I Became the Goddess of a New World

Ritanya Count Territory was a domain known as the Empire’s dew.

It had the second-best public safety after the capital and was incredibly hygienic.

This was largely due to the Count who was born with a severe case of germaphobia.

Thus, Ritanya Count Territory became a livable place for the Empire’s citizens.

However, everything changed when the plague began to spread.

A plague that carved unremovable green spots into the skin of its victims.

If not treated early, it would cause mutations.

These mutations would result in excruciating pain, turning individuals into creatures no different from monsters.

“Those afflicted with the plague retain their consciousness even after mutating.”

At this despairing explanation, Master Kim furrowed his brow.

“They retain their consciousness?”

“Yes. They continue to scream.”

“Save me. No, kill me. Please end this pain.”

“I had to kill my suffering wife with my own hands.”

“….”

Master Kim fell silent at the knight’s sudden confession.

The situation in Ritanya Count Territory was more dire than he had imagined.

“They say there’s a mass of mutants appearing in the east. We desperately need the strength of those holding the imperial signet. Please.”

As the knight requested, the quest they were undertaking was updated.

―――

[ Source of the Plague (2/5) ]

– You must uncover the source of the plague that has struck Ritanya Count Territory.

– Talk with the knight to understand the situation in the Count Territory

– Eliminate the horde of mutants that appeared in the east (0/100)

―――

“Ignore everything that those plagued or mutated say. They are no longer human.”

You must believe they are not human.

At the knight’s following words, Master Kim gritted his teeth and turned away.

“How horrifying. Truly.”

“Indeed.”

The situation in Ritanya Count Territory was utterly hopeless.

Screams echoed from all around. People writhing in pain were visible.

The faces of the priests caring for them were clouded with shadows.

Those who should spread faith had been awake for days caring for the sick.

Yet despite their efforts, they couldn’t save everyone, choosing instead to cremate those who were mutated before it was too late.

Whoosh-!

The flames produced by the mage consumed the bodies of those with no hope.

“They say the plague was a harbinger of destruction.”

“A harbinger of destruction?”

The destruction that the hero, Aurora, had stopped. It all began with the plague.

The ancient necromancer, released from his seal, unleashed the plague.

The corpses that perished from the plague rose as undead and began to bite the living.

“The plague has spread to the Raven Kingdom as well.”

“….”

It was not a pleasant tale to hear.

“I cannot forgive them. Not the Elder Lich. Not those who revived the Elder Lich.”

Her trembling voice was mixed with various emotions.

Master Kim found it hard to offer comfort; his ties with Raven were too brief.

“Is that the place?”

He spotted the border dividing the central and eastern regions.

A half-destroyed castle wall stood there. Beyond it, mutants could be seen.

From the green spots emerged spider-like legs.

It was horrifyingly unbelievable that they were once human.

“I’ll go ahead.”

The spirit of a warrior. The free wind dwelled within his body.

A forward leap. Quickly approaching while bouncing off the building’s exterior.

Connection, sweeping strike.

Boom-!!!

The broken castle wall completely collapsed, debris raining down.

The mutants caught up in the sweeping strike perished instantly.

However, the ones pinned beneath the rubble of the fallen wall remained alive.

The mutants’ spider legs sliced through the rubble like a chopping blade, emerging from underneath.

Kieeeek-!

Like mantises, the mutants leapt toward Master Kim.

Swish-!

The late-arriving sword of Raven cleaved through the mutants in one fell swoop.

“Impressive, huh? I’ve definitely grown, but…”

“Be careful!”

At Raven’s signal, Master Kim twisted his body and swung his fist.

His punch, infused with the weight of his upper body, pierced through the mutant’s body.

“Am I going to catch the plague too?”

Currently, Raven and Master Kim were wearing the plague masks provided by the knight.

Infection through breathing would be prevented, but direct contact with the mutants made it inevitable to contract the plague.

“During the early stages of the plague, it can be treated rapidly with the priest’s holy power.”

“That’s a relief!”

Knowing it wasn’t an incurable disease, Master Kim hunted mutants without hesitation.

Thus, Master Kim continued the battle, doing his utmost to keep Raven safe.

Before long, they managed to take down all the mutants.

Boom-!

“What was that sound?”

Master Kim turned his head toward the source of the noise.

Back in the direction he had come, black smoke was rising from the location of the Count Territory’s shelter.

―――

[ Source of the Plague (3/5) ]

– You must uncover the source of the plague that has struck Ritanya Count Territory.

– Talk with the knight to understand the situation in the Count Territory

– Eliminate the horde of mutants that appeared in the east (100/100)

– Return to the shelter and deal with the assailant (0/1)

―――

“Go ahead first.”

“It’s dangerous.”

Raven shook her head.

“There are many people in the shelter. Please save them.”

It was a request he simply couldn’t comply with.

Currently, Raven was being chased by a cult.

Just moments ago in battle, Raven’s artifact had fallen and become deactivated.

To reactivate the artifact, they needed to wait a cooldown of 10 minutes.

“…I can’t leave you alone.”

Thanks to the forward leap, Master Kim would be able to return to the shelter faster than Raven.

Raven was aware of this, which was why she had asked him.

However, Master Kim couldn’t leave Raven, who had lost her transformation.

“But.”

“Enough with the ‘buts.'”

Disappointment flickered across Raven’s face.

Regardless, Master Kim stepped in front of Raven and bent at the waist.

“Get on.”

“What?”

“I said get on. We’re going together.”

Raven, momentarily shocked at Master Kim’s words, blushed and obediently climbed onto his back.

“Hold on tight so you don’t fall.”

“Y-yes…”

With her cheeks flushed, Raven rested her face against Master Kim’s broad back.

***

At a similar time, Sweet was undertaking the same quest as Master Kim.

“Is that the assailant?”

The shelter was a mess.

That boss monster had created havoc.

The boss conjured the plague at will and controlled the mutants.

It was easy to tell just by watching for a bit.

He was the root cause of all this chaos.

“Hoh.”

Did he sense something?

The boss turned to where Raven and Sweet were hiding with pinpoint accuracy.

“How amusing that a lost offering from the church has come here on its own.”

Determining that further hiding was meaningless, Sweet stepped forward.

“Offering?”

“Don’t you know? But then again, what could inferior beings who don’t even understand true salvation know?”

Standing beside Sweet, Raven said softly.

“That cult isn’t an easy opponent.”

Indeed, as Raven had said.

Looking at what the priest had done, he was definitely not a weak opponent.

The shelter was already half-destroyed.

Patients had turned into plague bombs and mutants.

The Count Territory’s mages and knights were in a defensive position.

In this hopeless situation, the priests were calling out to their god, praying for miracles.

“Haha! Everyone is hoping for salvation.”

The cult, Salvation Church.

Believing in an object of destruction.

A tribe that believed that destruction was the only salvation.

The priest of the Salvation Church extended his hands forward.

“In that case, accept salvation.”

A foreboding green aura spread all around.

Everything that touched it began to corrode and lost its shape.

The green aura corroded and melted everything it touched.

“That guy’s power is the source of the plague.”

At Raven’s mutter, Sweet immediately began casting Fireball without hesitation.

Whoosh-!

A giant fireball shot toward the priest, bursting upon contact.

The fierce flames engulfed the green aura.

“Such petty magic cannot even scratch the grace bestowed by the gods.”

As the flames cleared, the priest stood there unharmed.

“Is that a barrier?”

Using Blink to widen the distance, Sweet analyzed the situation.

The green aura spreading all around would swallow corpses, turning them into mutants.

It continued a ruthless massacre against the living.

Amidst this chaos, the priest remained still.

‘A channeling skill.’

In an instant, Sweet understood that this phenomenon was the priest’s channeling skill.

To break the channeling skill, they needed to penetrate that barrier.

‘A way to break the barrier…’

Searching for a method calmly, a rule caught Sweet’s eye.

The green aura corroded and melted everything it touched.

But there was one exception: the mutants.

“How interesting.”

Finding a method, Sweet began to plot in his mind.

“I’ll take the offering.”

Meanwhile, the priest commanded the mutants.

The command was to overwhelm Raven, who had been isolated, and bring her back.

Following the fallen order, the mutants immediately set to action.

Crack-

Sweet couldn’t help but grit his teeth.

Raven, overpowered by the mutants, was being dragged toward the priest.

The moment he saw her, something snapped in his mind.

“Freeze! Frostbite.”

He cast Frostbite.

From below Sweet’s feet to the standing mutants.

Everything except Raven was frozen solid.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Sweet hurriedly checked on Raven.

“I’m fine, but please…”

“Got it. Just trust me and rest easy.”

Haa—

He exhaled deeply.

His breath misted in the air.

Crunch-!

Cautiously pulling out a moderately frozen mutant, he lifted it with one hand.

Exposed to the plague, it showed debuffs and rapidly depleting health.

Akare felt very little pain, but it was a bit prickly.

But Sweet didn’t mind that.

He had to fulfill Raven’s request, which was far more important.

“Movement skill. Blink.”

In that state, he used Blink to move behind the priest.

He swung the half-frozen mutant like a club.

The mutant passed straight through the barrier as Sweet expected.

A perfect strike landed on the priest, who was in a concentrated state.

“Fuaaargh!”

The external shock interrupted the channeling skill.

Now that the source of the plague’s green aura was gone,

It was the perfect opportunity to finish off the defenseless boss in one strike.

“You should have been more cautious.”

You crossed the line.

Sweet stifled his last words as flames flickered in his eyes.

“Burn.”

Fireball.

A massive fireball erupted towards the priest.

***

While browsing MTube, I stumbled upon an intriguing video.

It was a special broadcast from another game.

The Director, representative, and PD gathered in a set with a swimming pool for a Q&A session.

In this special broadcast, unique rules were applied.

Mention a specific word, and you’d be forcibly dunked into the pool.

If you performed a certain action, a deluge of water would pour down from above.

“Being a director is such a tough job…”

The director was dancing, doing physical comedy, and singing.

It was difficult to tell whether it was an official broadcast or an old variety show.

That was how much fun it was, making it impossible to stop watching.

“They communicate really well.”

They accurately scratch where the users itch.

That’s the kind of attitude and capability a director should have.

It was an entertaining video, but there was also a lot to learn.

“My first live stream was….”

Other than the part where I rushed because of the gold cup, there wasn’t anything fun at all.

It was a formal progression, and the effort to connect didn’t stand out.

Nerves from my first live led to a stiff presentation, so it was only natural.

“The director who eats, the director who became a god. The director who won after playing tag with users… what even is this?”

What exactly is being a director?

I had my doubts, but one commonality emerged.

Fun.

Whether it was the director or the game, it didn’t matter.

Having either one was enough to consider the director’s capabilities satisfactory.

“I’m a beautiful girl director, so I should probably focus on doing well in game development…”

There was no need to force myself to follow what others did simply because they appeared successful.

I had my unique character and the identity of being in virtual reality.

“Can I really do well…?”

Was it due to low self-esteem? I craved something sweet.

Was there any sweet dessert around?

After much deliberation, I took out the macarons that Akachan had hidden away for later.