Chapter 308 Good News and Bad News
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: Good News and Bad News
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"What kind of backwater town is this?"
The mystic grumbled as they stopped in the middle of the street.
The place where the mystic and the TS guy were currently located was a rural village about 4 hours away from Daleguard.
Perhaps because Aldein's appearance was so unusual, they were able to pinpoint his whereabouts immediately.
"What is a monster dismantler shop’s manager doing in a rural place like this?"
At TS Skar's question, the mystic shrugged.
"I don't know. Who knows?"
"If you don't know, you should find out. You ugly guy."
The two bickered and walked along a forest path for about 30 minutes, arrived at a small village, met the village chief, and heard where the one-eyed elf had headed.
"He went deeper into the forest."
"How deep?"
When the mystic asked, the village chief bowed his head.
"I don't know the details either. Other than that he followed the northern forest path..."
"I understand."
The mystic took out a coin from his pocket, handed it to the village chief, and moved his feet.
Had they walked for about an hour straight?
A clearing reeking of the smell of blood came into view.
The expressions of the mystic and the TS Skar didn’t change.
The two quietly exchanged glances and then stepped into the clearing.
Under the blooming spring flowers…
Blood and innards
Limbs full of yellow fat were scattered in the clearing.
And in the middle of the clearing…
A one-eyed elf man with a decadent impression stood while holding a single-edged sword.
The mystic grinned.
"Found him. Elf samurai, Aldein Ashwood."
The one-eyed elf tilted his head, then he swung his sword to shake off the blood and looked at the mystic and TS Skar.
"Do you know me?"
The mystic fiddled with the nape of his neck.
"We saw each other once, didn't we? Why’re you pretending not to know?"
Aldein's head tilted crookedly. His one eye glinted bizarrely.
"When?"
"The very next day after we visited the youngest's inn. You watched us from a distance for a moment and left."
"Ah. Are you Skar's 'brothers'. My memory has been going back and forth these days. So what’s the matter?"
"The youngest’s in danger."
"That guy’s always in a crisis."
TS Skar stepped forward and pointed at the dismembered corpses.
"By the way, what’re all these guys?"
Aldein shrugged his shoulders.
"They're no one special. They're magic tool merchants who came out of Labyrinth City this time to set up shop in a place with good air and good water."
"Hah."
The mystic let out a hollow laugh and put his hands behind his back.
Aldein paid him no mind, rummaged through the dead merchant's pocket, took out a small candle, and threw it at him.
"From the looks of it, you seem to have deep knowledge of black magic, take a look."
The mystic caught the flying candle and stared at it blankly.
"...It’s a candle made of human fat."
"The belly fat of a pure boy or girl was thinly sliced, and then only the fat was extracted to make this candle."
Aldein continued his words while rummaging through the merchant's bag.
"They performed human sacrifices in the city, cannibalism... Anyway, they were guys I didn't want roaming around, so I was firmly watching them."
"Were they cultists?"
"They're guys who don’t even deserve to be called cultists. They were trash who pursued their own profit and well-being more than loving a god."
"You could have just killed them inside the city. Why did you bother coming outside?"
"I thought that I might be able to find a connection. There are other reasons too, but I'm shy, so I can't tell you everything."
The mystic closed his mouth and looked at Aldein.
The latter sat on a rock in the clearing and also looked at the mystic carefully.
"..."
After a brief silence passed…
Aldein opened his mouth.
"That's enough talk. What kind of crisis has our Skar fallen into this time?"
"His lustful energy exploded."
"That can happen. Is that a crisis?"
"In front of the Elf Queen."
"It’s indeed a once-in-a-lifetime crisis. Is he still alive?"
"Somehow? The youngest told me you have a way to absorb lustful energy."
"Absorb lustful energy?"
Aldein tilted his head for a moment and then looked down at the single-edged sword in his hand.
"Ah."
He chuckled as if he immediately understood.
"Hehe. Skar’s in danger, so of course I should help him. But I need help too."
The mystic frowned.
"What do you need help with?"
"There are a few leftover cultist groups, but it's really hard to track them down because they scattered from Labyrinth City. They also use unheard-of black magic, so it's really hard for me to react to them."
The mystic agonized for a moment and then nodded.
"I’ll help you. Big-breasts, you'll have to go back to Labyrinth City on your own."
"Yeah? Got it."
"Aren't you worried about me?"
"Why would I worry about you? I'd rather worry about the youngest. Go and come back quickly."
"Sigh."
The mystic let out a deep sigh. They were 'Skars' with a truly terrible love for the youngest.
Aldein stood up from his seat and handed a red single-edged sword to TS Skar.
"You can take this sword."
"I should take this to Skar?"
"Yeah. If it's Skar, he'll handle it well on his own."
TS Skar grabbed the single-edged sword with a half-doubting expression.
The doubt was brief.
TS Skar's expression relaxed.
"Ah. This is the Death Blade imprint, isn't it?"
Aldein nodded and took out a small wooden plaque from his pocket and handed it to the latter.
"You noticed right away. She’s my younger sister. If it's the Death Blade that absorbs any kind of energy without distinction, this matter will also be wrapped up well. And this wooden plaque’s a symbol of the Ashwood family. If you show it to the royal guards, you'll be able to easily enter the inner castle while carrying my younger sister."
"Wait a minute."
The mystic guy took out a ring from his pocket, held it, and muttered something, and mana surged like a storm and entered the ring.
A moment later…
The mystic handed the ring to TS Skar.
"Take this ring too."
"What's this?"
"Sense Blocking Release magic. I made it to roughly function as such. When absorbing the lustful energy, he can just insert mana into it and release the Sense Blocking magic on the affected at the same time. Physical contact is essential. Explain it well to the youngest."
"Got it. I'll be going first."
The TS Skar immediately turned around and walked down the forest path.
Aldein watched TS Skar's back and grinned.
"Then shall we go? I'm reassured now that I have a companion."
"Did you have a bowl of hot soup or something? What are you so reassured about?"
"..."
The two men stood in their spots for a moment, had a staring contest, and then went deep into the forest.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Another day passed, and evening approached.
Jeong Yoo-shin held his head in dismay.
'Not easy.'
The elf royal guards loitered around while in their underwear. As a bonus, they’ve even gotten closer to him than before.
Others would have liked the view if they saw it, but Jeong Yoo-shin couldn't.
In a situation where he was suspected of being a lustful energy terrorist, would he still touch the Queen's royal guards?
He would definitely be branded as a sow terrorist.
'Just have sex! Are you impotent? Why can't you eat what's given to you? You frustrating bastard!'
The darkness of the labyrinth cried out in his head for the first time in a while, but he ignored it.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up, took a wet towel, and headed to the corner.
Not only were there no windows that could be opened in the deep hall of the inner castle, but…
He also sweated a little because of the heat the elves were emitting.
Showering was something he couldn't even dream of right now, but he thought of at least wiping his body with a towel.
Unfortunately, the elves' gazes followed Jeong Yoo-shin.
'Stop staring.'
Jeong Yoo-shin hid his embarrassment and took off his upper garment, his upper body glistening with sweat and shining with moisture.
"S-Skar! Wh-What in the world are you doing?!"
The royal guard captain shouted, her eyes wide.
"I'm trying to wipe my body because it's sticky."
"..."
The royal guard captain glared at Jeong Yoo-shin with a red face.
The latter immediately avoided the former’s gaze.
Selenis had been acting like an angry cat ever since their lips collided yesterday.
He wasn't slapped, but her eyes when looking at him became even fiercer, as if her wariness of him had gone up a notch.
Of course, she didn't take off her armor either.
Jeong Yoo-shin took the wet towel and slowly wiped his upper body.
The elf royal guards, without exception, stared intently at Jeong Yoo-shin's body.
A sleek, muscular body.
His broad chest and chiseled six-pack abs were clearly revealed.
Should they say that it was like a sculpture that perfectly reproduced male beauty?
The expressions of the elf royal guards began to change strangely, but…
Jeong Yoo-shin himself was just looking down at his own body.
'My muscles have shrunk a bit.'
Strictly speaking, his muscles hadn't really shrunk.
It was just that the muscles he had purposely pumped up during his time with the hero's party had returned to their original state.
He wasn't disappointed though.
Due to the constant sparring and to his level up, his muscles were well-compressed.
"Skar!"
"Yes?"
"H-Hurry up and put your clothes back on!"
As per the royal guard captain's command, Jeong Yoo-shin put his clothes back on.
"D-Don’t take off your pants!"
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin realized why the royal guard captain had yelled at him so urgently.
Because the elf women, who had approached him at some point, were staring intently at his lower body.
The elf royal guards stepped back with disappointed expressions.
"Eh... Too bad."
"I-I wanted to see below too."
"E-Excuse me, Skar-ssi, you must be hot, right? I brought some water here."
An elf woman approached him and held out a glass of water.
"Thank you."
Jeong Yoo-shin expressed his thanks and drank the water.
The royal guard captain looked at the barbarian with narrowed eyes.
To be more precise, the elf royal guards…
The sight of them wagging their tails while lingering around the barbarian while in their embarrassing underwear wasn’t a good sight to see.
Did they let their guard down seeing that barbarian's naive appearance?
Or was it because of their youthful vigor?
'Hard to understand.'
No matter how young the elves were, they were the elite who protected the royal family.
Meaning they don't normally act like this.
Then, there could only be one conclusion.
In that man…
Besides the corruption imprint, there was something else that stimulated women's favor.
Selenis, who had been contemplating deeply, came to a sudden realization.
It was a bizarre situation that made her head dizzy, but that couldn't be a reason for the royal guards' discipline to become lax.
'I have to separate that guy and the royal guards for now.'
Selenis gestured toward Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Skar, come here."
"Yes."
The black-haired guy approached her immediately without any sign of dislike.
Selenis, who was watching Skar approach, felt her mouth go dry.
Gulp.
Because Skar's broad chest and firm abs, which she had seen a moment ago, briefly flickered in her mind.
Selenis made a stern expression to hide her inner thoughts.
"Don’t get too close to the royal guards."
"Understood."
The half-barbarian answered meekly.
Should she say that he was like a well-behaved wolf cub?
It seemed like he would listen to any command.
'Any command...?'
Something dark and gloomy suddenly surged up from within her heart.
Selenis hurriedly shook her head and uprooted her damp thoughts.
At that time…
Skar suddenly brought his head close to her ear.
A sudden action.
The flustered Selenis froze stiff.
"Captain-nim, I'm embarrassed to say this, but I still have to. Are you really not going to take off your armor? All the royal guards are worried about you, Captain-nim."
"...!"
Selenis's eyes widened again.
'Again?!'
But the anger that suddenly surged up subsided faster than that.
It had to.
Because a faint concern was mixed in Skar's voice.
Selenis gently pushed Jeong Yoo-shin's face away and crossed her arms.
"Skar, I’m a mother of two children and a wife of one husband. I’m also a royal guard who protects the Queen-nim. I have a duty to protect my chastity and honor, so stop."
"Understood. I’m sorry for asking such an unreasonable request."
"..."
Selenis avoided Skar's gaze.
How could every single word of his be so polite?
A handsome face.
A sculpture-like body.
While exuding the aura of a beast, when he opened his mouth, a warm character was revealed.
Selenis tightened her relaxing mouth.
"It's fine. I understand your heart well enough."
"I see. Thank..."
Even before Skar's words ended.
Creeeeak.
The great door of the hall opened a little.
And TS Skar peeked her head in.
"Youngest, are you there?"
The elves hurriedly covered their private parts.
"Ah?!"
"W-What to do? S-Showing my underwear..."
One of the elves tilted her head.
"She's a woman, though?"
"Ah. You scared me."
"But she's another barbarian."
Jeong Yoo-shin walked between the murmuring elves and approached the great door.
TS Skar held out a red single-edged sword and a small ring.
"Youngest, I found Aldein. He said that if I give you this red sword, you'll handle things well on your own, is that right?"
"Yeah. Thank you."
"This ring’s a magic tool that releases Sense Blocking magic. That mystic guy told me that you should wear it, then you can absorb the lustful energy and infuse mana into the ring. Ah! He also said that you must be touching the subject's body."
"Alright. By any chance, is there a way to eliminate the sensations that accumulated when the Sense Blocking magic is released?"
TS Skar tilted her head.
"I didn't hear anything about that, though."
"..."
"Ugh. But the smell is terrible. I'm dizzy. Second Brother said that he'll be back a little late because he's going to subjugate some cultists with Aldein."
Was that so?
"What about First Brother?"
"He's at the labyrinth entrance. I'm going to go see him now."
"Thank you."
"What for? We're not strangers. Wrap it up well, youngest. I'll be going now."
TS Skar smiled radiantly and closed the door.
Thump.
Jeong Yoo-shin grabbed the red single-edged sword and stroked it gently.
'Muhuhu. It's been a while, Skar.'
A husky voice echoed in his head.
Beatrice.
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled faintly.
"It has."
'Muhuhu. Do you want this body's power?'
"..."
This was baffling.
Did she, by any chance, learn some strange joke from TS Skar?
But he had met her after a long time, and he even had to get help from her.
It was only right for him to play along with Beatrice to some extent.
'I can do it.'
"Yes. I want your power."
‘Ah. Wait a minute. I don't know about anything else, but I have to absorb your body's lustful energy first. You're on the verge.’
"...?"
‘You, it's piled up.’
"..."
This is a bit…
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his mouth and grabbed his throbbing head.
While they were talking…
Thump. Thump.
The sound of the elves' footsteps got closer.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned around.
He saw the elves holding spears and bows, their expressions full of wariness.
He understood.
They waited while thinking there was a solution, but the barbarian had grabbed a weapon instead.
'The solution is the priority for now.'
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the elves and raised his index and middle fingers.
"There is one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?"
Selenis's cold pupils shone.
"I don't know how a weapon was brought in, but I’ll hear the good news first."
"From now on, I can absorb your lustful energy."
"Then I’ll ask about the method later. What’s the bad news?"
"There’s no way to alleviate the sensations that’ll be released all at once when the Sense Blocking magic is released. I’m sorry for not being of help there."
"..."
Along with Jeong Yoo-shin's gentle words…
The inner castle hall sank into a deep silence.
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T/N - Dang, there are gonna be lots of moaning elves in the next chapter, huh? The elves were acting like curious brats all this time, so it’s time to introduce fear into their hearts and bodies. 😈
Also, the ‘Skars’ are really quite doting of the MC, huh? They’re quite invested in him, in fact.