Chapter 168
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Didn't I say I'd do anything...? (1)
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“...Just how many chances do I need before I can make the right choice?”
“No matter how many times... no matter how many times... no matter how many times... I repeat it.”
“I still only make the wrong choices.”
“...I'm sorry.”
Unfamiliar... no, a familiar ceiling.
To soothe my throbbing headache, I pressed my temples hard.
“Here...”
I knew it was the infirmary, but I had no memory at all of how I'd gotten here.
I'd clearly entered the basement to find the host of the Revived Depravity, and after that...
As I tried to recall everything from the beginning, step by step.
Suddenly, one scene flashed through my mind.
“Bianca!”
Swish—
I shot up from my seat and pulled back the curtain. There lay Bianca, eyes closed as if she were dead.
“...Bian...ca.”
It was terrifying.
So terrifying I couldn't breathe right.
...But I had to check.
With my hand trembling like mad, I carefully lifted Bianca's top.
“Haa...”
Bianca's smooth stomach emerged, not a single wound marring it.
“...Thank goodness...”
My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.
“Thank goodness... really... really...”
Even seeing it right in front of me didn't make it feel real, so I gently stroked Bianca's stomach. That's when a cute snoring sound drifted from somewhere.
“Kuuul...”
Following the noise, I glanced at the bed beside us. Lilith lay there, drooling in her sleep.
“...Saintess.”
“Hmmnya... hmm... two... even if I eat...”
I wiped the drool from her cheek with the back of my hand. Lilith smacked her lips and mumbled in her sleep.
Watching that foolish sight, the image of the saintess I'd seen in the underground plaza felt like a complete lie.
‘...I have never once even considered abandoning the lambs in need just to save my own life.’
I bowed deeply toward the sleeping Lilith.
If she'd hesitated for even a moment to risk her life, Bianca never would have survived.
After slipping back into my own bed so Bianca and Lilith could rest easy, I peered down at my right palm.
‘...The sensation in my right hand feels subtly off from normal.’
Having confirmed those two were safe—the most important thing—now it was time to check my own condition.
Name: Eugene Calliope
Class: Unique Ability Holder
Title: One Possessing the Qualities of a Hero
[Unique Ability]
Telekinesis (Rank C > C+)
Capable of outputting power equivalent to mid-level magic.
[Traits]
Prince on the Bed (Rank B+)
Is there anyone who can defeat you in bed? Even succubi can't withstand your stamina and collapse.
Significant bonuses apply to all acts with the opposite sex.
Massive bonuses apply to all sexual acts.
All partners' sensitivity increases by ‘350’%.
Instinctively discern the opposite sex's erogenous zones.
World Tree's Blessing (Rank B > B+)
A sapling formed from the World Tree's blessing. Raise it well, and something good might happen?
All stats moderately increase.
Recovery ability greatly increases.
Receive the World Tree's blessing.
Extreme cold resistance greatly increases.
Affinity for cold-element greatly increases.
Creeping Terror (Rank B) - NEW!
You have consumed a fragment of the Creeping Terror. It's not fully purified, but it has been subdued by the World Tree's seed. Still, be careful—it might bare its fangs again at any moment.
All stats greatly increase.
Regeneration ability extremely increases.
Body transformation is possible.
Tamer (Rank EX)
Master's things are Master's! Even the flesh toilet's are Master's!
Can use up to ‘4’ skills from sufficiently tamed heroines at max ‘77.2’% power.
Number of usable skills and power vary by heroine's taming level.
▶ Tamer-Generated Skills
Bind (Low-Grade Special Magic) - [Generated from ‘Lucia’, Power 77.2%]
Tear and Rend—Wolf—Fangs (High-Grade Special Magic) - [Generated from ‘Lucia’, Power 77.2%]
Shadow (Pabolie Blood Magic) - [Generated from ‘Melphisa’, Power 77.2%]
Body Strengthening (Rank A) - [Generated from ‘Bianca’, Power 77.2%] Increase: 11
Having survived a brush with death, I'd achieved rapid growth, as expected.
‘All stats up by 10...’
With every stat now starting with a 3, I could aim for the top ranks in Class 1.
Just one thing, though...
「Subdued by the World Tree's seed.」
That was pure luck.
Of course, for a stroke of "good luck," the situation itself had been the worst, so maybe it was more like good misfortune.
‘Who would've thought the World Tree's seed would have this effect...’
I couldn't have imagined a mere seed defeating the Creeping Terror—even if the World Tree fully matured into a giant tree, maybe.
Probably, the Creeping Terror used its power to keep me alive, which allowed the hierarchy to shift.
In other words, if the Creeping Terror had even a bit more strength left...
I might have been devoured whole.
‘...So what happened to the Revived Depravity?’
Rustle—
As I moved to slip into the shadows and investigate the question that followed, the infirmary door slid open.
“Eu...gene...?”
Iris appeared, eyes puffy and utterly neglected—her hair a total mess, nothing like her usual self.
Even looking like that, she seemed cute. Was I broken?
“...Iris.”
The moment I called her name, her big eyes welled up with tears. She came running and buried herself in my arms.
“Hic... snif... h-hec... sob...”
She seemed to be saying something, but her sobs were too loud to make out a word, so I just stroked her hair.
A long while later, as she calmed a bit, Iris blew her nose and glared at me.
“...Y-you... bad boy! D-do you know how scared I was?!”
“Sorry.”
“S-sorry doesn't cut it! You p-proposed to me, and now you're trying to make me a widow before we're even married?!”
“If we're not married yet, you're not a widow, are y—?”
Thwack—
Iris's fist jabbed in surprisingly sharply.
“...Is that what's important right now?”
“Sorry.”
“...Fine. Knowing you, you'd just spout some nonsense about it being for everyone else's sake. But to me, one Eugene matters more than everyone...”
Iris bit her lip lightly.
“...Iris.”
“Hmph, whatever. More importantly, I have something to tell you about the saintess and Bianca.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“N-no... The treatment's completely finished.”
As Eugene's face drew close, Iris placed a hand over her pounding heart and spoke.
‘...What is this, really.’
It should have made her mad, seeing him so concerned about other women right in front of her. But his serious profile made her heart race fiercely.
“Then... what reason... no, more than that, how did you know Lilith is the saintess...?”
“...I'm a Parthenon graduate too, you know. I know what the saintess robes look like. ...And that hair color isn't exactly common.”
She didn't know the saintess's exact appearance, but she'd heard it was someone with striking looks and deep pink hair.
“...Anyway, that's not the point.”
Iris cleared her throat sharply, her eyes narrowing as she asked.
“Eugene, just how many women do you have?”
“...”
Her sudden question shut me up cold.
“...What do you mean by that...?”
“Exactly what I said. To be precise: including these three here, how many women have you had physical relations with?”
“...”
For some reason, the women around me seemed scariest when they were smiling.
The current situation proved it.
Iris's face wore the most innocent smile imaginable, but the pressure pouring off her rivaled a high-grade monster.
“Do I have to say it?”
“Yes, you absolutely do.”
Under Iris's interrogation, I recalled the infirmary matron, Bianca, and Lilith.
Strictly speaking, with Lilith, it'd only been a blowjob so far—no full relations...
But it felt like a done deal with the matron, so I included her.
‘We're definitely going all the way eventually...’
As I thought of Lilith, memories from the underground plaza started resurfacing.
Among them was the promise I'd made to her.
‘I'll do anything...’
I glanced at the soundly sleeping Lilith and swallowed hard.
Considering she'd risked her life to save Bianca, I could grant any request...
‘But what kind of thing will she...’
I dreaded what the lewd saintess might demand.
With a short sigh, I held up three fingers.
“...Three... W-well, that... that can happen.... Wa-wait, that's just the ones in this room, okay?”
Thinking of Lucia and Vivian, I added two more.
“...Fi... five.... Y-yeah... You're a high noble... F-for heirs...”
Then I raised my left hand, adding Emma, Melphisa, and Tristia.
“...Eig... eight... Even one per day... that's... over a week...?”
Iris gaped, utterly speechless in shock.
Seeing that, I rubbed the bridge of my nose.
‘I left out Garcia and Reika for now, at least...’
....Even so, saying that much was impossible.