The Gloomy Busty Adventurer is Being Targeted (2)
Leaving the whispering men behind, Epi strode forward confidently.
"Those guys. Their target is your body."
"You helped me?"
"Of course! How could I just watch filthy-minded creeps like them mess with a naive girl like you?"
"...Thank you."
"I'll keep an eye on you so you don't do anything stupid. Let's just wrap up this commission quick and head back."
She knew exactly what those bastards were thinking, and she'd die before accepting them as party members. But if she bailed on a commission just because her party mates had shady intentions, she'd take a penalty hit. Adventuring was a job where trust and reputation mattered—you couldn't just ignore that.
Protecting Libia while completing the request and then splitting ways was the best option. It wasn't rational given their sleazy nature, but she had no choice but to stick close in this adventuring party setup. The problem was those guys trying to exploit it.
Their life's rotten to the core.
They were the exact type Epi despised. Cowards who hid behind the "comrade" facade to stab you in the back.
Epi shot a sharp glare at the two murmuring men behind her.
"We're eating before we head out. That cool?"
"Yeah, we're good."
I'll make damn sure they don't lay a finger on me or Libia.
Libia stared at Epi intently before blurting out,
"I'm a total stranger to you, Epi."
"Huh?"
"What's the reason you're being so nice?"
"Well... kinda reminds me of myself, I guess. Lost and wandering around."
Epi blushed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Truth is, I haven't been in Furnaul long. Don't know a soul, no clue what to do next. Then I spotted you."
It wasn't just the lecherous men fixated on Libia during that staring contest over the request form. Epi had been watching too, unsure what to do. Should I help? Would that be meddling? The debate had looped in her head dozens of times.
"If I'd let you go alone... I wouldn't have slept a wink from the worry."
"..."
"Ah, uh! N-not like that! I like guys!"
"Me too."
Epi scratched her head with an awkward smile.
"...This place really cheaper than Northwalker?"
Harper grumbled.
"Ugh, just eat already."
The hunting duo eyed every opportunity, but Epi played ironclad bodyguard during the meal, foiling their charm offensive completely. Even Harper looked a tad regretful now. It felt like an invisible wall split the four into two pairs of two.
But as they entered the Monster Forest—where three adventurers had gone missing—the mood shifted dramatically.
"How we lining up?"
"I'll take point. Elf, so I know forest paths best."
"Then Harper with Epi, and I'll cover Libia from the rear."
"Sounds good."
Any sane adventurer knew this wasn't the time for games. Still, Epi kept her green eyes narrowed, watching the two men closely.
"Let's move."
Epi picked the easiest path forward. The forest was eerily quiet. And a nauseating unease crept in from nowhere.
The forest should feel welcoming to an elf. Comforting, like home.
Why did it feel so repulsive? A slimy, humid aura slithered up, wrapping around her body.
"Something's coming this way."
The group tensed. When Epi's "something" didn't show after a long wait, Harper opened his mouth—
"Hmph!"
A Red Lotus—tentacle dog—leaped at Epi. With agile reflexes, she spun, nocked, and fired two arrows straight into it.
"A dog?"
Crisps flinched.
"Not orc or goblin."
"Harper, hold! Don't get close. Something's off."
It wasn't just any dog. Crisps's instincts screamed danger. Not the red color or anything superficial—it mimicked a dog, but felt like something else entirely. A four-legged beast with bizarre tentacles sprouting from its groin and tongue. Everyone shivered.
Seeing the Red Lotus up close sent chills down Epi's spine.
This thing lives in the forest...?
No way. It carried none of the forest's blessings. Born here? Unthinkable for an elf.
"This what took 'em down? Looks weak."
Harper booted the Red Lotus hard into a corner.
"Might spew toxic venom."
"Just punt it like that. Damn, Epi~ Your bow work's insane. So elegant."
Epi jumped like a startled cat as his arm snaked around her waist.
"Hey! H-hands off!"
"Thanks for the save~ Epi!"
"Grr!!"
She was too pure to shoot an arrow into the forehead of a guy grinning gratefully.
Guess she's weak to Harper's type.
Crisps inwardly marveled—Harper had his uses after all. Some women couldn't brush off friendly advances coldly.
"No, seriously, blew me away. Elf archery's on another level. Graceful moves! Like whoosh-whoosh!"
"...You got an eye for it."
"We trust you, Epi!"
Can't just stand by.
Crisps cautiously draped an arm over Libia's shoulder.
"Libia, more might pop out. Stay close."
"Thank you..."
Crisis drew men and women together fast.
The quartet pressed on, dispatching occasional Red Lotus ambushes. Tense against these grotesque new beasts, but without fangs or claws, they posed no real threat to pros.
They're decent fighters, at least.
Hours later, Epi grudgingly acknowledged Harper and Crisps's skills. Their leering eyes pissed her off, but talent was talent.
"Libia~ Buff time!"
"Right away."
"Yay!"
Harper beamed.
"Everyone, break here?"
No objections. Interference ramped up, and night fell faster than expected. Epi's face darkened—she'd figured they'd reach the village by early evening at latest.
"Eat hearty, then move. Here, Libia."
"...Thanks."
They lit a campfire, sat on flat rocks, and slurped soup.
"Elves eat like us, huh."
"Got a tongue, tastes good."
"For real? What flavor?"
Epi sighed.
Like dealing with kids.
She almost pitied herself for getting mad at these idiots earlier. She sipped the soup.
"Mm... Nutty. Veggie taste."
"You eat meat?"
"Yeah. Only veggies is the weird elf stereotype."
"Can I touch your ears?"
"No."
Let a stranger grope her? She'd bite her tongue first. Epi was firm.
Harper grinned at her.
"..."
"...Why aren't you eating?"
His face twisted viciously mid-sentence.
"Got my own grub."
"Wha...?"
Her body felt wrong. Epi realized too late—things were already unfolding beside her.
"If I'd known you girls were this gullible, wouldn't have bothered with the drug."
"Kyaa! No, stop!"
"Kyaa, no. Stop~."
Crisps mocked Libia while ripping her robe. Her massive breasts bounced free, jiggling enticingly.
"Fuck yeah. Better than imagined. Libia's tits."
"Don't do this! We're... comrades!"
"What comrades! Get off Libia!"
Harper pounced on Epi.
Body won't move... They drugged us?
The men hadn't touched the soup. How had she missed that?
Harper lolled his tongue, licking up Epi's belly.
Hic...
Color drained from Epi's face. Imagining what came next brought unprecedented terror.
"Epi's mine, Crisps. You take the cow."
"Nah, both ours."
"True."
"Libia's rack—been dying to do this since first sight!"
"Nooo!"
Paralyzed, Libia couldn't resist as Crisps groped her breasts freely.
"Planning this from the start?"
"Duh? I care more about female adventurers than ugly monsters. Especially sluts like you."
"We've done this shit tons. Always fresh! Right, Cris?"
"Drugged fucks are the best!"
Epi thrashed desperately against Harper, but no use. Her underwear peeled off humiliatingly easy.
One thought hit Epi:
"S-sorry, Libia...!"
I swore to protect you.
Tears flowed from thick regret.
"My fault...!"
"Yep! Your carelessness gets you knocked up by trash like us."
"Hic. Sniff...!"
Harper gripped Epi's clenched legs, forcing them.
"Spread 'em!"
"Ugh, hnn! No... No, Grandpa... Bro...!"
"Spread! Raaah!!"
Her pale legs splayed wide.
"Elf instincts are crap, huh? Didn't even sense your virginity at risk."
"No, it was spot on."
Something. A voice cut in, tone mismatched to the horror.
Harper whipped his head toward it.
"Guh! Kk! Grah!"
Where Crisps should have been stripping Libia, he clutched his gushing throat, gasping.
"Y-you, Cris! What the...?"
Libia stood tall now. Harper gaped, speechless.
"Epi gave you two plenty of chances to live. Helped you, really."
"Li-Libia...?"
Under moonlight, her nude form looked like death incarnate. Nothing like the guild vibe. Purple eyes gleamed through her hair. Her voice seduced like venom in the ear. A witch.
"Wh-what are you!"
Harper snatched his sword, pants half-down.
"No need to know. You're dying."
"All an act...? Damn it... How long you known?"
"I'd already taken the real commission. Hunting the bastard behind the string of missing female adventurers."
"Kingdom knights?!"
Harper charged. But Libia's protective holy barrier repelled him, stance crumbling while hers held.
"My turn, Harper."
Holy combat pro. Libia flipped the bigger man effortlessly, dagger to his throat.
"Kk!"
Forest silence returned, toxic and thick.
"Whew."
Libia pulled a spare black robe from her bag. She flung off her torn panties carelessly. Half-lidded eyes and lazy demeanor—her true face.
"Li-Libia."
"Antidote's in effect. You'll move soon. Then handle yourself."
You never should've tagged along. Her cynical vibe said it all, but Epi didn't shrink.
"Thanks for the save...!"
"Just doing my job."
Not just Crisps fretted over the plan crumbling. Libia had too. Understood Epi's meddling, but watching her play bait was frustrating.
"...Pick party members carefully from now on."
"I did."
"That your idea of careful?"
Libia nodded at the corpses.
"Thought you'd make a friend."
"Too bad. Everything you saw was fake. Just played the easy prey those idiots would hunt."
"Didn't peg you for this type, true... but..."
Epi flushed, hesitating. Libia blinked.
What's with her?
"What type am I?"
"Your real self's cooler, Libia."
"..."
No thorns could deter her smile. Libia conceded defeat.
"...Need a hand up?"
"Thanks."
"One thank-you's enough."
The two straightened their clothes and scanned the surroundings.