The next morning, we resumed our journey.
We had left the vast libraries of Knowledge City behind and entered the bustling Sword City, renowned for its warrior culture and endless training grounds. Maya and I felt refreshed, a testament to our vigorous night. Maya, though showing slight signs of fatigue, was still glowing with satisfaction. Artemis, however, looked like she hadn’t slept a wink, dark circles prominent under her eyes.
“You seem tired,” I remarked, unable to suppress a smirk.
“And whose fault is that?” she retorted, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
Because our lovemaking had stretched until just before sunrise, Artemis hadn’t gotten any sleep. She had spent the night masturbating to the sounds of our passion. Complaints flooded in about the noise, disrupting the sleep of many guests. Even people on the bottom floor were eyeing us, probably because we had forgotten how thin the walls of the inn were. Most of the looks directed at me were mixed with both respect and envy.
“You know,” I teased, “instead of rusting in your bed, getting yourself off to our sounds, you could’ve just joined us.”
“There’s no way I would do that!” she snapped, her face turning crimson. “Wait, how’d you know that I was…?”
Her embarrassment was palpable, her eyes darting away as she stammered. The truth was obvious from her flushed cheeks and the way she couldn’t meet my gaze. She might deny it, but her curiosity always seemed to overpower her reason.
“Master has enough drive to take us both at the same time, and we’d still be left panting,” Maya said with a mischievous grin.
“I don’t want to hear anything about that,” Artemis snapped, her face flushing with embarrassment and annoyance.
After a while, we finally reached the imposing gate that marked the boundary of the kingdom, leading into the vast expanse of the Great Forest. Tall, sturdy walls loomed overhead, manned by vigilant guards.
As we approached, a group of guards stepped forward to halt us. Their armor gleamed in the sunlight, and their eyes were sharp and probing.
“What business do you have outside the kingdom?” one of the guards barked. His voice was commanding, and his muscular frame was evident even beneath his armor. This was a man who had seen countless battles and emerged victorious.
I stepped forward confidently, meeting the guard’s piercing gaze. “I have business in another country. I’m a merchant.”
The guard raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in his eyes. “A merchant? Where’s your carriage?”
“It’s being repaired in the Capital City,” I replied smoothly. “And since we’re traveling through the Great Forest, we left it behind. It wouldn’t have made it through the dense terrain.”
“The Great Forest, huh?” The guard’s sneer deepened, his eyes flicking to Maya and Artemis. “And what could a puny guy like you possibly do to survive in the Great Forest with nothing but two women by your side?”
“Ah, one of our companions is a slave who knows the terrain well,” I explained. As I spoke, Maya lowered her hood, revealing herself as a Demi-human.
“A Beast woman,” the guard assessed her with a slow look from head to toe. He couldn’t hide his smirk, clearly appreciating her beauty and figure. His eyes, and those of the guards behind him, lingered on her suggestively. “And what about her?” he asked, turning his attention to Artemis, who was still disguised.
“She’s my wife,” I replied calmly.
Artemis shot me a shocked glare, her face flushing. I ignored her reaction; it was crucial for the guard not to grow suspicious.
“Wife?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously, trying to gauge the truth in my words. “You’ve snagged yourself a fine-looking wife,” he remarked, a sly grin spreading across his face. His gaze lingered on Artemis with an unsettling hunger, hinting at nefarious intentions once we were out of sight beyond the kingdom gates.
“Very well, you may proceed,” the guard said, his smile revealing a hint of malice. “But I suggest you watch your backs. Travelers heading through the plains toward the Great Forest have a way of, you know, meeting unfortunate ends.”
“Is that so?” I replied evenly. “We’ll certainly keep that in mind.”
“Good,” he nodded, his tone ominous. “Stay safe out there.”
We passed the gate, and then finally left the Kingdom. We could still feel the eyes of those guards lingering on us.
***
The stretch of grassland leading to the Great Forest was a sea of green as far as the eye could see, with only the distant outline of the forest visible on the horizon.
“From the looks of it, we’re about two days away from reaching the Great Forest on foot,” Maya remarked, her voice carrying a tone of certainty. With her Perfect Eyesight skill, she could discern details even from afar, making the distant forest appear vivid and within reach for her.
“Is it really a good idea for us to trek all the way there on foot?” I voiced my concern. “If it takes us a solid three days to reach the forest, and the same to get back, we’ll barely have a single day to enjoy our time there.”
Since summer vacation is winding down, we’ll soon be making our way back to the Academy for the new semester. It would have been a lot easier and quicker if we had taken a carriage.
“Your words don’t hide your true intentions,” Artemis shot back sharply. “Enjoy our time? This isn’t a casual outing. And if by ‘enjoy our time’ you mean you and I fucking, then you can forget about it. It’s not happening.”
She’s really on guard right now. I can’t even find a way to break through, I thought to myself.
“Master,” Maya interjected suddenly.
“Yeah,” I responded.
We were finally well outside the kingdom, with the same guards who had blocked us earlier now following us all the way from the gate to this point. Once we were far enough that the kingdom gates were no longer in sight, they finally made their move and approached us.
Finally, after a while, they appeared.
“Why are you blocking our path? Could you explain what’s happening here?”
The guard who had spoken to me at the gates stepped forward, dagger in hand. “Didn’t I warn you about the dangers of traveling to the Great Forest? There have been numerous rumors about what happens to people who journey here. Some are killed and robbed of their belongings. If there are women in the group, rumors suggest they’re violated before being killed. Among other atrocities.”
“Let me guess, those rumors suggest you’re the one behind all this. Am I right?”
The guard chuckled darkly. “Guarding that damn gate is a tiresome job, you know? The pay’s decent, but it’s never enough. Sure, we visit brothels, but there’s something about taking what’s not freely given. It’s more thrilling than bedding a worn-out whore. Taking someone’s wife, now that’s the real rush. Seeing the husband helpless, pinned down, screaming while you have your way with her—now that’s something else.”
He glanced at Artemis, his eyes lingering with a predatory gleam. My earlier mention of her as my wife had marked her as their target.
“Boss, can we have the beast woman?” asked one of the guards eagerly.
“Yeah,” the leader replied with a cruel grin. “But she’s mine first. The rest of you, pin the man and restrain both women. After I fuck the Beast woman, you can have your way with her. Then I’ll take the wife.” His command dripped with malice and intent.
The guards encircled us, twelve in total, weapons glinting ominously in the dim light—swords, daggers, and spears poised for action.
“I’m sorry, whoever you are, but your wife and that slave of yours look so damn appetizing, I just gotta have a taste, you know?” sneered the leader. “You gotta understand.”
“Oh, I understand perfectly,” I retorted calmly.
“Huh?” The leader blinked in disbelief, clearly taken aback by my composed response amidst the tension and danger that surrounded us.
“I mean, Artemis is perfect. Sure, her figure isn’t as seductive as Maya’s, but she’s breathtaking, with a stunning proportion that outshines other girls. So, I understand perfectly why you want a taste of her. I want a taste of her too.” I glanced at Artemis, who glared back at me, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. I almost chuckled at her reaction.
“What? So you mean even after marrying her, you still haven’t tasted her yet?” the leader said, surprise coloring his tone before he burst into raucous laughter. “So she’s a virgin, huh? That’s a fucking jackpot, man! I love deflowering virgins!” His eyes gleamed with a twisted excitement.
“That’s something I can’t allow,” I asserted firmly.
“Huh? You think you’re in any position to say that right now? Just give up those girls and watch them get fucked by many men so you won’t get hurt,” sneered the leader.
“I can’t let that happen,” I stated resolutely. “I own Maya, and I’ll be the one to take Artemis’s virginity. No one else will have her.”
