Chapter 104
“*...Strip? What?*”
Shiren blinked blankly at the utterly bewildering word. She quickly collected herself and slowly read the text below.
As Lorraine had said, it was incredibly explicit, filled with raw sentences and expressions.
Her mind went blank every second, but... she continued reading, thinking it might be useful to know.
"..."
*These things aren't shameful, but instinctive... meaning even if bodies intertwine like beasts. According to the natural order, it's only natural, so there's no need to think of it as vulgar, sordid, or perverse.*
*...Probably.*
*My face was burning, and my head spun.*
*As I was still reeling, wondering if this was right, the novel's protagonist suddenly did something to the heroine's...*
"Lady Shiren, what are you doing?"
Someone was startled by Ruen's sudden voice.
She involuntarily sprang to her feet.
*At that moment, Dwejji, who had been in her arms, tumbled to the floor, making a *ppyaak* sound and sticking to the ground like slime.*
She then started pointing a finger at Shiren, who had suddenly stood up, and got angry.
"*Myaak! You're mean!*"
Then, she was whining and flailing her arms.
Shiren immediately picked up Dwejji and began to comfort her.
"I'm sorry. I was just so startled."
"*Myaak!*"
Though not fully appeased, she seemed to decide to forgive Shiren.
She snuggled into Shiren's arms, making *myaak-myaak* sounds and pressing repeatedly on Shiren's arm.
As Shiren was stroking Dwejji's head, Ruen approached from behind, picked up the book from the floor, and spoke.
"The book fell here. What were you reading?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Is that so? Here you go."
Ruen handed over the book with a bright smile.
Not wanting Ruen to see what was written in the book, Shiren anxiously grabbed it, trying to hide it in her arms.
But because Dwejji was in her arms, her hands got tangled, and she accidentally dropped the book on the floor.
As soon as she saw it, a strange chill ran down her spine, making her shiver, and she tried to pick it up with somewhat urgent hands.
But Ruen bent down before her and spoke kindly.
"I'll pick it up for you!"
Then, as she reached for the half-open book, she seemed to catch sight of its contents, freezing instantly and letting out a short gasp.
"...Ah."
She then let out an awkward laugh, fidgeting restlessly.
She placed the book in Shiren's hand and spoke.
"Uhm... oh. Yes!"
It seemed like she wanted to say something.
But Ruen, who had forced a smile and said nothing, as if deciding it was better not to, soon fled as if escaping somewhere.
"..."
It was a situation where there was no need to be embarrassed at all.
Yet, for some reason, Shiren felt incredibly embarrassed and squeezed her eyes shut.
* * * * *
The moment I reached High-grade Expert, my physical abilities, mana, and what are called 'senses' sharply increased.
The difference was on a completely different level from when I was an Intermediate Expert, and I continuously let out exclamations of awe in my mind.
I pressed on the enemy, who looked exactly like me, and was gradually backing away.
"..."
Ever since I ascended to High-grade Expert, the enemy's initial lofty demeanor had vanished without a trace.
It was now merely making desperate attempts to block my attacks.
Seeing that there was nothing more to learn from this opponent, I blocked its rear with Shadow while simultaneously reaching for its heart and lightly using Origin Explosion.
*KWA-A-A-ANG!*
I had only used Origin Explosion to draw its attention away.
But perhaps because I had absorbed divine power and demonic energy in addition to reaching High-grade Expert, an immense power, incomparable to before, erupted.
'*...Isn't this cheating?*'
After confirming that everything around me had been blown away, I nodded my head in satisfaction.
I then instantly pierced the heart of the frozen enemy and pulled out what was inside.
“*Just as I expected.*”
As I delved inside, I felt an orb instead of a heart.
To be honest, digging into the heart area of a creature that looked like me and then eating the orb found there instead of a heart was a bit unsettling.
However, the fact that consuming it would make me even stronger kept swirling in my mind, so I put it into my mouth without hesitation.
To be frank, the Snow-white Orb I had consumed earlier possessed an enormous amount of power.
So I hadn't expected a creature that looked like me to contain a significant amount of power.
Yet, as if to mock my expectations, twice the amount of power I had absorbed earlier began to surge into my body.
'*Insane.*'
An immense amount of power poured in, enough to reach Highest-grade Expert in one go, by rough estimate.
I quickly tried to absorb it and make it my own power.
But perhaps because too much power had entered all at once, it began to struggle as if to seize control of my body.
“*How amusing.*”
The will to never easily give in was evident, and it was simply laughable.
I forcibly stomped on the rampaging power within my body, suppressing it.
As its struggles became less frequent, I gradually began to absorb it, making it my own power.
It took quite a long time.
But I judged it best to proceed safely, so I poured my utmost effort into it.
How much time had passed?
After a long period of arduous effort, I succeeded in absorbing all of its power, gaining immense strength.
“*The only regrettable thing is that I didn”t quite reach the Highest-grade Expert.*'
“*It felt like I just barely missed it.*”
I exhaled a slight sigh of regret, thinking that indeed, the higher the realm, the more immense power was required.
Then I shook my head and stretched my limbs.
“*Well, if I just absorb a little more power, I should be able to ascend.*”
Thinking that a little more effort would suffice, I turned my body.
“*Time to head back now.*”
I had finished everything I could do here, so there was no longer any reason to come back.
I looked around the place I'd grown strangely fond of, then slowly made my way out.
*
When I finally emerged outside after a long time, what I saw was
"...Damian."
Shiren's face flushed bright red.
I was puzzled, unable to understand why her face was so red, when suddenly I understood.
Shiren approached me with a determined expression and spoke in a resolute voice.
"Take it off."
"...?"
It was a completely unexpected remark, and my mind instantly went blank.
Not even a greeting, just telling me to strip, out of the blue... What on earth could it mean?
It was such a bewildering thing to say that at first, I thought I'd misheard and tried to find another meaning with a similar pronunciation.
"Damian, take it off. Quickly."
Shiren delivered the *Confirmation Kill*, staring intently at me.
I thought Shiren's actions were overly zealous and tried to calm her, but she insistently tried to strip me.
“*Why is she acting like this?*”
Wondering if there was a reason, I subtly glanced down.
My clothes were quite tattered.
“*Ah. Is it because my clothes are tattered?*”
Given Shiren's personality, she had a tendency to prove things with actions rather than explanations.
I figured she was telling me to take off my clothes so she could take them and bring me new ones, so I spoke.
"I'll wash up and put on clothes myself, so could you please calm down?"
At the word "calm down," Shiren paused and looked at me.
She then blinked, looking at my tattered clothes.
"What's wrong with your clothes?"
"Huh?"
Her tone, as if she had only just noticed my clothes, instantly left me speechless.
That reaction meant her reason for telling me to take off my clothes was, quite literally, to just take them off for no reason at all.
"..."
It was clear Lorraine had done something, so I was holding back a sigh, thinking it would be best to confront her.
Then Dwejji, who had been in Shiren's arms, jumped over and clung to me, beginning to whine.
"*Mwebeuengbeu-e.*"
Then, with an incomprehensible whimper, she started playfully hitting my shoulder.
I stroked Dwejji's head with an apologetic heart, comforting her as best I could.
"I'll definitely take you with me next time."
At my words, Dwejji, covered in tears and snot, smiled brightly and nodded her head vigorously.
As I was wiping Dwejji's face, I saw Ruen rushing towards me from a distance.
"Damian...!"
She then embraced me directly, holding me tightly.
I stood there blankly, feeling the immense divine power emanating from her.
Shiren, who was in front of me, looked at us with a somewhat subdued expression, then began to glare at Ruen.
I was feeling that I shouldn't leave things as they were.
I quickly calmed Ruen down and then spoke urgently.
"I'm going to go wash up first. My condition is quite a mess."
At my words, Ruen looked at me, nodded quickly, and stepped back, saying.
"You've truly worked so hard... I'll bring you clothes to wear!"
There was no real need, as the Maids would bring them.
But not wanting to disregard her sincerity, I nodded.
Shiren, who was behind me, hesitated, glancing around nervously, then took a step forward and spoke to me.
"Then I'll help you bathe."
"...?"
"I saw it in the book."
A rather bewildering suggestion reached my ears.
At her words, I looked at Shiren with a blank expression.
Shiren smiled proudly with a triumphant expression.