If You Want, You Can Have Your Way With Me

Demons.

There was no need for a lengthy explanation.

They were simply, overwhelmingly strong.

If this were a hack-and-slash game, they would have been reduced to mere fodder, sliced to pieces in bulk with a few clicks for instant gratification. But Arrogant Saga was a turn-based RPG adventure game.

They were ridiculously strong.

Even a low-ranking demon was at least three times stronger than a well-trained adult human male.

And that was only physical strength. Since demons could naturally cast black magic, their danger was doubled.

Without the Hero's party or an equivalent force, a single low-ranking demon could wipe out a small city if given enough time.

In the original game, the Hero's party only realized the need for specialized items and began searching for them after encountering a demon for the first time in a scripted event—having only fought magical beasts until then—and nearly facing a total party wipe.

The only saving grace was that the demon population was extremely small.

Yet, the moment one appeared, beacons would be lit across the entire kingdom and alarms would blare; they were that threatening.

And of all places, the demon was hiding in Epaltelga, the final outpost before entering the Frozen Mountains.

It was a small city frequented not by adventurers seeking wealth and fame by defeating boss monsters or gathering rare items, but by explorers who wished to conquer uncharted lands.

To this day, no one had ever set foot on the highest peak of the Frozen Mountains.

In a way, it was a region sought only by those who cared nothing for the war between the Empire and the Demon King, focusing solely on discovering the new.

Truth be told, Rin wanted to head straight into the mountains to find the Elixir right away.

But he couldn't. The Empire enjoyed a relatively mild climate year-round, and the demon territory, the Demon Realm, was hot and humid.

In other words, they needed proper winter gear to survive the howling cold of the Frozen Mountains.

Because of the regions they had traversed in the original game, Rin had never even had the chance to see, let alone store, winter gear in his Luggage Carrier's Bag.

One might think they could just use magic scrolls, but the Frozen Mountains were home to magical beasts, and those beasts were highly sensitive to mana and demonic energy.

The moment a scroll was torn, the beasts would sense it and swarm them for a fresh meal.

Furthermore, though he hid it from Lucy, Rin was thoroughly exhausted.

Focusing solely on caring for Lucy and traveling while neglecting his own well-being had taken a heavy toll.

His head spun from prolonged hunger, and he had become noticeably quiet.

Still, if he could just pass the gates of Epaltelga ahead, he would be able to get a good night's rest.

"It must be suffocating, but bear with it a little longer."

"I understand."

He wrapped Lucy in a swaddling cloth, tied her to his stomach, and layered several thick pieces of clothing over her.

Since the temperature had dropped significantly as they left the forest and entered a snowy path, wearing multiple layers wasn't unusual. However, the bulging stomach hiding Lucy looked suspicious to anyone.

But it was fine.

Having grown up in the back alleys, he knew exactly how to handle situations like this.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

"Just a traveler wishing to enter the city, sir."

"What business does a traveler have in a place like this?"

It was not yet late into the night.

Since sunlight rarely reached this area, arriving at night wasn't strange in itself, but coming to a remote place like Epaltelga was uncommon to begin with.

"Look at this. No luggage to speak of, so you're no explorer. Your face is gaunt, but your belly is bulging?"

"Hehe, it's nothing else, sir, but I suffer from a terrible affliction."

"An affliction?!"

"Oh, it's not contagious or anything! It's just that my body has been weak since birth, so only my belly sticks out like this. With a body like this, even though I'm past twenty, what woman would ever marry me? I've been traveling far and wide to cure this condition."

The man who seemed to be the squad leader nodded to another soldier.

Receiving the command, the soldier searched Rin's body.

Rin spread his arms and legs wide, cooperating fully, but when the hands patting him down moved toward his stomach, he unconsciously held his breath.

Lucy, sensing the touch through the clothes, also froze completely.

"Nothing unusual, sir."

"Nothing unusual?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hmm, suspicious... but unfortunately, nothing out of the ordinary, you say."

As the soldiers exchanged knowing glances, Rin quickly pulled a small pouch from his breast pocket.

"Brr, it's freezing. You must be working so hard guarding the city in this cold. This pouch... it's nothing special, really, just a small token... but I hope it brings some comfort to our hard-working guards..."

"Ahem! Well, you shouldn't have..."

"I'm not the type to harbor bad intentions or cause trouble, you see. As I said, I've traveled everywhere to cure this belly, and I heard a rumor that there's a rare herb in the Frozen Mountains that can restore a deformed body to normal. So, clutching at straws, I came all this way alone."

"Indeed, if you haven't been able to marry by twenty, you'd try anything."

With that, the soldier held out his palm to Rin.

Rin quickly pulled out another pouch and placed it in his hand.

"Right, right. Aside from your pitiful circumstances, you seem harmless enough."

"Oh, absolutely, sir."

"To be honest, in Epaltelga, if you're not an explorer, you're someone like you. We're used to it."

"Thank you for understanding."

Rin bowed his head repeatedly until they told him to stop, and only after receiving a hollow warning not to cause trouble was he finally allowed to pass through the gate.

As he walked past, wiping away the sweat of tension, the squad leader called out to his back.

"But what if you can't find that herb?"

Rin turned back, flashing a sly, lewd grin.

"Hehe... Well, then... even if I can't get married, shouldn't I at least lose my virginity?"

"Bwahahaha! Right! That's how men are! Don't worry! As long as you pay properly and don't look too monstrous, they'll take you in. And though I haven't traveled to other regions, the women of Epaltelga are quite beautiful, so you won't be disappointed."

Laughing heartily, the squad leader gave Rin a firm pat on the back.

From the impact, Lucy barely managed to suppress a wave of nausea.

Epaltelga.

The sole outpost beneath the Frozen Mountains.

This meant it was the last place to restock supplies, but also the last place to seek warmth in the arms of prostitutes and gigolos.

Finding lodging was easy, but finding an inn willing to accept them was another story.

Seeing Rin's bulging stomach, the innkeepers grew wary, claiming they couldn't tell if it was some terrible contagious disease. With other guests chiming in, they were repeatedly kicked out.

By the time they begged their way into a shabby inn, the owner ripped them off completely.

No matter how resourceful Rin was, there was nothing he could do with the constraint of keeping Lucy hidden.

To make matters worse, Lucy, who finally escaped the thick layers of clothing only after Rin brought food to their room, lay silently on the bed, drenched in sweat.

"Lucy, you need to eat."

"You eat, Rin. I just need honey."

"Still, it's a proper meal for the first time in a while."

"How is that a proper meal?"

It was just watery gruel, but compared to the wild greens they had eaten in the forest, it was much easier to digest and far better.

Knowing Lucy's tendency to eat without complaint despite her high standards for appearances, Rin wondered what was bothering her this time.

Having finally relaxed at the prospect of sleeping in a bed rather than on the dirt floor, Rin couldn't hide his exhaustion.

Lucy, noticing his state, spoke as if making an excuse.

"I'm in a bad mood."

"Why?"

"They treated you like a sick person."

"I was the one telling them I was sick. It's fine."

"It's all because of me. I'm not fine with it."

It was pure stubbornness.

Why should she be upset over something so trivial?

Still, Rin tried to understand the root of her feelings.

He set the bowl of gruel down and met Lucy's gaze.

"Lucy, is it because I kept you inside the clothes for too long? I'm sorry. I should have found an inn sooner."

"Why..."

"Lucy?"

"Why is it always you apologizing, Rin..."

Lucy let out a sigh.

When Rin apologized, it only reflected her own narrow-mindedness, making it hard for her to look him in the eye.

Lacking any talent for hiding her feelings, Lucy finally surrendered and spoke her mind.

"Rin... is one of your reasons for coming here to visit a brothel?"

"Huh?"

He let out a dumbfounded sound, but that alone brought Lucy a great deal of relief.

"It's nothing like that."

Just as she was about to relax her expression and smile at his reassurance, Rin's next words made her freeze again.

"But we do have to pass through there."

"What?"

Rin had no choice.

The map of Epaltelga was essentially a straight line, and the red-light district was located right before the winter gear shop.

He explained this to her, but Lucy couldn't accept it.

"If you want to go, just say so."

"Why would I go to a place like that?"

"You're a man too, Rin. You might have... a lot built up after all this time. I'm fine with it. I understand."

She didn't look like she understood at all.

Understanding or not, Rin had no room for such thoughts.

If he didn't restore Lucy quickly, they wouldn't be able to protect the world from the impending threat of the demons, and everyone would perish. A brothel was the last thing on his mind.

Above all, he had never had any interest in visiting such places.

He had no personal interest, and in his youth, if he had ever loitered around such places out of curiosity or peer pressure, his old companions would never have let it slide.

Even when he had merely poked his head out to look at an alley glowing with red lights, wondering what it was, they had beaten him black and blue.

"And if you want, Rin..."

Lucy steadied her trembling voice.

"You can have your way with me."

"Lucy!"

Startled by Rin's shout, Lucy hiccuped.

She couldn't believe he had raised his voice at her, and she felt hurt.

"Even considering the difficult situation you're in, I can't let what you just said slide."

"Why? I... I meant it..."

"Value yourself. And I didn't save you expecting that kind of reward."

He wanted a different kind of reward. The salvation of the world, for instance.

"This is an insult to both of us. Do you think I saved you with those intentions? Is that the kind of person you called your best companion?"

No matter how numb Rin's emotions had become, Lucy's words cut deep.

"No, Rin. I was just so grateful..."

"Lucy, you are a proud Hero. The Hero chosen by the Holy Sword Hnoni. I know things are incredibly hard right now, but it's only temporary. I promise you. I will restore you no matter what it takes, so never say something like that again."

"The one by my side right now isn't Hnoni—it's you!"

Rin hurriedly pulled out a skill scroll.

Since the higher-grade scrolls were stored deep inside the Luggage Carrier's Bag, he had cast a suitable skill in a hurry.

"I hate them all! They tore my body apart piece by piece and took it for themselves!"

Lucy's cry, dripping with resentment, began to fill the room.

"They said they couldn't leave me be because I was arrogant? Then why didn't they warn me to behave before that?!"

She was right. They had only given her light scoldings, never seriously trying to stop her.

"When I had nothing left but the despair of dying like this, the one who saved me was the luggage carrier they all looked down on! You, who had no power, desperately saved me! Look at you even now. You're catering to my every need while doing absolutely nothing for yourself."

Her breathing grew ragged, and her eyes welled with tears.

"Do you have any idea how sorry and grateful I am?"

Rin's intuition sounded an alarm.

He couldn't let her keep talking like this.

"I'm not trying to use my body as some cheap token of gratitude either! I have feelings too! Rin... I..."

"Stop. We're both too emotional right now."

"Ah..."

She had been about to say she loved him.

She wanted to let him know that she truly adored him.

But Rin cut her off.

Lucy wanted to argue, but she feared that if she pushed any further, he might leave her.

Even if he didn't physically leave, she felt his heart might never turn toward her.

"If I were even a little stronger and more capable, I would have restored you by now."

"Don't say that. I like you just the way you are, Rin. I'm glad it was you who saved me."

"Haha, are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you trying to comfort me?"

"I mean it."

"Hmm, may I ask why you think that way?"

Lucy spread her uneven arms.

Only when Rin wrapped his arms tightly around her did Lucy weakly bury her head in his chest.

"Because you made me realize how precious you are. If you weren't the Rin you are now, you might not have saved me. That's why I like you."

"I see. Thank you."

"If you're thankful, hold me tighter."

"Okay."

"Harder."

"Like this?"

"A little more."

As he held her close enough to press her nose against him, Lucy pressed her lips to his chest.

But the kiss was blocked by Rin's clothes.

It was sorrowful.

No matter how hard she loved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him, she couldn't reach him, and he wouldn't even let her utter the words.

She even suspected that Rin was intentionally rejecting her feelings.

Still, Lucy could wait.

Once she had her limbs back with Rin's help, she would be able to actively try something else.

She was holding on, harboring that hope in her heart.

Thump, thump.

She could hear Rin's heartbeat.

In turn, Lucy's own heart ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began to beat faster.

Don't interrupt. I want to hear his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heartbeat more.

Lucy slowly closed her eyes.

To lose herself in the only sound left to her.