I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 366: On The Road To The Village

[Hwaaah. My feet smell. I want to go back to being a spirit.]

The Dark Spiritualist wore a tearful expression as she shook the leg covered in Fluffy IV’s poop. The way her chest bounced along with her movements was such a striking sight that it almost seemed intentional.

But seeing her eyes well up with tears, it was clear that she wasn’t doing it on purpose.

I mean, how could an adult woman cry just because she stepped in poop?

Especially when it was her own pet wolf’s poop.

“Just go wash up. Don’t bring the smell into the house.”

[Ah.]

Realizing she had forgotten about this, the Dark Spiritualist nodded and immediately hopped on one foot toward the bathroom.

I couldn’t help but wonder why she didn’t just float over there instead.

Stella, who had been sitting next to me, tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

“Is there something wrong?”

Concerned that something might be off, I asked, and Stella nodded before reaching out her hand.

[I can’t return to my spirit form.]

“What?”

Although she had formed a mental body, ultimately, what composed it was her soul.

Being unable to return to her original soul state was quite confusing.

[Hmm, it’s not a big deal, but it is strange.]

“…”

[Didn’t you say God Velas is coming later? I think we should make a list of questions to ask him.]

“Yeah, he said he’d come, but….”

I hadn’t expected him to wander around so freely like a slacker. Since he had finally gained his freedom, I didn’t want to restrict him, so I just told him to drop by whenever he had time. But it seemed that was a mistake.

“Sigh, I should have given him a precise time. I guess after living for hundreds of years, he doesn’t have a proper sense of time anymore.”

[Honestly, God Velas gives off a bit of a slacker vibe, so maybe he ran away because he was scared of you.]

“If anything, I think he wouldn’t have run away precisely because he’s a slacker.”

[Really?]

“Yeah. If he thought I would seriously chase after him, he wouldn’t have dared to run away.”

When I wore a smile as if saying trust me, Stella seemed amused. She leaned her head against me again, sliding her hand slowly up my thigh.

[When are you going to town to buy meat? I’ll come with you.]

I appreciated the offer, but…

“That might be difficult this time.”

Because Erica Bright, now properly dressed, cleared her throat and approached us.

“I heard you went last time. Please let me go with him this time, Saintess.”

[…]

Stella pouted slightly and glanced at me. She wasn’t wrong.

When I gave an awkward smile and patted her head, she moved along with my hand but pinched my thigh tightly.

[Hurry up, go, and come back quickly.]

Her words and actions didn’t match at all.

***

On the road to Iceburn Village.

Erica could have traveled comfortably in the wagon’s cargo bed, but she insisted on sitting next to me on the coachman’s seat.

Because of that, the space was tight, and we had to sit close together. But rather than minding it, she seemed to enjoy it, subtly pressing her hips closer.

“Aren’t you a little too close?”

“Do you not like it?”

Did she really have to ask like that?

She already knew what I was going to say, yet she waited for my answer with a faint smile on her lips, looking like a puppy wagging its tail.

“No, I don’t dislike it. I’m just worried you might fall off.”

At my words, Erica playfully rubbed her cheek against my shoulder. Along with the softness of her skin, a lemon scent mixed with the autumn breeze tickled my senses.

“You smell like the Saintess.”

“…”

That made sense—Stella had been leaning on my shoulder earlier, so of course, I would smell like her.

Honestly, I had no idea what kind of fragrance she wore.

If I had to guess, it was probably the warm scent of sunshine.

“Let me hold the reins for a bit.”

I wondered why she asked, but I handed them over without question. As soon as I did, she grabbed them with both hands and abruptly stood up, settling herself between my legs.

“Hmph.”

Her sudden and bold action caught me off guard, making me freeze for a moment. Taking advantage of my hesitation, she leaned back against me and placed the reins back into my hands.

Naturally, I was now holding her in my arms.

Normally, Erica wouldn’t act this way, but something in her heart must have settled after yesterday, making her more open about her feelings.

“Hmph.”

She let out another soft snort, making it very clear that she was sulking.

“Are you jealous?”

“What do you think?”

She leaned back completely, resting the back of her head on my shoulder. Then, she tilted her face just enough to place a light kiss on my neck.

“Hmm? If this isn’t jealousy, then what is?”

Erica had never openly admitted to feeling jealous before, so this was a bit shocking.

But at the same time, it meant she was passionately expressing her affection for me.

It seemed that yesterday’s apology had left a positive impact on her.

Jealousy was a natural emotion. I had no intention of controlling their feelings or telling them not to be jealous. Nor did I have the right to do so.

That wasn’t control but greed—merely an act of covering up the problem.

If anything, I wanted them to be upfront about it. So that I could do something before things got out of hand.

As I was thinking about that, Erica’s nose brushed against my neck, tickling me. I was about to say something.

“Are you thinking about something?”

“Mm.”

However, Erica beat me to it. Even though my answer was vague, she took it as confirmation.

“Alright, that’s good enough for me.”

Seemingly satisfied, Erica turned her head back to its original position.

The warmth of her breath and the ticklish sensation on my neck disappeared, leaving a brief sense of emptiness.

But before I could dwell on it, she fully nestled into my arms as if wanting to be completely enveloped.

“If you were worried about me being jealous, then that’s enough. It means you care about me.”

“Is that really all it takes?”

Her words were hard to believe, but she responded with a playful, amused tone.

“Why not? I mean, I even let it slide when you and Findenai had sex in the same bed last night. Do you really think I’d be upset just because the Saintess leaned on your shoulder?”

She wasn’t wrong. But it was a difficult question to answer, so I stayed silent.

“You care about me. You love me. That’s all I need.”

“…”

“We already shared our love yesterday. Even though it hurt, watching you lose your mind while devouring me felt good.”

“Ahem.”

Embarrassed, I quickly turned my head away. But finding even that amusing, Erica reached out and tapped my chin.

Pressing her fingers gently under my jaw, she spoke teasingly.

“It made me feel how much you love me. Even when I tried to push you away, even when I pleaded that it was too much, you didn’t stop. You wanted me that badly.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

“No… you’re right.”

She wasn’t wrong, but admitting it was embarrassing—the fact that my raw desires had been so clearly exposed through my actions.

I’m not even a teenager now.

When we were young, we tended to be embarrassed to express what we loved. And now that I was just beginning to understand the emotion of love, I was acting just like that.

However, just because I was embarrassed, it didn’t mean that I would simply wait passively for them.

So, I pulled Erica—who was resting in my arms against the autumn breeze—closer, embracing her more tightly.

“Fufu.”

She liked that, pressing herself against me in return.

Would this warm, peaceful moment continue forever?

This morning had been chaotic, starting with Findenai and even the Dark Spiritualist making a fuss, so I had begun to see the concept of peace from a different perspective.

The autumn road, filled with Erica’s lemon-scented fragrance, created a uniquely soothing sensation.

It was a refreshing autumn.

Even though not a single leaf had fallen, I had a feeling that this autumn would be unforgettable.

“Hmm.”

And just as we continued on our way, Erica let out a soft, mixed sigh and subtly rubbed her butt against me.

“…Erica, wasn’t the atmosphere so good just now?”

I asked, wondering if I had misunderstood the mood. But Erica only smirked and pressed her hips down more firmly.

“It was.”

“So the beast was actually you, huh?”

“You’re the last person who should be saying that.”

Press.

Slipping her hand between her own hips and my crotch, Erica wriggled her fingers, starting to caress me.

Her touch was undeniably sensual, and it sent my heart pounding.

“You know we can’t do it, right?”

In a light, playful voice, she made it clear. We were in a moving wagon, outside, and nearly at Iceburn Village.

We couldn’t just stroll into the village while reeking of night’s passion.

“Let’s just go like this.”

Her hand didn’t stop, but it also wasn’t overly intense.

Just a faint, lingering stimulation—that was all.

“This is torture.”

Erica gave me a bright smile when I replied, enduring with all my patience.

“Yes, I know.”

Seriously.

She was a woman who tested me in more ways than one.

***

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