Scrubbing the Back

Still, being deified by others was actually pretty fun.

After all, in his own setting, most Guardians were fairly friendly toward humanity, and there were no great villains with a justice score below -300.

Of course, there were no great saints with a score above 300 either.

Higashino Makoto liked something Yoshikage Kira once said—

"I like a quiet life."

When he had no power, he could only go with the flow and quietly keep his head down.

But now that he had power, if he still kept his head down, wouldn't that make his transmigration pointless?

The proper way to go about it was—

As long as he slaughtered all his enemies, he could live a quiet life.

It did not take long. In just five minutes, the head chef brought out every dish. After leaving behind a "Please enjoy," he wisely took his leave.

Magic really was convenient.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating Gokusai Kaibi's faintly flushed cheeks.

Her hands were folded in her lap, her back ramrod straight, yet she scarcely dared to let her gaze fall upon the person seated across from her.

Higashino Makoto casually cut into his steak, his knife and fork lightly clinking against the porcelain plate.

Musujime finally gathered her courage. Her voice trembled slightly. "To be able to dine with you... I am truly overwhelmed by the honor."

Higashino Makoto glanced at her, the gentle smile still on his face.

"It's only a meal. There's no need to be so nervous."

"No, no, no!"

Musujime practically jolted in her seat. "Being able to sit across from you is already the greatest blessing! I-I even feel that this seat should not belong to someone of my status..."

Gokusai Kaibi's restraint left Higashino Makoto somewhat baffled.

She had clearly been perfectly normal before.

Though she had been somewhat cautious earlier, she should not have been this flustered.

But Higashino Makoto did not ask why she was acting so out of sorts. Instead, he asked a question in return.

"Then who do you think should sit here?"

Gokusai Kaibi froze for a moment, then began to think seriously.

"Probably... no one. Because no one is worthy of sitting as your equal."

Higashino Makoto speared a piece of meat without replying.

Its perfectly tender texture and uniquely inventive aroma made him realize for the first time that "a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth" was not an exaggeration.

Musujime swallowed and carefully studied his expression, as though interpreting an oracle.

After a few seconds, she added in a low voice, "Of course, if you permit me to sit here, I will spend my entire life repaying this kindness."

"Eat. The steak will get cold."

Higashino Makoto's tone was calm.

Naturally, that was a lie. With magic keeping it warm, there was no chance of it getting cold.

But Gokusai Kaibi offered no objection whatsoever.

Even if Higashino Makoto claimed that the sun rose in the west, they would only believe that everyone else in the world was too foolish to tell north from south or east from west.

"Yes!"

Musujime immediately picked up her knife and fork, but she cut with extreme care, afraid of making an inappropriate sound.

After taking a few bites, she suddenly stopped, her eyes reddening slightly.

Higashino Makoto noticed. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing..."

Gokusai Kaibi shook her head forcefully, but her voice had taken on a nasal tone.

"I was only thinking that, at this very moment, I am probably the happiest person in the entire world."

The candlelight danced in her eyes.

Higashino Makoto set down his knife and fork and raised his wineglass. His tone remained gentle, as though nothing could disturb his calm.

Sure enough, first impressions were unreliable.

He had thought she was the more composed sort.

Though it was true that he himself had written in the settings that she was absolutely loyal and loved him.

Higashino Makoto chewed and swallowed the last piece of meat.

"The 'Amon Nikola' you worship may not be the same as the real me."

What kind of person was he?

Neither of his previous two lives had been anything special—a useless college graduate, an exploited corporate drone?

In any case, there had been nothing remarkable about them.

If he had to use one adjective, Higashino Makoto felt that "lucky" would be a fitting summary.

Some people were born already standing atop mountains that ordinary people could only look up at.

There was something Higashino Makoto had heard somewhere, though he did not know where. It had left an especially deep impression on him—

"The crying baby on the rooftop is the owner of this building."

Life was unfair from the moment one was born. Though they were merely newborn infants, their birth alone guaranteed them a perfect future sailing smoothly onward.

Higashino Makoto had once asked himself: could he really be inferior to an infant?

The answer he arrived at was—

Yes. That was right. He was inferior to that infant.

Who told the other party to have such high luck, randomly rolling a good birth?

But this time, without a doubt, he was the lucky one!

An "Otherworld Reincarnation Build-Your-Own Package" had appeared right before his eyes!

What were "money" and "birth" worth?

This was "immortality" and "power"!

Things that countless ancient emperors and countless prodigies throughout the world had sought without success were actually his to pluck at will!

The moment he crossed over, Higashino Makoto's perception had already undergone a transformation.

The arrogance of "I was born noble," "Heaven's mandate is mine," "The world should revolve around me," and "I am the protagonist" surged from his heart uncontrollably.

That was right. "Dignity" and "kindness" were not his true nature. "Arrogance" was!

So even though Higashino Makoto had barely dated in his previous life, he could comfortably regard all twenty-four NPCs as his harem.

He regarded this other world as his own private garden.

So what if it was Ainz Ooal Gown?

He was merely a supporting character meant to make his adventures more exciting.

So what if it was a True Dragon Lord?

It was nothing more than an elite monster destined to become a stepping stone on his path forward—born only to be trampled and destroyed.

Gokusai Kaibi suddenly raised her head, her gaze burning with near-reverence. "No matter what kind of person you are, I will worship you all the same. You are the standard by which I define 'correctness.'"

After several seconds of silence.

Higashino Makoto gently swirled his wineglass, and the corner of his lips seemed to twitch.

"Then keep eating. Once we're done, let's take a bath first."

"Yes!"

Though Gokusai Kaibi was still somewhat restrained and seemed to have little appetite, Higashino Makoto was very satisfied with the meal.

Amid the farewells of everyone in the small kitchen, Higashino Makoto put an arm around Gokusai Kaibi and teleported to his bedroom on the Seventh Floor.

Of course, given its size, it would perhaps be more appropriate to call it a palace.

Higashino Makoto took off his clothes, deactivated his "High-Tier Fire Elemental Resistance," and lay down in the hot spring, leaving only half his head above the water.

Though his body would not become soiled with the "Immortal" passive, soaking in a bath was still an excellent form of relaxation.

The perfectly heated spring water instinctively made Higashino Makoto relax.

"Lord Amon, I'm coming in to scrub your back."

A pleasant female voice came from outside the bathhouse. Higashino Makoto opened his eyes, the corners of his lips rising uncontrollably.

"Come in."

The blonde girl, wrapped only in a bath towel, had barely stepped into the bathhouse before Higashino Makoto pulled her into his arms, drawing a startled cry from her.

"Scrubbing my back can wait. It'll just get dirty again later anyway."