Chapter 303: Preparing for the Request
Chapter 303: Preparing for the Request
That would definitely hurt if it hit me.
No, “hurt” wouldn’t even begin to cover it.
Last time, with the Garuda, it only pierced my stomach, so Matilda was able to save me. But if I were completely smashed into a pulp, not even Matilda could heal that.
Besides, it was already too late to dodge.
The Ogre’s club was as massive as its owner. It had probably just uprooted one of the trees growing here and decided to use it as a weapon. It would have been hard enough to dodge a normal tree, but this was one of the ridiculously large trees from the 5th Floor. There was no way I could avoid it.
But there was still hope.
This time was different from the Garuda incident.
Back then, the attack was so fast I truly couldn’t react in time to dodge. This time, I had time to react, but the attack’s range was simply too wide to escape.
In other words, I had a sliver of time before that club hit me.
Which meant I had time to use my last resort.
I calmly opened my status window.
Name: Guwon
Race: Human 24
Job: Saint 116 / Adventurer 58 / Martial Artist 63 / Assassin 41
Level: 116
Health: 29500/29500
Essence: 11600/11600
Strength: 272
Durability: 273
Agility: 230
Stamina: 206
Intelligence: 125
Spirit: 179
Charm: 361
Bonus Stats: 121
Status: Normal
It was a bit underwhelming.
I’d slept with the high-leveled Silvia so much, I thought my level would have gone up a little more.
My leveling speed had really slowed down after I passed level 100.
So, now I had to invest my bonus stats into Durability. But to be honest, I really didn’t want to put any more points into it.
After all, my Durability stat already had a chance of increasing whenever I leveled up not just as a Saint, but as a Martial Artist or Adventurer, too.
If this were a game, I would never have invested more than 50 points into Durability with these jobs, but this wasn't a game. Better than dying, I suppose.
Holding back tears, I started allocating my bonus stats to Durability.
One, two, three… I could have raised it all at once, but that would have been too depressing.
My precious stats. The stats I’d saved so carefully.
As I was wallowing in sorrow, tapping my bonus stats into Durability one by one to prepare for the Ogre’s attack, I was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of my neck and yanked backward.
It was Silvia.
Silvia stood valiantly before me where I’d fallen, raising her gleaming shield high.
And she wasn’t alone. Beside her, Matilda also raised her shield and chanted something that sounded like a prayer. A moment later, my body, Silvia’s, and Matilda’s began to glow.
…Daaaaaaamn it! I forgot they were here!
I thought I was acting calmly by opening my status window and allocating points, but it seemed I wasn't in a calm state at all.
How could I forget about the people right behind me?
My stats! My precious, wasted staaaaats!
And it wasn’t just Silvia and Matilda.
From further behind us, a piercing noise erupted from the bard Hilda’s instrument, and the falling Ogre froze in mid-air as if time had stopped.
In that instant, the twin mages’ spells slammed into the club in the Ogre’s hand, exploding with a series of deafening booms.
The Ogre’s club was battered and dented, its shape ruined. Immediately after, time began to flow for the Ogre again.
The already heavily damaged club fell toward us, but it shattered with a loud crack as it struck Silvia’s and Matilda’s shields.
Then, with a heavy thud, the Ogre slammed face-first into the ground.
Before it could get back up, the Arachne Clan’s front-line members rushed in and finished it off.
“Guwon-nim! Are you alright?!” Silvia shouted as soon as she confirmed the Ogre was no longer moving, turning to look at me.
Of course I wasn’t alright. Mentally, that is.
I quickly checked my status window. How many points had I put into Durability?
Durability 366. Bonus Stats 28. I had invested exactly 93 points.
In other words, if I reached level 250 without leveling up my Martial Artist or Adventurer jobs at all, my Durability would be exactly 500. How truly fortunate… As if!
There was no way I wouldn’t level up my Martial Artist or Adventurer jobs on the way to level 250!
From now on, every time I leveled up those jobs, I’d have to think of it as a point of Durability being wasted with a certain probability.
Damn it! Daaaaaaamn it!
I fell to my knees, planting my hands on the ground in despair.
“G-Guwon-nim?! Did you hit your head when you were thrown?! I-I’m sorry! I was in such a hurry that I just…!”
Seeing my state, Silvia began to panic, not knowing what to do.
Right. What mattered is that we got through the crisis.
I couldn’t make Silvia, who had worked so hard for my sake, wear such an expression.
Think positive. Think positive.
Come to think of it, this meant I could now withstand monster attacks reasonably well, right?
I was pretty sure my Durability was now higher than Lutia’s.
So in the end, it all worked out for the… sob. I’m not the type to cry, so why are tears welling up?
“No, I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere.”
“Are you sure?”
“Phew. Yeah. I’m fine. I was just a little startled. Thanks for saving me.”
I said, forcing the brightest smile I could manage.
When I thought about it, I had brought this on myself.
I’d told Silvia I was counting on her, but when it mattered most, I hadn’t trusted her at all.
I couldn’t worry her any further after that.
What’s done is done. I shouldn’t dwell on it.
“N-No, sir. I was only doing my duty.”
Silvia said, seeming to relax now that I was acting normal. She tried to pull away slightly.
Getting shy now, are we? But I’m not letting you go!
“Hyaaa!”
“A reward. I’ll pat your head.”
“Th-That’s alri—!”
“Don’t be shy. Don’t be shy.”
I pulled Silvia into a tight hug so she couldn’t escape and ruffled her soft hair.
Then, I glanced at Matilda and said in the most insincere tone I could muster.
“Oh, and Matilda, thanks, I guess.”
“What do you mean, ‘I guess’?! ‘I guess’?! You are truly the rudest man alive!”
If I thanked you properly, you’d just start falling for me again.
You should be glad I thanked you at all. I was risking my manhood just saying that much.
Matilda stomped her feet in anger, but it couldn’t be helped. If you want to blame someone, blame your curse.
“Guwon.”
Miriel approached, having apparently carved out the magic stone in the meantime.
“Ah, sorry. I accidentally used the skill a little too early.”
The moment I saw Miriel’s face, I apologized.
The reason this was my own fault wasn’t just because I hadn’t trusted Silvia.
The whole reason they couldn’t react in time and the Ogre swung its club at us was because I had used my skill prematurely.
“No. I’m glad you’re safe. I was worried I’d have to break my promise to protect you again.”
It seemed Miriel hadn’t even come over to reprimand me.
Even though she must have known this happened because I used my skill earlier than expected.
Maybe she was a better person than I thought.
…Though she does eat men.
“What, did you get scared by a Transcendent Species?”
And Alicia was as simple-minded as I thought.
Right. You just keep living like that.
“Well then, Guwon. If you would.”
“Hm? Do what?”
“That won’t fit in our pouches either.”
Miriel pointed to a dark red pillar in the distance.
W-Wait a minute. I’m already in a state of mental shock, taking another hit right now is a little…
“Don’t you run away. It’s not like you have anywhere to go.”
Alicia grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and started dragging me toward the pillar.
Let go! Let me go! Damn it! How is a woman this strong?! Where’s your femininity?! Femininity!
If only I had put my bonus stats into Strength… but now I only have 28 bonus stats left… sniffle.
In the end, I was forced by Alicia to touch the Transcendent Ogre’s penis.
“Ugh. I’ve been forcibly defiled by Alicia.”
“Wh-What the hell are you saying! Stop talking nonsense! Are you just trying to find an excuse to touch my boobs again?”
“Yeah. So take off your armor right now.”
“Y-You psycho! Get lost!”
My bold declaration seemed to fluster Alicia, and she pushed me away.
Why are you acting so out of character?! If you’re not going to let me touch them, don’t even bring it up!
Anyway, after dealing with the remains of the Transcendent Ogre, we arrived at a campsite not far from where the battle had taken place.
A large, flat rock was embedded in the ground at an angle, serving as a natural roof and a rear wall. It was a spacious area, large enough for that Transcendent Ogre to have made its territory.
We pitched our tents there and, despite the early hour, decided to camp for the night.
Once again, Silvia, Matilda, and I were excused from night watch duty.
“Hey. Since you’re not standing watch, make sure you get some proper rest.”
Alicia said to me before I headed into my tent after dinner.
“Hmm? Why? Are you jealous? That you don’t have a man to sleep with, while I always have a woman to sleep with?”
“Wh-What the hell! That’s not it! If I wanted a man to sleep with, I could find plenty of them back up top!”
“I’m sure you could. Men who would literally only sleep with you, I bet. Pfft.”
“You… you son of a…!”
“Well, excuse me!”
I quickly escaped into the tent before Alicia could explode.
Heh. That was my revenge for her defiling my hand earlier.
Inside the tent, Silvia was already waiting, sitting there blankly with her armor off, a nervous expression on her face.
“G-Guwon-nim. Um… are we doing it again today?”
“Yep. Don’t worry. You were amazing today, so as a reward, I’ll make it even better than usual.”
“I-Is that so…”
At that, Silvia’s face clouded over with despair.
She really is cute.
Well, I was actually joking.
Yesterday was a total failure, so today I needed to level up properly.
I had already thought of a countermeasure for that.
“Alright, Silvia. Shall we get undressed?”
“Uuuh… yes…”
Silvia slowly stood up and, just like yesterday, began to take off her clothes.
Heh. She says that, but her underwear is already wet. Cute.
I decided to tease her a little.
Once we started for real, I wouldn’t be able to, so a little teasing beforehand should be fine.
“When did you get wet?”
“Auu… th-that’s…”
“What’s wrong? Is it a secret you can’t even tell me?”
“Uuuu… when… when you came in, Guwon-nim…”
“You were looking forward to it, weren’t you?”
“Hahh… y-yes…”
Silvia’s face turned beet red, as if it were about to catch fire.
Maybe I should stop teasing her now. I couldn’t delay the leveling up too much.
“Here, come here.”
I quickly stripped and pulled Silvia down to sit on top of me.
“Haaah… nngh… uuuungh…”
Just like yesterday, entering her was easy.
Silvia’s wet entrance smoothly accepted me, clinging to me.
Now, this was the important part.
I was a man who could learn from his mistakes.
The cause of yesterday’s failure was nothing else but this: when Silvia held on longer than expected, I got excited and tried to maximize my leveling efficiency by mentally stimulating her to feel more pleasure.
I had already learned that if I used skills to give physical pleasure, it became harder for her to focus mentally, so she wouldn’t feel enough to faint.
So today, I would use my skills to stimulate her purely physically.
The pleasure Silvia felt might be a little less than with mental stimulation, but even if it wasn’t enough to make her faint, it was still more than enough.
It would be far more efficient for leveling up to give her a steady stream of pleasure at that intensity without her fainting, rather than having her faint and waiting for her to wake up.
I immediately used all my skills that directly induce pleasure, like Saint's Sincerity and Saint's Holy Water.
I’ll stimulate every part of her body and drive her out of her mind.
Then she won’t feel enough pleasure to faint, right? A perfect plan.
“Eh?! Gu- hhaat! Th- ah, no! Th- th- this is strange! Hngh!”
But my plan went wrong from the very beginning.
The moment I used several skills at once, Silvia fainted as if she couldn’t handle it.
“Silvia?! Silvia?! Wh-what the?!”
I’m sure this didn’t make her faint last time!
And it wasn’t even that long ago. It was the day before we entered the dungeon, so the only thing that’s changed since then is… my Charm… which I raised… by 95 points… I’m screwed.
Faced with a level of physical pleasure far greater than before, the unaccustomed Silvia had fainted instantly.
Worse, it seemed the pleasure wasn’t enough to bring her to climax, because this time, she didn’t even finish.
Damn it. Is today just not my day?