Stripping the Traveler's Clothes (1)
Stripping the Traveler's Clothes (1)
My eyes fluttered open.
An unfamiliar wooden ceiling filled my vision.
For a moment I was startled, but then the memories of last night came flooding back.
I'd been hit by the Dire Wolf's mysterious curse, my consciousness flickering in and out.
It was a miracle I'd managed to reach the village in that disoriented state.
The terrible headache had subsided considerably now.
Likely thanks to the deep, prolonged sleep I'd gotten.
Pressing a hand to my forehead, I sat up.
The blanket covering me slid down naturally.
A blanket? Hadn't I collapsed straight onto the bed?
I didn't remember there being any bedding.
The man who'd offered me shelter must have covered me with it.
Pushing the blanket aside, I looked down at myself.
Completely naked, not a thread on my pale body.
No signs that anyone had touched me.
Even inside remained clean.
It seemed last night's attempted rape had only gotten as far as the attempt.
Getting out of bed, I stretched.
My stiff body trembled slightly as it loosened up.
Through the slightly open window, I could see the sun.
It was already well past noon.
"Ah. Over there..."
Turning around, I saw the serious-looking man from last night standing there.
His face was beet red.
Not satisfied with just looking away, he'd even covered his eyes with his hand.
Because of my nakedness, no doubt.
I didn't bother shrieking like a maiden at this point.
It was a little embarrassing, but I'd already shown him everything last night.
In situations like this, acting confident worked better anyway.
"Good morning."
"G-good morning. I brought some clothes for you to wear. Come downstairs when you're ready."
"Thank you."
He set the clothes down on the table and hastily retreated, flustered.
Exactly the kind of awkward reaction you'd expect from a simple country boy his age.
It wasn't unpleasant.
His bashfulness was more endearing than if he'd been openly lecherous.
I examined the clothes he'd left.
A chemise-style underdress and a plain dress with a narrow skirt.
Slightly worn but well-maintained clean clothes.
Probably belonged to his mother or sister.
First I put on the thin white chemise.
The chest area was a bit tight, but bearable.
When I tried putting on the dress next, I got stuck halfway.
Not only was the bust constricting, but it kept catching at my hips.
If I forced it any more, the seams would tear.
The undergarments had fit fine, but this dress was simply too small.
I gave up and took it off.
Couldn't be rough with borrowed clothes.
In the end, I headed downstairs wearing just the undergarments.
If he'd already seen me naked, this much shouldn't be embarrassing.
Going down to the first floor, I saw the man preparing a meal.
Spotting me, his pupils trembled again as he averted his gaze.
While not as bad as full nudity, underwear wasn't exactly proper attire either.
"The dress didn't fit me. Do you have any men's clothes I could borrow?"
"I-if mine would be alright, you can have them."
"I'd appreciate that."
He went up to the attic and came back with clothes.
A white linen tunic and woolen trousers.
Both were quite loose-fitting.
But I was tall for a woman, so this would do.
I could always tighten the drawstring at the waist.
After changing upstairs, I returned to the first floor.
The trousers stayed up thanks to the tied drawstring, while the tunic hung loosely with plenty of room to spare.
Given how thin the fabric was, I'd have to be careful about my appearance.
If I wasn't careful, the chest area might pull taut and reveal something embarrassing.
The outline of my breasts was one thing, but protruding nipples would be mortifying even for me.
"Um, it's late, but let's have lunch together. You must be hungry after sleeping until afternoon."
"Thank you. I'll eat well."
I accepted his offer without protest.
Warm cabbage stew, barley bread, and an apple for dessert.
A simple meal without any meat, but it felt comforting like home cooking.
First shelter, then clothes, now food - he'd helped me with all three basic necessities.
Not to mention rescuing me from that would-be rapist last night and covering me with a blanket while I slept.
This man before me was kind in many ways.
He was even tall with clear skin and quite handsome.
No woman would refuse a man like this.
I found myself growing fond of him.
"Ah, right. The wolf carcass is safely in the barn. I didn't realize last night, but seeing it again today, it's clearly no ordinary wolf."
"It's a monster. What they call a Dire Wolf."
Just its massive size and the horn on its forehead made its extraordinariness obvious.
The man looked at me with shining eyes.
"A monster...! You must be incredibly strong."
"Not enough to be praised like that. Just strong enough to protect myself."
I wasn't weak, but neither was I truly strong.
Even among Silver Badge mercenaries, many could defeat me - forget about Gold Badges.
I still had a long way to go before being capable of executing my revenge.
"You'll need to transport it to the city. I asked my parents to borrow a cart from the neighboring village."
"...I was just about to mention that. Thank you. You're very thoughtful."
"I'm glad to be of help."
He'd even anticipated the need to transport the Dire Wolf and arranged for a cart in advance.
Beyond his upright character and good looks, he was sharp and capable too.
My fondness for him rose even higher.
Finally unable to hold back, I made a suggestion.
"You seem about my age. Let's drop the formal speech. What do you say?"
"Huh? Uh, sure."
He nodded blankly at my sudden casual speech.
His overly stiff manner of speaking had been bothering me anyway.
With his good personality, it should be fine to get a little closer.
"My name's Rene. And you?"
"I'm Dennis."
"Dennis. Thank you so much for helping me yesterday and today. I'll repay you properly when I get back to the city."
All I had now was a single sword.
I'd lost not only minor belongings but even the pouch containing my mercenary badge and a few silver coins during yesterday's battle.
For now, all I could offer were empty promises.
"No need. You don't have to repay me. Anyone would have helped like I did."
"Hmm. Hearing that makes me want to repay you even more."
If not for him, I might have been helplessly raped in the middle of the night.
Not that something like that would break me after all I'd been through, but it would have been quite an unpleasant experience.
I felt nothing but gratitude toward Dennis.
"Hey, Dennis! Open up!"
"What's with the locked door?"
My ears perked up at the commotion outside.
Angry male voices, several of them.
Didn't sound like friendly visitors.
"...Rene. Could you go wait upstairs?"
"Sure."
I'd finished eating anyway.
His stiff expression made me comply without question.
Sitting on the attic bed where I'd first slept, I listened carefully.
Raised voices exchanging curses could be heard.
Couldn't make out details, but it sounded like an argument.
The quarrel that had lasted several minutes ended abruptly.
When Dennis came upstairs, I asked casually.
"What was that about?"
"Nothing important."
"I heard swearing."
"...Just some guys my age wanting to see you. There aren't any young women in this village."
So that was it. I'd somewhat expected as much.
Small villages naturally took interest in outsiders.
Especially when that outsider was a beautiful woman who showed up naked in the middle of the night.
"Dennis. Were you protecting me?"
"Well, you're a patient."
Maybe last night, but not now that I'd recovered.
I could beat a bunch of country bumpkins to death barehanded no matter how many came at me.
Still, I played along without letting on.
"How reliable. You must be popular with women."
"Huh? That's a first. Our village only has aunties and grandmothers."
The implication being he didn't have a girlfriend.
Playing innocent, I tilted my head and asked more.
"There are girls in the next village over."
"I don't really have reason to go that far."
In other words, he was a virgin.
After silently studying him for a moment, I made a decision.
Physical fatigue could be healed with recovery, but not mental exhaustion.
Accumulated stress needed regular release.
Through drinking, fine dining, or other diversions.
In that regard, the best pastime in this ancient era was undoubtedly mixing flesh between men and women.
And right before me was a suitable partner.
This kind, good man had more than earned the right to spread my legs for free.
"Dennis. If you're okay with it, I think we could have a good time together."
With my suggestive offer, I lightly patted the spot beside me on the bed.
Picking up on my strange mood, he asked with wavering eyes.
"...Huh?"
"You understand what I mean, right? I'm not forcing you. If you want, just sit next to me."
After agonizing hesitation, he seemed to make up his mind and slowly approached.
His bright red face showed disbelief at this situation.
Watching him, I silently undid the drawstring of my trousers.
Dennis awkwardly hesitated before finally sitting beside me.
Silence and tension hung in the air.
Experiencing a woman's seduction for the first time, he sat stiff as a wooden doll.
After running my hands over his chest a few times, I pulled off his tunic.
His masculine body with lean muscles came into view.
A startled Dennis hastily covered himself.
"I-is this really okay?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"It's just... this feels too sudden..."
I wondered how last night's would-be rapist or those village men would have reacted.
They'd have jumped at the chance to take me as they pleased.
This hesitation was what set Dennis apart from them.
"Dennis, I like you."
"...Me?"
"Yes. What strips a traveler's clothes isn't the harsh north wind, but warm sunlight."
With those words, I removed the borrowed tunic.
My well-defined collarbones, pert breasts, and slender waist were revealed.
Though I'd only removed one layer, Dennis's reaction was honest.
"How is it? A woman your age naked before you."
"P-pretty. Really."
"Maybe I'm not setting my standards too high after all."
It was slightly embarrassing to say myself, but women with my level of perfect beauty were rare even in the big city of Rivaid.
This first experience would remain in his memory for a long time.
Thinking that made my body feel even hotter.
As I sat up in bed, my loose trousers slid down on their own.
Revealing to him my plump, jade-like slit.
"Your turn to show me. Unless you're into this sort of thing."
"W-wait...!"
Using my teeth, I undid the knot of Dennis's trousers.
While he was frozen in shock, I removed both his pants and underwear.
Now we were both naked.
His rigid erection stood proudly.
Proportionate to his build, it was quite substantial.
Pulling Dennis down by the shoulders, I lay back on the bed with him.
Drawn to me, he looked down at me with nervous tension.
"No need to be careful. I'm not some fragile glass mirror. From now on, do what you want with me."
"...Am I dreaming?"
"Why would you be? Sometimes reality can be sweeter than dreams."
While inexperienced men could be cute, being passive in bed was boring.
Fortunately, Dennis didn't seem to be that type.
Regulating his excited breathing, he finally reached out toward me.