kscans

Chapter 289 - The Dog-Eared Folk's Feast, and a Quiet Corner (Myra☆)

The feast continued. The night was growing colder, but the flames leaping from the bonfires burned high enough to scorch the night sky, wrapping the central plaza in a blanket of warmth. After parting with Erne and the others, I was now helping myself to the food laid out on the various tables.

Famu had gone off to join Lily. Watching them chat from a distance, they looked like sisters, despite the different colors of their dog ears. When my eyes met Lily's, she looked away as if frightened and tried to hide behind something to get out of my sight.

I wanted to tell her it was a misunderstanding, that I hadn't been after her body. I hated the idea of spending the rest of our time here in this awkward state. But trying to clear the air and be friendly could just lead to further misunderstandings.

Mizuki, Marmi, and Nephi were also surrounded by villagers, all having a lively time.

As for me, none of the villagers were talking to me. It wasn't that I was being ignored, exactly, but I felt like I was being watched from a distance. Perhaps the misunderstanding with Lily had spread, because not a single woman would come near me. Maybe they were in awe of me for summoning Laciel. Mizuki was a transfer like me, so she should have been in the same boat, but she had completely blended in with the villagers.

She kept a constant smile on her face, nodding along in agreement as she listened to the villagers. A beautiful woman's smile truly is captivating; it can disarm anyone. We were just born different.

It was just… uncomfortable. I rarely felt the urge to drink, but tonight, I figured I’d just get drunk and go to sleep.

Lost in these thoughts, I wandered over and saw Myra standing alone in front of a barrel of mead.

In a situation like this, she’d usually be surrounded by children. But tonight, she gave off an air that kept them at bay. I was looking for someone to talk to, so this was perfect. I made my way toward the barrel where she stood.

Myra scooped up some mead with a ladle, poured it into a wooden mug, and drank it down in a few gulps.

She was drinking it with the same gusto she drank water.

"Would you like some, Mash?" she asked with a bright smile when she noticed me.

"Ah, yeah…"

I held out my mug, and she filled it with the ladle before topping off her own.

"They said this has been aged for about a year. That’s why it’s so smooth and mellow. The sweetness often fades, but this one has kept it. I wonder if their brewing method is different?"

She poured it down her throat as if it were water. I took a sip. It was certainly smooth going down, but a slight residue lingered in my mouth, which seemed to be the source of the sweetness that followed.

While I was savoring it, Myra was already pouring another mug for herself. Where did it all go? I instinctively reached out and pressed my hand against her stomach, stroking it, but it didn't feel bloated at all. Maybe it was all being stored in her chest. I found the hollow of her navel and, in a mischievous mood, poked it with my fingertip.

"Wh-What are you doing?!"

Myra backed away to escape my hand. Looking at her face, her cheeks were only slightly flushed. Were her dark eyes a little moist?

"S-So? What is it?" she mumbled, looking bewildered as I continued to stare at her.

"No, I think I just figured out why you're all alone."

"Hmph. You’re alone too, Mash!"

"I don't exactly have a likable personality."

"Don't just say things like that so brazenly…" Myra let out a deep sigh. I was a little hurt that she didn't deny my words, but I decided to keep quiet for now.

"Mash, since we're both sort of the odd ones out, would you like to take a walk through the village with me?"

"Sounds good." I nodded and looked up at the night sky. The moon was about a third gone, but it was still plenty bright. We were deep in the mountains; maybe that's why the sky felt so close.

"Ah, but wait a moment," she said. She drained the mead in her mug and refilled it, then pointed the ladle at me.

"Would you like a top-up, Mash?"

"No, I'm good with what I have for now." She came to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me, and we started walking together.

The village was small. We soon reached the fence at its edge. Even from there, the light of the central bonfire reached us. The distant howling of the dog-eared folk drowned out the chirping of the autumn insects.

We were walking along a small path used for working in the fields. The fields weren't very large, and I could see small sprouts poking out from the black earth like thorns.

"Can they really afford to throw a feast of this scale?"

"They said it's not every day. Only for special occasions or when they have guests." I passed on what Famu had told me.

"So Famu grew up in a place like this… If I had been born in a place like this, I wonder if I would have been loved the way she is?"

"Hey, don't say things that could be misunderstood. I love you deeply, too."

"I wish that were true…" Myra's tone was heartfelt, but in her hand was a mug of mead. She tilted it, but it must have been empty already, as only a few drops fell onto her tongue.

Normally, it would look like something a drunken old man would do, but on her, the gesture was strangely alluring.

I offered her my mug. She took it and peeked inside.

"Mash, are you feeling unwell? You've hardly had anything to drink…"

"If it were ale, maybe, but I can't drink that much of this."

"You think so?" She furrowed her brow and then poured the mead down her throat. No matter how much training she’d had with Aidan the dwarf, if she kept drinking like this, I was more worried about our food budget.

Still, since she never seemed to get blackout drunk, I didn't have to worry about someone taking advantage of her.

When we reached the fence, we changed direction and began walking alongside it. It seemed there were watchtowers at the village's front and back entrances. One of them had collapsed from the earthquake caused by the giant's walking.

The scattered wood had been cleared and piled up in one spot, forming a small hill.

Myra stared intently at the fallen tower.

"Was that truly the God of the End?"

"Who knows? But you're the one who said you heard Laciel call the giant by that name, right?"

Myra clutched her mug to her chest.

"To us, the gods are supposed to be beacons that guide humanity. They are beings who hear our prayers and stand by our side."

"Really? In the myths you told me, didn't all the gods except for the five goddesses try to destroy humankind?" Myra gave a weak smile at my words.

"Aira and I used to fight about that all the time. But after the war of the gods, we have offered our prayers to them for generations, without fail. Are we still not forgiven? It's true, the God of the End seemed like a being whose ears even those thoughts couldn't reach."

"So you're drowning your sorrows?" At my question, Myra tilted her head and held up her mug with a puzzled look.

"I haven't drunk that much, and I'm not drowning any sorrows." We found a log at the edge of the rubble that looked suitable for sitting and sat down together. We were in the shadow of the wreckage, out of reach of the bonfire's flames. Instead, the moon and stars illuminated us. The air seemed clearer than when I first arrived in this world. As winter approached, the air would become even more transparent, and the stars would surely shine even brighter.

"But the church's power couldn't save Famu. I'm starting to think that in the end, the teachings of the church might not be of any help to you, Mash." Myra leaned her shoulder against mine, as if seeking warmth. I shifted to close the gap between us.

"The whole point of your journey is to find out the truth about things like that, so there's no need to worry about it, right?"

"Of course I'll worry! I've served the church for years, after all!" She pouted like a child.

"Besides, the gods never said to worship them, did they? They're the kind of beings who summon people from another world just to make them fight."

At the very least, the Fifty Gods made contact with the transfers and gave them clear missions. Information about the gods—that their appearance and language were understandable—must have been passed on by them. The mural of Laciel in the church in Richel was a close likeness. It was highly likely that the church's teachings about divine blessings were also brought over by the transfers.

Instead of nodding, Myra raised her mug as if in a toast and drained the mead.

"You're being mean tonight, Mash."

"I'm just happy I'm getting to see all these different sides of you."

"See? Mean." Myra traced the rim of her mug with her index finger.

"Mash, are you planning to head to the fortress after the giant?"

"I'm not thrilled about it, but that's probably what will happen."

"If you were to run into a battle between the giant and the Crimson Brigade, what would you do?" Her gaze, which had been on her empty mug, was now fixed on me. Her cheeks were a little red, but she was still the usual Myra. She didn't seem drunk.

"I'm still not sure. I might not be able to do anything even if I did run into them." The giant wasn't an opponent we could do anything about by intervening in the first place. The mercenaries of the Crimson Brigade alone wouldn't stand a chance. The problem was the presence of the transfers. How much a man named Jinma could fight, and whether there were others with special skills, would decide the course of the battle.

Myra's hand came to rest on mine.

"Mash, no matter what happens, I will be with you. I will see through to the end whatever you choose to do."

We kissed. And then, I pressed deeper, parting her lips.

"Mmph… M-Mash…"

Listening to her sweet breath against my nose, our tongues intertwined.

As our wet tongues tangled, I licked away her saliva and tasted mead. Its alcohol mixed with her natural sweetness, melting my brain.

I wrapped my arm around Myra's waist and pulled her closer. She felt so soft. It was hard to imagine this was the same person who fought by swinging a heavy, blunt weapon like a mace. Yet, beneath it all was a solid core that accentuated the beauty of her posture.

"Mash?" Our lips parted, and she let out a bewildered sound.

I ignored it and let my hands roam over her body, from her thigh up to her stomach. Then, I lifted her breasts from below, supporting them. They were heavy, substantial. I was under the illusion that I had been transferred to this world just to meet these breasts.

As I tried to knead them to savor the sensation even more, she twisted her body, trying to escape.

"Mash, any more than this… Someone might see us."

Myra's face was bright red as she glanced around nervously.

Ignoring her protests, I tightened my grip on her waist and grabbed her breast with my other hand. It was soft. My fingers sank into the flesh without resistance.

"Ah, ahhh… Mash, this is embarrassing."

"Is anyone watching?"

"I don't think so, but…" She writhed, trying to get away again.

"There's someone watching right over there, you know?" Myra's body went rigid at my words, and she stared intently in the direction I was looking.

"Just kidding." The tension left her body. Taking advantage of her lack of resistance, I ran my tongue along the nape of her neck. My palm savored the feeling of her breast. I could feel a hardened bud against my palm. When I pinched it, her body shuddered violently.

"Ngh… M-Mash, really, ahh… are you going to keep this up?"

"I don't mind if someone sees. I want to show everyone that you're mine."

"A-Are you serious?!"

I pinched her nipple harder, and her whole body arched back again.

I pressed my lips against hers to hold her upturned face in place and slid my hand down toward her lower body.

At first, I fumbled at her crotch through her skirt, but growing impatient, I lifted the skirt and tried to slip my hand inside. Myra pressed down on the hem and my hand, trying to stop me. But as I continued to suck on her lips, her resistance weakened.

Taking my chance, I advanced my fingertips to her crotch. I felt the soft fabric and stroked the mound beneath it, and she let out a small, moaning cry.

I slipped my fingers through a gap in the fabric and traced the slit beneath.

"Ahhh…"

Her secret place was already slick and wet. With no more resistance, I toyed with her nub with my fingertip as I probed deeper. A thicker, syrupy fluid trickled out. I pulled my fingers out and put the tips, now thoroughly coated in her juices, into her mouth.

Myra latched onto my fingers, sucking and licking them clean.

"You kept saying no, but you were more than ready, weren't you?"

"Mash… when you come on to me like this, I get my hopes up, too."

Her face and gestures didn't show it, but maybe she was drunk after all.

"And maybe there's a thrill in the possibility of being seen?" Her glazed-over eyes snapped back into focus for a moment, widening. Countless stars were reflected in them. They were as beautiful as jewels. I couldn't suppress the desire to make them mine forever.

"Th-That's… Please. Don't say it."

"When we get back to Miglutt, I'm going to strip you naked in the middle of the city and thrust myself into you."

"If you did that, I'd be too embarrassed to stay in the city."

As I listened to Myra's reply, I sent my hand back to her lower body. She shifted on her own, spreading her legs to make it easier for me to enter. Then, timidly, she reached her own fingertips toward me.

Myra was getting excited, exposing herself in a place where anyone could see us. My own member, already fully erect, felt like it was about to erupt from just being touched.

"You too, Mash…"

I silenced her as she started to say something. We touched each other's genitals. Myra's underwear was down around her ankles. Before I knew it, my penis was out of my pants, held directly in her hand. Her slender fingers wrapped around my shaft, moving up and down. With each stroke, a wave of excitement washed over me.

"Myra…"

At my whisper, Myra stood up, turned her back to me, and leaned forward, placing her hands on the pile of lumber.

"You don't mind if someone sees?" I approached her from behind and lifted the hem of her skirt. Her bottom looked pale in the moonlight. Her private parts, even her pubic hair, were slick with her juices, reflecting the faint light.

"It's fine. It's all your fault, Mash. I trust that you'll make me happy, no matter what happens."

"I appreciate the trust, but aren't you a little cold? We could move to where the bonfire is, if you want."

"D-Don't be stupid! Here is fine!" She sounded impatient as she swayed her hips. The gesture looked incredibly erotic.

I gripped my fully erect penis, which felt like it was about to explode, and pressed it against the entrance to her vagina. Our fluids mixed, making a lewd sound. I ran my fingers over Myra's bottom. It was a little cold, but firm and resilient. I gripped both cheeks and spread them to reveal her sex. Her anus seemed to gape for a moment before clenching shut.

From that bud to the twin mounds of her bottom, to her slim waist where her black hair fell—taking in that beautiful line, I pushed my penis deeper.

"Nngh…"

A sound escaped her as she tried to endure the insertion.

My glans was slick with her thick, viscous fluids and enveloped by her hot vaginal walls.

Unable to resist the pleasure, I sank my penis even deeper.

"Ah, ahhh… nngh!"

As I pushed all the way into her, Myra let out a hot breath along with a cry of pleasure.

"…I love you, Mash."

"I love you too, Myra." I leaned in from behind, bringing my face close to her cheek, and she turned toward me. I drew her chin in and kissed her.

Then, I began to thrust. I moved inside her vagina, which was filled with hot fluid and lined with soft walls of flesh. Each time I pulled back and pushed in, the sound of my body hitting her buttocks echoed.

"Ah, ahh, ahn, ahhh… Mash, it’s… bigger than usual…"

"You think? Isn't it just that you're tighter than usual?" The shame of possibly being seen was making her vagina narrow and clench tightly. The fluid filling her, the folds of flesh that clung to me more insistently than usual—it was all her shame.

"Ahn, ahh, Mash…"

In response to her plea, I quickened my pace. I grabbed her breasts with both hands and kneaded them. Myra, too, writhed her hips in time with my rhythm.

My excitement grew uncontrollable from the stimulation.

"Mash… I… ahh!"

"Myra, I'm going to come…"

"Mash, come inside me! Give it all to me… come inside me!"

I thrust until I reached my limit, then held her hips tight and emptied myself inside her.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

Myra let out a particularly loud cry of pleasure as she accepted me.

I sent wave after wave of semen deep inside her.

After I had given everything, I turned Myra toward me and we shared a kiss.

And so, we waited for our ragged breathing to subside.

"Myra."

"What is it?"

"You were pretty loud, you know? Don't you think the dog-eared folk might have heard you?" Myra's face flushed an even deeper shade of red than when we were having sex.

"M-Mash, you have to take responsibility!"

I couldn't help but wonder if someone heard that shout, too. I just sighed and looked up at the sky.