Chapter 425 – Shaving the Beard, Picking Up the Middle School Girl (3)

“I’ll set off early in the morning. I’ve planned for about a day or two, but I might return sooner.”

He spoke to Gu-seul as he packed a minimal amount of food and water into his backpack.

“Hmm… You must have taken a liking to her? You don’t even take care of your own daughter.”
“…”
“Oh, did I cross the line?”

Gu-seul, who had chided him with a cheeky tone, put a piece of well-sliced meat into her mouth.

“Um~”

She savored it with a mischievous grin.
I had the urge to snatch it away from her, but I remained still, as I was in the midst of an important task.

“Please look after things while I’m away. Yeoni is in Europe, and you’re the only one here I can rely on. No… It’s not that I trust you, but you’re the only one who does the job properly.”
“Yeoni? So that’s what you call her now… A few years ago, she was that ghostly woman, and now you’re on good terms. What exactly is going on between you two?”

“A rather intimate relationship.”
“Ah~ But saying that you fondle another woman’s breasts seems a bit much, doesn’t it?”

– Molkang!

As Gu-seul moved her arm to close her armpit, her wrist tightened.

The hand caressing her breast encountered resistance, but the movements did not cease.
Gu-seul’s body, perfectly crafted for a man’s touch, was ideal for healing purposes.

“Isn’t the way you touch a little… lewd?”

Scratching the sunken nipple with his fingers, twisting the areola, and squeezing it like milking a cow.

– Mulkyong, malang!

“…It’s okay.”

Gu-seul, still unacquainted with pleasure, furrowed her brow at the slight discomfort.

– Mulkyung!

He applied more pressure. His hand was filled with the soft flesh of a woman.

How would it seem in the eyes of others?
They might perceive him as a pathetic man, touching a woman’s breasts like a pervert as she ate, but it was an essential life activity.

“…It seems like you just want to touch them.”

Gu-seul skeptically furrowed her brow as if questioning if she could trust the situation.

“No, really.”
“What are you saying?”

– Squeeze!

“Ah!”

It wasn’t a lie. For someone with the King’s essence, their insatiable lust was always an issue. The situation was so severe, it was no laughing matter, and if the timing wasn’t right, a scenario like Marronnier’s could occur.

“…Every time you open your mouth, there’s an excuse. Ugh, stop groping me!”

Her body began to emit a faint odor. Beads of sweat formed on Gu-seul’s cheeks, and a plump stain rose above her cotton T-shirt. I removed my hand from her chest.

“That’s enough.”

At first, I considered masturbation, but I had known long ago that only contact with a female could satisfy my desires. The first time was during my sage days. Even if I appear foolish, this gives me the reason to live another day.

“Heh, did you enjoy that?”

Gu-seul put her fork down, clutched her chest, and shot me a knowing, mischievous glare.

“Wait, thinking about it, isn’t this workplace sexual harassment?”
“What?”
“Good heavens… Where do I submit my resignation, boss?”

I stare blankly.

“Ugh, I can’t stand this serious attitude. Can’t take a joke, can you?”

He swaggered in. Yeah, I feel like a fool, but you must feel even more foolish for putting up with me.

From the moment I accepted the king’s favor and embarked on this path, I shared the same fate with Gu-seul. But it feels kind of unfair.

“It was you who said it was okay. Remember last time, when I said I wasn’t feeling well-“
“I don’t recall.”
“…”

Let’s not talk anymore.

* * * * * * * * *

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!

“Wake up! Wake up! Get up and stand. One, two, three. One, two, three. Did you eat yesterday?”

As I shouted like a rapid-fire gun and opened the door, I saw a dark-skinned man who had already finished preparing. He was sitting on the bed, eyes wide open in surprise, clutching his stomach.

“……”
“……”

He gazed at me with a meaningful expression. I felt embarrassed, as if his eyes were asking me why I was making such a fuss this early in the morning.

“Have you eaten?”

– Shake, shake.

“Okay, let’s eat and go.”
“……”

I tried to greet him as cheerfully as possible, but there was still no response.

“Do you want to go now?”

He nodded. He nodded his head vigorously.

“Yeah, there must be an urgent reason.”

If I had my way, I would have grabbed those gaunt cheeks, stretched them out, and pushed a bowl of nutritious porridge all the way in. However, I didn’t know anything about his situation, so I decided to follow him for now.

There is still work to be done, but my forces are currently facing a talent crisis. Gi-yeon, whom I met by chance, could become a strong support for me.

Or perhaps you could find someone with potential, like this individual.

He turned his back and placed his hand on the doorknob.

“…Thank…you.”

From behind, a voice as small as a mouse’s spoke up. Perhaps now they were willing to exchange a few words.

Glancing back, it didn’t seem so. It was merely a token expression of gratitude.

“Alright.”

I opened the door.

* * * * * * * * *

A colossal monster adorned with neck armor chased after us, swinging its arms.

A behemoth over 3 meters tall. The troll, a creature befitting the title of the forest’s ruler, was so perilous that attempting to subdue it alone was forbidden.

Without an S-class or A-class hunter on the team, a mass slaughter was all but guaranteed.

The creature has the eerie ability to transform beings into goblins or orcs.

“Huuh…!”

The fellow trailing beside me shows signs of wanting to flee. Sensing a chance to escape, he slowly tries to step back, but with disgust I press firmly on his head, stopping him from running away.

“…?…??!”

Perhaps he imagines I’ll use him as bait and make my own escape. His face turns ashen, and his body trembles as though he’s on the verge of passing out.

“Kwaaaaaaaargh!!”

Bellowing a thunderous roar, the pursuer chases us right to our heels. A massive fist is thrust our way, charging straight towards my companion.

-Kudeuk!

Of course, the clumsy fist never connects.

“…Hic.”

A faint, almost endearing hiccup escapes from behind him.

-Kudeuk, kudeuk!

“Gr…Grr.”

The troll lies pinned to the ground, unable to even straighten itself.

Curses.

The ground cracked, and the troll’s body, which had squeezed into the crevice, became trapped, unable to break free from the earth’s grasp.

I released my grip on the dark-skinned man and kicked forward.

*Bang!*

As the ground surged underfoot, an explosion and a gust of wind erupted simultaneously. Rocks and sand spewed forth, enveloping the troll’s body. The fissures in the floor widened, transforming the terrain into something akin to parched, barren farmland.

*Whoosh.*

A refreshing breeze blew from above, as if replenishing the displaced air. The dark-skinned man’s hair fluttered, and his eyes widened in an expression filled with emotion for the first time.

“Let’s go.”

I moved ahead, taking the lead before the stunned man, who then followed me with haste. Despite trailing me, he continued to glance back, seemingly worried that the troll might attack again.

“Don’t worry. It’s dead.”
“….”

He nodded.

Did they believe me this time? They subtly closed the distance, seeking protection.

We continued walking for several hours.

‘…I didn’t teleport to the exact location, but we should arrive soon.’

Frequent use of teleportation requires knowing the coordinates in advance; otherwise, it’s impossible to use it towards a specific location. In that sense, we were fortunate this time, as we were near the place whose coordinates I had memorized.

– Plod, plod.

After walking all day, I could sense that we were gradually approaching our destination. The sound of the babbling brook reached us from afar, and the terrain beneath the hill opened up to my perception. It was an area perfect for human habitation.

“Have we arrived?”

I asked, taking them by surprise, and their eyes widened.

As we pushed through the tall grass beyond the dirt road’s end, the entire landscape of the devastated village filled our view.

Not the ruins of a city, but the ruins of a village.

There was no trace of a towering building. Only occasional chunks of concrete, rusty plastering tools, and human bloodstains hinted that someone lived here.

“…!”

Upon seeing such a desolate village, he hastily slid down the hill, using even the magic he had been conserving.

‘Who was originally living here?’

If what he’d hoped to see was a lively village scene, it would be nothing short of a deep disappointment.

There were quite a few remnants of buildings. After letting the fleeing figure go, I examined the wreckage on my own.

‘Hmm.’

Detached houses, an already looted mart, and even collapsed buildings. After spending some time searching, I stumbled upon something unexpected.

“…A syringe and a medicine bottle? A laboratory, perhaps?”

Besides that, items such as syringes and cylinders were lodged between the dirt and debris.

There was no reason for such a research institute to be situated in a rural village far from the city.

“Then, is it a Flower?”

Before the fall of China, I had heard that there were several laboratories for experiments in desolate areas.

*Clank*

Having dropped a medicine bottle split in half, I gazed at the dark-skinned man standing blankly in the distance.

“What are you searching for?”

I approached him.

“Did you find everything?”

“…”

There was no answer.

The dark-skinned man stared blankly into the rubble of the building, as if something vital in his life had been torn away.

Had this place become precious to him? His clenched fists trembled. His untrimmed fingernails dug into the flesh of his palms, causing blood to seep out.

I took a deep breath and surveyed the surroundings.

‘…This isn’t the work of a demon. It must be a person.’

The extent of the village’s destruction surpassed what a demon could have done.

After the subjugation near the World Tree, all the captured individuals were either handed over as slaves or the slave trader might have gone on a slave hunt himself.

Further investigation would be required to determine which it was, but it was difficult to guarantee that those captured hadn’t been mistreated.

*Snap!*

The dark-skinned man suddenly turned his neck to look at me. His distressed eyes trembled, and his shoulders quivered as if he was on the verge of crying.

To make matters worse, he seemed dizzy from not having eaten, and his body swayed. I held onto his shoulders to steady him.

*Smack!*

The dark-skinned man slapped the back of my hand and collapsed onto the floor in a ridiculous position.

“Tell me if there’s a reason for this.”
“……”

The dark-skinned man looked up at me.

“Is it your family? Friends? Or is this a precious place to you?”

I slowly softened my voice, using the kindest tone I could muster. At that, the man opened his mouth.

“…Here, people. What do you think happened…?”

What happened, indeed.

“They must be dead.”

The girl swallowed hard.

“At the very least, we won’t see them in a good state. This is Flower’s territory, after all.”

Over the course of three years, I had seen far too much. Hiding my identity, I roamed dungeons, rescuing numerous young souls.

There were times when I tried to give them as much hope as I could, attempting to lift them back into life. But such efforts were futile.

“……”

The girl had no words. She rubbed her bloodshot, crimson eyes and let her head hang low.

It seemed there was no place for her to return to.

“Family?”
“…A friend.”
“I see.”

After giving her a moment,
I summoned my magic and prepared the spell.

“Let’s go back.”

* * * * * * * *

Gu-seul approached and asked me.

“What happened?”

Since that day, the dark-skinned one hadn’t even touched water, let alone food. I didn’t know what burden they carried from that village or what kind of relationship they had with their friend, but it seemed to have been a considerable shock.

I understood that feeling all too well.
I, too, had been broken once.

“Leave it be. I’ll handle it myself.”
“Don’t you know you have to meet with the crow now? We don’t have time to care for the child.”
“We must save the child.”
“…Sigh, really… Tell me if you need anything.”

In the end, I waved to Gu-seul, who had given up, and headed towards the dark-skinned one’s room.

In times like these, harsh measures were needed, but there was something I had to ask first.
I had to at least inquire.

-Creak-

As I opened the door and entered, I saw the dark-skinned individual.

Dazed and listless, the eyes were devoid of life. Not a single spoonful of the water and food I had prepared yesterday had been consumed.

I attempt conversations like this every time, but they never succeed. However, this time is different.

That’s because, for the past few days, this kid seemed to be pondering over something.

“What you desire.”

I said, looking down at the young boy lying there, without even sitting in a chair.

“Is there something you want?”
“…”

For someone whose life has been driven to the brink, the last resort is to sever the pain.

“Do you want to die?”

A reaction appeared on the child’s face. The shifting gaze swept over me, and he nodded.

He wants to die. A mere middle schooler.

“Alright.”

I nodded. The child’s mouth opened, as if he was about to address me.

“But you can’t die.”

The words caught in the boy’s throat, and I preemptively cut off what he was about to say.

Even in the face of death, I would save you.
The reason was insignificant.

“You are a rare and valuable talent.”

Countless magic wielders I had encountered before,
Yet, it was this child who possessed the power closest to that of the Magi.