44

A late night.

In the midst of a dense forest filled with towering trees, a lone man could be seen.

Clutching his side as though he were injured, the man steadily climbed the mountain.

"Tsk tsk…"

The Swordmaster Carlos.

"How heartless. To beat down an old friend like this."

After he went to the trouble of giving her a warning, what he received in return was not gratitude but a massive surge of power, blazing like the sun. Although he managed to evade it somehow, the suddenness of the attack left him unable to completely ignore the impact.

It was his remark that had triggered her wrath.

He had warned Athena that, one day, her actions would come back to haunt her as karmic retribution.

It might have been something she didn't want to hear, but it was a truth that had to be said.

Since he had reached the realm of Hyeongyeong, the Mystical State, he had gained a certain insight into the laws of the world.

The woman named Hera and Athena… Their relationship was unstable and dangerous.

A relationship that could descend into catastrophe at any moment.

He was certain that if they continued to leave things as they were, a great misfortune would befall them both.

But this was their affair alone. He had no place to intervene.

So, all he left was a few words for Athena.

Hoping that she would realize her mistakes and find her way back.

After climbing the mountain for some time, he finally caught sight of a familiar cabin.

"Hm?"

Despite the late hour, a light was on in the cabin.

He had extinguished all the lights when he left, so the one behind that light had to be his disciple.

'Did she leave without finishing up?'

This was a habit that could impact her training.

It seemed he would need to give her a scolding tomorrow.

However…

Swish– Swish–

The sound of a wooden sword slicing through the air reached his ears.

Approaching the source of the sound, he found his disciple, drenched in sweat, swinging a wooden sword.

"…Have you been training all this time?"

At his call, the girl paused, shifting her gaze toward him.

"You've returned."

An emptiness filled the girl's eyes.

What kind of story could lie behind those eyes, so devoid of light at such a young age?

Every time he looked at her, he felt a pang of sorrow.

"Young lady… Tomorrow's the big day, isn't it? Why are you pushing yourself like this?"

"I'll be training tomorrow just the same… Huh?"

His disciple narrowed her eyes at him.

Then, with quick steps, she approached.

Sniff, sniff–

She buried her nose in his clothes, sniffing him curiously.

"Hmm? What is this about?"

"…Master. Didn't you say you were going to meet someone?"

His disciple's tone had an eerie chill.

Occasionally, moments like these would send a shiver down his spine.

"I told you, I went to meet a friend."

Upon hearing his response, she looked down at the ground, murmuring to herself.

'Master's age…'

'But this scent is unmistakably…'

After a long moment of internal conflict, she sighed and raised her head.

"My apologies, Master. I thought it smelled like someone I knew… Must have been my imagination."

"Ah, you strange girl, ha ha."

"Besides, I've mastered everything you taught me. I'm ready to learn the next stage."

"Hm? Already?"

Even for a prodigy, it should've taken at least three days.

"Yes. Shall I show you?"

But his disciple had indeed absorbed every bit of his teachings, mastering it with her body.

A rate of growth that would astonish any other swordsman.

'Amazing… an astounding talent.'

A disciple with talent far surpassing his own youth. If she continued to grow, there was no doubt that one day, she would surpass him.

"Hoho… Good, very good. I'm curious too."

To see how far you'll go.

***

"Come on. Hurry, Hera."

"Mm…"

Athena, sitting on the bed, extended her hand toward me.

And I knelt down in front of her, my knees on the floor beside the bed.

Athena looked down at me, her breathing excited, her eyes holding a strange gleam.

'Looking at me like that makes me embarrassed…'

We'd done this once before, but doing it again brought back the familiar sense of embarrassment.

However, if it made her happy, that was enough for me.

I carefully tucked my hair behind my ears so it wouldn't get in the way, then held her outstretched hand firmly in both of mine.

Taking her longest finger into my mouth.

"Hmmph."

Tasting her finger once again.

A sweetness stronger than saltiness filled my mouth.

Smooch- smack- slurp-

Maybe because I'd done it before, my tongue moved more skillfully this time.

Her finger was gradually getting covered with my saliva.

I ran my lips over it, spreading my saliva around.

And I licked her fingerprint, almost tickling it with my tongue.

"Haa…Hera…"

Athena, as if holding back something, tightly gripped my head with her free hand.

"H-Hera…Athena…does it feel good?"

Her eyes began to tremble fiercely at my words.

She looked at me blankly for a moment, then a hint of anger started to color her gaze.

"You little… like a wild animal…"

"Ah…ugh?!"

Athena suddenly thrust her finger deeper into my mouth.

Reflexively, I tried to pull away, but Athena's hand firmly gripped my head, pulling me closer.

"Gah?!… Ugh…!

Her finger touched the back of my throat, triggering my gag reflex.

"Hera… Hera!!!!"

"Guh..! Gah…!"

Her finger pressed down inside my mouth, and I felt a choking sensation, bringing tears to my eyes.

As I felt I could bear it no longer, I tapped her leg, pleading for her to stop. But she held my head firmly, refusing to let go.

"Hrk… guk…"

Her finger repeatedly forced itself into my mouth, pushing past my limits.

As her finger moved more forcefully, my strength began to drain, leaving me unable to resist her.

Eventually, like a broken doll, my limp arms dropped, swaying loosely.

After what felt like an eternity of this, she finally withdrew her finger from my mouth, pressing my tongue one last time before slowly pulling it out.

"Guh… haa…"

As her finger left my mouth, the thick saliva that had gathered inside spilled out, streaming down my chin in an unbelievable quantity.

But before the saliva even left my mouth, Athena's lips quickly sealed my exit.

"Mm… mmph…"

With nowhere else to go, my saliva naturally began to flow into her mouth.

Gulp, gulp.

The sound coming from her mouth was far from what you'd call a kiss.

Instead of the sound of exchanging saliva, only the sound of swallowing echoed throughout the room.

After quite some time, having taken all of my collected drool, she finally pulled her face away from mine, sensually licking her lips with her tongue.

"Thanks for the treat, Hera."

"He… heu…"

"Sorry if it felt forced. But it's all your fault."

It took me a while to come back to my senses.

"You… you really!!"

My face flushed bright red as I smacked Athena repeatedly with a pillow.

"Is it okay to hit your master like this, Hera?"

"Is… is that really something you should be saying?! After… after doing something like that…!"

But Athena just smirked mischievously in response to my scolding.

"Something like that? What do you mean?"

"The thing you did to me earlier!!"

Feigning ignorance, Athena shrugged her shoulders.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You… ugh!"

It was clear she wouldn't admit to her wrongdoing until I spelled it out.

Finally, swallowing my embarrassment, I shouted at her.

"You… you stuck your fingers into my mouth however you wanted!!"

"So what?"

"Wha…?"

Her shamelessness left me stunned.

"I mean… you shoved your fingers…"

"Didn't you say you wanted me to do it? Why are you backtracking now?"

"No… that's different—"

"How's it different? Either way, it's just fingers in the mouth."

"Wha…?"

"And anyway, girls can do this kind of thing too. Why are you making such a fuss, Hera?"

..?

Wha… what?

Am I the one making a big deal out of this?

Isn't it different…?

Sure, it's fingers in the mouth both ways, but still… it feels different somehow…

Even if we're both women… shoving something into someone's mouth like that… isn't that wrong…?

Or… is it fine just because we're both girls…?

The more I thought about it, the harder it was to figure out what was right.

Looking at Athena's confident expression, I began to doubt my own common sense.

No.

Even if it's something two people of the same gender can do, it doesn't make it okay.

If there was mutual consent, it might be different, but doing something like that unilaterally isn't right.

"It… it was horrible… I couldn't breathe… and I even felt like gagging…"

That awful sensation of having to swallow down something rising from within me.

No matter the gender, causing someone that kind of discomfort just isn't right.

That's just basic common sense anywhere.

So, this was definitely Athena's fault.

Yes. It was her fault.

'I'll really teach her a lesson—'

"That was my mistake. I'm sorry."

"…Huh?"

"I thought you'd be really happy if I did that for you… I didn't realize it would be so uncomfortable. I'm sorry, Hera."

"Ha… happy?"

"Yeah. Really happy. You went through so much trouble for me. I was genuinely happy."

Oh…

'If it made her happy, then maybe that's okay…?'

No, what am I thinking? Get it together, Hera.

No matter what, treating me like an object isn't okay.

Inside me, two sides started to clash. One part felt a sense of satisfaction at making her happy, while the other resented her for causing me distress.

After a long internal battle, I came to a decision.

Normally, I would never let this slide.

But she hadn't done it with malice…

And, since she had apologized sincerely, it might be okay to let it go just this once.

With a sulky look, I glared intently at Athena.

"….Next time, don't do that for real."

"Fufu."

Next time, I really won't go easy on you.

Yeah, that's right.

Huh?

I feel like this has happened before… Am I just imagining it?

***

"Next time, don't do that for real…"

Finally.

Finally, I've managed to get back at that sly fox.

Until now, I'd always been swept away by her. But finally, it seemed I'd figured out how to handle her.

Yeah. For a master to be dominated by their slave—it was unthinkable.

From now on, I'd thoroughly treat her as a servant, making her submit to me.

So that she wouldn't dare to even think of defying me.

'Fufu… You'd better be prepared, Hera.'

"Um… Athena…"

"Hm?"

Hera timidly tugged at the edge of my clothes.

Her cheeks were flushed with a hint of red, as if she was trying to hold something back.

"It… it was hard and painful…"

Was she about to complain about what had happened before?

It seemed her mood still hadn't completely lifted.

Well, it didn't matter. For her, I could lower my head as many times as needed.

Until her mood improved, that is.

After all, I was the one holding the leash in this relationship now.

This one time, I could treat her with a generous heart.

"I'm sorry, He-"

"B-but… if it makes you happy… Not too often, but… occasionally… I'll do it for you…"

After all, I was the one holding the leash now.

I was the one holding the leash…

Holding the leash…

The leash…

"…..ha."

Such a Bitch.