That night, in a room at the inn.
I was in a bathrobe after finishing my bath, writing something down.
Under the light of a single candle on the table, I was using a quill pen to jot down my current skills on parchment.
With the number of skills I’ve gained increasing, I wanted to organize them before facing a formidable enemy, and so──
───────────────────────
▼Passive Skills
【Enlightenment】
【Healing Ability】
【Charisma】
【Poison Resistance】
【Fire Resistance】
【Ice Resistance】
【Lightning Resistance】
▼Limited Use (Once per day)
【Absolute Defense】
【Maiden’s Blessing】
【Holy Smash】×2
【God Speed】×2
【Magic Severing Axe】
【Yagaeshi】
【Heavy Pressure】
【Avenge】
▼Unlimited Use
【Restraint】
【Tomahawk】
▼Special
【Demon God Transformation】
【Enslavement】
───────────────────────
After defeating the Ancient Dragon and acquiring four skills, I gained one more after battling a horde of Ghouls and the staff user Kokuma, another after fighting the Spear User Marukt, and yet another after facing the archer Biner.
Combining all of these, the list of skills on the parchment is the result.
The level (or rank) of Lombardia──to be precise, the stage of my connection with Lombardia──was level 1 when we first met, but it has now risen to level 20.
Each time this level increases, I gain one new skill.
When I asked Lombardia how high this level could ultimately go, she replied, “I have no idea. But judging from the total amount of power dormant within me, I doubt it will reach its limit anytime soon.”
The Holy Axe Lombardia is truly a terrifying girl.
By the way, among the skills I listed, those marked with “×2” indicate that I’ve learned an additional instance of the same skill, allowing me to use it twice per day.
While having a second use of 【Holy Smash】, which temporarily doubles my attack power, is certainly pleasing, what made me happiest personally was the second use of 【God Speed】.
As an axe wielder who prides himself on strength, I often find myself at a disadvantage when it comes to speed against powerful foes.
That’s why 【God Speed】, which dramatically increases my speed for five seconds, is an incredibly useful skill.
In a similar vein, acquiring the skill 【Heavy Pressure】 was also a significant gain.
This skill allows me to select one target within my line of sight and temporarily increase the “gravity” affecting them.
A target whose body has become much heavier than usual will lose their agility.
Depending on the target, some may even be unable to move under the weight.
The effect lasts for five seconds.
Though temporary, it can be cleverly utilized to turn the tide of battle.
Another newly acquired skill I haven’t yet used in actual combat is 【Avenge】.
As the name suggests, this skill carries the meaning of revenge or retribution.
When used immediately after I sustain damage, it “deals damage proportional to the damage I received back to the target who inflicted it.”
This is a rather dangerous skill.
It doesn’t erase the damage I’ve taken, and the damage I can return is roughly half of what I received──but it’s a skill that manipulates causality, delivering the “result” without question, which is terrifying.
Specifically, it seems to cause the target’s internal organs to suddenly rupture, bones to break, or skin to split open, causing blood to gush out.
From the target’s perspective, it’s utterly unreasonable.
With all these skills acquired, I find myself increasingly diverging from being a mere Human.
Still──hostages.
This is one area where I feel somewhat powerless.
Differences in combat strength alone often aren’t enough to resolve such situations; I either need to catch the enemy off guard or outwit them, neither of which are my strong suits.
Alternatively, I could abandon the hostage’s survival──but──
The deadline set by the other party is tomorrow night.
I considered ignoring that and launching an attack on Augusto’s mansion today.
However, without knowing where Chloe is being held, things could easily spiral out of control.
I had Seraphina use detection magic near Augusto’s mansion, but the results were inconclusive──there was no confirmation that Chloe was even inside.
According to Seraphina, it’s possible that the information is being concealed by magic that interferes with detection spells.
I also thought about sending Biner on an infiltration mission, but the risks are still too great.
Instead, I concluded that engaging the enemy at the location they’ve designated offers a better chance of success──but──
At that moment──knock, knock.
The door to the room was knocked.
From the other side, I heard the voice of one of my wives.
“Douglas, may I come in?”
“Miina? Sure, come in.”
Opening the door and entering was a Beast girl wearing nothing but a thin shirt and hot pants.
Miina seemed to have just finished bathing as well, her hair glistening with moisture, and steam rising from her body.
Healthy yet provocative──whether she intended it or not.
Miina walked over to the table where I was writing, peeking over with an innocent expression.
“What are you doing, Douglas?”
“I’m organizing the abilities that Lombardia and I have. ──Miina.”
When I beckoned her, Miina understood my intent and hopped onto my lap.
I set down the quill and embraced the Beast girl from behind.
“Mmm… Douglas, are you done with what you were doing?”
“I still have a bit more to think about, but I can do it while holding Miina like this.”
I stroked Miina’s hair as I held her.
She let out a soft “Unyaa…” and accepted my touch with evident pleasure.
The scent of soap from her bath mingled with the sweet fragrance of the girl wafted through the air.
Today, too, my wife is utterly captivating.
“But, Douglas… your you-know-what is getting hard…”
“Well, Miina, it’s because you’re so adorable that I can’t help getting excited. It’s your fault.”
“Oh, is it? If it’s my fault, then there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Yeah, nothing can be done. Since it’s Miina’s fault, you’ll have to take care of it.”
After setting Miina down from my lap, I headed toward the bed with the Beast girl.
As I sat down on the bed, Miina knelt on the carpeted floor in front of me.
I loosened the belt of my bathrobe, revealing the bulge beneath it to Miina.
She carefully wrapped her small hands around it, the smoothness of her touch feeling incredibly good.
“Really, my husband gets hard so easily. Shouldn’t you show some restraint, especially when you’re thinking about serious matters?”
“You’re the one who started this, and now you’re lecturing me?”
“Nyahaha, you caught me. ──It’s just that Elen, Seraphina, and Lombardia are all so cute. I feel like I have to work a little harder.”
“You’re overthinking it. But I’m happy to see cute Miina showing off so much.”
I stroked Miina’s head again.
She narrowed her eyes, her cat ears twitching and her Tail wagging to express her happiness.
“Miina loves it when Douglas pats her head. His big, gentle hands feel so fatherly.”
“…You know, Miina, I quite like the way you say that.”
“Because it just feels that way somehow. You’re big and kind, and you hug me so tightly, patting my head and saying ‘There, there.’ It feels like something a father would do.”
“But if a father and daughter were doing this, it’d be pretty messed up.”
“That forbidden feeling is irresistible. ──In that case, I’ll serve you now, Daddy♪”
With that, Miina took what she’d been touching with her hands into her mouth.
She licked it, sucked it deep, and looked up at me with her eyes.
“Sluuurp… slurp… lewl… gulp…”
Her diligent and unexpectedly intense service.
The way she slathered it with saliva and eagerly stuffed it into her mouth was delightful.
When I patted her head, the girl smiled happily, her cheeks flushing, her cat ears twitching, and her Tail wagging to express her joy.
As always, she was unbearably cute.
Perhaps because of that overwhelming cuteness, I reached my limit in no time.
“I’m about to release it, Miina.”
“Fwwwum…? Nnnnnnngh──!?”
Splurt, splurt, spluuuurrrr──!
My liquid desire gushed copiously into Miina’s mouth.
Her eyes widened as she accepted it all.
Eventually, she pulled her mouth away, placed her hand over her lips, and swallowed everything she’d held inside.
“Cough, cough… haah… haah… I drank it all, Douglas…”
“Yeah. Miina is truly adorable. I’m a lucky man.”
I patted Miina’s head once more.
The Beast girl expressed her happiness with her whole body, as if she could never get enough of it.
──After that, of course, Miina and I engaged in passionate mating.
It might seem strange to be doing this on the eve of a decisive battle, but regardless of the looming showdown, human urges remain.
Tomorrow, we’ll rescue Chloe.
But today, I’ll fulfill my desires with Miina.
Perhaps the idea that these two things aren’t contradictory is just an excuse to justify my own cravings.
