Defiling the Noble Pure Love
"Hoo..."
I pressed my temples firmly. The briefing info was a joke.
Lumina. That was the name of this mission's heroine.
Goddess of Purity and Judgment?
The difficulty had spiked out of nowhere. I knew I'd have to face a god eventually...
But not this damn soon.
It wasn't just her being a goddess that was the problem. She hated men.
Our goddess was a nightmare difficulty heroine with full-blown misogyny toward males. Was this for real?
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped me naturally. First things first—I needed to check my position. I stood in the middle of a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and fresh grass.
Should I find a village and head there first?
I started walking, sorting through the info in my head one more time. This time, I even had solid details on the protagonist.
Famous guy, after all.Lucian, the youngest knight commander of the Lumina Church. The man-hating goddess's chosen hero.
She hated men, yet she made an exception for this one. A brutally obsessive exception. Impregnable defenses, and she's already taken. A man-hating goddess and her loyal knight protector. My head was already throbbing at the thought of breaching that fortress. Charging in blindly could get me smited and logged out of life permanently.
Better observe first.
Head to the village, find the church. That was step one. As I pondered my next moves, something caught my attention. Beyond the trees, not far off—a massive aura. Pure, immense light energy. This was grating. Lucky break: the goddess was right here. I suppressed my presence and climbed a tree. Peering through the leaves, I spotted a procession on the forest path.
Dozens of holy knights escorting a white carriage. The Lumina Church's convoy.
"We'll take a short break!"
The lead knight shouted, and the procession halted. Then the carriage door opened.
"...!"
The woman stepping out blinded me. Platinum blonde hair cascading to her waist like pure light, golden eyes haughty and mystical, as if gazing down on all creation. She wore saintly robes, but they couldn't hide her voluptuous curves. The ascetic outfit only accentuated her allure.
That's the goddess... Lumina.
Her grating was on another level. If Elina was a cold ice flower, Lumina was an untouchable sacred bloom. As her foot touched the ground, I could've sworn the surrounding grass perked up with life.
"Saintess, are you alright?"
A man approached her. Blond hair, green eyes. A handsome young man in gleaming armor. The protagonist, Lucian.
Calling Lumina "Saintess." One word, and it all clicked.
She's disguising herself as a saintess? A goddess?
Ridiculous, but I watched.
"Yes, Sir Lucian. Thanks to you, it was a comfortable journey."
Lumina's expression softened instantly. The blank face from moments ago bloomed into a spring-sunny smile. She gazed at Lucian with crinkled eyes.
Damn, the favoritism is real.
She'd scowled and backed away from the other knights, but with Lucian, she was defenseless.
"You've worked up quite a sweat."
Lumina pulled a white handkerchief from her bosom. Standing on tiptoe, she gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Ah, Saintess! I can do it myself. My apologies."
"Stay still. You're precious to me."
Her voice dripped with affection. Not mere fondness for a knight—this was blatant love. The kind that made her descend in disguise, cherishing him obsessively. Lucian's face flushed. He fidgeted but didn't pull away. A subtle tension hung between them. Close yet not touching, a precarious platonic line neither crossed.
What a pain in the ass.
Sneak between those lovebirds? No wonder the difficulty jacked up.
Hoo... Still, a mission's a mission. I needed to get stronger, claim my freedom.
Time to wedge in.
I hopped down, straightened my clothes. Traveler guise—safest, most natural approach. Rustle—! I made sure they heard me emerging onto the path.
"Who goes there!"
The alert knights reacted instantly, spears trained on me.
"Ah, just a traveler passing by. Got lost..."
I raised my hands, plastering on an innocent face. But my eyes locked past them, on Lumina.
"Suspicious bastard. Bind him now!"
The knight captain was about to order it when—
"Hold."
Lucian stepped forward. Protagonist vibes—righteous, kind-hearted, not one to harass innocents.
"Lower your weapons. He looks like a civilian."
"But Captain..."
"I'll check him."
Lucian approached. Up close, he was even prettier.
Annoying.
"Sorry for startling you. We're on an important mission, so tempers are high."
"No, no. My fault for popping out like that."
I flashed a friendly smile, shook his hand. Then glanced slyly at Lumina behind him.
"And that lady...?"
"Ah, our Saintess."
Lucian introduced her proudly. I seized the chance, approaching her.
"A pleasure to meet you. Even from afar, your nobility drew me in."
I knelt on one knee, moving to kiss her hand's back. Noble courtesy—polite, mannerly.
But.
"...!"
Lumina's face hardened icily. Before I could get close, she recoiled like I'd splashed her with filth.
"Don't come near."
Cold voice. Eyes brimming with contempt and disgust.
"Pardon?"
"I said stay back. You reek."
She covered her nose and mouth with the handkerchief. Straight-up calling me repulsive. The scent from my body—probably the male pheromones from my Heavenly Phallus. To her man-hating, germaphobic self, I was a walking dick.
"Saintess, that's too harsh. He's just..."
Lucian flustered, trying to intervene. But Lumina shook her head, glaring at me.
"No, Lucian. That man's... filthy. His eyes are lecherous beyond words."
Her golden pupils narrowed vertically. Pure hostility. Not just distaste—instinct marking me as enemy.
Whoa, she's hardcore.
Most would fake politeness... This goddess had no filter. No matter my looks, she pierced my ability and rejected me outright.
"S-Sorry. The Saintess... isn't feeling well, so she's a bit sensitive."
Lucian apologized awkwardly, defending her despite her rudeness.
"Lucian, no need to apologize to filth like him."
Lumina grabbed his arm. Eyes on him soft and worried—180 from her glare at me. She pulled him behind her, shielding him.
"Leave. No place for your kind."
Dismissal. Total rejection. Knights eyed me murderously; Lumina looked ready to blast purification magic.
Force my way? Tempting, but nah. No gain fighting now. Even sealed, she's a goddess. Better exploit weaknesses, break her slow—more fun, surer win.
"Understood. Sorry for the offense."
I backed off meekly. But my gaze lingered, scanning her furrowed brow, trembling shoulders, white hand clutching Lucian.
Keep shielding him. The more you do, the hotter it'll be pounding you in front of him later.
"Until fate brings us together again."
I left a loaded line, vanishing into the woods. Knights sighed in relief behind me.
But I didn't go far. Erased my presence, tailed them. Can't lose the heroine.
Night fell. The convoy set camp in a forest clearing. Bonfires crackled, knights stood guard. Deepest tent housed Lumina, Lucian at its entrance.
"Saintess, you must eat."
"Not hungry. Lucian, you eat. That guy earlier... drained you, didn't he?"
Their voices drifted from the tent. Perched on a branch, I amplified my hearing with mana, eavesdropping.
"No. He seemed like an ordinary traveler."
"No. Did you see his eyes? Gleaming with lust. A pure soul like yours wouldn't notice. The world's full of filthy beasts like him."
Treating me like trash. Fair enough.
"Lucian... don't ever let yourself be tainted. Your pure soul... it's my only sanctuary."
Lumina's voice quivered. She rubbed her cheek against his hand. Through a tent gap, silhouettes showed tender gazes. But no touch beyond hands. Platonic warmth, nothing more.
Frustrating as hell. Just fuck already if you love each other. What's this teen drama? Her goddess self-awareness? Fear her divinity might harm him? Lucian's knightly duty suppressing desire. Cherishing each other too much to cross the line—their noble love, untouched.
As I watched their pure romance—
A sinister aura stirred deep in the woods.
"Grrr..."
Black-smoke-spewing wolf-like beasts. Dozens, hundreds—red eyes glowing in the dark.
Oh ho. Perfect timing. Monsters drawn by scent. Enough to overwhelm the knights; Lucian alone can't protect everyone. Lumina'll have to act, exposing herself.
Crisis is opportunity.
I leaned against the tree, arms crossed. Helping now? Just get chased again. Wait till despair peaks. People dying, Lucian bloodied, Lumina screaming in terror.
Patience.
"Go on, you mutts."
My mutter synced with the dog-like monster pack swarming the camp.
"Attack! Enemy raid!"
"Kaaak!"
Screams and shouts shredded the peace. Their pure love scene turned hellish in seconds.
I savored the show leisurely. True hunts begin when the prey's exhausted.