The Lighthouse Bangle had been given to the King of Spirits (this episode contains mildly sexual content; those uncomfortable can skip it without significantly affecting the story’s progression).
With the spring returned, we spread out our luggage and set up camp. Lying down beside it felt as comfortable as a spring meadow. Above us, the delightful laughter of spirits, like rolling bells, could be heard. It was completely unlike the spine-chilling voices they had when they were evil spirits.
While taking a break, I observed the forest spirits, Arceus and the others. They consisted of both men and women, and since they were holding children, they might be closer to animals than spirits. Furthermore, they had tails, though the females’ seemed longer. Perhaps it was to help them hold their children.
The King of Spirits was, of course, beautiful, but Arceus and the others were not to be underestimated either. They had skin like porcelain, long, loosely waved hair, and lips colored red as if from rouge. They were all such beautiful women. Moreover, they were clad only in cloth resembling white sheets. Where did they get those?
The men were equally beautiful. It sounds strange for me, a man, to say this, but they all had faces that looked like they had stepped out of shojo manga. And they were smiling cheerfully, so any woman who encountered them would surely lose sleep at night.
As I was blankly looking up, one of them noticed my gaze and descended. It had butterfly wings, but it didn’t seem to be flapping them to fly. It looked like it was floating by some peculiar telekinesis.
“Hey, you smell kind of muddy.”
“Fufufu, you smell like fish.”
The surrounding Arceus laughed at me. Come to think of it, I had been stuck in a mud swamp earlier. Just then, a female Arceus emerged from the spring in front of me. Moreover, she was naked and was approaching me.
“Let’s get in together!”
“That’s right, come over here!”
My arm was pulled forward. They hadn’t touched me, but were they able to use telekinesis?
“W-wait a minute.”
“Fufu, I won’t.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a man shaped like you.”
I was pushed from behind and sank into the water. Well, well, my wounds would heal, so it was fine, I supposed. A long tail slowly wrapped around my arm.
The next moment, I had been dragged into the water. The water was so clear that even the falling leaves looked like part of a painting. The Arceus’s beautiful hair swayed gently as if blown by the wind.
I felt like a doll placed inside a snow globe. As if time had stopped forever in a picture.
One of the Arceus surrounding me came before my eyes. The tip of her tail tickled my chin. She grinned, showing her white teeth, and smirked mischievously. Then, she took my arm and spun my body around. I decided to go along with their game, letting them do as they pleased.
Even though I should have been holding my breath the entire time, I felt no pain. I wanted to stay here forever. I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to end my life being played with like a toy in this lukewarm, warm water.
“Hey, how is it? Feels good, right?”
A sweet voice echoed, shaking my brain. My legs felt like they were melting and merging with the water. Amazing, I had had similar experiences several times before, but nothing like this. It was warm, soft, and water with a will of its own, passing over my skin in waves.
“…Ah.”
“You can stay as long as you like.”
A warning bell rang in the back of my mind that says it was a trap. But my body, numbed by pleasure, couldn’t notice it.
When I reached out to touch them, they turned away and retreated like a mirage. Yet, their red lips brushed against my neck.
I felt myself gradually drifting away, as if my consciousness had been separated from my body. I floated up to the spring and then felt like I was being sucked into the sky.
“Hey, snap out of it! Get off, you nymphs!”
“What is it!”
“You hairy guy!”
With a strong tug, my consciousness returned to my body, and I awoke with a start. Someone was grabbing my collar and pulling me up.
When I looked back, Karubene was there.
“Brother, you shouldn’t. You almost drowned.”
Huh? That’s right, I was suffering. I was breathing heavily without realizing it. I hadn’t noticed at all.
“I-I’m saved. What are nymphs?”
“Nymphs are female-shaped spirits. These are like that, aren’t they? Anyone who gets involved with them doesn’t end up well.”
So that’s what it was. But they didn’t seem like bad spirits. The Puzu Tribe Father had said that the forest didn’t distinguish between good and evil, so perhaps that was what he meant. And why did Karubene know about nymphs?
“Have you seen them before?”
“No, I’ve only heard about them. But in the past, satyrs and nymphs used to play together. You know, we love having fun, right?”
Ah, I see. I could picture satyrs drinking sake and dancing with women.
“Come to think of it, I heard satyrs have strong libidos, maybe…?”
“Never mind that, hurry up and zip up your pants.”
Ugh, how embarrassing. My belt had also come undone, and I was wide open. This time, I had to admit Karubene got the better of me.
