Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: A Well-Ripened Lady
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* * *
How long had they been climbing the mountain path with her riding on Igeon's back?
Fortunately, the rain was starting to let up.
In place of the diminishing patter, the cries of insects living in the forest began to fill the air.
"Just a little further, Lady Rinasita."
"...I'm sorry. I must be heavy...."
"Not at all. I might look delicate, but carrying one young lady is no trouble at all."
"...!!"
Again.
He called her a young lady again.
Hearing that word from his mouth, in his voice, made her stomach flutter once more. Unable to hold back, Eirene blurted it out.
"I'm... not a young lady."
"Pardon?"
"I mean, uh... I'm too old for that."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"...Yes."
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
It was a pointless topic that didn't require any honesty.
Yet, for some reason, she didn't want to lie to this man.
And if he kept calling her a young lady, her mind would truly turn to mush...
She confessed the full truth.
"Thirty-six...."
"Pardon?"
"Th-thirty-six! Thirty-six...! I'm too old to be called a young lady...!"
For the first time, Eirene was glad to be riding on his back.
She didn't want him to see her face—or even her ears—flushed completely red.
Igeon let out an "Aah" as if he understood.
"I see. I had no idea."
"..."
Still riding on his back and silent, Eirene...
Snapped out of it to find herself asking him something strange.
"Are you disappointed?"
"Pardon? Disappointed?"
"...Yes. Since I'm not actually a young lady...."
There was no reason for disappointment.
The favor he was showing her by hiding her couldn't possibly be just because she was a young woman.
Eirene knew that well. No one would go this far out of mere attraction to her looks.
She could feel in her heart that his kindness was purer than that.
And yet, knowing all this, she still had to ask.
What was it she wanted to hear from him?
That he wasn't disappointed? Or...?
"Well... you're definitely not young anymore."
"..."
In that instant, Eirene's mood sank calmly.
Of course. At thirty-six, to a young man like Igeon, she must seem like an intimidating barrier.
She already knew that. And yet, she'd foolishly hoped for—
"But still."
"...?"
"You've ripened so well."
――!!!!
"No way I'd be disappointed. Quite the opposite, actually. You've ripened perfectly. I think there's a beautiful resonance that only comes with time, like a fine wine."
Wh-what...?
What is this man... saying...?!
—Thwack!
"...Ow."
"Put me down right now! I'll walk on my own!"
"We're almost there. See that building ahead? Your legs are swollen—if you push yourself, it'll be bad."
"Quiet! I'm fine now! Hurry... put me down!"
"It's okay. Just a bit further—"
"No! Put me down this instant! You insolent...!!"
Thwack, thwack.
Eirene pounded his shoulder with all her might, but Igeon just chuckled and refused to let her go.
Even as she struggled to get down... she couldn't break free. Her high status meant nothing—her human strength couldn't match his.
'Ripened well? What nonsense...!'
Depending on how you heard it, it was an outrageous flirtation.
Even if he didn't know who she was, she was the Empress!
The one seated on the supreme throne of the Igugwoden Imperial Palace was none other than Eirene von Ainsberg!
To me... "ripened well," like some... pervy comment...!
Eirene thought everything about this was strange.
The sudden rebellion, this man named Igeon saving her and caring for her like this.
And... the fact that her long-buried girlish heart was thrilled by his "ripened well" comment.
"Now, now. We're here, so be good, Lady Rinasita."
"I told you not to call me a young lady...!! You, you really...!"
――Ahh.
I think... I'm going crazy....
No, maybe I already am.
Of course.
Even if he'd helped her, it hadn't been that long since they met.
And he was much younger than her...
"Here we are. Heave-ho."
"Kyaa...!"
She nearly tumbled backward when he suddenly set her down, but Igeon caught her deftly.
"Careful, Lady Rinasita. The ground's still muddy."
"Ugh...!"
She brushed off her slightly dirtied nun's habit and finally stepped into the monastery.
A building perched on a small hill in the forest.
Even in this remote spot near the Igugwoden Citadel, she hadn't known about a monastery this size.
As that question crossed her mind—an elderly nun emerged from beyond.
"You've arrived, Brother Igeon. May Plain Fact be with you...."
"May Plain Fact be with you. Thank you for your hard work at this late hour, Sister."
"Not at all. And that sister over there...?"
"She's the one I mentioned before."
Eirene gave a slight bow.
"The name's Rinasita."
"I see. Sister Rinasita. You're walking the path of the monastery. To think we'd see a sister with such an abundant Divine Power Pouch. This must be Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact...."
"...Thank you."
No matter how she thought about it, constantly praising her chest was something she could never get used to.
She had no idea what her massive breasts—threatening to rip the nun's habit even now—had to do with Divine Power.
"Come this way, please."
* * *
The monastery's corridors were incredibly quiet.
As if the darkness had swallowed even the noise.
The only things filling the space were the flickering flames of the torches lining both walls.
"Thank you for playing along."
"Hm?"
"You don't believe in religion, do you?"
"Well, yeah. But I'm already in a nun's habit, and it's just what you have to do to enter a monastery."
"Still. It must be hard for a nonbeliever to even say they believe in God...."
How long had they walked those dark corridors?
The moment they opened the door and entered the room, what greeted her first was...
"...!!"
A massive portrait hanging on the wall.
The strangest thing was that the face was blurred, impossible to make out.
"This is...?"
At Eirene's question, Igeon offered a light prayer and replied.
"The Sole God Igugwoden."
"...!"
"It's a portrait containing Lord Igugwoden's visage."
A portrait depicting Igugwoden's appearance?
Had such a thing existed...?
She didn't follow the Igugwoden Church, but she'd never heard even a single description of Igugwoden's looks.
Not even a statue deifying him. She'd heard of paintings or statues of his apostles who followed him, but nothing of him.
And this portrait... calling it a portrait was generous—the face was so blurry nothing was visible.
At that moment.
"...!"
Igeon's hand suddenly rested on Eirene's shoulder.
She startled but... didn't pull away. Him invading her personal space wasn't a bad feeling for Eirene.
"If you don't believe in Lord Igugwoden, you can't see this portrait."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. Only those with true faith in Him can behold Lord Igugwoden's face."
Igeon said that and looked up at the portrait again.
Twinkling like a starry sky, with the eyes of a dreaming boy...
As he gazed at the portrait.
"It appears to me. Lord Igugwoden's visage. And being able to face Him... that's amazing in itself. Aren't you curious what it feels like?"
"I-I..."
"Of course, I'm not trying to force religion on you. As it says in Holy Scripture 'Great Igugwoden Chronicle' Chapter 5 Verse 2: 「A Dish of Facts: Forcing religion on unbelievers just annoys and bothers them. If you want to convert someone, offer rewards fitting their level.」 In that sense, I respect you as a nonbeliever, Lady Rinasita."
Great Igugwoden Chronicle... the last of the three Holy Scriptures, she recalled.
The Genesis, recounting world creation and His descent to earth; the Holy Power Chronicle, extolling the importance of the Divine Power Pouch; and the Great Igugwoden Chronicle, chronicling up to Igugwoden's ascension back to heaven... Those three, at least, Eirene remembered the names of.
"Anyway, don't you need to bathe now?"
"Huh... oh? Bathe...?"
"You're soaked to the bone. Both you and I are."
Come to think of it, the downpour had left them looking like drowned rats.
"Yes. As you say, washing up lightly would be best."
Igeon grinned at her words.
"There's a place I want to show you, Lady Rinasita."
"What?"
* * *
"Wow...."
The courtyard connected to the monastery's back door.
In the center, surrounded by high walls, steamed a hot spring.
Igeon said it was the pride of Aegerdeng Monastery.
A miracle created by the Sole God Igugwoden... probably just the usual religious myth.
What was certain was that for her—who'd barely managed quick showers in cramped stalls since fleeing home—this was paradise.
Eirene, wrapped in a single towel, slowly approached the bath.
Naturally, the monastery's towel couldn't fully cover her body.
Skin so white and firm it belied her age, breasts ripened to explosive perfection.
Hips so flawlessly birthing-ready it was a shame she'd never borne children.
Her violently beautiful form, the very embodiment of "beautiful woman," couldn't possibly be concealed by a mere small towel.
She cautiously dipped her foot in.
"Mm...."
Soon, submerging her whole body created a massive wave on the spring's surface—
And the pleasure of the hot water coursed through Eirene for the first time in ages.
In that moment, she thought this place rivaled the royal palace's grand bath—but that thought didn't last.
"Wahh....!"
Looking up, a night sky brimming with stars like a downpour greeted her.
Was it the rain stopping? Or the hot spring? The humid air tickled her nose.
...This is far better than the palace bath.
Who knew such a wonderful place existed?
As that happy time passed and water began dripping from her golden side-swept hair.
Eirene pondered what to do next.
'I'll stay here for a while....'
It was a suitable distance from Igugwoden Citadel, and the monastery itself was spacious enough to hide in.
Plus, unlike the city, this was a religious space.
With the Saintess appeared, they wouldn't scour church-owned buildings.
'Yes. I'll bide my time here and check on other territories' situations. I'll ask Igeon later.'
Thinking of Igeon's name flushed her face again.
Why was that man helping her?
Because he was religious, out of simple charity? Or...?
"..."
Her heart began pounding fiercely once more.
She'd never felt like this before.
The only time her heart had raced was when routing the courtiers trying to kill her. She'd even thought she might be a born warrior, beyond just being a woman. At first, retainers complained about the Empress lacking a husband to protect her, but eventually they acknowledged she was strong enough on her own.
So why... this man.
A younger religious man, no less...
"Igeon...."
She murmured his name.
She even liked how her lips formed the "ee" and "eo" shapes when saying it.
Igeon, Igeon, Igeon... As if whispering unheard inner thoughts, she repeated his name.
Each utterance brought her closer to him.
"..."
That night, after the bath.
Though her bedding was far better than before, Eirene couldn't fall into deep sleep for a long time.
* * *
From that day on.
As a novice nun at the monastery, Eirene helped the elderly nun—Aegerdeng's Abbey Director—who had welcomed her, with various chores.
"Oh dear, thank you, Sister. You didn't have to help."
"Not at all. I'll pay the price for my stay."
"As expected from such an abundant Divine Power Pouch—your heart is as noble. May God's Plain Fact be with you, Sister...."
Life at the monastery was incredibly fulfilling.
The complete opposite of her life as Empress. Instead of debating state affairs, she carried firewood. Instead of dispatching soldiers, she cleaned with Igeon. Instead of mobilizing peasants for crop yields, she kneaded and baked bread for her own meals.
Life.
For the first time, Eirene was living as a human.
Born, helping others, working for food, filling her belly, tidying her traces, then sleeping.
It was the essence of ordinary life, yet Eirene felt this was the most passionate moment of her existence.
The one thing she alone didn't join—the prayers.
Whenever she saw Igeon kneeling before that barely visible portrait, praying from the side.
She wondered.
If.
If I believed in the Igugwoden Church... in Lord Igugwoden.
Could I see the portrait too?
Share the view his eyes captured... right beside him?
Not some divine revelation, but just wanting to see the same sight as that man—could she convert for that alone?
Eirene smiled wryly to herself. If gods exist, I'm racking up sins.
"All done."
"Good work today."
"Nah. It's time for prayer to God. We should eat dinner soon."
"Yeah. I'll help."
"Sure."
Empire's peace, political stability, smooth succession for the First Princess without loose ends.
She'd lived solely for that... but for the first time, she wanted to be with another person.
Walk beside another man.
The word tying all these thoughts together—happiness.
Eirene was utterly happy. Even thoughts of reclaiming the throne faded.
Yet, as the saying goes, no paradise in a refuge—
Her happy monastery days didn't last long.