Chapter 2 That Goddess works as the guild staff member.

Ancient records state that all the lands in this world were nearly connected as a single mass, surrounded by vast oceans.

Eruza's boundary stretched around the human lands located at the far-right edge of the map, the Eastern Hemisphere. This boundary manifested as a translucent blue line, spanning from beneath the land to the sky.

It destroyed nothing except demons attempting to invade human lands.

Thus, the people of the three kingdoms lived in peace, free from the threat of demons, ever since Eruza ascended as a goddess. They refrained from sending explorers beyond the boundary to avoid unnecessary risks.

Safety and peace grew to the point of expanding the kingdom to its full boundary…

However, as resources within the boundary began to decline, people gradually sought things from outside—coal, minerals, fine lumber, rare herbs, and many other commodities.

The profession of adventurer, long neglected due to the era of peace, was once again.

Adventurers undertook a variety of tasks, including guarding workers from demons, searching for medicinal ingredients, and fulfilling market demands for certain demon parts, either for collection or crafting equipment.

As a highly income profession, it has attracted many people to take it up. However, at times, some overestimate their abilities and are slain by demons beyond the boundary…

As the number of adventurers grew, the three kingdoms agreed to establish a centralized organization called the Guild. The Guild organized the adventuring profession, assigned mission levels based on skill, and significantly reduced fatalities.

Adventurers who did not register with the Guild were barred from using city gates to venture beyond the boundary.

For Nos, the most critical obstacle was... the registration rule. It stated that an adventurer must be at least as tall as the wooden post planted in front of the Guild building—a standard height roughly equivalent to a twelve- or thirteen-year-old child.

She fell just short.

…The Goddess Eruza had taken her in at the age of eight, lavishing her with expensive books to sharpen her skills through self-study. When time allowed, she would periodically assess Nos's progress.

Recently, her training had become far more grueling. The goddess had seen that Nos had enough time to sneak on her daily routines, leading Eruza to pile on additional tasks. The relentless routine left the young girl exhausted; with barely any time to think of anything, she could only push her body beyond its limits.

To become the perfect tool.

Sometimes, Nos wondered if the goddess hated her…She was so anxious, so she tried to ensure every outcome exceeded the expectations of the goddess.

She wanted the goddess to pay attention to her… more than to any other woman she smiled at.

If the goddess gave Nos a manual of combat techniques, she would read it repeatedly, analyzing every detail. Then, she would seek out additional books to expand her understanding, linking together information about strengths and weaknesses and imagining scenarios where each technique would be most effective.

If the goddess instructed Nos to practice swordsmanship, Nos would swing her weapon repeatedly, conjuring an imaginary foe to simulate attacks, evade strikes, and exploit openings.

If the goddess instructed Nos to learn cooking with limited ingredients for survival beyond the boundary, she would quickly find ways to prepare meals efficiently while ensuring they retained as much nutritional value as possible.

Every action was deliberate, and every result was calculated. Nos need for the goddess to be proud of her…

One day, Nos pushed herself so hard, that she collapsed from exhaustion…

When she awoke on a warm bed, her body felt lighter than before.

A strange sensation of weightlessness and comfort washed over her as if someone had been tending to her while she was unconscious…

"Are you awake?" A calm voice spoke as a slender hand gently touched her forehead. " "Little girl, you've fallen ill from overexerting yourself… This isn't a minor illness, but one so severe that even Gift of the Hero could only partially ease your symptoms."

Nos blinked twice.

She was sick...

To be sick meant weakness. Weakness meant death beyond the boundary. If she was weak, she couldn't possibly be the weapon to slay the Demon Lord as the goddess intended.

"My Goddess... does this mean... I'm no longer useful?" Nos's voice trembled as she spoke, betraying the emotions she tried to suppress. "I can try harder... I'll become stronger..."

She attempted to push herself upright.

"..." Eruza's piercing blue eyes softened, and her hand gently pressed Nos's forehead, halting her movement. "What you need to do now is rest and heal."

Nos bit her lip, reluctantly lowering her arms and sinking back onto the bed.

"Little girl, you are my tool," Eruza reiterated. "I have no intention of letting my tool break before facing the Demon Lord. Therefore, you must learn to assess your own limits better."

"My Goddess..." For the first time, Nos felt a flicker of care in those words. "I will rest as you say... and when I recover, I'll fight the demons… I won't lose to any of them…"

"Your stubbornness will be troublesome in the future," Eruza remarked, pulling a bowl closer from the bedside table. "That trait is better suited for an honorable knight, not an adventurer. In the future, should you face defeat against a demon beyond the boundary, retreating will not be shameful… Little girl, your survival is my victory as well. Once you've lived, train harder, grow stronger, and return to vanquish the demon you once fled from. That is enough for me."

Nos slightly shrank back at the goddess's words, but when she noticed Eruza lifting a spoonful of soup toward her, she quickly leaned forward, eager to accept it.

The warmth flowed from the spoonful of soup, spreading from her mouth to her body, filling her with a gentle heat. At the same time, Nos felt her heart swell, almost bursting with joy.

Her life was the goddess's victory...

"I will remember your words, My Goddess. I won't be stubborn anymore… so that I can become the perfect tool for you."

For Eruza to care enough to tend to her personally, Nos had never imagined such a thing.

The overwhelming gratitude welled up inside her, bringing a heat to her eyes and a lump to her throat.

"Finish eating, then rest. If your illness stunts your growth, you'll never become an adventurer." That gentle tone struck straight to Nos's heart.

...Eruza had a habit of checking Nos's height by the central pillar in their home. Due to accurate memory, she could recall Nos's exact progress down to the millimeter.

By the time Nos grew tall enough to match the marked line—the same height as the wooden post in front of the Guild—she had reached the age of twelve.

"I can finally become an adventurer..." Nos whispered, unable to contain her excitement.

Nos stepped back from the pillar, a wide smile spreading across her face as she basked in the morning sunlight streaming through the window, with a great mood.

Though Nos usually loved to smile, finding joy in seeing the world through her own two eyes, this time her happiness was even greater…

"Hmm," Eruza hummed softly in acknowledgment. "This morning, I'll prepare breakfast."

The goddess had no need for food or drink, existing purely through faith and thus untouched by hunger. Every ingredient Eruza brought into the house reflected her unwavering care.

Though she left Nos to prepare her own meals once the girl was capable, Eruza still cooked for her on special occasions—like when Nos was ill.

But this time... could it be a celebration?

Upon closer observation, Nos noticed a faint smile at the corner of the goddess's lips as she stood by the pot.

Nos's face grew warm, a wave of shyness washing over her as she lifted her hands to cover it.

"Finish eating, then get ready to go to the Guild," Eruza's voice came from close by.

When Nos lowered her arms, she found a plate of mashed potatoes with sauce placed directly in front of her.

The faint fragrance from the braided-haired woman made the girl quickly shift her focus to the warm food, which she began eating in hurried bites.

"You'll choke if you eat like that," Eruza remarked with a calm warning, adjusting her brown-and-black attire with a practiced motion. "I'll head there first. You know the way to the Guild, don't you, little girl?"

Nos nodded quickly; her cheeks puffed full of food. She watched the tall figure until the door closed behind her.

The Guild was where Eruza worked in the city.

That was one of the reasons Nos was so eager to register as an adventurer—so she could see the goddess from a new perspective, to catch glimpses of her serene face for just a little longer.

With that thought, Nos quickly finished her meal and gazed at her reflection in the water.

Her face was fair and radiant, framed by her long black hair tied high in a ponytail. Her bright blue eyes, so close in tone to the goddess's... Overall, she decided she didn't look too bad.

Straightening, the blue cloth tucked neatly into her trousers, she gave herself a small nod of confidence before leaving her home.

The distance between the goddess's house and the Guild was only two alleys away. Along the way, Nos passed neighbors she had never spoken to and strangers she didn't know, but she kept her usual cheerful smile on her face.

…The building ahead loomed large, constructed of stone interlocked in precise patterns. Its expansive structure rose three stories high, with evenly spaced windows lining its walls.

The girl compared herself to the wooden post in front of the Guild for a boost of confidence, then stepped into the grand hall, where a chandelier hung from the ceiling.

She had often spied on the goddess from the Guild's window, but stepping inside herself was a completely different experience.

The place wasn't so opulent as to be overwhelming, but the atmosphere was rich with the presence of adults bustling with purpose. It filled Nos with a sense that she was about to become part of something larger—something meaningful. She was growing up, step by step.

And then... there was the goddess.

Standing behind a long counter on the right, Eruza's sharp, serene beauty seemed to draw the light into the room. Her delicate face showed no emotion, her gaze distant as if observing something beyond the mortal world. She felt untouchable, standing on a plane far removed, yet so close Nos could almost reach out to her.

"Wow, how adorable!" A voice broke through Nos's reverie, pulling her back to the present.

"..." Nos glanced up and saw another guild staff member in the same brown-and-black uniform as Eruza.

At first, she had sensed the staff member approaching but thought she was just passing by to talk to someone else. Instead, the woman stopped to engage her in conversation...

And even called her cute…?

Despite always being gossiped about for her unattractiveness, perhaps her face had become more presentable now that her eyes no longer bulged as they once did.

"You seem happy. Are you waiting for someone?" the staff member asked again, undeterred by Nos's lack of response.

Nos had grown used to keeping the corners of her mouth lifted, giving her the appearance of being cheerful all the time. But right now, she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone at all.

She glanced toward Eruza, who was speaking with a short-haired woman who appeared to be a Guild supervisor. There was no opening for Nos to interrupt.

"I want to register as an adventurer," Nos finally replied, giving in to the guild staff member. Even so, her senses remained focused on the goddess.

"Eh?" The woman hesitated for a moment, clearly surprised. "But you're still just a child."

"I'm as tall as the post outside," Nos countered, citing the Guild's registration requirements. Her firm tone silenced the staff member for a moment.

Nos sighed, reluctant to waste any more time. She walked past the woman and stood beside the post for a clear comparison.

"Ah, you're right…So we can proceed with your registration. The fee is five bronze coins."

Though hesitant at first, the guild staff member quickly shifted to a professional demeanor, guiding Nos through the process.

...In this hall, there were exceptionally long tables arranged in rows, separating the guild staff ready to assist from the adventurers who came to inquire and handle various matters. At the back stood a massive mission board divided into two sections, with a seating area in the center for resting and conversations.

"Alright, please provide your full name, residence, age, and the religion you worship."

Eruza had once explained that not all humans in the three kingdoms were literate. While most could speak, not everyone could read or write. For this reason, guild staff were tasked with handling paperwork on behalf of some adventurers who had never had the opportunity to receive an education in language.

Nos provided the details, finishing with her declaration of faith in the goddess Eruza.

"The Goddess Eruza?" The guild staff member smiled slightly. "That's a rare choice for an adventurer."

Nos blinked, curious. "Rare?"

"Yes…most adventurers worship Neerg, the God of Adventure."

Before Nos could ask further, a male staff member leaned over to join the conversation, intrigued by the sight of someone Nos's age in the Guild.

"That's because Neerg grants blessing to humans so easily," he said, stroking his chin. "My friend once said that just a prayer or two was enough for the god to grant him the Wind Blessing."

Blessings from the gods... they were akin to magic from the tales.

The Four Great Gods could each bestow two blessings. The first four were elemental powers—earth, water, wind, and fire—aligned with the god's domain. The remaining blessings were unique gifts, reserved only for the most devout followers.

Devotees of various faiths constructed temples to honor their gods, praying for blessings and protection from the gods.

…Nos had already received the Hero's Blessing, but Eruza had once advised her to begin with the most foundation to ensure stability in her adventures beyond the boundary. For that reason, she kept her abilities to herself and said nothing about it.

"On the other hand, Goddess Eruza is so selective with her blessings you could count the recipients on one hand. There are very few wielders of the Water Blessing, and there are rumors that no one has ever received her special blessing. Not once." He spoke. "She's a goddess who doesn't care about humans."

The goddess didn't care about humans... Based on what Nos had observed, that was likely true.

Yet, that fact brought Nos a secret joy. She was the "special one" to Eruza—the only person to have received the Hero's Blessing under the goddess's name.

"Speak about gods like that, and you'll get yourself cursed," the woman said, nudging her colleague aside. "Don't mind him. Most of those who follow Goddess Eruza simply appreciate peace. They're not usually drawn to power for combat."

Nos nodded and watched as the woman resumed processing her paperwork.

She understood that Eruza was the Goddess of Boundary, and many of her followers shared her inclination toward peace. Others joined the faith captivated by the beauty of her statues, carved by master sculptors to resemble the goddess as closely as possible.

Though not an exact likeness of the goddess, Nos, who had visited the Temple of Lilies dedicated to Eruza in the city, found the statue to evoke a similar presence. She wondered which sculptor had carved the goddess's image and whether the statues in other temples carried the same essence…It was both exalted and alluring.

When everyone knew that the gods truly existed, coupled with rumors of their unions every seven days, who wouldn't let their imagination run wild about the goddess?

Just the thought made Nos feel a surge of irritation, her usual smile fading into a slight frown.

"Don't worry too much about it, Not every adventurer worships a god. Some follow multiple gods, and others don't worship any at all. The Guild offers a variety of missions, so you'll have plenty of options regardless of God's blessings. " The guild staff member in uniform said, pulling Nos's attention back to the present and handing her a thumb-sized bronze badge. "Alright, every adventurer starts at the rank of Bronze Level Five. When selecting missions from the board, make sure to check that they're within your level before submitting your request… As you complete missions and meet the conditions, you'll rank up gradually."

The bronze badge in Nos's hands was marked with a score of five. Higher ranks would be denoted by lower numbers: Four, Three, Two, One... and then the badge would change to Silver Rank.

"Once you reach Silver Rank, your name will be engraved on the back of your badge," the staff member continued. "But that'll take some time. Let's save the details about Silver and Gold ranks for later, alright?"

This bronze badge symbolized Nos's official status as an adventurer, even if she was starting at the lowest rank.

With the registration complete, Nos turned her gaze toward Eruza, who remained at the far-right corner of the hall.

Her blue eyes widened as she caught sight of an unexpected smile from the goddess, directed straight at her.

Beautiful… so much so that she wished to keep this smile all to herself.

"El, I've brought some herbs to sell," a sweet voice chimed from behind her.

Her mind quickly concluded that this person was the next target… someone who would soon witness the goddess's bare form and inevitably fall into ruin…

A sharp, tightening sensation gripped her chest as if an unseen force was squeezing her heart.

"El's at it again," a hushed whisper from a Guild staff member reached Nos's keen ears. "Always using that face to charm every new female adventurer...I warned that woman not to fall for the smile, but who listens?"

"Do you think anyone could resist? If El smiled at you like that, could you keep your wits about you?"

"Like Goddess Eruza herself, right? Seductive enough to lure even the Demon Lord."

"And what would the Goddess Eruza be doing at our Guild, hmm? You're dreaming." Their laughter was casual, the type shared when no adventurers required immediate assistance.

These people dared to mock her goddess...

They didn't understand—Eruza wasn't manipulative by choice. It was the curse she bore.

"Nos," Eruza's clear voice called out.

The girl looked up, her eyes sparkling brightly, and immediately rushed toward the one who had called her name.

"My Go—El" Nos quickly realized that no one here knew the goddess's true identity, prompting her to hastily change the way she addressed her.

"This is my new friend," Eruza said, gesturing toward the tall female adventurer, smiling warmly as she introduced her. "She hails from the capital and is skilled in herb gathering. She's kindly offered to help teach you how to forage for herbs—a skill that will help you easily complete lower-level missions and rank up quickly."

"..." At the word friend, Nos's brow twitched slightly.

The goddess never smiled at anyone without purpose.

Just as El's colleagues had whispered among themselves… every time the goddess smiled at another woman; it was likely marking them as a target for her use. And now, this time was no different.

"And this," Eruza continued, gesturing to Nos, "is my little sister. Nos, I trust you'll help her out."

Little sister...

"That explains it. What a cute face. So, you're El's sister," the adventurer said, turning to Nos with a friendly smile. "It's nice to meet you. I'm a friend of El's."

It couldn't tell if the compliment about being "cute" was sincere or just an attempt to flatter the goddess because of her status as El's little sister.

Nos pressed her lips together, staring at the hand extended toward her.

"Nos," the goddess called her name, the tone carrying a hint of reprimand for her lack of manners.

"..." Nos has to accept the gesture, shaking the hand in a friendly manner.

So, this meant she would have to train in herb gathering with the goddess's new woman...?

Darn it. The Goddess Eruza is as cold as ever.