Winter Sword (1)
Winter Sword (1)
The first place Level-up Ilone headed to was the Guard Force. To see the Guard Captain who had sold her off without a second thought.
She had no good memories of him. Unlike her, who was out in the field, the Guard Captain who ruled over the entire Guard Force had different priorities, so they were always clashing.
Back then, with no power or authority, she had no choice but to silently follow his unfair orders and commands...
But now, she wasn't a Guard anymore. She was a knight of the Dungeon Lord, appointed by the Lord.
"Long time no see, Captain-nim."
"Oh, Ilone. What brings you here..."
"Just came to see your face, Captain-nim."
Hearing her words, the captain let out a hearty laugh and flashed a friendly smile. Yeah, he must think he hadn't wasted his life away.
The fact that he could smile like that even after basically selling her off showed he felt zero guilt about what he'd done.
So, no need for her to pity him either.
"Well, how've you been doing there..."
"Oh, right. By the way, I became a knight."
"...A knight?"
The moment he heard that, the captain's smile-filled face hardened in an instant. A knight? Something a mere Guard like her could never become.
And it hadn't even been that long since she'd left for the Knights Order. With her decent looks, he'd figured she'd end up as a plaything or sex slave for the knight candidates at best...
The captain relaxed his stiff expression and smiled again, congratulating her.
"Good for you. Congratulations."
"Selling off your subordinate and staying so calm about it."
"...Even if you've become a knight, talking to your former superior like that—"
"Former superior? I've disliked you since my Guard days."
Conflicts between higher-ups and field agents were common enough. The field and theory don't always match up. But even accounting for that, the Guard Captain pulled shady shit way too often.
"The folks out in the field aren't even supplied with gear, so they buy it with their own money, and there you are, fat and bloated like your belly's full of grease."
"That's not..."
"Even if I let it slide, I wonder if the Lord will. What do you say—gonna run now?"
The captain bit his lip hard. If he tried to bolt now, Ilone would catch him, and even if he somehow escaped this mess...
What could a guy like him, with nothing but a bit of cash, do or where could he go?
"...Spare me."
"When did I say I'd kill you?"
"I'll turn myself in. So, at least my wife and kids..."
After that, it was straightforward. She showed up loaded with evidence to nail him, and since Ilone already knew all about his other crimes, she kept rejecting his confessions, forcing him to admit to stuff even she didn't know about.
She only stopped when the crimes he'd confessed to were enough to rot in prison for life, but seeing him still looking like he was hiding more made her frown.
"Let's go."
No need to ever see him again—Ilone thought as she hauled the captain away.
Dressed up and killing time in front of the Guard Force, someone approached me. I could tell who it was just from the footsteps, so I casually looked up to meet her gaze.
"Done?"
"Yeah... You waited?"
"Not really."
Just like on their first date, Ilone appeared all dolled up and looking sharp.
Winter or not, she must've bundled up enough not to feel the cold, but her voluptuous figure still flaunted her sexy appeal for all to see.
I flashed a small smile and offered my arm, and Ilone, blushing a bit but naturally, hooked her arm through mine and linked elbows.
"Hehe—it's been a while since we met like this."
"Actually, first time since then."
Since the day she got kidnapped by the Black Mage and I went to rescue her. First time alone together since.
Ilone seemed thrilled about it, leaning her face on my shoulder and grinning ear to ear.
"Why the big smile?"
"Hm? Oh, just—being with you like this feels good... Doesn't it for you?"
"Yeah, for me too."
I grinned back at her, and we headed to the place she'd reserved ahead. Considering Guard pay wasn't great, it was pricey enough that she wouldn't suggest it lightly.
As soon as we entered, a blast of warm air—probably magically treated—hit us, wrapping around our skin.
The server took our coats right away, hanging them wrinkle-free, and our seats already had simple appetizers and pre-meal drinks set out.
"Come on, I'm buying today, so order whatever you want!"
"With Guard wages? You sure?"
"Yeah! Got a signing bonus from the Lord."
"They give that too?"
"Instead of the territory?"
I nodded naturally at that. Makes sense—with no one to manage the land and no expertise, she couldn't run it properly.
From the Lord's perspective, handing over some cash instead of territory was the better deal.
"Anyway—don't worry! I've lived longer than you and made money longer! This is nothing..."
"Haha, sure."
I knew work tenure doesn't always mean better income, but instead of pointing it out, I went with the vibe.
We sipped the pre-meal drink, then downed the appetizers and booze that followed. Got buzzed on the drinks and the mood.
Before long, the heated atmosphere had us saying things we'd never bring up sober.
"...Hey."
"Yeah?"
"You—today. Hic!—got time?"
"I do, but..."
"Hehe—perfect. Hic!—."
Saying that, she leaned forward. Without her thick coat, her ample body came into full view.
"Been a while, noona. Let's recharge a bit."
"...Recharge?"
"Ehehe, playing dumb now?"
Jjigeok-jjigeok-
Ilone mimed sex with some gesture she'd picked up somewhere. Circling her fingers and poking another in...
True to her 20+ years as a virgin, it was clumsy as hell, but sometimes that awkwardness just ramped up the excitement.
Sure enough, seeing it made my dick swell sky-high.
But.
'...Should I?'
Up until yesterday, hooking up with Ilone or not wouldn't matter much.
My inner energy was too potent to be affected by a mere Level 1.
But not now. She'd become a Level 2 Superhuman, which might affect me too.
'Can't risk it...'
With just one puzzle piece left, no way was I gonna bond with her and invite unnecessary danger.
"Sorry, got something going on, so not tonight..."
"...What kinda something! Just cum in my pussy already!"
"Haha..."
Getting rejected by me must've been such a shock, because Ilone started sniffling and spouting crude words she'd never say sober.
Fair enough—she'd been through hell, and this was their reunion after ages, so flat-out refusing felt kinda mean.
"If fingering's okay instead of cumming—since I can't cum..."
"...Really can't?"
"Nope."
"Th-then sucking? I'll just suck, promise... Yeah?"
"That might be tricky too..."
Figuring no ejaculation should be fine, I nodded.
With my okay, she was already fired up just from the permission, chugging her drink and jumping to her feet.
"Upstairs here, hic!—there's an inn..."
So eager. Nodding at her constant urging, I stood up.
Ilone paid for the food and what was clearly an inflated room fee at the lobby, then clacked her heels upstairs like time was of the essence.
"Haa, haa..."
Her heated gaze locked on me.
I looked back at her.
The moment our eyes met, our lips crossed without a word.
Lips led to breasts, breasts to each other's crotches, then souls intertwined.
Fiercely mingling.
"Kim Dojin! Is Kim Dojin-nim here!"
A booming voice echoed through the mansion. Hearing it, the Maid hurriedly finished prepping and headed out to greet the guest.
A few seconds felt like it, but actually minutes passed—then the Maid knocked.
"Master. A letter arrived."
"...Leave it."
"Understood."
Mumbling in a half-asleep voice, the Maid slipped the letter through the door crack.
Moments later, Dojin rubbed his eyes, got out of bed, and shuffled over to pick it up.
Even a Superhuman couldn't beat morning grogginess. That was a mental thing, not physical.
And no one in his house to tense up around unnecessarily.
"...Ugh, can't read the writing."
Dojin unfolded the letter, groaned at the contents. Whoever sent them to the Otherworld gave language skills but not literacy.
If they'd included that, he and his crew could've deciphered ancient texts full of mystical power or whatever.
Luckily, even if Dojin couldn't read, it wasn't a big deal.
"Adelange."
"Sigh—Master. Why not just learn to read?"
"Too annoying."
No issues with speaking, and he knew damn well how much effort learning a script took, so he delegated to someone who could.
And he had a 24/7 living translator stuck to him.
The living translator sighed heavily and started translating the letter.
"Hm—says the sword's all done, so come get it."
"Lastina?"
"That's what it says."
The letter was from Lastina.
At last, Emilia's sword was complete.