Return (1)

Shuriel’s complexion was as pale as his parched lips. He dealt with the twin Demons and came to see the World Tree, only to suddenly grow horns. I was as bewildered as he was taken aback. I forgot the joy of meeting Aileen and asked with a somewhat dumbfounded expression.

“Have you tried to take them off?”

“…Do you know how many times I bashed my head against the wall during the three days you were asleep?”

“Hold on a second. Come over here.”

Without another word, he lowered his head to show me. Two horns were growing near the crown of his head. The golden horns branched out like tree limbs. They were the kind of horns you’d expect to see on a reindeer.

When I reached out and touched the horns, they vibrated, woowoong, asserting their presence. The golden color deepened. The texture was quite smooth. I began to analyze them. I carefully examined what the horns did.

As a result of my examination, the horns were absorbing the Mana floating around. The more Mana they absorbed, the deeper the color became. The problem was what to use it for. They were diligently absorbing the surrounding Mana, but I didn’t know what else to do with them.

Giant antlers that looked to be about 20cm long. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, it didn’t seem like they would interfere with sleeping on his stomach, but that wasn’t the point. He was a Demon Hunter. Rushellini’s Sword, the Agent of God. Dragons have horns, and so do Suin, but the horns that people think of are only hideous things for Demons.

It was a godsend that they weren’t black. If the horns had been black, he would have been riddled with holes by the Elves in the settlement. Black horns are a symbol of Demons.

I took my hand off the horns. Shuriel opened his eyes blankly, as if telling me to say something. I hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if I should say this, but soon came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter, and opened my mouth.

“They’re absorbing the Mana floating around. They don’t seem to be the kind that harms those around you. If there’s anything to worry about, it’s why horns? I don’t think it had to be done this way…”

I turned my head to look at the World Tree. The World Tree, seen from below, was so huge that I couldn’t see the end of it. Lania, her face flushed, leaned against the World Tree with her eyes closed, as if every moment was touching.

“Is there anything wrong with your body?”

“There’s nothing wrong. I feel even better than before. The Shimma problem seems to be resolved as well.”

“Is it thanks to the World Tree?”

“That damn- Hmm. Yes. It’s all thanks to ‘Great Jimo-shin-nim’. Thanks to her, the Demon energy was cleanly resolved. I’m so grateful. Damn it.”

“…It’ll be okay. There are many races with horns besides Demons, right?”

“There are no humans with horns. And even if I’m okay, will the Seonghwangcheong and the family be okay? You can consider all external activities closed. I’ll have to cover my face and act like those guys who work in the shadows.”

“Still.”

“…Yeah. I’ll have to think as positively as possible.”

If the World Tree gave him the horns, the worst-case scenario could be avoided. If he was lucky, he could use it for image-making. The sacred Agent recognized by the World Tree. Isn’t that great? Of course, nothing was certain right now. No one knew whether this would be a poison or a boon.

The World Tree.

Even when Shuriel glared at it with angry eyes, it didn’t react. Not to him, not to me. It didn’t say a word. Frankly, I didn’t know what was going on either. It was nice to meet Aileen, but was this really what it invited us for? To let me meet my daughter, and to put horns on Shuriel’s head? It made as little sense as the orders the World Tree gave me.

I asked him, who was sighing from afar, about the three days I had been asleep. Of course, there was no gain. It seemed that I was the only one the World Tree spoke to.

I decided to hide the story I had with the World Tree. Meeting my daughter, and the World Tree creating my daughter’s body.

It was a meaningless hiding, but at least. I wanted to hide it from Shuriel.

If I met her, I wanted to be with my daughter.

“Hey, Shuriel.”

“What?”

“I’ve decided to name my daughter Aileen.”

“……Okay.”

Still.

I guess I can tell him her name.

“….”

Shuriel hesitated as if he was about to say something, then closed his mouth and turned his head. I could only look at his back with a slightly lonely smile.

“Let’s go back now. Lania! You didn’t forget anything, did you?”

“Yeah. I took good care of the bow, too.”

For reference, Lania received a bow from the World Tree. A bow woven from the branches of the World Tree. She seemed very satisfied. She held it tightly so as not to lose it, as it was a precious gift from the Jimo-shin-nim she admired so much.

* * *

If we passed through the forest, we would be right at the settlement. I guess it’s a consideration to reduce the trouble of going. How nice would it have been if it had been like this from the beginning? As someone who had walked the same road for hours, I couldn’t help but feel resentful.

Shuriel.

As soon as he arrived at the settlement, he had to face the Elves aiming their bows at him. But as soon as they realized that these were the horns given by the World Tree, they were making a Seokgo apology.

“Lania. It was nice meeting you. Are you thinking of staying in Kardrasil?”

“Yeah. I have to protect Jimo-shin-nim.”

“…Okay. If we ever meet again, give me a hug.”

“A hug? I can give you one now.”

“It’s just a formality, so you don’t have to, euheut. Lania?”

Lania and I exchanged our last greetings in front of the passage to Garkwina District. In a rather intense way called a hug.

She intended to stay in Kardrasil. Of course, I thought, ‘She’s an Elf, so it’s natural’- but whenever I remembered the World Tree’s words that their egos were tied to it, I felt sorry for them.

Shuriel and I.

We obtained permanent access to Kardrasil. I think we’re probably the first humans to do so. Of course, even if we got access, there would be no reason to come here. Especially for Shuriel, who had horns due to the World Tree’s antics.

“I have to meet Kalberd. He said he’d be waiting at the temple, so let’s go there. That old man handles things quickly, so he must have prepared a carriage.”

Guided by the Elven Knight, we passed through the wall. It had been three days, but Garkwina District had not yet been properly cleaned up. The smell of blood still lingered. Passing through Garkwina District, we went to Barhaya District, passed through the Red Wolf Gate, and into the Silbehrin Great Forest. After leaving Kardrasil, we headed straight to the Seong Maihal Temple.

“Hey! Is anyone there?!”

The temple was deserted.

Even the novice priests who were always sweeping the yard were nowhere to be seen. After going in for a while longer, we finally found an Ain priest when we arrived at the chapel. Judging by the insignia, he was a novice priest. He was sitting on a chair in the chapel, dozing off. He looked quite haggard.

“Hey!”

“Keuheum. Eum. Heum? Now that all the work is done-“

“I am Agent Shuriel Rushellini. I’ve come to see the bishop. Where is the bishop?”

“Ho, horns? Keheuk, kek. Ju, just a moment! What did you say?”

“I said I came to see the bishop.”

“…Ah.”

The priest, who had been staring at the horns on Shuriel’s head for a while, quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly bowed.

“I, I’m sorry! The bishop is currently away on relief efforts. The aftermath of the Crimson Moon has not yet ended…”

Crimson Moon.

That was the officially named name of this incident.

Fortunately, the temple was not affected by the moon. He called it a miracle of God, and explained that now was the time to spread God’s will far and wide. The reason the temple was empty was because everyone had been drafted for relief efforts. He said that he was one of the minimum number of people to protect the temple.

“But those horns…”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Yes.”

“Then where’s Kalberd? He promised to come here.”

“Ah! If it’s him, he’s in the reception room right now. If you leave the chapel and go straight to the right, you’ll find it.”

Following his words, we went to the reception room and found an old man with white hair lying on the bed. It was Kalberd. But somehow he looked even weaker than when we first arrived here. He felt someone’s presence and immediately got up.

“Who is it? Who would come at this hour…”

“Kalberd. We’re here.”

“…Yujin! Then, Master?”

A beat late. Shuriel enters.

“Master! You’ve returned-… Master?”

“I’m going crazy because everyone I meet looks at my head and opens their mouths. I’ll explain as we go, so prepare a carriage. I’m returning. I’ve dealt with the Demon.”

“…I knew you could do it. I’ve prepared a carriage. Please come this way. The soldiers are waiting.”

* * *

We get into the carriage with a bit of commotion behind us.

There was no escort.

That’s because neither of us was in the mood for it.

-Clatter. Clatter.

“….”

“….”

We should have been happy that we had defeated the Demon and returned safely, but the atmosphere in the carriage was awkward. Shuriel, who always fondled my body, was sitting upright with his back against the seat and his eyes closed, for once.

It felt like I had finished my homework, but I had new homework to do. Shuriel had the horns on his head. Kalberd had plans for after his retirement. I had my daughter to meet in three months. Everyone was busy with their own worries.

In that silence. In the quiet noise of the carriage wheels rolling. I leaned out and looked out the window as it whizzed by. Had it been about three hours since we left? We had left the Silbehrin Great Forest and entered the Great Plains.

“It’s over, neyo.”

“It’s all over.”

“Really. What am I supposed to do if you say it like the world is ending?”

Shuriel will be very busy for a while. So busy that he won’t even have time to see me. A nobleman should never be caught with a weakness. If it seems like you’re going to be caught with a weakness, you should go on the offensive and turn it into an opportunity. In that sense, the World Tree’s horns were both a weakness and an opportunity.

I’m sure there will be attacks from other nobles. Especially from Prukaise and Angrid, who are from the same Demon Hunter family. They’ll be desperate to take away the Agent’s share. Even more so if there’s a merit for defeating a Demon like today. They won’t be happy with Rushellini’s monopoly.

As someone who doesn’t know much about their situation, I can only cheer them on with words. I can’t drop a Meteor on the opposing family to help them. Like all fights between nobles, it’s an ugly and dirty fight with tongues. I didn’t want to be involved in that.

“Yujin. Do you have any plans for the future?”

Shuriel opened his eyes and reached out to me. He poked and prodded me here and there as if he were handling a toy. I thought he was going to be quiet for once, but he started again. He couldn’t break his habit, and his touch was very natural.

A thick finger entered between my underwear. He placed his finger on my clitoris and started rolling it gently. I leaned my head on his shoulder and twitched my legs. A transparent, sticky liquid began to be secreted.

“…Heueut, I, I have a goal.”

“Tell me.”

Shuriel put his hand under my top and loosened my bra strap. It was a skillful touch. He pinched my nipple tightly with one hand, then removed the other hand that had been rolling my clitoris and roughly inserted it into my pussy, which was glistening with Vaginal Fluid. A thick finger moved back and forth between the tightly closed pink cracks. I even drooled shamelessly at the pleasure of my vaginal walls being scratched, and said.

“I’m going to go to a high place, haa. I’m going to go up to a high place.”

I’ve finally made up my mind. I’m going to build my own foundation based on my merit for defeating the Demon together. I’m going to rise to a position that I won’t be ashamed of for my daughter, who I’ll meet in three months. First of all, it would be better to reach the pinnacle of one field. A position that no one can touch. To such a position.

The field I’m most confident in is.

Of course, it was magic.

The first plan I thought of was to join the Magic Tower and show off my skills. I haven’t met other magicians often, but I know how OP my abilities are. Even if I only use 50% of my true abilities, I’ll be treated as a high-ranking magician. In fact, I didn’t even have to go to 50%. Even if I only used 40%, no, 30%, I could get a reasonably high position.

“Magic Tower. Haaheue. I’m going to go to the Magic Tower. Haaik. Heugeut. Ja, just a moment.”

“You’re stuttering just because I poked you a little.”

“…I’m going to go to the Magic Tower. Haa. Heu.”

“Go to the Magic Tower and?”

“Haaik, hik. Heueuaaa…”

…That’s what I was going to say.

My lewd body soaked my underwear and clothes just from a few pokes. I breathed with a dazed face.

“It seems like the place you’re going to go up to right now is on my lap.”

“Haaheue… Eubeub. Chueub…”

He lifts my chin and puts his tongue in. We exchanged saliva and increased our excitement. Shuriel continued to mix tongues, and finally pulled away after dozens of seconds. He grabbed my waist, lifted me up, and placed me on his lap, saying.

“What’s your answer?”

“Ye, yeheee…”