I don’t want it. I hate it. I hate it so much. Don’t come in! No. I said I don’t want it!
“Save me, haht, Your, High, ngh, ah, save me, ah, hnght, please!”
I desperately cried out with my barely freed mouth. My voice echoed through the cave like an echo. And without even a brief pause, Eldon’s voice returned as an echo.
“Just endure a little.”
Endure what! Right now that tree stem is trying to thrust inside me!
“It’s my first time! You bad bastard!”
“What…?”
Along with a somewhat dazed voice, the branches began stripping off my pants in earnest.
“Gyaah! Don’t, I hate it! I ha-hate it! Hngh, ngh…!”
The black pants slid down with a swish, and the stems holding my ankles pulled to both sides, mercilessly spreading my legs. I wanted to run away, but the more I did, the more the stems tightened around my body.
Along with fear, a strange heat melted my body. The liquid covering my body became increasingly thick, and the stems slowly swept over my skin as if scraping it together, then began slathering the collected liquid on my lower parts with wet sounds.
Is this what it feels like to take drugs? Completely different emotions—disgust, dizziness, haziness, and fear—burst out simultaneously, and moan-like words leaked from my mouth. But even though they were words from my own mouth, they scattered without reaching my ears. In the sensation of my whole body moving separately, the heat increasingly consumed my body. Thick branches endlessly teased my chest, and the branches hovering between my wide-spread legs persistently rubbed my intimate place.
“Haht, nght, aah, haah, ah…!”
The branches that had been tormenting my lower parts began penetrating inside as if they’d enjoyed themselves enough. As thin branches poked past the glans to jab at the urethral opening, and even the branch that had been lingering at the anal folds gradually invaded, my mind froze with fear beyond arousal.
“Gyaaah! I said I don’t want it!”
The moment the artificially manipulated pleasure came crashing down, a red blade and black light simultaneously flashed before my eyes. Then the branches that had been violating my intimate place and restraining my body were cut away in a large arc.
And my body fell straight to the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut, and I landed in someone’s arms.
“I’m sorry for being late.”
…Hereis? I blinked my hotly heated eyelids. Beautiful odd-eye pupils. He really was Hereis.
How did he get here? Then did Hereis save me? But I thought I saw a red sword….
Just then, a dull sound rang in my ears. I looked toward where the sound came from.
Eldon, who had come down at some point, was hacking away at the Ryrium. The Ryrium’s stems rushed toward Eldon, but he cut the branches and cut them again.
Like a demon.
Covered in the red aura of his sword, even his pale silver hair and gray eyes looked red. I closed my eyes, feeling a chilling fear toward the one who had helped me.
***
“Hah, nght….”
I opened my eyes while exhaling hot heat. The familiar ceiling and the familiar touch of bedding—this was my room in the separate palace.
As I tried to sit up, Hereis handed me water in a transparent glass.
“…Was it a dream?”
Eldon and the tentacle monster—was all of that a dream? Where did the dream start? As I traced my memories in a hazy state, Hereis wiped away my sweat with a handkerchief.
“It wasn’t a dream.”
There was strength in his voice. The moment he said it wasn’t, my mind cleared and I became aware of reality. I sat up with a jolt. The room was submerged in darkness as if the sun had set.
“What happened to Viscount Bellos?”
Hereis pressed my shoulder to make me lie down again. I was a bit surprised because that touch was somewhat rough.
“Grand Duke Curtis’s secret ledger was discovered, and the execution has been canceled.”
“That’s a relief.”
“A relief?”
I could definitely feel it. Hereis was extremely angry right now.
“Hereis…?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought I’d be back quickly. I didn’t know it would be that dangerous. I’m sorry.”
Actually, I was afraid of being caught in a lie. I was planning to go to Eldon and say I heard the ledger’s location from Young Master Bellos. But Hereis, Forti, and Raki know that’s not true. If they really asked how I knew, I’d have nothing to say.
“I was trying to give you freedom, but that won’t work.”
“What?”
“I’ll have to follow you around.”
A thin laugh burst out. Unlike his serious expression, it was a frivolous remark. I feel like a kindergartener who went out to play alone and got scolded.
“Harry, thank you for worrying about me.”
“This isn’t something to laugh off. Do you know how dangerous it was?”
“It’s okay. I was with the Empire’s hero.”
Eldon’s swordsmanship is the best in the Empire. If he hadn’t been the Crown Prince, he would have received the title of Sword Master, according to the original work. That’s why he could cut off Rosenthal’s head cleanly too. No matter how famous a sword made from a dragon’s tooth, cutting off a person’s head in one stroke isn’t easy. Sob.
Anyway, if he’d had the will, he could have easily dealt with a tree monster. Of course, unlike Seha, I couldn’t draw out that will from Eldon. Eh, such is a sub’s fate.
A low sigh naturally escaped, and Hereis reached his hand over my collarbone. Just lightly placing it above the clothes, my body heated up again.
“I will erase this brand after all.”
“You can’t. I told you before. His Highness the Crown Prince must give permission.”
Hereis had wanted to erase the slave brand from the beginning. But I firmly refused.
Excluding the Magic Tower, the only experts capable of erasing a slave brand without the master’s permission are Silang and the Master of the Tern Guild. If he erased my brand, it would naturally arouse Eldon’s suspicion. I didn’t want Hereis’s identity to be revealed because of me. I also didn’t want to be marked by Eldon for no reason.
“Why does Young Master care for such a person…!”
Hereis’s voice rose but he suddenly bit his lip. He seemed to have things to say but was suppressing them. I reached out my hand and touched his lips.
“Don’t bite. You’ll leave a scar on that handsome face.”
“……”
“Nngh…. But why is it so hot?”
Just stretching my arm a little, a strange sensation bloomed from my body rubbing against the sleepwear.
“It’s because Ryrium sap remains. You’ll calm down by tomorrow morning.”
“Is it like an aphrodisiac?”
“Yes. A potent aphrodisiac.”
It really does seem potent. I realized my lower parts were wetly soaked. They’d washed me and changed my clothes, but fluid had flowed even while I was sleeping.
I saw Hereis’s face reflected in the dim candlelight. His face had become even more gaunt in just a few hours. He really does need vital energy.
“Harry. Give me the incense.”
“What?”
“Nngh, I think I can let you feast right now.”
“Is this the time to think such thoughts?”
“You said I’ll be fine by morning anyway, right? Hurry. Harry needs to eat.”
“Didn’t you say once a week is enough?”
“That’s a lie. You’re this thin.”
I tried to raise my hand but lowered it again. I had no leisure to move even a finger as my whole body was hot like it had become an erogenous zone. Still, it was fortunate that while my body was sensitive, my mind was relatively clear.
“Hahm…. Hurry, the incense….”
No matter how hopelessly sympathetic I am, with this level of arousal I should be able to give Hereis vital energy. As I blinked my hot eyelids and urged Hereis, the door burst open.
It was Eldon.
With his gaze fixed on me, he walked inside with large strides.
Hereis put my hand that had come out back under the blanket and pulled it up to my neck, then bowed his head to Eldon.
“What is the Crown Princess’s condition?”
“He barely opened his eyes, but was about to sleep again. His condition is still not fully recovered, so please withdraw.”
Eldon glared silently at Hereis. The two men were almost the same height. When Hereis also raised his head straight and responded, their gazes collided horizontally.
“The Bartrell family’s reputation is also a thing of the past. As a mere butler, have you not learned imperial etiquette?”
Hereis was disguising his identity as a member of the Bartrell viscounty, the Empire’s greatest butler family.
“Bartrell always serves our lord as the top priority.”
When Hereis made clear that I took priority over even royalty, Eldon’s gaze became even colder.
“So that’s why you entered the cave where mana doesn’t work?”
“Yes.”
“By teleporting directly from the capital?”
“Yes.”
Hereis smiled as if it were nothing, but honestly, even to my ears, it wasn’t the ability of an ordinary butler.
“What is your true identity?”
That his words triggered Eldon’s suspicious nature was a natural progression. Eldon’s hand, speaking coldly, gripped the sword’s handle.
‘The red sword that is not permitted to be named. That sword is a famous sword under heaven that can even cut demons.’
In an instant, a description from the original work that I’d read lightly flashed through my mind.
“I’m a butler.”
Hereis answered calmly, but I couldn’t. I sat up with a jolt. The main gong who possesses both power and skill can cut down anyone. Even if the opponent is the ruler of darkness and a demon.
“Harry, please leave.”
“Young Master, please don’t get up. You must rest.”
“I’m fine. Please go and rest.”
Being conscious of Eldon, I ordered butler Harry as Young Master Chendewden. Hereis also seemed to grasp my feelings, as he looked at me for a moment then slowly bowed his head.
“Understood.”
As I watched Hereis leave, Eldon walked over with large strides and sat on the edge of the bed. I also lay down while suppressing a moan. Just sitting up briefly then lying down, hot heat rushed over me.
Hereis is an incubus and was like that from when we first met, even showing me strange dreams, so there was nothing to hide now, but I didn’t want to be like that with Eldon.
“How is your body?”
“Just a bit tired.”
My voice came out slowly as I swallowed my moans.
“Thanks to you, I found the secret ledger.”
“It’s thanks to Young Master Bellos telling me. As promised, please don’t…. mmph, punish him.”
“You were helpful too.”
…Helpful? You call that speaking? Haah, trashtrash Eltrash. A bastard with no use except his face. I’ve long known your cold-bloodedness, but I didn’t know you’d throw your fiancé to a tentacle monster. You should rather just shut your mouth and pretend not to know—what are you bringing it up for as if you did well?
