Reincarnated as a Dungeon Master, I Became Unstoppable by Doting on My Monsters—My Gorgeous Monsters Have Started to Conquer the World on Their Own! - Chapter 30: Return
Just like the day she had learned to paint, Jacqueline was visiting the “Labyrinth of Ragunel” alone. …And just like that day, she felt the presence of someone hiding in the shade of the trees.
“Anima-san?”
When Jacqueline asked, the figure that emerged from the shade was not the one-eyed, one-legged demon known as Fahang but a beautiful woman with dark navy blue hair and an eyepatch.
“Did I keep you waiting?”
Anima was already over 170 cm tall and taller due to the heels that seemed out of place in the forest. She also wore a black leather corset, an asymmetrical skirt with varying lengths, and blue tights on each side.
All these unique items reflected her artistic temperament. The dagger at her waist and the unadorned white blouse tightened by her corset gave off a slightly masculine vibe, but her body line was completely that of a woman anyone would admire.
Her hair was straight without any breaks, and her bangs were swept aside to reveal her beautiful face. Her face was that of a confident, intelligent beauty and her expression was filled with the composed smile of a mature woman.
“No, I just got here.”
Jacqueline replied in a gentle tone.
There was a caring atmosphere between the two. Jacqueline was worried about her friend Anima, who had shed tears of blood during the previous encounter with Goddess Nanaya, and Anima sensed that concern.
“Good… then I’ll push the wheelchair.”
Saying so, Anima gracefully moved to stand behind Jacqueline, swaying her hips along with her legs as if she were a model on a runway.
“It must have been difficult to walk like a human woman, right?”
Jacqueline asked, recalling when the Dungeon Master had ordered her to imitate humans.
“Not really. I always practiced walking in my imagination, thinking about when I would become human. I can’t show an unsightly appearance to my Master.”
Anima, who referred to Yuuto as “My Master,” was one of the passionate devotees who adored Yuuto as much as any other member of the “Labyrinth of Ragnel.” Among the many who would get furious at the slightest teasing of Yuuto, Anima was a more composed devotee, making her one of the people Jacqueline found easy to interact with.
“How is Yuuto’s condition?”
Jacqueline asked as they slowly moved through the sun-dappled forest. No one in the woods would dare oppose Yuuto now. The atmosphere between Anima, pushing the wheelchair, and Jacqueline was akin to childhood friends walking to school.
“As of now, no after-effects have been found, except for that horrific mark. My Master is very pleased with our human forms and is keen on finding the necessary equipment.”
A week had passed since the encounter with Nanaya, the goddess. The black tattoo-like patterns etched all over Yuuto’s body by Nanaya’s divine protection remained.
“That sounds like Yuuto,” Jacqueline mused. He was more concerned about the monsters than himself. (Well, they can’t be called ‘monsters’ anymore.) Jacqueline remembered that they were now calling themselves “Priestesses of Nanaya,” albeit reluctantly. They accepted the name only because it was Yuuto’s idea.
“Indeed, I knew My Master had a heart far more expansive than ours, but to forgive that wicked goddess so quickly…”
When Yuuto woke up, he regained his sanity and returned to his human form. He casually remarked, “Well, I did say I’d do anything for Goddess Navarbi,” and even added, “I have no intention of going back on my word about dedicating everything to the one I love. That would be lame.”
Once Yuuto called it “lame,” the Priestesses of Nanaya couldn’t openly criticize the goddess despite their anger.
“Wito might truly become… a hero.”
Jacqueline recalled how Yuuto’s awakening had invigorated the previously dispirited “Priestesses of Nanaya.”
Of course, part of the reason they so loved Yuuto was his positive outlook on the future. And so, before they knew it, the Priestesses of Nanaya in the dungeon began to speak more of the end than of regrets.
“Ah, you just noticed? Besides, My Master’s words are indeed correct. If you look at the results, what we gained far outweighs what we lost,” Anima said. Considering that Yuuto was originally under Nanaya’s divine protection, they gained the ability for the 13 monsters to transform into beautiful women and for Yuuto to invoke divine blessings at will. There were occasional commands from the goddess that they had to obey, but those were formalities that had always existed.
In the end, the negotiation could be considered a great victory. From that perspective, it’s understandable why Yuuto thanked Goddess Nanaya and renamed the monsters as “Priestesses of Nanaya.”
“The only thing we lost was our pride.”
Jacqueline said, smiling at Anima. This statement could only be made between the mature Anima and Jacqueline, who got along well. Any other Priestess of Nanaya would undoubtedly have been saddened or angered.
(Their lost pride. The self-esteem of dungeon monsters who couldn’t protect the one they loved most. The self-esteem of women whose first kisses were ruined. The self-esteem of lovers who saw the man they liked being trampled upon right before their eyes.)
However, Anima responded to Jacqueline’s words with a snide, ironic laugh. “Yes, so our future confrontations with Goddess Nanaya will be for the sake of our pride,” she said, adding, “Look forward to it, Jacqueline. I’ll stake all my self-esteem as a woman, beat that bitch of a goddess to a pulp, and let My Master embrace me on her pretentious bed. I’ll make sure she sees it, crawling on the ground.”
Jacqueline couldn’t help but laugh at how different these words were from the Anima who had cried tears of blood just a week ago. She thought Yuuto, who could uplift them to this extent, was the perfect Master for these Priestesses of Nanaya.
“I’m relieved to see you’re doing well. But do you think showing off being embraced by Yuuto would make Goddess Nanaya regret anything?”.
At this point, their conversation had become casual chit-chat. Their words flowed naturally, without any teasing.
“Oh, you’d be surprised. Even Goddess Nanaya fell for My Master once she met him. She’ll be head over heels for him when we grow into goddesses. And then, right in front of her, I’ll savor the most precious thing My Master has to offer and bestow my favor upon her. That should finally settle things between us.”
“Haha, that’s a rather convenient plan, isn’t it?”
Jacqueline couldn’t help but smile, caught up in Anima’s enthusiasm. Even knowing that it was a long and arduous path ahead.
Margarita, the negotiator of the “Labyrinth of Ragnel,” had already devised a way to beat Goddess Nanaya to a pulp. It was an elaborate trick that exploited the fact that a goddess couldn’t unilaterally form a contract.
(Margarita regretted not being able to protect Yuuto as a negotiator. But through that negotiation, she’ll surely become a true negotiator.)
Margarita had been depressed since the negotiation with the goddess, blaming herself for not protecting Yuuto. She even declared, “I’ll never call myself a negotiator again.” But with Yuuto’s revival, she regained her spirits and devised a way to defeat the goddess herself.
And through that negotiation, she would surely regain her pride as a negotiator and her feminine dignity. Even Jacqueline, who had lived for 200 years, was looking forward to it—perhaps even more than her liberation from death.
(But what Margarita needs for her final negotiation is “the majority of the population of Etina.”)
Without that on the negotiation table, they couldn’t make Goddess Nanaya cry. Even so, Jacqueline remembered that the Priestesses of Nanaya had confident smiles as if they finally had something to look forward to.
“If reclaiming My Master’s love requires worlds, I’ll offer as many as needed. All parallel worlds included… No, all worlds originally belong to My Master. I’m just returning them to their rightful state. Besides, if I’m to become My Master’s lover, conquering the world is the least I should be able to do.”
Anima’s like when she was a Fahang, Anima’s face now expressed many emotions. Jacqueline couldn’t see Anima’s face from behind, but she thought Anima must be the happiest she’s ever been.
“It’s about time, isn’t it?” Jacqueline said. She enjoyed her time in the “Labyrinth of Ragnel,” but she also cherished these moments, being pushed in her wheelchair by her best friend, Anima.
(Come to think of it, since losing my legs, Anima is the first person I’ve trusted enough to push my wheelchair.)
Perhaps sensing Jacqueline’s sentiment, Anima gently stroked her hair and said, “Look forward to today.”
Confused, Jacqueline turned to look at Anima, who only offered a warm smile in return.
Upon arriving at the dungeon, the two used teleportation to reach the Core Room. Jacqueline immediately noticed that something was off.
“Welcome!” Yuuto’s voice echoed. Before she knew it, they were surrounded by the Priestesses of Nanaya, each holding a cone-shaped item.
Then… BOOM! A loud noise resounded.
“Kyaaaaa!” Jacqueline screamed. I’ve been deceived! I, who trusted them completely, have been chosen as the first step in world domination!
As Jacqueline awaited the end of her life in utter despair, what rained down was confetti.
…One should remember not to aim a party popper at someone who doesn’t know what it is.
“Surprised? I heard that I survived thanks to your questions, so we prepared a thank-you party! The forest monsters even helped!” Yuuto explained.
Looking around, Jacqueline saw the stunningly beautiful Priestesses of Nanaya surrounding her, smiling and saying, “Thank you.” It was a sight so breathtaking that even Jacqueline, a woman, thought it was a spectacle for all seasons.
And there, on the table where they usually dined, was a large chair with a sash that read “For Jacqueline!” along with extravagant dishes. Furthermore, Jacqueline’s favorite renowned beer was lined up everywhere.
Yuuto, at the center, was beaming with joy.
Seeing this scene, Jacqueline thought, bewildered,
(Ah… this is the form of happiness that Ryuujou and I never knew. But…)
“Yuuto! Is this the time to be playing around? We have the goddess’s orders, the control of Etina, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about my dungeon!”
(Why is this man always playing around, even in dire times?)
“Let’s enjoy ourselves just for today! We’ve gone through the trouble of preparing a party!”
…After that, Jacqueline, who Yuuto ultimately persuaded, opened a beer, and the Priestesses of Nanaya followed suit.
Thus, in what had now become a party venue in the dungeon, the 14 beauties, including Jacqueline and Yuuto, spent their time drinking and reveling in the joys of the future.