An interlude between Prologue Chapter 124, "Family Talk," and Chapter 125, "The Tale of the Capital University."

After dragging things out with Irina all night on some sloppy sex, I ended up returning to the baron's estate at dawn.

"Where the hell have you been, Andy?"

"...I'm sorry, just a bit with Irina..."

Diane wore an expression of mild concern.

"Ah, well, not like I'll stop you or anything... but let's confirm this—do you actually intend to make Irina a female slave as well?"

"Don't talk like Phazer, okay?..."

Everyone throws around the word 'slave' so casually it numbs me, yet having someone labeled a 'female slave' is certainly something that would make onlookers recoil in horror.

"So what kind of relationship do you envision with her then?"

"........"

Right now, we're basically sex friends, but when you say it like that, the whole situation does feel dangerously precarious in every sense. Yes, it does.

"...Honest to god, my first impression is this."

"Huh?"

"She's already in a state far beyond being merely possessed; even though she hasn't officially spoken her mind yet, I'm convinced she's functionally reduced to something worse than Luna's condition—a true female slave, if you will."

"N-no, no, no!"

"For an elf to engage with humans and bear a half-elf is hardly an act tolerated freely among their kind. Given that you're the hero who rescued Break Core and Dyel, there won't be any open condemnation directed at you. Still—"

"U-uh..."

True enough, the elves are only just now beginning genuine exchanges with the outside world like Trot; Selen and Apple likely remain uncast aside from their own achievements alongside me. Their prejudices haven't been fully overturned yet.

"...Well, Anzeros's father belongs to the White Clan, and Irina's family wouldn't follow such radical policies... but even back seventy years ago, Irina's maids who were impregnated by outside bandits were collectively exiled for their 'tainted blood.'"

"...Y-yes, that's right..."

But given how shamelessly I'm fucking her to my heart's content, I do look like a total pervert.

"But, Andy, what you need to focus on isn't that. It relates to it, but it's not about it."

"?"

"What matters is this: despite all the harsh realities, Irina is actively clinging to you, offering herself up willingly... Don't treat this too lightly," she insisted.

"...Yes, I understand."

That might have required immense courage on her part.

And yet, I'd been playing it off as just a 'sex friend,' treating Irina with far too much levity.

Or perhaps I'd gotten carried away, recklessly indulging my desires and growing complacent in the fact that such things were permitted.

Maybe I should stop being so casual... though thinking about it now—after I kept fucking her pussy relentlessly just moments ago, only to drain her over and over again while half-asleep—I'm not sure what else could go wrong.

"You're making a face like you've just realized something."

"Y-yes..."

"So let's clarify this properly... If Irina were to be exiled from the forest, how exactly would you define your relationship with her? How do you plan to resolve it?"

"Huh?"

"It's not a situation where you could simply say 'no more sex' and be done with it. Irina is fully aware of the obstacles ahead yet still follows you, repeatedly engaging in sex with you. You shouldn't be debating whether to sleep with her or not going forward. What you need to decide is whether to enslave her as a female slave, treat her as your wife, or discard her once your needs are met."

"Discard...?"

"Well, I don't think you'd go that far, but do give it serious thought. Given the choice between staying in the forest or staying with you, Irina would undoubtedly choose to be exiled for you rather than leave you behind. Don't try to sidestep this with half-hearted words."

"........"

Hearing Diane say that, I realize now she's right.

Though she technically refuses intercourse on paper, Irina never actually rejects sex—and once the deed is done, she immediately lets go of any pretense and clings to me wholeheartedly. Should a child be born and you tell her, 'Breed it, then leave the forest,'... I can't help but wonder if she'd really make that choice.

"…Huh?"

"Excuse me, Diane."

"What is it?"

"I know this comes out of the blue, but aren't you doing something that sounds a lot like what Faze calls training her?"

"Bringing her to her knees, driving her wild, making her obey your every command… Oh, right. Yeah, out of all the female slaves I've had so far, she definitely fits that description the best."

Irina wasn't even close to me personally until we finally slept together. And honestly, it was true that once we did sleep together, she became incredibly clingy and affectionate in a whole new way.
With all the other girls before her, things like basic goodwill, minor misunderstandings, racial quirks, or personal sexual preferences usually came first anyway. But with Irina, there simply hadn't been an example where someone fell so squarely into the trap of a purely sexual relationship from the very start.

"Ee! Please don't call me that."

"Well… just don't let Faze know about it, got it?"

She'd been cast aside.

Yeah, when things get this far beyond repair, you just abandon someone normally.

Past noon.
Sometimes I stay out of the smithy and instead focus on marching drills and target practice with my crossbow.
If I slack off, my stamina drops fast. Even though I leave the brawling to the others, I can't let myself be stuck in a situation where even escaping becomes impossible.
So that's why I'm constantly shuttling back and forth along the path beside the forest, shooting at scarecrows standing out in the grass to keep my physical condition up.

"Hah…"
Lately, I've been getting less beat-up on my bed nights, but it seems using muscles for sex is quite different from running.
Even so, my actual running distance hasn't really improved much.

"Hmm… My vigor is returning."

"Irina."

Without me noticing, Irina was sitting on a rock by the roadside.

"Anyway, you ran that far in just one day? I swear, after I woke up last night, I couldn't even stand straight for a while."

"Ah… sorry."

"I'm not saying anything bad, am I? …Hm. Sometimes it's good to ignore the time and follow your desires…"

She hung her head slightly, blushing shyly.
Well, you really can't talk like that when you're in the zone for sex.
But then again…
"Hmm… Ignoring the time…"
Her embarrassed expression stiffened into a serious look.
She sat there pondering for a moment.

"Thinking so hard, Irina?"

"Mm? No, well… By the way, Smyson-sama isn't actually that familiar with the forest after all, is he?"

"No, sure. If you asked me if I'm knowledgeable or not about this place…" My mind was still a bit foggy from the warm-up run, so my response felt a bit sluggish. "I think Trots like me are probably top-tier when it comes to knowing the forest."

Caught off guard by her sudden topic shift, she nodded solemnly and firmly took my hand.

"All right then, I'll take you for a short tour of the forest today. Guiding others is my true purpose."

"E-What?! Out of nowhere!?"

"There's something strange about the hero who saves the forest, Smyson-sama, not knowing the forest well himself. More than half the territory belongs to clans, yet you don't even know it. If I bless them like this, the elves of the Northern Forest will surely call us ungrateful."

"To whom!?"
It does sound a bit forced, but I couldn't shake Irina's hand as she pulled me along steadily and stepped into the woods.

"────. Open."
We crossed the ancient barrier.

The area just after entering the forest belonged to the Silver Clan's territory.

"If we'd arrived straight from marching training, Lyra and Diane would start complaining later, so let's turn back first and..."

"What? Don't worry. I'll send a messenger later."

Irina walked with an oddly cheerful gait toward the central village of the Silver Clan, known as the Tribal Manor.

The one following her.

"Oh, Lord White Irina! How are you?"

"Hm, what fine weather it is."

Elves we passed on the road cut a simple blessing sigil for Irina. It seems among elves, this is their proper greeting when addressing someone of higher status.

"The Reverend Polka Smyson also be in high spirits," said Irina.

"Oh, hello there."

I offered a light bow in return.

Since the Silver Clan's elves hold an somewhat ambiguous position, it was hard to tell their true stance until you got to know them. Some middle-aged elves even looked down on me with scornful remarks like tch, and Feyzer himself was from the Silver side too.

But on the other hand, they were also subordinate clans of Mist Palace, where Maya hailed from.

Most dragons at Mist Palace treated me almost entirely friendly, so just as those who greeted me now would avoid treating anyone based on a dragon's whim harshly, many followed suit.

Also, being located very close to Polka himself was a major factor. With the dragons' backing and naturally curious young elves, quite a few had reached out to interact with Polka. Among them were some who already began considering humans as good friends.

"It must be because of the sweat you've put in—let's soak in hot springs, Lord Smyson♪"

"Aah... that would do."

The Silver Clan territory was also a spring area sharing its origin with Polka.

Their curative effects were nearly identical.

However, since few people visited these obscured woods, there was likely no need to build proper bathhouses, or perhaps it was simply tradition—several springs had merely been left as-is without fences or changing rooms, allowing anyone to wander in casually wherever space allowed.

Moreover, none of the springs were officially designated for either gender. In such a state, peering in during someone else's bath to confirm if they were already inside was considered acceptable, and even sharing a spring with mutual consent wasn't frowned upon.

"...So this colony under Diane had the same setup too."

"It is said precisely because of this custom that most non-Silvers rarely enter the springs, drinking only from the fresh water instead."

"Honestly, normal elves are so shy about this..."

While wandering through the forest and peeking into various springs, I noticed many women were present, likely concerned with their beauty. Seeing me and Irina, some gave a wry smile and asked, "Shall we join?" ready to accept eagerly, but Irina had already declined before I could respond.

"By the way, it's said that Mist Palace's dragons have no care for nudity, and this habit influenced the Silvers as well."

"I greatly respect Mr. Brool and his group right now."

"You fool!"

I was struck with a wooden stick.

After seven or eight all-nude elves, or perhaps it took walking around several springs before finding an empty one deep in the woods finally free of anyone.

"Alright, let's go in then."

"Mm."

As I removed my clothes, Irina naturally followed suit, taking off her panties as well.

"Hold on—are we entering together?"

"Hm? Why would you suddenly start caring about that?"

"I'm not against it, but is it okay?"

"From the very beginning, wakarawa (I/we) intended for us to be together, eh?"

Irina smirked mischievously as she pulled down her skirt, exposing her hairless crotch to the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.

"I'm pretty tired right now," I said.

"Hmm."

"……Your dick is acting like hell, but you still want to get in with me?"

"Tired or not, it makes no difference."

Irina took off her jacket too, draping it over a nearby branch. She tied her hair into a ponytail using a vine leaf and stepped into the spring, grinning as she waited for me to strip down.

"Excellent," I replied.

"That's right then."

I quickly undressed and slid in beside her. The water was pleasantly warm—perfect for a long soak.

And then…

"……Phew."

"Haa……What wonderful water, isn't it?"

After we both sighed contentedly:

"Alright, let's begin."

"Fufu… W-wait, why aren't you enjoying the bath more slowly, you bastard?"

"No way! Don't run!"

"Catch me if you can! You're a soldier after all—this is gonna be a test of endurance♪"

Splash splash—we ran and played in the spring together.
Halfway through, she cast a spell to walk on the water's surface, positioning her ass just at eye level with mine. As I chased desperately while getting needlessly goaded by the sight,

eventually, we ended up pushing Irina down onto the shallow floor of the spring—she seemed almost like she let herself be caught on purpose.

"Fu-fufu… It's been ages since I've been this silly in a bathhouse," I teased.

"Even as a clan leader, you shouldn't behave so shamelessly."

"And yet, who is it that was thoroughly provoked into looking all flushed and lustful while pinning you down?"

"I am."

I'm sorry for being out of control.

"Nn…!"

"Nnnngh… It's getting…"

"N-chngh… Maaan—"

"……Phew."

We kissed. Her thin tongue and small mouth didn't resist my intrusion; instead, they actively tried to wrap around my own.

Defiantly, I pursued her tongue tip further, our mouths sliding and swirling together in mutual exploration.

"……You bastard. You say such lofty things while using your tongue with such filthy skill…♪"

"…A punishment for that shameless clan leader."

"I merely stepped into the Silver Lands and followed their customs? If anyone got worked up on their own, it was you."

"Well, of course I'd get worked up normally!"

"…How would I possibly know what 'normal' means to you? I hardly know anything about you except for your strange ferocity… so yes♪"

Irina lightly placed one foot against my waist. She was tempting me.
Honestly, falling for such an invitation straight away feels a bit uncool in this kind of situation.
But—
"Well then, let me teach you something good. I'm an absolute pervert."

"It's... well known about that... uhnngh!!"
I followed her lead and thrust inside.
Being a bit crude is fine—Irina is precious, so sweetly lovely.
There's no way I could be the kind of smooth-talking guy who'd worry about my appearance enough to hold back in a situation like this.

"Ah... uuuhk, haaah... ♪"
Irina's damp ponytail spread across the shallow water only a few centimeters deep, rippling with complex waves as she moved them against the current.
My hand gripping both of her arms locked her in place so there was no escape; anyone watching would see me as the villain.
Yet her legs clamped onto me like crab pincers, refusing to let go. As my hips thrust forward and backward in a rough rhythm that tried to slip away, she seized them firmly and took every single stroke without hesitation.
And her vagina, which suited me perfectly, happily swallowed my penis whole.
Her young, inexperienced channel—now thoroughly accustomed to being ravaged by me—tightened around each thrust with a series of "squeezing" motions while whimpering in pain. The overflowing lubrication seemed synchronized with the distorted expression of pleasure on Irina's face, dripping from her lips and pooling in her eyes.

"Haa... haaah... ♪"

"Irina... Irina, you're doing me in, your body...!!"

"W-wah, w-warewa too... w-warewa too, feeling like I'm melting...♪"

"I think we're about to reach the point of release..."

"W-well understood by now... let's go outside, spill it there...!"

"Yes, I understand... I get it, but..."

Irina's feet refused to leave my body entirely.

"...Someone's telling me that being randy like this means we can't go out, so it seems impossible."

"Who is it making such nonsense? That pervert wah... ♪"

"Who could it be...? U-ungh, I'm going to come, I'm going to release on you, Irina!!"

"Aaauuuh... ah, inside... this idiot has got to go inside...♪"

Even as she cursed me, her legs squeezed tight and she accepted my ejaculation deep within her vaginal depths.

Exhausted, I slumped forward and covered her body with mine. A groan rose heavy from beneath my chest as Irina rested her head sideways against me, sighing contentedly.

"...Haa, haaaah..."

"...We did it yet again... Well, since I kept inseminating you right through the night, there's no real need to pull out now anyway... Though being this shameless is a bit much♪"

"I thought about pulling out... Yeah, I'm not doing anything wrong."

"Don't just lie, smear your seed juice deep inside my womb first!"

"Did they find out?"

"They couldn't possibly find out anything. I'm the one who's been ravaged by you myself!"

Pesh! My head got tapped sharply.

"...About time we switched."

"?"

I had assumed there was a usage time limit at this spring bath, but instead Irina rolled me over and made me lie below.

"You've been lying on top of her for too long and must be heavy. I'm small-sized myself?"

"Sorry."

"...Honestly, you should show a little consideration."

"But you're not pulling out, right?"

"I'm tired now. You'd better take some rest in bed here."

Irina swallowed my penis once more, then collapsed onto her stomach directly on top of me with a soft pe- sound—or rather, she just curled up and clung to me like spoiled child.
"...You really won't go limp or lose your erection, will you?"

"If you just lay there as is, even without moving a muscle, you'll probably cum about every thirty minutes."

"Irina's insides were so damn good it felt like heaven."

"Let me try then?"

"For real?"

They went on until he truly couldn't hold back any longer and finally spilled his seed.

He wasn't sure if he'd been thoroughly cleaned out or just blissfully relaxed.

We left the Spring Forest and headed toward a plaza located at a designated spot within the Clan Estate.

The plaza was oddly shaped, though every single Clan Estate had one of the same peculiar design.

By activating simple magic, we could teleport directly between these plazas.

"Next... well, since we're making the trip anyway, let's head to the Golden Estate."

"What's so special about 'Gold'?"

"The Golden Territory has a mighty great river running through it. The scenery is second to none."

Irina boasted with pride before activating her teleportation magic.

The Golden Territory was dominated by a single mountain tower as high as—maybe even surpassing—the Blue Serpent Peak.

Beside this towering peak flowed a wide river, part of whose source traced back up into the mountains themselves.

Somewhere within the territory stood a waterfall nearly one hundred meters high spanning several hundred meters across, and right next to it sat the Clan Estate.

"Wow."

"Incredible indeed."

"You're absolutely right. I've traveled with expeditions as far as the Great Almonica River before, but I've never seen anything this insane."

"That Hero Peak and this waterfall are two of Gold's greatest boasts."

"Hero Peak?"

"According to our legends, any Elf of noble stature who dies becomes a lower-ranking spirit and takes residence in that very mountain. Someday they will become part of the Light Spirits."

"Huh... Elves have traditions like that too?"

"Do humans have something similar?"

"There's plenty out there. The doctrines of the Trot Church say that after death, one's soul rides the flow of breath until it eventually makes its way to Mount Lyca."

"Interesting."

"At that sacred mountain, the Guardian God of the Earth passes judgment, granting a new fate and rebirth."

"And besides that?"

"In Celesta, there seems to be as many different beliefs on life and death as there are colonies themselves. Though these days, people who don't believe in local traditions seem to be increasing."

"Pitiful indeed."

As we chatted, led by Irina, we made our way to a nearby ranch.

The ranch kept several Unihorses, though on a small scale.

We borrowed one of them and planned to ride it together up along the riverbank to visit the massive cliff that ran alongside the stream.

"Ugh... it's hard to find someone willing to let us ride their beast."

"There's this whole thing about Unihorses being virgins-first lovers, so maybe they're refusing Irina right now because of her scent?"

"D-don't be absurd! It's YOUR stench that's repulsive!"

Irina was absolutely failing to catch any Unihorse.

"Ugh... Gorsk's sister married off and still rode Unihorses without a care in the world..."

"Do you mean when Gorsk's wife took residence here? Did she actually marry Gorsk? Or are we supposed to be adopted siblings of sorts?"

"If we trace back four or five generations, it's true that one of Gorsk's uncles was related to me. But personally, I have no brothers."

"Ooh, I got scared... if word got out that Iriina did something to Golksu, I might've gotten killed."

"That rascal often visited the White Dominion in those days; back when I was young, he was a playmate of mine. Doesn't make sense?"

"...Uh, listen—if we get interrupted, I'll die on the first hit! Unlike Anzeros or anyone else, I have absolutely no defenses whatsoever!"

"Heh-heh-heh, if it comes to light, it'll be a big deal, won't it? ♪"

Iriina laughed maliciously.

In the end, since one old horse seemed like it might actually agree to move, we hitched up a small carriage built for two or three people and began heading upstream along the riverbank.

"Surprisingly, there aren't many elves here."

"The number of nobility is particularly low, you see. As Christie once pointed out, Spirit Peak's excessive purifying power likely severely stifles their reproductive rate."

"If that logic holds, doesn't that mean there are even fewer Vermilion ones?"

"Not really. Despite everything, the Vermilion clan tends to venture outside more often; thus, they've likely absorbed enough negative energy to maintain a decent balance," Christie remarked again.

"There's so much variety..."

"Nothing too extraordinary compared to the mundane outside world."

We climbed steadily up the slope—step by step, step by step—until we reached the waterfall. We drove the carriage slowly forward for a while longer, and soon enough, we could see elves playing in the river below.

By the way, it's still summer. Even though Polka is already deep into autumn, the seasons progress much slower within Evergreen Forest.

Still... those elves looked completely naked. There's no point complaining about Silvers now that I think about it.

"Hey, folks here have pretty low inhibitions too."

"The upper cascade is designated for women bathing; the lower one is for men. Do not approach any further under any circumstances—if shot at, we'll pretend we know nothing."

"...Got it."

Yeah, exactly. Yep.

We arrived at the Great Clifftop just as the sky turned crimson.

A masterpiece carved by the river into the earth itself.

Its height seemed to reach well over five hundred meters. Viewed from below, its imposing grandeur was staggering.

"There's something like this? I never expected the Elf Forest to be so impressive either. I thought it was basically nothing but trees."

"Due to distortions caused by ancient barriers, its actual size exceeds three times that of the Kingdom of Trot when measured by area alone. With such vastness, one would naturally expect a proportional diversity of wonders."

"But wouldn't touring everything like that take at least a month or two?"

"Well, I'll just guide you through the highlights—those areas we can cover in two or three days. Express your gratitude and worship accordingly."

"No way, you dragged me here against my will! You said it was to avoid being accused of not appreciating the Elves' hospitality or something like that!"

"For the Elf clan as a whole certainly. But whether you personally feel grateful toward me is entirely up to you."

"Ah... well, whatever. I do kind of feel like we've seen some amazing sights, though."

"Heh-heh-heh."

Beautiful Peaks, the Great Clifftop, the gentle great river, and then the waterfall creating a rainbow.

One could indeed give thanks. The view was truly majestic enough to inspire such sentiments.

"Now..." He paused, stammering slightly. "If you're feeling grateful, wouldn't showing it through your actions be considered proper etiquette?"

"?"

"...Well, fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—I've already received several roundhouse finishes from you today without any resistance. No matter how many more times I let myself be overwhelmed, there's no change."

"No wait! What kind of thing are you saying out here in the open like this, Clan Leader?!"

"E-Eh? Elves don't bother retiring indoors before mating. In fact, couples intending to conceive usually venture deep into the forest together—it's symbolic of procreation."

"...Ah."

"So... um..."

"I get it, I get it. ...Such a lecherous bastard."

"Huh...♪"

"Yeah, one more thing..."

"Hmm...?"

"...Do you mean a lover? Irina?"

I ask this, pretending it's just something that came to mind while passing by, but it's actually quite important.

"Oh, y-yes..."

Tugging at the hem of her skirt, Irina hangs her head low, flushing deep crimson as she stammers incoherently.

"Well, you're a hero after all, yet ultimately just a human. And I... I am one of the pinnacle members of our Elven kind. While it's only natural that you'd fall for me, maintaining a relationship between us might be somewhat difficult."

"I see..."

"But..."

Irina grips my hand tightly, her expression turning desperate as she gazes at me.

"...If it were you, I could simply ignore my own convenience."

"...Ir—"

"Please... possess me forcefully, against my will...?"

"...Let's be clear about this, Irina."

"...—."

"I call that kind of thing a female slave."

"...I'm aware."

"A 'female slave' is an incredibly embarrassing term compared to what you're thinking. And I have no hesitation in possessing my own female slave."

"...I know."

"Even so..."

I say it deliberately.

"Even so, do you want to be violated? Lecherous one?"

Using harsh words to drive her away while simultaneously creating an escape route for her, yet pushing forward with a voice that somehow still carries the sting of my own vanity.

"...I am a clan chief," Irina declares, standing her ground in only form. "Chief Irina of the White Clan."

And so, with nothing but a facade of resolve, she challenges me further while unclasping and letting fall the brooch holding her mantle.

"...Of course I know you're just saying that."

"Because I'm lecherous, after all♪"

With each blaming the other for their shared descent into this moment, we kiss and tumble together into the dense foliage beneath us.

The Unicorn whinnyed softly through its nostrils—did it laugh at the sheer absurdity of our situation?

(To be continued...)

A story taking place between Chapter 124 of the main series, "Family Talk," and Chapter 125, "Royal Capital University Tales."

After staying up all night having sex with Ailerina far too thoroughly, I arrived back at the baron's residence in the morning.

"Where have you been, Andy?"

"...Sorry, I just... a little bit with Ailerina..."

Dearane looked somewhat troubled.

"Hmm, well, I won't stop it, but... just to confirm, do you intend to make her a female slave as well?"

"Please don't say things like Feyser does..."

Everyone uses terms like "slave" so lightly that I've become numb to it, but making someone a female slave is undeniably an act that would startle others if they heard about it.

"Then what kind of relationship do you intend to have?" "......"

Right now, it feels like we're just sex friends, but the more I think about it, the more precarious the situation is in various ways. Yep.

"...If I'm being honest with my impression," "Huh?"

"Judging by her status, she's already sufficiently... in a state that's even worse than Luna's female slave condition, if you ask me?" "N-no, no way..."

"Having sex with humans and bearing Half-Elf children is still not exactly a behavior widely tolerated among the Elves. But since you are the hero who saved Breakcore and Diel, it might be harder for them to openly condemn you... if that's the case."
"Hmph..."

It's true that the Elves have only just begun their full-scale exchanges with the outside world, like Trotts. The impression I get is that Selen and Apple are merely tolerated because of the merits they achieved alongside me, rather than fully accepted.

The mindset hasn't really changed all that much.

"...Well, since Anzeros's father is also from the White Clan, Aerina's family probably isn't too radical in its stance... but even so, there were cases where, seventy years ago, all of Aerina's maids who had been impregnated by outside bandits were collectively banished on the grounds that their blood was contaminated."
"...I-I see..."

Thinking about it again, I really do come across as a super deviant for taking endless advantage of her like that.

"But Andy, that's not what you should be focusing on. While it is related, it's not the core issue."
"?"

"What I'm trying to say is, despite all those realities, the fact that Aerina is actively drawn to you and allowing herself to be with you physically... Don't take that lightly."
"...Yes, I understand."

It might actually be a pretty courageous act for her.

And yet, I referred to her casually as just a sex friend, and perhaps I treated Aerina too lightly.

No, maybe I was too complacent about being able to embrace her based on mere desire, acting without much thought.

I should probably stop doing it so casually from now on... though I do feel a bit weird thinking about it, considering I just spent the last moment enjoying Aerina's vagina slickly while half-asleep, cum inside her again and again.

"You've realized it, haven't you? I can tell by your face."
"Y-Yes... I have..."

「Then let me ask this again. ...If Irine were cast out of the forest, what is your intent for her? I intend to settle this matter.» 「Huh?」

"This isn't a time for you to brush it off with 'it won't happen.' Irine is fully aware of her disability, yet she clings to you and has fucked you numerous times. The question isn't whether you will sleep with Irine in the future. It's whether you will take her in as a female slave, treat her as a wife, or discard her once you're done." 「Discard, meaning...」

"Well, I doubt you'd actually do such a thing. Think it through carefully. If given the choice between the forest and you, Irine will likely choose you and accept the exile. Don't try to dodge it with vague words." 「…………」

Heard from Diane-san, indeed, that is what I think.

Irine may verbally refuse internal ejaculation, but she doesn't refuse sex itself, and once I finish inside her, she lets go of all resistance and clings to me completely. If a child were to result from this, and I told her 'bear the child and leave the forest'... I imagine she would take the leap. ...Wait?

「Hold on, Diane-san」 「What is it?」

「I know it's a bit late for me to realize this, but aren't we doing something that sounds exactly like what Phaser meant by conditioning?」

"Rape her, break her mind, and force her to obey you... Ah, yes, she certainly fits the profile of our most 'conditioned' slave so far."

Irine and I weren't particularly close before we started having sex. In fact, it's true that after we slept together, she became drastically more clingy and casual in how she stuck to me.

With the previous girls, their affections were driven by ordinary kindness, minor misunderstandings, racial dynamics, or personal sexual quirks first and foremost. This was the first time someone fell headfirst into a sexual relationship pit as directly as Irine has.

「Eek. Please spare me that title」

「...Well, just don't let Phaser find out about this, alright?」 I was abandoned.

...Yeah, if I can't maintain this level of follow-up anymore, any normal person would just drop me. It’s past noon.

Occasionally, instead of holed up in the forge, I go out and run through marching drills and target practice.

Let your guard down for a second, and your stamina plummets. Even if I leave the melee fighting to the others, if I can’t even run properly when it comes down to it, that’s not good enough.

So, here we are: I’m going back and forth along the road next to the forest over and over, shooting at the straw dummies set up in the meadow, working hard to keep my fitness up. "Hah..."

Lately, I’ve been able to make it through the night on the bed without Heva showing any signs of giving out, but apparently sex and running really do work different muscles.

The distance I could run hadn’t increased much. "Hmm. You put a lot of spirit into this." "Ireyna."

At some point, Ireyna had sat down on a rock by the side of the road.

"Well, I’ll admit it’s impressive that you’re running that hard so soon after yesterday. For me, my back was stiff for quite a while after I woke up." "Ah... sorry about that."

"I’m not saying it was bad, mind you? ...Mm. Occasionally doing things like that, without worrying about time or caring about anything but desire... well, that’s..." She lowered her ears, blushing with embarrassment.

I suppose it’s hard to keep a straight face when your head is in the clouds from what just happened. But still.

"...Mm, 'without worrying about time,' huh."

Her bashful expression suddenly shifted into a serious look. She stared ahead blankly, lost in thought for a while.

"What are you thinking about, Ailina?"

"Mm? No, um... by the way, if you think about it, Lord Smiyson isn't all that well-versed in the forest, is he?"

"Well, if you're asking whether I'm an expert or not... but among the Trotta, I'd say I know my way around here better than most."

Taken aback by the sudden change of topic. Combined with the slight dizziness from sprinting in, I couldn't muster a brisk response.

Ailina nodded, saying "So it is," and gripped my hand firmly.

"Alright, then I shall show you around the forest for a bit today. It is my duty." "Wha— what the hell?!"

"It seems rather odd that Lord Smiyson, the Hero who saved the forest, does not know it well, would he not? You do not know more than half of the clan territories. If you offer blessings in such a state, the Elves of the Northern Forest will call you ungrateful." "Ungrateful to who?!"

It sounded like a forced argument, but unable to shake off Ailina's stubborn grip, I found myself being dragged into the woods. "——Open." We crossed over the ancient barrier.

The area right after entering the forest is the Silver Clan Territory.

"If we came straight from marching drills, Lyla and Dianne will fuss about us later, so let's go back first and come again..."

"What? Do not worry. I will send a messenger later."

Ailina, looking strangely pleased, strolled leisurely toward the center of the Silver Clan territory, the clan manor. I followed behind her.

"Well, Lady Irena of the White clan. How do you do?" "Mm, it's a fine day."

The elf on the road gave Irena a simple blessing sign. It seems that among elves, showing respect to superiors is traditionally done this way as a form of greeting.

"You're in high spirits too, Master Polka's Smaison" "Ah, hi there." I gave a light nod in return.

The elves of the Silver clan are in a somewhat delicate position, making them a tribe whose stance is hard to read until you see how they stand.

Some middle-aged elves even look at me with distaste, and Feizer is also of the Silver clan.

However, there is another aspect: they are a subordinate clan of Misty Palace, Myia's place of origin.

The dragons of Misty Palace have shown almost complete friendship toward me, so many elves are not unkind to us here, following the dragons' intentions, just like the elf who greeted me earlier.

Also, their proximity to Polka is a significant factor. With the support of the dragons' will, and driven by curiosity, numerous young elves have come out to interact with Polka. Among them, some have already started to consider humans good friends.

"Seeing as you're sweating, why don't we go soak in the hot spring, Smaison-san?" "Ah... suppose so."

The Silver clan's territory is also a region where spirit springs bubble up from the same source as those at Polka. The efficacy is almost identical.

However, since few people come to this forest with such poor visibility, there may be no need to prepare bath facilities, or perhaps due to tradition, the accumulated spirit springs were left without any fencing or changing huts. The style was quite informal: you just entered wherever there was space.

In particular, no specific spring was designated for a particular gender. Given that state of affairs, peering in while others were bathing to check if they were inside was not considered a fault, and if everyone agreed not to mind, sharing the same spring was also acceptable.

“…Diane’s colony had the same setup, huh.”

“There’s even a theory that this custom is exactly why almost no one outside the Silver Elves enters the springs—they just drink from the spouting water.”

“Regular elves must really find this embarrassing, huh…”

Wandering through the forest and peering into various springs, I noticed women frequented them often, likely due to their interest in skincare. Seeing me and Aerina, they would offer a wry smile and ask, “Would you like to join us?” I was about to say yes every time, but Aerina kept turning them down.

“I’ve heard that the Misty Palace dragons’ indifference toward nudity has actually influenced the Silver Elves’ habits.”

“I have a great deal of respect for Brol and his crew right now.” “You idiot.” I got whacked with a stick.

After checking out seven or eight naked elves—or rather, touring the springs—we finally found an empty spot at a more secluded spring. “Alright, let’s get in then.” “Mm.”

As I undressed, Aerina stripped down to her underwear as a matter of course. “Hold on—are we getting in together?”

“Hm? Are you being modest all of a sudden?”

“It’s not that I mind, but is it okay?”

“I have been intending to do exactly that from the start, you know.”

Dropping her skirt with a mischievous smile, Aerina exposed her hairless crotch to the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. “I’m tired right now, so…” “Mm.”

“...Your pussy is super energetic, but are you sure we should soak together?”

“You’re saying the same thing even if you aren't tired.”

Airina took off her jacket and draped it over a branch. She loosely tied her hair into a ponytail with a vine leaf, stepped into the spring, and watched me undress with a mischievous grin. “Splendid,” she said. “Very good, very good.”

I stripped off quickly and joined Airina beside me. The water was pleasantly lukewarm—perfect for a long soak. And then... “...Phew.” “Hoo-hoo... warm bath it is,” we both exhaled simultaneously. After that, I said, “Well, let’s get started.”

“Fwuh... w-wait, aren't you going to enjoy the hot spring a bit more, you idiot?” “No way. Here, don’t run away now.”

“Try catching me, since you’re a soldier who relies on endurance, right~♪”

Splashing around, chasing after Ailina in the spring.

Partway through, Ailina used a spell to walk on water, positioning her ass at exactly my eye level, taunting me further as I chased her desperately.

In the end, Ailina seemed to let herself get caught almost on purpose, and I tackled her down in the shallow part.

"Heh heh... It's been a while since we were this silly in the bath hall."

"Even as the clan leader, you shouldn't be being so indecently clumsy."

"And who is it that was wonderfully provoked into heat and pinned them down with such intensity?" "That would be me." I'm sorry for having no filter. "Mm... " "Mmuu... Mmhuh... " "Nchu... Nnn— " "...Hah."

I exchanged a kiss with Irina. Her thin tongue and small mouth did not just fail to reject the intrusion of my tongue; she actively tried to wrap hers around it.

Stubbornly, we chased each other’s tongues, licking at the inside of one another’s mouths.

"...You silly fool. Talking all high and mighty, yet look at that lewd tongue technique...♪"

"...A punishment for a shameless clan leader."

"I have entered the Silver Village and followed the silver customs, did I not? It was you who arbitrarily went into heat." "Of course she does. That's normal."

"...I know nothing of your 'normal,' and I do not know you all that well... except for the ferocity of that rare beast...♪"

Irina lightly hooked one of her legs around my waist. She was teasing me.

It felt a bit uncool to just take the bait without any resistance in this kind of situation. But.

"Well, let me tell you something good. I'm super perverted."

"I... knew that... nngh!!"

And so, following her lead, I thrust into her.

It didn't matter if it was uncool. Irina was cute and precious to me.

I'm not the type to hold back and worry about my image in a situation like this.

"Mmm... ckk, haa... ♪"

Airina's wet ponytail spread out over the shallow water, just a few centimeters deep, creating complex, rippling patterns with each slap.

My one hand was being grabbed by both her arms, pinning me in a position where I couldn't escape. To anyone watching, it was obvious who the aggressor was.

But her legs were clamped tightly around my hips in a crab hold, refusing to let go. She gripped my waist firmly to endure my rough, rhythmic thrusting, ensuring that I didn't slip away from her as I took my cock deep inside her.

And her pussy, which matched me perfectly in compatibility, was greedily devouring my dick with joy.

Her young vagina, now fully accustomed to being ravished by me, squeezed tight with every one of my thrusts, whimpering in pleasure. The fluids overflowing from her seemed to synchronize with the liquids spilling from Airina's distorted expression and dripping from her lips and eyes. "Haa... haa... ♪"

"Airina... Airina, it feels good, your body...!!"

"W-wawa's also... wawa is going to melt... ♪" "I think I'm about to cum soon..."

"W-you know what that means, don't you... You're going to shoot out inside me..."

"Ahh, I know... I know, but..."

Airina's legs aren't letting go at all.

"……Some pervert somewhere's saying they don't want to go out, so it looks like we can't..."

"Who is it that spouts such nonsense? That weirdo wh-... ♪"

"Who could it be...? N-No, I'm coming, I'm cumming, Ailina!!"

"Mm-huh... Ah, inside... You damn fool, deep inside... ♪"

With her legs clamped tightly around me, Ailina cursed me out as she took my ejaculation deep inside her pussy.

I slumped over, draping myself across Ailina's body. She lay her head sideways against my chest and let out a heavy voice, "Mmmh~." "...Haa, hah..."

"...You always dump so much... Well, since we've been breeding nonstop from dawn till now, taking it out now wouldn't do any good anyway... You really have no manners, ♪"

"I did try to pull out... Mm, I'm not the one at fault here."

"Stop lying. You only pulled back right before you smeared your seed juice deep inside my cervix." "Caught?"

"Caught? There's nothing to catch about. Wara-wara is the one being fucked after all." Thap. I got smacked on the head. "...It's about time we switched." "?"

Thinking there might be some time limit for using Izumi, I got forcibly flipped over by Ailina and ended up on the bottom.

"If you keep hovering over me like that, it must be heavy, no? Wara-wara is small, you know?" "Sorry."

"……For heaven's sake, show a little consideration." "But you're not pulling out, right?"

"I am tired. Allow me to rest upon the bed for a while."

Iryna kept my cock in her mouth as she flopped face-down on top of me with a soft thump. Or rather, she was simply clinging to me affectionately. "……Why is it that you do not soften?"

"If you just sleep like that, I'd probably ejaculate about once every thirty minutes, even without moving."

It feels incredibly good inside Iryna's mouth. "Shall we test that theory?" "Seriously?" She genuinely persisted until I came.

I didn't know whether to call it refreshing or just plain relieved.

We left the Forest of Springs and headed toward a plaza located at a specific point within the clan's fief.

It was a strangely shaped plaza, but plazas of this same configuration existed in every clan fief.

One could travel between these plazas by activating a simple spell.

"Next up……well, since we are here, shall we go to the Gold Fief?" "Is there something special about 'Gold'?"

"A great river flows through the Golden territory. Its scenery is unrivaled."

Iryna declared this with a proud air before activating the teleportation spell.

If things went south, a single massive peak in the Gold territory could well rival the Blue Serpent Ridge in height, standing there with an imposing den—a sudden, overwhelming presence.

A river flowed beside it. The water source seemed to come partly from the mountains as well.

There was a waterfall hundreds of meters wide and likely close to one hundred meters in drop, near which stood a clan estate. "Whoa—." "Isn't it magnificent?"

"You're right. This is something else. I went on an expedition down the Grand Almonica River before, but I've never seen a waterfall like this."

"Hero's Peak and that waterfall are one of our great glories in the Gold territory." "Hero's Peak?"

"Our legends say that when an Elf of sufficient stature dies, their soul descends as a lesser spirit to dwell within that mountain. Eventually, they become part of the Light Spirit itself."

"Hmm. So elves have that sort of thing too, huh?" "Do humans believe in it as well?"

"Plenty of them do. The trotter church's doctrine holds that the dead ride the flow of spiritual energy, cycling around until they finally reach Mount Lyka." "I see."

"There, the Earth Guardian judges their souls and assigns them new fates, allowing them to be reborn, apparently." "And anything else?"

"In Celesta, it seems every colony has its own distinct view on death—different as the number of colonies themselves. Though lately, I hear more and more folks are losing faith in local traditions." "How lamentable."

As they chatted, we headed to a nearby ranch under Irina's guidance.

The ranch kept a small herd of one-horned horses.

We settled on borrowing one of the mares to ride two-up, heading upstream a bit to check out the massive cliffs that line the riverbank.

"Mm... It's proving rather difficult finding a mount willing to take us."

"I've heard unicorn horses are into virgins. Maybe Ireena won't let anyone else ride because of that?"

"N-no! That is superstition! They run away because you give off such an unpleasant aura!"

Ireena had been utterly spooked off by the unicorns every single time she'd tried.

"Mm... Goerux's older sister used to ride them calmly enough even after marrying into the Shiro clan, you know..."

"Wait, Goerux's sister married into the Shiro clan? So does that make him your brother-in-law?"

"If we go back four or five generations, yes, Goerux is indeed my kinsman's brother. But I have no siblings of my own."

"W-was me worried for a second... I thought if Goerux found out I'd hit on you, he might kill me."

"He used to visit the Shiro lands frequently, and we played together when I was little. Who knows what could have happened?"

"...Hey, if I charged at you, I'd die instantly? Unlike Azureus or whatever, I have zero defense stats?"

Hehehe, well now, that would be quite the disaster for you~" Ireena sneered with a mischievous smile.

In the end, one of the old horses actually seemed to listen when we asked it, so we hitched a small carriage built for two or three passengers and started heading upstream along the river road. "Huh, surprisingly few elves here."

"The gold-folk are particularly short on numbers, you see. Cristy was saying that the sheer purifying power of the Heroic Peaks has driven their reproductive rates down to an all-time low."

"By that logic, wouldn't the red-folk be scarce too, since they have the Sacred Beast Labyrinth?"

"Not so much. The red-folk are a clan that tends to venture outside regardless of circumstances, so Cristy reasoned that they've likely managed to balance out their exposure to bad fates accordingly." "Things really do get complicated, huh."

"Compared to the mundane world outside? Nothing special at all."

Clop-clop. We climbed the slope until we reached the waterfall. We kept the carriage moving slowly for a while, and soon we could see a group of elves playing in the river.

Wait, it's still summer now, isn't it? It's already autumn back in Polka, but time seems to move much slower within the Evergreen Forest.

And besides... from what I can see, those elves are naked too. I really can't go around judging Silver for her behavior.

"Huh, looks like they've got low modesty standards in this place too."

"It's merely tradition: the upper part of the waterfall is reserved for women to bathe, and the lower part for men. Don't get any closer than this under any circumstances, or I can't be responsible if you get shot by an arrow." "...Understood." Yeah. Fair enough.

By the time the sky turned red, we arrived at the Great Cliff.

It was a piece of land art carved out by the river.

The height seemed to be easily around five hundred meters. Looking up from below, it had an overwhelming grandeur.

"To think there's something like this... The Elven Forest is way cooler than I expected. I thought it was just a boring forest with nothing in it."

"Because of the distortion caused by the Ancient Barrier, they say that in terms of area alone, it's more than three times the size of the Trotto Kingdom. If it's that big, well, all sorts of things are to be expected."

"If you went around the whole thing, it doesn't look like something you could finish off in a month or two."

"Well, I'll just guide you through the places that can be covered in two or three days. Be thankful and worship me."

"Ah, you forcibly dragged me here, didn't you? Saying it was so the Elves wouldn't say I was ungrateful or something."

"For the Elves as a whole, that is true. But holding personal gratitude toward me... that is your freedom, my child."

"Ah... ...Fine, whatever. I guess I'm actually seeing some pretty amazing sights." "Heh heh heh."

Mihoko. The great cliff face. The gentle river. And the waterfall creating a rainbow.

I could afford to be grateful. It was indeed a view grand enough to evoke such feelings.

"Now then... if you are feeling gratitude, shouldn't you show it through your actions? Isn't that polite?" "Huh?"

"...W-Well, fortunately for you—no, unfortunately—you have already received my reckless finish-inside-your-face treatment multiple times today. No matter how many more times I dump it in you, nothing will change."

"No, wait, what the hell are you blabbering about out here in the open air, Chief?"

"Oh, elves don't go so far as to retreat indoors just to copulate. No, rather, for lovers, venturing deep into the forest together is the very metaphor for procreation." "……Ah, right." "So then... uh..."

"I get it, I get it. ...You absolute slut." "Hh…♪" "Ah, and also..." "Mm...?"

"...Would you prefer to be my lover, Aielina?"

Trying to feign nonchance as if it were a trivial add-on, I asked a rather crucial question. "Ah, uh..."

Tinkering with the hem of her skirt, her ears drooping, Aielina turned beet red and stammered out her words.

"You may be a hero, but you are merely human after all, and I am one of the apex of Elvenkind. It is inevitable that you would fall in love with me, but our relationship as lovers... well, it might be a bit complicated." "I see..." "But t-there's just..."

Aielina gripped my hand tightly and looked up at me with a somewhat desperate expression.

"...If it were you, I suppose you would ignore my circumstances entirely." "…………"

"T-take me... forcibly make me your own..."

"...Just so you know, Aielina." "…………"

"I call that kind of thing a female slave, y'know?" "...I am aware."

“‘Female Slave’ is actually a pretty embarrassing title, you know? And I don’t hold back with my own female slave.”
“……I am aware.”
“But even so…”
I said it deliberately.
“But even so, do you still want to be fucked, you slut?”

By using such harsh words, I gave her a way out and pushed her away, yet as I pressed in on her, my voice sounded somewhat spoiled, as if I were being needy myself.

“……I am the Chieftain. Ailina, the Chieftain of the White Clan.”

And so, maintaining a rigid composure merely in form,

“Even so, you’re going to fuck me, aren’t you, pervert?”

Forcing the decision back onto me while unfastening the clasp of her mantle and letting it drop.

“……You know that well enough.”
“……It’s because I’m a slut ♪”

And so, the two of us pushed the responsibility onto each other before kissing and falling into the bushes together.

The one-horned horse snorted bruur. Probably laughing at how ridiculous we were. (To be continued)

Between episode 124, "Family Talk," and episode 125, "The Capital University Story."

I spent the night with Irina doing too much lazy sex, so I came back to the baron's mansion in the morning.

"Where have you been, Andy?"

"...Sorry. I was just with Irina..."

Diane looked a little troubled.

"Oh, well, I won't stop you... but are you planning on making her your slave girl?"

"Don't say things like that..."

Everyone casually talks about slaves so it's easy to forget how shocking the idea of turning someone into one really is.

"So what kind of relationship do you want with her?"

"... "

Right now, we’re just sex friends, but when you think about it, the situation is precarious in many ways. Yeah.

「…To be honest, this is my impression of things.」

「Hmm?」

「He’s already in a state where he hasn’t said so outright, but he’s more than enough… I mean, he’s probably even more submissive than Luna.」

「N-no no no.」

「Having intercourse and producing half-elves is still not something that elves fully accept. Now that you’re the hero who saved Breakcore and Diel, it would be hard for them to openly condemn you.」

「Ugh…」

Indeed, the elves are just beginning full-scale interaction with Trot and the outside world, so they can’t reject Selen and Apple outright because of our achievements together.

They’re still not fully aware of the implications.

「…Well, Anzeros’s father is from a white clan, and Iryna’s family isn’t overly radical either… but even seventy years ago, maids who got pregnant by bandits outside were banished for defiling their blood.」

“…Y-Yeah, that’s right…”

But now that I think about it, I’m really the bastard who’s been cumming inside her all this time.

“But Andy, you shouldn’t be focusing on that. It’s related to that, but not exactly.”

“?”

“What I mean is, despite everything, Irina has actually taken a very brave step by willingly embracing and allowing herself to your body. Don’t take it lightly.”

“…Yeah…”

That might have been an incredibly courageous act on her part.

And yet, I had been treating her like just some casual fuck buddy with words that belittled the significance of what we were doing together.

Or maybe I was simply indulging in my own desires and taking advantage of her willingness to be with me without giving it the respect it deserved.

I should probably stop being so casual about this… though, considering how I just spent half-asleep fucking her pussy until she was soaking wet, I’m not sure if that’s really possible anymore.

“Looks like you’ve learned something new.”

“Yes…”

“Well then, let me ask again. If Irina were to be thrown out of the forest, how would you settle things with her?”

“What do you mean?”

“This isn’t a situation where simply not sleeping together anymore will suffice, is it? She’s been following you despite knowing all the obstacles and has had sex with you multiple times. What you need to decide isn’t whether or not to have sex with her in the future. You need to decide if you’ll keep her as your slave or wife, or discard her when you’re done.”

“Discard…?”

“Well, I don’t think you’d do that, but still, give it some thought. If Irina had to choose between staying in the forest and being with you, she would probably pick you over the forest. Don’t just brush this off with vague words.”

“I see…”

After Diane said that, I agree.

Irina doesn’t officially consent to me cumming inside her, but she never refuses sex and clings to me afterward as if it’s no big deal after I do. If she got pregnant and I told her to have the baby or leave the forest… She’d probably just go ahead and do it.

...Huh?

“Wait, Diane-san.”

“What is it?”

“I’m just saying, this feels really like what Faeza calls training, doesn’t it?”

“Raping her, driving her crazy, making her do as I say... yeah, you’re right. She’s definitely the most like that of all my slave girls so far.”

I hadn’t been particularly close to Aelina before we started sleeping together. And after we did start sleeping together, she suddenly became clingy and affectionate.

All the other girls had some kind of reason for being with me—like normal friendship or a misunderstanding, racial issues, personal sexual preferences—but none of them were as purely sexually entangled as Aelina was.

“Please don’t call it that.”

“Well... just make sure Faeza doesn’t find out about this.”

She’s abandoned me.

...Yeah, it's normal to give up at this point.

It was past noon.
Today I decided not to stay in the forge and instead went through marching drills and target practice.
If you let your guard down, your stamina drops quickly. Even if I leave fighting to others, if I can't even run away when needed, it's no good.
So, I ran back and forth on a road near the forest and shot at scarecrows set up in the field, trying to maintain my stamina.
“Phew…”
Even though I haven’t been as exhausted lately after bed at night, running uses different muscles than sex apparently.
I still wasn't able to run much further.
"Hmm. You're sweating."
"Irinya."

I didn’t realize that Irina had been sitting on a rock by the roadside.

“Or rather, it’s amazing you could run so much today after yesterday. I couldn’t even stand up straight for a while when I woke up.”

“Oh… sorry about that.”

“I’m not saying it was bad. …Well, sometimes it’s nice to just let go and do what you want without worrying about time…”

She blushed as she listened.

It probably wasn’t easy to talk like this after getting so worked up earlier.

But then,

“…Hmm, ‘without worrying about time’…”

Her bashful expression turned serious in an instant.

For a while, she stared off into the distance, deep in thought.

“What are you thinking, Iryna?”

“Hm? Oh, well… Speaking of which, Lord Smisson, aren’t you actually not very knowledgeable about the forest?”

“No, if you ask whether I’m knowledgeable or not… But among Trot people, I think I’d be in the top class when it comes to knowing the forest.”

The sudden topic threw me off a bit. After my run, my head was still spinning slightly, so I couldn’t give an immediate response.

Iryna nodded and grabbed my hand firmly. “Alright then, let’s take you on a little tour of the forest today. That is what I do best.”

“What? What are you suddenly doing this for!?”

“It would be odd if Lord Smisson, who is a hero of the forest, didn’t know it well, wouldn’t it? You don’t even know more than half of your family’s territory. How can you expect to receive blessings when you’re ignorant about the northern woods?”

“Who says that!?”

It sounded like a forced argument, but I couldn’t shake off her grip and was pulled into the forest anyway.

“────. Open it.”
We crossed the ancient barrier.

Right after entering the forest, we were in the territory of the Silver Clan.

“If I come here as is from the march training, Lila and Diane will complain later, so let’s go back first and then…”

“What? Don’t worry about it. I’ll send someone to fetch you.”

Irina was oddly cheerful as she walked through the center settlement of the Silver Clan, their clan estate.

Me following behind her.

“Oh, Lady Irina in white. Greetings.”

“Hmm, a pleasant day.”

An elf passing by gave Irina a simple blessing gesture. It seems that elves greet those above them with such gestures.

“Mr. Smisson of Polka seems to be in a good mood as well.”

“Oh, hello there.”

I gave a slight nod.

The silver-blooded elves are in an ambiguous position, so I can’t quite tell how they’ll react until I see them act.

Some middle-aged elves sneer at me, and their Fazers are also silver. However, on the other hand, some of these elves belong to Mist Palace’s subordinate clans.

Since most dragons from Mist Palace treat me with friendliness, there are many who follow the dragon’s wishes and don’t snub me.

Also, being close to Polka is a significant factor. With the help of the dragons’ intentions and the curiosity of young elves, quite a few have come out to interact with Polka. Some already consider humans as good friends.

“Why not take a dip in the hot springs? You’re sweating, after all, Mr. Smisson.”

“Oh… that’s true.”

The territory of the Silver Clan is also a region where spiritual springs emerge, just like those in Polka and Gen.

Their effects are almost identical as well.

However, since there aren't many people coming through this dense forest, it seems unnecessary to build bathhouses or change rooms for them. Or perhaps it's simply tradition. The accumulated pools of spiritual water were left unenclosed with no dressing rooms, just casually placed where convenient. There was also no distinction made as to which pool was designated for which gender. Because of this, peeking into the springs while others bathe isn't considered wrong and if everyone agrees not to mind it, bathing together is acceptable.

"...I remember Diane's colony being like this too."

"There are stories that because of these customs, outsiders rarely enter the springs and only drink from the natural spring water."

"Elves really must be embarrassed by this sort of thing..."

While walking through the forest and peering into several pools, I noticed that women were in them more often than not, perhaps for beauty reasons. When they saw us, they would smile wryly and ask if we wanted to join them, but Irina always declined.

"Apparently, the dragons at Misty Palace have a habit of being comfortable with nudity, which seems to influence the Silver Clan too."

"I really respect Brool and company right now."

“Fool.”
He was hit with a stick.

After circling around seven or eight naked elves—or rather, hot springs—Irina and I finally found an empty spot in one of the more secluded pools.

“Well then, shall we get in?”

“I suppose so.”

When I took off my clothes, Irina naturally removed her panties as well.

“Wait a minute. Are you getting in with me?”

“What? Do you suddenly mind now?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… is it okay for you to join me?”

“That was my intention from the start.”

Iryna wickedly smiles and pulls down her skirt, exposing her bare crotch to the dappled sunlight.

“I’m tired right now,” I say.

“Hmm.”

“…Your dick’s pretty hard. Do you still want to join me?”

“It’d be the same even if I wasn’t tired.”

Iryna takes off her jacket and hangs it on a tree branch, then ties her hair into a ponytail with some ivy leaves before stepping into the spring. She waits for me with a smug smile.

“Sure thing,” she says.

“Good good.”

I quickly undress and join Iryna in the water. It’s just warm enough to make it perfect for soaking.

And then.

“...phew.”

“Phew… this is a good bath.”

After both of them sighed,

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Here I come!”

“Huh? Wait, wait! Let’s enjoy the hot spring a little longer, you idiot.”

“No way. Don’t run away.”

“Catch me if you can! You’re a soldier who wins by strength, right?”

Iris and I splashed around in the fountain, chasing each other.

She started using magic to walk on water halfway through, her butt just at my face height, teasing me as I desperately tried to catch up.

In the end, I tackled her into shallow waters, where she seemed almost like she wanted to be caught.

“Huhu… I haven’t had this much fun in the bath for a while.”

“You’re the head of your clan, you shouldn’t be acting so shamelessly.”

“And who’s the one pinning someone down with such an aroused expression?”

“It’s me.”

“I’m sorry for not holding back.”

“Mm…”

“Nmm… Nnrrr…”

“Nchuu… Nnn—”

“…Huh.”

I kissed Irina. Her thin tongue and small mouth didn’t resist my intrusion but instead eagerly tried to wrap around mine.

She stubbornly pursues my tongue, licking around inside each other’s mouths.

“...You insolent one. You speak so grandly yet use such a lewd tongue…”

“It is merely punishment for the shameless chief.”

“I entered Silver Town and followed its customs. It was you who got aroused on your own accord.”

“A normal person would get aroused by this.”

“…I know nothing of your normal self, only that your member is fierce…”

Ailina lightly places one foot on my waist. She’s inviting me.

It feels a bit uncool to just jump at her invitation in a situation like this.

But.

“I’ll tell you something good then. I’m super horny.”

“I know that…nnn!!”
I inserted myself, following her invitation.
It was okay if it looked bad. Iruina was cute and adorable.
In this situation, I wasn’t cool enough to care about appearances or hold back.
“Nah…khaa, haahh…”
Her wet ponytail spread out in the shallow water a few centimeters deep, creating complex ripples.
She had both her arms around my hand, making it impossible for me to escape. From an outsider’s perspective, I was clearly the bad guy.
But she held onto me with her legs, refusing to let go even as I thrust roughly back and forth.
And her vagina, which fit so well with mine, eagerly devoured my cock.
Her young pussy, accustomed to being violated by me, squeezed tightly around each of my thrusts, whimpering. The fluid that overflowed seemed to be in sync with the pleasure distorting her expression, dripping from her lips and eyes.

“Haa... Haa... ♪”

“Irīna... Irīna, your body feels so good...!!”

“I-I feel like I’m melting too...♪”

“It’s about to come out soon...”

“You know that we have to let it out outside, right...?”

“Yes, I understand... But...”

Irīna won’t stop moving her legs.

“...Some slut is telling me not to let anything out so it looks like I can’t...”

“Who’s such a pervert to say something so ridiculous...♪”

“I wonder who it was...? K-Kinda coming, Irīna!!”

“Nnnn… ah, inside… you brat, inside…”

Irina clenched my legs tightly and cursed me as she received my ejaculation deep inside her. I collapsed onto Irina with exhaustion. She turned her face to the side under my chest plate and moaned in a heavy voice.

“Haa, haa…”

“…You really did come out quite a bit… well, since I’ve been inseminated all morning anyway, there’s no point in stopping now… you’re being too bold, aren’t you?”

“I was going to stop… yeah, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You lie. You painted my insides with your cum before pulling out.”

“Did I get caught?”

“It wasn’t hard to tell; after all, I’m the one who’s been violated here.”

She smacked me on the head.

"...It's time for a change,"

"?"

I thought she had some kind of time limit, but I was suddenly forced onto my back by Irina.

"If you stay on top the whole time, it'll be too heavy for me. I'm small, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"...Honestly, show some consideration."

"But you're not going to take it out?"

"I'm tired. Let me rest a bit."

Irina remained with my cock in her mouth and flopped down on top of me, belly-down. Or rather, she just collapsed there, clinging to me lazily.

"...You don't seem to be losing your erection."

“Probably if you just sleep like that, without moving much, you’ll cum every thirty minutes or so.”

Irina feels really good inside me.

“Want to give it a try?”

“Really?”

He held out until he actually came.

Feeling refreshed, we left the spring forest and headed toward a specific location in the clan estate where there was an open square. The oddly shaped square is present in every clan estate, and by activating simple magic, one can travel between them.
“The next stop… well then, since it’s special, let’s go to the golden clan estate.”

“Is there something special about the Gold territory?”

“There’s a great river flowing through it. The scenery is unparalleled.”

Iryna boasted proudly and activated her teleportation spell.

The Gold territory boasts a single mountain that rivals even the Azure Serpent Peak in height.

A river flows along its side, with some of its water originating from the mountain itself.

Nearby stands a waterfall over 100 meters high and hundreds of meters wide, next to which is located their clan’s manor.

“Wow!”

“That’s amazing.”

“It really is incredible. I’ve been on expeditions to the Great Almonica River before, but I never saw anything like this waterfall.”

“This Azure Serpent Peak and this waterfall are two things we’re proud of in Gold territory.”

“Holy Peak?”

According to our legends, Elves who have lived a worthy life become minor spirits and reside in that mountain after death. And eventually they become part of the Light Spirits.

“Oh, so there’s something like that for Elves too.”

“What about humans?”

“There are quite a few. According to Trot Church teachings, when people die, their souls ride on the flow of energy and travel to Reika Mountain.”

“Hmm.”

“And then they receive judgment from the Earth Guardian, who gives them new destinies in their next lives.”

“Anything else?”

“In Celesta, there are as many different views on life and death as there are colonies. Though apparently not too many people believe in local faith these days.”

“What a pity.”

While talking, we went to a nearby farm led by Irina.

The farm had a small herd of unicorns. We were planning on borrowing one and riding it together up the riverbank to see the great cliff that runs alongside the river.

“Muu... It’s hard to get them to let us ride them.”

“The rumor is that unicorns like virgins, so maybe they won’t let Irina ride?”

“It’s a superstition! Your smell is bad!”

Irina had been chased off by every unicorn she approached.

“Muu... Golcus’ sister could ride the unicorns just fine when she came to marry here.”

“You mean she was white? Are you and Golcus step-siblings or something?”

“We are indeed fourth or fifth cousins, but I don’t have any siblings myself.”

"I'm scared. …I thought I might get killed if Golcux found out that I had slept with Irina."

"He’s the one who often came to White's territory, and when I was a child, he used to play with me all the time. So what?"

"…Hey, if they start attacking me, I’ll die in one hit, okay? Unlike Anzerlos, I can’t defend myself at all!"

"Haha, it would be serious if we got caught, wouldn't it?" Irina sneered.

In the end, an old horse seemed to agree to our request. We attached a small carriage for two or three people and followed the river upstream.

"There aren’t many elves around."

"Especially not here, because of how strong the purification power is at the Heroine Peak. That’s what Christie said."

"If that’s true, shouldn’t there be fewer red elves too?"

"Not really. The reds go out a lot anyway, so they probably get their fair share of bad energy, according to Christie."

"There are all sorts of things here, huh?"

"Not really. Compared to the outside world, there's nothing special."

We climbed up the hill with a few bumps and reached the top of the waterfall. After that, we continued driving slowly for a while, and I could see some elves playing in the river.

Oh right, it's still summer now. It’s already autumn in Polka, but here in the Eternal Spring Forest, seasons move much slower.

Still... those elves looked naked too. I couldn't really say anything about Silver then, could I?

"Wow, they're not very shy around here."

"The top of the waterfall is for women to bathe and the bottom for men. Don’t get any closer or you’ll be shot at without warning."

"...Okay."

Yeah, that makes sense. Sure.

We arrived at the great cliff as the sky turned red.

It was an art carved into the earth by the river. It looked to be around five hundred meters high, and it had a tremendous presence when viewed from below.

"Who knew there would be something like this in the Elven Forest? I thought it'd just be some boring old forest."

"The ancient barrier distorts space, so they say that its actual size is more than three times larger than Trot Kingdom. With all that space, you can imagine there's a lot to see."

"If we were to explore every corner of it, it might take us months and months."

"Well, I'll just show you the highlights in two or three days. Be grateful for what I'm showing you."

"Hey, you dragged me here against my will. You said something about not wanting to be seen as ungrateful by the elves."

"That's true from a collective standpoint. But whether or not you personally feel gratitude is up to you."

"Oh—well, whatever. It does seem like we're seeing some pretty cool stuff."

Mifumi. The great cliff. A slow-flowing river. And a waterfall that creates rainbows.

I could thank my lucky stars for such an awe-inspiring view.

“Now… shouldn’t one show gratitude through actions?”

“?”

“…Well, fortunately—or rather unfortunately—I’ve already been filled up several times today with your cum. So it doesn’t matter how many more times you spill inside me.”

“No wait, what are you talking about all of a sudden out here in the open like this, Chief?”

“What? Elves don’t confine themselves to houses when they’re mating. In fact, lovers usually go deep into the forest for privacy.”

“…Oh yeah…”

“So… um…”

“I get it, I get it. …You dirty slut.”

“...♪”

“Oh, and uh...”

“Hm...?”

“Airiina, you want a lover?”

I asked an important question while pretending to be casual.

“Aaah...”

Airiina fidgeted with her skirt hem, hung her head down, blushing furiously as she stammered out,

“You are the Hero, but after all, you’re human. And I am one of the Elven elite. While it’s understandable that you might fall for me, being lovers would probably be a bit difficult.”

“I see...”

“B-But...”

Iryna gripped my hand tightly and looked at me with a somewhat desperate expression.

“...You would ignore my wishes, wouldn’t you?”

“…”

“Take me… take me forcefully as your own, won’t you…?”

“I’ll tell you something, Iryna.”

“…”

“I call that kind of thing being a female slave.”

“I know.”

“A female slave is much more shameful than what you think it is. And I don’t hold back with my female slaves.”

“I am aware.”

“Even so,”

I deliberately said,

“You still want to be raped, you slut?”

By using harsh words, I was giving her an escape route while pushing her away, but even then, my voice sounded somewhat indulgent.

“…I am the clan leader. The white clan’s leader, Irina.”

And yet, Irina merely pretended to remain resolute,

“And you’ll still rape me, pervert?”

As she challenged me for a decision and unfastened her cloak.

“…You know all about it.”

“I’m a slut, after all♪”

And while they both tried to pin the blame on each other, they kissed and fell into the bushes.
The unicorn snorted. Was it laughing at them?

(To be continued)

An interlude between main story Episode 124, "Family Talk," and Episode 125, "The Tale of the Royal Capital University."

After losing track of time while making love to Irina, I returned to the Baron's mansion in the morning.

"Where have you been, Andy?"

"...I'm sorry. I was just with Irina..."

Diane-san wore a slightly troubled expression.

"Ah—well, I'm not going to stop you... but just so I can confirm, are you planning on making Irina a female slave as well?"

"Please don't say things like Phazer..."

Because everyone speaks so lightly about "slaves" and "servants," I've become somewhat desensitized to it, but there is no doubt that hearing someone talk about turning another person into a female slave would be shocking to an outsider.

"Then, what kind of relationship are you planning to have with her?"

"............"

At the moment, we're essentially just sex friends, but now that she mentions it, there's no denying that our situation is precarious in many ways. Yeah.

"...To be honest, here is my impression."

"Please."

"Status-wise, even if she isn't putting it into words, she is already more than... well, I'd say she's already in a state more like a female slave than Luna is."

"N-no, no, no."

"Intermingling with humans to produce half-elves is still difficult to call an officially permitted act among the Elves. Though, since you are now the hero who liberated Breakcore and Dier, it might be difficult for them to openly condemn her."

"Ugh..."

It's true that the Elves have only just begun full-scale interaction with the outside world, such as Trot. I also have the impression that people like Selene and Apple are only not being ostracized because of the achievements they accomplished alongside me.
Their mindset hasn't fully shifted yet.

"...Well, Anzeros's father is part of the White Clan, and Irina's kin likely don't hold extreme views... even so, seventy years ago, Irina's handmaidens—who were impregnated by outside bandits—were all expelled en masse on the grounds that their blood had been defiled."

"...I... I see..."

But looking back, the fact that I'm constantly creampieing her makes me seem like a total scoundrel.

"But Andy, that is not what you should be focusing on. It is related to that, but it is not that."

"?"

"The fact is, despite facing all those realities, Irina is actively clinging to you and yielding her body to you. ...I'm trying to say, do not take this lightly."

"...You're right."

That might be an incredibly courageous act on her part.
And yet, I might have been treating Irina too lightly, hiding behind a casual term like "sex friends."
No, I might have been far too complacent, taking for granted that she allows me to hold her purely out of desire.
I should stop being so casual about this... though, considering I was just enjoying the squelching sounds of Irina's vagina and repeatedly spilling myself inside her while half-asleep, I wonder if I even have the right to say that.

"You look like you've just realized something."

"Y-yes..."

"Then let me ask you again. ...If Irina were to be cast out of the forest, how do you intend to settle her status? What kind of partner will she be to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's not as if you can just say 'I won't hold her anymore' at this stage, right? Irina is aware of all those obstacles, yet she clings to you and continues to have sex with you. What you need to think about isn't whether you will hold her in the future or not. You need to decide whether to add Irina to your group of female slaves, treat her as a wife, or discard her once you are done with her."

"Discard her...?"

"Well, I doubt you're the type to do that. But think carefully. Most likely, if forced to choose between the forest and you, Irina will choose you and accept expulsion. Do not hide behind vague words."

"............"

Hearing Diane-san say that, I certainly think she's right.
While she ostensibly refuses to let me finish inside her, she never refuses the sex itself, and after I've come inside, she clings to me with total abandon, as if she's finally let go of her inhibitions. If she were to get pregnant and I told her, "Give birth, and leave the forest"... I think she would probably go through with it.

"...Wait, huh?"

"Please wait, Diane."

"What is it?"

"I know it's a bit late to bring this up, but... aren't we doing something that sounds incredibly like what Phaser calls 'training'?"

"Ravishing her, driving her mad, and making her obey your every word... Ah, you're right. This is certainly the most textbook case of that among all my female slaves so far."

I hadn't been particularly close to Irina before we started having sex. And it was also a fact that after we started, she began clinging to me with much more physical intimacy and ease.

With the girls up until now, things like ordinary affection, slight misunderstandings, racial circumstances, or personal sexual preferences had always taken precedence. There had never been an instance quite like Irina's, where we fell straight into a downward spiral purely from a sexual relationship.

"Eek! Please, just spare me that title!"

"...Well, anyway. Just make sure Phaser never finds out."

I have been abandoned.

...Yeah, I suppose when someone is this incapable of backing you up, most people would just leave you to your fate.

---

Early afternoon.

Every once in a while, instead of staying cooped up in the forge, I commit myself to marching and target practice.

If I let my guard down, my stamina drops instantly. Even if I leave the actual brawling to the others, it's no use if I can't even run away when the time comes.

And so, I spent my time running back and forth along the path near the forest and shooting at scarecrow targets set up in the meadow, striving to maintain my physical condition.

"Phew..."

Lately, I haven't been getting worn out in bed at night, but it seems the muscles used for sex and running are quite different after all.

The actual distance I could run hadn't increased much.

"Hmm. You're working hard."

"Irina."

Before I knew it, Irina was sitting on a rock by the roadside.

"That aside, I'm impressed you can run that much the very next day. My legs wouldn't even hold me up for a while after I woke up."

"Ah... sorry."

"I'm not saying you're in the wrong, you know? ...Umu. To occasionally do that, without regard for time, following your desires... is also, well..."

Her ears drooped as she blushed.

Well, I suppose it's hard to talk about such things when we're in the heat of the moment.

However...

"...Hmm, without regard for time, huh?"

Her embarrassed expression suddenly shifted into a deadpan stare.

She fell into deep thought for a moment.

"What are you thinking about, Irina?"

"Hm? No, well... by the way, Lord Simson, if you think about it, you aren't actually very knowledgeable about the forest, are you?"

"Well, if you're asking if I'm an expert... but I think I'm one of the top-tier Trotters when it comes to knowing the forest."

The sudden topic caught me off guard. Between the suddenness and my head spinning slightly from the run, I couldn't give a sharp response.

Irina nodded, saying, "That's true," and gripped my hand firmly.

"Alright, then I shall guide you through the forest a bit today. That is my duty."

"Wait, where did that come from!?"

"It would be quite strange if Lord Simson, the hero who saved the forest, knew so little about it, wouldn't it? You don't even know more than half of the clan territory. If we offer our blessings and yet you are like this, the Elves of the Northern Forest will call us ungrateful."

"Call who!?"

It sounded like a bit of a forced argument, but unable to shake off Irina's insistent pulling, I found myself stepping into the forest.

"────. Open."
We cross the ancient barrier.

The area immediately upon entering the forest belongs to the Silver Clan.

"If we show up straight from a marching drill, Lyra and Diane-san are going to make a fuss later. We should head back once and then come again properly..."

"Do not fret. I shall send a messenger later."

Airina wanders through the Clan Village—the central settlement of the Silver Clan—looking strangely amused.

I follow behind her.

"Oh, Lady Airlina of the White. Good day to you."

"Hmm, it is a fine day."

Elves passing by offer Airlina a simple sign of blessing. Apparently, that is the traditional way for elves to greet their superiors.

"Lord Smaisson of Polka, I trust you are well."

"Ah, hello."

I give a light nod in return.

The position of the Silver Clan elves is somewhat delicate; their attitude toward me is difficult to read until I see how they react.
Some middle-aged elves give me a disparaging scoff, and Phazer is also of the Silver Clan.
On the other hand, they are also a subordinate clan to Misty Palace, Maia's birthplace.
Since the dragons of Misty Palace are almost entirely friendly toward me, many of them—much like the elf who just greeted me—do not treat me poorly, following the will of the dragons.
Furthermore, their close proximity to Polka is a major factor. Aided by the dragons' influence, many curious young elves come to Polka to socialize. Among them, some have already begun to view the human race as good friends.

"You are quite sweaty. Why not soak in a hot spring, Lord Smaisson? ♪"

"Ah... yeah, I guess."

The Silver Clan territory is also a region where spiritual springs emerge, sharing the same origin as Polka.
The medicinal effects are nearly identical.
However, perhaps because few people visit this dense, obscured forest, or perhaps due to tradition, the gathered spiritual springs lack enclosures or changing rooms. The style is quite casual: you simply soak in whichever pool is available.
There is no particular rule as to which spring is for which gender. Because of this, peering into a spring to see if someone is bathing isn't considered a taboo, and if you can agree that no one will take offense, it's even acceptable to share the same spring.

"...Diane-san's colony was like this too."

"I have heard that because of this custom, those who are not of the Silver Clan rarely bathe in the springs, opting only to drink the spring water."

"Yeah, most elves would find this embarrassing..."

As we wandered through the forest peeking into various springs, we found that women were often bathing, likely tending to their beauty. When they saw Airlina and me, they would offer wry smiles and ask, "Would you care to join us?" and I was on the verge of saying yes, but Airlini would decline.

"According to what I've heard, the custom of the Misty Palace dragons having no regard for nudity has influenced the Silver folk as well."

"I have a sudden, deep respect for Brawl and the others."

"Fool."

I was struck with a wooden stick.

After visiting seven or eight naked—or rather, spring-hopping—elven pools, we finally found an empty one tucked a bit further back.

"Alright, shall we get in?"

"Umu."

As I began to undress, Airlina naturally stripped off her panties as well.

"Wait, are we getting in together?"

"Hmm? Why do you care so late in the game?"

"I mean, I don't mind, but is it okay?"

"I intended to do this from the very beginning, you know!"

With a mischievous smile, Irina let her skirt fall. Her hairless mound was exposed to the dappled sunlight.

"I'm pretty tired right now, you know."

"Hmm."

"...But my cock is feeling pretty energetic. You still want to get in together?"

"It would be the same even if you weren't tired."

Irina took off her top as well, draping it over a tree branch. After gathering her hair into a light ponytail using some ivy leaves, she waded into the spring, waiting for me to undress with a smirk on her face.

"Fine by me."

"Very well."

I stripped quickly and climbed in beside her. The water was a pleasant lukewarm temperature, perfect for a long soak.

And then.

"...Whew."

"Whew... This water is lovely."

After we both let out a sigh.

"Well then, bon appétic."

"Wha—... slow down a bit and enjoy the bath, you fool!"

"No way. Hey, don't run away!"

"Then catch me if you can! You're a soldier, after all—this is a test of stamina! ♪"

We began splashing around, playing tag in the spring.

At one point, Irina used magic to walk atop the water, bringing her backside right level with my face. Provoked by the view, I chased her with everything I had.

Finally, I pinned her down in the shallows—though it felt like she had let herself be caught on purpose.

"Hehe... It has been a long time since I've played such pranks in a bathhouse."

"A Clan Leader, even if only in name, shouldn't be acting so indecently."

"And who is the one pinning me down with such a lecherous, aroused face?"

"That would be me."

I'm sorry for being so mindless.

"Nnh..."

"Mmph... Mm..."

"Chuu... Mmm..."

"...Whew."

I exchanged kisses with Irina. Her slender tongue and small mouth didn't just refuse to resist my intrusion; they actively tried to entwine with mine.

In a fit of stubbornness, I chased the tip of her tongue, and we licked the insides of each other's mouths.

"...Fool. You speak so high and mighty, yet you use such a lewd tongue... ♪"

"...This is your punishment for being an immodest Clan Leader."

"I have simply entered the Silver Village and followed its customs, you know? You're the one who went into heat on your own."

"Anyone would go into heat in this situation."

"...As if I care about your 'anybody.' I don't know much about you... except for the ferocity of that magnificent member of yours. ♪"

Irina draped one leg lightly over my waist. She was teasing me.

In a moment like this, I felt like just giving in to the temptation was a bit uncool.

However...

"Then let me tell you something. I'm incredibly perverted."

"I know that... mmmph!!"

Just like that, I followed her lead and thrust inside.

I don't care if I look uncool. Irina is just so cute and precious.

I’m not the kind of handsome hero who can hold back just to save face in a situation like this.

"Ngh... ah... haah... ♪"

Irina's wet ponytail spread across the shallow water, just a few centimeters deep, creating complex, rippling patterns with every splash.

With one of my hands pinning both of her arms, I was in a position where she couldn't escape. To anyone watching, I looked like nothing but a villain.

But her legs were clamped around me like a crab's claws, refusing to let go. She gripped my hips tight to ensure my rough, back-and-forth motions wouldn't drift away, taking every thrust firmly.

And her vagina, which was incredibly compatible with mine, was greedily devouring my cock.

Her young, well-acquainted walls, now fully accustomed to being violated by me, tightened and whimpered with every single thrust. The overflowing arousal seemed to flow in sync with the liquids spilling from her lips and eyes as her expression contorted with pleasure.

"Haah... haah... ♪"

"Irina... Irina, you feel so good... your body...!!"

"I... I too... I feel like I'm melting... ♪"

"I'm... I'm about to come..."

"You... you know, don't you...? Don't... pull out... leave it inside...!"

"Yeah, I know... I know, but..."

Irina's legs wouldn't let go at all.

"...Some slut over here is telling me not to pull out, so it seems impossible..."

"Who... who is this pervert... saying such nonsense... ♪"

"Who could it be...? I-I'm coming, I'm coming, Irina!!"

"Nnggh... Ah, inside...! You... you fool, inside... ♪"

While squeezing her legs tight around me, Irina cursed me even as she took my ejaculation deep inside.

As I lost my strength, I collapsed on top of her. With a heavy, muffled groan, Irina turned her head sideways beneath my chest.

"...Haah, haah..."

"...You certainly let out quite a lot... Well, since we've been breeding all through the night, there's no point in pulling out now anyway... But even so, you have no sense of restraint ♪"

"I thought about pulling out... Hey, it's not my fault."

"Stop lying. You smeared every bit of that seed deep inside my womb."

"Caught me?"

"There is nothing to 'catch.' I am the one being violated, after all."

She gave me a sharp smack on the head.

"...It is time for a change."

"?"

I wondered if there was a time limit for using the spring, but then Irina forcibly rolled us over, putting me on the bottom.

"It is heavy with you lying on top of me like that. I am small, you know?"

"Sorry."

"...Honestly, show some consideration."

"But you're not pulling out, are you?"

"I am tired. You may use me as a bed for a moment."

Keeping my cock gripped inside her, Irina sprawled out face-down on top of me. Or rather, she was simply clinging to me, acting spoiled.

"...You truly never lose your edge, do you?"

"If you just stay asleep like that, you'll probably ejaculate about once every thirty minutes, even without moving."

It felt incredibly good for Irina, too.

"Shall we give it a try, then?"

"Are you serious?"

She persisted until I actually reached climax.

I wasn't sure if I felt refreshed or just drained.

We left the Spring Forest and headed toward a specific plaza located within the Clan Village.

The plaza was irregularly shaped, but every Clan Village possessed one of the same shape.

By activating a simple spell, one could travel between these plazas.

"Next... let's see, since we're at it, shall we go to the Gold Clan Village?"

"Does the Gold territory have something special?"

"A great river flows through the Gold territory. The scenery is unparalleled."

Irina spoke with pride as she activated the teleportation magic.

In the Gold territory, a single, massive mountain loomed, so tall it might even rival the Peak of the Azure Serpent.

A river flowed beside it. Some of its headwaters seemed to originate from the mountain itself.

There was a waterfall with a width of several hundred meters and a drop of nearly a hundred meters, and the Clan Village was located nearby.

"Whoa—"

"Impressive, isn't it?"

"It really is incredible. I've been to the Great Almonica River on an expedition before, but I've never seen a waterfall this massive."

"Both that Heroic Peak and this waterfall are among the pride of the Gold Clan."

"The Heroic Peak?"

"According to our legends, an Elf who possesses the appropriate stature becomes a lower-class spirit upon death, inhabiting that mountain. Eventually, they become part of the Light Spirits."

"Huh. I didn't know Elves had traditions like that."

"Do humans have something similar?"

"Quite a lot. According to the teachings of the Trot Church, the deceased ride the flow of Qi, circulating until they reach Mount Lyca."

"I see."

"They say that the Guardian Deity of the Earth passes judgment there, and then they are reborn with a new destiny."

"Anything else?"

"In Celesta, it seems like there are different views on life and death for every single colony. Well, though I hear more and more people aren't believing in local faiths lately."

"How lamentable."

As we chatted, we followed Irina's lead to a nearby ranch.

The ranch kept a small number of unicorns.

We decided to borrow one of them to ride two-up, heading a bit upstream along the river to go see the great cliff that ran alongside it.

"Hmph... none of the horses will let me ride."

"I've heard unicorns are fond of virgins; maybe they won't let you ride because of how you are now, Irina?"

"Th-that's just a superstition! It's the scent you've left on me that's the problem!"

Every single unicorn had run away from Irina.

"Hmph... Gorcus's older sister used to ride unicorns without a second thought, even after marrying into the family..."

"Did Gorcus's sister marry into the White Clan? Wait, does that mean you and Gorcus are step-siblings or something?"

"If you go back four or five generations, Gorcus's brother-in-law was indeed a relative of mine, but I have no siblings."

"That scared the hell out of me... I thought Gorkus might kill me if he found out I defiled Irina."

"He used to frequent the White Territory quite often himself, and since we played together when I was a child, one never knows."

"...Um, if he attacks, I'm dead in a single hit, okay? Unlike Anzeros and the others, I don't have any defense whatsoever."

"Kukuku, it would be a massive disaster if you were caught, wouldn't it? ♪"

Irina laughed mischievously.

In the end, since it seemed the old horse would eventually listen to reason, we hitched a small carriage for two or three people and made our way back up the riverside path.

"There aren't as many elves as I expected."

"The population is particularly low in the gold sectors. Christi mentioned that the high purification power of the Heroic Peaks might be thinning their fertility rates."

"By that logic, are there fewer of the red ones since they have the Holy Beast Labyrinth?"

"Not significantly. The Red Clan tends to venture outside quite a bit, so they likely absorb a balanced amount of bad energy as well—or so Christi claims."

"There really is a lot going on here."

"Pfft, it's nothing compared to the secular world outside."

We trudged up the slope to the top of the waterfall. After continuing slowly in the carriage for a while, we could see elves playing in the river.

Come to think of it, it is still summer. It's already autumn for Polka, but the progression of seasons must be even slower inside the Everlasting Spring Forest.

Even so... those elves looked naked. Not that I was in any position to judge Silver.

"Whoa, the sense of shame is pretty low here, too."

"It is simply established that the top of the falls is the women's bathing area, and the bottom is for the men. Do not by any means approach any closer; do not blame me if you are shot."

"...Yes, ma'am."

Well, that makes sense. Yeah.

We reached the Great Cliff as the sky began to turn red.

It was a masterpiece of nature, carved by the river.

It looked easily over 500 meters high. Looking up from below, the sheer scale was overwhelming.

"I can't believe something like this exists. The Elven Forest is way more incredible than I thought. I figured it would just be a forest with nothing in it."

"Since the space is distorted by ancient barriers, they say that in terms of sheer area, it's more than three times the size of the Trot Kingdom. Given that scale, there will naturally be many wonders."

"At this rate, touring the whole thing would take more than a month or two."

"Well, I shall guide you only through the parts that can be finished in two or three days. You should be grateful and worship me."

"Hey, you're the one who forced me to come here. You said it was so people wouldn't call the elves ungrateful."

"For the Elven race as a whole, yes. However, it is entirely up to you whether you feel personal gratitude toward me."

"Ah... well, fine. I do feel like I'm seeing some pretty great things."

"Hohoho."

The beautiful peaks. The Great Cliff. The gentle, wide river. And the waterfall creating rainbows.

It was a view so magnificent that it felt right to be grateful.

"Now then... I-if you are truly grateful, don't you think it's polite to show it through your actions?"

"?"

"...F-fortunately—or rather, unfortunately—I have already received your wanton creampie inside me countless times today. No matter how much more you pour in, it makes no difference anymore."

"Wait, hold on! Clan Chief, what on earth are you saying so suddenly in the middle of this wide-open outdoors!?"

"Eh? Elves do not feel the need to retreat indoors every time they mate. In fact, when lovers say they are 'going deep into the forest,' it is a metaphor for procreation."

"...Ah."

"So... that is..."

"Alright, alright. ...You lewd woman."

“Ngh…♪”

“A-And also…”

“Hmm…?”

“...Is it that you want to be lovers, Airlina?”

I tried asking something a little important, pretending it was just passing conversation.

“Ah, auu…”

Fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, Airlina spoke in a flustered, incoherent mess, her ears drooping and her face bright red.

“Y-You are a hero, but at the end of the day, you are but a human, and I am—despite how it looks—one of the pinnacles of the Elves. I-It is only natural that you would fall in love with me, but a relationship as lovers is, well, perhaps a little difficult.”

“I see…”

“B-But…!”

Airlina squeezed my hand tightly, looking up at me with a desperate expression.

“...If it were you, you would ignore my circumstances.”

“………”

“You would… you would take me by force and make me yours, wouldn't you…?”

“...I'm warning you, Airlina.”

“………”

“I call that kind of thing a 'female slave,' you know?”

“...I know that.”

“A 'female slave' is a much more embarrassing name than you think, and I won't hold back when it comes to my own slave, you know?”

“...I know.”

“Even so.”

I did it on purpose.

“Even so, do you still want to be taken, you slut?”

By using such cruel words, I was creating an escape route for her, pushing her away—and yet, I felt like I was being somewhat indulgent with her, my voice betraying my own weakness.

“...I am the Clan Chief. Airlina, Chief of the White Clan.”

Then, Airlina maintained a semblance of dignity.

“Even so, you are going to take me, aren't you, you pervert?”

Demanding a decision from me, she undid her cloak clasp and let the mantle fall.

“...You know me too well.”

“...Because I am a slut, after all♪”

And so, as we both pressed the responsibility onto one another, we kissed and collapsed into the thicket.

The unicorn let out a soft snort. Perhaps it was laughing at how ridiculous we were.

(To be continued)

This is a story between Episode 124, "Family Talk," and Episode 125, "The Royal Capital University Story."

I ended up spending the night at Baroness Irene’s place after too much lazy sex, and now I’m sneaking back to the barony in the morning.

"Where were you, Andy?"

"...Sorry, just... with Irene..."

Diane gave me a slightly troubled look.

"Ah, well, I won’t stop you… but before we confirm anything, are you planning on making Irene your female slave too?"

"Don’t say things like that, it’s unsettling…"

Everyone casually calls each other slaves and slave girls all the time, so I’m used to it, but hearing someone else suggest turning her into a female slave would normally be shocking.

"So, what kind of relationship are you planning?"

"…………"

Right now, she’s basically just a sex friend, but when you put it that way, it’s definitely a dangerous situation in more ways than one. Yeah.

"...To be honest, my impression is this—"

"Huh?"

"That girl—though she doesn’t say it outright because of her position—is already… well, at least as much of a female slave as Luna, if not more."

"N-no way!"

"Having relations with a human and giving birth to a half-elf isn’t exactly something elves readily accept. But since you’re the hero who rescued Break Core and Dier, it’s unlikely they’d openly condemn you."

"Ugh…"

True, the elves are still in the early stages of interacting with the outside world, like Trott, so they can’t really ostracize her because of what she and I did.

But that doesn’t mean their minds have completely changed.

"...Well, Irene’s father is from the White Clan, and her family isn’t too extreme… but even so, seventy years ago, Irene’s maids who were impregnated by outside bandits were all banished because of the 'tainted blood' reason."

"...Y-yeah, that’s true…"

But I’m still getting away with unrestricted creampieing. That makes me sound like a real monster.

"But Andy, what you should be focusing on isn’t that. It’s related, but it’s not that."

"?!"

"Despite all that reality being pushed down her throat, Irene is actively clinging to you and giving you her body… I just want you to take it seriously."

"...Yeah, you’re right."

That might be a pretty brave act on her part.

And yet, I was acting like it was nothing, calling her a "sex friend" like it’s some casual thing, maybe treating Irene too lightly.

No, maybe I was just selfishly taking advantage of her and indulging in the fact that she lets me.

I should probably stop being so casual about it… though, just a moment ago, I was still enjoying stuffing her pussy over and over again while half-asleep.

"You look like you’ve just realized something."

"Y-yeah…"

"So, let’s settle this. If Irene were to be abandoned in the forest, what kind of partner would you be for her?"

"Huh?"

"It’s not like you can just say 'I won’t sleep with her anymore' at this point, right? Irene is aware of all those obstacles and still clings to you, sleeping with you over and over. What you should be thinking about isn’t whether or not to keep sleeping with Irene. It’s whether to make her your female slave, treat her as a wife, or just discard her when you’re done."

"Throw her away, huh…?"

"Well, I doubt you'd actually do it. But think about it. If Aireena were forced to choose between the forest and you, she'd probably take you and get exiled. Don't try to weasel out of it with half-assed excuses."

"…"

Diane's words made me realize she was right.

I technically refuse to let her get pregnant, but I don't refuse sex, and after she gets inseminated, she clings to me like a lovesick puppy. If we had a kid and I told her, "Have it, then get out of the forest,"… I bet she'd just go for it.

…Huh?

"Wait, Diane."

"What is it?"

"Isn't this… isn't this exactly what Feyer was talking about when he mentioned 'training'?"

"Raping, driving her insane, making her do your bidding… Ah, yeah, she's definitely the closest thing to a proper slave I've had so far."

I wasn't that close to Aireena before we started sleeping together. And it's true that after, she became dramatically clingy and affectionate.

With the others, normal affection, misunderstandings, racial issues, or personal fetishes always came first. No one had fallen into a purely sexual relationship with me as completely as Aireena had.

"Eep. Please, not that title."

"…Well, just don't let Feyer find out."

I was abandoned.

…Yeah, if it's this far gone, you'd normally just abandon them.

Afternoon.

Instead of holing up in the forge, I did marching drills and archery practice.

If you slack off, your stamina drops fast. Even if you leave the brawling to the others, you can't be worth a damn if you can't even run away when it counts.

So, I ran back and forth along the road near the forest, shooting at scarecrows in the meadow to maintain my fitness.

"Huff…."

I don't get as wrecked in bed these days, but apparently, sex and running use pretty different muscles.

The distance I could run hadn't really improved much, though.

"Hmm. It's invigorating, isn't it?"

"Aireena."

Aireena was sitting on a rock by the side of the road before I knew it.

"More like, you're lucky you can even run that much after yesterday. I couldn't stand up straight for a while after waking up."

"Ah… sorry."

"I'm not blaming you, you know? …Hmm. Sometimes, it's nice to just… indulge in your desires without worrying about time… or rather…"

She's blushing, ears twitching.

Well, she probably wouldn't talk like that unless we were in the heat of passion.

But…

"…Hmm, without worrying about time…?"

Her flustered expression snapped into a serious one.

She stared off into space for a while, deep in thought.

"What are you thinking, Ailina?"

"Hmm? Well, uh… Speaking of which, Lord Smisson doesn’t seem to know much about the forest, does he?"

"Well, if you asked me if he knew a lot or not… but I think he’s one of the top experts on forests among the Trott people."

I flinched slightly at the sudden change in topic. My head was still spinning from the run, and I couldn’t respond as quickly as usual.

Ailina nodded, "That's right," and grabbed my hand firmly.

"Alright then, I'll give you a little tour of the forest today. It's what I'm here for."

"Huh? What's with the sudden change?"

"It would be strange if Lord Smisson, the savior of the forest, didn't know much about it, wouldn't it? He doesn’t even know more than half of the clan territories! If he offers blessings like that, the elves of the Northern Forest will call him ungrateful."

"Who's going to say that?!"

It sounded like a forced argument, but I couldn’t shake off Ailina’s hand as she pulled me into the forest.

"…Open."

We crossed an ancient barrier.

Right after entering the forest was Silver Clan territory.
"If we come straight here after the march, Lila and Lady Diane will complain later, so let's go back and come again…"

"Don't worry about it. I'll send a messenger later."

Ailina walked through the center of the Silver Clan’s main settlement, the clan village, with an oddly cheerful expression.
I followed along.

"Oh, White Ailina-sama. Good day to you."

"Hmm, a fine day indeed."

The elves passing by gave Ailina a simple blessing gesture. Apparently, that was their traditional greeting for superiors.

"And to Lord Smisson of Polka, good health!"

"Ah, greetings."

I returned the gesture lightly.

The Silver Clan elves were in a somewhat delicate position, so it was hard to tell how they felt until you saw how they acted. Some middle-aged elves glared at me, while others were friendly. Silver was also connected to Faezer.

But on the other hand, they were also a subordinate clan of Misty Palace, Myia’s homeland. The dragons of Misty Palace were almost entirely friendly towards me, so there were quite a few elves who, like the one who just greeted me, didn’t shun me because of the dragons’ wishes.

Also, being close to Polka was a big factor. With the dragons’ influence and the curiosity of young elves, some had even started interacting with the Polka clan. Among them were those who already considered humans good friends.

"You're sweating, so shall we go take a bath in the hot springs, Lord Smisson?"

"Ah… yeah, that sounds good."

Silver Clan territory was also the source of spiritual springs, sharing the same origin as Polka’s. The effects were almost identical.

However, since not many people came to this forest with poor visibility, there was no need to develop bathhouses, or perhaps it was just tradition. The spiritual springs accumulated in several natural pools without any enclosures or changing rooms. You could just enter wherever there was space – a very casual style.

There wasn’t any specific rule about which pool was for which gender. In that state of affairs, peeking into someone’s bath to check if they were already inside wasn’t frowned upon, and you could even ask if it was alright to share the same pool if you got their consent.

"…Diane’s colony was like this too."

"Because of this custom, there are even stories that only the Silver Ones actually bathe in the springs; everyone else just drinks the spring water."

"Man, this is embarrassing for a normal elf…"

Wandering through the forest and peeking into several springs, it seemed like most were occupied by women who cared about their beauty. When they saw my face and Aireena’s, they’d give a wry smile and ask, "Care to join us?" I almost always wanted to say yes, but Aireena would always refuse.

"Apparently, the dragons of Misty Palace not caring about nudity has influenced even the Silver Ones."

"I really respect Brool and the others right now."

"Idiot."

I got smacked with a wooden stick.

After visiting seven or eight springs full of naked elves—well, springs—I finally found an empty one tucked away a bit deeper.

"Alright, let’s go in."

"Mm."

As I stripped off my clothes, Aireena naturally took off her panties.

"Wait, are we going in together?"

"Hmm? You’re worried about that now?"

"No, but is it okay?"

"Were you not planning on it from the start?"

Aireena smirked mischievously as she dropped her skirt, exposing her hairless crotch to the dappled sunlight.

"I’m tired right now."

"Hmm."

"…My dick’s still got a lot of energy, though. Still wanna go in together?"

"It’d be the same even if you weren’t tired."

Aireena took off her jacket and hung it on a branch. She loosely tied her hair into a ponytail with a vine leaf and waded into the spring, grinning as she waited for me to undress.

"Perfect."

"Good, good."

I stripped off my clothes in one quick motion and dove in next to Aireena. The water was pleasantly lukewarm—ideal for a long soak.

And then…

"…Haaah."

"Haa…good water, isn’t it?"

After both of us sighed,

"Alright, let’s get started."

"Fwoosh…slow down, you idiot! Let me enjoy the bath a little more!"

"Nope. Don’t run away."

"I’ll catch you, you’re a soldier who thrives on endurance challenges, aren’t you?♪"

Aireena and I splashed around in the spring, chasing each other. At some point, her butt—thanks to the levitation magic she’d used—was right at my eye level, which only made me more flustered as I desperately chased after her.

And finally, I pinned down Aireena—who seemed to have deliberately let herself get caught—in the shallows.

"Fufu… it’s been a while since I’ve been this playful in the bathhouse."

"Even if you are the clan leader, you mustn’t frolic so indecently!"

"And who is it that’s pinned me down with such a lustful, thoroughly aroused face?"

"Me."

"I apologize for my lack of restraint."

"Ngh… Nghm… Nghrel…"

"Nngh… Nngh—"

"...Haa."

I kiss Ireena. Her thin tongue and small mouth don’t just allow my tongue entry—they actively try to wrap around it.

Stubbornly, I chase the tip of her tongue, our mouths exploring each other’s insides.

"...Fool. All while lecturing me like that, you’re using such a wanton tongue…♪"

"...This is punishment for your scandalous clan leader."

"I merely followed the customs of Silver Village, as one should when in Silver Village, yes? It was you who got so worked up on your own."

"Anyone would get worked up."

"...Do I know what’s normal for you? I hardly know you at all… except for that raging member of yours, hm?"

Ireena lightly places one leg over my hip. An invitation.

It feels a little uncool to just give in to an invitation like this.

But.

"Then let me tell you something good. I’m super horny."

"That much, I know… Nghn!"

And with that, I thrust into her as she invited me.

Uncool? Fine. Ireena is too cute and precious to care.

I’m not the kind of guy who can hold back in a situation like this just because he cares about appearances.

"Ngh… Aah… Haa…♪"

Ireena’s wet ponytail fans out into the shallow water, spreading intricate ripples with a shhh-shhh.

Her arms are wrapped around my shoulders, trapping me so I can’t escape. From an outsider’s perspective, it’d look like I’m the bad guy.

But her legs have me in a bear hug, refusing to let go. As my hips move roughly back and forth, she clings to me, firmly receiving every thrust.

And that vagina of hers, which is incredibly compatible with me, is greedily devouring my cock.

Her young, already accustomed-to-being-fucked pussy clenches and winces with each of my thrusts. The overflowing lubrication seems to be in sync with Ireena’s pleasure-distorted expression—the liquid spilling from her lips and eyes.

"Haa… Haa…♪"

"Ireena… Ireena, this feels so good, your body…!!"

"M-Me too… Me too, I feel like I’m melting…♪"

"I think I’m about to come…"

"Y-You know not to, right…? Don’t come inside me…!"

"Ah, I know… I know, but…"

Irina’s legs won’t let go at all.

"...Some pervert out there must be telling her not to come out..."

"Who the hell would say such nonsense…♪"

"I wonder who it is…? H-Hey, she’s coming, Irina!!"

"Ngh… ah, inside… this idiot, inside…♪"

Irina squeezed my legs tight as she cursed me while taking my release deep inside her.

I collapsed, collapsing onto Irina. She groaned heavily, turning her face sideways beneath my chest.

"...Haa, haa…"

"...You really came a lot this time… well, we were breeding the whole night, so there’s no point in stopping now… you’re being way too forward♪"

"I thought about pulling out… yeah, it’s not my fault."

"Don’t lie, you just coated her insides with your seed."

"You heard me?"

"Of course I heard you. I’m the one getting ravaged here!"

Smack, she hit me on the head.

"...Time for a change."

"?"

I thought maybe the spring had a time limit, but Irina just flipped me over, putting me underneath her.

"You’d be too heavy if you stayed on top the whole time. I’m small, you know?"

"Sorry."

"...Honestly, you should think about others a little more."

"But you’re not pulling out, right?"

"I’m tired. Just lie there and be my pillow for a bit."

Irina kept my dick in her mouth as she flopped down on top of me, face-down. Or rather, she was just being clingy and spoiled.

"...You don’t get soft, do you?"

"If you just lay there without moving, I’d probably come every thirty minutes or so."

It feels amazing inside Irina.

"Shall we try it?"

"Seriously?"

She really made me last until I came.

I felt refreshed… or maybe just relieved.
We left the spring forest and headed toward a plaza at a specific location in the Clan Village.
The plaza was oddly shaped, but every Clan Village had one exactly like it.
You could travel between them by activating a simple spell on each plaza.
"Next… well, since we’re here, why don’t we go to the Gold Clan Village?"

"Got any money on you?"

"The Golden Territory boasts a great river flowing through it. The scenery is unparalleled."

Irina said proudly, activating her teleportation spell.

The Golden Territory was dominated by a single mountain, so high it nearly rivaled the Azure Serpent Peaks.
A river flowed alongside it—partially fed by springs from the mountain itself.
There was a waterfall several hundred meters wide with a drop of nearly one hundred meters, and near it stood the clan's manor.

"Whoa."

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"Yeah, this is something else. I went on an expedition to the Great Almonica River before, but I never saw a waterfall this impressive."

"That waterfall and the Holy Elf Peak are among our territory’s proudest features."

"Holy Elf Peak?"

"According to our legends, elves worthy of such status become lesser spirits after death and dwell in that mountain. Eventually, they become part of the Light Spirits."

"Heh. Elves have that kind of thing too, huh?"

"Do humans have something similar?"

"Loads of them. The Trot Church teaches that when people die, they ride the currents of spirit energy to Raika Mountain."

"Hoh?"

"There, the Guardian Spirit of the Land judges them and grants them a new fate before they’re reborn."

"What else?"

"In Celesta, there’s supposedly a different view on death for every colony. Though lately, fewer people seem to believe in local faiths."

"Truly lamentable."

As she spoke, Irina led the way toward a nearby ranch.

The ranch kept a small herd of unicorns.

They decided to borrow one and ride along the river, ascending slightly to view the great cliff face that ran alongside it—but…

"Mmm… finding a unicorn willing to carry us is proving difficult."

"Unicorns are said to prefer virgins, so maybe Irina’s current state isn’t helping."

"N-no! That’s just superstition! It’s the stench you’re wearing!"

Irina had been repeatedly rejected by every unicorn.

"Mmm… Golcus’s sister rode unicorns without a second thought even after getting married…"

"Golcus’s sister married into House White? Wait, is Golcus your half-brother or something?"

"If you go back four or five generations, Golcus’s brother-in-law was indeed my relative, but I myself have no siblings."

"Whoa, that was close. …I thought you’d kill me if you found out Golcus raped Irina."

"He used to visit the White Territory often and was a good friend when I was younger. You wouldn’t understand, would you?"

"...Listen, if you try to cut me down, I’m dead in one hit, okay? Unlike Anzalos, I can’t defend myself at all!"

"Kukuku, that’d be quite the scandal♪"

Irina grinned mischievously.

In the end, it seemed like the old mare would listen to me if I asked nicely, so we attached a small two- or three-seater carriage and headed upriver along the riverbank.

"Guess there aren’t as many elves around as I thought."

"Elves are particularly few in number, you see. Because the Holy Spirit Peaks have such strong purifying energy, their breeding rate’s been especially suppressed, or so Christy said."

"If that logic holds, shouldn’t there be fewer reds where the Divine Beast Labyrinth used to be?"

"Not so much. Reds tend to go out more than other clans, so they probably get a balanced dose of bad energy, according to Christy again."

"Things are complicated, huh?"

"What? Nothing compared to the outside world."

We plodded up the slope and reached the waterfall. After letting the carriage roll slowly for a while, we spotted elves frolicking in the river.

Come to think of it, it’s still summer, right? It’s already autumn in Polka, but time probably passes slower in the Evergreen Forest.

Even so… those elves look like they’re naked. Can’t really say anything about silver, though.

"Guess they don’t have much shame here either."

"It’s just decided that the top of the waterfall is for women bathing, and the bottom is for men. Don’t get any closer than that, or I won’t be responsible if you get shot."

"…Got it."

Well, yeah. Right.

By the time the sky turned red, we reached the great cliff.

It was a masterpiece of nature carved by the river.

It looked like it was easily 500 meters high. Looking up from below was incredibly impressive.

"I didn’t realize the elf forest was this amazing. I thought it’d be just some empty woods."

"Because of the ancient barrier distorting it, its actual size is said to be more than three times that of the Troll Kingdom. If it’s big enough, there’s bound to be all sorts of things in it."

"If we’re going around like that, it won’t take a month or two."

"Well, I’ll just show you the places that can be done in two or three days. Be grateful and worship me."

"Hey, you dragged me here against my will, saying it was to prevent elves from being called ungrateful."

"For the sake of all elves, yes. But whether you personally feel gratitude toward me is your own choice."

"Ah… whatever. I guess we’re seeing some good stuff, though."

"Hoho."

A magnificent peak. A great cliff. A gentle great river. And a waterfall that creates rainbows.

You could be grateful. It was a view so grand it made you feel that way.

"Now then… if you’re so grateful, wouldn’t it be proper to show it in your actions?"

"?!"

"…S-so, fortunately or unfortunately, I’ve already taken your seed inside me countless times today. No amount of more will make any difference."

"Wait, what are you even saying out here in the wide open, Clan Leader?"

"Eh? Elves don’t bother locking themselves indoors every time they make love. Rather, if two lovers want to imply making babies, they go deep into the forest together."

"…Ah."

"So… um…"

"Alright, alright. …You slut."

"…♪"

"Ah, and also…"

"Hmm…?"

"...You want a lover, Airena?"

I ask while pretending to be nonchalant, but it’s actually pretty important.
"Ah, uh—"

Airena fidgets with the hem of her skirt, ears lowered, her face bright red as she stammers.
"You’re a hero, but still just human. And I’m one of the top elves. It’s only natural you’d fall for me, but… well, being lovers might be a little difficult."

"I see…"

"Bu—but—"

Airena grips my hand tightly, her expression earnest as she looks at me.
"...You’d ignore my needs, wouldn’t you?"

"…………"

"You’d forcefully claim me as your own, right…?"

"…Let me tell you something, Airena."

"…………"

"I call that kind of thing a 'female slave'."

"…I know."

"A female slave is a much more embarrassing name than you think. And I don’t hold back with my female slaves."

"…I know."

"Even so—"

I say it deliberately.
"Even so, do you want to be ravaged, slut?"

By using such harsh words, I give her an escape route, pushing her away, but even as I do, there’s a part of me that feels a little spoiled.

"...I am the chieftain. Airena, chieftain of the White Clan."

And then, Airena is only pretending to be resolute.
"You’d still ravage me, pervert?"

She snaps her cloak’s fastener open and lets it fall as she forces a decision from me.
"...You know me well, don’t you?"

"…Because I’m a slut♪"

And so, the two of us push responsibility onto each other, kiss, and collapse into the bushes.

The unicorn snorts. Hmph, it must have laughed at how ridiculous we are.

(To be continued)

This is a side story between Episode 124, "Family Talk," and Episode 125, "The Tale of the Capital University."

I had been indulging in endless lovemaking with Elina until dawn broke, so I returned to the baron's estate as a morning guest.

"Where were you going, Andy?"

"...Sorry, just... with Elina..."

Lady Diane looked slightly troubled.

"Well, I won't stop you... but let me confirm: do you intend to make Elina a female slave too?"

"Please don't say things like that about Feizer..."

Everyone casually refers to them as slaves, so it's numbing, but calling her a "female slave" is something that would naturally make anyone recoil if said aloud.

"So, what kind of relationship do you intend with her?"

"..."

In reality, we're just sex friends, but when put like that, the situation is undeniably precarious in every sense. Yes.

"...To be honest, my impression is this:"

"Haa?"

"She hasn't explicitly stated it due to her position, but she's already... at least more than Luna, I believe she's in a state of being treated as a female slave."

"N-no, no, no!"

"Having intercourse with humans and bearing half-elves is still not an act easily permitted among elves. Given that you are now the hero who rescued Breakcore and Diel, open condemnation would be difficult... but..."

"Ugh..."

Indeed, the elves have only just begun serious exchanges with the outside world like Trot; Selen and Apple can't be ostracized solely because of their achievements alongside me. Their consciousness hasn't fully reversed yet.

"...Well, Anzero's father belongs to the White Clan, and Elina's family doesn't hold particularly radical views... but even so, seventy years ago, Elina's maids who were impregnated by outside bandits were collectively exiled on the grounds of 'polluted blood'."

"...Y-yes, that's true..."

But me, having been allowed to inseminate her freely, I truly seem like an extreme pervert.

"But, Andy. What you should focus on isn't that. It's related to it, but not that itself."

"?"

"It's the fact that Elina is actively clinging to you and granting you her body despite pushing aside such reality... I want you not to take this lightly."

"...Yes, I understand."

That might be an act requiring immense courage.

Yet, I've been treating her casually with a light term like "sex friend," perhaps underestimating Elina too much.

No, perhaps I've been indulging my desires recklessly and taking for granted that such things are permitted.

I should stop treating this so lightly... though just moments ago, I was enjoying the sensation of filling her vagina repeatedly while half-asleep, so maybe it's hard to say otherwise.

"You seem to have realized this anew."

"Yes..."

"So let me ask again: if Elina were to be cast out from the forest, how do you intend to conclude your relationship with her?"

"Huh?"

"It's not a situation where simply stopping intercourse would suffice? Elina is aware of such obstacles yet continues to cling to you and engage in sex with you repeatedly. What you should consider now isn't whether to continue sleeping with Elina or not, but whether to add her as a female slave, treat her as a wife, or discard her once your needs are satisfied."

"Throw it away, huh..."

"Well, you wouldn't do something like that. Think carefully. If I were to ask Éléna whether she'd choose the forest or you, she'd pick exile with you over staying in the woods. Don't try to gloss this over with half-hearted words."

"…………"

After hearing Diâne say that, I realize it's true.

Although she officially refuses to let me impregnate her, she doesn't refuse sex itself, and once we've finished, she clings to me like nothing ever happened. If a child were born and I told her, "Give birth and leave the forest,"...she'd probably just go through with it. That's what I think.

...Wait?

"Excuse me, Diâne."

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry for bringing this up now, but aren't we doing something that sounds very much like what Feizer calls 'training'?"

"Make her submit, drive her mad, and force her to obey your every command... Ah, yes. Among all the female slaves I've had before, none have felt quite like this."

I hadn't been particularly close to Éléna until we started having sex. And it's true that afterward, she became dramatically clingy and casual in her affection.

With my previous partners, various factors—ordinary affection, minor misunderstandings, racial circumstances, or personal sexual preferences—always came first. But with Éléna, there was no example of someone falling so deeply into a purely sexual relationship from the start.

"Yikes. Please don't use that title."

"...Well, just make sure Feizer never finds out about this."

I've been abandoned.
...Yeah, once things become impossible to follow up on, people usually just give up.

It's past noon.

Sometimes I skip staying cooped up in the forge and instead complete marching drills and archery practice.

Neglecting physical training causes stamina to drop quickly. Even if I let others handle sparring, there will come a time when even running away won't be an option—that wouldn't do at all.

So, I repeatedly run back and forth along the path beside the forest, shoot at scarecrow targets set up in the grasslands, and make every effort to maintain my physical condition.

"Haa..."

Lately, I haven't been as exhausted after bed as before, but apparently, the muscles used for sex are quite different from those used for running.

My running distance hasn't improved much.

"Hmm. My spirit is rising."

"Éléna."

Somewhere along the way, Éléna had taken a seat on a rock by the roadside.

"To be honest, I can't believe you managed to run that far in just one day. After waking up yesterday, my hips felt like they wouldn't hold me up for quite some time."

"A-ah... sorry."

"I didn't say anything bad, did I? ...Hmm. Sometimes it's nice to ignore the passage of time and follow desire freely... something like that..."

She lowers her ears and blushes shyly.

Well, we probably can't talk seriously while in the mood for sex.

But...

"...Hmm, ignoring the passage of time...?"

Her flustered expression suddenly shifts into a serious one.

She stares ahead, lost in thought for a moment.

"What are you thinking about, Elina?"

"Hmm? Well, no... but actually, if we think about it, isn't Lord Smayson not particularly well-versed in the forest?"

"No, well, if asked whether he knows a lot or not... I'd say he's among the top-tier forest experts among the Trot people."

The sudden topic change made me flinch slightly. After running so hard, my head felt a bit dizzy, and I couldn't respond crisply.

Elina nodded with a "That's right," then firmly took my hand.

"Very well, then. Today, I shall give you a brief tour of the forest. It is my very nature to do so."

"Eh? What, out of nowhere!?"

"It would be strange if Lord Smayson, the Hero Who Saves the Forest, did not know the forest well, wouldn't it? More than half of the clan territories lie within it. If we offer blessings without knowing this, the Elves of the Northern Forest might say we are ungrateful."

"Who!?"

The reasoning sounded somewhat forced, but I couldn't shake off Elina's hand as she dragged me steadily into the forest.

"—Open."

I crossed the ancient barrier.

The area immediately upon entering the forest belonged to the Silver Clan Territory.

"If we came straight from marching training, Lady Lyra and Diane would complain later, so let's return first and then..."

"What? Don't worry. I'll send a messenger afterward."

Elina walked briskly toward the central settlement of the Silver Clan, the clan estate, with an unusually cheerful expression.

Following her was I.

"Oh, Lady Elina of White. How are you?"

"Hmm, what fine weather it is."

Passersby Elves exchanged simple blessing gestures with Elina. Apparently, that was their customary greeting when addressing someone senior.

"Lord Smayson of Polka is also in high spirits."

"Oh, hello there."

I gave a light bow as well.

The Elves of the Silver Clan occupy a somewhat ambiguous position; until one observes their behavior closely, it's hard to gauge their true attitude toward outsiders. Some middle-aged Elves even sneered at me, and Feizer himself is of the Silver Clan.
Yet, on the other hand, they are also subordinate clans to Mist Palace, where Mya was born. The dragons of Mist Palace have been almost entirely friendly toward me, so many Elves, like the one who just greeted us, refrain from treating us poorly in accordance with the dragons' wishes.
Moreover, being located relatively close to Polka plays a significant role. With the dragons' tacit support and driven by their insatiable curiosity, many young Elves have begun engaging with humans. Some have even started considering humans as good friends.

"Sweating away like that? Let's go soak in the hot springs, Lord Smayson♪"

"Aaa... That sounds about right."

The Silver Clan Territory is also a region where spirit springs, sharing their origin with Polka, emerge. Their effects are nearly identical.
However, due to the poor visibility within this dense forest, few people visit these baths, so there seems to be no need for proper facilities. Or perhaps it's simply tradition. As a result, the accumulated spirit springs in various pools lack any enclosure or changing rooms; one merely enters whichever empty pool is available in an informal manner.
There are no designated gender-specific springs either. Given this situation, peering into someone else's bath to confirm whether they're already inside isn't considered improper, and if consent can be obtained without concern, sharing a spring is also acceptable.
"...So the colony where Diane lives was like this too."

"It is precisely because of this custom that few others than the Silver ones enter the springs; some say they merely drink from the bubbling water."

"Ordinary elves must be quite embarrassed by this, huh..."

Wandering through the forest and peering into numerous springs, I noticed that many were occupied by women, likely due to their concern for beauty. When I and Ailina appeared, they would offer a wry smile and ask if we'd like to join them. I was about to accept eagerly, but Ailina always declined on my behalf.

"According to the tale, the dragon of Mist Palace has no qualms about nudity, and this habit has influenced even the Silver ones."

"I hold great respect for Lord Broll and his kind right now."

"Idiot."

I was struck with a wooden stick.

After seven or eight springs filled with fully nude elves—or rather, after circling several springs, we finally found an empty one tucked away deeper in the woods.

"Well then, shall we get in?"

"Mm."

As I removed my clothes, Ailina naturally followed suit, taking off her panties as well.

"Wait... are you going to enter together with me?"

"Hmm? Is it too late to worry about such things now?"

"I'm not worried, but is it okay?"

"I had that intention from the very beginning, didn't I?"

With a mischievous smile, Ailina lowered her skirt. Her hairless crotch was exposed to the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.

"I'm tired right now."

"Mm."

"...Your manhood seems quite energetic, but would you still like to enter together?"

"It wouldn't matter even if you weren't tired."

Ailina took off her outer garment and hung it on a tree branch. She lightly gathered her hair into a ponytail using ivy leaves, dipped herself into the spring, and waited for me to undress with a playful grin.

"Excellent."

"Very well."

I quickly stripped and stepped in beside Ailina. The water was pleasantly warm—ideal for a long soak.

And then...

"...Phew."

"Haa... what fine water this is."

After we both sighed contentedly,

"Well then, let's begin."

"Whoa... w-wouldn't you enjoy the bath a bit more slowly, you idiot!"

"No way! Hey, don't run away!"

"Try catching me! You're a soldier who relies on physical prowess, aren't you? ♪"

We chased each other around in the spring with splashes everywhere. Midway through, Ailina used magic to walk on the water's surface; her rear end rose just to my face level, teasing me further as I desperately pursued her.

In the end, I tackled Ailina—who seemed almost deliberately caught—into the shallow part of the spring.

"Hehe... It's been a while since I've been this playful in the bathhouse."

"Even as a clan leader, you cannot act so shamelessly and make jokes."

"And who is it that, after being perfectly goaded into arousal, pins me down with such a lustful expression?"

"It's me."

I apologize for losing all restraint.

"Mn...!"

"Mnmuu... nleru...!"

"Nchu... nn—"

"...Fuu."

I kiss her. Her thin tongue and small mouth do not resist my intrusion; instead, they actively try to wrap around my tongue.

Defiantly, I chase the tip of her tongue, our mouths licking each other's insides in a circular motion.

"...You fool. While saying such haughty things, you're using such filthy tongue skills...♪"

"...A punishment for your shameless clan leader."

"I only entered Silverland and tried to follow its customs. It was you who got carried away and became aroused."

"Well, of course you'd get aroused."

"...How could I possibly know what 'normal' is for you? I hardly know anything about you... except for that peculiar ferocity of yours, my dear♪"

Elenia lightly places one foot on my waist, inviting me.

In a scene like this, accepting her invitation so readily feels a bit undignified.

But...

"Then let me tell you something good: I'm super horny."

"I already knew that... nnng!!!"

As it was, I inserted myself into her as she invited me.

Being undignified is fine. Elenia is cute and precious to me.

In this situation, I'm not a romantic lead who can hold back just by caring about my appearance.

"Mn... ku, haa...♪"

Elenia's wet ponytail spreads across the shallow water only a few centimeters deep, creating complex ripples with a splash-splash sound.

One of her hands grabs both of my arms, locking me in place so I can't escape. From an outsider's perspective, it looks like I'm the villain.

Yet, those two legs hold me in a crab-clamp grip, refusing to let go. They firmly catch my waist as I thrust wildly back and forth, preventing it from slipping away.

And that vagina of hers, which matches me so perfectly, eagerly swallows my penis with great joy.

The young, already accustomed-to-being-raped vagina tightens around my single thrust with a kyuu-kyuu squeeze, whimpering in pleasure. The overflowing love fluid seems linked to Elenia's expression distorted by ecstasy, the fluids spilling from her lips and eyes.

"Haa... haa...♪"

"Elenia... Elenia, it feels so good, your body...!!"

"W-wara-wa mo... wara-wa mo, I'm about to melt...♪"

"I think we're close to climaxing soon..."

"I understand, you must... then let's release it outside...!"

"Aaaah, I get it... I do get it, but..."
Irina's legs refuse to let go at all.

"...It seems impossible since some lustful creature is telling me not to come out..."

"Who the hell is saying such nonsense? You pervert wa—♪"

"Who could it be...? G-get out, get out, Irina!!"

"Nnngh... ah, inside... this bastard, inside...♪"

While tightly squeezing my legs and cursing me, Irina receives my ejaculation deep within her vagina.
I collapse onto Irina, covering her completely. Mmmph, she turns her face sideways beneath my chest and lets out a heavy sigh.

"...Haa, haa..."

"...You've gone quite far again... Well, since I've been inseminated all morning anyway, it wouldn't matter if you pulled out now... But there's only so much one can be shameless about, you know♪"

"I was thinking of pulling out... Yeah, I'm not in the wrong here."

"Don't lie to me. You thoroughly coated your seed juice deep inside my womb just now."

"You've been caught?"

"There's no point in being caught; I am the one who has been violated myself."

Pesh! Her hand struck my head.

"...It's about time for a change."

"?"

I thought there might be a time limit on using the spring, but instead, Irina forcibly rolled me over so that I ended up underneath her.

"You've been covering me for too long; it's heavy. I'm small, after all?"

"I'm sorry."

"...Honestly, show a bit more consideration."

"But you're not pulling out, are you?"

"I'm tired. Let's rest in bed for a while."

Irina, still chewing on my penis, lies face-down on top of me with a soft thud. Or rather, she's just clinging to me lazily.

"...You don't seem to be losing your erection."

"Probably if you just lie there like that without moving much, you'll ejaculate about once every thirty minutes."

It feels incredibly good inside Irina.

"Shall I try it?"

"For real?"

I was indeed teased until the very moment of ejaculation.

Feeling refreshed... or perhaps relieved?
We left the Spring Forest and headed toward a plaza located at a designated spot in the Clan Manor.
Though the plaza has a distorted shape, every Clan Manor possesses one of the same form.
By activating simple magic between these plazas, we can travel from one to another.

"Next... well, since it's such a treat, let's go to the Golden Clan Manor."

"Is there anything special about the Gold Lands?"

"The Gold Lands are blessed with a great river flowing through them. The scenery is unparalleled."

Elenia spoke proudly and activated her teleportation spell.

The Gold Lands feature one towering mountain, so high it could rival Mount Blue Serpent. A river runs alongside it, its source partly fed by the mountain itself. There's a waterfall hundreds of meters wide with a drop of nearly 100 meters, and nearby stands the Clan Estate.

"Wow—"

"It's truly magnificent."

"I must admit, this is impressive. I've traveled to the Great Almonica River on an expedition before, but I've never seen a waterfall like this."

"That Heroic Peak and this very waterfall are among the Gold Lands' greatest boasts."

"The Heroic Peak?"

"According to our legends, elves who possess the proper stature become minor spirits after death and dwell within that mountain. Eventually, they merge with the Light Spirits."

"Wow. So elves have something like that too?"

"Do humans have anything similar?"

"There are quite a few beliefs among them. The Trot Church teaches that when people die, their souls ride the flow of life, circling around until they reach Mount Lyca."

"Fascinating."

"There, the Guardian God of the Earth passes judgment upon them and grants them a new destiny to be reborn with."

"And what about others?"

"In Celesta, there seem to be as many different views on life and death as there are colonies. Though lately, it appears fewer people believe in their local faiths."

"Pity."

As they spoke, Elenia led the way toward a nearby pasture.

The pasture kept a small herd of unicorns. They planned to borrow one of them, ride together along the riverbank, and ascend slightly to view the massive cliff face running alongside the water.

"Ugh... I can't find any unicorn willing to carry us."

"There's a saying that unicorns prefer virgins. Maybe Elenia won't let me ride with her now?"

"T-there's no such superstition! Your scent is terrible!"

Elenia was being chased away by every unicorn she approached.

"Ugh... Even Gorkus's sister rode a unicorn after marrying into the White family..."

"Did Gorkus's sister marry into the White family? Could it be that Gorkus and you are actually related as siblings?"

"If we trace back four or five generations, yes, Gorkus's older brother is indeed my relative. But I have no brothers or sisters myself."

"I was scared... I thought if Gorkus found out Elenia had done something to me, he might kill us both."

"He often visited the White lands, and when I was young, we were close friends. I don't understand why you'd think that."

"...Well, if I get attacked, I'll die instantly? Unlike Anzeros or others, I have no defenses at all."

"Kukuku, if it gets out, it'll be a major scandal♪"

Elenia laughed mischievously.

In the end, since one old horse seemed finally willing to listen, we attached a small carriage designed for two or three passengers and began ascending along the riverbank.

"Surprisingly, there aren't many elves here."

"Elves are particularly scarce in terms of numbers. As Cristie explained, the Holy Spirit Peak possesses an unusually strong purifying power, which likely suppresses their reproductive capabilities."

"If that logic holds, wouldn't the Red tribe also be few in number, given the presence of the Sacred Beast Labyrinth?"

"Not quite. The Red are, after all, a clan that ventures outside relatively often; consequently, they've been exposed to both positive and negative influences in fairly balanced measure," Cristie remarked.

"There's quite a lot going on, isn't there?"

"Compared to the mundane world beyond, it's hardly anything special."

We climbed steadily up the slope—step by step—until we reached the top of the waterfall. After driving the carriage slowly for a while further along, we spotted some elves playing in the river below.

It is summer now, after all. Though Polka has already entered autumn, the seasons progress more slowly within the Evergreen Forest.

Still... those elves looked completely naked. There's no way to criticize Silver for that.

"Man, their sense of shame is pretty low here too."

"The area above the waterfall is designated for women bathing; below it, men. Don't approach any further, or you'll be shot without warning."

"...Understood."

Well, that makes sense. Yes.

As the sky turned red, we arrived at a massive cliff face.

A masterpiece carved by the river into the earth itself.

It seemed to soar over 500 meters high; viewed from below, its imposing grandeur was breathtaking.

"Who knew something like this existed? The Elf Forest is far more impressive than I imagined. I thought it was just an empty forest."

"Due to distortions caused by the ancient barrier, its actual area exceeds three times that of the Trotto Kingdom," Cristie noted. "With such vastness, one would naturally expect a variety of wonders."

"If we were to explore everything, it wouldn't take less than a month or two."

"Well then, I'll guide you only through the highlights over the next day or two. Show your gratitude and worship accordingly."

"No, you dragged me along against my will! You said something about not wanting elves to call us ungrateful!"

"For the elves as a whole, yes. But whether you personally feel grateful is entirely up to you."

"Ah... well, I suppose it's fine. I do feel like I'm seeing truly magnificent sights."

"Hohoho."

The Great Beauty Peak. The Grand Cliff. The gentle great river. And the waterfall that creates rainbows.

Gratitude is indeed warranted. The view was so majestic that one could easily feel moved to express thanks.

"Now then... since you're showing gratitude, wouldn't it be proper to demonstrate it with your actions?"

"?"

"...Well, fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—I've already been indulging myself freely within you many times today. No matter how much more I pour into you, there's no change."

"Wait a moment! What are you saying out here in such an open space? Clan Leader!"

"Eh? Elves don't bother retreating indoors for every act of intimacy. In fact, going deep into the forest together is often symbolic of conception when speaking of lovers."

"...Ah."

"So... that means..."

"Understood, understood. ...You filthy pervert."

"Ah... ♪"

"Oh, and..."

"Mm...?"

"...So you want a lover, Ailina?"

Taking the opportunity to ask something important under the guise of passing time.
"Ah, ah-uh..."

Ailina fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, lowered her gaze, turned crimson, and stammered in confusion.
"S-so you are a hero, but ultimately just a human... and I am one of the elite among elves at the peak of our kind. While it is inevitable that you might fall in love with me, managing a relationship between us may prove somewhat difficult."

"Is that so..."

"But..."

Ailina tightly grasped my hand, gazing at me with a desperate expression.

"...If it were you, I would ignore my own circumstances."

"..."

"...Could you... forcefully claim me as your own?"

"...Just to be clear, Ailina."

"..."

"I call that kind of thing 'female slave'."

"...I know."

"'Female slave' is far more embarrassing than you think. And I don't hesitate when it comes to my own female slaves?"

"...I know."

"Even so..."

I said this deliberately.
"Even so, do you want to be ravaged? Lustful one."

Using harsh words, I gave her an escape route while pushing her away, yet approached her with a voice that somehow felt self-indulgent on my part as well.
"...I am the clan leader. The White Clan Leader, Ailina."

And then, Ailina maintained a facade of composure.
"Then you intend to ravage me, pervert?"

As she challenged me to make a decision, she unclasped and dropped her cloak's brooch.

"...You know very well, don't you?"

"...Because I am lustful♪"

And so, while each tried to shift the blame onto the other, they kissed and collapsed into the foliage.
The unicorn snorted softly. Perhaps it chuckled at how pointless this all was.

(TBC)

The story between Episodes 124, "Family Talk," and 125, "The Story of the Royal University."

After staying up all night being lazy and having too much sex with Irina, I returned to the baron’s mansion in the morning.

"Where have you been, Andy?"

"...I’m sorry, I was just... with Irina..."

Dianne-san looked a little troubled.

"Well, I won’t stop you, but... before you go any further, are you planning to make Irina into a female slave too?"

"Don’t say things like 'Fazer'..."

Everyone casually calls it slavery, so I’ve gotten used to it, but making her into a female slave would undoubtedly shock anyone who heard about it.

"So, what kind of relationship are you planning for her?"

"…………"

Right now, she’s like a sex friend, but when you think about it, in many ways, it’s a pretty dangerous situation. Yeah.

"...To be honest, let me give you my impression..."

User: "That guy, even though he hasn’t put it into words, is already fully... I’d say he’s in a worse position than Luna as a female slave."

User: "N-no, no, no!"

User: "Having human children with half-elves isn’t exactly something the elves readily allow yet. Now that you’ve become a hero who saved Break Core and Diel, it’s less likely they’ll openly condemn you."

It’s true that the elves are still just beginning to fully interact with the outside world, like Trot and others. Selen and Apple can’t be ostracized either because of their achievements alongside me.

But it’s not like their minds have completely flipped yet.

"...Well, even though Anzeros’s father is from the White Clan, and Irena’s clan isn’t particularly extreme... Still, 70 years ago, they expelled all the maids who got pregnant by outsiders as 'tainted blood.'"

User: "...Y-yes, that’s true..."

But me, who’s been going at it non-stop, really does feel like a total scoundrel.

[Assistant]: "But, Andy, that’s not what you need to focus on. It’s related, but that’s not it."

"Given the reality of it all, Irina is actively clinging to you and giving herself to you. That’s what it means. …I want you to take this seriously."

"...Yes, I see."

It might be a very brave act.

And yet, I’ve been treating her so lightly, using words like "sex friend" and treating her carelessly.

No, maybe I’ve been taking advantage of the fact that she allows it, indulging in my desires without restraint.

I should stop being so casual about this… No, wait, just now I was enjoying myself, thrusting into Irina over and over while half-asleep, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s okay.

"You look like you’ve realized something important."

"Yes, sir…"

"So, let me ask again. …If Irina were to be cast out of the forest, how would you decide what kind of person she is?"

"Huh?"

"It’s not like you can just stop now, is it? Irina has been clinging to you despite being aware of the obstacles and having sex with you multiple times. The question isn’t whether you’ll keep having sex with her in the future. It’s whether you’ll make her a female slave, treat her as your wife, or simply cast her aside once you’re done."

"Cast her aside…?"

"Well, you’re not the type to do something like that. Think it through carefully. I’m sure if you asked Iriana whether she’d rather stay in the forest or leave with you, she’d choose to leave with you. Don’t just brush it off with half-baked excuses."

"…………"

When Diaene-san said that, I realized it was true.

Irina nominally refused to let me finish inside her, but she didn’t refuse sex, and after I came inside her, she clung to me like nothing had changed. If we ended up having a child, and I told her to "have it and leave the forest"… I think she’d just go through with it.

……Huh?

"Wait, Diaene-san!"

"What?"

"I just realized something. Isn’t this kind of like what Feiza was talking about when he said 'training'?"

"Taking advantage of her, driving her mad, making her obey my every word… Ah, now that you mention it, she’s the most like a trained female slave I’ve had so far."

I didn’t get close to Iriana until after we had sex. It’s true that after that, she started clinging to me in a way that was almost clingy and affectionate.

With the others, it was always something like normal affection or a misunderstanding, or maybe racial issues or personal sexual preferences that came first. But Iriana is the first one who’s really gotten completely sucked into the sexual relationship.

"Ugh. Please don’t give me that title."

"...Well, you know. Don’t let Phazer find out about this."

I was abandoned.

...Yeah, when it’s impossible to keep up, you just leave them behind.

Afternoon.

Instead of hiding in the forge, I spent some time doing marching and shooting drills.

If I let my guard down, my stamina would drop in no time. Even if I left the fighting to others, if I couldn’t even run away when it mattered, it’d be a problem.

So, I kept up my stamina by repeatedly running back and forth along the road near the forest and shooting at the scarecrow targets set up in the grassland.

"Phew..."

Lately, I’ve been holding out better in bed at night, but it seems the muscles used for sex and running are pretty different.

My overall running distance hadn’t increased much.

"Mmm. You’re putting in a good effort."

"Irina."

Before I knew it, Irina was sitting on a rock by the roadside.

"Actually, for someone who’s only been up for a day after yesterday, you’re quite the runner. I couldn’t even stand up properly for a while after waking up."

"Ahh… sorry."

"I didn’t say it was bad or anything! …Hmm. Sometimes, not worrying about time and just going with your desires… well, that’s just…"

Her ears drooped as she blushed.

Well, it’s hard to talk when you’re in the mood for something like that.

But.

"...Hmm, not worrying about time… I see."

She quickly shifted her flustered expression into a serious one.

She fell deep into thought for a moment.

"What are you thinking about, Irina?"

"Mmm? Oh, well… Come to think of it, Lord Smysen, aren’t you not very familiar with the forest?"

"No, well, if you’re asking whether I’m knowledgeable or not… I’d say I know the forest better than most Trot people."

I was a little flustered by the sudden topic change. My head was still spinning from running around earlier, so my responses were slow and hesitant.

"Aye, that’s right," Irina nodded, firmly grasping my hand.

"Well then, today I’ll show you around the forest a bit. It’s my duty as a hero of the forest."

"Huh? What, suddenly!?"

"It’d be strange for the savior of the forest, Lord Smysen, to not know the forest well, wouldn’t it? He doesn’t even know half of the clan’s territory. If I offer my blessings and this is how it goes, the elves of the northern forest might call me ungrateful."

"Who!?"

It sounded like a bit of a forced argument, but I couldn’t shake off Irina’s grip as she pulled me deeper into the forest.

"────. Open."

We crossed over the ancient barrier.

The area right after entering the forest was the Silver Clan’s territory.

"If I come here straight from military training, Lila and Dianna will probably get upset later, so let’s go back first and then…"

"What, don’t worry. I’ll send a messenger later."

Ailina strolled through the central settlement of the Silver Clan, the clan estate, with an oddly cheerful demeanor.

I followed behind her.

"Oh, Lady Ailina of White. Good day to you."

"Mm, a pleasant day indeed."

An elf passing by gave Ailina a simple blessing mark. Apparently, this was the elves’ traditional greeting for those above them in rank.

"Lady Polka of Smayson is in high spirits as well."

"Oh, hello."

I gave a slight nod in return.

The Silver Clan’s elves occupied a slightly ambiguous position, so it was hard to gauge their attitude until you saw how they acted.

Some middle-aged elves would glare at me with disdain, while others were friendly, like Phazer.

But on the other hand, they also held the role of subordinate clan to the Mysti Palace, Ailina’s hometown.

The dragons of Misty Palace are almost entirely friendly toward me, so just like the elf who greeted me now, many of them don’t treat humans rudely if it goes against their will.

Additionally, being close to Polka is a big factor. Thanks to the dragons’ goodwill and the curiosity of the young elves, a fair number of them have come to interact with Polka. Some of them have even started to consider humans as good friends.

“Since we’ve worked up a sweat, why don’t we go take a bath in the hot springs, Sir Smayson♪”

“Ah… yeah, sure.”

The silver clan’s territory is also an area where the same sacred spring as Polka flows.

Its effects are almost identical.

However, since few people come to this dense forest due to the poor visibility, it seems there’s no need to prepare a bathhouse or even build changing rooms. The many springs, which have pooled together, are left without fences or changing rooms, and people just step in wherever they feel like it.

There’s no particular rule about which spring is for men and which is for women. Since this is the case, it’s not considered rude to peek while someone else is bathing, and as long as you get their permission, it’s fine to share a spring together.

“…This colony was like that too, wasn’t it, Diene-san?”

“There’s even a saying that this custom is why most non-silver clan members just drink the water from the springs instead.”

“A regular elf would probably find this embarrassing…”

As I wandered through the forest and peeked into several springs, I noticed that many of them were occupied by women, likely because they cared about their appearance. When they saw me and Irena, they’d give a wry smile and ask if we wanted to join them, but Irena always declined.

According to the story, the dragon of Mysti Palace’s habit of not caring about being naked is also affecting the silver folks.

"I deeply respect Brol-san and the others now."

"You fool."

I was struck with a wooden stick.

After passing through seven or eight fully naked elves, no, after passing through the springs, we finally found an empty spot in a slightly secluded spring.

"Alright, let’s go in."

"Mhm."

As I took off my clothes, Irina naturally also took off her panties.

"Wait, are you going in together?"

"Hmm? What are you concerned about now?"

"No, it’s not that I mind, but is it okay?"

"I had that intention from the start, you know?"

Irina let her skirt fall with a mischievous smile, exposing her hairless crotch to the dappled sunlight.

"I'm tired right now."

"Hmm."

"...Your cock is still pretty lively, though. Are you sure you want to join me?"

"It's the same even if I weren't tired."

Irina took off her jacket and hung it on a branch. She tied her hair into a ponytail with vines and leaves, dipped herself in the pool, and grinned as she waited for me to undress.

"Fine by me."

"Go ahead."

I quickly stripped and joined Irena. The water was just right—perfect for a long soak.

And then...

"...Phew."

"A good bath, indeed."

After the two of us let out a sigh.

"Then, I’ll take it."

"Fufu… W-wait, why are you rushing through enjoying the bath, you fool?"

"No way. Don’t run away from me!"

"Try to catch me, aren’t you a soldier who thrives on physical challenges? ♪"

We splashed around in the water chasing each other with Irina and the spring.

Along the way, Irina used magic to walk on top of the water, and her butt was just at eye level with my face, which only made me more excited as I desperately chased after her.

Then, at the end, I pushed Irina down into the shallow water, almost like I’d done it on purpose.

"Fufu… It’s been a while since we’ve had this much fun in the bath."

"You can’t just act so unbecoming as a clan leader, even if it’s just for fun."

"Besides, who’s the one who’s acting all flustered and trying to pin me down?"

"I am."

I’m sorry, I can’t help it.

"Mmm…"

"Mmm… slurp…"

"Mmm… mmm…"

"...Haaah."

I share a kiss with Irina. Her thin tongue and small mouth cavity don’t just allow my tongue’s invasion—they actively try to wrap around it.

We stubbornly chase each other’s tongues, licking around inside each other’s mouths.

"...You fool. While spouting all that high-and-mighty talk, you’re using such lewd tongue techniques…♪"

"...Punishment for the indecent chieftain."

"I merely entered your silver land and followed your silver customs. It was you who got carried away, wasn’t it?"

"Getting carried away is just normal, isn’t it?"

"...How would I know what’s normal for you? I don’t really know much about you… except for the fierceness of that thing of yours♪"

Irina lightly placed one of her legs on my waist, inviting me.

In a situation like this, it feels a bit uncool to just give in without a fight.

But...

"I’ll tell you something good. I’m super perverted."

"You already know that… mmm!!"

With that, I inserted myself into her, accepting the invitation.

It’s fine if it’s uncool. Irina is adorable and precious to me.

I’m not cool enough to hold back just because of how this looks.

"Mmm… hah…♪"

Irina’s wet ponytail spread out in the shallow water, a few centimeters deep, creating complex ripples.

With both her arms wrapped around one of my hands, she couldn’t escape. From an outsider’s perspective, I’d look like the villain.

But with her legs wrapped tightly around me, she wouldn’t let go. She held onto my hips to keep me from moving too rough, accepting every thrust and keeping up with my rhythm.

And that pussy, which was exceptionally compatible with me, eagerly swallowed my cock.

My little virgin pussy, having grown accustomed to being violated, tightened around me with each thrust, crying out in pleasure. The overflowing love juices seemed connected to the distorted expression on Irina's face, the liquid spilling from her lips and eyes.

"I-ah... I-ah...♪"

"Irina... Irina, it feels so good, your body...!!"

"W-W-we too... we’re melting...♪"

"It’s almost time... I’m going to cum..."

"Y-you know that, right...? I’m going to cum outside...!"

"Yes, I know... I know, but..."

Irina’s legs wouldn’t let go at all.

"...Some pervert is saying not to cum outside, so it’s probably impossible..."

"Who is that idiot saying such nonsense...?♪"

"Who knows...? I’m cumming, I’m cumming, Irina!!"

"Nghhh... Ah, inside... this idiot, inside...♪"

Irina clenched her legs tightly while berating me and accepted my semen deep inside.

I went limp and collapsed on top of Irina. She turned her face sideways with a heavy moan under my chest, letting out a soft "Mmm..."

"...Hah, hah..."

"...You sure did release a lot... Well, we’ve been breeding all night long, so there’s no point in pulling out now... It’s almost shameless♪"

"I thought about pulling out... Yeah, I’m not the one at fault here."

"Don’t lie to me. You’ve drenched my insides with your seed."

"Caught you?"

"It’s not about being caught. I’m the one being violated, after all."

She tapped my head lightly.

"...It’s about time for a switch."

"?"

I thought there might be a time limit for using the spring, but Irina forcefully rolled me over and pinned me down below.

"You’re too heavy if you stay on top of me. I’m small, you know?"

"I’m sorry."

"...Honestly, show a little more consideration."

"But you’re not going to let go, huh?"

"I’m tired. Just lie down for a bit, it’ll be fine."

Irina clamped her mouth around my cock and flopped down on top of me, face down. Or rather, she just clung to me sweetly.

"...You’re not going soft, are you?"

"Probably because if you stay like that, even without moving, you’ll ejaculate about once every 30 minutes."

It feels really good inside Irina, after all.

"Should I try it?"

"Seriously?"

They made me hold it until I finally came.

I felt refreshed, or maybe relieved.

We left the forest of springs and headed toward a specific spot in the clan’s territory.

The square was oddly shaped, but every clan had one with the same design.

We would travel between them by activating simple magic.

“Next is… let’s see, since we’re here, why not head to the Golden Clan’s territory?”

“What’s there in the Golden Clan’s territory?”

“The Golden Clan’s territory has a big river running through it. The scenery is unrivaled.”

Irina said proudly and activated the teleportation spell.

The Golden Clan’s territory had one towering mountain that could almost reach the Blue Snake Peaks.

Beside it flowed a river. It seemed like part of its source was from the mountain.

There was a waterfall with a width of several hundred meters and a drop of nearly 100 meters, and nearby was the clan’s territory.

User: "Impressive, isn’t it?"

User: "Indeed. I’ve been to the Great Almonika River on an expedition before, but I’ve never seen a waterfall this amazing."

User: "That mountain of spirits and this waterfall are two of our greatest treasures."

User: "The mountain of spirits?"

User: "According to our legends, elves who possess the appropriate qualities become lower-level spirits after death and dwell in that mountain. Eventually, they will become part of the light spirit."

User: "Huh. Elves have something like that too, huh?"

User: "Do humans have something like that?"

User: "Quite a lot, actually. According to the teachings of the Trot Church, when people die, they ride the currents of energy and eventually reach the Leika Mountains for judgment by the guardian god of the earth. They receive a new fate and are reborn."

User: "Oh ho."

User: "There, they are judged by the guardian god of the earth and given a new destiny before being born again."

User: "Anything else?"

"In Celesta, there seem to be as many different beliefs about life and death as there are colonies. Though, I hear fewer people these days believe in local faith."

"It’s truly a pity."

As we spoke, led by Iriana, we headed to a nearby farm.

At the farm, they kept a small herd of horses.

We decided to borrow one of them and ride it along the river upstream to see a large cliff that loomed over the water.

"Hmm… It’s hard to find a horse willing to carry us."

"I heard one-horned horses prefer virgins, so maybe they won’t let you ride with Iriana?"

"S-superstition! It must be your scent that’s bad!"

Iriana was being thoroughly rejected by the one-horned horse.

"Hmm… Goroku’s elder sister used to ride one-horned horses even after marrying, though."

"Goroku’s older sister married a white? Wait, does that mean you and Goroku are siblings by marriage?"

"If you go back four or five generations, Goroku was indeed my brother-in-law, but I have no siblings myself."

[Translator's Note: The following is a sample input foruebas.]

"I was scared... I thought if it got out that Gorkus had taken advantage of Irina, he might kill me."

"He was always coming to the white territory and used to play with us when we were little. I don’t know about this one."

"...Uh, if you attack me, I’ll die in one hit, okay? Unlike Anzlos, I can’t defend myself at all."

"Kukuku, it’d be a big deal if it got out, wouldn’t it?"

Irina smirked mischievously.

In the end, since the old horse seemed to be the only one willing to listen, we hitched up a small carriage meant for two or three people and headed back along the river road.

"Surprisingly, there aren’t many elves around."

"The numbers are low especially because of the purification power of the Holy Mountain. According to Christy, it’s because their fertility has thinned out considerably."

"If that’s the case, then there should be fewer reds too, right?"

"Not as much. The reds are a bit more open to the outside world—they tend to balance out the bad energy they take in, according to Christy again."

"It’s all so complicated, isn’t it?"

"What? Compared to the outside world, it’s nothing major."

The trail ascended gently, step by step, until it reached the top of the waterfall. Slowly moving the carriage forward, we could see elves playing in the water.

Come to think of it, it’s still summer, isn’t it? Though Polka is already autumn, the seasons must move more slowly in this forest of eternal spring.

Still… those elves looked like they were naked. I can’t really comment on silver, though.

“What’s this? Pretty low on modesty, huh?”

“Upstream is for bathing women, and downstream is for men. Don’t get any closer than this, or you might get shot.”

“Yes, sir.”

Well, yeah. That makes sense.

As the sky turned red, we arrived at the massive cliff.

It was a work of art carved by the river.

It must have been over 500 meters high. Looking up from below was an incredible sight.

“Who would’ve thought there’d be something like this? The elf forest is way more impressive than I expected.”

“It’s said that due to the ancient barrier distorting it, the area is over three times the size of the Trot Kingdom. If it’s vast, then there must be plenty of things here.”

"If we keep going around like this, it’s not going to end in just a month or two."

"Well then, I’ll only show you the places that can be done in two or three days. Show your gratitude and worship me."

"No, you’re the one who dragged me here, aren’t you? Saying something about elves being ungrateful or whatever."

"For all of the elves, yes. But it’s up to you personally whether you feel grateful toward me or not."

"Ah… well, whatever. I guess I’m seeing some pretty impressive sights."

"Hoho ho."

The peak. The grand cliff. The gentle river. And the waterfall that creates a rainbow.

It’s okay to feel grateful. It really does feel like a breathtaking view.

"Now then… if you’re truly grateful, wouldn’t it be proper etiquette to show it in your actions?"

"?"

"I-I’m fortunate, no, unfortunate, that I’ve already taken as much of you inside me today as I could. It won’t change even if you fill me up again."

"No, wait, why are we suddenly talking about this in the middle of such a wide open area?"

"Elves don’t lock themselves indoors every time they want to, you know. In fact, when it comes to lovers, going deep into the forest is a metaphor for making babies."

"...Ah..."

"So... um..."

"I get it, I get it... You pervert."

"♪"

"And also..."

"Huh...?"

"...Lovers, you mean, Irina?"

While pretending to bring it up casually, I asked a rather important question.

"Ah... um..."

Irina fiddled with the hem of her skirt, hung her head, turned bright red, and stammered.

"You’re a hero, but you’re still just a human. I’m, well, one of the pinnacle of elves. It’s only natural for you to fall in love with me, but... um, being lovers might be a bit difficult."

"So, then..."

"Th-then..."

Irina tightly gripped my hand and looked at me with a slightly desperate expression.

"...You would ignore my convenience, wouldn’t you?"

"…………"

"You would... forcefully take me for yourself, wouldn’t you...?"

"...Listen up, Iriana."

"…………"

"I call that kind of thing a 'female slave,' you know?"

"...I know."

"A female slave is a much more embarrassing title than you think, and I won’t hold back when it comes to my own female slaves."

"...I know."

"Even so"

I deliberately.

"Even so, do you want to be violated, you pervert?"

With harsh words, I create a path for her to escape and push her away, yet still approach her with a voice that feels strangely indulgent, as if I’m the one being spoiled.

"...I am Irina, the clan leader. The White Clan’s leader, Irina."

And then, Irina stands firm, at least in appearance.

"Even so, you’ll violate me, won’t you, pervert?"

While forcing me to make a decision, she unfastens the clasp of her cloak and lets it fall.

"...You know plenty, don’t you?"

"...Because I’m a pervert♪"

Then, both of us, each pushing the blame onto the other, kiss and collapse into the bushes.

The white horse snorts. Did it laugh at how ridiculous it all was?

(Continued)