"Don't worry about me—go! Go with Rosh and save that girl!"
Sizki's reaction was immediate and decisive, urging Ryuji to rescue the girl without a second thought.
After all, she was injured because she'd been caught off guard by the overwhelming firepower of Ryuji's weapon. She had no intention of becoming a burden to the others.
She tried to get to her feet, but her trembling legs made it painfully obvious—there was no way she could keep going.
"You better stay still. Rosh, you stay with her. I'll go alone."
Ryuji had no intention of taking Rosh with him. Given his accuracy and how chaotic close-range fighting could get, having Rosh around was more likely to get her killed by friendly fire.
It was safer to go solo.
Without waiting for a response, Ryuji dashed toward the direction where the girl's screams had come from.
The source wasn't far—just about 20 or 30 meters away. In a small clearing, a silver-haired, red-eyed girl was being dragged toward a boiling cauldron by four goblins, their filthy hands yanking at her clothes.
Beside them stood a metal cage, now wide open.
"…Wow. This is straight out of a classic fantasy cliché."
Ryuji muttered under his breath, but didn't hesitate. He charged forward, one hand gripping a handgun, the other holding his one-handed sword.
Three goblins immediately raised their hammers and charged at him. The fourth goblin, however, raised its weapon over the girl's head—clearly intending to kill the hostage if Ryuji made a move.
But Ryuji didn't play games.
The girl was lying on the ground, and her position made it unlikely for him to hit her by mistake. In an instant, he drew his revolver and emptied the cylinder, turning the goblin into a bloodied sieve.
As for the remaining three, Ryuji raised his palm and a fiery magic circle flared to life. Flames engulfed his sword, casting a blazing light that made the goblins flinch and halt their charge.
Ryuji closed the distance.
The handgun in his other hand vanished, replaced by another revolver.
At this range, missing was impossible.
Three shots rang out. Three goblins fell, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"Whew…"
Ryuji scanned the surroundings, then slid his now-hot sword back into its sheath and swapped back to his SMG. Only after confirming no more enemies lurked nearby did he approach the stunned girl.
"You're safe now."
The girl lay on the ground, still in shock. She stared up at Ryuji's outstretched hand with vacant eyes, and slowly, as if by instinct, placed her hand in his.
"Can you stand?"
Her clothes were disheveled, but the goblins hadn't done anything beyond trying to cook her—thankfully. Ryuji noted that they seemed more interested in eating her literally, not in the more grotesque way.
"Y-yes, I think so."
The silver-haired girl nodded quickly and leaned on Ryuji for support as she got to her feet.
Something about her appearance tugged at his memory. Her looks, her outfit—everything matched the image of Seria. Still, he needed to be sure.
"Just to confirm… you're Seria, right?"
She hesitated, then nodded cautiously.
"Yes. I'm Seria. Thank you so much, brave warrior."
Her crimson eyes fixed on his face, lips pressing into a small line of uncertainty. Then, after a pause, she asked:
"How… how should I repay you, sir warrior?"
That was the first thing on her mind.
To her, repaying a life-saving favor was non-negotiable. She might be just a simple village girl with no memory of her past, but gratitude was deeply rooted in her.
And yet, standing before a man like Ryuji—clearly a capable adventurer with powerful weapons and an air of experience—she felt a little helpless. What could she possibly offer someone like him?
"Well, if you really want to repay me…"
Ryuji couldn't help but remember just how much money he'd spent for this opportunity. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said with a smirk:
"How about giving me your virginity?"
"W-What?! Y-you…!"
Seria's eyes widened in shock, her face going crimson in an instant. Her delicate hands instinctively gripped the hem of her skirt, clearly overwhelmed.
"You heard me right," Ryuji said with a grin. "Exactly what you're thinking—your virginity."
"V-v-virg—"
Seria was utterly tongue-tied. She knew, at least in theory, what he meant, even if she'd never experienced anything of the sort.
But never in her wildest dreams did she expect the warrior who saved her to demand… that as compensation!
Seeing her frozen and flustered expression, Ryuji couldn't hold back a laugh. He reached out and patted her lightly on the shoulder.
"Relax, I'm just kidding. The person who hired us to find you will be the one paying the reward. Though… I wouldn't mind that reward, to be honest."
He continued to glance around warily, on edge. He'd seen enough comics and stories to know that relaxing right after rescuing someone was the surest way to get ambushed. He wasn't about to let that happen.
"Anyway, let's get out of here. It's still dangerous."
"Y-yes, okay…"
Seria followed closely behind him, her face still burning with embarrassment.
Fortunately, there were no goblin ambushes on the way back, and Ryuji successfully regrouped with Rosh and the wounded Sizki, who were tending to her injuries.
Once they confirmed Seria was safe, they didn't waste any time and immediately began the trek back to town.
However—
"Sorry to trouble you," Sizki said quietly as she leaned onto Ryuji's back.
Her full chest pressed against his back like soft, heavy pillows, and his hands instinctively found her thigh near the hem of her skirt as he adjusted her weight.
With his hand resting near her inner thigh, and her full weight pressing into him, Sizki's body began to respond involuntarily. Something about the pressure, the touch—her breathing changed subtly.
"You know you're supposed to be taking care of us, right? What's the point if you end up injured first?"
Ryuji couldn't help but complain, though the feel of her warm, shapely body and the faint scent of sweat stirred something else entirely in him.
To Rosh, that scent might just be sweat.
But to Ryuji's senses, it was something different—something enticing. A subtle message from his genes, telling him Sizki's body would be an excellent vessel for his offspring.
And Sizki… was feeling the same thing.
The scent of a strong and sturdy man, coupled with the feeling of relying completely on Ryuji, left Sizki with a strange, fluttering sensation in her chest.
Especially his warm hand resting against the inner part of her thigh—it made her skin tingle, itching with a desire she couldn't fully explain. A part of her almost wished he would grip her a little tighter.
As Ryuji walked, her body swayed unavoidably with each step, causing her generous "breasts" to rub against his back again and again. Dressed in a martial arts uniform with no underwear beneath—because there simply wasn't room for such things—Sizki felt every bit of that friction. And it was… disturbingly comfortable.
She felt embarrassed by her own reactions, but quickly brushed them aside. After all, her thigh was injured, and being carried like this was perfectly reasonable.
So she simply spoke up in a serious, composed voice.
"I understand. Sorry. My training still isn't good enough."
Ryuji listened to her serious tone and couldn't help but be reminded of that innocent-looking Seria. He suddenly had the urge to tease Sizki a little.
"It's fine. Honestly, I should be the one thanking you. This injury of yours gave me quite the… delightful experience."
Before he could finish the sentence, Sizki blushed and gave him a firm karate chop on the head.
"I don't need you to remind me that you're taking advantage of me right now."
Her face was flushed now. She hadn't minded earlier, but now she was keenly aware—Ryuji's hands, while steady and supportive, were cupping her just right, preventing her injured leg from shifting. But the rest of her… well, her lower body was bouncing and rubbing against his back with every step.
Even she couldn't help feeling a wave of shame.
"It's fine," Ryuji said coolly. "Just remember this: if you get injured again in our next mission, I'll consider it a special gift."
Then he turned to Rosh with a completely serious face.
"Even though you're flat, my back is open for you too!"
Rosh's reply was swift and brutal.
"Then just let me die, thanks."
She shot him a deadpan look, her eyes as dull as a salted fish. She actually had a good relationship with Ryuji—close enough to joke like this—but the one thing that really got under her skin was how often he teased her about her chest.
That, she did mind.
Meanwhile, Seria quietly looked back and forth between Ryuji and the blushing Sizki on his back, her eyes filled with curiosity. Then she finally worked up the courage to ask in a soft voice:
"Are you two… a couple?"
She was being careful. In her mind, people who could joke around so casually—even with crude innuendos—were obviously in a relationship.
But Ryuji's answer was immediate and firm.
"Of course not," Ryuji replied immediately. "Miss Sizki is just our mentor for this period—she's been helping us get used to the life of adventurers. She's not my girlfriend."
His words left the pure-hearted Seria stunned. Her mouth fell open in disbelief as she looked at Ryuji, but he simply smiled at her, unconcerned.
"What's the matter? Planning to repay me for saving you?" he teased.
The comment completely scrambled Seria's thoughts. She lowered her head, eyes fixed on the ground in front of her.
If this was what it took to properly repay a warrior who had risked his life to save her… even if it was embarrassing, even if it made her heart pound—if Ryuji truly insisted—she wouldn't refuse.
Repaying kindness was important. Her chastity was precious, yes, but someone's life was even more so. He had risked everything to save her. She couldn't just brush that aside.
It wasn't just about gratitude—it was about recognizing what he had been willing to sacrifice.
Yes… for Seria, that was reason enough.
She hesitated for a second, then opened her mouth, trying to speak.
"I… I… If you really… would like to…"
But just then, a thunderous voice shattered the moment.
"Seria!"
Linus—wearing his usual white tank top—burst out from the side of the road, charging toward them like a storm. He reached her side in an instant, then braced himself, planting his feet with a worried expression. Before Ryuji could say a word, Linus spoke first.
"Are you okay, Seria? Why did you run off like that?"
Not waiting for her response, he turned to face Ryuji and Sizki with gratitude shining in his eyes.
"Thank you, adventurers. If you've got time, please stop by my shop—I'll let you pick out a few weapons as thanks. Or if you'd rather, I can offer gold instead."
Linus was as straightforward and generous as ever. No strings attached.
"I'll take the gold," Ryuji said immediately.
Linus's smithing was solid, sure, but Ryuji's sword had been custom-ordered from Kargon, and he relied mostly on firearms anyway. He had little use for extra weapons.
The same went for Rosh and Sizki.
Linus sighed, scratched his head, and pulled a pouch of gold coins from his chest.
"Alright, alright. Gold it is. Hmph… My weapons are really good, you know…" Then he turned to Seria. "Come on, let's get you back."
But Seria shook her head firmly.
"Uncle Linus, I'd like to invite them to my inn as my guests. After all, they saved me."
She bowed deeply toward the group.
"Please, allow me to show my gratitude."
Her sincerity was unmistakable. Rosh, always the practical one, asked the most important question.
"Is food and lodging free?"
Seria smiled, completely unaware of what she was walking into.
"Of course!"
You're going to regret this, girl, Ryuji thought to himself, stifling a laugh.
And so, the four of them followed Seria to her inn. After arranging for a healer to tend to Sizki, they each took a bath and retired to rest.
But in the middle of the night…
There was a knock at Ryuji's door.
Frowning in confusion, he got up and opened it—and there, bathed in silver moonlight, stood Seria.
Barely dressed.
Serai (Image)
~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 PS.