World of Unknown Origin

So let me get this straight… names mean everything in this world?” she asked, not even bothering to look directly at the woman floating in front of her.

“Exactly!” The woman chirped. “You can’t just waltz around with the same name as a god or legendary hero. I mean, you can, but unless your parents were built like titans and you popped out of the womb with six-pack abs and a 10 million mana pool, you’d probably explode.”

She narrowed her eyes. “...So let me get this straight. You named me Orivanne. Which is basically... your name?”

“Eh? Not exactly! Mine’s Orivaneia.”

“That’s the same thing!” She snapped. “You literally introduced yourself as the goddess of this world, the one who killed the demon king two thousand years ago! You can’t just hand out your name like this!”

The goddess paled, wings twitching. “Y-Yeah, okay, I might’ve… sorta… slightly… messed that part up. Ehe~ At least you’re still alive, right? Cause when you’re unconscious, I already blessed you.”

“Alive? Sure. BUT—”

Suzuha glanced down at her hand, shimmering with glowing symbols that definitely weren’t there when she got here. It’s like a game UI, she knows this but... “I didn’t ask for your power, you know.”

Orivaneia gave a dazzling, clueless smile. “Think of it this way: in this world, you being alive is your right. And keeping you alive is my sacred duty as the goddess!”

“The kingdom already banished me. Zero potential, zero magical ability. I’m literally useless.”

“And yet~” Orivaneia sang, poking her forehead. “You’ve already got power now, don’t you? My blessing, my name, and eventually we’ll find a way to recharge you. You’ll be fiiine~. The only issue is… if I sent you back to the kingdom right now, the ambient mana field would slurp you dry like a juice box in around 200 days...”

She blinked. “...Slurp me?”

“Yup. Like… sluuurp.” Orivaneia mimed drinking through a straw, looking far too pleased with herself. “Thankfully even though the ambient mana is 20x times more powerful here, your mana limit also around 200 times the strongest magic user ever. So you’re fine for a while.”

Suzuha groaned and looked around. “What even is this place? There’s nothing here.”

“Exactly! Welcome to the Field of the End. Five thousand Granterran of absolutely nothing. No mana, no critters, no trees, just… grass. Endless grass.” The goddess spread her arms wide and spun in a circle. “It’s my favourite place for alone time! No worshippers, no duty, just me and… green.”

“And what?”

“Green.” She said once again.

“Wonderful. And me?”

“Oh, you? You’re… uhm… about to die.”

“WHAT?!”

“Well, your mana’s draining fast. Unlike me, you can’t photosynthesize sunlight. And you’ve been unconscious for around 10 days i think...”

“Then bless me with that too!”

“Aww, I would, cutie, but… sorry. You’re still just a human. I can’t give you an angel power.”

Suzuha plopped onto the grass. “Great. And seriously, I still don’t get how you’re speaking English so fluently if this is another world.”

Switching tongues, she muttered in Japanese: “Or is this world just ripping off anime logic?”

To her horror, the goddess replied in flawless Japanese, smiling like a cat. “Of course I can! Everyone in Noston speaks like this, actually. Many of us has transported many people to this world for like the last 3000 years.” She clasped her hands dramatically. “So then, Orivan—”

“Suzuha.”

“...Suzuha?” The goddess tilted her head, blinking.

“Yes. My real name is Suzuha. Stop calling me the budget version of yourself. Just… help me get out of here.”

“Right, Suzuha! I shall help you, but what I wanna ask is do you want to use Japanese? Or English?”

“Um... English is fine. I’m more comfortable like this, I’m from an International High School anyway.”

“Okay then, and about me helping you, I really wanna help but…” Orivaneia trailed off ominously.

“But what?”

“Well… I’ve been on hiatus as a goddess for like, 1900 years? If I teleport you anywhere near the kingdom, they’ll instantly know it’s me.”

“So?”

“Sooo… I’ll just send you maybe… 20,000 Granterran away from Noston.”

Suzuha blinked. “…Excuse me?”

“Yes! That way, you can simply walk back! Exercise is healthy.”

“No no, what is granterran?”

Orivaneia rethinks, “Oh right. You people uses Km right? That would be about... 22.500 kilometers?”

“AIN’T NO WAY I’M WALKING 22.500 KILOMETERS! And why would I go back to Noston anyway? They literally exiled me for having ten mana! Ten! They said even a baby have 500.”

The goddess tapped her chin. “Hmm… true. And I can already sense there’s a new Saint, so they probably won’t even want you back. Welp! Anyway, let’s just focus on finding you a way to gain mana first. Usually, people can absorb it from nature but… uh, I see that you’ve got no way of replenishing mana from nature as well. Wow, what a streak of bad luck you are.”

Suzuha buried her face in her hands. “…Kill me now.”

“Nooo, silly! That’s my job. I’m the goddess of this world, remember?”

But then she tilted her head, noticing something’s weird “…Wait,” Orivaneia murmured, fluttering closer.

“Why is your mana draining that fast? It should be 20 a second! Not whatever this is!”

Suzuha confused, “Actually, now that you mention it, I do feel a little bit weak...”

“KYAAAAA! DON’T DIE NOW!” Orivaneia shrieked, wings flaring open as she flailed like a startled bird, she grabbed Suzuha and teleported them away without any more waiting.

“What?” Suzuha gasped, they were now surrounded by trees and the faint sound of running water. Insects’ noises all around, moonlight filtered through the leaves, and now… the emptiness of the grassland was gone.

Suzuha breathe really deep and exhaled softly, “…I can breathe again?”

Orivaneia slumped forward, hands on her knees, “Haaahh… thank the stars! Honestly, I almost had a heart attack! Do you know what would’ve happened if you died under my care?! I would’ve looked so bad!”

Suzuha blinked once, then scanned their surroundings. “…So the Field of the End is not simply barren. It is lethal. Not even mana exists there. They do really want me dead huh?”

The goddess straightened, brushing imaginary dust from her immaculate dress. Her smile bloomed again, “I don’t know what makes them hate you this much but… This is better now, isn’t it?” She looks around, grabbing some sticks.

Suzuha nodded faintly, her tone even. “Yes. This environment seems to be better at sustaining me, I no longer feel weak.”

Orivaneia leaned down to flick the fire with her finger, “…But you’re not mad? Not even a little?”

Suzuha met her gaze, “At this time, panic does not help survival.”

The goddess puffed her cheeks. “Mnnnghh, you’re so stoic! At least complain a little bit! Or scream! Or—something!”

“Not now, I would only scream sometimes, like when I’m forced to do 22.500 kilometers cardio. And now it’s night time, I don’t want to be seen as a crazy person.”

“You’re no fun, Suzuhaaa…” Orivaneia groaned, flopping into the grass beside the fire, “You’re supposed to get mad at me, throw things, say dramatic lines like, ‘How dare you, goddess!’ but instead you’re just… logical. Cold. Like ice! Brrr~”

Suzuha crouched, touching a stick and then throwing it to the fire, “…I see, so the number mean the mana density… 2 mana per second... That is… acceptable.”

Orivaneia peeked up at her from the ground, pouting. “…Are you actually really smart? I haven’t tell you about anything yet and you’re figuring things out by yourself?!”

“Not really, I’m just curious and want to have a clear plan. Unlike a goddess who gave her blessings to a random-er.”

The goddess gasped, clutching her chest, “Kyaaa! So she can be sharp! Ohoho, I see through you, Suzuha, deep down you do enjoy teasing me!”

Suzuha stood, dusting her hands, “...I simply don’t know how to react when seeing a stranger this excited…”

Orivaneia twirled in place, wings fanning anxiously. “But still, Suzu-chan, we need to find a way to make your mana get up again…”

Suzuha’s gaze didn’t waver, “You said that was your job.”

The goddess froze, eyes widening. “Eh—?!”

Suzuha turned slightly, scanning the trees, “Keeping me alive. That is your duty, you said. Then the method of replenishment falls under your responsibility.”

Orivaneia flapped her hands like a cornered pigeon. “Kyaaaa, you can’t just throw my own words back at me! That’s cheating!”

“I didn’t cheat?” Suzuha’s expression remained unreadable.

Orivaneia’s lower lip trembled as she crouched, hugging her knees. “Uuuu, Suzu-chan is so mean… already bullying me… is this what you mortals call ‘gaslighting’?”

“…No. It is not.”

The goddess perked up again almost instantly, smiling as if nothing had happened. “Well, alright then! As your benevolent and extremely adorable goddess, I’ll take responsibility and fill up that mana tank of yours! Ehehe~ you’ll be brimming with sparkles in no time!”

Suzuha’s eyes lingered on her. She nodded, “Ok, glad to be under your care.”

"Now let's just sleep."