Chapter 25
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After that, I gave Kureha plenty of affection, and just as I thought she hadn't experienced much pleasure until today. Right now she's fast asleep and is hugging my arm while in a defenseless state. She's got an expression that shows she trusts me.
Kureha hasn't understood the difference between l.u.s.t and feelings of love, so she is misunderstanding that her feelings towards me are love. She's convinced that wanting the body means that she loves me.
It's a common illusion for women that experience s.e.x for the first time. Although I had predicted it would be like this, Kureha was addicted to it more than I had expected. While Kureha still has utility value, I should let her have a dream.
So that I don't wake up Kureha, I cautiously untangle my arm. I ma.s.sage her b.o.o.bs that are small but have good shape; the feeling of her skin that sort of sticks to me is irresistible. I look at Kureha with my【Jade Eyes】.
"Well, that's about right." (Kearuga)
Her level limit rose. It's an obvious result considering I poured in plenty of it. I'll need to think hard about whether there are any problems to make her stronger from now on. While thinking I should sleep, the door opens.
"Kearuga-sama, I thought you would be hungry, so I brought some food." (Setsuna)
"Thanks Setsuna." (Kearuga)
The girl from the ice wolf race with white ears and tail, Setsuna had turned up. She was holding a tray in her hands which had stew and bread on it. I'm grateful because my stomach is empty after exercising.
"Kearuga-sama, it would be a good idea to be careful with that woman." (Setsuna)
Setsuna muttered that while looking at Kureha with cold eyes.
"What, are you jealous?" (Kearuga)
I put on a bitter smile. Setsuna is my property, but she has feelings more than just that for me. It's not weird for her to be jealous at Kureha.
"Setsuna is jealous. But Setsuna is Kearuga-sama's slave. Setsuna isn't conceited enough to think that I can monopolize Kearuga-sama." (Setsuna)
"That's a good mental att.i.tude. As expected of my property." (Kearuga)
She properly knows her standing. My contract with Setsuna is that kind of contract. To save the ice wolf race, Setsuna entrusted her all to me.
If she pretends to be my lover and makes me feel unpleasant, training will be necessary. I bring the soup Setsuna brought to my mouth. It enters my empty stomach and I think. What exactly is Setsuna worried about?
"…Kearuga-sama, Setsuna is worried about how Kureha seems to be a very serious woman. She won't be satisfied unless she dedicates her everything and won't be content unless she knows everything about the person she's in love with. She will confirm the love from the man she fell for by checking how much time the other person spent for her and is the type to stake her life for the other person to do that." (Setsuna)
"Bu-!?" (Kearuga)
Because of the excessively unexpected words, I accidentally spilled the soup inside of my mouth.
"… How do you know that? Not much time has past since you met her and you haven't even properly talked to her." (Kearuga)
Even I wasn't feared of that, so I wonder why Setsuna is worried about it,
"One of my acquaintances really resemble her. That's why I'm being cautious. It's fine while she's playing, but once Kureha becomes serious, it will be troublesome." (Setsuna)
"I don't think that will happen. Kureha is mentally an adult after all." (Kearuga)
Cold sweat runs down. Once I think about whether it will end in just playing or not, I realize I've pa.s.sed a line that shouldn't be pa.s.sed as if it was a trivial matter. That being said, this is just Setsuna's imagination. Although I tried making Kureha love me, it would probably end with simple fear that she was going to restrain me. … Just in case, I should be careful.
"I've received your warning. Also, I'm sorry for not being able to accompany you tonight." (Kearuga)
"Yeah. Setsuna isn't at a standing that can say complaints. But I'm still happy that Kearuga-sama is thinking about that. I want you to include today's portion when you make love to me tomorrow." (Setsuna)
Setsuna comes closer, so I stroke her head and kiss her.
The reason why I was having a s.e.xual relations.h.i.+p with Setsuna is to raise her level limit. However, nowadays she enjoys this kind of conduct with me as well. She's saying these cute words, so I will definitely enjoy tomorrow with Setsuna.
I suddenly sense someone looking at me. When I look in that direction, all I see is Kureha sleeping with a peaceful face. Oh, it was just my imagination huh. Although we couldn't eat dinner with everyone, we will eat breakfast with everybody.
The next morning, Kureha and I adjusted our appearance and headed to the dining table. … Before that I was exploited by Kureha though. It was surprising to see Kureha be that a.s.sertive and I couldn't even imagine her servicing me
Although I was supposed to be affectionate to Setsuna, I failed. I'll bear in mind to recover even by a bit.
Since I couldn't eat dinner with everyone from hustling too much, I decided to eat breakfast with everyone instead. Because we are going to be talking about various things other people shouldn't hear, we asked for them to bring the food to our room instead of the dining table.
Kureha didn't eat dinner yesterday and is very hungry, so I paid additional fees for our breakfast and they prepared something quite extravagant. Plenty of bacon was laid out on a big plate with a large serving of vegetables and scrambled eggs bittersweetly fried. The rest was a soup that had bread, meat sc.r.a.ps and vegetable sc.r.a.ps. Although the appearance is bad, the taste and nutrition is outstanding.
What I'm bothered about is that Kureha has stuck her body closely to mine and has been holding my hand ever since we woke up. … I did intend to make her depend on me, but she's completely treating me like a lover.
"Kureha, isn't it hard to eat like this?" (Kearuga)
"Th-, that's true. I'm sorry." (Kureha)
While having a red face, Kureha lets go of my hand. While letting go of my hand, she looked at it with reluctant eyes.
"Kearuga-sama…, Keare-sama. There is rubbish stuck on your head. Please come here for a moment." (Setsuna)
Doing as she says, I went closer to Setsuna and had the rubbish taken off. Incidentally, the reason she corrected my name to Keare is because Kureha is here. In front of Kureha, I requested her to call Freya Flare and me as Keare.
"Yeah. I got it. Keare-sama, please sit." (Setsuna)
I take a seat just as Setsuna offered me. That seat was in the middle of Freya and Setsuna. For a moment, Kureha pouts. That being said, she seemingly didn't plan on saying any complaints in this situation and we all arrive at the dining table.
"I've become hungry, so let's quickly start eating. Please sit Kureha. You would want to talk about a lot of things as well." (Freya) (TL Note: Please keep in mind that she's always talking politely, because sometimes I translate and the sentence ends up sounding very not princess-like if you get what I mean.)
Freya who is acting like princess Flare raises a bright voice, and it feels like the heavy atmosphere became lighter. That was a good timing. I'll have you let me take advantage of that.
"That's true, let's start our meal." (Kearuga)
"Yeah. Today's meal looks delicious." (Setsuna)
And then, a cute sound was made. Guuuuuu. It's the sound of Kureha's stomach. Her white skin turned completely red and with a voice that sounded like a mosquito singing…
"I've also become hungry, so let's have our meal." (Kureha)
Like that, our meal calmly started.
For a little while, we continued eating our meal while chatting to each other. Particularly Setsuna and Kureha ate a lot.
To make a strong body, nutrition intake is necessary. Once everyone had finished eating, I looked towards Kureha and opened my mouth.
"Kureha, there's something I want you to tell me. Recently, the kingdom soldiers have been intruding Ra.n.a.litta, so I want to know what their objective is." (Kearuga)
Kureha's face becomes serious, probably because she knows the reason and I'm involved in it.
"They have two objectives. One is to find the swordsman who killed the soldiers that tried to protect the village of the ice wolf race… which is the outwards appearance they put on. The other one is to find Keare, the hero of healing. I think you have noticed as well, but they found out the hero of healing they had imprisoned in the kingdom was an imposter. Therefore, they dispatched soldiers to find the real hero of healing." (Kureha)
"That's just as I expected. However, why here?" (Kearuga)
It's a mystery as to why they sent large-scale military power to this town. It's as if they took this action because they knew I was in this town from the start. That's what I'm bothered about. I didn't do anything stupid like leaving behind traces that let people find me, I changed both my face and name, I kept my healing magician cla.s.s a secret and behaved as an alchemist.
"This is just my deduction, but since Ra.n.a.litta is a town for outlaws and criminals, they might've thought it would be the optimum place for you to blend into. Besides, there were also a rumour as well." (Kureha)
"A rumour?" (Kearuga)
"Yes. A rumour about a healing magician that could heal an incurable disease being in this town. From the start, there was the story of a swordsman that killed lots of their soldiers in one go, so even if that rumour was false, they could still daringly send in a lot of soldiers to deal with the swordsman. … Just as I thought though, it seems the rumour was just nonsense. In reality, it was just an amazing alchemist making medicine." (Kureha)
"Thanks for telling me, it can be used for reference." (Kearuga)
It seems that I've dug my own grave. I thought medicine would be fine, but it seems that was the cause for the soldiers of the kingdom to be called over.
"But how do they plan on finding me? They should have known that I can change my appearance." (Kearuga)
After all, the imperial guard captain I used as my sacrifice is coming for me. The fact that I can change my own appearance or figure should be within their a.s.sumptions. In that case, how can they find me?
"They are bringing a large quant.i.ty of appraisers, and are planning to capture every single person who is a healing magician. After all, even if you can change your appearance, you can't change your name." (Kureha)
"That's quite the extravagant method." (Kearuga)
An appraiser is expensive, and because it has credibility, it's possible to use as for identification papers. Therefore, I carry around my appraiser that I've falsified with magic. That being said, I would rather avoid using an appraiser right before the soldier's eyes. Performing a falsification in a short amount of time is harsh, so if I was asked to do it on the spot, they would easily find out my real name. At least in Ra.n.a.litta, I've put an absolute condition to not use【Recovery Heal】in public. As always, I should claim to be an alchemist.
"That's certainly extravagant. However, if it's to capture the criminal who killed princess Flare, the royal family would take out as much money or people they need. … No, that's wrong. In this case, it's to capture Keare who found out the darkness of the kingdom." (Kureha)
Kureha who implicitly believed our made-up story is strangely reading too much into it. It's okay. That won't happen.
"Anyways, just be careful. It seems the outside is quite noisy." (Kearuga)
The window is rattling and it sounds like someone shouting. When I look outside, I see a recognizable face. It's one of my acquaintances from my village, and he's being crucified. In his surroundings, soldiers from the kingdom were there.
Looking at that, I can mostly understand what happened. I see, so this is…
"Revenge and bait to call me out." (Kearuga)
What the shouting voice is saying is that if Keare, the hero of healing doesn't come out, this guy will be publicly executed. Similar things must be happening in other towns as well. My village has already been destroyed, my acquaintances were sent off to different towns and are most likely made to become bait to call me out.
As I thought, the kingdom is full of s.h.i.+t. Even though I was planning to peacefully leave the town this time. If this kind of thing is done to me, I won't be satisfied unless I find the ringleader and have revenge on him.
"Keare-sama, you have a face of enjoyment." (Setsuna)
"That not true. I'm sad and angry." (Kearuga)
Ah, the village I love so much has been destroyed and my acquaintances are being made to be examples, so there's no way I would be delighted. Inside my chest, hot anger is blazing brightly. Certainly, the corners of my mouth are raised, but I haven't laughed or anything.
While being cautious about the surroundings, I view the situation and think about how I can locate and come close to the ringleader.