Chapter 46. The Pride of Swordswoman Kara
The Pride of Swordswoman Kara
[That Evening, Temporary Barracks]
By the campfire, Lucian gazed at the northern sky.
"Um... Will Lady Sophia be alright?"
Kara cautiously asked. Earlier that day, she had seen Lucian entrust his most cherished priestess to his adjutant to evacuate ahead.
"Don't worry. My adjutant possesses the continent's finest 'retreat techniques.' When it comes to running away, he's better than me."
Lucian chuckled wryly and clicked his tongue.
"Though sometimes... one should know when to charge forward first. Tsk."
He was recalling his frustration with the bodyguard captain and maid Nancy's relationship, but Kara couldn't possibly understand that. She simply thought the Count trusted his subordinates too much.
'What a strange man. Entrusting his beloved woman to a subordinate while staying behind to fight himself.'
Such behavior was unimaginable in the militaristic Kurkan Kingdom where Kara had served.
There, commanders would use women as shields or be the first to flee when danger arose.
Unlike that world governed solely by money, power, and absolute obedience, this man spoke of "trust."
"I... don't regret my decision to follow you, my lord."
Kara spoke with sincerity.
She had been a squad commander in the Kurkan army until refusing King Barkan's advances landed her in the gladiator arena.
The man who treated her as human again after she'd been reduced to a beastly slave fighter was none other than Lucian.
Seeing Kara's resolute eyes reflected in the firelight, Lucian felt reassured.
'I made the right choice bringing her along...'
[The Following Evening]
Lucian and Kara shared the cramped commander's tent.
To recover from their injuries, they retired early.
Kara, hardened by years of military life, didn't seem particularly conscious about sharing quarters with a man.
Removing her armor and wearing only a thin tunic, she lay on the cot and soon breathed evenly.
The problem was Lucian.
In the quiet darkness of the tent, his heart began pounding irregularly.
'Damn it... Not again.'
[Mana Overload Syndrome]
A curse where failing to ejaculate for even a day would set his blood vessels aflame and rob him of reason.
Even on battlefields, he had to bring maids or procure local women to discharge his mana when necessary.
When he'd first encountered Ella (the fallen noble Victoria in disguise) while requesting supplies near his territory during war, his assault had been as much about survival instinct as attraction to her beauty.
But now?
Sophia was gone, surrounded only by rough soldiers. The sole woman was Kara lying beside him.
Sweating coldly, Lucian gazed at Kara.
Her sharp, intelligent features befitted a swordswoman. Well-defined eyebrows spoke of her toughness, while her petite nose held unexpected youthful charm.
Most striking were her slightly chapped, full lips that looked painfully dry.
His gaze traveled downward to her unexpectedly feminine figure.
Beneath her toned warrior's muscles lay soft feminine curves.
Her modest but perfectly shaped breasts contrasted with her sun-bronzed limbs, the pale skin normally hidden beneath clothes now partially visible.
The stark tan lines stimulated Lucian's vision.
Her narrow waist flared into childbearing hips, the muscular firmness of her combat-trained lower body evident even visually.
'God... I'm losing it.'
Lucian felt his reason slipping.
The boiling mana within screamed for him to bury himself in that healthy flesh immediately.
"Guh... Kara... Kara!"
Unable to bear the pain, Lucian shook Kara's shoulder.
The warrior instantly awoke, battle-honed reflexes kicking in.
"Enemies?!"
As she reflexively reached for her bedside sword, Lucian caught her wrist.
His hand burned like embers, eyes bloodshot crimson.
"My lord? Are you unwell? You're burning—"
"Kara... listen carefully."
Lucian spoke through ragged breaths, voice strained.
"I... will die if I don't have sex right now."
"...What?"
Kara doubted her ears. Surely she'd misheard in her drowsiness?
"I... have a condition where if I don't ejaculate daily, my mana runs wild and my heart explodes. So... I need your help."
"..."
Silence.
Kara's expression gradually hardened.
The respect and trust in her eyes gave way to cold contempt and disappointment.
'After all... men are all the same.'
The detestable King Barkan overlapped with Lucian in her vision—that pig who'd tried to violate her using power.
Having just sworn fealty, and now her lord sought to assault her before even one night passed.
"How disappointing..."
Kara's voice turned icy. Her hand twitched toward her sword again, itching to strike him down.
"I didn't take you for this... What a crude excuse. A man with a peerless beauty like Lady Sophia as his lover, yet lusting after a mere soldier like me and lying about it."
"It's no lie! This is a curse passed down through my family!"
Lucian desperately insisted, sweat pouring like rain.
But to Kara, it sounded like nothing but a rutting male's cowardly excuse.
"Step back. Even if you're my lord... lay hands on me and I'll cut you down."
Kara gripped her sword.
"Just... just your hands."
Lucian quickly amended.
"I won't touch anywhere else. I swear. If I break my word and try to force myself on you... use that dagger beside you to slit my throat and leave."
"..."
Kara was dumbfounded.
The renowned Count Lucian, staking his life for... a handjob?
"If you're that desperate, can't you do it yourself? Why my hands?"
"My body... is immune to ordinary stimulation. I can't get aroused alone. I need another's warmth."
Though it sounded absurd, Lucian's desperate eyes, the sweat, and bulging veins suggested truth.
Conflicted, Kara considered Lucian's past actions and her debt to him. She decided to trust him once.
"Very well. But..."
Kara took up her dagger.
"If you try anything, I'll cut you down—lord or not."
'Please... don't betray my trust,' she silently pleaded.
Lucian nodded, guilt washing over him. For survival, he was making this proud warrior stoop to this.
Awkwardly, Lucian lowered his pants.
Removing his underwear revealed his heavy, massive flesh not yet fully erect.
"Gah...!"
Kara's eyes widened.
She'd never properly seen male anatomy before. What she'd glimpsed during Lucian's intimacy with Sophia paled in comparison.
Even half-soft, its overwhelming size reaching his thigh and grotesque appearance left her speechless.
"This... how do I...?"
"First... grip it gently and stroke."
With trembling hands, Kara took hold.
Her calloused sword-grip clumsily enveloped Lucian's shaft and glans.
Swish, slide.
"Mmm..."
At first, Lucian felt nothing. Or rather, Kara's rough hands made it feel like sandpaper.
But as she found rhythm and sped up, her palm's heat transmitted, blood beginning to flow.
"It's... growing."
Kara murmured in surprise.
The soft flesh writhed in her grip, rapidly engorging until it stood proudly skyward.
The bulging crimson veins and mushroom-like swollen glans seemed inhuman—a weapon of flesh.
Chup, chup, chup. Chup.
Finding one hand insufficient, Kara used both to pump the shaft.
Pre-ejaculate made her rough strokes smoother.
Yet after 5, then 10 minutes, no climax approached.
"How... much longer?"
Kara asked wearily, arms tiring.
"Haah... I'm aroused but... need stronger stimulation..."
"What then? My body is absolutely off-limits."
Lucian's member drooped slightly in disappointment. Stopping now meant overload. Shutting his eyes, Lucian scraped together his dignity.
"Then... just your breasts... may I touch them?"
"...Hah."
Kara sighed deeply. Was this truly the Count she'd respected?
"B-breasts only. Nothing else. Break this promise and I leave immediately."
"Thank you... Over the clothes won't work. I need to see them."
Carefully, Lucian lifted Kara's tunic.
Her bare breasts—no undergarments—were revealed.
"Ah..."