Chapter 40: That Which Cannot Be Inherited (6)

The Hero’s hand trailed from Sera’s face, down her neck, across her collarbone, and to her chest.

As if marking its territory, it continued downward, leaving traces upon her smooth skin.

It wasn’t long before the thin garment she wore loosened completely.

Her pale skin and delicate body trembled under his suggestive touch, and she stirred slightly as his hand ventured lower.

“Ah…”

Even with just this minimal stimulus, her reaction was irresistibly endearing.

A body untouched by any man, honest in its responses. Without further hesitation, the Hero decided to indulge in his desires.

“W-wait… just a moment…!”

As he firmly grasped her chest and left crimson marks behind, Sera grasped his hand tightly, her body arching instinctively.

Despite her efforts to suppress it, soft moans escaped her lips.

When the Hero’s hands and lips grazed her body, the sigil marked on her lower abdomen throbbed painfully.

Was this irresistible pleasure something only the Hero could give? Even though she knew she should resist, Sera found herself unable to push back.

Her garment, now useless, was completely removed, leaving only a minuscule undergarment that barely covered her most private areas.

The marks the Hero left burned vividly, stirring the sigil engraved upon her.

This was a point of no return.

As this thought filled her mind, the Hero smirked mischievously, bringing his hand to her intimate entrance.

“Do you hate this?”

Was it the overwhelming pleasure, or was it fear of what lay ahead? As Sera’s body quivered slightly, the Hero gently caressed her, whispering into her ear.

His warm breath tickled her, spreading unfamiliar sensations throughout her entire being.

“If you hate it, I’ll stop.”

The Hero kissed her cheek softly and locked eyes with her.

Even as he tried to maintain control, suppressing his own desires, Sera found his actions maddeningly frustrating.

If things continued like this, she would be the one begging.

Knowing this, Sera couldn’t resist the flow any longer. She was utterly defeated.

“Ah… ah…”

Was she really going to be reduced to a plaything for the Hero? As this thought plagued her, Sera twisted her body in discomfort.

The Hero’s hands moved suddenly, sending sharp jolts of pleasure through her.

No matter how much she tried to endure, there was no way out.

If things continued, she would end up pleading for more.

Though she glared at him with defiance, the sight of his black hair and gentle expression made her abdomen ache with a sensation she could not suppress.

“P-please… don’t stop…”

Just before Sera succumbed completely, the Hero halted his hands.

As she stared at him with longing, a pleading tone escaped her lips.

In this small, secluded room, the defeated was nothing more than a powerless girl at the mercy of her desires.

“Alright, then…”

Though her answer was hesitant, for a first attempt, it was sufficient.

The Hero smiled knowingly, wondering what kind of request would come from her lips.

Sera’s heart pounded violently, ready to burst.

Would he command her to bark like a dog? Or demand she take initiative? Sera knew she wasn’t the kind to derive pleasure from submission, but at this moment, none of that mattered.

All she wanted now was the Hero’s affection.

With a timid request, Sera gave in, her embarrassment overshadowed by her need.

But as the Hero opened his mouth, the words he uttered—

“Sera! Sera! Are you okay? Snap out of it!”

“Huh… Hero…?”

“Thank goodness. You were collapsed in the room, and I was so worried… Are you feeling unwell?”

“W-wait! My clothes—they’re tearing! They’re going to rip! Ah! Get out right now!!”

The room filled with the sweet scent of fruits as the Hero shook Sera’s shoulders with a worried expression.

The loose state of her clothing only made things more chaotic.

Though her voice echoed with panic, the soundproofing magic on the room ensured that no sound escaped.

An awkward silence filled the room. Kneeling before her, the Hero bore a red handprint on his cheek, a testament to her earlier slap.

“Well… I’m sorry. I was just worried about you…”

“…Does being worried give you the right to undress me?”

“I’m sorry…”

Having fainted without properly dressing herself, Sera was in a disheveled state.

The loose garment she wore barely covered her, and the intricate design of her undergarments wasn’t something she wanted others to see.

Her heart was racing like never before.

Was it always this loud? Her body felt feverish, her mind dazed as if drunk.

Most unbearable was the persistent itch of the sigil marked on her abdomen, which had been throbbing ever since.

“Today feels… strange…”

“Shut up.”

The dignified image she had built as a saint had crumbled completely.

The reason? Even she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she didn’t want to put on a facade anymore.

This seemed to unsettle the Hero, who appeared slightly nervous.

Well, the saint was known for her polite and composed demeanor.

Her current rough tone must have been a shock to him.

“This is my true self. Got a problem with that?”

“N-no! Not at all!”

This wasn’t right. If the Hero discovered she knew the truth about this world, he’d have no reason to keep her alive.

For the Hero’s happy ending, a corrupted saint was necessary.

Her current refusal to submit placed her head squarely on the chopping block. But even so, the saintly mask refused to return to her.

“So… what’s your reason?”

“Reason?”

Crazy bastard. Her memory was hazy, but there were only two possible reasons she was here in the Hero’s room, dressed like this.

Either this lunatic Hero had kidnapped her, or the demons collaborating with him had done so.

Either way, it involved kidnapping.

And then, that awful dream—

“You’re the one who made me like this! Because of you, I’ve been having these terrible dreams all day! And why are you marrying Laura anyway? It’s driving me insane!”

“…I made you like this?”

“Don’t play dumb! Don’t act like you don’t know anything!”

The Hero’s feigned ignorance pushed her anger to its limit.

For weeks now, she hadn’t been able to sleep properly because of the hypnosis he’d placed on her.

Forget the consequences—today, she was going to put an end to this.

“The tricks you’ve been pulling on my body—did you really think I wouldn’t notice?!”

“Se-Sera…! How did you…?”

“You thought I wouldn’t notice? Or did you think I’d just fall for it without question?”

The Hero’s startled expression betrayed his fear, unable to hide the dark shadow creeping across his face.

So, he’s finally realizing it. Did he really think I wouldn’t notice the hypnosis he put on me?

“How…? It was supposed to be perfect…”

“Hey, are you even listening to me? What’s with this guy… he’s completely zoned out.”

The Hero suddenly muttered to himself, staring at the floor in a disconcerting manner.

It was nothing like his usual annoying, sweet demeanor.

The shift unsettled me.

Could I die here? This guy was a corrupted Hero, after all. If the hypnosis didn’t work, his options were either to kill me or force himself on me.

Those were the only two possibilities that made sense. The thought alone made my fear spike.

“Wait… You’re not going to… k-kill me, are you…?”

“…Damn it!”

The saintly mask I wore was gone, leaving me unable to hide my emotions. Sensing the suspicious air, I reflexively began pleading. But the Hero cut me off, grabbing my wrists tightly and forcing me to the floor.

Pinned down, I was powerless to move under his intense glare.

Though my life was spared, the situation couldn’t have been more dangerous.

“Ah! Wh-what are you doing?!”

“I won’t allow it!”

My gasp of surprise turned into a sharp cry as the Hero’s bloodshot eyes locked onto me.

I struggled to get up, but his strength was impossible to overcome.

This was bad. If this kept up, he’d end up forcing himself on me.

My face burned with shame, and the sigil on my lower abdomen flared with painful intensity, spreading heat through my body.

“Tell me! How did you find out? Was it God? No matter what happens, I’ll—”

“Ah… I…”

It hurt. The Hero’s grip on my wrists was so tight I could already feel the bruises forming.

I didn’t even need to look to know.

“Ahh, it hurts! Let go! I said it hurts!”

The more I struggled, the tighter his grip became.

His eyes didn’t even register my discomfort as he relentlessly pressed for answers.

Why was this happening? He was the one who used hypnosis to manipulate me.

Why did I have to suffer like this? The sheer injustice of it all made me seethe with rage.

But beyond my anger, I was afraid. Afraid of being violated, of being killed. Yet, more than that, I wanted to shout back at him.

I had endured enough.

I had gone along with this ridiculous saint act, risking my life to stay by his side and find a way back to my world.

And yet, this was how he treated me? Why was he pushing me to my limits like this?

“You idiot! You want to know how I know? It’s because I’m from the same world as you! I know exactly what this world is, what I’m supposed to do—everything!”

“The… same world as me?”

“You bastard! Yeah, that’s right! I don’t want to die, but what can I do? I hate the idea of being corrupted even more! Goddamn it, I’m desperate to go back to my original world! Why? Why?! WHY?!”

“Sera…? I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

My admission that I knew the truth of this world seemed to snap him out of it.

His grip on me finally loosened, but my frustration wasn’t going to fade so easily.

“You like it here, don’t you? That’s why you’re always grinning like an idiot! I want to feel the same way, too! But I can’t… I can’t because I’m a saint.”

Even though this world had a fantasy setting, at its core, it was nothing more than an erotic game focused on hypnosis, submission, and corruption.

And I had been born into it as the saint.

That made it all the more humiliating and infuriating. I knew exactly what awaited me in this world.

A saint, corrupted by the Hero’s gaze, turned into nothing more than a plaything.

It wasn’t just the Hero; the saint could end up as a tool for monsters, beggars, anyone. And that saint… was me.

Unlike the Hero, who worried about who he’d bed next, my days were consumed by anxiety.

How could I avoid hypnosis? How could I sidestep the corruption flags? That was all I thought about.

And yet, that damn Hero went ahead and strengthened his hypnosis ability with the cursed sigil.

Life was unbearable. I couldn’t take it anymore.

Every night, I lay awake dreading what awaited me as the saint.

And now, my thoughts were consumed with fear and despair.

Meanwhile, the Hero was off marrying Laura without a care in the world.

“Who the hell are you supposed to be, anyway? I need a Hero to defeat the Demon Lord with me, not someone like you! Got it?!”

“I’m sorry… I really am. But… I don’t want you to die.”

Stupid bastard. Of course, he doesn’t want me dead. He needs me to be corrupted to avoid the bad ending.

“You idiot. Do whatever you want. Roast me, boil me, I don’t care anymore.”

Honestly, maybe that would be easier. Living in constant fear of being hypnotized was exhausting.

It might be better to just give in and chase pleasure as some corrupted, mindless woman.

Like in that dream, where I wagged my tail at the Hero like a loyal dog.

No worries, no thoughts about the Demon Lord or this world. Was it worth risking my life to return to my original world when this one was such a nightmare?

“Let’s… let’s talk about this later. Right now, I don’t even know what to think anymore.”

Before the seed of emotion buried deep inside me could take root, the Hero activated his cursed sigil.

My body went limp as consciousness faded, and a chilling realization set in: there was no turning back now.