“God sama, please help me fulfill my wishes! I’ll do anything you ask!”
The white cat had become Tsukimi Ryuune’s mouthpiece, as well as her proxy.
For native Japanese people, a talking animal easily brought to mind mountain spirits and the like. Especially in Japanese mythology and legends, gods often appeared in the human world in such forms.
It was no wonder the girl in front of her was so excited. A talking small animal was clearly much more convincing than if she had appeared in person.
And so, she decided to play along.
Sato Iri, correct?
“Yes, God sama…”
The white cat slowly lowered its paw and tilted its head slightly as it looked at the girl.
I have understood your wishes. However, whether I help you fulfill them depends on what you are willing to offer.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. You must bring something to trade with me.
Do you understand?
The girl was momentarily stunned, but she quickly seemed to make up her mind.
“I… understand. God sama, please state your demands.”
The white cat shook its head.
You have misunderstood me.
“What?”
What I mean is, what are you willing to offer in exchange? Not what I demand from you.
The latter blinked blankly, trying her best to process the words in her mind.
“I-Is that how it works? I thought God sama would set the conditions for fulfilling my wishes.”
“So, can I understand it as… as long as I have something valuable enough to trade, God sama will help me fulfill my wishes?”
Hearing this, Tsukimi Ryuune, who was sitting on the rooftop tower above, looked down with some surprise.
She didn’t rush to refuse or agree. Instead, her gaze fell upon the girl’s eyes, which were filled with greed and desire. She remained silent for a long time.
That is correct. But only if you can actually offer something of value.
“Really? T-This is amazing!”
Watching the other party’s extremely excited expression, Tsukimi Ryuune shook her head and sighed silently, as if she were watching a tragedy unfold.
In just an instant, she had already predicted the girl’s future.
People who couldn’t control their desires would eventually fall into the abyss. Of course, she didn’t feel like she was playing any evil role in the process. After all, this was a willing transaction between both parties.
The other party was willing to pay a price to obtain what they wanted, while she gained insight into human nature and the pleasure of controlling others. In the end, it was actually quite fair.
Subsequently, Sato Iri chose to exchange one year and twenty years of her lifespan respectively for the two wishes of becoming the swimming competition champion and being together with the person she liked.
It wasn’t that she wanted to trade her lifespan for these things. She simply couldn’t think of anything else she possessed that could be traded on equal terms with a god.
“God sama, may I ask… Will these thirty years of lifespan be deducted starting from now?”
Before agreeing to the trade, Sato Iri asked with some hesitation.
What, are you going back on your word?
“N-No, that’s not it! I mean, if I agree, will I immediately turn into someone in their thirties or forties? Or will my appearance stay the same, but instead of living to eighty, I’ll only live to sixty?”
Tsukimi Ryuune was speechless for a moment. Following the principle of letting the client trade with peace of mind, she replied,
The latter.
“That’s great!”
What’s so great about it? You just lost twenty-one years of your life.
She couldn’t help but ask.
“Well, it’s only twenty-one years. I don’t even know how long I’ll live anyway. What if I live to a hundred and twenty?”
…
At those words, Tsukimi Ryuune almost couldn’t hold back her expression. But she couldn’t help her curiosity either. She quietly activated her God’s Eye to check how much time the other party had left.
From her perspective, she could see the number floating above the girl’s head—56. It was nowhere near the 120 years she had imagined.
Yet the girl in front of her was still smiling happily, completely unaware that more than half of her life was already gone.
“God sama, why did you suddenly stop talking?”
It’s nothing. Your wishes have already been fulfilled.
“Really? So if I go confess now, Asano-senpai will definitely agree, right?”
Mm.
“That’s wonderful! Thank you, God sama!”
Is that so? You’re actually thanking me.
“Because you helped me fulfill my wishes.”
Even though I also took away part of your lifespan.
Tsukimi Ryuune truly couldn’t understand. Even when she tried putting herself in the other party’s shoes, she still couldn’t comprehend it.
“So, can you tell me how much longer I have to live?”
I cannot.
“Eh… Okay then. I thought it would be like checking a bank account.”
“Never mind. By the way, God sama, if I have more wishes I want to fulfill in the future, can I just come to the rooftop to find you?”
As expected, she heard those words.
If she wanted to save the girl in front of her, she could have given a negative answer right now. But she and Sato Iri didn’t know each other, let alone consider each other friends. She had no obligation to interfere with her fate.
All she needed to do was witness the other party’s ending—watch how a person was gradually destroyed by their own desires.
Mm. If you have wishes you want to fulfill, you can come find me here.
After saying this, she watched the girl’s back gradually disappear before slowly jumping down from the tower herself.
“So this is what it feels like to be a god… It’s just like how I was back then, and how she is now…”
After sighing to herself, she quickly followed after her.
In the days that followed, she watched as Sato Iri successfully confessed under an invisible force and performed exceptionally well in the city-wide swimming competition, defeating competitors from other schools and becoming a shining star on campus.
Even people who knew her found her achievement unbelievable. Yet everything had truly happened.
Tsukimi Ryuune stood in a corner, watching Sato Iri in the crowd with a happy smile on her face. She subconsciously thought the matter would come to an end.
What she hadn’t expected was that, not long after, the other party came to the rooftop to find her again.
“God sama, please save me!”
What happened?
Tsukimi Ryuune looked at her calmly.
“It’s like this. Last time I wished to become the swimming champion, right? But why did I only perform exceptionally well that one day? When I practiced swimming in private afterward, I found that my skills were still at their original level!”
The other party spoke anxiously. Because of winning the championship, her reputation had soared. But at the same time, a series of new problems followed.
“The teachers recommended me for the national competition. The juniors in the club also admired my performance that day and want me to perform again… But I found that no matter what I do, I can’t do it anymore.”
“Please, you have to save me!”
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