Chapter 115: What is a God?

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Holy Manor, 4 Hours Later - Rose's POV -

The darkness cleared finally. After what felt like days adrift in an endless abyss, I felt consciousness return to me.

[Hnnh... Huh...? Where am I?] - Rose

[Hey beautiful, finally awake?] - Karen

[Ah! Awawawa! K-Karen?!?] - Rose

[Yes, me.] - Karen

Blearily opening my eyes as my surroundings came into view, I quickly realized that I was in a bed somewhere unfamiliar. Looking around at the room I was in I noticed that the decor was quite nice, not up to the standards that a noble of a Ducal House would normally view as extravagant but not lacking in quality to the extent that most would complain. To me it meant that I was most likely somewhere fairly important or at the very least I wasn't imprisoned as I didn't particularly care about how nice the room was outside of comfort. Although I was a bit pickier than I had been in my previous life if I was telling the truth.

A squirming blanket that was covering me immediately called my attention to my torso however as I found myself face to face with the beautiful, slightly translucent, eyes of the love of my life. Embarrassed at how close I was to Karen I immediately attempted to back away only for her slimy grasp to lightly wrap around my waist even tighter as she licked her lips sensually while staring at mine.

[Wait what happened? I was doing the ritual and a blue dragon attacked then I was in my inner world and there was water everywhere and then... Where's Love?] - Rose

[Awe, you're no fun... And if you're asking about that Demon he's currently with that God of these people and that Head Priestess lady. The rest of us are listening in on them but I didn't want to leave you alone while you slept.] - Karen

[R-Right. U-Umm so what's going on? Were we betrayed?] - Rose

[I'm not sure what's been happening out there, but you were definitely supposed to die in that spring. If that damn old spider had her way none of us would be here talking to each other.] - Karen

[Dammit... I really screwed up this time, didn't I?] - Rose

[Yeah, a bit but it all turned out alright in the end. You better not just forgive that bitch though. No one likes isekai protags that are nice for no damn reason. 1Fourth Wall break but also one that makes sense in the world since Karen was just as much of a nerd. ] - Karen

[Pfft! I don't think fiction is going to help us here for how we should be dealing with this situation... But I'm surprised that Annabelle let her live after everything...] - Rose

[Well yeah, she was all for killing all those responsible but decided not to because she didn't want to upset you. Left the punishment up to that Love guy.] - Karen

Wait what?!? She left it up to that psychopath?!? Isn't that worse?!?

I mean sure I felt betrayed, not by the Head Priestess since I'd kind of expected that but I'd honestly thought that Zhizhu would've been much more trustworthy, but I didn't want the entire tribe/city massacred for a stupid decision that I'd come out of unharmed. I had no intention to forgive the older Arachne but with that Demon genocide was most definitely not off the table.

[And they're still alive?!? What'd he do?!?] - Rose

[I'm not sure, he said something about having them experience something worse than death, looked at them for a few seconds then ignored them. They seemed really pale though, kind of haunted look in the eyes...] - Karen

[That's it? No skinning them alive then healing them only to do it again? Just a look and he was done?] - Rose

[Yeah. Also, ew, where did you even get that kind of idea?] - Karen

[A novel I once read, it was horrible.] - Rose

[I can see why, yuck.] - Karen

[W-Well now that that's taken care of c-can I ask why you're in the bed WITH me? It's been bothering me for a while... And can you stop doing that?!?] - Rose

Strange. It really seemed like that psycho hadn't actually done anything despite being someone I wouldn't put past performing genocide for just inconveniencing him. In the short time since I'd met him I had this feeling like he was a barely restrained natural disaster ready to turn everything within sight into piles of meat and blood. He smelled too much of blood.

But with that out of the way I was once more brought back to the thing I'd been trying to ignore this entire time. Karen was lightly undulating her body, either unconsciously or on purpose but regardless the sensation was sending pleasant tingles to my lower belly and making a certain part of my anatomy make itself known. The smirk on her face though let me know I wouldn't be able to convince her to cease easily.

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Holy Manor - Rose's POV -

[Hmm, so you've finally decided to extricate yourself from that slime. I was going to drag you out if you took too much longer.] - Love

[Wait extricate?!? What's he talking about Rose?!? Did you two finally- Buh!] - Veronica

[NOT the time Ver! How are you feeling Rose?] - Malaise

[Nothing happened! I-I mean I'm fine... yeah.] - Rose

[Oh, they fucked they definitel- Ow!] - Veronica

[Quiet!] - Malaise

Finally leaving the sleeping chambers I'd been sequestered in I blushed heavily while remembering what I'd had to do to get Karen off me. I'd even nearly begged her to cross the line, only barely keeping myself under control. I'd need to keep this quiet before a certain Succubus learned of it...

And that's a failure. Coming into the main room of the manor I'd found myself in I was immediately outed by that damn psychotic Demon while Veronica's face immediately lit up like a light as she demanded answers. Sweet relief coming only a second later in the form of a much larger book than normal. The second book that followed was even larger as the rest of the group looked at me with extreme doubt on their faces at my claim of innocence.

Luckily Argent and Urz stayed at a distance during this, although I did notice a blush on both of their faces and the Kappa in particular immediately tried hiding her instant realization of what Veronica was talking about. Annabelle approached afterwards, a look of concern in her eyes.

[You are well Young Miss?] - Annabelle

[Y-Yeah. Actually, I feel a bit better than before if I'm being honest.] - Rose

[That's not surprising, you absorbed quite a bit of a God's Spark when that trash took over your inner world. Normally such an incursion would have ended your life, but my intervention forced that fool to leave behind a large amount of her energies.] - Love

[God's Spark? Wait what? Back up a little bit, what are you talking about.] - Rose

[...hmph.] - Love

[Love? Answer me!] - Rose

[It seems I must take over for this part of the explanation. It is nice to meet you, I am Undine, Rose.] - Undine

Anger filled me as this damn Demon refused to answer my question, his eyes literally telegraphing that he didn't want to bother. And right after he'd mentioned something called a God's Spark that seemed immensely important to my future since I'd somehow absorbed it. That anger however was replaced by surprise as a large amount of water rose up out of a vase I hadn't even taken notice of until then. The water, shaping into an immensely beautiful woman with modest breasts, took on a familiar face that I recognized from my last memories of my inner world. So, this was Undine?

[Hah?!?] - Love

[R-Right! L-Lady Rose! I meant Lady Rose!] - Undine

[...] - Rose

[Ahem! Anyway, I've been informed of your... circumstances, and rest assured I no longer view you as my enemy.] - Undine

[And I've been telling you that I'm still not satisfied by that you jumped up-] - Karen

[Karen. Leave it for now.] - Rose

[I just want more than a "I'm sorry" and "Let's let bygones be bygones" from this bitch!] - Karen

[KAREN! I agree with you but keep in mind that this, Undine, is literally a sentient water puddle! She's probably some kind of powerful Goddess or something!] - Rose

[Pfft!] - Love

The lady made of water, Undine, glared at Love when he reacted to my comment with a barely concealed laugh before continuing from where she'd left off after being interrupted by my, frankly justified, slime ex and future lover.

[... Ahem, your friend is correct Lady Rose. I certainly do owe you more than just an apology. As such I wish to open up my wards to an official alliance with your family. Would that be acceptable?] - Undine

[Hah... we'll talk about that later. For now, I'd like an explanation as to what happened to me.] - Rose

[Understood. First let me ask you, how much do you know of the beings known as Gods, Demons and Dragons?] - Undine