HPV 113

Extra 2-9

Never again would he make a rule like “just once.” It only backfired like this.

After witnessing Riarun squirting that clear liquid, Banwes let out a breathy, aroused moan and finally stopped moving. A numbing afterglow settled over them.

As if he had never been in heat at all, Banwes now stroked and cradled Riarun with gentle hands. Riarun’s dazed eyes slowly drifted over the mess in the cabin. Under the moonlight streaming through the window, white semen and even more of the transparent liquid shimmered faintly.

Since Riarun couldn’t even lift a finger, Banwes moved down to clean up. He lifted Riarun’s legs to check his perineum.

This was exactly why Riarun usually insisted on doing cleanup alone.

Because when Banwes saw the red, swollen opening twitch and tremble as it pushed out the thick white liquid he had poured deep inside, he naturally got hard again.

With Riarun’s mind already dulled by excessive pleasure, he somehow gave in to Banwes’s pleading and ended up letting him insert once more, this time with his cheek pressed against the wall of a cramped bathroom barely bigger than a handspan, thighs hoisted over Banwes’s arm.

When Riarun finally passed out, Banwes tenderly washed him. Even though he got aroused again and had to finish himself off alone, he couldn’t stop kissing Riarun’s limp nape, forehead, and arms like a man possessed.

When Riarun woke up and showed clear revulsion, Banwes couldn’t bring himself to take him again on the ship.

—It’s not that I didn’t like it. It’s because I liked it too much. Got it? We’re not doing this again on the boat.

Afraid Banwes would misunderstand and spiral into some dark place, Riarun quickly told him the truth.

They ate and slept on the ship for several days before finally reaching the island. By the time they landed, everyone was slightly on edge and casual chatter had dwindled.

They were dealing with monsters commonly referred to as “Spores.” The name wasn’t just metaphorical, they exhibited true spore-like behavior, hence the designation.

When small, the spores were nearly invisible to the human eye. But once they absorbed enough nutrients and began releasing their parent creatures, they became uncontrollable. Their rate of proliferation far outstripped that of any living species.

Deeper inland, the island was covered in dense forest.

The sight of white and black cotton-like spores clinging all over the trees and ground, sucking away every trace of life force, was horrific. Especially for Riarun, who carried the spirit of the forest within him, it was so suffocating he couldn’t even breathe.

“I’ll cast a spell to stop the spread. Pao, you take out the adults. Bzhan can back you up. You’ve both done this countless times while traveling the continent, it should be easy,” Penzey said, as calm and swift as always, laying out their roles just as he had done the day before, and the day before that.

But notably, he said nothing about Banwes. It wasn’t the kind of situation that called for a warrior anyway, and Banwes wouldn’t listen no matter what role he was assigned.

Just as they were about to leap into battle, everyone paused, sensing something off. Each turned to look behind them.

“The blessing…?”

The High Priest was standing there. His breathing was uneven, and his furrowed brow hinted at a headache.

Riarun slipped out of Banwes’s arms and approached. After a closer look, he flinched.

“You used up that much divine power? Why?”

Was it because he’d lost his eyesight and had been straining to stay aware of his surroundings?

The truth came from Penzey, who stood off to the side with his arms crossed.

“Yuri, you’ve been seasick this whole time, haven’t you?”

At that, both Riarun and Paronai failed to maintain neutral expressions. They couldn’t bring themselves to look at the priest who’d just been called out.

But rather than reacting with wounded pride, the High Priest slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark, dimmed pupils. His fluttering lashes cast a cool shadow across them.

“You knew?”

No one had. No one knew what Yuri had been doing on the ship these past few days to reduce discomfort.

That the High Priest had exhausted his divine power due to seasickness, if it had been that hard, maybe they shouldn’t have brought him. A tangle of thoughts passed through everyone’s minds.

“Seasickness isn’t something usually treated. To heal something not meant to be healed, that’s even more impressive.”

Even if Yuri couldn’t exert his full power, they had one more healer in the party.

Without anyone needing to say it, the group naturally moved into their roles and prepared to engage.

“Don’t overdo it,” Riarun said, gently pulling down the hem of Yuri’s sleeve.

In the next instant, fierce spiritual energy flared in his green-gold eyes. That one line from Riarun was not just concern, it was confidence and certainty.

A certainty that he could take the High Priest’s place.

The wide blue barrier that spread across the area was like a wave, and the healing light split into countless streams before anyone was even wounded, wrapping around every member of the party. A vast, luminous lake of light unfolded before them all.

Even without being able to see it, the High Priest felt the energy and, in a rare moment, parted his lips as if savoring fresh air.

“I didn’t need to come after all. Remarkable.”

Once the mission was completed, their dispatch to the island turned into a vacation.

During the day, when the sunlight warmly embraced the world, they swam in the water. They admired the coral reefs, built sandcastles in shallow spots, and splashed around with Paronai, Penzey, and Bzhan. Banwes stayed out of it, watching Riarun fondly from a little distance.

After a round of noise and laughter, Penzey, his wet body revealing his firm figure, flopped down beside Yurichen.

It was fortunate that Yurichen couldn’t see, he wouldn’t feel the moral disgust at the mage’s indecent behavior.

“It’s refreshing. Even though I can’t see… it’s not bad.”

He didn’t even know who was sitting beside him, yet the High Priest spoke freely.

He looked more at ease than ever. Though he still didn’t enter the water, sitting nobly in the shade draped in priestly robes and covered in sacred relics and jewelry, Penzey saw something different in him.

“Lately, I’ve had strange symptoms. Sometimes when I look up at the ceiling, I feel dizzy. When I walk through corridors, the air feels stagnant, and I end up staring out the windows. Thinking I might be troubled, I added two more hours to my prayer schedule.”

Penzey let out a dry laugh. He could hardly believe that the person speaking just now was really the High Priest.

He knew what Yurichen was going through, because he had experienced it countless times himself.

“You’re getting restless. From being cooped up all the time.”

Yurichen was appalled.

“You’re saying I feel stifled… by the temple?”

The once-dignified High Priest was at a loss for words, stunned, and that somehow gave the mage great satisfaction.

For Yurichen’s mental health, Penzey didn’t bother to add that someone so young didn’t need to lock himself away just because he was a High Priest. Instead, he lightened his tone and made it sound like a joke.

“Isn’t it nice to get some fresh air now and then? Just say the word anytime. You’ve got an expert in running away right next to you.”

He gave Yurichen’s shoulder a light tap.

The High Priest suddenly shivered at the touch. Then, tracing a cross over his chest, he dropped to his knees on the bare ground and lowered his head, fingers interlocked as he began to mutter a prayer.

“Hey, do you think I’m a demon or something? Are you trying to exorcise me?”

The sunset dyed the sea red, and warm light wrapped around the world like an embrace.

After rinsing off the seawater, they dressed and gathered again. Barefoot in the sand, they chatted about silly things.

“Ria’s still trying out different jobs, huh? How many are left now, out of 120?”

“132 left.”

“It increased…?”

“I try something new every week, but the list just keeps growing.”

On the beach, Riarun said he wanted to try being a swordsman. “I’ll help!” said Paronai, volunteering to teach him.

The only one who seemed unhappy was Banwes. The rest watched with amusement as Riarun swung the sword around clumsily, until he accidentally struck Paronai’s shoulder with the wooden sword, sending everyone but the blind Yurichen into laughter.

The archery experience wasn’t left out either. When Riarun said he wanted to try shooting a bow, Bzhan stepped in.

But Riarun couldn’t even draw Bzhan’s bowstring. Bzhan immediately made a new bow out of twigs and grass on the spot.

“Want me to teach you magic too?” Penzey teased.

Since there was no mention of wanting to try being a priest, Yurichen was quietly disappointed.

Then, as the indigo dusk gently lulled the world to sleep.

Two figures walked out toward the shore.

Banwes carried Riarun across the rough terrain like it was his own home. After climbing over a few rocks, they found a small, mysterious coastal cave.

There, the two sat together and talked.

Warm seawater lapped gently at their feet before retreating. A large shadow repeatedly overlapped the smaller one, as if trying to merge completely. A voice of restraint called out.

“What if someone sees us?”

“There’s no way I wouldn’t know.”

You don’t, though… If you can do this and that with me, you forget all about anyone else. Riarun muttered quietly, only to have his chin caught by the man.

Snickering sounds skimmed across their skin, then gradually faded into silence. The sound of hands moving beneath fabric, moist sighs, and wet noises escaping lips were all that remained.