Her movements were different.She was fundamentally different from the hound controlled by that Eternal Dark or whatever. Each of her tentacles had a very sharp offensive stance.
She was a professional. 『Yuri Frostlover』⋯⋯ that bitch was an expert in fighting!
Among the Four Demon Lords, she was the best in the ability to detect mana and even had better mana capacity. Even when Roderus tried to find her weak point, he couldn’t find any.
Even if he closed the distance, he was at a disadvantage in close combat. And if he remained at a distance, he would get caught by plant stems. The ace in his sleeve to turn this table was Metamorphosis── this was it!
He couldn’t use it.
If he activated Metamorphosis again, the already damaged 『Transformation Device (Dreaming Mirror)』 might permanently transform him into a girl. The situation deteriorated as Roderus hesitated──
Wooosh-!!
"Keuk⋯⋯!!"
"I’ve caught you, Magical Girl 『Pure Knight』."
It ended with Roderus’ defeat.The plant stem coiled around Roderus’ ankle, lifting him upside down. Gravity caused his clothes to slip, though fortunately, his lower body was covered by the outfit’s drawers but⋯⋯.
“I see a pretty navel.”
“FUCK, D-DON’T LOOK!!”
No matter how much they struggled, there was no sign of the restraints loosening. They were drained of Mana⋯⋯ the Pure Energy was critically low.
Looking at the two Magical Girls suspended in the air, Munggae shouted.
“Citizens are watching your fight from nearby, mong! Hurry up and restore the Pure Energy mong!”
“So what do you want me to do in this situation!!”
“I’ve captured all of you. Now I’ll take my time tormenting you and⋯⋯ extract as much Impure Energy as possible. Submit without resistance and become a production plant.”
Shivers⋯⋯!!
“You bitch, you’re looking at me sexually⋯⋯!"
“It’s my pleasure to defeat such stubborn girls, so.”
Rustle!
Slippery plant stems began to worm their way into the crevices of Pure Knight's clothes. At first, they infiltrated the inside of her socks, then the nape of her neck, and finally snaked along the edges of her ribboned forearms.
"Eu, heut⋯⋯!!"
A groan escaped Pure Knight's lips involuntarily. Roderus gritted his teeth and tried to hold it in, but the scene in the mirror confirmed his fears.
The mere contact of the vines was painful as it crawled through his body. The irritation was overwhelming for her sensitive skin. The tentacles slithered across Pure Knight's pale skin with a ripping sound.
“Y-Yoouu⋯⋯!!"
He could endure the pain. He could even endure creeping chills and the unknown heat slowly spreading through the body if necessary. But…
But, those gazes! Those heated gazes that the onlookers were giving with enthusiasm⋯⋯!
It was an embarrassment that felt like it would set his head aflame. Everyone was watching him being toyed with by a monstrous-human.
What made it even more degrading was that pure energy was being siphoned from the citizens in real-time. Even if he closed his eyes, he couldn’t escape the feeling of their eyes all over her body.
Pure Knight trembled with indescribable shame.
But, he had to stay calm. It was a good sign that mana was flowing in. The influx of mana was a positive sign. Although the onlookers' lewd gazes were bad, the mana generated from it was not sinful.
He just needed to turn the tables with the incoming mana.
Pure Rodeo, who was captured before him, would likely be gathering her power too, so she would probably be able to break free almost simultaneously. At that moment, he would launch his counterattack.
Roderus glanced at Kim Ruru. She should also be accumulating her mana while enduring this humilia⋯⋯
"It feels good. Eung, yeah yeah, right there. My shoulders feel really good. Life is gooood~"
"⋯⋯What, what are you doing?”
Why the fuck is she enjoying it?
"Oh, Pure Knight. What do you mean, ‘What are you doing?’"
"No, seriously, what are you doing? I'm asking why you’re not struggling to escape and instead just calmly accepting this."
The response was spectacular.
"No, I mean, they’re giving me a free massage. It's slippery, my muscles are relaxing, and it feels great."
"⋯⋯ No, the issue at hand is that she is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Organization of Evil."
"Eung! I don't know why this foolish monstrous-human is suddenly giving a massage, but it feels good. I'm going to enjoy it for now and then quickly defeat her."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Roderus was stunned*. What is this fucker saying right now?*
The Magical Girls were not experiencing a full-body massage, but outright humiliation. Looking at the plant tentacles groping Kim Ruru's body made it clear that this was meant to humiliate and torment.
The other side, having been caught first, was already being violated deeply. But to interpret this as a massage⋯⋯ does she have no sense of shame?
No way. *
*
Roderus asked, bewildered.
"Do you know how babies are made, by any chance?"
“I don't know? It's probably made in some way.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
“Ah, I know that you need an alchemist for it!”
It wasn’t that she was unfazed by the harassment. She didn’t even recognize it as harassment because she didn't know anything at all!
Creepcreep ⋯⋯!
The tentacles that had been groping Kim Ruru slowly retreated, as if embarrassed. They then shifted into making it look like it had been a normal muscle massage from the start.
Meanwhile, for him, the tentacles were probing into more private places. Roderus shouted in frustration.
“Why are you discriminating?!”
"Harassing someone pure isn't to my taste."
"It’s not⋯⋯ no, stop! Don't dig into the tunic⋯⋯!!"
After a full-body massage on one side and various forms of harassment on the other, Pure Energy had been collected from the citizens, and he barely managed to free himself.
“Eck, eueut⋯⋯ keut⋯⋯."
“The massage is over,『Rodeo Punch』!"
"Oh my, you The massage⋯⋯ impressive for a Magical Girl. I’ll retreat this time. Farewell."
The Heavenly King, satisfied after her indulgence, left with a satisfied face. Kim Ruru celebrated the battle with a victory pose, while Pure Knight slumped down in defeat.
"Damn it⋯⋯!! Next time, next time it won’t be like th⋯⋯."
"Oh Dae-soo, you were being so cocky and now you’ve passed out from something like this? You’re the type who falls asleep during a shoulder massage, aren't you?"
“YOU C── EUAAAACK⋯⋯!!"
Kim Ruru delivered the final blow. Roderus, filled with rising anger, let out a scream. The battle had left him with wounds in many ways.
===============================================================
"Are you upset Oh Dae-sooooo? Oh, my. There’s no shame in losing to the strong! Come on, you got this!"
"You, you please⋯⋯ shut up, you empty-headed bitch"
"Isn't it nice to have an empty head? It’s light so it puts less pressure on the neck."
"I just cursed at you-!!"
Roderus’ delicate body, prone to hypotension, seemed to be cured immediately. Kim Ruru, however, was a walking stress booster for him.
Despite this, he got help in cleaning up.
After moving to Oh Hye-in's house with a dejected Roderus in tow, she cleaned off the sticky residue from the plant stems and changed him into a dry outfit.
Being washed by a girl in a female body was deeply humiliating, but it was somewhat comforting that Kim Ruru was innocent and unaware.
As Roderus lay sprawled on the sofa in a thin t-shirt and shorts, Oh Hye-in sat beside him, gently patting his head.
"You worked hard today, Dae-soo oppa. That Heavenly King was a little rough~"
"Get your hands off⋯⋯ nevermind. I don't even have the energy to get angry anymore today⋯⋯ Oh Hye-in, have you been fighting while dealing with this kind of stuff?"
"Ah, well⋯⋯ I've had similar experiences, but I think she was particularly harsh with you. It seems you were her type. You’re popular with women!"
"⋯⋯I didn't even want that popularity."
He was exhausted. Roderus felt battered both physically and mentally. Of course, it was much better than being confined in the underground prison but⋯⋯ fatigue was still fatigue.
Oh Hye-in whispered as he tried to doze off.
"We’re about to eat. Why don’t you try staying awake a bit longer, Dae-soo oppa?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Meal.
Roderus rubbed his eyes and got up. He couldn't resist the mention of food.
It wasn't that the meal from this world was exceptionally delicious or anything. As a noble, Roderus had also enjoyed many luxurious dishes before.
But now, confined to an underground prison and chewing on cockroaches, he was desperately hungry, so⋯⋯ he liked to eat.
"Wait a bit, I'll set it up soon. And Ruru, you help Dae-soo oppa get himself together!"
"Oh Dae-soo, let's play a chopsticks game! Chopsticks game!"
"I don't know what that is, but I have no intention of playing any games right now. Just fuck off."
"Backing out because you think you're scared to lose⋯⋯."
Forgetting about the chopsticks game or whatever, Roderus began attacking Kim Ruru using his fingers as rapiers. Soon, there was a finger fencing battle between the two.
The battle grew intense as Kim Ruru struggled against Roderus' overwhelming technique. Kim Ruru, driven by a desire for victory, began to aim for Roderus' weak points. Like his chest.
"Where the hell are you stabbi⋯⋯ keuk!"
"You, you were ticklish when the plant stem touched this spot! Take it Oh Dae-soo, it's a judgment of justice!"
"Where’s the justice in this sexual harassment, you ignorantbitch!!"
As they continued spending time like that, Roderus heard Oh Hye-in humming and the sound of something boiling from the kitchen.
Bubblebubblebubble.
It was a calming sound. And it was a warm sound.
It hadn’t been long since they had started living together, but Roderus had already shared several meals with them. Under the same roof, he began to experience warmth in a way he had never known.
The sound of boiling water meant a meal was ready, not torture.
The clatter of a knife on a cutting board signaled the cutting of green onions, not the slicing of flesh.
The laughter of Oh Hye-in and Kim Ruru was a sign of genuine joy, not like the women drugged by Duke Redburn.
It was so different even though it sounded similar.
The three of them gathered at the table. The menu was soybean stew, kimchi, well-cooked spam, and stir-fried garlic scape. The taste was strange, but Roderus found it surprisingly enjoyable.
He took a spoonful of soybean stew with tofu and onions, mixed it with rice, and topped it with garlic scapes before putting it in his mouth. He now understood that this unfamiliar sensation was called savory.
Clatter.
He heard the sound of cutlery occasionally hitting the rice. Oh Hye-in was quiet, while Kim Ruru kept talking, "Let's eat."
His stomach warmed, not from anger but from a deep, comforting satisfaction.
"I think I fought pretty well today."
"Please, go learn how to fight properly⋯⋯!!"
"But strength doesn’t always rely on special techniques, you know?"
“YOU’RE! THE! WEAK ONE!”
He was still furious hearing Kim Ruru's absurd comments but⋯⋯!
After scraping every last bit from his bowl, Oh Hye-in watched Roderus with interest, noticing how much he enjoyed the meal, and asked.
"How was dinner? Did it taste good?"
"⋯⋯Yes, well. It wasn’t bad."
"Dae-soo oppa, can't you really speak kindly?”
Roderus pursed his lips. As a noble, he felt it was his duty to offer praise for a well-prepared meal. So, he decided to speak kindly as the chef desired.
If I say something like ‘For a commoner, you managed to make this with such poor ingredients’⋯⋯ wouldn’t that be considered kind words? Maybe…
Let's be straightforward. Without any self-praise, just⋯⋯ say what I feel.
“The meal this time──"
===============================================================
"⋯⋯was, good.”
Roderus woke up from a long dream and opened his eyes.
His parched, cracked voice echoed through the damp underground prison. He gasped and took a sharp breath. Instead of the warmth of home, the air that filled the lungs was damp and humid.
It was disorienting. His blurred sense of reality raised an alarm. Was it just a dream?
It was cold.
The rough, calloused hand brushed against the floor of the prison. The moisture he touched with his fingertips was chillingly cold. Roderus recoiled in shock, shaking off his hand
Was it really just a dream? He scanned around for any sign of the Magical Girls, chasing the fleeting scent of soybean stew, but found nothing. Roderus was the only person imprisoned here.
The lonely underground prison was dark and silent, apart from the sounds of his own struggles.
The delusion was over. This painful place was his reality.
He staggered, then crouched down as he pulled his hair out with both hands.
Because it seemed especially cold today.
===============================================================
"I hereby commence the First Round Table Conference of the Organization of Evil, 『Legend of Devils』."
“Why are you still doing this act⋯⋯?!"
"『Espoir De Eternal Dark』, the weakest of Four Heavenly Kings, please report first."
“That isn’t my fucking name and⋯⋯!!"
The conference of the Organisation of Evil executives had begun.