Passing the shattered corpse hit by an overcharged Fireball, I approach the Sin Wolf.
“Relatively intact.”
I saw it catch fire, but only the hide is slightly singed, almost pristine. Even a direct hit to the head didn’t seem to crush the skull.
It’s not breathing, yet it looks like it might spring back to life.
If I’d only half-charged those two shots, it could’ve been dangerous. I’m amazed by the beast’s unexpected toughness.
I need to take this corpse to be recognized as passing.
How do I move it? Into the inventory?
I try storing it, but there’s no reaction from interaction.
Why?
The hide, eyes, or teeth are valuable items.
Is it because it’s just an unprocessed corpse?
After some thought, I get a good idea.
I pull out the Eight-Colored Giant Clam.
Even if it’s not recognized as an item for storage, I can leave it in the clam castle for a bit.
I move the Sin Wolf’s corpse to the clam castle’s warehouse, then return.
Mission complete.
I head to the cliff base where Isti is.
“Isti, how’s Karen?”
“She hasn’t regained consciousness, but her breathing’s stable.”
“Thanks for watching her. Can you wait at the Water and Grass Inn? I’ll bring this guy back.”
“Sure.”
Isti steps lightly and k!sses me.
“I’m glad I could protect Decal. I’ll be waiting for your return.”
“Isn’t it tiring? Wanna wait in the clam castle?”
“Not if it’s not with Decal.”
She’s surprisingly firm.
“Why? The bed’s soft and nice.”
“Because I can’t rush out to protect Decal if needed.”
“Oh.”
Right.
I was shortsighted.
The clam castle is an isolated world. No wind reaches it, and no one leaves without my permission.
Since I don’t know when I’ll need Isti’s help, we should move together.
“You’re right. I’ll call you if it gets dangerous.”
I k!ss Isti.
“Come back safe.” Isti walks toward the forest and vanishes.
Her movements, invisible until now, briefly flash in my sight.
Is it because I grew stronger after killing the Sin Wolf?
The world feels slightly different.
“Yeah…”
Karen opens her eyes.
I sit beside her, helping her b0dy up.
“You okay?”
“I…!”
Karen, pale, frantically checks her b0dy.
“You’re fine. Nothing happened to your b0dy.”
I comfort her, naturally holding her.
Relieved by my words, Karen leans into me.
“What about them? What happened to the Sin Wolf?”
“I killed it. You wanted to be a hero candidate, right? Congrats.”
“Huh? Huh?”
Karen blinks in disbelief, questioning.
“How?”
“Thanks to you buying time, I hit it with a Fireball and killed it.”
“I didn’t do anything to earn hero candidate status…”
“Nothing? We executed the plan perfectly. You protected my b0dy, I took down the beast. Right?”
“…”
She still looks troubled, unconvinced.
Fair enough—everything ended while she was unconscious, so doubts are natural.
I gently stroke Karen’s head in my arms.
“Big Bro?”
“Think of it this way: if I was the knight sworn to protect you, and you were the mage. If our roles were reversed…Would you say I don’t deserve it?”
Karen shakes her head.
“Exactly. You risked your life to protect me, did your part. You can hold your head high now.”
“I see, I…sob!” Karen sheds tears. “I couldn’t have done it without Big Bro. Big Bro, Big Bro…!”
Karen clings to me tightly.
Our chests press together, feeling good.
“Let’s head back to the guild. I stored the Sin Wolf in the inventory. We’ll need proof of mission completion, so let’s show it at the guild.”
“Yeah!”
Karen springs up energetically.
“Huh? But I wasn’t injured? I thought I had a massive wound. Like my stomach was torn open…”
It was torn open… but let’s not say that.
“I healed you. Had some good medicine.”
“Hmm~? …Feels like Big Bro did everything from start to finish.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
Karen grins brightly, showing her teeth.
“I helped too, right?”
“Yeah.”
Honestly, even I was moved, a bit.
When else would someone risk their life to protect me?
Coming to this world, experiencing this—it’s thrilling and fun.
“The biggest help was these b00bs, though.”
Feeling playful, I slip my hand under Karen’s b00bs, lifting them.
She flinches, hunching her shoulders. But she doesn’t pull away, not seeming to mind.
“Ugh. You like my b00bs that much? …Fine, Big Bro, have at my b00bs. Touch them whenever you want.”
“Really?”
“Not when people are watching.”
I knead Karen’s b00bs.
It’s always a thrill.
“How long are you gonna keep touching!?”
“Can I keep touching on the way back?”
“No way.”
“You said they’re my b00bs… I can touch whenever I want…”
“We’re not even dating or anything. This isn’t okay. I must’ve been out of it. Cancelled!”
Karen seems weak to slow caresses.
Maybe it’s the lingering effect of the hypnosis I released, or the bond from fighting together, but her resistance to physical touch has noticeably weakened.
What hypnosis should I try next?
“Shall we head back?”
“Yeah! My b0dy feels weirdly great. If a beast shows up on the way, I’ll protect Big Bro.”
“The medicine must’ve worked well.”
Good thing Karen isn’t suspicious. It’d be awkward if she pressed for details.
Let’s bury what just happened quietly in my chest.
I have no regrets, but murder is murder. It’s not something to brag about.
Even for someone like me, who’s used hypnosis for all sorts of deception and control, killing hasn’t been casual.
This is the first time in this world I’ve directly harmed someone. It’s also the first time someone I don’t know tried to kill me.
Everything’s new.
New doesn’t always mean good.
I’m only now realizing a new life has begun in this world.
“It’s getting late. Reporting today might be tough.”
I forgot Dry Village and the Black Forest are a four-hour one-way trip.
Walking from the forest, without the wind spirit, I’d have collapsed long ago.
Karen looks pretty tired too.
“Then I’ll head to the inn where Big Bro is tomorrow morning.”
“Cool. See you tomorrow.”
“Wait.”
Karen grabs me as I turn.
“Huh?”
“Earlier, about my b00bs… if we date, you can do whatever…”
“Decal?”
Oh, it’s Isti.
Isti spots us and approaches.
“Why’re you guys out here?”
“So I can feel Darling’s breeze.”
Has she been standing here all day?
Come to think of it, Isti covered that four-hour one-way trip in a flash.
How?
Maybe the kingdom’s capital, where she spent a day traveling, is insanely far too?
All sorts of thoughts hit me.
“Darling…”
Karen, mulling over Isti’s words, looks crestfallen.
…That’s probably what she was getting at earlier.
“You two already met, right? Can I introduce you to Karen?”
“…”
Isti stares at Karen with a serious face.
Karen, unusually tense, clamps her m0uth shut and waits.
“If Decal wants to.”
“Sounds like you’re totally against it…”
Then Karen steps forward.
“We met in the forest during the orc outbreak. Sorry for back then! I’m Karen, hero aspirant.”
Isti’s clearly putting up a wall, but Karen steps up and greets her boldly.
“How’s that?”
“…Fine.”
“This is Isti. Diamond-rank hunter, elf, and my lover.”
“…Lover.”
Isti sidles up, pressing close.
Jealousy kicks in at the perfect time.
Karen’s lonely expression is amusing, but Isti’s reaction is fun too.
“Isti doesn’t like her name thrown around. Just watch that.”
“I’ll be careful. Can I call you Isti…?”
“Just Isti. I’ll call you Karen.”
Karen nods lightly.
“Got it, Isti.”
“Isti and I will be at the Water and Grass Inn. Come by in the morning.”
“Got it, Big Bro.”
Late at night, Karen has to head back to her place alone.
Before meeting Isti, I’d have walked her back, but things have shifted.
Isti’s my lover; Karen’s a mission comrade.
Priorities are clear.
“Let’s go, Isti.”
“Mm.”
I teasingly cling to Isti more than needed, egging Karen on.
Karen can’t hide her feelings at all. Her unresolved thoughts from earlier spill onto her face.
Tomorrow’s gonna be interesting.
Right now, I just want to crash.
We book a room at the inn and head to the Eight-Colored Clam Castle.
As soon as we hit the hall, Bella greets me.
“Master, welcome back.”
As usual, she’s lounging on the throne, acting cocky.
“Why’re you there?”
“You said to greet you when you arrive.”
“Sitting all smug?”
“Problem?”
“Bella. Hundred squats.”
“Eek!?”
Bella jumps off the throne and starts squatting.
She remembers old orders perfectly, armpits exposed—it’s a good look.
Isti blinks, startled.
“Decal, what’s going on?”
“Let me reintroduce. This is Bella. She used to be a goddess, now my s1ave.”
“S1ave…”
“Don’t look at me like that, elf!”
Bella tries to snap back with dignity, but she’s just comical, raising and lowering her rear with arms up.
“Get along. You’re both part of the Eight-Colored Clam Castle now.”
“Fine, but can you stop this and talk?”
“Not till you finish all hundred.”
“Ugh! Master, you’re mean…!”
“I’m Isti. Goddess.”
Surprisingly, Isti introduces herself first.
“No formalities. Like Master said, I’m a s1ave. Call me Leira.”
Isti glances at me.
“It’s fine. I told you, she’s my s1ave.”
“Got it. Leira. So… why’s she exercising?”
“Hahaha!”
I burst out laughing.
Isti doesn’t know Bella’s under a compulsion command. Her innocent question hits Bella’s shame hard.
“~~~! Urgh…!”
Still, Bella can’t stop squatting, face red, shaking her rear.
“Decal? Why’re you laughing?”
“S1aves can’t defy their master’s orders. Bella loves this. Right?”
“Is that it, Leira?”
“Y-Yeah… I love it.”
I cover my m0uth, stifling laughter.
Bella glares at me mid-squat.
“You saw Bella getting it in the dress room before, right? That’s her favorite too.”
“Her favorite?”
“Yeah, she loves being stepped on or insulted so much, she became a s1ave.”
“…”
Bella probably wishes Isti would just despise her.
Isti stares at Bella with a cool, blank look.
‘Some people are like that,’ her dry gaze says.
“Isti, are you tired? Wanna wash up?”
“Yeah. Leira?”
“She loves her punishment. Leave her here.”
“~~!! Tsk!”
“Oh, Bella. Wake me up tomorrow morning. Got it?”
“I’m an alarm clock? Using me for trivial stuff like that? Unthinkable humiliation!”
Ignoring Bella’s protests, we head to the grand bath.
“…Is this really okay?”
“The world’s full of weirdos.”
“…Leira’s a weirdo.”
“Just wait. She’ll definitely come wake me tomorrow.”
The grand bath’s water is still clean, warmed to the perfect temperature.
The moment I soak, a m0an slips out.
D*mn, this is heaven. How long’s it been since a bath?
With Isti in my arms, it’s pure luxury.
“Chup. Ha. Mm~”
Like it’s natural, Isti sits in front of me, turns her head, and we k!ss.
“I knew Darling could do it.”
“Thanks to you, Isti.”
There were dangerous moments.
In that forest, I only watched for monsters, not people as enemies.
That carelessness caused a risky situation.
“Haum, chok. Chup~”
Isti half-turns, sucking my t0ngue.
“Darling, don’t trust other adventurers. People who keep their word are rare.”
“What about Karen?”
“She seems good. Above all, she protected Darling with her whole b0dy. I’m grateful.”
Trustworthy because she protected me.
Isti’s passing comment feels pretty nice.
The suggestion’s already sunk deep into her mind, affecting how she thinks.
Just a bit more…
If the hypnosis gets a little stronger, we can move to the next step.