Little Devil and Wild Horse (4)
Little Devil and Wild Horse (4)
"Wow. Baekboji."
The thighs eventually exposed beneath the slightly lifted negligee.
Anethsa, who had clearly seen my private parts, widened her eyes in excitement.
"Oh my, it's even wet? How lewd~"
A thin vertical slit buried between plump labia.
Between those folds, a woman's nectar was dripping thickly.
My body was already aroused due to Anethsa's earlier striptease.
Struggling through the embarrassment, I tried to explain myself to her.
"...Don't think it's strange. It's just my constitution."
"Heeh. I see. Just your constitution~"
Anethsa's blatant gaze and teasing tone made my face burn even hotter.
Somehow my body felt like it was growing warmer too.
"Let me see..."
She then brought her face close to my groin.
So enthusiastically that I worried she might bury her nose in it.
"You didn't shave? Did you pluck them all out? Or applied some herbs?"
"I used an alchemy product for hair removal."
Truthfully, I'd erased the hair through recovery.
My recovery ability restored my body to its "normal" state.
And the definition of "normal" was entirely up to me.
If I defined a hairless state as normal, I could maintain complete smoothness indefinitely.
Conversely, I could also grow a full bush if I wanted.
Of course, there were limits to this "normal" definition.
I couldn't make drastic changes like increasing height or growing six fingers.
Minor adjustments like hair/nail length,
or slightly longer-term changes like menstrual cycles or biological age by a few years were the maximum.
While it was a power beyond reason, it wasn't completely unrestrained.
"Anethsa. You're about to touch me."
"Ah, sorry sorry. Got too excited I guess."
Anethsa pulled her head back slightly from my thighs.
She was examining my privates with the same intensity as studying a gemstone.
"No smell at all either. Do you actually like getting licked down there, Rene?"
"...No. Not particularly."
We'd get two or three customers every week who wanted to perform oral.
Politely refusing them always proved troublesome.
It wasn't about hygiene or discomfort.
While I wouldn't mind doing it to someone else, being on the receiving end felt unbearably embarrassing.
"That hair remover was from the Alchemy Guild, right? Must've been expensive. It looks pretty, but was removing everything really necessary?"
"It's just... cleaner without it."
"Hmm. I suppose that's true."
In the past, I'd had to go completely bare regardless of my preferences.
Partly for hygiene, but mostly because of the sadistic clients in the slums.
No matter how accustomed to pain, having pubic hair yanked out was particularly unpleasant.
Though I no longer had to endure such lowly violence, I didn't feel like growing it back either.
No need to display hair below the eyes, as they say.
"Phew. Got a good look, Rene. That's a Baekboji worthy of Madam's praise."
No matter how often I heard it, that vulgar term never grew familiar.
Couldn't she phrase it differently?
Simply calling it genitals or private parts would've been fine.
But the crude vocabulary suited Anethsa's free-spirited nature.
It probably meant she felt comfortable and close to me.
After adjusting my clothes, we returned to the hallway outside.
Anethsa happily hummed a tune as we walked.
Having shared our intimate secrets, I felt much closer to her.
Like I'd finally escaped my loner status at the establishment.
We chatted about trivial things until getting called for separate appointments.
Thanks to Anethsa, even waiting time felt enjoyable now.
The sweetness of newfound friendship was intoxicating.
* * *
The next day, I geared up and headed to the eastern city gate.
With no suitable extermination quests available, I'd accepted a letter delivery request instead.
The pay was meager, but better than wandering aimlessly.
I could also clean up any remaining wolf stragglers no longer under the Dire Wolf's control.
[ Seven Deadly Sins' Equivalent Exchange ]
- Lust (12,681pt)
- Pain (8,027pt)
Though my stats had stagnated, I'd made some progress.
Hunting wolves had earned me a decent amount of Pain points.
Only 2,000 more until unlocking Pain's authority.
At this rate, exterminating about 70 more goblins or wolves would reach 10,000.
The day my halted growth would resume wasn't far off.
"Forester John? A letter from Victor at the butcher's."
"Ah, thanks. First time getting delivery this fast..."
Letter delivery suited me perfectly.
Thanks to my tireless legs.
Constantly chasing wolves had also made me quite familiar with the area.
Using backroads and shortcuts, I tirelessly traveled between nearby villages.
Before I knew it, all dozen-plus letters had been delivered.
Not a single wolf pack was spotted during this time.
Despite deliberately taking forest routes rather than open roads.
They must have scattered completely after losing the Dire Wolf.
With that confirmed, there was no reason to keep operating east of the city.
I'd have to scout for new extermination sites.
If nothing else, revisiting goblin territory remained an option.
Those lustful monsters were still disgusting, but no better place existed for point farming.
Contemplating plans while briskly walking the forest path.
The incident occurred during my return to the city.
A shady, secluded stretch deep in the woods.
There, a group blocked the path ahead.
They hadn't spotted me yet.
Hiding behind a nearby tree, I observed them quietly.
Their appearances were ragged.
Filthy, tattered clothes and unkempt beards.
Each carried crude weapons - clubs, hand axes, lumber axes. Some even had pitchforks and spears.
Their identity wasn't hard to guess.
Too shabby for village militia.
Too poorly equipped for mercenaries.
Only one possibility remained.
Highwaymen.
Outlaws who robbed travelers, sometimes taking lives.
The area's usually good security meant I'd never encountered them before.
With the troublesome wolf packs gone, they must be creeping out now.
I could detour around them, but why bother?
Adjusting my robe to conceal myself, I approached them.
I'd fought bandits before while crossing mountains.
They were weaker than even Bronze Badge mercenaries.
These thieves looked equally pathetic, if not worse.
The numbers were against me, but that disadvantage would disappear if I made them lower their guard.
"Hey, someone's coming."
"Finally some action."
They naturally blocked the path as I neared.
I stopped at a moderate distance - neither too far nor too close.
"Greetings, traveler?"
A man tapped his club against his palm as he greeted me.
His companions smirked while subtly displaying their weapons.
Just as expected.
Their demeanor was anything but friendly.
Threatening behavior and hostile expressions.
Definitely robbers.
"Can I help you?"
My question made them exchange surprised, delighted looks.
"She's a woman!"
"First one in ages."
Their visible excitement was telling.
Getting excited just by my gender without even seeing my face - typical scum.
"Quite far from town for a stroll. What brings a lady all the way out here?"
"Maybe she came looking for some loving? Keke!"
The ruffians laughed among themselves with crude jokes.
They'd completely lowered their weapons, relaxing entirely.
Just as I'd intended.
"Let's see that pretty face."
The club-wielding bandit approached and pulled back my hood.
My concealed hair and face were revealed.
"W-what the."
He recoiled in shock upon meeting my eyes.
An exaggerated reaction, as if something was wrong with my face.
"S-she's pretty."
"Heheh. Jackpot!"
"Hey, we could get gold for selling her!"
The other bandits shouted excitedly upon seeing me.
After scanning them once, I asked flatly:
"What do you plan to do with me?"
"As if you don't know, bitch. Strip and spread your legs nicely if you don't want hurt. We'll show you a good time."
Worked up, they argued over who'd go first.
One impatient bastard was already undoing his belt.
No need to keep pretending.
"...Enjoying yourselves? Living like this?"
Killing, stealing, raping.
Scum who only cared about satisfying their desires while despising others.
Just like those soldiers who took Rubyia from me.
"Still don't get the situation? This one slow or something?"
The club-wielder glared as he stepped closer.
Silently meeting his gaze, I drew a dagger from my robe and slashed in one motion.
"G-gurk...!"
The blade pierced through his chin, mouth and tongue.
Not enough.
Drawing another dagger, I swiftly stabbed his heart twice before kicking him down.
"Sh-shit! What the fuck!"
The sudden violence left the bandits scrambling in shock.
Having completely let their guard down, their reactions were sluggish.
"Gahak!"
My drawn sword decapitated the nearest bandit in one stroke.
Head and body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
Another reaching for his axe got a blade through the back, killing him instantly.
Half their numbers gone in moments.
"You fucking bitch!"
A disheveled man pointed his pitchfork at me, pants still around his ankles.
A laughably pathetic sight.
My sword flashed, painting the air with blood.
No way could he defend in that compromised position.
"R-run! Get out!"
With over half dead, they finally realized the hopeless odds.
The last two bandits fled in opposite directions.
Picking up a dropped hand axe, I hurled it with full force at one.
The spinning axe embedded itself in his skull with a sickening crunch.
Blood sprayed as his body crumpled.
Just one left.
No need to rush - the fleeing bandit tripped over his own feet.
"P-please! Mercy! I-I'm begging you!"
The terrified bandit rubbed his palms together pleadingly.
Snot-covered face, pants darkened with urine.
No desire to prolong this ugly sight.
A horizontal slash split his head.
Countless innocent victims had met worse fates at their hands.
A fitting end for these criminals.
"Huu..."
Wiping blood from my face with a handkerchief.
Thankfully eliminated the highwaymen without injury.
Despite being rabble, six armed men weren't trivial.
A direct fight might have been troublesome even for me.
Making them lower their guard was wise strategy.
Looting their pockets yielded some copper and silver coins.
A few valuables and jewelry too - likely stolen from past victims.
Having avenged those victims, I had every right to take them.
Every bit counted in my current financial state.
Earned over 300 Pain points too - today's quota fulfilled.
Human hunting was indeed efficient.
Murder weighed heavily, but exterminating such trash felt righteous.
And the rewards were excellent in every aspect.
Left the corpses where they fell.
Unworthy of burial.
Let the scavengers and crows enjoy their unexpected feast.
* * *
Returned to the city before nightfall.
Completing over ten letter deliveries at once brought decent pay.
With proper routing, this could become good side income.
After a long overdue bath, I lay refreshed in bed.
Though recovery maintained cleanliness, occasional hot soaks relieved fatigue.
Drowsiness crept in on the soft mattress.
Struggling to keep heavy eyelids open.
The battle against sleep ended with a knock at the door.
My first appointment today?
Yawning as I rose to straighten my clothes.
Sitting properly on the bed, the client soon entered.
Turning automatically, I blinked in surprise.
An unexpected visitor.
"...Tir?"