༺ The Next Day Following The Night ༻
“Chirp~♪”
“Umm…”
I woke with birds chirping and feeling the cool yet warm morning air brush against my cheeks.
“…Ah.”
Feeling sore, I stretched; suddenly, I realized that Serena was cuddled beside me.
“Uh, um…”
Memories of the intense last night came flooding back.
“Hehe.”
It felt like a dream, but Serena’s smile, as she lay in the same bed under the same blanket, hugging me, confirmed that it all had really happened.
“Ta-da.”
The wholly black purity ring on Serena’s left ring finger also testified to it.
“This wasn’t a dream, Frey. We just spent a wild night together.”
“…Hmm.”
“We didn’t stop even in the shower. And then again after getting back into bed…”
“We did, didn’t we.”
I stared blankly at my purity ring, which was just as pitch-black now.
“Who fell asleep first?”
“We fell asleep at the same time. We collapsed in each other’s arms at the very end.”
“And who woke up first?”
“We also woke up at the same time. We both woke up to the sound of birds.”
I looked lovingly at Serena, who answered with a smile. I gently stroked her hair and said.
“So… it’s a draw?”
“It’s a pity. I could have won.”
She was just as tired as I was but looked blissfully content.
“But I can’t deny your generosity. You gave me quite a lot last night.”
Quietly receiving my caresses, she shyly held her belly and timidly clenched her legs together.
“I’ll keep it safe here for a long time… Frey.”
She softly caressed her belly once more with a satisfied look and whispered.
“…I’ve properly received your seed.”
She looked ethereal and beautiful, illuminated by the light seeping through the window.
“We can’t continue. It’s already morning.”
Blushing again, I hugged her tightly, but Serena started whispering again, her belly moving.
“If we continue, it’ll be quite troublesome when my personality changes at sunrise.”
“…True.”
“If you understand, then stop poking and calm down, you beast.”
Serena told me off with a gentle expression.
“Hmm, hmm…”
She moved her lower abdomen against me and moved it up and down, a look of longing on her face.
“…Slurp.”
“…Mmm…♡”
As I kissed her, Serena happily responded, intertwining her tongue with mine.
“…And speaking of which.”
I pulled away and looked at Serena. She started stroking my hair just as I had stroked hers.
“Did it hurt?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, the first time… did it hurt?”
“Was it electrifying?”
“No, not that… I mean the Curse of Familial Subordination. You failed because of it last time, right?”
Serena’s eyes became sharp, and she spoke.
“I’ve been pouring most of my time into analyzing that curse… Recently, the curse changed, you know?”
“Really?”
“I couldn’t figure out why it changed… but after it did, I could comprehend bits and pieces of it.”
The change in the curse likely stemmed from the quest to break Serena’s curse. There were no other plausible reasons.
If that really were the case, then Serena read the ‘Dissolution Method’ created due to the added quest… But was that even possible? As expected, Serena was amazing.
Hidden Quest
Quest Content: Remove Serena’s Curse of Familial Subordination
< 19+ Event Completed >
Progress: 90%
Reward: Total Elimination of the Secret Lord, ???, ???, ???, Serena’s 19+ Event Unlocked (Completed)
But what exactly was the nature of this quest? And what factors decided the mission’s success?
There was no way that the Demon God would give me such a quest. She wanted me to be broken and ruined, not happy.
Moreover, if such a thing existed when my ancestors played this ‘game,’ they wouldn’t have said there was no execution code.
Could this be due to the influence of the ‘DLC?’
‘Now that I think about it… the Sun God is next door.’
Staring blankly at the Affection System window before my eyes, I thought of the Sun God.
‘Maybe… she might know something.’
I remember seeing in the Third Ordeal that the Sun God had done something to this world. Could it be related to the term ‘DLC?’
I guess I would have to ask her.
“Alright then.”
“Are you leaving, Frey?”
With that thought in mind, I started to get off the bed, but Serena quietly wrapped her legs around me.
“Yeah, I have things to do.”
“…Hmm, I see.”
I gave her an apologetic look, and Serena finally unwound her legs and smirked.
“Well, I also have to clean up the traces in this room before sunrise.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? Should I help you?”
Considering the mess around us, I offered to help, but Serena responded with a mysterious smile.
“It’s all yours, so… it’s rather nice.”
“If you put it that way, there’s quite a bit of yours too…”
I couldn’t finish my statement, as I had started blushing. Quietly, I headed for the exit.
‘It’s strange… I’m still under the effects of Villainization…’
According to the system, I was under the effect of ‘Villainization,’ but my mind was unusually clear.
Was it because my mental strength was now ten? Or… did my mind clear up because I drained enough energy to break the Villainization momentarily?
“…Hmm.”
It seemed like it was the latter.
– Grrrr…
My reflection in the mirror by the doorway looked gaunt, while Serena seemed exhausted but radiant. And the severe hunger and dehydration that started to overcome me testified to it further.
“…I could use a cold beer.”
With that thought, I hastily dressed and left her room, clutching my parched throat.
“Hmm?”
But something felt off.
“”………….””
As soon as I stepped out of the room, everyone gathered in the inn’s dining area stared at me.
‘…What is it?’
Technically, it was morning; practically, it was still dawn. Why were there so many people out here?
I was still under Serena’s transformation magic, so they couldn’t recognize me unless they were top-level mages.
But what was with this awkward atmosphere? Why was everyone looking at me with such hollow expressions?
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, please.”
Feeling slightly uneasy, I sat, and the innkeeper’s daughter approached with a menu.
“I’d like to have a simple meal, if that’s possible.”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
I was relieved it was possible, given the early hour. I was reaching a point where even ‘Protection of the Stars’ couldn’t cope.
Thankfully, it looked like I could replenish my nutrients before collapsing.
– Swish, swish…
“…..?”
As I was thinking and trying to choose from the menu, the girl holding the menu blushed and pressed herself against me.
“The menu… um… you can choose anything from here to here…”
“Ah, okay.”
It wasn’t what I thought. She was just trying to show me the menu.
After spending the night with Serena, it seemed like my mind was filled with lewd thoughts. I had better get my act together.
“…Do you have rye bread?”
“Yes, yes… we do.”
“Then, I’ll have rye bread with butter and two beers, please.”
“Understood… I’ll prepare it right away…”
I regained my composure and ordered from the menu. The girl showing me the menu blushed again and nodded.
“Excuse me… Sir…”
“Yes?”
For some reason, I wondered if she was sick with a cold due to the cold weather. She hesitantly took the menu back and asked in a soft voice.
“Will you be… staying here tomorrow?”
“No, I plan to leave soon.”
“That’s, that’s good… I mean, it’s a pity… um…”
The girl showed a mix of relief and disappointment and began to ramble.
“Then… please visit us again…”
She quickly ended the conversation and ran back to the kitchen.
“…Excuse me, young man.”
The situation was no doubt weird, and I was flummoxed. Suddenly, a few men—looking all serious—sat down at my table.
“We have something to ask you.”
“…What is it?”
I feared my identity had been exposed. I quietly assessed the strengths of those men, and that of the others staring at me and reached for my sword.
“…What’s your secret?”
One of the men relaxed his expression and asked with a fake cough. I spaced out, leaving my sword where it was.
“Although this place is shabby, it is still well soundproofed… Ahem, um.”
“…Ah, that.”
I was finally starting to understand the reason behind all this.
It seemed like Serena had forgotten to cast a soundproofing spell in the room.
Or was that intentional?
“That… Do you have some good medicine? Can I get some, too?”
“You don’t even have a girlfriend, let alone a wife, do you?”
“But, but still…!”
Listening to their nonsense, I quietly drank some water and slowly began to smile.
‘This… isn’t so bad.’
Today felt like one of the happiest days of my break—no, my life.
– Jingle, jingle…!
“Hm?”
The inn’s door suddenly opened, and people began to rush in. The noise broke me out of my reverie.
“…..!”
Wondering what was happening at this early hour, I looked at them, and my eyes widened in surprise.
‘These guys… Why are they here?’
The newcomers were none other than the combat officers of the Demon King’s army.
“M-Master!”
And the person in the lead, wearing a robe, was Lulu.
“You’re safe!”
“Uh, um…”
She looked nervous, and her Magic Eyes were glowing. After spotting me, she came toward me.
– Swish, swish…
“You’re safe… I’m so glad… Hehe…”
With tears welling in her eyes, she began to rub her face against my stomach.
“H-How did you get here?”
“…Ah.”
The surrounding gazes intensified, and the combat officers broke out in a cold sweat. I lifted Lulu, and she quickly regained her composure, looking a bit frightened.
“I’m sorry, Master, for disobeying your orders… I should have stayed quiet and tied to the pillar at home…”
“Ah, no… that’s not what I mean…”
I quickly interrupted her before the situation spiraled out of control, and Lulu, with a tearful face, continued.
“But, for your safety, Master… I had no choice.”
“…Is that so?”
“Ah, and I have something to tell you.”
She held my knee with a serious expression.
“Right now, your little sister is heading this way…”
“What? What do you mean…?”
My eyes widened in shock, and I grabbed her shoulders to urge her to continue.
“Uh?”
For some reason, Lulu suddenly stopped speaking and stared wide-eyed at my lower body.
“………”
Confused by her sudden behavior, I noticed Lulu quietly reaching for my left hand.
“Ki, kihhi…”
Eventually, Lulu discovered my ring—now black as charcoal—and buried her face in my knee, disheartened.
“Uhm…”
Somehow, I had a feeling that such incidents would happen frequently.
.
.
.
.
.
“Uh, ugh…”
Meanwhile…
“Isolet… do you really think you can get away with this?”
Tied to a chair in a dark basement, Vener glared fiercely at Isolet. She gritted her teeth and snarled furiously.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Isolet ignored her and headed toward the basement exit. She quietly sheathed her sword and muttered.
“…As long as Frey is safe.”
“Crazy woman.”
“Stay there for a while. I’ll come back soon to negotiate again.”
Isolet closed the basement door, locked it, and took the stairs to the ground.
– Swish…
While putting the key in her pocket, she seemed to remember something and pulled something out.
“Hehe.”
It was a ring, azure, just like the color of her eyes. Isolet had dreamt of it since she was a child. It was a ring of oath.
“It’s not too tacky, is it?”
Her cold expression was gone, replaced by a girlish look, as she held the ring close and whispered.
“Will Frey… wear it?”
She wondered whether to put the ring on her left ring finger or her right.
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