Chapter 234: Taming the Defiant God – Do You Know the Thrill of Whipping a Deity? (3)

It was real.

The atmosphere here was nourishing her soul.

Even the rarest of treasures capable of such feats were exceedingly limited. But she wasn’t just any fragmented soul—she was a divine remnant, a 'god soul.'

For something to benefit even a god’s essence... how could that be possible?

Her lips parted slightly, her breath hitching as realization dawned.

Could it really be...?

She stared at Shia, her ruby-red eyes shimmering with shock and raw emotion.

Her breathing quickened, and though her gaze remained tearful, it now carried a glimmer of hope.

The answer loomed tantalizingly close.

If this place was what she suspected, it would be more than just a miracle—it would be madness.

Among gods, there were the Primordial Seven, the mightiest of all. But there existed another entity on par with them: the 'Primordial Creations.'

Born even earlier than the Seven, these creations were treasures of unimaginable value, coveted by gods themselves.

And this space, which nourished even her divine remnant, had to be one such creation.

If she could stay here, would it mean her soul could continue to heal and grow stronger?

Could she, a mere fragment, one day break free and become a truly independent existence?

She had long forgotten her true name, knowing only that she was one among countless remnants.

Her deepest desire, her only obsession, was to become whole, to truly 'be' Lust.

The sheer difficulty of that ambition weighed on her every moment.

But with the help of a Primordial Creation...

Just imagining the possibility made her heart race with excitement.

Her tear-filled eyes now shone with radiant hope, as though they could light up the entire void.

The long-sought dream was now within reach, so tantalizingly close that Lust could almost touch it.

Shia, seeing the "fish" firmly hooked, smiled knowingly.

'Time to reel it in.'

“Now you understand, don’t you?”

How could Lust not understand?

Her excitement bubbled over, and she felt an almost irrepressible urge to roll around on the ground or throw herself at Shia for a big, smacking kiss.

She nodded vigorously, her eyes glowing with newfound determination.

“But… what price are you willing to pay to stay here?”

Shia asked this casually, his scrutinizing gaze resting on the goddess before him.

Lust, finally calming herself down, adopted a solemn expression.

“I can assist you, help you ascend to the peak of your life.”

This was no empty promise; it was the vow of a god.

As soon as the words left her lips, an invisible energy wove itself into existence, forming a pact.

“From now on, you’ll have a goddess as your backer.”

“You know what that means.”

She cast Shia a meaningful look, her tone confident and full of allure.

“…That’s it?”

Shia’s deadpan response caught her off guard.

Lust froze, dumbfounded.

She had just pledged the support of a 'goddess', and he still wasn’t satisfied?

Shia yawned, utterly unimpressed.

“Your attempt at manipulation is too low-level. Looks like you still need some teaching.”

'Danger!'

Panic surged within Lust as Shia’s words hit her.

She fully understood the importance of this primordial creation to her existence.

Faced with the temptation of achieving an independent self, she quickly caved.

What was dignity worth? Could it feed her?

“Good big brother, as long as you let me stay, I’ll do anything you want~!”

Her bright eyes shimmered as she tilted her head coquettishly, her voice dripping with sweetness.

“You’re the best, big brother~”

“You’re so amazing, big brother~”

“Big brother…”

The pandering began.

Dignity, pride—what were those to a goddess? Meaningless.

Her only objective now was to secure her place in this sanctuary, no matter what it took.

Bound in the shibari-style restraints, she wiggled sinuously, resembling a lithe snake. Though her body was restricted, her mouth certainly wasn’t.

Her honeyed words were sickeningly sweet, accompanied by endless fluttering glances from her alluring eyes.

If she weren’t physically tied up, she might’ve clung to Shia’s legs and begged shamelessly.

At this moment, Lust was the very picture of degraded pride—a far cry from the queenly figure she’d presented at first.

Or perhaps this was her 'true' nature, and her earlier grandeur had merely been a façade.

Shia, listening to her sugary voice, appeared contemplative.

Seeing his reaction, Lust intensified her efforts.

“Good big brother, if you let me stay, I’ll never disobey you! If you say east, I’ll never go west; if you say stand, I’ll never lie down!”

“Please, let me stay~!”

“I’ll be the most obedient! Whatever you say, I’ll do!”

Shia, smiling faintly at her pitiful display, spoke languidly.

“Oh? You’re not a goddess anymore?”

“As long as you like it, I can be whatever you want!”

“Well, let me think about it—”

“What’s there to think about, big brother? You’re so handsome, dashing, intelligent, and charming…”

Shia raised a hand to cut her off.

“All right, all right, you can stay.”

“Yay!”

Lust nearly burst with excitement, practically vibrating in place.

The moment her hands were freed, she flung herself at Shia, planting a loud, wet kiss on his cheek and leaving a conspicuous mark.

Humming a cheerful tune, she began eagerly setting up her new "home," clearly already enamored with her surroundings.

She seemed as if she never wanted to leave.

“But,” Shia said, his tone calm and warm, though his smile held a distinctly shark-like quality, “since you’re living in my space, shouldn’t you be paying rent?”

Lust’s celebratory mood froze mid-spin as she stared blankly at Shia.

“Huh?”

Quickly regaining her composure, she puffed out her chest proudly.

“I’m a goddess! Whatever you desire, I can give you!”

“Make me the ruler of the entire world?”

“…That’s… not possible.”

“How about making me the top student in the academy?”

“Uh…”

“Not that either, huh? Can you at least turn stones into gold?”

“W-Well…”

Lust’s confidence faltered as she looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

Shia’s expression turned flat.

The look he gave her seemed to ask, 'A goddess? Really? This is all you’ve got?'

Sweating nervously, Lust stammered, “I-I can inspire romantic feelings in women!”

“Wow, amazing,” Shia replied lazily, yawning as he dismissed her boast.

“But I don’t need that.”

Shrugging, he gave her another once-over.

“So, you’re a useless goddess, huh?”

Lust fell silent.

Her face remained stoic, but her fists clenched tightly, betraying her humiliation.

His words cut deep, but she couldn’t refute them.

In her current state, she was merely a fragment of a divine soul.

Her powers, once vast and absolute, were now scattered, leaving her a shadow of her former self.

She needed to reclaim her divine authority to truly call herself a goddess again.

“Since your abilities are basically nonexistent, do you even have anything of value left?”

Shia circled her twice, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as his eyes scanned her up and down.

“Don’t tell me the great goddess intends to freeload?”

His tone carried a mix of disbelief and scorn.

Lust, already frustrated from his constant jabs, finally snapped.

“I may be incomplete now, but I 'do' have divine power! I can use that as rent!”

“Do you even know what divine power is?” she huffed, raising her chin defiantly.

“It’s energy that only gods can control! Humans may manipulate elemental forces for strength, but divine power governs laws, creates miracles—”

She paused dramatically.

“—It can even create sacred artifacts coveted by mortals!”

“Using divine power as rent—surely that’s enough?”

Her fiery declaration left no room for doubt.

She stood tall, head held high, exuding an air of defiance.

Humph, her divine power was something this mortal couldn’t even fathom!

“That’s really impressive.”

Lust’s pride swelled again at Shia’s acknowledgment.

“...But can you do that now?”

Her confidence shattered instantly.

She froze, turning her head mechanically to face him, panic evident in her eyes.

“How much divine power would those feats require?”

Her mind raced, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

How did this boy know so much?

The harsh truth was inescapable: at her current strength—barely 0.01% of her prime—she couldn’t accomplish any of the grand claims she’d just made.

She was utterly, undeniably humiliated.