Ch.800Power Beyond Control?

【 ……. 】

Heung… Hersella, who had been shot down in one blow, seemed to find it extremely humiliating that she had let out such a moan, and she clamped her mouth shut like a clam.

Thanks to that, I was finally freed from her long-winded lecture about the 108 virtues a celestial demon should possess—something I had neither interest in nor curiosity about. Isn’t this comparable to the tale of a saint who dispels all manner of evil spirits with a single prayer?

When the holy maiden closed her eyes and spoke a single word, the demons of the sky who had been causing a commotion hid themselves in shame with screams. What miracle could be more sublime than this! Holy, holy indeed!

…Something like that.

Actually, it’s not wrong. I am a holy maiden, and she is a celestial demon.

If her hair had been pink too, she would have been a more perfect celestial demon… but if that were the case, she would have dyed it gold or black.

Pink hair with this face? It would look terribly mismatched.

Pink hair only suits stupid characters, oblivious exhibitionists who walk around half-naked, or cute little sister characters.

And I am, of course, none of those.

—-

Since both Demian and I had recovered some strength thanks to a good rest, we took to the sky right after breakfast and began our descent from the mountain.

While flying, we turned some werebeast scouts we happened to spot into werebeast meat.

“Aren’t you going to eat? It might look a bit off, but it tastes exactly like beef.”

“Um… I… I’m fine. I’m not really hungry. I’ll let you have it, Haschal.”

While I was quite satisfied with the fresh meat I was eating after so long, Demian didn’t seem interested at all.

Maybe I should have sprinkled some spices on it?

—-

Unlike when we were searching for the holy sword through the mountain range, coming down was practically instantaneous.

We didn’t need to look around carefully for familiar landscapes from our memories; we just had to fly straight south.

Because of this, we were able to reach a small village at the foot of the mountains in just half a day.

At first, I planned to fly straight to Faelrun Castle, but somehow I felt an instinctive sense of danger that we shouldn’t do that.

It seemed better for our well-being not to return too hastily, but to rest properly for a night, wash ourselves, do laundry, and then return.

So…

– Creeeeak.

The old wooden door let out a squeaking scream.

“Huh? What’s this, outsiders?”

“What kind of people cover their faces like that…?”

The northerners who had been drinking looked up at the sudden noise, then quickly averted their gaze after noticing the longsword at my waist and the pile of werebeast hides Demian was carrying.

“…Those are werebeast hides, right? And purebloods at that…”

“Could they be the werebeast hunters from Faelrun…?”

They’re whispering, but I can hear everything.

“Why would the castle’s hunters be in a place like this…?”

The northerners whispered with voices full of wariness. It seemed they had mistaken us for knights from Faelrun Castle.

There was no need to reveal our faces and correct their misunderstanding. It was a misconception that didn’t harm me. At least, it would keep us from getting involved in any troublesome situations.

“Two single rooms for one night. Plus a bath and laundry. How much for all that?”

So, ignoring the northerners who kept glancing at us, I walked to the counter and spoke to the innkeeper who was wiping an empty glass with a cloth.

I doubted a small inn like this would have a proper bathroom… but they should at least be able to prepare a bathtub.

“A bath and laundry, you say…?”

The innkeeper continued to polish the glass he was holding with a troubled expression, letting his words trail off.

Though he didn’t say it outright, not wanting to offend me, his face clearly said: in this weather, in this backwater inn, how could we possibly provide such luxuries?

“I’m not asking for a bathroom. But you must have a bathtub at least?”

“Ah… yes, I’ll prepare it right away. However…”

“However?”

The innkeeper’s shoulders hunched pitifully. I wasn’t sure why.

“It’s… quite labor-intensive, so I’d have to charge 50 silver…”

It was an absurdly high price for a night’s stay and a bath.

Well, I could understand to some extent—they’d have to work hard to burn firewood, boil water, and then carry that water to fill a bathtub in a second-floor room.

“No need to heat the water. I’ll take care of that myself.”

I snapped my fingers, creating a flame of runes to show the innkeeper.

“A mage…!”

The innkeeper’s face grew even paler. This must be his first time encountering a mage.

Well, one might occasionally run into knights by chance, but mages are such a rare profession that many people go their entire lives without seeing one.

“An inn without even a bathroom probably can’t handle laundry either. We’ll take care of that ourselves too. That should be fine, right?”

“Yes, yes! In that case, 10 silver will be enough!”

Smirking at the innkeeper’s suddenly more respectful demeanor, I reached into my pocket to take out a 10-silver coin—

Ah, I just realized I hadn’t brought my money pouch at all, since I never expected we’d need to spend money.

Neither Demian nor I had even 1 silver on us, let alone 10. We were completely broke.

In that case…

“I’ll pay with this.”

I took a piece of hide from the pile Demian was carrying and placed it on the counter.

“Gasp…!”

“This is cleanly cut werebeast warrior hide. Should be more than enough, right?”

I felt like one of those troublesome convenience store customers demanding to trade a pigeon for a bottle of soju…

But unlike a useless pigeon, a pureblood werebeast hide would fetch at least a dozen gold coins, so there was no reason for him to complain. Right?

“Sir Knight, I’m sorry but we don’t have enough money to give you change for the hide…”

An inn without even gold coins? What a backwater place.

“I don’t particularly need change… Oh, do you sell Mana Herb here by any chance?”

“Ah, yes. A little…”

“Perfect, give me all of it. Keep whatever’s left after selling the hide.”

What would I do with a few gold coins anyway?

“Yes! Thank you, Sir Knight! I’ll show you to your rooms right away!”

While it might be pocket change to me, it was a huge windfall for the innkeeper, who guided Demian and me to our rooms with an excessively friendly attitude and a broad smile.

Once again proving the timeless truth that fists, swords, and money are what make people friendly.

—-

After unpacking in the worn-out single room, I visited Demian’s room to heat the bathwater the innkeeper had brought and gave him some sincere advice.

“Wash it thoroughly. If there’s even the slightest smell left, you’re dead.”

Wash your clothes well if you don’t want to die.

“Threatening to kill me because my clothes smell a bit is kind of…”

“What are you talking about? When did I ever say I’d beat you to death?”

“You didn’t?”

What does this guy think of me? Does he think I’m some thug who would beat a friend to death over body odor?

“You really don’t get it… We’ve been camping together for days, and if your clothes reek of my sweat, do you think Millia would let you live? Right?”

“Ah…”

Demian nodded unconsciously.

If my guess was correct and he had awakened to emotions thanks to the holy sword, he would understand how dark and deep Millia’s love was.

That’s why just imagining Millia’s reaction was enough to make his face turn pale.

“But… if Millia is the problem, couldn’t we just return to the mansion and ask the maids to do the laundry?”

“Lena is at the mansion. She’s still young and doesn’t notice these things, so she might say something without thinking later.”

If Lena were to blurt out something like “Demian oppa smelled just like Haschal unni!” when reuniting with Millia, even I couldn’t handle the aftermath.

“So wash it thoroughly. Clean enough that even werebeasts couldn’t smell it with their noses.”

With those final words, I got up and grabbed the doorknob, greasy from countless hands, to return to my room.

“…Lena doesn’t notice things?”

Ignoring Demian’s muttering behind me.

Yes, even Lena probably seems perceptive to you. To someone with 0 points, even 40 points must seem impressive.

—-

The innkeeper had only given me three packs of tobacco in total. He said there was no reason to stock such luxury items?

Well, it’s better than nothing.

I put my hand in the bathtub in my room and heated the water until it boiled and steamed, then got in and smoked while humming a tune.

“Haaah…”

After camping for days, relying on campfires and unable to wash properly, soaking in boiling water made my whole body feel like it was melting away.

After finishing my bath and laundry, I spread my coat on the fur bed—which looked far from hygienic—and lay down on it to sleep.

There was no need to stay awake for potential intruders.

Unless the villagers had livers that had jumped out of their bodies, they wouldn’t dare sneak in to target a sleeping woman whom they mistook for a knight and mage from Faelrun.

Besides, although it was a rural area, this village was still within the territory of the Duchy of Faelrun, so if anyone committed such a crime against travelers, they would be annihilated by the knights of the ducal family.

So I fell asleep without any worries.

– Swish.

“Hnngh…!”

…Until I woke up with a start, involuntarily letting out a moan as something blunt grabbed my chest and stimulated my groin.

“Which bastard dares…!”

I raised my upper body with a murderous expression and swung my fist toward where the intruder’s head should be.

To crush the skull of the trash who dared to touch a sleeping person.

However,

– Whoosh!

My fist only cut through empty air.

Why?

“…What is this?”

Because there never was an intruder who had sneaked in through the door.

Then what had grabbed my chest and rubbed my groin?

If it wasn’t a human hand, then what was it…?

What else could it be? In this place where there was no one but me, only one thing could have done this.

“Haaah…”

I looked down with contempt at the power of Karma of Murder that was wrapped around my body like tentacles, letting out a deep sigh at the overwhelming absurdity and disbelief.

‘What are you doing now? Trying to prove your nickname as “Heung Celestial Demon” once more?’

[ No, this… this is not what it seems! It’s a misunderstanding! ]

Hersella, too startled by my awakening to remember to withdraw her karmic tentacles, stammered out desperate excuses like a middle school boy caught masturbating.

‘If it’s not what it seems, then what is it?’

A misunderstanding. I’d really like to know what exactly is being misunderstood here.

If this wasn’t a situation where a woman who had gotten a taste of aphrodisiacs wanted to feel that sensation again and had taken out her tentacles to secretly pleasure herself while I was asleep, then what situation was this?

[ Well… that’s it! The power of Karma of Murder escaped my control because I was sleeping too deeply! ]

‘……’

Feeling the onset of a headache, I silently closed my eyes while pressing my temples.

I feel like my mouth is about to escape my control too, woman. Is that what you call an excuse?