The Goddess Is Obsessed With Me

During the past week, I meticulously prepared for the upcoming quest.

As we reached the designated meeting spot, I observed several fellow adventurers who had arrived earlier, huddled together and engaged in animated conversations.

It was reminiscent of the camaraderie shared while waiting for a school trip bus, despite the impending challenges of the journey ahead.

Despite the early morning hour, the mood was upbeat, and the atmosphere was vibrant with the first rays of sunlight.

Although some faces seemed vaguely familiar, I realized I only recognized them in passing.

None of these adventurers were my friends; they were mere acquaintances. So, I found a quiet spot to sit alone, feeling like an outsider, waiting patiently for Erina arrival.

 “……”

The vivid memories evoked a mix of emotions, causing the initial positivity to wane, and I found myself smiling with a bittersweet blend of feelings.

It’s the same back on earth too…

“Harold-san! I’m sorry for keeping you waiting!”

While I sat in quiet contemplation, lost in bitter memories, a familiar voice caught my attention from the corner of my ear.

I turned my head and saw Erina, running towards me.

“Good morning….We’re going to need to be alert from an early hour, so managing our energy might be a challenge. Did you get enough sleep?”

When I greeted Erina with a smile and talked about miscellaneous things, she responded with a bright smile as well.

“Yes, I’m feeling great! It’s my first time exploring a dungeon, so I’m excited, but I’m also quite anxious, and my heart is racing!”

Then she looked at every nook and cranny of my outfit and showed a slightly puzzled face.

“You mentioned that this dungeon might be a bit more dangerous than usual. Did you make the necessary preparations? I noticed you’re not wearing any gear, Harold-san…”

She looked a bit puzzled, but to clarify, I had actually prepared stuff only for Erina, not for myself.

 “Now, take this.”

I explained and then handed her various potions, amulets, books from Eleanor, and other items I had prepared.

 “….Eh? All of this are for me…?”

Then, curiosity shifted to wonder, and as Erina scanned the numerous items, her interest gradually transformed into a sense of unease.

 “Harold-san…”

Suddenly, the excitement vanished, and the lively atmosphere turned cold quickly, like pouring water on hot metal.

I had arranged these items for her, so why was she reacting this way?

What had gone wrong?

I was taken aback by her unexpected response, and I couldn’t quite understand why things had taken such an unexpected turn.

“Thank you for doing all this for me, showing that you care… But does this mean you don’t trust my abilities…? Am I not strong enough…?”

ah….

Hearing Erina’s next words, I immediately realized what kind of mistake I had made.

I have become like a mother who is so worried about her children now.

The children themselves have already grown to a certain extent, so they can solve almost any problem, and they think they are at a level where they can become independent to some extent, and they are mature enough to actually do it to some extent without the help of their parents.

However, it’s like a mother still treating her grown child like a young one, trying to control every little detail.

In fact, this denies the child’s growth, and even though the intention is good, excessive involvement can become toxic.

It’s not malicious, but too much favor can burden the child’s heart and damage their self-confidence.

Looking back now, it’s almost ridiculous that I had done the same thing.

Erina’s self-doubt and loss of confidence were likely worsened by my poor judgment and overreactions.

 “……”

I realized I was wrong, but because I had already done it, I couldn’t get it back, so I just made up something and speak to her.

“N-no… I just prepared it because of the very scary atmosphere! It’s not that I doubted you at all…haha!”

I tried to make excuses for the accident that came back late, but the confidence that had already left did not seem to come back easily.

“Ugh… I know Harold-san feelings… Well, Harold-san is really kind…Still, something… it just feels sad…”

Even if something went wrong, something went wrong…. Still, her condition is…

This situation is significant, but her heart is already broken even before we leave for the dungeon.

No matter how much I regret and scold myself, what’s done is done.

It’s like spilled water that can’t be gathered back. In that case, I should focus on moving forward and finding a way to mend things anew.

“Erina…!”

I take her hand, conveying my encouragement through a firm grip, trying to infuse her with confidence and reassurance without drawing attention from others.

 “Eh?! Heh… Harold-san…? Oh… Why…?”

“I’m sorry… I underestimated you so much… But I think I overdid it because I was so worried…”

I held her hands in mine and spoke with a confident tone.

Erina seemed a bit taken aback and muttered something under her breath.

 “Uh… this is a foul… But Harold-san hand… warm…”

Erina, who was saying something to herself, immediately let go of my hand and met my eyes with a better smile than before.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m not upset about it. I’m actually touched that you prepared all this for me. I’ll make sure to use these items well, knowing you had me in mind…hehe~”

Fortunately, Erina’s confidence seemed to have been partially restored, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.

I closed my eyes, attempting to calm my anxious mind through meditation.

As I focused on this, a considerable amount of time seemed to pass.

Just then, the leader of our quest, along with a guild scout, raised their voices and shouted, capturing the attention of everyone present.

 “Now that all the quest recipients have gathered, let’s start! The content of the quest is to explore the newly discovered dungeon! The dangers are unknown,so please be careful everyone!”

Following those words, the leader of the quest took charge and began to lead the group forward. Gradually, the rest of us started to follow his steps in an organized manner.

◆◆◆

Upon reaching the quest location, Whispering Dungeon, it was emphasized that for safety reasons, individual actions were prohibited.

Therefore, groups of two or more people were formed to enter the dungeon together.

 The process of forming groups was swift, likely because those who had arrived earlier had already discussed their arrangements.

As usual, I teamed up with Erina for the expedition.

 “Everyone seems to be ready, so let’s enter the dungeon. After the first floor, it’s recommended to disperse in groups, and except in emergency situations, please act with the designated people.”

Following the instructions of the expedition leader, the massive door of the dungeon swung open.

Even before we stepped inside, the interior appeared pitch black from the outside. An unsettling and malevolent energy emanated from within, causing a sense of unease to wash over us just by gazing at it.

 “It looks scarier than I thought…”

Just like Erina said, I also swallowed dry saliva in the atmosphere of the dungeon that looked more sinister than I expected.

I always felt it, but what I saw in the game and what I was actually facing here were similar, but there was a big difference in detail.

This dungeon also always looked beyond the screen, and when I tried to jump in myself, my heart started beating faster due to some kind of anxiety.

“Let’s go…”

Teams that included wizards conjured up lights, while those without wizards attached lanterns to their belts, all in preparation for the encroaching darkness.

While my proficiency was limited to powerful offensive magic, I was unable to employ the miscellaneous spells except for the basic ones.

Nonetheless, I succeeded in conjuring a beginner-level light magic that created a radiant, bonfire-like glow above my head, illuminating our way.

 [Light]

As the time to enter approached, everyone steeled themselves in silence, and in an unspoken agreement, we ventured into the dungeon.

Thankfully, there were no immediate obstacles, and all adventurers managed to enter the dungeon without issue.

“############”

Murmurs of an unknown meaning began to infiltrate my ears, their unsettling presence impossible to ignore. The whispering, as anticipated from the name of the dungeon, immediately proved bothersome and unsettling.

 “Harold-san… did you hear that…?”

In response to Erina’s comment, she suddenly looped her arm through mine, creating a chilling and eerie ambiance reminiscent of a horror house at an amusement park.

 “Kieek!”

“Koohhokk!!”

The adventurers effortlessly dispatched the monsters that emerged sequentially, employing their specialized skills.

As it was only the first floor, Erina and I didn’t need to assist, and the group handled the monster encounters smoothly.

“Moving forward, we’re entering the second floor. Let’s maintain our current formation and split up temporarily,”

After walking for a while, we reached a set of stairs leading down.

As everyone reached the second floor, the leader gave out instructions.

People who heard the leader’s voice formed smaller groups with their chosen partners and began to explore different parts of the dungeon.

…

..

.

Erina and I ended up… separated from the group.

“You ㅡㅡㅡ anything ㅡㅡㅡ true ㅡㅡ”

As we descended to the second floor, the whispering sound, which had initially been indistinct, started to grow clearer.

It was still fragmented, but now it was audible enough to be interpreted to some extent.

 “ooh ooh…!!”

With each descending floor, the monsters grew stronger in their capabilities.

To conserve my magical energy, I chose to switch to swords.

 “keeek!?!”

Thankfully, considering this is a starting-level story quest, the ambiance might be eerie, but the monsters themselves didn’t pose a significant threat.

They were easily dispatched without needing to resort to magic.

 After defeating one, similar monsters appeared intermittently, likely reacting to the demise of their companions.

 “Khaaak!”

Swwiiishhh!

 “Yahhhh!!”

Erina’s powerful swing and loud battle cry echoed through the area as her sword struck the monster.

Soon after, the defeated creature transformed into a Mana stone, and it became evident that the monsters weren’t much of a match for Erina’s prowess.

 “Whoo…!”

After triumphing over her adversaries, Erina let out a satisfied exhale and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

It was a relief to see that my concerns were unfounded; she seemed to be performing admirably.

Her skills and capabilities were evident, and it was clear that she had matured significantly, displaying no signs of weakness.

“Alright, let’s keep going. The monsters here don’t seem too tough, so as long as we stay focused, we’ll be fine.”

 “Yes, Harold-san!”

◆◆◆

As we continued to fight through the monsters and gradually headed towards the depths of the dungeon, we reached the 7th floor.

“You are a useless existence– a worthless life—“

As we continued descending, the whispers that were initially indistinct started to form recognizable sentences, and the content was unsettling, aiming to shatter our resolve.

 Despite the increasing intensity of the whispers, Erina held her ground admirably… However, as time passed,

I could see her complexion grow paler, a clear sign that she was grappling with both the draining stamina and the tormenting demonic whispers.

 “Are you okay, Erina? There don’t seem to be any monsters around here, should we take a break…?”

She barely managed to nod in response to my question, then settled down onto a flat piece of marble, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Even with the amulets in place, Erina was clearly still suffering, evident by her hunched form and hands clamped over her ears, desperately trying to block out the tormenting whispers.

 “Don’t worry about the voice, Erina…Remember what I’ve told you, believe in yourself.”

Hearing my words, she seemed to gradually regain her focus, and her expression began to relax.

Clearly, this place was quite challenging for her.

It was necessary to take a longer break than initially planned in order to adjust her condition as much as possible.

While sitting and resting, Erina drank the potion I had given her, clutched the amulets in her arms, read the book I had received from Eleanor, and did her best to steady her mind.

As time passed and she turned the pages, her complexion improved, and her overall condition appeared to be not much different from when we were on the second floor.

I checked with her, and when it seemed like she was ready, we decided to continue our descent.

…

..

.

“Haah!!”

As we delved deeper into the dungeon, the monsters grew in both size and danger, making it necessary for us to rely on magic more heavily.

 I utilized the efficient magic I had received from the goddess Abne to fend off enemies, while Erina fought valiantly to take down the monsters.

Although the battles consumed her stamina, the monsters seemed to be weakened significantly due to the unique whispering sounds of the dungeon.

Despite the challenges, we pressed on, moving through each floor, each level, and supporting Erina’s spirit as best as I could.

Eventually, we reached the 12th floor after overcoming numerous obstacles and adversaries.

“You are trash”

“die.”

“You are an incompetent being who shouldn’t breathe the air of the world…”

As we went further, the whispers became clearer, indicating we were nearing the dungeon’s core.

And just as I expected, a big challenge was waiting for us here.

Thud!

“Erina?!”

And although she had been following along well so far, it seemed like she was slowly reaching her limit.

“No! I… I…! I’m not that kind of person… Ugh…haah…No!!!!!”

She collapsed to the ground, screaming and clutching her ears as she struggled in distress.

 “Calm down, Erina!!”

I embraced her tightly, trying to provide comfort, and gently guided her to sit down.

 “Can you hear me? Erina… Erina!!”

“….H-Harold-san… I…”

She could barely hear me, but when she recognized me, there was nothing to worry about.

“I’m sorry… I’m not feeling well right now…”

She held onto me tightly, seeking solace, and I soothingly stroked her back, offering support to Erina as she battled her inner turmoil.

My hope was for her to overcome this challenging moment unharmed.

“It’s okay, you have no problem at all… It’s perfect, so don’t fall for this dungeon’s tricks and stay rational.”

As my words of encouragement reached her ears, I could observe a positive change in her expression, gradually transitioning to a more relaxed and relieved state.

 “Ugh… Harold-san… Thank you…”

“Yeah, it looks difficult, so let’s rest once more, and when you recover again -“

“Hmm~ What did you say~?”

Evil, creepy voices echoing through the ruins, intercepting my words, have ridiculed us.

“?!!”

Startled, we both turned our heads towards the source of a real voice, different from the distant whispers.

There, we saw a demon observing us.

 This demon had an appearance that contrasted its ordinary but significant voice – covered in thorns, with rough, tough skin to match.

 “I’ve been monitoring the scattered adventurers as a whole… That woman seems to have a particularly weak mental resistance~.”

Crrkkkk!

With an air of nonchalance, she uttered those words while extending a sharp thorn from her hand.

 “I’ll throw that girl first as the first food for my children~”

Malua, the dungeon’s boss, sported an evil grin befitting a demon.

As a malevolent creature that preys on people’s vulnerabilities, she targeted us with a menacing thorn.

 “Come on, kids? It’s time to eat!”

Keeekkkkkk!!

At the moment of Malua’s shout, I felt a tremor beneath us, similar to an earthquake, but then…

Sssakkkk!

Behind her, darkness shrouded the surroundings, making it difficult to discern, but a multitude of shapes and glowing red eyes fixated on us