This world is not as bad as I think

Three weeks have passed.

Orivaneia slammed her palms against the nearest tree, hair frazzled, wings drooping, eyes wide with despair. “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE… THIS…!!”

No matter what method she tried—shrines, rituals, chants, strange mana-draining rocks, feeding Suzuha holy fruits, forcing her to sleep for days, even making her stand in a magic circle—nothing worked. Suzuha’s mana refused to regenerate.

Twenty million dwindled down to barely three hundred and ten.

And yet… Suzuha sat calmly on a log, legs crossed, expression as unreadable as ever. She let the sunlight fall across her pale face as though she hadn’t care in the world.

“…This is better than home,” she said quietly. “Having you to talk with, and I don’t have to do anything. It’s… nice.”

Orivaneia froze and her panic faltered. She tilted her head, studying Suzuha’s faint smile.

She knows the truth behind the composure.

This girl… she couldn’t cook. Couldn’t run. Couldn’t even light a fire properly.

She looked elegant with that milky white hair and orange eyes, and her medium length hair made her cute, dignified even. But, but she had zero life skills!

“…Wait. Suzuha.” She leaned forward, “You’re that type!!”

Suzuha tilted her head slightly, “…That type?”

“The kind that lives alone, doesn’t you?! Instant food, convenience meals, never touching the outside world, staring at glowing rectangles until your brain rots—THAT type!!”

The goddess pointed dramatically, her voice rising. “Your soul is pure and sharp, but your body is as fragile as wet paper sliced in 8 and then dipped in water again! You’re like… like… a cat!! Wait, even a cat hunt...” She got herself confused

Suzuha blushed, she is thinking a way to counter it, “S-Shut up… It’s not my fault. I lived alone. Ate ramen... And occasionally rice, maybe. But I do work alright? as a cashier… waitress… many things.”

Orivaneia gasped, hand to her mouth. “You work?!”

“WHY IS THAT SO SHOCKING?!”

Orivaneia looked around, wondering, before meeting eyes with Suzuha again, “Because… you really can’t do anything?”

Suzuha scoffed, “I can do something! But… I am not familiar with this world, don’t blame me.” She continued shyly.

“It’s fine Suzu-chan, but what’s ramen…?” She whispered it like a forbidden spell.

“Is it edible grass??”

“…Noodles. In broth. I don’t know where you get that from.”

“Nood… les…? If you can make those, surely you have money, right?” Orivaneia repeated, her divine tongue struggling to comprehend the modern mundanity.

Suzuha’s face grew redder, “When it’s hard… I hardly cook anything ok? I don’t have any money left after paying rent. This may be the first time I go outside and talked to someone without worrying about work, so I... I’m kinda grateful.”

Orivaneia’s jaw dropped. “KYAAAAA! I knew it! You’re a shut-in sage!! Don’t worry, Suzu! This goddess of yours won’t let you down! Don’t be ashamed!”

“R-Really?” Suzuha’s lips curved just a little.

“Yeah, to be more of your bestie! I’m interested in your culture as well!” She got closer, “Why don’t you go outside? In your time, usually there are like neighbor right? Why don’t you talk to them more?”

“I do have a friend you know. Her name is Haruna…” Suzuha’s cheeks slowly turned red again, “She is so cute and caring. Besides her, I don’t really have any close friends anywhere, so I’m thankful for her. She likes to gift me food also; that’s a plus for me. And she’s the only one who tried to help me till the end… Before my banishment.”

Orivaneia brow furrowed, “…” But she tried to smile for her, “A friend that’s loyal? That must be so exciting for cute little Suzu. So why don’t you and Haru-chan search for another neighborhood friend also? Surely it will be more fun right?”

“W-well... I don’t have time and don’t really have the courage… people always saw me as this weird girl that barely talks and watches anime all the time.”

“Mnnaaa, there’s that weird word again! Anime! You keep saying you need them, so I thought that’s a food name!”

She shakes her head, “No, no, it’s like some sort of entertainment. Like a story book, but better. I really like them. Tho the old people do say to me that I needed to touch grass more.”

“So, you did touch grass, right? I believe Suzu-chan is a good child that would listen to elder…”

Suzuha only smiled.

Orivaneia feel something is wrong, “Right?” She asked once again.

“All I could say is… The less I touch grass, the more I reach the sky.”

Orivaneia just stared, wings fluttering softly, utterly stunned by the sheer poetry of such a ridiculous statement.

Suzuha continued, with a sad smile, “I mean like I said... Beside Haruna, I don’t have other close friends, so I just resort to watching anime. I don’t know where to go anyway when outside and having no friend is kind of lonely.”

Orivaneia suddenly hugs her tight. “SUZU-CHAAAN! You’re too precious for this cruel, grassy world!! I don’t know how this anime looks but if I could, I would make it real in this world also! FOR YOU! FOR YOU ONLY!”

“Ori?! Why are you crying now? I’m really fine.”

“B-But if I don’t find a way, you’ll die soon. Your mana is depleting fast! And Suzu will die surrounded by greens.”

Suzuha just chuckles, “You being here already made me happier than I am ever before. You truly are a goddess. I don’t mind if I die tonight or tomorrow.”

“Aww, Suzu…” Orivaneia pulled her into a hug, it lasted for a while.

The forest grew quiet, save for the low growl that erupted from Suzuha’s stomach.

“Ori?”

“Yeah.. Suzu?”

Her eyes flickered down, then back up to Orivaneia as if nothing happened.

“I’m hungry.”

Orivaneia froze mid-worry, wings twitching before a soft smile spread across her face. “Ahh… so even the shut-in sage hungers.” She leaned closer, cupping Suzuha’s cheek with dramatic reverence.

“Do not fret, my precious! Your goddess shall hunt!”

And without another word, Ori spread her wings and darted off, snapping twigs and rustling leaves in search of fruits and vegetables.

Suzuha sighed. “She’s loud…” She adjusted her sitting position on the log, staring at something at a certain grass in particular. After a moment, she muttered, “...Guess I should drive the game this time.”

The girl rose stiffly and wandered a bit, before an animal bolted across her path, its ears twitching and white fur flashing through the green.

Her eyes narrowed. “Target acquired.”

She leapt—

—or, well, she tried to.

Her foot caught on a root and she pitched forward with all the grace of a swan, a dying one that is. The rabbit zipped away, unharmed and unimpressed as Suzuha ate dirt.

“…Tch. That was… practice.” She dusted her skirt, completely unbothered.

The rabbit darted deeper into the thicket and Suzuha followed, stubbornly pushing through branches. Another leap—another miss. She slipped on wet moss this time, landing squarely in a patch of ferns.

But then—SNAP!

The rabbit stumbled straight into a noose of vines that is tied to a bent sapling. The creature dangled harmlessly in mid-air, squeaking furiously.

Her lips tugged into the faintest, smug little smile. “As I planned. It is almost too easy.”

A twig behind her crack, she looked behind her to see Orivaneia, “Ori, you see that?” She asked calmly. “You always wondered how this thing worked right?”

Orivaneia who has been actually following behind her, nodded many times as her wings flapping. “YESSSS! Suzuhaaaa!! I’ve seen it all now! That was so cool! The way you faceplanted into the ground only to lure the rabbit right into your trap! Genius! Pure genius!”

Suzuha raised a brow. “Faceplanting was not part of the plan, idiot.”

“No, no, don’t be modest!” Ori pointed at the dangling rabbit, “Your terrifying contraptions have kept us fed for many days now! Even deer bow before the might of… THE SUZU-TRAP!”

“…That’s not what it’s called.”

“It is now! We have been feed by it for almost 2 weeks, I should worship it.” Ori declared proudly.

Suzuha got startled, “Huh? Don’t say anything like that. You’re a goddess.”

“But your contraption can get food! It’s clearly alive!”

Suzuha smirked, clearly enjoying the praise a little too much, her shoulder relaxing, “Hmph. It is true. Every beast falls, eventually. Rabbits. Boars. Birds…” She tilted her head. “A frog once... But it’s not a divine being ok?!”

“Okay then, I will worship you instead. I shall now make another offering to the empire of Suzu.” Orivaneia clapped her hands together.

“Huh?! Please don’t. That’s even worse!”

The rabbit squeaked louder, kicking uselessly in its vine prison.

“Please? Empire of Suzu? Will you accept this offering?”

“F-Fine then, Empire of... Suzu... Will accept...” She said blushing, continuing the roleplay.

“YESSS! All hail, all hail! Tonight, a large rabbit! Tomorrow—perhaps… a bear!?”

Suzuha’s blush faltered. “…I don’t think the trap can hold a bear.”

Ori leaned close, eyes sparkling. “That’s what you said about the wild boar last week, and it still worked!”

“That boar got stuck because it looked at your divinity and had a panic attack,” Suzuha corrected flatly.

“Same difference!! Now now, let’s cook this rabbit.”

Later, as Ori roasted the rabbit, humming happily, Suzuha sat nearby, hugging her knees.

“Orivaneia,” she said slowly, “make it as tasty as possible, okay?”

The goddess puffed her chest, saluting dramatically with her spoon. “I know, I know, Lord Suzu-chan! Your empire shall dine like royalty this evening. Leave it all to me.”

Suzuha’s lips twitched. “…Good. As planned.”

Ori rolled her eyes but smiled until she saw movement in the corner of her vision.

Suzuha’s hand. Reaching slowly. For the pot.

Ori froze. “Stop.”

Suzuha raised a brow. “I was only checking the—”

“No. Absolutely not.” Orivaneia smacked Suzuha’s hand away with the ladle. “We do not speak of last time.”

“…Last time wasn’t that bad.”

Orivaneia’s wings bristled. “We do not want another… black smoke stew. The pan melted, Suzuha! Melted! Do you know how metal works?!”

Suzuha looked away, muttering under her breath. “…I was just experimenting that time...”

Orivaneia jabbed the ladle at her. “Lord Suzu, if you touch this pot, we will not live. No experiment. This may be your last soup ever.”

Suzuha looked down, “I’m really gonna die huh?”

The rabbit sizzled, juices dripping into the fire. The smell filled the clearing. Ori’s eyes softened, her anger melting into a fond smile. “Just… stay there, you silly emperor. Let me do this part. You’ve done enough already.”

Suzuha leaned back, smug as ever, hands behind her head. “Fine.”

Ori twirled the ladle dramatically, presenting the spit like a royal banquet. “Then rejoice, O Empire of Suzu! Tonight, we feast upon the spoils of your genius!”

The rabbit squeaked one last pitiful squeak from the spit.

Suzuha’s eyes gleamed as she whispered: “As I planned…”

Ori groaned. “Stop saying that!”