Chapter 49 - The Traitorous Knight

 After the act was finished, not a single word was mentioned between Miss Martha and me regarding what had happened.

It was as if we were both trying to act as if the fact that we had lost ourselves in each other simply never occurred.

Since I had no desire to be interrogated or have her poke around into things I’d rather keep hidden, I decided not to bring up the subject from my side either.

I didn't mention how Miss Martha’s buttocks were incredibly massive. Or how the inside of her vagina felt absolutely divine.

Without saying a word about such things, I prepared breakfast as the sun rose, extinguished the campfire I had relit, and prepared to break camp. Only after confirming that Lespar (the real one) had woken up did I gather the horses, and we set off.

◆

And then... we finally reached it.

The stage of the ordeal designated by the Queen: the scorching volcanic zone.

"Whoa, whoa... this is terrifying...!"

We were currently standing at what you’d call the trailhead, but even here, magma was flowing everywhere. It oozed along, emitting an eerie, glowing red light. It had likely spilled down from the crater. Of course, falling into a river of magma would mean instant death; you couldn't even get close, let alone cross it. It was hot—no, it was stifling.

To move through the mountain, we had to navigate around those magma rivers, making the path feel exactly like a maze. It was a literal dungeon. A volcanic dungeon right out of the final stages of an RPG!

"The horses are too spooked by the heat to move. We have no choice but to proceed on foot from here." 

"Are you serious!? The mountain path only gets real from this point on!"

Lespar raised his voice in annoyance, but there was no other way. One bad fall from a horse into a magma river and it would be game over.

"Is a Fire Spirit really supposed to live somewhere in this volcano? I refuse to wander around aimlessly without even knowing where it is. My legs will turn to lead!" 

"How about Lord Sao and I scout the mountain? Lord Lespar, you can wait here in the meantime."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't spoil the brat.

The fact that Her Majesty didn't specify the exact location means finding the Fire Spirit is likely part of the trial. Taking shortcuts could lead to a failing grade. We should all move forward steadily together.

"Tch... useless lot."

Did the brat just say something?

As soon as we entered the volcanic zone, the heat assaulted us. It was the heat of the magma. Even though we were far from the main source, the infrared-like heat radiated toward us as if to roast us alive.

"Hot, hot, hot! Is this a sauna!? No, the heat is—how do I put this—it has zero regard for safety!?"

While we were shouting and fussing...

"...Hm?"

I felt it. Something was approaching. Something wrapped in intense hostility...?

"What is that!?"

Fireballs? Spheres of fire resembling will-o'-the-wisps were floating in the air, flying toward us like high-speed fastballs. And there were several of them. About seven or eight fireballs reached us and began circling to confuse us. They flew so fast their trails looked like lines of light.

"What are these!? Could they be the Fire Spirit!?" 

"They lack divinity for spirits. And they're too small."

They were likely the spirit’s kin... fragments of its power. But it would be dangerous to underestimate them. The flames they carried were the real deal. Getting hit at that speed would guarantee burns, and if you were blown into the magma, it was instant death.

"Darn it! Martha, Sao, surround me! Protect me from the approaching fireballs!" 

"What kind of order is that!?"

Hey, you're the one taking the trial, so shouldn't you be the one leading the fight!?

"Can't be helped...! Miss Martha, I'll take four. Can I leave three to you?" 

"Understood...!"

I pulled out my pole and entered a combat stance. I'm truly grateful that my 'Divine Calling', [Polemaster], has an aptitude for combat as well as sex.

There were seven fireballs in total. Their flight speed was like a gale, but since they moved linearly, their movements were easy to read. I swatted down those that entered my range with my pole. The fireballs were fragile; they dissipated as soon as I hit them.

How was Miss Martha doing?

"Gwoooooooh!"

Because of her giant size, Miss Martha’s movements were sluggish, and she seemed to be struggling to catch the flying fireballs. However, she eventually switched to a tactic that utilized her massive frame, throwing her whole body into them to deflect and crush them. It was a heroic style, like pushing a whole wall out to swat down balls.

But it was a method that carried risks; the parts of her body touched by the flames were painfully scorched.

"Gwaaaah!?" 

"Are you okay, Miss Martha!?"

Because she was wearing full-plate armor, the wounds were shallow, but the high heat transmitted through the metal still seemed to torture her. I opened my canteen and poured water over the heated areas. If only this would cool her down...

"You... how foolish. That is precious drinking water...!" 

"It's a small price to pay to help you."

After all, we were partners who loved each other so passionately last night. When you've shared a night that intense, you can't help but feel attached and want to be kind to her—even if, for her, I was just a substitute for the man she actually loves.

"Ah... thank you."

Miss Martha seemed to remember last night as well, as she turned red and became bashful. Well, if I absolutely need water later, I can just lick up Miss Martha’s sweat—or even the love nectar leaking from her crotch.

"It shouldn't be a problem, even without water."

That voice... Lespar? The brat finally decides to show up after the fight is over...? ...Wait. Bloodlust?

"Dead men don't drink water, after all."

A sickening sensation passed through my abdomen. From back to front. A sword was growing out of my stomach. A sword coated in bright red blood, yet gleaming with a silver light through the gaps.

"Lord Lespar! What are you doing!?"

The one who screamed wasn't me, the one who was stabbed, but Martha.

Lespar pulled the sword out without concern. Blood sprayed from the wound.

"I’ve been waiting for this. For you to let your guard down and show a gap where I could easily kill you. To think you'd leave your back wide open just to help that giant woman. Truly pathetic." 

"That's my line...! You finally showed your hand...!"

Blood is coming out. Lots of it. From the wound in my gut where he pierced me.

"I knew. I knew you were suspicious of me. You should have just stayed suspicious of Suppapan, but to make me a suspect... don't you think that’s impious?" 

"But I was spot on, wasn't I? That's why you're trying to kill me." 

"It’s a shame. I intended to make great use of your talents under my command. But if you're going to be an obstacle, I have no choice but to make you disappear. It's the punishment for not knowing your place."

So, the true mastermind behind the incident was Lespar after all...! Trying to kill me here is the ultimate proof. Since I kept suspecting him without being distracted by the decoys, I was certainly an eyesore to him. I thought he’d show his tail if I pushed things forward, but I didn't expect it to happen like this...!

"When the Queen said you would accompany me, I was happy from the bottom of my heart. Of course, I didn't want you doing as you pleased while I was away from the Capital, but more than that, the area beyond the trial is a dangerous volcanic zone. If an 'unfortunate accident' occurs, it leads directly to life or death. My wish is granted without any effort."

"You plan to bury me where no one will know...?" 

"Martha."

The giantess Martha remained dazed, unable to keep up with the situation.

"Throw this man into the magma. With your oversized body, that should be easy." 

"B-but...!?" 

"Don't misunderstand. During the trial, he carelessly lost his footing and tumbled into the magma river. It was a tragic accident. Isn't that right?" 

"............" 

"Do it now! You slow-witted cow!"

Barking at her like a master, Miss Martha made up her mind and lifted my body. With the difference in our sizes, she did it easily.

"Forgive me, Lord Sao... you are at fault for obstructing Lord Lespar. If only you had become a comrade, we could have built a better country..." 

"Is a country built on conspiracies truly better?" "....!?"

Martha tossed me, and I flew through the air. Drawing a long arc, I fell headfirst toward the bottom of the magma canyon. The glowing red river approached rapidly.

Before I could be swallowed up and become a magma diver... I thrust my pole into the side of the cliff, stopping my fall by hooking onto it. Blood is still spraying from my stomach.

"Phew... that was close."

There's a hole in my gut, and I'm bleeding out profusely. Furthermore, the magma river is flowing below; if my grip weakens even slightly, I'll slide down and go plop. Forget being human stew—my flesh and bones would melt away, leaving not even a corpse.

I prevented my fall by stabbing the pole into the cliffside and clinging to it.

"...I was saved thanks to Miss Martha."

She had thrown me in on Lespar's orders, but there was clear hesitation in her movement. That's likely why she wavered on where to throw me and chose this deep canyon instead. Rather than throwing me directly into the magma, throwing me into a deep valley provided more distance and a chance that I might catch on something and survive. In fact, thanks to that, I escaped death.

It seemed there was a conflict within Miss Martha between her loyalty to Lespar and her attachment to me after our intimacy last night. But for now, loyalty has won out. They say betrayal is a woman's accessory; since she at least took measures to ensure I might survive, I'll forgive her with one session of sex the next time we meet.

"...Hup."

Anyway, this situation is uncomfortable, so despite the pain in my abdomen, I managed to scramble up the cliff. I reached a flat area where I could catch my breath and collapsed. That was rough.

"I overdid the 'service' just to make Lespar lower his guard."

A literal "blood service."

In truth, I had noticed the bloodlust approaching from behind, but I chose to take the hit rather than dodge it. I figured if Lespar believed his sneak attack was successful and that he’d dealt me a fatal wound, he’d get cocky.

In fact, the cocky Lespar blabbered on and turned my suspicions into certainty. I probably can't build a legal case on that testimony alone, but the investigation has certainly made significant progress.

"Hmph, idiot...! Not knowing that a wound of this level isn't even a wound to me...!"

Otherwise, I wouldn't have let myself be pierced by a sword on purpose.

I have many dependable [Polemaster] skills. One of them is the skill 《Vigor》 (Stamina/Potency). This is a skill designed to keep my sexual state permanent, and for that purpose, once sex is finished, it automatically recovers and restores everything to a state of full health. It wipes away not just energy and stamina, but also any physical abnormalities that hinder sexual performance. Including injuries.

Back when I was in the countryside, even if I was injured during rough work like monster extermination, everything would heal instantly as long as I thrust into my older sister who was nearby. In short, I can recover from any injury by having sex!

By the way, [Sex Charge] acts on the partner, which is a different effect from 《Vigor》 which acts on myself. By using these two skills together, both the violator and the violated can be fully restored.

Because I had that secret, I could receive Lespar's sword without hesitation. By falling into a near-death state on purpose, I made the smug Lespar talk way too much, and I was able to fake my death to escape their attention.

Right about now, Lespar and the others must be completely at ease, assuming I'm dead. If you pierce someone through the gut and drop them into a canyon of magma, you'd think they were dead too.

But! I will not die! Because I’m definitely going to ruin you, I won't die!

So, shall I start operating from the shadows under the guise of being dead? To report to the Queen, I’d like some physical evidence that Lespar is the mastermind.

To start my activities, I thought I’d have sex to heal my wound, but... ... ...Hm? Oh, right...!

"There's no woman here to have sex with!?"

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