A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

While many things changed after starting to live with Grace, there were still things that remained unchanged.

One of the most representative examples was the weekend. On weekends, Rod used his residence as a base of operations.

Activities primarily involved managing the Forest of Chaos. It had gradually entered a stable period, and as long as the dangerous animals were handled, the job was done.

Rod was also planning to allow access to the Forest of Chaos soon. Reports were coming in that the outskirts had become as safe as in the past.

While the outer areas were still dangerous, they were better than before. For now, the number of animals and monsters being driven out from the interior had decreased.

This implied that a new predator had taken over within the Forest of Chaos. Of course, there was no particular thought of confirming this.

There was no benefit in provoking it for no reason. Unless it came first, it was better for both sides to ignore each other.

'Anything unusual today?'

With the weekend here, I stepped into the area under my management. Just in case, I brought the Bloodstained Greatsword with me.

Porori managed the other half of the outskirts, so there was no need to worry about that area. Therefore, I only planned to check and leave.

"Grr...!"

"Hm?"

At that moment, I heard the cry of a beast near my ear. I turned my head to check.

When I turned my head, I saw a bear glaring at me. However, it was small in size, so I assumed it was a cub.

'That's strange. Bears are supposed to stay with their mothers.'

Bears are known for their strong maternal instincts and wouldn't leave their cubs alone. On the contrary, they fiercely protect them.

Because of this, there were not a few cases of people being injured by provoking bears with cubs. However, the fact that it was alone meant one of two things.

'Either the cub got separated, or its mother is dead.'

Unlike on Earth, bears in this world are not particularly harmful animals.

From the bear's perspective, not only humans but also other creatures are more dangerous. Therefore, it's a situation where they mutually ignore each other.

Of course, from the perspective of a bear with cubs, there's no mercy the moment its territory is invaded. Even for ordinary people, bears are still quite frightening animals.

"Kaaah!"

As I approached, the bear cub let out a loud roar. Of course, I ignored it and continued approaching.

Eventually, I passed the wary bear cub and entered the bush, where I was able to confirm what I had anticipated.

'As expected, the mother is dead.'

Behind the bush lay the corpse of a large bear. The cub seemed to have stayed there to protect its mother.

Even now, it was desperately trying to keep me away, biting my leg to push me back.

But it wasn't an adult, just a mere cub. It should be grateful that I wasn't killing it.

If it were a wolf expelled from its pack, that would be one thing, but bears are relatively valuable predators in the ecosystem. Being omnivorous, they even eat carcasses.

'I'm not sure if it'll survive well.'

Ignoring whether the cub clung to me or not, I examined the mother bear. Whatever could kill a bear like this had to be a fairly dangerous animal or monster.

If the body was in good condition, I considered taking it whole. Not only the bear hide but also its gallbladder, or bear bile, was useful as a medicinal ingredient.

"Hm?"

"Nyaaang!"

While the cub chewed on my leg or head, I continued examining without concern. That's when I noticed something strange about the bear's corpse.

There didn't seem to be any visible injuries. Although it appeared to have been dead for some time, no clear external wounds were visible.

It didn't die from disease either. There were no traces of fur falling out, and instead, its coat looked glossy.

'It's not like it suffered internal injuries either.'

How should I put it? It felt as if its life force had simply vanished, like it had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

There's only one type of entity capable of doing such a thing. None other than a demon.

As I've mentioned many times before, demons sustain their lives by stealing the life force of other creatures.

'But just one of these isn't enough.'

However, the evidence was still insufficient to confirm this. It could have died for another reason.

It was only a possibility. I would need to find a case similar to this bear to confirm anything.

'For now, let's leave it since it might have been diseased.'

I considered taking the hide but decided against it. If I accidentally contracted a disease, it would be troublesome.

Finishing my examination of the mother bear, I started walking away. However, the bear cub kept lingering around me.

Smack!

"Get lost."

"Yelp!"

So, I decisively kicked it. I kicked it lightly, but it should be enough to establish dominance.

In reality, the bear cub stopped approaching after being hit. It merely hovered near its mother's cold, lifeless body.

The bear cub will grow up on its own. However, I need to occasionally check on how it's doing.

As I mentioned before, finding a predator on par with a bear isn't easy. Within the outskirts, they are at the top of the food chain.

Anything above that level of predator could destroy the ecosystem of the outskirts. A bear is just right.

'Who killed the bear?'

The mother bear was over 2 meters tall. Yet it was killed without any visible injuries.

Although it's still in the realm of suspicion, if something similar happens again, I'll investigate it thoroughly.

If it really is the work of a demon, it means the time is approaching. I'll have to make a move before it invades the Academy.

'Before that...'

I need to gather herbs first. Thanks to the stabilized outskirts, a variety of herbs had grown.

To collect higher-quality herbs, I'd need to go deeper inside, but without a compass, I decided against it.

Still, I was able to gather a considerable amount. Of course, it wasn't to make money but to invest in Ellie.

'Rod has recovered a lot of energy, so I should give him something good for his cough.'

Rod was currently in a healed state. There was still a bit of a lingering cough, but that was due to his age and couldn't be helped.

From the start, the lingering cough was a chronic condition he had for a long time. Unless he underwent a transformation like Rize, it was difficult to fully recover.

Still, it was a relatively mild symptom and didn't cause any issues during combat.

'Ellie is steadily growing too. The situation itself is good.'

Most things were progressing smoothly. At this rate, I should be able to pass the Academy's collapse crisis without much trouble.

Luna would also relay the situation to Rize just in case. I heard that Rize would be coming for the upcoming sparring session.

'Come to think of it, Rize never got involved in any route before.'

I don't know the exact reason, but I heard it was due to bad timing, so things didn't align properly.

Because it was the end of the year, she was too busy and couldn't arrive on time.

It couldn't be helped since it was such a sudden event, and the news naturally came late.

'This time will be different.'

I could roughly predict when they might attack. First, I needed to deal with the demons coming to scout.

After gathering the herbs, I headed back to the Academy. My destination wasn't the dormitory but the old Principal's Office I used to stay in.

Not only would Rod be there, but also my acquaintances. Nowadays, it was practically a gathering spot.

Rod wasn't the type to care about authority, and he was too focused on training Luna to bother with it.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Rod, I'm here."

Finally, I arrived at Rod's residence. I didn't just open the door; I knocked politely.

Then, I felt the presence of someone approaching from behind the door, and it opened. It wasn't Rod standing there.

"Oh, Sivar!"

"Hello."

It was Ellie. It's been a long time since I've seen her face.

She had been busy with community service and studying under Grace, leaving no time.

Although I wanted to meet Ellie occasionally, I couldn't due to my own busy schedule. Ellie was fine, but I was the busy one.

As such, I could only show my face in this manner on weekends. Maybe that's why her face felt even more welcoming.

Hug-

"Sivar, didn't you miss me? I missed you so much."

Ellie hugged me and smiled brightly. Due to the height difference, I naturally looked down at her.

The sensation of her chest was noticeable, but the view was even more overwhelming. She was even wearing a sleeveless top, making it more distinct.

How could she casually carry around such a large pair? The word "overwhelming" truly suited them.

I wondered if there were any men in the world who wouldn't be captivated by this. I was curious for a moment, but I had to say what needed to be said.

Suppressing the urge to touch her chest as much as I could, I expressed what was on my mind.

"I missed you."

"How much?"

"As much as the sky and the earth."

"Hehe."

At my words, Ellie rubbed her face against my chest, expressing all the affection she hadn't been able to show before.

I also held her head in my arms. Just hugging like this seemed to make all my worries and concerns disappear.

After holding each other for a long while and indulging in each other's warmth, we cautiously pulled apart. Ellie's face was slightly flushed.

"I'm curious about what you've been up to. Can you tell me?"

"Yeah. But where's Rod?"

"He's training with Luna back there."

It seemed Luna had arrived while I was managing the forest. Ellie has always been a frequent visitor.

She's the only one capable of healing Rod's addiction. It's not about skill but trust.

Even Dan the medical practitioner, who is Rod's close friend, is under the influence of demons. Who would you trust? It's only natural.

"Ellie. Here are the herbs."

I handed over the herbs I had gathered from the forest. They were contained in a leather pouch.

Soon after, Ellie looked at the herbs inside the pouch and exclaimed in a surprised voice.

"Wow. There's so much. Do you want me to sell all of this?"

"No. Use it yourself, Ellie."

"Really? I feel like I'm always indebted to you......"

"It's fine."

It's a necessary investment to get high-quality potions for free in the future. Not just potions, but elixirs as well.

The more Ellie grows, the further she goes beyond being just a simple pharmacist. If the circumstances are right, she can evolve into an alchemist.

Of course, she'll have to endure numerous baseless criticisms along the way. Even if it's not me, Porori will protect her.

"Is there anything you want? I feel bad about always receiving from you."

"Nothing."

"Really?"

Saying so, Ellie subtly straightened her back. Naturally, my gaze was drawn to her chest.

What a cunning girl. She completely understands what I want. She must have been acting spoiled all this time.

But does she think I'll give in so easily? She's been playful until now, but not anymore.

"Yeah. It's fine."

"......Really?"

"... ..."

When I said it was fine, Ellie looked at me with longing eyes, seeking confirmation once more. Her golden pupils held a hint of tears.

Her face was already so beautiful that I felt guilty. That figure with that gaze is truly unfair.

In the end, I revealed my true desire. One of the desires I had been suppressing for a long time.

"I want to touch your chest."

"Sure! Go ahead!"

Ellie seemed genuinely happy. Even though it felt like such a perverted situation, there was a reason behind it.

According to Ellie, it's natural for a man to want to touch a woman's chest. But if done in civilization, it would attract stares.

Such things require mutual agreement between a man and a woman, and since we had already agreed, it could happen anytime.

I didn't remember when we agreed, but since Ellie said so, I went along with it. It wasn't a bad condition for me either.

'Isn't this gaslighting?'

It felt like an odd concept was being forced on me, but I decided to let it go. Honestly, how could I resist this?

Sometimes, one must surrender to instincts. Besides, she was the one who gave permission first.

'Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, this is my first time actually touching them?'

Up until now, I had only hugged her, never touched her with my hands. It felt so natural that I had forgotten.

With a curious gaze, I looked at Ellie. She was smiling innocently as if she knew nothing.

My wild instinct screamed at me. Hurry up and indulge in those beautiful breasts. Follow your desires.

But my rationality suppressed it. Once I started, I might get addicted. So, I had to hold back somehow.

While my emotions and reason were entangled and at odds, I ultimately sided with my instincts.

'I'm not an eunuch.'

But I wasn't trash like Delphoi either. Instead of touching directly, I moved behind Ellie.

Ellie briefly looked puzzled but didn't turn her back. It was exactly what I wanted.

'I can see them from the back too...?'

Truly an overwhelming size. Even though she was wearing a sleeveless top, their outline was slightly visible.

I wondered if there were bras that fit her size. While I was curious, I moved my hands.

Instead of grabbing from behind, I supported her chest from underneath and lifted.

Soft-

This was the result of trying to be as rational as possible without giving in to instincts. This alone was enough.

As I felt when hugging her, they were incredibly soft. No cushion in the world could be this comforting.

What surprised me more was the weight I felt when I supported them from underneath. I spoke in awe.

"Aren't they heavy?"

"They're so heavy. It's uncomfortable even when I sleep. Especially my shoulders and neck hurt so much."

At this size, it must cause problems in daily life too. After pondering it, I supported her entire chest.

"Hoo..."

Ellie let out a relieved sigh, as if all the pressure on her shoulders and neck had disappeared.

I compared my hands to Ellie's chest. It was clear that my hands couldn't fully cover them.

'Are they real?'

Wouldn't it be enough to close my hands into fists? I agonized over it repeatedly.

Did Ellie notice my hesitation? She gently grabbed my hands while remaining still.

"It's okay, Sivar."

"... ..."

"We've already kissed, haven't we? There's no need to hesitate."

Ellie trailed off and slightly turned her head. Then she asked softly.

"You have to keep your word. Right?"

"... ..."

Just as my instincts were about to overpower my rationality.

Clatter-

The back door suddenly swung open. Startled, we quickly pulled apart.

"Ah... I'm dying. Oh? Sivar, you're here?"

"Oh, uh? Uh, yeah..."

It was Luna. She was drenched in sweat from training.

"...Luna."

"Yes? What?"

"You're mean."

"???"

When I said that, Luna looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Sivar is right. Luna, you're mean."

"What? What did I do?"

"You ruined everything."

"What did I ruin???"

Ellie scolded her, and Luna responded in frustration.