Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Chapter 8 - A Hotter Sun Rises in the Desert
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I had a faint dream while I slept.
The same nightmare as before. A white figure, now in the form of a woman, approached me, her hands gently caressing my cheeks, her eyes searching mine.
I struggled to escape, to turn away from her gaze.
If I looked into her eyes,
If our gazes met,
I would die.
“…Ugh!”
The long, drawn-out struggle within the dream ended, and I woke up, my body and mind filled with a deep unease.
But Nefer wasn't in the tent. She was outside, already awake, murmuring a prayer.
I brushed the sand from my face and eyes,
Stretched, and stepped outside, joining her.
“…Forgive my transgressions, and grant me the strength to resist the devil’s temptations-”
She didn't even notice my approach.
She was so focused on her prayer,
That she was sweating.
***
Night, Day 127 of isolation.
18:08, planetary rotation standard.
Clear skies.
23°C, pleasantly cool.
Note - Maintain adequate fluid intake. Beware of rapid temperature changes.
As night approached,
A cool breeze accompanied the setting sun.
And the temperature dropped rapidly.
If anyone ever asked me about the harshness of the desert climate, I would tell them that it was a crazy place where the temperature soared to 38°C during the day, then plummeted to below 10°C at night.
“Are you alright?”
We collected our sweat before it cooled, the blue bottle for me, the red one for Nefer.
“Alright? What do you mean?”
“You seemed a little tired this morning.”
I voiced my concern. Her demeanor was different from when we had first met.
She seemed burdened.
While religious individuals often referred to themselves as sinners, seeking salvation, Nefer’s previously healthy and vibrant aura seemed diminished. This suggested a physical ailment.
“…I apologize for causing you concern, but I assure you, there is nothing wrong. Please do not worry.”
Nefer smiled, dismissing my concern, then left the tent to perform her [prayer],
But I knew she was hiding something. Her evasive answer didn't reassure me.
Because,
I knew the reason for her distress.
It was because of me.
Carrying me, and my belongings, had depleted her energy,
And that was why she was feeling unwell.
***
“Sigh, honestly…”
Nefer sighed, carefully collecting the beads of sweat from her forehead and depositing them into the bottle.
“Why do you torment me so, mmm…”
Every night, she kissed Juho’s cheek while he slept. And after that, she would lie awake, her gaze fixed on his face, her mind racing.
“I shouldn’t be doing this…”
In a way, it was Juho’s fault. While the nature of her suffering was different from what he imagined, Nefer was undoubtedly tormented by his presence.
She knew what she was doing.
She understood the meaning of the heat that flushed her skin, the tingling between her legs.
She pinched her cheeks, trying to regain control,
But a yearning heart, like an overturned hourglass,
Couldn’t be contained, no matter how hard you tried.
“…”
Nefer was a priestess of Aaptukemen, a woman devoted to the sun,
But she couldn't suppress her desire for the male sleeping beside her.
Or rather, she was already exhibiting remarkable restraint.
She hadn’t touched him yet,
Constantly reminding herself that it was forbidden, fighting against her desires.
“Kiss-”
But,
Nefer’s courage grew, and she began to explore, her touch bolder now.
She no longer just kissed his cheek, but his lips.
“Mmm-, ahh…”
With each kiss, she squirmed and fidgeted, her body betraying her conflicting emotions.
Joy, ecstasy,
Mixed with guilt, fear,
And a yearning, a desire she couldn’t deny.
Nefer’s gaze devoured Juho’s face.
His closed eyelids,
The cute bridge of his nose, his slightly parted lips, softly exhaling.
Having received a strict, limited education regarding males,
Nefer didn't have any preconceived notions about beauty or desirability.
So, every aspect of Juho’s appearance captivated her.
His soft cheeks,
His cute, full lips…
And what tempted her most,
Was the thought of his tongue, hidden behind those lips.
Whenever she lifted his lip with her finger, she saw the moist, glistening flesh beneath,
And she wanted to pull him close, to lose herself in his embrace,
But Nefer couldn't betray her duty, her faith.
By this point, her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and desires,
But the most important question was,
How far did her [duty as a priestess] extend?
Avoiding males was understandable. But to what extent?
Even collecting his sweat could be considered a transgression. But the Sun God wouldn't object to that, surely.
Holding his hand?
That was permissible, if he was about to fall, if it was necessary to prevent him from collapsing. It wasn't a sexual act.
“…”
Then what about kissing?
While it could be classified as a sexual act,
What if it was simply a way to check on his health?
It wasn't unreasonable. Nefer didn't know what kind of creature Juho was.
Perhaps, unlike the desert dwellers, he needed constant moisture. Perhaps his lips drying out would be fatal.
Then,
Kissing him, to check on his hydration, would fall under her [duty as a priestess], wouldn't it?
Having reached this conclusion, Nefer’s face moved closer to Juho’s.
Yes, this wasn't a betrayal of the Sun God, or her faith.
“Mmm-”
But her brief transgression ended there.
“Hmm…?”
Kissing a sleeping male was a shameful, indecent act,
And while Nefer knew she shouldn't stop there,
“Uh, what…”
Juho stirred, his eyes fluttering open, his brow furrowed,
And Nefer, pretending nothing had happened, blurted out a ridiculous excuse.
“Ah…! There was a… beetle on your lips…!”
“A beetle?”
Juho knew she was lying, flustered,
“It’s okay. I don’t mind insects.”
But he simply closed his eyes and went back to sleep, creating a little more distance between them.
Yes, sadly, this was reality.
It wasn't time for Nefer to become involved.
She was a priestess of Aaptukemen, a guide, tasked with leading Juho through the desert.
And she wouldn't cross that line. If she had gone further, if she had been caught, the story would have been different.
But Nefer simply prayed, seeking forgiveness for her transgression. She still saw her desire, her burgeoning lust, as something [unholy].
While she had questioned the divine laws, tempted to violate Juho’s lips, her heart was still filled with faith and innocence.
[She was about to take advantage of you.]
[If you stay with her, you’ll be trapped, consumed. Escape! You have to find your companions!]
The succubi, sensing Juho’s awakening, whispered their temptations, trying to sway him,
And Nefer, her face flushed, her body fidgeting, closed her eyes,
But we must set them aside for now and return to Juho’s story.
“…”
Juho, having experienced the females’ desires and manipulations,
Pretended to be asleep, but he knew, he had felt Nefer’s desire on his lips.
And yet, he didn't react,
Because having Nefer as a companion was far more beneficial than being alone in the desert,
And compared to the humiliation and abuse he had endured, a stolen kiss was nothing.
It was a wise decision. Recognizing his own vulnerability and using others to his advantage was a crucial survival skill.
—Juho, this is different from the forest.
—Set fire to my cursed body, the body that can no longer reach you.
—A hotter sun rises in the desert.
—On the parched earth, those who thirst for salvation weep,
—And beneath the surface,
—Those who haven’t yet died await mercy.
—The angry moon rises,
—Then hides beneath the distant sands,
—And the dying sun rises,
—Shedding its crimson tears.
“Elder, that is Aaptukemen.”
Towards Aaptukemen, a convergence of stories and destinies, hidden beneath the shimmering heat haze.
“We have arrived.”
The whispering sand speaks to you.
—You are the promised salvation, descended from the stars,
—The harbinger of our end.
—Have mercy on us, and consume us in your flames.