Cursed Hero (3)
Cursed Hero (3)
I had a disease.
No, it could be called a curse.
In that it was a calamity from which I couldn't escape no matter how much I wanted to, they were one and the same.
'Even if my body changed, my fetish didn't change.......'
A fetish that felt arousal at the thought of one's woman being defiled by another man.
Because of this utterly horrific fetish, I couldn't have a proper romantic relationship in reality either.
As soon as everyone learned about my secret preference, they expressed disgust and hurried to leave my side.
Once, a guy claiming to be my girlfriend's older brother beat me up without any warning.
'At first, it was still fine though.'
It was so good I wondered if it was a dream or reality.
Because I had become the protagonist of the game, monopolizing the love of breathtaking beauties that were hard to lay eyes on in reality.
Beauty, figure, status.
A married life spent with perfect wives who possessed all three.
There was no way it wasn't fantastic.
Moreover, they weren't ordinary humans but goddesses who had descended from the heavens.
Every night, the words of love they whispered in my ear gave me a sense of accomplishment I could never have tasted in reality, where I was just a salaryman.
But that satisfaction didn't last long.
Did they say you can't rewrite a person?
No matter how much I rose from salaryman to hero, in the end I was still me.
I tried to hide it somehow, but it was useless.
Erectile dysfunction that became more frequent.
It was impossible to hide that filthy fetish of mine forever.
'Now it's really the limit.'
Eventually, on a rare day when all my beloved wives were gathered together.
Before them, I honestly confessed what I desired.
To let themselves be held by another man, not me.
Naturally, my wives were utterly shocked upon hearing that shocking confession.
And they gave their answer on the spot.
That they would never do such a thing even if it killed them.
Saying that the only man they wanted to be held by in this world was me, they laid down the law that I should never say such things again.
It was the reaction I had expected.
'I never thought none of them would mention divorce.'
I was sure they'd lose all affection for me and say it was time to part ways.
But even though they were shocked, my wives didn't try to end our relationship.
The love the goddesses held in their hearts for Ion seemed beyond my imagination.
After that, for a while my wives put on numerous events for me.
From professional counseling disguised as battle aftereffects to erotic play they wouldn't normally indulge in.
'It was all just pissing on frozen feet...'
My wives' ultimate goal was the complete and permanent removal of the Neto fetish.
They believed my curse was a type of curable disease.
If I thought treatment would actually cure it, I would have gone to the hospital long ago.
I know my own fetish best. This isn't something that disappears just because I want it gone.
Trying to uproot it half-heartedly only made it worse.
But still, I acted as if I was being cured as much as possible.
To grant my beloved wives' wishes, even if falsely.
When I no longer gave off any bad vibes, my wives mistakenly believed my fetish had completely disappeared and genuinely rejoiced.
I just went along with their happiness, cursing the curse I would have to carry for life.
Until just a moment ago, I prided myself on having hidden it perfectly.
"Demeter, why all of a sudden...?"
When I dropped the bow I was holding to the ground, Demeter moved her lips with a slightly shadowed expression.
"......Because it seems you still want it."
"Th-that's what do you mean? I no longer..."
"You don't have to hide it."
Demeter, turning her body fully toward me, gives a bitter smile.
"You still have lingering feelings, don't you?"
"Lingering feelings?"
"I saw you in the bathroom early yesterday morning, masturbating... no, comforting yourself."
Startled terribly, I reflexively flinched.
Demeter had been watching that?
I was sure I had checked that she was asleep before doing it.
"Demeter, th-that is..."
"It's fine. It must have been unavoidable. You couldn't be satisfied with just ordinary sleeping together, right?"
She was seeing right through my condition.
Was the sudden desire to practice archery also all because of this?
Because Demeter had a habit of practicing archery whenever something bad happened.
"You want to see me being held by another man... right?"
Demeter asked bluntly without beating around the bush.
But cowardly me couldn't give a clear answer to that question.
"......Would you be okay with it, Demeter?"
I answered a question with a question, cowardly passing the bomb to Demeter.
But Demeter, as if that was enough of an answer, spoke her honest feelings.
"Honestly speaking, I hate it. I don't even want to imagine mixing bodies with a man who isn't Ion. But..."
The hand holding the bow of Demeter trembled faintly.
"I hate seeing Ion suffer even more than that. If I can make Ion happy by befouling myself... I will accept it."
"Demeter..."
I bit my lip at my own patheticness. But that was all.
Words like 'you don't have to do it' or 'let's reconsider' would never come out, even if it killed me.
I could once again realize what a piece of trash I am.
Without saying anything more, I gently embraced Demeter in front of me.
Demeter, unable to hide her bitter expression, did not reject me.
"Thank you, truly."
To the Goddess of Abundance who had made a difficult decision, all I could give was a kiss filled with gratitude.
*
One week later, in a cabin bathed in starlight.
"Demeter, can you really do this?"
I asked subtly while stroking the hand of Demeter sitting beside me on the sofa.
It was almost time for the man I had chosen as her partner to arrive.
"It's okay. You don't have to worry, Ion."
"Then that's a relief..."
Even I thought it was a disgusting hypocrisy.
Perhaps 'a human wearing a beast's mask' was a phrase meant for me.
Regardless of how Demeter felt, here I was with no intention of stopping now...
Ttok ttok.
Just as I was licking my dry lips, unable to calm my nerves, a monotonous knock came from beyond the front door.
I let go of Demeter's hand and quickly ran to the front door. Without even asking who it was, I opened the door right away.
Beyond the wide-open door stood the man I had been waiting for all along.
"Greetings, Hero-nim?"
"Uh, Richard. Welcome..."
The carefully selected partner for Demeter after much deliberation.
Richard Prignato gave a genial smile and bowed to me.
"Am I a little late?"
"No, you came right on time."
"What a relief. I was so excited I didn't notice the time passing~."
"......I see."
So excited...
It wasn't a wrong statement. Considering what was going to happen in this house today, it certainly made sense.
"It's a bit chilly outside, so may I come in?"
Richard feigned an unseemly chill and asked for my permission.
I let Richard, who was lightly dressed, inside without much hesitation.
Once inside the cabin, Richard took off his shoes and immediately headed to the living room with me.
And he greeted Demeter, who was sitting demurely on the sofa, with proper manners.
"Greetings, Demeter El Lepodesia Rayhard-nim. I am Richard Prignato, who will be attending to you tonight."
"You are..."
Demeter's eyes suddenly widened as she confirmed Richard's face.
"Demeter, what's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"Ah, no, it's nothing..."
Demeter forcedly hid her startled expression and shook her head.
But she couldn't hide the fine trembling of the hands she had placed on her knees.
I pretended not to know anything, but in truth I knew it all.
What had happened between Demeter and Richard.
Because that was precisely the reason I had chosen Richard as the invited man.
"A modest house but with everything it needs. This cabin really feels Demeter-nim's elegant character, free of extravagance."
Richard glanced around briefly and slipped in a bit of flattery.
But Demeter didn't show any particular reaction and only replied curtly with 'thank you.'
It was rare for Demeter, who was always kind to everyone, to take such a cold attitude.
"Then, Hero-nim, shall we proceed as previously arranged?"
"......Yes."
I swallowed once, kkulkeok, and answered quietly.
Before today, I had met Richard alone outside and made an agreement.
It was about the few rules he had to follow as the invited man.
First, to ensure contraception.
Second, to never do anything Demeter truly hates.
Third, to never speak of today's events to anyone outside.
Richard nodded without any objection to these three rules.
Of course.
Because these minor restrictions were nothing compared to the overwhelming fortune of being able to hold a goddess.
"Demeter..."
At my call, Demeter, who had been sitting on the sofa, hesitated then rose from her seat.
Demeter, whose expression could not be called bright even as a joke, slowly moved her legs.
And soon she reached the destination I had instructed beforehand and stopped.
Demeter's destination was none other than right next to Richard.
"Then, though only briefly, I shall escort you, Goddess-nim."
"......"
Richard and Demeter, their physical distance greatly reduced, headed straight to the bedroom.
I followed the two of them silently, keeping a little distance.
But at that very moment, Richard, who was walking ahead, made an unexpected sudden move.
He naturally wrapped his arm around Demeter's slender waist.
"Eut."
Startled by the unannounced action, Demeter flinched for a moment.
But she didn't shake off Richard's hand or anything.
Richard, pressing Demeter closer to himself in that state.
Watching that, I felt my lower body slowly rise.