I set conditions for being summoned to another world, but the Goddess still called me. - Chapter 4

Episode 4: The Goddess Can’t Go Home

　The lodging that the young boy, Il, recommended was superior to what I had expected.

　Just as the boy had told, a beautiful and lively girl showed us to a neat and tidy room. It wasn’t a big inn, but if the food was good, it was bound to be quite popular.

　There was nothing particularly strange about the behaviour of the townsfolk; they were quite normal.

“I was surprised that there were more beautiful women than I had expected.”

　I tried to make a joke, but Alice seemed rather cold towards me.

“Then let’s revert it a bit.”

“Stop. Why aren’t the people of this world surprised? If someone suddenly turns into a beautiful man or woman, there would normally be an uproar. Why are they so calm?”

　I couldn’t help but wonder why the residents weren’t making a fuss. No, why were they acting so normal? It couldn’t be possible.

“Oh, that’s because I changed the health and beauty parameters of this world. Everyone has become healthier and more beautiful. So from their perspective, nothing has changed.”

　Alice stated it as if it was nothing.

“Huh? Is that so?”

“That may be because humans perceive differences. For example, if everyone grew in height at the same time, we wouldn’t notice, right?”

“Well, I guess so. But there will be photos and stuff left, right?”

“No. There are no photographs in this world, and paintings only make them think that people in the past had different aesthetic sense.”

　Did that mean that the sensibility itself had changed?

“Oh, I see. Now that I think about it, I’ve also thought that the aesthetic sense of paintings from the past was different from that of today, but maybe that’s just because the parameters for health and beauty have changed.”

“I don’t know.”

　Well, maybe there is no such thing as universal ‘beauty’. The only thing that exists is ‘healthiness,’ and the rest is just a matter of the trends of the time.

“Well then, I’ll leave the rest to you. For now, it’s fine to say everything is going according to plan, right?”

“That’s right. I get it.”

“I’m tired so I’m heading home. I just messed around with the health and beauty parameters, so why am I so tired?”

“Oh, if you’re going home, you can teleport from the room. I’ll make up a suitable excuse later.”

“I see. Well then, please. And do your best.”

　After saying that, Goddess Alice closed her eyes.

　Is this a theory when using the power of the goddess? Or is it just a habit of Goddess Alice?

　With that in mind, I watched as Goddess Alice attempted to return to the divine realm. However, nothing happened.

“What?”

“Huh? It’s not working. Why?”

“Maybe you can’t go home?”

“That can’t be true…huh?”

　Goddess Alice then seemed to do something, but then she turned serious and froze.

“Somehow, I just have a bad feeling about this.”

　Suddenly, the goddess started sweating profusely. Her eyes were looking somewhere else.

“No, you’re kidding. You’re kidding. Oh, oh!”

Hey, hey. What’s happening now?

“What’s wrong?”

“I just changed your health and beauty parameters, right?”

“Yeah, you sure did.”

“That uses a lot of divine power.”

“Yeah. So?”

“I was feeling a bit unwell today. It turns out that I used up all my divine power.”

“Is that so?”

“But in God’s realm, divine power is replenished immediately.”

“Oh.”

“However, divine power is not replenished in the Earthly World.”

“Huh? Why is it like that?”

“There’s nothing we can do about it. That’s the way the system is.”

There is a system?

“So, have you used it all up?”

“Almost.”

“But you could fly.”

“Yeah, I think that was the last one.”

“That’s stupid. Contact your fellow gods and get help.”

“Yeah, that’s why I tried to contact the Gods’ realm, but I don’t have the power to do that either.”

“Don’t you have a spare battery?”

“What’s that? Normally the limiter would work and we would be able to make emergency calls, but it seems that that’s not possible.”

“Ahahahaha.”

“Haha, it’s not just that. You’ve lost your cheat abilities too.”

What? Why?

“What? Ah, the screen in my mind is gone.”

“Your divine power is about to run out. After all, your abilities depend on my divine power.”

“The limiter isn’t working. The rock was cut too. Ah, did that use up the last bit of your divine power?”

　Goddess, please stop glaring at me with those dirty looks. It was she herself who had made me do it.

“Haa. Now, I just have to wait for him to slowly recover.”

　Alice must have been tired, as she sat down on the bed.

“But surely someone in the Gods’ Realm would notice, right?”

“Maybe in a hundred years someone will notice,” said Alice, looking into the distance.

“Were you a recluse in the Gods’ Realm?”

“That can’t be true. The sense of time there is different from the Earthly World. Ah, but it might be dangerous.”

　Alice suddenly looked around.

“What’s dangerous about it?”

“If I stay on the Earthly World for too long, my incarnation will progress.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I won’t be able to go home.”

“What?”

“I’m gonna turn into a human!”

　Goddess Alice said with a panicked look on her face.

“Eh? Is that even possible?”

“Yes, it is possible. Right now, I am just wearing virtual matter, but gradually it will be replaced by my real body. Once the soul is covered in matter, no one can escape.”

“That… wait a minute, does that mean I can’t go home either?”

“That’s right, we’re in this together. We’re one and the same. We share the same destiny. Oh no! What should we do?”.

“Hey, don’t cry. You can absorb divine power and stuff in this world, right?”

“Well, there are some slightly different things mixed in here. My faith is gathering, and it’s slowly turning into divine power within me. But it will take too long. I’m going to have to spend the rest of my life in this world.”

“No, so it’s not decided yet. Anyway, calm down. Let’s rest for today and think about it tomorrow.”

“Y-you’re right. I understand. My divine power is running out and I’m about to collapse. There’s nothing we can do about this. Let’s just rest for now.”

　Maybe because Alice’s divine power had run out, I didn’t get away with it either.

　I couldn’t believe it. But I found myself in the same room as this incredibly beautiful goddess, and I crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

　Yes, a very deep sleep.