Chapter 84: Talent(3)
Chapter 84: Talent(3)
It was the moment Lina shattered the goat-headed idol.
The black smoke that poured out of it returned to its master.
To a man wearing a mask.
The masked man’s moniker was the Idol Worshipper.
“So you’ve returned. I thought it was a rather well-made one... to be broken so soon.”
The black smoke was sucked into the masked man’s body.
Taking a deep breath and inhaling the smoke, the man’s eyes widened.
The memories carried by the black smoke began to play in his mind. The images of Lina’s party appeared clearly to the masked man.
“So, it was your doing... hero. That explains it. But you’re even prettier than I expected.”
The masked man already knew about the hero.
He had heard the story from Barikmeteo.
Now he understood why Nassen and Furuku had struggled so much.
If she was truly the hero chosen by Elena, it would have been strange for Nassen and Furuku to handle her.
“Hmm. Is this the weak but annoying man Barikmeteo mentioned... No. Didn’t he say he might be an intermediate-level mage?”
The man’s face was also visible in the memories brought by the smoke. It was Kerry.
Seeing a handsome bastard like that surrounded by beautiful women was utterly irritating. The masked man looked at Lina in the memory.
Her very posture as she held her sword exuded the aura of a master. Her presence was on a different level.
The masked man carefully examined the memory. And he heard something interesting from Lina’s lips.
“An idol... Does she know about the idols? And she even knows my moniker, the Idol Worshipper? What the hell is this bitch?”
Lina had muttered as if she already knew of the Idol Worshipper.
But the masked man had never even seen her before. Regardless, she was without a doubt a fearsome woman.
“I can see why Barikmeteo had such a hard time.”
As expected, the hero was no ordinary woman.
Even the Empire’s First Sword wouldn’t have been that skilled at her age. Lina’s swordsmanship was that incredible.
However, he didn’t quite agree with Barikmeteo’s assessment of the man he called annoying.
“That lion-headed bastard told me to be careful of the annoying man, too.”
The annoying man looked like a little girl and didn’t seem strong at all. At least, by the standards of this world’s barbarians.
Worse, the man was hiding behind a woman with a shield. A man, of all people.
“Well... whatever that annoying man is like, it has nothing to do with me. It’s not like I’ll ever have to meet the hero anyway.”
The masked man’s job was to quietly spread idols throughout the Empire.
And when the time for the decisive battle came, all he had to do was rise up with the idols he had sown.
There was no reason to confront the fearsome hero.
The masked man started walking again to continue spreading his idols.
He had to finish his preparations before the day of the final battle arrived.
*
Kerry was led by Natasha’s hand into the forest.
He didn’t know where they were, but he guessed it was probably Natasha’s homeland.
“Natasha, how far are we going?”
“Heehee!”
Natasha just held Kerry’s hand and walked ahead.
As if she had something to show him.
Then, Natasha’s steps finally came to a halt.
Kerry saw Natasha in front of him.
When he looked to his side, Natasha was there, too.
There were two Natashas.
The Natasha in front was with some man. He was burly, covered in what looked like scary tattoos, and seemed fucking strong.
Natasha called the man Dad.
“Dad. Why can’t I fight?”
“...”
The man who looked fucking strong stared intently at Natasha.
If he’s Natasha’s father, does that make him my father-in-law? No. Get a grip! I’m not married. I’m still a bachelor!
Whew. I almost got brainwashed after hearing “Husband” and “son-in-law” so much.
This might be part of Natasha’s grand scheme.
“If I tell you not to fight, then don’t fight.”
“Why! I’m a warrior of the Maruna, too! And the daughter of the great chieftain!”
“Don’t make me repeat myself!”
“...Then I can never fight for my whole life?”
“...”
To the Maruna tribe, a warrior who doesn’t fight is nothing but an object of ridicule. No one would associate with them; they would only be met with contempt.
Knowing this, the great chieftain still told his daughter not to fight.
It wasn’t that Natasha’s father, the great chieftain, hated her.
On the contrary, he was worried about her and loved her.
She was his most precious daughter.
Natasha and the great chieftain raised their voices, arguing about whether she would fight or not. Kerry just stared at the scene.
Then, suddenly, the view around Kerry changed.
The peaceful forest was burning.
The tents where Natasha’s clan lived were also engulfed in flames. The tribespeople had turned into ghouls and attacked their own families.
The tribe, fallen into Nassen and Furuku’s trap, was brutally massacred.
“Hic... hic...”
The Natasha watching beside him let out a whimpering sound. Tears welled up in her large eyes.
“Natasha...”
He couldn’t bring himself to say it was okay.
He couldn’t tell her to be strong. The whimpering Natasha beside him began to fade.
In that moment, a new Natasha appeared, crying with her face buried in her knees.
“I couldn’t... I couldn’t protect anyone. Because I was weak... everyone died... hic... sob... I’m just a stupid girl who couldn’t do anything...”
He had finally found the real Natasha.
Natasha was crying alone inside her trauma.
Kerry slowly approached the weeping Natasha.
“Natasha?”
“...H-Husband?”
His voice had finally reached her.
“Why do you say you can’t do anything? You can still get revenge for your tribe.”
The dead don’t come back. But their deaths could be honored.
Revenge is empty?
Fuck that. That’s something only people who have gotten their revenge get to say.
“Husband... Husband... Waaaaah! Where were you! I was looking for you everywhere... Waaaaah!”
“I’m sorry. If I’d known, I would have come sooner.”
Natasha threw herself into Kerry’s arms.
The burning village began to transform back into a village of lush green.
It was time to go back for real.
As Kerry held Natasha, he saw a man in his fading consciousness.
The burly, heavily tattooed man who looked fucking strong. It was Natasha’s father.
The man stood steadfast in front of the forest, as if protecting the green village.
And for an instant, he gazed intently, as if his eyes met Kerry’s. Is he looking at me? No way, right?
“...”
Before Kerry could say anything to the man, his consciousness shifted again.
He was back in the tank full of water.
“Pwhaaah!”
[You’ve awakened, Kerry-nim. You may come out now.]
He saw Natasha, who had also opened her eyes.
Kerry held Natasha and climbed out of the tank.
The rest of the party rushed over to them.
*
After that, Natasha became completely healthy.
The message about poison addiction had vanished from his Goddess’s Eye, so he was certain.
As if to make up for all the time they couldn’t be together, Natasha clung to Kerry all day long.
“My husband saved me again. Hehe.”
“That’s enough, get off him. Natasha. How can you not bear to be apart for even a second?”
“I don’t want to. It’s my business whether I stick to my husband or not. Don’t tell me what to do.”
“For someone your age, you talk just like my rude little nephew.”
Just when I thought they were starting to get along, they go and do this. Still, it’s better than before.
Lina also seemed happy that Natasha had woken up and frequently looked after her.
“Natasha-nim. If you feel sick again, please be sure to tell me.”
“Okay, Lina-nim. Don’t worry. I’m really healthy now.”
“You have no interest in this old woman, only doting on your husband. Tsk tsk.”
“Grandmother, I’m really sorry.”
Even as Natasha apologized, she showed no sign of letting go of Kerry.
“Kerry. You say something to her, too. Isn’t she being too clingy?”
Victoria, who clearly didn’t like Natasha clinging to him, started to press Kerry as well.
Normally, Kerry would have stayed neutral, but today was different.
Seeing Natasha’s trauma had made him feel a little sorry for her.
Kerry quietly called Victoria over.
He whispered in her ear so Natasha couldn’t hear.
“Victoria. What did I say about jealousy being a bad thing?”
Victoria flinched in surprise at Kerry’s whisper.
Just last night, while they were having sex, he had scolded her for being jealous of Lina.
The memory resurfaced.
Victoria hesitated, then returned to her spot without another word.
I’m the one who keeps the peace in this party. No, wait. My dick is.
Lina said they would rest for today for Natasha’s sake. Starting tomorrow, she intended to push forward with their schedule.
Furuku might be dead, but Nassen was still out there.
Perhaps because he had seen Natasha’s trauma, Kerry found himself grinding his teeth just thinking about that bastard.
That lion-headed fucker spouted some bullshit at me, too. I won’t forget that, either.
“Husband. But when are we really going to sleep together? Does the woman really have to be the one to ask first?”
“...”
Natasha had started becoming more aggressive lately.
But if he agreed to sleep with her, it was obvious she would eventually demand a real wedding.
That would be a problem.
Besides... he had already slept with Natasha plenty.
*
Night fell.
Natasha, who had come to Kerry’s room demanding to sleep with her husband, was dragged away by Lina.
Lina is a lifesaver.
Late in the dead of night, Kerry picked up the White Witch’s Seal.
Lina had told him.
The magic circles Kerry created were anything but ordinary.
[That method for creating circles... who did you learn it from?]
[I didn’t learn it from anyone.]
[...Are you saying you created it on your own?]
[Yes. I just kind of... figured it would be more efficient this way.]
[....]
It was a very simple conversation, but the seriousness on Lina’s face meant he couldn’t just brush it off.
There isn’t a problem with the circles I made, is there?
When it came to matters of magic, asking the White Witch was best.
Kerry teleported to the White Witch’s bedroom.
A lace canopy was drawn around the White Witch’s bed. She must be sleeping. It was late, after all. Of course she’d be asleep.
Parting the white lace, he saw the White Witch sleeping peacefully. She really was beautiful.
Kerry carefully slipped into the White Witch’s bed.
He lay beside her, watching her.
A sharp nose, and lips a soft pink even without any makeup.
Her face was so small it was a wonder it could fit eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
The White Witch was truly a peerless beauty.
He was amazed at his own luck in finding her seal. It was absurd, but sometimes, he thought this world was worth living in.
“Hnnng...”
The White Witch shifted slightly.
Kerry gently pulled her into an embrace. The White Witch was on the shorter side, so she fit perfectly in his arms.
She still didn’t wake up.
What would it take to wake her?
Kerry slowly began to move his hand downward.
He slipped his right hand between the White Witch’s thighs.
With his left hand, he reached under her nightgown and touched her breast.
He rubbed her pussy and kneaded her breast.
“Haah... Hnngh...”
The White Witch let out a moan, as if in her sleep.
He thought this every time he touched her breasts, but they felt incredible in his hands.
The White Witch liked it best when he gently squeezed her breast before rolling her nipple between his fingers.
“Hnng... Haaah...”
Just like now. He didn’t forget to work on her pussy, either.
He parted the tightly closed lips of her cunt and searched for her clit.
He could find the White Witch’s clit by habit now, even without looking.
He had touched it that many times.
As he gently rubbed her clit, the White Witch shifted and moaned.
“Hnngh... Haaah... Haang...”
Her moans suddenly grew louder. Thinking she might be awake, he stopped his hands.
But the White Witch remained peacefully asleep.
She’s still not waking up? Was I too gentle?
Kerry took out his erect dick. There was no way he wouldn’t get hard while touching the White Witch’s body.
He pressed his dick, hard as a club, between her thighs. He didn’t put it inside her.
Kerry carefully rocked his dick back and forth.
Juices flowed from the White Witch’s pussy, wetting his dick. His slick dick slid back and forth between her thighs.
Her buttocks gently bumped against him. This was a little weird. Why wasn’t she waking up?
Kerry whispered into the sleeping White Witch’s ear.
“My lady witch.”
“...”
“My lady.”
“...”
“Why are you pretending to be asleep when you’re awake?”
“...”
What? Is she really asleep?
Just then, the White Witch stretched and feigned ignorance.
“Haaah... Kerry, you’re here? If you were here, you should have woken me. Why are you in my bed?”
“...”
You should at least wet your lips before you lie. No, you should wipe the juices off your pussy before you lie, my lady witch.
The White Witch’s face was bright red.