I Can't Be the Only One Bound
I hadn't realized it when we were captured, but one entire district of the city consisted of temple-affiliated buildings. Thanks to that, the possessors who took it over could use those religious facilities—where they'd been freely persecuted—as their base.
From complete strangers to people I vaguely recognized from their IDs, and even those I'd occasionally run into during non-raid content. These folks had seized the streets, sorting through the captured holy knights, priests, and nuns, and now they looked at me with pity as Hanbyeol helped me hobble along. They didn't say anything, but their grateful glances made me feel quietly proud inside. They all nodded in greeting, so I returned weak smiles.
"Unnie, what about your neck...? Won't it leave marks?"
Hanbyeol fretted over the bruises and abrasions on my neck from the hanging. Even as I'd dangled there, I'd kept healing myself nonstop, but wounds like these didn't vanish. Still, bruises would fade with time anyway.
"It's fine. Thanks for coming to rescue me."
"I rescued the Saintess...!"
Laila, her face swollen like a ripe persimmon from the beatings, trailed behind with a whiny protest. But when Hanbyeol slyly raised her magic staff, Laila clamped her mouth shut. Laila had originally been quite alluringly pretty, but now, beaten to a pitiful state, she looked like the aftermath of some extreme SM play gone wrong.
I'd healed her too after she got thrashed for defending me, but while the swelling had gone down, I couldn't erase the deep purple bruises. I still didn't understand the principles behind healing—its limits or anything.
"Not cold, are you?"
She must've been worried about the chilly weather. Hanbyeol tucked the robe around me tighter. She still hadn't untied my hands—probably figuring it looked better that way—and was doing everything for me since I couldn't. But I'd learned my place by now. Alone, bound or not, fighting or fleeing was hopeless. With Daesik and Hanbyeol around, that was my lifeline. So putting up with being tied up prettily for their eyes was a minor discomfort.
"Not cold, thanks to your robe. Is there a warming spell on it?"
"Yeah, I cast it."
"Feels nice and toasty. Thanks."
"No biggie."
Even simple lip service made Hanbyeol blush and squirm. "But... I'm naked underneath, so I feel kinda bad."
"No! I like it better that way! It's fine!"
"...?"
Was this a generation gap again? Sometimes kids were impossible to read—hard to tell if they were joking or if the topic had veered off. Wrapping a naked body in clothes wasn't much different from lending underwear, right? Sweat or body scent could linger. Sure, I cast Purify constantly to manage it, but that one sweet scent of mine never fully faded.
Whatever—if she said it was fine, no big deal. I leaned against her and kept walking. At least the holy relic Laila returned had reverted to underwear form and been put back on me. It had shortened a lot from expending power to protect my virginity, but panties were better than nothing. Walking around completely naked under the robe would've been mortifying; with panties, it was bearable. Going braless was one thing you could shrug off, but no panties outside felt like full exposure...
Anyway, that's how I saw it.
"Daesik oppa and the other leaders are probably gathered. They said you got kidnapped, so they sped up the jailbreak."
And we're heading to see them like this. I slowed my steps, hesitating.
"Um... I'm just a regular healer. Is it okay for me to join them? I'd rather rest..."
"Daesik oppa insisted. He said he has questions for you."
Fair enough—real life didn't bend to your personal convenience. No more lazing as a shut-in healer, tossing heals casually while sucking honey. Everyone was scrambling for a way home now. My condition or outfit wouldn't be priorities. They needed action plans yesterday.
The building we arrived at with Hanbyeol was an infirmary. Odd, in a world with healing magic, but some things Heal and Purify couldn't fix—like curses too strong for low levels. And sure enough, chairs were arranged in a circle on the first floor, people gathered like they were mid-meeting.
As we opened the door, eyes turned to us, warm gazes pouring over. Hanbyeol was the youngest here, and I'd given them a fair shot at fighting equally by healing without a healer.
"Ah, uh, ah..."
I stammered and backed away. All those eyes so close up overlapped with the prison—holy knights pulling out their dicks, looming over me.
"Hi everyone! I brought Ivy unnie! ...Unnie?"
I registered Hanbyeol's puzzled call, but my body wouldn't obey. My legs gave out; I crumpled to the floor, pushing away with my feet to escape them. The robe's hem parted, exposing my thighs, but I was ready to crawl out—until Laila covered my eyes and whispered,
"Shh, there's no one here. Now, deep breaths. Inhale slowly... exhale. In... out..."
I wasn't in a state to listen. Suddenly, the holy relic reactivated, stimulating me. Was this why my legs failed—arousal? Lust toward those men? Denying the truth, I clenched my teeth and held my breath.
But the protrusion in my panties wouldn't stop until I'd climaxed at least once, now that I'd leaked fluids. Rigid in Laila's arms, I trembled, holding out until orgasm hit. Only then did I gasp raggedly.
Laila whispered suspiciously, just for me: "No way... did you just...?"
"..."
I curled up, opting for silence. At least the relic was working overtime, devouring my secretions.
"She looks in really bad shape..."
"Makes sense—she healed us all while hanged. Let's postpone the meeting."
"We can just ask quick questions. Time's pressing—my kids are waiting."
"What could cause PTSD that bad?"
Worried murmurs and impatience flew back and forth. Hanbyeol shielded me from view, asking anxiously,
"Unnie, maybe rest first...?"
"No, it's fine. Better to finish and rest, right?"
I pulled myself together, standing with their support. Laila blindfolded me with a handkerchief so I wouldn't see them. The discomfort of blindness beat admitting arousal from men's stares.
"Sorry. Bad stuff happened; I lost it for a sec. I'm Ivy, usually main healer for priests. Same guild as Daesik."
"Ah, Ivy! Nice to meet you. Remember that academy party where we took mythic Odin?"
"Wait, the Saintess is Ivy? Was her character always this pretty?"
"Chit-chat later. Agenda first."
Someone reined in the greetings. Blindfolded, I couldn't see faces, but I guessed from voice—mid-20s, handsome armored type for self-insertion. Not an old-timer, but authoritative enough.
I agreed. Bodies starving in reality, family breadwinners—priorities.
"You've had the most contact with the Pope, so folks hoped for extra info. We're interrogating user holy knights and priests too, but it's rough over there, so we brought you here safely."
Daesik briefed me.
"Got it. But he just tortured me—no real talk. He was possessed, hated other possessors. Power hunger, maybe? Didn't get details... He's freshly dead—resurrect him?"
"Resurrection works?"
"Interrogate post-rez? Penalties?"
Excitement rippled; I nodded.
"Like game—physical weakness short-term, mental shock."
"Yeah, like two nights no sleep before school."
Hanbyeol chimed in; nods all around.
"That's doable. Better than dying."
"No reason not to. We secured the body—gruesome, but please."
"Now?"
"After meeting's fine. While jailed, Hanbyeol, I, and you scouted return paths—no luck. Your kidnapping sped things up. Success, but holing up risks military pressure from Sina or other faiths."
Daesik's long explanation held rapt attention—futures at stake, no side chatter.
As he finished, one asked, "Scatter then?"
"Yes. Declare no harm, share intel, pursue livelihoods. Hanbyeol and I brainstormed: clear new dungeons everywhere? Kill last-patch raid boss pre-drop? Demon King? If not, worst case—settle here."
"True. Can't starve idly."
"Damn, no 'die to return'?"
"Unknown. Can't risk it."
"I'll volunteer."
The family man stepped up; silence fell. Fresh escapees craved home, but seeing desperation for unproven gambles sobered them. He'd join Pope rez; Daesik briefed newbies on world basics—single lives despite game-like, geopolitics. Hanbyeol did overpowered stuff; Daesik politics/management. Why me suffering? Unfair, but no whining audience.
"And... per user holy knights, Ivy endured brutal torture from them. Ringleader: succubus behind her. Unknown demon interference, but as Pope's inner circle, she has info."
Arrows turned to Laila supporting me. She grinned awkwardly, pleading,
"Ahaha, Saintess? I killed Pope to save you. All on orders. I'll do anything—spare me? Eek, lower that staff...!"
Hanbyeol poised to whack; a woman interjected.
"Heard different: Ivy enslaved to succubus to save folks. Succubus tattoo on belly."
"That's..."
True—the lewd mark. Hard to deny. As I floundered, she pressed,
"Can't deny? So it's real. Can you swear Ivy's not demon pawn? Torture sucks, but we can't risk it for her."
Fair from their view. No defense came; tattoo effects unknown. Laila pushed corruption via men; hadn't fallen, but risk lingered.
Then a thud—kneeling beside me. Something soft touched my foot.
"Everyone, it's backward. I'm her slave. Saintess, anything but 'die'—I'll obey. Spare me? See, kissing your feet."
"Drop the Saintess bit already... I'm not."
Laila's begging lightened the tension. Folks sided with me.
"Healing us hanged? Not Saintess, what is?"
"Yeah. Succubus as minion? Bonus."
"Test loyalty first. Order something sober mind resists."
"Uh..."
Nothing fit. Strip? No shame for succubus. Self-harm? Too harsh for defector fearing death.
"Say 'Demon King bastard.'"
"Demon King bastard!"
No hesitation—relieved even, like pent-up grudge.
"Not loyal to him, looks like."
"Mana restraints anyway—can't harm Ivy."
"M-Me, bound...?"
"Good idea. Use holy knights' restraints."
Clanking neared; Laila whined,
"Hng... Saintess, really necessary?"
Grateful for Pope rescue, but prison deeds made this tame. I nodded; she teared up, accepting.
A comrade now. I couldn't be the only one walking bound.