chapter 5

Volume 3 Short Story: A Once in a While Goddess-Like Activity

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while Kazuma. You do understand that I am actually a goddess, right?” Asked Aqua out of the blue.

Despite how it seems, she’s indeed a goddess.

How regrettable. Of course I understand. It’s because I understand that…

“You’re being put to good use, aren’t you?”

“You don’t understand at all! You don’t understand it in the slightest!” Aqua angrily cried out as played a role equivalent to a teabag in the water purification plant.

“Hey, haven’t I been treated especially badly recently? ‘The water purification facilities are broken, so until it’s fixed the water needs to be purified through some other means’. I can understand that, but why do I need be soaked in water during this cold season!?”

“You were the one who took up this job saying that you wanted to do something goddess-like every once in a while, weren’t you?”

I immediately responded to Aqua’s complaints.

“I did say that. I did say that I wanted to do it. I’m using my powers as a goddess right now, but it’s completely different from what I had in mind!” Shouted Aqua as she splashed the surface of the water.

Aqua, who had a lot of free time, had said that, in order to procure more followers for her cult, she wanted to perform a miracle every once in a while, like a goddess should.

“Doesn’t this count as a miracle? I mean, it would really trouble the townsfolk if they were unable to use water until the treatment plant is repaired. What’s the problem with putting a special trait you can rarely use to good use?”

“Yeah I get it! But I wanted to create a flashier miracle! Creating a miracle in a place with no spectators won’t get me any new followers!”

How selfish of her…

“You completed a job to provide water for the fields this morning didn’t you? Since it hasn’t rained in a while and all. Is solving a shortage of water not goddess-like enough? To start with, I think it’s cause you’re so materialistic that no one wants to worship you. Also, for spectators, the supervisor of the facility is watching isn’t he? That’s good enough isn’t it?”

“No matter how you perceive it, having the supervisor of the facility be the only spectator to a goddess’ miracle is nowhere near good enough! Not to mention, even though I’m solving the water crisis, all I’m really doing is sitting in a tub of water!”

In the time we spent arguing back and forth, the purification of the water was almost complete.

This goddess on a dunghill is still the goddess of water I suppose. She can do her work properly as long as it’s related to water.

“Once we’re done here, let’s think of something flashy to do. I’ll help out with your unpermitted activities just a little bit, so keep at it a little longer okay?”

“Well, if you say so. Alright then, let’s this over with then. Also, if you’re going to help me with my activities Kazuma, then I’ve got a good idea.”

Saying that, Aqua gathered some water by cupping the palms of her hands and raised her arms in a lifting motion, spraying water in my direction.

“Hey stop, the water’s freezing! Also, what are you planning on making me do?”

“I want you to die pathetically on a street with lots of passersby. While your corpse is being gobbled down by wild animals or the like, I will make my dashing entrance and resurrect you on the spot! Once you revive, I want you to die again without warning. Normally, a person can only be brought back once using resurrection magic. If I resurrect the same person multiple times, I think the onlookers might come to a realization!”

“You want me to die just so you can be treated like a goddess!? No way in hell you’re a goddess!”

While we were talking, the purification finally completed.

Aqua, who was dripping with water, got out and shook her body like a dog to dry herself off.

“Agh, it’s so damn cold! Here, you can have this towel, so dry yourself off normally would you?”

I handed a thick towel to Aqua, who surprisingly finished her work today without causing any problems.

The old man supervising the facility observed our interaction with delight and called out to us—

“Thank you very much. You two have been a great help. This much water should be enough to last until the facilities reparations are complete. However, I must say that it is impressive that you were able to purify this much water in such a short time.”

“Well, I wouldn’t deny it, but don’t let yourself get complacent with the management of the facility just because of this!”

Aqua started to get carried away after hearing praise from the old man.

“I truly am ashamed for letting it come to this. The facility was still functioning this morning. However, seeing that it hasn’t rained recently, we opened the flood gates to do some regular cleaning, but all of a sudden the river connected to the facility started to flood. We closed the flood gates in a panic, but this caused parts of the facility to malfunction.”

Hearing the man’s apologetic explanation, Aqua quickly averted her gaze with clear astonishment.

“Hey, you know something about this, don’t you? Rather, you have something to do with the flood, don’t you?”

“No I don’t.”

I pointed my hand at Aqua, who desperately evaded my gaze.

“If you won’t tell the truth, I’ll cast ‘Freeze’ on you while you’re still drenched in water.”

“So you remember how I was requested to provide water for the fields this morning? I got giddy after the farmers praised me, so I got carried away and summoned a large amount of water. I am very sorry.” Aqua apologized and promptly lowered her head.

I could only let out a long sigh.

“Hey, don’t apologize to me, apologize to the man.”

“I’m so sorry! I got carried away, please forgive me!”

“Um… No, it’s alright. We were also wrong to let down our guard just because it hadn’t rained in a while.”

The kind-hearted old man apologized once again.

As I dragged Aqua along—

“Geez, do you have some kind of sickness that makes it impossible for you to do a good job without screwing it up elsewhere? Come on, we’re going to the riverside. If we leave the flood alone it might cause even more damage.”

“Sniff… Even though I just wanted be praised with ‘A goddess is incredible’ every once in a while…! Even though all I wanted was to be a household name of sorts…!”

As I pulled the bawling Aqua along, a voice came from behind us—

“We are always grateful for your willingness to take up these jobs and help with our problems concerning water.”

I couldn’t hear very well from this distance, but I get the feeling that what I heard was the gentle voice of an old man expressing his heartfelt gratitude.

Booklet Illustration