I'm the Only One With a Different Genre - Chapter 199

Chapter 199
To the Battlefield

***

As Lian’s thoughts deepened, he realized that greater accidents could occur, so he quickly pulled his body back. At that moment, Jess also sat up, raising her upper body. Unlike usual, Jess didn’t rush at him. She simply stared at Lian with a blank expression.

“Uh… um… Jess?”

“…”

“Hmm… well…”

In truth, Lian had come to apologize to Jess. Even though he hadn’t known, his rash actions had caused Jess to suffer during her heat period, and he wanted to apologize for that and try to recover their somewhat awkward relationship.

‘Looking at her face… I can’t say anything.’

Was it because of embarrassment?

That was partly true, but it wasn’t the whole reason.

‘Why can’t I speak?’

He had planned to apologize for getting the pheromones on her, but for some reason, he didn’t want to. It felt awkward, as though he would be apologizing for something that wasn’t his fault.

If he examined it closely, it was hard to say this was Lian’s fault. If anything, it was more like a mistake.

Lian’s hesitation to speak wasn’t due to any sense of injustice or discomfort.

‘Ah, could it be…?’

Ever since his body left hers, his mind had become clearer, and he quickly found the answer.

Marking someone with pheromones was like a sign of ownership, and Lian didn’t regret leaving such a mark on Jess.

He didn’t want to erase it with an apology. His honest feelings caused his face to turn red.

As he looked around, unsure of where to look, Jess, who had been quietly watching him, spoke first.

“Sorry.”

“…?”

“Sorry for marking you with pheromones…”

Jess lowered her eyes slightly and mumbled, then apologized for running away without saying anything.

“No, that’s… it’s not your fault, Jess! It was me who carelessly marked you with pheromones!”

Lian waved his hands, flustered by Jess’s heartfelt apology. Jess shook her head, still insisting it was her fault, but Lian kept saying she had done nothing wrong.

After exchanging apologies back and forth, they both ended up laughing. As the mood lightened and their hearts relaxed, something that hadn’t been visible before caught Lian’s eye.

‘Huh? When did we get this close?’

Before he knew it, their bodies were close enough that their shoulders were touching. Jess’s lips, which had been twisted awkwardly, now relaxed, as if her energy had drained. At the same time, Jess’s face gently rested on Lian’s shoulder.

“Sniff… sniff…”

Jess’s nose twitched as it brushed gently against Lian’s shoulder, and her large, red ears drooped before perking up again.

Lian, feeling Jess’s breath on him, blushed and slowly moved backward.

“Uh… Jess—… W-Wait?!”

With the instinct of a predator pouncing on its prey, Jess leaped on Lian like a fearsome beast. Startled, Lian flinched, his face tense with shock. Jess immediately climbed on top of him.

“Sniff… sniff…”

Jess lowered her head and buried her nose against Lian’s neck. His breath spread across his skin, and her red hair brushed against his face.

‘Why… why does she smell so good?’

The camp conditions weren’t exactly ideal. Everything was frozen, and it was hard to even bathe. Jess had probably been unable to clean herself properly, but for some reason, an inexplicably pleasant scent filled the air.

She had been bathed by the camp leader’s authority, though not with any luxurious soaps—just clean enough to avoid appearing dirty.

The scent tickled Lian’s nose, and he realized it was familiar. At the same time, Jess pulled back slightly from his neck, creating a little distance and looking down at him from above.

Her usual cute smile was replaced by a seductive one that fit her matured form.

“Sorry for marking you with pheromones without asking… but… I don’t regret it.”

Her eyes curved into a playful smile, making Lian feel breathless. At that moment, he nearly lost himself to the open invitation.

Woosh!

“…?!”

His body was suddenly lifted, and his surroundings blurred. With a blink, Lian found himself standing outside the tent.

Flustered, he awkwardly looked toward the opening of the tent. Through the slightly parted fabric, he saw Jess blinking slowly. She rolled her eyes and spoke.

“If we stay this close, I don’t think I can hold back.”

“…!”

Without needing any further explanation, Lian immediately understood. He froze up like a malfunctioning machine before quickly coming to his senses and stammering.

“J-Jess, I… I like you…”

He stuttered, unsure of how to respond to Jess’s confession. Just as he began to speak, Jess’s finger shot up to press against Lian’s lips.

“You don’t need to answer.”

“Uh…?”

“Whatever answer you give, the result will be the same.”

Jess smiled playfully, then released her finger. The tent flap fluttered, and in an instant, Jess disappeared from sight.

Lian stood there, dazed, staring at the opening of the tent as he tried to calm the chills that ran through his body. Slowly, he made his way back to his quarters.

“Ugh…”

Inside the tent, Jess had her tail and ears perked up as she trembled uncontrollably. She began rolling around inside the tent like a cat full of nervous energy.

“Eek…!”

As her embarrassment hit her late, Jess kept rolling around inside the tent for a while.

***

The next morning, Lian was watching the quickly packed-up camp.

‘I thought we’d leave soon, but… I didn’t expect it to be this fast.’

Despite the large size of the group, Lian had thought it would take a long time to pack up, but once the sun rose, preparations were already underway.

As he stood there with a dazed expression, a bear beastman cheerfully explained the quick packing process.

“Thanks to the hunt yesterday, we have more than enough food.”

While chatting lightly, the camp was packed up in no time, and all preparations were complete. Lian, following the group, was about to set off but was then carried in a litter.

Once again, it wasn’t a carriage, it was a litter.

“No, this is too much…”

“The speed of beastmen is faster than that of carriages. Can your partner outrun a horse?”

“Hmm… probably not.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can carry you on my back—…”

“Haha, no, this is fine. It’s very comfortable.”

The bear beastman shrugged and closed the door of the litter. Lian, now inside, felt like a bride being carried off to her wedding, as four beastmen lifted the litter.

“We’re leaving!”

With a loud command, the beastmen started running at full speed. The scenery outside the litter flashed by so quickly that it felt like riding a train or a car.

‘It’s not shaking as much as I thought it would.’

He had expected it to jolt like a bouncy ball, but the litter moved quite smoothly, though it still bumped a little.

Thus, Lian’s group began their journey toward the Empire.

***

In the early morning fog, the battlefield was filled with tension. As the sun slowly rose, soldiers in black armor began to emerge from the mist.

The soldiers, their eyes dull, held swords and shields, moving forward with only a desire for bloodshed.

Behind them, soldiers wielding spears and bows formed a line, and the sound of trumpets echoed across the battlefield.

“Ugh!”

“Cover your ears! Set up the magic barrier!”

The eerie sound of the trumpet disoriented the Empire’s soldiers. The commander quickly gave orders, and the mages activated magic to protect their minds.

The battlefield was engulfed in flames, and black smoke rose to the sky. The enemy soldiers, resembling zombies, driven by dark magic, advanced like a wave, thirsting only for blood and death.

The soldiers, drenched in sweat and blood, fought fiercely but began to be pushed back.

Amid the rising heat of battle, a brilliant knight in shining armor appeared through the dust and smoke. Holding a cold, glowing sword, the knight rushed toward the center of the battlefield.

“Make way.”

“Ugh..!”

A low, feminine voice suddenly came from behind, and the soldier turned around in surprise.

Though the face behind the visor was hidden, the soldier immediately recognized the voice.

“Ah…!”

The soldier could barely speak as he let out a gasp of awe. Stepping aside, he allowed the knight, Noah, to charge forward into the fray.

End of Chapter