Chapter 133
Chapter 133
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Hassan The Returnee
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A yellow flag symbolizing Sodomora was raised at the top of the Valdez mountain stronghold.
There had apparently been a few powerful undead inside—skeleton mages and death knights on par with silver-tier adventurers.
But they hadn't been much of a match for the two thousand regular Sodomora troops, including armed soldiers and mages.
As expected, a properly organized army is fucking strong. In human history, most problems get solved by overwhelming numbers.
If something can't be done with a lot of manpower, throw in even more. If that still doesn't cut it, pour in even greater numbers until it does.
If you're short on people, just bring them in from outside.
In fact, the ones who shone brightest in capturing the stronghold were a team of outside adventurers hired by the Sardici family.
Composed of warriors, fighters, mages, and clerics, they'd raided inside and even captured the mage Anxius alive.
A well-balanced adventurer party made up entirely of silver-tier members.
It stirred something in my mind, making my swollen eyelids sting.
"Head back!"
"Head back! Pack up the supplies!"
But the déjà vu flew off into the bright morning sky amid the bustle of the troops preparing to withdraw. We were finally escaping this godawful mud pit and heading home.
Shit, you survived after all.
Looking back now, I had no idea how I made it out of that pile of skeletons. If there's ever another war, I'll just run.
I'd felt it bone-deep: in war, a nobody like me lives or dies by luck. This time, I got insanely lucky and survived. Who knows about next time.
Honestly, one brush with combat in a lifetime is more than enough.
Anyway, leaving the regular army to wrap things up, our vanguard unit—packed with wounded—set off back to the city.
"Ugh, it fucking hurts—. Straight to the clinic when we get back."
"But we're alive, that's what matters. Hans…"
Groans of pain echoed everywhere, and plenty of familiar faces were missing, but the road home still felt lighter and more at ease than when we'd set out.
"Dorgo. Citizenship coming. Hero's welcome. Marry mainland woman."
Dorgo, that bastard, survived.
I turned at the sound of Sandman Dorgo's voice and spotted the blond hunter Jack too, a massive bow slung across his back.
"Heh heh, bounty'll be decent too. Can hit the underground tavern for a while."
Seeing the skeleton bone trophies dangling from their belts, it looked like they'd pulled their weight somewhere I hadn't seen.
The amateurs mostly died off, and the ones tough enough survived. Guess that puts me in the strong category too, since I scraped by.
Plenty to worry about, but for now, shove it all aside and rejoice in being alive.
"Whoa—look, look, they're coming!"
A herald must've spread the word ahead of time.
At Sodomora's west gate—our starting and ending point—fragrant flower petals and long red banners fluttered in the breeze.
"The triumphant procession—!"
As if they'd been waiting, kids and young women hung flower wreaths around our necks and flashed bright smiles.
Hunter Jack piped up.
"Never thought I'd live to see a welcome like this without paying for it."
"Dorgo. Find wife."
I was pretty worn out, but having someone eagerly welcome me back didn't feel half bad.
Amid all the people waving at me,
I frantically scanned the crowd for a familiar face.
Her pink hair stands out even in this world, so it should be easy, right? But surprisingly, spotting Luna in the teeming masses wasn't simple.
Even if I couldn't find her, maybe she'd spot me first. I craned my neck this way and that, but no Luna.
What the hell?
Puzzled, I skipped the victory celebrations and bolted to the cabin.
A two-story cabin—not small, not huge.
That front door on the first floor, now comfortably familiar. I pushed it open and stepped in, greeted first by the dusty air, like no one had aired it out.
Woof woof!
Then came a massive bark-like howl. Seeing legs crawling out from inside a jar, that was probably the wolf spider Luna raised, kyungkyung.
Woof woof!
"Good to see you too, little guy."
Whine—.
"Y-yeah."
After that bizarre chat with a spider, I headed slowly upstairs. There, on the second-floor floor, was a round lump under the blanket.
"Luna, I'm back!"
Rustle.
The blanket twitched.
Out peeked pink hair, a pale face, and emerald eyes—then tears streamed from eyes wide as saucers.
"Hassan—!"
"Yeah, it's me!"
"Hassan!"
Luna jumped up and rushed me, slamming into my gut with all her might and rubbing her face against it.
"Hassan, Hassan, you're back!"
"Y-yeah."
"No injuries? Arms and legs okay? Fingers? Huh? Hassan, why only two arms…!"
"I've always had two arms. I'm fine everywhere. Face is a bit swollen, though."
Luna pulled her face from my belly and looked up at me.
Swollen and streaked from crying, but I'd rolled desperately through that hellhole just to see this face.
Realizing my desperation hadn't been in vain, a feeling—relief? peace?—filled me from toes to chest.
"But why didn't you come greet me? I was looking for you and got worried when I couldn't find you."
To my question, Luna said,
"If you weren't in the procession, I felt like I'd collapse, so I just stayed home…."
That made sense.
At least we'd see each other again. But Luna wailed like I'd died, leaving me a bit flustered.
"Hey, why cry so much? I came back fine. Someone might think I'm dead."
"Don't know, just came out!"
"In Ideophe, they say tears at farewells are bad luck."
"This is a welcome, not a farewell!"
Luna buried her face in my belly and sobbed all day, like she was pouring out all the tears she'd held back at our parting.
To soothe her, I rubbed her back and idly wondered what would've happened if I hadn't returned.
Luna, who skipped the welcome fearing I might not be there.
Had she huddled under that blanket waiting until I knocked? Only realizing days later I wasn't coming back?
Heartbreaking. Of course, it didn't happen.
But it could in the future.
No more real wars for me.
And so, in this otherworld, I, Hassan, unexpectedly turned pacifist. War, experienced firsthand, was nothing like the heroic tales—neither cool nor beautiful. Of course it wasn't.
Just endless waiting.
Then I thought of the other non-citizens who'd joined the war like me. Many who never came back.
They might have people waiting at home too—their own Lunas.
What emotions, what faces, did all those Lunas have now?
My dull brain couldn't imagine.
So I focused on the warmth in front of me, hugging Luna's slim waist tighter.
"I'm really back."
Luna replied,
"Welcome home, Hassan."
* * *
A good scrub in the bath left me feeling like a new man, refreshed.
The mud, blood, sweat caked on me—and the death that'd loomed so close—washed away.
"Hassan, more scars on your body now…."
Back home, sprawled on the floor. Luna peered at my bare torso and murmured softly.
She soon fetched a sticky ointment and started applying it to my back, arms, calves.
"Ugh—."
It stung more than expected. Disinfectant to kill germs in the wounds?
"Ughh, fucking hurts. What even is this? Does it work?"
"Oh, wrong one. Not this."
"…What?"
"S-sorry…. This is spicy seasoning. I'll get the right salve now!"
Even on my return from war, Luna still had her clumsy side. If we end up together, it'll be a lifetime karma I'll carry.
Still, she'd helped a ton this war.
Moros, was it?
I recalled the giant from the battlefield.
Revived even after decapitation. Freaky.
From Anxius's words, the being possessing it was Moros, son of the primordial night.
Primordial night probably meant Lady Nox, so Moros would be Luna's brother. Not little brother—probably big brother.
And for some reason, he mistook me for his sister Luna. That's why he went easy. Even I with my thick skull could tell that much.
But why mistake me for Luna?
Probably because I'd stuck with her so long, her karma clung like a scent. Or maybe the goofy war paint she drew on my face helped.
That was all I could guess.
More surprising: Luna had siblings.
"Luna, what if you had a big brother?"
I asked while she smeared ointment on my back.
"Big brother?"
"Yeah."
"Dunno!"
"R-right."
Not the usual instant answer.
Then she smacked my back with her palm—slap slap.
"Back's done. Flip over."
"I can do the front myself."
"You're tired, Hassan. Let me! Rest up—it's return day!"
Slap, slap.
Like drumming on my back with her palms, so I ended up showing her my bare front.
We'd seen each other naked a few times, but I was shy and not bold, so baring my torso felt awkward.
"Ah, front has lots of scars too…!"
Maybe not just me—Luna seemed embarrassed too.
Raised around women, she probably hadn't seen many men's bodies.
Rustle, rustle.
She smeared ointment on her hands and started stroking my sides and belly. It tickled, and I burst out laughing.
"Pfft."
"W-why laugh."
"Tickles."
"…Really? Hassan feels ticklish too?"
"Everyone does, right?"
"Thought your hard body wouldn't feel a thing even if poked—."
She poked my belly hard with a finger.
After all my activity here, my belly was firm and trim, hard as she said.
Fascinated by the difference from her soft body, she soon stroked my belly and sides with her palm. Swish, swish.
Pretty ticklish.
But the gentle touch of a slender girl's hand felt nice, so I said nothing.
"Bumpy, feels weird."
"Y-yeah?"
"But…. Not bad. Anyway, done! Front too! Now sleep!"
Luna wiped her hands on a cloth by the wall and lay beside me. Through the thin fabric, her soft arm brushed my arm—blood rushed south instantly.
Come to think of it, no solo relief lately, so backed up.
Battle exhaustion and elixir aftereffects left my body drained everywhere—except down there, full of vigor like another world's organ.
That's how kids get made in war.
What to do. Now that I noticed, no sleeping till I handle it. Jerk off after she sleeps? As I thought that,
Swish.
Luna, facing me, pressed closer.
Her breath on my shoulder, calf wrapping my thigh—vivid.
Separation anxiety from being apart? Clinging extra today as rebound. I figured that—
Swish, swish.
Something slid from my chest to belly, lower belly, toward my crotch.
"…W-what!?"
Totally unexpected—I shuddered, shock snapping away fatigue and drowsiness.
A warm palm touched my bulging crotch.
"…H-Hassan, you had it rough. Let me comfort you…."
Her palm slipped into my pants.
Her Minty scent hit—whoosh—and my head spun.