The Black Wolf's Gift
The morning sunlight filtered through the cracks in the window, pouring into the room in a dazzling display.
"Mmm..."
Jill barely managed to pry her heavy eyelids open. A low groan escaped her lips as a wave of soreness washed over her entire body, contrasting sharply with the soft, luxurious touch of the bedsheets.
"Ugh, my back... Did someone spend the entire night folding and unfolding me like origami...?"
Her entire body throbbed as if she had been beaten black and blue. The muscles along her inner thighs were painfully tight, and her pelvis felt like it was creaking with every minor shift.
In particular, a burning heat and a dull, throbbing ache lingered between her legs.
Yet, strangely enough, she didn't feel the sticky, unpleasant residue that usually followed a night like that.
Her skin, which should have been slick and tacky with sweat and bodily fluids, was instead remarkably clean and dry.
Huh?
Jill peeked under the blanket to look down at herself.
Her naked body, which should have been absolutely drenched in semen and sweat after last night's wild antics, was astonishingly clean.
Her hair carried a faint, pleasant fragrance, and her skin felt as smooth as if she had just received a gentle oil massage.
Who washed me? The maids? Or... don't tell me it was that old man?
The image of Erolt carrying her unconscious body to the bath popped into her head. Imagining that rugged, stern-faced man meticulously lathering her up with soap brought a dry chuckle to her lips.
Jill turned her head to scan the room.
In a corner of the spacious bedroom, someone was sitting at the tea table by the window.
It was Erolt. He was already fully dressed in his neat uniform, sipping tea with an air of quiet elegance as he gazed out the window.
Framed by the morning sun, he looked so serene and intellectual that it was hard to believe he was the same beast who had been panting and groaning over her just hours ago.
Sensing her movement, Erolt slowly turned his head.
"You're awake."
"Ah... yes."
The moment their eyes met, the memories of last night rushed back like a tidal wave, slamming into Jill's brain.
Deeper... deeper...! Mister, it's too big...!
Clamping down on me even while unconscious...! You wicked little thing!
A vivid montage flashed before her eyes: her screaming in pleasure while suspended in mid-air, her riding him shamelessly as she lost herself to ecstasy, and the humiliating moments of her taking his seed while completely blacked out.
Jill's face instantly flushed as red as a ripe tomato. She hurriedly yanked the blanket over her head to hide her face.
Crazy! Absolutely insane! What the hell did I do... No, what the hell did that old man do to me?! Beast! Pervert! You absolute wolf!
After kicking her feet beneath the covers in a fit of self-loathing, Jill suddenly let out a deep sigh.
...Sigh. Whatever. What's done is done. What can I do about it now?
She slowly lowered the blanket and stared up at the ceiling.
To be honest... it did feel amazing. It was completely different from when that piece of trash Valentine forced himself on me. The old man's technique was actually pretty damn good.
Ever since falling into this fantasy world, Jill had developed a mental fortitude of steel, rarely getting faced by anything anymore. Or perhaps she had simply gotten faster at resigning herself to her fate and adapting.
For someone who had accepted selling her body as a mere means of survival, a single night of passion was no longer enough to trigger a mental breakdown.
"Yaaawn... That was a good sleep."
Jill kicked the blanket aside and boldly stood up.
Naturally, she was stark naked, without a single thread on her.
"I wonder if Penis is awake yet. That muscle-brained idiot didn't actually die, did he?"
Jill stretched, proudly putting her naked body on display.
As the morning sun bathed her figure, her slender waist, perky, voluptuous breasts, and the rich curves of her hips glowed radiantly.
Though red marks still littered her skin, they only served to enhance her raw, seductive allure.
Clink.
Erolt set his teacup down, stood up, and slowly walked over to Jill.
His gaze, respectful yet burning with heat as if admiring a masterpiece, traced her naked body. In his hands, he held a pitch-black cloak.
"Take this. It is a gift."
Erolt stepped behind Jill and gently draped the cloak over her shoulders. The moment it wrapped around her, an incredibly cozy warmth enveloped her.
"Ah, thank you. But aren't you going to give me actual clothes? Why is it always a cloak...?"
Jill pouted as she pulled the edges of the cloak together.
Am I destined to spend the rest of my life wearing nothing but cloaks? Penis is always running around in a cloak, and now I'm doing it too. What is this, some kind of matching couple's look?
As she grumbled and toyed with the fabric, Jill's hand suddenly froze.
The texture beneath her fingertips was extraordinary. With every catch of the light, a subtle, dark sheen rippled across the surface. It was obvious at a glance that this was no ordinary garment.
"Huh? This... feels amazing. It doesn't feel like normal fabric at all?"
"Because it is no ordinary item."
Erolt explained calmly, though a note of pride laced his voice.
"It is a cloak crafted from the processed hide of a Black Dragon. A rarity typically found only within Dragon Slayer families. It is so durable that ordinary blades cannot even scratch it, and most fire magic will not even singe it. Furthermore, it is imbued with high-tier Clean and Mend magic. No matter how much dirt you roll in or how badly it is torn, it will restore itself and maintain its cleanliness."
"H-Heh...!"
Jill's eyes went wide. Her jaw dropped.
"A Black Dragon? A dragon? You mean those legendary giant lizards?"
"Indeed. It was quite difficult to acquire."
"Y-You're giving something that valuable to me? Seriously? How much is this worth if I sell it? No, wait, this has to be worth at least a whole mansion!"
Jill excitedly inspected the cloak from every angle. It was the first proper magic item she had obtained since arriving in this world.
Jackpot! With this, I won't have to worry about doing laundry even if I roll around in the dirt! The defense is top-tier too! Wearing this, at least I won't have to worry about getting killed by a stray arrow!
While Jill was marveling at it like a child with a new toy, Erolt suddenly took her hand.
"And..."
He bent his knee slightly and planted a highly respectful kiss on the back of her hand.
Smooch.
The warm, soft touch made Jill gasp in surprise.
The beast from last night was entirely gone. The man before her now exuded the quiet nobility of a gentleman straight out of a romance novel. As Erolt slowly raised his gaze, his deep eyes shone with profound emotion.
"My lady, I shall cherish the memory of last night deep within my heart. It was the most passionate and beautiful night of my life, one I shall never forget. I express my deepest gratitude for your tolerance in forgiving and accepting my rudeness."
Jill's heart skipped a beat. Her face flushed hot once again.
W-What's with him... Why is this old man such a gentleman? Is he really the same pervert from yesterday? No, if he acts like this, he's actually going to make my heart flutter...
Being treated with such respect—a far cry from Penis, who constantly threw around insults like "flesh light" or "my property"—tickled something deep in her chest.
Is this the charm of an older, experienced man? she wondered. Erolt pulled a silver brooch from his breast pocket. It was exquisitely engraved with the emblem of a howling wolf. He carefully pinned it to the collar of Jill's cloak, fastening it shut.
"This is a communication device engraved with my family crest. If you channel mana into it, I will be able to locate you."
His fingers brushed against the nape of Jill's neck.
"Should you ever need assistance, call upon me at any time. I will fly to your side, even if it is at the ends of the earth. For my sword now exists for you as well."
Jill averted her eyes in embarrassment, mumbling softly.
"Th-Thank you. I'll make good use of it. Really."
"Then, you should head out. A maid should be waiting for you outside."
Erolt opened the door, seeing her off with perfect manners to the very end. As Jill was about to step out, she suddenly stopped and glanced back over her shoulder.
"Um... Mister."
"Yes?"
"...Your technique wasn't bad. Actually, it was pretty great."
Jill blurted it out and immediately bolted out the door.
From behind her, Erolt's hearty, delighted laughter echoed. "Hahaha!"
A neatly dressed maid was waiting in the hallway.
"Right this way, my lady."
Jill followed the maid down the long corridor.
With every step, the Black Dragon Leather Cloak swished gently against her legs, filling her with a strange surge of confidence.
This cloak is the real deal. It's so light and warm.
At the end of the hallway, Jill looked back one more time.
Erolt was still standing by the door, watching over her until she disappeared from sight.
The sight was reassuring, yet it left a lingering, bittersweet feeling in her chest.
Geez... I'm pretty popular. I guess a girl really has to be pretty. Back when I was a guy, none of these bastards would have spared me a second glance.
Jill chuckled to herself and wrapped the cloak tighter around her body.
A moment later, the maid stopped in front of a massive door.
"This is the room. Please call for me if you require anything."
The maid bowed politely and took her leave. Jill took a deep breath.
I hope that muscle-brained idiot is okay. He was coughing up so much blood yesterday.
With a mix of worry and anticipation, she grabbed the doorknob.
The door opened, and Jill stepped cautiously into the room.
Inside the room, which smelled faintly of medicine, someone was lying on the bed.
It was Penis.
Though his complexion was pale, he looked perfectly fine as he leaned back against the headboard, loudly munching on an apple.
Sensing her presence, he turned his head.
His eyes were as sharp as ever—no, they burned with an even more ferocious intensity than usual.
The moment he saw Jill, he swallowed his mouthful of apple and spoke.
"You're here, flesh light?"
"...Hey."
The warm, fuzzy feelings of worry and relief that had been bubbling in Jill's chest shattered into dust in less than a second.
Sigh, what did I even expect from this guy? I shouldn't even dream of him having a shred of the old man's sweetness.
Jill shook her head and let out a heavy sigh.
"Can't you... at least pretend to be happy to see me after barely surviving? You almost died, yet your mouth is as loud as ever!"
When Jill snapped at him, Penis snorted. He kicked the blanket aside and thrust his lower half forward.
"Hmph, who said anything about dying? As you can see, my little buddy is in tip-top shape. Now that my flesh light is here, of course it's going to stand at attention!"
He chuckled, proudly flaunting his dangling manhood.
"Oh, seriously! Are your mouth and your dick made of steel cables or something?!"
Jill's fists trembled with rage, but she ultimately resigned herself and approached the bed.
Still, seeing him alive and kicking, as obnoxious as he was, brought an undeniable sense of relief.
"How is your body? Yesterday, I really thought you were going to kick the bucket."
Jill asked as she sat on the chair beside the bed. Penis clenched and unclenched his fist before shrugging.
"I'm perfectly fine. Do you think a body like mine would fall to a weakling like that? Once I get some food in me and sleep with a woman, I'll be back on my feet in no time."
"Stop bluffing... You're going to get yourself killed for real one of these days. I saw you coughing up blood and passing out with my own eyes."
"Shut up. That was a strategic rest."
Penis retorted shamelessly, then scanned Jill's attire.
She was wearing nothing but a black cloak. However, the texture of this cloak was noticeably different from before.
"By the way, what's with that cloak? Since when did you start wearing something so fancy? I know going around naked under a cloak is our trademark, but isn't that a bit too high-quality for you?"
Penis's eyes narrowed. A strange emotion—perhaps jealousy, perhaps wariness—flickered in his gaze.
"It's not just some rag! This is a Black Dragon Leather Cloak! It's a rare treasure that Mister Erolt gifted to me!"
Jill snapped back, proudly swishing her cloak.
"A Black Dragon? Hmph, lizard skin is lizard skin, no matter how rare. Looks like that old man was trying to make a move on you, huh? Showering you with gifts."
"Making a move? No way... It was just a reward for helping him. Unlike you, that mister actually has manners!"
"Manners? Don't make me laugh. I saw the way he looked at you—he had the eyes of a dog in heat. You slept with him, didn't you?"
Penis's direct question caught Jill completely off guard, making her choke on her own spit.
"Cough! Hack! W-What are you talking about?! Are you crazy?!"
"Your reaction says it all. Tsk, tsk. Rolling around with another man while your master is lying sick in bed... What an exemplary flesh light you are."
"Hey! There was a reason for that...!"
Jill tried to make an excuse, but Penis waved his hand dismissively, cutting her off.
"Whatever. You belong to me anyway, so no matter who touches you, my ownership doesn't change. You can just pay me back with your body later."
Jill quickly looked around to change the subject.
"By the way, where did Astrid and Eliana go? They were incredibly worried about you."
"Ah, them? They were making such a fuss trying to nurse me all night that it got annoying, so I sent them off to rest. How am I supposed to recover with all that racket?"
Penis replied nonchalantly. Jill pouted.
"What the... So you're a sweet guy to every other woman except me? You send them off to rest, but the moment I show up, you start nagging me?"
As Jill grumbled, Penis smirked and slid his hand beneath her cloak. His cold hand began to caress her thigh.
"Eek! Hey, what is a patient doing?!"
Jill recoiled in shock and tried to pull away, but Penis held her fast.
"Stay still. I need my medicine."
"M-Medicine?"
"Won't my recovery be faster if I absorb the energy of my flesh light? Come here and let me hold you."
Penis forcefully pulled Jill onto the bed.
"Ack! Are you really sick?! Why are you so strong?!"
Ultimately, Jill collapsed onto the bed beside him. Penis wrapped his pale yet rock-solid arms around her, inhaling deeply with a satisfied expression.
"Mmm... You smell good. There's a bit of another male's scent mixed in... but whatever, it's not bad."
Jill squirmed in his embrace, but a strange sense of relief washed over her. It was a rough, unrefined, and selfish embrace. Yet, in this crazy world, it was the safest and most familiar place she knew.
"...Let go. I can't breathe."
"Stay still. Let me sleep a bit."
Penis rested his chin on Jill's head and closed his eyes.
As his steady, rhythmic breathing filled the room, Jill stopped resisting and quietly buried her face in his chest.
The wind blowing in from the window gently wrapped around them.
It was a brief, peaceful respite that had finally arrived after the storm of battle, lust, and chaos.
