Rupegia Novel Chapter 13: Growth – Part 1

Chapter 13: Growth – Part 1

That man was strong, I was using the elixir and still almost went down, I seriously need more "Strength" and "Endurance". But he really didn't expect

to be able to use [Electric Magic], I was his worst opponent since he was wearing chain mail. I'm thankful for Roxanne.

The girls told

how it went. Two of the n got caught unaware by [lt Skin] and then the elentals finished them off. Alissa killed the blond man instantly but the other two near her weren't so distracted and she was forced into lee. She held on until Roxanne dealt with her side, then turned around and used [Fire Whip] on one and an elental knocked down the other, then Alissa managed to finish them at the cost of a shoulder wound. She even had to use an anti-venom, she was going to get paralyzed.

Hana burned 1 to death with her [Fire Breath] and dealt with the other two by herself until support ca. One got an arrow to the eye and the other got stunned with a small explosion near his head and then skewered by Hana's winged charge.

In the end the taunt didn't really work since they were frenzied by their lust and evil desires. ntioning my na might also have had the contrary effect since I was far from being threatening to them.

"Why did they attack us like this? They all threw their lives away..." I ask.

"Their bounty plates say they did so pretty heinous things," Hana answers.

"Bounty plates?"

"A simplified ID plate. You put a lot of blood in it and it tells you the na, the cris of the person and if they are still alive when the blood was taken," Roxanne explains.

"They weren't re thieves, they would have tried to extort us if they were. Only the wicked would throw their lives away so easily," Hana adds.

"So it's my luck that strikes again…"

"We all knew what you ant with 'isekai protagonist luck' and we don't regret it, don't think about blaming yourself," Alissa says with a strict tone.

"Okay..." I let out a weak smile, "Ah… my 'Sanity' went down a point."

"What value is it now?" Alissa asks.

"Seven."

They all look concerned.

"Is it bad?" I ask.

"Yes… you should seek guidance from the priests," Alissa says, Roxanne nods.

We rest for a while and I feel hungry, my stomach is empty so we take an early lunch. I ditate to regain mana and it really cald my heart.

We move again in search of a minotaur. After half an hour Alissa finds one and we sneak close to investigate.

I see a 2-ters tall monster. It has a black bull face with two large and sharp looking horns pointing forward, an incredibly muscular black human body that would make a bodybuilder blush, a disgustingly large horse penis dangling about, and muscular black horse legs.

We imdiately turn away, Alissa and Roxanne are blushing, Hana shrugs.

"If it's too big it's no fun you know, pain is still pain," she says.

After 2 more embarrassing encounters with male minotaurs we find a female. The embarrassnt is not much better, the female has 4 large human breasts and a visible vagina between the legs, no pubes.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," I say.

"W-we can handle it. I-it's not so bad, we will get used to it," Alissa says while blushing.

I breath in deeply and summon a very large and tough earth elental. Once Hana and Alissa let out their arrows I let it charge and stay back.

"MOOOOO!" The female bovine roars.

The minotaur imdiately charges towards the elental with its horns pointed forward. The two clash and the horns get stuck in the chest of the elental who grabs the minotaur while Hana and Alissa fill it with arrows.

I cast a few [Lightning Bolts] and it helps stop the minotaur from struggling for a while. The minotaur can't escape, this is the strongest elental I can make, it's made specifically to be used to bear-hug the enemies to death. It has arms made of lead and there's a hook on one hand and a loop on the other, once the lock is made there's no escape.

The minotaur receives multiple arrows to the chest, flank, and neck. It starts to choke on blood and has difficulty breathing. The elental hugs harder and ribs crack. After a few minutes the minotaur stops struggling and goes limp, it's dead.

"That was easy," Roxanne says, stretching.

"Well, it did use a huge amount of my mana. Also, the dew made it weaker," I answer.

"Ah well, I guess I can't start relaxing yet," and she lets out a smirk.

I store the body in my "Items".

"Let's go ho, I wanna rest tomorrow, the classes start at the 1st."

They all nod and we move towards the town again. Alissa evades the monsters easily. We go back the way we ca and enter the black door.

We get out and the ground is incredibly wet and muddy.

"It rained while we were inside," Alissa says.

"I had actually never seen it rain since I ca here," I say.

"Dry season is ending," Roxanne says.

We move away from the exit when Alissa senses an unknown monster.

A cute little thing appears. It's a half-ter tall white bunny, its cute pink paws appear when it jumps forward, its cute little pink nose twitches when it slls us, and its cute little eyes look at us. Then it charges towards Hana and opens it's mouth, showing an impressive set of bloody and sharp teeth. Hana skewers it at the sa ti Alissa puts an arrow through its body.

"Aaahh..." I let out a moan.

"Ooh, a Rabid Rabbit, lucky we found one, they are always being hunted so much around here," Hana says while waving the body around.

"Oh, I leveled up. A-anyway, just store it in your [Item Box]," Alissa says in a worried tone.

Hana stiffens for a mont and stores the corpse, she cleans her spear and we continue moving.

We finally reach the border of the Sea of Trees and we see a cloudy grey sky.

"A bit depressing," Roxanne says.

"I like rainy days. Specially with so calming music," I say.

"Hm, I understand," Alissa says.

I pull out the dinghy and we go back ho, I just cuddle with Alissa on the back row while Hana and Roxanne cuddle on the front row. My heart still feels ssy, I need so ti to recuperate my energy.

During bath I make out and enjoy Roxanne while Hana puts Alissa to sleep with her hands. Roxanne has sothing very alluring on her that I can't explain, when she puts in so effort she can look so sexy I feel intoxicated, is this the effect of "Charisma"? I just know she healed my heart a little more, when the airhead goes away she can be quite gentle and loving.

It was nearly sunset when we passed the north gate. We are all tired so I ask Alissa to not make dinner, we just eat an "Items"-ready al.

I go to sleep imdiately with Alissa in my arms, Hana and Roxanne are together tonight.

Today is the 30th.

I wake up moaning, I feel warm and happy and a wet sensation between my legs. Morning piece of heaven again. It reinvigorates .

My [Summoning Magic] increased by 3 (now 15 8), my [Mana Control] and [Mana Efficiency] raised by 1 (now 0 6 and 0 5) and my MP increased by 20 (now 510).

Alissa gained 1 point in [Bow Use] (now 23), 1 point in [Sense Presence] (now 6) and 1 point in [Hawk Eyes] (now 2). She has 5 points left.

"Wolfy, you should visit Ciel. Tell her about the dungeon," Alissa says.

"You are not coming?" I ask.

"No, you should talk to her alone. I wanna visit Selina.

I smile, I like that she's wanting ro do things on her own, though right now it makes

a bit sad to be away from her.

"I'll go deliver the bounty plates to the guards," Hana says.

"Leave the minotaur in the backyard, I'll milk it," Roxanne says.

"You can do it by yourself?" I ask Roxanne.

"Yeah, it doesn't require [Dismantling] so I'll be fine, then you can take it to the guild later."

"Thanks, you are all so helpful," I say.

"No thanks needed, we are your soon-to-be wives," Alissa says a bit proud.

Hana goes to the guards HQ with the carpet and I ride Alissa to the temple, she will get

back once I finish. Hana doesn't have much mana so she can't use the dinghy, it's not really mana efficient in comparison to the carpet.

I get inside the temple and anxiously look for Ciel, not only I'm anxious to talk to her but I'm very conscious of her lately. I find her on the clinic and wait for a while until she has a break.

"Good morning, Mr. Ryder. You wanted to talk?" She cos with a smile.

"Y-yes, please…"

She stares at

for a mont then leads

to an empty room. I pull out so cookies and the hot tea Alissa prepared beforehand.

"Thank you, I love these cookies. Now, is sothing bothering you?" She asks.

I tell her about my encounter with the rapists. She looks at

very worried.

"You froze and then you went berserk. It's not uncommon but it's rather unfortunate for you I guess, though finding wicked scum like that is a bit of… Bad luck," she cringes, she knows my nickna, "But what are your concerns about this?"

"I don't want to freeze again, I'm the leader and I'm supposed to call the strategy for how to deal with them."

"Doesn't Miss Hanafuria have the most experience in dealing with these things?"

"Still. I have my pride as the leader, I want to have a clear head to make the right decisions, I want to change and beco soone capable of protecting them on all situations."

"I understand. Then what did you feel that made you freeze?"

Fear, anger, self-hate, disgust, the image of them being raped in my mind, it's such a storm of emotions I don't know what to say.

Ciel understands I'm hesitating to answer.

"Then let's think like this, what did you feel after you killed that man?"

"Disgust. I felt dirty, I felt I did sothing wrong and I was afraid of sothing doing the sa to ."

"Even though that man was considered evil by everyone in the world and would be executed on sight?"

"It's just… yeah, I feel bad even though I knew he was evil. I also feel the sa with monsters, I don't wanna hurt them, I feel no pleasure in giving pain I just want to keep others safe."

"Even monsters? Even though they have an unstoppable instinct to kill us all?" She seems a bit surprised.

"Yes… I was born on a peaceful place, I never fought until I ca here. I just can't let myself not feel guilty about it, I think I will lose a piece of myself if I don't feel like this."

"I see..." She nods, "Then why do you fight?"

I have been thinking about this a lot.

"Because I can, because I would feel bad if I didn't try. I know I have talent so I have to help people to a certain extent, I won't throw my life away but if I don't at least try to fight I will feel bad about myself. And now I have sothing to protect, those warrior won depend on

and I depend on them. I have to fight and grow so I can be stronger for them."

"Oh, so you are a peaceful man who realized your talent, your power. You fought for others even though it hurt, fought for your lovers even though you might fail. You have compassion for your enemies and feel no joy in giving them pain. You want to grow and fight more even though your heart wants to stop."

I remain still, stunned.

"I kind of understand why you have 3 wives now," she smiles, "You are soone worthy of protecting and who can also protect."

"W-what? Why does that make

'worthy'?"

"Plenty of monsters are made mirroring so property of us, this is why many of them look humanoid. Our minds and those of breeder-types are extrely similar, the main difference is that they have the instinct to kill us while we have an instinct to survive. This is why there will never be peace between us. They will always try to kill us, no matter how intelligent they are.

"So when we fight for our lives and exterminate with extre prejudice so of us start to enjoy it. The feeling of your heart beating fast, the feeling of taking a life, the glory of winning, those things are addictive. But even the God of War wasn't like this. Those who revel in the pain lose what makes them different from monsters, they acquire the instinct to kill and lose the instinct to survive. Among the hunters it's difficult to find soone who's not like this."

"I fight for myself, because I enjoy it, because it's my talent". I rember Targua's words.

"To keep your humanity intact, to fight for others instead of yourself, to have a sense of duty in protecting others, to not throw away your own or your loved one's lives. These aren't really the marks of a hero, they are the marks of a great person. You don't have to, or rather, you shouldn't change to protect them, you shouldn't change the core of who you are, but you should learn to control your emotions."

"Control…"

"It ans you have to continue feeling this pain, this guilt, you shouldn't look to discard it, you should look to control it."

It's the sa things Alissa told

after we killed our first Young Ogre. They don't want

to change since that's who they fell in love with, they want

to suffer, to continue this way and they will ease my suffering. They succeeded for the most part.

"You will need willpower, ditation, self-reflection and self-control."

Wait, one of these is a bit…

"W-what falls under this 'self-control'?"

"To not let yourself exaggerate on your hedonism to the point you hurt yourself. For this you need to be self-conscious about what is your limit, what is bringing you harm and what is actually that 'harm'."

I cough.

"I-indulging myself… in my won, would be… considered lack of 'self-control'?"

Ciel stops for a mont, she thinks and turns her head away. She's blushing.

"T-that would be for you to decide."

"T-their love is w-what keeps

sane so… I don't think it's harmful."

"I understand…"

I sigh. This world is painful, it's full of death and grief. There's no way out and I already created my roots here, this is my choice, my path, and I will see it through. I will live here and die of old age and have a big family and many children with each of my wives. I will protect them and keep them happy and they will do the sa for . There's nothing else to be said, we will suffer yes, but we will do it together. Such is my vow to them and to this world, I will see it through!

I feel sothing change within .

"My 'Sanity' increased by one."

"Oh? If you don't mind can you tell

the value it is right now?"

"Eight."

Her eyebrows scrunch in concern.

"It's good it's increasing but it's still low."

I know that Roxanne, the one who lost a fiancee and wasted a part of her life has a value of 12, so mine really is low. Though it's a bit convenient that my ntal health can be analyzed with a single number.

"Whatever you did that increased it continue doing. You had a change of heart or sothing a mont ago?"

"I renewed my determination to live in this world and rembered my vows to my fiancees."

"That is good. Pray to the Goddess of Love then and she will help your loved ones in finding a way to support you better. Also pray to the Goddess of Will and she will help your mind stay together."

"I will. Thank you. But my 'Willpower' is already 15, isn't my problem sothing else?"

"Hm… perhaps. Since you are also a mage ditation shouldn't have that much effect, then your problem could be either self-reflection or self-control."

I think its self-control, I already think to myself a lot.

"Ah, why doesn't the God of Existence kill wicked people like those rapists?"

"The humanoid gods aren't omnipotent, the God of Destruction is also interfering with their powers, so praying is the best way to catch their attention. Wicked people like these would eventually et their demise, but unfortunately they will bring a lot of pain until they do. Pain and suffering is also a part of our core, a realm with only pleasure and happiness would wither like the God of Order wished. And finally the humanoid gods wants us to grow and find new ways to deal with the pain, not just depend on them for everything."

"I understand. It seems there's no escape, this is just how life is."

No matter which world or realm it is, evil will always exist.

"But... how do people get branded as wicked?"

"There's the Three Sins. Rape, sadistic torture and senseless murder. Perform any of these and you might get instantly branded. Branded as in, it will show in your 'Cris'."

Gotta pay attention to the wording here, "sadistic" and "senseless