Chương 78: Eliminating Concerns

When Eriri and the others returned to Verbergen, they were taken aback by the sight before them. In the central square of the town, all the beastman were kneeling in neat rows, their hands clasped together, heads bowed, faces filled with reverence as they chanted softly.

"What are you all doing?" Eriri asked, her face full of confusion as she looked at the five elders kneeling at the forefront.

Upon seeing Eriri, the elders' faces lit up with joy. They immediately prostrated themselves on the ground, speaking with utmost reverence, "Goddess, welcome back!"

"Goddess? What are you talking about?" Eriri responded, utterly bewildered.

The elder of the Forest Tribe, Elfrelich, quickly raised his head, his expression filled with respect. "My Lady, you are the goddess who has saved us beastman. We shall offer you our devout faith!"

Eriri, looking slightly exasperated, waved her hand dismissively. "Goddess? I just did what I promised. That was my second purpose for coming here. There's no need for such reverence."

"Even if you do not acknowledge it, it doesn't change the fact that you saved us. All beastman will continue to worship you!" The elders remained steadfast in their devotion, undeterred by Eriri's dismissal.

"Well, do as you please," Eriri said, realizing she couldn't change their minds. Trying to reprogram their thoughts wasn't an option she was willing to consider.

"Thank you, Goddess. May we know your divine name?" one of the elders asked with great humility.

"Kashiwagi Eri," Eriri replied after a brief pause, using her pen name as well as the name of their chat group.

Looking around at the beastman still kneeling on the ground, Eriri addressed the five elders with a stern expression. "If you are going to worship me, then listen carefully. From now on, you do not need to kneel when you see me. Keep your faith in your hearts, and that's enough."

"As you command, Goddess Kashiwagi Eri!" the elders responded in unison.

…

At the heart of Verbergen stood a colossal tree, its diameter far greater than any other. A hundred meters up its trunk, a vast and beautifully decorated room was hidden within a hollow. This room, according to legend, had once belonged to Lyutillis Haltina, the queen of the ancient Haltina Republic, the predecessor of Verbergen. It had been preserved perfectly by the beastman for thousands of years.

This room was now offered to Eriri, their newly revered goddess, as her residence.

"Wow, this house is so beautiful! How come I never knew about this place?" Shea exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder as she explored every corner of the room with childlike glee.

"Of course, it's a secret only known to the elders," Eriri said, picking up a fruit that the beastman had offered and taking a bite. She then settled onto a wooden bench, enjoying the taste while Arifureta checked out the bedroom. Reina sat quietly beside Eriri, her big red eyes scanning the room with curiosity.

Seeing the curiosity in Reina's eyes, Eriri couldn't help but smile. She quickly finished the fruit, evaporated the juice from her hands with a small burst of energy, and then gently patted Reina on the head. "Reina-chan," she called softly.

Hearing her name, Reina quickly turned her attention away from the room's decorations and looked up at Eriri, tilting her head slightly with a confused yet adorable expression.

Eriri couldn't resist the cuteness and pulled Reina into her lap, facing her directly. After nuzzling Reina's soft cheeks, Eriri stroked her fluffy tail and whispered gently, "Reina-chan, you don't have to be so reserved around me."

Reina lowered her head and fell silent for a moment before speaking in a hesitant, soft voice, "I'm not… It's just…"

"Just what? Are you not happy being with me?" Eriri asked, feigning concern.

"No! I'm very happy with you! Very, very happy!" Reina's head shot up, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and a bit of panic as she met Eriri's gaze.

Seeing the gentle smile on Eriri's face, Reina blushed slightly, but this time she didn't look away.

"I'm so happy that you took me in. I just don't want to be a burden…"

"How could you be a burden? I like you a lot, Reina-chan. And even if there are problems, I'll handle them for you—it's no trouble at all." Eriri laughed, ruffling Reina's hair, before pointing at Shea, who was happily wandering around the room. "Just look at Shea; she doesn't have any worries."

Sensing that someone was watching her, Shea turned around and gave Eriri a goofy smile.

Eriri pulled Reina closer, hugging her tightly, and whispered into her ear, "You're only six years old. You should be enjoying your childhood. Don't carry such heavy thoughts, okay? Seeing you like this makes my heart ache."

"Okay!" Reina nodded vigorously, her face breaking into a bright, joyful smile.

After resting quietly in Eriri's embrace for a while, Reina looked up and smiled sweetly. "Sister, I'd like to explore the room."

"Go ahead," Eriri said, setting her down gently. Watching Reina's newfound liveliness, Eriri felt relieved.

A few minutes later, Arifureta emerged from the bedroom, scanned the hall with a quick glance, then picked up a fruit from the table and joined Eriri on the bench, sitting close beside her.

Wrapping an arm around Arifureta's shoulders, Eriri chuckled softly. "How's the bedroom? Does it suit your taste?"

"Yeah, it's perfect. The decorations are lovely, definitely a girl's room, and the bed's all new, too." Arifureta leaned her head on Eriri's shoulder, taking a small bite of the fruit before her eyes lit up. "This fruit is really good! Eriri, you should try some."

With that, she brought the bitten fruit up to Eriri's lips, looking at her expectantly.