Volume 4 Chapter 20 Those Who Return, Those Who Do Not Return
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A warm, comfortable feeling wrapped around her body.
’…Hm?’
With a sleepy haze clouding her mind, her eyelids slowly opened. As her blurry vision cleared, sunlight poured through the window and lit up her cheek. Trying to move, a heavy tiredness weighed down her whole body—making even the smallest motion feel like a chore. Though just waking up, her mind was already filled with exhaustion. As she wondered why, reaching out to pull the warm pillow closer—
It wasn’t a pillow at all. It was a person.
’────Huh?!’
Suddenly sitting up, she turned carefully to see what she’d been resting her head on. It was a shoulder. Someone’s shoulder. No, there was no doubt—she clearly remembered last night. Being held tight, forced to share the floor.
Two futons lay side by side, and three people had been crowded onto just one. The ones beside her were Klock—the thief she had met earlier—and Mina, the cat Beastkin.
”What’s wrong, Federina? Stop holding back and moan dirtier.”
Pieces of memory started to come back.
’Ahh♡ Sir Klock, you’re amazing♡ You really are insatiable, huh? You can go over and over again!’
The scene was shameless, decadent, utterly reckless.
’Ugh♡ I—really can’t… Ahh♡ I’m—coming, I’m coming! Please forgive me!’
She had thought she might never marry, but if someone who truly accepted her as a partner ever appeared, she’d dreamed—just a little—about what a wonderful first time it might be. But what actually happened was nothing like that.
”Hey, Federina. Whose woman are you? Tell me!”
’Ah, ah, Klock’s—I’m his woman♡!’
The man who took her virginity wasn’t a husband. Not even a boyfriend. And she’d been finished off while being called another woman’s name.
Repeatedly filled, she spoke words that made it clear she was possessed in a way. She remembered everything. She’d been tangled up with the girl next to her, the three of them spending the entire night together.
Sighing deeply, she buried her face in the blanket. She had done something so overwhelming her thoughts couldn’t keep up.
Why had it turned out this way? She didn’t understand. How had things gotten like this?
It was just bad luck. That was all.
She had come to catch Klock, only to walk in on a passionate scene. Noticing her, Klock had shifted to avoid being caught and learned she knew Federina. He’d forced himself on her, hoping to reconnect with an ex-girlfriend, and unable to refuse completely, she had ended up having sex with him.
And she had been made to feel things that were impossibly pleasurable, giving in all night long. That was the whole story.
Whew… so much happened last night…
How much did this guy release?
She felt the warm flow and swept her hand between her legs.
Thick, white, sticky fluid—proof of Federina’s attempt to seal the deal during their brief reunion.
Though she understood from Klock’s actions that Federina was someone incredibly important to him, this level of dedication surprised her.
He must have been determined to impregnate her and take her with him no matter what. Thanks to his persistence, the unfortunate Hermine had lost her virginity and was completely satisfied—an appalling sight.
She looked at his sleeping face, completely unaware of the enemy right before him. What a fool.
Unbelievable that a man like this was Federina’s—and Anna’s—ex-boyfriend. He must be incredibly good at charming women. Even clumsy Tiet didn’t dare mistreat him, which said a lot about his skill.
”You’re not the one she loves, you idiot. Don’t mistake the hole you stick your dick in.”
She leaned close to his defenseless face, covering his slightly open lips. She greeted him silently, knowing he was unconscious.
She couldn’t go with him. Besides, she couldn’t stay Federina forever. With a heavy heart, she stood, quietly changed her clothes, and slipped out of the room.
”…Goodbye.”
It hadn’t gone the way she’d imagined. Far from it.
Still, he was her first man. She pushed aside all sorts of feelings and said her farewell.
Leaving the room was harder than she thought; the emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She forced herself to hold them back, then left the inn without looking back.
* * *
It was morning.
What would she tell her sister?
Bathed in soft sunlight, she felt the dreamlike time had ended.
Reality waited. She was supposed to report her return home, but she ignored it. She could already picture her sister’s angry face.
And what about explaining to Anna and the others? What could she say about where she’d been, what she’d been doing?
She certainly couldn’t admit she’d been ravished by Klock. Tiet might understand, but the real problem was explaining it to Anna—an impossible task.
Maybe she should claim she’d been attacked from behind and knocked unconscious. But Hermine didn’t want to tell such a lame lie. She’d rather keep insisting on silence.
Besides, she wouldn’t let her guard down enough to be caught off guard like that.
Not even that witch of a demon, that Klock, could catch her unprepared. It would take an upside-down world for that to happen.
She realized any explanation was futile. Better to keep a composed front.
Like Tiet, she wasn’t comfortable being mopey and guilty. If worst came to worst, she’d face Anna and apologize sincerely.
Besides, she had already gained some battle merits, along with Oriana, at least.
If Klock got away this time, it wouldn’t be a problem after all—the record of having done the job would still stand.
Looking only at the results, it could be said Anna hadn’t done anything. At least capturing the demon first had been the right choice.
* * *
’Someone’s with me… but she still hasn’t come back yet—’
Suddenly, yesterday’s words drifted into her mind. She hadn’t asked whom they meant. Klock was sharing the room with two others. If one was Klock and the other Saint Cynthia, then the third must inevitably be that demon.
’It’s a comrade with whom I fought through hell together.”
Just a short distance from the inn, her feet came to an automatic halt.
Her eyes widened. Suddenly, it felt like something tightened around her neck, making it hard to breathe.
’I was honestly completely devastated back then. I lost a comrade I had spent years with, and for days and weeks, I sank into lethargy.’
It was an epiphany of sorts. There was no reason to think it lucky that it had fallen upon her. If anything, it made her want to curse herself for not realizing it sooner.
In the windless morning of the port town, the only sight was a simple residential street. Yet she stood at a crossroads in life—right now, the path she must choose was diverging.
”…I’m sorry.”
Though no one spoke, the words slipped from her naturally into the empty dawn.
She thought, with a detached sort of acceptance, that she was very different from Federina.
* * *
”Heh—CHOO!”
Five seconds passed after he sat up. Still half-naked and groggy, he let out a loud sneeze. It was cold—as usual for the season. Being nearly naked in this chill felt like asking for trouble. Whether he’d actually die was a question of stubbornness, but he was definitely going to catch a cold.
”There’s no one here.”
He looked around and spoke the words aloud. He’d been sleeping alone under the covers—no one else was around. Where had Federina gone? Had Mina already left? The blankets were filthy.
Even with his foggy head, he remembered what had happened not long ago. It had been a party, no less—three people, one man and two women, tangled up together. Scratching his head, he thought back. It had felt like a dream, but then he’d fallen asleep and now woke up alone in the morning.
The loneliness hit him hard. Lately, waking up next to a woman had become normal. Waking up alone felt so empty.
If someone had been here, it probably would’ve been one of them—Adelina or Suzette—who had taken him in.
…Adelina?
His thoughts blurred, but slowly cleared.
With clarity came a deep unease.
”Suzette… Adelina.”
Saying their names out loud made his heart tighten. Why weren’t they here? Suzette had said she’d return in the evening. A delay was possible, but not coming back even after sunrise was strange—something was wrong. The same went for Adelina. Neither of them had come back; something must have happened.
No—this can’t be real.
What had he been doing, sleeping so carelessly? He should have gone looking for them.
Panic rose as he hurried to get dressed. He’d told himself Suzette was strong and he’d just be in the way if he went, but that was a poor excuse. Letting a woman go alone was a mistake.
Regret washed over him. Fooling around with the Beastkin and messing around with Federina—why had he wasted his time? He’d spent the whole night with women, ignoring the comrades he should have cared about most.
Where had Federina gone, anyway?
No, she said she was here for work. Maybe she just went back to the inn where she was staying.
It would’ve been nice if Mina had woken him, but now was no time to complain.
Leaving his things behind, he rushed out of the inn. As he stepped outside, he noticed the innkeeper hadn’t come out yet.
The sky was clear. The sun was bright and hot.
Lost in thought, he nearly collided with a familiar figure.
”Suzette?”
”Klock…?”
She wore a gray chemise, her hair almost black-blue. There was no mistaking it—she was here. She was walking toward the inn, but her clothes were filthy.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
The gray fabric around her stomach was blackened, stained with something splattered all over her.
”Klock!!”
Her voice was nearly a scream. Even though they were close, she shouted like it was urgent.
Don’t scare me like that, he thought, about to ask where she’d been, but before he could speak, she dashed toward him.
”Sir Klock!”
Without warning, she threw herself at him.
Confusion filled him. Was Suzette really the type to act like this? It didn’t make sense.
She was breathing hard, like she’d just woken from a nightmare. She buried her face in his chest—
”Sir Klock, ahhh, Sir Klock! Sir Klock!!”
Her whole body trembled as she broke down crying like a child.
Always so strong and composed, she clung to him desperately and collapsed to her knees.
Her sobs were raw, desperate grief.
Notes:
• Mina – She is a golden-haired catgirl employee of the beastman (Larana the cat woman) Inn, appeared performing fellatio, desperate and tear-streaked, with an inexperienced yet earnest approach to her work.
• Federina – Hermine’s chosen disguise, a magical detective and close friend whom Hermine hopes will deter Klock’s suspicions. Federina’s presence of mind helps her improvise when confronted.
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Oriana – A Princess. A companion who assists in explaining the situation to the kingdom. She is supportive and helps Anna navigate her responsibilities. Her appearance is slender, with dark hair and sharp features.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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