Chapter 192 The Cell Boss*
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I finally managed to return to the workshop-a place I could now truly call home. I breathed a sigh of relief, though I still had two goddesses floating in my wake. Standing before me were Ashley and the others, bowing low and remaining perfectly still, exactly as they had when they saw me off. I felt my tension start to slip, but if I let them suspect I was exhausted from dealing with goddesses, my dignity as their master would hit rock bottom. I hurriedly straightened my back and put on a front, standing before the altar to grandly commend my servants.
”Ahem. Good work meeting me, you three. As you can see, I’ve returned safely,” I said.
”Welcome home, Yuuri. Are you feeling unwell in any–” Ashley started to ask.
”–Wait. Shelm-sama… there are two of you!?” Marina cried out.
The two women, who had remained kneeling, looked up and went pale at the sight of the goddesses hovering to my left and right. It was only natural. A partner who was troublesome enough on her own had somehow doubled, and to make matters worse, one of them bore a prominent crotch tattoo¹. They must have known that being summoned by a goddess wouldn’t lead to a simple outcome, but this situation was clearly beyond their expectations.
However, Ashley was a maid who served royalty. If she lost her cool over every unforeseen crisis, she would have no place in the intrigue-ridden world of the nobility. She regained her composure instantly and took a step forward to interrogate me in her capacity as the head of the household.
”Will you please… explain what is happening?” Ashley asked.
Her expression was dignified and beautiful. But, just like Marina, who had momentarily dropped her professional act, Ashley’s eyes were not laughing. There was no room left for me to act the arrogant master.
I looked around for the youngest sister, Suzuri, hoping to apologize with all my heart, but she had already fled from the sight of the duplicated goddesses. She was currently peeking out from behind the cathedral entrance, showing only half her face. As I scanned the room, I dropped to my knees and pressed my forehead against the red carpet. I harbored a faint hope that Yui or the other goddess might throw me a lifeline, but the two divine figures simply floated there with their eyes closed, smiling radiantly and refusing to move an inch.
”I’m sorry! I took a bride without consulting any of you!” I shouted.
”Good grief. Please lift your head, Yuuri. I assume Shelm-sama forced this on you as usual,” Ashley said with a sigh.
Contrary to my expectations, what fell upon me wasn’t a rebuke, but Ashley’s exasperated sigh. When I received permission to straighten up, I saw Suzuri and even Marina nodding their heads in vigorous agreement. Come to think of it, everyone gathered here had their lives upended by Shelm’s forceful whims. Even if this “divine gift” was actually a forced marriage, their exasperation with the goddess’s tyranny outweighed any disappointment in their master’s spinelessness.
”So, is this Ai-sama?” Ashley asked.
Accepting that this was just another day in the workshop, Ashley walked up to the goddess who was still playing the role of a statue. With the dignity of the head servant, she stared intently at the crotch tattoo etched into the goddess’s porcelain skin. Even under that blunt scrutiny, Yui didn’t let her sculpted smile waver.
”I heard that when Yuuri returned from the other side before, Shelm-sama had split her being,” Ashley noted.
”Wait, what? I haven’t heard anything about that–” Marina began.
”B-Big sister, we can talk about that later…!” Suzuri whispered.
At this point, I finally realized why Ashley was so unguarded. Based on what I’d been forced to confess previously, she remembered Ai’s personality. Logically, she could understand why the goddess would send her other half away as a bride. Because of that, she mistakenly assumed the one sent to us was the compliant Ai, and she approached her with ease.
I was half-confused by her careless behavior, but by the time I realized it was Yui’s trap, it was too late.
”Eek!” Ashley let out a strangled shriek.
Who could have predicted that the one bearing the crotch tattoo was actually Yui? Just as Ashley leaned in, thinking she was dealing with a sensible deity, the goddess’s beautiful face twisted into a wicked, smirking grin. It was the unmistakable look of the Shelm who had caused us so much trouble.
”What… wait, huh? What!?” Ashley stammered.
”How mean, Ashley! Is it really so offensive that I’m becoming Yuuri-kun’s bride? ♡” Yui teased.
Overwhelmed and unable to process the situation, Ashley backed away, her gaze darting between me and Yui. It was a total bolt from the blue. No one would expect Shelm-who took such immense pride in her divine power-to lose nearly all of it and submit to a human. There was a pathetic blunder on Yui’s part behind it all, but before that came to light, she had moved to greet the Rounanushi² she’d be living with to ensure she wouldn’t be looked down upon.
”Wh-wh-what does this mean, Yuuri!? Please explain yourself properly!” Ashley demanded.
Yui might be the superior schemer, but it would be a disgrace to the title of head servant to be played by a newcomer. Tossing aside her mask of authority, a teary-eyed Ashley lunged forward and threw herself into my arms.
”Er… yeah. I was in a position where I could choose either one, and I just ended up picking Yui…” I muttered.
”Are you serious? Not Ai-sama, who gained a sense of self specifically for your sake!?” Ashley asked.
Ashley’s gaze pierced me as if she were questioning my sanity. Her agitation was both funny and adorable, but I couldn’t afford to play the fool just because Yui was currently rolling around in mid-air laughing. My wives had only tentatively permitted Yui’s marriage because they thought the goddess had forced it. If there had actually been a choice, I needed to give a sincere answer as to why I had intentionally picked the problem child.
”No, think about it. If you were in the same position, and I asked if you wanted me exactly as I am, or a version of me that was perfectly obedient to you, which would you choose?” I asked.
”Ngh… Hmmm… Mmmgh!” Ashley groaned.
Since I was using myself as the example, it would have been devastating if she had immediately chosen the obedient version. But, trusting in the bond we had tentatively built, I managed to avoid a total disaster. I fought back a smile and maintained a serious face in the face of her pouting and groaning. After we stared at each other for a long while, Ashley finally dropped her shoulders in reluctant defeat and let out a long breath.
”By a very narrow margin… I suppose I would choose you as you are,” Ashley admitted.
”Right? Exactly! I know I’m causing you trouble by being impulsive, but… rather than the Ai who was manufactured for my sake, I preferred the one who brought me to you in the first place,” I said.
Though I’d managed to get her to agree, I felt small knowing I was pushing the consequences of my whims onto the mistress of the house. Still, my wonderful wife rubbed her brow with her fingers and steeled herself to accept the trouble that undoubtedly lay ahead.
”Fine, I won’t say anything more. However, you must tell me exactly how this came to pass. I cannot believe that Shelm-sama, with her unshakeable pride, would willingly reduce herself to a servant,” Ashley said.
For the peace of the workshop, the management of the servants was the most vital element. If that was to be achieved by something other than the master’s tyranny, the lead servant needed a great deal of discretionary power. Since Ashley demanded an explanation so that everyone could accept Yui’s baffling arrival, her blunder had to be shared right here and now.
”You’re sharp. Actually–” I began.
”Wait! Not that! Ai, help– Fugyuuu! ♡” Yui squealed.
As if on cue, the moment I opened my mouth as a witness to the scene, Yui lunged at me-desperate to mask the humiliation of being stripped of her divinity. But alas, her body was now that of a base servant, no longer the goddess who commanded all creation. Ashley’s slender arms snared her mid-air with effortless grace; an instant later, the womb-mark³ upon Yui’s groin was “overwritten” leaving the former deity writhing in helpless, shuddering pulses of agony.
”…Is this really alright?” I asked.
”I permit it,” Ai replied.
Even her other half-the one she relied on most-was now the one urging self-reflection. Ai watched Ashley’s “sacrilege” as she pinned Yui to the altar, yet the goddess’s smile never wavered. She gave her blessing to her counterpart’s chastening without a second thought.
”Right then. This is going to take a while. You two, get over here. -Suzuri, you too.”
”Y-yes…”
”Ugh… as you wish~”
Taking a perverse pleasure in the sight of my wives tangling on the dais, I called over the lingering Marina and the ever-vigilant Suzuri. Since what I had to say was, in a sense, my own shame-having been seduced by a goddess, after all-I was loath to shout it loud enough for the distant Suzuri to hear.
Perhaps it was my stern tone that did it; Suzuri hurried over, albeit reluctantly. I pulled her close by the waist as I sank into the chaise longue beside the carpet. With Marina standing loyally at my other side, I looked toward Ashley-who was still staring at us from atop the altar-and confessed exactly what had happened at the end of the goddess’s invitation.
”-My word. To think you’ve finally been forsaken even by your own self, ‘Lady’ Yui.”
”Rrrgh! It’s the truth, but hearing it from someone else makes me so mad! …More importantly, get these huge tits off me! Damn it, it’s cheating to silence me by suffocation! They’re so heavy I can’t even jump-ngyuuuuuhhh!♡♡”
The two of them entwined on the altar were the most “feminine” of my wives. Their soft flesh yielded and pressed against one another, creating a lewd, decadent tableau that was a feast for the eyes. However, seeing a newcomer receive “sanctions” for touching the forbidden subject of the workshop-Ashley’s gifted physique-was almost too much to watch. Cowering between my two other companions, who clung to me in fear, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut until the storm passed.
”-So, if being wed to Yuuri is the ‘trial’ to regain your godhood, does that mean you will eventually be divorced? What must be done to satisfy such a condition?”
”Nfh…♡ N-not a chance!♡ My very name has already been branded as ‘Yuuri-kun’s Wife’!♡ Even when my duty is done, I’m never leaving him!♡”
”Ah! To think…♡ She’s even claimed the name of Lady Shelm as her own!♡”
”I-I am in awe…♡ It seems even a goddess is no match for Yuuri’s Mara⁴!♡”
Having asserted her dominance as a superior servant, Ashley made no effort to hide her intent to return this troublesome goddess to the status of a mere concubine. In response, Yui stood her ground, flaunting the name etched into her very skin as proof of an eternal bond.
Sparked by their fiery exchange, Marina and the others began to press their bodies against mine as if by pre-design. The heat of their breasts against my arms sent a surge of fire to my loins. Their hands reached out simultaneously, brushing against each other in mid-air before pulling back in a daze. Enticed by eyes of gold and obsidian, shimmering with feverish lust, I almost reached out to seize their firm backsides-only to stop myself at the last second, settling for a firm embrace around their waists.
-Even within the workshop, this sanctuary is the closest realm to the goddess.
Ai might not mind if I gave in to my desires here, but I knew all too well that once I let go, there would be no stopping. I pulled Marina and the others closer to keep them from further mischief and continued explaining the nature of Yui’s trial. The moment I reached the conditions for its completion, Ashley and the others’ eyes went wide.
”H-hundred…! That means this will continue long after we are no longer able to stay by Yuuri’s side! It’s not fair… Yui is the only one who gets to stay…!”
”She’s right! Even if the divine protections slow our aging, a hundred people is…! This… we might actually have to develop our Skill⁵ just to keep up with her!”
Dizzy, as if struck by a sudden vertigo, Ashley and Marina grieved over the limits of human mortality. Only Suzuri remained silent, her dark, night-like eyes fixed on me-filled with a steadfast belief that her master would never show favoritism only to a newcomer.
Marveling at her intuition, I ran my fingers through her silky black hair and stroked her cheek. As I gave a single, firm nod, her tense, beautiful features blossomed like a black lily in bloom.
”About that…”
Because this was the will of the Sponsor⁶, those of us receiving the benefit had no power to refuse. And the mandate was not a single one; Eternal Youth⁷ had already been shared, forcing us to live lifespans far beyond those of ordinary servants. When I broke the news, the two noblewomen were struck dumb, but Suzuri, like a loyal hound, relaxed as if she had finally found satisfaction.
”Eternal Youth is a high-level skill, but since she brought it with her, we should be able to bestow it just like any other. I can’t value any of you less than her. It’s going to take much longer than we planned, but… Yui-and actually Ai too-have begged me for the same. Will you stay with me for that extra time?”
”Yes!♡ I will follow you to the very end!♡”
”Hey, wait!♡ Don’t just go doubling the amount so casually!♡ …Kuh, fine, I guess I have no choice but to stick with you.♡ But man, I really might have to hand over the faction to my little brother, Arsh, for real now.♡”
Suzuri, having no lingering ties to the world, didn’t hesitate for a second. Marina, though grumbling about needing to change her plans, eventually gave her consent, noting that the increased vitality would only benefit her motherland in the long run. Ashley, however, looked dissatisfied, her lips pressed tight and her cheeks slightly puffed out.
”Ashley… will you not forgive me?”
I tried to draw out the concern festering within her, but she simply turned her head away. I had to assume there were things she didn’t want to discuss in front of the others. Leaving Marina and the rest where they were, I stood up and approached the altar, placing my hand on Ashley’s slender waist.
”Now that I think about it… the plan was to soothe your ‘aching’ the moment we returned.”
As a result of our training being interrupted by the goddess’s summons, Ashley’s body was inevitably high-strung. I had intended to make up for it by giving her some private time; things she couldn’t say here could be whispered there. To fulfill that promise, I hoisted her effortlessly onto my shoulder. Despite being treated like a captive, she didn’t struggle, surrendering her weight to me.
”Ai. I’m leaving. You don’t mind, do you?”
”Of course.♡ Any more would be over-interference. Yui will explain the rest of the details.♡”
Ai had descended to the sanctuary specifically to let the servants know she had split from Yui. That goal had been achieved. Upon my confirmation, the goddess-sensing everything-promptly dissolved into light and returned to the divine realm, performing the final duty of a supreme being.
”Marina. I’ll be gone for a bit. Look after Yui. And Yui-don’t go acting spoiled just because your priestess is the one looking after you. Don’t forget that right now, you are my servant.”
”Got it. Come listen to the rest of Yui’s story once you’ve finished your ‘business’ over there.”
”Okay~♡ Though, even if her rank as a wife is higher, being called ‘-sama’ makes me feel all itchy-“
Watching Ai’s ascension, I had only to give the final orders to my servants. With Ashley being “abducted,” Marina was the only one I could trust to handle the situation. My princess-turned-partner-in-crime caught my drift instantly and hurried to the altar. Suzuri followed timidly behind her, peeking out from behind her back at the languidly reclining Yui.
After watching them for a moment, I turned my back on the trio. Behind me, the sound of lively, feminine conversation immediately filled the air.
”They should be fine. …Ashley, I’ll hear your ‘excuses’ in the bedroom.”
”-…Yes.♡”
What would Ashley say, she who had remained silent and deferred her master’s decision? The question lingered in my mind, but even after holding the body of a sublime goddess, the softness of my childhood friend sinking into my shoulder was more than enough to stir my desires. Her sultry voice of consent in response to my arrogant command was all I needed to shift my focus to a single goal: how best to love this most precious wife of mine.
—
Summary:
Yuuri returns to his workshop accompanied by two goddesses, Ai and Yui. He faces a tense interrogation from his head servant, Ashley, who is shocked by the presence of a second goddess. After a sincere discussion about choosing personality over obedience, Ashley reluctantly accepts the new situation but demands the full story of the goddess’s fall.
Following the fall of the goddess Yui, Yuuri navigates the shifting dynamics of his harem within the workshop’s sanctuary. He reveals a new mandate of immortality granted by the divine ‘Sponsor,’ causing mixed reactions among his wives. The chapter ends with Yuuri taking Ashley aside to tend to her private needs and resolve her unspoken grievances.
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Trivia:
- The ‘crotch tattoo’ is on the goddess Yui, not Ai.
- Ashley was a maid for royalty, which is why she handles the chaos with professional grace.
- Yuuri’s servants generally blame the goddess Shelm for everything rather than him.
- Yuuri had a choice between the ‘obedient’ Ai and the ‘problem child’ Yui.
- Yui and Ai are two halves of the same divine being.
- The ‘Eternal Youth’ skill is a direct result of the ‘Sponsor’s’ intervention.
- Ashley’s jealousy stems from her long-standing relationship with Yuuri being ‘devalued’ by the newcomer’s divine status.
- Suzuri is the most intuitive and loyal, accepting the immortality without question
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Character Insight:
Yuuri demonstrates emotional intelligence by relating his choice of Yui to Ashley’s own preference for his ‘unfiltered’ personality, while Ashley shows her leadership by prioritizing household stability over personal shock.
Yuuri is increasingly comfortable with his role as a dominant master, while Ashley struggles with her identity as the ‘childhood friend’ now competing with literal goddesses. Suzuri’s absolute devotion is solidified by her quiet acceptance of a shared eternal lifespan.
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Behind the Scenes:
The term ‘Rounanushi’ (prison boss) is used ironically to describe Ashley’s authority over Yuuri’s domestic life.
The author uses ‘Mara’ as a mythological reference to emphasize Yuuri’s s*xual prowess as a divine-tier force.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Shelm – Wicked Goddess, reincarnated Yuuri, manipulative, wants him to use his power.
• Suzuri – A scout who braved the labyrinth and lured a petrifying monster to protect her friends. Tall, statuesque, flawlessly pale skin, powerfully toned yet soft and feminine, with long, flowing black hair identical to Marina. Her body have muscles but slim. Her breasts are very large, full, high-set, and overtly described as “too big for her frame,”
• Ai – The recently-formed sub-divinity/ego who manages the world’s Skills. Her sudden, intense burst of divine will (‘ki’) almost bleached Yuuri’s wicked thoughts. Called Yuuri ‘Elder Brother’ and declared genuine affection and trust based on his efficiency with her Skills.
• Arsh – Marina’s the princess younger brother.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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