《Hunter’s Vengeance: The Rise of the Predator》


 Chapter 1. One More Battle at Sunset

    <h4>   [The Training Ground in the city of Aldun]</h4>


    "Clank!"


    "Bang!"


    The sun was almost disappearing behind the hills. While the peasants were returning from the fields and mothers were searching for their children to call them for dinner, two young individuals were engaged in a battle in the middle of the training ground. The fighters were a young woman with shoulder-length black hair and green eyes, dressed simply as if she had gone for a walk after dinner, her only weapon being a knife, and a blond young man with blue eyes, dressed like a knight preparing to face a dragon, even wearing a helmet,  armed with a long sword and a matching shield. Although both were using blunted weapons that couldn''t cut through flesh, they fought as if the opponent''s weapon was the sharpest in the entire kingdom. The reason is simple. Even though the opponent''s weapon couldn''t harm their bodies, it could cut deeply into their purpose.


    "Clank! Clank!"


    On a terrace in front of a tavern located at the edge of the training ground, two elderly people with a mug of beer in their hands watched the duel between the two young ones attentively.


    "Hey, Noris! It seems you enjoy the show. It''s the fourth Friday in a row that you come to watch it. So, who do you think will win this time?"


    "There''s hardly any doubt that the girl has the advantage. Look at her! She hasn''t even started to sweat, and her opponent is already stumbling. Even if I didn''t know that she has been winning every week for the past half year, I would still bet all the money I have in my pocket that she will win."


    "Heh. Last month I got lucky. Some adventurers from outside the city came to the tavern to drink a cold beer..."


    "Yeah, you told me before. It''s the fourth time you''re telling me. You bet with them before the fight started that the girl would win. When they saw Klaus fully equipped, they said she didn''t stand a chance. In the end, they had to give you two silver coins."


    "And twenty copper coins. Too bad no one else showed up. Since then, I''ve been carrying five silver coins with me..."


    "Hold on a moment. Look. It''s almost over..."


    Kara stood in the middle of the training ground, observing Klaus closely as he circled her with his sword pointed at her and his shield raised to his nose.


    ''What does he think? That I will throw my only weapon at him? That has always been his problem. He doesn''t know how to adapt to his opponent,'' Kara thought as she waited for Klaus''s next attack... an attack that was delayed for almost a minute.


    ''It seems he''s not as enthusiastic as before. Or maybe it''s because of my kick.''


    Considering Klaus was now limping, Kara''s kick was probably to blame for his delayed offense.


    ''Very well. I think the fight has lasted long enough.''


    Once Kara decided to end the fight, she accelerated directly toward Klaus like a feline. When she reached in front of Klaus, he swung his sword directly at Kara, but it was all in vain because Kara was already on his right side, and her knife had already found the unarmored space under his armpit.


    "Ahhh"


    Although the weapons were blunted, that strike was enough to make Klaus drop his weapon. Immediately, Kara followed up with a well-placed elbow to Klaus''s temple.


    ''Heh. What''s the use of a helmet when it doesn''t have any magical enhancements? It only makes him look ridiculous,'' Kara chuckled in her mind.


    Once she brought Klaus down, Kara placed her knee on his chest and the knife at the base of his throat.


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    ''It seems this boar doesn''t have much fat...''


    Although numerous comical thoughts gathered in her mind as she watched Klaus struggle, there was no smile on her face.


    "Can you give up already? You already have a knife at your throat."


    After struggling for another 5 seconds, Klaus finally regained his senses and surrendered.


    "Okay. You''ve beaten me again."


    Once the victory was secured, Kara stood up and began dusting off her pants. Seeing Klaus lying on the ground with his hand outstretched, she asked him sternly:


    "What do you want? Do you want me to carry you home? Even though you were defeated, it''s important to know how to pick yourself up."


    While Kara offered Klaus this valuable advice, a shorter girl, around 1 meter 60 tall, with shoulder-length blond hair and big blue eyes, ran towards them.


    "Kara, Klaus! Is it over?"


    Hearing Alice, Kara turned around and responded with a gentle smile on her lips:


    "Yes. It''s done. We can go home. I think your grandmother has already cooked the boar leg we brought her. I can''t wait..."


    But Alice didn''t stop in front of Kara. She ran past Kara without saying a word and stood in front of Klaus, who was struggling to get up. She grabbed Klaus by the arm with both hands and lifted him with emotion in her eyes as if he was about to drown.


    "Klaus," said Alice. "Why do you have to push yourself to the limit? I know you want to become stronger, but some things can''t be rushed. Just wait a second. I have a healing potion with me..."


    Kara resignedly watched the two of them as they walked together towards the benches near the training ground. Alice supported Klaus and continued to offer words of encouragement, and he thanked her and praised her for her attentiveness. Kara could easily see a sly smile on Klaus''s face directed towards her.


    This scene played out every Friday. Klaus would challenge her to a fight, and she would refuse. Klaus would insist, and Alice would say it would be fun. She would eventually accept and she would kick Klaus''s ass. Then Alice would care for Klaus as if he were her husband returning from war.


    Kara had lost her appetite for boar meat. She left the two of them and headed towards her own home.


    Kara''s house was located in the eastern part of the city. Most hunters lived in that area. She only lived with her father, who was often away. She never knew her mother. That''s why most of her childhood was spent with Alice at her grandmother''s house. After turning 10 years old, her father started taking her on monthly trips to the forests near the city. During these excursions, she learned what it meant to be a hunter, how to survive in nature, how to track animals, set traps, dissect animal bodies, and most importantly, how to kill animals.


    In this world, every thinking being receives a class based on their abilities (strength, agility, magic, etc.) at the age of 14. Some with multiple talents even have the opportunity to choose from several classes. Although anyone can learn skills from other classes, the result will be at best mediocre.


    These classes are divided into several levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and special. Almost everyone starts with a beginner-level class.


    Once you have chosen a class, you gain the ability to level up. How can you do that? There are two ways. The first is by using the skills acquired with your class (the long path). The second way is by killing. Monsters, humans, it doesn''t matter (the short path). It would be convenient if someone could level up quickly just by practicing the skills offered by their class... For example, Alice''s grandmother, who has the Potion Maker class, reached level 15 after 50 years of work. How many potions did she have to make to reach that level? Countless. Probably half of her levels were obtained by killing rats and cockroaches that invaded her kitchen. That''s why a combat class levels up much faster.


    Once you reach level 20, you have the opportunity to evolve your class into an intermediate class. If you don''t do that, your level will continue to increase, but it will become harder and harder. Once your class has evolved, your level will continue to grow at an acceptable rate until the next threshold, level 100.


    Of course, many cannot reach level 100, although they would like to, because a higher level offers both an increase in power and access to stronger skills, as well as an extended lifespan. For example, someone at level 20 can live up to a maximum of 100 years, while someone at level 80 can live up to 300 years.


    Just like everyone else, Kara received a class at the age of 14. This event caused more commotion than Kara would have liked. The reason is that Kara started directly with an intermediate class, but that happened not because Kara chose it; it was because the only option she was given was Hunter. Yes, her class is Hunter. While others who receive this class at level 20 can start with beginner-level classes like Forest Explorer, Trap Layer, etc., her talent for hunting, which was evident from the first wilderness trips she took with her father, allowed her to receive the Hunter class right from the start. Yes, her talent for hunting was truly extraordinary. She was agile like a wildcat, alert like an owl, and ruthless like a wolf. She didn''t have to become a hunter; she was born a hunter.

 Chapter 2. Friend Zone

    After a 45-minute walk, Kara finally arrived home. The house where she and her father were living had only two rooms and a kitchen, but since most of the time she was living alone, Kara always had the impression that the house was too big. She probably formed this opinion in her childhood when her father would leave for 10-12 days on hunting missions.


    That day, as usual, her father was away. Her father had an advanced class as a Beast Hunter, and his level was 120, so we can say that he had reached the peak of his career. It''s no wonder he was in high demand.


    Once she arrived home, Kara headed straight to the pantry, where she usually kept dried pastrami.


    ''Hmm. I think I''ll make my specialty...'', Kara thought.


    That didn''t take long because her specialty was a sandwich made of two types of pastrami without bread. More precisely, a piece of meat of one type is placed between two pieces of meat of another type.


    After sitting down on a chair and starting to eat her sandwich, Kara began to think about what happened after the fight against Klaus. Although Alice''s behavior was predictable, that doesn''t mean she wasn''t hurt, just like every time something similar happened. Anyone would be hurt if the person they have feelings for uses them to seek attention from someone else.


    Kara knew Alice from before she learned to walk because many times, as a baby, she was left in the care of Alice''s grandmother. When they were children, Alice had a more fragile body and was shyer, and Kara always played the role of protector for Alice. If Alice had a fever, Kara would sit by her bed and read to her, feed her with nutrient-rich fruits, and put cold compresses on her forehead. If Alice was bothered by other kids, Kara would immediately come and give them a beating.


    But over time, many of Alice''s problems were resolved. Although she was still a bit shy, the fact that she had become truly beautiful made socializing easy for her. Young boys would gaze at her, and girls wanted to be friends with her to enjoy the attention Alice received. Although this should have been a reason for Kara to be happy, it wasn''t. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn''t help it. Every time someone approached Alice and Kara was present, she always found a way to drive away the unwanted guests. It didn''t take long for jokes to emerge, comparing Kara to a dragon guarding its treasure or a silver bear protecting her cubs.


    This period of restlessness lasted for about two years until Kara turned 14 and received her class. On that day, her father threw a small party for her, and among the guests was a woman who often participated in missions with him. Although the woman was truly beautiful, what made her unforgettable for Kara was the fact that she didn''t come alone, but accompanied by another woman whom she introduced to Kara as her wife.


    The entire party passed by in a trance for Kara, many questions forming in her mind, among which the most important one was whether she and Alice could be together as the two women. Once the party ended, Kara went straight to her father to ask for more information. Until then, her father had only taught her things related to hunting, so all the things a young woman should know were taught to her by Alice''s grandmother. Although Alice''s grandmother was a kind woman, these discussions always annoyed Kara. Whenever she heard the words "lover" or "spouse" every 10 seconds, Kara could only calm herself by imagining herself slicing wild boars. Alice''s grandmother was always a simple woman who never liked to gossip and never traveled the world, so we can''t say she hid from Kara the fact that two women could be together. She probably never even thought about that option.


    Markus, Kara''s father, a man who never hesitated in the face of the fiercest beasts, found himself sweating in a situation for the first time. He could talk for hours about how to track games and how to set traps, but when it came to emotional issues and relationships, it wasn''t as easy for him to speak. When Kara told him that she had some questions about relationships, the first thing that came to his mind was to tell her to ask Alice''s grandmother, but seeing Kara''s expression, he realized things weren''t that simple. In the end, things weren''t that complicated. The fact that Kara liked girls was easier to discuss for Markus than giving advice about dating boys.


    Kara expected her father to have something against it, but it seemed he was actually excited. When she asked him what the reason was, he said that his daughter was too good and no boy had been born yet who deserved her. Of course, the reason was more complex, but Markus couldn''t tell Kara that he saw her as a little child, and every time his acquaintances asked him when Kara would get married or suggested introducing boys to her, he would get angry and shout "Let''s see who dares to steal my little girl!". Yes, he would much rather have his daughter steal other families'' girls than have some insolent boy steal his daughter.


    "Yes, I knew I raised you well. A true hunter..." Markus repeated from time to time. This fact boosted his confidence in his communication skills, thinking that he may have unconsciously shaped Kara''s preferences.


    Kara was thrilled to see that her father encouraged her to "hunt other families'' girls", but the fact that the relationship between women was unrecognized by religion and the state dampened her enthusiasm.


    "When you are truly strong, the opinions of others don''t matter. Everyone can have their truth, but when you are strong, your truth will shape the truth of those weaker than you. Kara, don''t let anyone shape your truth in the future, not even me or the one you''ll love. A true hunter doesn''t hesitate because hesitation means death. During the hunt, a moment of hesitation can turn the hunter into the hunted and the hunted into the hunter."


    After the conversation with her father, the chaos in Kara''s mind disappeared. She realized that she loved Alice, and even if the rest of the world was against it, as long as Alice agreed to be with her, nothing else would matter.


    Probably, that night after the conversation with her father was the calmest night of her life. But often, there is calm before the storm. Kara realized in those three years since she gained her class that the biggest difficulty wasn''t the opinion of the rest of the world but Alice''s opinion.


    The day after the party, Kara immediately went to Alice, who, although she had been at the party, wasn''t present when Kara met the two women who formed a couple. While discussing the party, Kara quickly brought up the topic of the relationship between the two women who had the mage class, but to Kara''s disappointment, Alice showed only surprise, not enthusiasm.


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    From that day on, Kara had two main activities: to become stronger to impress Alice with her excellence and to stop the mouth of any person who would have something to say against them in the future, and to court Alice discreetly. The first activity was a real success. She quickly reached level 20, many of her skills reached their maximum level, and with the help of a friend of her father, who had the Master Assassin class, she gained experience in fighting other people. Unfortunately, the second activity didn''t enjoy the same success, although there were many opportunities to transform their relationship after Alice received her Light Mage class, which also belonged to the intermediate class category. This fact was very surprising to everyone, even to Alice, who expected to have the same class as her grandmother, considering she had been her disciple since she was little. But the fact that she spent her entire childhood among magical potions and the unusually large amount of mana she has, all led to this fortunate event that opened Alice''s path to a much more fulfilling future.


    After this event, Kara took Alice on countless hunting expeditions in the forests around their city to help Alice increase her level. Many who receive a combat class wait until they turn 18 to be able to join the Adventurers Guild. The Adventurers Guild manages many beginner-level Dungeons, which are ideal for beginners who want to increase their level. Therefore, most of those who receive a combat class at the age of 14 and don''t have many resources, choose to focus on training in safety, planning to venture into the Dungeons and increase their level once they become adults.


    Fortunately for Alice, she had an important resource: Kara. For a beginner, venturing into the forests full of beasts without an experienced hunter is pure suicide because the creatures in the forests are much smarter than those in the beginner-level Dungeons. But with Kara by her side, Alice could walk through the forests without any worries, as if she was in the middle of the city.


    Kara strongly believed that these adventures would transform her relationship with Alice, and that''s exactly what happened. However, it didn''t happen the way Kara expected, going from best friends to a romantic relationship. Instead, their relationship evolved into best friends for life. No matter what Kara did, whether it was giving gifts or offering help to Alice, Alice only saw Kara as her best friend, and when Kara tried to drop hints about her intentions, like saying "Everything for my future wife.", Alice laughed it off as a joke.


    After two years of unsuccessful attempts, Kara came to the conclusion that she could only achieve the desired outcome by being clear and honest with Alice. On her birthday, Kara used all her savings to buy a beautiful magical gold ring for Alice, which had a storage space of 2 cubic meters and then, she kneeled in front of Alice to propose. Unfortunately for Kara, not everything went according to plan. Alice told her that she couldn''t respond to Kara''s feelings at that moment because her grandmother would never agree, and her deceased father, who was a healer in the Temple of the Sun God during his life, would turn in his grave if he found out about it. Alice continued by apologizing to Kara and expressing her desire to remain best friends. To prevent Alice from shedding a river of tears, Kara reassured her that they would continue to be friends just as they had been until then, and she also gave Alice the ring as a symbol that she would always be the most important person in her life.


    After that day, Kara stopped making suggestions about a romantic relationship and tried to make everything appear as it was before. She buried all her disappointments deep in her heart but continued to hope that her sincerity would eventually convince Alice.


    Unfortunately, everything changed a month later with the arrival of Klaus, the only son of Count Uther Bronhill, who ruled the city. Klaus''s family had lived in the capital for the past 12 years, with his wife holding a position in the Institute of Magic Research, and their son attending an academy that trained future leaders.


    Klaus, whose position as a Count was practically guaranteed through inheritance, mainly focused on showcasing his fighting abilities, aiming to surpass his father, who held the class Magic Knight, by aspiring to become a rare Paladin.


    Shortly after settling in the city, Klaus presented himself at the training field, where he challenged one by one all the youths of his age, mainly the sons of city guards and a few nobles, effortlessly defeating them all.


    Unfortunately for him, one of the nobles'' sons who was humiliated by Klaus knew Kara. After numerous pleas and a generous donation of 100 silver coins, Kara was persuaded and agreed to fight Klaus. Although Kara''s class was not ideal for fighting against other humans or similar races, she had trained for two years with her father''s friend, who was a Master Assassin. Her speed and agility were always unmatched compared to others at her level, regardless of their class. With her teacher''s help, she adapted many of her skills used to confuse and immobilize beasts, making them useful when facing a human opponent. The fight between the two was very short, as Kara immediately immobilized Klaus after he attacked with his sword. Of course, Klaus had no intention of accepting defeat and tried to escape, but Kara quickly dislocated his hand, calming him down.


    After a week of intense training, Klaus inquired about Kara''s whereabouts and went to her house to challenge her to another fight. Unfortunately for him, he didn''t find her at home and learned from the neighbors that Kara had gone hunting in the woods. We can say a lot about Klaus, but we cannot say that he is a person who will give up easily. He waited for five hours at the city gates, through which Kara was expected to return, and eventually managed to meet her as the sun was setting.


    Kara, who was returning from the woods with Alice, immediately declined Klaus''s proposal, arguing that she had nothing to gain from the fight. Furthermore, she didn''t believe Klaus could make such progress in just a week to be able to defeat her. Klaus tried to offer Kara money, but she refused again, stating that it wasn''t fair to take money from someone and then kick the ass of the same person. Fortunately for Klaus, who was about to explode with anger, Alice, seemingly more enthusiastic about duels than ever before, convinced Kara to participate in the fight.


    The fight ended as quickly as the one from the previous week, Kara wanting to show Alice how cool she was. Unfortunately for Kara, when Alice saw Klaus lying on the ground, she immediately went to him in concern to check if he was okay, even offering him a health potion, although Klaus wasn''t seriously injured. Moreover, Alice reproached Kara, saying that she had been too heavy-handed.


    Kara was greatly surprised by Alice''s behavior, perceiving all these actions as something fantastic that didn''t belong to this world. The only thing that snapped her out of her trance was the idea that Alice was doing all this for her good, trying to protect Kara from a conflict with Klaus, who was the son of the city''s ruler.


    From that day on, the same scenario repeated every Friday evening. No matter how blinded Kara was by her feelings for Alice, she realized that Alice''s behavior had one purpose: to impress Klaus. Until then, Kara could console herself with the fact that Alice considered her the best friend. However, from that point on, Kara realized that for Alice, she had become just a way to gain Klaus''s attention.


    ''What attracts Alice to Klaus? Is it the fact that he is the son of the city''s ruler? Is it the fact that his class offers more prospects than my class? Or is it simply because Klaus is a handsome boy? Does Alice not realize how much she hurts me with her actions? Or does she realize but doesn''t care, prioritizing a future relationship with Klaus over our lifelong friendship?'' These were the questions Kara had been asking herself in the past months, and she was still pondering them as she sat at the table, consuming her sandwich.

 Chapter 3. Shattered Illusions

    "Cockadoodledoo!!"


    ................................


    "Cockadoodledoo!!"


    ''Hmmm. Damn it! Eventually, I''ll kill that rooster...''


    The next day, Kara was woken up as usual by the noise of her neighbor''s rooster. During working days, this was not a problem as she left for the forest early in the morning. However, on weekends, when she usually preferred to relax, she wanted to sleep more.


    Usually, on Saturday mornings, she would go to Alice''s place for breakfast, but for the first time in her life, Kara felt that Alice''s presence would only bring discomfort. Maybe she had finally come to terms with the fact that Alice would never accept her as a lover. Was it possible for them to remain best friends? Maybe they weren''t even that anymore.


    In the month following her official confession to Alice, Kara continued to hope that Alice was in love with her, but due to external factors, Alice didn''t accept her confession. Alice didn''t distance herself from Kara or reject any gifts offered by her, so Kara thought there was still a chance.


    Now, looking back, everything is clear. Kara was for Alice the most important resource of money and experience for leveling up. Perhaps Alice didn''t reject her directly out of fear of losing the attention provided by Kara.


    Why did their relationship change so much? Was she responsible for the destruction of their friendship because she was greedy and wanted too much?


    ''At least I did everything I could. I won''t have any regrets...''.


    That''s the conclusion Kara reached after a night of sleep.


    After getting out of bed, Kara started preparing breakfast. Kara has always preferred to eat a lot in the morning, so the breakfast she prepared today consisted of 5 boiled eggs, 2 apples, and two slices of bread spread with honey. A true champion''s meal.


    After finishing her meal, Kara settled into an armchair and started reading a book brought by her father, a book about the exploration of the Dungeons.


    After three hours of reading, Kara decided to take a short trip to the forest to test a new skill she had received yesterday upon reaching level 25. Yes, she could evolve her class for over a year, but none of the options she received appealed to her. Initially, she had wanted to have the same class as her father, but now she realized it wasn''t enough. No matter how powerful the Beast Hunter class was, it would have no chance of winning against a Paladin or a Great Sage. Yes, Kara might be a genius, but her expertise lay in hunting. She couldn''t indefinitely bridge the gap between classes.


    ..............


    Once in the forest, Kara did a quick warm-up and then activated the new skill she had received, "Speaking Forest". To Kara''s disappointment, this skill only dealt with creating diversions and could only be activated in the forest. It wouldn''t significantly enhance her combat abilities.


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    Kara''s most important skills are two latent skills: Speed Increase and Hawk Eyes. With nearly perfect vision and speed that could benefit from the information her brain received from her eyes, combined with combat techniques learned from her father''s friend, a Master Assassin, Kara was an unbeatable opponent for anyone at the same level as her.


    But what would happen in the future? After years of being seen as a genius, Kara had developed pride in her abilities. Kara couldn''t accept that others at the same level would be stronger than her.


    ''It seems that failure never comes alone. After failing in love, I am heading towards a professional failure...''


    This was Kara''s thought as she returned home in the evening.


    Once she entered the courtyard, Kara saw Alice waiting for her, sitting on the bench under the front yard plum tree.


    "Kara! Where have you been? I thought something happened to you..."


    "I went to the forest to train for a few hours," Kara replied curtly to Alice.


    "But why didn''t you come in the morning? Did your father return? Or did you have something else to do?", Alice continued to ask.


    "No."


    "No what?"


    "My father didn''t return, and I didn''t have anything important to do."


    "Then what happened?"


    "Nothing."


    "Then why didn''t you come in the morning?"


    "I had breakfast at home."


    Seeing that she wasn''t reaching any conclusion, Alice pouted and looked at Kara reproachfully. If this had happened in the past, Kara would have done everything in her power to bring a smile back to Alice''s face. But now Kara simply bypassed her and entered the house.


    Alice remained speechless. ''Something is not right,'' she thought. She immediately followed Kara and grabbed her arm.


    "Kara! What''s wrong? Are you upset with me?"


    "Yes."


    Alice was once again shocked. Until now, Kara had never told her that she was upset with her.


    "But why? What did I do? Please tell me."


    "I''m upset because you don''t know the reason why I''m upset."


    ''Or maybe you know and you just don''t care...'', Kara added in her mind.


    "Kara, why are you speaking in riddles? If I''ve done something wrong, tell me clearly so I can fix it and apologize."


    "Don''t you know, Alice? Don''t you know? You''ve been using me for almost a year to get Klaus'' attention, criticizing me in front of him... What do you think of me? That I''m stupid, that I don''t see. Alice, I know you better than anyone in this world. Do you think I haven''t noticed how you look at him? Maybe at first, I deceived myself and tried not to understand, but deep down, I knew from the first day."


    Once she finished speaking, Kara took a deep breath to calm herself.


    ''Yes, this is the real me. I will no longer be a dog in front of Alice. Nor will I be in front of anyone...''.


    "Kara, how... how can you say that? The reason I''ve been friendly with Klaus is because he''s the son of the city''s leader. If he wanted to, both we and my grandmother and your father would no longer be able to set foot in this city. Besides, almost every time you''ve dislocated one of his hands or legs, so it''s only natural that I would help him after the fight. I know that your feelings for me have always made you jealous of anyone who comes near me, but now it''s too much!"


    Kara expected a response like this. Perhaps for those who don''t know Alice, she may seem naive, but she is far from it. In just three sentences, she turned Kara''s jealousy into the cause of their conflict.


    "Okay, I admit it, I''m jealous. I just can''t help it! But it''s fine now... You said you have no feelings for Klaus. So there won''t be any problem if you stay away from him."


    Alice didn''t expect her own words to be used against her. In the end, she had no choice but to accept Kara''s condition.


    "Okay, okay, Kara. I''ll stay away from him. Are you happy?"


    "Yes," Kara replied with a wide smile. "I''m very happy."


    ''Let''s see how many days you can keep your promise, Alice. I''m willing to give you another chance, even though I''m sure you''ll disappoint me again. I want to see what solution you''ll come up with, Alice. What excuse will you find next Friday? And what will you say in the future when you realize that for Klaus you are just a tool that helps him get on my nerves?''

 Chapter 4. Green Tea?

    In the following days, Kara and Alice behaved as usual, as if the Saturday conversation never took place. On Sunday morning, Kara visited Alice and her grandmother, and after having breakfast, they went to the city market to buy clothes. As usual, when they went shopping for clothes, Kara bought Alice a small gift.


    With the arrival of Monday, Kara and Alice resumed their journeys through the forests to level up. Alice''s storage ring with a capacity of 2 cubic meters had always been helpful to them in the past year, as they could easily store valuable parts from the beasts they defeated. To be honest, Kara could afford to buy one for herself, and if she asked her father, he would immediately bring her one as a gift. The problem was that Kara had never been a fan of jewelry, not even magical ones.


    After five days of being together in the forests, Kara and Alice found themselves again on Friday evening. As soon as they returned to the city, Kara and Alice entered the branch of the Trade Guild to sell the items they obtained that day. After delivering the goods and receiving their payment, the two met Klaus as usual at the exit.


    In the past week, Kara had been paying close attention to Alice''s behavior, but she didn''t notice anything unusual.


    ''I wonder if she really doesn''t plan on using me to get closer to Klaus''.


    That''s what Kara thought about all day.


    "Good evening, ladies. It seems like you''ve had another fruitful day...", Klaus greeted them.


    "It was so-so...", Kara replied.


    Although Kara treated him indifferently as usual, Klaus, who had gained immunity in the past year, wasn''t discouraged and continued to speak.


    "Kara, I''m sure today will be different. I hope you''ll agree to a rematch."


    "Unfortunately, I''m not in the mood today. I''ve beaten you so many times that it has become boring. Go away..."


    "Heh. Today won''t be as easy. I''ve reached level 20, and my class has advanced. I''m now a Knight."


    Kara wasn''t surprised to hear this. Klaus was the son of the wealthiest noble in town. Of course, he had the necessary resources.


    "And what does that have to do with me? I''m sure you have someone else to test your new powers with."


    To Kara''s expectations, Alice, who hadn''t said a word until then, intervened to mediate the conflict.


    "Kara, even though it would be beneficial for you to gain experience from this fight, I think it''s too dangerous. Klaus'' class is purely combat-oriented. I''m afraid you might get hurt..."


    Alice''s words managed to surprise Kara, but these words also helped her realize why Alice had been so calm all week.


    ''No wonder Alice has been so calm. She probably found out from Klaus that he''s close to evolving his class after last week''s fight when I didn''t bother to wait for her. She probably came up with a new strategy even before our conversation. Alice knows me well enough. She knows that the limitations of my class always get on my nerves. She knows this and decided to use it against me. Besides, who would want to appear weak in front of their loved one? Relying on my feelings for her, Alice is confident that I''ll accept Klaus'' challenge if she shows concern that I might lose. Well done, Alice. Nicely played. Let''s see if you''ll get what you want by the end of the day.''


    "Okay, Klaus. Let''s go to the training field."


    ....................


    After reaching the training field, Klaus entered the locker room to equip himself. While Kara did a short warm-up, Alice continued to express her concern for Kara.


    "Kara, you didn''t have to accept. What if you get hurt?"


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    "Relax. I''ve beaten him dozens of times before. It''ll be a piece of cake."


    After 10 minutes, Klaus emerged from the locker room with an even more dazzling outfit than before.


    ''Wow. He looks like a chandelier from the Temple of the Sun God...''.


    Kara never appreciated such pompous attire that makes you stand out from a hundred meters away.


    "I''m ready, Kara. Let''s get started."


    "Come on."


    More confident than ever, Klaus rushed towards Kara at high speed. Kara instantly noticed that Klaus had probably acquired some skill to help him accelerate over short distances despite the added weight of his armor.


    Fortunately for Kara, Klaus'' attacks were as predictable as ever. After nearly a year of fighting each other weekly, it was impossible for Klaus to surprise Kara with anything, even if he had become faster.


    Realizing that he couldn''t gain an advantage in close combat, Klaus decided to use a new skill he obtained with the evolution of his class, Wind Slash.


    He distanced himself from Kara by about 10 meters, and with a swing of his sword, a blade of wind was unleashed toward Kara.


    Fortunately for Kara, she had suspected from the beginning that Klaus had acquired a skill that allowed him to attack from a distance, so as soon as she saw Klaus swinging his sword, she swiftly dropped to the ground.


    Because they were using blunt weapons, a direct strike with a sword would only leave a scratch at most, but Klaus''s wind blade was capable of easily cutting off a person''s unprotected hand.


    ''What a bastard! If I didn''t act quickly, I could have been seriously injured. What does this idiot think, that I could have parried the blow? Does he think this 30-centimeter blunt knife is equivalent to his shield?''


    Kara instantly propelled herself towards Klaus before he could launch another wind blade. Klaus raised his shield to block Kara''s attack, expecting her to aim for a joint as she usually would in this situation. But Kara had no intention of targeting any weak points in Klaus''s armor. If she wanted to win, she would have done it from the beginning when they exchanged blows at close range. Although Klaus had become stronger, the outcome of this fight had always been in Kara''s hands. Her goal from the start was to pretend to lose, thus avoiding Klaus''s nagging.


    Once beside Klaus, she leaped and forcefully struck his shield with her knee.


    "Boom!"


    "Ah, my knee, my fucking knee..."


    When Klaus moved the shield aside, he was taken aback by the sight. Kara was rolling on the ground, clutching her knee, which was covered in blood, with tears streaming down her face.


    "Ah, you''ve become too strong. I tried to throw you off balance, but I couldn''t move you even an inch. Ouch. I can''t go on. You''ve defeated me."


    Until now, Klaus saw Kara as a rival, an obstacle to his great destiny, but when he saw her injured on the ground, instead of feeling joy, he felt nothing but regret. No matter how capable Kara may be, she was still just a girl. What true knight would bring a girl into such a situation? Remembering the wind blade he sent flying towards Kara, who had nothing on her to defend herself, Klaus felt increasingly ashamed.


    "Kara, I..."


    Before he could say anything, Alice approached the center of the arena with a smile on her face.


    "Klaus, you''ve won. I told you that you would succeed in the end. Always..."


    "What are you saying? Is that important?" Klaus shouted. "What kind of friend are you? Can''t you see that Kara is hurt? Quickly, bring a potion! Uh, forget it. I have one with me.."


    Klaus immediately took a health potion out of his storage ring, and after pouring the potion into Kara''s mouth, he bent down and carried her in his arms like a princess, taking her out of the arena.


    Kara, who at this moment seemed more timid than a rabbit and more delicate than a butterfly''s wing, allowed Klaus to carry her to a bench, while Alice was following them, looking at them as if they didn''t belong to that world.


    Once seated on the bench, Kara tearfully thanked Klaus and asked him to go rent a carriage for her to go home since her leg needed at least a day of rest to recover.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take responsibility and take you home in my carriage. Sam! Bring the carriage here!"


    As Klaus often suffered minor injuries after a fight, his butler, Sam, stood nearby with the carriage ready.


    After a few minutes in which the potion had taken effect, Klaus helped Kara into the carriage, and they left together for Kara''s house, without even glancing at Alice.


    Alice remained frozen in place. This outcome had sent her into a true hell. When she saw Klaus defeat Kara, Alice believed that he would be grateful for all her support and that their relationship would become closer. At best, maybe he would confide in her. If not, in the future, relying on the fact that Kara wouldn''t accept the last fight between her and Klaus as a defeat and would want a rematch, Alice would accompany Kara when she went to fight again and come up with new strategies to capture Klaus''s heart.


    But now Alice found herself in the worst possible situation. Klaus shouted at her for Kara''s sake. Moreover, the way Klaus behaves with Kara, his eyes... Things for which she worked for a whole year were achieved by Kara in seconds. Kara only needed to shed a few tears to win Klaus over.


    "She did this on purpose. She wanted to punish me. Kara likes girls, doesn''t she? It''s impossible for her and Klaus..."


    ..................


    <h4>


    [On the terrace near the training ground]</h4>


    "Why don''t you want to pay, old man? Wasn''t it your idea to place a bet with us? Hand over the money if you want to leave in one piece!"

 Chapter 5. My Love Will Never Be for Free

    After arriving with the carriage in front of her house, Kara refused Klaus'' suggestion to help her enter the house, claiming that if her neighbors were to see men leaving her house while her father was away, her reputation would be ruined. Klaus had no choice but to follow her with concern from the carriage as Kara limped into the house.


    Once inside the house, Kara miraculously stopped limping. The blow to her knees looked truly terrifying on the training ground, but it wasn''t that serious. Only her skin was injured. That''s right! It was all just a performance.


    ''I hope you like my gift, Alice. That''s what you deserve for treating me like a dog. Through my little theatrical act, I achieved all my goals. From now on, Klaus won''t dare to challenge me in a fight for fear of hurting me again and because he believes he''s stronger than me, and your image in front of Klaus is at its lowest point. Perhaps Klaus is arrogant and impulsive, but he is still a nobleman who has seen much more in life than you. Do you think Klaus hasn''t seen what lies beneath your saintly mask? The only reason he played along with you is that you were a perfect tool to influence me. Let''s see what you''ll do now that you''ve lost your value. Do you think Klaus hasn''t seen beautiful girls before he saw you? Or do you think that your class gives you any advantage? Wake up if you''re dreaming about that! This country is full of beautiful and talented girls! This small town surrounded by forests is not the whole world!''


    ......................


    Kara slept very well that night. Punishing Alice worked wonders for her state of mind. If Alice had been honest and told her that she couldn''t have a romantic relationship with her and that she liked Klaus, Kara would have accepted it. Maybe she would try not to be as close to Alice anymore, but they could remain friends.


    But Alice didn''t do that. Kara was too important of a resource for her. She continued to give Kara hope, and Kara, being someone who always believed that if you fought with all your might for what you wanted, you would succeed in obtaining it, kept trying to win Alice''s heart.


    But now it''s all over. All the cards have been laid on the table.


    Kara learned two important things from her relationship with Alice. The first thing is that you need to recognize early on which battles cannot be won in order to retreat as soon as possible. Throughout her life, Kara had not experienced any significant failures. During hunting trips, she was always in control. She was never caught off guard or put in danger. Everything always went according to plan. This made Kara overly confident, and now she realized that too much self-assurance can lead you to difficulty.


    The second thing she learned from her relationship with Alice is that you shouldn''t let affection for someone become a weapon that can be used against you, even by your loved one. But what is the solution? How can you defend yourself against such a thing?


    ''To be strong, that is the solution. A dragon could roam without a care, even if everyone knew the location of his reverse scale. Who would dare to challenge it? In this world, three things give you power: money, the nobility of your bloodline, and your competence in battle. Someone with a lot of money can obtain a noble title, and a noble can take money from others through the power of his connections. But no matter how much money you have or how blue your blood is, in front of a true warrior, everything you do is futile. In conclusion, competence in battle is absolute. Only those capable of the highest degree of violence can declare themselves the strongest. But what can I do? No matter how hard I try, the limitations of my class will catch up to me soon. No! There must be a solution... Yes! For example, the Hero class. It doesn''t appear like the others, does it? It is bestowed by the leadership of the Sun God''s church. I believe that''s where we should start our investigation. When Father returns, I will ask him to tell me everything he knows. Until then, I can search for information in the library next to the temple of the Sun God.''


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    .....................


    Kara didn''t waste any time, and immediately after breakfast, she headed towards the library. Unfortunately, after four hours of searching through books and manuscripts, she found nothing that could help her in the given situation. Tired of swallowing the dust from books that contained nothing useful, she decided to go home.


    ''So many books and nothing useful. Just praises to the heroes and exaggerations of their deeds to the sky. If they were so perfect, after defeating the Demon Lord, they wouldn''t have rested on their laurels. There are so many problems in the world: exploited people, corrupt nobles, and natural disasters. What have they done to solve all these? Nothing! And it''s clear why. Because all those who received the Hero class were sons of nobles capable of politics and skilled in battle. What do they care about the rest of the world? Once they obtain the title of Duke and marry some princess, they secure their lives. What reason would they have to continue fighting? Yes! It''s all a scam! A scam in which everyone participates, even the gods! And then...''


    "Excuse me, miss. Can you please follow me to the carriage? My mistress, Countess Bronhill, would like to speak with you."


    Kara, whose thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the words of an older man dressed like a carriage driver, looked surprised at him. Initially, she thought the driver was talking to someone next to her, but his gaze was fixed on her, so she was the person in question. But why?


    "I think there''s a mistake. I don''t know the countess. I believe you''re looking for someone else."


    "You are Miss Kara, aren''t you? I''m sure my mistress invited you."


    Upon hearing this response, Kara had no choice but to follow the driver, who led her to a carriage parked 50 meters away from where she initially was. Refusing a noble without a valid reason was not a wise thing to do.


    ''Maybe it has something to do with Klaus? He''s the only mutual acquaintance between me and the countess...'', Kara thought as she headed towards the carriage.


    Once inside the carriage, Kara was left breathless. In front of her stood by far the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life. She was flawless, with her sapphire blue eyes and long golden hair, she was a walking treasure. And her sexy body, with a large and voluptuous chest, and her soft and rosy lips perfect for kissing, made Kara feel a warmth in her core, a warmth that engulfed her entire body within seconds.


    Seeing Kara standing there like a statue, Countess Bronhill assumed she was scared or nervous.


    ''That''s to be expected from a simple girl. She probably has never encountered someone of my status before. Hmmm. She truly is a beauty, although I can confidently say she has never made an effort in that regard. It''s evident from her simply arranged hair and unremarkable clothes that she doesn''t care about appearances. She''s a wild beauty. A danger that seduces you, makes you approach even though you know you''ll suffer. No wonder Klaus lost his mind because of her.''


    Noticing that Kara was still looking at her as if she were some fantastical creature, Countess Bronhill had no choice but to break the awkward situation by speaking first.


    "Errr, hello Kara. I am Countess Bronhill. Nice to meet you..."


    These words brought Kara back to reality, realizing that the beauty in front of her was none other than Klaus''s mother.


    ''Come on, Kara, snap out of it. Though she''s the most beautiful woman I''ve ever seen, she''s not someone I can dream about. But damn it! Earlier, I was mocking Alice in my mind, I was laughing at the fact that she hasn''t seen enough of the world. But what can be said about me now? It''s the first time I am experiencing something like this, the first time I''m getting stuck. Come on, Kara, say something. Speak! Speak!...''


    "It''s my pleasure to meet you, Countess. Please tell me how I can assist you."


    With great effort, Kara managed to form a few sentences, although her words came out too flattering, not matching her usual expressionless face when communicating with someone she didn''t know well.


    "Oh, no, no! Don''t be so formal, Kara. I called you here just to get to know you. After all, you''ll soon become my future daughter-in-law."


    "Huh, daughter-in-what?"

 Chapter 6. The Inheritance Call

    "My daughter-in-law, of course. I suppose you haven''t heard the good news from Klaus yet. Both Klaus''s father and I have agreed to this marriage. Although in the future Klaus will still need to take another wife of noble origin to strengthen his position as the future count, you will not be treated any less. Initially, Klaus''s father and I had thought of allowing you to be only his concubine, but Klaus strongly opposed it. He roared like a lion, stating that he would not accept his first love being disregarded in the future. Meeting you, it''s clear to me why my son was so stubborn about this. It''s not hard for me to believe that you would probably have refused the position of a concubine. But I must admit that Klaus truly has a good eye. Despite your modest origins, I can easily sense your power and determination. So congratulations. Welcome to the family!"


    After this lengthy explanation, along with the final well-wishes, the countess stood up and embraced Kara, engulfing her in a softness from which, under normal circumstances, she would never want to escape. But the prior explanation erased all the erotic fantasies from Kara''s mind. She couldn''t appreciate the countess''s ample bosom pressing against her body, nor the intoxicating scent of the countess''s skin. All that remained in her mind was the thought of running away as far as possible.


    ''What the hell? How did this happen? When did Klaus fall in love with me? Don''t tell me that a few tears made Klaus forget all the beatings he endured from me for so many months...''


    Kara made an effort and broke free from the countess''s arms, leaving her slightly unsatisfied.


    "Is there a problem with what I said?" the countess asked Kara."No matter how much you two love each other, it''s necessary for Klaus to take at least one more wife of noble origin..."


    "But, countess, my relationship with Klaus is, at best, at the level of training partners. I don''t mean to sound insolent, but this is the first time I''ve heard of such a thing..."


    "You don''t have to be ashamed in front of me, Kara. Klaus has described to me how much you''ve helped him without asking for anything in return. You didn''t just help him become a better fighter, but you helped him become a better man. That''s true love. To give without expecting anything in return. Maybe you never believed that your dream would come true, but both my husband and I believed that Klaus''s happiness is the most important..."


    And so the countess continued to assure Kara that her family would welcome her with open arms, and after several unsuccessful attempts to deny the love relationship between her and Klaus, Kara had no choice but to listen to the duchess''s speech in the same way she listened to the monologues of actors performing in the main square during celebrations.


    ''Well, at least this time the actress is a beauty. Too bad she''s a countess. And Klaus''s mother...''


    Kara managed to escape only after repeatedly promising that as soon as her father returned, she would go with him to discuss the details related to the marriage. Once she got out of the carriage, Kara had only one thought in her mind: ''I need to disappear from this town. No, I need to disappear from this country!''


    Kara continued her way home as discreetly as possible, hoping not to encounter anyone connected to Klaus''s family.


    Once she arrived home, she barricaded the door as if she were being pursued by her greatest enemy.


    ''Damn it. How did this happen? It''s truly ridiculous. It would be laughable if I weren''t the main character of this story. What''s going on in Klaus''s mind? Was yesterday''s episode the reason why he''s head over heels in love with me now? Too bad I can''t turn back time. If I could, I would beat him until he loses consciousness. No. From what I understood from his mother, Klaus claimed that the beatings he endured from me in the past months made him a better person. What normal person would say such a thing? What if Klaus is a masochist? Maybe he would fall even more in love if I beat him to the point of near death.''


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    After drinking a large glass of water, Kara managed to calm down a bit.


    ''The situation isn''t that bad. The influence of the count and his family is not so significant outside the city. If I move to the other side of the country, I can live happily without any problems. Plus, I don''t think Klaus''s family will humiliate themselves by searching for me all over the country. What would people say if they found out that Klaus''s future wife chose to run away instead of marrying him? People would think Klaus has a problem. Probably Klaus''s family will conclude that I''m a girl who doesn''t know what''s good for her and unworthy of Klaus''s love. There might be another solution. To explain to Klaus that there isn''t now and will never be a love relationship between us. But is there any chance of making him understand? Probably not. And even if he understood that I don''t love him, I don''t think I''ll have peace in the future. Klaus is as stubborn as a mule. He followed me for almost a year to challenge me to a fight, only to be beaten by me every time. What will stop him from chasing after me for another year trying to win my love? I could tell him that I''m attracted to women, making it impossible for me to fall in love with him. But will he believe me? Probably not. Owwww!!! Too bad Klaus isn''t a girl. If he were a girl and resembled his mother at least 90 percent, I would accept wholeheartedly. No, Kara! Bad Kara! Where are you going with these thoughts?''


    The memory of the countess''s appearance once again made Kara feel the need to drink a large glass of water to clear her mind. If the reason Kara was attracted to Alice was because Alice was, well, Alice, Kara felt a much wilder type of attraction towards the countess. An attraction that had the power to make her lose control. Kara didn''t like this. During the hunt, you always had to be in control; you couldn''t give up the advantage. Those were some of the words her father told her on the first day he taught her how to hunt.


    ''Huh, how did I cut my hand?''


    As Kara poured herself another glass of water, she noticed that her left hand was covered in blood. She must have come into contact with something sharp while daydreaming about Klaus''s mother.


    ''It is really great. The carpet is stained now. Wait a moment? What''s happening?''


    Looking at the floor for bloodstains, Kara noticed something unusual. A few drops of blood were moving.


    ''But how? The floor is level...''


    Following the drops of blood, she arrived at the staircase leading to the cellar.


    ''What could be there? Some kind of magical device? As far as I know, my father only keeps broken traps and some stuffed animals in the cellar. I didn''t see anything special the last time I was there.''


    After a moment of hesitation, Kara decided to descend into the cellar to unravel the mystery.


    ''Heh. At least I found myself an occupation. Treasure hunting. It''s better than thinking about the events that unfolded today.''


    Once she descended into the cellar and lit a lamp, Kara noticed a 3-centimeter bloodstain on the left wall. Moreover, a few drops were heading toward the same spot.


    ''It''s like a horror story. Don''t tell me there''s a vampire buried there. I have to check. I can''t leave something so unpredictable under our house.''


    Determined to investigate thoroughly, Kara grabbed a crowbar leaning in a corner of the cellar and started hitting the wall forcefully (like in those stories with eccentric detectives). After the dust settled, Kara saw a metallic object in the hole in the wall.


    ''Yes. There''s definitely something there.''


    Kara continued widening the hole until she managed to retrieve the hidden object from the wall. The object in question was a metal box with a half-meter diagonal.


    ''What could be in the box? Could it be a box hidden by my father here, or was it here before we moved into the house? It''s best to wait for him to come. He said he would return either tonight or tomorrow night. I don''t think it''s an emergency.''


    But it seems the box sensed Kara''s intention and suddenly decided to open itself.


    ''Well, it seems the contents of the box really want to be found.''


    Kara was immediately able to see the contents of the box, but it wasn''t as impressive as she expected. At the bottom of the box, there was only a bundle of very old sheets of paper. As she held the sheets of paper in her hand, Kara noticed two things: first, they were written in an unknown language, and second, they were written in blood.


    ''What sick person would do such a thing?''


    But as Kara looked at the sheets on both sides, she began to feel something strange. Suddenly, the written words she had never seen before started to make sense. Yes, now she could understand. Kara read the first line on the first sheet aloud:


    "The Path of the Predator."

 Chapter 7. A Blessing or a Curse?

    When Markus returned from his nearly two-week-long mission, it was already dark outside. The mission he had participated in had been very frustrating for him because he and his team had to capture a marine creature. Markus had never been a fan of fishing. The smell of fish always made him lose his appetite.


    Trying to open the door, Markus noticed that it was locked.


    ''Strange. Did Kara go to bed so early?''


    Markus had no choice but to knock on the door.


    "Kara, I''m back. Open the door."


    Unfortunately, after 3 minutes, he still hadn''t received a response.


    ''What''s happening? If Kara had left, the door would only open with a key. But it''s clearly locked from the inside. If Kara were home, she would definitely hear me. No, this isn''t good... Something has happened. I need to get in as quickly as possible to see...''


    Markus immediately put his thoughts into action. He quickly broke a window and forcefully pulled on the metal grille, meant to prevent thieves, accompanied by the barking of the neighbors'' dogs.


    "Damn it. The whole street will think I''m a thief."


    But Markus'' well-trained biceps, developed through lifting the carcasses of thousands of beasts he had killed, did not disappoint. In just 10 seconds, he managed to tear off the metal grille and then, despite being a solid man over 1.90 meters tall, he slipped into the house with the agility of a cat.


    After Markus managed to enter the house, he noticed that the door was not only locked but also blocked with a large oak cupboard.


    ''What the hell happened?''


    Markus started searching for Kara from room to room, but she was nowhere to be found.


    ''There must be some clue. People don''t just disappear into thin air.''


    Resuming the search more carefully, he eventually found a bloodstain on the kitchen carpet.


    ''It''s blood, human blood. How did it get here? What the hell happened? Kara, where is Kara?''


    "Ahh, whoever harmed my baby shall be ready to meet their death. I will search until the end of the world. Everyone will die, everyone will die..." Markus yelled as he fell to his knees like a dying dragon giving its last breath.


    "Are you done with the dramatic speech? How did you deduce that someone killed me?", interrupted Kara who had just come out of the basement.


    "Kara, you''re alive. Thank the gods!" Markus said, relieved, wiping away the tears that had appeared at the corners of his eyes.


    "Dad, calm down. No one attacked me..." Kara said, trying to bring Markus back to normal.


    After hearing Kara''s words, Markus stood up, cleared his throat to escape the embarrassing situation, and then asked Kara what had happened.


    "Why is the door locked then? Is someone following you?"


    "No, no one is following me, at least not yet. The reason why I locked the door is quite ridiculous. Do you remember Klaus, the son of the city leader whom I defeated countless times? It seems he has convinced his parents that there is true love between him and me, and they plan to marry me off to him."


    "What marriage? With you? Over my dead body. What do they think, that just because they are nobles, they can steal my child? Don''t worry, Kara. Your father will solve this problem. I didn''t become the most skilled hunter in this region for nothing. There are many higher-ranking nobles who owe me. I will go directly to Duke Roland and ask him to reason with Count Brunhill."


    "Dad, the problem is not that serious. As long as we leave the city, Count Brunhill won''t be able to do anything. I have more important things to discuss with you now than this ridiculous situation."


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    After finishing speaking, Kara showed Markus the bundle of papers she was holding in her hand.


    "Dad, what do you know about these writings? Where did they come from?"


    Looking at the bundle of papers, Markus became serious. "Kara, tell me honestly, how did you find these things?"


    Kara described how she accidentally cut her hand (excluding the embarrassing details) and then followed the blood drops to the wall in the basement.


    "Kara, what I''m about to tell you is a very important secret. If it were to be revealed, both of us would be in great danger. But I believe it''s necessary for you to know. But first, tell me, were you able to read what was written on those papers?"


    "Yes, I could. Not only that, but the entire content entered my mind. I can remember it perfectly. It describes a ritual, a very bloody ritual through which someone with the Hunter class can evolve his class into the Predator class, a class that could rival that of a hero or a demon lord. Dad, where did you get something like this?"


    "Well, Kara, I''ll tell you everything. I think you remember that I told you we are not originally from this city and that we moved here when you were only one year old. Well, before that, we lived in a village located in the Great Moonshadow Forest, a vast forest that borders both this kingdom and the realm of demons. This forest is full of magical beasts, many of which are comparable to the bosses encountered in the toughest dungeons. It''s no wonder that demons have never invaded this kingdom by passing through the forest. They would probably lose half their forces trying to do so.


    Our village was very isolated, with almost no communication with the outside world. Since they were children, its inhabitants were taught that the rest of the world was their enemy, and if someone tried to leave the village, they were immediately captured and subjected to a harsh reeducation process. Many were dissatisfied with the situation, saying that it was all the invention of the elders who didn''t want to give up power and wanted to control them like a flock of sheep. That''s why many tried desperately to become stronger, to rise above the restrictions imposed by the village leaders.


    And some of them actually had the opportunity, or rather, those who had the Hunter class. In the center of the village, there was a mausoleum dedicated to our ancestor, the one who founded our settlement over two thousand years ago. It housed a book that was passed down to his descendants, a book that promised immense power to the worthy inheritor, a power that would allow them to rule the world. The centerpiece of this book was the sheets you found, sheets that were written with our ancestor''s own blood. But these sheets are not ordinary; they have their own will. If someone is deemed unworthy by them, they will not be able to understand a single word written. And even if they could understand what was written, the result was the same for everyone who attempted to perform the ritual: madness and death.


    Unfortunately for all the villagers, the elderly were right. The whole world considered us enemies. It seemed that the deeds done by our ancestor over two thousand years ago could not be easily forgotten. Many probably hated him, but many also envied his power. A power capable of putting you above all others. So when the demons learned about the existence of our village from unknown sources, they took the risk of traversing the forest and attacked us, with the goal of seizing our ancestor''s legacy.


    No one was prepared for that attack. Many died, including your mother among the first victims. Probably the two of us were the only ones who managed to escape, and that was because I had a unique skill that allowed me to become invisible for a period of 30 minutes. This skill also allowed me to carry a load of 20 kilograms. Before disappearing, one of the village leaders gave me the papers you''re holding now to prevent them from falling into the hands of our enemies. You''re probably wondering why he didn''t destroy them. They probably tried, but they couldn''t succeed. The will of the one who wrote them was too strong. If anyone approaches the papers with the intention of destroying them, they will be immediately intimidated by the power within them. That is the origin of these papers, Kara. They are both our legacy and our curse."


    Kara listened attentively. To say that she was surprised is too little. It appears that she has been the enemy of the entire world, both humans and demons. And if they were to know her origins, they would send armies after her. If until now her desire to become stronger was merely related to her pride, now the situation has completely changed. Becoming much, much stronger may be the only solution for her survival. She looked at the papers in her hand and then at her father, asking him:


    "Why was I led to the place where they were hidden? Is it possible that these papers have chosen me? Am I capable of performing the ritual and gaining immeasurable powers?"


    Markus looked into Kara''s eyes with seriousness and saw no trace of hesitation. He realized that she had already made up her mind.


    "Kara, I don''t know how to answer you. Perhaps these writings considered you very suitable and capable of completing the ritual. Maybe they just wanted to escape the box where I hid them to create unrest and suffering in the world. But one thing I know for sure. If something is possible, you will fight to the end to obtain it, no matter how difficult it may be. Kara, you are smart and strong. If you don''t succeed, I don''t think anyone else is capable..."


    "Maybe you think that just because I''m your daughter. There are many others in the world better than me..."


    "Perhaps there are better ones. But no one is a better hunter than you."


    For Kara, it is evident that her father is making a tremendous effort to encourage her because he is aware that no matter what he says, Kara will choose to complete the ritual. The only thing he can do is to stand by her side.


    "Thank you, Dad...."

 Chapter 8. Leaving home

    We can''t say that Kara slept well that night after her conversation with her father. Although she was determined to go through with the ritual described in those papers, she had uncertainties about the timing of this opportunity. Was it the hand of destiny? Or did those papers have the power to influence her thoughts, to always make her crave more power? Considering the power they harbored and the fact that she had slept for years about 10 meters away from where the papers were hidden, this cannot be ruled out.


    While having breakfast, she confided her concerns to her father, wanting to know if he had noticed anything unusual.


    "Kara, don''t worry. Every human being is shaped by external factors. For example, let''s say you like wild boar meat the most. If you had never eaten wild boar, this wouldn''t be possible; perhaps you would have preferred deer meat." Markus said to reassure Kara. ''Well, unfortunately, I''m not an expert in philosophical matters...'' he thought to himself when he saw Kara''s skeptical look.


    "Anyway," Markus continued, "as long as things have passed, no matter how hard we try, we can''t change them. For example, when I was young, I tried to capture..."


    It seems that no matter what topic he starts with, Markus will end up talking about hunting again. But this never bothered Kara because she was always impressed by her father''s passion for hunting. For her, hunting has always been something instinctive, something natural. Hunting has never been a passion for her like it is for her father.


    ''I wish I had something as important to me as hunting is to my father...'' This thought appeared in Kara''s mind every time she saw the gleam in her father''s eyes while talking about hunting.


    After finishing breakfast, they set off to the town to buy the necessary equipment for Kara''s journey. The place she decided to head to is her place of origin, the Great Moonshadow Forest, located nearly a thousand kilometers away from where they currently were. It''s a place where there will be abundant resources to fulfill the ritual.


    The first thing they bought was a storage ring similar to the one Kara had given Alice because, as inconvenient as it was for Kara to wear it, it would be even more inconvenient to travel for nearly a week with the luggage. The second thing was an exact map of the entire kingdom because Kara had never ventured beyond the surroundings of her hometown and had almost no knowledge of the route she would have to follow.


    Finally, after purchasing some less important items, the only thing left was to find a means of transport.


    "Well, I don''t think there''s any caravan heading directly to the Great Moonshadow Forest, so the best decision would be to buy you a horse," Markus said, guiding Kara toward the horse farm.


    Once they arrived there, Markus carefully examined the specimens prepared for sale.


    "Dad, there''s no need to overthink it. Probably, once we reach the Great Moonshadow Forest, I''ll set it free. The only important thing is for the horse to be healthy and able to endure a 1000-kilometer journey."


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    "Yes, you''re right. Look, the one with a white patch on its forehead is just perfect..."


    After purchasing the horse, the two of them returned home together.


    "Will you visit Alice tonight to let her know you''re leaving?" Markus asked Kara. He knew a little about the relationship between the two, but he had no way of helping Kara.


    "No, I won''t visit her. Probably when she finds out Klaus wants to marry me, she''ll be glad that I''m gone. Anyway, I don''t owe her anything. I''ve already given her enough time in my life."


    "I''m sorry, Kara. I know how important Alice was to you. But I believe you can at least remain friends."


    "I don''t think it''s possible anymore. For a while, I thought we could still be best friends like before, but both she and I have changed. She has her plans now, and I no longer have the patience to be a part of them."


    Kara spent the evening talking to her father about the upcoming journey and what he would do after she left. It seemed that Markus would take advantage of this opportunity and leave for a few months to fulfill an old dream of his: wyvern hunt. As for Klaus and his marriage plans, they decided not to give importance to those subjects. It''s too difficult to discuss with stubborn people...


    ..........................


    After a restful sleep and a hearty breakfast, and after saying goodbye to her father, who did his best not to cry, Kara set off on horseback towards the Great Moonshadow Forest. She is truly grateful that her father decided to support her and didn''t oppose her wishes. Kara doesn''t know if she would have been able to do the same in his place... because she has always been too greedy... her desires have always been the most important to her.


    .........................


    The journey was long and boring. Kara didn''t waste time visiting populated places along the way. She slept in a tent when the horse was tired and mostly ate the provisions she had stored in the magic ring, occasionally hunting a rabbit or a pheasant. The main reason was that, in general, it''s people who bring problems. The creatures of the woods may not notice you if you travel alone silently, but some people will. For thieves or criminals, a lone person is a perfect target.


    Fortunately for Kara, she stayed away from such troubles, and after a week, she reached the outskirts of the Great Moonshadow Forest. After dismounting, she took everything that belonged to her from the horse and set it free.


    ''I think I got a little attached to him. I hope no wolf eats him.''


    Once she entered the forest, she dug a hole at the root of an old tree and placed all her belongings in it, including the papers describing the ritual she would perform, as all the information from them was imprinted in her mind.


    ''Well, now comes the truly embarrassing part.''


    If you''re wondering what Kara considers to be embarrassing, you will find out that the ritual had a very important condition that the one who wanted to perform it had to fulfill, a condition that implied the fact that you had to be completely undressed for the entire duration of the ritual.


    ''At least no one will see me, only the creatures of the forest. But I''m sure they will forget when I kill them...''


    After burying everything and covering the hole, Kara stood for a few moments in all her splendor. Her body was almost perfect. She stood around 1.70 meters tall. Her body was athletic, with small yet well-defined muscles on her back, giving the impression that she was always ready to accelerate, reminiscent of a feline crouched and stalking its prey. Her breasts were neither too small to be unattractive, nor too large to be cumbersome, and as for her behind, her pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance, well, let''s not describe it further so we can sleep peacefully tonight.


    ''It seems a bit chilly...'', Kara said to herself. ''But I''ll warm up once I get to work.''

 Chapter 9. The Strong Will Devour the Weaker

    The ritual was not complicated, but it was difficult to accomplish. To complete it, you had to find a place where you could kill increasingly powerful beasts until no one posed a threat to you in that region, thus being recognized as a true predator. The problem is that you had to do this with bare hands and without any form of protection. You weren''t even allowed to wear underwear, which is why Kara was now wandering through the Great Moonshadow Forest like in Paradise Lost.


    In addition to not being able to use any weapon or trap, the one who wanted to complete the ritual was also not allowed to use any active skills. For example, Kara''s agility skill was acceptable since it was passive, but the skill that helped her make the prey stumble was forbidden.


    Considering these conditions, this ritual would have been impossible to accomplish if the papers Kara found didn''t contain something else, a way to increase your power without relying on leveling up. We all know that leveling up brings increased power, agility, magical ability, and even intelligence, depending on the individual''s class. But this growth is very slow, and significant differences are only noticeable after gaining about 10 additional levels. Latent skills play a much more important role in increasing these stats, but they cannot be chosen at will.


    So, what is the method by which these papers help Kara? This method is quite simple for someone with a strong stomach because it involves magic formations made of the flesh of the slain beasts and words written with their blood. To have the best effect, it is recommended to have a pool of the slain beast''s blood in the center of this formation, where the person undergoing the ritual would immerse themselves.


    .....................................


    The first thing Kara did was search for a place where she could create the magic formation. It had to be hidden to avoid discovery by other beasts but also easily accessible because she had to carry the slain beasts there as intact as possible, so as not to waste their blood.


    After silently wandering through the forest for about two hours, trying not to attract any beasts, she finally found a hidden cave behind a fallen tree.


    ''This place is good enough, the only problem is that the entrance to the cave is too small. I don''t think I can fit anything larger than a normal wolf in there.'' Kara had no choice but to continue her search.


    Luckily, after another half hour of searching, as Kara was walking around the mountain rock that the cave was a part of, she found a crevice in it. Although it wasn''t covered, its entrance was twisted, and you couldn''t see what was inside if you passed by it.


    ''Much better. But I still need to block the entrance with some wood. The problem is that the beasts can smell the blood from afar. If I were allowed to set traps, this space would be ideal. The beasts would be attracted here by the scent of blood, and I could easily attack them from above. The problem is that now I will play the role of the bait if I am surrounded by organs and blood in this place. The only option for me to feel safe would be to kill more creatures and place some of them around to distract attention from the location where I will create the magic formations.''


    After gathering some wood to block the entrance and preparing a cavity in the rock to serve as the blood pool, Kara set off for the hunt.


    ''What should I kill first? Some small-sized beasts? No. It wouldn''t make sense. I need something big enough to fill the pool...'' With this thought in mind, Kara began to roam the Great Moonshadow Forest, carefully looking for potential prey.


    Walking among centuries-old trees, Kara heard rustling in the bushes. ''Huh. I think it''s a doe... maybe I should start with an herbivore?'' Unfortunately for Kara, the doe that appeared was not the same species as the doe she had hunted in the past. It looked like a cross between a doe and a rat, with large teeth, sharp claws, and a long tail. The only thing that made it resemble a doe was its long legs and large ears. ''Maybe it''s a giant rat that looks like a doe and not the other way around..''


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    Kara noticed that the so-called doe found her very attractive, as she could clearly see its drool swinging from side to side with each step it took toward Kara.


    ''Even if it''s a female, I don''t think I can reciprocate its feelings. I don''t think it wants to eat me in a way that would be pleasurable... No, it''s not funny, Kara. I am in real danger now. As I learned from my father, there shouldn''t be beasts of this level on the outskirts of the Great Moonshadow Forest. It''s probably a beast that could be classified as a C-level threat. Maybe that''s why it''s so quiet in this area. The weaker beasts have probably left their territory. So far, I''ve only confronted creatures of the maximum D level, and even then, I was armed. Engaging this creature in direct combat would be madness. I don''t think I can run faster than it. Hmm, think, Kara. Yes! Considering its doe-like legs, I can conclude that it can''t climb trees. Yes, that''s what I should do. I''ll climb a tree and then try to observe if it has any weak spots...''


    Before the so-called doe could realize what was happening, Kara had already reached the top of the tree next to her. However, the doe was not pleased that it had lost its delicious meal, so it began using its rat-like teeth to gnaw at the tree trunk.


    ''Damn it. It''s chewing the wood as if it were made of cheese. Maybe it''s related to a beaver. Huh, what''s that sound?''


    While Kara was analyzing the creature, suddenly a 7-meter-long fire salamander appeared and, after throwing a ball of fire from its mouth at the doe, it rushed with its mouth open toward its target who was struggling to escape from the flames. The doe didn''t even realize that its neck had been crushed.


    As Kara watched the salamander devour her former opponent, she suddenly felt vibrations in the ground.


    ''What''s happening? Is there an earthquake? Or...''


    But Kara didn''t have time to finish her thought because suddenly a huge mouth full of teeth belonging to a gigantic worm yawned beneath the salamander, swallowing it along with the half-eaten doe, leaving only a hole in the ground.


    After a few seconds, the vibrations ceased, and the forest regained its lost tranquility.


    ''What the hell was that? Such creatures shouldn''t be here. They should be much deeper in the forest...''


    Kara didn''t expect the events that just unfolded. She knew that the Great Moonshadow Forest was dangerous, but such unpredictability made every step potentially the last.


    ''Why did such creatures appear here? Has something happened in the heart of the Great Moonshadow Forest? No. It doesn''t matter the reason; what matters is the result. And the result is that the difficulty of completing the ritual has exponentially increased. Maybe it would be wise to leave the Great Moonshadow Forest and find another area to start the ritual. Ugh! But where would be a suitable place? There''s a reason why those ancient papers were hidden in this forest for thousands of years, and that reason is that only by mastering this area where magic manifests in violence can you be recognized by the order of the world as the ultimate predator. From the events that just unfolded, one thing is clear. There''s only one law that governs this place: the strong will devour the weaker. And that''s what I will have to do too. Beetles, birds, rabbits, frogs, anything that crosses my path must be killed. This is not a place to take risks. In a direct fight, power is the most deciding factor.''


    After drawing these conclusions, Kara silently climbed down from the tree. Considering the creatures she had seen, she couldn''t help but wonder.


    ''How did the village where my father and I originated from survive with such neighbors? Were the villagers so capable that they could easily defeat beasts like these?''


    But recalling what her father had told her, that the nearby vicinity of the village didn''t harbor beasts more dangerous than those in the surrounding forests around the town where she grew up, she concluded that only the papers that came into her possession could have kept the excessively dangerous creatures at bay.


    ''Those papers are more dangerous than I had previously considered. It''s as if the one who wrote them can influence reality regardless of the passage of time... Such power... Yes, it''s worth fighting for such power.''


    The future seemed full of dangers, but Kara had no intention of giving up. The impending peril didn''t frighten her or make her yearn to escape reality. On the contrary, it made her increasingly alert, increasingly awake. Yes, this was a place that could truly make Kara feel alive. A place that would make her truly feel at home in the future.

 Chapter 10. First Blood

    Fortunately for Kara, beasts like the ones that made her retreat were not common in the area she was in now and after moving a few kilometers away from the place where she witnessed an example of the terror of The Great Moonshadow Forest, she began to see beasts whose danger level is maximum E, such as Dagger-Clawed Rabbits and Kale Birds, a kind of large flightless birds, armed with a strong beak, which always traveled in a group of at least 10 individuals.


    ''If I attack a Kale Bird, the rest of the group will immediately come to its aid. My only option is to start with Dagger-Clawed Rabbits. I believe that if I hunt 4-5 of them, I will have enough material to create the first magic formation.''


    It may seem like five rabbits are too few, but these rabbits were the size of a large dog, and their threat level was E, equivalent to that of an ordinary wolf. The Great Moonshadow Forest is not an ordinary forest. It is a place full of magic, or rather, an open-air dungeon. Here, all creatures were nourished by the forest''s energy, which transformed a harmless rabbit into a formidable adversary.


    ''No matter how big it is, a rabbit is still a rabbit. A rabbit capable of defeating me has not yet been born. The problem is whether I can catch up if it runs away.''


    But it seems that Kara underestimated how appealing she is to the beasts in this forest. Her smooth, fully exposed skin played the role of a perfect lure. Approaching a Dagger-Clawed Rabbit as quietly as possible, it not only did not flee when it noticed her a few meters away but also turned toward her excitedly, with a mouth full of drool.


    ''What''s happening? Is the whole forest filled with perverse creatures? Heh. Look as much as you can, you foolish rabbit, because soon you won''t have any eyes left to see...''


    Both Kara and the perverse rabbit accelerated at the same time. When the rabbit raised its sharp claws to strike, Kara leaped into the air and landed on the rabbit''s back, evading its attack as its claws sank into the ground. Kara immediately grabbed the rabbit''s large ears with her hands and wrapped her legs tightly around its body. ''Let''s see how you''ll be able to salivate while looking at the bodies of young maidens.'' Kara didn''t give the rabbit a chance, and in less than a second she stuck the thumb of her left hand into the rabbit''s eyes one after the other.


    Seeing pitch black in front of its eyes (well, it didn''t have eyes anymore) the rabbit began to struggle with all its might, trying to shake Kara off its back. But she held onto it tightly with her legs, just like a constrictor snake. Seeing that the rabbit couldn''t get her off, Kara released the rabbit''s ear she was holding in her right hand and started hitting the rabbit''s head with both fists until both the rabbit''s head and her hands were covered in blood. After almost a minute in which the rabbit tried everything it could, it found its eternal peace.


    Realizing that the rabbit''s heart had stopped beating, Kara dismounted and began to catch her breath.


    ''Damn! It was more resilient than I expected. It struggled until the very end. I thought it would pass out and then I would strangle it. Unfortunately, that didn''t happen. Shit! My hands are covered in blood. I have no idea how much of it is the rabbit''s blood and how much is mine...''


    Fortunately for Kara, she didn''t break any fingers. If that had happened, collecting another 4 rabbits would have been in question.


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    ''I''ve rested enough. I need to take the rabbit to the designated spot to create the magic formation as quickly as possible, so as not to attract other beasts. Initially, I wanted to leave some carcasses several kilometers away from where I plan to create the magic formations, but now I realize that I need to use my energy as wisely as possible. A better option would be to drain all the rabbit''s blood into the pool, select everything important for creating the magic formation, and then scatter the remaining parts in different directions to confuse any opportunists.''


    The path to the crevice in the mountain rock was not easy because she had to carry a 50-kilogram carcass for about 4 kilometers. Moreover, the path could not be considered straight. Thousands of roots and bushes made Kara exert all her strength to bring the rabbit to its destination.


    After nearly two hours without taking a break longer than a minute, Kara finally reached the crevice in the mountain rock.


    ''At least the beasts that fought before drove the weaker beasts from this area, otherwise, I don''t think I would have made it back without interruption. Phew! My hands! When I go out here I will have biceps like my father.''


    Let''s hope that won''t happen, and Kara''s arms will remain forever well-proportioned. Anyway, Kara concluded that her initial plan of hunting 5 rabbits is completely unrealistic.


    ''If someone else were carrying them, and I was only responsible for the hunting, that would be possible. But that''s not the case. Mmm... I think I overestimated my endurance. Plus, I''m hungry. I wonder if raw rabbit meat is tasty. I don''t have to wonder too much... I''ll find out soon...''


    In the end, Kara decided to create a magic formation using only the materials offered by the rabbit''s body, and this time the blood pool would be more like a puddle where she would stand. After tearing the rabbit''s throat with her bare hands, she hung it above the cavity in the rock, holding onto its hind legs to drain all the blood. Then Kara removed the organs necessary for creating the magic formation and ate a piece of raw muscle. After satisfying her hunger, Kara broke the rabbit''s legs and, carrying them in her arms, she started a short quarter-hour sprint to throw them at a considerable distance in various directions around the spot where she would create the magic formation, hoping they would attract other beasts and leave her in peace.


    Once back in the crevice in the mountain rock, Kara dipped her finger into the rabbit''s blood and began to create the magic formation. After finishing the inscription, she immediately placed the rabbit''s organs in their proper positions, and then she stepped into the blood pool, or rather, the blood puddle, as the blood barely reached her toes.


    ''Huh. And now, how long do I have to wait? Unfortunately, I don''t have any other information... this is all that was written. I hope there''s enough blood in the pool. But from what I understand, the blood pool''s purpose is to capture the energy of the magic formation and amplify its effect, so it should probably work.''


    Fortunately for Kara, she didn''t have to wait long to see if the magic formation had an effect. One minute after Kara stepped into the blood, the magic formation began to glow in shades of red and green, and the organs started to dissolve into black energy. When the organs completely dissolved, the black energy began to converge towards the blood pool, which started boiling and radiating the same colors as the magic formation. The effect of the ritual was not long in coming. Kara immediately felt all the accumulated fatigue disappear, and her body began to heal rapidly from any wounds. Moreover, a sensation she had never experienced before started to encompass her entire body. No, not just her body, but her soul as well. It was a feeling of quenching a thirst she wasn''t even aware of until now. A thirst that Kara knows she will never be able to ignore again.


    The entire process lasted less than 5 minutes. When Kara emerged from the blood pool, not only did she feel rejuvenated, but she also noticed a significant difference in her physical abilities.


    ''The result is truly beyond expectations. I feel much more agile and much faster. But the most impressive thing is that my physical strength has almost doubled. I have a feeling that now I could smash a rabbit''s head with a single blow. Yes, it''s perfect. I can get to work immediately. This time, the pool will undoubtedly be much fuller.''

 Chapter 11. How Far Will Your Plans Take You?

    "Bang!!!"


    ''Hehe, this rabbit''s head exploded like a pumpkin. This is the second time this has happened. I think I have become an expert in this kind of thing. It was funny, but it''s a shame the blood is wasted. This is the last one for today. I''ve already taken down 9. Now I''ll have exactly 10 to create the magic formation.''


    Kara didn''t hesitate for long and carried the rabbit on her back, rushing towards the crevice in the mountain rock. Once there, she immediately opened the rabbit''s throat with her bare hands and placed it next to the others on the edge of the pool to drain its blood.


    ''Huh, how beautiful. I''ve arranged them like flower petals...''.


    Kara then began dissecting the rabbits in the order in which she hunted them.


    A few minutes passed, and everything was ready to activate the magic formation. This time the pool had 20 cm of blood in the area where the level was the lowest. So Kara had enough space to lie down completely, being almost entirely covered in blood.


    As the blood in the pool began to boil and glow, Kara started feeling the same sensation as the first time she underwent this process, but much stronger. She could sense herself filling up with energy like a sponge immersed in water. She submerged her head completely below the blood level without even closing her eyes or holding her breath. It was as if she had transformed into a fish, a fish that had been swimming in an ocean of blood for as long as he could remember.


    After emerging from the pool, Kara noticed once again that all her attributes had increased. ''I don''t think I''ll ever get tired of this feeling. If just a few pitiful rabbits brought such results, I wonder what will happen when I hunt a fire salamander or something much stronger? So now what will be the next step? Should I hunt more rabbits? No, that''s not right. Something tells me I won''t achieve significant results even if I use 100 rabbits to create a new magic formation. A predator who aims to reach the top of the food chain won''t be satisfied with hunting only in their comfort zone. They will always seek to expand their territory as soon as they feel their powers allow it. And that''s what I must do too. Yes, I need to venture deeper into the Great Moonshadow Forest where I will encounter more capable opponents.''


    Although her body was completely rested after absorbing the energy produced by the magic formation, Kara felt the need to sleep for a few hours to calm her mind. After a restful sleep on an improvised bed of rabbit fur, Kara resumed her hunting, this time going deeper into the forest. With the increase in her physical capabilities, her senses had correspondingly heightened. She could now detect a beast from nearly 200 meters away inside the forest using only her hearing and sense of smell, something nearly impossible for a human hunter, no matter how skilled. This was a great advantage for Kara, as she could now easily avoid overly powerful creatures and identify potential prey. After advancing about 10 kilometers into the depths of the forest, she had already begun identifying beasts with a danger level of grade D.


    ''Yes, it looks good. We can get down to business again.''


    ..............................


    A month has passed since Kara entered the Great Moonshadow Forest. During this time, she hunted hundreds of D-rank beasts and even managed to hunt a few C-rank beasts in the past few days, such as fire salamanders and silver-tusked boars, the latter being considered extremely tasty by Kara.


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    ''If raw meat is this good, I believe it will be a true delicacy fit for a king once it''s turned into jerky.''


    These were Kara''s thoughts as she returned to her base, dragging a nearly half-ton silver-tusked boar behind her.


    ''I think I should change my base. I''ve spent more time returning with the spoils than actually hunting. Perhaps my physical abilities have grown, but my prey has also become larger. Moreover, the area where I hunt now is much more dangerous, and staying exposed for too long can attract the attention of stronger beasts. So far, I''ve had to abandon my prey twice to avoid getting into a conflict where my chances of winning were slim... Huh, what''s that sound? Please don''t tell me another beast is following me, sensing the scent of blood..."


    Unfortunately for Kara, her senses did not deceive her, and within seconds, she could clearly see two giant wolves chasing after her, standing two meters tall with dagger-like teeth.


    ''It seems they are dire wolves. Even though they are C-rank beasts, they can be considered among the most powerful creatures at this level. Moreover, they are intelligent, surprisingly intelligent for bloodthirsty beasts. I have to run as fast as possible. It''s a challenge to confront just one dire wolf, but facing two would be suicide. I''m sorry, boar, but you won''t be able to enjoy my company any longer.''


    After bidding farewell to the boar she had been dragging behind her, Kara accelerated at her maximum speed towards an area where the forest was denser, making it difficult for the dire wolves to pursue her. Kara hoped that they would lose interest in her when they saw the dead boar''s body, but it seemed that only one of them stopped, while the other continued chasing her.


    ''Oh, damn it. Isn''t a half-ton boar enough for them? Do they want me as a dessert too? I have no choice but to keep running, and in case the other dire wolf doesn''t come after me, I might try to confront this one that''s chasing me in an area filled with trees and bushes, where its mobility will be greatly diminished.''


    Kara continued running among the trees at a speed similar to that of the pursuing dire wolf. ''Strange, even though my size is much smaller than the dire wolf''s, and my dexterity is much greater, it should still be faster than me. What is he waiting for? Please don''t tell me there are others in the area...''


    After a few minutes of trying to distance herself from her pursuer, Kara could feel that two more dire wolves were heading towards her, approaching from the sides.


    ''This is not good at all. It seems they''ve set a trap for me. One of them chased me until now to drain my energy, while the others are prepared to attack me at full speed as soon as they see me slow down. But why are they so attracted to me? Even if they catch me, they won''t be able to satisfy their hunger, right? I only weigh about 60 kilograms. No, they are not after my flesh but my powers. In this forest, many beasts hunt other creatures solely to devour their magic core, just like the fire salamander I killed three days ago. Although I don''t believe I have something like that in my body, due to the accumulation of energy produced by the magic formations, my whole body has undergone tremendous improvements. Now, I''m ten times stronger than when I started the ritual. In conclusion, to my pursuers, I am like a walking magic core. No, they won''t give up until they catch me. Damn it! I have no choice but to make the first move hoping to gain some advantage. It will be a tough fight, almost impossible to win, but I''m prepared to risk my life. If I wasn''t willing to take such risks, I would have never started this ritual or entered this forest. Yes, I''ve always enjoyed being in control, and so far, at least in terms of hunting, everything has gone according to my plans. But maximum cruelty and violence cannot be achieved rationally, and these are some of the qualities that separate a true predator from the rest. He does not decide to be aggressive. He is aggressive. So forget any plan, Kara. Forget everything you knew about hunting and fighting! Don''t think about what could go wrong! Don''t think about pain! Just think about your goal! And what is your goal, Kara?''


    "To destroy all my enemies..." Kara answered herself aloud after abruptly braking and turning towards the dire wolf chasing her.

 Chapter 12. Blood Hunger

    Kara didn''t wait even a second and immediately accelerated towards the dire wolf, which was approximately 50 meters away from her. The dire wolf was momentarily surprised by the change in the situation but quickly prepared to attack Kara, aiming its wide-open mouth toward her fragile neck. However, Kara had no intention of ending up in the stomach of a dire wolf and immediately shut its mouth with a strong punch to the chin.


    "Excuse me, dumb dog, but you''re not destined to steal my first kiss."


    Perhaps that wasn''t the dire wolf''s intention when it turned its head towards Kara''s face, but Kara had long concluded that the entire forest was full of perverse beasts, as being completely naked made her much more sensitive to their gazes.


    Maybe the blow to the chin made the dire wolf bite its tongue and become dazed for a fraction of a second, but it was far from enough to kill it. It quickly regained consciousness and directed its mouth towards Kara again, who was prepared with clenched fists to counter its attack.


    When the dire wolf''s mouth was only 10 centimeters away from her throat, Kara evaded to the side, and with a powerful punch that left a crater in the wolf''s face, she destroyed one of its eyes.


    "Aawwoooooooooo!!!"


    Since she didn''t have time to waste because the other two dire wolves were already rushing towards the location of the fight, Kara had no choice but to resort to a less elegant solution. Thus, when the dire wolf rose on its hind legs, trying to keep its head up to prevent Kara from taking out its other eye, Kara immediately accelerated and with a well-placed kick, left the dire wolf unable to have offspring.


    ''That was more effective than I expected. It seems it has fainted. Let''s make sure it will never wake up again.''


    Kara then began to pummel the dire wolf''s skull with her fists until one of her punches entered its brain.


    But the joy of victory was short-lived because the two dire wolves that had been following Kara from a distance arrived at the scene of the battle. Dire wolves are intelligent creatures, so after seeing their comrade being killed, they had no intention of underestimating Kara. So, the two dire wolves immediately activated their magical powers, one of them being covered in lightning armor, while the other transformed its fur into a suit of metal armor.


    ''With the first one, I can say I got lucky. The real battle is just beginning...''


    The first to attack was the dire wolf clad in lightning armor, opening its mouth and unleashing a bolt of lightning toward Kara''s position. But Kara had no intention of facing its attack head-on; instead, she accelerated towards the dire wolf in metal armor at top speed, leaving behind afterimages. Yes, the dire wolves were faster than Kara, but she could accelerate more rapidly than them over short distances. Once she reached the dire wolf, Kara leaped into the air to avoid its bite and, after two rotations, struck its back with her leg, hoping to break its spine.


    "Bang!!"


    Unfortunately, the dire wolf in the metal armor was incredibly resilient, and the desired outcome couldn''t be achieved.


    ''After such a kick, I barely managed to make it bend a few centimeters. I think I ended up hurting myself more with that blow. It felt like kicking a piece of rock. This isn''t good. I feel like I''ve fractured a bone.''


    But it seemed that the dire wolf felt the blow quite strongly, and suddenly its smooth metallic fur became filled with spikes, approximately 10 centimeters long.


    "Perfect. Just what I needed..."


    But Kara didn''t have time to lament, as the two dire wolves immediately decided to attack her with all they had. Although Kara managed to evade their fangs, she was pierced and electrocuted every second during the exchange of blows.


    After almost a minute of enduring the relentless attack from the two dire wolves, Kara finally managed to take a few steps back, increasing the distance between her and her opponents to approximately 10 meters.


    ''This isn''t good. Not good at all. Damn it! I don''t think I can defeat them. I won''t be able to withstand another round of blows like this. I can barely stay on my feet. Escaping is no longer an option. What can I do? If I don''t do something, I''ll die here. Yes, I''ll die. I''ll end up in their damned stomachs... No, I can''t accept that. It''s not over... It''s not over until I say it''s over...''


    "Ha! Ha ha! HaHaHaHa...! Do you think it''s over? Do you think you can devour me? No, I''ll be the one devouring you. I''ll be the one devouring the whole world. Nobles! Warriors! Beasts! All will tremble at the sound of my name! Anyone who opposes my will shall die! I hate it! I''ve always hated the gaze of those who consider themselves superior to me! The fact that there are beings who can decide my fate is an insult to me! Yes, I must be above all! I must be the strongest! Yes, this is the truth!"


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    Madness. That''s the word that best describes Kara''s state. She completely abandoned rationality and surrendered herself entirely to her fury. For the first time in her life, she let her greed and pride come to the surface, things she had always tried to control. But in the face of death, is it necessary? Is it necessary to pretend, to control oneself? Why waste energy on these things?


    As she looked at the dire wolves staring at her as if she were a freak, without understanding her declaration, Kara''s fury grew even more.


    "I will kill you wretched beasts. No. I will make you wish for death... Haha, I will consume you alive..."


    Although Kara didn''t notice what was happening to her body, the two dire wolves could clearly see that something was wrong. The blood flowing from Kara''s body, nearly from every part after being pierced by the dire wolf covered in metal spikes, began to shimmer in a mixture of red and green, much like the magical formations she had worked on for a month. But this didn''t last long as, within seconds, all the blood on the surface of Kara''s body transformed into black energy, reentering her body and healing all her external and internal wounds. The only thing that differentiated her from the state she was in before the battle began was her eyes, which were no longer green but a pastel of green, red, and black, constantly undergoing metamorphosis.


    "What''s happening? Don''t you want to attack anymore? Fine. I''ll come to you...", Kara said to the two dire wolves, slowly walking towards them. Well, the two dire wolves would have wanted to attack, but they were too frightened to do so. The energy emanating from Kara and the look in her eyes made them feel that death was near and imminent. Their legs froze; they couldn''t even retreat. Kara could see this, but she didn''t rush to attack. The sensation of superiority brought by the fear in her opponents'' eyes was too captivating, too sweet. Kara didn''t want this feeling to end immediately.


    When Kara was about four meters away from the dire wolf in metal armor, it managed to gather itself and began launching all the metal spikes from its fur toward Kara, hoping to make her retreat. But Kara was no longer the same as a few minutes ago. Without consciously understanding the reason behind her transformation, she unconsciously knew that the two dire wolves no longer posed any threat to her. Not only did Kara not retreat, but she also accelerated toward the dire wolf that attacked her, avoiding most of the metal spikes launched at her. With unbelievable speed and dexterity, she sent her fist into the wide-open mouth of the dire wolf, shattering all the bones in its skull. After it fell dead, Kara removed two or three metal spikes from her body that she couldn''t avoid when her fist made contact with the dire wolf. They couldn''t penetrate more than an inch into her flesh so they didn''t represent a great danger. Then, she turned her gaze to the other dire wolf, which had slowly started to retreat but couldn''t take its eyes off Kara.


    "Where do you think you''re going? Don''t you think you should pay for making me dirty? Well, I believe you owe me a refreshing shower..."


    Kara didn''t allow the dire wolf to take a step back, and almost instantly, she appeared above the dire wolf. With a well-placed punch, she pierced its spine, disregarding the significantly intensified lightning armor.


    "It seems I found the shower faucet...", Kara said when she saw the dire wolf''s white spinal bones.


    Without giving the dire wolf any chance, she thrust her hand into the hole left by her punch. After gripping the dire wolf''s spine, she pulled with all her strength to extract it, tearing the flesh and skin from the dire wolf''s back, causing it to scream in agony. Once she finished this operation, she grabbed two bones from the dire wolf''s back and lifted it above her head, allowing all the blood gushing from its massive wound to flow onto her body, which began to shimmer just like the magic formations. Within seconds, a black energy similar to the one produced by the magic formations started to emanate from the dying dire wolf''s body, moving directly toward Kara to be absorbed by her.


    After nearly five minutes, as long as the process lasted, nothing was left of the dire wolf except bones and teeth. All its organs, flesh, and blood had transformed into nutrients for Kara, who, after disposing of the carcass, had not a single blemish on her flawless skin.


    She stood motionless for half an hour, basking in the rays of sunlight that managed to penetrate through the ancient trees. Although her mind was in chaos, this was hard to tell considering her expressionless face. Surrounded by blood-soaked grass, she looked like a goddess of war or, rather, a goddess of death, capable of taking hundreds of lives without remorse at any moment.


    Eventually, Kara managed to gather her thoughts and approached one of the corpses of the previously slain dire wolves, intending to test the new skill she acquired through her previous actions. After thrusting her hand into the carcass, allowing the blood to gush out in all directions, Kara began to shimmer again like a magic formation, absorbing all the energy from the dire wolf''s flesh and blood.


    After repeating the process with the third dire wolf, Kara concluded that her new skill allowed her to absorb energy just as efficiently as the magic formations she had created before.


    ''It was a close call. Not only was I on the verge of losing my life, but I was also on the brink of losing my sanity. But I can''t say that I didn''t enjoy it. This sensation of superiority, this power... it''s incredibly addictive. But in the future, I should try to retain more of my rationality. I don''t want to give up what makes me who I am. I don''t want to do things I''ll regret later. But the gains were worth the risk. This skill will make things much simpler. However, it''s strange that those old papers didn''t describe such a situation. I thought I would need to create magic formations throughout the entire ritual. It doesn''t matter. I feel like I''m on the right path. No, I''m certain I''m on the right path. And this skill, Blood Hunger, which defies the order of this world, will give me the necessary strength to reach the end.''

 Chapter 13. Fight, Kara! Fight!

    In the months that followed after Kara acquired the Blood Hunger skill, she continued to venture deeper into the heart of the Great Moonshadow Forest in search of increasingly powerful beasts, leaving behind a trail of bones belonging to the hundreds of fallen creatures that had become her prey. After covering thousands of kilometers and analyzing the behavior of the beasts she encountered, Kara gained a fairly clear understanding of the current situation in the Great Moonshadow Forest. It appeared that the reason why some magical beasts had migrated to the forest''s outskirts was due to a conflict that had arisen between the two most powerful creatures in the area, as they sought to establish once and for all who the ultimate predator was. The battles between them were so intense that they destroyed everything within a radius of approximately 10 kilometers.


    Kara was also unwittingly caught up in the destruction caused by the two beasts that most likely have an S-grade threat level. Having just defeated a B-grade beast and started to absorb its energy, a true inferno erupted around her, where fire and lightning orchestrated a symphony of destruction, with each note capable of annihilating everything within a square kilometer. Kara had no choice but to run away from that place at full speed and use the body of the killed beast as a shield to block the attacks coming from all sides.


    When she reached a safe distance where her life was no longer in danger, Kara could witness the two beasts engaged in a life-and-death battle, unleashing attacks that could split mountains and dry up lakes. One of the beasts was a giant red serpent, nearly 100 meters long, whose attacks could incinerate everything in its path. The second beast was a blue tiger with black stripes, almost 30 meters in length, which appeared to be the embodiment of the fury of the heavens, the lashing of his claws creating hurricanes and his roar creating a sea of lightning as if the sky itself had fallen to the ground.


    For a day, Kara observed the battle between the two beasts from a distance, a battle that seemed as though it could continue in the same manner for an entire month. She deduced that, between the two beasts, the blue tiger was slightly stronger than the serpent, as the serpent''s flames hardly affected the tiger, whereas the tiger''s attacks left marks on the giant body of the serpent.


    ''Probably the tiger is the strongest one so far, and the serpent is the one trying to take its place. Although the latter is superior physically, being larger and more agile than the tiger, its magical attacks cannot compete with those of the tiger, who could be considered an avatar of the fury of the heavens, or rather, a storm god. Nevertheless, both are truly powerful. At this moment, I wouldn''t be able to last a second in a fight against either of them. But eventually, I will have to do this. They are my ultimate enemies. I have no choice but to become stronger. Much, much stronger! And I will do so, even if it means having to slay every living creature in this forest!''


    ....................................


    After approximately a year of becoming a resident of the Great Moonshadow Forest, Kara''s progress was truly immense. She had become a fearsome opponent, a true harbinger of death that even A-grade beasts avoided. Thanks to her unmatched speed and extraordinary senses, any beast she had in her sights was doomed, as no matter what it tried, it couldn''t escape her.


    In the past two months, Kara had noticed that she could no longer access information related to her class, such as available skills, or her current level, things that any human being could instinctively know. It was as if this ritual was attempting to strip her soul of everything that made her human, aiming to transform her into something akin to the beasts she hunted. But she couldn''t resist it. She couldn''t turn back. It was too late to give up. The only option was to move forward, to carry the ritual to its end, hoping that in the end, she would remain the same person.


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    ''Fight, Kara! Fight!'' That''s what Kara repeated to herself every day as she exchanged blows with beasts that could put to flight well-equipped knights with levels over 100, while their claws tore into her flesh and their magical attacks scorched her skin. That''s what she repeated every time her fury attempted to shred her reason and make her abandon any trace of humanity. And that''s what she told herself at this very moment, facing a gigantic red serpent with scales as hot as magma, in the midst of a sea of fire that had long transformed her flawless skin into a crust like the one we can find on the chicken legs that were too much fried.


    After almost a month of seeing no significant progress, Kara had no choice but to turn her attention to one of her final adversaries. After a battle between the two beasts that lasted nearly a week and left the serpent wounded, Kara considered that no better opportunity could arise. So, she pursued him until the serpent reached its territory, an area filled with cracks in the earth from which flowing magma could be seen, and attacked before it could start to recover.


    The serpent, who never imagined that there was anyone else in this forest, aside from the tiger, who would dare to attack him, was taken by surprise by Kara''s assault. She landed on its gigantic head and struck it with punches that were now capable of leaving 10-meter-wide craters in the rock.


    The serpent did everything possible to knock Kara down, rolling, using its tail, and even smashing its head against a rock. But Kara, whose agility and dexterity seemed infinite, always found a way to return to the serpent''s head and deliver another punch that sent scales flying, tore flesh, and cracked bones.


    Since the opponent was too small and too fast, its physical attacks having no effect, the serpent had no choice but to use almost all of its remaining magical power from the battle with the tiger to create a tornado of fire around it. It incinerated everything within a kilometer radius, transforming the surrounding environment into a sea of fire in which Kara stood, ready to attack her adversary again, disregarding the unbearable pain her body was in.


    ''It''s truly powerful. If it had been at full capacity, I wouldn''t have been able to defeat it. But its physical attacks can''t touch me, and its magical power is nearly exhausted. I won''t give it any chance. This attack will be the final blow.''


    When the snake used its tail to attack Kara, leveling everything in front of him, Kara used its strength to propel herself to a mountain rock higher than the snake''s head, and as soon as her feet made contact with the rock, she jumped straight at the snake''s head at full speed and used all her available strength to give it the final blow, thus her fist self-destructing along with the snake''s skull, whose brain was now visible.


    ''I almost won! Just a little more!''


    Ignoring the serpent''s desperate movements as it tried to escape the clutches of death, Kara entered the bloody crater created by her punch and thrust her healthy hand into its brain, activating the Blood Hunger skill. After nearly a minute of continued struggle, the serpent finally fell to the ground, accepting its fate and allowing its body to be devoured by Kara.


    After emerging from the pile of bones that had recently been the head of the giant serpent, Kara''s body was in perfect condition. The skin that had been completely burned and the fist that had been crushed were completely healed.


    Looking at the heap of bones stretching for a distance of 100 meters, Kara felt a sense of gratitude towards the serpent for the power she had gained from devouring its body.


    ''Thank you for the meal. Don''t be sad that you never managed to defeat the Sky Tiger, for I will use the power you have given me to send him to the same place where you are now. So sit back and relax in the Beast Heaven or wherever you are, because the tiger will immediately come to keep you company, and you can continue there to fight as long as you want.....''

 Chapter 14. Arranging the Stars with Your Own Hand

    "Hmmm, now that''s life..."


    In the middle of a large pool of blood, with a diameter of almost 10 meters, situated in a crater she had formed with her fist, Kara gazed at the starry sky while floating on her back, trying to decipher their arrangement for hints about her future, much like charlatans reading palms during festive days when the small town she grew up in was filled with people strolling around in their finest to impress those they knew.


    ''So many stars. There are far more than I thought a year ago,'' Kara pondered, admiring the sky with her eyes, which were far superior to the eyes of any human being due to the ritual she had taken part in, sharpening her senses to a level comparable to that of the most powerful beasts.


    Kara had heard many theories about what stars represented. Some said they were the souls of the departed, others believed their arrangement held secrets of the past and the future, while some claimed stars were spirits of light, subservient to the god Sun.


    Kara never took these stories seriously. From a young age, during her early hunting days, she learned that sometimes even what you see with your own eyes can be a lie. So, how could she consider true something for which there was no evidence in reality? Even if the God of the Sun himself were to come and personally explain the situation, she wouldn''t regard it as absolute truth. Much less would she believe the words of senile old men who spent their evenings with bellies full of alcohol.


    However, gazing at the vast number of stars adorning the night sky, Kara couldn''t entirely dismiss the possibility that clues about the future might be found in their arrangement.


    ''In an infinity of forms created by stars, it''s not impossible to find a pattern that could describe one''s future. But that''s only possible if you know what to look for. It''s amusing.... When I look back at how I got here, I wonder if I really had the choice to decide. Is it true that each person holds their future in their hands? Ultimately, I don''t think it matters. The outcome will be the same in the end...''


    Deciding to conclude her period of relaxation, Kara stood up, and as her body began to glow along with the entire surface of the pool, the blood transformed into black energy that was immediately absorbed by Kara.


    ''I think I''ve rested enough. For a week after devouring the serpent''s powers, I''ve grown accustomed to my new abilities and analyzed all the information I have about Sky Tiger. Additionally, moments of tranquility, like this blood bath, have helped me relax a bit after everything I''ve been through. It''s been a tough journey, but now I can finally see the end. Yes, now I am ready. I will confront the Sky Tiger, and after defeating him, I will become the most powerful being in this forest. And then, I will be recognized by the world as the supreme predator. Yes. This is my future. Even if it''s not destined to be, I will ensure with my own power that this will be the outcome...''


    .....................................................


    "Bang!"


    "Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    ''How dare you? How can an ant defy the heavens?''


    These were probably the thoughts of the giant tiger as Kara attacked him without any hesitation, giving him no warning. But after the surprise passed and he observed the ant in front of him more carefully, the tiger realized that things were not as simple as they seemed. The tiny creature in front of him hadn''t lost her mind, nor did she want to commit suicide. She had come to challenge him to a fight; she wanted to take his place as the ruler of the forest. Although the creature in front of him didn''t appear to be much of a threat, the tiger''s centuries of experience told him that he was facing a real danger, much greater than the red serpent that had bothered him in recent years. A danger much greater than any opponent he had ever faced. He couldn''t treat this fight lightly, as his opponent wouldn''t miss any opportunity to take his life. He could see it clearly in the small eyes of the creature in front of him, where green, red, and black were in a constant struggle for supremacy.


    "Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    After the tiger''s second roar, a two-kilometer area around him was engulfed in the fury of the heavens, powerful winds sweeping everything in their path, and violent lightning attempting to turn the entire area into ashes.


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    ''It seems he won''t insult me and will take this fight seriously from the beginning. Very well. I wouldn''t want it any other way. Only when you defeat the strongest at their peak can you truly claim to be at the top of the food chain and that no one can threaten your supremacy,'' Kara thought while, like a rebellious lightning that refused to bow to the majesty of the heavens, she continued to attack the giant tiger with strikes capable of splitting the clouds in two.


    "Bang! Boom! Bang!"


    With fists that tear through flesh and kicks that shatter bones, and utilizing her maximum speed, which made her nearly invisible to the naked eye, even to a beast as formidable as the giant tiger, Kara continued her relentless assault, paying no heed to the harsh environment that was long unsuitable for life.


    Seeing that his opponent showed no signs of fatigue and was unaffected by his magical attacks, and his physical strikes couldn''t find their mark as Kara was too small and too fast to be reached by his claws, the tiger had no other choice but to focus on his magic core, creating cracks on it as he tried to increase the intensity of his magical attacks.


    Until now, Kara didn''t pay much attention to the location of beasts'' magic cores, as her skill Blood Hunger would devour the entire beast after defeating it, transforming it into black energy along with all its flesh and blood. During the fight, it made no sense to search for its magical core to destroy it since it was usually placed in the most protected area of the beast, and it was easier to kill it by destroying its skull or breaking its neck. However, as Kara reached the conclusion that she couldn''t defeat the tiger quickly due to his rapid regeneration, capable of repairing broken bones and regenerating his eyes in just a few minutes, and seeing the blue light shining through the tiger''s fur on his chest, Kara decided to change her strategy, which until now consisted of hitting the tiger until she broke all his bones, and focused her attention on the place where she felt waves of magical energy, aiming to destroy his magic core.


    "Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    With a powerful roar, the tiger intensified his attacks, the lightning around him creating deep cracks of tens of meters in the earth''s crust, and their light transforming the center of the battle into a small sun.


    ''Damn it. I can hardly see anything now. This way, I can''t get close to him. But I don''t think he can keep this up forever. As long as his attacks don''t hit me directly, I can still endure. Let''s see who has the stronger will...''


    Reducing her speed to goad the tiger into attacking even more fiercely and avoiding his strikes at the last moment, Kara waited for the opportune moment to strike, the moment when the tiger would suffer adverse reactions due to excessive mana consumption. And after nearly half an hour of defying death countless times, that moment came when another crack appeared on the tiger''s mana core, and his attacks significantly weakened.


    ''Now''s the time!''


    "Boom!!!"


    With a speed that broke the sound barrier, splitting the surrounding storm in two, Kara appeared almost instantly in front of the tiger and delivered a powerful blow, using all her available strength, shattering the tiger''s chest bones while simultaneously breaking his magic core in two.


    "Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......"


    Seeing the tiger collapse to the ground, desperately trying to get back on its feet, Kara hesitated for a moment to finish the job. She didn''t want such a creature to die crawling. The tiger deserved to die standing, with its pride intact. Kara could sense that this was the tiger''s desire, and perhaps deep down in her soul, she knew that she would want to leave this world in the same way.


    "You were a worthy opponent. If it were up to me, this wouldn''t be the end, as I''ve always had a weakness for cats. But I have no choice. This forest isn''t big enough for both of us."


    After telling the tiger, who managed to get up, the first words he had ever heard from a human, Kara appeared almost instantaneously beneath the giant head of the tiger and, with a powerful strike, shattered its neck, creating a stream of blood. Activating her skill Blood Hunger, Kara began to devour all the energy from the tiger''s body, whose soul had already departed this world.


    ...........................................


    Two months have passed since Kara became the most powerful being in The Great Moonshadow Forest, but unfortunately, she received no sign that the ritual had ended, finding herself in a situation similar to the beasts that had no class or access to information about their skills.


    "I''m already the most powerful. What more do I need to do? Why isn''t it enough?" Kara pondered, gazing at the stars while eating a piece of raw boar meat.


    Unfortunately for Kara, there was no one around to answer these questions...she had no choice but to continue being the ruler of this territory where magic embodied violence, and only the mad or the reckless would dare to venture.


    ..................................


    <h4>   [Edge of The Great Moonshadow Forest]</h4>


    "Hey, Ralph, how far are we going to go? Don''t you think we''ve gone far enough? We haven''t even tested the fresh goods, if you know what I mean...."


    "We can''t risk staying out in the open. Jacob saw a patrol of knights in the town. They were probably sent from the capital to investigate the caravan attacks.... Why are you shaking like that? Don''t tell me you''re afraid of entering a forest. Do you really think it''s cursed? Heh, those are just stories...."

 Chapter 15. The Ritual鈥檚 Conclusion

    After about a month since defeating the Sky Tiger, during which she didn''t see any change in her situation, Kara decided to search for the ruins of the village where she was born to look for clues about the ritual that weren''t mentioned in the papers she had found.


    Although the area she had to explore was quite vast and the passage of time had almost erased all traces left by a human settlement, Kara managed to find the remnants of the village, situated about 50 kilometers deep into the forest, in approximately two weeks. Unfortunately, after exploring the ruins for ten days, Kara only found some partially burnt books with unintelligible writing and a few broken statues representing various animals.


    ''I think I wasted my time searching through these ruins. Even if there was something in the past that could offer me more information, the demons who attacked the village probably took it with them or destroyed it. Anyway, I didn''t have anything more important to do. Ever since I defeated the Sky Tiger, the days have become boring since all the creatures in the forest dare not approach me within 20 kilometers... Though such a carefree life is pleasant enough, I believe I''m starting to miss a challenge. Maybe that''s why the Sky Tiger didn''t eliminate the giant serpent...''


    These were some of Kara''s thoughts as she wandered among the ruins of the village destroyed almost 18 years ago, which seemed like it would be completely swallowed by the forest''s vegetation in a few years, erasing all traces left by humans in the Great Moonshadow Forest.


    ''Huh, this smell... it''s blood, human blood...'' Kara realized as she tried to locate a new prey to feed on. With her heightened sense of smell, she could detect prey from almost 100 kilometers away when the wind was favorable, so it was no surprise that she could pick up the scent of blood from a considerable distance.


    Immediately, she turned her gaze in the direction leading to the forest''s outskirts, where a battle had likely taken place. Without much hesitation, she headed toward that location to assess the situation.


    ''I don''t know why, but the fact that humans have entered my territory irritates me. It''s like unwelcome guests coming into my house with muddy feet. Anyway, first, I''ll see what the situation is, and then I''ll decide what measures to take...''


    ......................................


    "No, please. It''s just an ordinary ring. I have no way to get you the things you''re asking for..."


    In a small glade surrounded by trees on all sides, a middle-aged man, fallen to his knees and with his face covered in blood, desperately tried to protect himself from the blows of his assailant, who showed no mercy despite his tears and pleas.


    "Do you think I''m dumb? Do you think I don''t already know who you work for? Felix, make that bitch under you moan louder, or this dog of the nobles won''t understand what the situation is...."


    "Yes, boss, with great pleasure...", answered a man with his pants in veins who was standing over a woman of about 40 years old with torn clothes and a dagger inserted in her stomach.


    "Aaaahhhh!!!"


    "Watch out boss, every time I twist the dagger, this old bitch gets as tight as a virgin..."


    ............................


    After a few minutes of sprinting at a speed almost impossible to detect with the naked eye, leaving only broken branches and flying grass as evidence of her passage, Kara arrived at the scene where an unexpected scene was unfolding. In front of four carts used for transporting goods, a man as big as a bear ruthlessly beat down an older man with gray hair who lay on the ground, while another satisfied his sexual desires with the body of a woman who was almost lifeless. A few meters to their right, two naked women were tied to separate trees, their bodies full of wounds, having succumbed to the tortures inflicted by the ten brutes gathered around a fire, feasting.


    "Hey, Ralph. Stop wasting your time. You won''t get anything from him. A loyal dog like him would kill his own mother for a chance to kiss the Marquis'' feet. Do you think he cares about pain or his wife''s honor? I know someone in town who can unseal storage rings. It''s a bit expensive, but it''ll get the job done without complications," one of the ten men told the aggressor while he continued to beat the man on the ground.


    "Yes, boss! This whore doesn''t even move anymore. Every time I twist the knife, she can''t make a sound..."


    Agreeing with his subordinate''s words, Ralph straightened his back and wiped his hands, now covered in blood, with a cloth. He then walked toward the fire and picked up a skewer of meat to replenish his energy after the effort.


    "Yes, I think you''re right," Ralph said to his subordinates as he chewed on a piece of meat. After looking at the two lifeless women, he turned his reproachful gaze toward his men.


    "Couldn''t you have left one alive for me? I sweated while beating the damn dog, and you guys enjoy the company of two beauties while you drink and eat..."


    "Boss, don''t be mad. You know the boys have been stressed lately. Anyway, don''t worry. If we find another woman in the forest, you can enjoy her all by yourself, hehe..."


    "What kind of women do you think live in this forest, you fool? Do you think I am the same as you when you''re drunk? The last time you got drunk, you wanted to fuck a mare..."


    ''It seems they''re bandits who robbed a caravan,'' Kara deduced as she observed from a distance of 100 meters.


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    ''From what I''ve heard, their purpose was to obtain something carried by the man on the ground in the storage ring, and they tried to get him to unseal it by torturing him and his wife. As for the two deceased women, judging by their scattered equipment and clothes, I believe they were part of the adventurers responsible for guarding the caravan.''


    Kara wasn''t very impressed by the bandits'' cruelty and horrific acts and she continued to watch calmly. She had long become accustomed to the unwritten laws of the wilderness, where the strong could do whatever they pleased to the weak.


    ''Yes, here, no one will stop them from doing as they please. This isn''t a place of morality. In this forest, only the strong can survive. But, unfortunately for them, they are not the strongest here. I am the strongest! I have the right to decide who lives and who dies in my territory, not some fools who wouldn''t last a night in this forest if my presence didn''t drive away the predators from this area. Anyway, the fact that I''ve encountered these bastards is good news for me because they''ll offer me an opportunity to test what happens after I devour the energy of a human being. Perhaps it''s necessary to kill individuals of your own species to be recognized as the ultimate predator. I don''t know why, but when I sensed the smell of human blood, I felt like this could be the solution to my problems...''


    Determined to take the lives of the 12 bandits, Kara swiftly advanced towards the place where they were having dinner, not hesitating even though she was completely naked.


    ''Dead men can''t tell stories'', Kara thought as her right arm pierced the chest of the nearest bandit, who had just risen from the woman who seemed to have lost consciousness.


    Although a completely naked woman of captivating beauty stood before them, the other 11 bandits looked at her as if she were a demon who escaped from the depths of hell.


    Kara had no reason to be concerned because the men in front of her posed no threat, so she immediately activated the skill Blood Hunger, and the body of the killed bandit transformed into a pile of bones and clothes within a few seconds.


    "Demon!"


    "Demon!!"


    "Get your weapons, fools! She''ll kill us all!"


    After seeing the fate of their companion, the 11 remaining bandits snapped out of the state of shock they had entered and, taking the weapons they had at hand, grouped themselves in a defensive position, aiming not to be taken by surprise.


    ''Do they really think they stand a chance to survive? Let''s see how long they can maintain their optimism,'' Kara thought as she observed the determined bandits in front of her.


    Kara wasted no time and appeared almost instantly in the middle of their formation, delivering three low kicks that left all 11 bandits without legs.


    "Ahhhh, my legs!"


    "Ahhhh!!"


    "Ahhhh, my gods, protect me, I don''t want to die!"


    Watching the bandits crawling helplessly in front of her like worms in front of a hungry hen, Kara recognized that such moments, when wretches crawl at her feet in terror, were truly pleasing.


    Initially, she had thought to finish the job quickly, but seeing the fear and desperation of the bandits who just moments before considered themselves masters of the world, Kara decided not to hurry. She continued to let them crawl, attacking only those who were weaker and losing consciousness due to blood loss.


    In the end, the one who resisted the most was their leader, who had a health potion with him and managed to stop the bleeding. Kara didn''t stop him when she saw him taking out the potion from his storage ring and drinking it because killing people who were almost unconscious was becoming boring.


    "Please, I want to live... I''ll do whatever you want. Yes, I''ll bring you as many people as you want..." the bandit leader began to plead through tears as he saw Kara approaching him, stepping over the bones of his former comrades.


    "Let''s see.... I wouldn''t mind having a slave who does everything I say. But you''ll truly be of help?"


    "Yes, yes. I''ll do everything you want," the bandit replied to Kara, hope for life igniting in his eyes.


    "Alright, it''s not a bad idea. But you should know I don''t accept useless slaves. My slaves must truly be obedient, strong, and know how to fly. I believe you meet the first two conditions, so now let''s see how you fare with flying..."


    "Flying? What flying?" the bandit leader asked Kara, puzzled.


    "To fly like a bird. Let me help you get started with the flying test..."


    Immediately after Kara offered to help the bandit leader fly, she leaned over and pulled him hard by one arm, throwing him into the air at an altitude of over 100 meters.


    "Fly, little one, fly!", Kara encouraged the man who was heading straight towards the ground.


    "Splash!!"


    Watching the bandit whose head exploded upon impact with the ground, Kara brought her hand to her eyes, wiping away imaginary tears.


    "Too bad. It seems you didn''t pass the test..."


    After activating the Blood Hunger skill and devouring what was left of the bandit leader, Kara approached the only person still alive, the wife of the man killed by the bandit leader.


    Hearing the desperate cries of the bandits, she managed to wake up and, disregarding the deep wound in her abdomen, raised the upper part of her body and watched as Kara took the lives of the bandits, feeling both horrified and relieved at the same time.


    Standing in front of the woman, Kara lowered her head and looked directly into her eyes, but she could no longer see any desire to live in them.


    "Are you going to kill me too?" the woman asked Kara.


    "Only if that''s what you want."


    "Yes, please. I''m already close to death... I don''t want to die in agony. And even if I live, the memory of today will haunt me forever. My husband, as stubborn as he was, was the only one I could rely on... So please, end my suffering."


    "Okay."


    "Bang."


    With a powerful blow, Kara made the woman''s head disappear instantly, her body collapsing into a pool of blood. Kara was aware of her abilities. She was not a healer. She couldn''t heal anyone''s body or soul. The only act of mercy she could offer was a swift death.


    Kara leaned over the decapitated body and, placing her hand on its chest, activated the Blood Hunger skill.


    ''Something is different this time; I think I''ll finally complete the ritual,'' Kara thought, noticing that the energy throughout her body began to surge, and an insatiable desire to devour everything engulfed her entire being.


    ''Yes, just a bit more. It''s almost ready...'' Kara told herself in her mind, trying to control her powers and emotions, which were in a true storm, her will holding them at bay like a rock stops the waves caused by a hurricane.


    After what seemed like an entire year to Kara, the internal storm suddenly stopped, along with the surrounding environment, as if the flow of time had frozen. Looking around, Kara noticed that even the birds in the air remained motionless as if painted by an untalented person who couldn''t suggest the idea of movement.


    "Crack!"


    Suddenly, cracks began to appear around Kara, like in a glass window, as if reality itself was about to disintegrate at any moment, and although nothing could be seen through these cracks, Kara could feel the power behind them, a power capable of creating worlds and destroying them. Fortunately, the cracks didn''t continue to spread, and slowly, they began to disappear as if time had been rewound.


    When the last crack disappeared, the world came back to life as if none of this had ever happened, and Kara finally received the sign that the ritual was complete, the following words appearing in her mind "Your class has evolved. You now have the unique class Predator".

 Chapter 16. Two Swords Don鈥檛 Fit in The Same Sheath

    Although Kara didn''t feel physically stronger than before receiving her new class, she could clearly sense that her control over her powers had become much deeper, and her violent impulses and bloodthirst had become much easier to manage. It was as if until now, these powers belonged only to her body, but now they were part of her soul as well.


    ''Finally, I did it. I feel like I could go to war with the entire world. It may have been truly difficult to get to this moment, but it was worth it. I wonder how I managed not to lose my mind in the past months. Well, maybe I did lose it a little, as there wasn''t much difference between me and a beast living in The Great Moonshadow Forest. To be honest, I even started to enjoy such a life, often tempted to abandon everything and live the rest of my life as the ruler of this forest. The only thing that kept me going was my hunger, the hunger for more power, the hunger to rule more than just a forest where hardly anyone ventures. Yes, this forest is too small for me. I couldn''t settle for just that. I wanted my kingdom to encompass the entire world... But is that truly what I want? Thinking more carefully now that I''m more rational, attempting to rule the whole world would be a hassle. The human world is not as simple as this forest, where the weak dare not defy the strong. Besides, my knowledge of the economy and politics is quite limited... But why bother with such trivialities? What would I gain from all of this? As long as I can do whatever I want, and no one dares to stand in my way, I''ll be content. And those who try to change that better be prepared to have their ass kicked...''


    Although Kara didn''t have a very clear objective for the immediate future, she was certain that her newfound powers would undoubtedly bring her into conflict with all the races of this world, as both human and demon leaders seemed to consider anyone with the Predator class as their number one enemy. However, Kara had no intention of hiding her powers or pretending not to be a threat. She always hated those who considered themselves superior to her, who thought they could decide her fate, whether they were nobles or warriors with higher classes. Even though she hadn''t clashed with anyone except for the misunderstanding with Klaus''s family, their attitude, making her feel like they controlled her life, always infuriated her.


    ''It will be interesting to see the attitude of humans and demons when they find out that the very thing they feared most has happened. I don''t know how they managed to defeat the last human being with the Predator class, but I will make sure that my existence remains a perpetual sword hanging over their heads. Yes, no one will ever be untouchable, not kings, not demon lords, absolutely no one. They will all live in fear, knowing I can take their lives at any moment. Yes, like a natural disaster, I will be unstoppable. They will all tremble at the sound of my voice, just like little children scared of thunder."


    After setting these objectives for the distant future and calming her enthusiasm, Kara focused on visualizing her current parameters and available skills, something she hadn''t been able to do in the past months.


    ''Seems like everything is working fine this time... Huh, that''s strange. It appears that the level value cannot be detected. Does that mean I''ve reached a level higher than the maximum possible level? As far as I knew from legends about past great warriors, the maximum level a human being could reach was level 300. Anyway, considering that all my attributes are of S+ rank, including the magic attribute, which has always been the weakest, being only E rank, I guess I can say that I no longer need to worry about leveling up. Now let''s see if I''ve gained any specific skills for my new class..''


    Focusing on visualizing the available skills, Kara was surprised to see that she had only six. The first and most important one was Devour, an advanced form of the Blood Hunger skill, allowing her to extract energy from both defeated beings and other special sources, such as magical artifacts or mana-rich locations. The second skill was called Predator''s Constitution, a passive skill that always kept her body in the best possible shape and at maximum capacity, increasing her resistance and regeneration beyond any imaginable limit. The third skill was Predator Claws, an attack skill that enveloped her arms from the elbow down in black energy, transforming her fingers into deadly daggers capable of cutting through anything she desired. The fourth skill was Predator''s Locker, offering access to an extremely vast space, billions of times larger than the most expensive storage ring, allowing her to control how stored objects were affected by time, even making them remain in their original state forever. The fifth skill was called Predator''s Talent, allowing her to learn any skill she desired from any class, as long as she had seen it being used. Finally, the last skill was Predator''s Charm, another passive skill that turned Kara into a true seductress, enhancing her beauty to a goddess-like level and transforming her body movements and voice into enchantments that could deeply affect the souls of any living beings.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ''All six skills are truly impressive. They''re probably of a higher rank than S. Moreover, the Predator''s Talent skill gives me access to an additional list of skills, where I can find all the skills I had while being a Hunter and all the skills I''ve seen in action so far, including those of Alice''s grandmother, who specialized in potion-making, and I never analyzed them carefully.''


    Satisfied with the skills she acquired, Kara decided to leave The Great Moonshadow Forest and head to the nearest city to try to contact her father through the Adventurers Guild to let him know she survived the ritual. Afterward, she planned to begin her journey into the wide world, seeking new challenges and foes to defeat.


    After taking all the valuable items from the bandits and their victims and storing them in her Predator''s Locker space, thus freeing herself from the burden of wearing storage rings that always bothered her, Kara headed towards the outskirts of the forest, where about a year and a half ago, she buried her belongings under the root of an old tree.


    After retrieving her baggage from the ground and finding everything in the same condition as before, Kara held the sheets that described the ritual to obtain the Predator class, which as soon as its detected her approach, began to emanate a corruptive energy and a thirst for blood.


    "Heh, I suspected it would come to this," Kara said, holding the sheets without showing any weakness.


    ''I always felt there was something strange about these papers, and now I can see what the problem is. It seems that the one who had the Predator class in the past left a part of his soul in these pages, written with his own blood, hoping that in the future, he will be able to be reborn by stealing the powers of the person who will complete this ritual. Too bad for him that my talent is much greater than his. I don''t know where he obtained this method to obtain the Predator class, but it''s evident from the writings that he completed the ritual solely based on magical formations to enhance his power, without obtaining a skill similar to Blood Hunger, so probably the effect wasn''t as potent as in my case. It''s actually quite amusing to think about. He probably wouldn''t have stood a chance against me even when he was alive, and now this small fragment of his power is trying to corrupt my soul, believing it can succeed.


    "I''m sorry, but two swords, no matter how sharp they are, cannot fit in the same sheath. In this world, there''s room for only one supreme predator, and I will be that, whether we''re talking about the past, present, or future..."


    Kara immediately activated the Predator Claws skill and with one strike turned the bunch of sheets into a pile of confetti.


    "I guess a former Predator''s soul makes for an excellent celebratory meal for the reception of my new class..." Kara told the fluttering pieces of paper that wriggled like headless snakes and then activated the Devour skill, beginning to absorb all the energy within them.


    ''I can''t tell if I''ve become stronger after devouring the fragment of the soul left in these sheets, but it''s good to eliminate a potential problem that might have arisen in the future. Moreover, the fact that the secret of obtaining the Predator class is known only to me is very beneficial, as no one will have a chance to obtain powers similar to mine or find a way to weaken me. Alright, I guess it''s time to get dressed. I don''t want unworthy eyes to admire my beauty. Hmm, it seems the clothes have become too small. I must have grown about 10 centimeters. Anyway, it doesn''t matter. Once I arrive in the city of Olrin, I can buy as many clothes as I want with the money I earned from the bandits I killed. Plus, even if I take them without paying, no one can hold me accountable... Well, I''m joking. I have no intention of making fun of innocent people who haven''t wronged me in any way...''


    After dressing in the short clothes that made Kara look as if she stole them, she hurriedly headed towards the city of Olrin, the place where we can say her true legend will begin.

 Chapter 17. Big Discount

    <h4>   [Orlin City Market]</h4>


    On a street full of stalls of street vendors who were trying to sell the remainder of their goods before the evening''s arrival, people walked in various directions, some carrying bags of food, others hauling construction materials, and some holding small children in their arms. But they all moved aside when a chill touched their bodies, a chill that brought with it the threat of death, as though something very dangerous stood behind them, something that couldn''t be provoked.


    Turning towards the direction from which they sensed the threat, they couldn''t help but be surprised that instead of a fearsome creature that could send shivers down their spines, there was a young woman of unimaginable beauty, that could steal the heart of any living being with just one smile, the elegance of which could remain undiminished even by the unsuitable clothes she wore at that moment, her fluid gait that reminded them of the movements of a feline stalking her prey, with hips that undulate subtly, like a snake crossing a mountain lake surrounded by towering firs, making everyone look at her with bated breath as if a goddess of beasts was moving in front of them, an embodiment of all that could be wild.


    "Perhaps she''s the daughter of a noble..."


    "Could she be a princess in disguise?"


    "Is she possibly an A-rank adventurer who was trapped in a dungeon for hundreds of years?"


    Such questions were exchanged as Kara walked by, oblivious to their speculation, leaving them to imagine all sorts of extraordinary scenarios.


    Having the necessary documents to prove her affiliation with the kingdom called Valoria, Kara could enter the city walls without any worries and headed straight for the city market, in search of a shop offering the highest quality clothing.


    After passing through several bustling streets, Kara arrived in an area where all the buildings seemed more luxurious, and the security was much tighter, a sign that this was probably where the wealthy came to shop. After a quick glance around, Kara headed for a shop that seemed to offer clothing suitable for aspiring adventurers, likely intended for noble children who desired the finest attire.


    As Kara took a few steps inside the store, a young woman with a heavily made-up face appeared in front of her, eyeing Kara''s clothing with disdain.


    "Heh, do you think our shop has things you can afford? Or did you come here hoping to attract some noble who would take care of you? Listen carefully..."


    "Bang!"


    Fortunately for the clownish woman berating Kara, an elderly man came out from behind the counter and, giving her a smack on the head, bellowed at her as if she were his worst enemy.


    "You foolish girl! Is that how you treat our precious customers? Do you think I brought you here to ruin my business? From now on, you won''t speak to anyone! Your only task will be to clean the floors until your head clears. Go get a cloth from behind the counter and get to work!"


    "But grandpa, I..."


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "No ''buts,'' immediately fetch the cloth and get to work!"


    After the elderly man put his granddaughter in her place, he looked toward Kara and, with a humble smile, apologized on behalf of his niece.


    "I apologize, esteemed customer. The poor girl had a problem with her head from a young age. Please disregard the words of a misbehaving child. As compensation, feel free to take anything you desire from the store without paying. I hope this will be enough to overlook this mistake."


    ''This old man seems quite clever'', thought Kara after hearing the store owner''s words.


    "No problem, as long as such things won''t happen again. To spare you any guilt, I''ll accept your generous offer and choose a few items I need..." Kara replied to the old man, who was doing his utmost to appear as friendly as possible.


    After this short and satisfying discussion for both parties, Kara started to browse the shop, accompanied by the elderly man who assumed the role of a guide. After selecting a few pairs of leather trousers, sleeveless blouses, and a couple of pairs of silent boots, she entered a fitting room to see if they fit. After approximately 5 minutes, she emerged dressed in a new outfit, wearing a pair of brown leather pants that highlighted her seductive curves, a white, sleeveless blouse that gave her an air of purity like that of priestesses singing odes to the gods, and a pair of black leather boots that seemed ready to wade through pools of blood without changing their color at all.


    "Esteemed customer, are you satisfied? Do you need a storage ring to keep the rest of your clothes?"


    "It''s not necessary. I''ve already stored the rest of my clothes. I think it''s enough for today. It was a pleasure doing business with you."


    "Of course, the pleasure was all mine. I look forward to your future visits."


    After this exchange of formalities, Kara headed towards the exit of the shop, passing by the young woman who had been washing the floor on her knees all this time. Without even glancing at her, Kara left the store with a blank expression on her face, as if receiving clothes worth 20 gold coins for free was an everyday occurrence for her.


    Seeing that the customer for whom her grandfather mistreated her had left, the young woman got up from the floor, her eyes filled with tears and her makeup ruined, and asked him why he had treated her that way.


    "You foolish girl, do you think I could keep this shop open for so long just due to luck? Do you think your grandfather can''t recognize danger when it''s right in front of him? That girl is more than what she seems at first glance. If I hadn''t intervened, it''s possible that both of us might have lost our lives by now. I''ve seen many powerful warriors and many nobles, even some related to the royal family, but none of them have made me feel like a single misstep could cost me my life."


    "But Grandpa, there are so many soldiers guarding this area, and this shop is favored by many nobles. Can''t we call for help whenever we need it?"


    "You''re still too young and have never seen what some people are capable of. In this world, the number of people has no value. All that matters is power. Do you think a vulture cares about how many ants want to attack it? Anyway, in the future, you''d do well to learn to keep your mouth shut, or you might end up washing floors for the rest of your life. In this business, we can''t afford to have enemies, even if they don''t pose any immediate threat..."


    .................


    Although Kara could hear the conversation between the two from a distance of several kilometers if she focused, she didn''t eavesdrop further because she knew from the beginning that everything the shop owner did was just a show to calm her down and protect his niece from her anger. Although Kara had no intention of taking the girl''s life as the old man feared, she did plan to teach the young woman how to treat customers respectfully by giving her a few spanks on the bottom.


    Leaving the shopping area behind, Kara headed directly toward the location of the Adventurers'' Guild, which was her main objective for entering the city. She went back into the crowded streets, cutting through the hundreds of people like a shark in a school of fish, leaving behind people full of amazement and questions to which they would never receive any answers.

 Chapter 18. The Orlin Branch of the Adventurer鈥檚 Guild

    ''It seems that the building housing the Adventurer''s Guild is much larger in this city than in the city where I grew up. Well, this was to be expected, considering that one of the three major dungeons of this kingdom is located nearby...'', Kara thought as she stood in front of an imposing building with thick stone walls and a double oak door on which was written in metallic letters, "Adventurer''s Guild - Orlin Branch."


    ''It''s quite amusing to remember the plans I made in my childhood, plans I still had about two years ago. Back then, I always dreamed of becoming a powerful adventurer, earning the respect of everyone, having the chance to battle legendary beasts, and exploring dungeons together with Alice... Yes, it''s truly funny to think how naive I was. The world I lived in was so small. Now that I''ve gained such powers that allow me to do anything I want, without anyone being able to hold me accountable, I can''t help but see my previous efforts as that of an ant trying to climb a mountain of thousands of meters, unaware that once it reaches the top, it will still be just an ant in front of the grandeur of the mountain. But now, everything is different. I will decide whether the mountain will continue to be a mountain...''


    Kara wasted no time, and after pushing open the massive door with just one finger, as if it was made of paper, she entered the building that housed the Adventurer''s Guild and headed straight for the reception, ignoring the questioning looks of adventurers who were wasting time analyzing posted missions or looking for new members for their teams.


    "Welcome to the Orlin Branch of the Adventurer''s Guild. How may I assist you?" asked the young receptionist, dressed in a blue uniform, as Kara approached the desk.


    "Well, I came for two things. The first is to send a message to the B-rank adventurer Markus Ardow, who is a Beast Hunter, and the second is to join the Adventurer''s Guild, starting at rank B," replied Kara, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.


    "Huh, the first thing is quite simple. As long as Markus Ardow enters any branch of the Adventurer''s Guild, one of my colleagues will pass along your message. Of course, if you want to send him a private message, you can do so with a sealed letter, but the cost will be a minimum of 5 silver coins, depending on how far his location is..."


    "The first option is fine," Kara interrupted, not knowing her father''s current location.


    "Alright, tell me the message, and I''ll enter it into the system immediately," the receptionist said, leaning down and retrieving a huge book from a drawer, a book whose contents could be found in similar volumes in every branch of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "The message is as follows: I''ve finished what I needed to do, and I will meet you at home in two months," Kara told the receptionist.


    "Huh, is that all?" asked the receptionist, who had finished writing, seeing that Kara didn''t say anything else.


    "That''s enough. Let''s move on to the second matter..."


    "Well, in order to start with a rank B, you''ll need to take a test where you''ll have to fight a B-rank adventurer from the Adventurer''s Guild staff and complete a rank B mission. The fee for taking the test once is ten gold coins, but the good news is that even if you fail, you can retake the test as many times as you want, as long as you pay the fee each time, so you shouldn''t be too stressed during the fight. Additionally, we have a special offer where...."


    ''Of course, I expected her to say something like that. Considering that most people wanting to take this test are arrogant noble sons for whom money is not a problem, it''s no wonder the Adventurer''s Guild came up with such a method...'', Kara thought as the receptionist continued trying to convince her to purchase a subscription that would allow her to take the test every week for a year for the sum of 400 gold coins.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "No, thank you. Once will be enough...", Kara interrupted the receptionist, placing 10 gold coins on the desk.


    "Well then, good luck. I''ll immediately register your request, and then I''ll lead you to the training ground behind the building where you can take the test.", the receptionist replied, a bit skeptical that the beauty in front of her was so capable in battle.


    "Thank you for the good wishes. I''m sure they''ll have an effect...", Kara replied to the receptionist, a subtle smile appearing on her lips.


    ''Damn, such beauty is capable of making my heart beat faster... Although her features are a bit sharp, her soft lips and black eyes.... huh, I thought they were green...'' the receptionist thought, gazing at Kara as if she had been hypnotized by her eyes.


    "Hmm, if you enjoy staring at me so much, I wouldn''t mind meeting up after you finish work, so we can get to know each other better, and who knows, maybe you''ll have the chance to gaze at me every day..." Kara said to the receptionist in a teasing tone, her eyes taking on the cunning of a fox, and her lips, through which these words came out, seemed to become the lips of a mermaid charming the sailors, making them willingly jump into the abyss.


    "I, I have a fianc¨¦... I''m sorry..." the receptionist replied to Kara, beginning to write the necessary documents and trying to hide her blushing face.


    "What a shame..." Kara said softly, as if during the utterance of these words, dozens of images of a future that can no longer be possible flashed before her eyes.


    "I, I forgot to ask, what is your name and your class? I need to write this down..." the receptionist asked Kara, trying to regain her professionalism.


    "Kara Ardow, Hunter," Kara replied, her face showing no indication of lying.


    After another 2-3 minutes, the receptionist left her desk and, hesitating to look Kara in the eyes, she invited her to follow her to the training ground.


    The receptionist''s attitude amused Kara, but she didn''t continue to tease the young woman who still blushed, as she wasn''t truly interested in her, so she quietly followed her to the training ground.


    ......................


    "Hey Jacob, how long are you planning to polish that shield? I''m sure your wife is already getting jealous of the affection you''re showing it...", a man sitting on a bench at the edge of the training ground in the backyard of the Adventurer''s Guild, dressed in simple clothes, with a mug of beer in his hand, jokingly asked the massive man in front of him, fully clad in black armor, vigorously wiping a golden shield that looked like it had just come out of the box.


    "Why do you think I''m polishing it here? Every time my wife sees this shield, all peace disappears from our house. Why did you spend 1000 gold coins on such a thing? You know, with that money, we could have bought a new house? I''m tired of hearing these questions day and night. What does she know? When I became an adventurer a hundred years ago, all I had was a low-quality wooden shield..."


    Unfortunately, Jacob couldn''t finish his story about the hardships he endured in his life, as Kara entered the training ground, accompanied by the receptionist who showed her the way.


    "Jacob, I brought someone who wants to take the test to become a B-rank adventurer," the receptionist told Jacob, who was the adventurer Kara had to fight to demonstrate her skills.


    "About time, Lina! I''ve been sitting here all day doing nothing. I don''t understand why lately, almost no one comes when it''s my shift..."


    "Heh, you really don''t know the reason?" the man who had just finished his beer asked Jacob.


    "Well, I can''t be like you. My honor as a Shield Master prevents me from not trying to block any attack directed at me..."


    "I believe your wife would have a different opinion about this situation..."


    "You!"


    "Which one of you is Jacob?" Kara intervened, getting bored with the increasingly heated discussion between the two men in front of her.


    "Huh, that''s me!" Jacob replied, looking carefully at Kara for the first time as she walked towards the center of the training ground.


    ''Shit, why do I have to fight such a beauty? If my wife finds out about this, I don''t think I''ll have a moment of peace for a week...'', Jacob thought as he also moved towards the center of the training ground.


    "What''s the condition to pass this test?" Kara asked again.


    "Well, you see the necklace around my neck? It''s an accessory that has the ability to save me from death. If you can land a blow that can create a crack in it in less than 10 minutes, then you can consider that you''ve passed the test," Jacob replied as he fastened his precious shield to his right arm.


    "Very well. Let''s fight!" Kara said, cracking her knuckles twice.

 Chapter 19. Very Brave

    When Jacob initiated the start of the test, Kara didn''t waste any time and appeared almost instantly in front of her opponent. Even though she used less than 5 percent of her maximum power, her punch, which directly hit the golden shield Jacob held in front of him, sent him flying 20 meters into the stone wall at the edge of the training field, causing cracks to appear from the impact.


    ''Damn, it felt like I was hit by the tail of a wyrm... Ufff, I can barely stand! What kind of skill did this girl use? I didn''t even get to see what hit me...'', Jacob thought after managing to detach himself from the wall and get back on his feet, though his joints still trembled.


    ''If I hadn''t had this shield, I''m sure I would have lost already. It was worth every penny I paid. Unfortunately, there''s a small dent in the place of impact....''


    "Do you think that was enough, or do you want to continue?" Kara interrupted Jacob, who had started inspecting his shield for deformities and was already calculating how much money he would need to repair it.


    "The battle has only just begun, missy. Although you caught me off guard with that attack, it won''t be so easy from now on. Besides, I don''t think the skill you just used left you with much mana..", Jacob replied as he began activating various defensive skills, transforming himself into a fortress of flesh and metal.


    ''It seems my previous attack wasn''t enough to make him realize his situation. If I hadn''t hit where his protection was highest and instead struck from the side or the back, even if he had 10 life-saving amulets, he would have suffered severe injuries. Anyway, it wouldn''t have been fun if I defeated him that easily. To completely defeat someone so confident in his abilities, I need to beat him at his own game...'', Kara thought while waiting for Jacob to finish activating the skills that would make him able to withstand attacks from A-rank adventurers.


    Once Jacob finished activating the skills that could make his defense almost impenetrable, he stomped the ground, triggering a skill that turned the entire training field into something resembling a porcupine''s back, as thousands of sharp spikes made of rock emerged from the ground simultaneously, aiming to strike Kara wherever she tried to escape.


    ''He''s quite a competent fighter, with a good ability to analyze the situation. This attack would have been a real problem for someone relying solely on speed. Not only would such a person be injured the moment the skill activated because there would be nowhere to run to avoid the attack, but their movements would also be hindered due to the spike-covered terrain. Unfortunately for him, I''m not such a person. Attacks like these aren''t a bigger threat to me than colliding with a water droplet'', Kara thought, standing completely unaffected, surrounded by the rock spikes.


    ''Huh, why didn''t the attack work?'' Jacob wondered in his mind. ''It''s as if the ground she''s on bears the weight of an entire mountain...''


    But Jacob didn''t have any more time to wonder, because Kara advanced towards him at high speed, paying no heed to the rocky spikes that lay in her path, these either shattering or leaping in all directions behind her and, when she reached Jacob, she thrust her hand with fingers outstretched and united like a spear, directly through the shield that Jacob was so proud of, passing through it as if it were made of paper, then, she grabbed the necklace that hung around his neck, along with a piece of armor and a rather large chunk of flesh.


    "Ahhhhh!!" Jacob screamed as he fell to the ground, trying to stem the bleeding with both hands.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "I think it can be said that I passed the test..." Kara said after retracting her hand and crushing its contents, thousands of metal fragments and droplets of blood scattering around her.


    Both the receptionist and the man who had accompanied Jacob were in a state of shock. Not only were Kara''s powers much greater than they had expected, but the aggression she displayed through this attack that brought Jacob to the brink of death was unprecedented for someone who seemed as calm as Kara.


    "Well, you''d better give him a healing potion quickly and stop the bleeding; otherwise, he might lose his life....", Kara told the two who were standing at the edge of the training area, seeing that neither of them seemed inclined to intervene.


    Jolted into action by Kara''s words, the man who had accompanied Jacob immediately produced a few high-quality healing potions from his storage ring and then rushed at top speed toward Jacob to save his life.


    Fortunately for Jacob, after consuming the contents of two potions and having one poured onto his wound, he began healing rapidly, and in less than two minutes, he was able to stand up.


    "You! What is the reason why you tried to kill him? Do you think you can get away with this without consequences?" the man who had just saved Jacob roared at Kara.


    "Shut up, Glen! Don''t continue embarrassing me!" Jacob interrupted his colleague.


    "Huh, what do you mean? How am I embarrassing you?" Glen asked, confused.


    "What do you think is the purpose of those who participate in a fight, Glen?"


    "Huh?"


    "If you don''t know the answer, I''ll tell you: to win. Yes, each will use any method at their disposal to ensure their victory. At least that''s what I did in this fight. But now, think yourself, did my opponent do the same? No, she fought in a way that would be most favorable for me. So even if I had lost my life, she couldn''t be accused of trying to kill me. The only guilty party would have been me because I was too confident in my abilities and didn''t know when to retreat..." Jacob explained to his colleague, hoping to calm him down.


    After hearing Jacob''s explanation, Glenn analyzed more calmly the fight that had taken place and realized Jacob was right. Kara had given him a chance to withdraw after her initial strike, but he had refused and even used one of his most powerful skills to attack her. Furthermore, considering Kara''s demonstrated capabilities, the fact that Jacob survived was solely due to her leniency.


    "Well, I guess... Huh, she''s already gone?" Glenn asked, lifting his gaze from the ground and realizing Kara was no longer in front of him as she was only a few steps away from where the receptionist stood.


    "Do you think there was anything more to say? Or would you have liked to try fighting her to see if you would have done better?" Jacob asked back, starting to assess the damage his shield had suffered.


    "Fight her? I''m too young to risk my life like that. I suppose I should be thankful to the gods that today was your shift to test the future adventurers, and I didn''t have to face her..." Glenn replied, his voice trembling at the mere thought that he could have been the one brought to the brink of death.


    "Well, I guess I got off pretty lightly with just this wound. You can''t expect to come out of a dragon encounter without a burn. Anyway, where did this girl come from? She defeated me so quickly that I couldn''t even tell her class. Could she be specialized in unarmed combat? Or some class that enhances physical abilities? No, it''s probably something more extraordinary than that, given how easily she brought me to the brink of death. Even though my attack power isn''t very high, my defense couldn''t be so easily broken even by a rank A adventurer. Anyway, time will answer these questions. What''s more pressing right now is that my shield was nearly destroyed. Look at the hole in it! I don''t even know if I''ll find someone capable of repairing it..."


    .........................


    "Did you enjoy the fight? I think I was pretty brave, wasn''t I? How do I compare to your fianc¨¦? Do you think he could handle it if I challenged him to a duel for your hand?" Kara teased the receptionist as she approached her, trying to pull her out of the shock caused by the recent battle.


    Unfortunately, the result was not as expected, as the receptionist began to panic even more at the thought that due to her beauty, her fianc¨¦''s life would surely come to a brutal end, with no chance of resistance.


    ''Oh, my gods! Why did you make me so cute? Why do I have to be a curse for the one who loves me?'', she began to scream inside her mind.

 Chapter 20. Killing Intent

    Seeing that the receptionist was growing paler by the moment, Kara had no choice but to reassure her that she wasn''t serious and that she wasn''t truly interested in her, so her fianc¨¦ was out of any danger.


    ''Hmph, scum girl! She knows how to play with the emotions of cute girls....'', thought the receptionist as she guided Kara back to the main hall where the reception was, feeling relieved yet with a trace of regret.


    Seeing that the receptionist had regained her professional attitude, Kara followed her quietly, unaware that in the mind of the young woman in front of her, she had become a girl who couldn''t be trusted, one who took pleasure in teasing cute girls.


    "Well, we''re back. If you want to choose a mission today, you can go to the wall opposite the reception to see what missions are available. As far as I remember, there were about 10 Rank B missions that didn''t necessarily have to be taken only by those who are part of a team..." the receptionist told Kara after they arrived in front of the reception desk.


    "Okay, I''ll go check, and if I find something that interests me, I''ll come back to have the mission assigned to me. Anyway, thank you for your help. I hope in the future I''ll have the chance to reward you...", Kara replied to the receptionist, a teasing smile appearing on her face again before she turned around and headed towards the wall about 30 meters away.


    "No, no. There''s no need. I, I just did what I had to do...", the receptionist replied, her face turning red again.


    ''Damn it! Why do I have to give her satisfaction every time? Do I really have to get flustered every time she teases me? Yes, I''m sure she does it on purpose. She probably enjoys seeing me lost for words. Scum girl! Scum girl!'', the receptionist began to shout again in her mind, after she had settled back into her seat and watched Kara''s back as she almost reached the wall full of mission brochures.


    Kara, unaware of what was happening in the young receptionist''s mind, reached the wall where the missions were posted and began to read the brochures attached to the designated space for Rank B missions.


    ''Hmm, from what I see, most of the available missions are ones that would take at least a week to complete, like escorting caravans through a goblin-infested area or collecting a large number of mana cores from rare beasts that live in the middle levels of the great dungeon near this city. Unfortunately, I don''t see anything simple that could be resolved in a single day, like exterminating a dangerous creature terrorizing a village or a group of bandits...''


    Kara spent another 5 minutes analyzing the missions and eventually decided to choose a mission that involved identifying and exterminating the beasts that had destroyed 3 caravans in the last month traveling the road between this town and the kingdom''s capital, all the people who were part from the caravan being impossible to find.


    ''Since the area to be investigated is quite large, and the creatures that attacked the caravans seem to be somewhat intelligent and have left almost no clues behind, I think it would take me a couple of days to find their lair. Well, there is also the option of following a caravan that will use that route, hoping that the creatures will show themselves, but in this way, I might waste my time for nothing...'' Kara thought, having just taken the brochure from the wall and intending to return to the reception to accept the mission.


    "Hey, stop! That mission is already selected by us. As soon as our leader arrives, we will go to the reception and accept it!" a very slim man dressed like a magician told Kara, accompanied by a man as big as a bear, carrying a nearly two-meter-long sword on his back.


    "Well, I don''t see why that should be my problem. You know what they say: first come, first served. Besides, no one''s stopping you from accepting this mission as well, since it''s not specified to be exclusively for a single team. I believe the city''s leader would be quite pleased if it were accepted by as many as possible, as the issue would be resolved more quickly..." Kara replied, a little bored by the fact that she had to talk so much with unimportant people.


    "Maybe this is true, but only those who accomplish the mission will receive the reward, while the other teams will waste their time in vain!" the frail man continued, blocking Kara''s path.


    "If you''re not competent enough and you believe that you won''t succeed in claiming the reward if you have competition, that''s your problem. Anyway, you''d do well to stop blocking my way and step aside if you don''t want trouble," Kara told the two of them, not intending to further continue this pointless discussion.


    "Alright, alright, wild girl! There''s no need to argue. We''re all colleagues, aren''t we? What would you say if you joined us on this mission? No matter how skilled you are, I don''t think you''ll be able to accomplish much on your own..." intervened the second man who hadn''t said anything until now. Despite trying to appear relaxed and eager to assist a fellow adventurer, his intense gaze gave away his true intentions ¨C he was deeply attracted to Kara and probably had less honorable motives than he claimed.


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    "No, thank you. I can handle things on my own," Kara replied, then she started to bypass the two to go to the reception.


    "Hey, wait..." the burly man said, attempting to reach out to stop Kara.


    "Disappear!" Kara told them, turning her head toward the two, allowing her killing intent to flow freely toward them, her pupils starting to shift colors, turning into a mix of red and black.


    So far, the two had been in many life-threatening situations and faced numerous creatures whose gaze could freeze their blood and prevent them from sleeping peacefully for days on end, but they had never felt a greater danger than the one emanating from the girl in front of them, who seemed to have become the very reincarnation of a death god, capable of bringing death to both living beings and lifeless objects.


    ''Aaaahhh!!!'' they screamed in their minds, desperately trying to force their bodies to move and escape the imminent threat before them. Unfortunately for them, their bodies no longer obeyed, trembling involuntarily as if submerged in near-frozen water, and the only sounds they made were the chattering of teeth and the sound of urine drops trickling from their pants, falling onto the floor of the Adventurer''s Guild in front of the curious onlookers who had stopped to witness the showdown between the newcomer and the two adventurers who were part of a fairly well-known team in that region.


    "Haha, look! They wet themselves!"


    "Hahaha! What idiots!"


    "Hehehe! I told you they''re not that tough..."


    Although Kara agreed with the adventurers laughing at the two and found the situation quite amusing, she didn''t want to stay near such disgusting people for too long, so she averted her gaze from them and continued toward the reception to accept the mission.


    "How did you do that? The magic-detection devices inside the Adventurer''s Guild didn''t show anything unusual!" the receptionist asked Kara as she reached her.


    "Well, I''ll tell you, but only if you get close enough for me to whisper it because I don''t want the whole world to find out..." Kara replied after discreetly moistening her lips.


    "No, no! It doesn''t matter! I don''t want to know anymore!" the receptionist told Kara, certain that Kara''s intentions weren''t entirely pure."


    "Well, it''s your loss... Anyway, this is the mission I''ve chosen..." Kara told the receptionist, placing the brochure she had taken from the wall in front of her.


    Since she wanted to have as little to do with Kara as possible, the receptionist hastily filled out the necessary paperwork and handed Kara a document confirming her acceptance of the mission, containing all the mission-related details.


    "Thanks again. Hope to see you soon..."


    After saying goodbye to the receptionist, Kara headed toward the exit, and even though she seemed to disregard everything around her, she was aware of the hostile glares from the two men who had finally managed to move their bodies and had fallen onto the wet floor.


    "That bitch, I''ll make sure she pays dearly for this humiliation..." the frail man muttered slowly, making sure only he could hear.


    ''Well, I''ll give you the chance to get your revenge. I hope you''ll be just as excited then...'' Kara thought after hearing his threat as she exited the building where the Adventurer''s Guild was located.


    ......................................


    "That whore! She made fools of us in front of everyone. Until I get my revenge, I won''t have peace!" the frailer man told his comrade while they were sitting at a table in a tavern near the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "Yes, such behavior is unacceptable. Don''t worry. I''ll take care of taming her with my own hands. Such..."


    "What are you saying, you idiotic giant! Do you still have such thoughts? If I think about it, it''s your fault for everything! Because of you, we ended up in this situation! I don''t understand why you''ve always been drawn to such wild women! Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I''ll kill her with my own hands, no matter what you say!"


    After half an hour of continuing to argue and reproach each other, during which they each consumed a pitcher of wine, the two eventually managed to calm down and they agreed to discuss this problem with the leader of the team they were a part of, realizing that without his help, they wouldn''t stand a chance of getting revenge on the young woman who humiliated them.


    "Look, it seems the boss has arrived! Huh, who''s the beauty accompanying him?" the frailer man said when he noticed the two people entering the tavern.


    "How am I supposed to know? It''s the first time I''ve seen her. The scoundrel! He''s always been successful with women..." his partner, who had just downed a large glass of wine, replied.


    Although their leader was a handsome man, his silver armor making him look like a knight from stories about dragons and princesses, the woman next to him completely overshadowed him because her beauty and noble aura seemed to belong to another world. Both her seductive face with warm amber eyes and her sensuous body that seemed sculpted by a pagan fertility goddess, made her the center of attention for those around her, even though her clothes were simple ¨C she wore only a white dress without any expensive accessories ¨C and her long chestnut hair was not styled in any particular way.


    "Clank!" was the sound of a dropped spoon hitting the floor from one of the patrons at the tavern, who got stuck staring at the stunning woman passing by.


    "Hey, guys, what''s going on? Why are you frozen? Do you want our new team member to think you''re idiots?" the man who had just arrived began to ask his companions, who had been stuck for the second time that day, unable to utter a word.


    "Hello, my name is Ophelia. Nice to meet you. I hope we''ll work well together in the future..." the young woman said to the two men in front of her, trying to ease the tension.


    "Hello..."


    "Hello...."


    Seeing that his partners were making a wrong impression, the team leader apologized on their behalf, saying that they had been affected by the large amount of alcohol they''d consumed, then he left the tavern with Ophelia, heading toward the Adventurer''s Guild to complete the necessary formalities to add her to his team.


    ''Lucky bastard!''


    That was the thought of the two men who had been left behind, determined not to leave the tavern until they were completely drunk to forget everything that had happened that day.

 Chapter 21. Who Preys on Whom?

    "So, maybe one of you two, you idiots, can tell me the reason why all the adventurers I met on the way to the Adventurer''s Guild were laughing at our team, calling us the ''Damp Rabbits''? What the hell could you have done in the two hours I left you alone to go to the blacksmith?" asked their team leader to the two men drowning their sorrows in drinks, after he returned to the tavern, half an hour after meeting with them and introducing them to the new member of their team, even though his initial plan was to invite Ophelia to dinner and start putting his plans into action to conquer the woman who stole his heart the very moment he laid eyes on her.


    "Hicc, what rabbit? I''ve had enough roast... bring another carafe of wine," said the giant man, who didn''t even remember who was in front of him.


    "It''s too hot here. Let''s go to the smithy....", said his other comrade, who couldn''t even remember where he was.


    Seeing that his colleagues were no longer capable of answering his questions, Mason, their leader, had no choice but to take them one by one to the rooms they had rented at a nearby inn, as he couldn''t risk leaving them unsupervised until he found out what had happened.


    ''Damn it. In moments like these, I wonder why I continue to team up with these losers. Not only have they made no progress whatsoever lately, and there''s no chance they''ll become Rank B adventurers in the near future, but they also fail to grasp how important a good reputation is for advancing in this profession. Well, it''s true that in the city where we started our adventurer careers and stayed for almost 10 years, I wasn''t exactly the best person either, but after we moved to this town, I made sure that no one would doubt my character and that everyone would treat me with respect. Unfortunately, this state couldn''t be sustained for more than half a year because of these two idiots. Anyway, it''s a relief that Ophelia wasn''t influenced by this situation and didn''t change her mind about joining my team. Maybe she''s already falling for my charm? Well, I guess I''m on the right track... It would be great if in the future I could add another two or three beauties of the same caliber to my team and get rid of those two nuisances who are slowing down my path to greatness...'', Mason thought as he headed to his room to sleep, exhausted after the many emotions he had felt that day.


    ...................................


    Mason, who couldn''t sleep peacefully the entire night, trying to guess what had happened that evening and forming various plans for the future, woke up his comrades at the crack of dawn and called them into his room, eager to learn about the events that had transpired.


    Although the two didn''t want to relive the humiliating moment they had experienced, they had no choice and began to tell their team leader what had happened, leaving out no detail so that he could make the best decision for the future.


    "So, you''re telling me that you wet yourselves in the middle of the Adventurer''s Guild, in front of everyone, after a girl glared at you and told you to disappear? How is that even possible? What kind of men are you two?", Mason asked them, finding it hard to believe how incompetent his colleagues were.


    "Mason, you don''t understand what happened. That bitch must have used some kind of mental attack or something similar. We can''t let things remain like this! You have to help us get revenge!", replied the skinny man dressed in magician''s robes.


    Although Mason was also angry at the young woman who had caused his team to lose their reputation, the fact that he knew almost nothing about her identity and his desire not to create a bad impression of himself to Ophelia, who had just joined his team, led him to refrain from making any hasty decisions to get revenge as quickly as possible, as he had often done in their former location.


    After pondering for about 5 minutes and obtaining some additional information from the two, Mason decided to go to the Adventurer''s Guild to accept the mission for which his team members had clashed with Kara, because this mission had been sent by the city''s leader, and its completion could help them regain their prestige. Additionally, by accepting the mission, his team would have a chance to cross paths with the young woman who had caused them trouble and, since it was likely that she would have another conflict with his colleagues and might attack them again, Mason could intervene to teach her a lesson without looking like he''s the bad guy.


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    ............................................


    After a restful sleep in the most luxurious inn in the city, where a room cost 2 gold coins per night, Kara headed towards the northeastern exit of the city to see if any caravans would be leaving for the capital that day. Although initially, she had wanted to finish this mission as quickly as possible, the furious glares of the two adventurers as they looked at her when she left the building that housed the Adventurer''s Guild made her change her plans, because she wanted to ensure she had the chance to meet them in a location with fewer witnesses, to show them the consequences for daring to provoke her.


    ''They got lucky yesterday because I still don''t want to draw too much attention until I gather more information about the power dynamics in this kingdom, and I managed to control myself from taking their lives at that moment. Besides, it''s quite satisfying to let them live for a while after enduring such humiliation, just so they can feel what it''s like to be the laughingstock. Unlike beasts, for whom death is the greatest concern, there are more efficient methods than death for making humans pay for their disrespect...'', Kara thought as she headed towards the city''s exit.


    Learning that a caravan was set to depart around noon, Kara decided to spend a couple of hours heading to the area with high-quality shops to purchase a few items, and then, with only an hour left until the caravan''s departure, she left the city and traveled about 30 kilometers along the route the caravan was expected to take to prepare a decoy that could divert the attention of the group of adventurers the two she intended to eliminate were part of, assuming they would accept the mission and accompany the caravan to see if the beasts appeared.


    ''While it''s possible they won''t accept this mission, my intuition tells me they won''t pass up the chance for revenge knowing I''ll be alone in the wilderness searching for dangerous beasts. What better situation to make someone disappear? Plus, with at least three people in their team and numerical superiority, they might consider they''d have more success in a search mission than a lone person...'', Kara pondered as she broke some trees along the roadside to create the illusion of a confrontation between several dangerous beasts.


    Having completed her task in less than 10 minutes and with at least 3 hours until the caravan''s arrival, Kara decided to explore the area for clues about the beasts that had attacked caravans. Unfortunately, she wasn''t very successful, as she only found some human bones that were at least 2 weeks old.


    Upon returning to the spot she had set up specifically to attract the adventurers'' team, Kara sat on a fallen tree trunk and began eating a piece of raw meat she had obtained from a deer she had hunted on her way back, and she thought about how her plan relied on too few concrete details, wondering if it would have been better to simply follow the two and attack them when they were in a sparsely populated area.


    ''Well, sometimes it''s more amusing to rely on uncertain elements when crafting a plan, as long as you have nothing to lose. If the plan succeeds, the satisfaction is akin to winning a bet. Plus, I''m on vacation now. I shouldn''t take things too seriously...''


    Kara didn''t have to wait much longer to see if the bet she had placed was a winner, as after 10 minutes, the caravan heading toward the capital arrived, and at a distance of 100 meters behind it, there was a team of adventurers consisting of 4 members, including her targets.


    ''It seems I have a talent for human hunting. Otherwise... Huh, how come those two losers are on a team with such a beauty? No, that''s an understatement. She''s not just beautiful....she''s truly a goddess of beauty! I don''t think I''ve ever seen a more seductive woman before. Well, maybe Klaus''s mother is comparable in terms of beauty, but this young woman possesses an instinctual sensuality, her movements reminding me of a tigress in heat...'', thought Kara, after observing the team of four adventurers and noticing Ophelia, who was on her first mission with her new team.


    If Kara had been the same as she was two years ago, she might have hesitated to carry out her plan in order not to create a bad impression in front of a woman she was genuinely attracted to and she might have taken advantage of this encounter to get in her good graces and get to know her better. However, Kara was no longer the same, as after living surrounded by wild beasts for so long, some of their habits had influenced her to some extent. Yes, in the wild, there''s no need for all sorts of tricks to win the heart of a female, because there, the strongest one who can defeat all other contenders has a chance to win favor. And that was Kara''s attitude at that moment when she looked at the young woman who had managed to capture her attention and was heading towards her surrounded by three men. Although Kara had teased the receptionist at the Adventurer''s Guild, making her believe she was interested in her, the fact that she would have beaten up the woman''s fianc¨¦ wasn''t just a joke, as she would have done so if she wanted to win her over. Yes, Kara didn''t intend to pretend in front of the person she was attracted to; she didn''t plan to appear less dangerous than she actually was. She would behave exactly as her predator instinct dictated, painting her path to the desired person''s heart with the blood of the other contenders.

 Chapter 22. A Beauty in Her Arms

    "Ophelia, do you think we should take a break? I wouldn''t want you to exhaust yourself too much on your first mission with us...", her new colleague, who was as huge as a bear, asked her.


    "No, thank you for your concern. You''re a true gentleman..." Ophelia replied with a seductive smile on her lips, making him even more confident.


    "Yes, it''s all Mason''s fault! I insisted on renting some horses or a carriage, but he wouldn''t listen to me!" he continued, trying to make Ophelia have a better opinion of him and at the same time make Mason appear insensitive and stingy.


    "Don''t say that. Mason thought that there would be more chances of the beasts appearing if we behaved more discreetly, as they''ve only attacked small caravans so far, those not accompanied by many guards..." she answered soothingly, trying to avoid a conflict between her colleagues.


    "Well, maybe he should have thought of a better option than tracking the caravan like dogs....", intervened the skinny man, who was still sweating due to the pace they had been walking, his physical condition not being exceptional. "Ophelia, would you like a cold drink? I have all kinds of fruit juices stored in my spatial ring. Just tell me what you want and I''ll give it to you right away....", he continued, not wanting to fall behind his two colleagues.


    "Is that so? That''s very kind of you! I could really use something refreshing to drink. Do you happen to have any blueberry juices?"


    Looking at Ophelia''s smile that could make even stones blush, the skinny man was tempted for a second to offer her the entire contents of his spatial ring, just to make sure she would continue to look at him with the same admiration she had now.


    "Yes, yes... Of course I do. Here''s the bottle, the blueberry juice bottle..." he stammered as he handed Ophelia the blueberry juice he had retrieved from his spatial ring in less than two seconds, not wanting to keep her waiting.


    "Hey, let''s quiet down a bit. Something seems to have happened on the left side of the road. Such damages don''t seem to be caused by human hands. Most likely a very powerful creature is to blame. I think we should go investigate...", Mason intervened, happy that he finally had the opportunity to interrupt his colleagues, who hadn''t stopped trying to impress Ophelia since they left the city, not leaving him any chance to get closer to her.


    "But Mason, the caravan will move away while we investigate the entire area. In case something happens..."


    "Well, the people from the caravan didn''t agree to pay us to protect them, so we have no responsibility towards them. The only thing that matters is to find out which beasts were responsible for these attacks and then eliminate them...", Mason interrupted his skinny colleague, who seemed to be much kinder and in better spirits than on other days.


    "Okay, you''re the boss. We''ll do as you say..." said the skinny man, who, although he seemed worried, was secretly proud of his performance, aiming to give Ophelia the impression that he''s a decent guy who cares about others'' well-being.


    While moving with his team through the hundreds of broken trees in search of clues about what creature could have caused such destruction, Mason couldn''t focus well on what he had to do, constantly thinking about the attitude of his two old colleagues in the past three hours, who couldn''t take their eyes off the young woman he brought into the team for a chance to get close to her, despite all the warnings he gave them before the mission started. Mason had always been aware that mixing work with pleasure wasn''t a good thing, and he wouldn''t have offered Ophelia a spot in his team if she hadn''t shown interest in joining a team to explore the great dungeon near the city, this putting him at risk of not having the opportunity to meet her again in the near future, and others might take advantage of it to get close to Ophelia.


    "Hey, look there! It''s the bitch who made fools of us in front of everyone!" suddenly exclaimed the skinny man who, due to the immense anger he felt, momentarily forgot his plan to appear as a refined and benevolent man.


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    Pulled from his thoughts by his colleague''s shout, Mason set finding a solution to this problem aside for another time and looked in the direction his colleagues were staring.


    ''Damn. She''s much more attractive than I expected. I didn''t think I would have the opportunity to see a beauty of Ophelia''s caliber so soon...''. Mason exclaimed in his mind, unable to take his eyes off Kara''s sexy body, who had risen from the fallen tree trunk on which she had been sitting and was slowly heading towards them with slow, hypnotic movements, like a snake dancing to the music produced by a magic flute.


    Although initially, Mason intended to teach the young woman, who had made his team a laughingstock, a lesson, after being annoyed for three hours by the two men on his team and genuinely impressed by Kara''s beauty, he thought it wouldn''t be a bad idea to let the two of them be beaten by her while he watched from the sidelines without intervening, and then, he could apologize to Kara for the problems caused by his colleagues and kick the two troublemakers out of his team thus demonstrating the fact that he has nothing to do with these incidents.


    Thinking that Mason would help them get revenge, the two men who had been humiliated by Kara the day before approached her with courage, spewing insulting words that are difficult to reproduce, and when the distance between them and Kara was about 15 meters, the skinny man cast a powerful spell that could incinerate everything in its path up to 30 meters away, ensuring she had no chance of escaping unharmed.


    "Don''t you think you went overboard with that attack? I told you I agreed to teach her a lesson, not turn her into ashes...", the giant man next to him said, still holding onto the idea that he could make Kara his.


    "Do you think I''ll give her a chance to get close and use that skill again that embarrassed us yesterday? I told you..."


    "Slash!!!"


    Unfortunately for the skinny man, he didn''t have the chance to finish his sentence as Kara, who no longer intended to waste her time with insignificant individuals, appeared behind him and instantly severed his head with one of her hands that had transformed into weapons capable of cutting through anything after she activated the Predator Claws skill, even if she could have probably taken his life using just one finger, but like a peacock, she felt the need to show everything she had to offer to the person who had caught her interest.


    "She, she''s a demon. A high-ranking demon. We don''t stand a chance. We need to run!", Mason exclaimed in horror, intending to grab Ophelia''s hand and flee as far away as possible, without considering helping his colleague who was still alive but paralyzed by fear.


    "Slash!"


    "Ahhhh!!"


    Unfortunately for him, Kara had no intention of letting him take advantage of the situation to touch the woman she intended to conquer, so she immediately appeared next to the two of them and cut off Mason''s hand, causing him to fall to the ground in pain, screaming and writhing.


    "How pathetic...", Kara said as she looked at the desperate man who didn''t know how to stop the bleeding, as he no longer had access to any potions because his spatial storage ring was on a finger of the severed hand lying at Kara''s feet.


    Since Kara didn''t want to leave Mason in the scene to continue distracting her with his screams, she delivered a powerful kick that sent him at a speed close to the speed of sound straight into his giant colleague who still couldn''t move due to fear, turning both of them into a pile of flesh and metal.


    ''Looks like we got rid of the troublemakers. Let''s see now if I managed to impress the one who caught my attention...'', Kara thought as she turned towards Ophelia with a teasing smile, simultaneously deactivating the Predator Claws skill that made her appear non-human.


    Unfortunately for Kara, she found no trace of admiration on Ophelia''s face, Ophelia looking at her in horror, as if at a creature from the darkest nightmares.


    ''Huh, could she have been closer to those three I killed than I initially thought? From what I observed when I saw them heading to this location, she didn''t seem to be very familiar with the rest of the team. Besides, considering the personalities of the two I met yesterday, I don''t think they were capable of maintaining a strictly professional relationship with a female team member, and they most likely didn''t have good intentions toward her. Well, it can be said that my intentions aren''t completely pure either, but at least I''m worthy of trying to win her over...'' Kara thought as she approached the young woman in front of her, trying to appear as harmless as possible.


    Arriving in front of the utterly terrified Ophelia, who couldn''t even blink anymore, Kara gently touched her chin with one hand to capture her attention and, while looking into her eyes tenderly, she used a very seductive voice to introduce herself, to ensure that her intentions would be known from the outset.


    "Hello, I''m delighted to meet you. I am Kara, the queen of The Great Moonshadow Forest. I hope you''ll give me the opportunity to get to know each other better in the future, and..."


    Unfortunately, Kara didn''t get the chance to tell Ophelia everything she had in mind because Ophelia fainted suddenly without any warning and Kara had to catch her to prevent her from falling to the ground.


    "Well, that''s not exactly what I had in mind when I said I''d become so powerful that all the beauties in the world would be impressed and fall into my arms..."

 Chapter 23. Tears

    Seeing that after almost a minute the young woman in her arms showed no signs of waking up, and realizing that being in such direct contact with the body of a woman she found very attractive was not good for her mental health, Kara decided to sit down with her back against a tree and lay Ophelia on the grass with her back against it and her head in her lap, to let her stay in the most comfortable position until she regained consciousness.


    Looking at the seductive face of the young woman, whose delicious lips moved slowly every time she breathed, and feeling the intoxicating scent of her body, which acted for her as a potent aphrodisiac causing her all sorts of impure thoughts, Kara began to feel like a tiger that hadn''t eaten in over a week and had stumbled upon a gazelle with a wounded leg that couldn''t run.


    ''No, Kara! This isn''t good. You need to think of other things...'', Kara told herself in her mind, aware that if she continued to follow her instincts as she did when she first saw this very attractive young woman, it was very likely that she would always be seen as a beast by the young woman and would never be able to gain her trust.


    ''What will her attitude be when she wakes up? Will she be angry with me for killing her companions? Will she be as terrified as before fainting? Well, in the first case, justice is on my side, as they were the ones who attacked first, so my actions can be classified as self-defense. Moreover, I saw the expression on her face, which showed shock and disapproval, when the skinny guy launched the magic attack at me, which tells me that it won''t be difficult to convince her that they are to blame for everything that happened. In the second case, if she''s as horrified when she wakes up as she was before fainting... well, then I''m not sure what I can say to calm her down... Anyway, in that case, I can''t blame anyone but myself because I should have reassured her that she wouldn''t be harmed before killing the three of them and not let myself be led by the desire to assert my dominance immediately like a stag in mating season...'', Kara thought, trying to escape the present and focus on the future.


    Fortunately for Kara, whose instincts were becoming harder and harder to control, the unconscious young woman began to move slightly after about 5 minutes and furrowed her brow as if she was about to wake up. After a few more minutes, she opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Kara''s remarkably beautiful face, whose pure and innocent smile reminded her of summer evenings from her childhood when she fell asleep in her mother''s arms while her mother read her stories about fairies and princesses.


    Observing that the young woman displayed no signs of fear and, instead, maintained the position of her head while looking at her fascinated, Kara couldn''t help but feel proud of her accomplishment, and motivated by this, she made additional efforts to project an image of utmost harmlessness, aiming to dispel any remnants of fear the young woman might still hold.


    Unfortunately for Kara, things didn''t continue to unfold favorably for her. When Ophelia ceased wavering between the realms of dreams and reality, she comprehended her surroundings and the identity of the individual before her, then, in Kara''s resigned gaze, she stood up with a sense of panic and moved back a few meters. However, this time, a distinct resolve to fight for her survival emanated from her gaze.


    "There''s no reason to be so scared. I don''t intend to¡ª"


    "Boom!!"


    Things seemed to be getting worse and worse for Kara, as Ophelia didn''t seem capable of understanding her words and she started sending various magical attacks towards Kara, which destroyed everything around her.


    ''Well, it could be worse. At least she didn''t faint again...'', thought Kara, looking around at the explosions happening one after another and using one hand to extinguish the flames that had engulfed her clothes, her body remaining unaffected by these violent attacks.


    "Well, I guess that''s enough. At this rate, I''ll end up naked...", said Kara, finally getting to her feet and starting to advance towards Ophelia, ignoring the magical attacks that were increasingly intense.


    Seeing that her attacks were having no effect on her enemy, Ophelia began to panic more and more and involuntarily took steps backward until her back was against the trunk of a tree.


    ''Damn it! Why does misfortune keep following me? What did I do to deserve this?'' Ophelia wondered in her mind, desperately trying to find a solution to escape this situation, but the fear she felt made her mind not as agile as usual.


    Finally, Ophelia remembered that among the family heirlooms she took with her before leaving home was a crystal containing a magical formation capable of capturing a rank A beast.


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    ''Yes, this is my only chance. If I can capture her in that magical formation, she won''t be able to escape. But what if she dodges before I can capture her? No, I don''t think she''ll dodge. From what I see, she''s too confident in her powers... She is like a cat playing with a mouse before eating it... She enjoys seeing the desperation in the eyes of her victims when they realize they have no chance, no matter how hard they try to fight. Yes, her arrogance will be her downfall...'' Ophelia thought and less than a second after she stopped sending magical attacks towards Kara, she retrieved a large blue crystal the size of her fist from her spatial ring and, after inserting her remaining mana into it to activate it, she threw it at Kara''s feet, who had no intention of dodging.


    "Boom!!!"


    As soon as the crystal made contact with the ground, it exploded into millions of particles, and around Kara appeared a dome of lightning with a diameter of about 4 meters, seemingly capable of pulverizing anything that came into contact with its surface.


    Kara didn''t expect the young woman in front of her to possess such valuable items, which she had heard about from her father when she told him about a method used by some wealthy nobles to capture high-ranking beasts that would have been impossible to capture alive using other methods.


    ''It seems her identity isn''t so simple...'' Kara thought, looking through the lightning surrounding her at Ophelia, who breathed a sigh of relief that her plan worked and she managed to save herself.


    "I don''t want to ruin your joy, but this barrier can''t stop me. Anyway, I''m glad you were able to calm down, and I hope we can clear up this misunderstanding now..." Kara told Ophelia, who had taken three mana recovery potions from her storage ring and had started to drink them.


    "Heh, do you think I''ll give you a chance to try to deceive me into releasing you? I''ve heard enough stories about demons, about how well they can manipulate other beings..." Ophelia replied, trying not to look at Kara, to make sure she wouldn''t be able to use any tricks.


    "I don''t know what made you think I''m a demon, but that''s not true. Well, maybe I was a bit careless and unintentionally scared you when I eliminated the three men who were with you, but I believe you''re aware that they attacked me first...", Kara said hastily, fearing that Ophelia would soon cover her ears to protect herself from what she considered Kara''s manipulations.


    "Oh, so you were just trying to protect yourself? Then why did you also kill Mason, the man standing next to me? As far as I remember, he had no intention of attacking you?" Ophelia asked Kara, wanting to prove that she could see through Kara''s lies.


    "Well, because he was part of the same team as them. Of course he was their accomplice...", Kara replied hesitantly, aware that her excuse wasn''t very convincing.


    "So following this logic, does it mean I should be eliminated too since I was part of the same team as them?" Ophelia said to Kara, very proud that she managed to easily unravel the lie created by the demon.


    "Okay, you got me! I killed the three of them just because they were getting on my nerves...", Kara said, tired of being looked down upon and pretending to be innocent, then she advanced toward the lightning barrier that surrounded her and easily passed through it, as if it were a soap bubble.


    "Impossible!" Ophelia said with a trembling voice, shocked by how powerful Kara was. "Please... please, don''t kill me. My sister... I,...I still have things to resolve... I can''t die here...", she continued with tears in her eyes, knowing she had no method left to defeat Kara.


    ''Damn it. Making such a beautiful girl cry out of fear makes me feel like crap.'', Kara thought as she watched Ophelia sit on the ground and uncontrollably sob while trying to stop her tears.


    "You, you have no reason to cry. I told you I don''t intend to harm you...", Kara told Ophelia, unsure of how to prove to her that she posed no threat.


    "No, I don''t believe you! You''re lying to me... You want to, you want to give me false hope... you want to mock me..." Ophelia started to say amidst sobs, not daring to look at Kara, who had approached her.


    ''It seems I have a lot of work to do to convince her that I mean no harm...'', Kara told herself in her mind, not knowing if it would be better to leave and let the young woman calm down or to embrace her and try to console her.


    ........................................................


    In the end, Kara didn''t choose either of the two options, so she remained in the same spot and continued to reassure Ophelia that she didn''t want to harm her, that it was all just a big misunderstanding, and that she had no connection to the demon race.


    "Really? You really won''t hurt me?" Ophelia asked Kara for the twentieth time, looking at her with moist, timid eyes.


    "No! Uh, Yes, I won''t harm you..." Kara reassured her, having forgotten how many times she had to repeat the same things to Ophelia.


    "Okay then. I''ll believe you for now..." Ophelia replied with a small smile on her lips.


    "Seriously?" Kara asked, finding it hard to believe that she had finally managed to convince Ophelia.


    "Yes, seriously. If you were a demon, I don''t think you''d have the patience to try to make me believe you for two hours. Besides, you haven''t harmed me until now, so it wouldn''t be fair for me to continue doubting you...", Ophelia responded, even though she didn''t have complete trust in Kara and still believed it was possible that Kara might be a high-ranking demon, but she had realized after analyzing their interaction so far that there was a good chance Kara was attracted to her and probably wouldn''t harm her in the near future as long as she remained obedient.


    "I''m glad to hear that..." Kara said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Then let me introduce myself again. I''m Kara Ardow, a hunter..." Kara continued, forgetting the grand introduction she had prepared for herself when she first saw Ophelia, then she extended her hand to help Ophelia get up from the ground.


    "Pleased to meet you. I''m Ophelia.", Ophelia replied with a seductive smile after she got to her feet, but still holding Kara''s hand.

 Chapter 24. Wolves in Sheep鈥檚 Clothing

    ''She''s really gorgeous when she smiles...'', Kara thought as she looked at the young woman in front of her, who was still holding her hand after rising from the ground and introducing herself, and she seemed to have no intention of letting go until Kara took the initiative to withdraw it.


    Kara, whose extraordinary senses allowed her to accurately gauge the stress level of any being within a hundred meters of her, was aware that Ophelia still didn''t feel entirely safe around her, despite Ophelia''s skill in controlling her facial expressions and heart rate, so Kara released her hand and took a step back, wanting to prove to Ophelia that she respected her and had no intention of taking advantage of her, even though all her instincts were pushing her in the opposite direction.


    ''A smart hunter knows when to take a step back...'', Kara told herself in her mind, trying to overlook the chill that had taken over her palm, which had been in contact with Ophelia''s hand, this chill reminding her that there wasn''t even a friendship between her and the young woman in front of her and that it would probably take a long time to earn her trust.


    ''Although the circumstances in which we met and my initial slip-up have made establishing a relationship between us quite complicated, I believe that if I can make her not fear me at all, our relationship will progress rapidly in the direction I desire. At least, I hope so... But what if Ophelia isn''t attracted to women? What if she''s like Alice, who wouldn''t even consider that there could be more than a friendship between two women? No, I mustn''t be pessimistic. The situation is completely different now. Yes, I''m much better. I''m better than all the others. I''m much stronger, much more beautiful... Yes, I don''t think anyone can resist my charm. And if there really is such a woman, then it''s her loss...'' Kara continued to think, not realizing that almost two minutes had passed without her saying anything and that the atmosphere between her and Ophelia was becoming a bit awkward.


    "Ummm, so can you explain to me how the conflict started between you and the three who were on the same team as me?" Ophelia suddenly asked, making Kara, who had been gazing into the distance, interrupt her thoughts and refocus her gaze on Ophelia.


    "I apologize. I was thinking about something...", Kara apologized, then began to tell Ophelia about her interaction with the two adventurers who had tried to dissuade her from accepting the mission they were both currently trying to fulfill, leaving out no details to ensure that Ophelia wouldn''t doubt her words.


    ..............................................


    "So you''re the reason why Mason''s team was named The Damp Rabbits?" Ophelia asked after hearing Kara''s story, remembering the visit she made with Mason to the Adventurer''s Guild when everyone they encountered on the way laughed at Mason.


    "I think so, although they might have wet themselves another time as well...", Kara replied jokingly, relieved that Ophelia didn''t seem to have any affection for the three individuals she had killed, that being evident from the way she spoke about them without showing any trace of grief that they were no longer alive.


    "Well, now I understand why you killed them. Even though they were much weaker than you, they probably would have done everything in their power to try to get revenge... Yes, the best enemy is the one who''s already dead...", Ophelia said, seeming a bit distracted as she uttered the last sentence.


    Although Kara had never considered the two adventurers a threat, she didn''t correct Ophelia, who seemed to be growing more relaxed around her.


    "Yes, they were scumbags. The world is a better place without them...", Kara continued, with the air of a holy warrior who had dedicated her life to justice. "But I wonder how you ended up in their team? From what I''ve observed so far, I don''t think you''re someone easily fooled...", Kara then asked Ophelia, wanting to learn more about her.


    "I only met the three of them yesterday, so I didn''t really have much time to get to know them...", Ophelia replied, seemingly regretting her hasty decision to join Mason''s team.


    "Well, even though you''re a quite capable mage, I don''t think you should have joined a team consisting only of men who most likely didn''t have very pure intentions towards you.", Kara scolded Ophelia, like a mother reprimanding children who got themselves into trouble.


    "And how do you know what their intentions towards me were?" Ophelia teasingly asked Kara, fully aware that Kara''s intentions might not be entirely pure either.


    "I think it was quite obvious from the way the three of them looked at you and tried to gain your favor... Especially that guy, Mason, who wanted to grab your arm...", Kara replied, a hint of reproach in her tone, as if she had witnessed others making advances on her girlfriend, who hadn''t taken any measures to stop them.


    Ophelia struggled to suppress a laugh at Kara''s annoyed expression, not wanting to provoke her because she hadn''t forgotten that the seemingly harmless girl in front of her was stronger than an A-rank beast and could take people''s lives with a smile on her face as if picking flowers in a field.


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    "You''re right. Their intentions were quite obvious..." Ophelia said, her words causing Kara to look at her with confusion.


    ''Could I have fallen for a woman who enjoys seducing men? No, no, no. I don''t want to believe that!'' Kara began to shout in her mind.


    "Don''t look at me like that! It''s not what you think!" Ophelia snapped at Kara, momentarily forgetting her caution.


    "I, I didn''t think anything..." Kara whispered almost to herself, feeling guilty for jumping to conclusions too quickly without hearing everything Ophelia had to say.


    "It would be good if it''s as you say...", Ophelia said, still squinting at Kara. "Anyway," she continued, "the fact that their intentions were so obvious wasn''t such a bad thing because this way I knew what to expect from them, and it was quite easy for me to manipulate them to do what I wanted. Yes, it''s much riskier to be around those with hidden intentions who can stab you in the back anytime..."


    "Well, I think I understand what you''re trying to say," Kara said as Ophelia paused. "But why did you have to get into such a situation? Isn''t it tiring to deal with such people all the time who don''t deserve you but try to get close to you using all sorts of pretexts?" Kara continued, as she had always enjoyed being independent and couldn''t comprehend why someone would agree to compromise so much in life.


    "Heh, maybe for you, who''s so powerful that you can do everything on your own, this seems foolish...", Ophelia replied with a hint of envy in her voice. "But I didn''t have many other options. I urgently needed a team to explore the great dungeon near the city of Orlin, and Mason, who cared a lot about the image he had created for himself ¨C wanting to be seen as a true gentleman ¨C seemed like the best choice. He not only promised me that he and his team would accompany me in exploring the dungeon for up to a year, but he also promised that I could choose any treasures we found that caught my attention...", she continued to explain matter-of-factly as if describing factors to consider when selecting vegetables from a market.


    ''A woman so seductive, aware of how easily she can enchant those around her and make them fulfill her every desire in an attempt to win her heart, not only is dangerous, but she is truly hard to conquer...'' Kara thought after hearing Ophelia''s explanations.


    Although Kara intended to ask Ophelia more questions about her purpose for wanting to explore the great dungeon near the city of Orlin and her past ¨C topics Ophelia had until then avoided giving any details about ¨C she had to postpone her plans, because she sensed a faint smell of human blood coming from the direction the caravan was headed.


    "It seems like the plan to follow the caravan to discover the beasts responsible for the recent attacks wasn''t such a bad idea after all, since they''ve decided to make an appearance. Anyway, I think it''s very likely that most of the people in the caravan have already been killed by now..." Kara told Ophelia, who was still anticipating more questions and hadn''t yet decided how honest she should continue to be with Kara, because, at that moment, Ophelia was aware that, although Kara was attracted to her and posed no threat to her life, she was very observant when she wasn''t consumed by the desire to kill, and she probably wasn''t very easy to manipulate.


    "How could you possibly know that? The caravan must have covered a distance of over 30 kilometers so far...", Ophelia asked, relieved she would have additional time to decide how much information about herself to share with Kara and whether she should try to convince Kara to help fulfill her plans.


    "What can I say? My nose is very sensitive...", Kara replied, then quickly took two sniffs of air through her nose as she looked at Ophelia.


    "Don''t tell me you''ve smelled me just now? What are you, a dog?" Ophelia exclaimed as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, although it wouldn''t shield her from Kara''s keen sense of smell.


    "I prefer to be a wolf. A big, bad wolf...", Kara answered with a teasing smile as she closed the distance between her and Ophelia, her hip movements, accentuated by the tight pants she was wearing, being reminiscent of how a snake moves during a hunt.


    Ophelia, who no longer saw Kara as a threat and felt safe around her, realized for the first time that Kara not only possessed beauty at the same level as hers, but she might even surpass her in the ability to seduce, her quickening pulse and the warmth enveloping her body being clear evidence to both her and Kara, whose keen senses were focused on Ophelia, that even she, who had never before felt attracted to anyone, was affected by Kara''s charm.


    Satisfied with the reaction she elicited from Ophelia, Kara stopped at a distance of half a meter from her and reverted to the innocent and harmless form she had before as if the past few seconds had been nothing but a dream.


    "What do you plan to do next regarding this mission? Would you like to join me to see it through? I believe we''d be much more effective together than on our own...", Kara asked Ophelia in the most professional tone possible as if her mind contained nothing but the successful completion of the mission.


    "Well, exploring and navigating through forests aren''t my strong points, so I don''t have much choice..." Ophelia replied, attempting not to seem too enthusiastic about the proposition so as not to give the big, bad wolf in front of her, who was pretending to be as harmless as a kitten now, any satisfaction.


    Kara, aware that Ophelia was becoming more comfortable around her and showed no signs of fear anymore, proposed to carry Ophelia in her arms to the location where the caravan had been attacked, the reason she invoked being that there might still be people alive who urgently needed help. Ophelia, conscious of Kara''s true motives, decided to play along and agreed to be carried by her, stating that she was willing to make the sacrifice if it meant saving as many people as possible.


    Although the two had roughly the same height and weight, for Kara, whose physical attributes were unparalleled in that world, the additional weight she acquired when she lifted Ophelia like a princess didn''t affect her speed. However, in order to protect Ophelia and to prolong their physical contact, she decided to run at only 5 percent of her maximum speed, ensuring that the journey would likely take about 15 minutes.


    ''This is what I expected when I thought some years ago that in the future, all beauties would fall into my arms...'', Kara thought, very pleased with how the situation had evolved, as she ran with Ophelia in her arms, who was unable to keep her eyes open due to the speed of their movement.

 Chapter 25. Progress

    When Kara and Ophelia arrived at the site where the caravan had been attacked, they found nothing except for the destroyed cargo wagons, which had been emptied of all their contents, and a few puddles of blood. There were no signs of the people who had been traveling with the caravan or the horses that had been pulling the cargo wagons.


    "It''s very strange. I don''t see any clues that could show us which way the beasts that attacked the caravan went. It''s as if the earth swallowed them up along with the cargo and those who fell victim to them... But are they really just beasts? Although the claw marks on the surface of the wagons suggest that, considering they took everything, including clothes and carpets, it makes me think they might have been controlled by someone or were somewhat intelligent...", Ophelia said after she and Kara had spent a few minutes investigating the area for clues.


    "Well, maybe the earth really did swallow them..." Kara told Ophelia, gesturing for her to stay put. She then advanced to an area where the grass was missing over an 8-square-meter surface, and when she reached the center, she bent down and punched the ground, creating a 5-meter-deep crater.


    Seeing what Kara did from a distance of about 50 meters, Ophelia was literally open-mouthed, not only because she didn''t expect such a thing but also because Kara was capable of such a feat.


    ''Damn. I knew she was very powerful, but I didn''t expect her to cause so much destruction with a single punch. Plus, from what I''ve seen, she didn''t even seem to exert much effort...'' Ophelia thought, becoming increasingly curious about both Kara''s identity and her true strength.


    "You can approach now! I think I''ve found answers to some of our questions..." Kara''s voice echoed from inside the crater, prompting Ophelia to snap out of her amazement and timidly make her way toward Kara''s location.


    "Umm, what did you find?" Ophelia asked once she reached the edge of the crater, hesitating to descend and join Kara as the crater was quite steep and filled with dust, conditions not suitable for her white dress.


    "I''ve stumbled upon the entrance to a very wide tunnel, but the earth collapsed a few seconds after I created the hole, so there''s not much to see now," Kara replied, pointing with her hand to a depression at the edge of the crater she had created.


    "So, is this where the attackers retreated? What do you think we should do? Should we unblock the tunnel and then enter it to find the attackers'' hideout?" Ophelia asked again, her expression clearly showing that she wasn''t too thrilled about the idea.


    "It won''t be necessary. Now that I know the direction the tunnel is heading, it won''t be too difficult to locate their hideout..." Kara replied, and then she leaped out of the crater, landing next to Ophelia with the grace of a feline. "As for who is responsible for the attack," Kara continued as she dusted off her pants, "I have a suspicion at this point, but I''ll need more clues to be sure of their identity."


    "So who do you suspect is responsible for these attacks? Could it be someone controlling a giant earthworm?" Ophelia asked, aware that her theory didn''t have much chance of being true.


    "No, the tunnel didn''t seem to be made by a worm but by creatures with claws. So the most likely scenario is that the culprits for these attacks are giant moles...", Kara replied with seriousness, her tone making Ophelia unable to tell if she was joking or telling the truth.


    "Huh, giant moles? This is the first time I''ve heard of such a thing...", Ophelia said as she looked at Kara skeptically because she didn''t think Kara''s idea was much better than her own.


    "Well, I haven''t heard of moles this big either, but that''s what I deduced from the tracks and the smell coming from the tunnel... Anyway, it''s pointless to dwell too much on who the culprits are because I''m pretty sure we''ll find them by nightfall..." Kara told Ophelia, slightly annoyed that her hunting skills were being doubted, which made Ophelia smile.


    Since Kara didn''t find a good reason to continue carrying Ophelia in her arms, she didn''t suggest it again. Instead, the two of them set off in the direction Kara believed the alleged moles'' hideout might be, walking side by side.


    "Considering that we''ll most likely have to confront the caravan attackers when we find them, I think we should share some information about our abilities and weaknesses to collaborate better...", Kara said to Ophelia, aiming to get to know her better and instill in her a sense of camaraderie, to make Ophelia trust her more.


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    Ophelia, aware that Kara was very powerful and probably wouldn''t have any trouble dealing with the caravan attackers on her own, realized that Kara wanted to take advantage of the time they had until they found the attackers to get closer to her. However, because she also wanted to learn more about Kara, she decided to play along and respond honestly, hoping that Kara would do the same.


    "My class is Elemental Mage, and at the moment, my level is 38. As you''ve seen from our battle, I''m better at fighting from a medium distance, so it''s quite challenging for me to confront large groups of opponents on my own because if they aren''t eliminated by my spells right away, they can quickly counterattack, and I''ll be forced into a defensive position...", Ophelia told Kara, focusing more on the disadvantages of her class to make Kara realize why she needed to be part of a team to fight at her full capacity.


    "So, your class is an Elemental Mage? After seeing the attacks you used against me, I was sure you were a mage specialized in explosions or something like that...", Kara said, not knowing much about elemental mages other than that they use some flashy moves that weren''t very effective.


    "Well, in many of my attacks, I use 2-3 skills simultaneously because an elemental mage at my level doesn''t have very powerful skills. For example, to create the explosions you mentioned, I used both the ''Air Control'' skill and the ''Fire Explosion'' skill, the first of them amplifying the effect of the second. Anyway, such skill combinations aren''t very common among most mages because they require a lot of practice and advanced knowledge of elemental forces and natural phenomena...", Ophelia explained, her tone clearly showing she was proud of her achievements.


    "It''s truly impressive. Although I''ve seen mages who can use 2-3 skills at once before, I''ve never seen anyone capable of combining them so well that it seems like they''ve used a single skill..." Kara said, genuinely impressed by Ophelia''s abilities. "Well, now it''s my turn. Although you don''t meet all the conditions to learn my class yet, I can tell you that the chances of someone in this world being a threat to me are quite slim..." Kara continued, her calm tone not quite matching the words she spoke, declaring herself to be the most powerful in the world.


    "Huh, are you saying you''re the most powerful in the world? Please don''t tell me you''re the new Demon King or some Ancient Dragon..." Ophelia said as she looked at Kara skeptically because, even though she knew Kara was very powerful, she didn''t expect her to be so full of herself as to claim that no one could defeat her.


    "As I told you, you still don''t meet all the conditions to learn my class, so I won''t be able to tell you..." Kara told Ophelia, a sly smile starting to appear on her face.


    ''I''m sure she''s setting a trap for me, but I can''t help but ask what conditions I need to meet...'' Ophelia thought as she looked into Kara''s playful eyes.


    "Hmmm, what conditions haven''t I met yet?" Ophelia finally asked.


    "You only need to meet one more condition. To accept being one of my girlfriends..." Kara said, still smiling slyly, but her gaze had become serious, indicating that she wasn''t joking.


    Upon hearing Kara''s words, Ophelia was momentarily stunned because although she was fairly certain that Kara liked her, she didn''t expect Kara to make her intentions known so quickly. Moreover, the fact that Kara intended to have other girlfriends in the future besides her made her feel uncomfortable in a way she hadn''t experienced before, and she couldn''t quite explain it.


    "What do you mean by girlfriends? How many beautiful women are you going to try to conquer to satisfy yourself?" Ophelia asked Kara, her words and tone betraying her anger.


    Kara didn''t expect Ophelia to focus on the fact that she planned to have other girlfriends in the future because she didn''t think Ophelia had very strong feelings for her, which would make her jealous.


    ''She''s probably upset with me because she felt offended by the fact that I''m thinking about other women while courting her. Anyway, her reaction shows me that she doesn''t rule out entering a relationship with me, which is quite good...'', Kara thought after hearing Ophelia''s words.


    "Well, I didn''t mean to offend you with my words. I just wanted to be honest with you from the start. But I want to make one thing clear. Although I intend to have other girlfriends in the future, it''s not because you wouldn''t be good enough for me; it''s because I''m a very greedy person who wants to get everything she desires. Plus, even if I meet someone in the future whom I want to be my girlfriend, as long as you''re against it and have a valid reason, I won''t enter a relationship with that person...", Kara told Ophelia, trying to convince Ophelia that her intentions were good.


    Hearing Kara''s explanations, Ophelia calmed down and realized that her reaction had been a bit exaggerated.


    ''Well, even though I''m attracted to Kara, it''s not like I''m in love with her and want all her attention on me. Plus, I''m still not sure that entering a relationship with a woman, no matter how powerful she is, is a solution to my problems... Anyway, I think it''s best to wait and see how sincere she is and how far she''s willing to go to convince me to enter a relationship with her... To enter a relationship with Kara... If I''m being honest, I never thought I''d consider entering a relationship with anyone in my entire life, let alone that my potential partner might be a woman...'' Ophelia thought, then looked at Kara with a teasing smile.


    "Hmph! When did I say I want to become your girlfriend? Let''s see first how capable you are and if you know how to appreciate me... Until then, don''t even think I''m considering your proposal..." Ophelia told Kara, then started walking ahead on her own, unaware that her words in Kara''s mind represented a resounding ''Yes''.


    ''To show you how capable I am? To demonstrate how much I appreciate you? If you desire it, I''ll offer you not only this kingdom but the entire world... Yes, no one is more capable than me...'' Kara thought as she watched Ophelia''s departing figure, her sensuous strides filling Kara with desire.

 Chapter 26. Serious Punch

    Because Ophelia had no idea where their destination was, she couldn''t act haughty and lead the way ahead of Kara for an extended period, so when she found herself facing an area filled with thickets and various pathways crisscrossing through them, she had to wait for Kara to decide which path to take.


    "As far as I can tell, we haven''t been going in a straight line. How do you figure out which way to go to reach our destination?" Ophelia asked Kara as they began walking side by side again on one of the trails in the thicket-filled area.


    "Because of the vibrations caused by our footsteps. In areas with tunnels, they propagate differently...", Kara replied. She had learned how to track creatures that moved underground during her time in The Great Moonshadow Forest, where giant earthworms were not a rarity, and she had to deal with them frequently.


    Hearing Kara''s words, Ophelia would have thought she was joking if she hadn''t remembered that Kara could smell blood from tens of kilometers away, a clear demonstration of her senses being far superior even to those of beasts.


    "Truly impressive! Next to you, the best hunting dog is just a joke...." Ophelia said, genuinely amazed by Kara''s abilities but not missing the chance to tease her a bit.


    Although Kara was sure that she managed to impress Ophelia, the way Ophelia expressed her admiration struck her as a little odd.


    ''What''s she trying to imply? Does she want to compare me to a dog again? She better watch what she says, because her ass might be in danger of getting bitten in the future...''


    ................................


    Although Kara did her best to keep her oppressive aura in check so as not to terrify the creatures in the area and to make them cause problems for the nearby settlements, the beasts still didn''t dare to approach within a kilometer, thus Kara and Ophelia''s journey remained uneventful. Since Ophelia was still hesitant to provide information about herself, Kara had no choice but to find topics of conversation, so over the course of the two-hour journey, Kara told Ophelia various stories from her childhood, focusing more on her adventures with her father in the woods, during which she had learned most of her hunting skills, and avoiding talking too much about Alice to maintain the cool image she wanted to create in front of Ophelia.


    After hearing Kara''s stories, Ophelia, who had not ruled out the possibility that Kara might not be human, had no choice but to accept that Kara was telling the truth because she didn''t notice anything suspicious.


    ''From what I understand, Kara has been a hunting prodigy since she was just a little girl. But how is it possible for someone with a Hunter class to attain such power?'' Ophelia wondered, becoming increasingly curious about Kara''s secrets.


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    "Well, we''ve arrived at our destination...", Kara interrupted Ophelia''s thoughts, as they approached a rock formation.


    "Huh, I was starting to think we''d find a giant molehill... But I don''t see any entrance to a cave or anything. Are you saying the creatures that attacked the caravans are above the rocks?", Ophelia asked, not seeing any clues as to where the so-called moles might be hiding.


    "No, I''m sure they''re hiding inside the rocks. They probably found some way to get inside from underground...", Kara replied, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that their mission had become much more complicated.


    "So, what do we do now? If we can''t find any way to get into the place where the creatures are hiding, do we have to wait here for days until they come out?" Ophelia asked again, a bit irritated by Kara''s nonchalant attitude.


    "Heh, if they''ve sensed my presence, I think there''s a better chance they''ll stay hidden and starve rather than coming out. Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I know a way to get to them. Wait here for a moment." Kara told Ophelia and then headed toward the rock formation about a hundred meters away.


    Watching Kara''s back as she casually walked towards the massive rock formation with a diameter of over 100 meters, Ophelia wasn''t quite sure what to expect.


    ''What is she planning to do? The last time she told me to stay put, she created a 5-meter crater in the ground. Don''t tell me she intends to use the same method to dig a tunnel underground to reach the beasts'' hiding place...''


    Although Ophelia had a vivid imagination, the fact that she had only seen a fraction of Kara''s power so far prevented her from guessing what Kara had in mind.


    "Very well. If you don''t intend to come out, I''ll make sure you won''t have a chance to leave this place..." Kara said when she reached a distance of about one meter from the rock formation, clearly hearing the trembling of the creatures hiding inside.


    Since Kara didn''t want to waste much time on this mission, she decided to unleash her powers for a few seconds to ensure that none of her adversaries would have a chance to escape. Thus, she delivered a powerful punch into the middle of the rock formation, intending to obliterate everything in her path.


    "Boommm!"


    Seeing how the rock formation was destroyed with a single blow, Ophelia couldn''t believe that what she had witnessed was real.


    "Such a thing is impossible... How?... How can anyone be capable of causing such destruction?... No, such power cannot belong to this world... It''s something that belongs to the world of gods...." Ophelia murmured, unable to move from her position due to the shock caused by Kara''s display of strength.


    Because Kara''s attack only targeted the upper part of the rock formation, some of the creatures hiding a few meters below the surface of the earth escaped with only a few injuries. However, before they could realize what had happened and attempt to flee, Kara had already reached them, passing through the rock fragments as if they were mere snowballs.


    "Bang! Bang!"


    Due to the dust in the air and Kara''s speed, Ophelia couldn''t make out how the so-called battle was progressing, but she didn''t stay in suspense for long, as in about half a minute, she saw a silhouette shining in a mix of green, red, and black approaching her through the dust cloud, and when the figure got within 30 meters of her, Ophelia could clearly see that the person heading towards her was Kara, completely naked and dragging behind her the corpse of a strange creature that seemed to be a combination of a human and a mole.


    ''She''s a true goddess. A goddess of destruction...'', Ophelia said to herself as she watched Kara approaching as if Kara were the most precious treasure in the world. ''As long as she''s with me, all my enemies will be destroyed... Yes, she will undoubtedly be mine...''

 Chapter 27. From Predator to Prey

    "Stop, stop! If you keep staring at me so intensely, you''ll make me blush..." Kara told Ophelia when she was about 10 meters away from her. Despite her words being full of shyness, they were not in harmony with her confident and sensual stride, as Kara made no effort to hide her completely naked body from Ophelia''s gaze.


    "You, you... why are you naked?" Ophelia stammered, Kara''s words snapping her out of the mesmerized state she''d been in since Kara unleashed her true powers.


    ''How could I ever consider her a goddess? Can a goddess be so shameless? Only a pervert would think it''s a good idea to be naked in front of the person she claims to be attracted to!'' Ophelia began to scream in her mind as she looked up at the sky, with no intention of looking at Kara until she covered herself. ''But I have to admit that her body looks truly extraordinary. I never thought a naked woman would be so attractive to me... No, I have to make sure Kara doesn''t realize this, or she''ll walk around like a big bad wolf with her tail up to the sky...'' Ophelia continued to think while trying her best to calm her racing heart.


    "Well, it''s not my fault. The clothes I was wearing ripped on their own when I sped through the pieces of rock to reach the surviving enemies..." Kara replied, slightly amused by Ophelia''s attitude, without specifying the fact that she was used to fighting naked, which was the reason why she was careless while going through the obstacles that came her way.


    "Even your underwear?" Ophelia asked again, still having doubts about Kara''s explanations.


    "Yes!", Kara replied without hesitation, not wanting Ophelia to find out that the reason she wasn''t wearing underwear at the moment was that she hadn''t worn any since returning to civilization. This was because, for Kara, clothes no longer represented a form of protection but only camouflage to avoid standing out, so she hadn''t paid much attention to details when she got dressed.


    "But now the fight is over. How much longer do you have to stay naked?"


    "Okay, okay... I''ll get dressed right away...", Kara told Ophelia, and then she pulled a similar outfit to her previous one from her storage space and began to dress.


    "I don''t know why she''s so shy. It''s not like she doesn''t have the same things..." Kara murmured as she fastened the last buttons, earning a squinted look from Ophelia.


    "I have no idea how such a shameless person came to possess such powers. This world is too unfair..." Ophelia uttered in the same tone as Kara while she walked towards the corpse brought by Kara to examine it, these words reminding Kara of the first day she spent in The Great Moonshadow Forest when she also doubted the mental sanity of the one who came up with the idea that it was absolutely necessary to be completely naked throughout the ritual.


    "Perhaps being shameless is one of the conditions for becoming as powerful as me... Anyway, what do you think of the specimen I brought?" Kara asked Ophelia, wanting to change the subject of this discussion that didn''t favor her.


    "Hmm, it seems you were mistaken about the attackers. They weren''t giant moles; rather, they were more like mole humans..." Ophelia said, hesitating to touch the hair-covered, blood-soaked body with her bare hands.


    "More like human moles. These things are closer to beasts than human beings..." Kara said, a bit upset that she had been fooled by the tracks left by the creatures.


    "Alright then. If it had been an unknown race of demihumans, it wouldn''t have been advisable to eliminate them all without trying to get some answers from them, even if they were criminals. Have you seen what happened to the people they kidnapped?" Ophelia asked, although she had little hope that there were survivors.


    "They were all dead, and some of them were half-eaten. Anyway, it wasn''t a surprise since I had a pretty clear idea of the situation inside the cave where the moles were hiding, which allowed me to act without hesitation." Kara replied, not wanting Ophelia to consider her negligent.


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    "Why do you keep calling them moles? Don''t tell me you still want to say you were right..." Ophelia asked tauntingly, realizing by now that Kara didn''t know how to accept defeat.


    "Broad-snouted moles, brown moles, human moles. They''re all still moles in the end. If a creature behaves like a mole, looks like a mole, and smells like a mole, it can''t be anything other than a mole, hmph!" Kara responded in frustration, her attitude making Ophelia burst into laughter.


    "Well, we''ll consider that you''re right until their bodies are examined by people more competent in this field than us. So, what do you suggest we do next? Do you want to head back to the city to report the mission as completed, or do you want to stay here overnight and return to the city tomorrow morning? Honestly, I think the latter option would be better because the people will look at us with suspicion if we return in less than a day from such a difficult mission. Plus, we haven''t thought of a credible story to tell the Adventurer''s Guild to justify the deaths of the three who accompanied me..."


    Hearing Ophelia use the word "we" so many times, Kara''s mood improved significantly because it was quite clear to her that Ophelia was starting to see her as a comrade.


    "I think you''re right. It''s better to return to the city tomorrow. As for the deaths of the three adventurers, hmm... let''s say that the team you were part of was attacked by a bear with diamond claws, and you''re the only one I managed to save. Fortunately, I have the corpse of such a creature with me, so our story will be quite believable. Besides, even if they suspect something, there won''t be much they can do to me. I think you''ve realized that I told the truth about the slim chances of anyone in this world being a match for me..."


    "Oh, so you happen to have the corpse of a creature capable of inflicting wounds similar to those you left on the bodies of the three. How convenient...", Ophelia said sarcastically, suspecting that Kara had thought long before coming to the town that there might be a chance she would kill someone and would need to cover her tracks.


    "Yes, it''s very convenient. Plus, the meat of such a bear is quite delicious, so I made sure to have more than 20 of them with me..."


    "Huh, more than 20? Let''s hope in the future you won''t have conflicts with other people, or the city folks will think there''s a diamond-clawed bear invasion..."


    ............................................


    Since Kara didn''t have a tent with her, Ophelia offered to let her sleep in her tent, which was spacious enough for even three people to lie down in it without any issues. Although Kara could sleep under the open sky without any problem, she didn''t want to miss the opportunity to become even more familiar with Ophelia and accepted her offer without much hesitation. So, after a short meal during which Kara offered Ophelia a portion of wild boar pastrami, and she received oatmeal cookies from Ophelia in return, the two changed into their nightgowns and lay down in the tent side by side.


    "The cookies you made were very tasty...", Kara suddenly said, wanting to chat a bit with Ophelia before going to sleep.


    "Oh, they weren''t made by me. I don''t know how to cook..." Ophelia said without a trace of shame as if she had said she didn''t know how to fly.


    "Oh! Well, then you chose them very well..."


    Hearing Kara''s words, Ophelia struggled not to laugh because she found it quite amusing how quickly Kara could overlook her own mistakes.


    "Yes, I''m very good at buying things. If I ever have a girlfriend in the future, she''ll have to be very rich to afford to let me put my talent into practice..." Ophelia said as she turned to face Kara.


    "Huh, how rich?" Kara asked, turning her face towards Ophelia as well, who was smiling teasingly.


    "Very rich! The richest in the whole world!" Ophelia replied, then began to bring her beautiful face closer to Kara''s until their eyes were less than 30 centimeters apart.


    "Tell me, Kara, how rich are you?" Ophelia asked, her warm breath making Kara struggle to remain rational.


    "Well, I... I haven''t really cared about money, so I can''t say I''m very rich. But I don''t think it would take more than a few days to become the richest person in this world..." Kara replied, her determination to fulfill Ophelia''s condition as quickly as possible clearly visible in her eyes.


    Hearing Kara''s words, Ophelia couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    "Huh, what happened?" Kara asked, not realizing what she had said that made Ophelia react like that.


    "Haha, I was just joking... I don''t expect you to become the richest person in the world for me. The fact that I like you is enough. But it''s true that I''m currently in a somewhat difficult situation, so I would be glad if you would help me solve my problems..."


    "Huh, you mean..." Kara asked again, finding it hard to believe that what she heard wasn''t just her imagination.


    "Yes, from now on, I''ll be your girlfriend..." Ophelia said, and without giving Kara a chance to say anything else, she pressed her lips to Kara''s.

 Chapter 28. To Add Dry Wood to the Fire

    Kara had imagined many times in the past how her first kiss would be, but the pleasure she felt when her lips met Ophelia''s was far more addictive than she had expected. It was as if from that moment on, she couldn''t possibly inhale anything else but the hot air that first passed through Ophelia''s chest, seemingly containing a potent drug that began to erode her reason more and more.


    Truth be told, Kara and Ophelia''s first kiss wasn''t objectively as perfect as Kara had assessed, because neither of them had any practical experience, and their theoretical knowledge was rather superficial. However, such details didn''t matter to Kara, as they probably wouldn''t matter to anyone else if they were in her place and had the chance to kiss such a seductive woman as Ophelia, who seemed to have the power to enchant even soulless things with just a smile.


    As Kara was taken by surprise and needed time to adapt to the situation, Ophelia was initially the one dictating the pace of the kiss, each movement of her succulent lips submerging Kara more and more into an ocean of honey, from which she had no intention of making any effort to escape.


    At the same time, Ophelia found herself in a similar situation, as any plans she had made in her mind became increasingly irrelevant. If initially, she was confident in her mental strength and unafraid that she wouldn''t be able to control her desires, every second spent tasting Kara''s enticing lips, which seemed to be a source of vitality and freshness, made her more excited and thirsty. This led her to turn a simple kiss, during which she teased Kara''s lips, into one deep and wild, Ophelia''s obsessively intense gaze giving the impression that she intended to devour Kara''s entire mouth.


    However, the transition from a delicate kiss into a battle of lips and tongues tilted the balance in Kara''s favor, as it caused her to increasingly succumb to her animal instincts, urging her to completely conquer the woman in front of her, so that she could be by her side for eternity.


    It didn''t take long for Kara''s tongue, which until then had been the favorite toy of Ophelia''s tongue, to abandon attempts to defend its own territory and launch an attack toward the foreign territory that had opened before her, a territory she presumed to be rich, fertile, and abundant with sweetness.


    Driven by the desire to merge with Ophelia, Kara subtly began to approach her more and more, while their mouths seemed definitively inseparable, until she found herself pressed against Ophelia''s body, which had become soft underneath her as if it were made of water, Ophelia''s moist eyes suggesting that she was ready to surrender.


    Realizing that Ophelia needed a break to breathe fresh air, Kara made an effort to separate her lips from Ophelia''s, but she didn''t move away. Instead, she continued to kiss Ophelia''s entire face, leaving no inch untouched by the mixture of saliva that had resulted from their prolonged kiss.


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    "Haaa... Kara... you''re really like a dog...", Ophelia said amidst deep breaths, amused by Kara''s enthusiasm.


    Slightly stimulated by Ophelia''s words, Kara began to lick Ophelia''s extremely beautiful face from the chin to the level of her forehead, wanting to demonstrate through actions that the comparison was an exaggeration.


    ''If you compared me to a dog a moment ago, what can you say now, hmph!''


    Kara continued in the same manner for a few minutes until Ophelia''s breathing normalized, then, she attacked Ophelia''s lips again, aiming to regain access to the territory previously conquered and still marked by her saliva.


    However, Ophelia had no intention of staying on the defensive any longer. Instead, she decided to attack on other fronts, placing her hands on Kara''s firm buttocks and starting to knead them through her nightgown, simultaneously pressing Kara''s body down, over hers, enveloping Kara in a seductive softness that drove her out of her mind.


    ''No, this is not good... I feel like I can''t control myself anymore... At this rate, we''ll go all the way!'', Kara thought, fearing that the relationship between her and Ophelia would progress too quickly, making Ophelia feel inadequately appreciated.


    If Ophelia had simply expressed to Kara her agreement to be in a relationship rather than initiating the kiss, Kara would have waited a few more days to bring the relationship between them to the stage where they could share a kiss, during which, she would have taken Ophelia out on numerous dates to allow them to become more familiar with each other and deepen their feelings.


    ''No romantic dinner, no gifts... Will Ophelia think I''m not a serious girlfriend?'', Kara wondered, trying hard to convince herself to restrain their interactions to just kisses for that night.


    However, executing such restraint was easier said than done, as Ophelia, equally drawn to Kara as Kara was to her, didn''t have such concerns in her mind, letting go of all worries brought by life and surrendering to the desires of her body, which seemed to crave Kara''s touch like water on a scorching summer day after hours of running under the intense sun.


    Every time Kara seemed to halt, Ophelia found a way to provoke her again, delicately nibbling her lips or gulping the mixture of saliva that gathered predominantly in her mouth due to gravity.


    "Ophelia... mmmmm... perhaps we should stop here with the kisses... if we continue... well, I might not be able to restrain myself...", Kara managed to say eventually, clinging to the last fragment of reason she had left.


    However, Ophelia seemed oblivious to Kara''s concerns. Like a newborn antelope wandering in front of a lion, she continued to tease Kara without a trace of fear, licking her chin with small movements and savoring the mixture of saliva left on Kara''s face from their last kiss.


    ''No, I must get up. She''s too seductive... her lips... her enchanting eyes... if we continue, I won''t be able to stop at just kisses...'', Kara told herself, desperately trying to find the mental strength to detach herself from Ophelia''s body.


    Seeing Kara intending to rise, Ophelia wasn''t pleased that Kara''s mind wasn''t solely occupied by the desire for her at that moment. So, she bit Kara''s neck forcefully.


    "Hmmm, where are you going, Kara?... I need you...", Ophelia uttered with a voice dripping with sensuality, those words having the power to make Kara lose all rationality and drive away any trace of worry from her mind.

 Chapter 29. Primal Melody (R-18)

    The tent in which Kara and Ophelia were staying wasn''t an affordable one for just anyone, as it boasted premium facilities. Besides being made of a thick material that made it impossible to see what was happening inside, it had a very soft floor, akin to a goose feather duvet, and three orange magic cores affixed to three of its four walls, which served to illuminate and warm the tent, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of specially designed restaurants for couples seeking a romantic dinner.


    Some years ago, Kara had once taken Alice to such a restaurant, the kind rumored to have lighting that could enhance the allure of the partner sitting across the table of compact dimensions. However, to her disappointment, Alice, who incessantly was speaking about the expensive dishes on the menu, didn''t seem affected by this phenomenon at all, as she looked the same as she did every day. Consequently, Kara didn''t revisit that restaurant with Alice, believing that the myth of a romantic atmosphere was concocted by the owners of such places to justify the exorbitant prices they charged for the food they offered.


    However, at the moment when she was above Ophelia, whose slightly bronzed skin, uncovered by the white nightgown she wore, reflected the faint light produced by the surrounding magic cores due to the perspiration caused by their intense kisses, Kara had to acknowledge that such an atmosphere was capable of amplifying the eroticism of Ophelia''s body, already so abundant, to a level that could induce a regular person to suffer a heart attack.


    Although she had set aside all worries and was determined to make love to Ophelia that evening, Kara was slightly intimidated by how attractive Ophelia looked at that moment, having the sensation that once she savored all the pleasures that Ophelia''s body, exuding a desire to mate from every pore, could offer, she would forever remain enslaved to them, thus transforming all the freedom she had gained through her power into a joke.


    ''It seems like as soon as I embarked on the adventure to find love, I encountered the final boss. It''s as if the moment I stepped into The Great Moonshadow Forest, I should have fought right away against Sky Tinger...'', Kara thought as her gaze, filled with desire, explored every inch of Ophelia''s lascivious upper body, whose deep breaths caused her ample chest to nearly spill out of her nightgown, which had descended due to their passionate kisses during which their bodies were pressing against each other.


    Captivated by the perspiration on the visible part of Ophelia''s breasts, which reminded Kara of dewdrops on the petals of a fully bloomed rose, she almost unconsciously directed her lips towards that area, planting a gentle kiss on the warm skin, her eyes locking onto Ophelia''s, wanting to see if there was any trace of discomfort in them.


    Observing nothing but desire and enthusiasm on Ophelia''s face, Kara continued to pepper the upper part of Ophelia''s breasts with dozens of light kisses, gradually moving upward toward Ophelia''s neck, where some strands of her rich and silky hair had stuck.


    Once her lips reached the side of Ophelia''s neck, Kara buried her entire face into it, drawn by Ophelia''s body fragrance, seemingly intensified in that area, and she struggled to refrain from nibbling, avoiding leaving any blemish on Ophelia''s flawless skin. Instead, she kissed it fervently, her tongue leaving no inch untouched, akin to a cat grooming its kittens.


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    After Kara replaced all of the sweat on Ophelia''s neck with her saliva, while Ophelia''s fingers dug into Kara''s back, whose skin was seemingly impervious to any scratching, Kara redirected her focus back to Ophelia''s delicious lips, which were creating an erotic melody that heightened Kara''s excitement. She promptly sealed them with her own lips, not letting a single musical note escape anymore, as if she wanted to absorb all of Ophelia''s moans into her own chest.


    After yet another long kiss of almost 5 minutes, during which Kara''s tongue tip almost constantly lingered at Ophelia''s throat opening, modeling all the sounds Ophelia made as she pleased, Kara allowed her to fill her lungs with fresh air, while her mouth descended once again to Ophelia''s chest level, this time tugging down with her teeth Ophelia''s nightgown until her breasts were completely released.


    Although Kara had never preferred fat, always removing it meticulously from the meat when preparing pastrami, Ophelia''s ample breasts, which her fingers could easily mold akin to the dough prepared by Alice''s grandmother many years ago to make cheese pies, seemed highly enticing, Kara couldn''t satiating herself from kissing and licking them, her only regret being that her mouth was far from large enough to contain one entirely.


    Thus, Kara had no choice but to content herself with holding in her mouth only the two fully erect nipples that adorned Ophelia''s breasts like two ripe cherries atop a cake, sucking on them one by one with fervor, even though she was aware that nothing would flow from them, while her hands continued to knead both of Ophelia''s breasts, each movement eliciting increasingly erotic sounds from Ophelia.


    Although Kara could have continued to indulge in Ophelia''s breasts all night, her highly sensitive nose hinted that Ophelia''s body concealed another delicious place, something that seemed increasingly enticing as time passed. Thus, after a quarter of an hour, she reluctantly separated herself from them, her eyes glancing with frustration at Ophelia''s nightgown, stretching down to her knees and covering the intended target, realizing she should have removed it from the very beginning.


    "Kara... give me a bit of space so I can undress completely... and you can do the same. I want to see you naked...", Kara suddenly heard Ophelia''s slightly hoarse voice, seemingly reaching a breaking point after her body had been teased for so long and she longed to finally reach the climax that she had approached dozens of times in the past hour, from the very first minutes when she and Kara had started passionately kissing.


    Delighted by Ophelia''s enthusiasm, Kara didn''t oppose this suggestion and moved aside, resisting all her instincts that told her not to abandon the warmth emanating from Ophelia''s body, not even for a second.


    ''Be civilized, Kara... You can''t tear your lover''s clothes... at least not until you have new ones to offer in return after you''ve torn them...'', Kara told herself in her mind as she removed her nightgown in a very lascivious manner, as she was aware that Ophelia, who had risen from the ground and was kneeling, was following her every move, licking her lips involuntarily.


    "Mmm, why haven''t you undressed, Ophelia? Do you need help?", Kara asked, slowly advancing on all fours toward Ophelia with the grace of a leopard, noticing that she hadn''t made any progress in undressing.


    "Damn. You''re so hot, Kara! If I could, I''d keep you under me every night from now on...", Ophelia said with possessive eyes, tinged with a hint of frustration that her physical abilities didn''t allow her to dominate Kara.


    "Hmm, I''m sure you''ll have plenty of chances in the future to do that. But tonight, you''re destined to be at my mercy...", Kara said as her face came within 10 centimeters of Ophelia''s, and then she began to passionately kiss her while her hands fumbled to undo the drawstring of Ophelia''s nightgown.

 Chapter 30. Behind Green Eyes (R-18)

    Although it was difficult for her to concentrate on anything else while savoring Ophelia''s sensual lips, which seemed to guard the path to a magical world where all water, both in rivers and lakes, as well as in the composition of living organisms, had been replaced by honey, ultimately, with much perseverance, Kara managed to free Ophelia from her completely crumpled nightgown, leaving her only in a pair of extremely sexy black lace panties.


    "Damn it, Ophelia! Your body is too seductive for this world. It''s like you''re the embodiment of lust...," Kara said as she separated her lips from Ophelia''s, to let her take a few breaths of fresh air, and in her gaze, the almost completely undressed body of Ophelia entered, whose toned abdomen highlighted her huge breasts even more, and whose plump buttocks had the power to hypnotize with every movement, appearing both soft and firm at the same time.


    "Haaa, you''re talking, Kara? Can''t you see I can''t take my eyes off you?"


    Until that day, Ophelia hadn''t had the opportunity to see the completely naked bodies of other women, but she was firmly convinced that there was no one more perfect than Kara and with a greater ability to seduce, each movement of Kara, full of sensuality, having the power to raise her body temperature and make her involuntarily swallow.


    Even though the fair and silky skin easily revealed the contractions of the small but powerful muscles, especially in the back area, which seemed to conceal a nest of serpents, this didn''t diminish Kara''s femininity at all; it even amplified it, her body appearing to be connected to an inexhaustible source of vitality, a source similar to the one that caused plants to grow more vigorous in the place of those covered by the ash resulting from a volcano eruption. Her breasts, although slightly smaller than Ophelia''s, impressed not only with their playful shape, inviting one to tease them like a pair of energetic kittens, but also with their firmness, as they contained a higher percentage of muscle than fat, helping them defy gravity. As for her chiseled buttocks, whose curves seemed capable of bending even light, well, it would take a true team of experts in the plastic arts to describe their perfection ¨C and not just an author who has yet to finish a book.


    "Mmm, I''m glad to hear that... Would you like a closer look?", Kara said, gently lifting her body to bring her chest closer to Ophelia''s face.


    Suspecting that Kara''s current state was somewhat akin to the calm before the storm and that there was little chance she could take the initiative again that night, Ophelia eagerly brought her face closer to one of Kara''s breasts and began to kiss it, while her hands were exploring the curves of Kara''s buttocks, trying hard to superficially alter their shape for more than 2-3 seconds.


    With an incredibly beautiful and seductive woman so captivated by her body, Kara''s confidence in her ability to conquer someone of the same sex continued to soar. She completely forgot the frustration caused by Alice''s repeated rejections, from which she couldn''t fully escape even after all the time spent in The Great Moonshadow Forest, this frustration being responsible for laying the foundation for her decision to find a greater number of girlfriends.


    ''Maybe it''s not a bad idea if I don''t look for other girlfriends and just stick with Ophelia...'', Kara thought, experiencing not only previously unfelt physical pleasure but also the birth of feelings she couldn''t explain.


    Delighted that her actions elicited moans of pleasure from Kara, Ophelia persisted to kiss and lick her chest until her jaw grew tired. In the end, she could only hold one of Kara''s nipples in her mouth, like a baby who fell asleep while feeding on milk.


    "Is my little baby tired?", Kara asked in a teasing tone while gently caressing Ophelia''s lush hair, who was almost purring like a cat.


    "Mmmm, a little... I tried so hard, and I couldn''t even have a sip of milk...", Ophelia replied, in a tone full of innocence.


    Captivated by Ophelia''s demeanor, whose cuteness momentarily surpassed her sensuality, Kara took her in her arms and hugged her close, as if she wanted to protect her innocence from the cruelty of the rest of the world for an eternity, forgetting that she herself was the number one threat to Ophelia''s innocence.


    The fact that their naked bodies pressed against each other didn''t help at all in maintaining that atmosphere. Therefore, Kara, whose excitement reached its peak again, laid Ophelia on the soft surface of the tent floor, and, after a passionate kiss, she advanced towards Ophelia''s midsection leaving a trail of kisses, struggling not to be once again captivated by the two mounds in her way as she progressed. Eventually, she reached a small canyon, and she couldn''t help but fill it with saliva, turning it into a true oasis in the desert represented by Ophelia''s toned abdomen, which began to involuntarily tense due to the unusual sensations it was experiencing.


    Descending even lower until her head was between Ophelia''s legs, Kara was pleased to find that she had left the desert area, in front of her, on the black-transparent fabric, large patches of moisture being evident.


    "So delicious...", Kara murmured after her lips made contact with the damp material, her hot breath sending shivers down Ophelia''s spine, causing her to involuntarily close her legs, pressing Kara''s entire face against her panties, who made no effort to resist Ophelia''s so-called attack.


    Separated only by a thin piece of fabric from the cave that sheltered the sweet spring she had detected traces of, Kara lost patience and began to dig in with her powerful tongue until the material was soaked with her saliva, and the sweet taste began to diminish.


    ''It seems you don''t want to let me through... Well, then I''ll have to take more drastic measures...'', Kara jokingly threatened in her mind, referring to the heroic pair of panties that had resisted her attacks, then she began to pull the thin edges into her mouth with her tongue and tore them with her strong teeth, an image that seemed to Ophelia similar to that of a wolf stripping the skin off a deer.


    Not being a match for Kara''s teeth, accustomed to grinding the raw flesh of the toughest beasts, Ophelia''s panties admitted defeat, unfolding like the petals of a rose, in front of Kara appearing a new pair of succulent and hot lips, seemingly casting a spell capable of heating her entire body, making her brain melt, leaving in her mind only the desire for her lips to forever take the place of the defeated guardian of the entrance to Ophelia''s most delicate place.


    Burying her nose in Ophelia''s short and silky hair, filled with her fragrance, located above the hot lips, Kara began to passionately and adoringly kiss the well-lubricated spot by the nectar in which Ophelia''s pleasure had materialized in the last hour. This action was enough to finally send Ophelia to cloud nine, her body involuntarily contracting as passionate moans escaped the tent they were in, echoing far among the trees of the forest they were in.


    Enchanted by the warm liquid that surged into her mouth, a powerful aphrodisiac that was making Kara more and more obsessed with Ophelia''s body, desiring that her touch be the only one capable of bringing her to such a state, Kara began to collect with her agile tongue all the droplets that had escaped from the soft pink walls her hand had helped to reveal, her actions prolonging Ophelia''s climax, who was unable to even say on what world she was, as everything in front of her was a bright, shining white.


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    Seeing the result of her actions and realizing she was on the right path, Kara continued to alternate powerful strokes of her tongue with deep kisses, letting her saliva flood every corner, and, occasionally, she took the small pearl at the junction of Ophelia''s lower lips between her actual lips, sucking and massaging it with her tongue from all directions, giving Ophelia, who had buried her hands in Kara''s lush hair and wrapped her legs around her, climax after climax.


    "Ah, Kara! I want you even more! Go deeper... Ahhhh!", Ophelia managed to say amidst moans after another powerful climax, as she desired the union between her and Kara to be even more profound, wishing to capture in the depths of her being, if not the entire soul of Kara, at least a portion of it.


    Aware that her tongue alone wasn''t enough for this mission, Kara began to moisten two of her fingers with the mixture of her own saliva and the nectar with which Ophelia rewarded her during moments of climax, while her mouth planted dozens of kisses on the inside of Ophelia''s legs, whose smooth and flawless skin trembled with every contact with her lips.


    After a few minutes, noticing that her fingers were slippery as if coated with oil, she brought her hand to her mouth, and, while looking directly into Ophelia''s eyes, to whom she offered a well-deserved break, Kara began to lick them with a very erotic expression on her face, this sight making Ophelia involuntarily lick her lips.


    "Hmmm, curious to know what you taste like? If you want, I can share them with you...", Kara said teasingly, then, pushing herself up with her free hand, she rose from between Ophelia''s legs and moved toward her face. Wiping with her breasts the area between Ophelia''s silky hair between her legs, and her breasts, and then spreading her entire naked body over Ophelia''s, she began to kiss her deeply, making no effort to stop the saliva from her mouth from penetrating between Ophelia''s lips.


    Excited by Ophelia''s lack of inhibitions as she eagerly swallowed the saliva contaminated with her own juices, Kara interrupted the kiss abruptly, then, introducing her two well-moistened fingers into Ophelia''s mouth, she began to delicately explore every corner, rubbing them against the soft and fleshy lips.


    Surprised by Kara''s gesture, Ophelia didn''t initially know how to react. However, encouraged by Kara, who whispered words like "lick them" or "rub them" in her ear from time to time, she pressed her lips around them, and moving her head in the opposite direction of Kara''s hand, she began to take them as deep as possible into her mouth, teasing them with her tongue from all angles.


    ''Fuck! At this rate, I''ll reach orgasm just from my fingers...'', Kara said in her mind, the internal struggle within her eyes between the colors green, black, and red being won by the first of them, her eyes beginning to shine like two emeralds in the sunlight.


    Finally pulling her fingers from between Ophelia''s lips, who remained with her mouth open to catch the strands of saliva dripping from them, Kara began to kiss her again passionately, while her hand, which had reached between Ophelia''s legs, cautiously inserted the two well-lubricated fingers between the other pair of Ophelia''s lips, which slowly parted around them, the soft walls tightening around the fingers until they encountered a very thin and elastic barrier, about whose breaking Kara knew from the few pieces of information she had found in the past about how two women can have sex that could be quite painful.


    "I''m going to enter now... You can bite me if you feel uncomfortable...", Kara whispered into Ophelia''s ear, then, after putting her lower lip into Ophelia''s mouth, she began to push the two fingers deeper and deeper, the thin barrier trying to take their shape, and when her fingers went more than halfway in, she felt the resistance in front of them begin to fade, Ophelia bitting Kara''s lip at the same time, making this action not because she felt more than a slight discomfort, but because it seemed like the right gesture to mark the moment, and because it was a gesture full of eroticism capable to excite Kara even more.


    After inserting her fingers until they were completely engulfed by the warm, slick walls that massaged them from all sides, Kara began to move them back and forth repeatedly, testing various positions to provoke even greater pleasure for Ophelia, leaving her mouth free to deduce from the intensity of her moans when she found the right position, while Kara has her entire face buried in Ophelia''s neck, giving her kiss after kiss.


    "Ahhh, Kara. More, give me more...", Kara heard Ophelia''s voice after a while, who seemed to have forgotten that a finger is at most 7-8 centimeters long and wished for it to go as deep as possible inside her.


    Stimulated by Ophelia''s words, which had challenged her ability to fully satisfy her without any assisting device, Kara''s eyes began to shine brighter and brighter, and a sensation similar to the one she felt when using the Predator Claws skill started to envelop the two fingers inside Ophelia''s vagina, beginning to be surrounded by a thick layer of green energy, which increased until the walls surrounding them were stretched to the maximum and it easily reached Ophelia''s cervix when Kara''s fingers were fully inserted.


    "Ahhhhhmmm!!!", Ophelia screamed, taken by surprise by the sensation of complete filling, the green energy surrounding Kara''s fingers stimulating every millimeter inside her, rendering her not only incapable of saying anything coherent but also unable to breathe properly.


    Seeing Ophelia melting under her due to the pleasure she caused and having the sensations of the two fingers amplified, feeling every friction between the green energy and Ophelia''s insides, Kara felt she was close to reaching her climax as well, the area between her legs being so wet that occasional droplets fell from her onto the hair above Ophelia''s lower lips, which was soaked with a mixture of Kara''s saliva and her own pleasure juices.


    ''It would be a bit embarrassing to reach climax without even being touched... Hmmm, maybe we should speed things up a bit so we can move on to a position that will take both of us to the heights of ecstasy...'', Kara thought, feeling hotter and hotter, then she increased the rhythm with which her fingers went in and out of Ophelia, bringing her close to climax again, Ophelia''s unfocused gaze and the contorted positions of her limbs signaling that this climax would be much deeper and more intense than those induced by Kara''s mouth.


    With her back arched to the maximum and saliva dripping between her lips, Ophelia intensified her moans, no longer able to distinguish even Kara''s face just 5 centimeters away, while, captivated by Ophelia''s expressions full of eroticism, Kara unleashed the green energy surrounding her fingers, which lost its material properties and was absorbed into the twisting depths of Ophelia.


    "My Ophelia, I don''t think... there''s anything more beautiful..in this world than you...", Kara murmured while licking all the saliva from Ophelia''s chin, and after giving her a slightly gentler but very affectionate kiss, to help her recover from the intense climax, Kara separated her chest from Ophelia''s, and after lifting one of Ophelia''s legs, she brought her pelvic region closer to Ophelia''s until their lower lips connected in a kiss devoid of the movement of their actual lips but equally wet and satisfying. She then began to move up and down, abandoning any trace of restraint, Kara having nothing in mind but the desire to satisfy herself using the almost exhausted body of her lover, putting her needs ahead of Ophelia''s for the first time.


    "Ahhh, damn it! It feels so good...", Kara began to scream, reaching climax quickly due to her already heightened state of arousal. Her eyes began to shine brightly again, and a mass of green energy started to emerge from her lower lips, easily finding its way into Ophelia''s insides, carrying both a part of the nectar in which Kara''s pleasure and feelings for Ophelia had metamorphosed, as well as a huge amount of vitality, after the absorption of which, Ophelia was once again engulfed in a powerful orgasm.


    Kara repeated this process about four more times until the fire within her began to subside and she noticed that Ophelia could barely open her eyes and couldn''t even move a finger, then, after kissing the exhausted Ophelia for a few more minutes and whispering various praises and promises in her ears, Kara took her into her arms to transition to sleep, their naked bodies, covered in various fluids, clinging tightly to each other as if they had magnetic properties.

 Chapter 31. Ophelia鈥檚 Past

    Woken up by the songs of birds heralding the arrival of the first rays of the sun, the first thing Ophelia saw when she opened her eyes was Kara''s still-sleeping face, whose limbs were entwined around her like constrictor snakes, their bare chests pressed strongly against each other.


    Due to her deep slumber, it took Ophelia a few moments to grasp the situation she was in and recall the actions preceding her sleep, remaining quite perplexed at how a simple kiss that she initiated could lead to over 3 hours of love-making, during which in her mind there was nothing else but the desire to merge both her body and soul with Kara, whose touches not only made her feel pleasures she couldn''t have imagined possible but also seemed to open the way to an inexhaustible source of vitality, providing her with an extremely addictive sense of power.


    Ophelia wasn''t quite sure what to make of her behavior from the previous evening. On one hand, she felt a bit embarrassed because her actions and words at that time were not typical for a young woman of noble origins like herself, who learned from a young age how to restrain her emotions and not make her desires known. On the other hand, she felt very proud that she could make Kara so obsessed with her, the image of Kara''s eyes filled with desire and adoration, which was etched in her mind, being clear evidence that Kara was willing to do anything for her.


    ''I didn''t expect us to take things so far... Maybe the stress I''ve been under lately finally got the better of me and led me to succumb to pleasure. Or perhaps Kara''s overwhelming attractiveness is to blame. Her body, her voice, the way she moves... damn, I never thought someone could make me feel so excited... Anyway... maybe I let things get a bit out of control, but the result is quite satisfactory. From what I''ve deduced so far about Kara''s personality, after those passionate hours, I don''t think it will ever cross her mind to give up on me, even if my enemy is the whole world...''


    "Good morning, Ophelia...", Ophelia suddenly heard Kara''s lazy voice. As Kara brought her face even closer, she naturally captured Ophelia''s lips in a kiss full of tenderness and affection, Ophelia being once again enchanted by the freshness of the air exhaled by Kara and the addictive taste of her lips.


    ''It''s clear to me now... More than likely, Kara is responsible for me becoming so excited last night...'', Ophelia thought, feeling her entire being melting from the pleasure she experienced, all worries leaving her mind, and her body becoming soft as if made only of water.


    However, it seemed that Kara had no intention of going further and, after kissing Ophelia for a few minutes, she pulled her face back to the position it had been while she was sleeping, Ophelia not knowing whether to feel relieved or regret that things stopped after just a kiss.


    "I''m very happy, Ophelia... I know I can be a bit possessive and a bit stubborn at times, wanting things to unfold the way I desire... but... I''ll try to control myself as much as possible. Yes, I won''t be the kind of girlfriend who..."


    "You don''t need to do that, Kara. I like you just the way you are, with all the little bit of possessiveness you might show..." Ophelia interrupted, slightly amused by Kara''s use of the word "little" when talking about her possessiveness, as she remembered how Kara cut Mason''s hand when he tried to grab her arm, an incident that happened when the two of them didn''t even know each other.


    ''It''s truly strange that something that scared me so much now seems like a romantic gesture...'', Ophelia thought, a bit surprised at how much her perception of Kara had changed in less than a day.


    "I like you a lot too, Ophelia!... And the fact that you agreed to be my girlfriend is the happiest thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life...", Kara said in return, then, she once again brought her face close to Ophelia''s and gave her another kiss, this time much more passionate than the one she gave her when she first woke up.


    "Hmmm, Kara. You''re really good at kissing... And the techniques you used last night... Tell me honestly, how many partners have you had in the past?", Ophelia asked after Kara let her breathe for a few seconds while showering her face with kisses.


    "None... You''re my first girlfriend... As for the techniques used... well, I got some printed materials from a female friend of my father''s...", Kara replied as she continued to kiss Ophelia''s face, who seemed very pleased after hearing those words.


    "Hmm, then either you have a natural talent or you''re capable of learning extremely fast..." Ophelia concluded, truly satisfied with Kara''s performances, as Kara had managed to bring her to climax countless times.


    Considering the information that popped into her mind when she woke up, related to a new skill she acquired, whose effects included an increase in her ability to induce pleasure, and recalling that most of the time she made love to Ophelia, she let herself be controlled more by instincts than reason, unconsciously using the new skill, Kara tended to believe that she might indeed be talented in the field of intimate interactions. However, she didn''t confess this to Ophelia since she hadn''t had the necessary time to analyze the information related to the new skill properly. Also, she didn''t want Ophelia to think she had become too proud of her abilities immediately after making love for the first time.


    "Anyway, Ophelia... Now that you''ve agreed to be my girlfriend, I believe you have enough confidence in me to give me more information about your past. Of course, it''s not a problem if you can''t tell me everything about your identity, but I think it would be good to at least tell me what the issues are that you said you might need my help to resolve..," Kara said, intending to limit herself to kisses until she properly analyzed the new skill she obtained because she didn''t want either of them to experience unforeseen effects.


    "Yes... I think I have enough confidence in you now to tell you everything about me. Well, Kara, listen carefully, because I''ll only say it once.................. I am the Great Demon King......." Ophelia said in a very serious tone, trying to appear very intimidating.


    "Huh, seriously? Damn, thinking that I just fought The Demon King until he couldn''t move a finger. Does that mean I''m the new hero?", Kara asked in a teasing tone, being absolutely certain that there was no chance Ophelia wasn''t human.


    "Uhh, I thought I could trick you... I forgot for a moment that your nose is more sensitive than that of a d... uhh, a wolf''s," Ophelia said, a bit dissatisfied that her prank didn''t work at all. "Putting jokes aside," Ophelia continued, "the truth is that I am the eldest daughter of Marquis Delafire, who died a year and a half ago along with my mother and my 2-year-old brother during a so-called attack by a bandit group. Although these things happened on the other side of the kingdom, I''m sure the news reached here..."


    "I''m sorry to hear that you''ve suffered such a great loss...", Kara said, intending to hug Ophelia to console her, but realizing that this action wasn''t quite appropriate while they were both completely undressed, she had to settle for gently stroking Ophelia''s head.


    "It''s okay... I''ve already come to terms with it. So, after my father''s death, as his only heirs were my younger sister, who was only 17 at that time, and me, I was the only one eligible to inherit the title of marquis, this being something I didn''t think would be possible after the birth of my younger brother, whom my father intended to make his successor. Because as long as he had no son, my father had prepared me to take his place, it''s not like I had no idea how to manage the territory and businesses that were left to me as inheritance, however, after two months of putting everything in order, various problems started to arise.


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    Merchants began to come with documents claiming that my father owed them large sums of money, or lesser-ranking nobles with territories adjacent to mine came seeking funds for various projects my father had agreed to... Although I realized something was wrong, the fact that these documents had my father''s seal couldn''t be denied, so I had no choice but to pay, as there was a risk they might complain to the king, forever tarnishing my father''s name,.... and it was likely that I would never be approved for the marquis title in that situation.


    Things continued in the same manner for about four months until almost all my funds disappeared. But I didn''t even have a month to rejoice in finally getting rid of these issues, as an order from the king arrived, informing me that I had to prepare an army to secure the border with the Generous Mountains region, which is more than three-quarters in my territory, because there was information that the oni clan populating those territories intended to attack us, most likely within a year.


    However, is it possible to raise an army when you have almost no money left? Though those unfit for combat and those with low levels were willing to fight for a smaller sum, primarily to defend their families and households, anyone competent in battle preferred to abandon everything and try their luck elsewhere, unwilling to risk their lives for almost nothing in return. Even the knights who were under my father''s command didn''t seem too enthusiastic about going to war for free, stating that their loyalty was to my father, and I, who had not yet been appointed marquis by the king, had no authority over them.


    But just when I thought there was no hope left, my uncle, whom I hadn''t seen in over 5 years, returned from the capital, and after paying his respects to his older brother-s grave, whose funeral he couldn''t attend, he offered to lend me the money needed to assemble an army of around 2000 men and proposed to bring in his son to lead it, who was a highly renowned adventurer in the capital, considered the ninth-strongest Rank A adventurer in the kingdom.


    Even though this offer seemed too good to be true, I didn''t believe my uncle was the kind of person capable of deceiving his newly orphaned nieces, so with no other options available, I decided to accept his offer, and he lent me a sum of 500,000 gold coins, which I was required to repay without any interest over a period of 5 years.


    Once I had the funds, I immediately began preparations to assemble the army. However, due to the constant presence of my uncle and his son, I couldn''t assert my authority through any means, and all the orders I gave were completely ignored. Moreover, rumors about my incompetence began circulating both in my territory and the surrounding ones, administered by lesser-ranking nobles, many suggesting it would be more appropriate to offer the marquis position to my much more capable cousin to ensure the region''s stability.


    Observing all these developments, it didn''t take me long to realize that everything that had happened was a scheme orchestrated by my uncle to help his son obtain the Marquis title. So, when he visited me proposing that his son marry my younger sister, I was already convinced that he was my greatest enemy, and I categorically refused. Seeing that he had no chance of convincing me, he revealed his true intentions and started resorting to all kinds of threats, invoking clauses from the contract I had signed with him that could force me to repay the entire loan within a year. However, despite his efforts, I continued to reject him, leaving him with no choice but to leave in anger.


    As expected, less than a week after the quarrel with my uncle, I received a letter from the king informing me that my uncle had filed a complaint against me, so he would send a representative to mediate the conflict and oversee preparations for the defense of the shared border with the oni clan.


    Although the king''s representative seemed impartial, there were hidden clauses in the contract I signed with my uncle that allowed him to compel me to repay the money in less than a year, so I had no choice but to return 80% of the amount I still had from the loan, and within the next 5 months, I had to repay the remaining 100,000 gold coins I had already spent. As for the Marquis title, it was decided that a public duel between me and my cousin, or our representatives, would take place after 5 months to showcase which side was more capable, as the king needed someone both powerful and popular to secure the border. In summary, if I win, the king will officially appoint me as marquis and lend me the necessary funds indefinitely to organize the army and, if my cousin wins, he will be named marquis, and my sister will be obligated to marry him.


    Once the agreement was reached, the king''s representative took upon himself the duty of administering the territory, allowing me the time needed to gather the sum of money I had to repay and to prepare for the duel and he guaranteed the safety of my sister for the next five months, so I contacted immediately the members of the adventurer team I had been part of after my father decided not to continue to train me as his successor, because I wanted to rejoin them to increase my level and earn the necessary funds because, on my own, it was almost impossible considering that I specialize in fighting from a medium range, which is not ideal when facing a large number of enemies as found in Dungeons, which are the best source of experience and treasures. But as my situation was known throughout the kingdom, everyone found various reasons to refuse to accompany me, as supporting me meant becoming enemies with a powerful Rank A adventurer who had a good chance of becoming a marquis. Failing to find another team or form one myself, I had no choice but to leave, hoping that in an area where I wasn''t recognized, I would have more success.


    "So, that''s pretty much the whole story. What do you think?", Ophelia asked Kara after summarizing the events that brought her to the current situation, where she had to find someone to explore a Great Dungeon with her.


    "Uhh, so many intrigues... I always thought the lives of nobles were too complicated, but I didn''t expect so many problems...", replied Kara, who felt that her time spent in The Great Moonshadow Forest was nowhere near as stressful as Ophelia''s last year because all things were much simpler. "Anyway, from what I understand, as long as you have enough money and your cousin is eliminated. all your problems will be solved, right?" Kara concluded, wanting to understand Ophelia''s immediate goals more clearly.


    "Yeah, I think that sums it up... Anyway, the most important thing for me is to retrieve my younger sister. As for the marquis title, considering how ungrateful and disloyal all my father''s subordinates were, I think it''s not worth trying to obtain it...", replied Ophelia, analyzing Kara carefully to gauge her attitude.


    "I understand. Then it won''t be difficult for me to help you. And even if it were challenging, know that I would still stand by you, especially now that you''re my beloved...", Kara told Ophelia without hesitation, making Ophelia to be very delighted after hearing these words.


    "Thank you so much, Kara! You''re the best...", Ophelia said, leaning towards Kara and kissing her on the lips in a very coquettish way.


    "Yeah, yeah... And so it will be forever... But I wanted to ask you something about your story because one thing isn''t clear to me. How come only your younger sister''s marriage was discussed, and there was never any mention of your marriage? Considering how beautiful you are, I expected at least one person to propose to help you get out of this predicament. From your story, it seems like you only dealt with eunuchs..." Kara said, not believing that Ophelia''s beauty had no influence on what she suffered.


    "Well... there were quite a few such cases...", Ophelia hesitated, sure that Kara would show her ''small'' possessiveness once she found out exactly how things stood.


    "So who?... Your cousin?" Kara asked, trying to appear indifferent.


    "Well, yes... and my uncle... the king''s emissary... maybe even two of the adventurers I used to be on a team with... about 10 nobles, some very wealthy merchants... maybe even the king..." Ophelia began to confess, thinking it was more important to be honest with her new lover than to assure the kingdom''s survival, while Kara''s eyes turned increasingly reddish, indicating that she was not as calm as she wanted to appear.


    "So what do you think?" Ophelia asked after listing more than 100 people in total.


    "Hmmm... What do I think?... I think I should have prepared more diamond-clawed bears..." Kara replied, the intense redness of her eyes foretelling difficult days for those who harbored impure thoughts about Ophelia.

 Chapter 32. Bless

    Since Ophelia was in the mood for some more lounging, not eager to give up the warmth of the tent to confront the morning chill, Kara took it upon herself to prepare breakfast, promising Ophelia the best barbecue she had ever had in her entire life.


    However, leaving the tent in which Ophelia was completely undressed was not an easy mission, as Kara needed no less than three attempts before she could accomplish it, her first two tries to head toward the tent''s door ending with her covering Ophelia''s entire body with kisses.


    Although she came very close to failing the third time as well, as her eyes remained fixed for a long time when she turned to close the tent''s door on Ophelia''s very seductive body, the traces left by her kisses, which were shining in the light produced by the three magic orange cores on the tent''s walls, contributing to the formation of a very erotic picture, the thought that Ophelia would start to believe that she was someone unreliable ultimately restrained her desires, managing eventually to close the door and step away from the tent, the only thing preventing her from yielding being the taste of Ophelia still on her lips.


    After walking about 40 meters, Kara took out from her storage space a diamond-clawed bear she had collected while exiting The Great Moonshadow Forest and began skinning it up using the Predator Claws skill, no longer bothering to dress herself as she was aware it was impossible not to get bloodied.


    But if in the past Kara didn''t think about anything else while butchering a beast, all her attention being focused on the lifeless body in front of her, at that moment her mind was filled with thoughts related to the passionate night spent with Ophelia, her face easily revealing how delighted she was with how the situation had evolved.


    ''It was truly a dreamy night. Her sweet lips... her enticing voice... her seductive body... Ah, I can''t believe I have such a gorgeous girlfriend...''


    That''s how Kara''s thoughts looked, who couldn''t remember being so excited in her entire life as she was on that morning, everything around her seeming cheerful and lively, well, everything except for the bear she was skinning.


    Although Kara suspected that Ophelia wasn''t the type of person to make decisions solely based on emotions and that the fact she had so quickly accepted to become her girlfriend was somewhat influenced by Ophelia realizing how strong she was, Kara was sure that Ophelia was truly attracted to her, the obsessiveness with which she looked at her and the way Ophelia''s body craved her touch being clear evidence of this fact.


    Proof of this for Kara was also the fact that Ophelia had refused all those who had offered to help her if she agreed to marry them, showing that she wasn''t willing to enter a relationship with someone just to solve her problems. Therefore, if Ophelia was willing to be her lover, it meant that she truly liked her.


    ''The things we did last night made me feel an indescribable pleasure, which I''m eager to experience again, but I don''t think that''s the reason why I''m so happy... No, probably the fact that the person I like so much also likes me back contributes the most to the happiness I feel at that moment...'', Kara said to herself, who hadn''t imagined until then that being in a relationship with someone who reciprocates her feelings could make her feel so fulfilled.


    Recalling the moments of passion between her and Ophelia, Kara remembered that she still hadn''t carefully inspected the new skill she had involuntarily used to enhance her ability to induce pleasure, and whose existence she only found out about after waking up, the name of this new skill being Bless.


    ''Hmm, this skill has a name that initially misled me, thinking it had something to do with some kind of sacred ritual like those held by priests in churches... Well, I couldn''t have been more wrong, because, from what I found out after briefly analyzing it, this skill seems to be closely related to sexual acts...''


    Kara couldn''t deny her excitement when she found out that the skill she received was a sexual one, as she was certain it would be very useful to her in the future. However, recalling that such skills, most commonly associated with demons like succubi and vampires, usually have adverse effects on the people they''re used on, she thought it wise to be cautious and not use it until she thoroughly analyzed it. As a result, she limited her interaction with Ophelia after waking up to just a few dozen kisses to ensure that Ophelia wouldn''t suffer any harm.


    To Kara''s relief, after meticulously analyzing the new skill for about 5 minutes to ensure she hadn''t overlooked any details, she found no adverse effects such as addiction or brainwashing. Instead, all the effects of the skill on the person it''s used on were remarkably beneficial.


    ''It''s truly an amazing skill... Not only will it help me give Ophelia more pleasure, but it will also help her become much stronger, the main effect this skill has on the people I''ll use it on being that they''ll enjoy the same benefits I have when using the Devour skill, namely increasing attribute values without the need to level up. Well, maybe its effect is somewhat weaker than that of the Devour skill and there won''t be major improvements seen after each use, but over time, I''m sure it will make a big difference...'', Kara said to herself, very pleased with the things she found out.


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    Improving attributes wasn''t the only benefit the people on whom the Bless skill will be constantly used will have, the other three being guaranteeing a lifespan similar to Kara''s, or rather, eternal youth, Kara being practically completely immune to the passage of time due to the combined effect of the Devour skill and the Predator''s Constitution skill, bringing the body to the best possible state from a health and appearance standpoint, and frightening any being weaker than Kara who wanted to harm them directly, an ability similar to that of the pages containing the ritual for obtaining the Predator class.


    As for how this skill could be put into practice, Kara had a clear picture both from the information that appeared in her mind about it and from recalling the moments when she had involuntarily used it, it being capable of giving her and her partner a lot of pleasure. Being able to use the green energy she emitted while being sexually aroused as an extension of her own body, which she could give material properties to at her discretion as long as it was in contact with her body, Kara had to bring both herself and her partner to the heights of ecstasy, which resulted in facilitating the absorption of that green energy by her partner, who would immediately benefit from its effects.


    Kara didn''t intend to make all these beneficial effects for her partner the purpose of using the Bless skill. Instead, she focused more on its secondary effect: amplifying the pleasure she and her lover felt during intimate relations, treating all these beneficial effects as a bonus, because she didn''t want her moments of passion to turn into something similar to a ritual.


    ''Should I tell Ophelia about the effects of my new skill? I don''t know, I think it would sound weird. It''s like I''m trying to find a reason for her to make love to me more often... Hmmm... It''s best to let things flow naturally and tell her about this skill only when she notices its effects and asks me about it...'', Kara said to herself, knowing it was a bit selfish of her to keep all this information just for herself, the main reason being that she wanted the intimate relationships between her and Ophelia to be based only on the attraction they felt for each other, and not the benefits that would result from them, but she could partially escape feeling guilty by telling herself that all the effects of the skill are harmless.


    Seeing that the sun was almost rising and she had just finished skinning the bear, Kara decided to set aside all these thoughts and focus on what she had to do, as she wanted to finish grilling the meat from the bear''s back before Ophelia would come out of the tent.


    ..........................


    "Mmm, it''s very tasty... How come such a beast has such tender meat?", asked Ophelia after taking a few bites of the meat grilled by Kara, looking towards the nearly 10-meter-wide bear hide hanging from a tree near the place where the fire was made.


    "Even though the bear was very large, it was still quite young, so its muscles didn''t have enough time to mature. Moreover, the place where it grew up was very rich in mana, so it was expected that its meat would be of the highest quality...", replied Kara, who had cleaned off all the blood that had splattered on her using the Devour skill and had dressed in a new set of clothes before Ophelia came out to eat.


    "And what about the fur? Are you going to give it to the Adventurer''s Guild? You said you would blame a bear for Mason''s and the other two''s deaths..."


    Initially, Kara had thought of the same thing, as she didn''t have much use for bear fur, but the fact that while skinning the bear she was in such a good mood, made her get a bit attached to it, so she didn''t really want to give it to strangers.


    "No, I''ll give them a whole bear. I think I''ll give it to my father when I meet him in two months...", Kara told Ophelia, thinking that her father would like to make a carpet out of it.


    "Oh, so you weren''t joking when you said you had more bears at your disposal. Where did you hunt them? In the upper levels of a Dungeon?", Ophelia continued asking, wanting to see if Kara was willing to talk about her recent adventures, about which she had avoided giving too many details the day before.


    "No, I haven''t visited any Dungeon yet..."


    Considering how powerful Kara was, Ophelia couldn''t believe such a thing.


    "Huh, I don''t think I understand. Considering how strong you are, I think your level must be very high. Where could you gather so much experience if you''ve never entered a Dungeon?"


    Since Ophelia was now her girlfriend, Kara didn''t intend to keep details about her class a secret from her, so she decided to briefly tell her how she had become so powerful.


    "Well, Ophelia, I think you remember me telling you that my class is very special. The truth is that I obtained it as a reward for becoming the strongest in The Great Moonshadow Forest, a place full of very dangerous beasts for which the bear whose fur you saw was as harmless as a kitten. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Predator class?"


    Although Ophelia didn''t know much about The Great Moonshadow Forest other than it being on the border with the Demon Territory, she could tell that Kara''s days there had been extremely challenging. As for Kara''s class, she had never heard of it before, but she suspected it must be a very powerful one if someone had to go through such a trial to obtain it.


    "Hmm, I don''t think I''ve ever heard of this class. What does it mean that you''re a Predator?"


    "Well, it means that everyone is my prey...", replied Kara to Ophelia and then bit strongly into the piece of meat she had taken in her hand, her gaze full of certainty making Ophelia unable to think even for a moment that she could be exaggerating.

 Chapter 33. Holding Hands

    Seeing that Kara didn''t intend to keep anything secret from her, Ophelia thought it would be a good idea to learn a few details about her plans, being convinced that Kara must have a grand goal since she couldn''t imagine that someone as powerful as Kara wouldn''t have an impact on the world at least as much as someone with the Hero or Demon King class.


    "Huh, what are my plans? Hmm, in two months, I want to return to the city where I grew up to meet my father. Until then, the only thing on my schedule is to help you solve all your problems...."


    Upon hearing Kara''s response, Ophelia interpreted that Kara understood that the question she had asked referred strictly to her immediate plans. Thus, she decided to rephrase her question to express more clearly what she wanted to find out.


    "No, I meant what is your goal? What is the reason you wanted to become so powerful?"


    "Well, I''ve never reconciled with the idea that there are people capable of controlling my destiny, that fulfilling my desires is something beyond my control, which made me want to be powerful enough to be able to do anything I wanted without anyone to stand in my way. So now, after achieving this goal, all I have left to do is enjoy the freedom I''ve gained...", Kara replied, not intending to hide the fact that pride and selfishness fueled her desire to be the strongest, rather than any noble purpose or desire to accomplish something.


    "To do whatever you want... Hmm, maybe it doesn''t sound as impressive as conquering the entire world or becoming known as the most powerful in the world, but I think it''s a much harder thing to accomplish because such a goal would bring you into conflict not only with the whole world but also with yourself...", Ophelia said after pondering Kara''s response for a few moments, considering Kara''s goal unrealistic.


    "I didn''t mean I intend to do whatever I want, but that I want to enjoy the freedom offered by being able to do whatever I want...", Kara corrected her, as she didn''t want Ophelia to consider her a slave to her own desires. "But I think you''re right to some extent. Most likely, my dream will bring me into conflict with the whole world because being truly free means taking away the freedom of others. Anyway, at least the future won''t be boring...", Kara continued to say, with no trace of worry on her face at the thought that she could become the number one enemy of all.


    Kara and Ophelia continued to discuss the notions of freedom and purpose in life until they finished breakfast, but since neither of them had Philosopher class (as well as no one in that world did), there were slim chances of reaching absolute truth.


    After they rose from the table, the two began to gather their things and store them in their storage spaces, and after ensuring they hadn''t forgotten anything, they set off for the city of Orlin to report what they had discovered about those attacking caravans to complete their mission.


    To avoid wasting half a day on the road, Kara suggested carrying Ophelia in her arms until they were near the city of Orlin. Ophelia, feeling much closer to Kara after the night they spent together, had no objections, so in about half an hour, Kara found herself with Ophelia in her arms 200 meters from the entrance to the city of Orlin.


    Because her possessiveness for Ophelia had reached new heights now that she was her lover, it was quite difficult for Kara to let her out of her arms before entering the city, her instincts urging her to show everyone that Ophelia was hers. However, because she didn''t want to put Ophelia in an embarrassing situation, Kara eventually set her feet on the ground before approaching other people, but she didn''t let go of her until she kissed her for almost 10 minutes, ensuring that her saliva painted not only the inside of Ophelia''s mouth but also her stomach.


    "Um, Kara... you left me breathless. Please, let me hold your hand until I recover...", Ophelia said between gasps after Kara released her lips, leaning her body against Kara''s.


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    "I will gladly help you with that...", Kara said, intertwining the fingers of her right hand with the fingers of Ophelia''s left hand, barely able to hide her delight at this unexpected outcome of their kiss.


    After Ophelia regained some semblance of balance, the two slowly headed towards the entrance of the city of Orlin, holding hands. But even after they reached the gate and Ophelia''s breathing stabilized, neither of them seemed inclined to part from each other.


    ............................


    Although they attracted a lot of attention on the way, Kara and Ophelia reached the building where the Adventurers Guild was located without any incident, Kara''s aura of danger being enough to awaken anyone enchanted by their beauty.


    Once inside the building where the Adventurers Guild was located, the two headed straight to the reception, Kara noticing that behind the counter was still Lina, the receptionist who had helped her two days ago.


    "Tell me, Kara, why is the receptionist looking at you like that? Did you have any conflict with her?", Ophelia asked Kara, curious why the receptionist was giving Kara such an accusing look from the moment they walked in.


    Kara, unaware that in the receptionist''s mind, she was a scum who enjoyed playing with young women''s feelings, thought she was upset because she saw that she quickly moved on from her rejection and changed her target.


    "Hmm, she''s probably jealous..."


    Ophelia didn''t expect to hear such a response.


    "Huh, why? Do you have something to do with her?", she asked again, both her tone and the fact that she squeezed Kara''s hand indicating she wasn''t too pleased with such a scenario.


    "No, not at all! We just talked for a few minutes two days ago. Since I teased her a bit when I saw she seemed mesmerized by my face, she probably started having thoughts about me...", Kara quickly replied, not wanting Ophelia to think there was something between her and the receptionist.


    Satisfied with both Kara''s answer and her attitude, Ophelia didn''t press on this subject any further.


    "It would be good if it''s as you said..."


    Since there were 2 teams of adventurers ahead of them, the two had to wait for about 5 minutes to talk to the receptionist, during which time they were the center of attention for everyone in the room.


    "Where did these two beauties come from?"


    "I remember that young woman in the white dress was in Mason''s team..."


    "Shhh, you''d better stay as far away from them as possible, especially from the one with black hair. I heard Jacob almost lost his life when he fought her."


    "I heard she can make you wet your pants with just a glance..."


    That''s what the discussions inside the reception hall sounded like, Kara being able to hear everything clearly even though everyone whispered to avoid drawing attention.


    Kara was satisfied with the reputation she had earned because it made most people give up any thoughts about her and Ophelia, which meant there would be fewer distractions in the future from the enjoyable moments spent with Ophelia.


    After it was Kara and Ophelia''s turn, Kara pretended not to notice the receptionist''s hostile attitude and began to tell her in the most professional tone about what she had discovered regarding the disappearance of the caravans.


    Bombarded with a lot of information, the receptionist had to put aside personal issues and focus on writing down what Kara said, but seeing that more and more unbelievable things were adding up, she realized that evaluating this mission was far beyond her competence.


    "Um, the situation is much more complicated than we expected. Not only did three adventurers die, but you also encountered an unknown species of Mole People..."


    "Human Moles..." Kara corrected her, causing Ophelia to burst into laughter.


    Seeing that Ophelia didn''t seem affected at all by the fact that she had just lost all her team members during the mission, the receptionist realized that the impression she had formed about her was not correct.


    ''And I thought Kara had managed to deceive an innocent young woman... Well, the more beautiful a rose is, the more thorns it has... Plus, it seems she knows how to handle Kara...''


    "...Anyway, what I wanted to say is that it would be advisable to meet with the Guild Master to tell him in more detail what happened during the mission. Wait a few minutes, I''ll go see if he''s available...", the receptionist continued after hesitating for a moment, looking at the connected hands of the two young women in front of her, then she headed towards the stairs leading to the floor where the Guild Master''s office was located.


    "I expected things not to be so simple...," Kara sighed. "Considering that this mission was given by the city''s leader..."


    But before Kara could finish her thought, she was abruptly interrupted by the words of a young man who had just entered the room from the door leading to the training ground.


    "You! Are you the one who tried to seduce my girlfriend?"


    Seeing Ophelia''s displeasure, Kara couldn''t help but curse in her mind.

 Chapter 34. Face to the Floor

    The young man who appeared before them had a very delicate face, almost feminine, and long black hair, his ears pointed but not too long being clear proof that he had some elven blood in him. Since she hadn''t interacted with too many girls since arriving in the city of Orin, it didn''t take Kara long to realize that he was the fianc¨¦ mentioned by the receptionist.


    Although he remained momentarily fascinated when Kara and Ophelia looked at him, there was no trace of carnal desire in his eyes, only pure admiration for their beauty, which put him in a favorable light in front of Kara, who decided to be patient with him and to avoid conflict as much as possible.


    If you''re referring to Lina, I can assure you that nothing happened between us. At most, I teased her a bit because I found it amusing when she blushed...", Kara defended herself, while her hand, with its fingers intertwined with Ophelia''s, fell victim to Ophelia''s annoyance as Ophelia squeezed Kara''s fingers and pinched the back of her hand.


    "Just that? My friend who informed me said he saw you trying to kiss her...", the half-elf continued, seeming unwilling to accept Kara''s explanations.


    "I don''t know who told you that, but I assure you he''s not really your friend..."


    "Huh, why do you say that?", the half-elf asked, not understanding what Kara was suggesting.


    "Because he encouraged you to confront me. And a confrontation with me has no other outcome than death...", Kara explained, letting a little killing intent show to make it clear that she wasn''t joking.


    "You, you...", the half-elf stuttered, trying to move his hand, which seemed frozen, toward the saber at his waist.


    "You''d do well not to escalate the situation. My girlfriend is much stronger than you...", intervened Ophelia, who didn''t want Kara and herself to get into a conflict with nothing to gain. Moreover, she wasn''t too eager to see Kara fighting for another girl.


    "Galen, stop!", shouted Lina, rushing down the stairs.


    It didn''t take her long to figure out what was happening, as it wasn''t the first time her boyfriend had gotten into a conflict with an adventurer because they made advances toward her. But what could she do to prevent this from happening again and again? She couldn''t just label herself with a sign on her forehead saying she had a boyfriend, could she?


    ''Ahh, being very cute can be a real burden...'', Lina began to complain again in her mind.


    It didn''t help much that Galen didn''t fit the mold of male adventurers, muscular and intimidating, as he had a more delicate build and a face with feminine features. Often when he tried to convince those who made advances to Lina to give up, most of them didn''t take him seriously. Furthermore, some even started making advances toward him.


    Lina didn''t expect Galen to get into a conflict with Kara, as he had only ever confronted men who made advances to her before. She couldn''t know that Galen was aware she was a face-controller and felt much more threatened by Kara than by the male adventurers, whom he confronted just so Lina could have peace at work, not because he feared any of them would succeed in winning her over.


    "Galen, I don''t know what you''ve heard, but I guarantee you this young woman didn''t go further than just teasing me a little... Yes, she didn''t lay a finger on me! Plus, as you can see, she already has a girlfriend...", Lina continued after reaching Galen, fearing her boyfriend would actually fight Kara, knowing she was very powerful and not the kind of person to fight with gloves on.


    "If you say so, Lina...", Galen finally said, for whom Lina''s intervention was like a godsend, as he had realized that he couldn''t defeat Kara and didn''t know how to back down without being considered a coward.


    "Well, sorry for that... The Guild Master is waiting for you in his office to discuss what you encountered on the mission. It''s upstairs, at the end of the hallway...", Lina then addressed Kara and Ophelia, being able to breathe a sigh of relief only when the two headed for the stairs.


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    "Uff, I really got scared!... Galen, you have no idea how close I was to becoming a widow..."


    Hearing Lina''s words, Galen wished to contradict her, but he was aware he had been overwhelmed by the situation and that this outcome was the most favorable for him. However, admitting he wasn''t strong enough in front of his girlfriend wasn''t a pleasant thing for him, so he tried to change the subject, starting to talk about the things he had seen on the mission he had just returned from.


    ............................


    "A bear with diamond claws, you said? That''s quite far from The Great Moonshadow Forest. Moreover, it seems a bit strange that it met the adventurer team including the two you had a conflict with just a day ago...", said the Guild Master, who didn''t seem to believe Kara and Ophelia''s story about how Mason''s team had been eliminated.


    Hearing the words of the middle-aged man behind a desk full of documents, Kara could tell that he wasn''t intending to accept their explanations and was planning a more thorough investigation.


    ''Hmm, it seems this old man doesn''t believe in coincidences. Well, maybe the fact that I didn''t even spend a full minute thinking about how to explain the deaths of those three adventurers made the story I told imperfect. But what''s the point of wasting my time trying to cover my tracks perfectly? Does a tiger bother washing the grass on which he tore its prey? No, only someone afraid of consequences would do that...''


    "What can I say? The world is a place full of wonders...", Kara said without a hint of worry, pretending not to notice the movements of the two guards standing by the wall near the door, seemingly ready to jump and arrest them.


    "I''ll ask you again. Are you sure this happened? I think you know the consequences you will face if it''s proven you lied...", the Guild Master asked again, irritated by Kara''s attitude, which didn''t seem to take him seriously at all.


    "What do you mean, old man? Are you suggesting that I was the one who killed those three and that I''m trying to blame it on a bear with diamond claws? Then it''s true what people say, in old age a person really starts to lose their clear thinking..."


    Hearing Kara''s words and seeing the Guild Master''s face turning red with anger, Ophelia, who knew she was perfectly safe as long as she was with Kara, couldn''t help but laugh, causing a vein on the Guild Master''s forehead to twitch.


    "Do you think this is a joke? Do you know you could end up as slaves if it''s proven that you killed those three? Well, I''m sure you''ll make some nobles happy..."


    "Boom!!!", suddenly echoed throughout the building, the sound being made by the impact of the Guild Master and the two guards hitting the floor, crushed by the pressure exerted by Kara, who had no intention of seeing the Guild Master acting as the emissary of the God of Justice.


    "See, I was right when I said you''re not thinking clearly anymore. Did you forget that the powerful are the ones who write the history and decide what the truth is? Or did you think that just because you were an A-rank adventurer in your youth, you no longer need to be cautious?", Kara asked the Guild Master, although she was aware that it was impossible for him to respond as his face was stuck to the ground.


    It had always been hard for Kara to tolerate the hypocrisy of those in leadership positions. Knowing enough about how the Adventurer''s Guild operated, she was aware that someone who couldn''t bend and stretch when needed couldn''t hold the position of Guild Master. If Ophelia had revealed her identity as a high-ranking noble when they entered the Guild Master''s office, or if one of them had been a very well-known high-ranking adventurer, the Guild Master would have certainly accepted their story even if they said Mason and his team had been killed by a cricket. However, since the Guild Master believed they had no one backing them up and posed no threat to him, he thought it was the perfect moment to act just and righteous, to pride himself on his authority.


    "So here''s how we''ll proceed, old man...", Kara continued after pushing the desk aside and flipping the Guild Master face-up using her foot. "My girlfriend and I want to enjoy peace as long as we stay in this city, so you''d better not continue wasting our time with the things you imagine. If not, I wouldn''t be surprised if a bear with diamond claws shows up in your office too..."


    "....Yes...yes...I understand...", the Guild Master finally managed to say after swallowing the blood that had gathered in his mouth, completely losing the imposing air he had just moments before.


    "Alright then. I believe we''re done here, so we''ll go to finalize the other formalities and receive our reward...", Kara said, regaining her good mood, then she grabbed Ophelia''s hand again and left the Guild Master''s office, only releasing the pressure holding the three men down after closing the door.


    "She''s a monster... A true monster...", the Guild Master began to murmur, visibly horrified by what had transpired and feeling like all the bones in his body had been crushed, making it impossible for him to get up from the floor.

 Chapter 35. A Lot of Paperwork

    "Do you think the Guild Master will keep his word? Considering he seems to be a very proud person, I wouldn''t be surprised if he considers us his biggest enemies from now on....", Ophelia asked after they left the Guild Master''s office.


    "If he''s smart, he''ll probably try to have as little to do with us as possible. Anyway, what could he do? Kick us out of the Adventurer''s Guild? I doubt he''d do that, as it''s better to keep your enemies close...", Kara replied, seeming to care little about the Guild Master''s enmity, knowing full well that the Adventurer''s Guild was not nearly as authoritarian as it pretended to be as its existence was based on many compromises.


    Descending towards the stairs leading to the ground floor, they were quite surprised to see that nobody was making any noise and that all eyes were on them.


    "Um, is everything okay? We heard some noises from upstairs...", the receptionist asked, trying to change the atmosphere that didn''t seem to please Kara much.


    "Of course, nothing bad happened. Just Kara and the Guild Master had a little strength contest...", Ophelia replied, her warm smile easily dispelling much of the unease of those present. Well, except for Kara, who didn''t really like seeing so many eyes focused on her girlfriend. But what could she do? She couldn''t keep Ophelia hidden in a box or convince her to wear a mask.


    Since the Guild Master hadn''t announced any issues with Kara and Ophelia''s mission, Lina had no choice but to proceed with the rest of the formalities, so she directed the two toward the harvesting hall to deliver the corpses of the human mole and the diamond-clawed bear.


    As a group of adventurers who wanted to deliver the corpses of over 50 red wolves was in front of them, Kara and Ophelia had to wait in line for about 15 minutes. During this time, Ophelia managed to cheer up Kara by leaning her head on her shoulder.


    The one who seemed to be in charge in the harvesting hall was a tall, sturdy woman, whose blond braided hair reminded Kara of a braided bread roll, as it was quite voluminous.


    Once their turn came, Kara didn''t waste much time on conversation and retrieved the corpses of the bear and the mole from her storage space, both Helga, the sturdy woman, and her two assistants, who were two very muscular men, being very impressed by the two specimens.


    "A diamond-clawed bear? I haven''t seen one in a long time... maybe more than 10 years. From what I know, you have to go at least 20-30 kilometers into The Great Moonshadow Forest to find them...", marveled Helga, who was aware of how risky it is to enter The Great Moonshadow Forest, but also how pointless it is, as unlike in a dungeon, where you can find treasures after defeating monsters, in that forest the only thing you get is a few extra minutes until you''re attacked again.


    "Well, lucky us then. We found it just a few dozen kilometers from the city...", Kara said, as if she had stumbled upon a treasure and not a beast that would kill any adventurer below A rank.


    "Well, I hope I never have such luck. But it''s strange that it went so far from The Great Moonshadow Forest... Have you seen anything suspicious in that area? I''m thinking it might have been trailing a group of thieves, as there''s information that some of them hide on the outskirts of the forest..."


    "I don''t remember... I was too busy fighting the bear... But you, Ophelia?" Kara passed the question to Ophelia, intending to tease her a bit by putting her in a situation in which she would have to come up with a story.


    "Neither do I...", Ophelia replied shortly, aware that a detailed lie is easier to uncover. Besides, she wasn''t the type to engage in long discussions unless there was something to gain.


    "Alright then... So for the bear, we can offer you 1200 gold coins. As for the mole, I can''t give you a price right now, as we''ll need to analyze it first...", Helga said, seeing that the two had nothing more to add.


    "Hmmm, seems like a fair price. As for the mole, you can consider it a bonus...", Kara agreed, feeling pleased that the staff at the harvesting hall didn''t object to the fact that the specimen she brought was a mole.


    After Helga completed a ticket with the details about the items received, which she handed to Kara and Ophelia, the two returned to the reception area, where Lina had just finished talking to a group of adventurers.


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    "Have you returned? Did you deliver the two corpses?", Lina asked, trying to appear as calm as possible, but it was evident in her eyes that she was very stressed, which was clear proof that the Guild Master had warned her about them.


    The two confirmed they did, with Kara handing her the ticket she received from the harvesting hall, so Lina immediately started filling out the remaining necessary paperwork.


    Since the mission was deemed a success, Kara was registered as a B-rank adventurer, and Lina presented Kara with a silver badge inscribed with her rank and a receipt with which she could collect 1500 gold coins from the payment hall, 1200 being for the items sold to the Guild and 300 for completing the mission.


    Once all the paperwork concerning Kara was finished, Kara applied for the creation of a party in which she and Ophelia would be members so they could take future missions together without major complications. After a few more minutes of uninterrupted paperwork completion by Lina, all the necessary documents for creating a party were finalized, so the two said goodbye to Lina and headed to the payment hall to collect the money.


    To Kara''s surprise, there was no guard in the payment hall, only a very old man sitting at a desk reading a book. Behind him was a huge safe, which could easily fit ten diamond-clawed bears.


    ''Hmmm, although this old man looks like he has no more than a week left to live, the amount of mana in his body is far superior to that of the Guild Master. I wouldn''t be surprised if he were an S-rank adventurer in his youth...'', Kara thought to herself, her senses not deceived by the old man''s sluggish movements and his skills to make his presence as unremarkable as possible.


    "Hello, ladies. How can I assist you? I believe it''s the first time I''ve seen you here...", the old man asked with a benevolent smile on his face, putting aside the book he was reading.


    "Hello. We have some money to collect...", Kara replied shortly, not intending to engage in a lengthy conversation with the old man. She then approached the desk and handed him the receipt.


    "Alright, just give me a moment to see the amount... Hmmm, 1500 gold coins? It seems you two are not only very beautiful but also very capable. Too bad the other adventurers aren''t as hardworking. Or maybe it''s my luck because if I had to carry such sums of money all day, I''d never get rid of my back pains... Anyway, I would have liked to have great-granddaughters like you, but unfortunately, I never..."


    "Old man", Kara interrupted, not wanting to spend all day listening to him. "I''m sure you have many interesting things to say, but we''re in a bit of a hurry. My girlfriend and I want to go have lunch..."


    "Oh, so you''re in a relationship? Ha, ha! And here I was thinking of introducing you to two of my great-grandsons. Maybe you don''t know, but...", the old man started to talk again, his words beginning to irritate Kara more and more.


    "Old man, it seems you like to make jokes. Do you think I can''t tell that you''re aware of everything that happens in this building?", Kara interrupted again, her words surprising both the old man and Ophelia, who hadn''t paid much attention to the old man until then, merely impressed by how skillful he was in annoying Kara.


    "Ha, ha! What can I say? It''s rare for something interesting to happen around here, so it was hard for me to resist getting involved in this story...", the old man began to chuckle, very satisfied with the bored expression on Kara''s face.


    "The money, old man, the money!", Kara reminded the old man again, barely restraining herself from shaking him a bit because, although his mana quantity was very large, his body was truly weak.


    "Alright, alright... I know young people don''t have much patience...", the old man finally said, then, without any intervention, the safe door opened, and three bags of gold coins floated out and landed on the desk in front of the old man, who looked at them with pride, wanting to see how impressed they were. Unfortunately, his trick only had half the effect, as only Ophelia was impressed, Kara not seeming affected at all by what she saw.


    ''It seems this old man has some rather interesting skills. No wonder he''s so confident in his abilities...'', Kara thought to herself, having used her Predator''s Talent skill to learn how the old man managed to bring the money without even glancing at the safe. She found out that he used two skills simultaneously, one called Advanced Telekinesis, which allowed him to move objects with the power of his mind almost effortlessly, and one called Teleperception, which allowed him to see and hear things around him solely with the power of his mind.


    "Thank you, old man...", Kara said, using the Advanced Telekinesis skill she had just learned to lift the money bags from the desk and bring them in front of Ophelia, as the main effect of the Predator''s Talent was to help her obtain new skills and not to analyze them, leaving the old man gaping.


    "How, how did you manage to use this skill? I don''t think it''s possible for you to have the same class as me?", the old man asked, his words shocking Ophelia, who had believed until then that the old man was the one who brought the money in front of her.


    "How so, old man? I thought you knew everything... Well, it seems you have no choice but to live a while longer to find out...", Kara said, very pleased that she managed to catch the old man off guard, then gestured for Ophelia to store all the money in her ring''s storage space.


    "He, he!", laughed the old man in resignation." You''re right. There are still many things I have to learn..."


    "Okay, old man. We''ll talk another time...", Kara interrupted the old man again seeing that Ophelia had stored the money, then she took Ophelia''s hand and quickly headed towards the exit with her, not giving the old man a chance to get back at her, boring her again with his stories.

 Chapter 36. The Motivation to Practice a New Skill

    "That damn old man! He thinks that since he''s already with one foot in the grave, he can make jokes at anyone''s expense without any fear...", Kara expressed her displeasure after they left the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Ophelia didn''t know if Kara was truly as upset as she seemed or if she was exaggerating because she saw that she was amused by what had happened. However, she was absolutely convinced of one thing: Kara was extraordinarily cute when she was sulking.


    "There, there, don''t be upset. You know how old people are...", Ophelia began to gently pat Kara''s head, her tone very soothing.


    "......."


    "What happened?", Ophelia asked, noticing that Kara had stopped walking and was looking at her as if she were a stranger.


    "How should I put it? I didn''t expect you to play the big sister role so well..."


    Since in her mind the word "Ophelia" had started to become synonymous with "seduction," Kara didn''t expect Ophelia to have such a side, capable of calming emotions so effectively rather than igniting them.


    Hearing Kara''s response, Ophelia felt the urge to pull her by the ears. What was Kara trying to say? That she didn''t seem like a trustworthy person?


    "Maybe you''ve forgotten, Kara, but I am an older sister..."


    "It''s not that I forgot, but I didn''t expect you to have such a soothing aura. I rather thought that to calm your little sister down, you would make her blush by kissing her on the cheek, or pressing her head into your cleavage while hugging her...", Kara let her imagination run wild (proving that she has a talent for writing yuri novels).


    Well, Ophelia couldn''t say that such episodes had never happened, but each time they occurred unintentionally. How could she resist when her little sister was so cute?


    "Let''s put that aside. More importantly, how did you manage to use the same skill as the old man to make the money float? As far as I know, only those with the Mentalist class or its derivatives can control objects with the power of their mind...", Ophelia tried to change the subject, not wanting Kara to discover that her suspicion was mostly correct.


    "Oh, right. I think I haven''t told you yet that I can learn any skill I see...", Kara said nonchalantly, as if she had mentioned she could breathe.


    "Huh? You can learn any skill just by seeing it? There''s nothing else required?" Ophelia asked, remembering that the ability to learn skills could be found in certain types of demons, but the conditions were quite complicated. For example, some vampires can steal skills from their victims, but they need to feed on their blood daily for a week.


    "Yes, I just need to see the skill in action. For instance, I could use without any problem the skills you used to attack me yesterday. Of course, that doesn''t mean I can use them as effectively in combat as you from the beginning, and even less in various combinations, but I don''t think I would have a problem mastering them perfectly over time if I wanted to..."


    "That''s truly amazing! You probably already mastered hundreds of skills..."


    Seeing how enthusiastic Ophelia was, Kara didn''t quite know how to tell her that she hadn''t paid much attention to learning other skills until then.


    "...Not really. It''s not been long since I got this ability, so I haven''t had the chance to see any skills that suit my fighting style. Plus, it''s more satisfying to destroy my enemies using my bare hands...", Kara justified her lack of interest in acquiring new skills.


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    Hearing what Kara said, Ophelia couldn''t help but think to herself how great it must be to be so powerful that you no longer need to worry about skills.


    "So you used the old man''s skill just to humble him? You don''t plan on getting familiar with it?"


    "Well, it''s quite an interesting skill with many applications, so it wouldn''t be a bad idea to use it on other occasions. Imagine how funny it would be to make the opponents float towards me so I could cut them in half with my claws...", Kara tried to motivate herself to step out of her comfort zone, not really feeling like trying new things.


    Ophelia didn''t know what to say after hearing that the first situation that came to Kara''s mind suitable for using the skill she just learned sounded like something out of a horror story. Couldn''t she imagine using the skill for something more fulfilling for ordinary people, like flying?


    "...I think you could find other uses for it if you think about it more....", Ophelia finally said, a bit irritated that such a skill, which many dream of having, had fallen into the hands of someone who didn''t seem to know how to appreciate it.


    "Hmm, I think it would be interesting to use in bed too..."


    Ophelia had to admit to herself that Kara had a pretty vivid imagination when a subject interested her. Too bad there weren''t many such subjects.


    ''It seems that for Kara, a skill is only interesting if it can be used in battle or during sex...''


    ...................................


    Even though it was still an hour before noon, since the place Kara intended to take Ophelia to was a high-end restaurant where you had to wait a while after ordering for the food to be served, they headed straight there after leaving the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Given that the prices at this restaurant were far too high for the average person, Kara and Ophelia had no trouble finding an available table even without a reservation. They were led by a young waitress to a table by a window with a direct view of the fountain in the city center.


    After studying the menu for a few minutes, the two ordered the dishes that seemed most appealing to them. The waitress then brought a bottle of fruit wine that looked very expensive and poured them each a glass to enjoy while waiting for their food.


    Kara wasn''t a big fan of wine; she preferred to drink only cold water even on festive occasions. However, seeing Ophelia''s lips glisten after she sipped from her wine glass made the drink in front of Kara suddenly very tempting.


    Of course, Kara would have much preferred to kiss Ophelia, but since it was neither the time nor the place for that, the only way she could find out what Ophelia''s lips tasted like at that moment was by drinking from her own wine glass. Yet, it seemed Kara was not destined to be content with half measures, because just as she took the glass in hand, two young men appeared beside their table. Judging by their clothes and physique, they seemed to come from very wealthy families and were not too familiar with hard work.


    "Young ladies, would you do us the honor of accompanying us during lunch? My friend and I just arrived from the capital and we¡¯re not very familiar with this city, so we¡¯d appreciate it if you could give us some information about the main attractions. Of course, to compensate you, we¡¯ll cover the bill..." began the shorter of the two, who seemed quite skilled at chatting up girls, while his friend nodded like a duck, unable to decide whether to look at Kara or Ophelia.


    Hearing the young man''s words, Ophelia expected Kara to have a fit of anger, but to her surprise, Kara was very calm and even had a benevolent expression.


    ''It seems even Kara feels obliged to respect etiquette in such an upscale environment...''


    "Yes, I think I can help. I know a place where you can see the entire city...", Kara said with a bit of enthusiasm in her voice after the young man finished his pick-up lines.


    Seeing that they were successful, the two young men began to congratulate each other with their eyes, not noticing that the window had started to open by itself.


    "I''m glad to hear that. So... huh, what''s happening?", stopped talking the shorter one, who was intending to suggest that Kara and Ophelia move with them to a bigger table, as he noticed he was suddenly rising.


    Unfortunately for him, his desire to be taller was not fulfilled; instead, he was lifted into the air by Kara using the Advanced Telekinesis skill she had just learned, and before he could realize what was happening, both he and his friend were flying out the window, then up into the sky, Kara stopping when their screams were barely audible.


    "Aaaaaaaa!!!"


    "Help!!!"


    "I''m sure from a height of over 100 meters, they''ll have no problem finding all the city''s attractions...", Kara said after closing the window, not wanting their screams to ruin the ambient music.


    ''So much for etiquette... But I must admit the entire operation was very clean. Anyway, at least Kara found the motivation to practice her new skill...'', Ophelia thought to herself, who, like the other restaurant patrons, had watched what Kara did with her mouth agape.

 Chapter 37. Sweet Wine

    Since Kara managed to get rid of the uninvited guests without causing any disturbance, she believed she had acted in a very civilized manner.


    ''It seems that the other customers in the restaurant share the same opinion. I don''t hear anyone saying anything bad about my manners...''


    Well, it''s not like no one had anything to say, but what had happened convinced them to keep their opinions to themselves. What if they end up like those two?


    "So Kara, doesn''t it bother you to use this skill continuously? I think you won''t be able to relax as long as you''re paying attention to those two...", asked Ophelia, who had no idea if using Advanced Telekinesis was demanding for Kara.


    "Hmmm, it''s a bit annoying. It''s like watching a fly on the ceiling. Plus, with you in front of me, it''s quite hard not to forget about them..."


    It wasn''t long after Kara uttered these words that a loud thud was heard in front of the restaurant.


    "...Did you drop them from over 100 meters?"


    Ophelia didn''t dare to look out the window to confirm her suspicion. Would she still have an appetite if she saw the porridge those two had turned into?


    "Well, they seemed wealthy, so I assumed they had some sort of artifact to protect them... Yes, it looks like I was right. They''re unharmed, just fainted...", Kara reassured Ophelia, but her tone didn''t suggest she would have been sad if she had been wrong.


    When Ophelia looked out the window, all she saw were two unconscious people in the middle of the street, with no trace of blood around them. Before she withdrew her gaze, four well-equipped, sturdy men, most likely their guards, came running and retrieved them.


    ''Given how their guards are equipped, it''s almost certain that the two belong to some important noble families from the capital. Since such individuals, who have been raised with a silver spoon in their mouths, are not known for their patience and cannot stand being humiliated, I wouldn''t be surprised if they cross our path in the near future...''


    "Stop giving them so much attention. You''re making me lose confidence in my own charm...", Kara whispered in Ophelia''s ear, interrupting her thoughts.


    "Huh, why..."


    But before Ophelia could ask Kara why she had come so close, Kara moved her chair half a meter away from the table, causing Ophelia to let out a short gasp and lift her feet off the ground. Ophelia didn''t have time to scold her for scaring her because Kara immediately settled into her lap with the agility of a feline, adopting an extremely seductive posture.


    "I''m sorry, Ophelia, I can''t resist without your touch any longer... Mmmm, you smell so good...", Kara said in a voice full of passion as she buried her nose in Ophelia''s neck.


    With Kara resting her head on her shoulder, Ophelia''s face was just inches away from her generous cleavage, which rose and fell sensually with each breath, tempting Ophelia to give in to the urge and taste her silky skin.


    "Gulp..."


    ''This must be what a king feels like when his new concubine tries to win his favor...''


    But why did this opportunity have to arise in such an inappropriate place? Ophelia, who had been instilled with manners since she learned to walk, couldn''t indulge her desires knowing she was in a public location.


    "What''s wrong, Ophelia? Are you thirsty? Do you want me to give you the wine glass?", Kara asked Ophelia after hearing her swallow hard several times.


    How could a glass of wine help Ophelia? She didn''t think even 7 liters would be enough to quench her so-called thirst. But since she didn''t think she could control herself if Kara continued to sit in the same position, she nodded.


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    "Right away, my dear...", Kara said, straightening her torso and grabbing the glass from the table with her left hand, using very lascivious movements. However, she didn''t hand it to Ophelia but brought it directly to her mouth, teasing her lips with the cold surface.


    ''It seems Kara wants to play the role of a courtesan to the end. As if she weren''t attractive enough already...'', Ophelia thought to herself, mechanically taking a sip of wine. If there had been any chance that Kara was innocent, it was now clear to Ophelia that she was deliberately seducing her.


    "It seems truly delicious. Do you mind if I try some too?", Kara asked after removing the glass from Ophelia''s moist lips.


    ''...It''s okay...'', Ophelia consented, thinking that Kara wanted to drink from the same glass as her.


    But how could Kara settle for tasting the wine from a cold glass when she could taste it from Ophelia''s hot lips, which were less than 30 centimeters away from hers? Moreover, wouldn''t she waste all her previous effort to make Ophelia lower her guard?


    So Kara, without hesitation, put the glass back on the table, then leaned down to capture Ophelia''s lips in a passionate kiss, her tongue trying to plunder every trace of wine.


    Since Ophelia had been well "cooked" by Kara, she accepted the kiss with great enthusiasm, but the moment their lips parted and she remembered where she was, she was overcome with panic and started looking around to see if what they had done had been noticed by the other people in the restaurant.


    Fortunately, the chair had a fairly high back and the tables in front of them were unoccupied, so if anyone was paying attention to them, they could only see their legs.


    However, Ophelia didn''t have time to breathe a sigh of relief because Kara brought the glass back to her mouth, the expression on her face suggesting she was very eager to taste the wine again.


    ''Damn it, one more time can''t hurt...'', Ophelia thought, taking another sip of wine and waiting for Kara with parted lips.


    Since one more time couldn''t hurt, neither could another five times make much difference, so Kara didn''t stop until there was only a sip of wine left in the glass.


    "It was very sweet! Try it too, Ophelia..."


    Before Ophelia could understand what Kara wanted to do, as her brain slowed down due to lack of oxygen, she saw Kara pour the remaining wine into her own mouth without swallowing it, then leaned down to kiss her again.


    ''Ahh, she''s so hot...'', Ophelia sighed in her mind, opening her mouth before Kara''s lips made contact with hers to ensure no drop of wine would be wasted.


    Kara didn''t rush and spent 3-4 seconds admiring Ophelia''s erotic expression, and although she wanted to tease her a bit by making her wait, Ophelia''s longing gaze was too attractive for her, so she finally sealed her mouth, letting gravity do its job. Feeling Ophelia swallow the cocktail made of wine and her saliva, Kara had to make a great effort not to devour her mouth, fearing the wine would slip between their lips and stain their clothes.


    However, the more Kara restrained herself during the "liquid transfer", the wilder she began to kiss Ophelia after seeing her mouth empty, as if she wanted to steal all the air from her chest, at the end biting her lower lip gently to help her regain her senses.


    Admiring Ophelia''s red lips and moist eyes as she tried to discreetly catch her breath, Kara felt very proud of her idea.


    "Tell me, was it delicious?¡±


    ¡°¡­It was¡­¡±, Ophelia managed to answer between gasps, her only complaint being that her lungs were not as strong as Kara¡¯s.


    ¡°My glass is still full¡­¡±, Kara began to tempt Ophelia, burying her face in her neck again. ¡°Tell me, do you want to take another sip of wine?¡±


    But at that moment, Ophelia had other plans. Why should only Kara get to do what she wanted? With her nose once again close to Kara¡¯s cleavage, Ophelia no longer intended to hold back, so she leaned down and started biting the top of her chest.


    ¡°Mmmm, Ophelia¡­ what are you planning to do?¡± Kara asked, surprised that Ophelia had suddenly become so bold.


    But Ophelia¡¯s mouth was too busy to respond. As if fearing Kara might try to escape, Ophelia secured her back with her left hand while her right hand began pushing Kara¡¯s breasts toward her face through the shirt, leaving dozens of bites and kisses on the visible skin.


    ¡°Umm, Ophelia¡­¡± Kara tried to interrupt, sensing someone approaching them. Letting her entire body succumb to Ophelia and partially covering her mouth with a fist to muffle her moans, she was more attractive than ever.


    But Ophelia was far too excited at that moment to realize from Kara¡¯s tone that something was wrong, her face almost completely buried between Kara¡¯s breasts. Fortunately, the shirt Kara was wearing was of high quality, its buttons at chest level heroically withstanding Ophelia¡¯s repeated assaults, seeking as much softness as possible.


    ¡°...Excuse me, young ladies. I¡¯ve come to serve your food¡­¡±


    ¡°!!!!!!!!¡±


    Hearing the voice of the young waitress who had taken their order half an hour ago, Ophelia froze completely for two seconds, unable to decide whether it would be better to continue hiding her head in Kara¡¯s cleavage or to act as if she hadn¡¯t done anything indecent.


    ¡®Damn it, whatever I do, it¡¯s impossible not to get labeled as a hooligan¡­¡¯

 Chapter 38. Laying the Groundwork

    Ultimately reaching the conclusion that it was better to be considered a hooligan who knew moderation than one out of control, Ophelia lifted her face from Kara''s chest, trying to bury the shame of being caught in a very compromising situation under a mask of indifference.


    However, after seeing Kara, who was sitting quietly in her lap with a bashful expression and wrinkled clothes that could make anyone think she had suffered a great injustice, Ophelia couldn''t help but curse in her mind.


    ''Why is she acting all innocent now? Isn''t she the one who started this?''


    "Kara, I think it''s time for you to go back to your seat...", Ophelia said with a bit of impatience in her voice, then gestured to the young waitress to start serving the food.


    "...But why, mistress?... Did I do something wrong?", Kara asked with a trembling voice, her eyes wide as if an affirmative answer from Ophelia would mean her death sentence.


    "!!!!!!!"


    Hearing Kara''s words, Ophelia didn''t even have the courage to look at the waitress, certain that she would see nothing but condemnation in her eyes.


    ''As if being a hooligan wasn''t embarrassing enough, now I have to be seen as a bastard who enjoys exploiting the emotions of innocent girls...''


    The situation wasn''t actually as bad as Ophelia thought, since the young waitress didn''t think it was such a terrible thing to be the plaything of a woman as beautiful as Ophelia. She, at least, wouldn''t have minded being in Kara''s place at that moment.


    However, Ophelia had no way of knowing the thoughts of the blushing waitress who was placing the plates of food on the table and was swallowing hard every time she looked at them more or less accidentally, so she continued to search for a way to get out of that situation as quickly as possible.


    ''Well, I don''t think I''ll be able to calm Kara down unless I resort to extreme measures...'', Ophelia thought to herself after a few seconds during which her brain was working at full capacity. She then brought her mouth as close as possible to Kara''s ear and whispered in a very seductive tone:


    "Tell me, Kara, what''s more important to you: continuing this charade or having sex tonight?"


    It seemed that Ophelia was willing to go down with Kara if her gamble didn''t pay off, as she would have to spend the night without releasing the arousal that had built up from the dozens of passionate kisses until then to punish Kara if she chose the first option.


    Fortunately for her (and for those who enjoy reading scenes not suitable for minors), it seemed that Ophelia won the bet because, as if her words were filled with magic, Kara shed all her shyness in less than a second. After quickly giving Ophelia a goodbye kiss on the cheek, Kara got up from her lap and walked towards her chair, brimming with confidence and elegance, passing by the waitress who had witnessed everything with her mouth agape.


    ''Damn... These girls really know how to have fun...'', the waitress thought to herself, believing that everything she had seen was just a game between the two to spice up their relationship.


    ...............................


    "It''s not like I didn''t try to warn you that someone was coming...", Kara said after the waitress finished her job and left.


    "Heh, as if you couldn''t have escaped from my arms whenever you wanted...", Ophelia retorted, convinced that Kara''s goal was to tease her as revenge for not fully cooperating with her plans.


    "Well, you were really very aggressive... And, I didn''t have the heart to interrupt your fun...", Kara defended herself in a tone full of bitterness. Why was she blamed in the end, even though her intentions were unquestionably good?


    "Cough! Cough!", Ophelia almost choked on her food. She couldn''t deny that she had had a very good time, but she didn''t want to let Kara use that to get away with it.


    ''But what can I do? How can you win a debate when your opponent can bend and stretch without a hint of shame?'', Ophelia wondered, unable to find any way to make Kara admit that she had bad intentions. She would have brought up the fact that Kara started acting very timidly as soon as the waitress came with the food, but she was sure that Kara had a ready excuse for that, like genuinely panicking because she had never been in such a situation before.


    ''Ugh! It''s really exhausting to deal with someone so stubborn. Besides, it wouldn''t bring me much satisfaction even if I managed to make her admit that she wanted to put me in an embarrassing situation...'', Ophelia ultimately decided to abandon the fight to prove Kara''s guilt, consoling herself with the thought that there would be future opportunities to get back at Kara in the same way.


    ''Yes, it would be wonderful if I could sometimes make her genuinely as timid and submissive as she pretended to be at the beginning in front of the waitress...''


    Hiding her dangerous intentions towards Kara, Ophelia directed her attention to the delicious dishes in front of her. Since she had been trying to use her money as frugally as possible in recent months, she had avoided entering such luxury restaurants, so it was no surprise that the food in front of her seemed very attractive at that moment.


    "The fact that Kara knows how to pamper me makes up for her sins...", Ophelia told herself as she brought a piece of pheasant steak covered in truffle sauce to her mouth.


    Thinking about her recent financial situation, Ophelia remembered that she and Kara still hadn''t divided the money obtained from the mission, with Kara having given her all the money to keep before they left the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ''Considering that most of the money was obtained for the diamond-clawed bear and that Kara didn''t need any of my help to complete the mission, I think everything should go to Kara...''


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    Ophelia began to tell Kara what she was thinking, but Kara didn''t want to hear it.


    "Well, I didn''t give you the money just to hold on to it, I gave it to you so it would be yours..."


    Ophelia didn''t know what to think about Kara''s decision. It was true that she needed to save a large sum of money and that it would have been almost impossible to do so without Kara, but there was a difference between earning the money with Kara''s help and having it given to her by Kara. Wouldn''t it seem like she was taking advantage of Kara if she continued to accept the fruits of Kara''s labor without any hesitation? Moreover, Ophelia didn''t want their relationship, which was already unbalanced because Kara was much stronger than her, to become even more unbalanced if she allowed herself to be financially supported by Kara.


    "I don''t think you should worry too much about this, Ophelia...", Kara began to say, seeing Ophelia''s hesitation to accept the money. "If I had to work myself to the bone, I would understand that you would feel guilty about taking money from me, but since I am capable of earning a fortune as easily as snapping my fingers, I don''t see why you would have any reason to refuse..."


    "I don''t know what to say... It''s like I''m being kept...", Ophelia said, Kara''s words failing to dispel all her worries.


    "And what''s so bad about that? It''s not like I''m some lecherous old man...", Kara joked, but the result was not what she expected, as Ophelia gave her an angry look, so she immediately corrected herself: "Ahem, I meant to say that you are my wife. If I don''t give you the money I earn, who should I give it to?"


    Ophelia couldn''t help but roll her eyes.


    ''As I concluded before, it''s hard to argue with someone very shameless...'', she complained to herself, but it was quite evident from her smile that she was pleasantly surprised by Kara calling her her wife. Moreover, Kara''s words managed to dispel almost all of her worries. Yes, if they form a family, why should they keep track of how much money each earned? Shouldn''t everything that is hers also be Kara''s and everything that is Kara''s also be hers? As for the imbalance in their relationship, it was once again confirmed to Ophelia that it had no influence on their interactions. Isn''t just one frown from her enough to put Kara in her place?


    As if wanting to test her powers, Ophelia decided not to let Kara off so easily, bringing up a topic they had only discussed once before she became Kara''s lover.


    "I don''t know. Didn''t you say you wouldn''t stop until you''ve conquered all the beauties in the world? Maybe you should give it to one of them..."


    Since all Kara''s thoughts at that moment were about Ophelia, it took Kara a few moments to remember her intentions after leaving The Great Moonshadow Forest.


    "It''s true that was my plan... What can I say? After spending more than a year alone in the wilderness, it was expected I''d have all sorts of ideas... Probably because I lacked affection...", said Kara, who felt quite fulfilled being in a relationship with just Ophelia and didn''t intend to have another lover anytime soon.


    Moreover, if Ophelia were really against someone else joining them, she wouldn''t regret spending her entire life with just Ophelia, even if her life would stretch on for eternity.


    "Oh, so now the plan has changed?", Ophelia asked, genuinely surprised that Kara no longer seemed so determined to fulfill her dream of being surrounded by many beauties.


    "Well, as long as you don''t agree, I won''t let anyone else get close to me..."


    Although Ophelia was very satisfied with Kara''s response as it confirmed that she already held a very important place in Kara''s heart, she couldn''t help but wonder if it might be wrong to try to keep Kara just for herself, because she didn''t want Kara to feel chained by the love she had for her in the future.


    ''Besides, I think a considerate lover who accepts her as she is would be much more to Kara''s liking in the long run than an extremely jealous one...'', Ophelia thought, aware that Kara wasn''t the kind of person who liked to control her greed.


    "It''s not entirely impossible for me to allow you to have other lovers...", Ophelia finally said, then brought another piece of pheasant steak to her mouth.


    "Huh?"


    Kara couldn''t help but wonder if her hearing was playing tricks on her. Did Ophelia really say she agreed for her to be in a relationship with other girls? And if she did, wasn''t she agreeing too easily?


    "Ummm, Ophelia, what brought this on all of a sudden?"


    "I thought it would be good to establish some things from the beginning, so there won''t be any misunderstandings later. As I said, I can agree for you to have other lovers, but I won''t accept anyone who wants to take my place in your heart. I don''t intend to participate in all sorts of intrigues and plots like those between a king''s wives and concubines, so if someone wants to be with you, they''ll have to treat me as if we''re part of the same family. Plus, they have to be someone I like as well, because I don''t plan to interact every day with someone who annoys me...", Ophelia began listing the conditions that Kara''s future lovers would have to meet.


    "...."


    "What happened? I expected you to be more excited...", Ophelia asked, seeing that Kara was just listening without saying anything, the expression on her face showing she was troubled by something.


    "...How should I put it... it seems a bit inappropriate to discuss this on our first date... It''s like you''re eagerly waiting to see me with other girls...", Kara replied hesitantly, not wanting Ophelia to think she was insecure.


    Ophelia felt like swearing when she heard the reason for Kara''s unease.


    ''What the heck, I''m making an effort to keep my jealousy under control, but instead of being moved by my sacrifice, Kara starts doubting my feelings for her?''


    Ophelia intended to reproach Kara for her emotional immaturity, but remembering that Kara didn''t grow up in the same environment as she did, where you had to learn to control your emotions as soon as you started walking, and that Kara was a few years younger than her, she decided to act calmly.


    "Kara, I really like you and I think I''m starting to fall in love with you, but I don''t have the habit of letting emotions control me when planning the future. Anyway, that doesn''t mean I won''t be jealous if I see you flirting with other girls, and deep down I''ll always want you to put me first, so for these reasons, I''d prefer to have a significant role in the courting process of your future lovers to make sure I''m not neglected and that I have a harmonious relationship with them."


    Even though Kara wasn''t an expert in intrigue, it wasn''t difficult for her to understand that Ophelia wanted to monopolize her in a subtle way, trying to be as involved as possible in the relationships she might have with other girls in the future. However, Kara wasn''t at all annoyed by this; in fact, she felt relieved because it showed that Ophelia was quite possessive of her, a clear sign that she had become important to Ophelia as well. Well, maybe that was Ophelia''s goal, otherwise, she probably wouldn''t have exposed her intentions so clearly.


    Anyway, it seemed that Ophelia had managed to create an image of the perfect wife in Kara''s eyes: one who doesn''t restrict her freedom but intends to always be by her side to ensure she remains the most important to her, Kara avoiding to deeply analyze how much of this image illustrated reality and how much was painted by Ophelia. But what other option did she have to keep her peace? It''s hard to be the lover of someone with great emotional intelligence and who is an expert in calculating the advantages and disadvantages of any decision made.


    "I think I understand, but for now, I don''t intend to let anyone else join us, so it would be advisable for you to eat well now to have enough energy for tonight because you won''t have anyone to share my love with...", Kara decided to end this discussion that had deviated too much and, honestly, she couldn''t even remember what started it (just as neither the author nor probably the readers remember), as she began to seriously eat from the plate in front of her, which was almost untouched.

 Chapter 39. Legal Tender

    Ophelia still had some technical details to discuss with Kara regarding how she would recruit other girls to join them, but realizing that Kara wasn''t very comfortable discussing such topics at their first date, she decided to postpone this discussion until a potential candidate appeared.


    Anyway, it wasn''t as if all the girls would throw themselves into Kara''s arms, because although she was very attractive, she was also very intimidating.


    ''Maybe I should have considered that Kara wasn''t raised in a noble family. Yes, for her, such formal discussions at the first date might seem a bit strange...'', Ophelia thought to herself, once again confirming that for Kara, entering a romantic relationship with someone didn''t involve calculations at all, but was solely based on feelings. Perhaps this was also the main reason why she agreed that Kara could have relationships with other girls, because she felt guilty that her love couldn''t be as pure as Kara''s.


    Until they finished the food on their plates, the two avoided discussing such complicated topics, choosing instead to focus on their plans for the near future. Knowing that Ophelia was under pressure due to the problems waiting for her at home and that she wanted to visit The Great Dungeon nearby as soon as possible to become stronger and earn the money needed to pay off her debt, Kara suggested that they set off to its location the very next day.


    Initially, Kara thought it would be simpler to go directly with Ophelia to her home and eliminate all those who caused her problems, but realizing that Ophelia didn''t want to become an outlaw by violating noble norms, which would make it impossible for her to obtain the title of marquis, she no longer proposed this, deciding to follow Ophelia''s plan. Moreover, she didn''t want to miss the chance to spend a few weeks alone with Ophelia, without anyone disturbing them, considering the likelihood of Ophelia''s sister being a third wheel once they arrived at Ophelia''s home to be quite high.


    Noticing that Ophelia really enjoyed the food at the restaurant and being aware that they couldn''t waste time cooking while adventuring in the Great Dungeon, Kara asked for the menus again when the waitress brought the dessert, as she intended to order about 100 portions of their favorite dishes to store in her storage space provided by the Predator''s Locker skill, where they would always remain fresh.


    "Honorable customers, I don''t want to seem like I''m doubting your honesty, but for such a large order, you will need to pay in advance...", the waitress said, a bit intimidated at the thought of taking an order worth as much as the total sales of an ordinary day.


    "It''s alright. After my girlfriend and I take a few minutes to look over the menus, we''ll call you to calculate the total cost...", Kara said, taking the menus from the waitress''s hand and then handing one to Ophelia.


    Ophelia already knew from Kara about the properties of her storage space, so she didn''t think that Kara''s idea of ordering such a large quantity of food at once was strange.


    "Kara, should I pay with the money we got from the mission?", Ophelia asked after the waitress left. She didn''t intend to try convincing Kara to save money, knowing she wouldn''t succeed, as Kara seemed extremely determined to offer her the best.


    "There''s no need. I plan to trade a diamond-clawed bear instead...", Kara replied, not intending to use the money she had just given Ophelia as she wanted to maintain her image as a wealthy girlfriend.


    Ophelia found it hard to imagine such a transaction taking place in such a luxurious restaurant.


    "...Are you sure they will accept?"


    "Why not? Not only is the meat of a diamond-clawed bear very valuable, but it''s also very difficult to obtain...", Kara explained, clearly not seeing the situation from the same perspective as Ophelia. Given that she had only visited luxury restaurants a few times with Alice for festive occasions, it was understandable that she wasn''t too familiar with the etiquette required in such a place.


    "Yes, it will be a bit strange, but they probably won''t refuse...", Ophelia said, thinking that etiquette is almost always overridden by the prospect of a hefty profit. She then started to study the menu, occasionally taking a spoonful of the strawberry parfait the waitress had just brought.


    After the two decided on the dishes they wanted to order, Kara touched the yellow stone in the center of the table to call the waitress, who promptly arrived with a notepad in hand. After they told the waitress their desired dishes and the quantities, Kara added a few bottles of fruit wine to the order, intending to recreate the wine-tasting episode in the near future, along with 10 portions of each type of dessert and nearly a hundred juice boxes as she noticed from Ophelia''s expression of satisfaction when she took a spoonful of parfait that she had a weakness for sweet things.


    "Alright. I''ll need a few minutes to calculate the final cost." the waitress said after they finished ordering, intending to check her calculations at least three times to ensure no mistakes. If Kara and Ophelia were as arrogant as most clients, she might have checked even ten times, but perhaps due to the compromising situation she had caught them in an hour earlier, she had started to feel quite familiar with them, so she wasn''t very stressed.


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    "All of this costs 748 gold coins. Adding the 8 gold coins for what you''ve already consumed, we have a total of 756 gold coins...", the waitress said after five minutes, never imagining that someone would be willing to spend so much money on food at once. Even if she was well-paid, she would have to work nearly two years to earn such a sum.


    "Sounds okay. Do you think I could pay with a bear?", Kara asked, not intending to bore herself by verifying the waitress''s calculations.


    "With what?", the waitress asked, stunned.


    ''Could I have been wrong about them? Don''t tell me they are the type of customers who want to cause trouble?'', she began to panic, suspecting the two were trying to find a pretext not to pay for what they had consumed.


    "I have a freshly hunted diamond-clawed bear that I haven''t had time to sell to the Adventurers'' Guild or the Trade Guild, and I thought of trading it in exchange for the ordered food. Since a specimen is worth at least 1200 gold coins, I think it wouldn''t be a bad deal for the restaurant. Of course, if this isn''t possible, we will pay for what we''ve consumed now and return in an hour to pay for the new order...", Kara explained the transaction she wanted to make with the restaurant.


    "I understand, but I won''t be able to decide that myself. You''ll need to speak with the manager...", the waitress said after analyzing Kara''s words for a few seconds, as she didn''t want to be blamed for missing the chance for the restaurant to make a huge profit, although she preferred to avoid complicated situations.


    "Okay, then I''ll go with you to the manager, but first, I''d like to offer you a small token of appreciation both for your exemplary service and for facilitating this transaction...", Kara said, pulling 10 gold coins from her storage space and handing them to the waitress.


    "This is too much!", the waitress exclaimed, realizing the sum Kara handed her, recalling that she had never received even a single gold coin as a tip, even when the clients were high-ranking nobles.


    ''Is it possible that one of them is a princess or the daughter of a duke traveling incognito to spend time with her secret lover?'', the waitress''s imagination began to run wild, with Kara and Ophelia becoming the characters in a story of forbidden love.


    "Well, the customer is always right, so if I consider it an appropriate amount, you are obliged to accept it...", Kara interrupted the waitress''s thoughts, her tone reminding the waitress of the unruly young ladies from wealthy families.


    Feeling she had fulfilled her moral duty by refusing the overly generous tip once, the waitress accepted the money Kara offered without further contradiction, thanking her very sweetly, then invited Kara to accompany her to the restaurant manager''s office.


    Initially, the restaurant manager wasn''t very enthusiastic about Kara''s offer, but after consulting the person responsible for meat supplies and learning the price of a diamond-clawed bear, his attitude towards Kara became much more hospitable.


    Since the terms of the transaction were quite clear, it didn''t take long for Kara to strike a deal with the manager, and then she was led to a private room where she pulled the huge bear from her storage space under the astonished gazes of the manager and the two butchers he had summoned.


    As the manager proposed to use an artifact with advanced storage space properties similar to Kara''s to store the food immediately once it''s ready to guarantee its freshness, Kara didn''t need to spend several hours in the restaurant to store the food one by one, as she could return in the evening to collect all the food at once.


    Returning to the table where Ophelia was waiting after a quarter of an hour, Kara found Ophelia reading a book with a glass of fruit juice in front of her, which she had likely ordered recently since it was untouched, probably expecting Kara to spend more time negotiating.


    "It seems you were successful...", Ophelia said, seeing that Kara was in a very good mood.


    "Well, it was to be expected. There are places where the diamond-clawed bear is recognized as official currency..."


    Hearing the nonsense Kara was saying in a very serious tone, Ophelia rolled her eyes, not intending to make the effort to contradict her.


    "Yeah, sure... I''m sure such places exist..."


    "You should know that there really is such a place. Since I became the ruler of The Great Moonshadow Forest, I have the power to decide what the official currency is there...", Kara said, very confident that her reasoning had no flaw.


    "I don''t know what to say. I have a feeling you''re abusing your position to cheat...", Ophelia accused jokingly, putting the book back into her ring''s storage space. "Anyway, will we stay here until all the food is ready, or will we visit other places?" she continued, suspecting it would take quite a while for the restaurant''s chefs to prepare everything they ordered.


    "The manager promised to take measures to keep all the food fresh until this evening, so there''s no reason to spend the whole day here. We can stroll around for about 6 hours..."


    Ophelia agreed with Kara''s plan, but having eaten a bit too much that day, her belly began to send her subtle yet insistent signals.


    "Alright, but first I need to go to the bathroom... Do you need to go too?", Ophelia said, a bit embarrassed to bring up this subject in front of her new girlfriend.


    Since Kara''s body had become capable of converting absolutely everything she consumed into energy, she didn''t need to go to the bathroom for anything other than to freshen up in the mirror. However, thinking that going to the bathroom would show they were already very familiar with each other, she responded affirmatively.


    "Kara, it''s kind of weird to go to the bathroom holding hands..." Ophelia said, seeing Kara reach out her hand after they stood up. She remembered how she used to go to the bathroom with her younger sister before she was 10 years old.


    But could she refuse Kara, who was looking at her like a puppy afraid of being abandoned? Ophelia didn''t have the strength to do that, so she ended up taking Kara''s hand, hoping that Kara wouldn''t insist on sharing the same stall, as her sister used to do.

 Chapter 40. Bathroom Conversations

    ''Maybe I should learn to refuse Kara sometimes...'', Ophelia thought to herself as she headed towards the bathroom, holding Kara''s hand under the curious gazes of the other restaurant patrons.


    The fact that they were the center of attention was no surprise to Ophelia, because both she and Kara were extremely attractive, making it almost impossible for them to go unnoticed even if 2,000 people were in the restaurant, not just around 30. However, due to the incident with the two young men who flew out the window next to their table, which made everyone present wonder about their identities, those watching seemed much more attentive to every detail about them, making Ophelia feel a bit uncomfortable.


    ''Since the restaurant patrons don''t know that Kara and I are a couple, seeing us¡ªtwo girls around 20 years old¡ªholding hands while going to the bathroom probably makes them wonder if our minds haven''t matured yet...'', Ophelia began to imagine what people around them would think when they saw them entering the bathroom holding hands.


    But to Ophelia''s relief, this situation ended before they reached the bathroom door, as everyone looking at them was intimidated by the killing intent Kara let loose, who, although not knowing what was on Ophelia''s mind, realized that Ophelia was bothered by the prying eyes around them. Well, it''s also true that she was irritated by seeing so many people staring at her girlfriend.


    Once they entered the women''s bathroom, which was empty at that moment, Kara''s possessiveness calmed down, so she separated from Ophelia to let her take care of her needs in peace and headed to the mirror to tidy up for a few minutes. Well, it¡¯s not like she had much to do, with the combination of the passive skills Predator''s Charm and Predator''s Constitution making her always look perfect and any trace of dirt, even the finest particles of dust, being eliminated from her body in just a few minutes.


    Kara had been aware since she was little that she looked very good, but seeing her reflection in the huge mirror, she couldn''t help but be stunned for a few seconds, her fierce beauty and athletic, sexy body being extremely captivating. Additionally, her penetrating eyes that seemed capable of seeing beneath the skin and her tempting smile that had the power to banish reason from the minds of those who looked at her could easily place her at the top of the "bad girls who steal hearts" list, as the adventurer woman who sometimes joined her father''s missions and was attracted to women described those seemingly made to flirt with other women.


    ''No wonder Ophelia was so eager to take the initiative last night. I''d also like to tame such a bad girl...''


    "What''s happening, Kara? Don''t tell me you''ve found a new love...", Ophelia joked after leaving the stall where she had relieved herself, seeing how absorbed Kara was in her own reflection.


    "Well, I was thinking that you must have extraordinary mental strength, otherwise I don''t understand how you managed to resist my advances for almost 5 hours...", Kara said after turning her gaze towards Ophelia, her words making it quite evident that she was very proud of her physical appearance.


    "What can I say? The fact that less than a minute after I first met you, I saw you massacring three people gave me some immunity to your charm for a while...", Ophelia reminded Kara of her lack of delicacy at the moment they met.


    Thinking about how much time she had spent trying to convince Ophelia that she posed no danger to her, Kara couldn''t deny that the way she acted was not very suitable for winning over a girl.


    ''It''s not like I haven''t realized until now that being so violent in front of Ophelia didn''t work in my favor. How should I put it? Girls are more delicate than female bears in front of whom males fight to the death. But on the other hand, what I did also had good consequences because it helped me understand Ophelia''s character and see if she was suitable for me. Yes, I wouldn''t want to enter a relationship with someone in front of whom I''d have to constantly keep my instincts in check. Anyone who wants to be my lover must be prepared to see a lot of people die...'', Kara tried to rid herself of remorse by looking on the bright side.


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    "...Yes, maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic. I should have eliminated them after we got acquainted...", Kara finally said, concluding that it wasn''t her actions that were inappropriate, but the order in which she did them.


    "......", Ophelia was left speechless, not understanding how Kara thought this approach would have been much better.


    ''With such a mentality, Kara would have remained single for a long time if I hadn''t come along...'', Ophelia thought to herself, realizing she must indeed possess great mental strength¡ªnot because she didn''t immediately fall for Kara, but because she managed to stop being afraid of her.


    "...Anyway, don''t you need to use the bathroom?", Ophelia asked to change the subject, not intending to waste time trying to explain to Kara what was wrong with her conclusion, knowing it would be in vain since Kara was very stubborn once she decided on something. Then she approached the sink and started washing her hands.


    "Not really. In recent months, I''ve needed it less and less, and now I don''t feel the need to go to the bathroom at all..."


    Hearing what Kara said, Ophelia couldn''t help but compare their current situation to someone taking their pet outside to relieve itself.


    "Then why did you come? Just to admire yourself in the mirror?", Ophelia asked, visibly irritated, as she retrieved a mouth-cleansing potion from the storage space of her ring.


    "Well, in the town where I grew up, there weren''t any luxurious restaurants like this, so I was curious about what the bathroom looked like...", Kara found a reason to justify accompanying Ophelia to the bathroom, perhaps thinking that admitting her clinginess had gotten out of control would diminish her "bad girl" aura.


    "Then you should stay here for another half hour to explore every nook and cranny...", Ophelia said, who probably would have been dissatisfied with any answer she would have received. Then she poured the potion into her mouth, paying no further attention to Kara.


    Seeing Ophelia''s attitude, Kara was left scratching her head, having no idea what to say to appease her.


    ''What should I do in this situation? It''s a pity there isn''t a manual on how to appease your girlfriend, similar to the one about dungeon exploration. Well, there are Aunt Ava''s tips, but considering that her girlfriend was almost always angry with her, I don''t know if they''re reliable...''


    But Kara had no other alternatives, so she began to recall all the advice given by her father''s colleague, trying to see if there was anything that could help her get out of this complicated situation, in which, honestly, she didn''t quite know how she got into.


    ''Hmmm, if I think about it, many of the things she said that I thought in the past were just to tease me, now don''t seem entirely senseless... Like the fact that in a relationship any mistake can be redeemed if you pay with your own body...'', Kara thought to herself, turning her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. ''Yes, that might work...'', she concluded after trying 2-3 seductive expressions.


    Approaching Ophelia, who had just used a spell to refresh herself, another proof that her understanding of mana wasn''t limited to just using skills, Kara hugged her from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder.


    "Kara, you..."


    But Kara didn''t intend to give Ophelia a chance to reprimand her, so she pressed her lips to Ophelia''s ear, her hot breath making Ophelia feel like her brain was starting to boil.


    "Hey, Ophelia, how about tonight I let you do whatever you want with me for two hours?", Kara whispered in Ophelia''s ear, these words causing Ophelia to forget all the reproaches she had wanted to make to Kara.


    "Really?... Anything I want?", Ophelia asked, visibly excited by this offer. Since Kara''s physical condition was far superior, she didn''t think she''d have the chance to be on top anytime soon.


    "Anything you want...", Kara confirmed, letting all her body weight rest on Ophelia''s back as if her muscles had lost the ability to contract.


    "You better keep your word...", Ophelia said, deciding not to give importance to all those irritating thoughts anymore. What''s the point of staying angry? Isn''t it better to take revenge in bed?


    "Of course. My mistress''s words will be my command..."


    Hearing Kara''s seductive tone, Ophelia began to swallow involuntarily. She didn''t quite know how she would be able to contain her excitement until the evening.


    "...Kara, do you think I can use 10 minutes in advance?", Ophelia finally asked, her gaze becoming increasingly dangerous. As she was already quite aroused by what had happened before lunch, her reason had no chance of keeping her lust in check.

 Chapter 41. Out of Order (R-18)

    Seeing how Ophelia placed the ''out of order'' sign at the entrance to the bathroom and locked the door to ensure they wouldn''t be disturbed, Kara began to suspect that Ophelia didn''t plan to stop at just a few kisses, as she had initially thought when she accepted her request.


    ''Is Ophelia intending to go all the way? Wait a second... So, the place where I''ll be fucked for the first time will be a restaurant bathroom? Well, I can''t deny it''s exciting, but it will be a bit embarrassing to remember....''


    Kara was starting to doubt whether she had made the right decision in agreeing with Ophelia because she thought that if the situation did evolve as she expected, Ophelia would likely tease her for a long time about that moment. However, she didn''t get the chance to hesitate for more than a few moments because, after her eyes made contact with Ophelia''s desire-filled gaze, who was approaching her with steps exuding lasciviousness but extremely determined, reminding her of a snake ready to swallow its prey which had just started to lose mobility due to its venomous bite, the fact that they were in an inappropriate place became completely irrelevant as her mind filled with excitement at the thought of being served by an extremely attractive woman like Ophelia.


    "I thought you preferred to be on the offensive, but it seems you''re quite eager to be on the receiving end...", Ophelia said when she reached Kara, who was leaning against one of the marble sinks.


    "Well, I''m sure you''ll make me feel very good... Plus, it pleases me to see that you''re so attracted to me..."


    Ophelia could tell that Kara''s words were sincere and that she didn''t intend to tease her. However, this didn''t boost her confidence; rather, it had the opposite effect, making her feel a bit under pressure. Not having Kara''s physical stamina nor much knowledge about how to satisfy a woman, as this hadn''t been one of her interests before meeting Kara, she began to worry that she wouldn''t meet Kara''s expectations.


    "What''s wrong, Ophelia? Can''t decide where to start?", Kara asked jokingly, seeing that Ophelia was starting to lose her nerve. "Or do you need some more lessons..."


    "Shut up... just be obedient...", Ophelia interrupted her, grabbing Kara by the chin. Then, after taking a deep breath, she captured Kara''s lips and began kissing her very dominantly.


    Although Kara was amused by Ophelia''s sequence of actions and considered teasing her by showing signs of a counterattack, she kept her promise and let Ophelia dictate the pace of the kiss until the end, not hindering Ophelia''s exploration of every corner of her mouth with her tongue.


    "I adore your taste, Kara...", Ophelia said after biting Kara hard on the lower lip. Knowing she wasn''t capable of leaving any marks on Kara''s body, Ophelia made no effort to control her strength, giving the impression that she wanted to tear off a piece of flesh with each bite.


    As the bathroom was very spacious and amplified every sound, Kara covered her mouth with the back of one hand to muffle her moans while Ophelia moved towards her chest, kissing and biting everything in her path. Stimulated by this extremely seductive posture of Kara, complemented by a pair of large, wet eyes that seemed to belong to a frightened deer, Ophelia began to let herself be completely driven by instincts, her movements becoming increasingly natural.


    "Who would have thought that beneath your tough and dangerous girl image, you''re such a delicate girl...", Ophelia whispered in Kara''s ear as her hands began to struggle with the buttons on Kara''s shirt.


    "That''s not true... I just want to please you... In reality, I''m very bad..." Kara said between deep breaths, but how much truth was in those words even she probably didn''t know, as she played the role of the submissive person increasingly well and effortlessly.


    "A bad girl? Are you sure?", Ophelia asked, amused by Kara''s tone. It was like a cat trying to prove it was a tiger.


    "Yes, the baddest...", Kara replied, trying to have a dangerous and seductive expression. Unfortunately, the moisture in her eyes and the blush in her cheeks didn''t help her achieve the desired effect.


    "As you say, Kara... But you should be careful, because bad girls almost never escape unpunished...", Ophelia warned Kara, and in the next moment, she bit Kara''s ear and squeezed her breasts, which had spilled out of her half-open shirt, as if to demonstrate that she was capable of taking on the responsibility of taming Kara.


    "Ahhhmm...", Kara let out a loud moan, taken by surprise by Ophelia''s combo attack. Although Kara felt almost no pain regardless of how rough Ophelia was with her, it was quite difficult for her to endure such treatment, her body not being used to such stimuli, nor her mind to the image of an extremely sexy woman seemingly intent on devouring her.


    "It seems that as firm as your breasts are, they are equally sensitive...", Ophelia continued to whisper in Kara''s ear while her fingertips tried their best to alter the shape of Kara''s breasts.


    This wasn''t really news to Kara, as she had discovered it the previous evening when she let Ophelia play with her breasts while they had sex. It had actually been a surprise for her, as she was aware until then that she was very attracted to breasts, especially large ones like Ophelia''s, and was very eager to taste a pair, but she didn''t expect to derive so much pleasure from someone else playing with her breasts.


    Anyway, Kara wouldn''t have wanted to admit this, but the intensity of her moans, which she tried to muffle with the back of her hand, gave her away, Ophelia''s sly smile being a clear sign that she no longer needed any other confirmation.


    However, just groping Kara''s breasts wasn''t enough to satisfy Ophelia, who had been longing to taste them again since before lunch when they were interrupted by the waitress who brought their food. So, without any warning, Ophelia bent down and grabbed Kara from under her buttocks, lifting her onto the edge of the sink she was leaning against to facilitate access to her chest.


    "It seems they missed my lips too...", Ophelia said, teasing the erect nipples of Kara''s breasts with her fingers as Kara leaned her hands on the edges of the sink and rested her head against the mirror, resembling a cake displayed in a showcase, ready to be savored. Fearing that she wouldn''t be able to finish the job again, Ophelia didn''t intend to spend much time teasing Kara, so she immediately brought her face to Kara''s breasts, which she attacked with everything she had, trying to cover as much of their surface as possible with a layer of pink.


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    Although extremely excited, seeing how quickly Ophelia moved from one breast to the other, not even a drop of the saliva covering the abandoned one having time to drip off, Kara couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Ahmm, don''t worry, Ophelia... I''m sure your efforts will be rewarded with some skill that will allow you to have two heads for a limited period... Ahhh!!"


    It seems that this joke was not to Ophelia''s liking, as she bit hard on the nipple that was within reach in her mouth.


    "It seems I took you too lightly...", Ophelia said, visibly irritated by Kara''s attitude, taking her words as a sign that she intended to challenge her authority. Encircling Kara with her left hand, Ophelia pushed Kara towards her to make her attacks more effective, while her other hand, now covered in saliva from Kara''s breasts, forced its way into Kara''s pants.


    "...Kara... don''t tell me you''re not wearing panties!...", Ophelia exclaimed, distancing her face from Kara''s chest, visibly shocked that her hand encountered no obstacle as it advanced towards Kara''s lower lips.


    "...Yes... While staying in The Great Moonshadow Forest, I got used to not wearing underwear...", Kara half-heartedly told the truth, unable to think of any excuse in her current situation.


    "......", Ophelia was left speechless, hoping until then that Kara not wearing panties that day was an accident. Of course, it''s not like everyone wore panties, but for Ophelia, who had been taught since she learned to walk to pay meticulous attention to her wardrobe, walking around the city without underwear was difficult to accept.


    "You... you, pervert girl...", Ophelia said through gritted teeth, beginning to rub her hand hard against Kara''s lower lips. "Do you feel good talking to other girls without your panties on?... You probably use your dog-like nose to smell them too...", Ophelia continued to scold Kara whenever her mouth wasn''t busy biting hard into Kara''s neck and breasts.


    "No, it''s not true... ahhm, no, I haven''t smelled anyone...", Kara tried to deny between moans, the bitter expression on her face being able to convince anyone that she was being greatly wronged.


    However, Ophelia wasn''t very impressed by what she saw and heard, as she was convinced that Kara was acting, the wetness she felt on her hand inside Kara''s pants being clear proof that she was in ninth heaven.


    ''Haaa, the harder I try to punish her, the better I make her feel. Her body truly defies logic... But I have to admit, seeing her in this state is very exciting, even if I know she''s mostly pretending... Damn, I don''t know how I''ll hold out until tonight if I don''t release these emotions...'', Ophelia thought, feeling increasingly hot.


    "Ahmm... What''s happening, Ophelia?" Kara asked, seeing that Ophelia''s movements began to slow down. She couldn''t believe Ophelia had tired out so quickly.


    "Hmmm, Kara, I think it''s too cheap for you to just do nothing. Maybe you should get to work a little too..."


    "Huh?" Kara didn''t understand what Ophelia meant. Wasn''t it Ophelia who had told her to stay put initially?


    Irritated by the confused expression on Kara''s face, Ophelia lost patience with taking the indirect approach.


    "Put your fingers inside me, Kara...", commanded Ophelia, lifting her dress with one hand, revealing a pair of white lace panties that contrasted strongly with the slightly tanned skin of her extremely sexy hips.


    Horse, do you eat oats? How could Kara not act quickly at the sound of these words? She immediately pushed the panties aside slightly and slipped two fingers between Ophelia''s already very wet lower lips, making Ophelia let out a moan of satisfaction.


    As the Bless skill activated involuntarily once her fingers were enveloped by the warmth of Ophelia''s insides, it took Kara only a few seconds to bring Ophelia to the peaks of satisfaction, the green energy surrounding her fingers occupying more and more space within Ophelia with each thrust. Not wanting to be outdone, Ophelia, who had started kissing Kara passionately to stifle each other''s moans, increased the pace at which her hand rubbed against Kara''s lower lips, occasionally teasing the opening between them with a finger but without trying to enter her, as Ophelia wanted Kara''s first penetration to not happen in a rush, such an event needing to be savored leisurely.


    Even though it was a bit difficult for them to synchronize their movements, this didn''t stop the two of them from reaching climax almost at the same time; Kara was literally thrown onto her back by powerful convulsions, while Ophelia, who had also lost control over her body, let all her weight fall on top of Kara. Fortunately, the sink was sturdy and didn¡¯t collapse under their weight, otherwise, it would have been hard for them to find an explanation for its destruction.


    "Mmm... Just as delicious as I remembered...", Kara said as she started licking and sucking the hot liquid off the fingers she had just retrieved from under Ophelia''s dress.


    Realizing what Kara had started to do, Ophelia blushed deeply. It was true that she had used a spell after getting up from the toilet to ensure her private parts were as fresh as if she had just taken a bath, but it still felt strange to see Kara''s actions, the time elapsed between doing her needs and engaging in sexual interactions being too short for the memories of the two events not to influence each other.


    On the other hand, these thoughts also gave Ophelia a sense of satisfaction; defiling a being unbound by the limitations of the flesh like Kara seemed very exciting to her.


    ''No, Ophelia! Don¡¯t think like that! You¡¯re not a pervert...'', Ophelia started scolding herself in her mind as her euphoria subsided and she realized what inappropriate thoughts for someone of her upbringing she was having.


    Ophelia tried to think of something less obscene, but influenced by the image of Kara continuing to savor her juices, her thoughts began to turn towards the liquid on her hand that was still in Kara''s pants, finding it increasingly appealing.


    ''Considering how special her body is, she should taste great down there...'', Ophelia thought to herself, who had the idea to imitate Kara''s actions, but was a little nervous at the thought that all of Kara''s attention would be on her once she felt her hand leave her pants, the moment in which the excitement was at its peak, when such an action would have been natural, having already passed for some time.


    ''If I increase the passion again, everything will seem more natural... And even if Kara realizes my objective, she''ll probably think I''m cute...'', Ophelia finally encouraged herself, thinking she had nothing to lose, then pretending to know nothing, she rubbed her hand a few more times against Kara''s lower lips to diminish her attention, and when Kara started moaning again, Ophelia naturally removed her hand from Kara''s pants and brought it to her mouth as if to lubricate it more.


    ''Just a little more...'', Ophelia encouraged herself, and after letting a strand of saliva drip onto her fingers, she began to lick the mixture of her saliva and Kara''s juices.


    ''Mmmm, I was right... It¡¯s like a berry cocktail...'', Ophelia closed her eyes in pleasure, conquered by the taste and freshness of Kara''s juices, but continued to seriously lubricate her fingers to avoid giving herself away at the end.


    Ophelia''s actions might have fooled a third person who would have been present, but how could they fool Kara, who knew very well how wet she was between her legs?


    "Ophelia, I think it would be easier to drink straight from the source...", Kara said in a teasing tone, amused by Ophelia''s duplicitous actions. Well, it wasn''t as if she didn¡¯t understand Ophelia, being aware that it can be a little challenging at first to show your indecent side to your partner.


    Since Ophelia expected to be caught, she only panicked for a moment at Kara''s words, then tried to hide her embarrassment under an expression as harmless as possible, like a child caught stealing candy.


    "Yes, you''re right...", she said in an innocent tone, but her actions were not innocent at all, as she grabbed Kara by the pants with the clear intention of pulling them down.


    However, Ophelia did not seem destined to face the source of the juices she craved at that moment, as she was interrupted by loud knocks on the door before Kara''s pants slid more than two centimeters.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    "Hello, is everything alright in there?", came the voice of a young woman from behind the door, leaving Ophelia frozen with her hands on Kara''s pants.

 Chapter 42. Idol

    "Is this all you can do? We''ve been waiting here for 10 minutes...", said one of the two middle-aged women accompanying the waitress who had just knocked on the bathroom door, her voice full of irritation.


    The waitress knew the woman was exaggerating because she had seated them less than 5 minutes ago, but she had no choice but to agree, aware that contradicting the woman would only annoy her further.


    "I apologize for the inconvenience. I''ll try to resolve this issue as quickly as possible...", the waitress said, trying to calm the two women. However, to their exasperation, she started knocking on the door again, as she couldn''t think of a better option in that situation. She couldn''t just call someone to break down the door because someone had barricaded themselves in the bathroom for only a few minutes.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    "Is something wrong? Can I help you in any way?", the waitress continued to ask at the door in a polite tone. Despite the pressure, she had no difficulty maintaining her professionalism, clearly showing that the restaurant management had been very careful when hiring staff to interact with customers.


    However, her polite words didn''t sit well with the two women behind her, who felt they weren''t being taken seriously.


    "What are you babbling about? Tell them to open the door quickly...", the woman who had just quieted down began to shout again, her voice drawing the attention of all the restaurant patrons towards the corner where the bathroom entrance was.


    "This...", the waitress was at a loss for words. Though she didn''t know who was in the bathroom at that moment because the two women had hurried her there without giving her a chance to consult her colleagues, she was aware that everyone who could afford to eat at that restaurant were people not to be provoked, so she didn''t want to risk upsetting those in the bathroom by being rude.


    Luckily for the waitress, before she could think of what to say to calm the two women, someone started unlocking the bathroom door.


    "Ladies, it seems the issue is resolved..." the waitress said, feeling relieved, and then stepped aside to allow passage through the door.


    "Hmph, it''s not like you tried too hard...", the loud woman reproached the waitress, her opinion being that the waitress had treated their issue superficially. Although the other middle-aged woman remained silent, her facial expression made it quite evident that she agreed with her companion.


    ''What bitches...'', the waitress cursed them in her mind, truly hating to deal with such unreasonable customers. The only thing preventing her from voicing these words was not wanting to lose her job, where she earned five times more than at her previous place of employment.


    Seeing no change in the waitress''s expression, who had developed a skill in cursing in her mind while keeping a smile on her face, the middle-aged woman intended to add more insults. But before she could open her mouth again, the bathroom door opened, and Kara and Ophelia appeared in front of the three, holding hands.


    "I''m sorry for the inconvenience. I used a refreshing spell in the wrong way and flooded the floor. I locked the door to prevent anyone from slipping when entering...", Ophelia said without a hint of hesitation in her voice. Probably anyone who heard her and couldn''t read minds wouldn''t doubt that her words were true.


    "It''s no problem, misses. It''s good that no one got hurt...", the waitress said in a polite tone, breathing a sigh of relief in her mind at the thought that she had been cautious and hadn''t taken any action that might have upset the two. Although she managed the tables on the opposite side of where Kara and Ophelia had lunch, she was aware of their antics, including the fact that one of them had thrown two young men out the window who had disturbed them in less than a second, without even getting up from the table.


    But that wasn''t the case for the two middle-aged women who had just entered the restaurant. After seeing that the ones who made them wait at the bathroom door were two extraordinarily beautiful young women, they became even more irritated out of envy, looking at Kara and Ophelia as their worst enemies.


    "Hmph, look how much time we lost because of two sluts. All day they doll themselves up to attract men...", said the woman who had remained silent until then and who was visibly older than her companion, the thick layer of makeup on her face unable to hide her wrinkles. Since Kara and Ophelia were not dressed imposingly and didn''t wear expensive jewelry, she was sure in her mind that the reason they were in that restaurant was to seduce a wealthy man.


    "Heh, who knows if they''re not lying. Maybe someone should check the bathroom, I''m afraid there might be an old man hiding in one of the stalls...", said the other woman, who missed the chance to speak first because she was too busy scrutinizing Ophelia, whose lips seemed a bit too red. Although she noticed nothing else suspicious, her intuition told her that something indecent had definitely happened in the bathroom.


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    The two didn''t stop at that and continued to hurl insults at Kara and Ophelia, each one more original than the last, while Kara and Ophelia looked at them with their mouths agape, not understanding what was happening. They couldn''t help but compare their situation to that of two mistresses caught by the wives of the men who maintained them.


    "Hey grannies, weren''t you in a hurry to use the bathroom? Be careful not to wet yourselves if you delay much longer...", Kara finally interrupted, having lost her patience with the two women. While it might initially seem amusing how some idiots make a spectacle of themselves, after a while, anyone would be annoyed and feel like beating them up.


    "What did you say? Have you no shame?..."


    "Do you know who my husband is...", the two women started to threaten simultaneously, Kara''s words touching their inverse scale. Seeing how agitated they were, Kara could have bet that the blood running through their veins contained a trace of dragon blood.


    ''Or maybe more likely a trace of harpy blood...'' Kara concluded after observing them more. It was impossible for a dragon''s descendants to be so stupid.


    After letting the two women rant for another minute until their faces turned red like boiled lobsters from all the agitation, Kara decided to end their spectacle. She released a tiny fraction of her killing intent towards them, making both women suddenly go silent as if they had run out of air.


    "I told you not to waste time.... Now it seems it''s too late...", Kara said in a sympathetic tone, looking at the two women who had fallen to their knees, trembling all over.


    While the two middle-aged women were too scared to understand Kara''s words, Ophelia and the waitress were not in the same situation, already imagining how the two would soon be surrounded by a puddle.


    "Kara, don''t you think this is a bit too much? They are just two old women with mental problems...", Ophelia said, feeling a bit guilty just standing by and watching as two so-called grannies were about to be humiliated. Even though their spot was hidden from the view of other customers, she didn''t think the two would be any less traumatized, convinced that the shame of soiling themselves in a public place would haunt them for life.


    "Well, Ophelia, that wouldn''t be fair to others. I don''t believe age and gender should grant someone different treatment...", Kara expressed her opinion, for whom notions like respect for elders no longer held any sway. Does a wolf avoid hunting old sheep? The answer is no. So why should she be obliged to spare someone just because they are old? Besides, she always had an aversion to women who couldn''t achieve anything in life and just depended on men, and who in old age had nothing better to do than nag the young.


    Ophelia didn''t continue to plead for the middle-aged women, considering she had done enough to have no remorse. Anyway, she believed deep down that the two deserved what was coming, their behavior being too exaggerated.


    The waitress shared the same opinion, barely able to hide her satisfaction at seeing the state the two women were in. She had often hoped to see such disrespectful customers, who enjoyed making her and other restaurant staff''s lives difficult, being taught a lesson.


    Uninterrupted, Kara continued to press the two women to the floor, maintaining the same intensity of her killing intent as she didn''t want them to faint, until she noticed the spot under their multilayered dresses starting to get wet, a sign that her prophecy had come true.


    However, not everything went perfectly. Kara felt a bit disappointed that the two women fainted as soon as she withdrew her killing intent, leaving her only a fleeting moment to see the humiliation in their eyes. But how was it her fault that the two were so incompetent? After all, it''s not the wolf''s job to lead the sheep out to pasture to fatten them up.


    "It seems I¡¯ve caused you some trouble...", Kara addressed the waitress after shifting her gaze from the two unconscious women.


    "Don''t worry. It''s nothing serious.", the waitress said, trying to maintain a professional attitude, but the admiration in her eyes was hard to ignore. Extremely impressed by Kara''s strength and her ability to do whatever she wished without fearing any consequences, the waitress began to wonder if it might be a good idea to resume her adventuring career to push her limits once again. Working as a waitress in a luxury restaurant earned her a good living without risking her life, but it was increasingly difficult to endure the malicious comments of customers similar to the two women Kara had put in their place and she was tired of being seen as inferior by most of the restaurant¡¯s patrons, who were either high-ranking adventurers or wealthy nobles. It felt like she was losing a part of herself every day, and she feared that soon she wouldn''t even be able to curse those who irritated her, even in her mind.


    Though the waitress said everything was fine, Kara insisted on giving her 10 gold coins to compensate for putting her in a complicated situation.


    Initially, the waitress wanted to refuse, as she didn''t believe this incident would cause her many problems. Firstly, she wasn''t responsible for cleaning, so she didn''t have to pick up the two unconscious women or clean up after them. Secondly, the restaurant¡¯s policy was not to get involved in customer conflicts as long as they didn''t cause property damage or harass the staff, so no one could hold her accountable for what had happened.


    However, seeing Kara''s insistence and thinking that if she did resume her adventuring career, she would need as much money as possible to buy quality equipment, she gratefully accepted the 10 gold coins.


    ''It''s like I got free entry to a show I really liked, and at the end, I received a prize for my attendance...'', the waitress thought to herself, watching Kara and Ophelia head towards the restaurant exit. She wanted to learn more about the two, but she knew the disparity between their identities was too great for her to initiate a conversation without seeming to have ulterior motives.


    "Maybe we''ll have a chance to get to know each other better in the future...", the waitress murmured, thinking that if she managed to become a renowned adventurer, she wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable trying to befriend the two. However, it wasn''t the right time to start making future plans as the bracelet on her left wrist indicated she was being called to a table, and she had to put all these thoughts aside for another time.

 Chapter 43. Under Surveillance

    "What do you think of that girl? She seems nice, doesn''t she?", Ophelia asked Kara after they left the restaurant, their destination being the street with shops dedicated to adventurers.


    Seeing how kindly Kara had treated the waitress, Ophelia began to suspect that Kara might be somewhat interested in her.


    "...Who, the waitress? I guess so...", Kara replied, a bit distracted, as she was busy listening to the conversation between the two guards of the young men she had thrown out the window who had returned to spy on them. Even though they were in a fairly large crowd of people, she had no difficulty understanding what they were saying thanks to the Teleperception skill she had learned along with the Advanced Telekinesis from the old man she met at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Kara had been aware of their presence for a while but hadn''t informed Ophelia that someone was following them because she didn''t want her to be stressed while eating.


    "And she''s very beautiful too, am I right?", Ophelia asked again, becoming increasingly sure her intuition was not wrong seeing how Kara seemed to be daydreaming.


    "Hmm... Yeah, she''s quite beautiful. Anyway, in a restaurant like that, someone can''t get hired as a waitress if they don''t look really good...", Kara replied with more interest as she had stopped paying attention to the two men spying on them after figuring out their intentions.


    "So you like her?", Ophelia finally asked the question that was on her mind, trying to seem as indifferent as possible. Maybe she had come to terms with the idea that Kara would have other girlfriends in the future, but she was a bit annoyed at the thought that it was happening so soon. Besides, this was their first date. Shouldn''t all of Kara''s thoughts be focused on her?


    "Huh?", Kara was taken aback, not knowing what made Ophelia think she had any intentions toward the waitress. She didn''t remember flirting with her or trying to become familiar with her.


    Seeing the confusion on Kara''s face, Ophelia began to realize she had been mistaken.


    "Well, you were quite friendly with her... And I don''t think you missed the way she looked at you...", Ophelia explained why she had started to think Kara was interested in the waitress, not realizing she sounded like a jealous wife.


    Hearing Ophelia''s words, Kara had a hard time not laughing. Is she the type to express her preference for someone in such a roundabout way? As for the way the waitress looked at her, it wasn''t exactly as Ophelia thought.


    "Maybe the waitress fell in love, but not with me as you thought, but rather with my powers...", Kara finally said, not wanting any misunderstandings between them. Maybe the thought of teasing Ophelia had crossed her mind because Ophelia looked very cute when she was jealous, but remembering how hard it was to calm her down, Kara decided to be honest. She didn''t want to be a pillow princess forever.


    "So you''re saying she only wants you for your powers?", Ophelia still didn''t believe she was wrong about the waitress. Thinking the fact that Kara is extremely powerful played an important role in her decision to enter into a relationship with her so quickly, Ophelia couldn''t imagine that it was possible for the waitress not to be tempted by Kara.


    ''Besides, Kara is extremely seductive. As long as the waitress''s eyes are working properly, there''s no chance she wouldn''t be attracted to Kara. If I didn''t have so many problems on my mind, I''d probably be tempted to enter into a relationship with her even if she was weaker than me... Hmm, maybe that wouldn''t have been a bad thing either. Then I would dictate who would be on top in bed...'', Ophelia''s imagination started running wild as she searched for arguments to support her opinion about the waitress.


    Seeing that Ophelia didn''t seem to understand, Kara felt the need to explain her opinion about the waitress more thoroughly.


    "What I meant to say is that she fell in love with the idea of being powerful, not with me as a person. Or maybe she fell in love again; it''s hard for me to tell as long as I don''t know anything about her life. But what is clear to me is that she is not satisfied with the life she has now, with the fact that destiny is not in her hands... With the fact that she always has to hold back. Some people just can''t live like that.


    In this regard, she and I are the same, so it was easy for me to read in her eyes not just admiration, but also ambition and envy. This is also why I was friendly with her. It''s like I saw in her a version of myself that wasn''t strong enough to take her destiny into her own hands, who was almost domesticated. But no matter how domesticated a wolf is, it will still salivate at the smell of blood... Yes, it''s harder to hold back your desires than to endure repeated injustices.


    Maybe what happened today will be enough to ignite her desire to fight, or maybe by the time she finishes her work shift, the emotions I saw in her eyes will be buried under the reluctance to leave a comfortable life and self-doubt. Honestly, I have no idea what will happen. The only thing I can be sure of is that as long as she doesn''t try to quench her thirst for power, she will always feel like a prisoner of life and will consider everything she does meaningless..."


    "¡­It was¡­ quite profound¡­," said Ophelia, who had not considered that the reason Kara and the waitress got along so well was that the two saw themselves in each other.


    ''So, the waitress saw in Kara her ideal image, while Kara saw in the waitress how she would have looked if her willpower hadn''t been strong enough¡­'', Ophelia mentally summarized Kara''s words, finding nothing contradictory to what she had witnessed.


    Thinking about how superficially she had analyzed the interaction between Kara and the waitress, Ophelia almost wanted to disappear out of shame, her intellectual capacity, in this case, seeming similar to that of the two middle-aged women they had met at the entrance to the bathroom.


    ''Maybe because of what I did in the bathroom before, my mind wasn''t clear¡­'', Ophelia tried to find an excuse for her lack of reasoning, though deep down she knew that the possessiveness she felt towards Kara was most likely to blame.


    "Anyway, why were you so distracted after we left the restaurant? What were you thinking about?", Ophelia asked, wanting to divert Kara''s attention from her so-called jealousy crisis. Although Kara didn''t seem inclined to tease her about her mistake, Ophelia was sure that she found it quite amusing in her mind.


    "Yes¡­ I was going to tell you even if you hadn''t asked¡­ Do you remember the two young men I threw out the window? It seems they sent two of their guards to follow us¡­"


    It seems that Ophelia''s strategy to make Kara forget about the previous conversation had more of an effect on herself, as after hearing Kara''s words, she could no longer think about such lovers'' quarrels, this problem being much more serious. Although she was aware that as long as she was with Kara, she had nothing to fear, the possibility that the guards might discover her true identity worried her, as she didn''t want there to be any chance for her uncle to find out that she had found a powerful ally.


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    "Where are they? When did you discover them?", Ophelia asked in a whisper, barely restraining herself from looking back so that those spying on them wouldn''t realize their presence had been detected.


    "One guard is about a hundred meters behind us, while the other is heading towards the restaurant, so you can speak normally without any worry as they can''t hear us. I discovered their presence while we were eating, but only now have I confirmed they are following us. While we were in the restaurant, they were watching the entrance from a flower stall about 50 meters away¡­", Kara answered Ophelia''s questions without a hint of concern in her voice.


    On the contrary, she seemed slightly excited, as for any predator, the fact that the prey intended to throw itself in front of them was a reason for joy.


    Ophelia couldn''t say that the fact that the two young men had started taking measures against them was a big surprise, as both seemed like the kind of people who were used to looking down on everyone and couldn''t stand the thought of being humiliated. Well, maybe it was a bit unusual that they decided to act so cautiously, but thinking about the fear Kara had instilled in them, she could understand why they didn''t come directly after them. Moreover, considering that the two were very attracted to them, there was also a chance that they wanted to capture them alive, a scenario that involved a more thorough knowledge of their fighting abilities and identities to know how risky such an operation would be and if there would be any consequences.


    "And what will we do next? Do you plan to capture the guard following us to find out where the two young men are?", Ophelia asked after analyzing Kara''s words, aware that there was no other solution than to eliminate both the two young men and their guards so that they wouldn''t cause any problems in the future. Anyway, even if there was another solution, from what she had learned about Kara so far, Ophelia was sure that Kara would still choose the total annihilation of those who intended to harm them.


    "I don''t see why we should bother so much. I''m sure they''ll appear in front of us by the end of the day¡­", Kara replied, already having thought about how to resolve the issue.


    However, Ophelia couldn''t be as calm as Kara, knowing someone was after her.


    "But Kara, you said one of them went to the restaurant. What if he gets some information that helps them find out who we are? It would cause me problems if my identity were made public¡­"


    "Don''t worry, I made sure that if the two guards go to the restaurant manager to get more information about us, he will only tell them what I want them to know. You didn''t think I proposed such an advantageous deal to him just to show off my wealth, did you?" Kara reassured Ophelia, her tone indicating she was quite proud of her plan.


    Truth be told, Kara had begun to enjoy hunting people, finding it much more exciting to create traps for humans than for beasts, as it allowed her to be more creative. Moreover, the fact that humans were more unpredictable than beasts made success much more satisfying.


    "Huh? So you anticipated that they would enter the restaurant to find out more about us after we left?", Ophelia marveled at Kara''s deductive abilities. "So what will the manager tell them about us? I guess he''ll say that we are not much of a threat; otherwise, you wouldn''t be so sure they''ll come after us¡­", she continued, eager to learn more details about Kara''s plan.


    "Since they didn''t see me using any other skill except Advanced Telekinesis, I told the manager to tell them that I''m a C-rank adventurer with the Mentalist class. As for you, to not seem dangerous at all, I told him to say you''re a famous belly dancer from the south."


    "¡­.", Ophelia didn''t quite know what to say about this identity Kara had created for her. It might be true that she had the ideal body for such a profession, but she didn''t believe the first thing people would think of when they saw her was that she was a belly dancer. Moreover, she felt a bit uncomfortable thinking that some might believe she had such a profession, as in the environment where she grew up, belly dancers were not very well regarded, many of them leading rather promiscuous lives.


    ¡°Well, the more absurd a lie is, the harder it is to refute¡­¡±, Kara said, noticing the skeptical look on Ophelia¡¯s face.


    Thinking that all those pursuing them would soon be eliminated by Kara, Ophelia concluded that it didn''t matter what they thought of her, so she didn''t argue with Kara. However, she was a little curious as to why Kara chose this particular identity for her. Was Kara attracted to belly dancers? Or did Kara want to see her dressed as one? Ophelia thought it wouldn''t be entirely impossible to dress like a belly dancer on a special occasion as long as only Kara would see her.


    ''Besides, I don''t think it would be hard to learn a few moves¡­'', Ophelia added in her mind, her ears starting to turn red.


    "It seems the manager kept his word and began telling the guard who entered the restaurant exactly what I instructed him to say if anyone asked for information about us¡­ Just a moment¡­," Kara interrupted Ophelia''s thoughts, then started listening to the conversation taking place in the restaurant manager''s office to see if the guard would believe the information he was given.


    Ophelia knew Kara''s senses were extremely developed, but she wouldn''t have imagined that she could hear what was being discussed inside the restaurant, over 500 meters away, especially with the city being so noisy at that time of day. She was curious about how Kara was capable of this, but unfortunately, she couldn''t ask Kara any questions at that moment so as not to disturb her while she was eavesdropping.


    "From what I''ve heard, I don''t think the guard has any doubts about the manager''s words...", Kara said after about a minute, not bothering to listen to the parting words exchanged between the manager and the guard.


    "That''s good news. But how is it possible to hear what they are saying from such a distance? If we were in a forest, I could understand, but in the middle of the city, surrounded by so many people talking, it seems truly impossible¡­"


    Hearing Ophelia''s question, Kara realized she hadn¡¯t yet mentioned the other skill she had learned from the old man, in addition to the one that allowed her to move objects with her mind.


    "You probably didn''t notice, but the old man we met in the payment hall had a skill permanently activated that allowed him to see and hear everything happening in the entire building where the Adventurers'' Guild is located. As I told you, I have the ability to learn any skill I''ve seen in action, so now I can do the same thing as the old man. Of course, I can''t use it as effortlessly as he does, nor can I monitor more than five or six people at once, and only if they are very close to each other, because this skill requires a lot of training. However, I have no problem hearing what two people are discussing even if they are over a kilometer away.


    I also discovered the presence of the two guards who came back to surveil us with the help of this skill. After I used the Advanced Telekinesis skill to throw the two buffoons out the window, I concluded that mental skills are quite elegant and can help me solve many problems without getting my hands dirty. So while we were eating, I started testing the Teleperception skill, using it to see if the two wanted to return to the restaurant. Luckily for them, perhaps because they were cautious or because they are cowards, they kept a considerable distance from the restaurant, and I couldn''t find them, as my plan was to send them flying again, but I came across two of their guards instead..."


    Ophelia was very impressed by Kara''s new ability, but after so many surprises from Kara, she had begun to build up immunity, so she didn''t marvel for long upon hearing these words. Probably even if Kara told her she could freeze the sun, she wouldn''t consider it unusual as in her mind, nothing was impossible for Kara.


    So that''s how it happened. I thought you found them by scent...", Ophelia said, her tone making it hard to tell if she was joking or serious. Truth be told, she hadn''t stopped to think about how Kara had discovered the two guards following them, as when Kara informed her of their presence, she was too busy worrying that they might discover her identity, so she didn''t even know what she would have thought Kara used to find out what was happening outside the restaurant before Kara told her about her new skill.


    "I''d rather not use that method¡­", Kara dismissed that possibility, visibly disgusted by the idea of sniffing men. Well, if she had to track down a young woman, she might have wronged herself by using this method, but sniffing men, unless it was a life-and-death situation for someone she cared about, was totally unacceptable to her.


    ''Maybe I should give that old man a gift the next time I pass by the Adventurers'' Guild to thank him for showing me this skill. In the forest, it might have been fine to use my sense of smell to identify prey, but in a city, this method is no longer acceptable. Honestly, I hadn''t even thought about this problem¡­ Anyway, fortunately, I acquired this skill before getting into a situation where I would have had to rely on my sense of smell to track someone through the city, especially if the target was a man¡­'', Kara thought, relieved that now with the Teleperception skill, the chances of needing to use her sense of smell to locate a person were almost nonexistent.


    Once all these things were clarified, Kara and Ophelia no longer paid attention to the fact that they were being followed and continued their date peacefully, looking forward to a long shopping session.

 Chapter 44. Preparations

    While Kara and Ophelia were visiting various shops to buy everything they needed for exploring the Great Dungeon near the city, in the living room of a luxurious villa in a neighborhood inhabited only by nobles and very wealthy merchants, one of the two young men Kara had sent to admire the city¡¯s panorama using the Advanced Telekinesis skill, specifically, the shorter of the two, was loudly scolding the owner of the villa, a middle-aged man responsible for hosting them during their stay in the city of Orlin.


    "What kind of security do you have in this city? How is it that people who don¡¯t care about any rules and who attack others without any reason are allowed to roam the streets without worry? Maybe I should ask my father to inform the king about what¡¯s happening on the outskirts of the kingdom so he can send some more competent people to manage these areas..."


    "I understand what you¡¯re saying, my lord, but things aren¡¯t that simple. Perhaps in the capital, order can be established through force because troops are always stationed there, and many nobles have high-ranking adventurers in their service. But in this city, where the number of adventurers, mercenaries, and warriors unaffiliated with any structure is almost ten times greater than our forces responsible for maintaining order, and some of them are very high level, trying to keep them all under control would mean there would be a continuous conflict in the city, from which we, the city¡¯s administrators, as well as the ordinary citizens with low levels, would have the most to lose. So, to maintain peace, there¡¯s an unwritten rule to let them resolve their issues among themselves, and only intervene if they cause damage to the city or problems for the ordinary people.", the middle-aged man explained why the powerful were not subject to many restrictions within the city. Since he was a cousin of the marquis who governed the city of Orlin and held a position in the city''s administration, he was well aware of how fragile the peace the city currently enjoyed was.


    "Oh, for the sake of peace... How lovely that sounds. I think it¡¯s more for the sake of the money these savages spend in the city that you let them do as they please. Not to mention the treasures they find in the Great Dungeon nearby and sell here out of convenience, allowing you to make outrageous profits. This is pretty obvious just from the fact that all those who run this city have built villas that would be fitting for princes!", the nobleman¡¯s son from the capital did not believe the middle-aged man¡¯s explanations, convinced that those in charge of the city preferred to do less work for more money, a dream situation for anyone.


    Hearing the accusations of the young man, who barely had any experience but acted like a know-it-all, the middle-aged man would probably have called the guards to throw him out if his family hadn¡¯t been subordinate to the young man¡¯s father, a duke residing in the capital. If he thought his villa was obtained through dishonest means, why did he come to be a guest here and not go to an inn?


    "Well, I can¡¯t deny that our city is wealthier than others, but I think that¡¯s normal given that we¡¯re near one of the largest known dungeons. Besides, I haven¡¯t heard anyone from the capital complain about this when we pay our taxes...", the middle-aged man reminded the duke¡¯s son that Orlin was one of the largest contributors to the country¡¯s prosperity. It might have been important for his family to have a strong supporter in the capital, but he couldn¡¯t accept being treated without respect. Besides, the duke benefited more from the relationship with his family than they did, with a good portion of the money and artifacts they obtained being sent to the duke.


    "So what? Rules are rules. Just because you pay higher taxes doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want here...", the duke¡¯s son stubbornly insisted, finding it hard to accept that there were places where his noble blood didn¡¯t automatically place him at the top.


    Hearing the rude tone of the duke¡¯s son, the middle-aged man lost his patience. Being reprimanded by a young man who wasn¡¯t even half his age on his own territory was unacceptable to him, but fortunately, before he could tell him that it wasn¡¯t his place to evaluate their work, which would have certainly turned their discussion into a confrontation, a maid knocked on the door, saying she had important news.


    "Honorable guests, one of the guards you sent on a mission has returned with information...", the maid said after the middle-aged man granted her permission to enter.


    "Oh, it''s about time. Bring him here immediately...", said the duke''s son, deciding to leave the discussion with the middle-aged man for another time, as his desire for swift revenge on those directly responsible for the humiliation he had suffered was greater than his desire to make the cousin of the Marquis who ruled the city admit that his family was also to blame for what had happened.


    "Hey, Theodore, did you hear? They¡¯ve probably found out who those two sluts are...", he then addressed his friend, who was sitting in an armchair with an ice pack on his head. Despite wearing a necklace meant to protect him from harm, being spun through the air had left him with a terrible migraine.


    "Ugh, I heard...", mumbled Theodore, who was far less enthusiastic than his friend. All he wanted at that moment was to fall asleep to escape the migraine that had plagued him for more than two hours, with no decrease in intensity despite consuming three healing potions.


    He had also been examined by a doctor brought in by the Marquis''s cousin, but the doctor had said there was nothing he could do to alleviate the pain, suggesting that the migraine was almost certainly due to the extreme stress he had endured and that it would likely go away if he managed to relax.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    After the maid left, the guard whom Kara had seen enter the restaurant after she and Ophelia had left entered the room within less than a minute. After a brief bow, he began to relay to the three people in the room what he had learned from the restaurant manager.


    "So the wretch is a mentalist. No wonder our protective necklaces didn¡¯t work; they¡¯re only capable of stopping direct attacks against us...", the duke''s son realized what had happened in the restaurant after the guard finished speaking. Since the mentalist class is extremely rare, with only eight people in the entire capital having this class or a class derived from it, he hadn¡¯t considered the possibility that Kara could be a mentalist and had assumed she used a skill that controlled the wind in combination with some method of bypassing the protection offered by their necklaces.


    However, the fact that one of the young women had an unusual class didn¡¯t ruin his plans, since for someone with his resources, it was common to have items in his storage ring that could help him in almost any situation. What could have posed a problem was if the two women had a background similar to or more powerful than his or if they were stronger than his guards, but since neither of these conditions was met, he could plot against them without worry.


    Excited at the thought that the two extraordinarily beautiful young women would soon become his toys, whom he would personally teach to be humble in front of their superiors, though only when he wasn¡¯t busy enjoying their bodies, he immediately ordered the guard to go inform the other two guards to prepare to accompany him in capturing the two women.


    "...But my Lord, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to also go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to confirm what we¡¯ve found out?...", the guard hesitated to carry out the order he had received because he didn¡¯t want the duke¡¯s son, under whose command he was, to enter in a confrontation that wasn¡¯t one hundred percent safe for him.


    "It would be too much of a hassle if we involved the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in this matter. Although adventurers don¡¯t get along with each other because they¡¯re always competing, they are very united when someone outside their ranks tries to plot against one of them...", said the duke''s son, too proud to ask for favors from those who managed the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.


    Hearing the duke''s son''s words, the guard had no choice but to accept his order. He bid farewell and left to inform his colleagues of their employer''s plans.


    Theodore, are you planning to come too?", the duke''s son asked, noting that Theodore had listened with interest to what the guard had said.


    Due to his migraine, Theodore wasn¡¯t too keen on going out into the city, and on top of that, he was a bit scared to face the one who had made him see death before his eyes. But recalling how attractive the two young women were, whom his friend intended to kidnap, he decided to go after all, wanting to ensure that his friend wouldn¡¯t end up keeping the two women just for himself.


    "Are you sure this is a good idea? Kidnapping two full citizens of this kingdom is a pretty serious crime, especially if it involves two young women. Your reputation would be ruined if word of this got out in the capital...", the middle-aged man felt the need to warn the two, believing that their recent fright was impairing their judgment.


    "How so? Weren¡¯t you the one who said that in this city the strong resolve their conflicts among themselves?" the duke''s son retorted with sarcasm, then headed for the door without allowing the middle-aged man to respond further, motioning for Theodore to follow him.


    ...................................


    As neither Kara nor Ophelia knew the city of Orlin well, it took them quite some time to find the shops that sold the items they needed. However, they didn¡¯t find this frustrating because that day was a workday, and there wasn''t any more interesting activity to do within the city.


    Their first stop was a bookstore, where they purchased a map of the explored sections of the Great Dungeon they planned to visit, along with some books detailing the traps and bosses one might encounter inside. Although Kara was confident that she wouldn¡¯t face anything particularly challenging in the Dungeon and considered preparation unnecessary, she was curious about the accuracy of the information provided to regular adventurers. Thus, she planned to review the books in her spare time.


    After visiting the bookstore, they headed to a potion shop recommended by the bookseller for its good quality-to-price ratio. Here, Ophelia intended to buy not only many mana regeneration and healing potions but also various tonics and antidotes. Kara didn¡¯t think these would be necessary since, as long as she considered Ophelia her partner, the Bless skill ensured that Ophelia would always be healthy and would scare off any humans or beasts intending to attack her. Moreover, using the Bless skill actively during sex seemed to replenish Ophelia''s mana reserves to the brim. This left only the issue of mana regeneration during combat, but Kara was confident she could use the skill that Alice had used on her many times, which had the effect of fully restoring mana in just a few minutes. However, thinking that an extra precaution to ensure safety wouldn¡¯t hurt and that the passive effects of the Bless skill hadn¡¯t yet been tested, she didn¡¯t oppose Ophelia''s desire to fill her storage ring with all sorts of potions.


    In the potion shop, the two spent more than an hour, with Ophelia selecting potions worth nearly 100 gold coins. Then, at Ophelia¡¯s suggestion, who didn¡¯t want Kara to end up naked again while fighting, they went to a shop that sold magically enhanced clothing, similar to her own dress, which, despite appearing simple at first glance, was more resistant than a steel armor and offered high protection against both physical and magical attacks.


    Unfortunately, in the shop with magically enhanced clothing, there was nothing on display that fit Kara and was also to her liking, and, since having a custom set of clothes made would take at least three days, Kara suggested they head to the clothing store she had visited two days earlier when she first entered Orlin, to buy about 20 sets of clothes as spares, as the clothes she had from that store looked good on her and were extremely comfortable.


    Besides, she wasn¡¯t too worried about her clothes getting torn during battles in the great Dungeon since its dimensions were very large, and from what she knew, it could take days without encountering another group of adventurers while inside. The only risk was that Ophelia might get aroused by seeing her naked, but Kara was willing to take responsibility and help her calm down in those moments.


    Additionally, the store she had been to a few days ago was a good place to deal with the two young men she had thrown out of the restaurant window a few hours earlier, along with their four guards, who had been following them for nearly half an hour since they left the potion shop, most likely waiting for them to reach a more secluded area to attack them.

 Chapter 45. Easy Money

    As few people were going shopping for clothes at that time, especially on a working day, when Kara and Ophelia entered the clothing store for wealthy adventurers, they saw no more than two customers wandering among the shelves, while at the counter, a young woman dressed as if for a ball was sleeping with her head on the table.


    "It seems you were right. The atmosphere in this store is quite cozy..." Ophelia joked, nodding toward the young woman who was asleep.


    "Well, she¡¯s not the one in charge of the store, it''s her grandfather. She¡¯s more... like the store''s mascot...", Kara felt compelled to defend the reputation of the shop she had chosen.


    As a bell rang when the door opened, alerting the back room of the store, the owner, who was doing inventory on some newly arrived goods, peeked out to see what was happening in the shop.


    Recognizing Kara, the old man immediately looked toward the counter, fearing that his granddaughter was about to get into another conflict with her, but to his relief, she was sound asleep. Normally, he would be furious when he caught her sleeping while she was supposed to watch the store, but at that moment, he felt like going over and patting her on the head.


    Regardless, to ensure there would be no incident that might cost him money, he stopped what he was doing and came out to personally greet Kara, planning to accompany her until she left the store.


    "Honorable customer, it¡¯s good to see you again. Tell me, did you have any issues with the clothes?", the old man said as he reached Kara and Ophelia, who were inspecting a pants rack.


    "Oh, good day. No, I didn¡¯t find anything wrong with the clothes. On the contrary, since I was pleased with them, I decided to come and buy a few more, both for myself and for my girlfriend...", Kara replied, introducing Ophelia, who was standing to her right.


    Since he had been too stressed about Kara¡¯s return, whom his intuition told him was extremely dangerous, the shopkeeper had paid no attention to Ophelia until then, so when he finally looked at her, he was shocked by her striking beauty and charm. In his long career as a merchant, during which tens of thousands of women had passed through his shop, he couldn¡¯t recall ever seeing a young woman more full of sensuality than her.


    "Ahem!" Kara interrupted his contemplation, her sharp gaze making him feel as if he were submerged in a pool of freezing water, not alone, but surrounded by a hundred sharks.


    "!!!!", the shopkeeper panicked, tearing his eyes away from Ophelia as quickly as possible, as not only was it inappropriate for someone of his age to be fascinated by a young woman the same age as his granddaughter, but she was also the girlfriend of the formidable demon he didn¡¯t want to upset. Nonetheless, he had to admit the situation was ironic: he had been trying to prevent his granddaughter from upsetting Kara, only to end up angering her himself.


    "Sorry, I was just stunned by how well you two fit together. Honestly, I¡¯ve always believed that a great beauty should be beside another great beauty...", the shopkeeper tried to smooth things over, saying what he thought Kara most wanted to hear.


    In truth, the situation wasn¡¯t as serious as the shopkeeper believed, because Kara didn¡¯t treat those who admired her girlfriend''s beauty the same way she treated those who tried to make advances on her, because Kara knew it was impossible for anyone not to find Ophelia extremely attractive. Yes, she couldn¡¯t go around punishing everyone for their natural reaction to such beauty as Ophelia¡¯s. Or maybe she could, but she realized she wouldn¡¯t have time for anything else if she did. Besides, there was a risk of making Ophelia feel suffocated.


    "Well, I can''t deny what you said...", Kara finally replied, letting the shopkeeper stress for a few seconds. "Anyway, we¡¯ll continue looking at clothes for a while. If we have any questions, we¡¯ll call you...", Kara continued, making it clear she didn¡¯t want the shopkeeper hovering over them.


    "Alright. You¡¯ll find me at the counter..." the shopkeeper said kindly, then walked away from them with large strides, breathing a sigh of relief. While Kara had been eyeing him, he had feared that even if he gave her all the clothes in the store for free, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to appease her. Knowing that even an ordinary woman can be dangerous when in love, he now saw Kara as an even greater threat.


    "It seems that entering the mating season is making you more and more territorial. Now you can''t even stand old men looking at me...", Ophelia joked about Kara. Well, maybe she said it as a joke, but since she realized that Kara''s class came with a significant amplification of animalistic instincts, she didn¡¯t rule out the possibility.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Kara neither confirmed nor denied this, but simply joined Ophelia in laughing. However, in her mind, she had to admit Ophelia was right because, after the passionate night they had spent together, her emotions had become somewhat harder to control. But she didn¡¯t believe that her exaggerated possessiveness was entirely due to her new class; she was convinced she would have behaved similarly even if she hadn¡¯t evolved her class, as she had always been a greedy person who didn¡¯t like to share anything she considered hers. Besides, many people were unwilling to take a relationship between two women seriously, so she had to be more proactive to make those who had thoughts about her girlfriend back off.


    "...Anyway, with him around, I couldn¡¯t keep you updated on what those who are following us are doing, especially since the situation seems to be heading toward a climax...", Kara thought it best to warn Ophelia in advance that the two noblemen and their four guards were planning to attack them while they were in the store.


    "Huh, they want to attack us while we¡¯re in this store?", Ophelia asked, knowing from Kara that the noblemen and the rest of their guards had joined the one who had been following them, and intended to kidnap them. However, she hadn¡¯t expected the two noblemen to make such a decision; she had thought they would likely attack when they entered a quieter street, where fewer people passed by.


    "From what I gathered from their conversation, they figured that if they ambushed us in the middle of the street, there would be a higher chance of people talking about them kidnapping young women, compared to attacking us in a store, where they¡¯d only have to bribe the owner to keep quiet. Besides, in a store, our chances of escaping would be much lower. Initially, they planned to attack us right after they reunited, while we were in the shop selling magically-enhanced clothing, but they thought that store might have some artifact ensuring security that could foil their plans, so they decided to wait until we entered another store...", Kara explained the reasons why she was certain they would storm into the store after making sure that everything is okay.


    "But if they¡¯re worried about their reputation being tarnished, why don¡¯t they wait until we leave the city? Are they really so eager for revenge that they want to capture us today?", Ophelia was surprised by the lack of tact displayed by the two noblemen¡¯s sons. Had no one ever taught them that revenge is a dish best served cold?


    "Well, the real reason they¡¯re in such a hurry is that they want to get their hands on us as soon as possible. Most of their conversations that I overheard were about how they planned to share us between themselves tonight...", Kara responded in a surprisingly calm tone as if the two noblemen¡¯s sons hadn¡¯t been talking about them. But why should she spoil her good mood over people who would soon be dead? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to continue enjoying her first date with Ophelia?


    The fact that the two noblemen¡¯s sons were making such plans wasn¡¯t surprising to Ophelia, but that didn¡¯t stop her from feeling disgusted by them. At first, she had thought what Kara had done to them in the restaurant was a bit excessive, but now she felt they deserved to be treated even worse.


    However, one thing was unclear to Ophelia: were the two really so foolish that they didn¡¯t know they should talk as little as possible when spying on someone they believed had a mentalist class?


    "The two think you have the mentalist class, right? How come they¡¯re not at all hesitant to discuss us? Aren¡¯t they afraid you¡¯ll detect them?", Ophelia asked, not holding back her curiosity since she knew Kara didn¡¯t find her many questions annoying. On the contrary, Kara seemed to enjoy it whenever Ophelia asked something, as she did whenever she could be of help to her.


    "Well, one of them is holding some kind of orb that protects them from a mentalist¡¯s skills, so they¡¯re convinced they can¡¯t be detected. But that¡¯s not a problem for me, since it seems that artifact isn¡¯t strong enough to counter me; even though I lack training in using mentalist-specific skills, my mental power is probably much greater than any mentalist¡¯s. Plus, as long as I know the direction they¡¯re in, I can just listen with my ears to what they¡¯re saying...", Kara explained why the two noblemen¡¯s sons weren¡¯t afraid of her abilities, taking the opportunity to boast a little.


    "They have such an artifact on them? From what I know, only high-ranking nobles possess those, to ensure their private conversations aren¡¯t spied on. Since they¡¯re extremely rare, a single one costs almost 10,000 gold coins!", Ophelia marveled at the resources the two noblemen¡¯s sons had at their disposal, but she also began to worry slightly, as their background seemed far more powerful than she had estimated, which would likely cause a stir when they disappeared.


    "Seriously? Doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re about to get our hands on a treasure?", Kara¡¯s anticipation of the noblemen¡¯s sons¡¯ arrival grew, as they most likely possessed other equally valuable items; such two-legged mini-dungeons were just the kind she wished would come after her in large numbers.


    Ophelia didn¡¯t quite know what to make of Kara¡¯s perspective. It was true that Kara had nothing to fear from anyone¡¯s background, but the fact that she was excited that those who wanted to attack her had powerful backgrounds, simply because it meant she would gain more wealth after eliminating them, made her seem a bit like a thief.


    ¡®But there¡¯s indeed nothing wrong with her keeping the belongings of someone who attacks her; it could be considered a form of compensation for the moral damages suffered. And even if someone didn¡¯t agree with this situation, what could they do? As long as Kara is the most powerful, no one could hold her accountable...¡¯ Ophelia thought to herself, trying to reconcile the current situation with the notions of honor she had been taught as a child.


    "...I suppose so...", Ophelia finally said, concluding that as long as Kara didn¡¯t get into a conflict with someone purely out of a desire to take their wealth, no one could say in the future, when Kara became famous, that she had used her power to rob those weaker than her.

 Chapter 46. Digging Their Own Grave

    Seeing that Kara was convinced the two noblemen''s sons would try to capture them while they were inside the clothing store, Ophelia suggested that, for now, they should just select the clothes they liked and start trying them on once the situation with the two young men was resolved, as it was a bit stressful for her to change clothes while someone was on their trail.


    Kara didn''t share Ophelia''s concern, as the two noblemen''s sons and their guards had no chance of approaching the fitting room while they were inside because she was constantly monitoring them and would immobilize them immediately if they barged into the store while they were changing. In fact, Kara could immobilize them even in that moment. But why waste the efforts of those trailing them, trying to ensure as few witnesses as possible at their confrontation? Wouldn''t it be better to take advantage of the situation and eliminate them as discreetly as possible? Besides, crushing someone who is sure they have all the advantages was far more thrilling.


    In any case, since Kara had no reason not to indulge Ophelia, and even if she had a reason, she likely still would have indulged her, as there was nothing in the entire world that could stop her from making Ophelia happy, she didn''t contradict her. So, both started gathering in their arms the clothes that caught their attention, a sight that left the shopkeeper unsure of what to think because, usually, taking an armful of clothes into the fitting room was a practice of very picky customers who, out of ten items tried on, would buy one at most, and he would be left to arrange the rest back in place.


    ''As long as they''re happy, they can try on everything in the store...'', the shopkeeper thought to himself, not daring to approach Kara and Ophelia to stop them from rummaging through his clothes under the pretext of helping them choose the right ones, as he usually did with other customers, fearing he might give Kara a reason to get angry with him.


    But the fact that the shopkeeper wasn¡¯t actively seeking trouble didn¡¯t mean trouble couldn¡¯t come to him. Soon enough, the abrupt and flamboyant entrance of two young men, who looked very wealthy and were accompanied by four guards, sent a cold sweat down his back, his intuition telling him they weren¡¯t there for shopping. Glancing in the direction the six people were looking, and spotting Kara and Ophelia, the shopkeeper was already planning to grab his sleeping granddaughter and leave as quickly as possible.


    Unfortunately for him, it was already too late to avoid being caught in the conflict, as the two young men began walking toward the counter where he stood, accompanied by two guards, while the other two remained to guard the door, ensuring no one else entered and that Kara and Ophelia had no way to escape.


    "You''re the shopkeeper, right? Please close the store early today and ask all the customers to leave, except for the two ladies..." said the shorter of the two young men, the duke''s son, as he reached the counter, nodding towards Kara and Ophelia, who were on the other side of the store.


    Hearing that the two young men intended to involve him in their plan against the young woman he found extremely dangerous, the shopkeeper began to panic even more.


    "Gentlemen, I don¡¯t know what your intentions are, but I beg you not to involve us, simple people just trying to make an honest living. If you have an issue with the two ladies, you can ask them to step outside..."


    "Do you want to make me insist?", interrupted the duke''s son, and at that moment, both guards beside him placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.


    However, the threat the shopkeeper felt from the two guards, even as they seemed ready to attack him, paled in comparison to the fear that gripped him when Kara had stared him down a few minutes earlier. As his intuition had never failed him, neither in his years as an adventurer nor since he had opened his shop with his own savings, he was certain that the four guards of the two young men, whose strength he estimated to be on par with B-rank adventurers, stood no chance against the young woman, whose presence he found more suffocating than that of an S-rank adventurer. Given the circumstances, he had no intention of following the duke''s son''s orders. If he had to pick a side, the shopkeeper was determined to choose the winning one.


    ''But if I keep refusing, will that demonic woman consider me on her side and step in to save me? No... that¡¯s unlikely. Judging by the menacing look she gave me earlier, she might actually enjoy seeing me with a sword through my chest...'', the shopkeeper began racing through his thoughts, desperately searching for a solution to his predicament.


    Ultimately, the only solution he could come up with before the duke''s son lost all patience was to use a skill to exponentially increase his speed for a brief moment, grab his still-sleeping granddaughter, and rush toward Kara to prove his loyalty by warning her of the new visitors'' plans. He was well aware that Kara didn¡¯t need such a favor and was convinced she would see through his trick, but it was better to be seen as a fool by her than as an enemy or to die at the hands of the two young men¡¯s guards.


    However, this plan was highly risky. Even with the element of surprise on his side, if one of the guards had a passive skill that enhanced their reflexes, they could easily catch him with their sword before he could escape. Moreover, his body was no longer in the same condition as when he was still an adventurer, so there was a good chance he might injure himself, perhaps breaking a bone in his leg.


    But to his relief, he no longer needed to put his plan into action, because, when he looked toward where Kara and Ophelia were to figure out the quickest route to them, he noticed that Kara had nodded discreetly when she made eye contact with him, a sign that she didn¡¯t mind if he followed the young man''s instructions.


    "Alright¡­," the shopkeeper finally gave the duke''s son the answer he had been waiting for, then hurriedly left the counter to inform the other two customers, who had no connection to the upcoming confrontation, that the shop was closing.


    However, in his rush, he accidentally kicked a chair with great force as he left the counter, causing him to limp while he followed the two customers, trying to convince them to leave the store. This created a somewhat comedic image, as he resembled the crippled henchman often seen in stories about evil wizards. On top of that, the loud noise woke up his granddaughter, who quickly tried to appear as serious as possible after lifting her head from the counter, hoping her grandfather hadn''t noticed that she had fallen asleep while supposedly supervising the shop.


    When the shopkeeper''s granddaughter laid eyes on the duke''s son, standing between two guards, she wasn¡¯t particularly impressed by him, despite his appearance of wealth, because she found his haughty expression rather annoying. Besides, she wasn''t particularly attracted to short men. However, when she noticed the duke¡¯s companion behind one of the guards, a tall young man with blond hair, looking like a storybook prince and wearing a stoic expression that gave him the air of a scholar, her mood changed dramatically. She immediately got up from her chair, eager to help them find suitable clothing.


    "No, thank you. We''re here on other business...", replied the duke¡¯s son, slightly irritated by the shopkeeper''s granddaughter¡¯s obvious preference for Theodore. Although he had no interest in the shopkeeper''s granddaughter, losing out to his friend, who could barely string two words together when talking to a woman, was as difficult to swallow then as it had always been. The only consolation was that Theodore''s charm only worked on women who weren''t too bright and didn¡¯t excel in looks either. By comparison, when facing the young women they were about to capture, Theodore hadn''t managed to make a better impression than he had, both receiving the same treatment from them.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    But the shopkeeper''s granddaughter wasn''t affected by the duke¡¯s son¡¯s cold attitude, as almost all her attention was focused on Theodore. Even though he hadn¡¯t even glanced in her direction, she didn¡¯t feel offended or discouraged, believing that his indifference suited him, seeing him as an ascetic who didn¡¯t like to get involved in worldly matters.


    "May I help you with anything, sir?", she asked Theodore after stepping out from behind the counter, trying to put on the most innocent expression possible, hoping it would be hard for him to refuse her help. Who doesn¡¯t like an honest girl doing her best at work? Unfortunately for her, the makeup on her face had been smudged from sleeping with her face on the table, preventing her from achieving the desired effect, making her look more like a courtesan caught in a wealthy man''s bed early in the morning.


    However, whether by bad luck or perhaps good fortune for her, as it allowed her to keep dreaming a little longer, Theodore continued to ignore her, staring calmly into the distance as if he hadn¡¯t heard her at all.


    "Dear customer, are you alright? My good sir..." the shopkeeper¡¯s granddaughter continued trying to get Theodore¡¯s attention, wondering if he might have a hearing problem since her words didn¡¯t seem to affect him any more than a fly buzzing would. But even if he were deaf, she still wanted to get closer to him and didn¡¯t feel discouraged, convinced that she would eventually find a way to make her feelings reach him. Besides, she thought it might even be a good thing if this handsome and wealthy young man couldn¡¯t hear, as her chances of getting close to him wouldn¡¯t be very high if he had no flaws.


    With these thoughts in mind, the shopkeeper''s granddaughter continued to hover around Theodore, trying all sorts of ways to grab his attention. This went on for nearly two minutes until she accidentally looked in the same direction Theodore was staring and realized that the reason he wasn¡¯t paying attention to her was that he was too busy admiring two young women, which made her feel as though a bucket of cold water had just been poured over her head, especially because though the girls were turned away from them, it was obvious from their figures that they were extremely attractive,


    At that moment, the shopkeeper''s granddaughter didn¡¯t know who she was more upset with, the young man who couldn¡¯t care less about her attention or the two young women who had seduced the one she was interested in. On top of that, she didn¡¯t find the duke¡¯s son or the guards beside him any more agreeable, as they were snickering at her expense.


    In the end, she decided not to settle for half-measures and got angry at everyone, intending to throw them all out of the store. But before she could open her mouth and start berating everyone, beginning with Theodore, who was closest to her, she felt a flick on the top of her head, the culprit being none other than her grandfather, who had returned, panting, from the door after escorting out the last customer who shouldn¡¯t be a witness to what was about to happen inside the shop.


    "Madeline, how much longer are you going to pester the customers? If you''re bored, go to the back and finish the inventory of the new products we just received...", the shopkeeper started scolding his granddaughter. He was certain, without needing any special intuition, that she was about to pick a fight with someone, her angry expression being proof enough. But he wasn¡¯t sending her to the storeroom just to avoid trouble with the customers; he also didn¡¯t want her to witness the confrontation that was about to take place in the shop, which he was sure would involve extreme violence, unsuitable for a girl who only talked big and wasn¡¯t capable of killing even a fly.


    "Grandpa, can''t you see that everyone is laughing at me... and I''ve never done any inventory before..." Madeline began to complain, upset that she had to swallow her frustration and also start a task she knew nothing about. Maybe if her grandfather had only wronged her in one way, she could have let it go, but being wronged twice at the same time was something she couldn''t accept, even if there was a chance he might make good on his past threats and send her to the countryside to take care of the pigs.


    Seeing that his granddaughter had no intention of leaving, the shop owner thought to change his strategy. Since his granddaughter had been living with him for over two years, he knew exactly what mattered most to her.


    "Madeline, have you looked in the mirror? Your makeup is completely ruined. What will people say when they see you like this?"


    Hearing her grandfather''s words, Madeline quickly ran behind the counter to grab the mirror she kept in a drawer to check if her makeup was truly a mess.


    "Ahh!", Madeline gasped in panic when she saw her reflection in the mirror because, up close, her makeup looked even more messed up than others could notice. She thought this was probably why no one was taking her seriously.


    "Grandpa, I''m taking a half-hour break...", she said, trying not to show her face, then quickly rushed to her room to wash up and reapply her makeup.


    Seeing his granddaughter leave, the shop owner sighed in relief, knowing she was now safe from being involved in the conflict that was about to unfold between the two young men and the two young women, and also spared from witnessing any violent scenes that might lead to nightmares.


    "Well, I''ve done as you asked...", the shop owner said, turning his attention back to the two young men. He wasn''t sure if his granddaughter had managed to offend either of them before he returned, but he wasn¡¯t too worried about it, as he was sure neither of them would make it out of his shop alive.


    "Good. Now, regarding what you''re about to see, I believe you know what you can and cannot talk about...", the duke''s son said, handing the shop owner a bag containing 100 gold coins.


    "Of course..." the shop owner replied, taking the bag without feeling any guilt about being paid by those who were likely to die soon. After all, he had done everything they had asked, right? Besides, he wasn''t responsible for whether their plan succeeded or not.


    With everything settled, the two young men left, accompanied by the two guards who had been with them the whole time and two others who joined them after the shop owner had locked the door, heading toward Kara and Ophelia, who were at the far end of the clothing store, about 50 meters from the counter, seemingly absorbed in looking at clothes and unaware of their presence.


    "Ahem! Ladies, do you remember us?", the duke''s son announced his presence when he was about five meters from Kara and Ophelia.


    Hearing the duke¡¯s son''s words, Kara turned toward him with a confused expression, as if unsure whether the question was directed at her.


    "No, I don''t think I do...", Kara finally said after confirming there was no one else around them and taking a good look at the two young men. "What about you, Ophelia? Do you know who these gentlemen are?", Kara asked, winking at Ophelia to play along.


    "No, they must have mistaken us for someone else...", Ophelia also denied knowing them. Though she didn¡¯t share Kara¡¯s pleasure in toying with their prey, she was willing to go along, thinking that a good girlfriend should support her partner¡¯s hobbies.


    "We... you met us at the restaurant...", Theodore chimed in, thinking it wasn¡¯t right to leave all the talking to his friend since the two young women might get the impression that he wasn¡¯t as important.


    "......", both Kara and Ophelia, as well as the duke''s son and the four guards stared at Theodore as if he were the biggest fool.


    ''Has Theodore always been this dense, or is his thinking clouded by the headache? Can he not tell that they¡¯re mocking us by treating us as people too insignificant to remember?'', the duke¡¯s son fumed internally, regretting bringing Theodore along to capture Kara and Ophelia. He was sure there was now no chance that Kara or Ophelia would take him seriously.


    "Oh, I think I remember. You¡¯re the ones I helped reach the place with the best view of the city... So, are you here to thank me? Or do you want me to help you get there again?" Kara continued, determined to keep the act going, even if one of the six before her didn¡¯t seem sharp enough to appreciate her acting talent.


    "Are you done with your jokes? Do you not realize the situation you''re in? If not, let me explain it to you. Either you sit still and let us place these slave collars around your necks, or we¡¯ll do it by force. Frankly, I prefer the first option, as I wouldn¡¯t want your pretty faces to be bruised tonight...", the duke¡¯s son said, pulling two black collars from his storage ring, collars typically reserved for prisoners of war or those who had committed heinous crimes, because enslaving innocent citizens was considered a serious crime in that kingdom.


    "So, you intend to make us your lifelong slaves? Well, I have to admit, you¡¯re bold. Considering how I treated you just for trying to hit on my girlfriend, the fact that you aren¡¯t afraid of what I¡¯ll do when I hear you want to make her your slave is truly impressive...", said Kara, whose anger was starting to affect her performance, her menacing gaze sending a cold shiver down the spines of the six men standing in front of her.

 Chapter 47. The Coffin Has No Pockets

    Although his instinct urged him to run as far away as possible from the young woman standing before him, the duke''s son calmed himself a bit when he felt the coolness of the orb in his coat pocket, telling himself he had nothing to fear as long as she couldn¡¯t use her skills, a wolf without teeth and claws being no more dangerous than a sheep.


    "Oh, so you''re one of those bitches who think they don¡¯t need men? Well, all I can say is that sometimes the gods can be cruel¡­ Although they made you very attractive, they burdened you with mental problems. But don¡¯t worry, I have the right cure for you. I guarantee that within a month, you won''t be able to live without a man''s touch..."


    If there were a school specialized in angering Kara, the duke''s son could probably get a job as a teacher there, as his words almost made Kara lose control and kill him on the spot.


    ''Don¡¯t act rashly, Kara. The bastard would get off too easily with an instant death...'', Kara managed to restrain herself, as simply seeing the duke''s son and his companions dead no longer seemed enough to satisfy her. Initially, she had planned to immobilize all six of them and then make them float one by one toward her so she could cut off their heads. However, she now thought that method was not only too quick but also not painful enough.


    "...Congratulations. You''ve earned yourself an extra 10 minutes to live...", Kara eventually said, no longer intending to keep the duke''s son and the five who accompanied him in the dark about her intentions. As for the duke¡¯s son''s words, Kara had no intention of bothering to refute them, as the opinions of someone who was about to die soon held no importance to her.


    Hearing these words and seeing the ferocity in her eyes, it was clear to everyone, except perhaps Theodore, that Kara planned to give them an extremely unpleasant death.


    "You really think you''re capable, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re probably very proud of your class since it''s very hard to defend against a mentalist''s attacks. But today, luck is not on your side... Tell me, do you know what this object in my hand is?", the duke''s son said with a smug grin, pulling out the orb that could neutralize a mentalist''s skills from his pocket. He couldn¡¯t wait to see the expression on the young woman¡¯s face when she realized that her abilities had become useless.


    Kara found it hard to understand the duke''s son''s mentality.


    ''Does he really think that using a magical item to win a fight is something to be proud of? Considering that he probably didn¡¯t even obtain it by his own efforts, he¡¯s truly shameless, flaunting that orb in his hand as if he laid it like a hen lays an egg...'', thought Kara, who had seen people fight dishonorably before, but none who were so proud of it.


    "...Unfortunately, I can¡¯t tell what it is. Maybe I¡¯ll figure it out if I take a closer look...", Kara said after admiring the duke''s son''s shamelessness for a few seconds, and then, to the stunned gazes of all six men, the duke¡¯s son¡¯s fingers began to loosen their grip on the orb he was showing to Kara, which, once freed, floated to about half a meter from Kara''s eyes.


    "No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anything like this before..." Kara said, examining the orb from all angles. "But it seems very expensive... Hmm, I think it would be best if it stayed with me for a while because I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be safe in your hands for much longer...", Kara continued, not hiding her greedy gaze, making it clear to everyone that she had no intention of returning the orb.


    But was there any difference between keeping it now and taking it later from the cold body of the duke''s son? Surely the duke''s son wouldn''t die more at peace if he had the orb on him until his last moment. And even if that were the case, Kara would likely act the same way, as she wanted the duke''s son to feel as uncomfortable as possible during the little time he had left to live.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Imm... Impossible... It should have been effective even against a mentalist at level 100...", the duke¡¯s son stammered, completely unprepared for this turn of events. Realizing that he was now facing someone who clearly intended to kill him and against whom he had no means of defense, he began trembling in fear.


    "My lord, use the teleportation formation...", shouted one of the guards, who, like the other three tasked with protecting the two noble sons, had already drawn his sword and was preparing to use one of the most destructive long-range skills to attack Kara. He hoped that, amid the chaos, the duke''s son would be able to activate the formation given to him by his father, which was meant for extremely dangerous situations, to teleport both himself and Theodore, as well as all the guards, to the duke''s home.


    Since all four guards had the Knight class and were between levels 50 and 60, their combined attacks would most likely have destroyed half the shop. However, to the shopkeeper''s luck, the four guards froze as soon as they tried to swing their swords, being affected both by the killing intent that Kara let slip only slightly, as she didn¡¯t want any of her opponents to lose consciousness, as well as by the passive effect of the Bless skill under whose influence Ophelia was, which it terrified anyone weaker than Kara who intended to directly harm her, to the point where their hearts nearly stopped.


    "Don''t tell me you''re planning to run. What happened to all that confidence you had a minute ago? Or are you only brave when facing girls you think are incapable of defending themselves?", Kara said with a tone full of contempt, using her Advanced Telekinesis skill to immobilize both the two noble sons and their four guards, ensuring they couldn¡¯t accidentally activate any magical item that might help them escape.


    Both the pressure Kara exerted on them and the ease with which she kept them immobilized, not even allowing them to tremble in fear, made the six realize that they had the misfortune of encountering someone from the category of people best left unprovoked. However, despite it being clear that their chances of escape were now zero, the duke''s son remained optimistic about surviving, as his background was one that even S-rank adventurers couldn¡¯t ignore, much less the young woman in front of him, who, despite having a power similar to them, was still an unknown figure, with no support from anyone in the capital.


    "I... I am the third son of the Duke of Falconwing! If you harm me, my father will make sure you become an outlaw in this kingdom...", the duke''s son managed to say, his desire to survive momentarily suppressing his fear. For someone who had lived a life of luxury, it was hard to come to terms with the idea of death, and the duke''s son was ready to fight for his life by any means necessary.


    Aside from wanting to hear the six scream in pain, another reason Kara hadn''t suppressed their ability to speak was that she wanted to hear them beg for mercy. So Kara wasn¡¯t particularly surprised by the duke''s son''s words.


    "And so what? I''m not afraid of anyone in this kingdom..." Kara said nonchalantly, having no issue with such a scenario. If high-ranking adventurers and mercenaries started hunting her from now on, wouldn¡¯t that just ensure a steady income for a while? She would simply take everything they owned after eliminating them.


    The duke''s son didn¡¯t believe Kara was truly the strongest in the kingdom, but he could tell from her expression that she genuinely thought so, which made any attempt to threaten her into letting him go futile.


    "I can give you a lot of money. I have over 50,000 gold coins on me... And many expensive magical items. You can take them all...", the duke''s son decided to change his strategy, willing to offer Kara all his wealth in exchange for his life. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if he¡¯d lose his fortune forever; he was certain his father would find a way to defeat Kara, allowing him to recover the money and items he had given her.


    "Well, your offer doesn¡¯t sound bad, but I think you haven¡¯t considered two things. Even if you die, you won¡¯t be taking the money and magical items with you to the other world, so they¡¯ll end up in my possession anyway. It¡¯s like you''re trying to trade for your life with what is already mine. The other thing is that I really do want to see you dead...", Kara pointed out the flaws in the duke¡¯s son¡¯s logic, her words making him realize that negotiation wouldn¡¯t save him either.


    With no other options, the duke''s son began, for the first time, to truly feel the imminence of death.

 Chapter 48. An Offer That Couldn鈥檛 Be Refused

    No matter how terrified the duke¡¯s son was, his state of mind could not have been worse than that of his friend Theodore, who started crying loudly after somewhat recovering from the shock caused by Kara''s show of force and began to realize the disastrous consequences of their plan''s failure. As long as the young women in front of him weren¡¯t saints, the kind who starve themselves to feed as many orphans as possible, it was certain they would have no mercy for those who intended to kidnap and turn them into their slaves.


    ¡°Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo!... Daddy!!!¡±, echoed through every corner of the store, annoying not only Kara and Ophelia, who had no sympathy for someone involved in kidnapping girls, but also the duke''s son and the four guards, who couldn¡¯t focus on finding a way to convince Kara to spare them. Besides, it was ridiculous for a well-built young man like Theodore to behave like a 5-year-old child.


    However, the duke¡¯s son, who wouldn¡¯t have minded if Kara had silenced Theodore by any means, even an extreme one like smashing his head into the ceiling to knock him unconscious, suddenly remembered Theodore''s secret identity after hearing him cry for his father to come and save him multiple times. Theodore wasn¡¯t just the son of a woman from a noble family in the capital but also the son of a high priest holding an important position in the leadership of the Church of the Sun God.


    "My friend, Theodore... is the son of one of the seven high priests who make up the council of the Church of the Sun God...", the duke''s son said, coming up with a new idea to convince Kara to release them.


    Maybe threats or money hadn¡¯t made Kara change her mind, but the duke¡¯s son was convinced she wouldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to become more powerful. He knew that many people grow strong to achieve a goal, but those who become extremely powerful, like the young woman who had captured him, only do so if their goal is to gain even greater power. For them, the desire to become stronger is similar to an addiction to a drug: they are willing to take any risk or make any sacrifice to satisfy it. The best proof of this was that most S-rank adventurers lost their lives in the lower levels of dungeons, where they voluntarily went in search of opportunities or simply to massacre powerful creatures to level up faster.


    Kara didn¡¯t understand why the duke¡¯s son had suddenly become so confident. If she didn¡¯t care about his background, why would she care about his friend¡¯s background, especially since it didn¡¯t even sound as impressive as being the son of a duke from the capital?


    But before Kara could tell the duke¡¯s son to finish his idea, Ophelia, who knew more than Kara about the structure of the Church of the Sun God, found something odd about the duke¡¯s revelation regarding his friend.


    "The son of a high priest? Isn''t it required for someone in such a position to take a vow from a young age that they will never touch a woman for the rest of their life?", Ophelia voiced her confusion. She knew it didn¡¯t matter whether the duke¡¯s son was telling the truth because Kara had already decided to kill the six of them, but the fact that a high priest had a son was information that might be useful one day, or at least make for good gossip.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "He, he¡¯s an illegitimate son!", the duke''s son hastily added, knowing his plan would fail if Kara thought he was lying.


    As for the trouble he might cause by revealing such delicate information, which he had learned from his father when he was encouraged to associate with Theodore, the duke¡¯s son didn¡¯t care. At that moment, all that mattered to him was surviving.


    "And why should I care if he¡¯s the son of a high priest? Can the offspring of a high priest lay golden eggs or something? Maybe that¡¯s why they aren¡¯t allowed to marry, because they¡¯d ruin the economy...", Kara mocked the duke¡¯s son, expecting his proposal to be as fantastical as her sarcastic assumption.


    However, the duke''s son was not discouraged by Kara''s attitude, as he was certain that she would find his offer irresistible.


    "His father values him greatly and even wants to make him his successor, so as long as you keep him hostage, it¡¯s almost certain he will agree to any demand you make. Are you wondering why you''d need the favors of a high priest? Perhaps you haven''t heard, but there are rumors that soon the leadership of the Church of the Sun God plans to choose someone to help obtain the Hero class in response to the increasing activity of demons. You¡¯re aware of the power difference between someone who holds the Hero class and everyone else, right? So, you might be tempted to aim for that position. But do you think being very strong will be enough to be selected for the Hero class? If so, you''re wrong, because without the support of an influential person, your name won¡¯t even make it to the discussion table. But what if you had someone within the council responsible for selecting the next Hero, who would fight tooth and nail to ensure that you would be the one chosen? Your victory would be almost guaranteed, wouldn¡¯t it? So here''s my proposal: you continue to hold Theodore hostage, and let me go so I can head to the capital to negotiate on your behalf with Theodore''s father. This way, you take no risks, and it will be much easier to get him to agree to your terms since you¡¯ll be sending someone familiar with him to represent you. Plus, I can guarantee him that you are truly a capable fighter, which will make him not see your selection as a breach of his duties...", said the duke''s son, his excitement at finding a way to save himself elevating his oratory skills to their peak.


    Hearing the duke¡¯s proposal, both Kara and Ophelia had to acknowledge his talent for politics. Making such unrealistic promises with such seriousness was not something just anyone could pull off.


    "...So, do you think I''m stupid or desperate for power?" Kara asked the duke''s son after taking a few moments to go over his proposal. Given his confidence, she had expected him to present an offer he thought would be highly tempting, but the fact that he proposed making her a hero in exchange for his life caught her off guard. Did he really believe she would take something so unrealistic seriously?


    As for the plan described by the duke''s son, Kara didn¡¯t even bother to dismantle it; it was too full of illogical elements, like the idea that he was someone she could trust to send in her place to negotiate.


    Though the duke¡¯s son was momentarily stunned by Kara¡¯s question, he wasn¡¯t ready to give up and immediately started explaining his plan in more detail.


    "Why do you say that? It''s a perfect plan. As long as... mmmhhhmm..."


    "It seems you do think I¡¯m stupid. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter what you think, because soon you won¡¯t exist anymore...", Kara said, silencing the duke¡¯s son by making him unable to move his lips. She felt he had put on enough of a spectacle. Besides, all the talking had begun to dissolve the tense atmosphere of impending death in which she had kept the six captives, so there was no longer any reason to delay their execution.

 Chapter 49. Closer

    ''It seems that there are people so disconnected from nature that they can''t even conceive the idea of losing their lives...'', Kara thought to herself, the confidence in the duke¡¯s son''s eyes as he tried to convince her to spare his life making her believe that the duke''s son couldn''t imagine that someone in his position, with so much money and so many connections, could ever find themselves in a situation they couldn''t escape from.


    Fortunately (for Kara, not for the duke''s son), she knew a remedy that could sharpen the rusted instincts of the duke''s son, and that was extreme pain. She was certain that after she broke some of his bones, he would realize that she had no intention of reaching an agreement with him and was, in fact, planning to kill him.


    However, administering such a remedy came with some challenges. One of them was that if she used her own hands to break the duke¡¯s son''s bones, he would most likely lose his life in less than a minute, as his body seemed very fragile. Another issue was that it wasn''t the right time for something like that, considering she was on a date with Ophelia. If she quickly eliminated the six as she had originally planned, it wouldn¡¯t be an event that would be hard to ignore when recalling their first date; it could be compared to swatting a fly that was buzzing around. But if she went ahead and started breaking the bones of all six one by one, intending to give the same treatment not just to the duke¡¯s son but to the other five as well, so none would feel discriminated against, that would make their first date remembered as an event full of violence. Moreover, Ophelia might think that revenge is more important to her than accompanying her.


    ''I think if I focus a bit, I could use the Advanced Telekinesis skill to break their arms and legs, but since I''m not yet fully accustomed to this skill, I''d have to take each limb one by one, so it would still take some time...'', Kara continued to contemplate a way to deal with the six men in a manner that would cause them the most agonizing death, but without requiring too much involvement on her part. Since she specialized in killing as quickly as possible, she didn''t have much inspiration when it came to doing the opposite.


    But as is often the case with inspiration, it comes from things that people often overlook. That''s exactly what happened to Kara, who, upon noticing some piles of clothes crammed into the shelves behind the six men, had the thought that they wouldn''t feel very comfortable if they were alive.


    ''...And even less so if people were in their place, as they aren¡¯t made of such flexible materials...'', Kara said to herself, after turning her gaze back to the six she had immobilized, imagining how they would look if they were squeezed together into a volume of approximately one cubic meter.


    Seeing Kara begin to look at them like a cat eyeing some baby mice, the six men had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next.


    "Well, I think I¡¯ve decided how to proceed. You were saying that two women shouldn¡¯t be together, right? Let me show you now that even men can be much closer than you ever imagined...", Kara gave the six men a hint of what awaited them, and then began using the Advanced Telekinesis skill to strip each of them of their valuables, as she didn¡¯t want to risk damaging them while crushing the men against one another.


    The atmosphere around the six men became tense and awkward. Misunderstanding Kara''s wordplay, assuming she had used "closer" in the sense of "intimate," and watching her remove items from them as if she were preparing to undress them, they suspected that Kara was planning to force them into sexual acts with one another.


    Though they would never admit it publicly, if given the choice between making love to a man or being tortured, all six would likely have chosen the former. So, instead of protesting, they began sizing each other up, trying to figure out who would be the most acceptable partner. Naturally, the two noble sons, younger and more delicate, were the most sought after.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Kara, wouldn''t you be punishing yourself if you had to supervise them while, um, you know...?", Ophelia asked. She, perhaps influenced by the way the six men had started to look at each other, also began to believe that Kara really wanted to make them engage in indecent acts with one another.


    Since she was certain that Kara was only attracted to women, Ophelia suspected that Kara would find such scenes repulsive. At least she, whom Kara had helped realize she preferred women, would have found them repulsive at that moment.


    Kara was amused by Ophelia''s question. Although her wording had indeed been vague, she didn¡¯t expect Ophelia to fall into the same trap as the six men. She thought she hadn''t done anything to make her suspect she had such strange hobbies.


    "Don¡¯t pay attention to them, Ophelia. Their minds probably can''t grasp the idea that they¡¯re about to lose their lives, so they cling to any hope of staying alive...", Kara reassured her, though she didn¡¯t bother explaining what she actually intended to do since she was about to put her plan into action. All that remained was to take the storage ring and the high-quality sword from one of the guards.


    Once everything of value the six men possessed was piled before her, Kara stored it all, including the device that nullified a mentalist''s skills, into her own storage space. She was now likely a hundred times richer than when she had first entered the shop.


    Kara didn¡¯t give the six men a chance to regret the loss of their possessions, as she made them all float into the air in the next second. Then she began pushing them against each other in mid-air, trying to shape them into something resembling a sphere.


    "Ugh, I¡¯ve never had the patience for solving puzzles...", Kara said, displeased that no matter how she tried to arrange the six men, they didn¡¯t seem to form a whole, always leaving too much space between them and with limbs sticking out awkwardly.


    "It seems I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to use force from the start...", Kara added after a while, and in the next moment, the six began to be squeezed tightly from all sides, as if they were trapped in a giant hand. This forced them into very unnatural positions to fill the gaps between them, and their limbs, which refused to align properly, began to crack. As expected, this caused the six to scream much louder than they had been screaming before.


    "Ahhh!! Please, ...I have a one-year-old son at home... uhhh... I was just following my employer¡¯s orders...", one of the four guards started to shout, realizing there was no point in staying loyal to the duke¡¯s son, who couldn¡¯t even save himself at that moment.


    The concern in the guard¡¯s eyes when he mentioned his son reminded Kara a little of the look in her father¡¯s eyes whenever she had an accident, so she didn¡¯t believe he was lying. But that wasn¡¯t enough to make her view him in a better light.


    "Hmm, it¡¯s true that the coming years will be hard for him, but I think he¡¯ll grow into a more dependable young man this way than if he were raised by a father involved in kidnapping girls. As for the fact that you were just following orders from your boss, well, you didn¡¯t seem too reluctant to follow them when you were asking the duke¡¯s son and the bastard of the High Priest to let you spend a few hours with us in the future after they got bored...", Kara dismantled all the guard¡¯s excuses. Besides, for her, it didn¡¯t matter whether someone attacked her of their own volition or followed someone else¡¯s orders; she wouldn¡¯t spare them in any case. With the belief that there¡¯s no difference between the bite of a bear that intends to feed itself and the bite of a bear that intends to feed its cubs, Kara didn¡¯t care about the motives of those who wished her harm, only about what they intended to do to her.


    But aside from the fact that Kara wasn¡¯t moved by any sob story, the six men realized something else from her words: she had long been aware that they were after her and had been watching them the entire time. After all, how else could she know what the guard, who had just begged her for mercy, had said half an hour ago? But didn¡¯t this mean they were the hunted from the start? Thinking about this, the six felt even more helpless and found it harder and harder to cling to any hope of escaping alive.


    Unfortunately, they could no longer express their suspicions or fears, as Kara took away the ability to speak from all six men, believing she had wasted enough time on them. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to hear only Ophelia¡¯s sweet voice? With this thought in mind, Kara planned to suggest to Ophelia that they quietly continue their shopping together, intending to pay attention to the six men only every five minutes, at which point she would increase the pressure exerted on them to bring them even closer together.

 Chapter 50. A Bet

    Realizing what Kara intended to do with the two noblemen¡¯s sons and their four guards, Ophelia was relieved that they hadn¡¯t decided to attack sooner, giving her time to digest all the food she had eaten at lunch before witnessing an extremely bloody scene, which was expected to be the final stage of their execution when they would most likely be reduced to a bloody mass of flesh. Since she wasn¡¯t used to seeing people die, even in a quick manner, she thought she would probably feel nauseous seeing the six men meet such a gruesome death.


    Although she didn¡¯t expect to enjoy what was about to happen, Ophelia had no intention of looking away, pretending nothing unusual was happening in the shop. Being fully aware that, being together with Kara, she would witness many such scenes from then on, she believed she needed to get used to both seeing people in agony and remaining indifferent to the terrified and pleading looks of those in pain. Wanting to be considered by Kara not only as a lover but also as a partner, she knew she couldn¡¯t stand by Kara¡¯s side only in peaceful moments, or rather, relatively peaceful moments, those in which Kara wasn¡¯t killing anyone, as she didn¡¯t seem capable of staying too long without getting into a conflict.


    Ophelia also thought it wouldn¡¯t be fair to Kara if she ran away every time Kara manifested her extremely violent side, as it would feel like she only appreciated the positive parts of Kara and not her as a whole. Besides, she didn¡¯t find this side of Kara hard to accept, on the contrary, she was genuinely fascinated every time she saw Kara unleashed, as Kara would gain the aura of a goddess whose will could shape reality as she pleases, and who, like a natural disaster, could not be stopped by anyone.


    In a world where the more you kill, the stronger you become, it was expected that Kara, being extremely powerful, would have a tendency toward violence. So, Ophelia had no plans to try and tame her, as taming Kara would be like buying a sword with a perfect edge and then dulling it by rubbing it against a stone.


    In other words, Ophelia had no problem with Kara¡¯s actions, just with the so-called "waste" resulting from those actions, as she hadn¡¯t witnessed many bloody scenes before meeting Kara. Thus, Ophelia was determined to build her tolerance for seeing people in agony. So when Kara suggested they go together to try on the clothes they had selected, Ophelia refused, explaining that she wanted to see those who intended to harm them pay for it.


    "Alright, but only as long as you''re not too uncomfortable...", Kara said, wrapping her arms around Ophelia from behind, feeling her heartbeat slightly quicken. Kara was aware that Ophelia, being the daughter of a marquis, had been raised in a rather sheltered environment, so she expected that Ophelia would find the sight of people dying in agony horrifying, even if she was in no danger herself.


    Although Kara wouldn¡¯t have had an issue if Ophelia chose not to witness the cruelty she was about to commit, knowing that not everyone could be as unforgiving as she was with enemies, she was pleased to see that Ophelia was willing to adapt to the darker side of her lifestyle. Moreover, it gave her a warm feeling inside, similar to the one she felt when her father taught her how to skin a deer or take the life of a boar caught in a trap. Despite the bloody nature of the act, it felt like a family activity.


    "Want to bet on who¡¯ll die first? The winner can make the loser do whatever they want for an hour...", Kara suggested, wanting to make the situation more entertaining. What was happening to the six men was terrifying, but it was also a bit monotonous since they couldn¡¯t even struggle or scream in pain, as Kara hadn''t the intention of staying to follow them when she decided on this method of execution.


    "Don¡¯t you control the force with which they¡¯re being crushed? How would that be a fair bet?", Ophelia wasn¡¯t inclined to accept a wager that was clearly stacked against her. Maybe the stakes were symbolic, as Kara didn¡¯t seem intent on always dominating when they made love, after all, she had easily offered her two hours to do whatever she wanted with her, but Ophelia didn¡¯t want to experience the feeling of losing unfairly.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "I promise I¡¯ll apply the same pressure on all of them. Plus, you can pick first. To ensure there¡¯s a winner, the bet can go like this: you¡¯ll choose three of them, and the remaining three will be mine. Whoever has the one who dies first among the three is the winner. So, what do you say, do you accept?", Kara tried to convince Ophelia to accept the bet, offering extremely favorable conditions.


    "Alright. But I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so eager to make this bet. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t let you do whatever you wanted last night...", Ophelia finally agreed, having no more reason to refuse Kara¡¯s offer, though she found it a bit odd that Kara had given her such favorable conditions. She suspected Kara might have a hidden advantage.


    "¡­Wait a second!¡­ Maybe your goal is to lose so you have an excuse to be dominated by me for longer!", Ophelia suddenly found a different perspective to explain why Kara was so eager to make a bet with her, one that justified why Kara didn¡¯t mind giving her such a big advantage.


    Kara, who had merely wanted to lighten the mood, was left speechless at Ophelia''s assumption. It was difficult to refute, as by apparently handing Ophelia the victory, it indeed seemed like she was also ready to offer herself.


    "¡­Well, I used an hour of dominance in bed as the stake simply because I noticed the topic excites you. Besides, even though I¡¯m stronger than you, I don¡¯t find it shameful to let myself be dominated by you in bed, so I wouldn¡¯t need an excuse for that to happen. I think it¡¯s normal to want to feel possessed by the person you love¡­", Kara contradicted Ophelia after taking a few moments to carefully choose her words, wanting to express her feelings as clearly as possible on the topic of dominance in their intimate relationship. She didn¡¯t want Ophelia to form the wrong impression, that she was the type of person embarrassed to make her desires known to her lover.


    "I see¡­", Ophelia responded, without a hint of disappointment in her voice at having been wrong. How could she be upset when Kara''s words revealed that she was excited at the thought of being dominated by her? Didn¡¯t that imply that such moments would be quite frequent in the future?


    However, the cracking sound of one of the guards'' ribs snapped Ophelia out of her thoughts before she could ask Kara for more details, reminding her that she had to choose the three people she thought were most likely to die first. Even though Kara was willing to let her take the initiative when they made love if she asked, there was a different satisfaction in winning Kara¡¯s submission through her own efforts, as it made her feel more in control.


    Unable to estimate the condition of the six men just by looking at them from one side, Ophelia asked Kara to rotate the globe they formed a few times, allowing her to analyze each of them.


    The first to catch Ophelia¡¯s attention was the duke¡¯s son, who, whether by coincidence or because Kara wanted it that way, had ended up with his face buried against Theodore¡¯s ass. With only his ears visible, Ophelia suspected it wouldn¡¯t be long before he found himself at the bottom of the canyon, and even if his nose did end up in a cave, he wouldn¡¯t have access to breathable air, and soon he would suffocate.


    The second person Ophelia thought would die soon was the guard whose ribs she had just heard cracking, primarily because his chest was being crushed by the knee of another guard. As the two were destined to be pressed even closer together, Ophelia was certain his ribs would eventually puncture his lungs, that being a fatal injury.


    As for the rest, although none looked particularly great, each having a broken arm or leg, none of them seemed to be in a critical condition. So, Ophelia gave the third spot to Theodore, who was considerably weaker than the three remaining guards.


    "So, the one with the crushed chest and the two noble sons...", Ophelia confirmed her choices to Kara, feeling fairly confident that victory was hers. Since she had begun to view the six men as mere pieces in a game, she was much less affected by their suffering, the tone in which she listed them off being similar to that of someone purchasing birds from a market with the intent to cook them later in the day, already no longer seeing them as living creatures but as food.


    But not even two minutes after the bet was placed, a loud crack echoed through the room, made by the head of one of the guards Ophelia had ignored, which was now resting in an unnatural position. As the terror-filled expression on his face began to fade, replaced by one of calm and peace, it was clear he had just passed on to a better place.


    "Looks like I¡¯ve won. Be ready for an hour of mid-air sex tomorrow morning as we head toward the Great Dungeon....", Kara proclaimed her victory, her calm demeanor suggesting she wasn¡¯t at all surprised by this outcome.

 Chapter 51. Has Reason Ever Defeated Shamelessness?

    "Wait a minute! Weren''t we talking about activities in bed? Also, I get the feeling that you already knew the one closest to death was among those who seemed to still be in good condition. Doesn''t that mean you set me up?", Ophelia objected to the result announced by Kara, feeling she had been tricked. What advantageous conditions? She was convinced Kara just wanted to get her to lower her guard.


    "I think you''re overthinking it. As long as the result depended solely on your choice, I don''t see why it would matter what I knew. It''s like if I had hidden a coin in one hand, and you tried to guess which hand it was in...", Kara said, not thinking that the game she had organized was unfair. After all, she hadn''t done anything to influence Ophelia''s decision.


    Although Ophelia still felt that Kara had tricked her by proposing a game where the more she tried to use logic, the slimmer her chances of winning became, it was hard for her to insist that she had lost unfairly without coming across as someone who didn¡¯t know how to lose, like those who throw a fit at a casino after losing all their money, since she couldn¡¯t deny that the loss was her own doing.


    However, Ophelia, who to those unfamiliar with her seemed to have an endless reservoir of patience, was not the type to swallow her frustration in private. The fact that she could no longer change the outcome of the bet only made her more determined not to be flexible about the prize Kara would claim for winning the wager. Hadn''t Kara said that whoever won could make the loser do anything for an hour in bed? How did this turn into a proposal to have sex in the air?


    So determined to fight, Ophelia didn¡¯t even pay attention to the fact that Kara''s proposal implied that they would be flying, meaning one of her dreams, that of soaring freely through the skies, would come true.


    When she was young, she would often watch the birds with envy as they crossed the sky, enjoying their freedom while she was forced to spend hours doing boring things like attending etiquette lessons. Perhaps that¡¯s why she never shared the passion that other noble daughters had for leaving food out for the birds. Wasn''t it unfair that birds enjoyed the advantages of a life deprived of freedom while also being able to fly wherever they wanted?


    Anyway, Ophelia started explaining to Kara that the agreement they made didn¡¯t specify that the winner could choose the location where they would enjoy their reward, so Kara had to be content with ordering her around for an hour only when they were in bed.


    At first, Kara was confused as to why Ophelia was so against her plan. Was having sex above some uninhabited forests more dangerous than in a restaurant bathroom? Besides, Ophelia had shown interest in flying when they discussed the applications of the Advanced Telekinesis skill. Wouldn¡¯t it be an even more memorable experience if their first time flying was done as one for a while? Regardless, Kara didn¡¯t want to make Ophelia uncomfortable, so she intended to say it was just a suggestion and that they didn¡¯t necessarily have to do it in the air the next morning; they could just as well do it before leaving the inn or among the trees.


    But before Kara could tell Ophelia that she was willing to back down, she noticed that the longer she remained silent, the prouder Ophelia seemed, as if she were about to score a major victory. Considering that Ophelia was already unhappy with the outcome of the bet, it didn¡¯t take Kara long to realize that Ophelia was trying to undermine her enjoyment of the win.


    Kara wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of Ophelia¡¯s behavior at that moment. Since Ophelia seemed very emotionally mature, Kara didn¡¯t expect her to be the type of person who held grudges over small things. Wasn''t that her job? Well, it could be said that like attracts like.


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    On the other hand, though, Kara was glad to see that Ophelia wasn¡¯t walking on eggshells around her. It was a clear sign that Ophelia had begun to see her as someone very close, someone in front of whom she could let her emotions take over without fear of the consequences. After all, Ophelia was the daughter of a high-ranking noble, so it was only natural that she would also have a stubborn side.


    But now that Kara understood what was going on, she was not so easily subdued. Maybe Ophelia¡¯s words were under the stars of logic and eloquence, but since when has reason ever defeated shamelessness? And since Kara''s shamelessness, when unchecked, could rival her powers, she was nearly impossible to beat in a debate.


    "Well, I accepted your proposal when we were in the restaurant bathroom, where there was a real danger someone might hear my moans, so it wouldn¡¯t be fair for you to refuse me now without a justified reason. And if you''re set on being in bed, I can make a bed fly with us...", Kara said as soon as Ophelia finished her plea, both her tone and expression suggesting she was a little disappointed; perhaps she was someone willing to do anything to make her lover happy, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was getting the same in return.


    Even though Ophelia knew Kara wasn¡¯t as delicate as she appeared at that moment, it didn¡¯t stop her from wondering if she had made Kara feel like only she had to make efforts to keep their relationship harmonious. Besides, she didn¡¯t really have a solid reason to argue with Kara because, even if Kara had tricked her into making the bet, it wasn¡¯t like she had anything to lose. She loved making love to Kara, whether she was on top or below.


    "...As long as you make sure no one¡¯s around, let¡¯s just say I agree...", Ophelia eventually decided to stop opposing Kara''s proposal, which no longer seemed so exaggerated after a calmer analysis. Plus, if she wanted to punish Kara, it would be better to do it that night in bed, during the two hours when Kara would let her be on top, rather than by preventing Kara from getting closer to her, as sex in unconventional places was an efficient way to strengthen their bond, as it made them see each other as partners in crime.


    "I knew my girlfriend values ??me...", Kara said, the clouds above her head disappearing instantly, then kissed Ophelia on the cheek.


    "What can I do? I can¡¯t stand seeing my baby sulking¡­¡±, Ophelia thought to tease Kara a little; seeing how quickly she went from upset to happy, it was quite clear that Kara had intended to soften her up by playing the victim, just like small children do when their parents refuse them something.


    "Anyway, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to turn the ''hours on top'' during sex into some kind of currency between us. As you said yourself, it¡¯s just as enjoyable to be possessed by the one you love as it is to possess them in return, so I don¡¯t see why we couldn¡¯t just communicate our desires to each other. In this way, such an arrangement doesn¡¯t make sense to me.... It would probably make us see lovemaking as an obligation over time...", Ophelia continued, believing that calculating who would be on top and for how long wasn¡¯t exactly romantic. Besides, since they were both deeply attracted to each other, they wouldn¡¯t deny each other anything anyway, so there was no need to make one feel obligated to meet the other¡¯s requests.


    Since Kara had only come up with the idea of trading ''hours on top'' during sex to make Ophelia happy, she had no problem with Ophelia¡¯s suggestion to put an end to this "monetary system" before it could complicate their relationship. In all honesty, Kara hadn¡¯t even considered that what seemed like an innocent idea¡ªpaying your partner with your body¡ªcould negatively affect a relationship if it was practiced too often.


    Anyway, Kara consoled herself by thinking that it wasn¡¯t entirely her fault; she had just been given bad advice. She figured it was no surprise her father¡¯s female colleague had so many issues with her lover if she constantly resorted to tricks like these to avoid solving the problems. However, that also meant she would have to find a new way to calm Ophelia when she got upset.


    "So, you¡¯re not planning on using the two hours tonight?", Kara asked, curious to see if Ophelia was really willing to give up the advantage she would have during their lovemaking in order to prove she truly believed in what she said.


    "That... well, since you gave them to me as a gift, it wouldn¡¯t be polite to return them...", Ophelia replied, avoiding Kara¡¯s gaze. She had already made plenty of plans for that evening and didn¡¯t want to risk not being able to carry them out.


    ".....", Kara looked at Ophelia in an amused way. Honestly, she had expected Ophelia to give her such an answer.