16. On the Road, Personally Driving the Red Evil Mercenaries' Carriage

I was personally driving the Red Evil Mercenaries' carriage along the road, one eye swollen black and blue. My puffy eyelid twitched naturally, sending waves of throbbing pain through me. Who would've thought I'd end up as the husband who gets smacked around? Of course, this was the price for mouthing off to Bella. What I really wanted to say to her wasn't that at all...

Right before we set off. It wasn't intentional on her part—I knew she was just worried about us. But those words about how we were still outsiders to her got under my skin, filling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my head with surging emotions. The words I meant to say got all twisted up, my brain short-circuited, and I blurted out something stupid without thinking.

What I actually wanted was something a bit cringey and romantic, like "You're my woman, and your problems are mine," the kind of thing lovers say. Tch.

Of course, Bella hadn't meant to hit me. She was worried sick, and when I suddenly spouted nonsense, she thumped her own chest in frustration like ugh, what an idiot. I went to hug her, and that's when her fist caught my eye. So she didn't hit me, right? But it still stung like hell.

"Aigoo, right in the eye..."

Come to think of it, this reminded me of something from before. When was it? Oh yeah, probably the day I first kissed Bella. During our party's historic first dungeon conquest, while standing watch for a rest, I'd stolen a kiss from her. I remember taking a fist to the face back then too.

It wasn't intentional then either. Despite her rough speech and tomboyish personality, her royal upbringing left her unused to skinship with men. She said her fist flew out reflexively from my sudden kiss. She'd grumbled something like "You bastard" but her eyes had that subtle apologetic glint—super cute. And after my ability regrew her arm, the way her eyes went wide as she swung it around in the air...

"Heh heh..."

Lost in those memories, I chuckled to myself. Dina, sitting beside me and licking some huge lollipop she'd pulled from who-knows-where, looked at me with curious eyes.

"Why art thou laughing alone all of a sudden, Yeonja?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. But Dina, what's that?"

"Hm? Oh, this? Heh heh... The fiery miss gave it to me. She said she thought of this body while returning from her commission and bought it. Candy, is it? In my era three thousand years ago, sweets like this were rare outside of honey. Truly, the world hath improved!"

Her eyes sparkling as she gripped the stick tight, praising it like a treasure. She looked just like any ordinary girl—so adorable. Hard to believe this kid suddenly transforms into such a mature, womanly figure. Though her chest stays small.

"More importantly, Yeonja, what happened to thine eye? Did someone strike thee?"

"Uh, yeah...? No, it wasn't really a hit..."

I couldn't bring myself to tell Dina I'd gotten clocked trying to hug Bella while she was pounding her own chest, so I fudged it.

"Tripped and bumped it."

Not entirely a lie—it did bump. Bella had given me such a worried look at that. My conscience stung a bit.

"Is that so? Hmm... 'Tis a pity, Yeonja. Thou hast such a finely trained body despite lacking mana... yet thou canst not wield it properly."

"Yeah, uh, pretty much. Haha."

"No helping it, then, Yeonja. Henceforth, I shall teach thee how to use thy body."

"Huh? You, Dina...?"

What the hell? Out of nowhere?

"Fear not. This body was born for mastery of the physical form—and I know well how to wield it best. Even without mana, Yeonja shall learn to command his frame from me."

"No, I mean... uh."

This was veering into weird territory. I wasn't against learning from Dina. She was the Fist King from three thousand years ago, after all. She'd shone in our party lately, and her powered-up form in that death sorcerer's dungeon—with my help—was insane. Adult Dina would be fine, but kid Dina... something felt off. Unsettling.

Hesitating, Dina pouted and drooped her head.

"Yeonja... doth not trust this body."

"No, Dina, it's not that."

"Then why hesitate?"

"Well, I was just worried if I could keep up with you."

"Truly?"

"Totally. Have you ever seen me lie to you?"

"Eek, hee hee. So Yeonja never lies to this body."

Her face lit up instantly. Eyes sparkling again, she plastered herself to my side.

"Worry not! This body adores Yeonja so—if for thee, I shall teach every nuance patiently. Even if thou falterest, I shall repeat it all. Trust only in me!"

"Uh, sure."

Her enthusiastic vow was too cute to refuse; I just nodded. Well, why not? Learning wouldn't hurt. I couldn't rely on protection forever. A bit uneasy, sure, but better than seeing her mope. Future me could deal with the soreness later.

Listening to her cheerful chatter, the carriage rolled smoothly toward the Tronen-Durumil border.

The border into Durumil had a massive line of carriages and people. As I'd explained before, Durumil Kingdom boasted fertile lands yielding heaps of food—about 30% of the continent's grain came from there. Crops were dirt cheap. But minerals? Pricey as hell. Flatlands meant few mountains, few mines.

And lately, greedy nobles and royals waged endless territory wars to fatten their purses, driving mineral prices sky-high. So merchants flooded in, selling iron and weapons for cheap grain to flip elsewhere.

We didn't care. We just wanted through fast.

"How long we gotta wait? Tch."

I slumped lazily in the driver's seat. Since leaving Hildenheim days ago, we'd pushed nonstop except for horse rests—harsher than the Leventen-Hildenheim trek. Exhausting march, but with the situation... seeing Bella fret over Karlson's fate made even short breaks impossible.

Honestly, I felt a twinge of jealousy en route. Why keep worrying about another guy in front of me? But she'd noticed, and during shift changes, she'd soothe me with uncharacteristic aegyo.

That was yesterday, barreling down the road. She'd skipped dinner after chugging my load from breakfast to lunch—stuffed.

Now, after endless driving, my ass ached like it might split into four from all the seat time. We'd planned a proper rest at an inn once across the border... but this line wasn't budging.

"You okay, hubby? Not too tired?"

Cheong-ah, sitting beside me this shift to ease my fatigue, dabbed the sweat from my brow with a handkerchief.

"A bit."

"Want to touch my breasts?"

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perked up instantly.

"...Can I?"

She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠laughed awkwardly.

"Just kidding—embarrassing here."

"Oh..."

I deflated. She rolled her eyes at my mood swing, then rustled under her robe. Familiar bandages unraveled from within. She grabbed my hand, pulling it inside.

The instant warmth—plush, heavy, soft, that electric thrill no matter how many times. Her face flushed crimson as she whispered,

"...Just a little?"

"Cheong-ah, I love you."

"Eek... Y-yes... M-me too... Hn."

Lost kneading her breasts, time flew—the line shrank, our turn approaching.

"Next!"