The Petrified Hero's Childhood Friend (4)

After spending about a month as an active hero party, we had finally synced our rhythms to some degree.

"Tsk, I let a few slip past! Watch out!"

"Sihyun, stay focused on your casting. Neria, support us with your bow."

"This is a piece of cake!"

Neria bounded lightly from tree to tree, cleaning up the monsters that had gotten past the vanguard.

While the warriors held the front line, I kept my casting steady with Bia and prepared a powerful spell.

The prayer must have finished first; my body felt lighter and controlling my mana became much easier.

"Everyone, clear the way!"

A chain of lightning erupted from my staff, piercing every living thing ahead of us. The truly terrifying part of this spell, however, was how the electricity spread to every creature nearby.

Thanks to the magic that wiped out every monster in front in an instant, we could finally breathe easy.

Exhausted, Serin and Allen slumped to the ground and wiped the sweat from their brows.

"Haa, ha… Those drake bastards have such tough hides. It’s way too hard to get through them."

"Ha, haaa… Still, the hero has the Holy Sword, so it’s a little easier for you. People like me who use regular blades can only scratch the surface."

"Good work, everyone. Neria, Sihyun, Miss Bia—you all did great."

"So are we camping here tonight? We still haven’t found the temple around here."

"Yeah. Looks like we’ll be camping for the foreseeable future."

We had already ventured deep into the forest, so returning to the village was impossible. Tonight we would have to pitch the tents again.

"Is there even a temple in this forest? That old man wasn’t lying to us, was he?"

"Even if we don’t find it after a few days, we can just go back and demand our money back."

"He’s probably already fled by now."

The reason we were running around like idiots in this forest had begun a few hours earlier, all because of a certain fortune-teller.

We had heard that a village where spirits lived was hidden somewhere in these woods.

The legends said the spirits helped create the Holy Sword.

If the legend was true, those spirits would surely help strengthen Serin’s Holy Sword. All this hardship was for that very purpose.

For the grand cause of defeating the Demon King!

"We’ll only pitch one tent. We’ll take shifts on night watch."

"We’re fine, but… what about you?"

Serin looked at me with anxious eyes, worried for her childhood friend. As if anything would happen just because a man and woman shared a tent.

The moment anyone laid a hand on me, the party would disband and Serin would kill them.

"If anyone tries anything weird, I’ll educate them with Magic Missile. I’m getting hungry—should we start dinner?"

"I’m all for it! It’s been a while since we’ve been active in the forest, so I’m starving~."

"Ha~ You were stuffing your face with fruit earlier. You’re still hungry?"

"Fruit doesn’t really fill you up. And isn’t it common sense that meat satisfies you better?"

It was true that meat filled the stomach far better than fruit or berries, just as Neria said. The contradiction was that an elf who claimed to love nature was the one saying it.

"And why is an elf like you so obsessed with meat? I thought your kind were supposed to be nature-friendly."

"You do realize that’s racial discrimination, right? These days MZ elves won’t even eat if there’s no meat on the table."

"As expected, rumors really can’t be trusted. I’ll go gather some herbs and greens with this erofu."

With that, Allen grabbed the chattering elf by the mouth and dragged her away. Once they were gone, I began creating a makeshift kitchen.

Using plant magic, I grew trees into a table and chairs, then prepared a fire spell so we could cook.

"Sihyun, is there anything I can help with?"

"Miss Bia… could you wash the vegetables over there? I’ll make some water for you."

After creating a small pool of water, I focused on my own tasks.

"Here. Sihyun, I found a wild boar nearby and caught it. Think you can cook this?"

I had wondered where she’d disappeared to—Serin returned with a wild boar slung over her back. I was startled for a second, but the sight of the meat calmed me right down.

I needed to prepare and grill it quickly. As expected of someone from the same rural background, her eye for good meat was impeccable.

"Prep work with magic~ Cooking with magic."

A mage doesn’t need to lift a finger. As long as you have mana, you can lift and move dishes or meat however you like.

Why had I never used such convenient magic before? At this point, the magic itself made it feel like I could never return to reality.

If I can use it like this at the academy later… getting first place might be a piece of cake.

Even if not first, I would at least look like a talented student.

"We’ll finish the vegetables as a stir-fry and grill the meat over an open flame. Serin~ Can you taste this for me?"

"Let’s see, ah~."

"It’s hot, so be careful."

"Hot…! Ahem. But it’s delicious. Your cooking really does suit my taste best."

"It’s because we’ve eaten together since we were kids. Our palates have been completely synchronized."

"Is that how it works?"

I was so absorbed in the warm conversation with Serin that I hadn’t noticed the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes on us. When I finally looked around after we finished talking, Bia was watching us with a gentle, warm smile.

"Seeing the two of you really warms my heart. The fresh, pure love between a countryside boy and girl… Aah, pure love really is the best."

"It’s not like that…"

"Of course it is. You kiss openly in front of everyone and even share a room!"

"I’ve got nothing to say to that."

The party members had probably realized from our very first meeting that Serin and I weren’t in an ordinary relationship. Who would kiss the moment they reunited with a childhood friend?

And they definitely couldn’t have imagined a man and woman sleeping together.

After that, Allen’s group returned with fruit and herbs, and we were able to eat dinner a little earlier than usual.

As expected, the women marveled at my cooking. I savored the pride blooming in my chest as we enjoyed a happy meal together.

"Huaaam, my stomach’s warm and the fire makes everything so cozy. I’m getting sleepy."

"Go ahead and sleep first. I’ll wake you when it’s your turn on watch."

"Then I’ll sleep nooow~."

After the long-eared girl slipped into the tent, the day’s exhaustion seemed to catch up with everyone.

As a mage, I was only slightly tired and not yet sleepy, so I sent the women into the tent first. I would stand watch and then sleep.

My mana grew again. If it’s Highest, that means I’m at the top of the field.

To someone who had fought mainly with guns and hand-to-hand combat until now, this world was full of completely new things.

The feeling was close to trying out a new class in an online game ahead of time. Like the game was saying, If you grow like this, you’ll receive these benefits!

During the boring night watch, I played with a wooden doll I had created with magic and waited for a long time.

"Serin, Serin. It’s your watch."

"Mm? Ah… Already? Huaam, maybe splitting the watch was a bad idea."

"Still better than the others. You know the last shift before dawn is the hardest."

"Yeah… Help me up."

I took the still half-asleep Serin’s hand and pulled her to her feet. I watched over her as she stretched slowly like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a cat, then we stepped out of the tent together.

"Huh? You’re standing watch with me?"

"No, I want to take a shower before sleeping. I can’t fall asleep when I feel this gross."

"Pfft. Even if you wash, the other girls will still smell, you know?"

The female scent is at least acceptable.

When we first set out on the journey, I had assumed the women would reek of sweat, but after actually traveling with them, it wasn’t unbearable.

In fact, their scent was pleasant enough that lying beside them for long periods wasn’t unpleasant at all.

"I’ll go wash up, so keep a proper lookout. You know what’ll happen if you peek, right?"

"I won’t… I’m not Neria."

Teasing Serin, whose face had turned red as if she were imagining me bathing, I headed toward the nearby lake. I wanted to wash my body with cool water ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as quickly as possible and go to sleep.

About five minutes after Sihyun left to bathe, one person emerged from the tent.

"Neria, you’re on watch?"

"Huaam… I need to pee."

"Tsk, hurry up and come back. Then you take the next shift."

"Okay~."

With her eyes half-closed, Neria held in her urge as she ventured deep into the forest. Monsters could be drawn by the smell of urine, after all.

After finding the perfect spot near the scent of water, she set down her weapon and crouched in the grass.

"Hueee… All done."

Was this the pleasure of one of the three great desires? It was perfectly reasonable to say that Neria was currently ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the happiest elf in the world.

But in the middle of that happy moment, she suddenly heard a sound.

"This sound…"

Hmm, hmm~ Haaaa.

It was a low, distinctly male tone. Her head snapped toward it.

Instinctively she climbed a tree, then very slowly followed the sound. When she discovered a large lake, she searched for the source.

"Sih… yun?"

There he was—Sihyun, completely naked, washing his body in the lake.

I should run away right now… Ah.

She clearly should have turned her head, but her body refused to obey.

In elf society, males were an incredibly precious resource. With their long lifespans, the birth rate of males was extremely low, so seeing a young male elf was incredibly difficult.

That was why so many elves were starved for men. And of course, Neria was one of them.

Squish.

For some reason her private parts felt itchy and her lower belly grew hot. Neria stroked the gap in her pants once with her finger.

"Ah…"

The space between her legs was already soaking wet.

———————————

Neria, sitting and watching…