Ch.240August Dungeon, and the Craftsman’s Trial (4)

After roughly taking down the bear, I immediately hoisted it onto my shoulders.

“It’s heavy.”

I didn’t expect the weight to be implemented so realistically. This is augmented reality…!!

“Hehe. But carrying a bear just like that. Shota, you’re amazing.”

Tina said with a smile.

“I’ve become a bit stronger than necessary…”

Following the power inflation, I had gradually reached a state beyond human. Well… with so many dangerous things happening around me, it was necessary, but I felt like I’d lost that fresh innocence from before.

I missed those days when I’d engage in soul-stirring battles with Geruruk, armed with nothing but a steel pipe.

Anyway, we put the bear down in a suitable spot.

“But… how do we butcher this meat?”

Tina asked.

“Well… I guess we just cut it with a knife?”

I said as I picked up a knife.

“If it seems too cruel, look away, Tina.”

I said, turning to her.

“It’s fine.”

Tina said, kissing me on the cheek.

“After we graduate, when you’re pregnant, you’re not allowed to see things like this. It’s bad for prenatal education.”

I blurted out without thinking.

“Oh my… Shota. You’re really thinking about our future together?”

Tina giggled and hugged me.

Ding-!

Our love meter quickly rose to 400.

“This bastard… every single thing he says… is so damn annoying!!”

The narrator, the man with the golden beard, immediately started getting angry. No, this guy really hates me. Seriously.

“Oh, it’s nice to see, what’s the problem?”

Mimishutain said calmly.

Anyway, narration aside, we had to do what we needed to do. Honestly, I was fucking starving. Right now, I could eat even dragon meat.

“First… let’s remove the innards.”

I picked up the knife and was about to cut open the bear’s belly.

As soon as I brought the knife to the bear’s carcass, the bear disappeared with a poof.

Pop-!

And it transformed into cartoon-like meat. Yeah, quite a game-like concession. Usually, the butchering process can’t be depicted realistically.

“No… if you’re going for realistic augmented reality, then stick with it…”

I complained without thinking. What’s the point of making this part game-like?

This awkwardness… is this the unique sensibility of the Neverdreaming Kingdom? I had no choice but to get used to it if I wanted to marry Tina.

———

The two of us carried the bear meat, now transformed into cartoon-like meat, toward the pot.

Pop-!

As soon as we put it in the pot, the food was automatically completed. Reality was quite loose in strange areas. It was clear that the developer who created this simulation had little interest in cooking.

Still, skipping the tedious process was convenient.

Tina and I roughly set up the bear stew on the table.

“Let’s eat.”

“Let’s eat~”

And I immediately brought a spoon to my mouth.

“Woooow!! Delicious!!!”

I was a bit worried since it was bear meat, but honestly, it was comparable to pork or beef.

“Hehehe. Just watching Shota eat makes me feel full.”

Tina said with a chuckle.

“Oh, really? If you’re full, give me yours.”

I immediately tried to snatch Tina’s bowl.

“No, that’s not happening.”

Tina quickly grabbed my wrist.

“Shota. Don’t you understand figurative expressions?”

Tina’s expression stiffened slightly.

Hmm… Tina gets sensitive when she’s hungry. Especially if you joke about food, she gets even more upset. Okay, noted. She’s similar to Umi in that regard.

Anyway, Tina and I had a pleasant meal. We didn’t feed each other… we both just devoured our food as if we were burying our faces in the plates.

“Ahh… I’m stuffed.”

After an excellent meal, my body naturally felt languid.

“Shota. You have something on your mouth.”

Tina, having found her composure after filling her stomach, wiped my mouth.

“The love meter is… about 400.”

We were halfway there.

“Hmm… I thought we were being super lovey-dovey, but it’s not rising much.”

Tina said.

“………”

Honestly, I couldn’t waste time in this simulation. Whether it was a test or a challenge, finishing quickly was the best. That’s what it means to be a Kim-chi gamer.

“I guess we need to choose the most efficient method to raise our love for each other.”

I said, wrapping my arm around Tina’s waist.

Tina caught on to what I was implying.

“Oh my… how naughty.”

Tina giggled and licked my ear with her tongue, nibbling on it gently.

“It’s the most like us, isn’t it?”

I said as I lifted Tina up.

“The love meter is secondary… we were in the middle of a date originally.”

I finally remembered our original purpose.

“Yes……”

Tina hugged me tightly, her face flushed.

“Today, I’ll love only Tina to the fullest.”

I declared firmly.

“I won’t stop even if Tina faints or begs me to.”

“………”

At my words, Tina’s expression rapidly softened.

“…T-that sounds quite exciting…..”

Tina’s eyes quickly gleamed with desire.

“Come here.”

I immediately took Tina to the bed.

What did it matter if the narrator saw us? Tina and I just needed to have our own duel.

And soon, human words ceased to come from our mouths.

———-

“Ahhiiik❤ Haaauuung❤ Ohgogok?!”

“Huuuh…!! Haaah…!!”

“Uwaaaaah!!”

“Haaah….!!”

Bestial moans erupted throughout the cabin. A passionate lovemaking filled with desire continued, where even the sanity to call each other’s names had flown away.

When there were moans, there were sounds of flesh slapping against flesh, and when there weren’t sounds of flesh slapping, there were moans. Or both at the same time.

I lost track of how many hours we mixed our bodies. The sense of time was in disarray due to the pleasure. Moreover, since it was augmented reality to begin with, the sense of time was quite distorted.

I’ve done it in luxury hotels and on beaches, but I’ve never experienced making love in augmented reality. This has its own unique flavor.

However, there was a device to tell the time.

The love meter was rising as if it would break through the ceiling.

Ding-!!

The love meter had long surpassed the maximum of 1000.

Only then did Tina and I come to our senses.

Perhaps because we regained our senses, or because the tension was released, a cute sound came from Tina’s bottom.

Pong❤

Yes, it was the sound of a fart.

“Ah…!”

Tina’s face turned red because of it.

“D-don’t listen! And don’t smell it!”

Tina hurriedly tried to push me away.

However, I surprised her with a kiss.

“Tina and I… ate the same food. So our fart smells are the same. That’s… really nice. It feels like we’re really a married couple.”

I said, scratching my cheek.

Yes, this situation honestly turned me on so much.

“Let’s do it one more time, okay?”

I pinned Tina down.

“Really… you’re hopeless. Shota, you really have unique tastes.”

Tina smiled and hugged me tightly.

Just as we were about to go for one more round, the man’s shout was heard.

“Stop it!! You monkeys!!! You’ve passed the test!!”

Only then did we return to reality.

Well… I can’t argue with being called monkeys. We did act quite barbarically.

Anyway.

That’s how I passed the test of ‘Virtue.’ Yes, this test was just a freebie. Who would have thought the bedroom workshop wouldn’t be blocked… they need to patch that.

——–

“Now all that’s left is the test of ‘Physical Strength.'”

I said with a triumphant smile.

“Yes. The Neverdreaming Kingdom is honestly not a safe country. Ferocious beasts lurk throughout the forests, and we suffer from military provocations from other countries.”

The man said, then immediately took off his suit jacket.

Tremendous muscles were revealed.

These were definitely not muscles built for aesthetic value through bodybuilding. They were muscles that only someone who had been through real battles could obtain. I immediately knew he wasn’t an opponent to be taken lightly.

“In the Neverdreaming Kingdom, even elementary school students know how to handle firearms. There’s even a custom of gifting self-defense pistols and knives when entering elementary school. Moreover, in middle school, they’re trained to drive tanks and armored vehicles.”

The man said, lightly cracking his neck.

“The citizens of the Neverdreaming Kingdom grow up tough. Unlike Japanese people who are steeped in peace.”

The man stated firmly.

“…That’s too tough.”

I objected. I had never heard of a country where middle school students drive tanks.

“If you want to be the princess’s partner… you need to be tough. Whether you’re qualified or not, I’ll judge with these fists.”

Then the man gestured to the suited men around him.

Thwack-!

One of them placed something on the man’s head. Yes, it was a crown.

Well, I had already guessed it. Honestly, they looked too similar. Even that somewhat clumsy aspect was characteristic of Tina’s personality.

But I prepared to act surprised. It would be too anticlimactic if I already knew the reveal after they had gone to such lengths to hide his identity.

“I, Rockhart Burst, the 13th Emperor of the Burst royal family, will test you!!! To see if you’re suitable as my daughter’s partner!!!”

The man shouted loudly, raising his fists.

“Shota, I’m sorry. Actually, this is my father.”

Tina belatedly apologized.

“Wow, I can’t believe it.”

I pretended to be surprised with all my might.

“You Japanese are skilled with swords, I hear. I’ve wanted to face off against a Japanese samurai.”

Rockhart lightly gestured to his subordinates.

Thud-!

One of Rockhart’s subordinates immediately presented me with a bamboo sword for sparring. The fact that they prepared this… means they intended to fight from the beginning.

“I’ve been waiting for this test. After all, there are things you can only understand by crossing swords.”

I smiled as I took the bamboo sword.

“Ha! You understand. I like that about you. Everything else is terrible, but that’s good.”

Rockhart slammed his fists together.

Kwang-!

It sounded almost like rocks colliding.

“Here I come!! Father-in-law!!!”

I immediately charged at Rockhart with my sword.

“Who are you calling father-in-law!!!!”

Rockhart charged at me with veins bulging in his neck.

KWAAAANG-!!!!!!

As the distance between us became zero, my sword and Rockhart’s fist collided.