CH 216

Chapter 216 – The Adol Religion Trap

The place Ellen brought me to. It was a place like a dressing room. However, there were no dresses or formal wear that would be appropriate for the royal castle. But there was no difference in the fact that the clothes were just as glamorous as the others.

“No matter what I dress you in, you don’t exude dignity or holiness at all.”

I was dressed in a luxurious priest’s or pastor’s uniform, or perhaps some other kind of vestments. Ellen has been giving instructions from now on, and the sisters who accompany Ellen, Amalie-san, and Bertha-san, have been making me change accordingly, but none of them seem to fit Ellen.

“I guess it’s just that no matter what outfit you put me in, it can’t be helped if it doesn’t have the original.”

Can’t you do something a little more crisp with your expression? Like this, this.”

Ellen makes a crisp, dignified expression with an aura of saintliness. I tried to imitate her, but I couldn’t…

“Fufu… D-don’t make me laugh.”

“Rude.”

She laughed at me with all her might. Fufu. Amalie-san, Bertha-san, you don’t have to hold back so much, okay? Come on, laugh, laugh. Snap.

“Kuh, fufufu… S-sorry.”

“I-I didn’t mean to laugh… fufu!”

“I’m glad you’re all laughing, yeah.”

I turned my eyes to Amalie-san and Bertha-san, who was laughing.

“But it’s troubling. I always knew it would be difficult for you to match me, but I didn’t expect you to look so dignified… I might as well put you in pure white armor and make you wear a helmet.”

“It’s not about my personal dignity anymore, but the sense of intimidation that overflows from the armor and helmet, isn’t it?”

“I think that would be a complete reversal of the original idea. Let’s just give up on what is impossible. It was fun to dress you up and play with you.”

“Was I being played with…?”

I was so tired. Amalie-san and Bertha-san are young women. I don’t know their specific ages, but they are probably in their early to mid-twenties. Being surrounded by such women and having them undress and dress you is mentally exhausting. It is also possible to be hit in various ways.

“Amalie, Bertha, how was it?”

“I think so. I don’t feel that Kosuke-sama is so scary after all.”

“Me neither.”

“I see. Well, then, that’s that.”

My sixth sense sounded an alarm bell in this conversation. I knew that this was a conversation I should not ignore. But I felt it was also a bad idea to poke around. What should I do? I have a feeling that it is already too late… No, wait, don’t give up. Don’t give up.

“What do you mean, you don’t feel scared…?”

“We were raised in an all-female monastery from an early age, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’m afraid of men.”

“But when we are with Kosuke-sama, we don’t feel such a sense of fear. I think it is because of my previous experience of taking care of Kosuke-sama, who fell ill with poison.”

Bertha-san put her hand on her slightly reddened cheek.

Oh, you took care of me, didn’t you? Yes, you did, didn’t you? I could hardly move my body, and the poison damaged my organs, so I was dripping with various things. There isn’t a part of my body that the three of them, including Ellen, haven’t seen, is there?

“Oya? Your face is red. Are you perhaps aroused by remembering how the three of us took care of you in every way? You are a pervert.”

“No, I’m not! I’m embarrassed because I remember it!”

Amalie-san and Bertha-san laugh at me as they see me getting all flustered. No, wait, no. That’s not it. I haven’t fully pursued that disturbing conversation.

“Kosuke.”

“Nn… What?”

Just as I was about to open my mouth, I was caught off guard and involuntarily flinched. Ellen’s every word has power and weight, doesn’t it? When she called my name like that, I was in a position to listen to her. Is this the dignity of a saint?

“God said. Give birth, multiply, and fill the earth.”

“O-oh.”

I’ve heard that verse somewhere before! I have a bad feeling about this.

“You are an apostle of God. Therefore, from now on, you will be with me the new head of the Adol religion in the kingdom of Merinard.”

“I-I see.”

“So, although it may be a little cramped, it is necessary for you to embody the doctrines of the scriptures in your body as best you can.”

“This is getting a little weird.”

“So here’s the passage I just mentioned. The Adol scriptures, before they were altered, taught the reconciliation of humans and sub-humans. It is very good that Kosuke, the apostle of God, gets along well with the subhumans, but if he doesn’t get along well with humans as well, he’s not doing a good job.”

Her statement is completely through with me. And now I see what she’s talking about. I’m running away──!

“…..”

“…..”

I’m grabbed by the hem of my clothes tightly from both sides. Amalie-san and Bertha-san are staring at me with their passionate eyes. Even though the current situation is a bit flat, adding more is not a good idea. There is a limit to the number of mental shelves I can build.

There is no such thing as a convenient fantasy contraceptive in this world. In other words, if you do what you have to do, you will have children, as a matter of course. It is difficult for humans and subhumans to have children, but it is not so for humans to have children with each other. I am from another world, so I don’t know if I can have children with people from this world, though.

“That’s enough!”

Bang! Someone opened the door with a loud bang. Excellent timing! It was like it was planned, but let’s not worry about that.

“Sudden attack!”

“””Piyopiyopiyo!”””

With a command, a rush of people rush into the room, and colorful feathers dance about.

No, yes, the feel of these bushy feathers is definitely the harpies. Oh, they are squirming. Or rather, Ellen, Amalie-san, and Bertha-san have sunk into the flock of feathers, and I don’t know what’s going on. I think I hear something like “wah” and “kyaa,” but I’m not sure.

“Secured!”

“Teshyu!”

“Piyopiyo!”

During the confusion, several harpies pick me up and start carrying me around like a portable shrine or something. Yeah, do whatever you have to do. Anyway, I don’t care what it takes as long as I can get away from this place.

☆★☆

After that, I was carried to the place where the harpies were staying, which was set up in the corner of the royal castle. Since they originally had the habit of living in groups, Sylphy had assigned them to this place in consideration of their habit. Naturally, I also had a hand in the maintenance of the environment.

“Yes, Kosuke-san. Ahnn.”

“Ahnn.”

“Hmm, fufufu.”

“Good. Good.”

I was brought into such a place and treated like a harem king by the harpies. I was made to sit on a large soft cushion, and the harpies who were standing around me brought delicious fruits and drinks to my mouth.

In front of my eyes, light-clothed harpies were performing a splendid dance in place of the others. The sight of the harpies with their colorful wings twirling and dancing was very beautiful.

“Thank you for your help earlier.”

“Yes. We are always on Kosuke-san’s side. However, we have been told by Her Highness the Princess to get along with them as well, so I cannot say that we will do so every time.”

“Is the groundwork already laid?”

“Yes.”

I close my eyes and look up at the ceiling. Sylphyyyyy!

“No, we have no choice before we have this much relationship with Kosuke.”

I can picture Sylphy with a bitter smile on her face. Although this is indeed the case.

I guess this is what is called a political decision. It is clear that the stronger the connection between me and the Adol religion, the better in order to unite the Adol people in the Merinard Kingdom in the long term.

Sylphy and Isla, who are long-lived subhumans, and Melty, who is also long-lived because she is a demon species, and Grande, who has a long life span, needless to say, are in no hurry to carry a child to term.

However, this is not the case for Ellen, who is an ordinary human being. With a lifespan equivalent to that of a human, she has a much shorter period of time in which to bear and nurture a child than her long-lived counterparts. And childbirth is a life-threatening process. Even in this world, which has elements such as recovery magic and alchemical medicine that surpass the medical treatment of the original world.

There is a simple possibility that Ellen and I will never have a child, and even if a child is born, there is no guarantee that it will grow up safely. In this light, it is risky for me to have only Ellen as my human companion. Ellen, Archbishop Deckard, and High Priestess Katerina probably thought so, too.

Besides, although it may sound a bit condescending or fishy, the new Adol religion to be established in the kingdom of Merinard would need a banner head, or rather a symbol. For example, a child between an apostle sent by God and an Adol believer.

In the initial stage, Ellen, a saint, and I, an apostle of God, would play that role, but decades or centuries later, my descendants would play that role. There can be any number of blessed children born to an apostle of God and a devout Adol believer. Perhaps that is the way it is.

Fortunately, Ellen, Amalie-san, and Bertha-san are also very enthusiastic about the idea.

“I think it’s fine if the only reason is that she likes her husband. Human beings are so complicated.”

“I agree. It’s no good to make your husband worry about this and that.”

“While he is with us, he should stop thinking about difficult things. Don’t think about anything and just have a good time.”

The unlimited pampering aura of the harpies invaded my brain. Ah~, I’m going to be ruined.

I stopped thinking and decided to bury myself in their feathers.

I don’t have any idea how hard it is.