Chapter 204: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (68)
Chapter 204: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (68)
A sudden silence descended upon the Concentrated Healing Room.
It was so quiet that even the sound of grass brushing against the wind outside the window could be heard.
The Saintess’s pale pink eyes flew wide. With a look of utter disbelief, her gaze dropped toward her own chest.
My hand was resting there.
The flesh, which changed shape according to my touch, possessed a mysterious texture. It provided a sense of satisfaction that couldn't be found anywhere else.
The Saintess couldn't even form proper words. She simply blinked, letting out fragmented sounds.
"Uh, ugh, ah...?"
Regardless, I decided to focus on this heavenly sensation, unsure of when I might experience it again.
If one were to touch incredibly soft bread dough, it might feel something like this.
Naturally, flesh without a single muscle was bound to be soft.
However, the question remained: why did this specific part of a woman’s body provide such an exceptionally gratifying feeling?
In particular, the curves of the Saintess’s chest were excellent in both volume and texture. It went beyond mere softness into a supple, squishy realm—a subtle sensation that drew a faint exclamation from my lips.
It was fascinating that such a soft texture could be felt so clearly even through the fabric of her clothes.
It felt like touching something caught between elastic dough and a fluffy cloud.
As the sensation of her skin filled and enveloped my palm, I suddenly grew curious about the limits of that elasticity.
So, I applied more strength to my grip.
As I squeezed the pouch of divine power, the Saintess hurriedly inhaled and lowered her head. I felt a sharp tremor ripple up her spine.
"...H-hyut!"
That elasticity was proven immediately. Feeling the soft flesh threatening to overflow between my fingers, I finally let out a satisfied smile and loosened my grip.
"This is a good wish. If there's another chance in the future, perhaps we should make another bet..."
It was only then that the dazed Saintess snapped back to her senses.
"...A-a-are you insane?!!"
The Saintess shrieked, her face already flushed a deep red.
Faint tears even shimmered at the corners of her eyes. That was how humiliated she felt.
She tried to twist her body away as if to shake off my hand immediately.
"Th-this is sexual harassment! You sex offender! D-do you have any idea what a grave sin it is to touch the pure body of a Saintess... H-hyuuh?!"
However, her attempt was quickly thwarted.
It was because I tightened my grip once more.
The Saintess immediately let out a faint moan and put strength into the arms supporting her chest. Her head slumped forward involuntarily.
It wasn't a bad feeling.
To think I’d found a way to silence the Saintess whenever she got too loud.
I let out a long sigh and shook my head.
"Saintess, you shouldn't be like this. Didn't you say so yourself? That you would grant any wish."
"Th-that has nothing to do with th-this... Mng, hyut!"
The Saintess bit her lip, trying to suppress her sweet moans, but it didn't go as she intended.
Her pale pink eyes glared at me resentfully.
In response, I simply gave her a winner's smile.
"During the last attack, you promised. That if I settled everything and returned, you would grant me one wish."
Only then did the Saintess seem to realize her mistake, her eyes widening.
The fierce glare she had been directing at me softened significantly. Avoiding my gaze, she stammered and muttered.
"Th-that was... H-huuuh..."
The sight of the Saintess letting out feverish breaths mixed with faint whimpers was, objectively speaking, obscene.
To begin with, her body itself was erotic.
From her beauty to the smooth curves of her silhouette, there wasn't a single part of her that didn't stir a man's excitement.
Truly, a sinful body.
If a student from the Academy's Theology Department were to defect to the Dark Cult, the primary reason might very well be the Saintess.
She was that charming of a woman. The woman I once thought of as a flower on a high cliff was now looking at me with moist eyes.
I could even sense a subtle desire within those pale pink pupils.
As if possessed, I savored the sensation of her chest and flashed a wicked smile.
"A promise must be kept, shouldn't it? Please excuse me for a moment."
Left with nothing to say, the Saintess could only let out suppressed moans through her teeth, glaring at me with eyes full of embarrassment.
Occasional insults flew from her lips.
"I-idiot... Hyut, tr-trash..."
Of course, every time she did, I would tighten my grip, and she would lose her words and simply tremble.
By this point, even I couldn't help but notice the somewhat strange atmosphere.
The Saintess's panting breaths took on an increasingly sweet tone. Her pale pink eyes gazed at me with a shimmering plea.
Actually, since she provoked me every time, I had done this half to tease her.
Thinking about it now, I had crossed the line.
The fortunate thing was that, despite appearances, the Saintess didn't seem particularly angry.
Inwardly, she was undoubtedly enjoying it.
Otherwise, there was no way she would quietly accept this situation when she could escape just by using her strength. Finding that point somewhat mischievous, I gave the Saintess's chest one last firm squeeze.
The sudden impact caused her pupils to shake for a moment.
"Hgh?! Mng, h-hyuuuuut?!"
The arms supporting her chest stiffened as if struck by an electric shock, and her thighs clamped together instantly.
Her breath trembled as it escaped her. A faint convulsion swept through her body.
"Haah, haah," the Saintess panted heavily.
It was time to let go, but a man's sad instinct granted me a moment of hesitation.
And so, I failed to react in time.
The door to the sickroom opened silently.
Neither the Saintess nor I, lost in the rising heat, noticed. We only heard the sound of something hitting the floor with a thud.
Dazedly, our gazes turned toward the door.
Standing there was a brown-haired girl wearing a pointed hat. A fruit basket, likely intended as a gift, had fallen, and apples and pears were rolling across the floor.
It was Senior Elsie.
Her blue eyes began to tremble violently. While the Saintess and I were too flustered to say anything, Senior Elsie hurriedly pulled her pointed hat down low.
"I-I'm sorry for intruding..."
Then, Senior Elsie quickly turned around and ran out of the room. There was no time to offer an excuse.
Her retreating figure looked exceptionally resentful. It seemed as though a faint droplet of water scattered in the air at the very end.
Silence returned. It didn't last long, of course.
Slap! The Saintess's hand knocked mine away. While I was still reeling, she glared at me while straightening her clothes.
It was a gaze stained with shame, anger, and an unidentifiable emotion.
However, a faint excitement still lingered in that look, and eventually, the Saintess suppressed her anger and averted her eyes.
A small voice, soaked in shame, followed.
"...Y-you surprised me. Next time, at least say something."
With a flushed face, the Saintess finally hung her head low. Then, she left the room with hurried steps.
I sat there dazed for a while after her hasty exit, then tilted my head in confusion.
At least say something next time?
Does that mean there is a next time?
I hummed thoughtfully for a moment before breaking into a chuckle.
It would be troublesome to indulge in useless delusions.
Even if it were true, there was nothing I could do. The homework laid out before me was far too much.
The heavy burden of having to save the world.
I felt that unless I could one day lighten that load, promising a future to someone would be an act of irresponsibility.
Several things happened after that.
Until the moment I finished the discharge procedures and left the temple, the Saintess would blush and lower her head whenever she ran into me.
She was so shy that we couldn't even have a proper conversation.
However, while she was treating me, I did get the feeling that her body was subtly pressing against mine. Of course, I dismissed this as a misunderstanding.
There was no reason for the Saintess to do that.
The Saintess's body was no different from a gift bestowed by the Heavenly God. It was a treasure of the Holy Kingdom, treated with the same reverence as a divine artifact, so why would she feel the need to bring it into contact with a strange man?
Though, I must admit, it was a bit exciting to think that my hand had briefly violated such a body.
At any rate, I was able to reach my discharge day without further incident.
There had been many visitors during my stay, and several acquaintances were waiting for me as I stepped outside the temple.
The surprising fact was that Lady Ruphesia was among them.
It was quite something for her—the woman whose limbs I had nearly severed because she slapped Emma—to come looking for me. I thought we were enemies.
It seemed that helping her when she was attacked by demonic beasts last time had created an interesting connection.
I gave a bitter smile and reached out a hand to Lady Ruphesia.
After glancing at me with an indifferent look, she eventually took my hand with a prim expression and spoke.
"...Congratulations on your discharge."
"Thank you."
The conversation didn't go much further.
We weren't close enough to talk more than that anyway.
However, as I brushed past Lady Ruphesia, she asked me one thing.
"By the way, have you visited Emma?"
"...?"
I turned a questioning gaze toward her. I had planned to visit Emma before returning to my hometown, but if she was mentioning it specifically, there had to be a reason.
After hesitating for a moment, Lady Ruphesia sighed and shook her head.
"...Never mind. Just go see her as soon as possible."
How trivial, I thought as I passed her. Nevertheless, I made a mental note to visit Emma.
Another noteworthy point was that Senior Elsie was nowhere to be seen among the crowd celebrating my discharge.
It had been that way ever since she witnessed that certain incident between the Saintess and me.
It had only been two days, but Senior Elsie hadn't shown her face to me once during that time. I had been fretting over it internally.
Fortunately, someone approached me.
Lupin Lainella.
Senior Elsie's younger brother, and a man bound to me by an ill-fated bond.
He was glaring at me with eyes full of murderous rage.
"I-Ian Percus...!"
His trembling voice betrayed his fury. Of course, I had no idea why he was feeling that way.
What's wrong with this guy?