So, to recap, I was inside of my room writing in my diary, then I was brought to a floating flower garden, then I met with the god of creation, Sha- Shiro-san. Then she invited me to drink tea with her. I haven't left anything out did i?

"No, that's everything."

"Ah, I see- Eh? Umm... Shiro-san-"

"Please take a seat."

Before I knew it, a garden table and chairs appeared in front of me, and Shiro-san was already taking her seat.

"Umm... "

"Please take a seat."

"Ah, yes"

If I don't take my seat, I feel like I would just end up in an endless loop again, so I sat down in one of the simple but beautiful white garden chairs, facing Shiro-san.

And then, as if it's natural, a cup of amber-colored liquid appeared in front of me.

"...."

"..."

A- Awkward. The combination of her silence and expressionlessness turned everything really awkward. T- That's it, a conversation... We should have some conversation, at least...

Even though we sat facing each other...... Having no conversation starting at all, I got a little impatient, so I just turned to the drink placed in front of me while looking for a clue to initiate our conversation- t- this is delicious! What is this black tea? Even though I'm not that knowledgeable about tea, I can see that it's outrageously delicious... Should I say that it's to be expected from the tea served by God huh... That's right, how about we start with this tea...

"T- This tea is really delicious, isn't it?"

"Glad you liked it."

"..."

"...."

I can't push the conversation forward at all!? Rather, even if I tried to move it forward, with the lack of her facial expressions. I couldn't move it forward at all...

In the first place, I'm the type of person who responds to what others say and my communipower is low.

What I've learned in my Loner life is how one can adapt to what other people are saying... in other words, I need the other person to start the conversation and try to adapt to whatever they're saying to keep the conversation going without straining it.

The technique is for most people, especially the talkative ones.

Unfortunately, the fatal flaw of this tactic is that it doesn't work when the other party uses the same technique. Which is currently happening with me and Shiro-san.

I might be able to push forward some topics if I was talking to a normal person, but Shiro-san is quite the difficult adversary, for I don't know what she's thinking nor do I know how to start a conversation in the first place... Shiro-san, anything is fine, so is there something we can talk about?

"In that case, let me ask you a question.... What did you mean when you said 'communipower'? "

"... It's short for communication power, which is basically the ability to have a good conversation with others."

"I see....Then what does being a loner mean?"

"It basically means someone being alone... By the way, Shiro-san. Could you possibly be able to read my mind or something like that?"

"I can certainly read your mind."

"Ah, is that so."

She just confirmed it like it's something to be expected!? I- I see so she's been reading me for a while then huh... That's really... Embarrassing....

Then, let's just let Shiro-san take the lead in this conversation...

"Ah, it won't do if we don't have teacakes, right?"

"...."

I've been thinking, but aren't you going along at your own pace for a while? Are you that free? Nee, are you?

She doesn't even care about the current situation, and just switches from one topic to the next with the same expression and voice. It's a common thing in most cultures, that gods don't really understand the feelings of humans.

"Please enjoy your meal."

Appearing in front of me like it's the most obvious thing in the world, a small plate with... Baby castellas?

Not having the energy to complain, I picked up a baby castella and put it in my mouth...

"~ ~ ~ ! ?"

And felt like fainting in agony

The moment I took a bite, a piercing spiciness spread through my mouth and crept up in my nostrils.

T- This, Don't tell me... Wasabi!? Why is there wasabi inside the baby castella!? Isn't wasabi in a completely different category of existence? This should have been a combination that never existed... this isn't just on the level where she had pasted something within it, it also had different layers of filling like in a manju.

A baby castella filled with wasabi... the taste of sweetness and spiciness began spreading inside my mouth. I began to down the tea in an effort to get rid of the violent and disgusting taste from my mouth.

And just when my gaze moved to the person who brought out the cruelness incarnate that was the wasabi filled baby castella, Shiro-san brought it into her mouth without any change in her expression...

How are you eating that normally? Can it be that... this person, not only her very being, but even her sense of taste is also weird?

"Umm... S- Shiro-san?"

"What is it?"

"Is that... good?"

"No, it's so bad that I'd rather eat dirt."

"..."

Then, at least show a little bit of that feeling in your voice or expression!!

I mean, in the first place, why the heck did you make that kind of stuff and serve it as teacakes! Say it!!

"Kuro once gave me these as a gift, saying 'I tried to make it but it was incredibly bad, so I'm giving these to you.'."

"Kuro?"

"I believe she's known as the Underworld King, her name is Kuromueina."

"I see."

Underworld King, Kuromueina... She sounds really cool. I mean not that i have any reason to but... that title of her makes her sound really powerful, I wonder what she's like.

But why did she give something like this as a gift? Could it be... she gave this out of spite!?

"I think so?"

"However, didn't Shiro-san also think that it doesn't taste good?"

"Yes. It's hard to believe that a food as terrible as this exists in this world."

"...Then, why did you offer such a substitute for the teacakes?"

"Kuro told me that 'baby castellas are the best thing to eat with tea.', and since I want to deepen my friendship with Miyama Kaito-san, I served what I heard was the best thing to welcome you."

"...However, what about Shiro-san's thoughts regarding these teacakes?"

"It tastes so bad that I think its very existence should be a sin."

"..."

I think I now understand a little bit regarding this person. This person is probably... extremely airheaded.

The conversation with Shiro-san- The Goddess with a beautiful face, perfect proportions, an absolute personification of beauty, but also possesses troublesome factors as she's expressionless, and a natural airhead- continues...

"...."

"..."

Please carry on with our conversation. Could it be that the pattern won't do, unless I do it myself?

"Yes."

"Even though it was a guess, I'd like it if you denied it though. Even though it was a guess."

"Well then, I will now change the subject."

"...Ah, yes"

"...."

"..."

Umm... Shiro-san, you're supposed to say something when you're the one changing the subject you know... L- Look, since you can read my mind anyways, why don't you use that to search for a subject to our conversation.

There should be something to talk about, right? We could talk about things from back in my previous world or something...

"Well then, There's this book called
'The Documents of the Jet-Black Knees Volume II '. ''

"Whoehh!?"

Oi, Stop right there- you can't just dig up someone's black history from their middle school as you please!!

Seriously, please stop, I'll die of embarrassment at this point.

Why is it that of all the things that you can read in my mind, you choose for a memory that's buried deep inside!? You did that on purpose didn't you!?

What should I do, my mental capacity is close to zero... I don't have any confidence to continue this conversation anymore...

"Well then, let's go back to the series I mentioned earlier...."

Ah, wait. I can continue the conversation, so please let's move on from that topic and never speak of it again-

"Do humans yearn for such great power?"

"Eh?"

I was expecting the conversation to return to the disclosure of my black history, but what she did was ask me a question.

There's no inflection in her voice, and her expression hasn't changed... but for some reason, she seems to sincerely wonder about it, unlike earlier.

"..."

Maybe that's why I didn't give an immediate answer, do humans yearn for great power... the question from Shiro-san who is a God, someone born with great power.

How should I even answer this? No, Shoro-san can read my mind anyways, so making something up is just useless. Then I'll just go with whatever I think...

"I think humans do yearn for it. Great power, Wisdom, Wealth and Fame... there were times where I longed for it also."

"Then I'll bestow it on you."

"...Eh?"

"I rarely gain a chance to converse with a human. In this rare occasion, I shall bestow upon you one thing you desire most. Do you wish for power? Wisdom that even the greatest sage can't reach? Wealth that will make you question what else you need in life? Fame that will proceed even that of a King? Whatever you want is fine."

"..."

"To reiterate. If you wish for power, I will give it to you."

As if it's something she can naturally do, the Goddess told me. She can give me any power I desire- and can even change the wish to anything I want...

Anything I wish can come true... If I wanted to become 'special' all I needed to do was ask her. What I couldn't get even if I suffered and struggled, the person in front of me, a God, says that she will grant it.

"I- I..."

My hands were shaking as if I lost control of my muscles, I felt like reaching out to her, as if I was drowning and swimming out towards the surface... towards the only source of light.

There's no reason for refusal. There should be no reason- and yet, I wonder why? There's something that's holding me back from speaking deep within my heart...

Closing my eyes, I knocked on the recesses of my mind. One that's felt so far yet now closer... as if I can reach for it, the light in the dark.

What is it that I want... What in the world do I really want... Silently asking myself, I slowly opened my eyes to look into the Goddess's all-seeing eyes, and utter the answer I got.

"...No, Thank you."

"

"

<Afterwords>

A/Noa: "Alright, I'm back. The assignments are done, and now I'm free. And umm... What happened here?"

? ? ?: "Ah, your back. We've been eating here for a while actually, Hunting God-san was sulking for a while before she regained her composure."

Huntress (Carsa): "Humph, if El won't eat with me then Senpai and ??? Can have her portion."

A/Noa: "Ok? But why is there a pile of corpses here? And why is a smug faced senpai over there?"

Huntress: "Ah, that's our all you can eat buffet. And as for senpai, umm... I don't know."

? ? ?: "It's probably because of you,
A/Noa-san."

A/Noa: "Eh? Why am I- ahh... Let's just leave her alone then..."