Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: The Sword Saint Sniffs the Scent (2)
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Recently, maybe because of all the annoying stuff going on? I've only been having nightmares, and my sleep has been restless. But today, my body feels light as I lie here, and my head is refreshingly clear.
I crack my eyes open slightly, and a sweet scent tickles my nose. For some reason, my body grows languid, and I find myself wanting to breathe in more of it.
"So good..."
Philia murmurs unconsciously as she inhales the scent.
"What's so good?"
A man's voice asks what's good.
Obviously, this scent... A man...?
Philia jolts in shock, her sleepiness vanishing in an instant. She lifts her head toward the direction of the voice to see who it is—and there's the black-haired guy I hate more than anyone in this world: Song In-hyeok's face.
"!!!!"
The startled Philia shoves In-hyeok away quickly, kicks off the bed she was lying on, assumes a stance, and glares at him.
"What's wrong, Philia?"
The trash asks as if he genuinely doesn't understand, staring into my eyes with a clueless expression.
"What's wrong, you piece of..."
Philia starts to spit curses at In-hyeok but suddenly remembers that she voluntarily slept next to this man last night. She stops mid-sentence and grits her teeth hard.
"We have to sleep together for a few more days anyway, so you should get used to it, right?"
In-hyeok says with a smirk, but Philia ignores him and heads for the door.
"It's still too early to head to the academy. Why don't you sleep a bit more?"
"Get lost. Once I wake up after sleeping with you, the price is paid."
"Hmm... Shame, but can't be helped. Well, we've still got four days left for opportunities."
"Filthy bastard."
Philia curses at In-hyeok and opens the dorm room door to leave. Glancing back at him on her way out, she sees him waving at her with a smile—like a spouse seeing off their partner.
"Wh-what am I even thinking right now?"
Even if it was just a simile, having such thoughts about that jerk makes me despise and irritate myself.
I have to sleep with that guy for four more days...
The displeasure and annoyance of having to sleep with that man for four more days muddle her head until it aches. Philia spritzes on the perfume Ruane gave her, shoving aside the complicated thoughts to focus on her beloved Ruane instead.
"Haa..."
Using the perfume from Ruane calms her mind, but recalling that it smells the same as that trash's scent twists her expression.
"That bastard gave it to Ruane, so I guess I can't help it..."
It's unpleasant that she shares the same scent as that trash, but the sweet smell is nice too, and since Ruane said she'd like it if Philia wore it, she decides not to overthink it and heads to her own dorm.
The night before sleeping with Philia, I'd asked Ruane about my Addictive Scent skill to test it properly.
"Hubby's scent? I love it so much!"
"Ruane, that's not what I meant. I'm curious about how you felt the first time you smelled my scent."
"The first time I smelled Hubby's scent... Hmm..."
"When Hubby first came next to me, I was a little scared at first..."
"Ah! Not anymore, not anymore! Just at the very beginning with Hubby..."
"It's fine, tell me honestly. It's really important."
"Well... Philia has always warned me since I was little that all men are dangerous and to stay on guard... So when Hubby came next to me, I was wary at first."
"And then?"
"But when I smelled the sweet scent from Hubby, I got this strong feeling like, 'This person isn't dangerous.'"
"Hmm... I see."
Ruane's words leave me outwardly calm, but inwardly shocked.
Because Addictive Scent might not just be addiction to the smell— it could increase addiction to me as a person.
My skills are total onions? Layers upon layers keep peeling.
I pat Ruane's head lightly, and she grins happily.
So that's why Ruane opened up to me so quickly and changed like this?
Effects probably vary by person, but if they keep sniffing it like crazy, it'll be similar.
"If Favorability is in the negatives, does Addictive Scent not work as well?"
I feel like I've made her sniff it for a really long time, but I don't sense a big change in Philia like with Ruane.
"Well, if she changed too easily, it wouldn't be fun."
I smile and open Philia's status window.
"Still, I've confirmed it works properly."
To use this skill accurately, it was smart to ask Ruane—who's sniffed a lot of my scent—what it felt like exactly.
Sleeping next to someone she hates so much, and her Favorability actually went up.
My hypothesis about the skill seems correct.
"Even so, after making her sniff it for so long..."
Favorability rose by 7, but considering the time, it's really just a little.
I know dwelling on the negatives leads nowhere, so I decide to take the Favorability increase as a win and move on.
Four days left—no, the duel price is for life, so I have until I or Philia dies to conquer her.
Imagining Philia slowly soaking in my scent and changing at her own pace already has my crotch twitching.
Sis is coming tonight, so I can relieve it with her, but what about mornings...?
I could force Philia, but then she won't sleep with me anymore.
Without me around, Ruane will cling to Philia like crazy...
No choice, so after a long time, I grab my dick alone and shake it to calm down.
After jerking off repeatedly to soothe my frustrated lower half, I head to class drowned in self-loathing.
Fuck...
During morning class, listening to Professor Eris, I glance at the trash slumping alone in the corner.
"Why does he look so drained?"
He's wearing a deathly gloomy face like he's advertising his depression, spacing out. It's pathetic.
"Philia, what are you staring at?"
"Uh, huh? Nothing."
"Hmm... Is that so? But, Philia..."
"What, Ruane?"
"I have a worry..."
"What worry...?"
Ruane lowers her head with a depressed expression, sighs, and speaks to Philia.
"In-hyeok-nim has been ignoring me a bit since yesterday..."
"Did I do something bad...?"
Seeing Ruane's eyes grow misty as she speaks hurts Philia's heart a little.
I want to say, Why do you care so much about that trash? But I know Ruane will get mad, so I hold back.
"You're not bad. That guy's always been like that... He discards friendships easily..."
"And I've got your back, right? Unlike that trash, I won't ignore you—I'll always be friendly and stick by you."
"...Thank you, Philia."
Aah... Why was I born a woman? If I were a man, I could confess these feelings to Ruane so easily...
Pushing aside her regret, Philia stands face-to-face with Ruane for training and assumes her stance.
"Alright, let's start, Rua..."
-Shwaaak
A sharp mass of icy mana shoots toward Philia, who dodges quickly.
"Ru... Ruane?"
"Professor Eris said it, Philia."
"Fight like it's real combat."
With those words, Ruane's spells come flying wildly.
"Rua..."
-Shwaaak
"Wait, hold on..."
-Kwoooo
Even trying to talk it out, the relentless barrage of magic leaves no room for words.
"...!"
Did Philia see wrong? She rubs her eyes and looks at Ruane again.
She could've sworn Ruane smirked while casting at her...
Must be my imagination?
Another strange sense of unease unnerves Philia.
"Welcome, Philia."
"..."
Just like yesterday, she has no choice but to come for sleep, and that trash greets her with a smug grin.
I ignore him and head to the bed, but In-hyeok suddenly grabs her wrist.
"What? Let go."
Even glaring seriously, he just smiles and ignores her.
"Can't you just suck it out once, Philia?"
What did this guy just say? He promised no funny business, gonna break it again?
"Get lost. The deal was just sleeping next to you."
"Not sex, just your mouth once..."
"If you're gonna talk shit, why not just fuck off and do whatever? I'm fucking pissed."
In-hyeok releases the grip on her wrist.
"Ruane."
Mentioning Ruane again to threaten her?
"You fuck... You really..."
"What am I supposed to do when I can't with Ruane because of you and it's building up?"
"Figure it out yourself, you fucking asshole!"
"Can't ask Ruane, so just once from you, Philia? Pleeease?"
"Compared to yesterday, it's nothing. Just suck once till I cum, then we sleep right away."
"..."
Thinking about yesterday, it's not much, but watching this promise-breaking trash makes her want to puke with rage.
But what can she do? Right now, he's the dominant one, and she's submissive.
Submissive means no choice...
"Just once, and we're done."
"Of course, Philia!"
The moment she answers, he excitedly strips off his pants and underwear in a flash, sits on the bed with his filthy dick rock-hard.
Reluctantly, Philia kneels between his legs, bringing her face right up to In-hyeok's cock.
"Eut...!"
"What's wrong, Philia?"
"It's because your dick is fucking gross. Mind your own business."
"My dick is a dick, though..."
Ignoring In-hyeok's nonsense, Philia is stunned.
It's not the size— the trash's cock reeks of an intensely sweet scent.
Does he spray perfume on his dick?
How much did he douse it? The sweetness is so strong it's giving her a headache.
It smelled sweet yesterday too, but fully conscious now, the scent soaks her brain.
"Haa... Haa..."
Without realizing, Philia presses her nose close to In-hyeok's dick and inhales.
"Philia, what are you doing?"
In-hyeok's question snaps her back; she jerks her face away in shock.
Wh-what did I just do?
Sniffing the filthy cock of that trash like a dog.
No matter how sweet, Philia feels self-loathing for her unconscious act.
"Hurry up and suck, Philia."
His urging deepens her self-loathing.
Having to do this for him of all people.
Her body trembles with humiliation and fury.
But for Ruane's sake, she steels herself, squeezes her eyes shut, and engulfs In-hyeok's cock in her mouth.
"...Haap...?!"
The moment it enters, the sweet scent floods her mouth, nose, and brain.
Feeling like her mind is numbing, Philia half-loses herself.
Like she's hypnotized in a trance.
-Chup♥ Chuup♥ Chub♥ Chup♥
Drooling saliva, tongue working, she unconsciously starts sucking In-hyeok's cock.