Chapter 58 Before the Gods
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
He left the realm of Shelm, the goddess of skills, and found himself in a place that left him utterly confused. At first glance, it resembled a chapel, but there was no crucified saint on the altar. Instead, a goddess sat there with her legs crossed, lounging arrogantly. The stained-glass windows, which should have poured down a halo of light, depicted not the Virgin Mary but a starry horizon.
Shelm was well-known as a deity who granted skills, yet no particular group claimed her for their own authority. That meant there was no fixed way to worship her. He had to admire her openness in borrowing from other faiths without hesitation when changing her style, but copying everything else outright showed some real nerve.
”You’re really fearless, aren’t you?” he said.
”What are you talking about?” she replied with a grin. “My way offers real benefits with skills. It’s far more worthwhile than yours.”
She reclined on luxurious velvet, flashing a wicked smile. Sure, an altar to a goddess who bestowed skills was something to kneel before in gratitude. But when the deity herself hooked a finger into the thin fabric at her chest and gave a sultry glance, she hardly seemed worthy of reverence.
He shot her a suspicious look for her shameless behavior. Shelm stifled a laugh and called out to the pews meant for worshippers.
”Come on out now. You can’t fool my eyes.”
He whipped around and spotted Suzuri, dressed in shinobi attire, emerging silently from about the middle of the rows of benches.
”You were there? I didn’t notice at all.”
”Yuuri-dono… who is that person?” Suzuri asked.
If this space recreated architecture from his previous world, and given what Shelm had said at the starry horizon, he had already guessed this was a new section of the workshop. The first to rush here would naturally be Suzuri, the servant with the keenest nose and lightest feet.
Still, he was surprised she had hidden so well that he hadn’t sensed her presence at all—and it seemed she felt the same shock. A scout who explored dungeons alone needed sharp insight to know when to retreat. That meant detecting if she herself had been spotted; otherwise, survival was impossible. To think this lazy, lustful goddess had noticed her without any hint—it was a real blow.
The woman sprawled on the opulent altar seemed full of openings, yet her unfathomable aura kept Suzuri on guard. Even as she chatted familiarly with her master, Suzuri hesitated to lower the kunai she had formed with Darkness Wrap, a shadow-manipulating skill for creating items.
”Like I said before, this is—”
”Oh no, no, that’s no good! You can’t dress like that!”
Unlike Marina, whom he had met upon reincarnation, or Ashley, who had caused him so much trouble, Suzuri had no connection to the goddess. He tried to introduce the suspicious woman to put her at ease, but the malicious deity chose to pile on the bad impression instead.
He realized it and tried to stop her, but he was a moment too late. Before he could speak, Shelm waved her slender finger sideways.
”There! ♡”
”Eh? Hyaa!? Wh-what!?”
In an instant, Suzuri’s shinobi outfit dissolved into black mist. She must have rushed here armed and ready, without even underwear—the shiromuku hadn’t been made yet. Everything generated by her skilled Darkness Wrap scattered into fog, exposing Suzuri’s bare body under the bright chapel lights.
Her body was as toned and flexible as ever. The reddish-black tattoo at her crotch stood out against her pale skin. The moment her bra vanished, her full breasts bounced, searing the image into his mind. Her graceful movements in bed were charming, but her alert, naked stance was just as impressive.
Unfortunately, she immediately ducked behind the pews. But with his blessed dynamic vision, catching that dazzling glimpse in that split second was easy.
”Wha-? What!? What!”
”Hmm, so this is the shiromuku… The technique is still rough, but for a first try, it’s pretty good.”
Stripped naked without warning—and apparently unable to reform her Darkness Wrap clothes for the moment—Suzuri peeked over the back of a bench, her face flushed red as if boiled.
Meanwhile, Shelm calmly began evaluating the shiromuku. A skill that had taxed Suzuri’s mind so much to create didn’t earn full praise from the expert, it seemed.
”Sorry to Yuuri-kun, but since it’s part of my power, I’ll optimize it later. I want you to keep making skills with Suzuri-chan and the others, but don’t make too much work for me, okay?”
”Yeah, we’ll work on improving it. For now, just give Suzuri something to wear.”
It was pitiful how this lustful woman had suddenly appeared in what should be a paradise for his servants and stripped Suzuri bare without explanation. He had burned her gallant nude form into his memory without missing the chance, but he didn’t want her staying that way forever.
”Fine, fine. I want to fix the sloppy skill first, but since Yuuri-kun asked, I’ll use it. There! ♡”
”Hii!? Yuuri-dono, h-help…”
Had she planned to leave Suzuri naked until the shiromuku was optimized if he hadn’t said anything? Shelm frowned and snapped her fingers.
Suzuri, now completely terrified of the goddess’s every move, shrank between the pews, but that couldn’t escape divine power. The shiromuku, which normally required touch to activate, enveloped SUSE her in white mist.
He had told her to dress Suzuri, but he still worried Shelm might pull something wild. Ready to throw his jacket over her if needed, he rushed over. Suzuri was crouched, arms wrapped around herself.
”Hey, is that…”
”Huh? Ah, th-this…!”
Peeking at Suzuri hiding between the benches, he felt relief—she wasn’t still naked. What Shelm had forced on her after dissolving the shinobi outfit was indeed a shiromuku, whiter than Suzuri’s fair skin.
He turned back to the altar. The goddess, still lounging, smiled innocently.
”It’d be easier to do all three at once anyway. A wedding before the gods would let Suzuri-chan shake off any guilt for jumping ahead.”
”You’re kidding… that’s why the chapel?”
Finally, Shelm’s plan clicked into place. At first, he thought she just wanted a communication point to reach the workshop. That was part of it, but styling it this way—under a god’s name—was to prevent discord among the pieces in her scheme.
”What was that scream!? Suzuri, and Yuuri too!?”
Marina’s shout echoed from beyond the chapel entrance, along with footsteps.
Since this was inside the workshop, the other two had to be there too. Shelm had said she only called his consciousness to the horizon, so upon return, their bodies from the bedroom must have shifted here. The three had surely been searching frantically for their suddenly vanished master. Suzuri arrived first and got forced into a shiromuku; the two rushing in now wouldn’t have changed out of their bride gowns either.
”You schemed this, Shelm.”
”Be grateful. One of this world’s top gods is blessing your bonds.”
He glared at Shelm while shielding the thoroughly frightened Suzuri behind him. She was layered in so much fabric that it hid her figure completely, unlike her shinobi gear, but she still seemed unable to show herself directly.
”Yuuri! Seriously, vanishing like that! You didn’t go outside, and now there’s this new area—explain properly—ah.”
Marina burst in from the entrance, pattering in resin clogs, a bride lifting her long skirt cutely as she entered. She hadn’t been given shoes, since the gowns were meant to come off in bed anyway. The dress looked hard to move in.
She scanned the new space curiously, trying to figure out its purpose, until her eyes landed on the rainbow-hued goddess at the altar.
”Hi, Marina-chan. It’s been a while since I brought your soul to this world. You look healthy—great to see. Sorry for borrowing your body so much lately. I decided to come here in my real form.”
Her tone was as light as ever.
The same went for how she treated the shrine maiden. Shelm rolled over on the altar like a lazy cat. Yet even in front of a goddess who lacked all dignity, Marina’s expression grew serious. She let go of the hem she had been holding up, stepped forward gracefully, and stood beside him before bowing elegantly.
”It has been a long time, Shelm-sama. I believed I would not meet you again until the end of this life… but I am grateful for this chance to express my thanks in person.”
”Yes, yes. Worship your goddess,” Shelm said with a nod. “Your healthy life brings joy to the gods, Marina-chan.”
It was the first time in a while he had seen Marina act like the princess she once was. Or perhaps this was the solemn behavior of Shelm’s shrine maiden. She had been frail in her previous life, so to be reborn with a strong body capable of wielding a sword on the front lines—that alone deserved endless gratitude. Even if the goddess borrowed her body for her own purposes now and then, it had to be far better than the illness that had killed her young.
The goddess, used to being treated lightly by everyone she met, clearly loved Marina’s heartfelt devotion. Marina poured out emotions carried over from her past life for a while longer. Then footsteps approached from behind. Marina looked up, sensed the presence, and smiled at Shelm.
”You will visit here regularly from now on, won’t you?”
”Of course. I have so many things Yuuri-kun needs to do for me.”
After a quick promise of future meetings, Marina stood and pulled the still-frightened Suzuri into a hug before stepping back a little. He watched them go just as Ashley entered his view.
She exchanged a few words with Marina as they passed, then walked quietly to his side.
”You are Shelm-sama, correct?”
”You recognized me right away, Ashley. I thought my different form might fool you, unlike Marina-chan.”
Marina had been solemn, but Ashley’s polite words carried an edge he couldn’t miss. Shelm’s reply had a similar bite, and for a moment, sparks seemed to fly between them.
”Oh, I recognize you,” Ashley said. “That face that treats people like nothing—that could only be Shelm-sama.”
”Ha ha ha, you have a sharp tongue, Ashley. But I don’t like that. I think of people as people.”
The air grew thick with tension, making it hard to breathe. Just as he decided to step in, Ashley took a step forward. Shelm floated up from the altar, and they closed the distance.
He braced to jump between them, fearing a fight, but instead they clasped hands firmly and locked eyes up close.
”Looking into Shelm-sama’s beautiful eyes makes my head throb with pain.”
”That’s because you’re not fully used to my power yet. Just let Yuuri love you more ♡”
All the hostility vanished in an instant. It had been playful banter from the start, a social warm-up. As someone who had only lived as a commoner, he couldn’t understand why they needed the barbs, but at least it was just teasing. He let out a relieved breath.
”Hehe, that’s the plan anyway ♡ So, is today for the handover?”
”I’m reaching my limit ♡ But that’s not all. I came in this body to officially recognize all three of you as Yuuri’s brides.”
Ashley understood the meaning at once. A god’s approval was the ultimate seal. Their relationships had started in less-than-ideal ways, so this offer would help gain acceptance later.
”Oh ♡ We’re all in bride gowns already—will you do it now?”
”Of course. And I brought proper wedding gifts, so look forward to them.”
Everything moved quickly, but he had no intention of backing out now. As their master, with their souls bound to him, he had to take responsibility for their lives. Swearing that vow before the gods was exactly what he wanted.
He called Marina and Suzuri back over. They started by introducing Shelm properly and worked out the ceremony details from there.
The ceremony began simply enough. Shelm floated above the altar, her rainbow hair catching the light from the starry windows like a living prism. She clapped once, and soft chimes filled the chapel—music without source, gentle yet solemn.
Marina, Ashley, and Suzuri stood in a half-circle before him, each in their wedding gowns. Suzuri’s shiromuku gleamed purest white, Marina’s dress flowed like dawn mist, and Ashley’s carried a sharp elegance that matched her smile. None of them had expected this, but none looked away.
Shelm raised a hand. “By my name and power, I bind these souls in joy and strength. Yuuri, master of the workshop, do you take these three as your brides—not by force, but by heart?”
He stepped forward. The weight of the moment settled warm in his chest. “I do. I’ll protect them, guide them, and love them for all the days this world gives us.”
The girls exchanged glances—Marina soft, Ashley sly, Suzuri blushing fiercely—and answered together, voices overlapping like harmony.
”We do.”
Shelm grinned wide. “Then kiss your brides, husband. And don’t skimp—I’ve waited centuries for decent entertainment.”
Laughter broke the tension. He started with Marina, her lips warm and grateful. Ashley pulled him in next, bold and teasing. Suzuri hesitated until he cupped her face; then she melted, arms tight around his neck.
Light flared from Shelm’s hands—golden threads weaving around them.
Notes:
• 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, she endured long isolation while frozen in stone and relied on inner magic to preserve her sense of self.
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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