Ch.376Side Story: The Findenai Occupation Period

“Ugh, why is it so noisy?”

Findenai came out scratching her messy hair, apparently still having been asleep. Having drunk so much alcohol yesterday that she only woke up around lunchtime, she stared at us with a deeply furrowed brow.

[I’m feeling depressed right now! Don’t pick fights with me for no reason!]

[Would you like me to counsel you, senior?]

[No!]

Seeing her throw a tantrum while nestled in Stella’s arms despite her outburst, I thought their senior-junior relationship seemed reversed.

Well, I’ll leave the Dark Spiritmaster to Stella for now.

“Ah, I’m hungry.”

Findenai, who had only roughly washed her face before coming out, started rummaging through the kitchen saying she was hungry.

She seemed to think today would be another ordinary day, but unfortunately, I had something to tell her.

“Findenai, listen while you eat.”

Findenai, who was chewing on stale bread with a disgusted expression, glanced at me.

Sensing something serious in my expression, she asked what was wrong while holding bread in her mouth, listening attentively.

“You drank more than half of the alcohol we bought yesterday by yourself.”

“You’re not going to lecture me about that, are you? You have plenty of money.”

“It’s not about the money.”

I could buy her as much as she wanted if she asked, but the problem was that she had chosen alcohol as an alternative because she was trying not to smoke tobacco at my suggestion.

“Be honest. How many cigarettes have you been smoking per day recently?”

Since I hadn’t been managing the supplies, I couldn’t confirm it, but it was clear that Findenai’s tobacco consumption had increased.

She seemed to realize this too, as she hesitated to answer, but Stella spoke up from behind.

[The tobacco we bought from Iceburn is already almost gone. It should have lasted about two weeks normally.]

“Sigh.”

So Findenai’s tobacco usage had increased dramatically.

Since I told her not to smoke, she must have substituted it with alcohol.

‘She used to be able to quit temporarily without much trouble.’

But not anymore.

If I had to point out the difference between then and now.

“It’s too peaceful.”

She flinched and gave a bitter smile.

“For someone like you who has lived a life of constant struggle, your current life is too peaceful. So naturally, you reach for things like tobacco.”

Because she has nothing to do.

At most, tending the vegetable garden is nothing to the current Findenai.

With time to kill, her hand naturally reached for tobacco, and when that was forbidden, it was only natural that she turned to alcohol as a similar substitute.

To resist something, you need to forget about it. But Findenai had too much time on her hands, so she couldn’t help but think about it constantly.

“But master, don’t worry too much. My body is exceptionally tough, you know.”

Findenai forced a smile and pointed to herself with her thumb.

True, Findenai’s body housed a mountain spirit, so it shouldn’t be judged by normal human standards.

“You know that’s not what I’m worried about.”

I was concerned about Findenai’s mind, not her body.

Like alcoholics or tobacco addicts.

Smoking occasionally or drinking once or twice isn’t a problem.

But now the frequency was too high.

“I don’t want to see you ruined by dependence on alcohol or tobacco.”

I gently stroked her hand resting on the table. My sincerity seemed to reach her as she lowered her head, recognizing the seriousness of the situation.

But a solution wasn’t immediately apparent.

“But I can’t go back to a life of nothing but struggle, can I? Isn’t a life dependent on tobacco or alcohol better than one steeped in bloodshed?”

“If I had to choose, I suppose so. Though neither is particularly good.”

It seemed like this would be a long discussion, so I needed to clear my head with some coffee.

“Should I brew it for you?”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“Sometimes I really want to split your head open.”

Findenai clenched her fist with a chilling smile as I started brewing coffee.

Then I heard strange sounds coming from the living room.

[So then, his fingers came inside and started moving around.]

[Eek!]

[It hurt so much at first, you know? But senior, as time passed…]

I wonder what they’re talking about.

Stella was carefully explaining what happened yesterday, and the Dark Spiritmaster was listening attentively while hugging Popsil on the sofa.

I thought about stopping them but pretended not to hear and brought the coffee to Findenai.

“It’s not that different from mine?”

Findenai muttered incredulously as she sipped her coffee. Anyway, I continued our conversation that had paused earlier.

I had thought of something while brewing the coffee.

“In my world, you know, people would immerse themselves in other activities to quit such habits.”

Exercise, snacking, hobbies.

There were many options available.

“Why don’t you try getting a hobby?”

Although she worked in the vegetable garden, that wasn’t something she did because she wanted to, but rather something she did for me because of my physical limitations.

Now that I’ve become a spirit body, I’ll be able to do it myself, which means Findenai will have even less to do.

“A hobby? Ha, a hobby.”

Since she seemed unsure, I explained further.

“You choose something you like or find fun as your hobby.”

“In that case, I think my hobby was splitting people’s heads open? I was pretty good at it too.”

“…”

I just stared at Findenai without saying anything, and she must have felt uncomfortable under my gaze because she waved her hand and answered.

“Ah, as if I had something like that. Fighting as part of the resistance, then becoming your maid and swinging an axe around trying to save the continent—when would I have had time for hobbies?”

“That’s true.”

“Exercise? Sports? Where would I find opponents? And even if I found them, would they be any match for me?”

“…”

I tried to imagine Findenai playing soccer or basketball, but I could easily picture her crushing her opponents like a tank.

“Should I read books? Me? Are you serious?”

Findenai reading books? It doesn’t suit her at all and I can’t even imagine it.

I heard she read a novel before, but it was an adult novel.

“I’m already growing plants and it’s boring as hell. Even if I went hunting, if I were serious, I could finish in three minutes even if the animal was on the other side of the mountain.”

Hunting?

“What about imposing restrictions on hunting?”

“Restrictions?”

“Like Deia, using only magic guns to hunt animals. That way, it would take you more time.”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Since she had been in the Republic of Clark, she should be able to shoot a gun. Findenai seemed to think it wasn’t a bad idea and started considering it.

Since we’re in the Republic of Clark, getting a gun should be easy. It would be more focused than charging in with an axe, requiring her to calculate range, conceal her presence, and hunt carefully.

“Why go through all that trouble when I could catch them quickly with an axe?”

“If you set your own rules like that, you might find it fulfilling?”

“You think so?”

Anyway, Findenai is too strong right now. She’s so strong that whatever she does ends too easily.

She needed to engage in active pursuits while imposing limitations on herself.

Findenai rested her chin on her hand and seriously considered my words, bringing a moment of silence.

[So something this big went inside!]

In the living room, Stella was still in the middle of her story, using both hands to demonstrate the size of my thing.

[Waaah!]

The Dark Spiritmaster shook her head in amazement. Pleased with the reaction, Stella continued her explanation.

[It moved around like this, then thumped up and down, then moved like it was scratching, you know?]

[Eeeek!]

[But eventually, no matter what, it filled me up inside and at first it hurt sooooo much! But who am I? I’m the Saintess who endured torture from demons.]

[Ooooh!]

[That much was no problem. But I must have looked okay because he immediately started moving his hips and…!]

Stella was explaining with exaggerated hand gestures like it was some heroic tale, while the Dark Spiritmaster and Popsil listened with interest.

Popsil didn’t understand the content but seemed to find Stella’s exaggerated gestures entertaining.

As a Saintess, she must have been skilled at telling children stories about the old days or gods.

But seeing her use that talent to share her first experience story gave me mixed feelings.

‘Should I go stop her?’

Just as I was about to move and tell her to stop, Findenai’s hand grabbed my wrist.

She had been listening to Stella’s story at some point, her gaze fixed in that direction.

“That’s it.”

She slowly turned her head and looked at me with an expression of realization.

“If there’s something I can focus on, that can replace alcohol and tobacco…”

I had an ominous feeling, which inevitably became reality.

“Why not have sex?”

“Are you crazy?”

I cursed at her without thinking, but Findenai was completely serious.

“Why? We’re practically married, not strangers. We did it the other day too.”

“No, that’s not it… you’re saying that whenever you want to smoke or drink, you’ll have sex with me instead.”

“What’s the problem with that?”

“Sigh, I’d be getting dragged into it. Every time you feel like it, I’d have to go along.”

“Oh my.”

At my words, Findenai crossed her arms and smiled. For some reason, today’s Findenai seemed incredibly strong.

“Why am I quitting tobacco? Because you told me to.”

“…”

“Why don’t I drink? Because you told me not to.”

“I did it for your sake.”

“Ah, so I’m saying I’ll quit. I want to quit, so help me a little.”

I wanted to argue but had no counterargument. Everything she said was right.

Since I made her quit tobacco and alcohol, I had a responsibility to help her with it.

Could she see that I realized this?

She approached me with a grin.

“Ah, I’m craving a cigarette?”

“…”

“But I can’t smoke.”

Suddenly standing in front of me, Findenai grabbed my lower body with her hand and whispered with a smile.

“Take off your pants, you bastard.”

This was.

The beginning of Findenai’s three-day reign of dominance.