Chapter 18
The orcs were bewildered.
“Ughhh... I need to pee, but my panties won't come down... Sob...”
“P-Panties? Kreik?”
“We don't know what those are. Kreik. What should we do with this female? Kreik.”
Yubel had drunk the liquor the orcs had brought back from the village.
The Demon King's pathetic body couldn't handle liquor brewed with hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Giving in to her drunkenness, Yubel wriggled free of the orcs' arms and frantically tried to pull down her panties. But there was no way the sacred garment she'd been unable to remove until now would come down just like that.
Naturally, Yubel couldn't take off her panties without Se-on.
“Aaah! Hurry uuuup and take these off!”
Yubel even lifted her skirt, revealing her beautiful elven pussy.
Maybe because she was drunk, she didn't hesitate in the least to lift her skirt.
“K-Kreik! Lewd female! Put that down this instant! Kreik!”
“W-We don't want to be violated again! Kreik!”
The orcs recoiled in horror at the sight.
The appearance of a female who looked even more lewd than the elves who'd exploited them in the past had brought their trauma back.
Anyone looking at this scene would have to wonder who the orcs were.
“Huh? What're you sayyying? If you don't take these off, I'll kill youuu!”
As Yubel staggered toward them clutching her skirt, the orcs went pale.
“A-All right! Kreik! We'll take off your panties! Please don't come any closer! Kreik!”
“I-I'll help, too! If we take off your panties, you'll spare us, right? Kreik!”
Their survival instincts kicked in, and the orcs rushed to remove the sacred garment.
One grabbed Yubel by both arms from behind, holding them up as if restraining her, while the other stood in front, pinning her legs between his armpits and gripping the waistband of her panties.
They pulled with all their might to get her panties down.
“Kreik!! They won't come down! Kreik!”
“Ghk, put more strength into it! Kreik!”
Grrrrk—
As if defying the laws of physics, the panties didn't budge an inch.
Even the orcs' brute strength couldn't remove the chosen one's sacred garment.
Meanwhile, Yubel's face grew paler and paler.
“K-Kreik! We'll try one more time!”
“We can do it! Kreik!”
Just as the orcs shouted and prepared to pull again—
“N-Nooo!!!”
Trickle—
In the end, Yubel had an accident.
““……””
“Hehehe... all dooone...”
Holy water sprayed all over the orcs' heads.
The orcs who'd received the unexpected baptism felt like shit.
Kreik. How are we supposed to clean this up?
Just as the orcs stared blankly down at the soaked floor—
Bang!
They heard the cabin door being flung open.
“K-Kreik?”
The orcs looked toward the door at the sound.
A human male stood there.
“……”
Kreik? What is this situation?
Se-on, who seemed to have run there in a hurry, was panting heavily.
The arm gripping his sword was trembling violently.
“How dare you... you bastards...”
Se-on glared at the orcs with bloodshot eyes, as if he were going to kill them.
The orcs felt their lives were in danger at the sight.
Hic!
Overwhelmed by Se-on's fierce killing intent, the orcs froze stiff.
Just as tension filled the air—
“Uheeeng... Why'd you take so long to come...?”
Yubel's sobs rang through the cabin, which had been suffocating under the pressure.
Yubel was scolding Se-on for being late.
Her words made Se-on's heart feel like it was being torn apart.
And the anguish in his heart turned into anger at the orcs who'd tormented Yubel.
He felt that if he didn't at least do that, guilt would leave him unable to do anything.
“Wait just a little longer, Yubel. I'll kill those bastards as painfully as possible, then come save you.”
Se-on muttered, his voice filled with rage.
Crack.
Se-on's fingernails dug into his palm, and blood began to flow.
His mind was filled with thoughts of killing the orcs.
His palm stung a little, but he didn't care at all.
Yubel must have been in even more pain than this.
“H-Human! Don't get the wrong idea! Kreik! We're good orcs! Kreik!”
“That's right! Kreik! We were protecting the female! Kreik!”
The orcs holding Yubel's arms behind her and reaching under her skirt made their case.
No matter how you looked at it, it sounded like nothing but a filthy, trashy excuse from demons.
“……Do you want to die?”
“T-The female wanted this! Kreik!”
“That's right! Kreik! We were just—”
Slash!
Se-on sliced off the orc's arm.
Why didn't they understand that saying things like that would only provoke Se-on?
“Gwoooar!! It huuurts! Kreiiiiik!!!!”
“Aah!”
Caught off guard, the orcs dropped Yubel.
Snatch. Se-on caught Yubel as she fell.
“Are you okay?”
Up close, he could see tear tracks at the corners of Yubel's eyes.
Se-on's expression turned icy again.
“Uheeeng? You can't kill the orcs! Stop iiiit!”
“Y-Yubel?”
Yubel suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.
Yubel slipped out of Se-on's arms.
Then she turned her back to the orcs and stood in Se-on's way.
Se-on couldn't hide his bewilderment at the sight.
“Orcs are precious! They're nice orcs, so Riella will like them!”
“K-Kreik? Female...”
Yubel raised her voice to defend the orcs.
What are you talking about, Yubel? They're the ones who hurt you.
Those beastly bastards brutally violated you, and still, why...?”
“Uuugh...”
Yubel frowned.
At the very person who'd come to save her, no less.
Se-on was more than a little shocked by the sight.
Before long, he began drawing his own conclusions about why Yubel was acting this way.
Maybe she's doing this for my sake.
Because she thinks I'm suffering?
Yubel, you really...
To shield them even after going through something so terrible, because you were worried I might be hurt.
Yubel had always been like that.
She'd stepped in when I was in danger and saved my life, always looked at me with worried eyes because I was so clueless, and still trusted me and followed what I did without complaint.
That's right. She was always kind.
So this time, too, she must have stepped in, thinking about how much it would hurt me to kill them.
But apart from that, Se-on didn't want Yubel to be hostile toward him.
So he held out his hand to Yubel.
“Yubel... come here. Let's go back.”
“Uuuh? Hehe, right! I have to go back to the Hero!”
Yubel threw herself into Se-on's arms.
For some reason, Yubel's body felt more fragile than ever today.
Yeah, this is enough.
I won't do anything you hate.
“Ugh, what is thaaat smell on you! Sniff, haa...”
Yubel nestled in his arms and sniffed him.
Her breathing gradually grew more relaxed.
It was probably thanks to [Pheromones].
Apparently, pheromones had the effect of calming the mind.
I hope this helps Yubel feel even a little more at ease.
“Heehee... I'm sleeeepy...”
Yubel fell asleep.
Pat, pat.
He patted her back to help her fall into a deep sleep.
“What'll happen to us? Kreik!”
“Now get lost already! Kreik!”
The orcs shouted, breaking the peaceful mood.
He wanted to kill them, but would Yubel, who was kind even to the person who'd raped her, want that?
So he decided to show them a little mercy.
Slice.
Slice.
“K-Kreiiiiik!!! It huuurts!!!”
“Gwoooar!!! My cock!!!”
The orcs were castrated.
***
“Ugh... fuck, I'm dizzy...”
My head felt like it was going to split open.
Did I pass out after drinking at the end?
Ugh, my head... Tch, is there anything for a hangover?
I seriously feel like I'm dying.
Yubel was lying somewhere.
But maybe because she was drunk, the space around her looked warped.
But why does my body keep shaking?
I feel like I'm going to throw up, ugh, s-stop...
Yubel's body shook violently.
Shake, shake. Sh-shake, shake.
Crack.
“Stop shaking me already!!”
“Eek! Y-Yubel, you're awake!”
“R-Riella? Where are we...?”
Trees were visible through the distorted surroundings.
Did I get drunk and wander outside?
“Oh, you're awake?”
“Huh?”
The Hero popped out from behind a tree.
Then he plopped down right beside Riella.
Th-This can't be...
The emergency alarm in Yubel's head went off.
A prophetic dream! This is the same situation I saw in my dream!
Th-Then what happens to me next...?
Exile.
That one word flashed through her mind.
“Ah...”
Her mind went blank like a sheet of paper in an instant.
And words slipped out reflexively.
“A-Am I getting abandoned now?”
“……”
Her hands and feet began to tremble violently.
Is the Hero going to abandon me just like this?
Seeing Riella and the Hero together, the Orc NTR Operation must've failed. And if he figured out that I'd tried to separate Riella from him...
“Huh? Say something... Hero, I don't want to be abandoned... That's not what's happening, right? I've been doing well until now, haven't I? N-No...?”
“……”
The Hero's face twisted into a grim expression.
As though he'd realized I'd been getting in his way so I couldn't earn skill points.
Yubel lowered her head at that.
It's over. All the effort I've put in until now.
The Hero would abandon me and go around romancing the other heroines to collect skill points.
Then would this world fall into the Hero's hands?
“Ha, ha...”
No.
Do you think I'd accept that crap?
Even now, I could break the Hero's arms and legs—
Thud.
“Y-Yubel... don't say that... please...”
“Huh?”
The Hero suddenly dropped to his knees?
Wait, and why was he sobbing?
Did he hide something behind his back before I could break his legs?
“I-I'm sorry... I should've paid closer attention to you... It's all my fault...”
No, uh...
What is this melodrama?
That kind of thing doesn't work on me.
The Hero started prostrating himself out of nowhere, as if he'd suddenly snapped.
But damn, what's with the blood on his clothes? This is seriously disgusting.
Just as I was holding my nose and marveling at how filthy the Hero was—
“Huh? Could this be...”
Yubel's eyes flashed as if she'd realized something.
She'd completely understood the situation.
Apparently, the Hero had fought the orcs.
But he must've gotten thoroughly beaten while fighting alongside dimwitted Riella.
That's why he was covered in blood.
“It's okay. Everything's all right now.”
“Y-Yubel? You forgive me?”
Yeah, guess you still need my firepower, huh?
It didn't go well trying to fight alone, did it?
There's no other mage as capable as me.
“Yeah. I'm totally fine. Honestly, you can't manage without me.”
“Thank you... for forgiving someone like me...”
Se-on threw himself into Yubel's arms.
Yubel's face twisted up at that.
Wait, this bastard's getting snot on my clothes?
Ugh, that's disgusting.
These are the only clothes I have.
But more important than that, there was one question I still needed to ask.
I had to confirm that before I could make sense of the Hero clinging to me.
“Hero.”
“Yeah?”
“By any chance, do you know what I did?”
I tried to separate the two of them from the Hero who was after Riella.
If he realized that, he wouldn't cling to me even if he found another mage.
The Hero had to collect skill points.
“W-What are you talking about?”
Ah, the Hero suddenly slumped down.
But judging by that reaction, had he not noticed my Orc NTR Operation?
Heh heh, who knew things would work out this well? I'm clever after all, aren't I?
At the thought that I could keep stopping the Hero from now on, Yubel gave an evil smile.
***
Se-on had left Yubel lying in the forest for a moment and was checking the surroundings for other monsters or demons.
“Eek! Y-Yubel, you're awake!”
And just then, Yubel woke up.
But the Yubel who'd woken up was different from usual.
She was trembling as she looked at me, as though terrified.
“A-Am I getting abandoned now?”
“……”
For a moment, my head went numb.
Yubel was trembling and asking if I was going to abandon her.
Thinking back, Yubel had been hallucinating, so she probably didn't remember coming into this forest.
But if even a little of her memory of being violated by the orcs had come back, she might think I'd sold her to them.
“Huh? Say something... Hero, I don't want to be abandoned... That's not what's happening, right? I've been doing well until now, haven't I? N-No...?”
Yubel had started to panic.
She'd probably been abandoned by her parents when she was young.
And this time, that trauma must have resurfaced.
Because of me.
Thud.
My strength drained away, and I sank to the ground.
I felt so sorry for Yubel.
I was supposed to be the Hero, yet I couldn't even take proper care of my own companion and only made her suffer.
I wanted to see Yubel smile.
Instead, I only made her look utterly despairing.
So I honestly told her.
That I was sorry, that it was all my fault...
I wanted to hide somewhere right then and there.
“It's okay. Everything's all right now.”
Her clear, transparent voice settled in my ears like a gentle touch.
When I looked up, Yubel was comforting me with an expression that said she understood everything.
It's okay...
Even though she must've suffered so much.
Even though she must've resented me so much for arriving late.
Yubel said it was okay and instead wrapped both arms around me.
I felt as though I could sense Yubel's warm heart.
Just as my body and mind were relaxing—
“By any chance, do you know what I did?”
Yubel's voice came again.
At first, I didn't really understand.
Was she asking what had been done to her?
If so...
“W-What are you talking about?”
“No... If you don't know, it's fine.”
Yubel, who'd been violated by the orcs in the cabin.
She didn't seem to even know she'd been violated.
At that moment, I realized.
Yubel was okay thanks to her innocence—she knew nothing about lewd things.
“……”
Se-on couldn't say anything to Yubel.
Because he had no idea what choice she might make if she learned the truth.