Chapter 225 – Ronye (5)

– Ugh.

In a dark room. Only the sound of the magic stone illuminating the room echoed quietly.

Terrified, Ronye was pinned in a corner.

Ronye wedged the staff between his thighs and hugged both his knee and staff at the same time. His skirt was rolled up, exposing his sweaty underpants.

I lowered my gaze.

‘…Whew.’

I felt like I was going insane.

Parts I didn’t normally pay attention to suddenly appeared erotic.

Discarded sneakers, black ankle socks that seemed to emit a faint mist. The wiggling of his cute toes was driving me crazy.

My vocabulary seemed to deteriorate in an instant. I couldn’t stop my eyes from roaming as I felt my sanity slowly slipping away.

– Shivering.

Ronye trembled upon meeting my gaze.

From the top of the foot where delicate veins are visible, past the prominent ankle bone, to the shapely calves and thighs.

Transparent sweat trickled down her thighs like a tantalizing tease. The dim glow of the electric light mixed with the sweat, casting a sheen on her thighs.

It was as though her supple thighs were coated in sugar syrup.

*Gulp.*

A defensive posture, hunched like a wary cat. Intoxicating.

Marronnier had a more delicate, slender body than anyone else he had encountered.

Her waist was so thin. Wouldn’t one arm be enough to encircle it? The same could be said for her forearms and neck.

Yet, her body couldn’t be considered non-erotic, for her thighs were incredibly soft. Look at the subtle way her buttocks pressed against the floor tiles. Her thighs, too, were fleshy and full in contrast to her narrow waist. They were magical thighs, endowed with ample fat from endless hours spent sitting and studying at a desk.

By now, after a long walk, her thighs would be dampened with sweat and bodily fluids.

Her small, swollen breasts jutted forward with each movement she made. It was like watching dinosaurs leap out of the screen in a 3D movie – I almost reached out without even realizing it.

If we continue to lock eyes like this, something big is bound to happen.

“…Won’t you share the reward?”

Marronnier said with a face on the verge of tears.

“Reward. Ah yes, reward. We must share it.”

I slapped my cheek to calm my dizzy head.

– Snap!

My head vibrated roughly, and my brain trembled. It provided a slight sense of relief.

“Why are you acting like that all of a sudden?”

Marronnier clung tightly to the staff, who was visibly shaken by my erratic behavior, like a protective spouse.

“…It’s nothing.”

I’m going crazy wanting to have you.
As if I could ever say something like that and not face consequences.

I took a deep breath to steady myself and headed towards the center.

Three bags and three sleeping bags.

Inside the bag, there was enough food prepared to satisfy three people for an entire day.

If rationed, it could provide sustenance for three days.

I handed a backpack to Marronnier.

“Since we’ll be here for just a day… Let’s each take one and finish this one today. What do you think?”

She nodded without responding. I handed her a sleeping bag, which she hesitantly accepted, barely touching my hand.
And then there was the single box.

-Squeak.

Upon opening it, I found various potions and artifacts inside.

Let’s see. It seems we need to know the purpose of the artifacts. There are three mana and three stamina potions each.

I took four potions out of the box and handed them to her.

“…Are you giving me this much?”

Marronnier, who received the potions, asked cautiously.

Her face, both delighted and fearful, twisted adorably.

Instead of averting my gaze, I lifted the artifact.

“I’ll take this one instead.”

Upon inspection, it was a location tracker capable of pursuing a single novice.

An invaluable item for Marronnier and me as teammates. Marronnier swallowed and nodded her approval.

The artifact was excellent, but the magic potion she held was no less significant. For mages, it was an essential tool in time-sensitive situations.

I placed two potions and the artifact in my bag and set it in the corner of the room. Marronnier followed suit.

All that remained were a backpack and a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag was something we both lacked, so I took the backpack and fetched the food inside.

“Phew.”

Another warm breath escaped my lips.

“Are you going to eat?”

-Growl-

Marronnier’s cheeks reddened.

“…Yes.”

My body grew hot as I listened to the voice.
The nerves throughout my body seemed to be on edge, becoming sensitive, and my lower regions tingled gently.

*Thump*.

I resisted the sensations, focusing on unpacking the food items one by one. Each type was different, so although it was uncomfortable, it seemed better for Marronnier and me to gather around and eat together.

Ciabatta bread and fresh fruit. Cheese and biscuits. A steak imbued with preservation magic.

*Swish. Swish*.

I spoke to Marronnier while using the knife from my backpack to slice the fruit.

“Where do you keep your staff? It must be inconvenient; just hang it anywhere.”

I had already hung my staff next to the bag.

Marronnier appeared to ponder for a while, but upon seeing my face through the mask, they slowly lowered their guard. I understand how you feel – I’m trying my best here as well.

Marronnier might not have realized my breathing was unusual.
Perhaps that’s why they felt threatened.

*Tap. Tap*.

I sliced the apple and placed it in a bowl, offering it to Marronnier. With a conflicted expression, he carefully picked up a piece and took a bite, audibly crunching.

Could it be due to the sweetness? The corners of his timid mouth slowly rose.

As I ate, I felt a bit more at ease than before.

“Let’s eat now.”
“…Thank you.”

A shy yet slightly guarded voice came through the translator. Marronnier was a short distance away, supporting himself on the floor as he raised his hips and inched about 10 centimeters closer.

Our mealtime together was incredibly quiet.

*Crack.*

He chewed his biscuit, mechanically moving his jaw.

*Crunch.*

An apple piece went into his mouth. Before he could swallow it, he stuffed some meat inside as well.

With no conversation exchanged between Marronnier and me, we simply satisfied each other’s hunger.

During the meal, she continued to steal glances at me, her expression a complicated mix of emotions.

* * * * * * * * * *

Marronnier, now able to control her grown-up inherent abilities, immediately read Lee Si-heon’s thoughts.

This guy. Even while eating, he’s entertaining lewd thoughts.

A shiver ran through her entire body.

The eyes behind the mask seemed cold and distant. He appeared to be grappling with some great inner turmoil, his pupils trembling. The man sat with his legs crossed, shaking them restlessly.

Could there be a reason for such distraction?

Marronnier stuffed food into her mouth as quickly as a hamster.

She bit into cheese and bread, her cheeks filling up until her jaw could barely move. As she ate hastily, the man behind the mask, who had been watching her, narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you eating so hastily?”

Marronnier’s hand, clutching the bread, froze.

To Marronnier, who had lost her senses, the words felt like a stern warning.

Should she spit it out?

“Ugh.”

“Don’t spit it back out. Just eat what you’ve already put in your mouth.”

She forced what she had been about to spit out back into her mouth.

“Hic.”

She hiccuped, mid-bite, still holding the bread.

Devoid of any elegance or beauty, her dignity had vanished without the camera and her wits about her.

-Gulp.

At the end of the meal, Marronnier rubbed her full belly and inwardly lamented.

‘I feel like I’m going to be sick…’

What if that person genuinely intends to attack her? She would have to respond with rigorous measures. But what if she fails?

-Gulp.

Could her imagination become a reality…?

Once again, huddled in the corner of the room, Marronnier stared intently at Lee Si-heon.

He had been breathing uncomfortably and shifting his body from side to side for some time.

Marronnier kept a cautious eye on him.

A distracted man wearing a white mask. Lowering his gaze, his crotch appeared swollen beneath his trousers.

– Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Her heart raced. Sweat broke out all over her body.

The dark eyes of the man gazed at her, shrouded behind the mask. He seemed to be trying his best to avoid her gaze, constantly diverting his eyes elsewhere.

His body quivered as if he were desperately trying to suppress something.

‘…….’

For some reason, she felt as if he resembled a pitiful puppy. Was it just her mood?

‘…Still, he didn’t do anything during our meal. He even peeled the apples for me.’

Suddenly, this thought flashed through Marronnier’s mind.

Gasp.

Startled, she shook her head from side to side. Her pigtails swayed with the motion.

‘No, no.’

My cheeks are burning. Time to regain our composure.

Lee Si-heon’s behavior was spine-chilling even at a glance. The engraved DNA within his body rebelled against it. Marronnier gripped her staff more tightly, fixing him with a glare.

The tension stretched on for an agonizingly long time.

It occurred to me that not even thirty minutes had passed since I entered this room. And yet, we were to spend the entire day together like this. If we had been in the midst of clearing the dungeon, perhaps I could have averted my gaze elsewhere.

But this place was reserved for just the two of us.

“Whew…”

Marronnier could feel her heart pounding with fear.

‘…Why am I like this?’

A sudden question arose.

Had I ever been this afraid of someone before?

Thinking back, the sign I saw at the entrance of this dungeon mentioned that one’s temperament would become more potent. Temperament – a faint reflection of a person’s identity within a paragraph. It was from that moment that Lee Si-heon’s movements had grown increasingly unsettling.

Marronnier gradually regained her senses.

‘Could it be because of that?’

Could someone change so drastically just because of their temperament?

If her hypothesis was correct, it meant that the man was now forcibly suppressing his instincts. Marronnier felt as if a terrifying cloak had been peeled away.

‘…’

Nonetheless, it was still frightening.

Even when a rabbit musters courage, it remains a small rabbit. It can only express its fear by trembling its white, furry hips.

Even if the man wasn’t originally like that, the fact that he could potentially harm himself didn’t change.

She held onto her staff and pondered.

A coward. He was so strongly affected that he became aware of a temperament he hadn’t realized before. What about the man’s temperament, then?

“…Y-you, you. Are you like this because of your temperament?”

Marronnier asked him with a quavering voice.

– He nodded.

Answer. Lee Si-heon nodded without responding, seemingly struggling.

Marronnier’s emotions grew increasingly complex.

“Pervert… is that your nature? Really?”
“Yes, it is.”
“How could that be… Do you usually… have lewd thoughts?”

She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask this now, but as she inquired about the man’s condition, the topic naturally drifted in that direction.

“No, today in particular.”

The man’s voice echoed calmly through the room.

Still, communication wasn’t entirely impossible.

‘…If I can persuade him well, I might avoid harsh treatment.’

Marronnier swallowed nervously.

In her entire life, she had never felt as shaken as she did at this moment. A dubious game that would immediately pounce on her if persuasion failed.

She tried to keep a positive mindset.

“Ugh.”

The man appeared utterly exhausted in her eyes.

“…Are you okay?”
“Don’t talk to me.”

I expressed my concern, but he responded gruffly. His hesitant eyes scanned every corner of his body.

His body shuddered once, and as I saw Lee Si-heon avert his gaze again, I could sense the depth of the torment he was harboring.

‘Is there no solution?’

By this point, I was becoming worried.

Setting down her staff, Marronnier slyly raised her hips and took a step closer to the man.

Her sweat-drenched hair swayed before the man’s eyes.

“Don’t come any closer.”

The man overreacted.

“But you… You’re in such a terrible state right now…”
“How about just trying to sleep? You’ll be in real trouble otherwise.”

Frowning, Lee Si-heon removed his mask as if his head was burning with fever. His revealed face looked truly agonized.

“Ah… Damn.”

With an unintelligible curse, he roughly tousled his hair.

Both Marronnier’s and Lee Si-heon’s faces turned deathly pale. If anything, the person in front of her appeared to be in even greater anguish.

“…Uh, should I try using magic? Perhaps some kind of purification spell might work.”

Marronnier took a step closer to him. In that instant, his suddenly focused gaze locked onto her body.

Her pure blue eyes and the valley of her sweat-drenched collarbones.

Had she ignored his warning?

– Whoosh.

“…!”

His hand shot out at an imperceptible speed, seizing her shoulder.

“Ugh!”

Shivering, Marronnier’s shoulders trembled as she gasped for breath in that fleeting moment. Her body was suddenly flipped over.

– Thud!

His hand smacked down on the floor beside Marronnier’s ear.

As she regained her senses, she realized that she lay beneath him, unable to offer any resistance.

With eyes like a beast, they gazed as if licking their own cheeks.

Terrifying.

“…Hic.”

Marronnier, her hair disheveled and tear-streaked, let out a hiccup. The wind had toppled her top, revealing her small navel.