The Tutorial Boss Bewitches the Adult Game Heroine (2)
Next, the artifact I pulled out was a crudely shaped ring. The moment I gripped the black ring in my hand, an indescribable pressure crushed my entire body.
Ring of the Forbearing. It was the artifact I wanted.
Perfect.
I slipped it onto my finger without a second thought. As soon as I did, power surged through my body. The suppressed desires buried deep in my heart were squeezed out and transformed into raw strength.
The Ring of the Forbearing was a paladin's artifact. The more you restrained your desires and endured, the greater the power it granted its wearer.
"What's that? You look like you got way stronger the second you put it on."
"This is the power of an artifact."
It was an insanely overpowered item you had to grab for virgin playthroughs. The more debuffs stacked up—like heat, charm, hyper-sensitivity, pleasure-pain synesthesia, 3000x sensitivity, lewd pussy, or altered erotic common sense—the more bonuses you got for staying chaste, diligent, pure, and abstinent.
The catch? It didn't nullify the debuff effects themselves.
I can endure it.
While I'm busy, I won't even have time to feel horny, and there won't be any downtime for a while anyway. Plus, this world's an adult game world. Extreme lust turns into power. The backlash is brutal, but if I can hold out past Chapter 1, it'll be fine. Once we clear Chapter 1, things can keep going even without me. Just one year. That's all I need.
"Pila, can you make more stamina potions when we get back?"
"Y-Yes? Sure. I'll make as many as you want, Eck. But..."
Pila looked at me with pity.
"You gonna be okay?"
"I'll manage."
"Um..." Pila glanced at me cautiously. "If you need any... help, just say the word. I-I mean, I can... collect materials and... assist you."
"No need."
I picked up the remaining artifact. A statue carved from salt. The palm-sized human figure was intricately sculpted, mimicking the form of an ancient god.
"I'll take this too. There's a hidden contributor I want to give it to."
"The owner of that bag that turned into a key?"
"Yeah."
After pocketing the salt statue, we left the old temple.
The city gates came into view. I sold some materials at a material shop lining the street in front of them.
"W-Well, if it isn't Eck! You've brought nothing but top-grade stuff again."
The merchant's eyes bulged as he handled the steel from the iron-armored boar and the quartz from the quartz spider, swallowing hard. B-rank monsters were huntable even by low-rank adventurers if they prepared properly, but their materials didn't hit the market often. Customers hungry for B-rank drops outnumbered the time it took him to haggle.
"How about this much?"
"Three pieces?"
Pila counted the fingers on his easygoing hand.
"Thirty gold coins sound good?"
"Th-Thirty gold...!"
I pinched his cheek to shut him up.
"Forty."
"E-Eck, B-rank materials go for thirty on the market. Forty is..."
"Then I'll sell elsewhere."
"S-Sale...!" The merchant looked at my face, bowed his head, and rubbed his brow. "How about thirty-five?"
"...Not bad. Deal."
"Thank you."
After selling the materials for thirty-five gold, I divided the unsold ones into a small pouch, including part of the sale proceeds.
"This is your share, Pila."
I handed it over. Pila took it with both hands.
"Th-This is a lot."
"Not all yours. Includes payment for what I asked. I packed it fair—check it out."
"O-Okay."
Pila's eyes sparkled as she inspected the materials one by one. Stamina potion ingredients, research supplies, sale money. Excitement lit up her gaze.
"H-Half a day's work nets this much?"
"Top adventurers make bank. Someday if you wanna hunt, I can tag along. In exchange, come with me when I need you."
"Ugh..."
But she hesitated. She had research waiting at her workshop.
"If it's occasional. If you call, I'll make time no matter how busy."
She hugged the material pouch to her chest and closed it.
"Hehe. With this much, I can make ten more stamina potions. Tons and tons, just like you want. I'll stockpile 'em for you."
The pouch pressed against her ample breasts. Even through the robe, their shape was outlined, and I reflexively looked away.
Pila's a guy. A guy, so this feeling's just upsetting. Remember what she did in the game. How could that be a woman?
Pila Emoson. A romanceable heroine in the game. Once recruited as a companion, she stuck around till the end—introverted but more devoted and meticulous than anyone. She'd earn money if you needed it, stand guard all night if required. A friend who fucked Elena day and night without regard for time.
Rape Elena awake in the morning, knock her out before bed and tuck her in. There was even a choice to relieve Pila's urges at random moments, or she'd get a debuff halving her combat power. The absurdity of casting spells while buried inside Elena...
Her tireless stamina was top-tier among everything in the adult game. It was a mystery how that frail yet voluptuous body produced such virility.
It's gotta be under that skirt, right?
Her swaying hips drew stares from men and women. Even the cloak over her robe couldn't hide Pila's ass. Slim waist, wide hips—the dramatic curve was intoxicating. That plump rear forcibly seized attention.
Ugh... Before the twitch hit my groin, the truth of Pila blocked it.
Fucking adult game devs.
Make a female character and stick that on her? If game devs were gods, I'd beat 'em to a pulp.
As I suppressed my boiling rage, the ring converted it to power. Gave me strength to kill a god.
Damn.
"Huhu hum~♪"
Pila hummed a tune.
"...Sigh."
Whatever. She looked happy, so that was enough for now. Not letting her hook up with Elena meant I'd half-achieved my goal in meeting her.
That was when it happened.
"Mister—!"
The voice from behind made my heart sink. Elena's voice.
I turned. Her party was approaching from the Northern Mountains. Elena at the rear. Pila up front, turning to look at me.
"Eck, today's been so fun. Come to my workshop later and..."
"Pila."
"Yes?"
"Thanks for today. I'll call if there's more work. I've still got stuff to do, so head in first."
"Huh? Oh, okay. Got it."
Pila walked toward the gates, unable to hide her disappointment. Her long pink hair fluttered in the wind as she receded.
Fall at first sight. Obsess. Ultimately violate.
Pila's lust transcended rational control. I couldn't even imagine how that innocent face would twist if her type appeared before her.
Her footsteps halted sharply behind me. An oddly calm voice spoke.
"Mister."
Elena called my name.
Elena ran toward the mister. Way ahead of her party members.
She'd tell him she gathered tons of mana herbs with the bag he gave her. He needed them too, so he'd be happy if she got a lot, right?
But as she approached, she glimpsed pink hair over his shoulder, hidden by his back.
Pink hair. The owner of that long hair she'd seen before was with the mister.
As Elena faced him, her eyes reflexively flicked to the gates. A woman with long pink hair heading inside. Cloak and robe. Staff. Voluptuous figure. Even from behind, her breasts peeked occasionally over her back.
Elena unconsciously touched her own chest.
"Elena?"
She turned at his voice.
"Fancy running into you here. You completed the request properly, right?"
"Y-Yes!"
Elena opened her bag to show the gathered mana herbs.
"Found five this time. Thanks to your bag. Hans said mana herbs are super hard to find normally."
The mister picked up one mana herb.
"This all?"
"There's more."
Elena showed the one specially wrapped in cloth from her bosom. It glowed an unusually deep blue.
"It reacted strongest to the bag, so I kept it separate. But when I tried digging it up, a crown mountain goat attacked—real B-rank monster! It smashed rocks with its head, huge thing."
Elena swung her arms wide to show its size.
"Buuut. It didn't work on me. I went like this, this."
She mimed gripping and swinging a sword.
"Charging straight at me, but full of openings in my eyes. Everyone else screamed and froze, but I did what you taught—when frontal doesn't work, I flanked and slashed."
She bragged about soloing a B-rank. Thanks to his teachings, she'd grown this strong. Just like he wanted, right?
Elena stared at him with wide, sparkling eyes.
"Good job."
His large hand rested on her head. A stroking touch. His rough, callused palm tousled her hair.
"You're progressing faster than expected and got what you wanted properly."
"I'm just taking what you spoon-feed me. Gotta eat it right. Without your lessons and prep, I'd come back empty-handed."
The mister was amazing. No wonder he was A-rank.
Elena felt her rapid growth firsthand, but things like troll regen or mana herb detection reminded her of the gap beyond skill. If not for him, I might still be stuck below F-rank.
Mira mentioned adventurer life during breaks. Monsters kill men, rape women. He'd said it too. Rookies captured on first hunts were common.
Like when she almost did. Without his timely advice, she'd have gone solo into the forest, gotten gang-raped by fang wolves till birthing pups, or captured by toads laying frog eggs till rescued.
The grim reality Mira described was worse than her initial fantasies of adventuring. Even her dad's hunter life. Mira, a hunter herself, retired once after goat monsters raped her.
If he hadn't approached first, what future awaited? Just imagining made her legs shake.
Even if their skill gap seemed closing, it was arrogance from her growth high. Being petted by him made her whole body tingle. She couldn't stop her lips from curving up.
But pink hair clung to his clothes, swaying.
Her mood plummeted.
Who's that?
She wanted to ask. Who that woman was. What their relationship was. Would he hate it?
If he retires... She'd take care of him. The thought flashed.
After retirement, she'd earn the money. He'd laze at home, no need to go out. No need to meet other women. He could entrust everything to her and slack off.
"...."
She shook her head. Retirement was his call. Why was she deciding?
Still, if some weird woman tricked him with drugs and kidnapped him... No.
He won't fall for the same trick twice.
No guarantee the pink-hair girl meant harm. Just personal ties. She had no right to interfere...
"What're you spacing out for?"
His voice snapped her reverie. Elena jolted back.
He held something out. A palm-sized statue. A white figure resembling a person, carved from salt.
"What's this?"
"...."
He beckoned her closer. Bending down, he whispered in her ear.
"Artifact of an ancient god."
His breath grazed her earlobe. Goosebumps erupted everywhere.
Her eyes dropped to the item. Artifact of an ancient god. Found only in old temples, relic of the old gods—what she'd sought. The reason she became an adventurer. He brought it.
"A reward for doing well. Means keep it up. Use it wisely."
Casual tone, like no big deal.
But it was a big deal.
Elena's hand clenched the salt statue. It trembled. A sensation like something etching deep in her chest spread. An inexpressible resonance. A hot heart branded into Elena's soul.
Mister.
She hugged the statue to her chest. He was always like this. Knew what she wanted—hunt tips before outings, sword lessons for strength. Even Elis's medicine ingredients.
How could she not admire his devoted, meticulous, unwavering care?
"Sniff..."
"Huh?"
A treasure she'd vowed to search a lifetime for was now hers. Overwhelmed, Elena buried into his chest and cried tears of joy.
She imagined it. Elis and the mister welcoming her home. After hunting, Elis runs out the door. Behind, mister leans against the wall, arms crossed: "You're late."
Share the day's events, get advice, head pat: "Good job today too."
Night falls, dinner, tuck Elis in, then... Like when Dad and Mom lived together. Nights they'd sit side-by-side at the table, chatting softly. She wanted that with him.
"...."
A scent brushed her nose, shattering the thought. Pink hair on his clothes and a familiar smell ignited greed in her emotions.
I don't want to lose him.
Didn't want to see him leave. But how? How to hold him?
The moment he lost interest, she'd have nothing to keep him. She realized it now.
...I don't know.
Don't know.
Elena clung to his chest, pretending to cry for comfort a while longer. In his embrace, her blue eyes turned cold and barren as sharp possessiveness took root.