When we left, the guard was bothersome too, but since I didn’t have any baggage, it didn’t take long. Myungho took a while searching through his pockets everywhere, but there was nowhere for me to hide anything.
The fur coat was too thin to hide anything in. There must be a serious drug problem here if they’re grabbing people so frantically like that.
Myungho mistook my key for a box hiding drugs and twisted it hard, asking if I had put anything inside. Honestly, I almost laughed. In the end, he couldn’t open it and returned it.
“The request said to drive away or hunt goblin groups near the way there and back, so just do what’s written. Though… occasionally, there are people who add extra conditions…”
Like bringing back tongues undamaged. Or killing them cleanly without wounds so they can be stuffed nicely. Myungho gave various examples.
You could say it’s like a side quest. It felt strangely like a game.
…But I’m not the protagonist. I don’t even know why I’ve ended up with this fate in this world or who to curse. First off, all the gods deserve death.
“In this kind of grassland, there won’t be many places to hide, so… they might have dug burrows. Where would they be… Ah, right. Alterra, did you feel anything strange from underground?”
At some point, my senior said they’d teach me, but watching them naturally ask for help made me laugh.
If you put your ear to the ground, besides the weak vibrations made by mice or rabbits, you can feel something rather large over there.
“Over there. Beneath that tree root… there seem to be things about this big moving around.”
After saying that, I stood up and placed my hand on my thigh. Hey, didn’t you see? You’re looking somewhere else again. I don’t understand why.
“…Alterra. I mentioned this before, but… wouldn’t it work if you lay down more normally?”
Myungho was completely flat on the ground. He bought new clothes, yet he’s doing this. Even if he lays down on the grass, he’ll get dirty.
But regardless of that, I had no intention of listening to him.
“…What if I do this? What will you do?”
While saying that, I stepped firmly on his back as he lay down.
“Ahhh, Alterra?! What are you doing! Why are you stepping on me all of a sudden! I can’t move…”
“Can’t you? Exactly. That’s why I don’t lay down like that.”
I removed my foot and explained why I didn’t lay down like that. If someone suddenly steps on you while you’re lying down like that, you’ll be completely pinned.
“…Still, though. Do you really have to lie down like that? I… am a man, you know? Alterra. My butt… sticks out in that position.”
What? I’m a man too, even if not now. Not that I plan to live as a woman. Every few months, I’m forcibly reminded that I’ve turned into a female non-human, but…
“So? Then don’t look. You’re saying stupid things. Ah… right. How about you step on me? You can step on my head too. Once you understand why I use this posture, maybe you’ll stop feeling lustful.”
This pose isn’t meant to tempt or anything. It’s the best solution I’ve come up with after much trial and error.
Myungho’s face turned red again, and he didn’t know where to look. Pathetic. This is why women who beg for penetration would still be rejected by guys like him.
“Then, I… I’ll step on you. Since you told me to…”
Myungho closed his eyes tightly and slowly lifted his foot toward my head. Before he could actually step down, I swiftly swung my tail and stopped right in front of his neck.
“…Huh?”
He opened his eyes, sensing something odd, turned his head, and froze.
“…In this position, I can also use my tail as a weapon, you see? Got it? It’s not tempting or anything. It’s preparation for unexpected situations.”
Also, because of the lump on my chest, it’s difficult to lie down properly. Even with bandages pressing down, it’s quite uncomfortable.
Myungho seemed to understand as he slowly retreated, rubbing his neck.
“Uh… yeah. I get it… Still, since we have a partner watching our backs now, could you try being a bit more normal… please?”
“Habits can’t be changed overnight. But I’ll keep it in mind.”
Though I have no intention of changing. Because of that mage. I need to know what he’s thinking.
Anyway, Myungho thanked me for showing him the direction and then headed toward where the vibrations were felt, asking me to keep watch from there.
As soon as he did, several green little creatures armed with stone knives and crude spears rushed in. Four of them.
The quality of their weapons was so poor; I wondered if they could even harm anything with those.
Myungho didn’t dodge the stone knife but instead held up his forearm to block it.
Worthy of the coat that blocked the knife without a scratch, the stone blade had no effect at all. Myungho looked at his arm in surprise, even pausing mid-fight to examine it.
Then, another one with a wooden spear charged from behind, but the spear snapped with a creaking sound.
Still, it seemed to hurt a bit as he turned around and delivered an accurate kick to the goblin’s neck.
The goblin flew awkwardly, clutching its neck and gagging. Ignoring that, Myungho drew his sword.
Since all the attacks were being blocked by his coat, he seemed to be deliberately letting himself get hit while casually dealing with the goblins.
He looks like an uncle playing with children. Just uglier and full of malice. Watching such a fight from the grass where I sat leisurely, I sensed another strange vibration.
It wasn’t coming from underground. Something was approaching on the surface, heading straight for Myungho. Who is it? What is it?
The size… roughly similar to a human. No bizarre appendages or anything. But I couldn’t see it at all with my eyes.
However, the vibration clearly indicated something was there.
Feeling something was off, I grabbed a nearby rock fragment and hurled it forcefully toward the source of the vibration.
The rock fragment made a metallic clang and veered off course.
“…Myungho! Get out of there immediately!”
I channeled magic power into my horns and tore up a large chunk of earth, hurling it toward where he stood.
Startled by the sudden event, Myungho quickly picked up a goblin and moved aside when he saw me lifting the earth chunk.
A loud noise echoed as dirt and pebbles scattered in all directions, breaking the silence of the plain.
And from within that cloud of dust, a woman appeared.
She resembled me but had smaller, straighter horns. Her eyes were blue with white sclera, and her skin was unnaturally pale, as if bleached.
Her clothing barely covered the essential parts, almost useless.
But what stood out more than those details was the black mask-like object covering her mouth and nose.
“…That’s… a demon, right? And with that mask, she must be nearly pure-blooded… Alterra! Anyway, prepare for battle! She wasn’t in the request, but we should capture her!”
Do demons have pure-bloods and half-breeds? An interesting topic. Anyway, I ran over to Myungho and levitated some rock fragments nearby.
“<...Perfect invisibility, and yet you noticed me. And that strength... the pigs weren't lying after all.>”
The woman muttered something to herself, then I shattered a large rock and sent it flying at her like shrapnel. However, it was blocked by some kind of barrier.
“What are you? Why did you target me? Answer me, demon!”
Still gripping the goblin’s head tightly in one hand, Myungho asked the demon why she targeted him.
“<...You. How do you understand our language...? No, that's irrelevant. Seeing that you're with her, you must be the one who stole our key?>”
“The key… So you’re the one who hired those orcs to raid the village? Then now you’ve come to steal it back! Bring it on!”
They glared at each other, ready to charge at any moment. But instead of attacking, the woman said something.
“<...Not yet. Lucky you, boy. I'll... look forward to our next meeting.>”
With that, she disappeared into the air like diving underwater. Trying to detect her with vibrations only revealed Myungho’s tense heartbeat.
Small animals had already fled. She was definitely gone.
“…She’s gone. What exactly was that?”
Clutching his sword tightly and glaring around, Myungho sighed in relief when I said she was gone and admitted he didn’t know either.
“Maybe… a demon looking for this key. Who would’ve thought we’d encounter real demons in this era… Thanks, Alterra. Without you, I might’ve been taken out instantly.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re partners, aren’t we? More importantly, you weren’t affected by that woman’s allure, huh?”
Despite her revealing attire, adorned with dangling decorations that seemed designed to tempt, Myungho didn’t even blush once.
“Eh? Well… the situation was like that.”
Even in such a situation, being able to feel lust is what I know about male creatures. Hmm.
Whatever. Anyway, both of us are fine, and all the goblins are caught.
“…Shouldn’t we stop hunting goblins now?”
“Goblins? Oh.”
Clearly green-skinned, their faces were now an ugly mix of green and purple.
“…Yeah. Let’s head back. We don’t know what else might show up. Anyway, that’s how you handle requests. Though… there were some unexpected situations midway.”
Yes, yes, senior. I responded and returned to the city.
