episode_0233

232.

“Alright, let’s tackle the magical energy first.”

After a brief rest, Erina had almost regained her usual confidence. Her skin seemed even smoother. Feeling much more relaxed, she prepared to head back towards the river.

Levi and Hanna, having been thoroughly drenched in semen, needed another wash. Even after scrubbing themselves vigorously with soap, the semen wouldn’t fully come off. A bigger problem was their clothes. Luckily, the inn had emergency laundry tools, so they managed to clean them somewhat.

Instead, the faint lingering scent excited them. The rain continued to pour relentlessly, but their mood was the best it had been since arriving here.

“Should we? But…”

“I, I want to go too this time. I, I wasn’t much help at the ruins… but, but still. I don’t want to be alone…”

Hanna said in a trembling voice. The jamming device she’d made seemed useless, but that was proof it had worked perfectly. It wasn’t a trap, per se, but it had completely prevented the emergency security measures from activating.

“Yes. We’re one body, aren’t we? But you know…”

“Y, yes. I’m weak…”

Having defeated the monster, they agreed to Hanna’s request. Magical energy was leaking out, but it was manageable with their divine protection barrier.

“Don’t say you’re weak. …Anyway.”

Wanting to add something cool, Levi couldn’t think of anything more to say, so she gave a thumbs-up. Erina chuckled awkwardly and headed back towards the river with a much lighter step. She missed the rain protection barrier, but she couldn’t rely on it indefinitely. The fairies had long since gone home.

Even if she tried to buy a sturdy umbrella, she wouldn’t know which way it opened or closed.

“Oh my.”

Fortunately, the nearby priests had noticed the magical energy leakage. A faint barrier of light made of divine power could be felt. But that didn’t mean they could relax and go back. They couldn’t rest easy until they saw this Demon God Statue. It was almost night, but the gloomy night sky was already completely overcast. In this distorted sense of time, the group entered the barrier.

The rain made it impossible to say it was quiet, but it was unusually still. Despite defeating the monsters, a palpable tension hung in the air.

“Wait! No entry beyond this point!”

A priest in the Friede Order’s ceremonial robes blocked their way.

“Hello. I’m Erina of the… Pi Church, the one in charge of the Pi Church.”

“Ah, so you’re the Erina-nim. Hmm…”

The priest scanned Erina. She didn’t seem as amazing as they’d heard, but her appearance matched the description.

“I want to help. These are my companions. May we proceed?”

While they were currently cooperating, not everyone knew Erina. The priest’s hesitation was understandable. Responsibility wasn’t easily shouldered. Erina, who’d been more or less forced into the position of church leader, understood this perfectly.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of it.”

“……Understood, Erina-nim. Be careful.”

Surprisingly, they were allowed to pass. It was fortunate, as Erina didn’t have to rack her brains about explanations.

“Yes. And you as well.”

Hanna stuck close to Levi’s back as they walked. Clutching her umbrella tightly, she walked, her feelings cycling between regret and determination in the face of the ominous aura. The air was cold. The splashing water droplets at their feet slightly dampened their spirits. Levi, as always, confidently strode forward. In the cold air, Levi’s back…

Arriving at the riverbank, the surging currents and spray were significantly reduced compared to before.

“So, we need to check inside the river?”

At Levi’s question, Erina focused her senses. The magical energy she’d felt so clearly was difficult to detect in this area. It was due to the interference from the resident orcs. While not demons or fiends, they were a sub-race affected by them.

Still, she could distinctly feel the flow if she concentrated.

“Yes. Probably. Perhaps it’s on the other side of the river… but I think it’s inside.”

“Difficult. Even I’d refuse to enter without a protection barrier.”

Although the current was weaker, it was only relatively so. It wasn’t calm enough to safely swim in.

“Well, even so, I should probably go in.”

“Levi, you seem… happy?”

“If I can be of help, I’m happy.”

“Levi, calm down a bit. There might be another way.”

Despite her happy expression, it was undeniably dangerous.

“Hold on, you three! How did you get in… Ah, you’re a nun.”

Another priest rushed over from the side. Judging by their attire, he was also from the Friede Order.

“Hello. I’m Erina of the Pi Church.”

“It’s a pleasure. You must’ve sensed the magical energy as well, nun.”

“Yes. …It seems to be inside the river, what do you think?”

“We are currently investigating. We haven’t been here long. As you suspect, we believe the source is inside the river as well.”

The priest replied with a serious expression.

“I can dive.”

Levi volunteered. Hanna, who’d been clinging to her, was inadvertently pulled along as well.

“It’s dangerous with this current. Please wait while we find a solution.”

“But the current will only calm down if the rain stops. It’s been raining continuously with no sign of stopping. Can we really wait here?”

No one could refute Levi’s point.

“Priest, how many people have you deployed?”

“Including myself, a total of four. Why do you ask…?”

“Hmm… No reason, really. Looking at the map, the river seems quite long. I understand you’re short-staffed.”

“Precisely. Three people are diligently searching the river, but it’s unavoidable that the search takes time.”

Erina nodded.

“Right. We can also help with the search… you said three people were searching, right?”

“Yes. I’m on patrol, and the others are currently searching for the source of the magical energy.”

“No, there was another one outside. …Wait. There definitely was!”

Levi tilted her head. She’d clearly seen someone a few minutes ago, but her impression was already fading.

“Y, yes. Probably.”

“Yes. Definitely.”

“……That’s impossible.”

The priest’s firm denial made the problem clear, even without a concrete answer.

Sei. Her face came to mind. Just as Erina had her followers and companions, Sei couldn’t be alone.

“It’s serious…”

Erina trailed off. While she found Sei suspicious at first, she realized there was no guarantee this priest was telling the truth either.

“Understood. There’s likely an infiltrator. We’ll be vigilant.”

“……Yes. We will investigate on our own.”

This priest wasn’t an idiot. He frowned slightly, having grasped the drift of the conversation.

“Please refrain from diving.”

“Ahaha. I can’t promise that.”

Levi replied with an awkward laugh. Erina bowed slightly and led her companions away.

“This is difficult to say… but it’s best not to trust anyone else besides us.”

“D, does… that include the priest just now…?”

“Yes.”

A hint of bitterness tinged Erina’s words.

“So, what are we going to do? Is there any other solution?”

“Diving… Levi, are you really sure about this?”

“Heehee. I’m a hero, you know?”

“B, be careful.”

Levi started stripping off her clothes. Soon, her voluptuous breasts, well-defined abs, and shapely buttocks were revealed, along with the cock resulting from her futanari transformation. Every inch of her body was undeniably alluring.

She took off all her clothes because they’d get heavy when wet, leaving them with Hanna.

“One, two, one, two.”

Unlike when they dealt with the monster, there wasn’t much urgency, so she didn’t forget to properly warm up. It wasn’t really necessary but was done to reassure the others.

“I’ll be back~.”

While not a particularly skilled swimmer, she possessed the strength to compensate. Although seemingly frail, the hero’s power granted her almost superhuman strength and other physical advantages. She was exceptionally strong, able to hold her own against large orcs or ogres in a strength contest.

“Hey, what are we supposed to find?”

“…I can’t offer a specific description of its shape or form. If I had to guess, something like… the statue of our goddess?”

“Roger that!”

Levi leaped into the river. Her striking red hair, easily visible even in the dim light, quickly disappeared from sight.

“For now, let’s keep an eye out for suspicious individuals. Hanna, stay close to me.”

“Y, yes.”

Hanna folded her umbrella and huddled under Erina’s.

‘You’re trembling. It doesn’t seem to be from the cold…’

Erina gently embraced her with her large breasts. Due to the drop in temperature, they felt unusually warm.

“It’s alright, Hanna. It’ll be okay. If you’re really anxious, you can feel free to grope my breasts or butt… Just stay away from my cock? It’s a little… you know… in the rain.”

Hanna, responding to the half-joking suggestion, snuggled into Erina’s embrace and began kneading her buttocks. They were pleasantly plump, perfect for fondling.

Erina struggled to maintain her composure against the lewd touch that sent shivers down her spine. Any more of this and they’d be having outdoor sex in the rain. Especially Hanna’s buttocks— seeming designed solely for childbirth— made it even harder to resist.

If they hadn’t indulged earlier, she would have felt sorry for Levi.

“Good girl, good girl—”

She stroked Hanna’s hair gently, like she was caring for a child.

‘Levi, hurry back…’

She silently wished, her words holding a double meaning.