Chapter 202: The Goddess’s Reward.

When Noah returned home, nightfall had already begun.

Training had ended several hours earlier, but he still remembered some of the conversations they’d had during the break.

Especially the ones between Stella and Hikari.

Noah left his shoes by the entrance and greeted Emma, who was finishing cleaning the kitchen.

"I’m home."

"Welcome back."

Emma looked up.

"How did it go?"

"Pretty well."

"I’m glad."

Emma studied his expression.

"You look happy."

Noah smiled.

"Today was a good day."

"Then I hope tomorrow is one too."

"Same here."

After chatting briefly with his mother, Noah went up to his room, changed clothes, checked a few notifications, and sat on the bed.

The magical girls’ group chat was still pretty active.

Yume had sent several messages complaining that Luna exaggerated when she brought up the accidents from their early training sessions.

Luna replied with exact dates and descriptions of every incident.

Iris had sent a photo of a destroyed bench.

Noah had no idea where she’d gotten that image and figured it was probably better not to ask.

Aria was talking about the possibility of getting a more suitable training space, while Ren tried to convince her they didn’t need to rent an entire building.

Noah let out a small laugh.

"These girls..."

Then he found a conversation that caught his attention.

Hikari had shared a digital version of Stella’s schedule, and Stella had replied thanking her again.

Hikari explained she could adjust the times whenever necessary.

Stella then asked if she could help her organize the following work week, and Hikari’s answer came almost immediately.

[Of course.]

Noah smiled.

’Good.’

That was exactly what he’d wanted to achieve from the beginning.

The important thing was that they were starting to get to know each other, and it was finally happening.

’Looks like deciding to stop intervening was a good call.’

Noah set his phone on the table.

He remembered how Stella had laughed when she discovered Hikari had prepared fifteen pages of planning in a single night.

He also remembered Hikari’s expression when Stella sincerely thanked her for the help.

’Maybe they can still end up together.’

Noah lay down and stared at the ceiling.

In the original anime, the relationship between Hikari and Stella had progressed slowly.

Hikari had admired Stella long before they met in person.

However, that admiration had changed after the two of them started working together as magical girls.

Hikari discovered that Stella also had insecurities and worries.

Stella, for her part, found in Hikari someone who could listen to her and support her without treating her like a celebrity.

Noah recalled several scenes.

’If they keep going like this, it could work.’

He smiled.

For the first time in a long while, he had reasons to feel optimistic about a pairing from the anime.

Even though several problems still existed, like the Great Mother, Nozomi, the enemy organization, and above all, that question he still hadn’t managed to answer.

’Why didn’t the Great Mother kidnap me?’

Noah frowned slightly.

He’d tried to find an explanation during the day, but hadn’t come up with any.

Maybe the Great Mother had no intention of capturing him and just wanted to observe him, or maybe there was another reason he still didn’t know.

Noah sighed.

’Not now.’

He’d spent too much time worrying about that.

At least for tonight he wanted to rest, so he closed his eyes and soon fell asleep, until he heard a female voice.

"Congratulations!"

Noah opened his eyes and saw he was standing in a completely white room.

In front of him was the throne where the goddess herself sat.

Noah remained silent for several seconds and then sighed.

"You again."

The goddess smiled.

"What an unpleasant greeting."

"I was sleeping."

"I know."

"Then let me sleep."

"Don’t be like that."

The goddess stood up from her throne.

"Today we have something to celebrate."

Noah crossed his arms.

"What did you do?"

She blinked.

"Why do you assume I did something bad?"

"Experience."

"That was mean."

"And probably accurate."

The goddess let out a small laugh and then spread both arms.

"You’ve managed to recruit all the magical girls!"

Noah stayed still.

"Ah."

"Ah?"

The goddess looked at him with clear disappointment.

"Is that all?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"That you’re happy!"

"I am happy."

"Doesn’t look like it."

"I’m tired."

The goddess sighed theatrically.

"You don’t know how to celebrate your achievements."

Noah brought a hand to his forehead.

"Did you bring me here just to congratulate me?"

"Of course not."

"I knew it."

The goddess smiled.

"I’ve come to give you your reward."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"The reward?"

"Exactly."

The goddess watched him for a few seconds and then clasped her hands.

The white space began to change, so the throne disappeared and the floor changed as well.

In its place appeared an enormous room, decorated with elegant furniture, long curtains, and warm lighting.

In the center stood a large bed.

Noah blinked.

"What?"

A moment later he found himself sitting on the mattress.

The bed had white sheets, large pillows, and a headboard decorated with golden details.

Noah looked around and then looked at the goddess, who was standing beside the bed smiling.

Noah narrowed his eyes.

"No."

The goddess raised an eyebrow.

"I haven’t even said anything yet."

"I don’t need to hear it."

"How impatient."

"I don’t want it."

She sat down next to him.

"But it’s a reward."

"I don’t want that reward."

"You don’t even know what it is?"

Noah pointed at the bed.

"I know what you want."

Noah tried to get up, but the goddess spoke.

"Wait."

He stopped.

"What?"

"Aren’t you going to hear my proposal?"

Noah looked at her.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course."

The goddess smiled calmly.

"I’m not going to force you."

Noah sat back down, though he kept some distance.

"Then talk."

She tucked her hair behind one ear.

"You’ve worked incredibly hard."

Noah stayed silent.

"You’ve trained the magical girls, faced monsters, prevented several disasters, and managed to complete the recruitment."

"Yes."

"Besides, you’ve gotten several of them to fall in love with you."

Noah frowned.

"That last part wasn’t my goal."

"But it happened."

"Thanks to your interventions."

"Not all of them."

Noah decided to ignore that comment and the goddess continued.

"That’s why I thought you deserved a special reward."

"You could give me information about the Great Mother."

She smiled.

"That would be work."

"It would be useful."

"It would also be boring."

"Not for me."

The goddess leaned slightly toward him.

"Don’t you ever think about resting and enjoying yourself?"

"That’s what I was doing before you brought me here."

"I mean enjoying something different."

Noah looked at her and then sighed.

"I don’t understand why you’re so interested."

The goddess remained silent for a few seconds and her expression became less playful.

"Because I like you."

Noah blinked.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"That was unexpected."

The goddess smiled.

"Did you think I was only interested in you because of our bet?"

"Mostly because of that."

"What a low opinion you have of me."

"You forced me into some pretty questionable situations."

"And I also gave you a second chance."

Noah stayed silent, since that was true, even if it didn’t justify all her decisions.

The goddess watched him.

"You’ve changed a lot since you arrived in this world."

Noah lowered his gaze slightly and she continued.

"Before, you just wanted to observe other people’s lives."

"I remember."

"Now you have a family, people who care about you, and responsibilities you chose to accept."

Noah thought of Emma, Sarah, and Ava.

Then he thought of Yume, Luna, Iris, Aria, Ren, Hikari, and finally Stella.

The goddess smiled.

"I’m happy to see you enjoying your new life."

Noah looked at her and, for once, she didn’t seem to be teasing.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

There was a brief silence and then the goddess smiled again.

"And I also want to enjoy your company."

Noah sighed.

"We’re back to that."

"Of course."

She held out a hand.

"You don’t have to accept."

Noah looked at that hand.

"And if I say no?"

"You’ll go back to your dream."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Noah studied her carefully, wanting to make sure she was serious.

"No punishments?"

"No punishments."

"No extra missions?"

"No."

"Nothing happens to the girls?"

The goddess frowned.

"So distrustful."

"Answer."

"I won’t do anything to them because of your decision."

Noah stayed silent and the goddess left her hand extended.

"You can decide."

He thought for several seconds.

The situation was strange, since he’d met that woman after dying and she’d constantly intervened in his life.

They’d argued many times and now she was proposing something Noah never would have imagined when he arrived in this world.

"There’s something I want to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Why me?"

The goddess tilted her head slightly.

"Didn’t I explain that before?"

"You told me why you reincarnated me."

"Ah."

Noah continued.

"I mean this."

The goddess looked at him and then smiled softly.

"Because I want to be with you."

Noah stayed still, since he hadn’t expected such a direct answer.

"That doesn’t explain much."

"Not all of my decisions need a complicated explanation."

"Normally they do."

"Not this time."

The goddess moved a little closer, but Noah didn’t pull back and she waited.

"Well?"

Noah took a deep breath, since he still had doubts, but he also understood he wasn’t obligated to accept.

The decision was his, so he finally took her hand.

"All right."

The goddess’s eyes widened slightly.

"Really?"

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Now you’re the one doubting?"

She smiled.

"I just wanted to make sure."

Noah looked at her.

"But there’s one condition."

"What is it?"

"I want you to be honest with me."

The goddess stayed silent and Noah continued.

"I don’t want to find out later that this was part of some secret mission."

"It isn’t."

"Or that you’re using some ability to change how I feel."

"I’m not doing that."

"And if I decide to stop..."

"We’ll stop."

Noah nodded slowly.

"Then it’s fine."

The goddess smiled.

This time she didn’t make any provocative comment; she simply leaned in and kissed him.

Noah returned the kiss after a few seconds and, when they separated, she looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

The goddess gently stroked his cheek.

"Then stay with me tonight."

Noah nodded and they kissed again.

The goddess settled beside him and Noah put his arms around her.

For a while they talked in low voices.

She asked him a few things about his daily life, his studies, and how he felt now that the magical girls’ group was complete.

Noah answered honestly and also managed to make her laugh a couple of times.

Little by little the conversation gave way to a different kind of closeness, so when Noah kissed her again, neither of them pulled away.