[Mass Release: 8/10]
...
Seeing Freya's mind on the verge of collapse, Takumi finally took action. While healing her with magic, he realized things couldn't continue this way. If Freya turned into nothing more than a mindless tool that only knew how to "please" him, that wasn't what he wanted.
What he needed was an obedient slave—a useful tool.
"[Dream Magic: Memory Manipulation!]"
"[Transformation!]"
He sealed her past memories and then created a new personality—Freya. To avoid arousing suspicion, he also used [Transformation] to alter her appearance.
The new Freya looked softer, her once-haughty aura replaced with calm elegance. When he was done, Takumi gently pulled her free from his hold and set her down.
Splash, splash~
The sound of running water filled the air as he cupped water from the lake and washed her delicate body clean. He then tidied her up and dressed her in fresh clothes.
The sleeping beauty that was Freya now lay quietly before him.
"A crazy beauty like this," Takumi murmured with a faint smile, "really does need to be handled this way."
"This look suits you better—makes you… easier to love."
He brushed a thumb across her smooth cheek, then lifted her into his arms in a princess carry. Moving quickly, he reached a nearby town before nightfall.
It was still far from his meeting point with Anna, but instead of staying at an inn, he took Freya into the [Interdimensional Realm] and bound her to the [World-Crossing Gate.]
The realm itself had changed dramatically. Dense forests and lively meadows now covered the once-barren land.
With a thought, Takumi willed wooden beams to rise and fit together, forming a three-story house.
He placed Freya on the bed, and soon she stirred awake. Her face was soft and dazed, cheeks still faintly flushed. As her sleepy eyes met his, a trace of confusion flickered in them.
Her lips parted slightly. "You're… Lord Takumi?"
In her sealed memories, Takumi was her master—yet upon seeing him, a strange fear welled up inside her. The clash of two opposing instincts left her lost and trembling.
Takumi stepped closer, tilting her chin upward. "Freya, are you saying you dislike your master?"
"No… Freya likes Lord Takumi. Likes you~"
"Words alone aren't enough. You'll have to show it with actions."
"Actions? But Freya doesn't know how~"
"That's fine. I'll teach you."
…
Under Takumi's gradual guidance and education, Freya fully awakened to her new identity—and her nature.
When she finally drifted back into sleep, her face carried no fear this time—only peace and contentment.
[Ding! Freya's affection reached threshold. Duplicate trait acquired: Elemental Mage (Purple).]
[Affection: 100 (-85)]
Takumi blinked, slightly surprised.
He remembered that Freya's original affection level had been around -95. Now, after his training, it had actually risen.
Could it be that Freya's feelings were somehow shared between the two personalities—Freya and Flare?
"A dual personality… that sounds kind of exciting."
The thought made him curious. What if he could raise Flare's affection, too?
When the day came to unseal her true self, how would she react?
The more he thought about it, the more aroused he became. Unable to resist, Takumi gently lifted the sleeping Freya again and continued his lesson through the night.
By dawn, only Takumi set out toward the town of Lanaritta. Freya was left behind in the Interdimensional Realm—her body too exhausted to travel.
Her mind had already burned out once; now even her body was in pieces. Although Takumi had healed her internal injuries with magic, she still needed proper rest.
Meanwhile, news of Takumi and Flare's disappearance had spread throughout the palace.
Speculation ran wild—some claimed both heroes were dead, others whispered of demonic infiltration within the castle.
"Good," Takumi muttered. "No one's suspecting me. Perfect."
He thought briefly of that revolting old king, Proum Jioral. If his disappearance wasn't exposed, the man wouldn't dare make a move. Without absolute certainty, Takumi didn't intend to face him head-on just yet.
With that settled, he increased his pace. What would take an ordinary adventurer four or five days, he crossed in just over an hour.
As the town of Lanaritta came into view on the horizon, Takumi slowed his steps. "[Jade Eye]."
Scanning the surrounding forest, he gathered information on the herbs growing nearby.
Ever since obtaining the [Magic Scholar] trait from the old mage, his understanding of magic had deepened immensely—especially [Alchemy Magic], which fascinated him most.
"Using alchemy to extract the essence of herbs, then merge or dilute their properties…"
Guided by the [Jade Eye], he refined a potion on the spot—a simple healing elixir. Though crude, it worked. Still, to create a legendary Elixir of Life, mere wild herbs wouldn't suffice.
With renewed curiosity, Takumi summoned Freya from the realm, handing her a bottle to test.
The moment the potion touched her lips, a surge of vitality coursed through her body, mending her lingering wounds.
"Mm~ it feels so good, Master." Freya stretched languidly, her voluptuous curves outlined beneath her clothes.
Takumi nodded approvingly. "Seems effective. This'd fetch a few gold coins on the market."
He didn't plan to sell it, of course—but it would be useful to keep a few bottles for himself and his companions.
As they gathered herbs together, a faint clash of steel reached Takumi's ears.
"Roughly… one hundred forty kilometers away."
Thanks to the [Thousand-Mile Hearing] trait, his range was immense. He'd even set trigger words to filter the noise. The moment the words Ice Wolf Tribe and Setsuna reached him, the sound broke through the filter.
"Freya, change of plans. We're heading somewhere else."
"Eh? If that's what Lord Takumi wants, Freya will gladly follow."
Smiling sweetly, she pressed a hand to her chest and held his hand. The two lifted into the sky once more, speeding toward the distant source of battle.
Meanwhile—far ahead, at the edge of the forest—the Ice Wolf Tribe's patrol warriors were clashing with human adventurers who had ventured too close to their territory.
The Jioral Kingdom had long been built upon land stolen from demi-humans, and the town of Lanaritta was infamous as a haven for criminals. Its greatest trade? Slavery. And among the rarest and most valuable slaves of all… were the Ice Wolf Tribe.
Rumor had it there were Ice Wolf people nearby. To the human slavers, that was reason enough to scour the earth three feet deep to find and sell them.
...
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