The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Karami hadn’t slept.
Couldn’t sleep.

The sound of insects crawling on the forest floor, the buzzing of wings, and the distant howls of beasts—or perhaps monsters—echoed through the night.

And maybe, just maybe, it was because Arpia lay beside him.

Even the spirits, usually hidden from view, had gathered around the campfire, singing openly.

To make things worse, Karami bore the blessing of the World Tree.
Simply lying still was enough to draw the spirits to him, pestering him with their chatter.

“Hey! This human reeks of the World Tree’s aura!”

“No way, you’re joking, right?”

“This guy’s no ordinary human, lolol.”

The murmuring felt almost like hallucinations.

‘Tomorrow, no matter what, I’m convincing Arpia to stay at an inn,’ he resolved firmly.

Just then—

“Master, are you asleep?”

It was Arpia’s voice.

Though wide awake, Karami felt a flicker of mischief. If he pretended to be asleep, maybe Arpia would try something sneaky.

Then, he could catch her in the act.@@novelbin@@

But contrary to his expectations, Arpia did nothing shady. She simply slipped out of the tent.

Bathroom break? Maybe. But Karami’s instincts—honed from years as a slave trader—said otherwise.

If it were something normal, like relieving herself, there would be no need to check if he was asleep.
Her behavior screamed secrecy—something only to be done with him asleep.

Without hesitation, Karami silently trailed her.

Arpia walked deeper into the dark woods. The dimness made it hard to see what she was up to.

But then—a small flicker of fire lit up the space.