Episode 89
Although I raised my score through Ecate’s pussy, I had never once thought that my abilities fell short of the Wolf rank.
The promotion test was meant to verify whether the candidate in question possessed the skill to earn those points.
The first candidate finished preparing.
Text made of soul energy drew letters in the air.
「Start」
That was the beginning.
Above the numerous soul soldiers that appeared, the word 「Destroy」 appeared.
Just as expected.
About five minutes after the first candidate turned the corner, I received the signal to start as well.
"Hup!"
I swallowed a breath and dashed forward.
The moment I saw a soul soldier marked for destruction, I launched a fireball and destroyed it.
If I burned down any innocent buildings, my evaluation would surely drop, so I didn’t forget to reduce the volume through magic condensation.
The condensed fireballs incinerated the soul soldiers effectively.
I increased my speed even further.
With the help of the spirit, I rode the wind and surged forward with minimal recoil.
The back of the first candidate, who had started ahead of me, soon appeared right in front of me.
Ah, was I allowed to overtake him?
I should have asked the examiner.
"I’m going ahead!"
"Huh, wha—?"
I easily overtook the candidate who had started before me.
The next command was destruction. Amid the countless soul soldiers springing up, target boards that I wasn’t allowed to touch also appeared.
A crude heart had been drawn on each target board, and a warning message reading 「Caution. Do not touch」 flickered across it.
It was lucky for me that a task allowing me to demonstrate the results of my training had appeared.
For precise aiming, I stopped in place, spread my feet shoulder-width apart, and aimed at the soul soldiers with my hand.
Calmly preparing my magic, I brought down the soul soldiers one after another.
Chanting was unnecessary.
No, if I wanted to bring down only the soul soldiers without making a mistake, the process of restraining the chant was essential.
If I chanted, the area where the fire spread upon impact would become too wide, and the heart-shaped target boards would burn.
The result was perfect.
After disposing of every last soul soldier and emerging from the long corridor, letters appeared in the air.
［Congratulations on your promotion］
［Candidate Dekal’s Overall Evaluation: S (Perfect)］
［Destruction S Speed S Control S］
(Your level has increased.)
(Your level has increased……)
My level had risen by thirteen.
My stat tier hadn’t increased, but the sensation of strength filling my body was welcome.
Had it been five days since the Bordeaux Dungeon?
I pushed open the door marked as the exit and stepped outside.
After winding around and around, it seemed I had arrived at the entrance examination grounds where I had come with Karen.
It was an annex tucked away in a corner where I normally had no reason to go.
Another examiner was standing outside.
"Nice to meet you. I’m Plenoer, an examiner."
"Hello."
Plenoer was a mild-looking man who seemed better suited to magic than a sword, and to a pen than magic.
The moment he saw me, he held out his hand for a handshake.
"Candidate Dekal. Congratulations on your promotion. As expected of a candidate acknowledged by Ronwell."
"I was lucky."
I took his hand and replied.
"You’re modest. I’m the teacher in charge of magic and practical combat for the Wolf rank. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, so I look forward to working with you."
"Yes. I look forward to it."
"I said I was a teacher, but at the moment, I’m acting as an examiner.
If you have any questions about the promotion test, I’ll be happy to answer them."
"My level went up quite a bit after the test. Is that normal?"
"Yes."
Plenoer smiled gently.
"Candidate Dekal was originally an adventurer, correct?"
"……Yes."
How did he know? A minor question rose in my mind.
"Are you surprised? The two of you are already famous. Sin Wolves aren’t something just anyone can hunt."
"Yes. We had a hard time back then."
"As someone from an adventurer background, you probably know this, but anyone aiming for a high level must take on a great deal of risk.
Melbrit provides soul soldiers containing high-quality souls in order to minimize those risks."
Indeed, the soul soldiers were far too weak for virtually designed enemies.
So in reality, they were artificial experience points provided by Melbrit…….
"What’s different about the soul soldiers used in the promotion test?"
"For the promotion test, which can only be taken once, we deploy soul soldiers infused with a large quantity of 「Minotaur Souls」.
Those souls must have provided the nourishment Candidate Dekal needed."
"I see."
Now I understood. What mattered was the quality of the soul.
My level had risen because the souls used in the promotion test were high-grade souls.
It was a strange feeling.
It was definitely a good thing, yet something about it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Was Melbrit really a school?
"That’s also why Melbrit has ranks.
It would be wonderful if souls could be distributed equally among all the candidates, but
since soul resources are limited, we have no choice but to select people."
Plenoer added with a regretful expression.
Strategically speaking, it was better to create one person with a very high level than ten people with middling levels.
If souls had been plentiful, humanity would have won long ago, and monsters would have been wiped from the earth.
This system wasn’t bad from the candidates’ perspective, either.
Because it minimized the risk of dying a pointless death.
"That was helpful. Thank you."
"I’m glad I could help. Ah, there are no classes on the day of a promotion. Get plenty of rest today, and I’ll see you in class tomorrow."
"Yes."
Plenoer left.
The test ended rather anticlimactically. As planned, I kicked the Rabbit rank aside and entered the Wolf rank.
There was still plenty left to do.
First…… should I eat something?
Suddenly, I thought of the inn with the elf who was an incredible cook.
Compared to the dishes at the Elf’s Shelter, the food at Melbrit’s cafeteria had no advantage in taste, no matter how many points I paid, except that it was closer.
Since I’d unexpectedly been given a day off, should I go out?
It had been a while since I’d gone out.
Outside, there were quite a few candidates wearing Melbrit uniforms like mine.
They all seemed intent on saving their points and eating outside.
However, even those candidates became nearly invisible once they left the upscale residential district and descended into the ordinary streets.
Because I was wearing Melbrit’s uniform, I drew the attention of every passerby.
I headed straight for the Elf’s Shelter.
When I opened the door, the elf girl who had been in the kitchen came over.
"Oh, Mr. Dekal. Hello!"
"Will you make me something delicious?"
"Yes. Please sit and wait."
Elyn naturally guided me inside.
There were no other customers. The atmosphere was quiet and comfortable.
All I could hear from time to time was Elyn humming and the rhythmic tap-tap of her knife against the cutting board.
"It’s ready."
Elyn skillfully served the food.
"Thank you for the meal."
With reverence, I cleanly finished every dish she had prepared.
It was delicious, as expected.
I especially liked the dish where the roasted potatoes and vegetables complemented each other so well.
It seemed as though each vegetable had been roasted for a different length of time, bringing out the richness of its individual flavor.
"How is it?"
Elyn came over cheerfully and asked me how it tasted.
"I could give it 100 pt."
"Points……? That means one hundred, so I suppose it’s good?"
"It’s good."
"That’s a relief."
Elyn smiled brightly.
I felt warmth spreading deep within my heart.
Now that my stomach was full, there was only one thing left to do.
"Elyn. Wait."
I stopped her as she tried to return to the kitchen.
"Mr. Dekal?"
Snap.
I snapped my fingers.
Elyn entered a trance, and the tray slipped smoothly from her hands.
"Oops."
I caught it, placed it on the table beside us, and gently ruffled Elyn’s hair.
"I really enjoyed the meal."
"……."
"How is your preparation for anal sex coming along?"
"…I’m not sure……."
"How would you feel about thinking of it as showing me?"
"It’s embarrassing…."
"Elyn. 「You must have me thoroughly check whether you’re ready for anal sex」"
"Anal, sex, check……."
Clap.
When I clapped my hands, she woke up.
"Ah."
Realizing there was no tray in her hands, Elyn looked around in confusion.
"It’s here."
"Thank you."
"Elyn."
"Yes?"
"Let’s check whether you’re ready for anal sex. Will you come to my room?"
"Ah……."
Elyn stared blankly at me, then suddenly seemed to realize something and spoke.
"That’s right. ……Mmm. I’m embarrassed to have Mr. Dekal check me."
"It’s something you have to do anyway. You know that, right?"
"Yes. I’ll get ready and come. Ah! But I never gave you permission to speak informally to me!"
Elyn put her hands on her hips and frowned as if threatening me with her tiny body.
She was adorable no matter what she did.
"What’s the big deal?"
"It is a big deal. I’m much older than you. Older than Isti, and older than Mr. Dekal!"
"All right, all right. Don’t worry about the little things. I’ll wait in the room, okay?"
"Goodness. I told you it’s not a little thing."
I sent Elyn back and went ahead to wait in the room where Karen and I had stayed.
About twenty minutes later, Elyn arrived.
Elyn closed the door herself, but hesitated, unable to come any closer to me.
"Elyn. What’s wrong?"
"Mr. Decal is a man, so……. I know I need to have you check, but I feel too embarrassed."
"I understand. But don't worry. I'm only going to check."
"……."
Even with the help of suggestion, it seemed to require quite a bit of courage.
In that case, should I push a little harder?
"Ellyn. I have a lot of experience, so I'm sure I'll be able to help.
You don't want to be embarrassed in front of someone you like, do you?"
"That is true…. That's why I prepared so hard……."
Ellyn bit her lip.
It seemed that the part about having “prepared so hard” had made her feel a shame she couldn't bear on her own.
"It's more reliable to have a man look.
Besides, I'm your friend's boyfriend, aren't I? I would never do anything to betray Isti."
"……."
Only then did Ellyn look straight at me.
"That's true……. Compared to Isti, someone like me is just a little kid……."
Suddenly sounding resigned, she trudged over to me.
Damn it. Should I just pounce on her?
Her defenseless appearance at every turn kept my erection from subsiding.
"Now, lie down."
I guided her toward the bed.
"Please use this."
"What is it?"
Ellyn handed me something.
Inside a shallow bowl was a transparent, gel-like substance.
It was a sticky liquid that stretched transparently without clinging unpleasantly.
"Where on earth did you get this?"
"I extracted it from a plant. I thought it might work as a lubricant……."
"Ellyn, you're a genius."
"……I only extracted some slippery liquid, though?"
"Make some more of this for me."
"Ah, yes. If you want……."
Who would have thought I'd encounter lubricant after coming to another world!
If I applied plenty of this, Karen's titjob would be three times as effective.
Without a doubt!
Moreover, having gel would greatly shorten the preparation required for anal sex.
The vagina lubricated itself as much as necessary, but the anus did not.
Ellyn in particular was small, so if I forced anything inside her anus, there was a risk of injuring the mucous membrane.
But with this slippery gel, that problem was solved.
I looked at Ellyn. She seemed several times more adorable.
It was remarkably commendable that she'd taken it upon herself to bring the supplies needed for anal sex.
"……??"
Ellyn tilted her head ever so slightly.
In the first place, before I suggested it to her, she probably hadn't even known that it was possible to have sex through the anus.
"Lie down."
"Y-you're only going to check, right? I'm scared. The look in your eyes, Mr. Decal……."
"That's how important this is."
"I'll trust you."
There was no way she could trust me.
Did she really expect that nothing would happen after giving gel and her anus to a man she'd only seen a few times while accompanying her friend?
She was far too innocent.
I gently placed a hand on Ellyn's back as she lay facedown on the bed.
"Ah…."
Ellyn flinched as though startled by my touch.
Every one of her reactions was adorable.
It was adorable, too, the way she twisted her legs together and wiggled her tiny toes, as if she were picturing what was about to happen.
First, I removed the socks Ellyn was wearing.
"Ah……."
Ellyn seemed about to say something, but closed her mouth.
As though she thought she shouldn't break my concentration.
She had probably been about to ask why I was taking off her socks.
If I had to give a reason, it was because I wanted to see Ellyn's bare feet.
I lifted Ellyn's skirt.
Her petite buttocks, concealed by white panties, greeted me.
Starting from the small of her back, I carefully traced downward with my fingertips along Ellyn's pelvis.
"Ah……. Ngh……."
Ellyn reacted even to the slightest touch and gripped the bedsheet tightly.
What I was checking was the line of her pelvis.
She looked young and was small in stature, but her body was unmistakably that of an adult. Her pelvis was feminine, and her waist curved inward.
Put another way, that meant she was no longer growing.
Ellyn's growth had ended here.
I didn't know what she herself thought about it, but it wasn't something to lament.
She possessed both a child's loveliness and a woman's allure, which made it a very good thing for me.
Using the excuse of checking whether she was ready for anal sex, I spent my time fondling her thighs and petite buttocks without even removing her panties.
"……."
Ellyn was enduring it as best she could.
However, it seemed to have reached her limit, and she opened her mouth.
"You really are checking, right…?"
"Of course. Do you think I'm playing around? Relax."
"……Yes."
When I answered with needless seriousness, Ellyn's spirits sank.
Realizing that this had made it even harder for her to speak, I actively kneaded Ellyn's buttock with one hand.
"……."
The soft, yielding sensation was fantastic.
Next, I removed her panties.