Ch.356Side Story. Outdoors

I sent the children and Erika ahead, but after a while, I also headed to the academy through the portal.

The reason was to buy the snacks I had mentioned to those two earlier.

Aria and Elenoa would come looking for me as soon as their lectures ended, so I needed to get them ready.

[Wow, it feels nice coming here after so long?]

Leaving the academy for downtown.

I had been here once before, but the Dark Spiritmaster seemed to have a special feeling about it since it had been a very long time since she’d visited.

“Don’t materialize and show yourself to people around us.”

I cautioned her just in case, and the Dark Spiritmaster pouted as she replied.

[You’re talking like I frequently materialize. I don’t usually do that, you know.]

“You’ve been materializing every day recently.”

[Oh come on, that’s different from this!]

Well, even if she says that, the Dark Spiritmaster often acts thoughtlessly, so I need to be careful.

Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster have experience fighting with their faces openly revealed.

I brought the Dark Spiritmaster along because she’s a spirit that others can’t see, but if she reveals herself, it’ll just cause unnecessary trouble.

Though the Dark Spiritmaster only showed herself to the leaders, so there might not be any major issues.

Still, having essentially retired after finishing everything, I didn’t want to end up in an irreversible situation due to a moment of carelessness.

‘Was it Coltman from the Kingdom of Zerman?’

I’d heard from Erika that the desert Black Mage who had been overwhelmed by the Dark Spiritmaster was looking for her soul.

Even if I died, the Dark Spiritmaster’s soul would remain.

He’s not a spiritmaster, so he probably doesn’t intend to control her soul—I suspect he wants to learn something or seek advice.

Well, we probably won’t meet him anyway.

[Come to think of it. If I become a mental body, I could eat things like that without any problem, right?]

The Dark Spiritmaster asked, pointing at the cakes displayed in the dessert shop I was heading to.

“I suppose so.”

Stella also ate apples and the food I prepared for her.

I guess it must feel like gradually adding color to a previously monochrome life that was inevitably dull due to being a soul.

I’m not sure how long the mental body will last, but Stella has become more energetic since becoming one.

The world seems quite different from what she experienced as a soul.

[Wow, so I could eat things like this too? I’m looking forward to it.]

“Um… yes.”

When I averted my gaze while answering, the Dark Spiritmaster tilted her head and looked at me, sensing something was off.

With her unusually sharp intuition at times like this, she startled and wrapped her arms around herself.

Though her large chest couldn’t be properly covered and poked out anyway.

[I-I wasn’t asking you to do the same thing you did with Stella! Don’t misunderstand!]

“I wasn’t thinking that far. With everything that’s happened recently, I was just wondering if you were hinting at something.”

[That’s right! Be careful! Don’t touch Stella carelessly! I’m watching you!]

“……”

I’m not sure why I’m suddenly being cautioned. I was going to let it go, but feeling like I’d been forcibly labeled a troublemaker, I added a comment.

“You were the first one who did it.”

[That’s…]

The Dark Spiritmaster twirled her fingers trying to say something, but no proper answer came out.

“You were also the one who most actively encouraged it in our home.”

[There’s Findenai!]

She shrieked, but the flow of conversation had already shifted to my side.

“We didn’t actually do it. You know Findenai’s personality—she gets weak when things get serious.”

[Weakling-ai…]

That’s a nickname that would make Findenai quite angry if she heard it, but anyway.

“What I’m saying is, you were the first one to climb onto the stove.”

[W-well, but. That time I just happened to go with the flow.]

“You came to me deliberately when the others were trying to make things difficult for me.”

[What on earth did my past self…]

The Dark Spiritmaster trembled as she looked down at her hands. Her reactions, like something out of a comic, were amusing.

“Just so you know.”

I wanted to make things clear so she wouldn’t get any strange ideas.

“If you don’t want it, I have no intention of doing anything either.”

Isn’t that obvious?

They aren’t tools to satisfy my sexual desires or guinea pigs for mental body research.

I admit I was a bit aggressive with Stella even though I asked for consent, but there’s no need for that now.

Besides, things turned out well with Stella.

“If you don’t want it, neither do I. It’s something we do together, after all.”

[……]

“Even if you decide to leave, I won’t stop you.”

I’ve told them this before.

They’re with me now, but emotions can’t last forever. There might come a time when they get tired of me as a person and want to leave.

I was fully prepared to let them go, but.

“That doesn’t mean I want to make you want to leave.”

Of course, I intend to make efforts to avoid hearing such words.

At my words filled with determination, the Dark Spiritmaster fidgeted with her hands. Was there something about my answer she didn’t like?

As I waited with a questioning look, she apologized awkwardly.

[I-I was just joking. Don’t take it so seriously.]

“Was that it?”

[Of course. Even though Stella’s moans were a bit scary, I also e-enjoyed the time I spent with you.]

Her embarrassed appearance was nice to see, but I felt a bit confused.

Being someone who’s not good with jokes, I had responded seriously.

‘This is difficult.’

Treating someone preciously turns out to be more complicated than I thought. Perhaps it’s because my mindset is different from before.

[A-and… it’s probably okay to be a little forceful.]

“…What exactly do you want me to do?”

[Ah, I don’t know! It’s just a feeling, you know! How can someone with such good intuition not understand this?!]

“Honestly, saving the continent was easier. At least that had some visible methods.”

Like the saying goes, you may know someone’s face but not their heart. I really couldn’t tell what the Dark Spiritmaster wanted from me.

Earlier she said she didn’t want me to be forceful, but now she says a little bit is fine.

I suddenly empathized with those internet stories about having difficulties with girlfriends.

[Is it difficult? Hmm…]

The Dark Spiritmaster crossed her arms and tilted her head.

It’s quite strange that we ended up discussing our relationship in the middle of the street when I came out to buy snacks for the kids.

To onlookers, I probably look like I’m staring blankly at the sky or muttering to myself.

In fact, passersby were occasionally glancing at me.

‘Does she mean it’s okay to be a little forceful when the mood is right?’

Like kissing or hugging?

I was starting to understand and was about to suggest we move on, but the Dark Spiritmaster clenched her fist and stepped toward me.

[Look, this much is possible.]

Was she trying to give me an example?

As I stood there watching her.

She placed one hand on my lower body and grabbed my wrist with the other, forcibly placing it on her chest.

“……”

I was surprised by her unexpectedly aggressive action, but I didn’t show it on my face.

It was the expressionless mask I’d maintained since my days as Deus to hide my emotions.

[This kind of sudden touching and groping is perfectly acceptable!]

“……”

Looking at her speaking with such confidence, I wondered if I had been too timid.

But no matter how I thought about it, the Dark Spiritmaster’s concept seemed a bit off.

‘Then what exactly does she consider truly forceful?’

If groping breasts and touching genitals is “moderately” forceful, I was curious about what level would be considered severe.

“I think.”

I pushed away her hands and turned my body.

“You probably won’t find anything I do too difficult or unpleasant.”

[Huh? What does that mean?]

I didn’t bother to answer.

Perhaps a woman who had only researched Black Magic might have somewhat distorted notions about sexuality.

‘This is going to be challenging.’

I was already worried about what I would need to do to meet her expectations in the future.

[What? Why are you sighing like that?]

Seeing her ask such a question without realizing she was the cause made me feel a bit annoyed.

Believing that sexual aspects of a romantic relationship should be clearly understood, I decided to ask directly.

“Then what do you consider aggressive behavior?”

[Y-you’re asking that?!]

Did I embarrass her?

But I wanted to know.

I thought I was being sufficient, but there could be situations where the Dark Spiritmaster might not be satisfied.

Well, this would require a mental body first.

[Umm…]

After making a strange moan, the Dark Spiritmaster glanced around. Even though no one could see her anyway, she whispered cautiously.

[Like e-exposure or something. Or doing it outdoors.]

Her unexpected answer broke my composure this time.

“Is that something you’re interested in because you’ve only done research indoors?”

[That has nothing to do with it!]

Come to think of it, the first time we engaged in sexual activity was in the forest.

That must have left quite an impression on her.

[No, like, you know! Forcibly doing things outside, stripping! That’s what I don’t like!]

Watching her twist her body and act embarrassed was intriguing.

This wasn’t about not wanting to do it…

Let me try to read between the lines.

I carefully wrapped mana around my hand.

Connected like a thread, it wriggled like a snake toward the Dark Spiritmaster, and soon.

It wrapped around her neck.

[Ah…]

A seductive exclamation burst out.

I was a bit taken aback by her obvious excitement, visible even through the black cloth.

‘Did she develop unusual tastes because her first experience was outdoors?’

Strictly speaking, we didn’t go all the way and only used hands, but that didn’t seem to matter much.

[Y-you shouldn’t do this.]

She says that, but her breathing is hot.

The faint warmth in her breath suggested she was becoming a mental body.

[I’m warning you. Don’t undress me like last time, okay?]

I have no intention of doing so.

But why does it seem like she’s asking me to?

‘I don’t have that kind of preference.’

Though I was somewhat aggressive with Stella, I had no intention of doing anything in front of other people.

Even if she’s invisible as a soul, I have my own sense of dignity.

But the Dark Spiritmaster, already aroused, was twisting her body and subtly urging me on.

She says not to do it with her words, but she wants it.

I thought it was a difficult concept to understand, but the Dark Spiritmaster was explaining it clearly.

She truly was a teacher.

“Come here.”

[Ah!]

She deliberately followed slowly so that the leash around her neck would tighten, but I pretended not to notice.

I suppose accommodating a lover’s sexual preferences is part of the relationship.

Entering an alley, I slowly reached out to her.

The Dark Spiritmaster stared at my hand intensely, as if waiting.

I gave her plenty of opportunity to stop me.

The moment my hand touched her, her clothes disappeared, and she became the naked Dark Spiritmaster once again.

[Aaaah! I told you not to do that!]

‘Has she become a mental body?’

Her breathing is rapid.

I can clearly feel her warmth and smell the sweat she’s releasing from tension.

“This is a bit dangerous.”

Since she’s become a mental body, there’s a risk that people around us might see her.

While accommodating her sexual fantasy is important, I didn’t want others to see the Dark Spiritmaster’s naked body, so I urgently tried to clothe her again when.

“Shinwoo Kim?”

Deia’s voice came from behind me.