The Goddess Department's Desperate Offer
The Goddess Department’s war had reached its conclusion, yet the goddesses found themselves in an acutely urgent position. The support of a highest-ranking Divine Realm management Main God—equivalent in value to the reinforcement of divine power from an Intermediate God-level realm—was far more precious than the mere disclosure of authorities. Since the proposal did not demand complete subservience, nor require an oath of loyalty that would bind their fate to the Divine Realm, there was no reason to refuse. The conclusion came swiftly.
“Very well. I shall disclose to the Divine Realm all but the core portions of the Main God authorities.”
A resonant hum filled the air. The divine power circles above their heads blazed brilliantly, bestowing upon the Divine Realm an immense volume of knowledge and the interpretation of those authorities. Soon, the Divine Realm itself expanded and strengthened in a tangible wave.
As expected of the management Intermediate Goddesses. In a single stroke, the Divine Realm’s territory has expanded and reinforced by a full tenth.
The goddesses’ expressions were far from pleased; they had just revealed authorities and knowledge they had cultivated over eons, now made easily accessible to other gods. Yet the achievement was more than sufficient for their appointment.
Naturally expanding and reinforcing a tenth of the Divine Realm would have required ten million years. The highest-ranking Divine Realm, once in its embryonic state, has now entered its infancy.
It was a miracle wrought by the management goddesses’ specialized authorities in administration and operation. Moreover, the Main God-level authorities they disclosed could be acquired by any god belonging to the Divine Realm through training alone. Even stripped of their cores, Main God-level authorities carried tremendous effect.
“In recognition of the achievement of advancing the Divine Realm through the voluntary disclosure of authorities, I hereby appoint these four Intermediate Goddesses as Divine Realm Management Main Gods.”
With the brief divine proclamation, the Divine Realm’s support reached their divine power circles, causing them to erupt in blinding light. The goddesses were now experiencing the highest divine rank, overwhelmed by ecstasy and a surge of divine power. Every obstacle that had once barred them from reaching the High Lord rank had vanished, thanks to the divine power reinforcement from the highest-ranking Divine Realm Management Main God and the protagonist’s own power as the Divine Realm’s Main God.
The speed and results of training are incomparable to the past.
With each rise in divine rank, the walls of divine power and authority required for breaking through limits had simply disappeared. While the goddesses remained lost in the rapture of their sudden ascension, the combat-oriented goddesses let out sighs. Their authorities were overwhelmingly powerful, yet most were innate and combat-focused. Without the corresponding innate talent, they could not be learned; even full disclosure would have minimal impact on the Divine Realm.
However, the next words from the Dimensional and War God left them no choice but to wear expressions of profound gratitude.
“In recognition of the achievement of elevating the Divine Realm from a pioneering planet to an Upper God-level realm, I appoint these eight goddesses as Divine Realm Management Main Gods.”
Tears that had stopped began to flow once more as the goddesses watched their divine power circles resonate and shine in connection with the Divine Realm. For eons they had labored to create an Upper God-level realm from nothing, only for the Main Divine Realm to reject their achievement on account of past transgressions. Yet the Dimensional and War God had objectively acknowledged even those who had nearly incited rebellion—without imposing any additional conditions.
The gratitude and emotion are so overwhelming that my body trembles.
Once confirmation was given that the goddesses had been fully recognized as Divine Realm Management Main Gods, the Dimensional and War God’s voice rang out again.
“From now on, you need only focus on the management and training of the Divine Realm. All past wrongs within the Divine Realm shall be considered as never having occurred.”
Joy filled the goddesses’ faces at those words, only to darken moments later.
Even if the Dimensional and War God acknowledges us, without proof of alliance the gods of the Divine Realm will never abandon their suspicions.
Without that, performing the duties of proper Divine Realm Management Main Gods will be impossible.
Force alone had its limits; voluntary cooperation was essential. Yet due to their repeated failures in crisis management and the now-certain worst possible perception from outside, public opinion remained at its lowest, making their position precarious.
We need an alliance with the Dimensional and War God no matter what.
Without a cooperative system with him, we cannot function as Main Gods.
Even the idea of accepting a harem position—something they had once dismissed as absurd nonsense when considering the creation of an independent Divine Realm—now seemed acceptable. Their hearts had already begun to lean toward him, drawn by his consistent warmth and consideration that had nothing to do with their own actions. Of course, the Devotion Pledge had likely factored into his decision, but had they still been in open rebellion, he could have forced the matter and the Karma Contract would have recognized it. Instead, he had never forgotten the respect due to those who had once been Main Gods of the Divine Realm. Because of that, the goddesses could not bring themselves to beg for an alliance as though offering nothing in return.
In the end, it was the management goddesses who spoke with unvarnished honesty.
“Currently, every god in this Divine Realm—now ascended to the highest rank and with all past sins forgiven—follows only you. Your influence is so great that even the subordinate gods of the combat goddesses must worry about defection. Because we nearly reached the point of rebellion, the gods of the Divine Realm view us with suspicion, creating serious problems for governance.”
“We need an alliance with you, or measures that follow from it. If an alliance is impossible, then… given that most of us are no longer pure virgins, becoming the consort of a High Lord is naturally out of the question. Without becoming your… concubines, we will have no way forward.”
“We came here prepared to make this offer as a last resort. The divine power sharing of Main Goddesses like us would greatly aid in increasing your divine power and strengthening your authorities. Of course, as concubines, whether you provide your own divine power remains entirely your choice.”
The management goddesses had finally said it. All the goddesses lowered their heads, faces etched with anguish. No matter how high-ranking a Main God or prospective Creator God the Dimensional and War God might be, for former Main Goddesses of the Divine Realm to become mere concubines rather than consorts was an immense humiliation. Gods who lived eternally and had no need for descendants formed consorts and direct lineages solely to strengthen divine power and authorities.
Consorts naturally exchange divine power, filling each other’s deficiencies and mutually elevating their authorities and power until they reach the same divine rank and continue accelerating their growth together.
Creating direct lineages activates a goddess’s uterine vitality and the compressed vitality and divine power circles stored within her body, allowing absorption that strengthens authorities and divine power. Though the pain of childbirth is great, there is no reason to avoid it.
Male Main Gods, however, find the recovery of divine power spent in creating direct lineages through divine power sharing with goddesses difficult, and thus avoid it unless absolutely necessary. But the concubines of a Main God exist in a one-sided relationship where divine power provision and the creation of direct lineages follow solely the Main God’s will.
The only thing a concubine could refuse was coercive divine power and authority provision; repeated unreasonable demands would constitute an affront to the Divine Realm’s Main God and grounds for impeachment as a god. Autonomy was severely restricted, and the greatest problem was that a concubine could never become an independent Divine Realm Main God. Furthermore, while a concubine’s selection was her own choice, release depended on the Divine Realm Main God’s will—making the position nearly permanent.
Since he could keep providing divine power and strengthening authorities while never being obligated to reciprocate unless he wished, there was no need to release a concubine—almost none were ever freed.
One could say he would be desperate to keep them and increase their numbers.
Of course, the consort goddesses would never tolerate the waste of divine power and vitality by male Main Gods, so numbers could not be increased arbitrarily. That had been the beginning of the desires that had driven their former male Main God consorts. They had kept tight control within their own Divine Realms, but once alliances allowed free passage between realms, gods from uncontrolled Divine Realms began indiscriminately targeting goddesses after confirming only their authorities and divine power.
Even we, goddesses and consorts, were tempted to that degree—so they did not hesitate to commit acts akin to rape against lesser goddesses, eventually violating even the consorts of High Lords and sparking war between allied realms.
Even now, the mere memory filled the goddesses with rage. Thinking of their former consorts—who had insisted on increasing concubines by any means necessary even while on the brink of war due to their own immorality—made them feel it had been right to annihilate them.
Sometimes goddesses who had forgotten their pride would come offering themselves as concubines; the memory still made their teeth grind.
Yet now those same goddesses were voluntarily offering to become concubines.
If the one showing such consideration and recognition had been any other male Main God, they would have fought to the death. The situation was unavoidable, yet the realization that their dream of independent Main God status had ended left them feeling as though their souls had fled their bodies.
Increasing concubines would bring complete benefit to the Dimensional Lord’s divine power and authority strengthening. Even if they were granted independent stars as Main Gods in exchange for the Devotion Pledge, they would become subordinate realms—so refusal was impossible. Now that becoming Divine Realm Management Main Gods and concubines was their final option, and they could never return to being glorious independent Main Gods of the Divine Realm, tears threatened to fall once more.
“I understand the inevitability of an alliance or corresponding measures given the current situation. I refuse the alliance, but I accept the concubine proposal.”
As expected, he accepted the concubine proposal. The glory they had once held as Main Gods of the Divine Realm vanished, leaving only the status of concubines to a High Lord. They had prepared themselves, yet it felt as though the ground beneath their feet had collapsed. They accepted because he had continued to show them consideration, but despair was inevitable. The goal they had so desperately pursued was now gone forever.
While the goddesses stood dazed, the Dimensional and War God’s voice continued.
“I am accepting this temporarily because you stated it was necessary for your duties. Divine power sharing or provision shall be left to your own discretion, and I shall also grant you the right to release from the concubine status. Should you wish to establish a subordinate Divine Realm with a star under my command, I will accept any demand for full autonomy beyond the stipulated vitality provision. You may become independent whenever you desire. All other contracts shall remain in effect without alteration. Perform your assigned duties to the best of your ability and uphold the contracts.”
The goddesses’ mouths fell open as they stared at the light completely enveloping the Dimensional and War God’s body.
His face is hidden by the light, so I cannot tell what he is thinking, but this is an incredibly generous measure.
According to his words, we have been granted full choice. This is nearly the status of consorts rather than concubines, and the forced obligations of concubines have disappeared.
If he even grants autonomy to subordinate Divine Realms, he becomes an indispensable existence to us. With this, the gods of the Divine Realm will no longer suspect that we are his allies within the Divine Realm.
Yet the terms offered him no benefit whatsoever. If they merely performed their duties as Divine Realm Management Main Gods to the best of their ability, the Divine Realm would develop and he would gain some influence—though at a negligible level. Had the situation been reversed, they would have pressed him relentlessly to extract the maximum benefit. Instead, the Dimensional and War God had guaranteed them advantages without doing so. Even with the Devotion Pledge in place, his generosity was excessive.
Unable to hold back any longer, they asked.
“There is no benefit to you, Dimensional and War God. Is there nothing else you desire from us?”
“I have taken these measures solely because you stated they were necessary for your duties. They will be implemented as stated, so you may return with peace of mind.”
It was a dismissal—his business was concluded. The position of Divine Realm Management Main God that would allow them to grow stronger, and an alliance rather than the unavoidable status of concubines to the Divine Realm’s Main God, with no obligations and even the right of release granting them nearly the authority of consorts—this was an overwhelmingly favorable outcome. Yet something rose within them.
We are not such insignificant beings that we must accept everything like beggars while offering nothing in return.
Among goddesses, the Main Goddesses were the most noble, beautiful, and powerful. If they could only receive without being able to offer anything in return, it became a matter of the Main Goddesses’ pride. Yet he lacked nothing—divine power, vitality, or wealth.
We have no stars with which to create Divine Realms. He is currently only one, but he will become a Creator God who commands countless stars beneath him—so we have nothing to offer him now.
If they concluded matters so one-sidedly, benefiting only themselves, there would be no professional relationship or additional contracts in the future. They had already discerned that his mercenary contracts were almost always unfair, and afterward he had rejected all contract requests on the grounds of past unfairness—except for the Great Demon God, who had accepted additional contracts and executed them fairly, reigning eternally.
The Dimensional and War God clearly intends to show us this consideration once and then turn away.
If that happened to a being who would become a Creator God, even if they created independent Divine Realms, their survival would become impossible. No matter how much they helped one another, support from a higher Divine Realm was essential, and the only connection they had was the Dimensional and War God. Furthermore, if the Dimensional and War God showed such consideration and generosity in contracts, the consequences of betraying him could be seen in the case of the former Divine Realm Main God.
We must somehow change the Dimensional and War God’s mind or maintain a good relationship.
The management goddesses gritted their teeth, exchanged glances, hesitated for a long while, then began to speak.
“We can dramatically increase your innate divine power. The sacrifice required of us is so immense that we desire a star to create a Divine Realm with full autonomy, along with protection. We also require absolute secrecy from male gods regarding the method, recovery of expended divine power, and protection during that period.”
“Hah—! You… you all—!”
“Be quiet! This is no time to be picky about methods. You know nothing of our situation—we’re practically finished. I’ll explain later, so stay still. If you don’t want to, then drop out!”
When the management goddesses revealed even Intermediate Main God-level power and snapped irritably, the combat goddesses’ expressions shifted rapidly alongside their bewilderment.
That content is almost identical to what we offered during the Devotion Pledge, is it not?
We combat types desperately need to become Main Gods of the Divine Realm to restore our former subordinate gods, so we have no choice—but the management goddesses’ situation is different.
Although positions were scarce, if they swore loyalty or subservience to the Divine Realm Main God, there were many administrative positions available as Divine Realm Management Main Gods or within the Main Divine Realm. The question of whether the management goddesses were truly this cornered filled their minds. Recalling several events from today, their heads lowered of their own accord.
If we do not become Divine Realm Management Main Gods or create subordinate Divine Realms in this Divine Realm, we truly cannot survive.
A dangerous premonition washed over them. Unexpectedly, when the combat goddesses showed little resistance, the management goddesses tilted their heads briefly before continuing. They then took out the Karma Contract and began drafting it clause by clause, obtaining authentication as they went.
“We four are Intermediate Goddesses with 5 billion divine power. Since our attribute differs from that of the Dimensional and War God, we guarantee an increase of over 4 billion in innate divine power. Should it fall short, we shall serve in proportion to the deficiency. Each time you grant us a star to create a Divine Realm, we shall raise it by an additional 1 billion. We would also appreciate it if you would maintain long-term amicable relations with us.”
“I accept the contract. Detailed terms shall follow the same conditions as the other goddesses, but given the greater increase, the star’s scale shall be raised to Intermediate or higher. Contract priority shall also be set to the highest, excluding matters currently in progress.”
He signed the Karma Contract they had signed without hesitation. From the Dimensional and War God’s perspective, he had already contracted with the combat goddesses through the Devotion Pledge, so there was no reluctance.
Creating stars to form Divine Realms is grueling labor, but gaining an additional 4 billion in innate divine power is something worth dancing with joy over.