Ch.76Killing a Mosquito… #2

Itchy yet stinging, causing the bitten area to swell into a round bump.

The main culprit that buzzes annoyingly when you lie down to sleep on a hot summer night, truly deserving to be called a devil.

I was suffering from the pain of being bitten on the back of my neck by that damn mosquito.

My skin was already more sensitive than most people’s, making the itching worse, and the heat I felt on my nape was unbearably irritating.

“My Lord? What’s wrong?”

Ellen asked with a concerned expression.

She seemed to think this wasn’t the time for seduction, as I was frowning and had unconsciously made a sound.

“I got bitten by a mosquito. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a forest mosquito, but the bite is ridiculously potent.”

Usually, mosquitoes lurking in the woods are more vicious than those roaming the city.

I had no proper evidence for this, but I had learned it through experience.

And the mosquitoes here were no different.

“What…? A mosquito… sucked your blood, my Lord?”

“Huh? Yes. That’s why it’s driving me crazy with itching…”

I stammered as I felt Ellen’s voice and mood grow cold.

The change from her seductive demeanor to her current state was truly dramatic.

It was enough to make me wonder if she had some mental disorder.

But thinking about it, I realized she really did have a mental issue.

She suffered from a deep and heavy illness called obsession, which was difficult to cure by any means.

“So a mosquito dared to put its mouth on your neck and suck your precious blood. That damned insect dared to do what even I haven’t been permitted to do…”

As if her cold voice wasn’t enough, the surrounding air began to fluctuate.

Nature itself trembled due to the mana Ellen unconsciously began to release in her anger.

Since she had become part of nature, it seemed as if the air and natural world were responding to her fury.

Feeling awkward about this, I grabbed Ellen’s shoulders.

“Ellen? You’re getting too angry over one mosquito. I’m annoyed too, but please calm down a bit.”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

Fortunately, she hadn’t gone so far as to be unable to hear human voices, and she responded, albeit reluctantly.

Though her expression still showed her displeasure, the trembling caused by her mana had subsided. That was a relief.

Thanks to that, I was able to wave to the soldiers rushing over in concern and tell them everything was fine.

If the situation had continued, they would have certainly approached regardless of my words.

As ridiculous as it sounds coming from me, my life and mood weighed more heavily than their lifelines and determined their well-being.

“I never thought you’d be jealous of a mosquito. I didn’t expect that.”

Ellen seemed to blush as she realized how absurd her emotions were, but soon spoke in a small voice.

She was desperately trying to justify herself.

“But… the Duchess would have reacted the same way if she were here. Just as I did, for daring to kiss your neck, my Lord.”

“Uh…”

Her words hit so close to home that I was speechless.

It gave me chills, as if she had somehow spied on my time living with Helena.

Because there really had been times when Helena acted exactly as Ellen described.

“You’re not somehow peeking into my memories, are you?”

“I don’t have such abilities. Mages from the Magic Tower might be capable of that, but I use spirit magic. It’s just that both the Duchess and I are well-aligned when it comes to you…”

“You mean similar personalities understand each other. I see.”

Both Helena and Ellen are women with strong tendencies toward obsession.

In Helena’s case, she was obsessed with freedom from excessive expectations, while Ellen, as someone caught up in that struggle, had to obsess over revenge.

Now her focus had shifted to me… but their similar tendencies likely led to similar thought patterns.

Their personalities and backgrounds were different, but they connected on this level.

Normally, this would be something to rejoice about without reservation, but as one of the parties involved, it was incredibly awkward.

“Anyway, I need to catch that mosquito that dared to suck my Lord’s precious blood.”

Ellen pulled away from me and stood up, then quietly closed her eyes.

Judging by how she perked up her ears, she seemed to be trying to catch the sounds and mana flows around us.

I could also enhance my human senses by focusing my mana, but Ellen’s abilities were clearly far deeper and broader than mine.

There was a huge difference in the amount of mana we could use and how we manifested its results.

Bzzzz~

The damn mosquito, apparently not just one, made its irritating wing sound as it gradually closed the distance.

Meanwhile, Ellen was trying to catch the one that had sucked my blood.

I decided to catch and crush any new mosquitoes trying to suck my blood.

Even when Agnes of the Killinear Duchy slapped my cheek, it wasn’t this infuriating. That’s how much mosquitoes were objects of my anger.

Fucking bastard. I silently cursed as I stretched both hands toward where the mosquito was flying.

I intended to end its life with a single strike, using all the physical abilities and senses I had honed throughout my life.

“Got it.”

Clap! I struck the source of evil as if clapping my hands.

My palms stung slightly from the impact, but a strong sense of satisfaction filled my heart.

Before, I might not have known, but now I could definitely feel that I had caught the mosquito.

To prove it, I held my palm up to the bonfire.

As expected, the filthy mosquito lay dead in a miserable state, thoroughly squashed.

Both its wings and body were torn apart by the pressure of my palm.

Looking at its large size, I thought, “Forest mosquitoes really are forest mosquitoes.”

“Ugh.”

When you catch a mosquito with your hand, you need to wipe it with tissue and then wash it with water.

While I was satisfied with catching it, the dirty hand was too unpleasant to leave as it was.

As I hesitated about approaching the soldiers to borrow some water,

I felt a cool and sharp breeze pass before my eyes.

It made me stop in my tracks and momentarily forget to breathe.

“I definitely tore it apart.”

Ellen, the culprit behind that breeze, approached me with a smile on her face and her eyes open.

She looked like a puppy seeking praise, clearly hoping for some reward.

“You know that?”

“Yes. I worked hard to catch the unique feeling from your blood. Besides, mosquitoes that have sucked blood naturally move more slowly, so it was easier to narrow down the range.”

It’s creepy but impressive.

I nodded and naturally looked at Ellen as she sat down beside me.

Regardless of her reasons, she had done well by catching the mosquito.

“By the way, could you use some water magic for a moment? My hand got dirty from catching the mosquito…”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I’ll take care of it right away.”

“You don’t need to apologize so much…”

I awkwardly smiled as I dipped my hand into the transparent orb Ellen hurriedly prepared.

Her deeply apologetic bow felt heavy, but my gratitude was separate from that.

At least I was satisfied that I could clean my hands properly.

◎◎◎

The hunting was easy.

Skinning the hide, butchering the meat, and separating the easily spoiled entrails wasn’t difficult either.

Even dodging the wild boar’s angry charge and landing a punch to its face wasn’t hard.

What was truly difficult were the mosquitoes that attacked at every opportunity.

There are mosquitoes at the mansion too, but as I mentioned earlier, they differ greatly in density from those in the forest.

“Come to think of it, don’t elves get bitten by mosquitoes?”

“No. Perhaps because elves are closer to nature, insects recognize us not as meat with blood but as something like trees. I’ve traveled to many places but have never been bitten by a mosquito. Except when controlled by magic…”

On the way back after two weeks of hunting, I heard this enviable news.

Ellen, sitting next to me in the wagon, told me she had never been bitten by mosquitoes.

Some say mosquitoes don’t bite people who eat garlic frequently.

Or that they recognize and avoid the blood of people with “toxic” blood.

I felt as if these unverified stories had suddenly become reality.

Even now, I was suffering from red bumps hidden under my clothes, while the woman smiling next to me was completely fine.

I momentarily felt jealous of this disparity, but soon became grateful that she was behaving calmly.

Just yesterday, she had reacted more violently than I did to my mosquito bites, nearly causing a disaster that would have swept away the entire nearby forest.

—Are you uncomfortable…? Should I create a wall of wind to keep mosquitoes away?

Ellen had suggested that rough winds were more effective and easier to handle than water.

Certainly, strong winds would sweep away mosquitoes without resistance.

The problem was that it would devastate the surroundings.

In the end, Ellen’s effective but somewhat unhinged suggestion wasn’t implemented.

If word got out that I created a typhoon wall because of mosquitoes, I might be labeled insane.

“Haah—. We need some fundamental solution.”

“A fundamental solution…? Then perhaps raising both a tsunami and a typhoon to sweep them all away…”

“Stop. That would turn the territory into a wasteland. I appreciate the thought, but I’ll pass.”

Creating a tsunami and typhoon just to catch some mosquitoes? That’s absurd.

I shook my head and lightly patted Ellen’s shoulder with my empty hand.

Grateful for her concern, but pleading for her to calm down.

“…Yes. But please tell me if there’s anything I can do for you.”

“Thank you.”

After quickly checking that no one was looking our way, I gently patted Ellen’s bottom.

In response, Ellen not only blushed but also let out a light moan.

“Aahn?! My Lord…”

Like a wealthy man embracing a tavern girl, Ellen made a nasal sound and gave me a look.

It wasn’t concern about onlookers’ gazes, but rather a look suggesting this wasn’t enough.

However, I couldn’t engage in more intense petting.

Though I shouldn’t be the one to say it, having already crossed lines, that was something to do back at the mansion. As always, when the three of us gather.

“Sorry. I touched you unconsciously, but let’s continue this when we get back to the mansion.”

“That’s so cruel…! To make me burn with desire and then ask me to wait…”

“In exchange, I’ll embrace you before Helena. Just be patient a little longer, okay?”

“Really?! You absolutely must not forget that promise!”

Yes, yes. I nodded and gently stroked Ellen’s cheek as she jumped with joy.

I often caressed her hair or cheeks to show affection.

And since she seemed to greatly enjoy my touch, it was worth reaching out.

“But the Duchess must be waiting too… is it really okay?”

“Probably.”

After a brief moment of joy, Ellen spoke in a subdued voice, showing concern.

She understood well that Helena, waiting at the mansion, would be just as aroused.

In fact, not having seen me face-to-face, she might be suffering from an even greater thirst.

However, being in a position where you can only watch the meat dangling before your eyes without tasting it isn’t comfortable either.

Rather, that precarious situation could be even more torturous.

Taking something away after giving it is truly a form of torture.

Anyway, one thing was clear: we would all be insatiable as soon as we got back.

Which meant that dealing with the mosquito issue would have to wait until after that.