I-I forced my shaking heart to calm down and opened my mouth.

"F-From when did you know...?"

"....."

The hero was silent for a long time, then casually blurted out,

"I've thought so from the beginning."

"From the beginning?!"

If it was from the beginning, then... from the time he drew his sword?

That means, all the times I pretended to be the Dragon's Priestess, the representative of the goddess, and so on, were all useless efforts?!

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!!!!

That's it! I've decided!

"If I erase your memories... If I open your skull and empty out the contents to make you forget my identity..."

"I understand you're flustered, but let's calm down first, sis."

"I've regained my senses!!"

"You're wrong... We won't be able to talk for a while...."

My dignity as a goddess!!! Well, I've never really clung to that, but to be exposed to the child I've raised like my own! Aaargh! Aaaargh!!!!

A blanket! I need a blanket! To do a blanket kick, I need a blanket!! A blanket big enough to cover my whole body!!! Ah, my true self doesn't really need a blanket. But to do a blanket kick, I need a blanket! A huge blanket! A really huge blanket!!

T/N: Like a futon and wrap urself, maybe?

If I had such a huge blanket, wouldn't I be able to cover the whole world? No, covering the whole world might be too much, but at least I could easily cover a whole city with it!

When the harsh cold comes, I can cover myself with that blanket to preserve the warmth, and use a coal-fired generator to maintain the city's temperature! Child labor! Sawdust disguised as food additives!! Aaaargh!! Aaaargh!!!!

Ahem. What am I even saying right now. I feel like my mind has momentarily drifted to another dimension.

I brought my wandering mind back to the original track and took a deep breath.

Phew, well. The deed is already done. There's nothing I can do about the unavoidable.

Even if I try to erase the hero's memories of me now, what difference would it make?

I'm just... Quite embarrassed that the hero has found out all my secrets, but if the hero keeps my secret thoroughly, it'll be fine.

Yeah, that's right.

"Phew."

"Have you calmed down now?"

"Y-yes... I showed an embarrassing side of myself."

I can't bring myself to look the hero in the eye, I'm so embarrassed and ashamed. I can't lift my head.

"Well, let's talk about this calmly."

"Yes, as soon as you've calmed down, we can talk about this."

I just let out a small sigh in response to the hero's words.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So, you knew from the beginning, huh?"

"Yes, from the moment I drew the hero's sword."

What? he knew right then? But why? What did I do back then?

What else did I do other than cursing that good-for-nothing and blowing him away to his country, what else was there? Hmm...

I don't know! What exactly made him think I was a goddess?

"I-I tried to hide it as much as possible... But what made you realize I was a goddess?"

"Uh, well, that is..."

The hero scratched his nose shyly and said,

"It's because you're too beautiful... I thought you couldn't be human."

What?

"What?"

"I mean, I've never seen a being as beautiful as you before. That's why I thought you weren't human, but a goddess!"

The hero said, his face flushed, as if squeezing out the words.

Ah, so that's it...

He thought I was a goddess because I'm too beautiful?

Well, there are people who call celebrities or beautiful women "goddesses," but is this the same context?

But of all things, I actually was a real goddess??

"Hmm..."

"And after that, with all the things you said and did, the miracles you performed, like reviving the dead, talking casually with beings called gods, I couldn't help but doubt whether you were really trying to hide your identity."

Ah, well... That's...

"And you spoke so comfortably with the gods of the elves and dwarves, and even seemed close to the god of the sea. And you quickly realized that the beast I initially thought was a monster was actually a god."

I nodded slightly at the hero's words. It's true, but still!!!

"And you created completely new things without any hesitation, so I thought you had no intention of hiding your identity at all."

Ugh... That's right.

I'm such an idiot...

"Anyway, that's how I realized that your identity is not that of a human like the Dragon's Priestess, but that you are the Goddess of Life who has temporarily taken on a human form."

"I-I see...."

So, it seems that all my actions were clues.

I was such a fool! I was a fool!

"Then, why did you confess to me even after knowing my true identity as a goddess? Why did you confess, knowing I am a goddess?"

"That was... well. To be honest, I was half desperate."

Despair....

"Honestly, I know full well that it's impossible for me, a mere human, to monopolize the love of a goddess like you. I even thought that you might be disappointed by my confession and leave my side."

The hero had a resolute expression on his face.

So he had been thinking like that.

"But I didn't want to just keep these thoughts and feelings bottled up inside without ever saying it."

The hero continued awkwardly with a smile.

"Even if I were to meet someone else in the future and build a family, I didn't want to bury the feelings I had for you. I wanted to express them, even if this love is doomed to remain unrequited."

Huh, love...

This is a sentiment that I find difficult to comprehend.

"I..."

Just as I was about to say something, the hero gently shook his head.

"You don't have to give me an answer. Honestly, I don't think I can handle the boundless, immense love of the Goddess of Life alone. I just wanted to convey my feelings and find some self-satisfaction. I didn't expect an answer from you."

"..."

"So it's okay. And you, the Goddess of Life, are in a position that even the other gods look up to, the most noble and virtuous goddess, right? If a mere human like me were to receive your tremendous love, the other gods would surely rain down divine punishment."

I couldn't respond to the hero's words.

"So, this is fine. This is enough."

I could only look at the hero's face, which seemed half-resigned.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The hero said it's fine, but I'm not fine!!!

What should I do about this awkward atmosphere?! The hero seems to have become gloomy, and I can even say anything because I'm too busy watching his reactions! The Beast God is just pretending to sleep, swept up in our atmosphere!!!

Ugh. The hero's confession may have been out of half-desperate, but still.

It's impossible! I can't even imagine it!! It's impossible, that's impossible!!!

I feel bad for the hero, but it's impossible, it's impossible! If only my mind had been female, then I could have just... lived with the hero until he grew old and died...

Hmm, hmm?

Wait a moment.

If I were to create a doppelganger and have it live with the hero...?

Not a doppelganger directly connected to me mentally, but one where I copy my mind, make various adjustments, and give it a female personality?

No, wouldn't that be a deception? Instead, I could create a doppelganger, connect it to me internally, and then overlay a new personality that mixes my memories and a female self, creating a complete... Dragon's Priestess.

In that case... Couldn't I make my doppelganger the hero's companion?

Of course, since it wouldn't be my complete original self, the personality might be a bit different, but the fact that it's [me] wouldn't change, right?

If I utilize that, maybe I could make the hero a little happier?

So...

"Hero."

"Yes?"

"If, just hypothetically, if..."

I carefully opened my mouth.

"If the Goddess of Life were to depart from this physical body, and a separate existence inheriting the memories and personality were to be created..."

If the Dragon's Priestess born from [me] were no longer [me]...

Couldn't she stand by the hero's side?

"Then..."

"Sister."

But my thoughts were interrupted.

"I'm grateful for the sentiment."

Interrupted by the hero.

"But, that's not my real sister."

"Hero..."

"The one I love is just my sister. She is the Goddess among the gods, with immense power, and yet she sometimes makes mistakes and has silly quirks, but still strives for the sake of other living beings."

The hero had a resolute smile.

"It is because she is that kind of sister that I love her. So it's okay."

The hero's determination was firm.

"As long as my sister understands my feelings even a little, that's enough for me."

That's why I could no longer say anything.

"Just... that is, until I die... if my sister could stay by my side, that would be enough. It's only a fleeting moment in the eternal lives of the gods."

The hero continued speaking.

"It's okay if you don't love me back, Sister. Just being able to spend time together with you is enough for me."

"Truly, you're an incorrigible fellow."

He really is something that can't be helped.

In that case! I must surely fill the empty space that I cannot fill for the hero!!

The companion for the hero must be a wonderful person who can love the hero!!!!

I cannot love the hero as a lover, but as family, perhaps.

So! I will thoroughly choose a companion for the hero!!!

After that... until the hero falls into eternal slumber in peace, I can only live with him as family.

It's only a few decades, which is a short time for me who has lived for tens of thousands of years.

Ah, come to think of it, I also need to prepare a place for the hero to go after he dies.

A kind of heaven where souls freed from the cycle of reincarnation, or those who will be remembered in history, can reside.