"Huh?" Ashina barely had time to react.
Field suddenly lunged at her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. The unique, enchanting fragrance of a Chosen one filled his senses, intoxicating him completely.
Then, he pressed himself against her, his grip finding her slender, supple waist, which fit perfectly in his hands.
"Sir, stop this!" Ashina gasped, feeling the warm breath against her neck. She darted her eyes around in a panic, as though hoping for some kind of intervention. Her words carried resistance, but her actions lacked the strength to push him away.
She couldn't afford to unleash her immense divine power recklessly. If she lost control, she might inadvertently harm her lord.
Field's breath sent tingles racing down her spine, making her knees weak. A shiver ran through her as he moved his hand toward an unspeakable area.
"How did things even end up like this?!"
Ashina was caught between laughter and tears. She had to resist the pleasurable sensations coursing through her body while also keeping her divine power in check to prevent a disastrous outburst.
This dual effort only heightened her sensitivity, pushing her self-control to its limits.
"This isn't right!"
Ashina bit her tongue lightly, using the sharp sting to bring herself a moment of clarity. With a swift motion, she retreated from Field's grasp.
"Ugh… it felt oddly… pleasant… No! What am I even thinking? That's ridiculous!"
Her flushed face and conflicted thoughts left her standing frozen, struggling to process the surreal situation.
After all, no one likes to watch content that is too extreme.
"Such a vile plant! Nothing good ever comes from the grey mist—only devilish creations."
Ashina was filled with regret. If she had known earlier, she would have burned the suspicious thing on the spot.
"Lord Field! Where are you?" The soldiers, realizing Field wasn't in the village centre, had begun frantically searching for him.
"Oh no!" Ashina's flushed face instantly turned pale with panic.
In her rush, Ashina broke free of Field's grip and channelled her divine power, pressing a finger against his brow. The pure, radiant energy immediately dispelled the effects of the magical plant.
"Ugh… my head feels so fuzzy," Field groaned, clutching his forehead as clarity slowly returned. The beastly urges within him were suppressed by his restored reason.
When he glanced at Ashina, her face was so red it seemed like she might burst into flames. She tried to act nonchalant, pretending to admire the scenery, but her awkwardness was obvious.
"I'm fine," Field said, waving off the soldiers who had just found him and signalling for them to wait outside.
"I don't think I finished studying that little bok choy." Frowning, Field rubbed his sore arm, a vague sense of déjà vu nagging at him. He crouched down and reached out to pick another sample. "So, this really is a magical plant, huh?"
"Don't! By the Winter Goddess, no!" Ashina was utterly mortified. If this happened again, she wasn't sure she could maintain her composure—or her dignity. She would definitely need to change her dress after this ordeal. There was no way she could let Field experiment further.
"You already studied it earlier! This plant is extremely dangerous," she insisted, her voice trembling with a mix of desperation and exasperation.
With no other choice, Ashina leaned close to Field's ear and whispered everything that had just happened.
"What a perverted plant," Field muttered, shocked. Then he sighed. "It's a shame, though—I don't remember any of it."
"A shame?! You scared me half to death!" Ashina huffed, waving her finger at him angrily. "What if this plant could devour souls? What would happen to the territory then?!" She paused, her face flushing as she added awkwardly, "And even if you wanted to… uh… claim me, you didn't have to resort to something like that… cough, cough."
Realizing she had said too much, Ashina immediately clamped her mouth shut.
"You're right. Burn it!" she declared with determination, her crimson eyes blazing with intensity. At that moment, she looked like a fervent villager at a witch-hunting trial.
Field couldn't help but chuckle at her flustered reaction. "What about horses and cows? How would it affect them?"
Ashina's beautiful eyes widened in shock, and she crossed her arms into an X. "That's disgusting! No interbreeding! Uh, I mean… cows and horses can't, but humans and demi-humans can."
"Calm down," Field said, smirking. "When it comes to new discoveries, we need patience and an open mind. Just think—what if we used this plant for…"
"Pfft." Field burst into laughter as Ashina's expression turned increasingly bewildered. She was clearly too worked up to think straight. "I'm talking about livestock breeding. With a plant like this, mating livestock would become much easier in the future."
"With enough cattle and sheep, we'll never run out of meat again," he added cheerfully, snapping his fingers in satisfaction.
Chosen ones were known for their strong resistance to magic. Royal scholars had even conducted tests, showing that an average Chosen could resist 35% to 70% of magical damage. Those specialized in defence could achieve complete immunity or even reflect spells.
Field handed Ashina a jar and instructed her to collect three samples of the plant along with their soil.
The monetary gains from Rum Village were pitiful.
The guards scoured the entire area, only managing to collect a total of 21 silver coins and 87 copper coins.
"This village is far too poor, and we're clearly not its first visitors," Field remarked, picking up an old silver coin. He gently brushed away the dirt, revealing the beautiful engravings on its surface. "During the war between the Empire and the Orcs, both sides likely looted this place repeatedly. It's no surprise there's so little left."
As for other spoils, the haul was meagre: a barely usable chair, a chest, about a dozen cracked clay pots, and a large pile of firewood salvaged from broken furniture.
Fortunately, the return journey went smoothly without any attacks from monsters.
The moment they crossed back into their territory, Field's eyes lit up. The farmlands ahead were no longer overrun with writhing tendrils or grotesque flesh, now appearing as clean and refreshed as though they had undergone a thorough cleansing.
All that remained were the poisoned soil and the ashes left behind by the burned corrupted creatures.
"Sir, we've cleared out all the corruption in the territory and burned it to ash," a slave reported, bowing low with a servile smile.
Field, seated on horseback, scanned the area. After taking a moment to survey the results, he nodded.
"You've done well," he said.
"Each of you will receive your reward."
The slaves beamed with joy at his praise.
"The next task is to repair my grand winery. Remove any remnants of corruption, replace the rotten wood, and patch up the collapsed sections and holes," Field declared. He had planned this for a while. Living in a drafty, urine-stained place haunted by the stench of monsters was pure torture—even if his current residence was the best in Nightfall Territory.
"But, Sir, I don't know the first thing about carpentry," one of the slaves blurted out.
Field froze for a moment. It had slipped his mind entirely. He immediately raised his voice, "Does anyone here know carpentry, masonry, or blacksmithing?"
The crowd fell silent.
Steward Kao, ever blunt, replied, "Sir, anyone with such skills would be a freeman. Slaves are useless in that regard."
"Then we'll recruit some," Field decided. "I was already planning to visit a city beyond the grey mist. The closest one is… ah, Maple Leaf City, in Highwall Province. Surely, we can find what we need there."
Kao, his expression tinged with regret, said, "Every city's craftsmen belong to their respective guilds and are under the direct control of their lords. You can't simply hire them with money. Furthermore, I doubt any craftsmen would willingly come to Nightfall Territory."
"I'll go in person," Field said with a shrug. He was accustomed to Kao's tendency to voice objections without offering solutions. It hardly surprised him anymore.