Chapter 93 The Naming
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Consigning one’s own body to another. When Yuuri truly thought about it, this wasn’t an unprecedented event, even in his previous life. It happened all the time—at the barbershop, the dentist, or during hospital stays and surgeries. What made this different was the practitioner: a goddess, an expert with inhuman knowledge.
While the lack of a proper treatment explanation (informed consent) left a nagging anxiety, it was also true that Yuuri couldn’t possibly grasp the mechanics of divine skill anyway. All he could really do was lean back, surrender his head to the goddess’s soft, warm lap, and trust that she, at least, wouldn’t fail.
”Oh, yes, yes. You gotta trust your gods, darlin’. There’s definitely a payoff coming for all that faith you’re showin’ me,” Shelm chirped, every bit the shady back-alley doctor she truly was, as she went right on peeking into his skull and nodding along to his thoughts. That ability was likely the very reason she could mess with his brain matter in the first place, but being played so easily had long since drained Yuuri’s will to resist.
He gave in to the sweet numbness that flowed from his brain throughout his body for a while.
With every shift of Shelm’s needle, forgotten memories surged back. According to them, he had been egged on by Suzuri, eager for her master’s favor, and had gone so far as to instantly bestow a new Skill. Usually, creating a Skill required a third servant to assist both the giver and receiver—it was just too dangerous otherwise. But the logic for building this new Skill was that Yuuri could maintain consciousness with his information-processing ability, one powerful enough to control the tentacles. And, if a servant couldn’t handle the pleasure after the crotch tattoo was opened, he could just restrain her with the tentacles.
Since his whole thought process had been steered toward using the tentacles, he must have been intoxicated by the sense of omnipotence that allowed him to complete the new Skill bestowal on Suzuri all by himself. He successfully gave Suzuri the new Skill, but the memory he’d utterly forgotten was how he’d have to explain to the other two why that was even possible.
”Why not just go on and make the other girls all gudgy with tentacle play, too, huh, darlin’ ♡? I’m even fixin’ you up right here, so why hold back ♡?” Shelm cooed, the picture of mischief.
”Shut up. At the very least, I’d have to prostrate myself before them, then pull rank with my Master’s authority if it came to it,” Yuuri grumbled back.
This goddess seemed dead-set on pushing her lab-rat toward becoming something inhuman. Ashley and Marina would obey him if ordered, sure, but he didn’t want to force them into something they’d hate. If he grew complacent atop their trust, it would vanish in an instant. Meeting Suzuri’s desire was his duty as the one who bound her soul, but he couldn’t make the other servants accept it too.
He recalled that his unbridled use of the tentacles was finally brought to a halt by Shelm’s intervention, preventing a total catastrophe.
”…I guess, for what it’s worth, thanks.” Yuuri murmured.
”Heehee ♡ Your devotion, Yuuri-kun, feels mighty nice, it does ♡ You oughta worship your goddess even more ♡” Shelm boasted dramatically, never once changing the rhythmic movement of the needle.
Honestly, Yuuri couldn’t entirely despise this wicked goddess. Though his fate lay in her capricious hands, she didn’t just snatch away what she’d given him for her own convenience, and like this, when he went too far, she would pull him back before it was irreversible. Shelm was simply working to get the results she wanted, no doubt. But whether it was for her petting or her experimentation, being coveted and not having his life snatched away was far better.
Yuuri lifted his gaze to Shelm, seeing only the slightest edge of trust in his own heart, but the goddess’s face, as she worked on him without a care, was as unreadable as her rainbow eyes, a complete mystery.
”—Aaaand, that’s all done!”
After a good while, when he’d become utterly accustomed to this undignified treatment, Shelm tapped his forehead lightly with her finger.
At the same time, the doll-like duplicate of Shelm withdrew, stepping back to the edge of the bed where she became motionless, as if frozen. It was still an abnormal sight, but as a split-off part of Shelm, her sexual skill was potent. The continued fondling had kept Yuuri’s arousal high, and the sudden cessation of the doll’s service left his core feeling noticeably empty.
But he was just human, after all, and couldn’t possibly assault and pin down a goddess. He wouldn’t humble himself by asking, so he had no choice but to feign composure, even if he knew she could see right through him.
”Kufufu, you look a little distressed, darlin’ ♡ But I didn’t keep your little tallywhacker stiff just to tease you, you know ♡… Now, answer me. Right now, do you wanna feel good with your body, or do you wanna make a girl feel good with your tentacles?”
”Huh…? I don’t get the point of your question, though. I wouldn’t feel good with the tentacles, would I? The tentacles might be convenient, but I can make a girl feel good without ’em anyway.”
He recalled the memory of claiming Suzuri and answered the goddess’s query. It wasn’t a bad thing to have the ability to give a servant all the pleasure she wanted, but if they were going to be intimate, it had to be mutually enjoyable—anything else was unfair. He was willing to fulfill his servants’ desires in exchange for having taken their lives, but the tentacles were only a side-effect of the favor he’d granted Suzuri.
”Yes, yes, the adjustment went well, then. If you’d said you wanted to stick your tentacles in while your junk was standing up, that would’ve meant you were done for as a human ♡” Shelm smiled, satisfied.
”Ugh… You’re right about that.”
Thinking back, the very idea of wanting to modify Suzuri’s body meant that his human act had become a secondary consideration. If his focus had shifted from his human body to the more convenient power, he was indeed one step away from abandoning his humanity entirely.
”…Well. …Thanks.” Yuuri acknowledged finally.
”Fufu, that was quite the pause, wasn’t it? But for my part, I don’t want a monstrous abomination as my pawn, either. So if you start veering in a direction I don’t like, of course I’m gonna step in and stop you.”
Shelm pulled him back just as he was about to become a monster. Hearing only that, he should be prostrating himself in grateful tears. However, the whole thing started because Shelm herself paved the way for Suzuri’s ‘disloyalty.’ What a brilliant staged drama. The thought that he had a right to complain flashed through his mind, but then again, without the goddess’s plot, he would have been murdered along with all three girls. He barely swallowed the bitter words that rose in his throat, which was why his thanks had been delayed.
”So, am I still allowed to call myself human?” Yuuri questioned.
”Naturally, darlin’. If you hold human values, then you’re human. Even if you’ve got the ability to drag girls into a pocket tentacle-dimension ♡” Shelm beamed, puffing out her chest with the uninhibited innocence of a boy showing off a completed model. Of course, the model she was showing off was him, the human guinea pig, but apparently, the fact that he’d controlled tentacles couldn’t just be erased.
When he tried to summon them, as he had in Suzuri’s private domain, he felt a sensation like a lid being clamped down. The writhing masses in his imagination failed to materialize in this space.
”No, you don’t, Yuuri-kun. It’s forbidden to invade another’s domain with your own. If you tried that in Mataaha’s place, you’d be instantly obliterated, and you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on, so be careful. And by the way, this rule isn’t because your domain happens to be tentacles, you silly thing.”
”Ugh. I’ll be careful, then. Your concern for me is making me a little giddy and careless, I shouldn’t be.”
It seemed there were proper manners even among the gods. Until now, he’d probably been overlooked because he couldn’t wield any actual influence. But even a clumsy scratch of a transgression wasn’t allowed in the presence of the gods, regardless of the relative strength of the perpetrator.
Yuuri pushed himself up from Shelm’s lap and gazed out at the vast, star-filled void stretching to the horizon. He’d been summoned here often lately, but it was the same nostalgic place he’d visited once before gaining this life. It was clear Shelm loved this place. He breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn’t tainted the place with his tentacles.
—Recklessness destroys the self. He hammered home the first thing he had to remember when exploring a Labyrinth.
”—Now, you’ve probably figured it out, darlin’, but that power ain’t a Skill. A Skill is just a small piece of My power that I lend out. What you gained, however, is truly your own power. Right now, you can barely manifest it without the help of the Skills, and it’s a meager thing, but I hope you’ll be able to control it all by yourself someday.”
”That’s not a very comforting power. It doesn’t seem to be as productive as yours…”
The powers of the goddesses people worship were rich in elements that bestowed benefits on others. Conversely, Yuuri couldn’t imagine a single moment where he could boast that his tentacles would be helpful to anyone. Shelm undoubtedly desired something far beyond his current state, yet the destination and the benefits were unclear. As usual, the situation was utterly unsettling, and all he could do was pray that ruin wasn’t waiting ahead.
”What is it you truly want from me? What are you planning to do with me?” Yuuri pressed her.
”Kufufu, that’s gotta stay a secret for now, darlin’ ♡ You haven’t reached the stage where I can tell you yet, you see. But you exceeded my expectations enough for Me to foresee great things from your future…. So, I’ve decided to give you a reward.”
The goddess crawled closer, declaring her intention with a smug look, then wrapped her slender arms around him, pressing her breast against the thin cloth of his shirt. Ignoring the fact that the reaction from her ‘lover’s’ core was undeniable, she pointed to the other version of herself, who was sitting ramrod straight on the edge of the bed.
”I’m gonna let Yuuri-kun have this one.”
”—I must refuse.”
Since Shelm and Yuuri were already lovers, he wasn’t embarrassed anymore. He’d somewhat anticipated this, given she’d kept the other one waiting even after the ‘tentacle interrogation’ was over. But whether he welcomed it was another matter entirely. First, if she was going to offer her body as a reward, the main goddess version would be fine, and second, having intimacy with an emotionless partner was completely unappealing.
”Ehh!? Why would you say that?! I love humans, and I’ve given my body to the ones I favor, but I’ve never let anyone touch this part! Since I gave it a physical body, it looks just like Me, but it’s still untouched! Isn’t being given the purity of a god an unparalleled honor for a human?! Especially for Yuuri-kun, a total monster who’s gone around chasing skirts and devouring their innocence—I thought you’d be absolutely delighted!” Shelm whined, clearly annoyed.
”That’s a horrible thing to say! If you’ve protected it all this time, you should keep protecting it! I don’t like having intimacy out of obligation. So, if you’re going to sleep with me, I prefer you, you annoying, arrogant woman!”
He had finally gotten his hands on the goddess who had messed with his entire life, so why the hell should he have to settle for an expensive, lifelike doll? He knew very well that dealing with a skilled, promiscuous goddess wasn’t simple, but making love required mutual attachment.
”You absolute idiot ♡ Why are you so attached to this worn-out version of Me, you human ♡ Oh, ahh, now I’m starting to want your rod—! B-but I won’t allow it ♡ A god can never go back on a declared word ♡ It’s a settled matter that Yuuri-kun will sleep with this one ♡… But! If you truly dislike it, I’ll compromise a little more ♡ It’s rare for a goddess to be this flexible with a human, you know ♡” Shelm pouted, then offered a concession.
Yuuri stared down at the goddess. “Ugh, that’s practically torture. Stop fidgeting in that body, you’re giving my rod a hard time! That better be a hell of a concession, enough to put down this raging desire, or else.”
Shelm’s physique was her own perfect creation, likely sculpted by the Golden Ratio—the most beautiful standard for humans. To be embraced by that perfect body, to feel the curves of her breasts compress under his arm, was an overwhelmingly fulfilling experience. And now, the shift from her usual condescending expression to one of wanting something, looking up at him, was so arousing that Yuuri wanted nothing more than to simply shove her down and take her.
”Oh, it is, of course ♡ If you don’t want to be claimed emotionlessly, then I’ll just give her emotions ♡ Come on, Yuuri-kun, what kind of Me do you prefer? Give this girl a name ♡ Then you can have intimacy with a lower divine being under my control, who’s Me, but with a different personality ♡♡”
Yuuri was momentarily taken aback. “Whoa, seriously…? You can do anything, can’t you? A name, huh…” Naming her to form her very personality, her divinity, felt like an act that required more trust than merely receiving her purity. The name dictated the nature of a thing, and the name he gave her could profoundly affect this core part of Shelm. He couldn’t name this blank slate without understanding her true identity.
”Hmm, you said no one’s ever touched her, but what part of you is this?” he asked, pointing at the other Shelm sitting politely on the edge of the bed.
The main goddess, clinging to his arm, revealed the split entity’s identity, blushing like a maiden. “Hehe, I’m so glad you asked ♡ I functionally separated My divinity to manage My Skills, and this, my love, is My Skill System Core ♡ In your previous life, you might call her a Skill Management A.I. ♡”
”H-hold on! That’s your most important part, isn’t it?!” Yuuri exclaimed.
A god earned respect by providing tangible benefits through potent divine power. Shelm’s benefit was her Skills, and if this unmoving figure managed them, her claim of having never let anyone touch it made perfect, terrifying sense.
”Th-that’s right ♡ That’s why I want Yuuri-kun to have her!”
”…Just to be sure, if I put my thing in her, it won’t cause an error, will it?” Yuuri muttered. To be allowed to touch the very foundation of Shelm’s existence meant he had won an almost absurd amount of trust. The magnitude of this reward compared to his ‘achievement’ of gaining control over the tentacles was almost too much for him to bear. Conversely, Shelm’s ‘expectation’ must have been colossal, suggesting the future demands would be far more difficult, causing him enough anxiety to almost talk his way out of the offer.
”Pfft, you don’t neglect your tentacle control when you’re sticking your member in, do you? Giving her a body and a godhood won’t affect what she’s always done! …So, what name will you give her ♡ I should tell you, this name will be eternal ♡ It’ll be etched onto Me forever, along with the fact that you were the one to claim her purity, long after your existence comes to an end somewhere ♡♡”
”Ugh… Uuuugh, telling me something that huge and responsible is going to make me go limp—Hey! Don’t rub my rod to keep me from going soft!” Yuuri cried out.
Having had many men by her side throughout the long past, Shelm’s technique was superior to any common prostitute. With one hand twisted around his arm, pinning his fingers down one by one, she used her other hand to fiercely stroke his manhood. With every stroke, a sweet numbness surged from his core to his brain, dissolving any excess thought into pure, intoxicating sensation.
”Ugh! Ahh…! Your… name. Your…” Yuuri gasped.
”Kufufu ♡ See? Your little tallywhacker feels so good being stroked, doesn’t it ♡”
There was no mercy in her caress. The sheer momentum of her stroking compensated for the slightest pressure of her fingers, sending a flood of gentle, fruit-wine-like pleasure that instantly intoxicated him. All thoughts of avoiding the naming instantly melted, leaving only names worthy of this great seductress floating in and out of his mind.
”Uk! Hah…! Me, of all people, to give a name like that…!”
”Come on ♡ You can do it ♡ You can do it ♡”
—Eternal. Having been threatened with an eternal legacy, a half-hearted name wouldn’t do. But Yuuri didn’t know a word that would be relevant in an unimaginable future.
—No, there was one.
He should name her the ‘Now’ that he wanted to leave behind forever. He wanted Shelm to be this way: even if she was a villain, he hoped she would continue to show compassion to people, as she had done for him. What had Shelm called this body that governed her Skills?
—He would name it after that.
He would give that word, which he could only understand because of his past life, to the goddess who had connected him to this current one. With that, he would bestow a name on this vexing and appreciated lover, a name that would shame neither of them eternally.
”—Ai.”
”Wha—so simple. …But your feelings are seeping into Me so deeply, Yuuri-kun, that I feel like it could only be that ♡♡ I accept it, My Apostle Yuuri ♡ My core, her name shall be Ai!”
The goddess, who had accepted the naming as if in a fever, tumbled into his arms.
Yuuri caught her warm body and savored her softness. Were her moist-looking eyes filled with emotion, or just the usual change in her rainbow irises? But when he looked over at the newly named Ai, prompted by Shelm’s action, he saw that her eyes, too, showed a bias of color suggesting emotion, rather than their usual regulated spectrum.
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.
• Mataaha – the labyrinth goddess with brown skin, silver eyes, and waist-length black hair. She resembles a stern, intellectual character like Mikasa Ackerman but with divine power.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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