Shattered Illusions Behind the Door
It was a day shrouded in fog. The hero's footsteps back to the inn felt unbearably heavy. It was the same street as always, yet the sensation prickling his skin was entirely different.
He could feel people's stares. Some faces were familiar—people he'd exchanged words with before.
They all wore the same shocked expression upon seeing his dangling sleeve. It felt like the whole world was pointing fingers at him. The hero turned his head away deliberately and quickened his pace to the inn.
It's okay. I lost an arm, but I gained power. I can still keep adventuring.
The hero squeezed his eyes shut, thinking that.
He was still strong. No—purely in terms of power, he was far stronger than before. He'd sacrificed one arm and received so much in return. For every loss, there was gain.
Even with one arm gone, fate was still in his grasp. Comforting himself like that, the hero made it back to the inn.
He wanted to see the Priest. Hearing her warm voice would melt away all his current worries.
"Priest!"
"Hero, take it slow!"
Ignoring the mage's words, the hero climbed the inn stairs. He moved down the creaking hallway toward the Priest's room.
Reaching her door in a rush, he knocked carefully with his remaining arm. His heart pounded at the thought of seeing the Priest again, whom he'd truly believed dead. His earlier anxieties felt foolish now. Surely, she would welcome him even in this state.
"Priest! It's me! I made it back safe!"
It was a stretch to call it "safe," but that's what he said as he entered. There was a presence inside. But it felt oddly ominous.
"Priest!"
"Haaaang~! Hwaaaang~!"
Hearing the moans leaking from within, the hero felt his heart drop. For a split second, he thought it was from the next room over. His pupils shook like there was an earthquake as he gripped the doorknob.
"P-Priest?"
Instinct drove him to call for her. She had to be behind this door.
"Hwaaaang~! Porter, sir~! I-It's weird~!"
A coquettish voice rang out. There was no need to wonder whose it was. It was unmistakably the Priest's voice he'd longed for in his dreams.
"Hero. What's going on?"
The mage, following behind, froze at the Priest's moans bursting from the room. That sweet voice, unlike anything they'd ever heard from her, was enough to halt both men's thoughts.
"What the hell is...?"
It felt like a cruel prank. Biting his lip, the hero couldn't hide his bewilderment.
His iron will, forged through countless monster assaults, crumbled before the Priest's melting moans.
"Hero..."
The mage murmured softly. The hero couldn't bring himself to open the door. Overwhelmed by something, he stood frozen, listening to the Priest's cries spilling out.
"Hwaaaang~! Haaaang~! S-Slower, just a bit! Porter siiir~!"
What was happening inside was easy to imagine. Picturing the two rubbing their heated bodies together wasn't hard—especially if the stars were the ridiculously handsome porter and the Priest.
A handsome man and beautiful woman exploring each other's bodies would make a perfect scene. But to the hero, it was the world's cruelest nightmare. His severed left arm throbbed like salt had been rubbed in.
"Kuh!"
His legs gave out. He dropped to his knees.
"Hero!"
The mage called out in alarm. Tears streamed from the hero's eyes, as if he were weeping blood.
"Priest...! Priest...!"
Calling her name repeatedly, he looked possessed. The mage sensed something was deeply wrong.
"Haaaang~!"
Regardless, the Priest's moans showed no sign of stopping.
"Yaaawn...!"
She opened her eyes. It was night. Her throat was parched.
She slipped quietly out of bed. Johann lay beside her. Taking in his form made the space between her legs tingle. Losing her virginity felt real now.
The blanket was fresh and fluffy. After tangling so wildly, it should have been soaked, but Johann must have replaced it. His attention to detail was impressive—clearly, he had plenty of experience with women. She'd expected it, but it still left her a bit down.
Of course, that didn't make her dislike Johann at all. His soft breathing as he slept like a baby bird was endearing. It was surprising that such a tall, handsome man had this cute side.
She leaned down and kissed his cheek—a bold act she wouldn't dare if he were awake. Perhaps her first experience had made her braver.
She got up to get water.
"Has the mage not returned yet?"
She wondered about the mage's whereabouts. Maybe peek into the next room.
She opened the door and stepped out.
"Priest."
The mage's voice came immediately. The Priest nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Eek! M-Mage! You're back!"
The mage stood by the door as if waiting for her. Her face was etched with exhaustion—the dungeon delve must have been tough.
"Yeah. Back with good news."
"Good news? Did you find the hero?"
"Yeah. We did."
The Priest smiled faintly at the mage's words.
"That's a relief~"
Her reaction was subdued, her tone casual. The old Priest would have reacted with more enthusiasm to such rare good news about the hero's return.
"It is. But what have you been up to, Priest?"
The mage's question made the Priest's hackles rise. The mage's narrowed eyes felt like an interrogation.
"While you and the hero were suffering in the dungeon, what were you doing?"
"W-Well..."
Her eyes darted around before she finally confessed.
"Mage, please don't misunderstand. The truth is... I-I shared a bed with the porter... with the porter."
That was her most tactful phrasing.
The mage nodded faintly with a smile at the Priest's words.
"I see."
Her voice was calm. It left the Priest bewildered—she'd braced for a scolding, but there was none.
"Sorry."
"No need to apologize to me. I was just curious. So you and the porter got that close. Poor hero..."
The mage recalled the hero's face again.
Earlier, he'd wailed for ages in front of the Priest's door before collapsing. Carrying him to his room had fallen to her. He'd need time to pull himself together.
But it's okay. I've got the hero.
It might even be for the best. The hero and Priest weren't a great match anyway. She'd fit better by his side.
"The hero will need time to recover physically."
"Really? I hope he gets better soon."
"Yeah. That'd be good."
With that, the mage turned and headed to her room. The party's atmosphere had clearly shifted.
Two days had passed since the hero's return. His top priority was mending his spirit, pushed to the brink of breakdown. The Priest and mage helped a lot.
It was like an apology for frolicking in one bed with Johann while he suffered. It had weighed on the Priest too.
"Hero. Say ahh~"
The Priest spooned soup for him. His right arm was fine, so he could eat alone, but he accepted her excessive care.
"Priest, the hero can feed himself."
The mage chided her. The Priest responded with "Really?" The mage lacked tact.
"N-No. It's still awkward moving, so it'd be great if the Priest helps."
The hero spoke up.
"Hero, if that's the case, I'll feed you."
The mage picked up her bowl and spoon.
"It's fine. Nursing is the Priest's specialty, right?"
Offended, the mage furrowed her brow.
"But that guy's already her boyfr—"
Realizing midway she'd soured the mood, the mage clamped her mouth shut. But the damage was done.
"......"
The hero's mood sank at the words he desperately wanted to deny. He'd felt light-hearted with the Priest feeding him, but one remark from the mage weighed him down.
The Priest felt bitter too. Having a boyfriend as a Priest wasn't praiseworthy.
"If it's consideration for me, it's fine. The hero's recovery comes first. Right, Priest?"
Johann broke the tension with a light tone.
"Yes. Focus on recovering, hero. More soup?"
The Priest forced a cheerful smile.
"Y-Yeah... Thanks, Priest."
His reply left a potion-like aftertaste—bitter.
"Alright! Now that we're all back together safe, let's plan ahead."
Johann clapped, thawing the stiff air. He'd caused the awkwardness but acted like someone else. The mage clicked her tongue at his brazenness.
"For now, the hero's recovery is priority. Hero, you okay?"
"Yeah. I could head to the dungeon tomorrow."
The hero turned, hiding his empty sleeve. The mage pitied him.
"Don't push it. Time is medicine. You need rest."
"Lollygagging like this, we'll fall behind other heroes."
"Health first, competition or not."
The mage was firm.
"The mage is right! Just focus on recovery."
The hero nodded at the Priest. The mage inwardly resented it. Even after seeing her fool around with another man last night, he clung to her. Was there a dumber guy?
I'm hopeless too, drawn to a guy like that...
The mage mocked herself silently.