Volume 6 Chapter 101 The Messenger’s Palace Is A Beautiful Priestess
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I’m a bit of a nuisance, but I look forward to your continued guidance,” Ms. Marsha said, kneeling before me with her hands pressed firmly to the ground.
I have a pretty good idea who’s behind this. They’ve gone and done it again…
The intelligence department had already informed me that the messenger from the Great Temple was Ms. Marsha. Yakou, having returned after a long absence, has been unusually diligent—bringing in one piece of intel after another.
Apparently, the Great Temple has recognized me as the true Hero. Ms. Marsha is likely being sent as the so-called “human Doll Princess” to take the place of the original Doll Princess.
Being human, she can also be used in a political marriage. This seems to be a standard tactic employed by both the management bureau and the Great Temple to secure powerful Heroes. In this case, though, it’s probably more about acquiring our nation’s wealth than about me personally.
The mastermind behind this must be a high-ranking member of the faction opposing the cardinal. If they were to oppose him openly, they’d likely be eliminated. Their maneuvering must be nothing short of exquisite.
The Great Temple, it seems, is crawling with youkai old men of cardinal rank. It’s more of a den of monsters than I imagined.
While commoners are panicking over the news of the Demon King’s arrival, the privileged class remains calm and collected. Do they really believe they’re safe?
Well, nobles and priests are easily replaced. Most of them probably think that if those above them fall, it’ll be their chance to climb up. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them are secretly cheering for the Demon King to bring chaos.
But this Demon King doesn’t seem like a pushover. According to Yakou’s intel, several vassal states of the Totoana Empire have completely vanished from the map. It doesn’t feel like evil; more like systematic human extermination.
Can they really not imagine a future where humanity goes extinct? Have they just managed to survive every past crisis and grown complacent? Everything has an end, you know.
Sometimes, I can’t help but think it would be easier if everything were just destroyed and reset.
If the truth spreads properly, will humanity unite? Or will it just trigger mass panic?
There are always those who won’t grasp the situation and just sit still. That’s better than full-blown panic, I suppose, but normalcy bias can be a real problem.
* * *
At a time like this, I really shouldn’t be getting caught up in the Great Temple’s power struggles. How foolish. How troublesome.
Ms. Marsha is a decent person—fairly capable, though a bit rigid. Honestly, she’s not someone I need right now.
As a woman, well… she has a certain charisma. She’s beautiful, caring, and kind—the kind of person who naturally draws people in.
She was probably sent here with a honey trap role in mind. That much is obvious, and Shea-Shea isn’t hiding her disgust. Her expression makes that crystal clear.
Ms. Marsha’s faith isn’t truly directed at the deity—it’s aimed at the organization of the temple. She probably doesn’t even realize it herself.
Even Mr. Donovan wasn’t fully aware of the difference between the deity and the religious organization until the oracle was given.
Religion isn’t just pure faith in God. It’s a kind of brainwashing that borrows God’s name—a dependency on an institution? A scam, even, that offers promises of salvation in exchange for obedience? The Great Temple excels at that kind of thing.
If I could free her heart… but is that even what she wants?
Watching her eyes sparkle with a sense of mission, I can’t help but think she might be happier staying exactly as she is.
What do you think? If someone’s being deceived by a marriage scammer, shouldn’t we tell them the truth? Or would it be kinder to let them live a fleeting, happy dream?
* * *
Fortunately, I was able to consult with everyone beforehand. On this matter, Miss Floria presented several options.
First, there was the option to politely decline. A honey trap involving a watchful wife and a political marriage would be a landmine, no matter how much Ms. Marsha was involved.
It would disgrace the other party, and to avoid making enemies of the entire Great Temple, we’d have to strengthen our ties with the Cardinal faction more than ever.
In that case, a woman from the Cardinal side might be sent in place of Ms. Marsha—and naturally, I wouldn’t be able to refuse.
The situation wouldn’t improve; if anything, it would probably get worse…
So, what if I accepted Ms. Marsha as a ready-made meal? That could be seen as betraying the Cardinal. To prevent that, should I also bring someone from the Cardinal faction to maintain the balance?
Balancing diplomacy is harder than it looks, you know.
A harem sounds great? No way. The opposing factions would be at each other’s throats. Every day would be a battlefield. A land of demons. Shura shushushushu…
(T/N: Shura is a Buddhist term often used to describe a constant battlefield or a hellish state of conflict.)
That route is absolutely to be avoided. I will never accept such a hellish otherworldly harem.
There’s also the option of building a new temple and elevating Ms. Marsha to its head. Ignoring the honey trap, I’d treat her as a regular priest.
Since this would clearly benefit Ms. Marsha’s faction, they likely wouldn’t complain. Ms. Marsha herself would probably be pleased, too.
Still, to maintain the balance, it would mean building another temple for the Cardinal faction as well. In the end, it’s just spending money again—it’s not much different from the harem route.
No matter which path I take, it’s a minefield of complications.
If only I could cut ties with the Great Temple entirely, that would be refreshing. But that’s not how the world works.
Creating a new religious organization to take its place? It’s not impossible, but it would be a monumental hassle. Isn’t it strange to take on more trouble just to escape existing trouble?
Maybe the gods desire such chaos… but let’s just pretend I didn’t notice.
In the end, after consulting with everyone, the strategy we decided on was the classic “turn the mummy catcher into a mummy.” In other words, borrowing the strength of darkness.
With the advanced dark spirit Mubiel and Yakou, who just happened to return, we should be able to manage.
The plan is to use the secrets of the room technique to turn the seductive female spy, who’s trying to make me weak, into a weakling herself.
It’s something a villain would do, sure—but I can’t afford to be picky about my methods right now. The end justifies the means, as the old lecherous ones used to say.
If we can turn the beautiful women sent by the Cardinal to our side, they’d become valuable sources of information.
If you’re going to eat poison, might as well lick the plate clean, right?
…Is that how the saying goes?
As long as we’re only retaliating when attacked, we can still reconcile it with our conscience.
Above all, the fact that this plan doesn’t cost any extra money was the decisive factor—strongly supported by Shea-Shea.
El also attended the meeting, but it seemed like she didn’t understand any of it. Honestly, that’s probably for the best.
* * *
Thus, I had to pretend to have fallen for the honey trap and, in turn, make Ms. Marsha a captive of pleasure.
I’m not confident. I’m really not. But if Mubiel and the others help me, I feel like I might somehow pull it off.
I know it’s not an admirable act… but why is my heart racing?
I thought Ms. Nina would be the first to oppose such a plan, but unexpectedly, she said something like, “Children are treasures.”
The cultural differences really are striking.
Could it be… she’s actually angry? No way…
I’ve started to grasp a bit of how women think in this world.
Jealousy isn’t absent, but the main reason they hate infidelity is likely the fear of sexually transmitted infections.
The Great Temple does a thorough job spreading awareness on that front.
Mr. Raoh, who hits on countless women, has recently become despised by the ladies for being a nuisance.
He doesn’t respect this world’s culture much, which often causes trouble. Now that he’s a prominent figure in our country, I wish he’d show a bit more restraint.
Miss Floria hadn’t been intimate with her husband for years, so apparently there was no issue with her having a physical relationship with me.
The problem lay in my actions afterward—but since all my partners were clean, I was technically in the clear?
Still, surrounded by everyone at Uno’s nest, I got thoroughly lectured… though they forgave me in the end.
I think I wouldn’t fear STDs if I had Dragon God’s Herb.
(T/N: Likely a rare or mythical herb with curative properties.)
But I’m wise enough not to say that out loud.
I had no intention of chasing after various women anymore.
However, since all the lovers involved have given their permission this time, I can proceed without worry.
But… if I can’t captivate Ms. Marsha with my charisma, the operation will fail.
This is serious. It’s a battle of righteousness.
* * *
Starting to woo Ms. Marsha felt like too heavy a burden for shy little me.
Come to think of it, I’ve never even tried picking someone up before.
Fortunately, I wouldn’t have to make the first move. Ms. Marsha, bearing the secret mission of the honey trap, would come to me.
I could just go with the flow until then. This is the kind of trap that’s irresistibly appealing to men—I can understand why so many esteemed older gentlemen fall for them.
Now that I think about it, Ms. Marsha is kind of a pitiful person too.
She’s so serious, always taking on more work and constantly busy.
She must’ve been trained as a female spy as part of her education.
Even now, she’s probably trying to seduce me with complete sincerity, all for the sake of her faith.
Blind faith really can be scary.
By the way, it was Ms. Marsha who found that job called Stargazer, which I still don’t quite understand.
The name alone sounded cool, but it didn’t really stand out.
Still, the Fraud skill has been surprisingly useful in my role as king.
Thanks to the Astronomy skill, I was able to save people from falling meteors, so I guess it wasn’t a bad job after all.
I’ve come to like it now. I should be grateful to her too.
Even if it was just duty, she was the first woman in this world to treat me kindly.
I definitely had a kind of admiration for her.
That beautiful lady’s business smile… it really is something special.
* * *
First, we held a welcome party for Ms. Marsha, treating her to a lavish feast and fine wine. Perhaps due to all the stress she’s been under, the guest of honor drinks quite a bit. Is she a heavy drinker?
Maybe because there are others around, she doesn’t particularly make a move on me. It seems like nothing is going to happen tonight. A bit disappointing… and yet, also a relief.
Looking around again, this castle’s reception room really lacks romance. It’s not nearly glamorous enough.
Should I change the lighting and decorations to something more atmospheric? Versailles might be going too far, but there are certainly elements I could draw inspiration from. In any case, that’ll have to wait until the demon lord issue is resolved.
After greeting everyone, Ms. Marsha made herself comfortable at Miss Floria’s table. Shea-Shea came over as well, and the three of them launched into a lively discussion about overwork. Cheerfully and elegantly, they were exchanging complaints? Or was it more of a contest of who had it worse? Honestly, as an employer, it was a little scary.
Still… Ms. Marsha’s drinking!! Can she really not cope without alcohol? She must have been under incredible pressure.
Miss Floria drinks moderately, preferring quality over quantity, while Shea-Shea is sipping something that looks like cola. (T/N: A cola-like drink is common shorthand in Japanese stories for non-alcoholic preferences, especially among younger or more innocent characters.)
As for the health effects of alcohol, that kind of thing is well-documented in anime and the like. I should show some to Ms. Marsha sometime. Things can get troublesome if you start depending on it.
I had imagined a scene where she’d come at me, flushed with drink and emboldened by alcohol—but nothing of the sort happened. She simply retreated to the inn. The duel has been postponed until tomorrow.
Ahh… I can’t keep her staying at an inn forever. I’ll have to prepare a proper place for her too.
I really thought tonight would be the decisive moment. I even had Yakou hidden in the shadows, just in case. What a letdown.
* * *
Thanks to that, I ended up listening to Yakou’s adventure stories all night long. Lately, he’s been off on a reform crusade within the Totoana Empire’s sphere of influence. Sucking the lifeblood of the weak and punishing those indulging in evil—what is he doing, exactly?
Still, the stories themselves were interesting. Through them, I got a clearer picture of how the empire’s been blundering in their dealings with the Demon King. The emperor’s family, along with the summoned heroes who’ve sided with the empire, are making fools of themselves at every turn. But even so, if I were in their position… could I really do any better? I can’t say for sure.
Yakou seems to really enjoy telling me her tales, continuing with such enthusiasm it was almost infectious.
It was supposed to be a hot, slippery, messy night… but in the end, it turned out to be surprisingly calm. Well, I suppose a night like this isn’t so bad, either.
The essence of bedroom technique, as I see it, is empathy—understanding the other person, communicating. In that sense, listening to Yakou’s stories is part of that technique. It’s all part of the Way of the Bedroom. (T/N: “The Way of the Bedroom” is likely a personal or philosophical approach to seduction or intimacy, framed in martial arts or spiritual terms for comedic or thematic effect.)
”I… have erred,” I muttered.
I had been listening to Yakou’s stories for so long, I started slipping into strange speech patterns. But that didn’t matter.
To immerse Ms. Marsha in pleasure and erase the walls between us—to make her an unwavering ally. I began to wonder if those kinds of tactics would stain the Way of the Bedroom.
Even if she set a trap, it didn’t matter. I had to fill her mind and body with bliss, make us truly one. That’s the heart of the Way of the Bedroom.
Of course, if I couldn’t win Ms. Marsha over with this, then the Way would be meaningless—but for some reason, I felt no fear. My guilt had vanished. Tomorrow, I would face her head-on, with all my power.
* * *
With my hesitation gone, I felt like I’d reached a new realm of enlightenment—and slipped into a deeply satisfied sleep.
It was a brief moment of peace… until I was abruptly awakened just before dawn.
Notes:
• Marsha – a second-rank priestess in the Hero’s Temple, tasked with handling the protagonist’s ‘job change’ as the summoned hero. She is described as a beautiful woman with long brunette hair, gray eyes, and a gentle demeanor. Her role includes guiding the hero and addressing his concerns about his new life in the other world.
• Yakou – A newly created kunoichi spirit with high specs from Mubiel. She pledges loyalty to the Narrator as her ‘Lord Shogun’ and seeks to punish villains.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Donovan – Head Priest of the Great Temple. He has a newfound respect for the MC, referring to them as a ‘Saint.’ His actions suggest he is highly organized and influential within his organization.
• Miss Floria – Elegant, silver-haired noblewoman in her 40s, referred to as an ‘older sister’. Judge of the Supreme Court and Baroness. Former tutor of Princess Auroora. Initially stern but warms up, showing a playful side. Close with Ms. Nina (Princess Auroora’s doll copy), treating her like a sister. Trustworthy and explains legal matters clearly.
• Mubiel – Dark spirit; visually identified by “bell-bottoms,” competitive attitude, claims 108 bedroom techniques, but is a virgin and surprisingly innocent
• El – She is a giant woman, appeared as Saburou’s captor, living alone in a large tent, skilled in hunting and cooking, proposes marriage to Saburou.
• Ms. Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Raoh – Pakkyamara. An infamous, scheming, but somewhat incompetent senior adventurer known for meddling with hero summoning rituals; often gets beaten up as a result. The one who want japanese food.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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