Chương 555: 969
"No, thank you for the offer, but I'll decline. We prefer to go on our own."
Considering Iriya's condition, it was better to have as few people around her as possible.
There was a risk of further stimulating her curse if they joined a group of men unnecessarily.
'Moreover, if we act together, we'd naturally have to help these people lift their curses too, but we don't have that capacity. Right now, we're already struggling just to lift our own curses. Conversely, we can't be sure if these people would actively help us either...'
He couldn't easily trust people he had just met today and couldn't communicate with properly due to language barriers.
Above all, he didn't like the way they were looking at Iriya hiding behind him even as they were talking.
So Eun-ha rejected the offer.
"Why don't you think about it again?"
The men seemed disappointed, whether out of goodwill or other intentions.
Soon it will be night when monsters become ferocious, it's dangerous for two people to wander at night, how do you plan to stand guard, and so on.
They urged reconsideration in English, but Eun-ha's decision didn't change.
"No, thank you."
"Okay, Do whatever you want. But if you change..."
In the end, the men had to withdraw their offer due to Eun-ha's attitude.
They retreated with disappointment.
Eun-ha spoke to Iriya, who was clutching his clothes from behind.
"Since those people who just passed by said their campsite is nearby, let's go a bit further in. Is that okay?"
"Yes, I'll follow your opinion, Master. Actually, I didn't want to get involved with those people either. Their eyes looked quite lecherous."
"Right, let's find a place with no people around to avoid encountering them again."
"Yes, that sounds good."
After that, Eun-ha took Iriya deep into the forest.
By the time the sun had completely set, they found a cave located in a remote area.
Growl!
<Violent Venom>
After clearing out all the monsters inside the cave with a poison that causes sepsis infection.
Eun-ha, sitting at the cave entrance, lit a campfire with dry branches collected from the forest.
"By now, the poison should have disappeared, so it's safe to go inside. Still, just in case, please purify it before unpacking inside."
"Yes, I'll do that."
"Is there anything you want to eat?"
"Hmm... Master?"
"Hey..."
Eun-ha turned around at the sudden answer.
Iriya, wrapped in Eun-ha's cloak like a blanket, stuck out her tongue.
"I'm just kidding. Hmm... I'm fine with anything you give me, Master."
"Anyway... Then I'll make something suitable."
"I'll help too."
"No, go inside and rest. I'll call you when it's ready."
It wasn't just wandering around the forest all day looking for monsters.
Eun-ha decided to make dinner with the ingredients he had gathered along the way and the food stored in his bag.
Of course, ingredients obtained from the forest might not exist in the outside world, so he had to consider the possibility of them containing poison...
But it didn't matter to Eun-ha anyway.
Because he had the providence of Violent Venom.
Crunch!
'Hmm... This one has poison, so it can't be used as an ingredient. It might be possible to remove it depending on how it's cooked, but... I'm not exactly a chef, and when would I have time for that.'
The providence of Violent Venom activated, completely devouring the poison that had invaded his body.
And it turns it into his own poison.
Thanks to this, Eun-ha could both strengthen his providence and distinguish ingredients that were safe to eat.
That's how dinner was prepared.
"Wow, what's this stew? It's really delicious."
"I made it with the food we had and things we got from the forest. There's more, so eat a lot."
"Yes! Please give me one more bowl!"
Iriya brightened up after eating the food Eun-ha made.
The two finished their dinner without leaving anything.
"Then I'll go to sleep. If anything happens, don't hesitate to wake me up."
"Yes, Master. Sleep well."
The night had already deepened.
Eun-ha decided to sleep first, and Iriya would stand guard.
Eun-ha lay down with his back to Iriya and closed his eyes.
Crackle crackle!
He tries to fall asleep listening to the sound of the burning campfire.
Eun-ha's consciousness gradually sank.
Just then.
"Master, are you asleep?"
"..."
Iriya, who should be guarding the campfire, called out in a small voice.
Eun-ha deliberately didn't react and tried to surrender to sleep.
Meanwhile, Iriya, getting no response, misunderstood that he had fallen asleep...
Rustle rustle...
'...What is she doing now?'
Eun-ha was shocked.
He couldn't sleep due to the sound coming from behind him, nor could he suddenly get up and confront her...
* * *
More than a week had passed since entering the 8th floor.
During this time, Eun-ha and Iriya steadily gathered the materials needed for lifting the curse.
And...
"Master, are you asleep?"
'...Again.'
Eun-ha hadn't been able to sleep properly every night because of Iriya.
It was because she struggled with the curse every time she stood guard.
No, it was more like she tried to alleviate it in her own way without causing harm to Eun-ha...
'Pretend not to know, pretend not to know...'
Eun-ha, understanding Iriya's circumstances, tried to be as considerate as possible even if he couldn't sleep.
She too seemed to be conscious of it and embarrassed, trying to hide it as much as possible at first.
—M-Master, it's time now. Please wake up.
—Ah... Uh... Nothing happened, right?
—Yes... Nothing happened. T-Then I'll go to sleep. Take care.
—Uh... You too... Sleep well.
Eun-ha vividly remembered Iriya bowing her head with a red face and hurriedly passing by him every time they changed guard duty.
But as days passed...
"Master, Masteeer..."
"..."
Iriya seemed to have become accustomed to the situation and was acting more boldly.
Now she even approached Eun-ha, taking risks.
She was convinced that he was deeply asleep.
No, she had noticed his consideration and decided to rely on it fully.
'No... Even so, isn't this going too far? She doesn't know moderation, doesn't know moderation...'
Eun-ha was inwardly dumbfounded.
On the other hand, he was worried about Iriya's condition, which seemed to be getting worse.
If one were to describe her current state, it would be like someone dying of thirst, with water that could quench their thirst right in front of them, yet only barely wetting their lips, feeling frustrated.
Just then.
Smooch.
Something soft yet slightly hard touched Eun-ha's cheek.
It was Iriya's lips, followed by the sensation of teeth as her lips parted.
Eun-ha inwardly flinched.
But.
Smooch...
The contact didn't end with just one.
Iriya brought her lips to Eun-ha's cheek several times, like birds touching beaks.
Each time, Eun-ha could hear her breathing becoming more ragged.
Finally, she pulled her face away.
"I'm sorry, Master. Really, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to go this far... I'm sorry. From now on, I won't do this again. I'm sorry, sob..."
Iriya, unable to control herself properly, swallows her tears.
She tried to quickly retreat.
Eun-ha couldn't bear it anymore.
He got up from his spot and immediately grabbed her wrist.
"Eek!"
He pulled Iriya by applying force to the hand he had grabbed.
She, having no time to respond, lost her balance and fell as Eun-ha guided her.
Eun-ha got on top of her.
"...Master?"
"You knew I was awake all along... Isn't this too much?"
"T-That... I'm sorry..."
"And you kissed my cheek as you pleased. You know that's sexual harassment, right?"
"...I'm sorry..."
In the cave dimly lit by the campfire.
Iriya, covering her face with the back of one hand, shed tears.
Soon she started sobbing.
Eun-ha comforted her.
"Don't cry. This is different from before. Before, you suddenly came to my room asking for sexual favors..."
"Sob, that... At that time, I was mentally prepared... But this..."
"You weren't mentally prepared, and you're embarrassed because you did it against your will?"
"Yes..."
Iriya slowly nodded.
Eun-ha chuckled.
He wiped the tears flowing down her cheek with his finger and then...
"It's salty."
He licked that finger.
Iriya's eyes widened.
"...Master? What are you..."
"I said it's salty."
"No, that's not what I was going to ask... Hup! Master!?"
Iriya, whose lips were suddenly taken by Eun-ha, couldn't help but be startled.
She quickly turned her head, trying to push Eun-ha away.
Nevertheless, Eun-ha didn't care and stole her lips again.
"You did it to me earlier too. This is revenge."
"Revenge... Are you in your right mind? Master, don't tell me the curse has..."
"Your eyes are pretty. Keep looking only at me like that."
"...It doesn't seem like it... Master, are you perhaps joking?"
"Be quiet. Just obey."
"..."
"This time, be properly mentally prepared."
Eun-ha's face approaches.
Iriya, who had been looking up at him as if enchanted, shyly answered.
"...Yes."
* * *
"Master..."
"It's okay."
Whether it was a rational decision made out of concern for Iriya's condition.
Or whether it was an impulsive mistake made as a result of being swept up by the curse.
Even Eun-ha himself didn't know.
However, one thing was certain: he didn't want to see her gradually crumbling from being unable to suppress her impulses, crying tears.
"I'm sorry. Because of me..."
"I told you not to apologize. You just need to follow my words."
"...Yes, I'll obey. Ah, you're being shy now, right? Right? As expected, it's not the curse..."
"You know I have murderous intent too, right?"
"I'm scared. I'm sorry."
"Then stay still."
"Yes... But Master, it's greedy, but I want to hear it at least once. Are my... Are my eyes pretty?"
"...They're pretty. To the point I want to possess them."
"Hehe, looks like your possessiveness has kicked in. Thank you, Master. Even though... I'm happy even if it's said under the curse."
"...I see."
"...I like you, Master. Please dominate me, just for today."
"..."
And so, a long, long night passed.
Eun-ha and Iriya, who had ridden the torrent of emotions in the middle of the night, awkwardly faced each other when dawn broke.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes... How about you, Master?"
"Me too. But let's not overdo it today, let's move just a little."
"Thank you for being considerate, Master."
Iriya, whose face had brightened considerably compared to before, smiled broadly.
Seeing her smile, Eun-ha smiled back and felt relieved.
Meanwhile, Fire Chicken, who appeared with small steps, gave a reproachful look.
"Papa... Pipi... Pupu..."
"..."
Fire Chicken, who had unintentionally stood guard all night in place of the two.
Eun-ha and Iriya, receiving its gaze, couldn't hold their heads high proudly.
"Last night... Sorry."
"Me too, Divine Beast. I'm sorry."
"Pipu pipu pi."
As if saying it's fine if they understand, Fire Chicken turned its head away and flew to a nearby tree.
Eun-ha and Iriya glanced at each other and let out awkward laughs.
"For now... Shall we change clothes?"
"Ah... Yes... We should."
"Let's eat breakfast and set out quickly. Is there anything you want to eat?"
"Are you making it again, Master?"
"Of course."
"Yesterday and today are really happy. I'm fine with anything you make, Master."
"Alright. Then I'll make something suitable."
After finishing their conversation, Eun-ha and Iriya sat with their backs to each other and changed clothes.
Eun-ha, buttoning up while looking outside the cave, gradually became aware of reality.
He fell into thought.
'What should I do now...'
He had ended up making a mistake.
He couldn't readily judge how to handle what had happened with Iriya last night.
Whether to agree to pretend it never happened and consider it a one-night fling, or...
Just then.
"Master."
"Hm? What is it?"
Iriya called out.
Eun-ha turned around.
She was still in the middle of changing clothes with her back turned.
In that state, she began to speak.
"I... I don't want Master to be troubled because of me. I don't want to burden you. So..."
"..."
"Let's pretend that never happened."
"But..."
"I told you."
Iriya, as if to silence Eun-ha, suddenly cut him off and turned her head.
She smiled bitterly as she smoothed down her long hair as if tidying it.
"I said I'm satisfied with just once. I don't want more than that. It's greed. I know... there are people you like more than me. So I'm sorry for unnecessarily troubling you..."
"..."
"We've almost gathered all the materials, and this won't happen again in the future. I'll make sure it absolutely doesn't. So Master doesn't need to worry about it."
It was a kind way of drawing the line.
Therefore, artificial.
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