time.

"I thought it was just a joke..."

"I wouldn't do something like that as a joke. I'm not that frivolous..."

No way. Sir Leon felt like that towards me? That’s impossible. I must be dreaming.

Sir Leon laughed as if he could see right through me.

"You're probably thinking 'there’s no way he likes me' again anyways."

Eh... How did he know?

"I'm well aware that you deny my feelings."

I'm denying his feelings…? He was so correct I couldn't even make a sound out of shame.

"I'm going to say this to you as many times as it takes for you to believe it. I like you. I like you because you're honest, you're stubborn, you're hardworking, you're good at cooking, you're good-natured, you're cute, and you're short but you have big breasts that add to your sexiness..."

"Geez! Please stop, I understand, I understand!"

I hurriedly covered Leon's mouth with my hands.

My face was probably very red right now- Wait a minute, that last part was kind of weird...!

"Are you satisfied?"

Leon stared straight into my eyes. Wait, that's too close!

"I've never had anyone say that to me before, so I think the standards for what is cute in this world are weird, or maybe you just have strange taste."

"Oh, come on!"

I worked up the courage to say it.

"...But as long as the person I love thinks I'm cute, that's fine."

I said it. It made me so embarrassed I lowered my eyes. I couldn't look up at Leon's face, as mine was so hot it felt like it was on fire. I hoped I didn't get carried away and gross Leon out.

He suddenly grabbed me by the chin, kissing me savagely.

"Nn, ah, aah..."

　Leon's thick tongue forced its way through my lips, and my tongue, shrinking back, was entangled. His hot tongue violated my oral cavity, and my body lost strength. I couldn't stand.

As I fell to my knees, Leon caught me in his arms and embraced me.

"Haa..ah?"

The next thing I knew, I was pushed down on his bed. Leon dropped a rain of small kisses on my neck.

"Ah, wait a minute, Sir Leon-! Isn't this developing too fast?"

I had only just confessed to him, though?!

"Not so fast. Do you have any idea how long I've been holding back?"

"Hiee!"

He bit me, and a sound I didn't know I could make leaked out from my lips.

"Night after night, after you bathe, you wander around my room looking defenseless."

"Well, I thought Leon said that was okay..."

Ah, his hand brushed my breasts...! And before I knew it, my shirt front was wide open...

"...And now that my true self has been discovered, I need to get my hands on you as soon as possible, or else I'll never get you again..."

"What?"

"No, it's nothing. Empty mutterings, don't dwell on it and just be mine. I'll make it so that all you can think about is me."

Leon's laugh was akin to that of a fierce beast.

I couldn't help but feel a pang in my chest as I fell silent.