Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Divine Hot Springs
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* * *
A massive hot spring, reachable by climbing just a short distance up the mountain not far from the Igugwoden Citadel.
This place, which Erin had once boldly wheedled from the god himself, had transformed into a location perceptible only to women who had received his love in any form.
In other words, simply recognizing this place meant one had touched "the god's love," as Saintess Erin explained.
And here—
"It's nostalgic... Hehe, every time I come here, I remember the moment I first connected with Lord Igugwoden."
Erin closed her eyes, recalling that instant.
The time when he granted her request to "take a bath," something utterly unrelated to survival.
She had been truly shocked witnessing hot water suddenly gush before her eyes, forming an entire hot spring.
That moment was special not just because he fulfilled such a trivial request.
"He told me... not to forget that I'm a woman."
Thump, thump.
Erin carefully placed her hand on the massive Divine Power Pouch that had made her a saintess.
Her heart raced so fiercely that even those beside her might notice.
"Lord Igugwoden. From the moment I accepted your words... I, Erin, have never once forgotten that I'm a girl."
Erin cautiously glanced at the other women.
Then, she once again played a little coquettishly with the god.
"It's fine if you share your love with many. I have no intention of becoming a fool who defies Lord Igugwoden's will."
"But the one who was with Lord Igugwoden first, and for the longest... that's me. Please, please never, ever forget that...."
Starting with Erin, the woman of the god who had essentially created this place—she entered the hot spring one by one, towel-wrapped, each lost in their own reflections.
"This is... my master, Lord Igugwoden."
Eirene, barely concealing her obscenely voluptuous body with a tiny towel that couldn't even fully cover her, placed a hand on her chest and delicately reminisced about an unforgettable moment.
No single towel could hope to cover Eirene's violently overwhelming breasts, those that dominated all the women gathered here.
But were her breasts the only issue? Her wide, childbearing hips spread sideways weren't properly hidden either, but that was fine.
Whenever she shed her cumbersome attire and immersed herself here in the form she was born with into this world—it brought an indescribable satisfaction.
Eirene, now submerged, tilted her head back once more.
"Waaah...."
The same beautiful scenery as that time filled her eyes again with girlish wonder.
The moment when, with everyone hunting her life, she soaked here to catch her breath, lifted her head, and beheld the starry sky brimming overhead...
Since that day, Eirene had never once slept peacefully.
"Lord Igugwoden. I want to meet you just one more time, my one and only master who can make me a woman... Until you descend to me, I'll hone my body and soul every day to become an Eirene you'll love, a servant who can attend and serve you by your side better than anyone."
It was a notion perilously bold for an empress to entertain, but what could be done?
Humans in the throes of first love inevitably fray a little at a time like this.
Having discovered men at thirty-six, far later than most... Eirene yearned for her life's sole permitted man, the Sole God Igugwoden, several times more intensely than ordinary women.
Even if she might never meet him, maintaining perfect chastity with no other in her heart, gazing solely at that one god—
This was the utmost pure love a human could offer their creator.
Following Erin and Eirene into the hot spring was Ballus, who fidgeted awkwardly, unable to hide her unease.
She hadn't directly received "the god's choice," but having been caught in Plain Fact when the Demon King evolved into Demon King-chan, she had become like this and could fully perceive the place.
"Why am I bathing with humans in a place like this...."
Demons inherently maintained cleanliness without bathing.
The "Demonic Energy" humans lacked but demons possessed formed a protective barrier, a kind of homeostasis shielding them from external germs and keeping them pristine at all times.
Moreover, for some reason.
She had lived without a stitch of clothing as if it were nothing before... but after gaining a human woman's body, being naked felt oddly embarrassing, making the act of undressing itself unappealing.
"Demon King-chan is still bustling about on the front lines to maintain peace with humans. It'd be absurd if I couldn't even match this much."
With that resolve, she cautiously stepped into the hot spring.
And the moment she slowly immersed her body—
"--Haaaaah."
The rush of pleasure from the steaming water gradually enveloped her.
"This... feels good...!"
Far better than imagined. She could almost understand why humans bathed!
"How's the water temperature, Miss Ballus?"
"Huh? Ah... Saintess. This... feels good...."
"Is that so? Hehe... Miss Ballus became human through Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact. The god's hot spring is always open to you."
"Yeees... Thank youuu."
Thus, right after Ballus surrendered instantly upon soaking, came a proud member of the Dish of Holy Knights.
Along with Saintess Erin, these three holy knights currently wielded the greatest influence on the continent.
"Hold on, Rabbit Lord will get his fluffy fur all wet, so wait outside--"
"Igogodon."
"Huh? Y-you can walk on water...?"
Hop!
The rabbit atop Ophelia Translente's towel-wrapped head leaped straight onto the hot spring's surface.
And... splash!
Rings of ripples spread from where the rabbit's feet touched, but no plop was heard.
Soon, the rabbit freely trotted across the water's surface on all fours, as if it were solid ground.
"Wooow... Rabbit Lord, amazing!!"
"Igogodon."
"Ehehe... That's right!"
Pleased by Luca's clapping applause and cheers, the rabbit lifted one foot and spun 360 degrees in place.
"Hmm. As expected of Rabbit Lord. Walking on water... Haha! I must redouble my training."
Ophelia laughed heartily as she immersed herself.
Removing her ever-present simple circlet ornament changed her usual stern knightly impression to that of a youthful maiden in her prime.
"Rabbit Lord! Come over here. I'll show you something fun."
Following Luca, whose eyes sparkled at the rabbit, the very last to enter was—
"Careful, careful...."
Former Second Princess, current Dish of Holy Knights member Linea von Ainsberg.
Her breasts, slightly smaller than her stepmother's but still ample, were precariously draped with a towel as she slowly dipped her feet into the hot spring.
And with that—finally, all women who received the god's choice, save Demon King-chan, had successfully bathed.
"Igogodon."
"Waaah... Rabbit Lord, you're like a top! So cool."
Ophelia naturally approached Linea, who gazed blankly at the rabbit playing with Luca.
She always initiated conversation with Linea like this when she felt out of place.
"Luca seems to really like Rabbit Lord."
"He's the divine messenger, but he looks like an ordinary rabbit. From what the orphanage director said last time, she's always loved animals...."
Though both she and Ophelia diligently performed relief work—
In truth, Luca drew the hottest response from the populace.
Likely because her rise from orphanage origins to holy knight, coming to fetch them, comforted those in similar straits.
"Truly a friend worth emulating. It's embarrassing that despite our different starting lines, we're running the same race."
"I feel that way sometimes too."
After that light small talk concluded.
Linea cautiously posed a question to Ophelia.
"Um, do you think... there's a reason for this bath today?"
"A reason? Isn't it a divine oracle?"
"I mean, why would God issue such a... personal oracle like this."
Ultimately, soaking in the steamy hot spring felt great, but...
Linea couldn't shake the conversation with Erin before coming here.
"Huh? A bath? Suddenly...?"
"Yes! Suddenly!"
"Why...?"
"Because it's the god's will!"
"That we all bathe together...???"
"Yes!"
She hadn't pressed further, given Erin's beaming brightness during the Q&A.
Still, she couldn't fathom why go this far.
If he wanted to bathe together, just say so—why attach a divine oracle?
"Well, it's simple enough. Ascetics must maintain robust bodies at all times, and upholding cleanliness is part of the discipline, no? Plus, it's a chance to see how far we've come."
"See how far...?"
"Who could've imagined demons, the empress, the saintess, and us bathing amiably together?"
At Ophelia's words, Linea looked around again.
Saintess Erin. Empress Eirene. High demon Ballus.
Indeed... an incongruous group. Their only commonality: massive breasts.
"Probably something like that. What you've done isn't meaningless. So keep your初心 and press on—that must be what God wishes to convey."
Ophelia offered a fairly idealistic interpretation, but—
'...Doesn't feel right.'
No need to mandate bathing for such a lesson.
They could've just gathered to share chicken—God's food—and reached the same conclusion.
Erin didn't seem to have hidden motives.
So the oracle was genuine.
If God specifically commanded us to bathe, what was the reason?
'....'
No matter how she racked her brain, Linea reached only one conclusion.
Such a command seemed less from the "god" who created the world—
And more from an ordinary man simply wanting to watch us bathe.
That explained the commonality of "big breasts" too.
As written in the Holy Scripture, the Igugwoden Church's Divine Power Pouch—God liked women's breasts.
If he issued this oracle just to see a bunch of busty women bathing?
'...No way.'
The scriptures described God as male, but as a god, he was far from ordinary men.
No such being would issue an oracle just to ogle breasts.
Faith lacking or not, she had no intent to belittle the god granting ongoing miracles to their world.
'Might need to visit Ares again....'
She hadn't seen him since mentioning searching for Sister Karen.
Maybe he'd have answers... With that thought, she let her stray notions drift away in the hot water.
* * *
"Hoo."
Reading the manga, I suddenly shivered as chills raced up my spine.
Linea... this girl...!
'You... figured it all out?'
In this manga, the one closest to the true nature of the god wasn't Saintess Erin or my wife the empress Eirene, but a member of the Dish of Holy Knights.
And the one with the weakest faith, Linea!
I was newly impressed by the author's character utilization.
Turning the potentially buryable "lacking faith" trait to her advantage, making the sole reader—me—suspicious, masterfully instilling "curiosity for the next chapter."
No, not just that. It was high-level monetization bait too.
'Yeah. Figured it out this far? What now? Launch sponsorship!'—leading naturally to that mindset!
I had no intention of clicking, of course, but if this was all design, I wanted to applaud furiously.
'The author is a god...!'
I marveled each chapter, but this one especially.
Because...
I slowly scrolled up.
Breasts appeared.
Breasts atop breasts.
Even bigger breasts over two mounds.
Boob boob boob boob boob boob.
Mammoth!!!
Mammoth!!!
Six female characters' massive Mammoths!!!!
'Mammoth six dishes!!!!!!!'
An author drawing six dishes of baby bottles just for me????
[ Igugwoden : Fuuuuuuck Igugwoden lololololol ]
[ Igugwoden : Thank you... Truly GOAT... God among gods... ]
[ Igugwoden : Giga chad dish ]
[ Please Give Money : I'm glad you like it... Truly fortunate ]
[ Please Give Money : I observed with great resolve... Solely for Lord Igugwoden ]
Of course, rendering six breasts in such high quality must've been grueling.
What's truly amazing: even identical sizes had minute differences in shape, sag, everything detailed uniquely.
Pity the key areas were obscured by towels or steam... but this author probably differentiated even those details.
[ Igugwoden : Haa.... This is it today ]
[ Igugwoden : Nah? This tomorrow too. Day after too ㅇㅇ ]
[ Igugwoden : All that pent-up grudge from no bath scenes finally vented lmao ]
[ Please Give Money : I should've observed more often.... My apologies ]
[ Please Give Money : But that, 'giga chad'—what might it mean? ]
[ Igugwoden : Huh? What're you saying ]
[ Please Give Money : You asked me for 'giga chad'... But I don't quite understand what it is ]
"...Hah!"
Lost in the breasts, I'd momentarily forgotten how insane this author was.
[ Igugwoden : lol no ]
[ Igugwoden : Just means you're mega based ]
[ Igugwoden : Your nick is Please Give Money lol ]
[ Please Give Money : Is that so...? ]
[ Igugwoden : Yeah ]
The author went silent for a bit. About five minutes?
[ Please Give Money : I still don't fully grasp the precise meaning... but if God is satisfied, I want nothing more ]
[ Please Give Money : Henceforth, I'll strive harder to observe 'Mammoths' and deliver them to Lord Igugwoden ]
'No, saying "observe Mammoths" specifically sounds kinda lewd....'
Then.
Bzzz!
'What?'
My smartphone buzzed, so I checked—a new text.
[ Hey ㅡㅡ you coming back or not idiot? The items you gave are still here and rn the 140k package is legit GOAT feed?? No cap, skipping this'd be weird ]
'Ugh, so annoying.'
I casually screenshotted a manga panel and replied.
[ Fuck that trash dogshit gacha won't pay for it and I'm busy with Mammoths gtfo ]
'That's her sorted, but... gotta do what I gotta do?'
I carefully paused the scroll at the panel with all their breasts in one frame.
One hand grabbing toilet paper—
'Come heeeere!!!'
Once more.
I stepped onto the solitary path of a man no one would understand—!
* * *
Bzzz!
'A reply!'
She grinned happily, checking the response.
[ (photo) ]
[ Fuck that dogshit gacha won't do it I'm busy with Mammoths ㅇㅇ gtfo ]
"!!!"
"She" who checked the reply hurled her smartphone onto the bed, face flushing crimson as she snapped.
"Ah, you perverted otaku bastard for real!!"
—Waiting for Igugwoden's "messages" wasn't just them.