Episode 68
Even after leaving the hospital and pondering for a long time about what the nightmare could have been, I couldn't find the answer.
Nothing comes to mind from the game.
So I met with a doctor and got examined.
First of all, it's not a curse.
I also got tested for every other suspicious thing one by one.
Magic, spells, black magic, even the ring when thoughts of killing came to mind.
But all test results came back normal.
"Hmm..."
It was too vivid to just dismiss as an ordinary dream.
I really thought I was going to die.
Because it was so vivid, even after having that dream, I couldn't calm down for a while even in Aron's arms.
Instead, I had to hold onto him, afraid of being abandoned.
"Are you okay?"
"Hic!"
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around.
Aron was looking at me with worried eyes.
"I was just a little surprised..."
At my unusual reaction, Aron carefully hugged me and stroked my head.
His large hand moved slowly from the top of my head to the nape of my neck.
A considerate touch.
I pressed closer to Aron and buried my face in his chest.
"By any chance... can you see souls too, Aron?"
"Souls? Not right now."
"Then after you recover your strength? Can you see them when you fully recover?"
"Yes, I'll be able to see them then. Why? Is there a soul you want to see?"
Affirmation.
I didn't trust my voice to answer Aron's question, so I just shook my head vigorously.
My voice would definitely tremble.
"Then shall we go get something to eat? You sweated a lot and didn't even have breakfast. How about some meat that Mia likes? Or maybe some bread?"
According to the original plan, we were supposed to depart for the forest this morning.
But I didn't have the energy for that.
"Yeah..."
Perhaps because I'd sweated so much during the dream, as the tension eased, worry and hunger washed over me.
Especially at times like this, I need to eat well.
Holding tightly to Aron's hand, we slowly moved toward the restaurant district.
"But what kind of dream did you have? You were sweating so much and seemed to be in agony."
Aron asked as we walked together.
I had thought he would ask since we'd been to the hospital.
"Uh, yeah? The dream? The dream was, well..."
There's no way I could say, 'It was a dream about you finding out I'm actually a man.'
After hesitating and stammering, I gave the answer I'd prepared in advance.
"You were cheating on me with another woman. When I asked what I did wrong, you said, 'Your body is weak and you're not good at night techniques.'"
"Uh, what?"
"And as if that wasn't enough, you said I was disgusting because I pant every time. So I said I'd never do it with you again."
"What? What are you talking about?"
Aron looked clearly flustered.
He couldn't hide his expression at all, flailing his arms in the air like a fool.
"Th-that was just a dream. Right? I've never once thought that way. Actually, your expression when you feel it is the prettiest. How should I say it? Should I say you look like a real female? No, that sounds perverted. So what I mean is..."
This is the first time I've seen him this flustered.
Even though it clearly wasn't his fault, seeing him try so hard to explain made me chuckle.
'Looking at him like this, there's no way he'd make that expression.'
The expression Aron had in my dream was terrifying enough to make my legs go weak.
It was so cold that I almost collapsed right there.
"It's fine. It was just something that happened in a dream, why are you making excuses? Let's just go eat quickly instead. I'm so hungry from all that crying."
Only after seeing my smile and hearing my bright voice did Aron finally relax.
Only then did he match my pace and start walking again.
"So are we leaving right after eating?"
"Yeah, if we leave like this, I might collapse on the way. Let's eat something first."
"What do you want to eat?"
"Hmm..."
Being in the Empire, there are many restaurants, and there's also a place I frequented when I was here.
Among them, there's one I used to go to when I was stressed like this.
"Let's go to that place that serves giant meat and spicy pasta. It's a place I've gone to since way back when I'm really stressed."
"Then let's go there."
Nodding vigorously, I held Aron's hand and took the lead walking ahead.
*
After eating meat larger than my face at the restaurant I hadn't visited in a long time, and devouring spicy pasta that Aron couldn't even put in his mouth, we came out.
We headed straight to the inn, checked out, and arrived at the capital's gate.
The members who came to see us off waved from behind.
"Vice Captain! Next time bring the Captain too! If you come alone, we won't play with you."
"Aron-nim! You have to take responsibility and bring her back!"
"I'll be waiting!"
"Go safely! Bring back something delicious when you come!"
While being held in Aron's arms, I waved to the members.
"Okay~ I'll take responsibility and bring her back!"
Since this farewell had already lasted 30 minutes, I tapped Aron's shoulder.
If we exchange any more goodbyes, we might not be able to leave again.
Understanding the meaning of that gesture, Aron pushed off the ground and moved.
Crunch!
The ground shattered under the tremendous force, fragments flying backward.
"Ugh, ah, ah..."
A strong wind assaulted my face, making my voice tremble.
Straining my neck, I barely managed to ask Aron.
"How long will it take at this speed?"
"Probably about a day."
"Can't you go any faster?"
"Well then..."
Bang!
The sound of air exploding could be heard.
Along with what's commonly called a sonic boom, the tremendous wind made it difficult to even hold my head properly.
"Ugh, ugghhk! Hup!"
I barely managed to press my face against Aron's chest.
Only when I completely pressed against his body did my position become somewhat stable.
"I'll go as fast as possible."
Instead of answering, I pressed myself even closer to Aron's body.
Perhaps noticing that the speed was too fast, he wrapped aura around us to block the wind.
"You could use aura too. Why aren't you using it?"
"Well... I feel like I'll grow more if I use it less. So while Aron is protecting me, I won't use it at all."
"Hmm, okay. It's not like you can't use it anyway."
Rather, Aron seemed to prefer it this way, focusing only on running.
'Looking at it like this, the speed is really incredible. I don't think I could even follow it with my eyes.'
I can't even see the scenery passing by properly.
While staring blankly at the scenery that just appears as elongated shapes, we arrived at the Forest of Temptation.
Only then did it sink in.
"You're really fast. If you're fast enough to create a sonic boom, you can arrive this quickly."
If marching speed is walking pace, Aron's full speed matches or exceeds a high-speed train.
So there's no choice but for there to be this much difference.
He's just not human.
I should just use him as my personal taxi from now on.
"We're here."
We left around noon, and by the time we arrived, the sun was setting.
At most, less than 5 hours had passed.
"You're really fast. Let me down quickly. I'll make you food."
"I don't want to just let you down."
"Huh? Then how are you going to let me down?"
Aron smiled playfully and offered me his cheek.
"Give me a kiss at least. Thanks to me running hard, we arrived in just one day. Otherwise we would've been sleeping outside, right?"
"...What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden! Th-there's no way I'd do something like a kiss!"
I've been holding back on kisses.
If I do that while in my right mind, it feels like genuine submission, so I've been gritting my teeth and avoiding it.
"Ugh, ughhk!"
I struggled to break free, but there was no way it would work.
Rather, as if knowing my weakness, he gently pressed my head against his chest.
"Kkhup...! Huuuu... Sceeent..."
Though I've learned how to control scent detection, I'm still vulnerable to scents.
As expected of Aron, I suppose.
The moment I struggled and took a breath, he pulled me close.
'If I'm forced to smell it like this, my body...!'
Dopamine explodes throughout my entire body.
Now that I've learned about estrus, my rationality doesn't melt away as much as before, but I still become soft and pliant.
"Now your expression has melted a bit. Will you give me a kiss now?"
"Huuuu... Using my weakness like this... Hhuuu..."
"I think I need to do it one more time."
"P-please stoop... Puhup... Hhuuup..."
The scent is being forcibly administered to me.
Held in Aron's arms, unable to resist, I smell the scent and react.
My arms barely manage to wrap around Aron's neck, while my legs stretch out stiffly from the intense stimulation and twitch.
"Will you give me a kiss now?"
"I-I'll do iitheehee..."
I pull tightly on his neck and lightly press my lips to Aron's cheek.
Mwah.
The moment my lips touch, only then does Aron carry me and walk into the house.
He slowly lays my weakened body on the sofa and goes into the storage room.
"Aron? Where are you going after laying me down..."
As I twitch while lying down, Aron comes out of the storage room carrying a large block of ice.
Karen Unni is still exactly as she was when first frozen.
"Now, then... Shall I try using some magic after such a long time?"
Aron placed both hands on the ice and began murmuring softly.
Along with his voice, a magic circle appeared on the floor and light enveloped the ice.
'...Is Unni going to recover now?'
I barely managed to raise my weakened body and leaned against something while staring intently at the ice.
The magic circle gradually emitted light and the ice began to melt.
Simultaneously, Karen Unni's wounds also healed.
"Wow. It's really working."
Honestly, I was a little worried.
It's true that Aron is strong, but I thought that was limited to combat.
But seeing this makes all those thoughts disappear.
"Phew. It's done. She'll recover after resting a bit."
Aron carefully picked up the sleeping Karen Unni, carried her into the room, and laid her on the bed.
When he walked back out, I asked him pointedly.
"By any chance, are you targeting Unni too? You're not, right?"
Aron answered in a wronged voice.
"No way. How could I do that when you're here? As I always say, we only do things by mutual agreement."
"Then what if Unni wants it?"
"..."
Aron was silent for a moment.
Subjectively it felt like an hour, but actually about 10 seconds.
"I shouldn't do it. Yeah, I'll endure. I think I can endure."
Quite dissatisfied with Aron's answer, I glared at him before saying quietly.
"If, if it builds up like that... just tell me... I'll help you."
Though I said it in a voice that was fading away, Aron heard me and smiled as he headed to the kitchen.
"Let's think about that after we eat first. Our Mia needs to eat if she's going to help me."
"...If you don't make it delicious, I'll get angry."
After saying it, I was too embarrassed to even raise my voice.
In the end, all I could do was lie on the sofa and complain.