In Love With the Strongest Man
Translator: Shizukuku
Editor: Helen
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Arc 4 Desire
Chapter 1 “Isn’t that a bit too advanced…?”
“Why is the demon tribe attacking us?! This doesn’t make any sense!!”
“Gokkan-sama, please calm down—”
“Shut up! I’m not crazy! Damn it, why is this happening?!”
In a secret hunting base, far away from the Hidden Village, Gokkan shouted angrily at those around him.
The unprecedented invasion was led by General Rarigi of the demon tribe. The village was burned, and those present had scattered and fled.
While it was in accordance with their training, only a mere five people followed their leader Gokkan. This was probably because it was judged that their survival rate would be higher if they split up and fled, rather than following Gokkan.
If it had been Shuka – if that little brat had been the Head, maybe more would have followed…
A disturbing thought crossed his mind, and Gokkan slammed his fist against the wall. The shadow of that young man he thought he had erased twenty years ago still gnawed at him.
“Gokkan-sama seems tired.”
“Let’s take a rest. —If it were Shuka-sama, he wouldn’t be so tired.”
“I’m not tired! Damn it… I’m going on patrol.”
Normally, mundane tasks like patrols would be delegated to someone suitable. But right at that moment, he didn’t want to be there. The five assistant heads of the group always found a way to compare him with Shuka, his predecessor from twenty years ago.
“With all due respect, Gokkan-sama isn’t skilled in stealth. Let me go with you.”
“—Are you saying there’s something wrong with how I look?”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant, gah!”
Gokkan kicked the man kneeling before him aside.
—He hated it when people talked about his looks.
He was tall and well-built, a rarity among the people of the Hidden Village, with sharp features. Amidst the small and unremarkable individuals of the village, Gokkan clearly stood out.
—Rumors had circulated around that he was born out of infidelity.
In this respect, Shuka had been the Hidden Village’s ideal Head. He was ordinary, unassuming, and small enough to blend in anywhere. Moreover, he lacked greed and was reliable in fulfilling any of the tasks given to him.
“Shut up, all of you! I’m the Head now, you got a problem with that!?”
“Not at all, sir.”
“Tch, then hurry up and get going! Every single one of you, get out!!”
He shouted, driving all five of them out of the hunting lodge. He didn’t even want to breathe in the same air as them anymore. Deep down, he didn’t know what they were thinking, but he wanted those who pretended to be loyal to him to be as far away as possible.
“Damn it, damn it all…!”
It was obvious to Gokkan that his subordinates harbored discontentment towards him. This stemmed from being constantly compared to Shuka for as long as he could remember. This dynamic hadn’t changed even after he became the Head.
Initially, Gokkan had earnestly tried to fulfill his duties as the Head, but his assistants immediately brought up Shuka as a point of reference whenever they could.
If it were Shuka-sama, he would have done it this way. This is how Shuka-sama would have thought.
His pride couldn’t accept constantly being compared to Shuka, and any opinion mentioning Shuka’s name was dismissed outright. Eventually, the village fell into dysfunction, and Gokkan knew that there was no longer anyone who respected him.
“All of them… worthless fools…! I’m the Head, there’s no one else…!!”
Even so, Gokkan clung to the title of the Head. It was the only proof of his victory over Shuka. As long as he remained the Head, he could claim that he was superior to the man who was said to be a once-in-a-hundred-years genius.
—There was no one left to hear that assertion anymore. But Gokkan needed it.
“Gokkan.”
“There’s no one here… Stop bothering me!!”
“Gokkan. I’m— if you want to be the Head, I’m willing to give it to you.”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up!!”
Standing before Gokkan was the same twelve-year-old boy from twenty years ago, unchanged. With an inscrutable expression, that detestable figure calmly gave up what Gokkan had wanted for so long.
“Shut up, Shuka!! I’m better than you, I earned this position with my own strength…!!”
Gokkan yelled at the apparition.
Gokkan, too, once wanted to work as a member of the village to maintain world peace. He believed that by doing so, regardless of appearance, he would be accepted by the villagers.
Now, he could no longer recall those feelings.
—All that remained was his obsession with his position as the Head of the village.
“Please, don’t suffer or endure any more pain and be happy. —Please, Shuka-san.”
—It was a prayer so gentle it made my heart feel like it was being squeezed.
What is happiness, I wonder…
Since then, I’ve been thinking about it all the time. Having enough to eat, a place to live, and being safe from violence— shouldn’t that be enough for happiness? However, from what Ideal had said, it seems like that might not be enough.
“Shuka-san?”
“…Yeah, sorry. It’s rude to be lost in thought at a time like this, huh…”
We had moved from the greenhouse, and now it was just Ideal and me, lying together in bed in the bedroom. Our clothes were still intact, but his hand, sneaking through the hem of my clothes, was gently stroking my stomach.
Our conversation in the greenhouse hadn’t ended, but we agreed to discuss the Incubus Tribe on another occasion. Because the sun was beginning to set.
The last time Ideal and I had sex was about three days ago in the evening. To continue suppressing the curse, we would need to have sex again.
“…Just to be sure, you don’t dislike being with me… do you?”
“I don’t feel that way. I’m grateful to Ideal.”
“Okay, that’s good… But, you see… we incubi can sense our partner’s desires. Shuka-san, it doesn’t seem like you don’t want to, but it also doesn’t feel like you want to… I was wondering about that…”
“Y-You can tell that!? N-no, I do want to. I want you to.”
I hastily shook my head.
—Honestly, the fact that Ideal was the child from back then raised some psychological hurdles for me.
Until now, his imposing demeanor and well-trained body had given me the impression that he was older than his age, but when I thought that this was the same frail, skinny child who cried for help, I became acutely aware of our ten-year age difference. I felt guilty for letting that child, ten years younger than me, hold such a shabby body.
“Shuka-san, if you’re uncomfortable, you can go to sleep, and I can do it while you’re sleeping.”
“While I’m sleeping!? You mean… you mean you’ll hold me while I’m asleep!?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t that a bit too advanced…?”
While I was fast asleep in bed, Ideal would stretch me, insert into me, and ejaculate into my stomach. Was there really such an act in the world that could not be called either sex or masturbation?
“…Yeah, that’s right. It’s an advanced play.”
“You don’t seem to think so…!?”
It was surprising to me, but it didn’t seem to be such a big deal to Ideal. He responded with a gentleness like he was talking to a young child.
“Thank you for your consideration, Ideal. But I think the best way is whatever puts the least burden on you. So, um, if it’s easier for you to do it while I’m asleep, then please do.”
I raised myself up and looked Ideal straight in the eyes. I wanted him to know that I wasn’t lying about these feelings.
—As long as I live, this man will be bound to me.
“I never imagined that this curse couldn’t be lifted. I’m truly sorry…”
