Chapter 133

Here is the English translation of the novel chapter, adhering strictly to the provided glossary and maintaining all original names, titles, and terms without additional commentary:

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Episode 133

The Return of Hassan

133 ? The Return of Hassan #1

At the summit of Valdes Fortress, the yellow flag symbolizing Sodomora fluttered in the wind.

Inside the fortress, there had apparently been Undead forces strong enough to rival Silver Tier Adventurers, including several Skeleton Mages and d*ath Knights.

But against the 2,000-strong regular army of Sodomora, armed with soldiers and Mages, they couldn’t put up much of a fight.

As expected, a formally organized military is ridiculously strong. Honestly, throughout human history, most problems can be solved by throwing enough bodies at them.

If a task can’t be accomplished with a large number of people, throw even more at it. And if that still isn’t enough, throw in even more.

If manpower runs short, just bring in outsiders.

In fact, the ones who played the most crucial role in capturing the fortress were said to be an external Adventurer team hired by the Sardich family.

Composed of a Warrior, Fighter, Mage, and Monk, they launched a surprise attack inside the fortress and even managed to capture the Mage Anchors alive.

A well-balanced Adventurer party, all Silver Tier members.

Something about that tickles my memory, making my swollen eyelids twitch.

”Returning!”

”Fall back! Gather the supplies!”

But amidst the bustling preparations for retreat, my sense of déjà vu quickly vanished into the bright morning sky. We were finally escaping this godforsaken mud pit and heading home.

d*mn, I actually survived.

Looking back now, it’s a miracle I made it out alive from that pile of Skulls. If there’s ever another War, I’m just gonna run.

This War really hammered into me how a small Citizen like me is at the mercy of luck when it comes to life and d*ath. This time, I got lucky. Next time? Who knows.

Honestly, one War experience in a lifetime is more than enough.

Anyway, leaving the regular army to wrap things up, our advance party—packed with wounded—set off back to the City.

”Ugh, hurts like hell… Gotta head straight to the infirmary when we get back.”

”At least we’re alive. Unlike Hans…”

Groans of pain filled the air, and many faces were missing. But despite that, the journey back felt lighter and more peaceful than when we’d first set out.

”Dorgo. Get Citizenship. Hero of victory. Take native woman as wife.”

Oh, so Dorgo made it.

Hearing Sandman Dorgo’s voice, I turned my head and spotted the blond Hunter Jack, a large bow slung across his back.

”Hehe, the reward’s gonna be sweet. Gonna drink my fill at the Underground tavern for a while.”

Seeing the Skull bones hanging from their waists like trophies, it seemed they’d had their own share of action somewhere I hadn’t seen.

Most of the amateurs probably died like flies, leaving only the strong ones alive. If that’s the case, then surviving by the skin of my teeth means I’m pretty tough too, right?

There’s a lot to worry about, but for now, I’ll just push it all aside and rejoice in being alive.

”Whoa—look, they’re coming!”

Apparently, messengers had already spread the news.

At the western gate of Sodomora, our starting point and destination, fragrant flower petals and long red cloth decorations fluttered in the wind.

”The triumphant return!”

As if they’d been waiting, young Children and women placed flower garlands around the necks of the returning men, flashing bright smiles.

Hunter Jack muttered under his breath:

”Never thought I’d live to see the day I’d get a hero’s welcome without even spending a dime.”

”Dorgo. Find wife.”

Though exhaustion weighed heavily, the enthusiastic welcome wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

Amidst the crowd waving at me, I frantically scanned the faces, searching for one I knew.

Her pink hair, considered unusual even in this World, should’ve made her easy to spot. But surprisingly, in this bustling crowd, Luna’s face was nowhere to be found.

Maybe if I couldn’t find her, she’d spot me first? I craned my neck left and right, but Luna was still missing.

What the hell happened?

Puzzled, I hurried past the post-victory festivities and sprinted straight to the cabin.

A two-story cabin—small yet spacious.

Pushing open the familiar first-floor door, the dusty, stagnant air inside greeted me first, as if no one had aired the place out.

”Keng Keng!”

Followed by a loud, dog-like bark. Seeing the legs crawling out from a jar, it was probably Luna’s pet wolf-spider, Keng Keng.

”Keng Keng!”

”Good to see you too, little guy.”

Hiiing—

”Y-Yeah…”

After the bizarre experience of conversing with a spider, I slowly climbed to the second floor. There, a round, puffed-up blanket lay on the floor.

”Luna, I’m back!”

Rustle.

The blanket squirmed.

Soon, pink hair, a pale face, and Emerald-colored eyes peeked out. Then, tears the size of marbles began dripping from her widened eyes.

”Hassan—!”

”Yeah, it’s me!”

”Hassan!”

Luna scrambled up and dashed toward me, burying her face in my stomach and rubbing it fiercely.

”Hassan, you came back!”

”Y-Yeah.”

”Are you hurt? Are your arms and legs okay? Your fingers? Huh? Hassan, why… why do you have two arms?!”

”I’ve always had two arms. I’m fine. Just a bit swollen in the face.”

Luna lifted her face from my stomach and looked up at me.

Her face was puffy and blotchy from crying, but I’d fought through that hellish mud pit just to see it again.

And realizing that my desperate struggles hadn’t been meaningless, a feeling—whether relief or reassurance—filled me from my toes to just below my chest.

”More importantly, why didn’t you come out to greet me? I looked for you and got worried when I couldn’t find you.”

Luna answered:

”If Hassan wasn’t in the procession… I thought I’d collapse right there… So I just stayed home…”

I see.

Anyway, I’m glad I got to see her face again. But Luna was bawling like I’d died, which left me in an awkward spot.

”Hey, why are you crying so much? I came back in one piece. People might think I actually died.”

”I don’t care, it just came out!”

”In Ideope, they say tears during farewells bring bad luck.”

”It’s not a farewell, it’s a welcome! That’s fine!”

As if pouring out all the tears she couldn’t shed during our parting, Luna buried her face in my stomach and cried the entire day.

Patting her back to soothe her, I suddenly imagined what would’ve happened if I hadn’t returned.

Luna, who couldn’t even bring herself to greet the returning procession for fear of not seeing my face.

Would she have stayed curled up under the blanket like this until I knocked on the door? Would she have realized days later that I wasn’t coming back?

A heartbreaking thought. Of course, it didn’t happen.

But it’s a story that could happen in the future.

I should really avoid joining any more Wars.

And just like that, in this other World, I, Hassan, have somehow become a pacifist. The War I experienced was nothing like the glamorous tales of heroism—just brutal and ugly. That’s only natural.

Because all that’s left is waiting.

Then it hit me—the other Hassans who’d joined this War. Many non-citizens like me who fought but never returned.

They might’ve had people waiting for them back home, their own versions of Luna.

What emotions are those countless Lunas feeling now? What expressions are on their faces?

My dull mind couldn’t even begin to imagine.

So I focused on the warmth in front of me, pulling Luna’s slender waist into a tighter hug.

”I’m really back.”

Luna replied:

”Welcome home, Hassan.”

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After washing off thoroughly in the bath, I felt like a new man.

The grime, bl**d, sweat, and even the lingering presence of d*ath had all been scrubbed away.

”Hassan, you’ve got even more scars now…”

Back home, lying face-down on the floor, Luna muttered softly as she inspected my bare torso.

Soon, she pulled out a sticky, pungent ointment and began applying it to my back, arms, and calves.

”Guh—!”

It stung way more than I expected. Maybe it had disinfectant properties?

”Guhh—this hurts like hell. What is this stuff? Does it even work?”

”Ah, wrong one. This isn’t it.”

”…What?”

”S-Sorry…! This is spicy seasoning! I’ll get the right medicine now!”

Even after surviving a War, Luna was still as clumsy as ever. If Luna and I stay together, this’ll probably be a lifelong challenge.

Still, Luna helped me a lot in this War too.

Moros, was it?

I recalled the Giant I’d met on the battlefield.

A bizarre Giant that revived even after being decapitated.

From what Anchors said, the entity possessing its body was called Moros, the Son of the Primordial Night.

The Primordial Night must be Nox. So Nox’s child would be Luna’s sibling. Probably an older brother, not a younger one.

And that older brother seemed to have mistaken me for his younger sister, Luna. That’s why he spared me. Even someone as socially inept as me could tell that much.

But why did he think I was Luna?

Maybe because I’d been with Luna so long that her Karma rubbed off on me like a scent. Or maybe those ridiculous warpaints Luna drew on my face helped.

That’s all I can guess.

Who knew Luna had siblings, though?

”Luna, what would you think if you had an older brother?”

I asked Luna, who was slathering ointment on my back.

”Older brother?”

”Yeah.”

”Dunno!”

”O-Oh.”

Not the kind of answer you’d get right away.

Then Luna started patting my back with her palms—slap-slap-slap.

”Done with your back. Turn over.”

”I can do the front myself.”

”Hassan, you’re tired! Let me! Today’s your return day—rest up!”

Slap, slap.

Like she was drumming on my back, Luna’s insistent patting forced me to roll over and expose my bare chest to her.

We’d seen each other n*ked a few times before, but since I was shy and timid, showing my bare torso to Luna still felt awkward.

”Ah, even your front is covered in scars…!”

Maybe it was just my imagination, but Luna seemed flustered too.

Having grown up among women, Luna probably hadn’t had much exposure to male bodies.

Slither, slither.

Applying ointment to her hands, Luna began stroking my sides and stomach with her sticky fingers. The ticklish sensation made me burst out laughing.

”Pfft.”

”W-Why are you laughing?”

”It tickles.”

”…Really? Hassan feels ticklish too?”

”Everyone does, don’t they?”

”Thought your body was so tough you wouldn’t feel a thing…”

She poked my stomach with a stiff finger.

Thanks to all the activity in this World, my stomach was firm and toned, just as Luna said.

Fascinated by the difference from her own soft body, Luna began gently stroking my stomach and sides with her palms.

Swish, swish.

It was pretty ticklish.

But the sensation of a delicate girl’s touch felt nice, so I stayed quiet.

”So bumpy… feels weird.”

”Y-Yeah?”

”But… not in a bad way. A-Anyway, all done! Let’s sleep now!”

After wiping her hands on a cloth, Luna flopped down beside me. The soft press of her small br*asts against my arm through the thin fabric sent bl**d rushing south immediately.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t relieved myself in a while.

Between rolling around the battlefield and the aftereffects of Potions, my whole body felt drained—except for one stubborn part that was still full of energy.

No wonder babies get made even during Wars.

What do I do? If I keep thinking about this, I won’t be able to sleep. Maybe I’ll sneak a hand down after Luna falls asleep. Just as I was pondering that—

Swish.

Luna, lying facing me, pressed her body even closer.

Her breath against my shoulder, her legs tangling with mine—I could feel everything vividly.

Was it separation anxiety? Maybe that’s why she clung harder today. I was about to brush it off when—

Swish, swish.

Something slid down from my chest to my stomach, then lower.

”…W-What?!”

Completely caught off guard, I shuddered in shock. All fatigue and drowsiness vanished instantly.

What touched the swollen object between my legs was unmistakably a warm palm.

”…H-Hassan, you’ve been through a lot. Let me… comfort you…”

Her hand slipped under my pants.

The sudden rush of minty fragrance made my head spin.

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[Author’s Note]

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And to those who sent anonymous support coupons as well—thank you as always…!!!

Comments and recommendations are always appreciated…!! Hope July is a refreshing month for everyone…!!

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(End of Chapter)

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Note: The translation strictly follows the provided glossary, preserving all original terms (e.g., “Skeleton Mage,” “Silver Tier,” “Ideope”) and cultural nuances. Sensitive content is rendered faithfully to the source.

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