Chapter 28. On the Way Back.
The city shrouded in thick dawn fog felt as gloomy as a house in mourning. Despite over a week of grueling hardship and flawlessly completing their mission, the hero team somehow wore uneasy expressions. The tragedy of the count's family clung to them like a thorn in the throat, prickling uncomfortably.
The carriage pierced through the dense fog and left the city behind. Gid, uncharacteristically serious, stared silently at the city walls vanishing into the mist.
...Everyone held their tongues.
Gid glanced around the carriage's heavy atmosphere, then suddenly chuckled slyly and rubbed his palms together.
"Boss, you gonna give us a nice fat allowance this time too?"
"Gonna fill up some whore's pockets again?"
Ji-hyuk grinned and asked. The bald brute smacked his crotch and replied,
"Fuck yeah, my dick came out of pussy, so it's got that regression instinct to dive back in—!"
Good lord. Ludvine burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity. Rozalia's face flushed pink at the lewd banter, her eyes darting around. Grace just tuned out the bastard's bullshit, lit a cigarette, and stared out the window.
"Heh heh, what about you, boss? I know a girl who'll blow your mind."
"I'm good."
Heh heh heh. The conversation wrapped up with Gid's crude, lecherous laugh. Thanks to him, the suffocating mood lightened a bit. Just then, the morning sun rose, thinning the fog. Golden wheat swayed in the wind, rustling like rain.
Clop clop. The carriage soon put enough distance between them and Pesonomia that the city faded from view. The tragedy that had huddled in the team's hearts gradually slipped away too.
Ten days later, the hero team arrived back in the starting city, Eretria. They'd already wiped the Pesonomia incident from their minds and regained their usual vigor. Tragedies that weren't your own were like that—they faded fast.
The hero team returned to the Cheonma Guild with the guild members who'd come to support them. Ji-hyuk was curious if telekinesis mage Celly would really be there. Of course, if not, it wouldn't be a huge loss. The continent overflowed with talent anyway.
Cheonma himself came out to greet them upon hearing of their return. Ji-hyuk thanked him again for answering the support request. The skilled fighters from the guild had made the demon cult battle far easier. Even taking out the witch had been a breeze.
"I've got good news."
Cheonma glanced somewhere. There stood Celly, shyly gazing at Ji-hyuk.
Ah—. The hero strode over with a broad smile. Celly bowed her head toward him.
"Your Excellency...."
"Made up your mind?"
"Yes.... I'm still lacking a lot, but I'll work hard."
"Welcome to the team, Celly."
Ji-hyuk extended his hand. Celly grasped his large, warm one. He shook her pale, delicate hand lightly up and down a couple times.
"Kayak."
At Ji-hyuk's call, the lizardman approached swiftly and led Celly to the team members—to build rapport with her new comrades.
Cheonma nodded subtly toward the busy Celly and said to Ji-hyuk,
"Fine talent. You did well bringing her."
"...Luck was on my side."
"Who could resist a hero's charms? Hell, even I fell for it."
"...People might misunderstand."
"Misunderstand? What misunderstanding?"
Hahaha—. Everyone laughed.
"Anyway, glad it all worked out. ...Must've been exhausting on the mission—make yourselves at home and rest."
"Thank you, as always."
"No need. We're bound by fate now. It's only natural."
"...If you see it that way, it's the highest honor."
The bald Gid clicked his tongue, muttering he could never make heads or tails of noble-speak no matter how many times he heard it. Lizardman Kayak grinned and patted his back.
"Who knows? Get promoted, and you might rub elbows with some noble lady yourself."
"Fuck, then I better learn now—! ...Ahem, miss, your pussy looks especially lovely today. ...How's that? Decent?"
Gid put on a mock-polite act while spewing filth, making Ludvine jump up.
"You crazy fuck—!"
"Kuhuhu, what?"
"You're seriously insane? Wow, a purebred retard like you—first I've seen! Worse than Bruce...."
"That's why I'm the boss."
The bald oaf cackled weirdly. What a hopeless bastard—. Ludvine lost even the will to curse. Madness like his left her speechless. Lizardman Kayak quietly soothed the wide-eyed Celly.
"Don't mind him. Just his idea of a joke."
"Ah, yes...."
Truth be told, even the calm lizardman was a bit much for Celly to adjust to. The lizardmen at the academy had been the desperate, fight-hungry types alongside the orcs—!
Once greetings wrapped up, the hero team dispersed to their quarters. Ji-hyuk entered his old assigned room. After a full bath and fresh clothes, he headed straight to the dining hall.
The hero team mingled with the Cheonma Guild for a lively dinner, then returned to their rooms. Ji-hyuk stepped onto the terrace and breathed in the cool night air.
Now with Celly on board, it was time to seriously plan hero training. Ideally, he'd lure Elizabeth the hero to the guild too, but her background made that tricky.
...Plus there was the troll hero, orc hero, and others....
Leaning on the stone railing, lost in deep thought, Ji-hyuk finally went back inside. His skin prickled from the chill. He pulled a small glass vial from his luggage bag and set it on the table.
Pinching it between thumb and middle finger, he held it near the candle to inspect the contents. Blood-red and mashed like mud—that was the mysterious stone, elixir ingredient made from squeezing thousands of lives.
Ji-hyuk had suffered four months for this one. He wondered how many vials of elixir it would yield.
...At least two, probably.
As the hero toyed with the vial, someone knocked softly on his door. He wrapped it tightly in cloth and stowed it away.
"Who is it?"
- It's me, boss.
The whispering voice was unmistakably the chain-smoking healer's. Ji-hyuk invited her in. She slipped inside quietly, door barely creaking.
Grace's eyes glistened with excitement. Her pent-up lust had finally burst.
Ji-hyuk grinned deeply. Grace approached silently, slowly. The haughty noble lady was gone—replaced by a woman craving punishment.
"What's up this late?"
Grace offered what she'd hidden behind her back without a word.
...A dog collar and leash.
Ji-hyuk let out a short chuckle. Grace averted her eyes in shame but didn't withdraw the offering.
Her tastes were growing ever more extravagant.
...In some ways, worse than drugged-up Yael. And the chain-smoking healer was stone-cold sober.
The boss took the item she presented politely with both hands. She slipped off her thin nightgown. Still shy about her nudity, her nipples stiffened under her admired, beloved boss's gaze alone.
His hand reached out, kneading her perky breast roughly. The soft tit twisted and deformed in his grip, toyed with mercilessly.
"Wanna be a dog this time?"
The hero pinched her nipple between thumb and forefinger, twisting hard as he asked. Hiiik—. Grace arched her back with a lewd moan. Her damp eyes met his as she panted breathlessly.
"...Yesss...."
Ji-hyuk smirked, stroking her cheek teasingly with his fingers and the back of his hand.
"Chin up."
The chain-smoking healer lifted her jaw, exposing her slender neck. Ji-hyuk fastened the dog collar around it. Utterly obscene.
...If her dead lover saw this from hell, he'd roll on the floor lamenting.
The hero clipped the leather leash to the collar. Grace kept eye contact as she sank slowly to the floor. On all fours like a dog, tongue out, panting.
"Wanna go for a walk?"
As Ji-hyuk started walking, Grace crawled after him like a baby, hurrying to his side. Her knees scraped raw quick, but she turned the pain to pleasure. The more sadistic, the more aroused she got.
The hero quickened his pace. Ah—. Grace flailed her limbs faster. Breath came short fast. Going from biped to quadruped wasn't easy.
After circling the room several times, Ji-hyuk stopped abruptly and squatted before the noble lady. He stroked her head as she looked up, gasping.
Like petting a lapdog.
"Good girl."
Even that treatment thrilled her. Stroked like that, Grace eyed his feet. Then she began licking his instep slurp slurp.
"Maaaster, spank my ass, pleeease...."
Grace turned, thrusting out her firm pale cheeks. Sticky juices already drooled from her crotch. She flattened her upper body to emphasize her ass more.
Ah, boss is watching my filthy display...!
Grace shook her hips side to side seductively. Ji-hyuk placed his hand flat on her cheek.
"How many?"
His tone was like a beast tamer's. Grace answered promptly.
"As many as you want... spank me hard...."
"Got it."
His caressing hand lifted. Then—SMACK!—the impact rang out, and Grace moaned at the sharp jolt racing up her spine.
"Agh—!"
Heat flared in her ass. Flesh throbbed. Before it could recover—SMACK!
"Ahngh—!"
"Not counting?"
"T-Twooo.... Ngh."
SMACK!
"Th-reee...!"
Grace clenched her fists white-knuckled, trembling violently. Her asshole twitched. Pussy leaked more.
SMAAACK!
"F-Fourghh—!"
Her ass burned. Cold sweat beaded down her back. SMAAACK!
"Fiiiive...."
Unable to take it, she reached back, cradling her searing cheeks. Panting hotly, she crawled around, burying her face between his feet and begging.
"I-I'm sorry... so sorry, maaaster...."
"...Eat it up quick. We're not done."
His cold voice only aroused her more. The more degraded, the wetter her pussy got.
Grace thrust her ass toward the boss again. The left cheek already bore a red handprint. He caressed the other lightly—then SMACK!
"S-Six...!"
SMACK!
"Se-vennn...! Ngh."
SMAAACK!
"E-Eight...! Nnngh."
Grace writhed like a worm. Sweat slicked her whole body. Hahk, hahk—. Hot ragged breaths.
SMAAACK!!
"Ah, hngghk—!"
She slammed her head to the floor, groaning in agony, rubbing her aching ass. Still, her pussy drooled nonstop.
"Last one. Brace."
The chain-smoking healer slowly removed her hands. Ji-hyuk's palm slammed meatily into her ass. SMAAACK!!!
"Eiiiighhh—!!"
Her hips bucked. Clutching her cheeks with both hands, she writhed in pained agony.
"Grace?"
...Ah.... Grace slowly maneuvered to kneel before the squatting Ji-hyuk.
"Thank you for punishing your pet Grace... Master."
Now reward time. The bitch was in heat. She lay back with lewd eyes, lifted her legs, and spread her sopping pussy wide with both hands.
"Grace pussy... it's already soaked like this, boss...."
Her dead lover Raig's dick had long faded from memory—not even what it looked like. Her body was fully tamed by her boss's massive, superb cock. Her pussy twitched, begging for dick. Lowly behavior for a promising noble lady. Like her foul mouth spewing filth, her pink slit oozed thickly.
Ji-hyuk didn't tease more and pulled out his cock. Already hugely erect, seeking a hole. Ah. Grace yanked her labia harder. Desperate flailing of a bitch welcoming a prime stud.
The hero rammed the massive weapon straight in. ———!!! His cock filled her sloppy hole seamlessly. But hitting the end, it didn't stop—thrusting deeper mercilessly. ————!!!!
"Haaaaahhh—!!!"
Breath caught. The chain-smoking healer's lashes fluttered. Only then had Ji-hyuk's cock vanished completely inside. He grinned in satisfaction.
Soon the hero's savage, brutal pounding began. Like witch-hunting. And the bitch wailed through the night.