(MC POV)
I went towards the water with the intention of trying to poke it but several hands pulled me back before I could.
"Master? Umm... Could we ask that you not try to test the water with your own Divine body?" Lian Li begged, hugging my arm tightly.
Umm... What even is 'divine body'?
Manami tightened the tails she had wrapped around my waist, "Ara? Master... If you want to test it, send one of us instead. I can sacrifice one of my tails to do so too."
I frowned at her, "Did you not see that a single finger was enough to kill that guy? I'm sure even if you were to put your tail in you would be affected completely too."
"Ufufufu~ I can simply cut off my tail if I need to."
"No, no. Absolutely not. Aren't your tails important to you?"
"Ara, ara? My tails were given to me by Master remember? I have already sworn myself to you, Master. Every single part of me down to the hair on my skin is Master's property~"
I... Didn't know Manami saw it that way.
But there's still no way I am risking the fluff for anything, I'll just go and grab Shiori to do it if I have to.
Besides...
"Come on girls, what's the worst that can happen?" I pointed out.
All of them stared at me unblinkingly.
"Everything in existence ceasing to exist for one, Aniue," Tsuki deadpanned.
Everyone nodded.
"Ok... Umm... I really doubt there's something in existence that can make that happen. If the lake would really bring about that happening, I think Iris would have stopped... Oh... Right... You won't..."
The cosmic being in question tilted her head cutely at me, "Ara? Isn't it normal for everything to eventually come to an End? There's no reason to stop such an outcome, is there?"
Right... Then again, even if it happens I can just change the Origin of the universe ceasing to exist and that would just undo everything so it's actually still fine, right?
Ugh... I guess I'd rather that not happen in the first place...
"Alright, alright," I conceded. "Let me just send a clone then."
Kiyomi hugged my waist even tighter, "Is there even a need to do that, Master? Why not just leave it and carry on?"
I grinned, "For science of course! Elaria would agree, wouldn't you?"
Elaria pouted even as she held on to my thigh, "Gnununu... I have to agree with Onii-sama for this one..."
"Alright, so just let me send my clone in there!"
"Wait! Let me do it, Master!" Diao Chan volunteered a little too enthusiastically.
I narrowed my eyes at her, "Since when did you create a cloning Spell?"
The Witch blushed, "Umm... I didn't... I was hoping Master would make a clone of me instead... Just in case the lake's effects carry over to the real body."
"And you're fine with that happening to you?"
Her breathing became erratic, "Ehe... Hehehe... I was hoping that it might hurt... Hehehe... Then I can imagine Master wringing me dry... Ehehehe~"
This masochistic girl is beyond saving...
But well, she's my masochistic girl and I wouldn't give her up for the world. If anything happens to her I'm changing the entire universe to bring her back.
Now where was I? Oh right, cloning Diao Chan to test the waters.
I waved my hand over her and a clone of her appeared beside my Witch.
"Oh wow! She looks beautiful, Master!" Diao Chan complimented.
"Well, yeah... She's you after all and you're beautiful."
"Eh, eh, eh? Ehehehe~ Master, could we just go behind those bushes for like five... No, ten minutes? I just have something of yours that I want to put in my mouth."
I spanked her, "Control yourself or I'm not giving you any more spanks for the rest of the month."
"Ahhnnn~~ Ignore play is nice but I also like Master's spanks... Unnn.... I'll have to pick spanks! Umm... How do I control the clone, Master?"
I chuckled and simply directed the clone of Diao Chan to go and touch the water with a mental order.
Of course I didn't give her any memories or personality so she was simply just a flesh doll that looked like Diao Chan but I wasn't going to tell anyone that.
All of us watched as the flesh golem with Diao Chan's likeness slowly trudged her way to the edge of the pool and dipped her finger into it.
And... The flesh golem shrivelled up just like the traveller from before.
Instead of collapsing into the water though, she fell on the banks instead, though her arm ended up submerging itself deeper into the water.
Just when I thought that was the end, her body suddenly went through the stages of decay rapidly, the flesh and organs rotting away to leave the skeleton before even the bones crumbled into dust and disappearing.
"Aww... I felt nothing..." Diao Chan whined in disappointment after the body was completely gone.
Right... So why did we manage to bathe in it without that happening to us?
Time for the second test!
This time I cloned myself and sent that flesh golem towards the lake. I noted that my disciples hugged me even tighter when they saw it though they maintained their silence.
We watched as my clone dipped his hand into the water and... He shrivelled up too.
Huh.
I turned to my disciples, "Soooo... Can I test it on myself now?"
"NO!!" They cried, hugging me even tighter.
I guess I have no choice huh... Even though experimenting is half the fun, I can't stand not knowing the real reason why this is happening.
Omniscience? Explain.
...
This is the domain of this World's goddess of decay and disease huh... So her decaying properties extend to this pool and me being Origin cancelled her influence, right?
Eh? That's not it? Then why were my disciples and I unaffected?
...
She retracted the decaying properties and even removed that sign on the tree so that I will bathe in it... Why?
...
...
I'm sorry what? So that she can feel my essence in the water and then fill the water into jars to-- Ok shut up, I don't want to know. Let's just move on and pretend this never happened.
I was just about to give the order to move on when Iris unexpectedly stepped towards the water's edge.
"A mere World Goddess dares to remain hidden even when my Master is here?"
Smoke poured out of the water and quickly formed into the figure of a woman wearing a tattered, hooded cloak kneeling in front of me.
"Archlis, World Goddess of Decay and Disease humbly greets All Creator!" She squeaked.
Great... What am I supposed to do now, Iris?
