Night Worn by the Moon - Chapter 2

2 The Crimson Ribbon

Yi-hwan was a gentle man.

He was exactly as he had introduced himself—one who repaid kindness in full. From the time his wounds began to heal, he took it upon himself to chop wood and keep the room warm. There was only one problem...

"Oh no."

The food had run out entirely. Hyeon stepped out of the dilapidated hut and crouched down. Lately, she had been surviving on just enough thin gruel to keep from dying, and it was making her dizzy. Having scraped together what little remained to feed her unexpected guest, she herself had gone without.

What good is pride, anyway.

Hyeon clicked her tongue at her own foolishness. But her deal with Yi-hwan was to take care of him, and that meant she was obligated to provide shelter and food.

She had a store of medicinal herbs, but she could not go down to the village to sell them—she had been driven out. Nor did she want to sell them at a pittance to merchants as she had before. These were medicines she had painstakingly gathered by scouring the mountains day and night. Hyeon thought that this time she would drive a harder bargain, yet still she let out a helpless sigh. The night air was dry and cold.

Just then, the sound of scraping earth came from behind her. Hyeon startled and jumped to her feet. It was an overreaction, but given the years she had suffered under spirits, it was unavoidable.

"Who is there?"

She asked, wary. If it was a person, they would answer; if a spirit, they would not.

But no answer came immediately. Had she let her guard down because she had not seen any lately? Hyeon turned to hurry back inside. Her heart pounded like a war drum. Yet even so, she tried to calm herself.

Find the white cloth I always keep close. Drape it over myself. Lie down with my back to the door. Then—it will be fine.

Her muttering lips were parched and cracked. The muscles in her face, straining to appear composed, twitched as if in spasm. Then, a low voice mixed with the wind from behind her.

"You were outside."

Only then did Hyeon's tension drain away, and she drew a breath. Slowly turning around, she saw a large man carrying a heavy load of firewood on his back. The enormous carrying frame that would have been burdensome for her looked like a child's toy against his broad shoulders.

"The wind is cold."

His tone was gentle, as if coaxing a child. Hyeon nodded vaguely and averted her gaze. Yi-hwan, who had been wounded not long ago, seemed to have healed well—he had been diligently gathering wood. It was only natural, since nearly half a month had passed since she began treating him.

After a moment's hesitation, Hyeon spoke.

"Your wounds must be nearly healed by now, are they not?"

She broached the matter that had been on her mind for some time. He looked at her quietly, then said, "Well.." and set the wood down in the yard. Hyeon was displeased with such an ambiguous response.

"I would appreciate a clear answer."

"Would you care to examine them yourself?"

He asked back with perfect composure. His innocent face seemed to hold no ulterior motive. Hyeon found the prospect of examining a strange man's body awkward, but she thought it best to see for herself how the wounds were healing, and reluctantly nodded.

After all, Yi-hwan had promised to leave once he had recovered to a certain degree. The longer he stayed by her side, the worse it would be for him. The two walked into the one-room hut.

"Please lift your upper garment so I may take a look."

Yi-hwan unbuttoned his clothes with an impassive face. Hyeon swallowed dryly, praying the sound would not be too loud. Even though she had seen his body once before, she could not help but feel tense. She approached on her knees and carefully peeled away the white muslin cloth covering the wound.

"Why..."

Hyeon frowned without meaning to. The wound that had been bleeding profusely half a month ago was not healing—it was caked with pus.

He worked with his body in this condition?

"Did you not apply the medicine?"

She had made sure he took the oral medicine. Perhaps the mistake had been simply handing him the ointment and telling him to apply it himself. It was a highly effective salve for healing wounds.

"I tried quite hard, but I suppose I am still unskilled at it."

Yi-hwan spoke in a calm voice. Hyeon bit her lip as she wiped the wound clean with a fresh cloth. She let out a sigh at Yi-hwan's foolishness—pushing himself despite the worsening wound. Yet her hands moved steadily as she cleaned the pus.

"I am coarse and clumsy by nature, it seems. I cannot manage my wounds well. Would you allow me to ask you, miss?"

"I will teach you how to apply the medicine again."

"How heartless."

"As if you did not know."

Hyeon answered stiffly. She knew men who sometimes sought attention this way—and she had a fair idea of what feelings drove such behavior. She had grown quite accustomed to it and could sometimes parry with ease, but seeing the festering wound, her expression would not soften.

"Is it not in your own interest, miss, for me to recover quickly?"

Hyeon pressed her lips shut, then let out a small sigh. Lately, she had been falling for these clumsy ploys more and more often.

I have kept him too long.

She lamented inwardly.

"Very well. I will apply the medicine for you morning and evening."

"Yes."

Yi-hwan answered with a face full of satisfaction, like a general claiming victory. The slight twitch of his cheeks was rather endearing—an expression ill-suited to a man of his bear-like stature and towering frame. Hyeon nearly chuckled at this childlike side he often showed, but she bit her lip. She could not afford to let her guard down too much.

"I will prepare some tea."

It was a signal that it was time to sleep. It was a tea brewed from a potent sleeping herb—not harmful to the body, but highly effective. Once drunk, it would keep one asleep for a full six hours. Before taking him in, Hyeon had made it a condition that he must drink the tea before bed every night.

After all, she was a woman living alone, allowing a strange man into her home. Hyeon considered it the bare minimum measure to protect herself. Fortunately, Yi-hwan had agreed with a warm smile. She always watched him drink it—a time when her attention was fully on him.

The man sipped and swallowed the tea very slowly. Only after confirming the cup was empty did they each lie down on their separate pallets, one at a distance from the other, and seek sleep. Hyeon began to drift off as his breathing evened out.

Her dreams were restless—but as always, she woke feeling nothing but refreshed.

---

When she opened her eyes, Yi-hwan was not in the room. By the door where he slept, only a neatly folded blanket remained. He must have gone to gather wood. She had told him there was still plenty left and he need not bring more. Hyeon stirred lazily and straightened the bedding. Today, she would have to search the kitchen and at least make some thin porridge before heading out.

"What are you doing?"

In the kitchen, where she had expected no one, stood Yi-hwan. He was staring blankly into the pot. Hyeon approached and peered in—inside was a whole chicken, covered in knife marks, floating in a pot full of water.

Yi-hwan spoke up, looking slightly abashed.

"You seemed worried about meals..."

"You got a chicken from somewhere."

He must have gone out and brought back ingredients after seeing her crouched over the rice jar yesterday. Yi-hwan was sharp that way.

"I tried to prepare it myself, but it was not easy."

His face was unusually deflated. The pot, filled to the brim with water, had nothing but a chicken bobbing about. He had managed to procure the meat, but cooking was clearly not his forte. His clumsy appearance was amusing—Hyeon chuckled softly and headed to where she kept her herbs.

"Go inside and rest."

Yi-hwan did not move. He stood there stubbornly, and it seemed urging him further would change nothing. Hyeon glanced at him and began selecting medicinal herbs for cooking. She poured out some of the water, added the remaining rice, and seasoned it. Finally, she stuffed the herbs inside the chicken.

Because Yi-hwan had already stoked the fire beneath the pot, sweat soon beaded on her brow despite the cold. Her hair hung loose and heavy—the silk ribbon she used to tie it up had frayed and broken. Then Yi-hwan reached out from behind and lightly touched her hair.

"You seem to have no free hands—let me tie it for you."

In his hand was a ribbon of flowing crimson. Hyeon's eyes went wide with surprise.

In Wolryeon, there was a custom for maidens to tie their hair up with silk ribbons. It came from a superstition that a smooth ribbon of good color would protect them when wrapped around their hair.

Hyeon, too, had once changed her ribbon daily to the finest silk—but now even her last one had snapped.

How does he always manage to produce exactly what is needed, time and again? He had mentioned having a little money, so she could understand him going down to the village to buy a chicken and a ribbon, but...

"I am always watching you, miss."

He spoke as if he knew everything she was thinking. Then he gently wiped the beads of sweat from the nape of her neck with his fingers. At his blatant touch, Hyeon's face stiffened.

"We have been living under the same roof for days now—how could I not know? I am not one to lack discretion."

Yi-hwan was a man skilled at slipping away with ambiguous words. And Hyeon deliberately looked away from his shrewd pretense of ignorance. He was a man who kept trying to enter her heart—but it was not simply a matter of liking or disliking him.

Hyeon had always lost the people she loved, as the price of that love. Now, that process had become unbearable.

"Please, let me at least set the table."

He asked, gently ushering her aside. Hyeon said nothing more and retreated into the small room. Then she pressed her hand firmly to the nape of her neck, where his cool fingertips had touched.

The skin is hot, as if fevered—clearly from standing so long before the fire.

Hyeon thought that, and merely fiddled with the ribbon for no reason.

He soon arranged the food neatly and came into the room. He placed a spoon in Hyeon's hand, then began to shred the chicken meat himself.

"You must eat well."

"Thank you."

Hyeon said so, and began to eat the porridge and meat.

The boiled chicken was delicious. It was a far cry from the dry, plain rice balls and thin gruel she usually ate. As she eagerly devoured the meat he had transferred to her bowl, she paused mid-sip of the broth.

"I am sorry."

Hyeon mumbled, flustered with embarrassment. She picked up her chopsticks, scraped the now-scant meat from the chicken, and placed it before him.

"Please eat."

"I am fine."

"I have eaten my fill. I am full."

He smiled gently and continued to move his spoon. Hyeon watched him eat, dazed.

Straight and graceful. He had clearly received strict etiquette training somewhere. She studied his fair, refined features closely.

It was the first time she had shared a meal with Yi-hwan. And it had been a very long time since she had sat across from someone and eaten together.

Once, there had been someone with whom she shared warm rice every day. Her stomach felt bloated from hastily filling it.

"Why that expression?"

"...Because I am happy."

Yi-hwan slowly set down his spoon. Hyeon gazed at it numbly, then lamented flatly.

"It is nice to sit and eat with someone after so long. But I am the one who devoured my family, my friends, even my lover. And here I am, eating well and living comfortably—surely heaven must deplore me."

"Miss."

Yi-hwan called her name as if to comfort her, but Hyeon's self-deprecating lament did not stop.

"And yet, I do not know why heaven does not take me too. Irreverent as it may be, I found that rather amusing."

It had been five years. Ever since everyone had died like that, she had lived with these thoughts every single day. Her mother died of illness. Her father drowned trying to save a child who had fallen into the water. Her friends. Her lover... All had met violent ends—too many to dismiss as coincidence.

At first, she had wanted to survive to the end, to defy heaven itself. But now, even that will had faded. Yi-hwan gazed at her pale face for a long while, then spoke calmly.

"How is that your fault?"

"..."

"It was only bad luck. Heaven takes no one's side."

Yi-hwan acted as if her self-deprecation pained him. Hyeon gave no answer. Yet she could not deny that it was the very comfort she had most wanted to hear.

It had been a long time since her fingertips trembled with such warm emotion.

***

Support us with ☞Donations!!

Paypal Donation

Previous

Next

Night Worn by the Moon - Chapter 1

1. The Half-Moon Eyes

A rustling sound came from the cramped corner of the low-ceilinged room. It came from right beside her, yet Song Hyeon could not make out what it was. No—she did not even think to try. Her mind was adrift somewhere in a hazy fog.

"Ah... ugh... hnnn..."

A man was pressed tight against her body. His hands roamed, stroking her soft flesh, pressing down, over and over. Then—with a 'tsuup'—he sucked. Heat rose, tension coiled tight, then released in a rush. Fluid welled up from her core and seeped out. The man noticed, and his fingers traced the cloth covering her lower half.

"You're unusually wet tonight."

His voice was low, but plainly laced with amusement. His pale, cool hand slipped beneath the band of her undergarments, just below her navel. Two fingers pushed into the cleft and stirred—a wet, squelching sound escaping. There was no penetration, yet Hyeon's small opening clenched and released, clenched and released, over and over. Her fevered body, heedless of reason, responded instinctively to its owner's primal urges.

"Ah—!"

Long, thick fingers invaded her bumpy, slick flesh. They spread the passage as though familiar with the path, fingers wriggling. He did not forget to scratch at the spot Hyeon liked best, drawing out a crisp click-click sound.

"Miss."

"Haa... ahhn..."

"Do tell me how you're feeling."

He asked as though coaxing a child. It was the same scene he showed her every night. But the woman's face was as unfamiliar as if everything were new to her. Her flushed countenance reflected nothing but pleasure.

"Won't you answer me?"

His movements grew more insistent, demanding a reply. Hyeon's mind began to stir in frantic circles.

How do I feel?

Flailing within the flood of sensation, she rolled her hazy eyes.

Good. Warm. Not lonely.

"Hngh... good... ah..."

As the woman murmured, the man smiled softly. Along with his smile, his hand quickened its pace, ravaging her tender flesh. The wet sounds grew louder, and Hyeon's back arched into a curve. A languid wave of pleasure spread to her very toes. The man gazed down at her trembling body, then pulled her into an embrace.

The lips that touched her forehead felt familiar—she rolled her eyes trying to focus—but all before her was pale white. At the same time, something hard nudged her belly and pressed against it. Soon, a long, thick shaft slid between her thighs. Her buttocks clenched tight.

"Nngh..."

"Will you permit me tonight?"

He asked, lapping at her pale nipples. His hips moved in subtle thrusts, eyes curling seductively. The rigid tip, cleft at the end, touched her jade gate and pressed—Hyeon shuddered violently. An instinctive flinch, a recoil. The man was silent for a moment, then withdrew his ominous arousal.

"Then I shall only clean you thoroughly."

"Clean...?"

Hyeon echoed his words slowly. The man did not hesitate—he lowered his face and buried it between her legs. A thick tongue flicked her ¢lit, then lapped at the tiny opening spilling her nectar. Her slender thighs tried to close at the unfamiliar sensation, but his firm grip on her groin would not allow it. He swept from bottom to top, top to bottom, then drew her flesh into his mouth and sucked. She felt a gush of fluid surge forth.

"You keep dripping even as I clean you."

The man said, peering into her opening with amusement. She could almost hear him muttering that it was too small. Hyeon felt the world slowly spinning, yet her body would not stop trembling.

"Ah..."

She remembered. This man.

Hyeon recalled the name she always remembered toward the end of this act.

"Hwan... Yi-hwan..."

The man raised his head. Hearing his name slip faintly from Hyeon's lips, his face lit with satisfaction, and he smiled serenely.

"Knowing full well you will forget everything by morning, I am endlessly pleased nonetheless."

He kissed her, as though proud of her. His tongue touched her lower lip, still swollen from his sucking—and it tasted salty and sharp.

"What color ribbon do you prefer?"

"Ehn...?"

It was an abrupt question. But the man, unruffled, explained carefully.

"You just told me your hair ribbon broke and that it upset you."

Ah. Did I? Perhaps she had. Yi-hwan stroked her hair and asked again. Hyeon slowly closed her eyes, then opened them, and answered.

"Crimson..."

"I shall procure a new one for you. Since you once gave me one as well."

Yi-hwan smiled, delighted.

The man's smile was beautiful.

Even as her body and mind melted, unable to hold themselves upright, that impression struck her clearly. The curve of his eyes was just like the moon before it swelled to fullness. Yet there was no time to leisurely admire that beauty.

"Hnn— haaah...!"

Sensation surged again between her thighs. The blunt tip of his fingers had pulled her opening wide, teasing it. Her mind went white.

It was one of the countless nights Hyeon would not remember.

---

The nation of Wolryeon had, from ancient times, maintained the custom of establishing shrines across every province to enshrine various gods. It was a country where the authority of the shrines was so great that even the shamans who served the gods were classified as lower-ranking officials and received state stipends.

The people regarded offering devotions to the gods as a part of daily life, and when misfortune befell them, they whispered that it was due to insufficient piety—that an evil spirit had latched on. It was a nation where even those who had never actually seen a spirit believed such things.

The village of Soro, in the south, was no exception. And so the people called the woman who lived in the mountain behind the village—Song Hyeon—a woman possessed by demons.

It had been five years since Song Hyeon was abandoned by the villagers and retreated into seclusion in the rear mountains. And on this day, Song Hyeon and Yi-hwan met for the first time.

"Please help me."

"Gah—!"

The man approached Hyeon, pleading earnestly for his life. It was deep in the mountains. Hyeon, who had been crouched down gathering medicinal herbs, lost her balance and fell backward. He was that unexpected a guest.

"Who—"

Hyeon quickly braced herself with her hands and rose. Her eyes as she scanned the stranger were sharp.

The man was tall and fair-skinned. Though his clothes were somewhat damaged, they were of fine quality—smooth fabric adorned with lavish embroidery. Yet one could not judge a person by appearance alone. There were those who made a living by using their handsome faces to deceive the innocent.

Hyeon's head, which had been throbbing even before, began to ache worse.

"I am being pursued."

"..."

Now that she looked, blood was trickling from his right side. He clearly needed a place to hide and tend to his wounds. But that did not mean her circumstances were lenient enough to take in a stranger. Acting out of compassion was a luxury for those who could afford it.

Hyeon let out a small sigh.

"Find someone else. I am in no position to help."

"I will surely repay your kindness."

"Did I not say I cannot afford to give any?"

Hyeon said coldly, then hoisted her simple bundle onto her shoulder. She did not want to get tangled in troublesome affairs. Her fate was wretched enough without her twisting it further herself.

"I am not being pursued for a crime. I merely encountered ruffians while crossing the mountain with a cargo of cursed goods. They are chasing me—that is why I ask."

As Hyeon tried to leave, the man pleaded his innocence. She halted when she heard that he was a merchant. Her lover, too, had been a trader. An ordinary man who would fret endlessly whenever he crossed the mountains with heavy loads, fearing bandits.

The thought of the one she had loved made Hyeon's heart grow heavier.

"I am sorry."

But what was the use of that? That lover, too, had already died. Hyeon believed that anyone entangled with her would attract evil spirits far more terrifying than any band of thieves. It would be better for the man to seek help from someone else.

More than anything—if this man died, the weight of guilt she would have to carry would only grow heavier. She clenched her jaw and was about to pass him by. Then, a large hand seized her wrist.

"I will do what you need, miss."

"I am not someone of value... and I need nothing."

Hyeon twisted her hand, trying to free herself from the man's grip. But he only tightened his hold. Was he going to draw a blade and threaten her? Her body stiffened with tension.

But he did not threaten her.

"Do you not wish to be free from the evil spirits?"

Instead, he offered a most sweet fruit.

Hyeon whipped her head around. How? She looked up at the man, who spoke as though he knew everything. He was at ease—as if he had never lowered himself at all just moments ago.

"They swarm so thickly around you—how could your surroundings ever be peaceful? It is a miracle you are even alive and well, miss."

"What are you talking about?"

Hyeon tried to answer calmly. She prayed that the tremble in her voice would not reach him.

"I will make them stop clinging to you forever. I will teach you the way. So... please, take care of me."

"How can I trust you?"

Her heart pounded. She was not the first to have her affliction recognized at a glance—her father, too, had been a man who saw spirits. Yet no one had ever made her such an offer. Even the most desperate for coin, once they caught the scent of misfortune that clung to Hyeon, would scramble away on all fours.

But the man before her was different.

He released her hand and carefully gripped both her shoulders. In that instant, a cool breeze brushed the back of her neck. Her hair floated briefly in the air, then settled.

"Ah..."

"The dead do not lie."

The pallid, clammy spirits that had writhed at Hyeon's side for years—vanished without a trace. The headache and the nausea that had followed her like shadows for so long also subsided in an instant.

Even strong talismans had only reduced their numbers. How had he cleansed them so thoroughly?

Hyeon stared blankly up at the man, who no longer pleaded.

"I say again—I will surely repay your kindness."

"Are you an exorcist?"

"Something similar. As you can see, my abilities are not poor."

The man tilted his head slightly. His sly smile was bewitching. He seemed to be teasingly boasting that their positions had now reversed. Would it be foolish to say that very demeanor inspired trust?

Hyeon hesitated for a few seconds, then spoke in a somber voice.

"Everyone who has passed through my life has met a violent end."

"I will be different."

"...Do whatever you must to survive. Even if you face danger, it is not my fault."

Hyeon tried to lay down a firm warning, hoping to secure that promise in advance—but the man answered with flexible grace.

"Just shelter me until my wounds heal. After that, I will teach you the way."

And then the man studied Hyeon's face closely. His dark, deep eyes traced slowly over her pale features—it was embarrassing. She turned her head to avoid his gaze. He paid her no mind and extended his hand.

"I look forward to working with you. My name is Yi-hwan."

"Miss". Yi-hwan concluded with that word, curving his eyes. Hyeon admired how his eyes were just like half-moons, and nodded her head. And so began their strange life under one roof.

***

Support us with ☞Donations!!

Paypal

Previous

Next

Night Worn by the Moon

 

Synopsis

The nation of Wolryeon—a land where customs run deep, with shrines scattered across every province and myriad gods worshipped by its people.

Every citizen of Wolryeon offers devotion to the gods, and when misfortune strikes, they believe it is because their piety was lacking—that an evil spirit has latched onto them.

Hyeon lived alone, bearing the stigma of a woman possessed by demons—her parents and her lover having met untimely, ill-fated deaths. She eked out a wretched existence, too weary to die, when an unexpected guest arrived at her door.

"I am being pursued."

"Find someone else. I am in no position to help."

A man, fleeing from ruffians after crossing the mountains with a cargo of cursed goods, stood before her—and stirred in Hyeon the ghost of her old lover...

But what good was that now?

That lover, too, had long since perished.

She knew that to entangle herself with anyone was to invite horrors far worse than any band of thieves—things that would cling to them like a curse. She wanted no more of that guilt—the guilt of watching someone else die because of her. Coldly, she tried to turn the man away.

Yet he grasped her hand and whispered an offer she could not refuse—one that was nothing short of irresistible.

"Do you not wish to be free from the evil spirits?"

---

Contents

Chapter 1 : The Half-Moon Eyes

Chapter 2 : The Crimson Ribbon

Chapter 3 : The Mask

Chapter 4 : A Proposal in the Mountain

Chapter 5 : The Moon That Rises in the Black Night

Chapter 6 : 

Hunting Trophy - Chapter 6

6. The Hunter's Lodge

She couldn't tell how much longer she had slept. She had fallen into such a deep slumber, it was as if she had lost consciousness. But amidst the fragmented memories, a face kept surfacing. A face, of someone who might have been human or not, seen through a watery haze.

Arishte tried to move.

"....."

But she couldn't budge. Only then did she realize someone was holding her.

Slowly raising her gaze, Arishte let out a silent scream.

She was naked, held in the arms of a stranger, in this unfamiliar place. The shock was so great that the pain in her hands and ankle was momentarily forgotten.

Her body felt much lighter, as if some treatment had been applied while she slept. She was drenched in sweat, as if she had been feverish all night. Her body was pressed against his so tightly there was no room for even a needle. Where their skin touched, sweat beaded.

Rummaging through her hazy memories, the man's face grew sharper. She remembered where she had met him, what they had done. Everything.

What in the world...

"......"

As the memory of what she had done with this man surfaced, her face flushed red to the tips of her ears. She must have been out of her mind earlier. She had just wanted to escape the pain in her calf, the sensation that her ankle was about to snap.

She had fallen into a death-like sleep, only to wake up in this situation.

She could distinctly feel something against her lower abdomen. An unfamiliar, strange sensation. Even flaccid, its size was considerable. When it had been fully erect, rubbing against her below, it had been much larger. Yet, he hadn't gone all the way.

White fluid had dried, leaving her thighs sticky. She could see his semen mixed with her own fluids, congealed between them. At the sight of these raw traces, her face grew even redder. Desperate to forget, she shook her head vigorously and quickly averted her eyes, scanning her surroundings.

Crackle, crackle. Aside from the sound of the fire in the fireplace, all was quiet. Occasionally, a fierce snow squall lashed against the storm windows, but there were no other sounds.

Arishte's eyes darted around. The log cabin was filled with all sorts of hunting trophies. Martens, badgers, raccoons—these were very common. Stuffed animals and pelts lay scattered everywhere.

"Eep."

Arishte flinched, cowering as she turned her head towards the right ceiling. She had come face to face with the piercing yellow eyes of an eagle, its long wings spread wide.

The eagle was stuffed in a pose as if it were about to take flight at any moment, frozen in the act of stalking its prey, its fierce gaze fixed downwards.

Even the pelt she was lying on was from a bear. At the edge of the thick fur, its paws, claws removed, still dangled.

Raising her head higher, she saw the bear's face preserved as well. The gems set in place of its eyes were intricately crafted. Like the eagle, its bulging eyes seemed about to glare at her.

The man holding her was surely the master of this strange lodge.

Her head throbbed as if it would split. Arishte began piecing together fragments of memory. She had been wandering the snowy forest, a wolf had appeared. And then...

This man had appeared.

"I'm not the Duke."

Those words remained vividly in her memory. This was Duke Ikanus's winter hunting grounds. Anyone who trespassed would pay with their life, it was said. So how could this man be here? How could he roam the Duke's hunting grounds with a gun?

Questions multiplied. He wasn't sneaking in to hunt illegally; judging by this well-appointed hunter's lodge, he hadn't just arrived yesterday or today.

And this smell.

She instantly recognized the scent of medicinal herbs in the air. It was medicinal incense made from dried herbs with a calming effect, burned in an incense burner or inhaled directly. She had often made it in the village.

Death came often to a hunter's village. Those who witnessed the gruesome deaths of loved ones by wild beasts often suffered from hallucinations, auditory disturbances, nightmares, and more.

Whenever that happened, she would make this incense. There was no better treatment for those who had endured such psychological trauma, but its one drawback was its addictive, narcotic properties.

That was why she made it neither often nor in large quantities, but those who smelled it even once became strangely obsessed, demanding it. The drunken men who had come to her house, shouting for her to hand it over—this was that incense.

The ingredient ratio differed slightly from the incense hunters usually used, but the effect was similar. This incense included a fragrance to neutralize the harsh smell, making it seem like flower petals.

Arishte surveyed the lodge again. Animal heads, so lifelike they seemed alive, were mounted everywhere. Capturing so many animals would require extraordinary skill.

Moreover, they all seemed to have been taken from the Duke's hunting grounds. For hunters, the greatest profit usually came from selling valuable pelts.

Martens, foxes, and other animal furs were essential for adorning the winter garments of nobles. Just adding luxurious fur trim to the collar, sleeves, or hems of silk garments could multiply their value several times over.

So hunters seeking such furs would hunt even in winter, when game was scarce. The winter pelts and hides were the densest and softest.

This man was probably one of those hunters. Given the stuffed animals and pelts scattered around, his skills were likely extraordinary. But something seemed off.

After selling them, he still has this many left?

Looking at the accumulated trophies, he had an abundance of valuable marten and fox pelts, yet they remained unused. Moreover, the stuffed bodies of beasts and birds of prey, coveted by any noble, seemed commonplace in this lodge.

Arishte turned her head to look at where the man lay. He seemed like a creature forged from snow crystals.

His skin was white as snow, a feature of the northern regions that saw little sun, but he was exceptionally so. His closed lashes were thick and long, casting elegant shadows below. Even the subtle red hue of his slightly parted lips.

Looking at him, one could become lost. If told that such a face hunted wild animals, she wouldn't have believed it. Seeing him now, it was even harder to believe.

But she vividly remembered the gun aimed at her. He was truly a creature born of snow. He had casually shot the house-sized wolf, and had pressed the barrel against her own mouth.

"Those lips… I've grown curious to see what else they might take."

Even in her hazy memory, those words remained clear.

What else...?

As she was pondering his meaning—

"Mmm..."

The man stirred. In their pressed-together state, his movement made her skin tingle more acutely. Seeing his eyelids flutter, as if about to open any second, Arishte quickly squeezed her own eyes shut.

But even with her eyes closed, she could feel his gaze fixed on her. Unable to meet his eyes, she squeezed hers tighter. She could feel his breath near her face.

"......!"

She felt a hand gently stroking her back. From the night before, Arishte knew well this touch, heavy with intention. That hand lingered at her waist, urging and confirming.

The hand didn't stop there. The arm holding her tight seemed to slide lower, then firmly grasped her buttock. She bit her lip to stifle the sound that nearly escaped.

But the large hand didn't stop at gripping; it began to knead her softly. She screamed inwardly. The man's hands were calloused from holding his gun, and each time those rough spots kneaded her soft flesh, memories of the night before vividly surfaced.

The hand, which had been boldly kneading her buttocks, slid further down, slipping between her legs. His fingers unhesitatingly invaded the crevice where his seed and her fluids from the night before still remained. It took only a moment for the dried spring to moisten. Fingers slipped into the suddenly wet space, playing with her inner flesh as if it were their own.

"Hah..."

Finally, a held breath escaped.

"Hnnn."

"Ah... ah..."

A moan, unstoppable, escaped her lips. The sound seemed to please him; she heard him chuckle. He already knew she was awake. He knew, yet he did this.

"St, stop."

Stiff resistance escaped her frozen lips. Even if she wanted to resist, her body wouldn't move a finger. Her mind had returned, but her body was stiff as a log. Every joint seemed to scream.

"You seem well enough."

A languid voice, unfamiliar yet familiar. His low voice, sounding from above, made Arishte freeze. She looked up to see his crimson eyes piercing down at her.

"......"

His breath stirred her hair. She felt his penetrating gaze but lacked the courage to look up. She simply couldn't.

"You have enough energy to look around, too."

"Wh-who..."

She managed to push the words through her teeth.

Instead of answering, the man observed her quietly. His gaze was full of something like pleasure, satisfaction. Which only put her more on edge.

"I'm not the Duke."

The man's words from her memory echoed again. But if he wasn't the Duke, how could he be in this forest? Confusion filled her eyes. As if reading her thoughts, the man spoke.

"What if you knew who I am?"

The woman in his arms was clearly wary. Even naked in his embrace, she was stiff, stealing glances at him. He could feel her skin trembling against his.

"Would it change how I'm treated?"

A mocking smile touched the man's eyes.

"I'm, I'm sorry... Ah!"

Arishte tried to push him away and get up, but cried out. The unexpected pain made her wince. The pain shot from her ankle, spreading through her body. Even the graze on her calf felt like it was on fire.

"Move, and the wound will open."

He gently pressed her back down.

"......"

"Might need to cut it off."

It wasn't a threat. The hastily bandaged wound could break open at any moment. If it did, she would bleed, and if it became infected, she might need to have her leg amputated.

Clack.

Her outstretched hand was immediately caught by the man. She looked up and met his crimson eyes head-on. Those eyes that, just by looking at them, made her whole body freeze.

"D-Duke."

Arishte spoke, cowering. The man looked down at her as if she had said something ridiculous.

"Duke?"

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Do I look like a Duke?"

His red eyes deepened in hue.

"Are you not?"

That can't be, her eyes filled with doubt. The man watched her changing expression with amusement. It was entertaining to see the myriad emotions flickering in her expressive blue eyes.

"What if I'm not?"

"This... this forest belongs to the Duchy of Ikanus."

"So?"

"I heard... only he can hunt here."

Her lips trembled.

"I'm a hunter hired by the Duke."

The man's red eyes leisurely traced the mounted animal heads on the walls. Arishte's gaze followed his.

"I caught all of those."

The heads of beasts with fierce horns and teeth seemed ready to spring to life.

"......"

Looking at the hunting trophies, Arishte curled up again, accidentally pressing closer to the man's bare skin and flinching. He pulled her body close, wrapping his arms tightly around her. The sight of her soft, supple breasts pressed flat against his hard muscles was satisfying even to see again. Her pink nipples, stimulated by his gaze, stiffened and rubbed against his skin, sending a thrill through him.

"I only pick the most beautiful ones to mount on the walls."

As he said, the animal faces mounted on the wall were all top quality. The luster of their fur, the color of their eyes, the shape of their antlers—all were exceptionally beautiful. Any hunter in the village would covet them.

"I don't just hang anything."

He tightened his arm around her waist. Arishte trembled in his embrace. She felt no warmth. Every word he whispered seemed to freeze her blood.

"I caught this one myself... and skinned it."

Arishte realized what animal's pelt she was lying on. The white fur with scattered small spots was a rarity, not even seen in Vito Village. An animal she had never seen before.

"A snow leopard?"

The snow leopards living deep in the mountains, if caught, commanded an unimaginable price for their pelts. It was why hunters coveted the Snow Leopard Forest, and stories of those who foolishly entered and lost their lives spread wildly.

There were nobles and wealthy merchants who would pay any price for a snow leopard pelt, but the supply was scarce. Not only were their numbers few, but their habitat was extremely limited. And the Duke's hunting forest, known to be their home, was not a place one entered without risking their life.

"Why, do you want it?"

"No, I didn't mean..."

As she hurried to add, his lips, trailing down her neck, licked her collarbone. A ticklish and hot sensation rose simultaneously, and she swallowed.

"Do you want it?"

It wasn't about wanting the pelt she lay on. She didn't desire such things. Not such luxuries, but something more urgent. Arishte wanted to live. She wanted to survive.

"I could give it to you, if you want."

"I don't need... such things. I just..."

Arishte looked up at him with disbelief.

"They said the Duke hunts alone. That during that time, anyone who enters the forest..."

"Will be killed. You heard that rumor."

Arishte bit her lip, speechless.

"You really believed the rumors about the Duke being mad and hunting alone?"

"Rumors?"

Arishte's eyes widened, filled with confusion.

"Yes. All rumors."

He smiled deeply, amused by her reaction. She grew even more confused.

The rumors about Duke Ikanus were less like rumors and more like horror stories. That he hunted anything that caught his eye, then turned them into hunting trophies to mount on his walls. A monster of the winter forest that her father used to tell her about. And now he was saying it wasn't true...?

"Duke Ikanus is a doddering old man. His teeth are gone, his claws worn down. But he still craves the fear and respect of others."

"......"

"To maintain power and stand above others, one needs that kind of thing. If you don't have it, you create it. People need to fear you to bow their heads."

His last words had a strange resonance. They were convincing. There was a power that made her want to believe.

"But why are you..."

"Rumors need substance."

He said flatly.

"Do you think the real Duke would stay in a hunter's lodge like this?"

His words made Arishte look around the lodge again. Clean, and cozy enough, but not so different from ordinary hunters' lodges. She couldn't imagine a man of such noble birth staying in a place like this, hunting wild animals. But still...

The doubt in her blue eyes didn't completely fade. This man was too beautiful. Beyond mere physical appearance, there was a grace in everything he said. He was of a kind she had never seen in Vito Village.

"Why would nobles hunt themselves in this bitter cold? Let alone an old man like that."

"......"

"There are separate hunting grounds for nobles. They release wild animals there for them to hunt. So they can hunt anywhere."

She had heard something like that. For nobles, hunting was purely for entertainment. It was on a different track from hunters who had to make a living. She had even heard that some just left their kill in the forest.

"When they want a specific prey, they hire professional hunters."

Arishte thought of the special hunters who had come to the village. It was said there was no game they couldn't catch if commissioned. Sometimes they poached; sometimes, they would readily accept if the target was not an animal, but a human.

"Like me."

He added, looking deep into her eyes.

"......"

Arishte couldn't meet his gaze and looked down. This man was the same kind as those hunters who had chased her. Rough men who would do anything for money. If he learned why she had fled...

The village head would have put a large bounty on her head to avenge his son. They wouldn't have moved for anything less. Whatever the amount, it was enough to let them take a break from hunting. Thinking that, the arms she was in now were anything but safe.

"I, um..."

Her voice came out stiff, her mouth frozen.

"Rasiel."

"......"

"My name."

His eyes urged her to say it. She had no room to refuse.

"Rasi...el."

As she finally spoke his name in a low voice, Rasiel's eyes sparkled with delight. That, too, only brought another wave of fear for Arishte.

"Good."

He licked his red, full lips. His lips, chapped by the cold wind, were red and swollen from his constant biting.

"Will you... kill me?"

Arishte finally asked. She was afraid, but she wanted to know. She needed to be sure. It didn't matter who he was. The important thing was her own life. When she had walked the endless snowy fields, faced the wolf, and finally had the gun barrel pressed into her mouth, she had been ready to let go. But her will to live, which had faded, had rekindled fiercely inside this warm lodge.

She wanted to live. She didn't want to die. She had saved so many lives; why couldn't she save her own?

Her life was in this man's hands now. But he had saved her from the wolf; surely she had some use to him.

If what he said was true, he was a hunter hired by the Duke and would follow his orders like his life depended on it. The Duke would have paid him enough. She, on the other hand, had nothing to give. To make him disobey the Duke's orders, she would have to give him something he desired.

"The Duke told me to guard this forest. To shoot anyone who enters."

After a long silence, the man smiled and spoke. Arishte began to tremble like an aspen at his words.

"But depending on what you do, I might let it slide."

"What I do...?"

The man's eyes fell on her lips. The very place, the gap, where he had pressed the gun barrel. His finger slowly traced her lips. Arishte had a vague idea of what he wanted. She had already felt it before she had fallen into a death-like sleep.

"Convince me."

He whispered, meeting her eyes. His voice was full of a secret, sinister energy, like a black magic spell.

His arm tightened around her waist. One hand slid down, slipping precisely into the place he had been toying with moments before.

"Ugh, uhn..."

A moan escaped her. As if familiar with the place after so much probing, his long, thick fingers began to unhesitatingly stir her insides. Over the dried traces of him, new moisture began to pool. Shivering at the familiar yet foreign sensation, Arishte pleaded.

"Thank you... for saving my life. I won't trouble you further. Please, pretend you never saw me. I beg you..."

"The blizzard hasn't stopped yet. Can't you hear?"

His voice dropped sharply. True to his words, the wind howled against the walls and windows, as if about to shatter them. If she went out now, she would surely be swept away by the blizzard and disappear without a trace. Yet Arishte wanted to leave. She was more afraid of this man than of the raging storm outside. A primal fear, as if he would devour her and make her vanish in an instant.

"Please... let me go."

Her words kept breaking. The man's gaze grew darker. Instead of answering, he moved his fingers deeper inside.

"Ah..."

Her insides, already soaked, tightened around his fingers.

The pain in her grazed calf was returning. The ankle he had reset was the same.

She could hear the storm windows rattling from the snow squall. Listening closely, the sound of the howling wind dug into her ears.

In contrast, the arms holding her were too warm. Heat radiated from their touching bodies. His solid, muscular legs wedged between her smooth thighs, spreading them. She could feel the overflow of her fluids smearing against his thigh.

Her pink nipples hardened, and a ticklish sensation spread between her legs. Something she had experienced before. The unfinished sensation still lingered between her thighs.

"Do something to please me. If you want to keep that pretty head attached."

He was threatening her elegantly. If she didn't comply, he would kill her. She had no choice. The strength drained from her hand, trapped in his.

The man seized the moment. Still lying facing her, he pushed his fully erect member between her legs. She cried out as he slid it between her thighs. It was so hot, so huge she thought she couldn't take it, as he rubbed it teasingly against her inner thighs.

As he thrust his hips, her moist flesh parted, slowly taking him in. He grabbed her retreating hips, pulling her against his lower body, and resumed his movements.

"Ngh, uhnn..."

Her head clouded, as if filled with muddy water. The pain in her ankle and calf seemed to disperse, concentrating entirely on her lower body. The sensation of his rigid member endlessly rubbing against her was overwhelming.

He parted the secret folds, thrusting deep inside. Only that far. He didn't fully penetrate, watching her face.

The heated shaft rubbed relentlessly between her legs. Each time her pulled, crushed breasts rubbed against his chest, the sensation intensified.

"Just... a moment..."

Her voice broke, buried in gasping breaths. Tears formed and fell from the overwhelming sensation.

Suddenly, his body pulled back. Only then did Arishte realize she had been squeezing him tightly between her thighs. He licked her face, red to the tips of her ears, as if she were a sweet candy. Then, holding her, he rolled over, positioning himself above her.

He held one hand against her leg, wounded by the bullet and the trap. The leg, draped over his arm, was impossibly thin, pale, and dangled weakly. He wrapped it around his waist. His member, even larger than before, pressed against her wetness.

Her vision blurred with heat. She suddenly wanted to touch his platinum hair. Reaching out, she felt its softness against her fingertips.

At that moment, the thing that had been stirring and teasing her insides, now fully erect, pressed against the entrance to her dark place.

"Wait..."

As a last resistance, she reached out to push him away. Her strength was nothing to him. He caught her hand against his chest, kissing each finger. Then, baring his teeth, he bit down on her fingertips.

"I want to devour you whole."

Arishte was terrified. This man might actually skin her and eat her.

"No, don't..."

He caught her shaking head and pressed his lips to hers. Her fearful voice vanished between their pressed lips.

"Hngh!"

He thrust his member into her in one motion. Her body, taking a man for the first time, screamed instantly. She arched back, pushing wildly against him. The pain felt as if her body was tearing apart. Her scream was like that of an animal being slaughtered. Exactly like it.

"Ahh!"

At her scream, a faint smile touched the man's lips as he thrust his heated member deep inside.

Thrust, thrust.

The overly sensual sound was that of a man and woman coupling. What had pulled half out plunged back in, relentlessly scraping her insides.

Rasiel moved his buried member, stimulating her deeper. He slowly lowered the body he had held captive, raising his upper body. He reached down, slowly stroking the place where they were joined. Then, finding the swollen spot inside, he pressed firmly.

"Aaahn!"

The stimulation was too much; she cried out loudly. She placed her hands on his arm, looking at him with pleading eyes, begging him to stop. But his actions only grew more merciless.

Slap, slap.

The lodge filled with the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh.

"Stop... sto..."

Her hand, flailing in the air, wrapped around his neck. She felt she needed to hold onto something. She clung to him desperately, even forgetting the pain in her leg.

"Please..."

Arishte didn't know what she wanted. She only clung desperately, begging. A smile touched the man's eyes as he looked down at her. He bent his head, capturing her reddened lips.

Their tongues entwined lewdly. The sounds of sucking were loud. When she opened her eyes, she saw his red gaze fixed on her like a snake. It was a look tainted with cruelty, like watching a dying animal. Frightened, she let go.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, as if to catch her falling body. She looked up at him with tearful eyes as the connection deepened. He pressed his hips closer, crushing her. His member inside her was already big enough to be overwhelming; as he pressed down, the deepest parts were touched.

"Nhn!"

Her vision went white at the sensation of her depths being rubbed and prodded. As she arched back with a cry, he kissed her again. He interlaced his fingers with hers, which kept pushing him away, holding them tight. It was a trap-like gesture.

His thrusts continued endlessly. He roughly pounded against her, lifting her injured leg. Large, hard, and hot, it relentlessly drove in and out, stimulating her.

Suddenly, the man stopped, pressing his body even closer. She felt something gush and flow from where they were joined. Milky white liquid, stretched long, clung to her thighs like a spider's web. Seeming pleased, he smiled and slowly withdrew.

Is it over? The thought shattered as she was flipped over. She found herself on her hands and knees. Before she could think, the sensation of him entering from behind overwhelmed her.

"Ngh... hnnn."

Her injured leg made her body collapse repeatedly. The pain in her leg flared up. He ignored it, spreading her legs and pushing in. It was a deeply humiliating position. She was almost glad he couldn't see her face.

Her vision, once filled with the ceiling, now saw the white pelt with spots. She clutched it tightly. With each thrust from behind, her grip on the fur tightened. She twisted and tore the crumpled pelt.

"Ngh, hah!"

With each deep thrust, she writhed, her body shaking. He showed no mercy. Holding down her shaking hips, he continued to pound into her relentlessly. Arishte could only sob, her face buried in the pelt.

This continued several more times. Counting was pointless. Her frozen body heated up under the onslaught, and she barely felt the pain in her leg.

Even after having his fill, Rasiel didn't release her, burying his face in her chest. He kept fondling her breasts, teasing her stiffened nipples with his fingertips. She felt like a lump of dough in a child's hands. Lacking the strength to push him away, Arishte closed her eyes.

Rasiel smiled, almost ecstatically, his face buried between her breasts. His hot breath against her chest raised her temperature further. Unconsciously, she found herself stroking his hair.

His soft hair wrapped around her fingers, bringing a strange sense of peace. Startled by the inexplicable feeling, she tried to pull her hand away, but he sighed contentedly and burrowed his face deeper into her cleavage.

"What perfume do you use?"

Perfume? Confused, Arishte struggled to open her eyes.

"This scent drives me mad."

"I don't use such things."

Perfume was a luxury for nobles. More precious than jewels. The number of flower petals required for a single drop was unimaginable. A luxury only the highest, wealthiest nobles could afford. There was no way she could use such a thing. He was asking strange questions.

"...Strange."

What was strange? He kept burying his face in her chest, breathing deeply, as if searching. She felt like a deer offering its throat to a lion.

"Then what is this scent?"

"...Scent?"

She tilted her head, confused. After lingering over her scent for a long time, Rasiel let out a pleased hum.

"This scent makes me sleepy."

"Pardon?"

She didn't understand.

"I can sleep without hunting for the first time. Are you wearing some kind of sleeping potion?"

His words made no sense. Arishte didn't know how to respond. What if he cut her throat depending on her answer? Her life was entirely in this man's hands now.

"Tell me. What is it you want?"

At that, Arishte tensed. He seemed pleased with the body he had possessed so deeply. The satiation of a male who had finished a pleasing mating. She thought she needed to seize this moment.

"I want to live."

She answered in a small but clear voice.

"I don't want to die. Don't... do what the Duke ordered."

"Is that all?"

He smiled, as if unimpressed. She was afraid he might change his mind. She watched his expression. Fortunately, he seemed in good humor.

"...Yes."

Arishte waited nervously for his answer. But after a long pause, he said nothing. Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. She saw his erection had grown again, pressing against her belly, threatening. Startled, she tried to pull back, but he pulled her back down beneath him.

"Arishte... Arishte."

Arishte heard him call her name in a low voice. At the same time, a death-like sleep washed over her, and her consciousness faded.

---

When she opened her eyes again, the man was fast asleep. He had buried his face between her breasts, breathing shallowly. It seemed strange that such a large man, whose body could completely cover her, would cling to her chest like this, suckling. He had mentioned some scent coming from her. She had never married, never borne a child, so it couldn't be the smell of breast milk.

Surely not.

Her gaze fell on the leather pouch, tied with a short cord, lying within reach. She always kept that bag close to her chest, holding it tightly.

If he had smelled something, it would have been the scent of medicinal herbs, nothing comparable to perfume. Her hands, which prepared the herbs, carried the smell, as did the space between her breasts. Calling that fragrance was absurd. She smiled faintly. She could still hear the man's grunts as he insistently burrowed into her chest, calling it perfume.

His breathing was quite regular. He seemed to be in a deep sleep. Her entire body felt as if it was falling apart. She couldn't count how many times they had been together. They had been like animals mating for the first time.

She noticed the quiet. The blizzard had subsided. Arishte raised her hand, waving it near his face. He seemed truly deeply asleep. She lifted the blanket covering her, stifling a cry. Her whole body ached, as if she had been beaten. It was to be expected, considering what they had done on the bed.

The bandage on her grazed calf was stained red. The wound was still open, but the bleeding had stopped. If she moved carefully, it shouldn't be too dangerous.

If she was going to leave, it had to be now, while he was in a deep, unknowing sleep.

Perhaps he had no intention of killing her at the moment. But she couldn't rely on his capriciousness forever. She knew that savage beasts played with their prey for a while before finally killing it. She felt like exactly that—prey being toyed with by this hunter. At any moment, he could change his mind and press the gun barrel back into her mouth.

Arishte slipped out of bed and cautiously dressed. As she squeezed her ruined clothes onto her body, forcing her arms through the sleeves, she groaned, her body trembling. She tightened the strap of her bag, picked up her cloak, and carefully opened the cabin door.

Creak.

Outside was a different world. As always after a blizzard, the sky was a brilliant, breaking blue. Cold air enveloped her, but the weather was much better than the previous day.

She paused at the door, looking back. The man still lay motionless. Cautiously stepping outside, her foot sank deep into the fresh snow. Next came her injured foot. She was bracing herself against the door, fearing the pain, when—

Thud.

A heavy impact struck the back of her head. Someone caught her collapsing body.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The last thing she saw, as consciousness faded, were cold, red eyes.

***

Support us with ☞Donations!!

Paypal Donation

Previous

Next

You Cannot Escape the Merman - Chapter 5

5. The Promise (Epilogue)

Never go to the islands where humans live alone. It was practically an unspoken rule among merfolk.

No matter how insignificant humans were compared to merfolk, they were cunning. Even after merfolk rose to dominance, humans frequently staged rebellions with small numbers. They were crushed every time—but one could never be too careful.

Occasionally, they might capture a young merman and use him as a bargaining tool. So Theodore's parents had warned him time and again.

But adolescent merfolk didn't listen well. Theodore was no exception.

So he came alone to a nearby island. After all, humans were too frightened to come near the shoreline. If anyone did, he could just drag them underwater and kill them.

"Wowww, so pretty."

"......"

Theodore frowned at the sound of a young human's voice. He turned his gaze toward the source—and there, on the shore, was a grimy little human child. Her clothes were in tatters, as if she'd been kicked around by someone. Yet she wasn't crying—she was staring at Theodore, who had emerged from the sea up to his torso, with sparkling eyes.

"Get lost."

"...Can't I look at you just a little longer?"

"Hmph."

It was annoying, but he could just leave. As Theodore turned to go, a disappointed sigh reached him.

"Mister Merman, can't you stay with me until my injuries go down? Just until they heal?"

"I don't see what I'd gain from that."

"...I suppose so."

The child hugged her legs sulkily. Normally, he would have dived back into the sea—but he was bored. And he was curious about the human who'd been told never to approach. After letting out a small sigh, he came up onto the beach, and the child's eyes sparkled.

"Thank you! I've never seen a merman before."

"Mm. Consider yourself honored."

After a moment's hesitation, the child pulled something from her pocket and held it out. Glancing over, he saw shimmering pebbles.

"They're my treasures."

"These?"

"Yes! I found them on the mountain. Oh, Mister Merman, my name is Jahyun."

She said she was twelve years old. Theodore's actual age was older, but converted to human years, he was similar. Resting his chin on his hand, he watched as Jahyun prattled on about all sorts of useless things. Then he heard her say her uncle had hit her, and he frowned.

"Even merfolk have trash, but humans have even more of it. Hitting a twelve-year-old child?"

"Ah! Th-that was my fault. I dropped the herbs I was gathering..."

Even that she defended as family. Theodore clicked his tongue involuntarily. He rose and pressed some medicine he carried into her hand. He didn't particularly like humans, but he didn't like seeing a child beaten either. Jahyun looked at the medicine, then at Theodore, and bowed her head deeply.

"Thank you... Mister Merman."

Signs of violence always followed Jahyun, but the islanders always looked away. Still, she was satisfied because her uncle had raised her without abandoning her... Jahyun roughly wiped her tears and held out the shimmering stone she'd been clutching. Looking closely, it wasn't an ordinary pebble—it was a gemstone. They were abundant in the sea and in his home, but Theodore accepted it for the child's sincerity. It was a brilliant gem that resembled his eye color—he rather liked it.

"I'll take it."

"...Thank you!"

Jahyun beamed. Seeing her smile, she was rather cute. He could understand a little why some merfolk chose to mate with humans and raise young together. Before he knew it, they'd been talking so long that it was time for him to go.

"I'm leaving."

"Ah, um, okay."

She looked like she wanted to tell him not to go. He shouldn't have spoken to her in the first place. Letting out a deep sigh, Theodore said casually:

"Come at this time tomorrow, then."

"Yes!"

It was just passing the time. If he got bored, he could simply stop coming. That's what he thought—but Theodore found himself returning to the beach more and more often. The way her eyes sparkled when she saw him, the way she presented strange things she'd gathered from the mountain—it was just entertaining.

Then came one day, after they'd been meeting frequently. He didn't like that bruise marks kept appearing on her, but he hadn't intended to interfere beyond that.

"Theodore-nim, you said after today you'd be going to a different sea, right."

"Yeah."

"Um, I... I have a wish."

"What is it? You want me to bring you some seaweed when I come back?"

"Th-that would be nice too, but... today is my birthday."

"Hmm."

He pretended to be indifferent, but he remembered what she'd told him last time. Jahyun lay down beside Theodore, looked into his eyes, and carefully spoke:

"If I become an adult... could you take me with you, Theodore-nim?"

"What?"

"I'm really good at cleaning. I can cook too, I think. The aunties told me I learn really fast."

"......"

In the sunset glow, Jahyun's eyes were vivid. Theodore wanted to deny it, but looking into those eyes, he had no choice but to admit it.

I... like this human.

When she became an adult, he too would be recognized as fully mature—so he could take her as his bride then, couldn't he?

After looking into her eyes for a moment, Theodore said gruffly:

"Alright. I'll come for you when you become an adult."

"...! Yes! I'll work even harder on my household skills until then!"

Jahyun seemed to think she was being hired—but that wasn't it. Gently stroking her bruised cheek, Theodore transformed his tail into legs and stood up. Seeing that, Jahyun's eyes widened, and Theodore said:

"Guide me to your house. I have something to say to your uncle."

"Ah, yes!"

He absolutely couldn't allow her to be beaten to death before he could take her as his bride. He just had to instill enough fear in that so-called uncle that he would never dare to hit her again.

Walking by lamplight, they arrived at a hut reeking of alcohol from outside. When they went in, a bottle flew toward the door. Theodore had left Jahyun outside, so he immediately approached, grabbed the man by the throat, and lifted him into the air.

"Ghk! Kkhk!"

The man sobered up instantly, scanning Theodore with terrified eyes. Then, noticing his ears, his eyes filled with horror as he realized he was a merman. He might not have known about his niece, but throwing a bottle at a merman could mean death.

"I'll give you a chance."

"Khk, ngh!"

"Don't lay a hand on Jahyun until she comes of age. Raise her well, and you'll be rewarded."

At those words, the man's eyes gleamed with greed. He'd wondered what use his useless niece could be—and now such an opportunity had come. Of course, if he made even one mistake, death was certain. The man nodded desperately.

Only then did Theodore drop the man to the floor. Gasping from being choked, the man coughed, and Theodore met his gaze.

"I'll erase the memories of violence from Jahyun. But know this—if you lay a finger on her after today, you'll die immediately."

"Y-yes, yes, of course! I'll raise her well!"

As the man groveled and trembled, Theodore smiled in satisfaction. Then he tossed a rare gem he'd brought from the sea before the man. This should be enough to keep Jahyun well-raised until they met again. After threatening to keep watch, he stepped outside—and there stood Jahyun with an anxious expression.

He stroked her head and said with a smile:

"We'll meet again when you become an adult."

"Yes... I'll wait."

Then, to erase the traces of violence, he reached into her memories.

...The only problem was that even her memories of him had been swept away.

Perhaps because she was young, his memory-tending skills had been immature. But Theodore didn't mind.

When they met again, they could just make new memories from that point on.

For a merman, eight years passed in the blink of an eye. He thought they might meet at the beach—but he never expected it would be underwater.

In the moment he breathed life into the unconscious Jahyun as she sank into the sea, Theodore smiled with a sense of fulfillment.

---

[The End]

Support us with ☞Donations!!

Paypal Donation

Previous

Next

You Cannot Escape the Merman - Chapter 4

4. Only for Him

"Hnngh."

Jahyun opened her eyes. The sensation of her inner walls being full still felt unpleasant. Fortunately, unlike yesterday, nothing was blocking her mouth—she felt relieved. She slowly raised herself and looked around. No one was there. And since the room felt somewhat unfamiliar, she got down from the bed. The carpet beneath her feet still felt strange, so she frowned.

Of course, every step she took pressed against her inner walls, so she bit her lip. Slowly opening the door and stepping out, she saw a familiar room. Theodore wasn't there either.

She tried to remove whatever was inserted inside her, but it wouldn't budge.

...Jahyun could only recall her name and age, but she knew this wasn't where she originally lived. After a moment's thought, she wrapped a thin blanket around herself and looked around.

As she stood before the door, it slid open silently. She slowly stepped into the corridor—it was quiet. She didn't know. Her mind felt empty, and only information about Theodore and the merfolk lingered.

She was certain she remembered something else, but...

"I don't recall giving you permission to come out."

The moment his voice came from behind her, the device inside her walls began thrashing wildly.

"Hnghk!"

Jahyun fell flat on the floor, clutching her belly with a slack expression. Still buried deep inside, the object spun and vibrated, leaving no room to think about anything else. Shedding tears, she looked up to see Theodore wearing a benevolent expression.

The one who would become his bride had always been quite curious. He'd liked that about her—but even with her memories blank, she'd still come out into the corridor.

Lost in thought for a moment, Theodore extended his foot and placed it on Jahyun's lower belly.

"Jahyun. I didn't give you permission to come out of your room."

"I-I'm, hnngh, hih, sorry..."

"I like the way you apologize."

Even as he said that, he pressed down firmly on her bulging lower belly with the device. Her tear-filled eyes quickly flooded with pleasure and shock. She tried to push his foot away, but it was impossible. Theodore watched her reactions and pressed down harder.

"Hnngh!"

Every time the device pressed against sensitive spots, choked sounds escaped her involuntarily. She desperately grabbed Theodore's leg, but he showed no sign of letting up. Feeling the vibrations inside her walls, Theodore kept pressing. Since it was tightly blocked, she couldn't even release anything.

"Now that I think about it, I don't think I told you. Until you're fully reborn as my bride, you can't leave your room."

"Y-yes... hnnngh!"

The moment he pressed down hard on her lower belly, she climaxed without releasing. As Jahyun trembled with hazy eyes, Theodore finally lifted her into his arms. When they returned to the room, it had been cleaned.

He'd gotten a little greedy and tampered with her memories too much—she seemed to feel some sense of alienation. If not for that, she wouldn't have thought to come out alone.

Then he'd just have to implant in her mind that she couldn't leave without permission.

Theodore sat on the bed first and laid Jahyun across his lap. Since she still couldn't gather her wits due to the spinning device, he stopped it.

"Hih, it, hnngh, ughhh!"

"Jahyun."

"Hnngh, ghk."

Lying prone, Jahyun couldn't collect herself from the lingering pleasure. Theodore, gently stroking her back and thighs, raised his hand. Soon, the sound of slaps echoed through the room.

"Ah!"

"Jahyun. Until I give you permission, you mustn't go out into the corridor alone."

"Hnngh, hnnnh, yes, yes!"

But even if she answered, he had no intention of forgiving her right away. He continued to bring his hand down on her buttocks. Since she wasn't wearing any bottoms, she could feel the sensation of his palm clearly. Even though his temperature was low, it felt burning hot.

"Hih! Ah, hnngh, mmm!"

Only a few smacks, and her skin was already flushed red. Humans really were so fragile. As he began spanking her with moderate force, her body kept jerking. The problem was that it wasn't just pain. Something welled up inside her—her body grew strange, and the spanking made her inner walls burn.

"Hnngh! Ah, aah!"

Even though she was being punished, her toes curled. Saliva she couldn't swallow dripped from the corner of her mouth. Feeling like this was more a reward than a punishment, Theodore grasped the device blocking her urethra. Then, stroking her buttocks, he slowly began to pull the handle out.

"Ah, ahh, hnnngh! It's, strange!"

The fine tentacles scraped against her urethra. It had originally been for elimination, but over the past few days it had transformed into another s€x organ, so it didn't hurt. Jahyun, who would have normally felt strange, was now trembling with a mix of urgency and pleasure.

"Hiiiih!"

Just when it seemed the device had been fully extracted, it was thrust deep inside again. If her urethra hadn't been blocked, she would have wet herself. As tears began to flow endlessly, Theodore lightly wiped them away. Then he repeated the slow extraction.

"Ugh, uhh, eh, hnnngh...!"

The pain on her buttocks and the pleasure from her urethra mixed, tormenting her mind. She couldn't think of anything. Only the desire to have her holes thoroughly ravaged remained. Thoughts of leaving this place were buried deep beneath the surface. Theodore reached out, lifted her chin as she lay prone, and kissed her, sucking on her tongue.

"Ugh, mmph, mmmph!"

His thick tongue ravaged her mouth, even reaching down her throat. Given the position, her breath ran to its limit. The moment she frowned, his long tongue began invading her throat.

"Ugh!"

She felt like she'd throw up everything, even though she hadn't eaten anything. Come to think of it, she had no memory of eating anything since arriving here. Yet she wasn't hungry... As her drifting mind pondered that, his lips pulled away. Lying across his lap, Jahyun breathed raggedly. Their mixed saliva dripped to the floor.

"Hnngh... ughh."

Theodore slowly stroked her back and asked.

"You remember, right?"

"Yes... sir..."

Only then did Theodore smile in satisfaction and lift her to face him. Her buttocks felt like they were burning. Her s€x was swollen though he hadn't even touched it. Looking at her tear-ruined face, Theodore pressed kisses to her cheeks.

"Did you want to go for a walk?"

"...Yes."

The truth was she'd gone out to see what the facilities were like, but she lied. Theodore seemed to think for a moment, then set Jahyun down on the bed. He went into another room and came back holding something like a leash. Jahyun's eyes widened as he fastened it around her neck. At least it wasn't metal, but it was still humiliating—her face flushed.

She worried he might make her crawl like a dog. She'd already shown all sorts of things to the one before her, but she didn't want to show them to the employees.

She tried not to get up, but it was far too easy for Theodore to lift her.

"Ugh!"

The devices inside her walls pressed against her forcefully. She nearly pitched forward, but Theodore caught her.

"I don't like the leash."

"Is that so. Merfolk use leashes often, so I thought it would be fine. I suppose I'll have to use another method."

She hadn't expected to think the leash might be preferable.

"...Ugh!"

Both her nipples and her clit were clamped by soft pincers. Not only that, but the pincers on her nipples and clit were connected by a single line, so every time it pulled, her body trembled. The device blocking her urethra was still there, and now with her clit clamped as well, her body naturally hunched. She wished she had something to wear over it, but she only had her shirt.

"Ugh, hnngh."

"Then shall we go?"

Theodore said with a benevolent smile. Such walks were known to strengthen the bond between merman and human couples. By raising s€xual arousal while showing them their new home, it was said they quickly grew attached. Some humans who initially refused even ended up rubbing their heads against them, begging for more.

He'd have to make her clearly recognize that this was the home she'd be living in from now on. After erasing her memories, he also planned to introduce her to the merfolk who worked in his household.

"Hnnngh!"

When he pulled the line, her nipples and clit were tugged, making her body heat up rapidly. If her inner walls weren't already full of devices, it would have been much better.

Theodore wrapped his arm around her waist as he pulled the line connected to her.

"Right now I'm keeping you undressed to wash away the human world's scent, but later I'll dress you properly."

"Ah, hih!"

Each press against her belly made her body tremble. Honestly, Jahyun wasn't in her right mind. Every step she took, the devices filling her walls pressed against her weak spots. Not only that, the dull pain in her nipples and ¢lit had begun to transform into pleasure. If her holes hadn't been blocked, she would have left a trail all over the corridor.

"This is one of the best spots to see the underwater view."

"Hnngh, ughh."

As she kept losing her mind and gasping, Theodore looked at her. He lifted her into his arms and turned her gaze toward the sea. The warmth of her body against his felt good, so Theodore held her close and rubbed his cheek against her head. This must be why humans were kept by their side.

"Ah."

"Ugh, ugh, ah..."

Following Theodore's lead, Jahyun opened her mouth. Theodore slowly traced the inside of her mouth with his finger, then kissed her. Holding the back of her neck, she couldn't pull away, so Jahyun responded clumsily. Then, when she briefly opened her eyes, she saw someone in the water staring at her with startled eyes.

"Hngh! Ughhh, mmph!"

It was a male merman, and she was only wearing a shirt. She tried to push Theodore away, but he only pressed harder on the back of her neck, ravaging her mouth.

"Ou-outside, m-me, merman, hnngh!"

Theodore opened his eyes and glanced outside. This was an area where swimming was prohibited, but there were a few young, unruly merfolk.

Even so, it didn't matter. Merfolk often took pride in showing off their mating with their partners. It was only right to reveal what was yours without hiding it.

Soon, word would spread that he had taken a human bride. Then he wouldn't have to go around spreading the news himself.

After a brief thought, Theodore removed the devices attached to Jahyun's body. Jahyun, still in his arms, seemed flustered, worried about the window. When the things inside her body were suddenly removed, she felt an odd sense of emptiness.

"Um, l-let's go inside, Theodore-nim."

"Why?"

Mating was natural, and being seen by others wasn't strange either. He set her down on the floor and positioned her facing the window. The male merman stared intently at Jahyun. Her chest wasn't particularly voluptuous, but her nipples were plump and erect—appetizing. It looked sufficient for nursing young.

It was Jahyun who broke the silence.

"Ugh! W-wait, hnngh, no!"

"What?"

Jahyun, making a tearful face, finally spoke.

"I only... want to show myself... to Theodore-nim."

Even if it was natural among merfolk, it wasn't to Jahyun. Theodore smiled and lifted her back into his arms. He made a dismissive gesture, and the male merman quickly vanished. With Jahyun burying her face in his chest, Theodore stroked her back.

"Jahyun."

"...Yes."

"Showing others your intercourse is not at all shameful."

That might be true among merfolk, but Jahyun had been raised human. Even with her memories heavily tampered with, customs and habits still remained ingrained. In a few months, it would become common sense to her to couple in front of others. Kissing her head, Theodore adjusted her clothes and headed back to the room.

Once inside, Theodore sat Jahyun on the bed. He pulled a chair over and sat before her.

"Were you startled?"

"Yes..."

"I forgot for a moment that while it's natural in merman society, humans don't think that way. Some of the humans I've known actually enjoyed being watched."

Theodore gently reached out and stroked her cheek. His low temperature gradually calmed her trembling. When Jahyun's slightly pale complexion returned, Theodore spoke again.

"I'll teach you how to masturbate."

She'd said she only wanted to show herself to him, but she might not know how. Theodore had studied the human body in preparation for taking a bride, and he decided to teach her. He took Jahyun's hand and placed it on her s€x. Then he brought it to her urethra, which had been well stretched by the taming, and slowly began rotating her palm.

"Ah, ugh!"

The moment she rubbed the urethra that had been filled with tentacles, her vision swam. Jahyun immediately tried to pull her hand away, but Theodore wouldn't let go of her wrist—he only rubbed more.

"Hnngh, ugh, ughhh, ngh!"

The water she'd drunk during their coupling kept building pressure in her bladder. She kicked her feet trying to free herself, but Theodore rubbed harder.

"I-I'm going to...!"

The moment she gritted her teeth, Theodore buried his face in her s€x. Then he began sucking up every drop of fluid she released. After lapping it up with swirling tongue, he thrust it into her urethra.

"Hiiiih! Ah, hnngh!"

Every time the cold thing pierced her hot body, her toes curled. She thought she had nothing left to release, but arousal fluid began trickling from her wide-open entrance. Theodore, holding her waist, sucked up the fluid before slowly pulling his mouth away.

After lightly wiping himself, he took out his co¢k and pressed it against her opening. Since she'd already been thoroughly penetrated yesterday, her entrance pulsed, welcoming it. But Theodore placed his co¢k over her €lit and began moving his hips slowly.

"Hnngh, hnngh!"

"Ugh."

Hot and cold rubbed together in a mess. Every time his already-erect co¢k rubbed against her hot ¢unt, sem€n smeared across her belly. Since Jahyun hadn't been there long, her vision flashed with each rub. The place where their lower bodies met was already soaked with her arousal. The sound of his co¢k rubbing—squelch, squelch—filled the air.

"Hnngh, hnngh, ah, aah!"

Then Theodore leaned back and thrust his co¢k into her entrance in one go.

"Hnnngh!"

Rather than gripping her waist, Theodore lifted her and pulled her into his embrace. With his co¢k buried all the way to the deepest point, Jahyun bit down on Theodore's shoulder.

"Ugh, ghk, hnngh, mmph, hnngh!"

If she hadn't bitten his shoulder, she would have bitten her own tongue. She kept biting his shoulder, but Theodore didn't feel any pain. It was more like an animal nibbling. Smiling, he gripped her waist and began thrusting. Today too, he'd have to fill her walls with his seed. That was his duty as a bridegroom.

Every time his co¢k thrust in hard, a fountain burst. He'd thought he'd drunk it all, but no. She kept gushing.

"Ah, hnngh, hnnngh, ah, aah!"

Now that she'd stopped biting his shoulder, only moans flowed from her lips. Something the size of her forearm was packed into her inner walls—it wasn't normal. Yet her body now only felt pleasure.

If she could keep feeling this from now on, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Jahyun smiled brightly with dazed eyes. Then, as she clumsily moved her hips, his co¢k thrust even deeper.

"Hih!"

With every thrust, wet sloshing sounds echoed. The moment Theodore bit her shoulder hard, Jahyun threw her head back and clenched tightly around him. Theodore, aroused himself, spilled his seed deep inside once more. Only their heated breath came and went endlessly.

Theodore pulled the limp Jahyun close and slowly tended to her memories once more.

He looked forward to the day when all her memories would be erased and she would see only him.

***

Support us with ☞Donations!!

Paypal Donation

Previous

Next