episode_0130

129.

The biting cold that had begun to pierce them like blades seemed to vanish on the wind, as if carried away. Illogically, the wind felt warm. A gentle breeze, warm enough to feel on their skin, guided them through the dark forest like the hand of a goddess.

Erina and Levi were silent. They had no energy left for conversation. They didn’t show it to each other, but even walking was an effort. If the warm wind hadn’t been invigorating them, they would have suggested resting without hesitation. The dense, untouched greenery of the untamed forest seemed to stretch endlessly before them.

The rough, granite path chipped away at their remaining strength. Even though they’d been climbing mountain paths frequently enough lately to develop some muscle, this was on a different level.

Even Levi, accustomed to arduous adventures, found walking difficult with her current energy.

*Sabak, sabak.*

Only the sound of their boots crunching on leaves echoed in the still air.

A chilling atmosphere hung heavy in the air, but they had no time to look around.

“…”

“…”

After what felt like several minutes, or perhaps tens of minutes, Levi broke the silence. The repetitive landscape had begun to strain their eyes.

“…Be careful. I sense several ominous presences.”

“Presences…They don’t feel like monsters…Maybe animals?”

“Animals…They feel more like animals than humans. I can’t say for sure.”

“Then shall we rest for a little while?”

Even if it was a request from the Goddess herself, they needed at least minimal rest before continuing.

They sat down on a rock, and the damp moss felt unpleasant against their buttocks. The smell of soil and grass was overwhelming, bordering on unpleasant. Their path back was already shrouded in darkness.

They both knew that a few minutes’ rest wouldn’t be enough to relieve their fatigue.

“Shall we leave as soon as the presences disappear?”

“Yeah. But I hope it’s just my imagination…but they seem to be circling us.”

Levi’s sense told her that something was moving in a small circle near their path. Even as a hero, she was still human, only her senses were sharper. It was hard to determine exactly what they were. If it was an animal, they could just chase it off, but if it were an A-race or another species, it would be troublesome.

Whatever it was, animal or otherwise, it clearly had a purpose for lingering nearby.

Waiting here longer didn’t seem like a wise choice. Resting might be beneficial, but time was limited. They didn’t want to spend the night here. Remembering their hardships with Aries, using their remaining energy effectively seemed mentally better.

With that thought, Levi cautiously spoke.

“Erina, something…?!???”

An immense presence suddenly enveloped them. Even Erina, who was usually rather dull except for magic, saw her eyes widen. This wasn’t just an animal or a human-level being. Every instinct screamed a life-threatening warning, and neither could move a finger or toe.

An overwhelming presence, too much to even compare to something like a succubus. It wasn’t malice or killing intent, or perhaps even benevolence— it was a mere presence that threatened their very survival.

Erina and Levi exchanged fearful glances.

“Le, Levi-san. Th, this is…?!”

“I, I don’t know!! I-it’s not a monster—?!”

Levi’s shout was swallowed by a rustling sound. The sound was so abnormal that they were slow to realize it was wings. Only after a clear shadow fell over them from beyond the dense trees did they understand.

“Sh, shall we hide?”

“The leaves hide our view. Not moving might be…no, honestly, my legs won’t move.”

Erina swallowed. She was so tense, she had almost no strength, energy, or even stamina left to move. She wished the shadow would just disappear, but it only deepened.

“Khahahahahaha…!!”

A triumphant laugh echoed, loud enough to hurt their ears.

It was a sound they couldn’t bear without covering their ears. Reflexively, they plugged their ears, and the crushing pressure lessened somewhat. Levi quickly grabbed Erina’s wrist, pulling her behind a tree for cover.

“Finally, finally!! I have returned—!”

This roar shook even their brains, something they couldn’t handle even with their ears covered. Their brains were completely frozen, preventing proper thought. Even for Levi, despite her youth and countless travels, this was beyond imagination.

Every nerve was tense for survival, and it felt like they would collapse at any moment. Dizziness crept up their necks.

Sweat dripped from their foreheads down their chests. Not even a minute had passed.

“Hmm…?”

Even a low murmur sounded loud. In the tension where they didn’t dare look up, the dark shadow cast over the forest suddenly disappeared. The crushing pressure vanished instantly, causing them to collapse, relief washing over them.

“Haa, haa…”

They gasped for breath, drenched in cold sweat.

Levi’s body trembled. Though she’d want to seem calm, she couldn’t.

“B-be careful. I-it’s still…”

Their throats were dry. The oppressive presence was gone, but the feeling of something lingering remained. They didn’t even realize how sticky it felt against their skin. Their breaths mingled.

“What brings you here?”

“……?!”

The voice was familiar. Not just because it was a typical voice for Erina’s age group. She definitely recognized it.

She’d heard it recently, even recognized the accompanying moans.

“Erina. Oh? Did you come to see me?”

“Fr, Prim-san?!”

Prim, the dragon. The source of the ongoing magical interference in this area, currently staying at the Pie Church, where she was under Erina’s tutelage. A giant, futanari dick.

It made sense. No, it almost forced sense. She’d tried to forget it. She had learned firsthand what a dragon truly was.

“Sniff sniff…The scent of Erina’s cock is so strong…♡ Are you going to use my pussy?”

“Pr, Prim-san, what are you doing here?”

And the dwarf she always hung around with wasn’t here. She also didn’t bring Austi.

“My last piece was here. It was hidden by some strange power, so I was late in noticing it, I guess. That’s what happened.”

“Ah…Y, you…”

Levi finally seemed to regain her composure. She looked at Prim, her expression a mix of surprise and relief.

But Prim didn’t look at Levi. Her gaze was fixed on Erina’s groin.

“So, I want you to reward this body. Please? Okay?”

“What about the others? Rollin-san and Austi-san?”

“The dwarf and the elf. Those two are at where my last piece was. I told them I was going for a little walk because I felt good.”

“Where? Deep in this forest?”

Prim moved to cling to the seated Erina but stopped.

“Deep…? That’s a strange way to put it.”

“Strange?”

“You seem to have a serious misconception. This place isn’t that deep.”

Erina tilted her head.

“No? Levi-san and I walked quite a distance… I thought it was deep enough.”

Perhaps her standards as a dragon differed from a human’s. Considering the size of the shadow that had been on them, it was a logical assumption.

“Eh…? No, that can’t be. Look over there. It’s a human village.”

“……?!”

Looking in the direction Prim pointed, a village came slightly into view. They had entered through a side path at the village entrance and then ventured quite deep, or so they thought. It appeared they’d only walked around 300 meters. Levi realized this along with Erina, their pupils dilating. They looked at each other and swallowed dryly.

“It’s not ‘deep’ feeling, right? Ah, but I want my reward…♡”

Prim rubbed her groin through her clothes, but they couldn’t even spare the energy for that.

“I’m sorry. I really, really don’t have the energy. When we get back to the church, I’ll give you a reward. Please just leave us alone for now?”

“Hmph…♡Okay…♡ Ah, but you’re really giving me that cock, right?”

“Yes. Please wait at the church with Austi-san and Rollin-san. We’ll be back before today is over.”

Just imagining the giant cock was enough to make Prim happy. She was proud of how well she’d trained Erina.

Even if she wanted to give her the reward now, it’s beyond their limits. She’d need to think about what kind of reward to give.

“Ah, right. That’s that, but this is this. Are you still wearing the ring I gave you?”

“Yes.”

Prim gestured for her to give it to her. After receiving the ring, she cradled it in her hands and breathed on it.

“And you, redhead.”

She breathed on Levi’s ring as well. It was the blessing of a dragon.

The moment they put on the blessed rings, their vision changed completely. The deep forest they had seen moments before vanished. Now they understand that it was impossible for the shadows under the leaves to have been so dark.

“Wh, what’s going on—?!”

“As expected, our vision was obscured by something. In that case, I’ll go… and wait♡”

“Thank you, Prim-san…Just wait a little, a very little while. …Levi-san, shall we go?”

“Yeah.”

Erina and Levi walked across the now brightly lit field. The dense forest was gone, as if it were a lie. A warm breeze guided their further.