Noah’s statement about watching her was more shocking than the revelation that Iska had been trying to turn her into a beast-person.

Rudis had assumed it was just part of the game mechanics. In most games, when you faint from serious injury or fail to sleep within scheduled hours, priests typically resurrect you or transport you to specific locations—a common game convention.

But to learn that all this had been Noah deliberately watching over her?

At that moment, Rudis recalled the unexpected dental examination from not long ago. This meant he had known about Iska’s plans and her transformation all along.

“You stopped wearing the device I gave you. What would have happened if I hadn’t prepared countermeasures in your house?”

The man who had been secretly observing her had the audacity to sound indignant. Rudis shuddered with creeping chills. A device? So that explained why she had stopped experiencing forced sleep at some point.

“Then perhaps… that accessory…”

Rudis thought of the accessory Xenon had taken—items she had received as quest rewards from Noah or purchased from him.

Though she had occasionally asked Xenon to return them, subsequent events always made her forget to retrieve them. Clearly, Xenon also knew about the power these accessories possessed.

She couldn’t begin to grasp how everything was connected. The only certainty was that this was no longer the peaceful farming game it once was.

Perhaps it had been her misconception all along—not that the genre had drastically changed, but that she had been deluded about the true nature of this game from the beginning.

But right now, Noah’s surveillance wasn’t the most pressing issue.

“What should I do now?” Rudis asked with a trembling voice.

Noah curled his lips in satisfaction. “We need to treat you.”

“…Can you help me?”

“You only ever ask things of me. Yet you’re so busy helping everyone else.”

His cold gaze fixed on Rudis again. What he said was true. Noah had never asked anything of her. Usually, Rudis would want something and gather the necessary materials herself. Noah’s quests were more like transactions than favors—clearly defined exchanges where Rudis typically received more than she gave.

“Of course, I’ll help you this time too. I happen to have something prepared. The details will need adjustments, but it should halt the progression for now. However…”

The fact that he had a solution was reassuring. Noah had always been straightforward about what was possible and what wasn’t, which made his words trustworthy. Rudis didn’t care how much it would cost.

But that “however” filled her with anxiety. She held her breath, waiting for what would follow.

“Once we start, you cannot give up until it’s finished. You won’t be able to leave this place until the treatment is complete. It won’t be easy—are you prepared for that?”

Rudis nodded solemnly at Noah’s question.

“Good. Then let’s begin the treatment.”

The pristine priest smiled, his face remaining utterly cold.

* * *

“First, let’s get you cleaned up. The beast smell is revolting. The bathroom is this way.”

That’s a bit harsh, Rudis thought, glaring at him while heading toward the bathroom.

“Why are you following me in?”

“I need to make sure you clean yourself thoroughly.”

What’s wrong with him? Rudis fidgeted awkwardly, unable to lower the cloth covering her body.

“I told you I’ve seen everything already. What difference does covering yourself make now?”

Noah’s voice carried no hint of lewdness. If anything, it sounded sacred. It made Rudis feel embarrassed for finding the situation strange.

Eventually, Rudis lowered the cloth and began washing herself. Throughout the process, Noah never averted his gaze. He truly seemed intent on ensuring she cleaned thoroughly, just as he claimed.

“Are you going to keep watching?”

“I’m simply making sure you don’t miss anything for the treatment. Surely you’re not having inappropriate thoughts?”

His implication was clear: if anyone was being perverted, it was her, not him. Rudis continued washing with persistent discomfort. At least the refreshing soap smell was pleasant.

After scrubbing herself thoroughly while keeping an eye on Noah, she turned off the water, only to hear his cold voice again.

“You need to scrape out everything inside as well.”

Rudis was startled. What exactly did he mean? Seeing her bewildered expression, Noah answered calmly.

“The s*men. Surely you don’t expect to undergo treatment while carrying that inside you?”

So that’s why he was here? And to mention s*men so directly… Noah clearly knew about her relationship with Iska. Just how much had he been watching? Rudis blushed with embarrassment.

“Hurry up.”

Under Noah’s stern urging, Rudis finally inserted her fingers to scrape her inner walls. The sensation was strange. Though she had touched her cl*toris before, she had never inserted her fingers like this. Doing so under someone’s watchful gaze made everything feel shameful.

Even more embarrassing was how her body gradually heated up. Though she wasn’t in a normal state, according to Noah, this response in such a situation was mortifying.

Rudis’s body tensed significantly. She slowed her movements considerably, trying to suppress any moans. When her fingers barely moved as she bit down on them, Noah exhaled deeply.

“Let me help you. We can’t spend all day like this.”

“Ah!”

Before she could protest, white-gloved fingers invaded her lower region. Rudis’s vision went white. Despite the lack of technique, the sensation was overwhelming.

“Nngh… wait, just a moment.”

Standing there, Rudis convulsed lightly. Her legs weakened, trembling uncontrollably. She managed to stay upright only by placing her hands on Noah’s shoulders. Despite supporting her full weight, the priest’s white fingers didn’t stop.

“Hmm, so this is what you’ve become.”

Noah showed Rudis his glove, dripping with fluid.

“I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this…”

Rudis apologized as Noah frowned irritably. She too found these changes difficult to understand. 

Reaching climax after just a few strokes of fingers? In front of a priest, no less? The shame made her want to hide somewhere. Yet she found herself repeatedly glancing at Noah’s lower body, strangely disappointed to see no reaction there.

“No need to apologize. This is a natural response.”

“Mmph!”

When Noah wiped his fingers and inserted them again, Rudis pressed her knees together. With his expression unchanged, he began probing deeper.

“Summer is mating season for beast-people. The heat period lasts longer for females who haven’t conceived. You’re simply experiencing those effects. It will worsen at night.”

“Haah… ngh.”

While it was somewhat reassuring to hear this was normal, the splashing sounds from below seemed unnaturally loud. As did her whimpering. The bathroom’s humidity seemed to amplify everything.

“Nngh.”

As another climax overtook her, Rudis collapsed to the floor, convulsing.

“Even so, this seems excessive.”

Noah muttered coldly as he removed his gloves, sticky with viscous fluid. His cold gaze looking down at her made Rudis flinch.

“Or perhaps you’ve always had such a lewd body?”

“That’s not—!”

“It doesn’t matter. Come out. We’ll begin the treatment.”

Unable to properly defend herself, Rudis exited the bathroom to find the altar had been prepared.

“Come up here.”

Rudis cautiously climbed onto the altar. This was where she would wake up after forced sleep or after fainting from monster attacks. But that didn’t make crawling up with just a cloth wrapped around her any less uncomfortable. She was far too exposed. Despite there being no open windows, a cold breeze made her shrink further into herself.

“Lie down.”

Noah reappeared, seemingly having changed into fresh gloves. As though nothing had happened, he held a transparent rod in his pristine white gloves.

“Are… are you treating me with that?”

Rudis’s pink eyes trembled with dismay. The rod’s purpose was unmistakable. It resembled that thing too closely.

“Yes. This will be used for the treatment. Raise and spread your legs. And hold your knees apart.”

Noah casually applied blue potion to the rod. In this situation, with the position she was expected to take, Rudis seemed to be the only one feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable.

“This is merely treatment, so don’t entertain strange thoughts.”