Chapter 121

Chapter 121: Don’t let them get into your pants, please! part

Of all the possible results, I never thought something like this would happen.

After being kissed by instructor Risa I took my distance, but that only made things worse. She was lying completely naked in front of me, at least I could confirm she was completely healed, but this is really inappropriate.

“Come on, miss Risa, don’t joke at a time like this”

“What? am I not allowed to thank my savior properly?”

She said as she stood up.

“A simple thanks would have sufficed”

“Listen, you saved my ass and now you’re free to use it however you like”

.....

She said spanking her own butt. I can’t say I’m not tempted, but...

“I have a girlfriend!”

“You mean that pretty blond girl? she can join, I don’t mind.”

“No, I have a girlfriend back at Ironwoods and she’s waiting for me.”

“I won’t travel so far only to get fucked, in any case, my offer still stands. Whenever you want some of this, wherever you want it and however you want it.”

She winked.

We’re only a few years apart, how can she be so forward. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say something like that with a straight face.

“Anyway, let’s go get the others, we need to get out of here as fast as we can. if they send reinforcements we’re screwed, and not the way I like it.”

“Before that, miss Risa...”

“Just call me Risa, we already kissed and...”

“Fine fine! Risa, I need to ask you something. Could you please not tell anyone about Sera?”

“You mean the magic thing? Oh, right... well, it would be a problem if people find out about her. People gifted with magic tend to disappear. Too bad, because she would be really helpful now. If we could cremate the corpses that would deal a heavy blow to the ant colony underneath”

“Oh, that’s not a problem.”

I extend my hand forward facing the corpses and the biggest flame I’ve produced so far started a fire. The smell of burning ants was oddly enticing and it got me hungry.

“You can do magic too!? Why did you allow everyone to think you were so weak? You even made up a weird story about a curse.”

She spoke as we ran towards the forest where the others were waiting.

“It’s not made up, I really am cursed”

“But, you’re keeping my pace and speaking as if nothing”

“I just didn’t know how to turn off my passive skills.”

“So, all your passives have been on ever since you were born? How are you even alive?”

“I wish I knew, I have no memories from my past.”

“You’re weird, but you have guts, just how I like men.”

“Also, can you please stop flirting all the time? I’m having a hard time being far from my girlfriend.”

“All I heard is you were having it hard.”

Thankfully, the awkward conversation that seemed to last forever stopped right before we arrived at our destination.

I don’t want Kinta and the others to see me running at this speed, so I walk instead.

Kinta and Thea were tending to the man, Shortie was panting heavily and Sera was cleaning her dagger.

“What happened?”

“They found us, there were a lot of ants but we killed them. It’s really not our fault you guys got caught, miss Risa please believe me.”

Kinta hurried to reply.

“We’ll talk later, let’s get moving.”

“Miss Risa, the farmer can’t walk, he’s injured and Sera refuses to spare a potion.”

Thea told on Sera expecting Risa to scold her, but instead Risa complimented her.

“Good thinking Sera, it’s better to carry him and save the potion for the ones who can fight, it’s not over yet.”

“What do you mean it’s not over!? This is a nightmare!”

“Calm down Shortie, we just need to take a different path and we’ll be fine. But we have to be careful, goblin villages are far in the west which means we may encounter wild beasts around”

So, it turns out goblins are some sort of pest control. To think that instructor Lorenzo made fun of me for having difficulties against a one of them.

“Why can’t we just take the same road as before?”

“There are two main reasons, we don’t know where is the anthill located and we might fall into it. Also, what’s more dangerous about ants is they mark you with some sort of substance that makes it easy for them to find you. It wouldn’t be that bad, if there weren’t flying ants that could reach our positions easily. They almost never leave their nest, but after suffering so much loses I’m sure they’ll come. If we go far from the anthill they might give up.”

Fena explained to Thea, who was shivering in pain.

“I have another question miss Risa, Why are you naked?”

Kinta said looking the other way.

“That’s none of your business.”

She didn’t even make the slightest effort to cover her body.

“Mi... I mean, Risa, please take my cape.”

“Oh, it’s too flashy for my taste, but ok”

Sera helped her strap the cape sideways, making it look like a nice skintight leather dress, it actually covered her more than her usual clothes.

“We can’t go into the forest! it’s too dangerous! We made it out alive, but there’s no telling what could happen if we venture into the forest.”

The farmer shouted.

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. As far as I’m concerned we accomplished the mission successfully. You should be grateful we’re escorting you for free.”

And that was all it took for him to fall silent. He did lose everything he had, he called the adventurers for a simple investigation and by the end of the day he was homeless and poor as a sewer rat.

Venturing through the forest I realized how close we were to dying. If even Risa was defeated, there was no hope for us.

Even using magic, we would tire eventually and that’s all it takes for a person to become food.

This is a harsh world, the minute I become stronger, something else arises.

I remember when I got my first level in cold resistance, everyone was cold but me, but when we reached Ironwoods it was just the usual weather for them.

“Are you ok mister Ryu?”

“I am, Sera, why do you ask?”

“I know it’s not my place but... did you do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“With miss Risa”

“Of course not! It was the ants, they ate her clothes and most of her actually, I don’t even know how did she survive”

My reply seemed to have calmed her down and we continued our way in silence. Carrying a huge man was a lot easier than I thought it would be. When it was my turn to carry him with Kinta, I grabbed him by the arms and Kinta by his legs. I had to fake getting tired a couple times or else they would suspect I became stronger.

Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But there’s something I’ve learned, you can’t stand out or people will have it against you.

Back at Ironwoods I just cooked healthy meals using an unknown ingredient and people became crazy about it and before that, when I met those crappy heroes I now call my friends, If they knew I had a house they could have even taken it by force. Getting them to work alongside was hard.

I wonder how Bob and Luke are doing.

Having some time to think really is the best. I wish there was a way to go back home instantly and take a long rest.

“This is weird”

Risa muttered.

“What is it miss Risa?”

Thea asked with her usual suck up tone.

“There should be at least small lizards around this place, but I can’t see any. It seems someone cleared this area out”

“B-but that’s a good thing, right?”

.....

“Of course it is, or we would be having trouble right now”

It felt good finally hearing good news.

“Is it possible to take a rest? my feet are hurting a little”

“Are you tired already? you’re so weak, why are you even an adventurer. Stop dragging us down and sell pastries or something”

Kinta scoffed.

“Ok, let’s take a breather”

Risa commanded.

My feet are really sore, I could keep walking but all I need is a short rest and I’ll be in top shape. Or that’s what I thought until I took my boot off.

My feet was completely covered in ants who were festering on my very own flesh. Before even shaking them off I took a look at my health points and they were dangerously low. My face turned pale and my heart raced.

“Sera, come over please”

I call her trying to remain calm. As soon as she got close I signaled her to remain silent. I showed her my feet and she gasped, but no one noticed.

“Do you have any potions left?”

“I don’t, I didn’t refuse to treat the farmer because I didn’t want to. most of my potions are broken, the rest are cracked and filled with dead ants. Identify told me they’re useless now”

“I think we’re going to need a different method of storing medicine. Vials break up too easily, but that’s something for later”

“Please tell me how can I help you”

“I’ll try activating poison resistance and regeneration, but I don’t know if it’s going to work. Can you... can you please hold my hand?”

“Of course!”

Sera smiled at me as she grabbed my hand tightly.