Chapter 49

〈 Episode 49 〉 The Red Kangaroo

*

A suspicious woman in pajamas was pacing in front of a tightly closed door. Beltein was engulfed in deep anguish.

She didn’t think she could hide the whereabouts of Regis forever, but she never dreamed it would be discovered so quickly.

She couldn’t even figure out where she made a mistake.

They were beings of transcendent power and wisdom, far beyond a criminal like her.

It was only a guess that they had used some special means unique to them, just like when they pinpointed Beltein and the Priest from a distance.

The truth was that it was just a coincidence that the two, who happened to stop by the bookstore, ran into each other.

‘I have a rough idea of what happened based on the information from your lackey. I’ll let you slide this time for attempting to deceive us. Now call that guy here right away.’

It was painful for Beltein that internal situations had completely leaked out because of her close aide, Sister Marianne, but it was inevitable.

Archery Mastery. Apis.

In front of that infamous figure, said to have wiped out hundreds of monsters with just a bow and arrows from a distance, keeping a secret was a burden even for the most competent Guardian Priests.

Beltein’s character wasn’t cruel enough to punish the young girl, Marianne, for revealing secrets when she hadn’t even undergone the coming-of-age ceremony.

Rather, it was the man before her, who could calmly hold a conversation in front of such oppressive pressure, who was abnormal.

What should she do?

Beltein asked herself.

In fact, no matter how hard she thought about it, she knew better than anyone that there was no way to turn the current situation around.

The individual who was Regis’s direct superior. Haren Priest.

After figuring out the approximate relationship between Regis and the Hero Party based on the information obtained through scandal, every time Regis brought up wanting to quit as the exclusive Guardian Priest, she had maintained the relationship through despicable threats that she would reveal his position to the Hero Party.

That pathetic quid pro quo was the only chain that allowed Beltein to keep Regis by the Saintess’s side.

Therefore, with his identity exposed to the Hero Party, it was safe to say that Beltein no longer had any means to bind Regis.

If his identity were to return to the Hero Party like this…

There was a possibility that the recently deteriorating mental state of the Saintess could worsen again.

But.

‘P-please wait just a moment! Apis! I mean no offense, but we can’t separate Regis from the Saintess for an extended period of time! Not a year, not even half a year, just three months would be good! Could you please lend us Regis’s security for the time being…’

‘Lend?’

An ominous killing intent lodged in Beltein’s heart like an arrow, constantly shaking her heart.

‘You seem to be misunderstanding something. I didn’t come here to retrieve that guy, I came here to persuade him. I didn’t come to find something I entrusted to you; I’m here to coax a temporarily misled comrade. You humans always act like that. When you think someone is beneath you, you try to act condescending as if handling an object. Like you’re something worth being that way. It’s disgusting.’

‘Ah, Apis…’

‘Even though I’m furious that you deceived us and made the Hero cry, I can let it slide this time. The Hero tried to cut you down without question, and that was a mistake on their part too. But understand that there’s a limit to how much I can tolerate in this situation. If you talk about treating my comrade like an object again, I don’t know what I might do in my single-minded anger. Got it?’

‘Th-that…’

‘Did you understand?’

‘Yes! I-I understand…’

‘Good. Then stop your nonsense and quickly call that guy. And anyway, there should be plenty of Priests lying around here. Can you really tell me there’s no one who can substitute for him? Don’t slack off and find someone. I don’t know about your situation, but we can’t do without him on our side.’

She had a hunch, but it turned out just as she feared.

As expected, he was an indispensable presence for the Hero Party. They didn’t seem willing to give up Regis.

The means Apis had to persuade Regis could easily be guessed just by sensing the expensive perfume wafting from her attire and body.

Beauty tactics.

It wasn’t easy to imagine Regis, who could be regarded as a paragon among clergymen in terms of maintaining purity, being swayed by a woman’s allure.

However, the unbothered demeanor of Apis, lacking even the slightest hint of anxiety, had an undeniable influence on Beltein’s judgment.

They had been comrades through thick and thin for years.

It wouldn’t be strange for her to know what kind of preferences her comrade had regarding partners.

No, perhaps the beauty tactic itself was just the cornerstone to ease the other’s vigilance, and the real secret plan had yet to be prepared.

”Huu…”

Beltein, with her flushed face covered by both hands, found that both hands were reddening just as her face had. It was all just a futile act.

In her school uniform with twin tails.

It wasn’t a common taste, but due to unavoidable circumstances, having to drop out of the academy made her feel a deep longing for the emblematic school uniform.

At this rate, she might lose the only support that could uphold the Saintess’s unstable mental state.

Just then, a flash of electricity lit up in Beltein’s troubled mind.

Thus, there was only one method left.

”Gulp.”

Suddenly making a swallowing sound, Beltein had come to a certain resolution.

In her pristine eyes, a steadfast determination was flickering.

Even when she had burned her own face with a heated iron, her spirit never felt this resolute.

”For Welna…!”

And at last, her determined footsteps headed somewhere.

◈◈◈

Someone once said that a real sister could be likened to mackerel.

Just like thinking, ‘Why is that there?’ when a mackerel that had just showered comes out of the house’s restroom.

No matter how beautiful a sister may be, even adorned with makeup and jewelry, it all ended up being no more than mackerel changing into a bigger fish.

Strangely enough, that saying echoed sharply within my thoughts at this moment.

”How about this!?”

”…”

Apes, who had firmly held both my hands above my head, suddenly pulled at the buttons of her clothing and boldly spoke to me.

She seemed to have the intention of completely covering me with her body.

The hot body temperature transmitted through our touching skin. The aromatic scent, allowed solely for the female. Even the thin hair that tickled my face.

Everything felt sensual and enchanting.

One might think it was a collection of sculptures crafted solely to tantalize men.

And with the addition of the mysterious appearance unique to elves, it was truly the finishing touch.

It’s something I’ve always thought, but Apis was among the most beautiful of all the elf women I had ever seen, or even all the women I had encountered in my life.

”How about now!? Do you feel fired up? Does your lower body feel energized? Are you feeling the urge to copulate?”

If I kept my mouth shut.

”Um, Apis…”

”Shh!”

Her odd behavior of covering my lips with her index finger every time I was about to say something was quite peculiar.

Afterward, the way she slid that finger down my lips, neck, chest, and belly, as if gliding across a piano keyboard, was even somewhat scary.

”Hoo!”

With a slight smile, Apis looked down at me triumphantly, her eyes daring like a beast in the dark.

Although her fierce gaze clearly seemed to be watching me, the occasional sideways glance at her palm suggested she had something written on her hand.

”Next… um… K-Call me sister!”

Sister, why are you doing this to me?

The manner of speech struck me as exceedingly awkward, enough to make me feel embarrassed just looking at her.

I’m someone who usually skips past even the most cringe-inducing scenes in dramas, so this was quite the contrast.

As she spoke and moved, her embarrassment and hesitation seemed to flow forth like an open spigot, making her look like a malfunctioning robot with foreign substances stuck in her joints.

”Hah! I didn’t expect you to hold out. Just because you’re a Priest, huh!”

”…”

Though I occasionally tried to move my body, the mounting position where she was pressing her lower body against mine made escape seem hopeless.

With just one hand, she was easily restraining both my hands. The sheer strength at play was extraordinary.

”Hmm, in this case…”

Finally, after staring intently at her palm like a cheating student glancing at a paper, Apis resumed her actions.

”Hmph!”

With her outfit open, exposing the skin beneath, and her hand supporting the lower part of her chest, Apis smiled brightly at me.

”If you say you’re coming back to the party! I’ll let you touch this! No! I’ll let you do whatever you want with it!”

It was indeed an enticing proposal that no man could resist.

Searching the world far and wide, you’d be hard-pressed to find a man who would say, ‘Ah, I’m not in the mood to touch breasts today.’

The allure of a woman bearing such bountiful fruit was nothing short of mesmerizing.

One could even liken her to a planet possessing gravity that only attracts men.

Moreover, if a woman, blessed with such succulent qualities, possessed an outstanding charm, the gravitational pull would exude a lethal prowess.

However, remarkably enough,

At this very moment, my heart was as clear as a beautiful day, with not a speck of lust clouding my thoughts.

Maybe it was the refreshing morning air.

Or perhaps it was because Apis’s tone reminded me more of a playful boy saying, “We have an awesome toy at my house. Wanna come see?” than anything resembling seduction.

Even I couldn’t accurately define my feelings.

But I could assure you that the tumult churning in my chest felt more like being startled by a muscular red kangaroo rather than excitement from being smothered by a familiar woman.

”Alright… what comes next…”

”Haa… Apis, can we stop the teasing…”

Just then, Apis suddenly grabbed my zipper.

”I’m going to take off your top… and… pull down your pants…”

Hold on a second.

*