Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: A Man Under Ejaculation Management
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Marie stared blankly at Ashy.
All the children, including Marie, widened their eyes and waited for Ashy's words.
"……."
Some of the children even glanced at the black mage's corpse.
The neck had been severed cleanly, and the cross-section looked grotesquely vivid.
But for some reason, it felt refreshing.
Their fulfilled survival instincts interpreted the scene in a not-so-bad light.
─ Kuhahaha, haha. Scream more! Scream louder! No one outside can hear you anyway!
─ It hurts, it hurts! Kyaaah!
The black mage had kidnapped the children to extract demonic energy from them.
The children who had their demonic energy drained couldn't endure it and died.
Emaciated, screaming in agony.
Amid that horrific sight, the black mage had explained.
That they died because their life force was being converted into demonic energy.
It was vividly etched in Marie's memory.
The black mage had laughed truly wickedly.
As if he enjoyed the situation—.
She had been trembling in fear.
Watching her friends die helplessly, waiting for her turn.
So, she couldn't believe this situation now.
Someone had come to save her.
A person called a hero, whom she'd only heard about in words.
Her chest swelled with emotion.
It felt like the relief of being alive was sucking out the remaining strength from her body.
The children began collapsing one by one.
They couldn't stand on their weakened legs.
"What bullshit. Total bullshit."
Ashy clicked her tongue at the sight of the children.
How long would it take to get them all up and take them back?
Sighs of frustration escaped her lips nonstop.
"Black mage traces…."
For now, she needed proof that she'd exterminated the black mage to take back with her.
She had to submit it to the church to register it as an achievement, building up her record and fame.
'…That way, I can make Puppy a noble later.'
Ashy had resolved to make Kang Ajin a noble.
Beyond that, she wanted to thoroughly secure his retirement, which he'd always sung about.
─ Since I sealed the Demon King with the hero party, the empire should give me a position, right?
When he was with Ashy, Kang Ajin always said things like that.
Hiding his true intentions and goals behind materialistic words.
He was a man closer to being a hero than anyone else.
Even when heroes wanted to give up, he never bent, encouraging them to the end.
In the end, he proved it.
The truth that heroes could do it, spreading it to the world under the guise of peace and salvation.
In that world, Kang Ajin was no more.
That's why Ashy had returned.
This time would be different.
Everyone would recognize him.
The man named Kang Ajin—.
"What's the name of the hero who saved you?"
"Ashy! It's Ashy Greyfield!"
"And?"
"Kang Ajin too!"
Ashy recovered the magic stones from the black mage's hideout.
Stones hardened by converting human life force into demonic energy—magic stones.
She gathered those horrific things and slipped out of the hideout.
The children also stood on their own two feet and followed behind Ashy.
On the way back to Lizn, Ashy relentlessly brainwashed the children.
"What do you tell your mom and dad when you get home?"
"Ashy and Kang Ajin saved us!"
"Good. Tomorrow, I'll patrol Lizn checking. If the rumors aren't right…."
Ashy glared at the children, lowering her voice to create a sinister atmosphere.
"……."
The children's gazes sparkled strangely.
The children weren't afraid of Ashy.
Even if she spoke harshly, it was nothing compared to the real black mage.
Besides, she was the hero who saved them, so they couldn't help but like her.
"Jeez."
Countless scenes overlapped in her mind.
In the past, people—especially children—she could have saved but irresponsibly abandoned.
There had been a time when even seeing their dead bodies left her unmoved….
─ I can help at least those within reach.
It was thanks to Kang Ajin.
Ashy smirked and spoke to the children.
"…Big Sis would be disappointed."
"We'll spread the rumors hard!"
It was a voice so gentle it surprised even herself.
At first, it felt embarrassing and awkward, but it wasn't bad.
Thinking of the babies she'd have later….
It seemed good to start practicing now.
She brought the children back to Lizn.
The guards on duty at the gate were shocked to see the children.
Children other than Marie.
"…Tom! Douma! Kura, even Sharl!"
"You guys… no, no… you're alive…!"
The guards recognized some of the children's faces.
They checked the kids' conditions in surprise.
Children reported missing in Lizn had returned alive and well.
With the hero—.
"Hero, how did this…."
Before the guards could even finish asking, the children shouted.
"Hero Ashy saved us!"
"As expected of the hero…."
The guards exclaimed in admiration.
But Ashy clicked her tongue, feeling something was lacking.
Then the children followed up.
"Kang Ajin too!"
"…Kang Ajin?"
There were only the children and hero Ashy here.
"I don't even see this Kang Ajin guy…."
"Don't ask long questions. Let the kids in already?"
Ashy responded curtly.
She wanted to quickly send the kids back and go to Kang Ajin.
She'd done a good deed, after all.
Spending a day playing with Kang Ajin should be fine.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Attach one soldier to escort the kids home."
"Yes, understood. Gail! Come here!"
Gail, summoned by the senior soldier, was tasked with taking the children home.
Reporting the returned children was the senior soldier's job.
Ashy took Marie and headed to her house.
Kang Ajin was probably waiting at Marie's house.
Marie trotted closely behind Ashy.
She whipped her little head around, analyzing the situation.
Why did this pretty big sis keep mentioning this Kang Ajin person?
Clearly, hero Ashy had come alone to save them.
Why keep crediting someone named Kang Ajin, who hadn't even shown his face?
She couldn't understand it at all.
"Here it is, Hero."
"Yeah."
She didn't know Lizn's streets well.
But she knew what Marie's house looked like.
Ashy boldly kicked the door open.
Inside, the anxious grandmother and Marie's dad whipped their heads around.
They spotted Marie standing behind Ashy.
"Marie!"
"Grandma! Dad!"
Light returned to their faces.
Tears welled up as they choked back sobs.
Marie dashed over on her short legs, wobbling.
She jumped into her grandma and dad's arms.
Ashy grimaced watching Marie's family weep.
Her body itched uncomfortably, irritation rising.
She wanted to yell and tear apart this touching family reunion right then.
At that moment, Kang Ajin approached Ashy.
Dragging his collar chain, he came over beaming.
"Good work."
"……."
Ashy stared at Kang Ajin.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Hard enough to worry if it might burst.
─ Ah, cut the crap. It's annoying as hell.
Every time she heard "good work," she'd roughly push Kang Ajin away.
The guy who made her take on the hard stuff would say it after everything was done.
Back then, she was just too pissed to take it nicely.
But not now.
"……."
Two years without him.
"Good work" was what she wanted to hear more than ever.
It seeped deep into her heart.
A voice she hadn't heard whether saving people or killing them.
From today, she could hear it.
If she did good deeds, Kang Ajin would say well done….
"Ah."
Ashy grabbed Kang Ajin's wrist tightly.
The grip was strong enough to make him let out a faint groan.
"……."
Ashy placed Kang Ajin's hand on top of her head.
The large palm touched her ash-gray hair.
Kang Ajin didn't understand the situation either.
What now?
He stared at Ashy blankly.
"…Pet me."
"……."
Doesn't she hate this stuff?
There was a scene where he did exactly this to the heroine as the protagonist Luke and got smacked.
Kang Ajin hesitated, recalling that moment.
But looking at Ashy's flushed red face, he slowly moved his hand.
Ashy, still holding his wrist, gradually lowered her arm.
Pat pat—.
Kang Ajin stroked Ashy's head of his own will.
Pouring his heart into it, meaning good work.
"…From now on, every time I save people…. Puppy has to pet my head."
"……."
"That's an order."
Ashy hugged into Kang Ajin's embrace.
She nuzzled her face against his chest, mumbling.
Kang Ajin let out a hollow chuckle as he caressed Ashy.
Until she was satisfied—.
"Thank you, Hero!"
Marie's dad bowed deeply.
His body nearly folding in half.
"…Enough."
Ashy refused the thanks.
Her indifferent attitude stood out.
"Thank you, Hero!"
The grandmother bowed alongside Marie's dad.
Marie struggled to support her as she nearly toppled forward.
Ashy sighed.
A modest party was held at Marie's dad Rian's house.
They'd scraped together every coin they had to buy a chicken, roast it, and serve it.
'…Marie survived, but this one's pitiful.'
She offered thanks to the life born to be eaten.
Thanks to them, she could eat meat today too.
"The hero suddenly appeared like bam, and sliced the black mage like whoosh…!"
Marie reenacted the scene as if she'd forgotten she was kidnapped.
The grandmother and Marie's dad broke out in cold sweats.
They only remembered agonizing over their child, so they didn't want to recall the black mage.
But she wasn't them.
Marie's eyes sparkled as she looked at Ashy.
"Grandma! Dad! I wanna be a hero like big sis Ashy!"
"Marie, please…. It's dangerous, so behave."
Marie's dad tried to dissuade her.
Chewing meat at the table, Marie declared her bold ambition.
"I'll become cool like the hero and get an adventurer boyfriend, and save kids like me!"
"Tch."
Ashy shook her head and tore off a chicken leg from a whole roasted bird.
One on her plate, one on his.
Chills ran down her spine.
Fortunately, the grandmother and Marie's dad had no interest in the chicken legs.
They enjoyed the noisy dinner like that.
"Heroes, please sleep upstairs. We've cleaned the room thoroughly, so it shouldn't be bad."
They decided to stay at Marie's dad's house for the night.
Free lodging sorted.
"Guess this was the couple's room. Bed's big."
Ashy surveyed the room.
A large bed big enough for two caught her eye first.
After a quick look around, Ashy softly closed the door and turned to him.
Creeak—.
"Puppy."
Her voice carried an oddly excited tone.
"…Take off your pants."
As if she'd been looking forward to this exact moment.