It smelled sweet like a ripe peach, and it was as alluring as a heavenly flower.

“Charlie.”

Hector turned Charlie’s head and pressed their lips together.

Saliva intertwined with their tangled tongues.

At the same time, his fingers slipped into the narrow flesh path.

“Haa!”

Moans and gasps mingled through the touching lips.

The surface of the water splashed in time with the movements teasing inside her.

Unlike before, Charlie’s body relaxed quite easily, but it was still not enough for him to enter.

Another finger pushed into the tender flesh, prying it open.

“Haa! Ah… Uh….”

Charlie’s waist lifted on its own.

Her excited, shaking form, biting his hand, was undeniably sensual.

His tightly swollen p*nis rose even higher.

“Haa… Uh….”

Charlie’s body became accustomed to excitement.

As proof, the flesh gripping his fingers loosened and tightened repeatedly.

Begging him to enter, urging him. Hector lifted Charlie in his arms and stood up.

* * *

Charlie clung to his firm nape, letting out a moan.

“Haa, uh….”

Grabbing her b*ttocks, Hector moved his hips slowly.

When he returned to the tent after sending Kieran away, he had no intention of doing this.

To be precise, he tried to restrain himself.

But he couldn’t resist the affectionate gaze from Charlie, so he thought of the alternative of bathing.

He intended only to caress her while washing together, but somehow it turned into this.

No, perhaps he wanted it to turn out this way.

“Haa….”

A sigh escaped through his parted lips.

The more he intertwined with Charlie, the more the pleasure doubled.

The way she gripped around him as if she wouldn’t let him go was driving him crazy.

The sweet pheromones heated his entire body to the point of making it hard to breathe.

It felt like his mind was turning into a mess.

Where was this place, who was he? No thoughts came to mind.

He just wished time would stop like this.

Hector thrust his hips deeply.

As the sharp tip pierced through, Charlie called out to Hector, trembling.

The bouncing motion caused the er*ect peaks to brush against his firm chest.

Nails scratched down his wide back.

Everywhere Charlie touched felt like it was set ablaze.

“Charlie.”

You drive me this crazy.

[And uh… because I’m a Zero… I’m a Zero…]

Zero, with her cheeks slightly flushed, looking at me.

Yes, just a Zero.

A weak existence that could crumble and disappear with just one squeeze.

But why did he feel like he had become Zero?

It felt like he was reborn.

The days before meeting Charlie didn’t come to mind.

Hector’s world, once invaded by Charlie, was now completely engulfed by her.

And in that world, he desperately wanted to live.

“Charlie.”

Eyes drenched in longing looked at Charlie.

The red light flickered pitifully. The slightly furrowed brow and disheveled appearance felt somewhat anxious.

“Hug me.”

Charlie pulled him in soothingly.

Hector leaned his face against the slender arm supporting him and closed his eyes gently.

“Don’t let go.”

At that moment, a hot surge overwhelmed Charlie.

* * *

From then on, the two spent an entire day in the tent.

As Hector suspected, Charlie’s holy power quickly recovered as she became accustomed to their relationship.

Of course, losing strength meant her stamina dropped, but it was the same.

The Hunt camp was so peaceful that one might mistake it for a vacation.

Thus, the day for the expedition to move arrived.

“Your Grace, um….”

Leon frowned at Hector’s words about traveling on horseback instead of in a carriage.

“The road is rough.”

Given that he brought Charlie on the expedition, it was inevitable.

He knew that hiding and concealing wouldn’t protect her.

With an indifferent face, Hector headed to the tent where Charlie was sleeping.

* * *

Charlie, wrapped in a large robe, stared blankly at the riverbank.

The tent where she stayed with Hector disappeared without a trace in an instant.

The camp was densely lined along the riverbank, and the place where the knights played cards was the same.

The vast land felt exceptionally grand.

Why did it evoke such a sorrowful feeling?

A cold wind seeped into the hole in her chest as if a hole had been pierced.

How long had she been lost in thought? Leon, who approached unnoticed, called Charlie.

“Miss Charlie, what are you looking at?”

Only then did Charlie, coming out of her reverie, look up at Leon, who was much taller than her.

In this place filled entirely with blue light, Leon’s red hair stood out.

His golden eyes, like the sun, were full of life, like a fish in water.

“Just… I was wondering if it was always this vast.”

“Is that so.”

Leon smiled softly, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“His Grace went to meet the commander-in-chief. Let’s move together.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, right.”

Suddenly recalling something, Leon rummaged through his pocket.

Soon, a small candy was placed on Charlie’s hand.

“If you eat it too often, your teeth will rot, but having it occasionally helps recover energy.”

Charlie looked at the candy blankly.

Its wrapper was scratched, as if it had been crushed once.

“Keep it a secret from His Grace.”

Leon raised a finger to his lips.

Surely he was being considerate after noticing her gloomy appearance. A bright smile spread across Charlie’s face.

“Smiling like that is unfair….”

“Pardon?”

“Just a moment.”

After Charlie’s holy power increased, her pheromones became so alluring that even Leon needed to be cautious.

Of course, thanks to Hector’s mark before the expedition, there was no major issue, but when she radiated such charm, his back tingled slightly.

Soon, another candy was placed on Charlie’s hand.

This time, it was completely crushed.

“Originally, it’s one per person, but Miss Charlie gets two.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The hand in the gauntlet was clenched behind him instead of patting her small head.

* * *

“The movements of the monsters are not the same as before, so I want to change the expedition’s camp location.”

Inside the temporary tent of the commander-in-chief.

Cedric pointed at the spread-out map, speaking to Hector and Noel.

Originally, the expedition camped in a high, sunny place.

But now, Cedric was pointing at a rugged terrain blocked by cliffs.

Surrounded by steep cliffs, it was a location difficult for monsters to approach, except for those flying.

It was excellent for defense, almost like a fortress, but it also reduced the mobility of allies.

Cedric continued speaking.

“Also, after setting up camp here, I plan to divide the forces into reconnaissance and defense units.”

“……!”

Hector, sitting with one leg crossed, turned his gaze to Cedric.

Noel felt the same.

This did not align with the expedition’s purpose.

The purpose of the expedition was solely to exterminate monsters.

Before the Blessing Period, monsters increased in number due to breeding and spawning. Therefore, if not exterminated during this period, the damage would be immense.

In other words, the expedition’s goal was to kill them all indiscriminately.

There was only advancement and attack. Defense was unnecessary for the expedition.

No, there was nothing to protect in the first place.

“In that case, the forces will be divided into two. Is there a reason?”

Hector asked.

From Hector’s perspective, having brought Charlie along, Cedric’s statement was most welcome.

But something felt off.

Cedric must know that this situation was Kaisis’s doing.

Of course, he wouldn’t have known when they set out.

No matter how close he was to the Emperor, he wasn’t the type to send his subordinates to their deaths.

He might feel resentment because of it.

But there was no reason for him to protect Charlie; he would rather kill her.

Even more so to change military strategy and act against Kaisis’s wishes.

Moreover, Cedric knew about Charlie’s existence before Kaisis found her.

[Ah… I was just trying to return something you dropped.]

Did he run so urgently just to return a mere dropped ribbon?

And without using magic, at that.

Hector couldn’t have missed his wet shirt collar and unsteady breath.

[Then let’s go home now.]

Cedric clearly heard Hector’s words that day.

If Kaisis was looking for Charlie, he should have stormed straight into the mansion without needing to search.

Unless Cedric didn’t report it, that is.

“As I said, the monsters’ movements are unusual. At this time, when we don’t have an accurate grasp of the situation, I judged it would be reckless for the entire army to launch a full-scale attack.”

It wasn’t wrong.

In the current situation, after being attacked by wyverns, sticking to the same strategy as before would be nothing short of suicide.

“So you divide the army and set up a defensive line?”

“……”

Sensing something amiss, Noel looked back and forth between the two.

His jade-colored eyes held an interesting light.

As the silence lengthened, Cedric spoke.

“I just want to minimize our casualties and return without any losses.”

Cedric’s gaze fixed on the map somewhat awkwardly.

* * *

“Mr. Mateo, are you secretly growing carrots?”