The dark elf woman, freed from her bonds in the deepening night, moved her body this way and that, reveling in her regained freedom.
Then, suddenly remembering the emptiness at her chest, she glared at me as if to kill me, but I responded with indifference, adhering to the principle of not dwelling on the past that had already passed.
If you're unhappy, come at me.
'Come to think of it, they're still not awake over there.'
As if being tied to a tree was quite comfortable, the dark elf woman's companions were still sound asleep, enjoying the good life.
Even considering the difference in rank, wasn't the difference in skill too severe?
I felt something was strange, but I quickly dismissed it.
My head was already saturated with just the answer I'd heard to my last question, so I didn't have the leeway to think about anything else.
'…I hope it's just wishful thinking.'
There was no clear evidence for my conjecture, but there was no way Iris wouldn't have thought of what I came up with.
I didn't want Iris to worry unnecessarily, so it seemed best to keep it a secret for now.
Then, if I ever had the chance to contact the World Tree again in the future, it would be right to seek advice separately at that time.
I let out a heavy sigh without realizing it, and got up from my seat.
"Leaving?"
A listless voice came from behind.
The dark elf woman wasn't even looking this way.
"I have to go, what else? It's not like I'm going to fall for you and get married."
"…"
Only then did the dark elf woman's fierce eyes turn towards me with passionate intent, as if piercing through my skull.
"What, want me to touch your chest again?"
"…Get lost."
Her appearance of threatening me with a dagger taken from her chest was like a black cat.
I smiled lightly and turned to leave.
"What's your purpose?"
What stopped me wasn't a dagger suddenly flying towards me, nor was it sharp criticism. It was a voice filled with faint goodwill and curiosity.
"Why, do I seem like a spy for the Northern Empire?"
"That can't be. There's no way someone as dull as you could pull off being a spy."
"…"
Suddenly, I feel like raping her.
As if she noticed my thoughts, she quickly covered her chest, which was absurd.
"Sorry, I'm not into flat chests, so rest assured I have no intention of touching them again."
"…Not once, but twice you've touched my chest!"
"Make sure you get plenty of milk, or your kid will starve later."
*Thwack!*
No sooner had the words left my mouth than a dagger flew and lodged into the tree trunk right next to my face.
"Next time it'll be your skull."
The Oath of Mana flashed through my mind for a moment, but come to think of it, the promise to let her go without laying a finger on her was only for me.
'…I'm screwed.'
As soon as I made the judgement, I ran away from that spot with all my might.
However, whether it was due to an awakening caused by anger, there was a faint energy gathering on the daggers the dark elf woman was throwing, so I almost died for real.
***
Asilla, when Kang Hyunwoo completely disappeared from view, let out a heavy sigh filled with mixed emotions, and finished untying her squad members' ropes.
Usually, even when she was in charge of night missions and ran through the forest until dawn, she never felt tired, but today her body felt unusually heavy.
Was it because she'd been through so much?
'To think I'd have my chest groped by a human…'
To make matters worse, she'd even disgracefully leaked a little.
Of course, it was true that dark elves' views on sex were somewhat open, but she still had a duty to protect her virginity since she hadn't even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet.
From that perspective, being captured by the enemy and not losing her virginity, but only having her chest touched a little, was an act of sheer good fortune. There's no need to elaborate on the treatment of female knights or female spies captured during wartime.
Nevertheless, feeling a slight sense of melancholy that the other person was a human and not an elf was unavoidable.
No, conceding a hundred times that unlike greasy-looking elves, his sharp looks were a little pleasing!
'What? Small?'
*Thump!*
"Eep?!"
"S-Squad Leader?!"
After going to the trouble of touching her chest, what kind of reaction was that?
Men courting her were everywhere, both in the city and within the tribe!
"…Hyunwoo."
Because she was unconscious, she didn't hear all the conversations he had with his companion, but she clearly remembered that the woman called him Hyunwoo.
Asilla savored Kang Hyunwoo's name, and swore to her soul to sharpen her blade in preparation for the day of reunion that would come someday.
***
Just as night comes early in the forest, so does dawn.
[Remaining Matching Time: 45:37:17]
"…Hah."
Blocking my view from early in the morning was a timer floating in the air.
Now there were less than two days left.
According to the dark elf woman, it would take about two days on foot to get out of the great forest, so if we hurried, we might be able to get to the border city of Wavell.
To do that, we had to get moving diligently from now on.
'Ah, I don't want to get up.'
Instinctively, I hugged Iris, who was sleeping using my arm as a pillow, tightly like a doll. A fragrant body scent seemed to envelop me. Besides, the softness that I didn't want to part with at all, perhaps because she was naked, was also one of the elements that delighted me.
At this rate, I really felt like falling asleep again.
'Did I sleep for about 2 hours?'
By the time I released the dark elf woman and returned to the tent, it was already deep into the night. Due to the accumulated fatigue, my body was demanding sleep, but I couldn't refuse Iris's temptation.
The result was repeatedly confirming our love for each other, mixing our bodies together, until just before dawn.
I was happy, but Iris, whose magical power was suppressed and close to that of an ordinary person, showed no particular reaction even when I hugged or stroked her, as if her stamina was on the verge of exhaustion.
It would be nice to spend time like this, but as I said before, we had to move diligently to get to Wavell within the remaining time.
With tears in my eyes, I gently shook Iris to wake her up.
"Iris."
"Ugh… Mr. Hyunwoo…?"
She had regained consciousness, but she was snuggling into me with her eyes tightly closed, seemingly too burdened to open them. I gently stroked Iris's back.
"Sorry, I think we should get up slowly because we have a long way to go today."
"Yeeesss…"
She was trying hard to get up somehow even though she couldn't even open her eyes properly, which was so cute. I put her back down and massaged her, focusing on her waist and hips.
She'd been tormented by me all night, so her muscles must be quite tense.
"Ah, aahh…♡ Mr. Hyunwoo's touch is so naughty…♡"
"…Be quiet."
It was already bigger because of the morning erection, so if she kept tempting me, the entire morning could evaporate.
Iris must have just said it, because she hummed along and obediently accepted my touch.
Whether it was because her body was much more relaxed after the massage that lasted for a while, Iris stretched and changed her clothes. However, it was me who was in trouble.
The swaying breasts as she stretched were a stimulation beyond imagination.
In the end, Iris, who noticed my partner who had been completely revived beyond the morning erection, sent me an oblique glance, but I endured it with superhuman patience.
Leaving Iris, who was feeling regretful, I hurried to prepare for departure along with a simple breakfast.
"Iris, do you remember what I told you yesterday?"
"Yes, you said you were going to a place called the border city of Wavell?"
"Right, but…"
The dark elf woman said it would come out after going southwest for about two days, but now that I think about it, there was one big problem.
"…I don't know where southwest is."
Even with the sun almost completely hidden by the trees, I can't tell which way is east and which way is south in this forest. It's strange that I didn't bring a compass even though I brought a lot of survival items, but it's too late to regret it now.
I was seriously wondering if I should cut down a tree and find the direction in the form of growth rings appearing on the tree base when.
"Southwest is over there."
Iris pointed to the seemingly unremarkable bushes with a confident voice. Of course, she wouldn't just throw out any random words, but still, how did she find the direction in this forest?
"Is finding directions in the forest also an elf's ability?"
"That can't be. Jin told me."
"Jin?"
At that moment, I felt a chill down my spine along with a tremendous presence.
It was somewhat similar to the feeling I had when I recognized the existence of the Wendigo, but it was an even more intense energy.
"I'll formally introduce myself. I'm Jin, a high-ranking spirit of the wind contracted with me. Although I can't manifest due to the seal, I can still have simple conversations and provide assistance like now. I couldn't call when I was in the underground community because of the barrier, but it seems like it's okay now."
Iris was saying it with a smile, but I couldn't smile at all.
Even without manifesting, this level of pressure was comparable to a berserk Minotaur.
I seemed to have briefly seen a glimpse of Iris's skill as a spirit mage unintentionally.
The amount of magical power felt from Iris was so small due to the usual seal that I sometimes mistook her for an ordinary person.
But once again, I realized.
What's next to me is known to have surpassed the distinct limitations of human beings, the Archmage of the 8th Circle.
'…8th Circle.'
I reached the 4th Circle with the battle against the Minotaur, and it wasn't certain, but I had achievements in swordsmanship as well.
I was satisfied with the results I had longed for and felt a sense of accomplishment.
Right now, I suddenly remembered.
Perhaps I was resting on my laurels, using the excuse of being satisfied with my current self?
It is an undeniable fact that the road to the 4th Circle is abnormally fast compared to others.
But I've suffered that much hardship.
I had to risk my life.
Was I unconsciously afraid of the death line I would cross again, and trying to be satisfied with the present?
*Tring-*
[Additional compensation has been paid for eliminating the entity: Minotaur]
[You have acquired the skill: Berserk]
[Berserk]
[Grade: Rare (Growth Type)]
[Temporarily increases strength]
[Increases stamina consumed while using the skill]
I stared blankly at the screen in front of me.
Rather than the joy of gaining a new skill, I scoffed at the app's shamelessness in displaying the screen without even noticing this kind of situation.
"Mr. Hyunwoo?"
After letting out a burst of laughter, I felt a lot more refreshed.
Maybe I was having a worry that was too much of a blessing.
After all, if I hadn't gotten the app, I would have lived my entire life in poverty, unable to leave any footprints, and then died as my lifespan allowed.
Yet I, who had merely risked my life a little, was able to reach the realm of the 4th Circle, which many wizards had failed to reach.
'In the end, all I have to do is not die.'
It may have been a simpler conclusion than I had worried about, but the identity of the unpleasantness and anxiety that felt like it was squeezing and pressing down on Kang Hyunwoo's chest just now was a *simma* (mental demon).
It was a kind of mental illness originating from mental stress caused by the fact that Kang Hyunwoo's body, which had become too strong in a short period, could not keep up with his mind. The price for breaking through this on his own was beyond imagination.
In the history of wizards that has continued for centuries, the realm is called beginning to walk their own path.
Kang Hyunwoo took the first step towards the fifth brilliant ring, the 5th Circle.