Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Hero's Changed Form
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When I said that, the Hero nonchalantly rested his hand on his sword hilt and stared down the goblin. The goblin would then either scamper off on its own or lob a few stones our way before disappearing. That was more or less how we trudged along, a lax tension hanging in the air.
Aei had been lost in thought the entire walk. Now that I thought about it, this was a pretty big deal for him. If Aei turned into a woman, he couldn't marry the elf princess Erina anymore. It wasn't about whether elves despised same-sex relationships or not. Erina was a princess. Royalty who had to continue the bloodline couldn't marry someone of the same sex.
"Come to think of it, you won't be able to marry Princess Erina after all."
"Yeah... that's true..."
"I'd love to help if I could."
"No, I'm grateful just for your concern. You're my lifesaver, Priest."
Aei spoke in a melancholic tone, as if he'd already considered that point. What if I asked for a quick feel right now—would he go for it? I wondered, eyeing the perfect curve of Aei's hips. Sure, it'd trash my image as a pious, kind priest, but those legs were worth the risk. So what if his chest was a bit flat? The legs made up for it.
The leather pants clung to him like a second skin, driving me mad. Back when he was just a guy Hero, I'd found the outfit burdensome, but now that he was a woman, nothing was sexier. Even as he talked, my gaze kept drifting to the crease at his knee, the firm thighs, and the space between his legs.
"I don't even know how to face Erina now. I promised I'd come back safe..."
"You made it back in one piece, so Princess Erina will be thrilled."
"But we can't get married."
Aei brought up marriage again, his face half-ready to cry. Was it the heightened sensitivity from becoming a woman? Or genuine shock at not being able to marry? I could sort of understand his feelings. If I suddenly got castrated right now, I'd go beyond despair straight into madness.
I haven't even slept with Sieri yet—that'd be so unfair.
But no matter how you sliced it, there was no solution. Whimpering over an unsolvable problem wouldn't change a thing. I opened my mouth to say something to Aei. And right then, the Hero muttered,
"If only I could at least get her pregnant..."
Pregnant? That's when a crazy idea hit me. If I'd suggested it normally, the Hero would've run me through, but after saving his life and helping out so much, maybe now was the time to float it? I asked,
"So, if Princess Erina got pregnant with some incredibly strong guy's kid, could you marry her then?"
"Well... yeah, but that's ridiculous. Erina pregnant with someone else's child? I could never accept that."
Aei shook his head firmly. I decided not to push the topic further. I'd glimpsed an angle to bed Erina, but 'NTR sex play with hubby's permission' was off the table.
Pressing more would just raise suspicions. I smacked my lips in regret. Betraying a comrade stung, but I'd saved the Hero's life—shouldn't he give me half in return?
And so Aei and I pushed through the monster-infested territory and arrived at the neighboring domain. The lord greeted me with his usual beaming smile. But I could tell he was bitterly disappointed to see me unscathed.
The lord didn't recognize the Hero beside me and asked,
"Who's this with you?"
"My little sister."
I gave a lazy excuse to avoid explaining. Way cleaner than saying the Hero got hit by the Demon King and I used some forbidden potion or whatever. The lord looked shocked and asked again,
"Wh-what about the Hero? Didn't you go with him?"
"Oh, he went back to his hometown."
The Hero nodded along with my act, bless him. If he'd called me 'big bro,' it would've been perfect, but his male pride wouldn't let him utter something so outrageous. Honestly, I wasn't dying to hear 'big bro' either. Calling her my sister was just a spur-of-the-moment thing.
"Ah, I see. Will you pass straight through, or stay the night? We'd love to host you properly—please consider resting here..."
I caught the lord rubbing his hands with that sleazy grin and glanced at the Hero again. Thinking about it, the neighboring lord's NTR event only triggered if the protagonist traveled with a 'woman.' From what the hired help around him let slip, it wasn't a one-off thing.
I decided to seize the chance and kill this bastard too. Rumors had already tanked his rep in the domain anyway—no big backlash if I smashed him. So I cheerfully accepted the lord's invitation. Then I whispered to the Hero, who was itching to leave,
"Since we're heading back anyway, shouldn't we do it cleanly so Princess Erina isn't too shocked? Let's rest up today, shake off the fatigue, and return fresh."
"You're right. I didn't think of that. Let's do it, Priest."
And so we rested at the mansion. The lord spared no extravagance. Luxurious dishes I'd never touch back home appeared, and after eating, servants even gave us massages. I checked my Status Window several times for poison in the tea or food, but nothing suspicious.
The lord just wanted to impress us. Made sense— even a deranged blond NTR lord wouldn't touch the tough guy from next door's 'little sister.' Not that it mattered to me.
Today, the fat blond tanning NTR Lord was due for an 'accidental' death for trying to assault my 'little sister.'
Late that night, I quietly rose and grabbed my mace. The mansion corridors were empty. I crept along until I reached the lord's office. He was snoring on the cot inside. I approached cautiously and confirmed he was out cold—chest rising and falling steadily, breaths even.
Satisfied he was deep asleep, I grabbed his nape and dragged him out of the office. If we'd run into anyone, I might've had to kill more, but luck was on my side—no one passed by.
"Huh? Wh-what? Who... mmpf..."
The moment he woke, I clocked him lightly on the head to knock him out again. Tongue lolling, he stayed limp as I hauled him right up to the Hero's door. I took a deep breath, yanked down his pants and underwear in one go, then slammed his nape against the door with all my strength.
BAM!
"Gwaaaah!"
The lord woke screaming, rolling on the floor. Startled by the noise, the Hero snatched his bedside sword and pointed it at him. Clutching his head, the lord wailed,
"Kwaaaah! Ack!"
"You dare try to assault an innocent woman?"
"S-sorry! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"
I'd blurted it out on the fly, but apparently he'd done it before—he started kowtowing. Sharp instincts, that lord. The Hero glanced between us and asked,
"What's going on, Priest?"
"This scum was gonna rape you. I found him lurking by your door."
The prostrated lord shot him a puzzled look. Before he could spout anything weird, I smashed my mace into his skull.
"Guek!"
He collapsed with a dying pig squeal—or more like splattered. His head caved into his torso like a smashed honey jar. Leaving the meaty lump, I approached the Hero. Staring at the gruesome remains, he said,
"I can protect my own body... but thank you, Priest."
"You're a woman now. Gotta be careful."
I wiped the blood from my face and replied. The Hero chuckled awkwardly at 'woman'—and damn, it was kinda cute.
I'd never seen a death this pitied. Even Hitler probably got more sympathy. Sure, there were reasons, but we'd straight-up murdered a domain lord.
The knight order stared at the tuna-can-flattened lord with utter disgust. They looked thrilled he was dead. Servants, the investigating Knight Captain—everyone reacted the same.
"He did something that vile, so it's unavoidable."
The Knight Captain barely listened to my story, nodding like, 'Yeah, that tracks.' No evidence, no Hero's testimony needed—he just accepted it. What the hell had this guy been up to? I could've killed him for smiling wrong and gotten a pass with 'unavoidable.'
Finishing it so sloppily made me regret not doing it sooner. The Hero was tense, facing a knight-level probe for the first time. Wrapping up the report, the captain said,
"We'll have to send word to the palace, so we can't escort you out."
When a lord dies without heirs, the palace assigns a noble without a domain. Hoping the next one was saner, I left the neighboring domain.
As we neared the Peta domain, the Hero grew tense. I was starting to wonder how Erina would react. Shocked? Indifferent? Crossing the border, a patrolling guard raced off to report to acting domain head Princess Ahildern Erina.
By the time we reached the mansion, Erina burst through the doors, running at us. Her face lit up with joy at reuniting with her lover after a week. Teary-eyed and pouty, she hugged the Hero tight and unleashed a torrent of complaints.
"Why'd you take so long! I was worried sick... What about the Demon King? You killed it, right? No injuries? You're okay? We're supposed to head to the kingdom together now—if there's any problem, I won't let it slide... And... Huh?"
After unloading questions while glued to him, Erina pulled back, eyes narrowing. She squinted her green eyes and scanned the Hero up and down. He said awkwardly,
"E-Erina... it's..."
"Wh-who...?"
Erina belatedly realized she'd hugged a stranger's face, panicking. The Hero had to explain. I chimed in,
"Princess Erina. This is the Hero."
"What? Bullshit. Aei turned into a woman? You think I'm stupid? Where's Aei? Don't tell me he's... dead?"
Erina's face twisted. She was imagining the worst. Hero Aei grabbed the panicking Erina's hand and said,
"Erina, it's me—Aei. Remember? When we first met, three goblins and two orcs were chasing you. You'd run out of arrows and were retreating, while I was walking the forest path."
Aei rattled off stories only he and Erina knew, like how he'd saved her. Erina eyed him suspiciously at first but gradually accepted he was the Hero. Sighing deeply, she said,
"Why... how did this happen?"
"I had to use the potion you gave me."
"That potion did this?"
Erina gasped in shock. Seems she hadn't known either. Thinking how I'd have been screwed if the real Hero hadn't used it on me sent chills down my spine. Aei asked Erina,