Chapter 17

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 17

Chapter Title: The First Suggestion Doesn't Consume Points

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Irina, who had stormed out of the house, dashed recklessly into the depths of the forest.

Her figure leaped over the ground, trampling roots twisted like massive serpents, charging through the hazy mist like the wind itself.

Deer and foxes resting in the shadows of those roots scattered in all directions at the sound of her approach.

"Haa... Haa..."

After racing through the forest as if it were her personal playground, Irina came to a halt near the eastern boundary where the fog grew thicker.

Her chest heaved up and down from the strain on her lungs and legs, countless beads of dew gathering in the valley between her breasts.

"If I go any further..."

Crossing the boundary and running nonstop for about an hour would bring her to the forest's edge.

The fog was so thick it stole away any sense of direction from those who walked through it.

But for an elf who could instinctively follow the flow of mana in the air, it wasn't much of an obstacle.

"Kuh."

However, it was as if shackles were chained to her leather boots—Irina stood frozen in place, unable to move.

"Damn it."

What was she hesitating for?

She had always longed for this.

To one day leave this suffocating place and head out into the world.

And now, a perfect opportunity had arisen.

"...Mom."

But what about Mom if she left?

Dad never even visited once.

She had no lingering attachment to the hometown that had abandoned them.

But if she left, Mom would have to survive here alone.

"Ha. No, that's not right. There's that guy."

Letting a stranger into the home where they had lived alone together for 150 years.

A suspicious man whose identity they didn't even know, accepted so easily.

Irina couldn't understand Eleina at all.

"From now on, you can live with that man."

The boiling rage lightened the weight of the shackles on her boots, if only a little.

But still.

"... ."

In the end, it was just one step.

"Hngh."

One step was easy.

She could still turn back.

But taking a second step meant she had no intention of returning.

150 years out of her 250.

This place was her hometown, her home.

To abandon it all on a mere impulse...

Was difficult for anyone.

The ancient trees towering over 30 meters tall shook their branches as if mocking her.

"Coward."

Self-deprecatingly murmuring to herself, Irina finally realized she had run out empty-handed, with nothing at all.

No bow. No quiver of arrows.

The outside world was full of dangers far greater than this forest, Eleina had taught her.

She had also learned to always carry a weapon to protect herself, anywhere, anytime.

So this wasn't running away in fear.

She just realized she needed proper preparation.

Irina turned away from the fog beyond, hiding her excuse with a spirited motion.

Her retreating steps were lighter than the one she had taken forward.

Eleina, who had chased after Irina, returned home after about 20 minutes.

She must have lost track of her during the pursuit.

Unlike the physical type Irina, Eleina was more of a brainy sort.

"Will your daughter be alright?"

"She'll be fine. Unlike me, she treats the forest like her own garden."

Though she said that, shadows lingered around Eleina's eyes.

She was probably worried her daughter might leave the forest altogether.

"This is all I can offer right now."

Eleina placed a steaming teacup in front of me as I sat at the living room table.

"Thank you."

The contents of the cup were a green liquid like green tea, with unidentified tea leaves floating in it.

"... ."

After a moment's hesitation, I took a sip—the tea had a bitter, medicinal taste.

It smelled similar to green tea and might pair well with sweets, but honestly, it wasn't my taste.

Eleina watched my face intently from across the table, sipping her own tea, clearly curious about my reaction.

Instead of sharing my thoughts, I set the cup down and changed the subject.

"Sorry, this is all because of me."

At my words, Eleina seemed briefly flustered before shaking her head.

"There's no need for you to apologize, Sir Yaruo. If anything, I'm the one who's sorry. My daughter was truly rude earlier."

As she bowed in apology, the massive orbs on her chest naturally swayed.

Apologizing while simultaneously teasing my dick.

Was this the allure of a married woman?

"Still, please don't think too badly of Irina. It was she who found you collapsed on the forest path and brought you here."

"Ah."

Yaruo.

I'd introduced myself that way since it was the default name for the possession body in the game.

But hearing it in someone else's voice made me keep chuckling inwardly.

"Sir Yaruo?"

"Sorry, my foot was itchy. Please continue."

Be careful, careful.

Favorability was key right now.

"Ahem!"

Eleina's short cough quickly reset the atmosphere.

"If you'd stayed collapsed there, you might have met with great misfortune. This forest is home to ferocious beasts like wolves."

"As you say, Eleina, that makes Irina my lifesaver."

I wasn't particularly grateful.

According to the game's flow, Irina was meant to bring me here anyway.

On the contrary, I was more worried she might try to kill me if things went south.

Unlike game NPCs, people in this possessed world acted on their own emotions.

I'd have to be extra cautious on that front.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"By the way, you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seem to accept easily that I'm from another world?"

"Honestly, it's hard to fully believe. But it's also true there's no other way to explain why you're here."

A person suddenly dropping into a forest where no one but them had lived for 150 years.

"Still, I didn't expect you'd so readily agree to let me stay."

"Is that so?"

"Normally, Irina's reaction would be the sane one."

I'd ignore some mysterious stranger falling in front of my house too.

Lizetta would be the exception.

She's cute.

"We high elves don't ignore those in distress. It would tarnish the pride we've built since our ancestors' time."

"What if I'm a bad guy with a black heart, despite acting all meek now?"

"Oh? No issue there."

Right then, an odd sensation gripped my arms.

The armrests of the wooden chair I was sitting on had morphed, binding my arms where they rested.

At the same time, the liquid in the teacup before me floated into the air, condensing into a spear tip that hovered right at my throat.

"Though circumstances force me to live here, back home I was a fairly renowned mage, you know?"

"I-is that so."

Even so, I hadn't sensed a thing.

If I'd blindly lunged at the 'changed me,' I'd have died without a scream.

"As long as you respect us while staying here, we'll respect you as much as we can. You'll do that, right?"

"Of course."

I don't want to die.

At my answer, Eleina smiled brightly and waved her hand in the air.

The bindings released, and the tea water returned to the cup.

The whole process flowed as naturally as water.

"As I mentioned, we'll have you stay here for the time being. We have an unused room, luckily."

"Understood."

"Don't worry too much about Irina. Once we talk it out, she'll come around."

As she spoke, Eleina's eyes repeatedly flicked toward the window.

Her index finger tapped anxiously on the table.

About time.

Irina would return soon.

This moment, out of her sight, was the perfect timing to register her.

"...That thing, you called it a cellphone?"

As I pulled the phone from my pocket and launched the hypnosis app, Eleina immediately showed interest.

Ah, so this is what a cellphone is.

"Yes. It's like a communication device from my world."

"Fascinating. Exchanging messages with such a small plate."

Her eyes sparkled at the unfamiliar tool.

She was both an exceptional mage and researcher, after all.

Forced to abandon her work and cut off from the world for 150 years, she must be itching for something new.

Proof was in the bookshelf in the corner of Eleina's bedroom that I'd glimpsed earlier.

The covers of the books inside were worn in places, no matter the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠content.

Meaning she'd read them over and over.

To her, an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unknown device like a cellphone would be more enticing than any bait.

"Want to take a look?"

"C-can I? It seems like a precious item..."

Yet Eleina had already leaned half her upper body toward me.

Her massive breasts pressed against the table, changing shape.

"You've already let me stay and given me a room— this is the least I can do."

Though I'd collect the real payment thick and sticky later.

Before handing over the phone, I tapped the [Hypnosis] button.

The screen filled completely with red and black lines swirling into a single point.

"...It's heavier than I thought. And I can feel faint mana too."

Like a fish biting a lure, Eleina took the phone from me without suspicion.

Curiosity had overcome caution.

"What are these moving images?"

At her question, I clenched and unclenched my sweaty fist repeatedly.

Praying she wouldn't notice anything off.

And then.

"Ah..."

The light suddenly vanished from Eleina's eyes as she blankly stared at the screen I'd opened.

Her shoulders slumped as if her soul had left her body.

"Eleina?"

I carefully took the phone from her unresponsive hand.

The screen now showed white text, just like the first time I'd run the app.

"Wh-what?"

As I watched the alerts, Eleina blinked, regaining her senses.

"Eleina, are you okay?"

"Y-yes? What was I doing?"

"You were looking at the cellphone, then just handed it back to me."

"Did I... do that?"

"You must be really worried about Irina. You kept glancing out the window even while looking at it."

Eleina tilted her head, trying to recall.

Just as I was about to divert her with another topic before suspicion grew—

Creak—

The door opened right on cue, and my savior appeared.

"Irina!"

At the sound, Eleina shot up from her chair and approached the returning Irina.

"Where did you go? I was worried."

"Worried. I'm not a kid."

Irina awkwardly replied to Eleina's hand on her shoulder, then shot me a displeased glare.

"...Tch."

Clicking her tongue, she turned and stormed into her room, slamming the door.

"Haa."

Eleina gave me a slight bow, then swayed her hips as she followed Irina into her room.

They were probably having a serious mother-daughter talk by now.

Not my concern.

I turned my attention from Irina's door to the app screen without a second thought.

A small change had occurred in the meantime.

The button that had been [???] was now [Status Window].

The status window that appeared when I tapped the button was similar to the game's.

Most adult games had an erostate showing sensitivity by body part, but that was standard.

The original elf hypnosis game was the same.

But this status window simplified it to just Lewdness and Obedience.

Everything else I already knew.

"I should plant a suggestion while I have the chance."

Returning to the home screen, I tapped the [Suggestion] button next to [Hypnosis].

"Let's see..."

In the game, I'd have slowly earned points and escalated gradually.

'Too slow that way.'

I moved my fingers and inputted the suggestion for Eleina.

Imagining what was to come made my lower body throb.