Growburn Village – Discovery (2)

Rena frantically pulled up her clothes and began to explain.

“A-Annie. Calm down and listen to me. This is…”

“What? Are you going to say Jade did this?”

“…Y-yes! How did you know? These are marks Jade left when you weren’t around. I didn’t think you’d know about them. I’m sorry if you’re upset I hid it.”

Watching Rena nod hastily, Annie couldn’t hide her disappointment.

‘Why…?’

Even now, she was lying to her. Even dragging Jade’s name into this.

This was taking advantage of Jade’s feelings for Rena.

Annie now felt betrayed too.

“Lies. I saw what you did in Mr. Karlson’s room.”

“W-what…? D-did you see everything?”

Rena’s eyes widened and her hands began trembling. Her barely maintained composure vanished, replaced by visible panic.

“Yes. From you shaking your hips on top of Mr. Karlson, to you looking blissful pinned beneath him.”

“Hah, hah…”

Rena’s expression became completely blank.

This was the moment when all of Annie’s suspicions and worries proved true.

“Rena, didn’t you like Jade? Why would you do se… do that with Mr. Karlson? I can’t understand it at all.”

“I-I really do like Jade.”

“You’re still saying that? How can you claim to like Jade after doing that!”

Rena desperately grabbed Annie’s arm and pleaded.

“Wait! Please hear me out.”

“…”

Fine, let’s hear Rena’s story first.

Getting angry afterward wouldn’t be too late.

Annie took a deep breath.

“*Sigh*… Then explain.”

“I’ve been hiding this, but I’ve been suffering aftereffects since what happened with Doran.”

“…Doran.”

Annie stiffened at the name ‘Doran’ that Rena brought up.

It was a name that left indelible scars not just on Rena, but everyone. That name was still haunting them.

Rena continued her story in a calm tone.

“Every night, my body would start burning up. Ridiculously, my lewd body was craving sex. At first I tried enduring it alone, but… I gradually reached my limit.”

“Don’t tell me you…”

“Yes. The day after drinking with everyone, I woke up in bed with Mr. Karlson. I realized I’d made a huge mistake.”

Having confessed about that day, Rena began sniffling.

“*Sniff*… I’m sorry. There’s no excuse. Mr. Karlson didn’t force me – I acted on impulse. I couldn’t tell you all the truth. I was terrified of how you’d see me… like some prostitute…”

“Th-that’s what happened? I thought you’d abandoned Jade for Mr. Karlson…”

‘Huh, who knew there was such a backstory.’

The anger filling Annie’s heart toward Rena began wavering.

But does having sex multiple times create a need to keep doing it regularly? Or is Rena special?

Regardless, Rena had been facing such difficult circumstances. This was completely new information.

Annie even started feeling guilty toward Rena.

“No way. I still like Jade! Especially after leaving that hellish Academy. Everything – eating meals with Jade, training together, even small things like riding carriages – all of it made me happy.”

Rena momentarily showed a happy expression recalling memories with Jade. But soon her face hardened again as she bowed her head.

Annie organized her thoughts.

If Rena was telling the truth, the current situation made sense.

But Rena had kept having sex with Mr. Karlson even after that drinking day. This part was strange.

‘I sympathize, but I need to clarify everything.’

Annie bit her lower lip to focus before asking.

“Rena, I understand your feelings. But I can’t comprehend why you kept having relations with Mr. Karlson. What I saw proves you had sex with him multiple times.”

“…After doing it once, I couldn’t control the boiling desires anymore.”

“But going back to Mr. Karlson for that…”

“You can hate me if you want. I’m just a dirty woman who spreads her legs for anyone.”

I don’t know how strong Rena’s urges were. I don’t know how painful it was to endure alone. I have no way of knowing.

What right do I have to criticize Rena?

Annie felt conflicted about angrily confronting Rena without understanding.

Actually, the root cause of all this was Doran who raped Rena. As a friend, she should help rather than pressure her.

“If that’s the case, why not talk to Jade…?”

“How could I make such a request to Jade? He already saved me from Doran. Now I should ask him to handle my sexual desires? I still have some shame.”

‘No!’

Rena’s worry was unnecessary. Jade liked her so much – he wouldn’t care about something like that.

Annie saw a glimmer of hope. This could be their chance to become lovers.

“You both like each other. Jade would definitely help if you asked. And once you confirm each other’s feelings-”

“That can’t happen. Jade and I shouldn’t be together.”

“Huh?”

Shouldn’t be together? Annie was stunned by Rena’s unexpected response.

“I’m a body defiled by another man. I don’t deserve Jade – a hero with the most righteous heart.”

“That’s nonsense! If you like each other, that’s all that matters!”

“If my past becomes known, even Jade the hero will be criticized. ‘The dirty hero keeping a dirty woman by his side.’ I can’t let Jade suffer because of me.”

Rena’s tone remained calm as she degraded herself.

“Ah…”

Rena was too pitiful. Annie felt her heart breaking.

Moreover, Rena’s condition was worse than imagined.

Her physical state was problematic, but her shattered self-esteem indicated severe mental distress. If this continued, she might eventually leave me and Jade.

Rena wiped her flowing tears with her sleeve and grabbed Annie’s hand.

“Annie, will you tell Jade about this?”

“No, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you. Really, thank you.”

“And you did nothing wrong. Why should you – just a victim – suffer like this?”

“Annie… *Sniff*, *Sob*!”

Rena burst into tears at Annie’s comforting words.

“Come here.”

-Whoosh.

Annie pulled Rena into her small embrace.

Like this, Rena’s body felt especially small today.

“It’s been really hard, hasn’t it?”

“*Sob*, I’m sorry for lying. But I’ve suffered too. *Waaah*!”

Annie patted Rena’s back to comfort her.

With Rena’s physical condition, she needed a way to regularly relieve her urges.

Otherwise, Rena might be forced to offer her body to others again.

Then the remaining solution was…

“Rena.”

Annie called softly. Rena had mostly stopped crying.

“Yes…?”

“Even if it was unavoidable, you know you lied to Jade and me and did something wrong, right?”

“Mhm. That’s true. Sorry again.”

“Then can you do something for me?”

“Of course. After what I did, I’ll do anything.”

“Can I touch your body?”

“Huh?”

Rena, who’d said she’d do anything, looked dumbfounded by Annie’s request.

“The biggest problem now is your body constantly wanting se…x, right? Then if I make you feel good, wouldn’t that solve it?”

Annie’s simple solution was to satisfy Rena’s urges herself.

She considered asking Jade for help, but remembering Rena’s earlier refusal made that impossible.

Moreover, Annie felt some resentment toward Jade too.

Not believing me or helping me.

If I hadn’t tried, I’d never have known about Rena’s condition, and things could’ve gotten worse.

‘Ugh, stupid Jade…’

Rena hesitated at Annie’s sudden proposal.

“But we’re friends. And both girls. Isn’t this a bit…?”

Seeing this, Annie pushed slightly.

“So Mr. Karlson is okay but I’m not? That hurts a little.”

“N-no! Do whatever you want. You’re trying to help me.”

‘Perfect.’

From now on, I’ll steadily solve Rena’s problem. This way, incidents like today won’t happen again.

“I’ll help right now! Let’s try it out.”

“R-right now?”

“Yes!”

Annie burned with strong determination.

“Um… what should I do?”

“J-just wait. I’m making a plan.”

“Okay, take your time.”

After Annie declared she’d touch Rena’s body, they sat still for several minutes.

This was because while Annie boldly claimed she’d relieve Rena’s urges, she had no idea how to actually do it.

Annie was still deep in thought.

Where should I start? I don’t know much about this.

Should I touch her breasts first? Or her lower parts? What if she feels uncomfortable?

…Whatever. It’ll work out somehow.

Annie finally made her first demand.

“T-take off all your clothes!”

“Okay.”

-Swoosh.

Unlike Annie who shouted shyly, Rena began undressing quickly as if accustomed to it.

“…You’re smooth.”

Thinking about it, Annie only had a few masturbation experiences. In contrast, Rena had done sex multiple times – she clearly had more experience and knowledge.

‘This will be okay, right?’

The pressure Annie felt kept growing.