Chapter 131 – 131 – Holiday in the Tiger Forest
Is it Ishtar’s grace, or is it the sister’s utmost sincerity in taking care of me?
For someone who had a spear stuck between his shoulder and chest muscles, he was able to get up fairly well. Walking wasn’t difficult with Eshen’s support.
I took a walk around the Mansion of Lord Hwanhyanggok, breathing in the early morning air filtered by pine trees. I was confident that I wouldn’t fall while walking, so I returned to the lodging assigned to our party.
There was a minor incident where Morgan was so surprised to see me that she dropped the pistol she was working on and broke the top of Lennie’s foot, but isn’t that enough to be happy?
For a moment, I felt like a tree in the jungle. Everyone came rushing in and hugged me tightly and wouldn’t let me go.
Like a bunch of sloths.
And although it was a little embarrassing, that alone used up all my stamina for the day.
Because he had just passed the threshold of death, his strength had not fully returned. I was in a dazed state because of the painkilling medication.
So after that, I only received medical treatment. If party members drag you around in a daze, it will drag you along, if you put food in its mouth, it will eat it, and if you nibble on its ear, it will give it to you obediently.
“Sister? Sister-!”
“I can’t take it anymore. Take off my pants right now!”
“Someone stop me! If I get picked now, the kid will die!”
Well, anyway.
I think someone even gave me a bath, but I don’t really remember. I think it went by in a slightly different way than when I was drinking and then the film stopped.
…There was no need to clean every nook and cranny like that.
No. Don’t think it’s embarrassing. The guys who were petty would have messed with it at other times anyway, so what else is there to be embarrassed about?
I decided to just enjoy the feeling of being cared for lovingly. Without much thought.
It was a warm and dry day like that.
———–
And this morning dawned.
What you feel before the sunlight is a feeling of weight. When I slowly open my eyes and look to both sides, I can’t help but smile.
On the white blanket spread widely on the floor, two people are lying, each hugging my side. They even make small sounds in their sleep and keep rubbing their bodies against each other.
Even though I hugged you like that yesterday, I wonder if you never get tired of it. It feels like hugs with party members have become more frequent these days. This is true even if you are not in a relationship with me like Isilun or Lenny.
I’m not sure if it’s because it’s a women’s party or because the average age is relatively low. Maybe we just became attached. It’s not strange since we’ve been through a lot in such a short period of time.
Of course it’s not that I don’t like it. Rather, I feel like life is worth living every time I feel the warmth of a hug.
And I hope you can forgive me for thinking this, but damn it. It’s fluffy.
No, it’s fluffy…
But I have to separate it for now.
It feels like it’s going numb, but I don’t want anyone to yell at me and ask me what I’m doing to someone with vascular disease.
First from the left. When I see my bright red hair scattered all over, I can’t help but laugh.
When I put my hand on Nidroga’s scalp and stroked it, the corner of her mouth twitched while making a sound like a whine in her sleep. And then he stroked me upside down.
After a bloody fight to further mess up each other’s already tangled hair, Nidro grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles.
I decided to take it as a declaration of surrender. Soon the lovely dragon woke up with a long yawn.
“Is it worth living?”
“I guess so. I’m thirsty and hungry.”
“I guess it’s worth living. Wake up Isilun too. It’s almost lunch time, so let’s go eat.”
“Lunch? What? Did I skip breakfast?”
“What? Are you surprised there?”
Nidroga laughed and pointed to my right.
I looked back at the sloth on my right, feeling something uneasy. An unidentified sloth that was completely attached to me and squirming.
Her body is wrapped tightly in a blanket, so her face is hard to see. However, a few strands of hair stick out.
It is a healthy blonde color like the golden fields of autumn.
I jumped out of the blanket, screaming like a child. Isilun, who was suddenly shaken off, quickly jumped back and assumed his sword stance.
“W-what is it? Was it an attack? Was there an accident?”
Yes, it’s a raid. There was an accident. And the culprit is you.
As Isilun fumbled around his waist, he noticed that his pajama pants were halfway down and hurriedly pulled them up.
And then I saw Nidroga’s face, desperately suppressing laughter. Next, I checked my face, which was probably showing signs of fear.
Isilun’s face turned red.
“Uh, that.”
“Eh, yes?”
“When I was very young, I used to sleep hugging my mother, father, or brothers. It was natural for large families to do that. When I grew up, I slept with a pillow or a knife case instead. I got into the habit of feeling safe when I sleep with something on my back. That’s why.”
“Yes?”
“It’s a habit. It’s a habit.”
Excuses pouring out like a stream of clear water.
It made sense. But the situation only became more awkward. Because Isilun’s face was turning red in real time.
“Um, so, yes. It’s a habit. It’s a mistake I made because of habit. Never, I mean-“
“The bird that wakes up late eats lunch first!”
When a lively shout was heard from somewhere across the yard, Isil Rune twitched in place as if she had been struck by lightning.
“Rice delivery has arrived, you late sleepers! Be proud and remember the fact that tteokgalbi was served in the morning. It’s Gokju’s name!”
“I don’t like tteokgalbi. They make such a fuss about saying it’s their favorite dish.”
“Are you talking a lot about eating your fill for free thanks to me, you salty water addicted robber? I’ll make you eat only acorns as a special order from the owner of the grain!”
“···For some reason, it feels like every time Morgan talks to Eshen, his nicknames increase.”
“And Eshen seems to be so excited that he can’t control himself. Well, he’s been excited ever since you got better.”
Nidroga chuckled. Then he looked back at me and Isilun and gestured.
“Let’s fold the blanket. Don’t freeze. It’s no big deal.”
That’s right. Me, Eshen, Sister Monica, Nidroga, Morgan, Isilun, and Lenny. A total of seven people slept together on the floor, so although the space wasn’t small, it could feel tight if you toss and turn.
We camped together in the first place, so what’s the big deal about sleeping with each other as pillows? Let’s not act like dicks.
After getting over my momentary embarrassment, I turned to Isilun and nodded at her.
“Of course. It’s no big deal, right?”
“···Uh, um.”
Isilun barely smiled.
“Yeah, it’s no big deal. No, no.”
———–
“First of all, let’s play in the water.”
Eshen stood solemnly on a rock in the valley. Then he took off his top and bottom and threw it at me.
The rest of the party members, who were already taking a dip in the valley water, applauded Eshen, saying it was cool. I have to see something to tell you I’m cool.
When I take off the pants that are sticking to my face, I see a spectacular view, just as my colleagues said. Eshen was wearing a swimsuit that matched the color of her eyes.
It was pretty erotic. It’s closer to sportswear than underwear, and although it’s not particularly extreme in terms of common sense, it shows so much skin that it’s hard to take your eyes off it.
No, I don’t think it’s because of the swimsuit that makes it sexy. It’s because of Eshen’s body. This is because the bulkiness and elasticity stand out through the swimsuit.
If it were just the two of us, we would have laughed and enjoyed it without analyzing it so seriously, but not now.
While lying down on a luxurious mother-of-pearl decorated bench, I gently looked down at the bustling valley downstream.
Other Tigris were gathered together and splashing around in the water. They are vacationers who have escaped the summer.
“Tch.”
“What is that reaction?”
“At Dragon’s Nest Beach, you just swam with your clothes on. But you said it was inconvenient to spend money.”
“It was like that until Billie and that scheming bastard bought a swimsuit that looked like a killer move. It felt unfair for some reason. So she emptied her wallet on the day she came home.”
Eshen pointed to his left chest with both palms. It had a cat’s face pattern on it.
I love it.
“It’s good to laugh, kid.”
Eshen was satisfied with my honest response. But I wasn’t satisfied.
“I don’t like what other guys might see.”
“Would you like to see it?”
“You’ll see. How can you not see a body like that?”
“If those idiots take a glance, I will kill them with my own hands, right?”
I hadn’t thought of that.
To be honest, I was worried from the beginning. Not only did I not want to show mine to my other children, but I was also concerned about Tigris’ racial characteristics.
These are the guys who use their fists to win over the female or male they like. Wouldn’t someone have the delusion that ‘if I just organize one porter, that female will be mine’?
But if you think about it carefully, didn’t someone die in Hwanhwagok just recently? The devil’s blood was spilled, and several elders were publicly executed.
···Right into the hands of Eshen. The new Hwanhwagokju did not hesitate to announce the change of power through his own words. I think the example of what happens if you mess up has probably been imprinted in your mind.
On the one hand, I feel fortunate that I missed that cruel spectacle. Why do I take it for granted that my girlfriend is a pure beast, even though I hate Eshen’s underwear?
Actually, in the past I would have been scared and shaking, but now I just feel good about it. Should I say it feels like being protected by a tamed beast?
“You want to beat him up if he sees someone else? So you bought it just for me to see?”
“That’s right. Be thankful to Monica. If you were dead, you wouldn’t have seen such good things.”
“That’s right. Oh, damn it. I can’t massage that thing underwater.”
“Heh. If you’re a patient, don’t be cocky and just sit there.”
Eshen stood on the edge of the rock, sticking out his tongue. And just before diving in, he secretly gave me a flirtatious laugh.
“You’re just admiring my wet ass. Hey! Get out of the way!”
The party members who were splashing in the large pool upstream that Eshen had taken care of were giggling and laughing, widening the gap between them.
Eshen jumped down the rocky cliff with exaggerated gestures. Soon the valley water surged and splashed on me.
I grunted a little later as I wiped the cool moisture from my face.
“You sound like a middle-aged man. Do you know?”
I don’t know if he heard it or if he didn’t even pretend to hear it, but Eshen started swimming like he was supposed to.
It’s definitely worth seeing. The sight of Eshen smiling as he glanced down at me was definitely unexpectedly stimulating.
“Still, I don’t like it. I think there might be one or two people sneaking a glance at me without being caught.”
“Then I’ll go and tell you. But like a male.”
“Even if I had been healthy, I would have raised my head and stopped him. Like a male. But it’s not easy to act like a male after being speared.”
“It’s proof of weakness. If you can’t handle a female with a weapon plugged into your body, you can’t claim her rights in the Hwanhwagok. You’d better be careful.”
“Go tell Eshen. He’ll accept it because you’re a male who won’t give in to that kind of pain. He’ll probably put a huge thing on your shoulder to see if it’s true.”
“You’re not even looking back. Aren’t you scared? I came this close.”
“It may make me feel bad to say this, but I honestly don’t think I’ll die from you even though I survived the Demon Lord.”
I don’t know if he was offended by those words, or if he was trying to come next to me and show his face.
Whatever the reason, Tigris, lurking behind me, tried to approach within ten steps. And she stopped after about eight steps.
The cold sound of a sword scraping against a leather sheath was heard.
“And there is a reason for that. Look, Garam. It’s not like I came because of hostility.”
“How do you know? Togalo is right. You are weak and too careless.”
“I didn’t ask you to put the knife in. I told you to let go of the back of your hand. That way, he won’t make excuses either.”
I looked back.
Garam, who was hanging upside down on a tree branch, looked into my eyes for a long time, and eventually let go of Togalo as I asked. I left the sword on my uvula as is.
Togallo, who could not move for fear of the knife even as his neck was tightened with a grip, let out the breath he had been holding and glanced at me and Garam. I chuckled.
“If there’s anything you want to say, feel free to say it. The friend who said he was humiliated by Eshen and Garam.”
“As much as you want? No, you’d better choose your words very carefully, Togalo!”
Garam revealed his teeth.
“My sister saved you, but I have no intention of letting you live. You stick to the side of the elders, participate in a rebellion, and then shamelessly show your face? Just make up an excuse. I will send you to the elders you followed.”
“···Damn it, if I had known a long time ago that those old men were on the Demon King’s side, I wouldn’t have followed them! I only thought that the invasion of Wulin was due to Hualien Gokju’s excessive greed. I never thought it was a plot by the Demon King. ! What is the reason for Hyanghwagok to hone his martial arts skills in the first place? Isn’t it to deal with the devil?
“Fighting against the Demon King? What? Is that why the atmosphere of sincerity about becoming stronger was created?”
“Yes, Hwanhwagok’s strong self-respect is actually to deal with the Demon King. By accumulating noble martial arts without informing the outside world, the hardships that threw the world into chaos in the past-“
“No, that’s enough. Just stop there. I understand enough.”
I see That may be why Hwaryeon was trying to raise her children solidly. Since the Demon King is active like that, perhaps it can be said that he was right.
It is ironic that what saved Hwa-ryeon from the Demon King was not harsh pushing, but familial love.
“But you said that the person who knew that was on the Demon King’s side… Ah, you didn’t know.”
As I scratched on purpose, Togalo’s expression became more wrinkled. Out of sympathy, I think it would be better to stop.
“So what’s the point? What do you want to talk about?”
“I came to warn you. And then I came to ask you another question.”
“What?”
“The Tigrians stopping by this valley of purification is a ritual before the festival begins in earnest.”
Consciousness?
“It would be appropriate to call it a kind of eve or hors d’oeuvre. Free from the heat and in a state where their aggression has subsided, the Tigris quietly take a look at how strong each other’s bodies are.”
“···Why? To fight while feeling a little cooler?”
Garam flinches. And he looks back at me with shocked eyes.
While I was confused and wondering if I had made a mistake, Togalo continued calmly.
“Wrong. You really don’t know anything. I hope Eshen didn’t tell you on purpose. After you take a bath in that water and dry off, you’ll be ready.”
“What happens when preparations are complete?”
“Don’t you know?”
“···I’m asking because I don’t know. If you know-“
“Mating begins.”
What?
“It’s literally true. A festival is held where unmarried Tigris, and sometimes even Tigris who already have mates, choose the partner they like and commit sex with each other. So I came to ask. Other Tigris were also curious. Are you Eshen? “I’m thinking of giving up-“
Garam’s knife tapped Togalo’s uvula. Togalo met Garam’s eyes. Garam shook his head.
Togallo changed the question.
“Nothing. Eshen also announced that he would not touch you, so stealing his partner as a challenge would probably not happen to the new Lord of Hwaseonggok. So what about the rest?”
I think I understand why his peers gave him the nickname ‘crazy guy.’ Because it was hard for me to bear it without being called that.
“···What do you want to say, you crazy bastard?”
“From that dragon to the hero, do they all have lovers? Do they understand the customs of the Hwanhwa Valley? If you came here with the intention of hanging out at ‘Catnip Night,’ I recommend you go down downstream and find a mate. -“
As a living being, there are times when you inevitably feel a premonition of death.
Garam was shocked, and I shuddered. Even Togallo, that crazy guy who was honest about his desires even with a knife at his throat, kept his mouth shut.
Death climbed up the cliff without a sound. And he said, squeezing the moisture out of his hair.
“What is that bastard talking about, Garam?”
“Eh, eh, Eshen, I, uh, never meant to force them to the festival. You know, that only happened in the elders’ generation-“
“Garam, you are responsible for hearing such a bullshit sound in my ears. Right?”
Eshen smiled like a person with a generous heart. However, the only thing that was abundant in the words that followed was violence.
“Beat it until it can’t move, make it a sick person, and then leave it somewhere out of sight. No one can hold this bastard on a catnip night.”
“Yes, Lord Gok.”
“You can call me sister. It doesn’t matter whether it’s just the two of us or when someone is listening.”
“If I’m asking you to do it for my sister, I think I should do it moderately. I want to do it right, so let’s pretend it’s Gokju’s request.”
In an instant, Garam grabbed Togalo’s back and disappeared. Togalo was dragged away with a somewhat resigned expression.
I blinked blankly and then looked back. He Eshen was frowning.
“···Eshen?”
“Hmm. Togalo is right. There is no need to worry too much. It is said that during our parents’ generation, the consciousness was so extreme that murders were common, but after my mother became a farmer, brains are spilled on the roadside under the pretext of sex. There is no work-“
“What did I just hear…?”
I can’t breathe because all the questions are coming out at once.
Mating festival? Did bringing up the festival mean an orgy? Are all compatible songs turning into sex town?
So what about your colleagues? You’re not trying to take other people away from me, are you? I can picture the NTR scenario clearly in my mind. What on earth have you done?
“What? I explained it to you yesterday, right? Why are you acting like you just heard it for the first time?”
“Yesterday···?”
“Ah. You were half out of your mind yesterday. You dozed off and woke up, and then you dozed off. Do I have to explain it again?”
“Huh, what happens? What happens when the bathing ritual ends in the valley?”
“What happens?”
Eshen looked down at his colleagues who were looking up at what was going on down there. And then he glanced at me,
She licked her upper lip with her tongue and smiled bitterly.
“Mating begins.”
—————-
Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about.
There was nothing I felt ‘worried about’. This means that the nightmare of being forced to pair up with Isilun or Lenny, who I never thought would be a disaster, or having Morgan and Monica taken away by some bastards didn’t happen.
Actually, I don’t know who I was worried about. If something bad was going to happen, Lord, who is also in Hwanhwa Song, would have taken care of it.
I actually should have been worried about myself. I looked at the entrance to the guest villa, shaking with anxiety.
A nightly silhouette wriggles beyond the door made of paper. The shadow, spread and swaying in the moonlight and fire, eventually split into two and hesitantly opened the door together.
One was someone I never knew was so beautiful.
And the other person was someone I had never thought of. I said in ecstasy.
