episode_0038

“Sigh…”

After enduring a perilous night, morning finally arrived.

I slowly rose from my stiff body and let out a small yawn.

“Ah…”

Listening to the peculiar sound of my yawn, I reflected on yesterday’s events.

…Yesterday was quite eventful.

First and foremost, the matters in the south and west were resolved simultaneously.

It ended as swiftly as roasting beans over a fire, although not cutting off the air completely, leaving a possibility of resurgence, albeit slim.

The chances of the followers of evil or that insane prophetess gaining power are lower than being struck by lightning. Even if they were to succeed, at least a few years of peace could be expected.

I raised myself from the ground once more and celebrated the victory.

“I might just be able to take it easy for a bit.”

Although the upcoming events, including the episodes in the north and central regions, won’t be easy, I decided to deal with them later.

…For now, I needed to figure out how to handle the most pressing issue at hand.

And that was…

“Being petted, but in moderation.”

The sensation from last night lingered, tormenting me vigorously.

Like being addicted to a drug, a tantalizing emptiness clouded my mind, making me feel dazed.

“Damn it.”

It wasn’t unbearable, but losing control would likely lead to a disaster.

I’m neither a pet nor a woman to be requested to be petted by a man.

Thinking about it this way, I understood why Louis always disliked having his tail touched.

It felt good, yet somehow left a sense of defeat…

I resolved to moderate the petting a bit.

While enduring this overwhelming feeling, I noticed the priestess stretching nearby.

Unlike before, she had removed all her extravagant jewelry.

Could this be a change of heart?

Approaching her, I initiated a conversation.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Not really. I was sleeping peacefully when suddenly I heard the sound of giant boars… Did something happen yesterday?”

“No comment. By the way, you’ve taken off all your jewelry?”

“Oh, this? Yes.”

She looked down at the bag full of expensive jewelry, wearing a bitter smile.

“You remember the person we saw yesterday, right?”

“Lorian?”

“Yes, the one exuding a dangerous aura.”

Nodding, she took out an earring from the bag and continued.

“He planted a tracking charm on me. Coming straight to the west without any detours… It seems certain.”

“They seemed quite friendly yesterday, didn’t they?”

“We were, but not anymore. How can you be friendly after seeing that side of them?”

Indeed, I’d probably feel the same way.

If a younger sibling who had been distant turned out to be gay.

If it ended there, it would be fine, but if they were targeting me to devour me.

Just thinking about it gives me chills.

I gazed at the priestess with a wistful look and handed her some jerky I had farmed at ‘Paradise’ yesterday.

“Eat and regain your strength. You… sigh, it’s pitiful.”

“Exactly, who would believe it? A woman who was once touted as a saint candidate has fallen so low in less than a month.”

Is this what they call misery loves company?

Watching the priestess nibble on the jerky with a melancholic expression, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness wash over me.

Both her and me.

Being ridiculed is truly harsh.

In this harsh reality, perhaps only fools are truly happy.

Without a word, I cast a glance towards the lunatics, only to be surprised by the sight of them engaging in a serious discussion with grave expressions.

“…What profound conversation have they been having since morning to end up like this?

As they heightened their auditory senses using magic, the discussion began to faintly reach their ears.

“Obviously, muscles come before magic! A sturdy body forms the basis for healthy magic!”

“I can’t agree with that. How can muscles come first? Magic comes first. When you start developing your magic skills, muscles naturally follow suit.”

“Muscles, magic, none of it matters. The firepower that comes from overwhelming skill… that’s true ‘romance.’”

“All power ultimately aims to enjoy something tastier. In reality, skills, muscles, magic, they’re all useless.”

“We don’t need any of that, I just want to have sex.”

It was just a random chatter fest.

I must be an idiot for expecting more.

“Sigh…”

Letting out a sigh due to the absurdity of it all, the priestess seemed to grasp the meaning behind the sigh and smiled as she spoke.

“But aren’t you enjoying yourself?”

“What?”

“It was tough at first, but honestly, I think I’m enjoying it more now. Do you feel a sense of liberation, perhaps?”

“I don’t know if I agree. I’m not enjoying it at all.”

They had been through hardships since meeting the protagonist’s group, but could this really be called ‘enjoyment’?

I don’t know, maybe it’s just a difference in mindset.

Shaking my head, I suddenly asked the priestess about a thought that crossed my mind.

“By the way, something seems different. Until yesterday, you kept your distance?”

“Well, I’m being pursued now, aren’t I? It’s clear that I’ve become an enemy of the nation, so is there a need to keep my distance from my comrades?”

“You can still explain, right? It’s different for me.”

“You know. They’ve already decided on the answers before interrogating.”

“That’s true.”

Once someone becomes an enemy, they remain an eternal enemy.

That was the nation’s policy, so even as a saint candidate, it would be hard to avoid harm.

Recalling the original setting, I nodded my head.

And then, I decided on our next destination.

“Indeed, heading north seems right.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean our next destination. We can’t just stay in the west forever, can we?”

If ‘Paradise’ hadn’t crumbled, I might have stayed here for years, if not a lifetime.

But with chaos reigning due to the followers of the demon, ‘peace’ seemed much further away.

“Returning to the south would be foolish, so among the central and northern regions, isn’t the north better with less influence from the nation?”

Even though there’s a time bomb named Arkritch, after defeating even the apostle of the demon, what could be so frightening?

After facing full-power Erof and the demon’s apostle, Arkritch didn’t seem intimidating.

Somehow, I even felt a strange confidence that I could overcome it.

“Between the Great Forest Elves and Arkritch, which one is scarier?”

“Suddenly Arkritch? Hmm… we haven’t fought, but still, wouldn’t the Great Forest Elves be scarier?”

“Is that so?”

See, even the priestess thinks the Great Forest Elves are scarier.

Arkritch isn’t that scary, right?

After deciding on the next destination, a brief silence followed.

…This is actually quite natural.

A witch should be trembling, and a priestess should be bowing politely, yet here they were, chatting amicably.

It’s a situation that would make a passing Hellhound chuckle.

The sudden awkward atmosphere settled in.

At the same time, the suppressed empty feeling rose, prompting me to look at the priestess cautiously and make a timid request.

“Um, this might be a bit sudden, but…”

“Yes?”

“Can you pat my head a bit?”

“What?”

The priestess’s face stiffened abruptly.

Looking at me as if I were Lorian, who had come out yesterday, she gave me a gaze filled with disgust.

No, I’m not that kind of person.

Or am I? Since my mind is male, I should like women to be normal, right?”

But I’m a woman, is this really correct?

I don’t know.

Nevertheless, in order to dispel the immediate misunderstanding, I hastily waved my hands and denied the priestess’s thoughts.

“It’s not like that! I was curious, so I asked you to pet me!”

“Lorian started that way too at first, but it’s not real, right?”

“It’s not?!”

After hearing a clear answer, the priestess slowly began to stroke my head with a stern expression.

A gentle touch unique to women, different from the vile touch of that guy.

I thought this might somewhat alleviate the emptiness.

“…It’s lacking.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t fulfill anything at all.

Neither the chilling pleasure running down my spine nor the sensation of relaxation throughout my body could be felt from the priestess’s touch.

In this manner, wouldn’t the emptiness only deepen further?

Although I tried to stop the priestess due to the unfulfilled emptiness, I had to twist my body due to a sudden sense of fulfillment.

Shivers.

“Ahem?!”

Yes, this is it.

A hand stroking my head roughly.

A sensation that involuntarily makes me gasp for breath.

However…

“This, it’s a sword, isn’t it?”

I quickly realized.

The one petting me now must be the sword guy, not the priestess.

He came over to my side, tired of our conversation, and is now stroking my head instead of the priestess.

As if my thoughts were on point, he confidently replied.

“Weren’t you free to pet as you pleased? Isn’t once a bit too much?”

“I-It was just once! That’s why I said! Tell me, I’m not a child anymore!”

“If someone hits your neck before speaking, there’s nothing left to say.”

“…”

Though my mind boiled with frustration at his cheeky attitude, I couldn’t argue back.

Because what he said was true.

So, as I remained silent, the sword guy, who had been lost in thought for a moment, smiled mischievously and said.

“We’re going north, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve made a wish. Not to be a child.”

He removed his hand from my hair and whispered with a sinister voice.

“You can give me a day, right?”