episode_0026

The group arrived at their current destination.

Referred to as ‘Paradise,’ it serves as the stage for the main events in the western region.

The metropolis, Paradise.

To put it briefly, one could say it’s just an ordinary place with nothing particularly remarkable about it.

A city so unremarkable, devoid of any distinguishing features, that it could easily pass off as belonging anywhere on the continent without raising eyebrows.

Honestly, when looking at the city itself, one might find the grandiose title of ‘Paradise’ quite distant from reality.

As long as it’s not smack dab in the lawless wilds of the western continent, you might wonder if it deserves to be called ‘Paradise.’

If there were a place slightly less agonizing than the endless torment of hell, how would you feel?

Regardless of the choice, enduring suffering is bound to be excruciating, yet you’d still consider that place a ‘Paradise.’

…Given that suffering remains the same, isn’t labeling it as ‘Paradise’ a bit of an exaggeration?

Yes, perhaps this analogy will make it easier to understand.

Imagine being incessantly prodded in the ribs with a finger versus having your lower body endlessly healed while being hacked at with an axe.

If punishment were to transition from the latter to the former, how would you perceive it?

Wouldn’t thoughts of ‘salvation’ and ‘Paradise’ immediately come to mind?

That’s what the metropolis, Paradise, represents.

A place that drastically diminishes the degree of misery, allowing for the pursuit of modest happiness.

A place where, if you keep your wits about you, you can prevent losing your mind.

For the weak, it sustains life akin to a lifeline.

For the strong, it bestows rest as sweet as honey.

Hence why it’s called ‘Paradise,’ and anyone entering the western region aims to set foot in this haven regardless of circumstances.

Of course, due to the treacherous journey, most end up becoming slaves or depart for the afterlife before reaching ‘Paradise.’

Our group, naturally, was also experiencing this arduous journey.

Constantly besieged by lunatics.

And the environment not particularly conducive to travel.

As a result, the group was growing weary, culminating in an unfortunate incident where Kal sustained a minor injury during combat.

Although the priestess swiftly healed him, it signaled dangerously heightened fatigue among all.

After deliberation, the group decided to halt their forced march and take a brief respite, thus commencing a few days of much-needed rest.

“Sigh…”

Seemingly exhausted, the priestess discarded her usual pretenses and flopped down on the ground.

Then.

Sigh – Sigh –

She began to drift off to sleep with a relaxed expression, as if she were in the comfort of her own bedroom.

She seemed quite worn out.

Glancing away from the priestess, I observed the others, finding their conditions no different.

Kal, who had retained some vigor, was now wearing a grim expression as he reminisced about the recent battle.

The earnest demeanor of this newcomer stirred an inexplicable worry within me, prompting me to approach him slowly and strike up a conversation.

“Are you okay?”

When I peered at the area where he had been injured, he relaxed his expression and chuckled softly.

“Are you worried about me?”

“Not worried, just concerned about any hindrance to our march. As long as you’re not hurt, it’s fine.”

“You’re always so straightforward.”

Despite my teasing laughter, I didn’t appreciate his playful demeanor, so I lightly tapped his broad back.

Whether he was genuinely hurt or not, he patted the injured area, maintaining a stoic expression.

“It does sting a little.”

“…Want me to apply some ointment?”

“If you do, I’d appreciate it.”

“Where does it hurt?”

Retrieving salve from Stroheim’s bag, I examined Kal’s face, but there was no visible sign of injury.

All I could see was his smooth face bathed in the twilight glow.

After searching for a while and finding no visible injuries anywhere, I realized that I had been fooled, so I hit the guy’s back hard once again and opened my mouth.

“There’s no pain!”

“Really? Maybe it was just an illusion then. There was definitely a tingling sensation, but it’s gone now.”

“Damn!”

Watching that brightly smiling mischievous face, my anger rose.

Why did I end up getting involved with such a guy?

I should have just left on my own path after escaping from the Great Forest.

I shouldn’t have accepted his offer to travel together.

As I tapped my forehead and let out a sigh, a desire took root in my heart.

A petty and small desire to embarrass that smug face of his.

I don’t even know why such a desire suddenly arose.

Well, it must be the result of the witch’s peculiar way of thinking.

Anyway, the witch’s ingenious mind quickly devised a plan, and I immediately opened the ointment tube and applied some ointment on my finger.

And.

Rubbing gently,

I applied the ointment generously on the spot where the guy said it hurt, which was his cheek.

“…?”

As a result, the guy’s smug smile shattered into confusion and surprise, replaced by emotions of ‘confusion’ and ‘astonishment.’

With a dumbfounded face as if forgetting how to breathe.

His appearance was so ridiculous that I burst into laughter, expressing satisfaction as I spoke to him.

“Wow, you really look stupid.”

“…”

“How can a person… Haha! make such a stupid face, hahaha…”

“Huff…”

The guy closed his eyes tightly and let out a sigh.

Was he feeling very embarrassed about making a stupid face?

He even tried to hide his bright red face with his hand.

However, perhaps exhausted from the repeated battles, the guy staggered as soon as he stood up.

I helped him sit back down and chuckled.

“You must be very tired. Go to sleep. If anything happens, I’ll wake you up.”

“Well, if you say you’ll stand guard with that face, no one would believe you.”

“Huh.”

“You’re about to fall asleep right now, you idiot. Instead of worrying about others, worry about yourself first.”

Unaware, upon hearing the guy’s words, I realized that I was indeed on the verge of falling asleep.

But realizing and waking up are two different things.

The hidden presence that had been lurking suddenly revealed itself, overwhelming me and clouding my mind.

And so, unable to withstand the approaching presence, I lost consciousness.

Hearing someone urgently calling my name.

—–

Did the witch say she could extract people’s souls?

Honestly, before meeting the being called a ‘witch,’ I never believed such words, but since meeting Beatrice, I had keenly felt the weight of those words.

From threatening to cut off my unmentionables at our first meeting, to seducing me unknowingly and then laughing mockingly.

The witch I met in the Great Forest was far more wicked than what the village chief had warned me about.

Her terrifying wickedness tossed me around like a reed in the wind.

And now, here I am.

At the age of 21, facing the greatest crisis of my life.

Because the witch was testing the limits of my patience.

Like a broken marionette puppet, I hastily embraced the collapsing witch.

Whether intentional or coincidental, the witch slipped into my arms.

Feeling a soft touch near my chest, I was momentarily startled, recalling the dreadful muscle-bound guys I had encountered in the West and suppressing the rising lustful desires.

…It was dangerous.

I almost lost control due to the slender, soft body’s tremendous sensation.

Thinking I had successfully controlled my desires, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, the witch’s wicked test was not over with just this.

Sniff, sniff.

Was it because the witch nestled into my arms?

The scent of the witch slowly crept up and began to assault my nose.

How should I put it?

Sour yet somewhere fragrant?

It should have smelled foul since it had been a while since she bathed, but strangely, an addictive scent wafted out.

As I continued to smell that fragrance, I started feeling peculiar and tried to focus on memorizing the Imperial Swordsmanship manual again.

However.

“…Can’t remember?”

Due to some wicked trick by this witch, my mind was filled with thoughts of her, and I couldn’t even recall the sweet first chapter that I had memorized so well.

This is bad.

If it continues like this, I won’t be able to stop these perverted thoughts.

Of course, it would be simple to just remove the witch from my embrace and lay her on the ground.

But my body and mind, already consumed by desire, did not allow that at all.

“If not now, then when will you enjoy this?”

“Are you asking me to commit a crime? It’s lewd! Lewd!!!”

“Big, soft, smooth, firm, elastic, slender…”

“Would a little touch be okay? She’s deeply asleep, so she won’t notice if we cross the line.”

Lewd thoughts gradually taking over my mind.

To stop them, I even pinched myself, but unfortunately, my lost sanity seemed unwilling to return.

To make matters worse.

“Ugh…”

Whether it was discomfort or not, the witch let out a cute whimper and pressed her body closer.

From a resisting standpoint, it was truly a taste of death.

…Why does the woman I fell for at first sight have to be like this?

She used to keep her distance, but now she’s coming so close that it’s driving me crazy.

“Erectioooon!!!”

The heat below didn’t seem to subside.

Should I say I’m lucky?

Or should I say I’m terribly unlucky?

The fortunate thing was that the witch’s soft body friction helped relieve fatigue, but…

“It’s so torturous to have food you can’t eat right in front of you.”

Not being able to freely touch that body caused a profound sense of emptiness.

Since she was deeply asleep, wouldn’t it be fine to just touch as I pleased?

Although I was tempted, sadly…

“Once you start… it never ends. Ever.”

I couldn’t bring myself to touch her knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop once I started.

And if I were to foolishly touch her and she woke up, wouldn’t all the goodwill I had built up until now disappear?

Realizing this, I could finally shake off the vile desire.

Through suppressing the ever-rising desire all night long, I was able to gain an insight that had eluded me completely.