It really didn’t matter to him if they decided to treat him like a human now. Whether they continued to see him as a beast or a slave, as he had said – he didn’t care. As long as he had this woman in his arms.

After all, she was the only one who ever treated him like a person.

“How can you like me when you don’t even know what I am?”

“Because you’re Ethan.”

She always said things that would embarrass anyone else. Her eyes, looking straight at him as if expressing her feelings was nothing to be ashamed of, were so clear that they reflected her completely.

“Ahh…ugh…!”

Ethan’s lips brushed against hers, and each time she let out a moan. His hot breath trailed across her skin, leaving scattered marks. Eventually, he had her down and was now on top of her, gently biting the inside of her soft thigh.

The softness of her flesh was enough to make his mouth water. The moment he bit her, If’s back arched in response. She could have fled, but instead she let out a moan and spread her legs.

Even though she was shaking helplessly, she didn’t resist even once. Ethan drew his tongue over the reddened skin marked by his teeth and pressed his lips further in.

It had been so long since he had last touched her that she was still tight. When his thick finger stirred her inner walls, If finally burst into tears.

Ethan licked the tear that had fallen from her cheek and curled his lips into a smile.

“Huh…”

“If you’re going to struggle with just one finger, what are you going to do next?”

At his soft laugh, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I can… handle what comes next…”

Every time she wanted him like this, he felt like he was losing his mind. Ethan gave a toothy smile as he pressed against her cl*t.

“Hmph!”

Though he had long since lost all reason, his desire for her was insatiable. She truly was an infuriating woman. With a bitter smile, Ethan wrapped an arm around her slender waist and thrust his p*nis into her.

“Hhh!”

Her insides clenched, pulling him inside. She wrapped her arms around Ethan’s neck and moaned again and again.

She didn’t even notice how the sounds echoing in Ethan’s ears only increased his excitement.

Ethan grabbed her waist roughly. The thrusting p*nis buried deep inside her pressed against her inner walls. Overwhelmed by the heat that flooded her body, she trembled with every movement.

“Huh… Ethan…”

“I really did tell you my name for nothing.”

She clung to him as she called his name, even though the weight of it overwhelmed her. If only she could slip out of his arms, she could escape this overwhelming pleasure – but the way she held on only drove him further.

“Ugh…ugh…”

Ethan curled his body over her trembling, delicate form. The more she clung to him, the tighter he held her in return.

‘If this isn’t what you’d call cruel, then what is?’
She always shook him to the core with her innocent face. From the beginning, he had only wanted to use her. But in the end, it wasn’t he who threw her away – it was she who made him cling to her like that, and that was what was truly cruel.

“E-than…”

The tears that had been quivering in her green eyes finally rolled down. They traced the curves of her face, sliding down until they soaked the blanket beneath.

“…Ha.”

D*mn, who’s the bad guy here? He was the b*stard who devoured a woman like her.

Ethan lifted his upper body slightly and kissed her lips softly. In contrast, his lower body moved with unbridled roughness.

His tongue slipped between her lips, tangling with her small one. A moan escaped between them, only to be cut short.

“Hnnh… ah!”

Even as her insides trembled with every thrust of his hips, she clung to his lips, unable to open her eyes.

The kiss he taught her, the s*x he taught her, the pleasure he taught her…

How could he resist the thrill of such complete domination?

“Ahng!”

After releasing a surge of hot c*m, his p*nis slowly slid out. Ethan’s body collapsed next to If, who was gasping for breath.

They were both drenched in sweat, but Ethan couldn’t bring himself to let her go.

“Mm…”

As she blinked drowsily, lulled by the gentle hand brushing her hair back, If lowered her eyes.

Something kept touching her down there…

“That…”

“What? Do you want some water?”

Ethan let out a long sigh and reached for the water bottle on the nightstand. Just as his hand touched it, If’s hand moved.

The tension in Ethan’s body had eased after their heated lovemaking, but now he fumbled with the bottle and quickly grabbed her arm.

“What do you want to do now?”

She didn’t answer, but her eyes remained fixed on his lower body.

Sensing something ominous, Ethan tried to block her view, but then If finally spoke.

“You’re the one who said it, Ethan. That you wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to touch you as much as I wanted to later.”

“…”

“I forgot for a while, but I just remembered now.”

“I won’t stop you if you want to touch me as much as you want later, so just hold back for now, okay?”

Those words he’d said once came back to haunt him now.

“Then why are you stopping me?”

Her green eyes, wide with innocent defiance, stared up at him in protest.

D*mn it. With the overwhelming urge to beat up his past self, he had no choice but to let go.

***

Rigo, now more or less settled, had begun to welcome merchants again, just like before.

Even though If was gradually converting the land, the mercenaries had never been the farming type to begin with.

Even if they were given fertile land perfect for farming, they’d probably band together to hunt down a magical beast instead.

Then they’d sell it and use the money to buy food.

Still, land that could grow anything was livable in many ways. Especially the fact that they could fish from the sea was a great advantage.

Even though the war was over, they couldn’t just let outsiders in freely, so they strictly checked identities at the entrance.

Of course, the only real form of identification they had to go by was whether someone claimed to be a friend of a mercenary.

Still, a decent number of people had gathered, and Rigo was bustling with life.

“Dan, are you just coming out?”

The one who fearlessly stopped Ethan, who was walking with a grim expression on his face, was Burke.

“…”

“Why the long face so early in the morning? Feeling pretty out of sorts after leaving If behind, huh?”

Burke’s teasing words, laced with laughter, only made Ethan’s expression twist even more.

With the growing crowd, Rigo had become loud enough to make his ears ring. The presence of unknown people also got on his nerves for no good reason.

On top of that, he had to leave the house today.

Regardless of Rigo’s situation, Ethan’s mood had hit rock bottom.

As he walked on for a while, he frowned at the sight of a merchant standing near the entrance.

He looked familiar…

“The lovesick mercenary!”

The merchant who recognized him shouted loudly. As it was aimed directly at him, Ethan quickly realized that the ridiculous title was meant for him.

A stocky build, a round, friendly face, and a short beard.

It was Deverick, the traveling merchant they had met on their way to Alcate. But more importantly…

‘…So that’s what he called me?’

It wasn’t exactly wrong, but he hadn’t expected to hear it out loud.Burke, walking beside Ethan, glanced between Deverick and Ethan’s sour expression – then burst out laughing.

“Lo-Lovesick…! Pfft-hahaha!”

Ethan slapped Burke’s hand hard as he laughed and patted him on the shoulder. With a grim expression on his face, Ethan stood crookedly, and Deverick awkwardly averted his gaze with a nervous laugh.

“Heh… It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I didn’t mean to… Ahem.”

“Deverick, what are you doing?”

“Loden!”

As soon as his friend appeared, Deverick beamed and pulled Loden into a hug.

Caught off guard by the enthusiastic greeting, Loden stood blankly – until his eyes met a menacing glare.

No, wait, that guy always had a mean look on his face.

Clicking his tongue, Loden soon noticed Burke standing nearby, clutching his stomach with laughter. The guy acting like a lunatic was nothing new, but today he seemed particularly unhinged.

“What’s wrong with you? What’s so funny?”

“Do you know what that guy said to Dan? He called him a lovesick mercenary, can you believe it? Lovesick mercenary!”

At Burke’s words, Loden also burst out laughing. Ethan’s face immediately fell in frustration.

‘Lovesick mercenary.’

Everyone in Rigo knew how protective he was of If – his reputation for doting on her was well established.

Since the war had ended, there hadn’t been many reasons for them to be apart, like battles or meetings, so it had only become more obvious.

If was full of curiosity about the outside world, and it was well known that whenever she went out for her daily walk, Ethan would follow her with a grim expression on his face.
Even though he always looked like he didn’t want to be there, he still went with her—if that’s not a lovesick man, then what is it?”

As their laughter showed no signs of stopping, Ethan’s expression grew increasingly menacing.

Burke and Loden quickly put their hands over their mouths.

“…”

“Haha, at this rate we’ll be late for the meeting. Come on, let’s go. We need to finish this before If wakes up, right?”

Burke forced a smile, trying to ignore the cold sweat running down his back. Ethan scoffed, but still took a long step at the mention of the meeting.

The reason the meeting was scheduled for the crack of dawn was because of their wake-up time – he needed to wrap things up quickly and get back.

“Meeting? You’re going to the meeting too?”

Deverick’s eyes widened at their conversation. He knew Ethan was skilled – strong enough to take down a magical beast with one punch – but to attend that meeting?

“Huh? What, you were teasing him like you knew each other, but you didn’t? This guy is the main character of the meeting.”

“Huhhh?”

At Loden’s words, Deverick let out a dazed sound.