Chapter 62 : Bath Broadcast 2
In the previous world, I thought the body of the Saintess of the Dead didn't need trivial things like baths.
That was because the body of the Saintess of the Dead was neither truly dead nor alive, nor could it be called a living being.
It stood right on that ambiguous boundary of not being alive and not being dead.
Even putting aside the ambiguous state of my body, I didn't process food, monsters, or malevolent energy through the usual biological digestion process.
Everything I consumed was devoured on a spiritual level.
The act of devouring the essence and existence of things didn't leave anything in my stomach but instead converted them into energy that powered this body or my holy power.
Thanks to that, I hardly had any biological functions like digestion or bodily processes that humans had.
Of course, I could still drool or shed tears.
But my body didn't excrete waste products like sweat, and I had the purification miracle as well, didn't I?
According to Teresa, she once said I was "the cleanest sex doll, totally usable."
Of course, she ended up fighting with Menelapie, pulling each other's hair for saying such vulgar things…
Once, I held Menelapie's hand and pledged to fight the Demon King's army, and five years later, I participated in the largest war in recorded history in that previous world.
The cowardly, pathetic Saintess of the Dead, who had once been afraid to wield her own power, had grown a little more accustomed to blood and battle after five years.
At that time, I fought head-on against hordes of malevolent forces for three days and nights without rest.
At first, I was scared, but as the days went by, I found joy in ripping apart the flesh and seeing the blood of the malevolent forces.
The more of that wicked malevolence I consumed, the more lives I could save, after all.
For the record, demons have no life.
They possess intelligence but lack reason, conscience, or morality.
They should be seen as mere fragments or terminals of the Demon King, failing even to meet the minimal conditions for living beings.
Perhaps knowing that helped me rid myself of guilt and fear.
Anyway, this grand war ended in victory for the Empire.
Of course, thanks to the efforts of Menelapie and me.
Menelapie, who declared the victory, tried to hug my blood-soaked body, saying she was proud of me.
But unfortunately, when she tried to hug me, our large chests collided and bounced off each other, making it impossible to embrace.
If it had been an ordinary person, she could have just hugged tightly, and it would have squashed down, but both Menelapie and I had superhuman bodies far stronger than an average person, which led to that situation.
Thanks to that, both Menelapie and I, startled by the sudden impact, fell to the ground.
Some of the knights who witnessed the scene couldn't suppress their laughter.
Well, we had just won that desperate war, the first major victory for humanity, so no one really complained.
Anyway, right after that, I was exhausted and was about to use a quick purification miracle to sleep, but Menelapie was horrified and dragged me to a hot spring not far from the battlefield in a volcanic area.
When I say dragged, I mean she literally dragged me like a criminal being hauled away.
That's when I realized that Menelapie's brute strength was greater than my body, which was reinforced with holy power and tougher than steel.
I must have been such a hassle and annoyance to her, whining like a child as she dragged me to the hot spring.
In the end, Menelapie forcibly undressed me and threw me into the hot spring water.
I whined the whole way there, but once I was in the warm spring, I felt my body relax, and I sank into the water.
My mindset of not needing to bathe because of the purification miracle probably changed from that day on.
Washing together with Menelapie was a precious and treasured experience, but every time I soaked in warm water, those memories came flooding back.
"Come on in!"
[Kieeeeee!!!!]
The bathroom in the top-floor suite of the hotel was more of a swimming pool than a bath.
The bath, filled with hot spring water and set up on the rooftop, seemed large enough to hold more than 50 people just by its size.
Thanks to the bath being this big, the 15-meter-long blade centipede could bathe with me.
A 15-meter-long centipede—that's the height of a 5-story apartment building.
It's much bigger than you'd think.
But the problem was…
[Kie…eee…!]
This guy was struggling violently.
What's with him?
Even considering that blade centipedes aren't aquatic creatures, it seemed unusual for this lucky centipede to resist so fiercely.
It looked like it was flailing to escape from my grip, but unfortunately for him, his struggling was far weaker than my strength.
As I dragged him along, I became aware of the drone camera hovering beside me.
Oh right, I'm live-streaming.
– Open the door… I'll just leave.
– LOL losing my mind.
– What the heck is the streamer doing LOL.
– LOL.
– I came because of the title, but what is this.
– Totally hilarious.
How embarrassing.
I titled the stream "Bathing with a Centipede," and I hadn't even managed to get him into the hot spring yet.
– LOL, I rushed here after seeing the stream was up after days, and this is what I get.
– The title is totally crazy LOL.
– What kind of stream even is this?
– This is the chaos you chose. Endure with grit.
– No thanks.
– LOL.
– But seriously, why didn't the streamer go live for four days?
– For real.
– Do you want to fall from grace?
– Downfall, downfall, downfall, downfall, downfall.
– Down.
– Fall.
– Downfall.
– Fall.
Come to think of it, I didn't even tell my viewers that I went to a raid dungeon.
There was no need to announce that I was going to a raid dungeon everywhere, but at least I should've mentioned that I wouldn't be able to stream due to personal reasons.
"Sorry, sorry. Long time no see, guys. But I was…"
Honestly, they've been trolling me for a while, so I didn't really feel all that sorry.
[Kieeee!!]
"Come on, behave."
[Kiiiii!!]
The viewers are going wild, and so is the centipede.
– Blade Centipede: Save me.
– Isn't that the one the streamer spared during the Rotten Mountain expedition?
– Seems like it.
– How did that thing get out of the dungeon LOL?
– The streamer probably dragged it out LOL.
– Forget the nonsense, how about explaining why you vanished for four days without a word?
– She's just stirring up chaos instead of explaining.
Why is this guy acting like this?
Ah, could it be?
Of course, the hot spring water was warm enough to create steamy bubbles.
It wouldn't be hot enough to cook its flesh, but how would it look from the centipede's perspective?
It might think this pool was similar to the cauldron where I had boiled walker bones for broth earlier.
From the centipede's point of view, it might have thought I'd brought it here to cook it into centipede stew.
"I guess I have no choice."
It would be best if we could communicate, but unfortunately, despite being intelligent, this centipede was still a monster.
It's not easy to convey the complex idea that I didn't bring it here to kill it, but to relax and bathe together.
So, in the end, I'd have to show it with my actions.
That's simple enough.
I let go of the centipede and began unbuttoning my clothes, one by one.
– ?
– Wait, what's the streamer doing?
– Huh?
– Hey, wait a sec.
– Whoa.
– Oh.
– Whoa!
I quickly took off my clothes because the centipede might run away in the meantime.
– Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!
– They censored it LOL.
– Gosh darn censorship filter LOL.
– Ah, come on!
– Show us!
– Censorship is an evil civilization.
The AI censorship filter built into the drone camera was really useful.
The filter automatically covered the gory and violent elements when entering dungeons, censoring the broadcast without me having to adjust any settings, allowing me to stream without worry.
And it worked not just for blood but also for adult content.
The AI built into the drone camera had advanced to the point where it would automatically censor anything sexual, turning things into chibi or SD (super deformed) forms or just filtering it appropriately.
I had seen it on other streams too—how the filter would keep the body's outline visible while covering important parts. The world has really advanced.
Anyway, the important thing is, I wasn't stripping because I'm an exhibitionist or trying to please the viewers.
Splash.
"Haa… Mmmm…."
– Wow, even with the filter on, it's super sensual.
– This is my night sorted.
– Wow…
– Super hot.
– So hot.
– The chest outline is unreal.
– The curves look insane after she took off the clothes.
– Wow, that's really big.
It had been a while since I soaked in a warm hot spring, and it felt like my body was melting away.
I reached out my hand toward the still wary blade centipede.
"Come here."
It was probably conflicted.
It might wonder if I brought it here to boil it, but then again, seeing me enter the water first, it might also think that the hot spring wasn't harmful.
The blade centipede was staring at me with its dark compound eyes, and for some reason, I felt like I could sense some confusion in its gaze.
If it still didn't come over, I couldn't help it, but since I'd already titled the stream about bathing together with it, I really hoped it would.
[Kiii…i…screw this…]
"Good boy."
– ?
– Did it just speak?
– Dunno.
It sounded like it said something weird…
Anyway, the centipede, quite docile, slowly approached me.
It had a bit of a babyish side to it.
With cautious steps, it tapped its legs into the water, confirming the safety, and seeing me submerged in it, seemed to slowly conclude it wasn't dangerous.
[Kiii…]
"Good, good. Well done."
In the end, the trembling blade centipede climbed onto my shoulders and hands, slowly dipping itself into the water.
Its many legs tickled my shoulders, chest, arms, and hands.
At first, I found it gross and disgusting, but seeing how scared it was, relying on me like this, made it seem somewhat cute.
"Fufu, yeah, that's it."
The huge blade centipede submerged itself in the hot spring, and now more than half of the bath was filled with its many legs and dark joints.
– Now that I see it, that centipede is super long.
– For real.
– The scene is kind of sensual in a weird way.
– Shut up LOL.
– For real LOL.
"Haa… Mm, this feels so good…"
I stretched my legs out and stretched my body.
Perhaps due to the mental exhaustion of bringing the centipede here, I was starting to feel a bit tired.
I held the centipede, which was about to dip its head into the water, and placed it on my chest.
"Hey, don't submerge your head."
[Kie, kie…]
Fortunately, my chest was large enough for the enormous blade centipede's head to rest on, floating gently in the water.
– Wow…
– Look at that big chest floating in the water.
– Why is this so hot even though it's not an adult stream LOL.
– The filter's on, but it's still hot.
– So big…
The blade centipede coiled around me, wrapping its body around my legs, arms, chest, and shoulders as if it were clinging to me for comfort.
Now that I think about it, this was probably its first time entering water.
Even humans fear the unknown, so why would it be any different for it?
Though the warmth must feel good, it probably couldn't breathe underwater, and I heard centipedes breathe through their skin a lot.
It's a monster, and its body structure is different from regular centipedes, but since its basic biology is still that of an insect, it would probably prefer to keep part of its body above water for easier breathing.
Naturally, the centipede enjoyed the warmth and moisture of the hot spring while gradually clinging to me more tightly.
It wrapped around my ankles, legs, thighs, even passing between my groin, winding around my hips, waist, back, arms, and chest, like an overly tight piece of clothing or accessory.
It's probably just afraid of the water, but the centipede was sticking to me like it was an outfit.
– Wow…
– This reminds me of the cover art of an insect girl game I saw once.
– What the heck have you been looking at?
– Share it with us too.
– You crazy people.
– But this scene really does look strangely hot LOL.
– The centipede is wrapped around the streamer, and the censorship filter is weaker now LOL.
– This is super hot…
– Heuuung…
– Noona…
– Someone move the centipede legs out of the way.
"Oh right. Sorry, guys. Did I stream four days ago? Actually, I was summoned to a newly discovered mutated raid dungeon by the Hunter Association, so that's where I went."
– Oh really?
– Awkward.
– If that's the case, I guess we can't complain…
– But you should have left a notice or something.
"Notice? Can you leave a notice somewhere?"
– Oh right, the streamer's a Returnee.
– She's like a tech illiterate LOL.
– If she's a Returnee, I guess it can't be helped…
– But you should apologize at least.
– For real.
– If you don't want to fall from grace, you gotta bow your head.
"Apologize?"
Eh, I don't want to… What did I do wrong?
"Mi… Mi… You crazy bastards. No way!"
– LOL LOL LOL LOL.
– LOL.
– Hey, forget the apology. You've shown us something great, so who cares about that?
– For real, loyalty loyalty.
– LOL.
– You guys are so honest about your desires LOL.
– But even with the censorship filter on, this is still hot LOL.
– For real LOL.
Fortunately, it seemed the viewers weren't really mad and were just messing around.
Later, when I checked the gallery, I found out that the viewers had been panicking, worried that I might have died in the dungeon or encountered some serious trouble.
With the drone camera floating beside me, I let the centipede cling to me and relaxed my body.
As I let myself float in the water, I glanced at the chat room displayed by the drone camera and smiled.
I felt at ease.
My stomach was full.
The centipede was peacefully soaking in the hot spring beside me.
And I could chat with the viewers so I didn't feel lonely.
– Why did you suddenly smile?
– She's pretty…
– No, seriously, she's really pretty.
– She'd be gorgeous if she didn't cause chaos LOL.
– The streamer's expression and the way the centipede is coiled around her remind me of that character from the bug queen game.
– LOL that guy crossed the line LOL.
– LOL LOL LOL.
– LOL LOL LOL.
– LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.
– If you get eaten by tentacles on the street, just accept that fate LOL.
– No, it's not something weird, it's a shooting game, you crazy people.
Well… today, I'm feeling generous.
I can let even that kind of sexual harassment slide with ease.
Humans are creatures that are easily stimulated by trivial things, with happiness exchanged through words.
Delicate yet simple beings.
If I were like some loser bathing alone, I'd probably be spiraling into depression and losing mental strength quickly.
[Kiiii…]
"Good, good. You like it too, don't you?"
– But doesn't the centipede have breathing holes on its claws or shell? Wouldn't it suffocate if it went underwater?
– How would you know?
– I'm watching from a biology lab in the forestry department.
– Ah… oh…
– You're a grad student?
– I see…
"Wait, why is a grad student watching my stream?"
– LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.
– LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.
– LOL, are grad students not people?
– Isn't that a bit too harsh, streamer?
"Hehe, I'm just joking."
– Oh my god, her smile is so pretty I can't even be mad.
– ? But didn't you just swear?
– LOL.
– But streamer, you said you participated in the raid dungeon. Can you tell us some stories?
– Yeah, that's right.
– Raid dungeons should have a lot of interesting stories.
– Sharing raid dungeon stories while bathing, wow!
"Huh? You're curious about that? There's not much to tell…"
Well, to me, it might not have been a big deal.
Even an F-rank Hunter's perspective is worlds apart from an ordinary person's, after all.
"Anyway, besides me, there were 19 other A-rank Hunters dispatched. So the total raid party was 20, including me."
– 19 A-rank Hunters??
– That's a lot of people, wasn't it dangerous?
"Well, it was a gate-type dungeon. Fortunately, there were no civilian casualties reported yet. But the dungeon's danger level had escalated from F-rank to A-rank in just a few months."
– Where are you pulling that nonsense from LOL?
– Do you think we're idiots or something?
"Oh, don't you have one? I don't have one."
– Chaos activated.
– Stop stirring up chaos while you're talking LOL.
– That was too sudden LOL.
"Hehe, just kidding. But I don't lie. The F-rank dungeon really shot up to A-rank. The association will probably announce it soon."
– Is that for real?
– If that's true, the researchers' heads are going to explode LOL.
"Anyway, we're temporarily calling it an adaptive copy dungeon. The dungeon copied every geographical feature of the place we were in… hey, stop wriggling. It tickles."
[Kii…]
– The centipede's starting to look cute now.
– That thing?