Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Castle Comforts
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High-end beds really are something else.
After sleeping on nothing but creaky, stiff wooden ones lately, the difference hit me even harder by comparison.
The [Eight-Colored Shell Castle] had no dedicated staff, yet the sheets were spotless, not a speck of dust anywhere.
It felt like a personal collection of human cultural ready-mades, curated to one person's taste.
If Belleira was the owner of this castle, it was easy to see she fancied herself an elegant lady of the manor.
Well, right now, I owed her my thanks.
Esty's sleeping face didn't belong in some rundown inn.
This elf girl fit perfectly with the castle.
Only I remembered how that peaceful face had come undone.
Perfect. I loved that.
I loved hypnosis.
Not that many people would hate it.
I gently slipped away so Esty could sleep more, then got up and peered out the window.
Were there any creatures living here?
A castle dropped right on the coastline. Vast open spaces, forests, and towering mountains in view.
A world unto itself.
I suddenly wondered what this place really was.
"Darling...?"
Esty woke up.
Should I suggest a bath with Esty?
I opened my personal inventory and interacted with the eight-colored shell.
Among the menus that unfolded, there was a simple map data.
"The grand bathhouse. Shall we check it out?"
"Huh? Sure."
I led the half-asleep Esty to the grand bathhouse on the third floor.
Pushing open the ornate doors revealed a massive changing room.
No separate sections for men and women, it seemed.
The bath itself was ridiculously spacious.
Surprisingly, it was already filled with clean water, perfectly heated.
What was this? This convenient castle? Did a god build it?
...
Gods went all out even on their vacation homes.
"The water looks fine as is. Let's hop in together."
"With you, Decal?"
"Why, don't want to?"
"Um, it'd be embarrassing."
We'd already seen everything there was to see of each other.
But that sounded too pervy to say out loud.
A woman's shy vulnerability was pretty important.
At times like this...
"I wanted to wash up together like other couples do..."
...
"Sigh, too bad. What a shame."
"...Okay!"
Esty stripped alongside me and slipped into the bath.
Ah, bliss.
"How'd you even know about this place?"
Esty seemed amazed too.
"I know the goddess who owns it."
"The goddess?"
"Yeah, there's this redheaded one with massive tits."
"The goddess likes you, Decal?"
I glanced at Esty.
"What do you think if she does?"
"I hate it."
Esty climbed on top of me.
Her soft breasts and slender shoulders drew my eyes right in.
"I want to keep you all to myself, Decal. But... if I did, you might end up hating me."
"Hmm."
I naturally pulled Esty into my arms and stroked her sensitive spots with my hand.
"Ah..."
My hand glided over her smooth skin like a sponge.
"So soft."
"You're dodging the question...?"
"Yeah. Hate it?"
"This... I don't hate it..."
No point in seriously declaring I'd have a harem of concubines.
If I drew that line, Esty would just look sad and say she understood, which wasn't the vibe I wanted.
Right now, I just wanted to savor this bubbly pseudo-romance with Esty.
"You're still leaking cum."
I slid my fingers inside Esty's pussy.
"You pumped so much into me, Decal..."
"You felt that good."
"......"
Esty hugged me tight.
"I could have as many of your babies as you want."
Already thinking that far ahead?
Impressive. The power of love.
We fooled around in the bath for a while, then cleaned up properly before getting out.
"Wanna explore the castle together?"
"If that's what you want, Decal, anywhere's fine."
"Dressing room? Right next door."
I checked the map data, took Esty's hand, and walked the corridor.
The dressing room was an entire room larger than the guest quarters, used like a giant closet.
Flashy women's clothes dazzled the eyes.
There were tons of sexy lingerie too, in every color and style of openness.
Belleira's taste, I guessed.
"Wanna try something on?"
"Me? These pretty clothes wouldn't suit someone like me."
I smirked inwardly.
Out of all these, finding something that didn't suit Esty would be way harder.
But since it was all Belleira's taste, there were a lot of slutty dresses.
Wearing stuff like that out and about would be tough.
As I thought that, a familiar, prickly voice rang out.
"Good thing the elf knows her place, at least."
The redheaded goddess appeared from across the hall.
Esty turned her back to me and summoned a transparent bow into her hand.
"Decal. Should I attack?"
"Nah. She's the goddess who gave me this castle."
Esty lowered her bow at my words.
"Gave it? You forced it out of me!"
Always so fiery.
"What's wrong with taking a few clothes when there's this many? And what's with this lingerie? What even is it covering? You walk around in this stuff?"
"Don't judge! I collected them 'cause they're pretty... I wear them sometimes. Makes me feel proud of my figure in the mirror."
"Hahaha."
"Urk, grrr!!"
Thanks to my keyword commanding her to answer my questions truthfully, the goddess had no choice but to respond honestly, regardless of her will.
Perfect for a goddess who wasn't straightforward.
"Esty, wanna browse clothes for a bit?"
"Me...?"
Esty looked at me with sad, reluctant eyes.
"I'll be right back. Gotta talk to the goddess."
"Okay..."
We exchanged cheek kisses.
Belleira, who'd been watching with arms crossed and a scowl, finally piped up.
"Hmph. Already got yourself a slave, huh? You brainwashed her with that power of yours, right?"
"And if I did?"
"Just thought she had annoyingly high standards. That girl rivals how I was as a human. Though now, I'm way more beautiful and elegant, obviously."
"...Human? You used to be human?"
"Yeah. Ancient history now, though."
That explained it.
No wonder she was so into human culture.
The slit dress she wore was probably from some designer's collection.
"Anyway."
Belleira blatantly changed the subject.
Staring at Esty's back from afar as she browsed clothes.
"You're getting attached to that elf, aren't you? I can't attack you, but killing one elf is nothing to me."
Oh ho. Got some guts.
Trying to threaten me?
"You wanna make an enemy of me? That confident?"
"Confident? Heh. What do you take me for? ...Of course not."
"Hahaha."
"Urk!! That's why I hate you!"
Unable to bluff thanks to my suggestions, Belleira raised her voice in a mix of rage and humiliation.
"Undo this ridiculous brainwashing!
Or else, I'll kill that precious elf girl of yours."
"Don't talk like that so lightly. I guarantee you can't even imagine what's in my head."
"......"
"I can make you suffer more than anything you've ever dreamed up."
"Hit a nerve?"
I hadn't expected the goddess to think something so bold.
Any threat to Esty, even the slightest, was a no-go.
Snap.
I snapped my fingers.