Chapter 243
Chapter 243
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 243
Chapter Title: Surviving in the Forest (2)
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Instant soup warmed over a campfire.
Food that wasn't particularly expensive was a delicacy to Cornus.
-Slurp.
Cornus elegantly gripped a teacup with both hands, lightly dipping her lips to sip the soup.
"It's delicious."
It was just ordinary corn-flavored soup.
"Feeling full now?"
"Yeah."
Compared to when they first met, her complexion had improved a lot.
He touched her cheek with his hand, tidying up the strand of hair that had slipped into her mouth.
"...You're going to touch my cheek again?"
"No, your hair was caught."
"Liar... You always touch me."
That was true, but the way she said it rubbed him the wrong way.
Anyone hearing her would think he spent all day kneading her cheeks.
As he pulled his hand away from her cheek, Cornus puffed it out slightly before focusing intently on her soup again.
"What now?"
Cornus asked after they finished eating.
"Clear a few simple dungeons, build a house, and chill there."
Now that he'd found his team, he essentially had nothing left to do.
There was the request from the stars to find Flower, but wandering the forest aimlessly wouldn't get him anywhere close.
'Still.'
Of course, it wasn't like he had zero suspicions.
The number of cadets disqualified so far was abnormally high. The Forest Keeper Selection wasn't held just today.
There were official statistics, but this time, the disqualifications were excessive.
'If someone deliberately scoured the entire forest to disqualify every cadet, it wouldn't be impossible.'
But there was zero merit in doing that.
They'd draw all the public's attention, but there was no need to expend their own energy and effort.
There might be some ulterior motive.
And the ones capable of pulling it off were most likely.
National Trees.
Only them.
'Could National Trees be aligned with Flower?'
If so, it could spark unprecedented chaos.
Considering the backlash, it might even strain relations with the World Trees at worst. National Trees were Flower's rivals, after all.
In the absolute worst case, it could lead to outright war.
'But that's jumping to conclusions for now...'
Still, bad hunches always seemed to hit the mark.
*****
Day 4.
He wandered the forest outskirts with Cornus, clearing a few dungeons.
-Slash!
The wolf in front of him was bisected instantly at her gesture.
[Bzzzt~!]
The cameras, gathered briefly since the dungeon was cleared, enthusiastically filmed Cornus. He watched her swordsmanship from beneath the cameras.
'As expected.'
She'd improved tremendously.
Power, speed, and sword handling were incomparable to before.
In terms of pure swordsmanship, she already surpassed him.
'Even I'd struggle against this.'
Cornerus Family swordsmanship. He'd experienced it firsthand, but mimicking her current level recklessly was impossible.
Unless he holed up for a few months of training.
He could feel his own once-great potential had diminished slightly.
-Click.
Cornus sheathed her sword at her waist and looked at him, her posture utterly natural.
Form-fitting workout clothes clung to her body, outlining her hips and thighs.
Not a drop of blood on her.
"Now... time to build the house?"
"Yeah."
A scenic lake lay a bit farther from the wolf's corpse.
Perfect spot for forest bathing.
Few cadets would set up so openly, but it was fine.
Mages could intercept without moving and maintain vigilance.
-Splash.
At the gravelly lakeshore, he planted his staff to find suitable ground.
He set down his three backpacks, and Cornus followed suit with hers. They had plenty of food for two people to slack off.
Pretty lucky, all things considered.
A four-person tent from his backpack. Plus sleeping bags, blankets, and other essentials were all in hand.
His Luck of 10 was proving surprisingly useful in small ways.
-Flutter!
He pitched the tent and stuffed all the backpacks inside.
Using magic to gather twigs in a suitable spot for a campfire completed a simple campsite.
Finally, some rest.
Though he needed to set traps around first.
"...Si-heon."
Cornus, who had been quietly helping with the tent, suddenly tugged his shoulder.
The cameras had pulled back after seeing them claim the site.
Stamping her feet nervously, she whispered in his ear.
"It hurts."
It hurt?
Oh.
Right, her breasts must be filling up with milk by now.
"Go inside the tent."
-Nod.
Cornus nodded lightly and slipped shyly into the tent.
From outside, no shadow was visible inside.
It'd change at night, though.
'Just in case.'
Defenses could wait, but he had to erase nearby mana traces at minimum.
After finishing, he entered the tent. Cornus sat on the floor, staring at him intently.
She glanced at him and tapped her index fingers together.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
She nodded lightly at his question.
Before he could tell her to undress, she lifted her top as he approached.
No container handy. Magic it was?
-Squish.
A sweet scent wafted from her moist white bra.
A hot aroma.
Like the gym or a smithy. The smell of a person in steamy air.
Trapped in stuffy clothes, the warm scent and milk smell burst out thickly.
Just inhaling made lust rise naturally.
A hint of sweat too.
"...Hurry."
He reached out at Cornus's whine.
Gently pulling down the bra with his nails, her erect nipple sprang out.
The slightly indented center. White, opaque liquid trickled from the faint slit.
It glistened. Milk pooled in the cup spilled out, soaking her clothes.
-Drip.
Milk dripped onto his pants too.
-Gulp.
He swallowed.
"Hurry and... touch my breasts."
He snapped to at Cornus's furrowed expression.
Ridiculous, but this was legitimate medical care.
Why the anticipation, though?
"Turn around."
At his words, she yanked off her top and showed him her back.
Sweat pooled in her collarbone. Her body was damp.
Slipping his arms under her armpits, even there was warm.
Slick sweat with a strong scent.
A Wood Person's aroma like Cornus's was even more alluringly refined.
Her back view from above was indescribably seductive.
He'd met many National Trees, but purely by looks... Cornus might be prettier.
Matter of taste.
-Soft.
Her nape with just fine baby hairs, like a child's.
The clear I-shaped cleavage visible from behind.
Her soft breasts, swollen and leaking in the bra cups.
Up close, the scent tempting a man was intoxicating.
"...Don't Wood People usually have no body hair?"
"Hair?"
"Yeah."
Cornus lifted her breasts with both arms and answered obediently.
Her face scrunched lightly, but she responded well.
"...Never thought about it. I don't know... stuff like this."
"I see."
"Yeah, I didn't tell Si-won either... Weirdly, I can't remember things like this."
Topless in a back hug. How should he react to her innocent response?
"After the selection ends... you'll keep doing it?"
"This?"
"Yeah."
"...Can't leave it to anyone else. Guess so."
He lightly cupped her breasts with both hands.
His fairly large hands couldn't even cover half the circumference of one breast.
That was their size.
The scent tempted men more than any other, and the feel was beyond that.
How was she even born with a body like this?
Like warm Italian pudding.
No.
That didn't capture it.
Indescribable.
"Hngh."
Her voice moistened his ear. Savoring the soft skin wrapping each finger.
"...Not yet?"
Don't whine.
This moment demanded more mental fortitude than with Marronnier.
"I'll do it a bit harder."
The breast molded to his grip.
"Kuh... Haaa."
It squished like a gourd.
Cornus tilted her head back and nestled into his chest.
He gently lifted. His hands gradually toward the center.
Rubbing the puffy areolae with his fingers, teasing the nipple centers. White liquid sprayed like bursting champagne.
-Spurt!
A stream of milk stretched across the tent's center.
He felt the liquid draining from her breasts clearly.
Cornus wrapped her slender arms around his hands.
As if begging for more, she pressed her shoulder to his chest, turning her head slightly to gaze up.
Her other hand rested on his thigh.
Tear-filled eyes sparkled beautifully from above.
Her soft buttock pressed firmly against his groin.
The stimulation too intense, he pulled back his hips. Now his nose neared her nape.
Finish before crossing the line.
Rubbing the nipple drew a lewd moan from Cornus.
"Eut. Ahng... Ah!"
Mouth agape in oblivion, she gripped his arm tightly.
Pleasure-pain mix. Her body trembled like in fear. Must be unbearable.
He reached out, pulling her head into an embrace and stroking her hair.
Her shaking stopped abruptly.
Her head buried fully in his chest. Long yellow hair cascading.
Like petting an affectionate puppy that nuzzles into your hand with whines. Cornus subtly pushed her head closer.
Moving his hands diligently, her breathing quickened slightly.
"Haa... Haa..."
"Better now?"
"The other... other side hurts."
She grabbed his wrist and pulled it to her other breast.
Flustered but hiding it, he continued the breast massage.
As he soothed her wrecked body, a thought struck him.
'Why do nobles always mishandle their own children?'
Did he say it aloud?
"...Yeah?"
Panting, she looked at him. Soon, an explanation spilled from her lips.
"No... Hng. It's my fault. Dad did nothing wrong."
That man did nothing wrong. She truly believed it was her fault.
The human heart was fragile. Easily bent to one's will, fostering dependence or delusion.
Or maybe the Cornerus genes whispered it to her.
That useless experiments made her a burden. She might think that.
Realizing this oddly quelled his lust.
Excitement faded. Irritation furrowed his brow. Seeing it, Cornus's voice trembled like she'd wilted.
As if she'd misspoke.
"Do you think that too, Si-heon? That Dad's at fault."
"......"
"Mi-ho said something similar once..."
Twisting in pain and pleasure, she spoke to him.
He kept moving his hands. Speeding up as if searching for words.
"Huaa... Ahh. Faster..."
Then he stopped. Drip, drip. Milk beaded on her nipple and fell.
"Cornus."
"Yeah?"
"You're not looking great right now."
He leaned in slightly. Her body heat seeped through thin fabric. He felt her tense rigidly.
"...Why?"
After a moment, she leaned into his chest. He hugged her lightly.
"Family aside, I'm on your side."
Cornus might not know, but Ji-ho had once said:
-Miss Cornus is a Cornerus Family member too. Born with that blood, cooperating with experiments... it's instinct. Even dying from it would satisfy her.
-What if we stop the experiments?
-...She might hate us for it.
That's what made it bitter. The secretary muttering over the phone.
"Why so sudden?"
"Nothing. Just had a sudden impulse."
"Impulse?"
"Yeah, something guys like me do sometimes."
He pulled his milk-soaked hands away.
Evaporating the liquid with magic simultaneously.
The tent filled with her milk scent, but no matter.
"All done."
Handing her clothes from the floor, she glanced at him before murmuring softly.
"I don't hate your impulses, Si-heon."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Being with you feels comfortable. Just hearing your voice stops the pain."
That embarrassed him.
He quickly detached from her back. Since he'd already crossed a line, might as well add more.
"Not hurting anymore?"
-Nod.
"Remember my last words to you at the academy?"
Dressed, Cornus pondered before answering.
"If something happens, tell Si-heon."
"Good. Keep it."
"I don't get it. Mi-ho too. When exactly do I say it?"
She hadn't known the threshold till now.
He raised a finger to her, giving a clear criterion.
"When it hurts."
"...Hurts?"
She mulled it over, hesitantly nodding.
"Yeah, not sure, but I'll try."
He hoped the meaning got through this time.
There were still many around her who cared.