SDIV 11

Chapter 11

“I’m going to take a shower.”

“Then I’ll keep watch nearby.”

Thankfully, Deneb was a man with some sense of decency. When he had previously suggested they wash together, it was because he had misunderstood and thought she’d just splash some water on her face.

Deneb was so tactful that Arin had no choice but to reluctantly head to the stream, dragging her feet. It was uncomfortable having a man with a face like a sculpture trailing behind her like a puppy.

As she took out her shower supplies from her backpack, she warned him.

“If you so much as turn around, you’re dead.”

Though, obviously, I would be the one dying.

She didn’t say that part out loud.

“You must think I’m some kind of pervert.”

“Considering everything you’ve done so far, don’t you think that’s a fair assumption?”

“I’ll make up for the accidental attacks from now on.”

Deneb’s expression was serene.

“And what about everything else?”

Even at Arin’s sharp question, Deneb simply crossed his legs, calmly sitting on a rock.

“I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

So annoyingly sexy. Arin decided it was better not to continue this line of conversation.

“…I’m really going to start washing now. Turn around.”

With a sigh of annoyance from Arin, Deneb turned his back.

“If you’re in danger, call my name.”

“Got it.”

Since Deneb had turned around, Arin couldn’t see the slight smile on his face—an easy, gentle smile that she had never seen before.

Looking at his own reflection in the small pool of water, Deneb felt unfamiliar with the man looking back. Even though no one was watching, he covered his lips with his large palm.

Then came the rustle of clothes brushing over his ears. The sound of Arin undressing. The only thing breaking the silence was the soft shuffle of fabric, and that alone made Deneb drag his hand across his face.

Meanwhile, Arin quickly undressed and took a mana stone out of her backpack. Glancing around cautiously, she quietly summoned the system window.

「System: Survival Backpack」

To view the stats of any entity other than yourself, 30 mana points are required. Would you like to proceed?

(Yes) / (No)

Spending 30 points when every single one was precious? Absolutely not. The moment she resolved to absorb the mana stone, the system responded right on cue.

「System: Survival Backpack」

Would you like to absorb the mana stone?

(Yes) / (No)

‘Yes.’

「System: Survival Backpack」

Mana increased by 300 points from absorption.

Mana: 820 → 1120

Your large increase in mana now enables an upgrade. Proceed with the upgrade?

1. Bind the system linked to the Survival Backpack to your body. (Requires 1000 mana points.)

…

A delightful upgrade screen popped up. Arin glanced at Deneb and then squeezed shampoo into her hand. She had said she was going to wash—if there were no sounds or smells, he might get suspicious.

‘Option 1: Bind to body.’

「System: Survival Backpack」

System binding target has been changed.

Ding. Ding. A clear, ringing chime echoed brightly.

「System: Arin」

Upgrade complete.

Arin smiled brightly at the system now bound directly to her.

Drunk on happiness, she forgot one important detail: Deneb could hear the system’s sounds too. Startled by the chime, he instinctively turned to check on her in case she was in danger.

“Kyah!”

What he saw was Arin rummaging through her backpack. Once he realized she was fine, he casually turned away.

“My apologies.”

His expression was cold, but the tips of his ears turned red. Just the sight of her pale skin had his fingertips tingling.

Arin pouted, full of resentment. Even though she had successfully bound the system and Deneb had even offered grilled fish as an apology, the thought of what had happened earlier made her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

What was worse was that she was the only one embarrassed. She had no romantic feelings for him, but the fact that he looked at her body as if it were a log annoyed her in a different way.

“Here’s your medicine for today.”

Deneb looked blankly at the pill that dropped into his palm. Seeing Arin maintain a bit of distance, he realized she was still mad. He stared at her frozen expression for a moment.

Later that night—

Deneb left for the goblin village to retrieve more mana stones. Before departing, he cast a protective spell over Arin.

With each step he took, the village was engulfed in flames.

“Kkreeek! Krrree!”

“It’d be best if you just handed it over.”

By now, half the village was a scorched ruin, far beyond the point of polite conversation, but Deneb waited patiently. The goblins weren’t entirely brainless—they brought him two mana stones and placed them at his feet.

As Deneb raised a brow, the goblin chief, close to tears, handed over a crudely strung mana stone necklace. Though the stones were much smaller than the one the troll chief had, the quantity was sufficient.

Satisfied, Deneb disappeared in a flash, heading back to Arin.

The goblins, now stripped of all their mana stones, looked to the sky with tears in their eyes. They were too weak to even dream of revenge.

“Sniff… Sniff…”

Their sorrowful cries echoed faintly through the deserted island.

Arin’s eyes were puffy after having ramen the night before. With her blurry vision, she sat blankly, zoning out.

As she stared into space, Yellow’s rough tongue swiped across her face. The damp sensation made Arin giggle. Thanks to Yellow, she was wide awake.

“Did you just eat? Your breath smells intense.”

Since she started traveling with Deneb, Yellow had naturally joined them. Judging from his droopy eyes, he seemed to have been taken hostage by Deneb. That pitiful sight made Arin more determined to treat him well. No matter what anyone said, Yellow came first for her.

Meanwhile, Deneb, freshly washed after being splattered with goblin blood, approached her. Arin looked at him, shirtless.

Every time he moved, his abs flexed dynamically. Her eyes couldn’t help but wander to his perfectly sculpted waistline and bold hip bones. Realizing she was getting flustered over the man who treated her like a log, Arin felt a wave of self-loathing.

She was glad she ate ramen last night—her swollen eyes helped hide where her gaze was going. Arin asked bluntly,

“What is it?”

Deneb crouched down to her eye level and placed a necklace made of purple stones around her neck.

His scarred hand brushed lightly against the delicate skin near her collarbone. The lingering touch at the nape of her neck tickled. Freshly washed, the mix of her shampoo and his unique scent formed a dangerously intoxicating fragrance.

Deneb’s hand gracefully pulled away.

“Take it.”

Arin picked up one of the tiny purple stones with her index finger. Though small, it felt familiar.

“Don’t tell me… Is this—”

“A mana stone.”

“Gasp.”

“You needed it, didn’t you?”

Arin took off the necklace and fiddled with it. Like a candy necklace from kindergarten, it had multiple small mana stones strung together.

“Wow! I’ll take it gratefully!”

She beamed as if she had just won the world. Deneb’s eyes glowed with deep satisfaction.

Yellow sighed at the sight.

“Ugh. (Foolish girl. You’ve been caught by a real dangerous one.)”

Arin thought Yellow looked pitiful, but in his eyes, she was the pitiful one.

Deneb grabbed the back of Arin’s head and kissed her firmly. His chapped lips crushed hers without mercy.

Surprisingly, the rough texture felt sensual. Arin squeezed her eyes shut. When she did, Deneb began teasing her bottom lip with his.

It’s not even my first kiss. Calm down, heart, don’t race.

When his tongue brushed against her palate, her body reacted with a jolt. The damp, hot air swirling inside her mouth was unfamiliar and overwhelming.

Arin tried to convince herself it was just part of the training.

Ugh… I can’t calm down. I’m doomed.

Deneb kissed far too well—it was a serious problem.

A few days ago:

“Is the giant black leopard your familiar?”

“No, he’s just a friend.”

“A monster that can kill elite knights in one blow is going to be targeted the moment we set foot on the continent. You’ll need to make him your familiar.”

“O-oh, really?”

“Looks like there’s more work to do.”

Thus began Deneb’s Spartan training program.

Unfortunately, Arin’s talent for summoning magic was… minimal. Very minimal. Despite continued efforts, she showed no improvement, and grew discouraged.

Deneb, seeing her gloomy state, suggested giving up summoning magic in this life. But seeing her dejected, he reluctantly revealed his trump card.

The reason she couldn’t succeed was because she didn’t know how to move her internal mana or how to manifest it. So Deneb decided to help her channel her mana directly.

The method? Simple, yet complicated: contact through the second most effective mana conduit after the heart—mouth-to-mouth.

That part was fine—except that the moment the kiss started, things got too steamy for Arin to handle.

This is insane. I can’t focus on the spell at all.

Sensing her distraction, Deneb slowly pulled away, leaving just a fingertip of space between them.

“Focus.”

His hand pressed firmly against the back of her neck, helping her snap out of it.

“Do we really… have to do this?”

Her voice was low and trembling with fluster. Deneb growled softly.

“Focus.”

“Okay, okay. I will. I’m focusing.”

Their lips, now even more moist than before, pressed tightly together again. Deneb blew air charged with mana into her through their joined mouths.

As Arin concentrated on her inner mana, the magic circle under Yellow began to glow with a jade light. Soon, Deneb’s black mana intertwined with Arin’s jade energy, wrapping around Yellow.

As their lips finally parted with a soft pop, the magic circle’s glow slowly faded.