Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Rolling the Snowball (2)
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A certain day, about three weeks before the friendly spar.
Blanc, who had set off for Zaksen with the newbie Yi Hyun, returned.
But for some reason, her behavior now seemed a bit suspicious.
"What the—why'd you come back without any word... Captain?"
"Eek!? W-well, um..."
Inside the Knight Order Captain's office, Blanc startled like a frightened animal while packing her bags alone.
Something smelled fishy.
-Sniff sniff.
'The Captain reeks of Yi Hyun's scent?'
It wasn't a metaphor—this was the real deal.
Hilde's eyes narrowed.
"Captain, don't tell me..."
"I-I think I need to be away for about a week! Take good care of the unit while I'm gone, Hilde!! You can spar with Yi Hyun too—as long as it's not something naughty!!"
"What? Where are you going that it'll take a whole week?"
"It's personal!!!"
But Blanc didn't give her a chance to press further.
She finished packing and—whoosh—
—bolted using even her Blessing.
Hilde's fluffy tail whipped wildly in the wind pressure, fur flying everywhere—you could guess her speed from that.
'Nah, no way? She was just carrying the newbie around, right? Yeah, the Captain wouldn't...'
'D-d-did she figure it out? That I went to restore Yi Hyun's memories and ended up laying hands on him instead?'
Of course, from Blanc's perspective, it was the guilty fleeing the scene.
She knew she wasn't in the clear, so she chose to run.
Her first stop was the temple.
"Granny Marie, it's me!!"
"Oh my, Lady Blanc. What brings you here in such a rush?"
"Well, um..."
"Right, you went to Zaksen with the newbie. Did his memories come back a bit?"
"Ugh, uuuugh..."
But once again, the words wouldn't come easily.
Even in front of the old woman who had treated her since childhood, confession wasn't simple.
In the end, Blanc squeezed her eyes shut, feeling like a sinner seeking atonement, and continued.
"I, well... so insolently..."
"So, you went to restore the newbie's memories, but ended up pouncing on him? You seduced him in his pure, amnesiac state, promised marriage, and even consummated it? Right after he personally sent Zaksen's residents to the goddess's side?"
"Y-yes..."
"Goddess preserve us."
From mere hand-holding climaxes to actually going all the way.
Goddess, look upon this lustful soul with mercy.
Words the priestess gritted her teeth to hold back.
No matter how much like a wet nurse she was to Blanc, such direct insults were dangerous.
"......"
'D-don't look at me like that...'
She hadn't said it aloud, but the meaning came through loud and clear anyway.
After a long silence.
The priestess slowly spoke.
"Do you see this as mere midsummer night's mischief, or...?"
"Of course I have to take responsibility! I'm going to make him my hu—husband!!"
"In that case. The goddess will forgive your sin."
The old priestess smiled kindly.
She liked that Blanc was owning up to defiling an innocent man who probably didn't even grasp the weight of sex.
Blanc sighed in relief, but
"Phew..."
"You've confessed your sin—now speak freely. You didn't rush here for confession, did you?"
"Yeah, well... If I'm pregnant, it'll mess up my Knight Order duties right away. Is there anything we can do?"
"......"
The priestess paled even more.
She wanted to slam the holy book down and yell, 'You blasphemous wretch!!'
'If she weren't nobility...'
Of course, the walls of status were sky-high.
'And... an unplanned pregnancy is a big deal. I can't exactly fault her for that.'
Knowing Blanc wasn't treating it as a one-night fling.
In the end, the priestess could only nod again.
"When was your last cycle?"
"Um... around then, and then."
"You're safe. Pregnancy risk seems low—no special measures needed."
"Phew, what a relief."
If she were pregnant, the family wouldn't let Yi Hyun off the hook.
The unspoken thought hung in the air.
Both the priestess and Blanc thought the same.
"How will you tell your family? I've heard he's promising, but he's still a commoner. Taking him as your partner."
"That's why I'm taking a week off. Heading home to convince the family head and Mother."
Mother.
The woman who birthed her.
As a noble daughter, the one who'd oppose a commoner marriage most fiercely.
'How do I explain to Mother that he's the kind to surpass the Hero soon...'
Blanc was deeply worried, but
——There were two things she didn't know.
[Overhaul Mod - 'Virginity Purge' Applied]
Even now, those five glittering words shone in Yi Hyun's status window, and
"What in the world, newbie—no, Yi Hyun!! What the hell happened in Zaksen!?"
"This the same scrawny guy? Doesn't look it."
"What's the commotion... Eek!? Yi Hyun—no, this isn't our Yi Hyun!! Ours was way more average-looking!!"
Yi Hyun, worried how to get recognition.
He was skyrocketing to star status in the Knight Order on his own.
"......"
'Feels pretty good, going from trash-tier to A-rank acknowledged.'
Amid the cluster of fussing female knights.
The sole male stood alone.
'Gotta ride this momentum—Hilde first!!'
With Blanc gone for a week, no one to stop him.
It was Hilde who rescued me from the pack of female knights.
As I fumbled over where to start explaining, she yanked me out like pulling a radish.
Said she'd look into it herself or whatever.
And that 'investigation' was underway right now.
"Wh-what is this... I trained you myself, and your muscles were stuck at one-and-a-half months' progress, but in just a few days they've gotten this firm?"
Squish squish—her hands roamed my arms, shoulders, neck.
So frantic she didn't even notice her clothes slipping, exposing her breasts fully.
A smug grin came naturally.
"What do you think? Not so pathetic now, huh?"
"You call that an understatement? Goddess, how many elixirs did the Captain feed you to reach squire level..."
"Didn't take any elixirs."
"What!!?"
Hilde jumped in shock.
Her ears and tail shot straight up.
'Well, natural reaction, really.'
Level 1 to 50 is worlds apart... not quite heaven and earth, but a huge gap.
Even Hilde called it 'squire level.'
But what did the guy who achieved that brilliance do?
Just a 5-day trip to Zaksen, that's it.
Four days pure travel time, even.
In other words, basically evolved from sparrow to bird of prey in one day.
No wonder she froze in astonishment.
'Maybe I can sneakily cop a feel while spinning the tale without getting caught?'
"Curious?"
Slowly— I slid my arm up from where it was hooked.
Planning to start with Nipple Conquest.
"To explain how, I've gotta start from sending those zombies to the goddess's side..."
-Pinch.
Sneakily tweaked her nipple.
Hilde didn't mind much.
"Hey, what're you doing in this situation... Sigh, fine, grope away. But report everything that happened, no omissions."
"Ooh! Of course, Vice Captain Hilde!"
As expected of Hilde, the sexually liberated beastkin.
With permission granted, time to play freely.
"This goes back to my days crashing in LA—er, Helenberg..."
I spilled like a legendary baseball player turned storyteller.
A webnovel aspirant's secret weapon: pad with weird stuff.
Thinking it important, Hilde held her breath listening intently, but...
'Waited for this moment.'
Rub rub rub—no stopping the nipple teasing.
This was the whole point of dragging it out.
"So the zombies, ngh, what do you mean?"
"Heh, right when Lady Blanc and I crossed the moat..."
Thanks to that, Hilde's breathing started hitching midway.
Ticklish at first, but
"So yeah? Sticking close to Lady Blanc for so long is the path to strength... Hilde?"
"Hoo, haa... Y-yeah! I'm listening!"
After 30 minutes, things change.
Me, Yi Hyun, who turned Blanc into a one-touch leg-spread juice dispenser.
Enough to get her mildly heated up.
"Yes, so..."
"Anyway, chest time's over! I'm gonna go into heat!!"
"...Tch."
Could've eaten her up raw if I'd pushed.
Guess not that easy.
'Not under Common Sense Alteration—just pure Hilde permission.'
Pushed regret aside, shook off my hands.
Any more and I'd get my ass kicked—painfully.
Hate pain, wah.
"Anyway, long story short: slaying monsters is groundwork for slaying monsters. Close contact with the strong directly powers you up."
"Guess, but basically spot on. This smart brain says so."
"If you're smart, my skin's white, punk."
But.
After muttering that, Hilde straightened her clothes.
Her expression wasn't bright.
-Mumble.
"If that's true... incubus 'Drain'? Nah, Captain would've weakened too."
"Hilde?"
"Hmm, temple'd flip if they knew. Does the Captain?"
Ignoring me, pacing the room, now clutching her head.
Her head finally lifted after ages.
Blue eyes fixed on me.
"Three questions. First: you a demon?"
"Holy water in the storeroom—want me to chug it?"
"I'll buy it. Second: Captain know?"
"Didn't notice my growth? Looked deep in thought—probably why."
"Seems like."
Folding three fingers one by one, Hilde jabbed her last index at me.
"Last: that pretty-boy glow-up... you dating the Captain?"
"Gasp."
'Why's that come up suddenly!?'
What's with her nose? Scary.