Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: An Unheroic Hero
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Major rest stop.
While previous breaks had just been brief pauses in name only, this major rest was actual downtime for everyone riding in the carriages.
It hit right in the middle of Ashy toying with me, and the mercenaries and adventurers all spilled out of the carriage in a rush.
Stuck in the innermost seat, I was the last one out, naturally.
"Sorry, but no."
"Why.... Then why'd you say you'd grant my 'request'?"
"When did I say I'd grant it? I said I might."
"Ah...."
Ashy giggled as she looked at me.
She'd only mentioned the possibility—she never promised anything—and it was my fault for jumping to conclusions.
"...You're awful."
"Gotta keep it pent up to boost the pregnancy odds. Try to understand—it's out of my hands. Okay?"
Ashy patted my butt and led me out of the carriage.
"Hold out for a week, and I'll let you go wild after."
"......"
"That day, you and I share our purity. Sound good? It'll be perfect, right?"
A week of no release.
Not an impossible mission.
With some willpower, I could manage it.
...But how am I supposed to hold out with a woman like Ashy tempting me the whole time?
The conditions made all the difference.
If the old world was easy mode, this one was nightmare.
Spending a week by Ashy's side without cracking? No way that'd be easy.
"...Fine."
I couldn't shake the pout from my face.
My swollen balls ached pitifully.
Ashy grabbed her pack and hopped out of the carriage.
I trailed after her like a lost puppy.
"Oh...."
The forest scent hit me the moment I stepped down.
That unique smell you only get deep in the mountains.
A proper road stretched out beyond the carriages.
Wide enough for two wagons side by side.
Like a two-lane highway, round trip.
The White Rose Merchant Group's wagons pulled off to a small clearing on the side.
People were scattered around there, resting in small groups.
Even veteran mercenaries and adventurers found the cramped carriages uncomfortable.
Hunching through it all wasn't easy on anyone.
I stretched my shoulders and back, cracking out a satisfying pop.
My hunched-up body loosened right up.
"Tough, huh?"
Ashy sidled up with a gentle voice and kneaded my shoulders.
Chastity belt, dog collar—no human rights whatsoever.
Did she really think a little show like this would melt my heart?
"...Nah, it's bearable."
It melted anyway.
Nearly sold into slavery, and here I was getting this treatment.
If any beastkin slaves who'd actually been sold saw this, they'd probably beg to trade places.
"We'll eat lunch here before moving out."
Prim White Rose, leader of the White Rose Merchant Group, announced it to the mercenaries and adventurers.
They weren't hired by the group, so meals were on their own dime.
The mercenaries and adventurers rode the wagons in exchange for guard duty.
The merchant group lent the wagons and beefed up their numbers for safety.
Mutual benefit all around.
"Let's eat."
Ashy dropped her pack on the dirt and pulled out various items.
Souvenirs from Roberio.
She set a tripod with a portable cookpot on top and crumbled in some soup sticks.
I gathered dry kindling from around.
"Hey!"
"Me?"
"Yeah, you."
Ashy called over an adventurer loitering nearby.
He shot her a glare but dragged his feet over.
"Why'd you call me?"
"Cast a spell. 'Water'—you know, water."
"...Ah."
Heroes aren't perfect at everything.
She'd only gotten the holy sword thanks to divine revelation—could be worse than mercenaries or adventurers at some things.
That's why heroes needed a party.
To slice demons when the moment called.
To keep peak condition, comrades pitched in.
"【Water】"
The adventurer caught on and cast Water.
A stream jetted from his palm.
Like turning on a faucet.
It soaked and softened the bright yellow soup sticks in the pot.
"That's good. Now scram."
Ashy cut off the spell midway and shooed him away.
His usefulness spent, back he went.
"......"
The exploited adventurer slunk off with a sour face.
He looked like he barely held back a retort.
More adventurers lurked behind him.
Their uneasy glances suggested Ashy's rep wasn't great.
Up close, they were from the same carriage.
They pulled the guy away before he said anything.
"......"
Huddled up whispering among themselves.
Staring at Ashy like she was some freak.
Ashy, the subject herself, didn't give a damn and grabbed her flint.
Flint.
Iron and quartz friction.
Magically processed into a lighter-like tool for sparking flames.
Ashy snapped her fingers, sparks flew.
Whoosh.
Heat burst out, flames bloomed, and soon the leaves caught.
Usually needed bone-dry stuff, but...
Firepower seemed decent enough.
Flint must have some enchantments.
Is this how it'll be from now on?
Hero party adventures weren't luxury cruises.
Meals barely filled you, sleep in sleeping bags.
Until catching Demon King Baal...
Or until the hero himself died.
Her pack bulged with femicons.
High calories, low bulk—perfect preserved emergency rations.
Ashy handed me one.
"Gotta get to Lizn quick."
Ashy chomped into a hunk of mystery meat.
Her rough manners somehow suited her.
Regression perks, probably.
I tore into mine too.
Meat stick, meat block—femicon whatever.
A bit salty, but edible.
Surprisingly tasty.
That was the verdict.
Ladled some soup into a bowl and slurped.
Warmed my gut nicely.
"Taste okay?"
"Compared to scraping by on one potato, this is a feast."
Memories of a starving village.
One potato from the slave trader's cart.
Thinking back fired me up.
Even Ashy's antics... whatever.
Slave trader Jack groped my dick.
To "check condition"...
Auctioneer Greg did too.
Under the same excuse...
Compared to those creeps, Ashy was an angel.
A real one, technically.
No cumming?
In the grand scheme, nothing.
Humans have reason.
Panting like a dog in heat? Beast behavior.
I'm human.
Not some humping pup rubbing off because I can't finish.
Early lunch wrapped, time to kill.
Mercenaries and adventurers breathed deep the fresh air.
Some even napped.
"Chew this."
Ashy pulled a leather pouch from her pack and shoved a handful of grass at me.
"Not developed yet."
"...This."
Sniffed it—cool, refreshing mint.
Unfamiliar look almost threw me.
What was it called? Litol?
Yeah, labeled litol.
...Luke's party invests to develop it.
This world had toothpaste and brushes, sure.
But humans chase convenience.
Author's nod to hype Luke—a civilized remnant.
Ashy handed me the raw material for mouthwash.
Chew and spit for fresh breath.
Mouth felt stuffy post-meal.
Would've brushed, but litol changed that.
I popped it in and chomped.
Mint exploded instantly.
"Water."
Ashy offered a cup.
"Water" magic bullied from adventurers earlier.
Swished a sip and spat on the ground.
"Oh.... Mmph─!"
Admiration for the clean feeling was short-lived.
Ashy pounced, smashing her lips to mine.
"Mmmph, nngh.... Slurp."
People around? Didn't care— she went at it fierce.
"Puppy.... Haa."
Our saliva mixed.
I gently held Ashy as she tiptoed into my arms.
Her soft lips and body pressed vivid against me.
Eyes on us.
Already spotlighted as the hero's guy, now lewd in public...
"Haa...."
Ashy pulled back a bit.
Licked and nipped her lips, swallowed with a gulp.
Her flushed face grinned satisfied.
"Dessert."
Not how you use that phrase?
Doubt didn't linger.
Ashy groped my arm, humming.
"Gonna need some strength training ahead."
"...Why?"
"Got something I wanna try, but might be iffy."
Iffy.
What could she want to try?
"What? Tell me, I'll work on it."
"Wanna cling to you."
"You already do plenty..."
"Not like this─"
Ashy leaped suddenly.
Feet off the ground, koala-style into my arms.
I scooped her up quick.
Grabbed thighs, not butt, bore her weight.
"Oh, it works?"
Ashy stared wide-eyed.
Easy enough—I puffed up anyway.
Truth was, Ashy was light; anyone could.
...Driving me crazy.
Her breasts squished against my chest.
Heavy feel made my dick throb painfully.
"Can put me down now."
"...Yeah."
She wriggled, so I lowered her.
Cleared lunch traces, prepped to board.
White Rose Merchant Group set off post-rest.
"Hngh."
Back in the carriage, I surrendered my balls to Ashy again.
My body, but no rights to it.