episode_0007

The continent of Peria, compared to other continents, had well-maintained roads between its nations and regions. This was necessary to ensure the smooth movement of supplies and manpower for the war against the Demon King’s army. Thanks to this, the people of the continent enjoyed active trade.

Of course, there were instances where the Demon King’s forces took advantage of this, setting up blockades along key routes to plunder supplies. But for commoners who struggled to survive day by day, starving to death or being beaten to death made little difference—so they didn’t pay much attention.

Merchants and nobles, on the other hand, simply hired skilled adventurers for protection and carried on as usual. Unless one was a criminal or a runaway slave, most people used the roads without issue.

Which meant that the only person walking through the forest instead of the road—who was neither a criminal nor a slave—was probably herself. As she wandered the quiet woods for hours, Arina found herself lost in all sorts of random thoughts.

Technically, she was a deserter from the Hero’s party, a fugitive being hunted down—but since she wasn’t aware of it, she was an exception.

There were no traces of anyone else around her. Normally, forests were dangerous places where visibility was poor, and one could be attacked not just by monsters but also by bandits or wild beasts. But if one had even the slightest ability to sense magic, nothing would dare attack her.

So Arina didn’t even consider the possibility of running into someone.

At least, not until she heard that voice—a voice so familiar it sent chills down her spine, especially when she least expected it.

“Aaaah~~~~”

The voice echoed through the forest, making Arina’s body tremble. The face of the most incomprehensible, infuriating person she knew flashed in her mind—someone who, despite all logic, always managed to find her as if she had some kind of supernatural ability.

The sound bounced between the trees, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location. Arina quickly scanned her surroundings—front, left, right, back—but saw no sign of the other person.

Then, the owner of the voice appeared from a place outside Arina’s line of sight.

From below.

A girl suddenly leaped out and hugged Arina from behind.

“Rina-chan! Your outfit’s different from usual. Hiding your hair too? Did you get dumped? Who was it?! Who dared steal your heart while I wasn’t looking?!”

The girl, with her long limbs and bright, cheerful demeanor, fired off greetings and rapid-fire questions as if unloading everything she’d been saving up. She rambled on with her own delusions before pouting as if they were the absolute truth.

Then, without hesitation, her long, slender fingers dug into Arina’s chest and started groping.

Arina’s face twisted in disgust.

“First, get your hands off me. Even if we’re the same gender, you should at least ask before touching someone. Didn’t you learn basic manners?”

“Well, you’d never say yes, so I just go for it! You know what they say—it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission! My dad taught me that life lesson!”

As she spoke, the girl continued kneading Arina’s chest without restraint. Squish, squish, squish, squish.

Her hands stopped, then pulled away—only to suddenly dive back in for another round. Squish, squish.

A vein pulsed on Arina’s forehead.

A pure mass of magical energy shot through the space where the girl’s head had been just a moment ago. The spell blasted through dozens of trees before vanishing into the distant sky.

“Eeek!”

The girl, barely dodging in time, stared in shock at the devastation left behind before hurriedly yanking her hands away.

“Heehee. Arina, you’re extra sensitive today. Something happen?”

“I’m currently in the middle of an extremely unpleasant experience, so why don’t you disappear? If you pull another stupid stunt like that, I will hit you for real this time, Marine.”

Marine—the girl in question—let out an exaggerated “Waaah~” and started making a fuss. But it was clear she wasn’t actually scared. She was confident she could escape anytime if Arina got serious.

Arina, too, knew her threats wouldn’t work. After all, even she acknowledged that Marine’s skills were on par with her own.

If they fought to the death, the outcome might be different—but Marine wasn’t someone she could casually take down. Arina shifted only her eyes to glare at Marine’s face.

‘Could she be…?’

Arina wondered if Marine was one of the women Jimkun had sent. Marine was a fairly tall woman.

Her brown hair matched the preferred style in Peria, her personality was bright, and her face was cute—exactly the kind of girl men liked. Her slender, toned body was also beautiful.

By all accounts, she was the type to be popular with men.

Except for one thing.

‘…No, probably not.’

Arina glanced at Marine’s one flaw—her completely flat chest. As far as Arina remembered, Jimkun had a strong preference for large breasts.

Every member of the Hero’s party had been well-endowed, and she had never seen Jimkun cozy up to any flat-chested (?) women.

But Marine was on the smaller side—very small. It almost made her wonder why Marine was so obsessed with groping other people’s chests…

“What’s with that look? You’re thinking something really rude, aren’t you?”

Marine, squinting her eyes, wrapped her arms around her own chest defensively.

“Hmph.”

Arina cleared her throat unnecessarily and changed the subject.

“How the hell did you even find me here?”

“Hmm… Instinct?”

“Again with that?”

Marine was, without a doubt, the weirdest person Arina knew. Her unpredictable appearances, her refusal to listen to others, her inscrutable behavior—even setting aside the fact that her conversation partner was Arina, Marine was just plain bizarre.

Deciding she didn’t have time to deal with this walking anomaly, Arina pondered how to shake her off.

‘Wait, should I even be trying to get rid of her?’

Even if the chances were slim, as long as there was a possibility Jimkun was controlling Marine, carelessly driving her away wasn’t the best choice.

‘Then… do I have to take her with me? Just the thought makes my skin crawl.’

To Arina, Marine was less of a woman and more of a creature whose very humanity was questionable. But that didn’t mean her usual misogynistic tendencies didn’t react.

In fact, combined with Marine’s antics, the stress might be even worse.

Just imagining it made her stomach churn—but the bigger issue was that she had no control over the situation.

“Do you have any plans? Like where to go?”

“Nope!”

“…Concise as always.”

“Hmm~ I don’t really have any goals or anything I wanna do!”

‘As long as her back’s warm and her stomach’s full, she’s happy, huh? No different from an animal.’

Arina internally downgraded her evaluation of Marine by another notch. Still, this was convenient. She was about to suggest they travel together when an unnecessary follow-up comment grated on her ears.

“Well, if I had to pick a goal, it’d be groping Arina’s chest! Okay, okay, stop looking at me like that!”

Unable to withstand the sheer, icy contempt in Arina’s gaze, Marine shuddered. The thought of having to drag this girl along made Arina’s long-dormant sighing reflex kick into overdrive.

“Whatever. If you’ve got nothing better to do, follow me. You’re broke anyway, right?”

“Oh! How’d you know?”

“There’s no way someone like you would work hard enough to earn money. Anyone with basic intelligence and the slightest knowledge about you could figure that out.”

Most people would be offended, but Marine only registered the word “follow.” She immediately started wriggling in excitement. Whether that was a good or bad trait was debatable.

“Arina’s asking me out on a date~? Then we’ll eat together, sleep together, bathe together… Hehehe.”

Just watching Marine drool over her own fantasies was enough to make Arina’s skin crawl.

“We’re getting separate rooms. Obviously, we’ll bathe separately, and I’ll eat alone—you handle your own meals.”

“So mean! At least eat with me!”

Marine immediately pressed her face against Arina’s, fake-crying with exaggerated sobs. Tears and snot smeared onto Arina’s clothes, and her expression darkened instantly. She shoved Marine away and straightened her outfit.

“Fine. Fine. Just stop dirtying my clothes and get off.”

Truthfully, she hadn’t actually planned to eat separately. If Marine got angry and left because of that, she would be the one in trouble.

“Yay!”

‘She cries over nothing but doesn’t even flinch at genuinely hurtful words.’

Anyway, despite her many personality flaws, Marine wasn’t a bad person to have around. Her claim about finding Arina through instinct wasn’t just an excuse—Marine’s supernatural intuition was something even Arina acknowledged.

As long as Marine didn’t betray her, that unique intuition would be a great asset.

Even if she had to endure Marine’s chatter and her own misogynistic irritation all day, traveling with Marine was more gain than loss.

‘She must never find out.’

If Marine realized Arina needed her, she’d make outrageous demands. Sharing a bed and bathing together would be the bare minimum. Just imagining Marine smugly ordering her around made Arina’s blood boil.

“Let’s go! So, where are we headed?”

Marine, with an innocent smile, reached out as if to hold hands. Of course, Arina swatted it away.

“First, we’re going to Roden.”

Roden was the city where the woman Arina had cast the Vision Synchronization spell had gone. That woman was supposed to spread information about Arina to those passing through Roden. Due to the Hero’s party members rarely making physical contact, the spell hadn’t spread as much as she’d hoped.

It was disappointing, but at least it meant the Hero’s party hadn’t noticed. And the more people were affected, the faster the spell would spread.

The two began moving toward Roden through the forest.

Or at least, they tried to.

“You’re not gonna hold my hand?”

Marine made no effort to hide her pouting—if anything, she exaggerated it. Her eyebrows arched like bows, and her cheeks puffed up like balloons.

Arina, already exhausted, closed her eyes tightly.

‘She’s useful. I can indulge her a little.’

“Five seconds. No, three.”

“Okay!”

Of course, the promise was never kept.