Turning Point
Fuck. Why are male creatures always like this? Just remembering the nightmare from yesterday, I was sure I wouldn’t get hard even if I died. But thanks to that doctor who kindly directed me not to the bathroom but to the semen collection room tucked away in some hospital corner, I ended up giving one load with my mouth this time.
Wrapped in a strange, reality-check-like feeling, I head down to the parking lot with her.
“How is it? Is the spot where you put the medicine okay now?”
“Haa… Yeah… It feels a lot better thanks to your healing magic…”
“See? No blood came out with the semen, right?”
“…”
Yeah… fuck, that’s a relief. It felt like she applied more spit than actual medicine, but still… it was way better than this morning. I climb into the driver’s seat, looking like death warmed over, and change the navigation destination from home to the sanctuary.
“The sanctuary? What are we going there for?”
“What for… I’m trying to receive the God’s favor that everyone else gets.”
“What?”
“…”
Elphy’s short, blunt reaction was pure incomprehension. Of course, I wasn’t upset or disappointed by it. After all, I was the one who used to whine every single time I failed to receive any favor. She must have listened to my complaints at least a hundred times by now. She might even be wondering if I’d lost my mind from all the sexual exploitation.
But I’m not the same person I used to be.
“Elphy, listen carefully to what I’m about to say…”
“I know this might sound like I’ve gone crazy… but I leveled up.”
“…Huh? Wait, what the hell are you talking about?”
Her voice had been so serious that I thought she was about to say something important. Instead she just pats my thigh and tells me that if I’m going to talk nonsense, I should at least focus on driving. No, fuck…! I’m being completely serious right now, okay?
“It’s true. I leveled up…”
“What does that even mean? Are you talking about some game?”
“No! Not a game…! For real…! It’s like… augmented reality or something…”
I pour my whole heart into explaining what happened that day in the dungeon—how letters float in my vision, how voices speak directly into my head. But sure enough, her expression is a goddamn masterpiece.
“…Are you actually serious right now?”
“Yes, I’m serious! That wolf bit my arm clean off and—”
“Arm? But when they brought you to the hospital you were completely fine…?”
“Also, wolf? You never mentioned anything about a wolf.”
“No… that’s… I mean…”
Ha, fuck… I’m losing my mind. If we were home I could just throw this slave over my shoulder and start doing squats. Or make her sit on my back while I did push-ups to prove I’d leveled up. But I’m driving, so there’s no way to show her. It’s infuriating.
Then suddenly, a memory from yesterday flashes through my head.
“We… we had sex yesterday, didn’t we? Wasn’t I way more vigorous than usual?”
“Vigorous? Aigoo… why are you bringing that up all of a sudden~”
“…”
Fuck… stop acting shy and just answer the question. This bastard saw my dick swollen to twice its normal size but keeps stroking my thigh anyway. I smack the back of the shameless slave’s hand to make her answer properly.
“Ow!”
“Please… let’s try to live like civilized 21st-century people.”
“We’re not animals… Yesterday and then again at the hospital just now, huh…?”
“Aigoo… you enjoyed it too, so what’s with the attitude?”
“From what I saw coming out of the hospital, it was no joke…?”
“…”
Fuck… she’s exaggerating so much she could get the ceiling pregnant. Ha… fuck… where the hell did she learn such vulgar expressions? And the way she’s looking at me with those lewd eyes is making my face burn. I can’t even control my expression.
“Um… ahem… that’s… it’s like an absolute command engraved into my genes. I can’t help it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so let’s get back to the main point. Think about yesterday. Wasn’t it different from usual? My erection strength, my overall physical abilities—haven’t they all been enhanced?”
I press her for an answer as if it’s already decided. Elphy thinks for a moment, then nods.
“Well… yeah. Yesterday’s stamina really was ridiculous.”
“Like something straight out of a doujinshi…”
She said I was like a monster driven mad by lust. Fuck… the real monster is sitting right next to me, so why do I have to hear this shit? Minotaurs, orc chieftains… I don’t even want to know what kind of doujinshi she’s been getting off to. But that’s not what matters right now.
What matters is that she’s acknowledged—even if in this weird way—that I’ve become stronger.
“So you admit it, right? That my physical abilities have improved?”
“Well… I guess so?”
“Exactly! I’m not the weakling I used to be anymore!”
“In terms of stamina and physical ability, I’ve leaped far beyond my previous self… which means…”
This might be my chance. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that this time I’ll definitely receive God’s favor. With that thought burning in my chest, I slam my foot down on the accelerator and head for the nearest sanctuary.
What exactly is a sanctuary? It’s exactly what the name suggests—a holy place. Yes. That’s where I’m headed. It replaced ninety-five percent of all the world’s religious facilities and became the symbol of God, a religion in itself. More than that, it’s a massive community and gathering place. It’s living proof that gods truly exist in this world.
That’s right! According to Namuwiki, it’s the place where the benevolent God shares His power and embraces you…! The closest you can get to those gods who are off somewhere doing who-knows-what…!
So why the fuck does it only hate me? Why am I the only one who can’t use magic…!!!
“Haa… this is fucking bullshit…”
“Aigoo… don’t curse. And don’t get too depressed…”
“Anyway, it’s not wrong that you leveled up, right? Your stats went up from before too…”
“…”
Stats… ha… yeah. They did go up. But with only five hundred points each in attack, constitution, magic, and defense, what the hell am I supposed to do with them? Stats are the most important metric for hunters… Should I be happy that my attack power, stamina, mana, and defense are twice as high as a normal person’s? Fuck… I got all excited and measured them only to feel twice as shitty afterward.
I sigh and pull out a cigarette.
“Hey. You said you were quitting…! Confiscated!”
“Just one cigarette… This is the first one today. I only smoke twice a day.”
“Really…?”
“Yeah… really. It’s been a long time since I quit, but…”
Because God hates me. Because it’s so unfair I need to smoke one. I put the cigarette between my lips and pull out my lighter… but of course the fuel’s empty right now. All I hear is a pathetic clicking sound. Every flick of my finger produces nothing but weak sparks.
“Haa… fuck…”
“See? It’s God’s revelation telling you not to smoke. Here. Confiscated.”
“Yeah… fine. I won’t smoke, okay?”
It was a short, sharp, irritated remark. I was taking my anger out on a slave who had done nothing wrong. But Elphy simply smiled and comforted this pathetic version of me.
“Don’t be too disappointed… Even if you don’t receive the favor, even if you can’t use magic, you can still live a good life.”
“Your body really has gotten stronger, hasn’t it?”
“It’s not like the only job in the world is hunter… And above all, I…”
I hate seeing Master get hurt. The way she looked at me with that shy, awkward expression made something in my chest tighten. Thanks to her, I was able to let go of my useless irritation and dissatisfaction.
Reflecting on my recent behavior, I reach out with moist eyes and stroke Elphy’s hair.
“Ow! Why are you touching my hair?! It’s getting all messed up…”
“Just… it feels like in this world, the only one on my side is you…”
“Aigoo… why are you getting all sentimental all of a sudden?”
“Hmm… ahem…! Is that so? Then never mind. Let’s go eat. I’ll buy you something delicious.”
“Really?! For real?”
“Yeah. What do you want?”
Even though things had turned out differently from what I’d planned… maybe just living modestly with this slave would be enough. So I decided not to think about it anymore. I wouldn’t dwell on it or worry about it.
Yes. This was my fate. Even though I had roamed dangerous battlefields just a year ago, that part of my life was over. I thought I had said goodbye forever to battles where I risked my life.
At least until Elphy’s phone rang. Until I received that completely unexpected call while driving.
“Hey. It’s Minhyuk.”
“Minhyuk…? Ah… really? Then tell him we should eat together.”
“No. He says he’s buying. If you have time, come right now.”
“…?”
What? Why is he the one suggesting we meet first? I don’t get it… Still, I want to see his face and greet him properly. I set the navigation to the coordinates Elphy reads out.
(Friendship (Cow Stop…))
(What the…? Is this some kind of beef restaurant…?)
Just from the name it sounded expensive… I never imagined it would be this fancy. The parking lot already looked unusual, and sure enough, the interior was anything but ordinary.
The two beggars followed the staff down the hallway. Room 13. A man was waiting for us there.
“Ah… you’ve arrived. How’s your body feeling…?”
Neat suit, neat hairstyle. Like a salesman you’d see in a magazine, his polished appearance had nothing in common with the bearded guy I remembered except the name. He radiated elite status from every pore. I already felt crushed by some indescribable aura coming off him.
“Ah. Yes… I survived, thanks to you.”
“Haha. That’s good to hear… You must be hungry. Shall we order first?”