Chapter 41

I secretly added an R-15 warning tag to this

(author: I don’t really understand the boundary, but just in case.)

── This is paradise.

The faint scent of sulfur, the rising white steam, the sensation of warmth that penetrates to the core. It truly feels like I've come to a hot spring. I had already researched the benefits and components using Search beforehand, but it seems that the quality of hot springs doesn’t change even in another world. This pleasant feeling is shared across worlds.

But this is quite a splendid hot spring. Or rather, it’s almost too well-maintained for a natural open-air bath in the middle of nature.

Maybe…

“Did you create this hot spring?”

『……I only arranged the environment. The hot spring itself is natural.』

“As I thought. Maybe it’s unpleasant for us to get in here, then?”

『...It’s not like it’s mine exclusively. Wild animals and the like come in occasionally, too.』

“'I see.”

Hmm, so there really are normal wild animals in this world too. I wonder if monkeys or capybaras come here to bathe. Imagining the figure of Malkuth-sama-chan relaxing in the bath with animals makes me feel warm and fuzzy myself. Even while grumbling, she’d wash her body carefully.

Ah, Kabbalah-chan is also floating on her back in the water. How cute.

“This is a nice place. So you like hot springs too.”

『……I don’t, dislike them.』

Hohoho, don’t be shy, don’t be shy.

Arranging an environment where we can enjoy the breathtaking island scenery without the worry of being seen from the outside, surrounded by a pleasant partition of trees, it seems all of it was thanks to her.

Also, this layout is actually in good tastes. Just this alone already made my favorability for her skyrocket.

I splashed the water I scooped with my hand over my shoulder and smiled, feeling how much smoother my skin had become.

Hot springs really are wonderful. Even though I enjoyed a lucky pervert event typical of original protagonists where a stark naked previous visitor was there as soon as I arrived, the warm water seemed to wash away any wicked emotions I had.

“Okay, it’s all good now.”

“Thank you, Eight.”

While feeling refreshed with a moderately flushed face, I gently fixed the towel that had started to fall off Mea-chan’s head.

For girls with long hair like her, it’s difficult since they have to make sure it doesn’t get into the bathtub.

In that regard, Eight-chan, with her short hair that barely touches her shoulders, has it easy.

Malkuth-sama-chan’s hair was also very long, but maybe because the culture was different in this world, she had zero defense in it getting into the water.

“Shall I help you tie up your hair, Malkuth? It’s getting into the water.”

『……It’s not something you need to worry about. I’ll clean any hair that gets in with sacred arts.』

“But it could damage your hair, you know?”

『I can take care of that with sacred arts too. It’s not a problem for me.』

Fufun, Malkuth-sama-chan said with a slightly smug look. Sacred arts sure are convenient. It’s no wonder they’re considered the prototype of supernatural abilities.

Sacred arts and supernatural abilities may not be different in principle, but image-wise, sacred arts are seen as a all-purpose power that can do almost anything depending on the user, while supernatural abilities are more order-made, customized to fit the user. Generally, sacred arts are superior, but in some areas, supernatural abilities can sometimes demonstrate power that exceeds that of sacred arts.

Well, my ability is kind of a best-of-both-worlds. It has the application scope of sacred arts and the output of supernatural abilities. It’s a skill truly befitting a cheat original protagonist.

But relying on miraculous powers for everything would lack elegance.

Especially in a place like this hot spring, I want to be just as I am. Do you get it? This feeling.

“Even so, I think it’s better to take care of it... It’s so beautiful, after all.”

『You sound just like Tifa…』

“Hm, do I?”

Even if the hair gets damaged, it can be instantly healed, and any hair that gets in the water can be cleaned up right away, so it’s not a problem. If anything, a beautiful archangel’s hair and the like might even look like divine grace... but saying that is sexual harassment, sorry.

Since I was rationally refuted, I obediently backed down, but setting that aside, I was disappointed because I wanted to see the nape of her neck.

...It seems my wicked heart hadn’t been washed completely after all.

You’re wrong, everything is Malkuth-sama-chan’s fault for being too lewd. (tl note: First part is Osaka dialect)

Her private parts above and below are cleverly concealed by her folded wings, but that only adds to the fetishism.

After all, despite her few appearances, fans of the original work counter her as one of the big three sex symbols alongside Akari-chan and Tiferet. Malkuth, you’re a frightening girl...!"

Let me explain for myself, I’m not lusting after her like a sex offender panting in the bath. I’m lusting in the bathhouse… sorry, it’s nothing.

The beautiful angel girl who destroyed my sexual disposition when I was a child is exposing her naked body in front of me. This sense of guilty pleasure is somehow frightfully deeply emotive. Chesed also feels the same, right?

Come to think of it, I wonder how this situation looks from Chesed's perspective. No, it's better not to think about it, for the sake of his honor.

──Now then, about this situation.

Since we’re in a hot spring, I don’t want to ruin the atmosphere or think too hard about anything. So, I relaxed and let my body sink into it.

However, Malkuth and Mea seemed wary of each other, stealing awkward glances.

Hmm... this isn’t good. I didn’t bring Mea-chan here with that intention.

Alright, I’ll pitch in and help both of them relax.

“Tei.”

“...?”

First is Mea-chan.

I touched one of the white wings on her back and gently massaged it at the base.

Her shoulders flinched at the sudden sensation.

“Ah... E-Eight?”

“Mea, you look so stiff, you know? Don’t be so stiff, okay? Relax, relax.”

“Y-yeah…”

I was curious about how angels' wings functioned, but judging from her reaction, they seemed to have nerves as an extension of her physical body. It seems they’re different from mine.

The wings I manifest from my back when I use my powers may look like the real thing, but they're actually energy bodies based on the "Curse of Darkness." So my wings don’t have any nerves passing through them.

But if that’s the case, angels must be a race that have a tendency to get stiff shoulders.

No, they probably just take care of it with healing sacred arts or something.

But since Mea-chan is still inexperienced as sacred arts user... Ahh, she’s definitely stiff.

Well, up until recently, there hadn’t been anything growing on her back, but now, she suddenly grew four wings. No matter how reinforced her body is, stiff things are bound to become stiff.

What’s more, if you look closely at her white wings, you can notice some dull patches, showing that she's been pushing herself hard since coming to this world. She’s someone who works hard despite difficulties.

“Ahh, the feathers here are damaged. I’ll fix them, so hold still.”

“Hm... thank you... ah…”

Houhou, they’re softer (mofumofu) than I expected. They have a similar texture to the fur of that kobold young man or Kabbalah-chan.

In that case, this brush I got from village chief-san will come in handy.

I carefully repaired the damaged parts of her feathers using Healing Touch, while grooming them with the brushing technique I’ve been practicing with Kabbalah-chan.

Of course, any shed feathers are collected in Item Box, so I didn’t dirty the water. I’m glad I have this power.

“Hm… Ah… Fufu… Eight, that feels good.”

“Does it? I'm honored by your praise, ojou-chan (young lady).”

『...』

Mea-chan narrowed her eyes and looked content, like a kitten having its throat gently rubbed. Her occasional sighs sounded a bit sultry, but that’s probably just because my heart hasn’t been completely washed yet.

That’s no good. Right now, I’m pure Eight-chan. I’m always pure, though.

Even though I was improvising this massage with the help of Search, it seemed to have gone well.

The human body is a mysterious thing. Physical tension and mental tension are strongly connected. Relaxing her body seems to have relaxed Mea-chan’s mind as well.

Beautiful scenery, a warm hot spring, and an Eight-chan massage would turn any raging bear into Teddy. My own talent frightens me!

As we enjoyed our peaceful time, I hoped that watching us might help soften Malkuth’s tension, but… as she hazily watched us, she gave an unexpected reaction.

『...Onii-chan…』

She wore a small, nostalgic, and somewhat lonely smile as she murmured.

Onii-chan—she must be referring to Chesed. But I tilt my head in puzzlement.

Eh, was there something similar to we were doing that overlapped with Chesed?

Don’t tell me, Chesed, you…

"Have, you also had someone do this for you before?"

『……A long time ago. I didn’t… hate Chesed that time. His hands were warm…』

O-oh… Chesed-kun, you bathed with your younger sister and even groomed her? Seriously…?

Malkuth-sama-chan must have been younger back then, but it still feels a bit immoral.

I was so surprised I muttered, “Eh...?” and she corrected me, her face red.

『T-there’s no way we went in together! I’m talking about my wings, my wings!』

“Fufu, that’s right. My apologies.”

I’m glad... what a relief. I almost had a terrible misinterpretation about Chesed. (tl note: misinterpretation here is a term used in anime , manga , games , etc. when the recipient's interpretation differs from that of the creator.)

However, in the middle of demonstrating,『This is how Chesed fixed my wings!』, her wings moved faintly, revealing a glimpse her secret place. I wasn’t sure if I should point that out.

Man, what do should I do? As expected, even I don't understand girls' manners in situations like this.

Without her noticing my sexual harassment-soaked thoughts, Malkuth began to speak.

『...Looking at you two makes me remember strange things.』

Once, back when she was still inexperienced and constantly getting injured──he would use his healing sacred arts each time to treat her wounds, just like I did earlier with Mea-chan, and even tending to the rips in her wings.

Thanks to that, she started to be careful of her beauty, and it seemed her relationship with Tiferet deepened. Hmm, so that’s how things got this way.

What the heck, Chesed-kun, aren’t you a fine older brother? Though he probably can't hear me, I praised the person in question within me.

And perhaps this unconcealable affection that Malkuth holds for her brother reached Mea-chan as well... She opened her eyes with resolve and spoke.

“Chesed... wanted to stop the fighting.”

『Hmph, that’s why that angel is a fool! The king (Keter)’s decision was the consequence of humans not being able to discern their standing and coming in contact with the taboo. I can’t understand why he would be against it!』

“It was for your sake... because he didn’t want you to fight...”

『...Hah?』

…Hm?

Huh? Didn’t Chesed want to stop the conflict with the human world to protect innocent humans?

Heyyy, Cheseddd… It’s no good. Just because he’s inside me doesn’t mean he’ll answer every question. He has the freedom of choice, of course.

So, he only told that to Mea-chan… This kid’s such a good girl. He probably let it slip because he was treating her like a niece.

Mea-chan, looking at the dumbfounded Malkuth, began to speak little by little.

“Because Malkuth, is a very kind girl… if she fights, she would eventually meet good humans, and she’d end up suffering more than anyone else… That’s why he didn’t want you to go through something like that.”

『...! Wha… wha… !』

Ahh, I see.

I get it. Even if it’s to protect Fairy World, he wouldn’t want to dirty their cute little sister’s.

Moreover, Malkuth is especially the sentimental type among the Ten Archangels of Sefirot.

It's true that right now, she clearly despises humans, but that being said, I have a hard time imagining she would go as far as to ruthlessly kill countless humans like Chokmah. Even at this point in time, she’s a bit bound to me.

Well, even so, Malkuth is a archngel who would faithfully work if it’s Keter's orders. But if she were to understand the human side of things, it would make things painful for both parties, that’s probably what Chesed was thinking.

His mercy isn't without compensation. It’s clear that, in his own way, he wanted to stop the fighting for her sake. His beloved younger sister.

However, it was obvious what she would think if she heard that.

Sure enough, Malkuth stood up, splashing hot water everywhere, and stormed towards me — towards the Chesed within me with a tremendous menacing look.

『You’re underestimating me, aren’t you!? Unlike you, who let yourself be manipulated by mere humans, I am stronger than you! Don’t look down on me! Right now with these hands, to those humans, I will!』

“Malkuth.”

『──!』

You shouldn’t go beyond that.

Sensing the dangerous atmosphere in her next words, I placed my hands on Malkuth’s shoulders.

Then I looked her straight in the eyes from a distance where our breaths could almost overlap.

"Calm down, Malkuth. You’re not that kind of girl."

『...! …』

Yes, look into my eyes and take a deep breath, take a deep breath.

Don’t use words like “kill” in front of a little girl. Regardless of my knowledge of the original story, it just isn’t your character.

『I, I understand, so please move away from me.』

"Yeah, if you’ve understood, that’s good. Let’s cool our heads a bit."

I stood up, got out of the bath, and sat down on the rocks at the edge, with only my feet in the water. Phew… ahh, the breeze feels so nice.

As for Mea-chan, it looks like she mimicked my actions and sat beside me. On the other hand, Kabbalah-chan had gotten out of the water, apparently overheated, and shook off the water from her body.

And then Malkuth sat down on the rocks opposite me, exhaled softly, and calmed herself.

I had thought Malkuth’s hatred of humans was deeply ingrained, but when I spoke to her directly, she listened. Or is this also the thing called original protagonist correction? Man, I give up.

I shifted my gaze from the hot spring to the scenery stretching out below. United with nature, this rugged yet beautiful world made me sigh in admiration.

“It’s like this place is an island that reflects his heart.”

『…Of course it is. Because it’s Chesed’s island…』

"Yes, you’re right. And this is the place he’s been protecting."

Man, it’s really wonderful. I love this island. It has a hot spring, it’s beautiful, and I love how it’s in a high position. Living in a high place like this has been a dream of mine since my previous life. But it wasn’t possible because of my asthma.

Well, I don’t care about my previous life. Personally, I don't want fanfiction to touch those settings too much. That kind of thing makes me feel like I’m being pulled back into reality, which I’m a little poor at.

"Fuh… the air feels so refreshing. It was a great bath."

I stood up and spread my arms wide, feeling the breeze.

Being stark naked in the middle of mysterious and magnificent mother nature, I felt like I was attaining enlightenment.

The splendor of life, it felt like that kind of theme. My ultimate goal is to become the perfect cheat original protagonist, but right now, more than that, I was overwhelmed with a desire to immerse myself in this world.

As the heat in my body subsided, I entered a kind of sage mode. I wonder what this switch is.

Fufu… I couldn't help but let out a smile. Gazing at the moonlit natural scenery, I asked Malkuth a question.

『Malkuth... have you ever hated this world?』

『...?』

I wasn’t necessarily trying to convince her of anything, but at that moment, I just felt like having a serious conversation.

So there I was, thinking how cool the moonlit, naked Eight-chan looked, while we chatted in the misty warmth of the bath.

And then the next day — Malkuth challenged the Savers to a duel.

...Why?

(Author: In a certain world line, the change of broadcasting hours was prevented by divine possession-like camera. In retrospect, it's shocking just how revealing the hot spring episode of Ranma 1/2 was!)

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