Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Mental Changes
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Today was finally the weekend. But the moment I opened my eyes, I had to groan in pain as my whole body throbbed.
"Aaagh, this fucking hurts so bad..."
Yesterday, I'd subtly ignored Marianne's probing words about what my relationship with Agnes was. As payback for ignoring her, I had to spar with her nonstop for four straight hours.
Even the sturdy, bullheaded warrior captains of the kingdom would refuse to spar with Princess Marianne, who drove her opponents mercilessly with her extreme mental fortitude. The fact that I'd endured it for four hours without passing out was a miracle in itself.
Luckily, I'd spent my entire fourth regression training with my master, so I was used to it. Even then, if I hadn't chugged a regeneration booster before bed, I probably wouldn't have even woken up now due to the aftereffects.
'If it weren't for that quest, I would've bailed halfway through...'
📜 QUEST: MASTER'S GRACE! 📜 Your former master, Marianne, is testing you!
Prove to your master that you're a man worthy of Agnes!
A harem stud must always prove himself!
🎁 Success Reward: Marianne's Favorability ↑, Crown Prince's Romance Approval ↑
⚠️ Failure Penalty: Marianne's Favorability ↓↓↓, Crown Prince's Romance Approval ↓↓↓
...My master is definitely attractive. That overflowing charisma, her powerful figure, and the shy way she acted when I hugged her last time. Honestly, the reward sounds tempting.
'But that failure penalty crosses the line, you damn system.'
I had no choice but to grit my teeth and go along with the sparring because of that status window popping up in front of me without any option to refuse.
-"You did well today! Let's spar again tomorrow morning!"-
And then I had to hear that we'd be sparring again this morning. The quest success message not appearing was just icing on the cake.
"Ah... I don't wanna get up..."
Why do I have to work so hard on the weekend, anyway? Why does this damn academy have classes on weekends too? This schedule, where weekends are just like relaxed weekdays, has to be some sadistic professors' way of tormenting students, right?
"Tch, gotta get up."
Even now, the villains are probably doing their utmost to ruin my happiness and harem. In that sense, sparring with Princess Marianne is basically a double EXP event. It was a hard offer to refuse, really.
I convinced myself as I got out of bed, and something crumbly fell from my hair. What the hell?
"Argh, damn it, Unicor! I told you not to eat snacks on my bed!"
Unicor had watched gleefully from the sidelines while I got pummeled one-sidedly during sparring, then ditched early saying alchemy was boring. And now here he was, munching snacks on my bed and reading comics.
Already annoyed with Unicor for acting all tsundere lately ever since I expanded my harem, I climbed the ladder to wake him from his sweet morning sleep.
Unicor had completely abandoned his pure unicorn image, kicking off all the blankets, facing me with his ass wiggling as he drooled in his sleep.
"Unicor, get up! It's morning!"
"Mmm, just 10 more minutes... This lord is sleepy..."
His short dolphin shorts had ridden up, exposing his plump, jiggly butt.
I couldn't resist and smacked it hard with my palm. Unicor let out a "Hyut?!" and jolted awake, then whined while rubbing the spot. The soft yet firm, bouncy feel was exquisite. So this is what they mean by juicy...
'Eh, he'll get up eventually.'
I got down from the bed and sat at my desk to check the bidirectional magic comms channel linked to Sion for any messages.
"Oh, she messaged right after I fell asleep yesterday."
The artifact I'd made for Sion this time was an upgraded version of Rexton Wise's 'Eye of Arcturus'.
The pendant, crafted with a top-grade mana ruby crystal, included illusion magic for disguise, communication functions, a mental stabilization spell to suppress Sion's near-maniacal hot-blooded personality, and over 12 additional effects. I proudly named this handmade Artifact No. 1 the 'Dog Collar'.
"Location: Rose Hall. Infiltrating by pretending to be kidnapped, confined to basement level 1, searching interior... Why Rose Hall of all places?"
I had nothing but bad memories of Rose Hall. In the second regression, the cannibal chef kidnapped people there. In the third, I had a fierce duel with villains in the burning Rose Hall.
"Women brainwashed with pink orbs... Preparing necromancy ritual?"
This part puzzled me, so I read the line three times over.
Kidnapping women with pink orbs was definitely the event for Lilith, the succubus subordinate of the Demon King—a sure sign of doom. But necromancy?
'Necromancy events are tied to Lich Harmon, the Wraith King, or... Rexton?'
No way two legion commanders or high-ranking subordinates would show up this early. Two possibilities: something got mixed up, or a new villain I don't know about.
This is a fucking headache. If it's an unknown villain, I'd have to hope Sion pries more info out of them while infiltrated. Or maybe dive in and wipe them out before things escalate, once I'm ready.
"Ugh, Arthin! You need to realize this lord is a lady! How could you smack a pure maiden's rear so mercilessly?!"
"If a pure maiden hadn't eaten snacks on my bed, I wouldn't have smacked her."
Unicor grumbled as he climbed down from the bed, fully awake but still clueless about what he'd done wrong, puffing out his cheeks.
"Plus, it's the weekend! This lord wants to sleep in on weekend mornings!"
"What weekend? I have sparring this morning, then alchemy adjustments."
"In this lord's opinion, you're definitely a masochist. You got beat that bad and still want more?"
As a silent answer, I pulled a high-grade recovery potion from my inventory and chugged it down. It tasted like it could give you wings.
"Is that brute training really helpful? It just seemed like you were ogling the princess's chest in her sparring tights."
"I lost over 12 teeth that broke or got knocked out and had to heal them, and you think I enjoyed it?"
"This lord watched the whole time, and you shamelessly stared at her chest and ass!"
Busted. But tough training needs its rewards. Even in my past life, admiring the princess's toned body and bursting curves was my one joy during sessions.
"That lecherous face again! This lord says you need to get beaten to the brink of death to straighten up! Or else, this lord might have to do it himself! Ow! That hurts!"
I stretched his chewy cheek flesh, and the stress from yesterday eased a bit. I'd been itching to knuckle-rap him while he mocked me getting hit, and now he handed me the perfect excuse.
"Eek! Keep bullying me, and I'll help the princess during sparring!"
"You? Help the princess?"
"Of course! This lord is the guardian of all maidens. So Princess Marianne qualifies for my protection!"
I clenched my fist to knuckle-rap him again as he boldly declared betrayal right in front of his contractor, but a good idea hit me, and I stopped.
"Uwuk!... Huh?! Not hitting me?"
"Haha, why would I? Unicor is my precious contractor, right? Gotta treasure my partner from now on."
Unicor had squeezed his eyes shut bracing for the hit, then gave me a puzzled look at my kind smile before beaming happily and linking arms with me.
"You finally realized this lord's value! Right! Your contractor is this lord! A precious bond of deep mental connection, deeper than with your women!"
He even rested his head on my shoulder, proclaiming triumphantly like he was the principal wife. I didn't bother refuting. Instead, I gently stroked his head, and he blushed, trembling with joy.
"Ah... Arthin? Why so affectionate today? This lord is happy, but it's kinda weird? Eung?"
"Of course I'd be affectionate. We're soul-bound partners who can't be separated."
Undeniable fact. As long as that damn inheritance trait exists, detaching Unicor would be near impossible.
"Partner... Yeah! That Kaiyen guy is fake! This lord is your true soul partner!"
"Right, we're partners. So you'll fight with me during sparring with the princess, right? Unicor?"
"......What did you just say?"
Unicor's happy grin froze cold, and I felt a cathartic bliss, smiling contentedly.
"You said it yourself. Soul partners. So we fight together—that's true Arthin power, no?"
No more popcorn-munching sidelines today. Especially not from Unicor.
So I decided to make him my 'partner'. Second after Kaiyen. Arthin-exclusive sandbag No. 2.
"Th-this lord refuses! Th-that princess slays giants solo, doesn't she?"
Unicor, having witnessed my beating yesterday, realized what awaited him and tried to unlink arms and flee. I grabbed him tight, of course.
"Kaiyen wouldn't refuse. Surely my true partner Unicor won't? Or are you scared of a mere human?"
"N-no!! This lord is a great divine beast! No way I'd lose to a human! Just off my game! If you say so, I'll fight!"
As expected, a little prodding and Unicor bit the bait with a shrill squeak.
"So reliable, Unicor? Take good care of me in sparring?"
"...J-just trust this lord! This lord is invincible, won't lose even to Demon King's minions! I'll show who the real Arthin partner is!"
Pure bravado, of course. Even accounting for early game, Princess Marianne—who shone as a late-game ally in the original—outclasses early-game cheat key Unicor.
'At least I'll take fewer hits today? Even Princess Marianne won't find Unicor easy.'
Imagining Marianne and Unicor in wrestling leotards rolling around, my morning wood throbbed even harder.
'...Wait, did I just get excited thinking of Unicor?'
What the fuck did I just think? I barely stopped myself from fantasizing a steamy threesome with Unicor and Princess Marianne, but the shock was huge.
Lately, after tasting women so much, I realized my excitement threshold was dropping. But Unicor? The crazy colt I was sure wouldn't turn me on even naked until recently?
Thinking back, smacking his ass earlier felt good—not just punishment, but that texture was oddly pleasurable. If it was spanking instead of discipline... Am I starting to see Unicor sexually?
'Snap out of it, Arthin. You're not a horse fucker. A unicorn contractor can't become a bi-corn one! Focus!'
To clear my head, I slapped my cheeks hard, then bolted to the shower ignoring Unicor's worried stare—like I'd finally lost it— and hit myself with an ice-cold battle shower to calm body and mind.
Of all days, my morning wood wouldn't go down, making me even more frantic.
Am I really turning into a horse fucker? No way, right?