Filled Night

The royal capital at dusk.

People hurried home along the streets, and the rowdy voices from the back alley taverns could be heard.

I came to the Adventurer Guild to report that I had defeated the Great Boars.

The first-floor counter was crowded with adventurers.

I lined up and waited for my turn.

After a while, my turn came.

I spoke while placing the Great Boar subjugation parts on the counter.

“I hunted some Great Boars. Please exchange these for cash.”

Thinking it might be bad to put them all out, I placed the subjugation parts for 30 head—both ears and tusks—on the counter. It was a massive pile.

The receptionist’s eyes widened, and she pushed up her glasses with a finger.

“S-so many… I will check them immediately!”

The receptionist put the parts into a basket and headed toward the back.

—Why such a reaction just for defeating Great Boars?

As I wondered, I felt the surrounding adventurers begin to buzz.

“Hey, look at that…”

“As expected of the former hero, Alec-san.”

“To hunt Hell Liches and boars so easily, there’s no telling how deep his strength goes…”

For some reason, I was being admired just for defeating some boars.

—I don’t really get it.

Then, the receptionist returned quickly after inspecting the parts while talking to a high-ranking person sitting at a desk in the back.

“Alec-san! All of them have been confirmed as authentic!”

“I see. Then I’ll sell about 10 head’s worth of meat and head home—anyway, isn’t everyone else hunting Great Boars too? There’s no need to exaggerate so much, right?”

“What are you saying! Those boars are too strong; even an A-rank party could barely hunt five of them!”

The receptionist waved her hand and pointed somewhere.

Looking in the direction she indicated, Prince Yoanes’s party and Edgar’s unit were there.

Prince Yoanes glared at me with eyes that looked ready to kill, while the children of Edgar’s unit stared at me with sparkling, admiring eyes.

“I see. Well, I was just lucky.”

I answered lightly to avoid making a scene.

However, Yoanes of the Prince’s party shouted while glaring at me.

“There’s no way that trash hero Alec could be successful! He just brought out parts he’s been hoarding until now!”

—How troublesome.

I defended myself while scratching my head. I didn’t want it to affect the appraisal.

“They are definitely from today’s hunt. If you think I’m lying, please check.”

“Yes, these were fresh! There is no mistake they are Great Boars defeated today! —Do you have a complaint with the Guild’s appraisal?”

The receptionist raised her voice and asserted the legitimacy.

Yoanes bit his lip hard and groaned.

“Whatever, damn it!”

Yoanes led his party out into the night streets.

The air inside the guild relaxed.

People began whispering rumors to one another.

“How long is he going to act like a prince?” “And acting like a victim, too.” “If he had behaved properly, he’d be first in line for the throne by now.” “I’d trust Alec-san more as a King, honestly.”

Voices praising me and criticizing Yoanes echoed around.

—Then.

A metallic clinking sound echoed from behind me.

I turned around to find Rubel, the Guildmaster.

“Ah, it is Alec after all. I wanted to see you.”

“Have you fallen for me? Sorry, I already have Liricia, so it’s impossible.”

“Hmph. Don’t brag about your love life when she isn’t even here. —Anyway, what I want to tell you is something else.”

“What is it?”

Then Rubel, her red hair swaying like a swirling fire, leaned in close and pressed her lips to my ear.

“Oh, it’s a simple thing. You said you would listen to anything I asked, didn’t you?”

“Now that you mention it, I did say that.”

Since I had received a large quantity of Phoenix feathers essential for the rejuvenation medicine, I had promised to do something in return.

Rubel whispered further into my ear. A sweet heat tickled my nostrils.

“My Dungeon Core says it wants to form a Clan. Apparently, there is a World War coming, so join up with us.”

“A Clan?”

Rubel pulled her face away and furrowed her brows suspiciously.

“You don’t know? It’s like a party, but formed between dungeons.”

“Heh, so that’s how it is. I don’t really get it, but okay. I’ll tell my Dungeon Core.”

“I’m counting on you. —See ya.”

Rubel turned on her heel and walked away, raising one arm and jingling her accessories as she waved.

—What a whirlwind of a woman, seriously.

After that, I left the guild and headed toward the shop.

On the way, while walking through the back alleys, I contacted Kou via the sub-device.

“Kou?”

“What is it, Master?”

“Rubel asked to form a Clan; is that okay?”

“Ooh, that’s that strong fire-type dungeon. A real flaming ace. …But why so suddenly?”

“Ah, what was it. She said something about a World War?”

“Whoa. I didn’t know about that.”

“Isn’t that the kind of thing all dungeons are notified about?”

“My notification column is all garbled text.”

“That’s a side effect of being broken, I guess. Well, that’s the deal.”

“Aye aye, sir. I’ll try talking to the other dungeon. Bye-bye.”

I finished the conversation and cut the call.

Then I returned to the mansion.

Night at the mansion.

Liricia and I were in the mansion’s dining hall.

Because a large amount of boar meat had been obtained, a magnificent meal was spread across the table.

Great Boar cubes simmered in a salty-sweet sauce. Meat skewers. A Great Boar hot pot bubbling away.

Meatball spaghetti loaded with meatballs.

All of them were sending up delicious-looking steam.

I bit into a meat skewer.

The flavor was rich, and with every chew, the savory goodness spread across my tongue.

“It’s good!”

“Yes, it is very delicious!”

“Kyai!”

The Sacred White Dragon Rāna, eating with us, took a bite of a meatball skewered on a fork and raised her hand.

She had a beaming smile. She seemed to find it delicious.

The elf girl Teti also held her cheeks with both hands after every bite.

“The flavor is so rich, it’s super tasty! I could eat this every day!”

“You’ll get fat~. Vegetables are the basis of a meal after all—because…”

Sophia lectured while her blue hair swayed.

Even while saying such things, she herself smiled every time she put meat into her mouth.

It was certainly a deliciousness that brought out smiles.

That being the case, one question came to mind.

“I wonder if White Boars are also delicious… no, they might be even better.”

“I would advise against eating a Sacred Beast, though…”

“Kyaai!?”

A high-pitched voice echoed in the dining hall.

Having heard about eating a Sacred Beast, Rāna’s eyes went wide and rolled. Her white hair bounced.

Rāna was also a Sacred Beast.

I laughed while stroking the messy white hair of the child sitting at the edge of the table.

“I just thought about it for a second. I won’t eat Sacred Beasts.”

“Kyui!”

Rāna, nodding in relief, ate the meat while smiling with squinted eyes.

I also ate the meat along with some bread. The overlapping flavors were delicious.

The ambitious White Boar that led the Great Boars had fallen.

As expected, with it being this delicious, I felt a little pity wondering if they would be over-hunted now that their guardian was gone.

—Then.

Liricia looked at me with her violet eyes. Her eyes wavered with concern.

“Was Kou-chan able to accept the Clan?”

“She said it’s fine to form one.”

“A Dungeon World War… I want to protect this mansion.”

“That’s right. I can’t let go of this comfortable life.”

“Let’s do our best!”

Liricia answered with a spirited voice, her shapely eyebrows turning up sharply.

Finding her so endearing, I nodded deeply while eating a meatball.

Night at the Forest Mansion.

From somewhere far away, the hooting of wild birds could be heard.

Other than that, it was quiet.

I sat in the middle of the bed, practicing the compression of Holy Wave.

This was because I was curious about the White Boar’s method of compression.

That creature had compressed it as if to protect the front of its body.

I thought that I might be able to change the concentration between front and back, or make just one part of a circle denser.

Adjusting my breathing, I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

I focused on the Holy Wave that should be overflowing in the surroundings.

—But this is difficult.

Since it’s invisible to the eye, it’s hard to tell if I’m succeeding.

As I tried various things, Liricia returned to the bedroom wearing a see-through negligee that revealed her naked form.

She had a towel wrapped around her head. Her silver hair was slightly loosened and shone glossily.

As she came beside the bed, I raised my hand to stop her.

“Could you stand right there for a moment?”

“Yes? I understand?”

Liricia stood obediently while tilting her head. Her slender limbs, thin waist, and large breasts and hips were full of pure charm.

I pointed my palm toward Liricia and focused on gathering Holy Wave around her.

Then, she opened her violet eyes wide and let out a cry of surprise.

“Oh, Master! A pure power is wrapping around my body—ngh.”

Liricia made her translucent limbs tremble as if enduring something. Her large breasts shook slightly.

Since she was sensitive to Holy Wave, she was perfect as a practice partner.

I tried putting more power into it using both hands.

“How about this?”

“Ah—! No, you mustn’t, Master! Suddenly doing something so… it’s too thick—ah…!”

Liricia’s knees shook violently, and she collapsed forward with a pained voice.

She fell onto the bed, spreading her white wings from her back with a flap.

As she breathed heavily, her delicate shoulders moving up and down, I reached out and pulled her close.

While holding her gently, I recalled the sensation of applying the compression.

“It seems I can compress it even in a place somewhat distant. It might not have much meaning, but…”

Liricia, her breathing ragged in my arms, slowly shook her head. The towel came loose and her silver hair spread out.

“…No, Master. This should be Hero Magic that grants a holy blessing by chanting a spell. To do that with only Holy Wave, as expected of you, Master…”

“I see, it’s like that. Reproducing the same effect as magic with a massive amount of Holy Wave. —Wait a second?”

I placed my finger on Liricia’s slender chin and made her look up.

She looked up at me with moist, down-turned eyes.

“Master…?”

“Liricia, I love you.”

“Master… I also—ah!? Ngh!!”

Just from our lips touching, her body gave a jolt.

She convulsed greatly as if squirming violently in my arms.

—Yes. I had tried gathering Holy Wave on my tongue and lips.

Liricia let out a scream full of joy and surprise while throwing back her slender, white throat.

When I traced her throat and collarbone with the tip of my tongue infused with Holy Wave, her delicate limbs trembled again as if jumping.

Her silver hair became disheveled as if swirling.

“Aah! It’s no good, with such thick Holy Wave, I’ll go crazy—aah!”

“It’s okay, Liricia. Let me test it more.”

“Yes—ngh!”

While hugging her tightly with one arm, I blocked her soft lips again.

Though tossed about by joy, Liricia desperately entwined her tongue with mine. A lewd sound echoed as our wet tongues mingled.

I also infused Holy Wave into my fingertips and caressed her smooth skin. I traced her spine from her back to her bottom.

Matching the movement of my fingertips, Liricia raised her voice further and became disheveled.

Her negligee came undone, exposing her white skin.

When I traced her smooth curves with my tongue and fingertips infused with Holy Wave, she arched her back and spread her white wings with a flap.

“Aah—! Master’s holy power is reaching deep inside. Deep into my body—ahn!”

Amidst the white feathers fluttering over the bed, I did not stop, overlapping even more deeply and pouring densely compressed Holy Wave into Liricia.