"I-I think I shall retire early tonight."
Dinner plates had been washed and put away.
Only four of them were sitting, relaxing in the living room, when Mikoto made her
declaration.
Hestia was absent this evening. Last night's meeting had lit a new fire within her. This
burning desire to pay back the loan gave her the motivation she needed to work
overtime.
Bell and the others ignored the shakiness of Mikoto's voice and either waved or said,
"Good night," as she stood up. The clock had yet to strike eight when the girl left the
living room and closed the door behind her.
Going up the stairs and walking through the moonlit hallway, Mikoto was on her way
to her room on the third floor.
All of a sudden, she changed course.
Racing back in the other direction without making a sound, she opened a second-floor
window and jumped down to the grounds behind the manor.
She hid behind trees and checked to make sure the living room lights were still on
before letting herself out through the back gate.
"That's our cue. We're tailing her."
"It's been a long time since Lilly's done something like this."
"I-is this okay…?"
Meanwhile…
Welf, Lilly, and Bell watched Mikoto step through the back gate from a different
vantage point.
They had been expecting Mikoto to do something like this. After the girl went upstairs,
they left the living room lights on and hid in the garden outside where they could see
both exits. Three figures crept quickly and quietly through the darkness.
The stubborn girl was obviously trying to hide something. Following her was the only
way to figure out what.
"Miss Mikoto seemed overly concerned with the cleanliness of the windows today…
just as we expected."
"Anyone coulda figured it out, way she kept stealing glances at the window."
Welf and Lilly noticed that Mikoto hadn't been herself during the day. The biggest clue
was that she spent way too much time looking outside. So the two of them came up
with this plan and dragged Bell into it despite the boy's confusion. They were ready to
pursue her whenever Mikoto made a move.
Their concern for their friend couldn't let them ignore her secrecy and odd behavior.
"She's a lot like you."
"Huh?"
"Mr. Welf is saying that lying isn't her strong suit, Mr. Bell."
The black-haired girl, who was always honest to a fault, made her way into the vibrant
city.
She was too focused on her destination to notice she was being followed. Her three
pursuers kept to the shadows, staying just far enough behind her to conceal their
presence. They followed Mikoto away from their home in the southeast to the
southern part of the city.
It wasn't long before they arrived in a district just off South Main Street—the Shopping
District.
It was certainly living up to its name. The night was still young, but every corner of the
street was already bright, colorful, and crowded. Lines of people were already filing
into theaters, casinos, and high-class bars. Wealthy-looking merchants and
adventurers rubbed shoulders with gods as they walked down the street lined with
massive buildings, looking for that night's entertainment.
Mikoto traveled into the heart of the Shopping District before suddenly darting into
one of the backstreets, and she ran up to meet another figure standing in front of a
shady-looking store.
"Is that Miss Chigusa? Are they alone?"
"Yeah, and they're on the move… Now, where are they headin'?"
The two girls from the East shared an anxious nod before leaving the store behind.
Bell and the other two watched their movements from around the corner of a stone
wall. Ignoring the suspicious glances of a few demi-humans, the three continued to
trail their targets.
The spirit and sounds of the Shopping District faded into the distance as the two girls
pressed forward through dark alleyways.
"… No way. This direction… It can't be."
Welf's eyes shot open—he knew where they would end up if they kept going this way.
Their targets veered to the southeast. Welf struggled to get the words out of his mouth.
A jolt traveled through Lilly's brain as she connected the dots as well.
"Huh?" Bell looked at his friends in confusion.
"Bell, you oughta head home."
"Mr. Bell, please turn back."
"Eh? Ehhh? Why? Why now?"
His allies' sudden requests only worsened his confusion.
Bell looked back and forth between Welf and Lilly over and over. The two of them
repeated themselves, choosing stronger words.
"Seriously, listen to me. You're not old enough yet."
"Old enough? Mr. Bell should never go there, ever!"
"But we've come all this way… Ah, they turned a corner!"
Bell was certain he could be useful and could take care of himself despite Lilly's and
Welf's desperate attempts to persuade him otherwise.
Their brief argument nearly made them lose their targets.
"Dammit, Li'l E, give it up, it's no use. After them!"
"Gaaah! Miss Mikoto, why there of all places…?!"
Abandoning their attempts to convince Bell to turn back, the three of them dashed
from their hiding place. Lilly seemed to be the most frustrated, a sour expression
contorting her face. Bell was lost for words, but he kept up the pursuit.
They passed several drunken adventurers sprawled out on the street before finally
reaching their destination.
"What—what is this place…?"
And then.
Bell's eyes opened wide to take in everything that appeared as the backstreet opened
up before him.
They had arrived at the eastern edge of the fourth district of Orario, adjacent to
Southeast Main Street.
Despite being relatively close to the Shopping District, there was a much more impure
atmosphere about this place.
Every magic-stone lamp attached to buildings and pillars projected pink light. While
there weren't too many of them, each light dimly illuminated a billboard decorated
with seductive red lips and other alluring feminine features. Women of all shapes and
sizes wearing skimpy dresses or clothing that completely revealed their back and hips
were walking up and down the street.
More than half of these women were Amazons, but several humans, animal people,
and even prums dotted the street as well. They called out invitingly to men in every
direction, flashing smiles as if issuing a challenge. Then they'd spend a few minutes
talking with said men before taking their hand, or even their waist, and guiding them
into one of the many buildings.
The street was absolutely flooded with luscious breasts, thin shoulders, and seductive
thighs in every direction. The air was tinged with perfume, or maybe it was simply the
ladies' naturally sweet scents as they worked up a sweat.
"Wh-wh-who are those people…?"
Bell's fingers shook as he pointed down the street, pitifully stuttering as he spoke.
An inevitable awakening was taking place within him.
The fact that these erotic women were prostitutes shook him to his very core.
He'd found the Night District.
Bell's face turned bright red as the stark differences between the Pleasure Quarter and
everything else he knew began to sink in.
"This is why Lilly didn't want Mr. Bell to come here!"
"I just can't get used to this smell…"
Bell finally figured out what here meant as he watched men disappear one by one into
different establishments. Lilly snapped at him as she got redder and redder. Welf stood
behind them, trying to shield his nose with his arm.
So this is what they were trying to warn me about…?! Bell's realization came a little too
late.
Another memory bubbled up from the back of his mind. "I forbid you to go southeast."
Even Hestia had warned him… The serious look in her eyes had made his blood run
cold. Now he knew why.
"Orario… has a place like this?"
"In this district, every building here and along Main Street closes its doors and brings
in its signs during the day. Of course, Mr. Bell wouldn't know…"
The Pleasure Quarter slept during the day and only showed its true colors at night.
It went without saying that no average citizens lived here. The district had a lonely,
desolate feel to it. Bell had never even ventured into the Shopping District before
tonight, so it wasn't surprising at all that he didn't know about the nature of this
district's businesses.
The main reason, though, was that the people who knew him best had kept it a secret
from him.
Welf gave Bell a quick slap on the back to get him out of his trance as the three of them
continued the chase.
"Cultural designs of the Kaios Desert, architecture from the Dizara Region… Never
ceases to amaze me."
"Don't forget, Orario is the center of the world. People from all walks of life gather
here, including them."
Buildings designed to look like things the citizens of Orario had never seen before
loomed behind all the scantily clad prostitutes. Some roofs were built to resemble the
stark triangles of the Far East, other structures looked like they belonged to desert
nomads, and still others were built out of solid stone like the castles in the north. It
was a strategy to encourage as many customers as possible to come back and see a
different style each time. Lilly explained everything at once, clearly not happy about
being here.
Different types of brothels from all around the world were on display.
It was like nothing Bell had ever seen before. He felt lost in a world that kept changing,
and yet new things kept popping up wherever he looked.
People he didn't know, streets he'd never seen, and an atmosphere he'd never
dreamed of.
It was all very overwhelming for the farm boy from a small town in the mountains.
"W-Welf, have you, um, been here before…?"
"Back when I was with Hephaistos Familia, a few guys dragged me out here after a
night of drinkin'. But I've never used the… facilities."
Bell tried to start a conversation to get his mind out of the whirlwind. Welf cringed as
he responded. "Just didn't sit right with me," he added. A small group of the women of
the night approached the three adventurers, their enticing smiles brought to bear. One
of the ladies reached for Welf's hand, but he brushed it aside.
Lilly jumped between another girl and Bell, fending her off like a bodyguard."Lilly was
lucky enough to have never set foot here until today." She shot an angry glare at the
prostitute coming in for another pass.
"Ughhh… What are Miss Mikoto and Miss Chigusa doing here…?"
Bell's head was still spinning as his eyes searched for a safe place to look. Seeing
Mikoto in the distance, he posed another question.
"Young women willingly coming to this place… Lilly's afraid to say it, but to sell their
bodies for money?"
"?!"
"Nah, those two don't have it in 'em."
Bell gasped at Lilly's suggestion. Welf calmly pointed forward and said, "Have a look."
Both girls were frantically waving off advances, arms a blur at chest height.
Their faces were red enough to give Bell a run for his money. Mikoto and Chigusa
stayed side by side, their eyes frantically scanning the area. Their shoulders jumped
every time they heard a catcall from some passing perverted man or taunts from the
ladies working the street.
It was at that moment that a large man decided to make a move and reached out to
touch Mikoto. "P-please, stop!" The startled girl squeezed her eyes shut as her body
moved on its own. The man landed face-first on the stone pavement a heartbeat later.
Chigusa seemed like she was about to cry. The two looked like lost baby deer in the
middle of the city. Lilly squinted and Bell broke out in a cold sweat, but both agreed
that they were not here for that reason.
"Lilly sees Mr. Welf's point—pure girls like Miss Mikoto and Miss Chigusa could never
do such a thing… In that case, why are they in the Pleasure Quarter?"
The three fell silent to contemplate Lilly's question. At the same time, the two girls
started moving again. Bell, Lilly, and Welf followed them all the way to the main street.
Orario's third and fourth districts sat on either side of Southeast Main Street. Mikoto
and Chigusa crossed from the fourth district they had been in up until now and quickly
vanished into the entrance of the third district opposite them.
"This is bad, we're gonna lose 'em! Let's move it!"
"S-sure!"
Welf moved to the front of their group because his height gave him the best chance of
keeping their targets in sight.
Here, the prostitutes worked in teams to wall off areas and guide customers toward
their establishments. Welf forced his way through, clearing a path despite the constant
barrage of invitations and insults. At last, they set foot in the third district.
The lights in the third district were much brighter than the streets earlier. Welf spotted
Mikoto right away.
She was surrounded by a group of gods wearing obscene smiles.
"Well, if it isn't Eternal † Shadow. Imagine meeting you here!"
"Black hair, can't get enough!" "Eastern girls are so sexy!"
"I-if you'll please excuse us, w-we have an important matter to attend to…!"
The group of male deities had the two girls cornered against a wall. Each offered to
show them a good time while barring their escape.
Mikoto stood in front of Chigusa, shielding her from their advances. However, these
were gods, not mortals. She was forced to rely on words to fend off the deusdea.
The gods themselves, however, were enjoying her reactions more than seriously
trying to initiate a transaction. Each comment and suggestion more vulgar than the
last, the deities took great pleasure in seeing what shapes Mikoto's face would make.
Welf and Lilly sighed as soon as they realized what was going on.
"My Lords, you've had your fun."
Welf approached them.
"Eh?" The group responded in unison as they turned to face him. Mikoto and Chigusa
turned pale as ghosts.
Lilly emerged from behind the young man and opened her mouth to speak.
"Why waste time out here? Does the night not grow short?"
"Oh no, she's right! 'Special Playtime' at Jessica's place is almost over!"
"Had to sneak away from my own familia. Better make tonight count!"
"I brought my familia's money along!" "Oh, me, too." "So did I." "Me as well."
"""HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!""" They all shared a big laugh before continuing on their
way.
It was common knowledge that some deities got most of their entertainment from
places like the Pleasure Quarter. The anger of their followers was not enough to
prevent them from emptying their bank accounts of hard-earned valis.
The storm had passed. The adventurers looked at one another in awkward silence.
"Wh-why are you here…?"
Free from the barricade of the gods, it was Mikoto who finally broke the silence.
Lilly sighed again and stepped forward.
"Miss Mikoto was being strange. It may have been rude, but we followed you."
"We're a full-fledged familia now. No hiding anythin' from one another, got it?"
Eyes still hidden behind her bangs, Chigusa stepped out from behind Mikoto.
"I'm so sorry," said the thin girl in a weak voice. Her shoulders shrank as she offered
an apology.
Welf scratched his red hair and said, "How about an explanation?"
"… You see, we learned that… someone, from our hometown in the East, was seen here,
and…"
Chigusa struggled to speak and looked back at Mikoto for support.
Since the girl wasn't the best at communication even under normal circumstances,
Mikoto nodded and took over for her.
"Lady Chigusa acquired this information from a trusted acquaintance yesterday… This
person, she went missing from our hometown many years ago…"
Finding her bearings, Mikoto looked at her allies apologetically and answered their
questions in full detail.
Lilly listened intently, whispering, "That's why," after Mikoto explained where they got
the information.
"Miss Chigusa and Miss Mikoto came this far to verify the report, yes?"
"That's correct. This was our matter, and we have no proof. It would have been
improper to involve anyone else at this stage… A-and it's this place…"
Revealing the contents of the conversation that took place on the lawn this morning,
Mikoto repeated that she didn't want to get Bell or the others involved.
"What about that big guy? He's from the same place—why didn't you ask him?"
Just as his name suggested, Ouka was also from the East and the commander of
Takemikazuchi Familia. A childhood friend of Mikoto's and Chigusa's, they still
maintained a close relationship to this day.
Chigusa blushed and hid her face the moment that Welf brought him up.
"I-I didn't want to bring him here… I don't want him to come here…"
"If I may, Lady Chigusa doesn't see Captain Ouka as just a friend… More of… as a man."
Mikoto's face turned bright pink as she divulged one of her friend's secrets to help the
others understand. Both girls avoided making eye contact. Chigusa's throbbing red
ears stood out against her black hair.
That was enough to convince Welf. Rather than get her own familia involved, she went
to a valued friend currently in a different group to help her confirm the information
first.
Lilly also nodded in agreement. After catching a glimpse of Chigusa's pure maiden
heart, how could she not?
"But how can someone else's description be so precise? They might have made a
mistake…"
"This person is a member of a rare race… There were too many defining
characteristics to ignore."
Mikoto answered Lilly's question.
Memories flooding into her mind, Mikoto shook her black ponytail as she looked at
the ground.
"Unlike us, she's a member of the aristocracy. We cannot take some outsider's word
that she was spotted in the Pleasure Quarter… We had to see her with our own eyes…"
They had to fight to overcome their fear of this place. However, they could not sit idly
by, knowing that this person might be here.
At the same time, Welf's shoulders jumped the moment he heard the word aristocracy.
Aristocrats—nobility.
Lilly shot the member of the Crozzo family a sideways glance. Sensing the tension in
his posture, she changed the subject.
"Lilly understands the situation, but this was reckless. The Pleasure Quarter is under
the direct control of another familia that is not to be trifled with. It would be best not
to make a scene while searching for your acquaintance."
The girls' heads drooped in the wake of Lilly's sharp warning.
They looked genuinely remorseful for their actions. "For now," began Welf before the
silence became awkward, "we should go somewhere else. Staying in the same place
too long here is just asking for trouble."
Lilly and the others agreed.
Welf turned around to leave, when suddenly—he finally noticed.
"… Hey, where's Bell?"
"Eh?"
Lilly spun around and couldn't believe her eyes.
The white-haired boy was nowhere to be seen.
"Did Sir Bell accompany you? He hasn't been around since you arrived…"
"Yes, not here."
Mikoto's and Chigusa's words confirmed the worst.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as everyone broke out in a cold sweat.
They were completely surrounded by the din of the Pleasure Quarter. They could
clearly hear the voices of the working women less than a block away.
Welf was lost for words as all the color drained from Lilly's face.
—No way.
"Th-they're gone…?"
I'm alone in the middle of a street full of strangers.
We were halfway through the street, but I could still see Welf's red head. Then from
out of nowhere, "It's Special Playtime!" I got swept up in an avalanche of men—and
now I can't find Welf or Lilly.
I fight my way back to a spot I think I recognize, but all that's here is the front of a
brothel I haven't seen before. I tried my best to follow… but I'm on my own now.
Did I make a wrong turn somewhere?
Maybe instead of moving I should have waited where I was on the street for Lilly and
Welf to find me?
So many faces, but I don't know any of them. Heck, I don't even know where I am.
Lines of brothels made of stone, soft light of magic-stone lamps, and lewd female
voices coming from every direction—seductive invitations. Thanks to my Status, my
hearing is much stronger than it used to be, to the point that I'm very clearly picking
up all these moans and screams coming out of the buildings.
I'm in the middle of the street but my feet won't budge. I wonder what color my face
is right now. All the blood drained out a long time ago, but my cheeks and ears are
burning.
I don't know if I'm a coward, ashamed, or anxious. There are so many emotions
swirling in my head.
As my face goes from pale to flushed red and back again, I feel like I'm standing on the
brink of going crazy.
"What have we here? Are you lost, little one?"
"GAH!"
My body jumps at the sudden voice.
I look up and see one with incredible snowy-white skin—one of the ladies of the night,
an elf, no less. She's smiling sweetly at me.
Her dress is the same shade of white as her skin. There's a big slit running down the
front, all the way to her belly button, showing off her considerable bust. Her beauty
and seductive aura make me lose my voice.
"I-I'm fine!" I yell as I break out of her spell, and waste no time running away.
Welf, Lilly, Mikoto?!
Shouting the names of my friends in my head, I race toward anywhere that's not here.
I get off the main road and turn into a narrower alleyway. One of the brothels towers
over me. There's so little light back here that I can't tell where the building ends and
the night sky begins. Several of the brothel windows are open. Young faces are looking
down at me. One beast-girl, who can't be much older than me, leans outside and blows
me a kiss. A new wave of heat reaches my face as I nearly fall over.
The atmosphere of this place is strangling me. I have to get out of here, have to escape.
Running as fast as I can, I yell at the top of my lungs and race through the Pleasure
Quarter.
"Haaa-haaa-haa…!"
Had to stop to catch my breath.
This isn't the Dungeon, but running around like an idiot won't get me anywhere just
the same. I have to stop, focus.
Who's looking at me…? Ah, just some guys in the corner over there. I must be a wreck.
I put my hands on my knees and take a few deep breaths. Wiping the sweat from my
face, I take a look around.
Where am I…?
All these buildings are completely different from the earlier ones.
A nice change from the stone brothels, it's actually rather bright here.
Did I walk into some kind of festival? Looping around the area, it sure feels like it.
"… Far East design?"
Many tall red gates line the path. Even the design on the pavement looks foreign.
Wooden buildings with highly decorated white walls and red pillars are everywhere.
Each of them stands three stories high and is surprisingly colorful. Thick, brick-like
tiles cover the roofs of the buildings and the tops of the red gates. This whole area is
built in the same way.
If I remember right… this is called a red-light district?
This is the same style as Mikoto's homeland. I remember her descriptions and
someone else's, not sure whose, as my eyes scan the area.
That's right… Gramps told me about it. He didn't go into much detail, but these designs
match his story perfectly.
The pictures carved into the stone pavement are so inviting, drawing me in. Gramps
was right.
Lilly said that the Pleasure Quarter was a mixture of different cultures, all in the same
place…
The red-light district—it's not just red lights, it's bright. Of course there are magicstone lamps all over the place, but there are also balloon-ish lanterns with lit candles
inside hanging from the gates. They cast soft spotlights on the men and women
passing beneath. The women, w-working ladies, are wearing something that looks like
a robe but with a lot more folds. A kimono… Traditional clothing of the Far East.
Trees called ajura are planted on each side of a wide path. These blue flowering plants
grow only in the Dungeon, so they must've been brought up here. The most amazing
thing about them is that they are always in bloom, no matter the season. A few of the
sky-blue petals are scattered over the stone walkway. If I remember right, real cherry
blossom trees are white and pink—but they're exactly the same shape. The Pleasure
Quarter may be a melting pot of cultures, but there's no doubt that this spot is meant
to be the Far East.
I look forward, admiring the blue blossoms, when I see something out of the corner of
my eye.
The first floor of one of the brothels. Several young women dressed in kimonos are
lined up in a room facing the street.
Heavily accessorized, they're calling out to people on the street, trying to lure
customers. It seems to be working. There's a group of about six or seven men standing
outside, their eyes gliding over every inch of the girls, trying to find one who suits their
fancy. One of the men steps up to the waist-high wooden fence separating the girls
from the street, beckons one of them forward, and then disappears into the entrance
after exchanging one or two words.
I keep walking forward, taking in the mix of races lined up behind that wooden fence.
I accidentally make eye contact with the girl seated at the end of the room.
"…"
Her golden hair sparkles around green eyes.
She's an animal person of some kind. Wide, round ears at the top of her head and a
bushy tail the same color as her hair give that away.
Based on the shapes of her ears and tail alone, I'd say she's a fox person.
—A renart.
This is the first time I've ever seen one.
They're an extremely rare race that mostly lives in the Far East.
Even among all the other young women and gorgeous ladies, her beauty stands out.
For lack of a better word, she's cute.
Clad in a flowing red kimono, she's sitting behind the other working ladies. There's a
black choker around her neck… No, I think that's a collar.
My feet come to a stop so that I can admire those amazing green eyes.
Vast as the night sky, they look at me with a twinge of envy and longing, a desire to be
on the other side of the wooden fence.
Her lips spread without her looking away. A sad smile.
The other women around her are laughing, jeering, and full of energy. But she's so
different from them, fascinatingly so. I can't take my eyes off her.
Her eyelids quiver, like she's on the verge of tears. But that smile of hers is making
time stand still.
It lasted only a second, but I wouldn't be surprised if we'd been staring at each other
for almost a minute.
"—Well, well, if it isn't Bell!"
Tap. I jump in surprise as a hand touches my shoulder.
My head whips around. There, staring back at me, is an orange-haired, orange-eyed
deity.
"L-Lord Hermes?!"
"Ha-ha, I thought that was you."
Hermes flashes a toothy grin, clearly enjoying my reaction.
His face morphs into his usual dandy smile, eyes shining back at me from just above
mine. I've never seen him without Miss Asfi, but she isn't here. Perhaps Lord Hermes
is by himself?
He's dressed in his usual traveler's clothes, except now he's got a feathered hat on his
head and a small pouch over his shoulder.
"Imagine, meeting you here. Hee-hee, you've grown up so quickly."
"Eh… No, it's not that. I have a perfectly good explanation…!"
"Saw you taking a gander at the gallery. See anything you like?"
Lord Hermes looks over my head at the lineup of girls behind the wooden fence. I'm
glad he looked away because my face is burning again.He's got the wrong idea. I follow
his line of sight back toward the gallery, as he called it, but the renart is hidden behind
the ones coming up to the fence.
The two of us spend several seconds watching the transactions take place. "Do you
want some pointers on how to get a good one?" he asks with a grin.
"N-n-no thank you!" I yell back at him.
If I don't change the subject now, who knows what will happen. Forgetting about the
renart for the time being, I turn away from the lineup.
"Eh, um… So Lord Hermes, why are you here? And what's… what's in the pouch…?"
"Now, now, Bell. Invasive questions are a no-no in this place."
He lowers the brim of his hat to hide half his face, but I can still see that toothy grin.
… He snuck away from Miss Asfi. That realization sends a wave of cold sweat down my
back. And he dodged the question about what is in the pouch over his shoulder.
"I'd like you to keep the fact I was here a secret between us. Agreed?" Lord Hermes
leans in real close to me as he speaks.
"S-sure…" is all I can say in response.
On the other hand… I think having this conversation has settled me down a bit.
There's nothing like the relief of seeing a familiar face. Thanks to him, the feeling of
being strangled by the atmosphere in the Pleasure Quarter is gone.
Now to ask him how to get out of here.
"To think, the Bell I know would come to the Pleasure Quarter on his own…"
But before I can ask, a dangerous smile that I know all too well appears on his face as
he wraps his arm around my shoulders.
"L-Lord Hermes?"
"I'm happy you discovered the wonders of this place. Of course, you came here in
secret as well, I assume?"
"No, I… Lord Hermes, this is just a misunderstanding!"
I try desperately to convince him that I'm not here to take part in the "fun," but Lord
Hermes keeps going.
"No need to be embarrassed. Hestia won't hear a thing out of me.—Here, a parting
gift."
All my efforts in vain, Hermes opens his pouch and thumbs through it.
One of his cheeks pulls back into an evil grin as he hands me a small bottle.
It's roughly the size and shape of a chess piece. There's a thick red liquid sloshing
around inside.
"Wh-what is this?"
"An aphrodisiac."
—A what?! I nearly cough up a lung.
"So long, Bell! I hope you enjoy your night as much as I enjoy mine!"
"Wait, Lord Hermes!"
I catch another glimpse of that smile as he moves away.
"I-I don't want this!" I yell as I take off after him, the bottle of love juice in my hand.
I can't be alone again! It'll be even worse if I'm carrying this thing by myself, too! I
don't have the courage to put it in a pocket, but I can't just throw it away. Someone
might see it and get the wrong idea! What am I supposed to do?
I follow that feathered hat through the crowd like this bottle's a ticking time bomb and
he is the only one who can stop it. He knows his way around here; the feather dips in
and out of my sight at every turn. I pick up speed in a desperate attempt to stay close.
Completely focused on returning the bottle to him, we leave behind the Far East redlight district and travel through more dark alleyways.
"—Whoa!"
And when I follow Lord Hermes around the corner—
A person comes at me from the other direction. I turn the corner with such vigor that
I nearly run into her.
"Watch it."
I kick off the ground and manage to avoid hitting the surprised woman head-on, using
my Agility to limit contact to just grazing her shoulder.
I can't lose Lord Hermes, but I can't leave without apologizing. I spin on my heel and
try to get back on his tail as quickly as possible.
"S-sorry about that! Are you okay…?"
Words leave me the moment I get a good look at the woman I nearly crashed into.
The first thing to greet my eyes is a pair of long, beautifully chiseled legs.
Smooth muscle lines and curves work their way up to her hips. I don't think a master
sculptor could design something more sleek and beautiful than these.
The woman isn't wearing much in way of clothing. She does have one purple band of
cloth around her chest that's somehow containing cleavage large enough to rival Lady
Hestia's. Her shoulders and stomach are completely exposed. As for her legs, they're
covered by a sheer fabric that's not much thicker than a veil… I can clearly see her
thighs, along with every other feature of those amazing legs, right through it. It's hard
for me to believe, but she's barefoot. She does have quite a few accessories, though,
especially around her neck and wrists.
She's taller than me, at least 170 celch.
Her black, untied hair reaches all the way down past her hips. Her muscles are one
thing, but her coppery skin could truly make most men's blood run cold.
An Amazon in dancer's clothing—and she's working here.
"… So sorry, but I'm in a rush. So, well, um… good-bye!"
Out of all the women I've seen today, she is easily one of the most attractive. I can't
breathe, and I've got to get away.
Her allure is so intimidating that I can't articulate my words at all. My cheeks burning
hot enough to start a fire, I manage to squeeze a few more words about following Lord
Hermes out of my constricted throat and turn to leave.
"Hold it."
But before I can take another step and start screaming again…
Her fingers wrap around my elbow.
"Eh?"
"You're a new face."
She pulls my body against hers and wraps her other arm around my waist.
I'm being held—no, pressed—against her. Her eyes lock onto mine.
"…?!"
She stares deep into my eyes in the middle of the street.
I can't move. Every inch of my body feels like it's on fire. The muscles in her thighs
push against me through my pants, her toned abs press against my shirt, and in some
places, we're skin against skin. Moist lips are just in front of my nose. I'm sure I'd see
a tremendous valley of cleavage if I looked down.
How can my body be generating this much heat but my arms and legs feel cold? I'm
freezing and burning at the same time.
"Nnn?"
She doesn't seem the least bit self-conscious. She lifts her left hand off my back and
pinches my cheek.
Forcing my head up, she looks down on me with powerful eyes, lips poised to devour
me at any moment.
Those eyes, it feels like they're eating me alive… She smiles.
"Ahhh… Ain't that a tempting face you've got there."
She licks her red lips.
I audibly shiver as a cold chill rushes down my spine.
"You have a name? Mine's Aisha."
"Eh… Um, well…"
"How 'bout buying a night with me?"
She leans in real close to my ear. I can feel her warm breath running down my neck.
A mixture of fear and embarrassment courses through my veins. I'll break in half at
this rate.
No, this is bad. How can I get out of here?! My instincts finally kick in and I start to
struggle, but…
—I can't break away!
There's only an arm wrapped around my waist and one around my shoulder. But her
grip is too strong.
A grip strong enough to contain me after I just ranked up to Level 3—that means…
This woman has Falna like me?
"Easy there," says Aisha with a confident laugh as she tightens her arms around me.
Incredible physical strength and tenacity paired with overwhelming beauty. She's the
physical embodiment of everything Amazons are known for.
"The crop was pitiful tonight."
"Do I smell the blood of a virgin man?"
"Who's that, Aisha?"
Voices from behind me, appearing one after another.
More figures to the left and right—more Amazons.
I chance a look in both directions. Just as I feared, more beautiful, scantily clad women
are coming this way.
"Found him right here. Got quite the innocent look in his eyes, don't he?"
"Haven't seen a man like that in ages."
"Fu-fu, first time in the Pleasure Quarter?"
The woman… Aisha probably came out looking for customers when I nearly ran into
her. I think these other Amazons are doing the same thing. They surround me before
I know what is happening.
Being Amazons, their clothing is similar to Aisha's, though some are wearing even less
than she. Trapped in Aisha's embrace, I can see only sun-kissed skin in every direction.
Mind racing, I feel like I'm going to pass out.
Moments later…
I see one of the Amazons' shoulders jump.
"Hey, hang on a minute. This human boy… Isn't he that Little Rookie?"
Suddenly, everyone stops moving. A breeze travels through the now silent alleyway.
"—White hair, red eyes."
"The one who defeated Hyacinthus in the War Game…?"
"The fastest adventurer to ever reach Level Three?"
I know that people all over Orario watched the War Game through Divine Mirrors. So
it should come as no surprise that someone might recognize my face… But still.
I can hear them whispering among themselves, all their eyes glued onto my head.
The strongest stare of all is coming from directly above me—Aisha's.
—Her aura, it changed.
Before, she seemed to be having a bit of fun tormenting me. But now her already
overwhelming eyes have a different kind of twinkle to them.
The others, too, they're looking at me like a piece of fresh meat on a skewer.
The playful atmosphere of a moment ago is gone… Sweat is pouring off my body like
a waterfall.
This must be how a rabbit feels when it's surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves.
But these aren't just wolves. These are lionesses and tigresses, saliva dripping off their
bared fangs. They're licking their lips, hunger in their eyes.
"Eeeek…" A pitiful sound escapes my gawking mouth, eyes wide open.
I-I have to run. A heartbeat later—
WHOOSH!! All of them come at me at once.
"About time a strong one came along!"
"Hey, I'll show you a good time!"
"Ignore these weaklings, come with me!"
A tsunami of Amazons washes over me.
Shoulders, arms, clothing, hair, legs—their hands grab everything. My body contorts
in all directions, pulled by their incessant grasps. None of their dark hands are letting
go.
"Ouch, ow, oww, OW, OWWWWW!!"
I'm completely helpless as these Amazonian women come agonizingly close to tearing
me to pieces.
There's no hope of escape anymore. I can't see anything except for tanned curves and
occasional flashes of bright fabric.
My head starts getting foggy. I can't even scream as I'm buried under mountains of
feminine muscle. Until—shloop.
Something gives my outstretched arm a strong pull.
"—I found this one first, he's my prey. No one else can have him."
Aisha pulls me free of the other Amazons' feeding frenzy and is holding me tightly
against her hefty chest.
"Buohhh! Buohh!" I struggle to catch my breath with nose and mouth pressed deep
into her cleavage.
She's moving, spinning like a hurricane. The other hands let go, one by one. I chance a
look straight up, trying to ignore my predicament. The eyes of a lioness glare down at
me, her "fangs" bared in an ominous grin.
My face is free! I manage to gasp for air by prying myself away from her chest.
"P-please hear me out! I-I-I'm not here to do anything amorous. Th-the only reason I
came this way was to look for my friend. S-s-she's from my familia! But I got lost, s-sso please…!"
I start pleading with her, with them, after putting a little distance between us.
But it isn't enough. The Amazon is really fast, and she circles around behind me with
ease. Whap! She grabs an item that was still somehow in my hand.
"Oh, really? Then why are you ready for a long haul, eh?"
The bottle… The one that was forced on me by a particular deity. The aphrodisiac.
Lord Hermes…!!!!!!!!!!
My soul silently screams. For some reason, an image of the god tipping his feathered
hat and giving me a thumbs-up appears in my head.
There's no way she'll listen to me now…
"Drop the act already. Now, come."
"H-hold on a sec. H-hey, wait!"
She locks my arm into her stranglehold grip and pulls me away.
The other lions, tigers, and wolves form a pack around us. I'm in the middle of a parade
of shiny-eyed Amazons…!
This is the first time since following Lord Hermes out of the red-light district that I've
had a chance to look around. This area looks like an oasis in the middle of a desert.
The buildings are mostly made of stone, but the roofs and eves are covered in a style
of sun-dried bricks. The outsides of some brothels are decorated with high-quality
alabaster. As for the working ladies around here, most are wearing something similar
to Aisha's dancer's clothes. The style is different, but they're showing off just as much
skin.
"It's not like that! Please, just listen to me!" My yelling and screaming on the verge of
tears do nothing to persuade my captor. I got lucky before, but now I can't shake loose.
What's worse, I can tell from the earlier whirlpool tug-of-war that at least some of the
people in our twenty-plus Amazonian entourage are Level 2, or even Level 3.
I'm so caught up wallowing in my own despair that it takes me a moment to realize
we've come to a stop in front of an extremely large building.
Judging from the exterior and amount of scantily clad ladies around it, this is also a
brothel—the size of a palace.
It looks like it came right out of a fairy tale set in some mystical desert. Covered in
sheets of pure gold, the design is so heavenly that I wouldn't be surprised if the
architect based it on a heatstroke-induced mirage.
An emblem comes into view as Aisha pulls me even closer to the circular structure.
A naked woman's body hidden by a veil… The symbol of prostitutes.
This is a familia's base of operations? Their home?
Another tug from Aisha and we cross the threshold of a large wooden door.
"Is… is this a castle…?"
The inside of the palace sparkles just as much as the outside.
It bears an uncanny resemblance to the inside of Babel Tower, except that the inside
is open like a multilayered doughnut. There are men on all the different levels, arm in
arm with their chosen partners for this evening. Couples are disappearing into rooms
every second.
Aisha guides me through the unbelievably wide entrance hall. Expensive-looking
vases line the white walls, but my eyes keep getting drawn to the red carpet beneath
my feet.
The atmosphere in here is even more suffocating than the Pleasure Quarter. The
mixture of obscene smells makes every nerve in my body shriek with anxiety. I'm
surprised I'm still conscious, let alone walking under my own power.
"Do you seriously know nothing?"
Aisha looks back at me, her prisoner, with a hint of glee in her eyes.
"This is our home, Belit Babili."
Her grip stays just as tight as she explains.
"Don't go thinkin' it's just this building, either. This whole area is our island… Lady
Ishtar's territory."
Lady… Ishtar?
I don't know many gods and goddesses, but I've heard that name somewhere before…
"You girls, down there. Why aren't you working?"
A sharp female voice stabs down from far above.
I look up without even thinking. What I see takes my breath away.
It's a beautiful figure who just oozes temptation. Wearing next to nothing at all, her
absolutely radiant tan skin is almost blinding even from this distance. She's decorated
her body with a ton of golden trinkets, including a crown, earrings, a necklace,
bracelets, anklets, and even some things hanging extravagantly from her breasts.
Everything about this lady screams queen.
Her dark, almost purplish hair hangs down to her waist in several braids.
She's looking at us, a long pipe in her left hand.
—A Goddess of Beauty.
I know immediately.
Anyone who sets eyes on one instantly gets filled with incredible desire; their charms
are too alluring to resist.
I've met a goddess like that before, the silver-haired Lady Freya. I felt bewitched the
moment I saw her. Her beauty wafted into me like the most provocative perfume,
overriding all my other senses before I knew what was happening.
The Amazonian ladies say hello in unison. I clear my throat.
"Mind explaining that human?"
Her eyes, glinting like amethyst in the distance, lock onto me. My whole spine trembles
under their pressure.
The other Amazons seem to have noticed that, too, and immediately move to shield
me from the deity's sight.
"Don't look at him, Lady Ishtar!"
"What're we supposed to do with someone under your spell, eh?"
They're protecting me…?
"And you, keep your eyes down!" Aisha's warning makes me say, "O-o-okay?" and do
exactly that. The hands of the others are back, holding me down. I'm trapped in their
whirlpool again, except this time I can hear the voices of the other ladies, young and
mature, wafting out of random rooms all the way up to the top floors.
"Fu-fu… There's more money to be made tonight. All of you better not waste your time
by sucking that one dry."
Her nasal laughter cuts through it all as the Amazons pull me in the same direction. It
wouldn't have mattered, anyway; I'm already falling to pieces.
"Tammuz," she says in a bored voice, and breaks off eye contact. I risk a glance in her
direction and see a rather handsome young man follow Lady Ishtar away from the
upper-floor railing.
So it's true… This is Ishtar Familia's home…
My hair's a mess, clothing in tatters, but I know for sure.
They've increased their presence and effectiveness in the Dungeon, becoming one of
Orario's best Dungeon-prowling familias in the past few years… at least that's what
I've heard.
I've come to a really dangerous place, in more ways than one. I'm a member of a rival
familia, deep in enemy territory. All the repercussions start racing through my head
as Aisha forcibly leads me deeper into their mansion of a home.
We pass several more women, ones wearing dresses so sheer that I can see right
through them. Aisha calls them over and I look straight at the floor. My captor must be
pretty high up in the familia. She exchanges a few words with the women, who are
thankfully ignoring me. Next thing I know, they're gone and I'm being led up to the
third floor.
The stairwell opens to a wide, highly decorated hallway. Two of the Amazons rush
ahead and open a pair of double doors right in front of me. Aisha pushes me inside.
"Uwoah?!"
Suddenly released from her viselike grip, I'm practically thrown onto a sofa covered
with a velvet sheet.
Plop! Good thing it's a soft sofa… I quickly sit up and have a look around the dim room.
There are several of these sofas scattered around the room, but almost no people. The
only light is coming from a magic-stone lamp on the low table and a few candles on
the wall. There's a weird smell about this place—high-quality perfume and…
"That's musk aromatics."
Aisha notices my flaring nostrils and grins as she takes a seat on the sofa across from
me.
The rest of the entourage rushes around the room, grabbing any chairs they can find
and sitting in a ring around me.
I can see another man across the way. He's standing at a counter across from another
woman wearing one of those sheer dresses. She must be serving drinks, or at least
some kind of alcohol for sure. All the seating, a bar—this classy room has to be some
kind of waiting area.
"All the rooms are in use at the moment, so we're goin' to chill here for the time being.
"Or we could start right now, if you like?" she adds with that same hungry smirk.
I don't have the guts to ask her, "Start what?"
"I call second." "Aisha, just let me have a taste!" All their eyes are on me. All the
Amazonian women are sitting down, but it feels like they're circling me. My first
impressions of them are feeling more and more real by the moment. I shiver as thin
fingers run down my neck from behind, making my heart jump. It takes all the courage
I have to try to speak.
"I'm um… in another familia… Isn't it kind of bad for me to be here, in your home? So,
so you see…"
"Don't mean a thing. We bring adventurers up here almost every night.
"Some more willingly than others," she adds, not letting me get in another word. So
some of the other customers are adventurers. However, no one seems to care at all.
They're literally sleeping with the enemy.
"'Course if you want to have at it, fine by me. In here, in bed, I'll take you on wherever,
whenever."
Thud! She puts her leg on the table between us. It really sounds like she wants to fight.
I'm at a loss for words. They're completely unarmed and no one's here to protect them,
either. These scantily clad women are much more dangerous than they seem.
They're temptresses, but also warriors.
Many of them were strong enough to leave bruises on my arms and legs with their
bare hands. I'm the one who needs a bodyguard, not them.
"Berbera"—I don't know where I heard that first, but it's a fitting name.
They all have Blessings from Lady Ishtar—seductive adventurers…
Doing my best to hold my fear at bay, I take a closer look at Aisha.
She's everything I imagined an Amazon would be. Overflowing with confidence, she
shows no hesitation or weakness and commands a lot of respect. Bold and beautiful,
she must be the heart and soul of this group.
Okay, here goes nothing.
"Wh-what can I do to convince you to… let me go home?"
This place is a completely different world, not to mention the home of another familia.
To top it all off, my body won't stop shaking in fear.
Can't calm down, out of place, scared as hell. Tears are already leaking out of my eyes,
every fiber of my being stressed to the limit.
"…"
Aisha runs her fingers through her hair while listening to my plea.
Another woman walks up to the ring of Amazons, carrying a glass with a dark liquid
inside. She must be some kind of waitress. Squeezing through a very small opening in
the ring, she places the glass on the table in front of Aisha.
The Amazon reaches forward, snatches the glass of expensive-looking wine, and
downs it in two gulps.
"We are the harlots of Lady Ishtar. The best brothel is at our disposal… But we
Amazons play by our own rules."
My captor ignores the question and rotates the now empty glass between her fingers.
I shrink away from her, but she just grins and leans forward.
"We refuse to wait quietly at home for a strong male to come our way. We go and find
one."
I tilt my head in confusion. She cocks an eyebrow and leans in farther, close enough to
whisper in my ear.
"Amazons have needs. We take our men… and devour them."
Resistance is futile—those words send another wave of cold sweat down my back.
Amazons.
They have the reputation of being aggressive hand-to-hand fighters. There are several
different clans from all over the world. Each has mastered a different type of martial
art.
Out of all five races of demi-human, they look the most like us humans. However,
despite their appearance, they're physically capable of bearing only female children.
They're unique in that way. Every child born from an Amazonian mother is another
Amazon. Half-Amazons don't exist.
In other words, they need the cooperation of a male, any male, to reproduce.
Cooperation might be a strong word. They tend to kidnap their prospective partners
before going all out… There are stories about them dating back to the Ancient Times,
about the terror they caused before the gods and goddesses came to earth. Men of any
age, married or not, living away from the cities were at risk of being taken and
returning a shell of their former selves.
The clan of females would relentlessly pursue a male who piqued their interest, like
predators out for blood.
Those instincts are alive and well within every Amazon.
And I have been taken.
They weren't planning on asking my opinion from the start.
"Get used to it."
I'm absolutely petrified. Aisha delivered the final verbal blow.
The ring around us is cackling like hyenas, licking their lips and grinning.
—I'm so dead.
I don't think there's enough blood left in my face to blush anymore. My whole body
was burning up not too long ago, but now my skin is ice-cold.
"…?"
I'm too distracted by the knowledge of my fate destroying my soul from within to
notice that Aisha has looked up and away from me.
The ring follows suit. Each of the Amazons looks in the same direction, a mixture of
concern and fear on their faces. It's at that point that I emerge from the abyss of
despair and notice something strange is going on.
Feet, lots of them, running this way.
"What do we do, Aisha? Phryne is coming!"
Another Amazon throws open the double doors and bursts into the room.
Every set of eyes in this room immediately locks onto the look of desperation on her
face.
Phryne…?
That's a cute name… so why is everyone scared stiff?
"Get over here!" "Hide, now!" Aisha pulls me off the couch—but it gets here first.
BOOM! The doors fly off their hinges.
The Amazons closest to the door flinch to protect themselves. I'm just as surprised as
all of them.
"—I smell a young'eeeen!"
Nostrils open wide and breathing deep, she appears.
A massive woman, she stands at least two meders tall. She's wearing a black outfit that
looks vaguely like hunting gear. Her scrawny arms and legs are pure muscle and wheat
colored. Considering the rest of her body looks like a boulder, her tiny limbs don't
make much sense.
At the same time, her head is much too big.
It looks like there's a black mushroom or something on her head… Wait, that's hair?!
With beady eyes and really long lips, she looks more like a bullfrog than a human.
M-monster?!
That was really rude of me to think; I only just met her. But this is really shocking.
Don't know why, but for some reason I can see an equally shocked look on Gramps's
face in the back of my mind.
"Kee-kee-kee-kee! So you caught yourself a man, Aishaaa?"
The massive blob of a woman—or rather, Amazon—walks through the wide-open
doorway and into the waiting room.
Even her voice sounds like a croaking frog's. Aisha snaps her tongue at her.
"Why are you here, Phryne?"
"A little bird told me you'd found a delicious little one. I just had to see for myself.
"So show me," the Amazon named Phryne says, a little more forcefully.
Then she starts walking straight toward us. There are sofas and tables in the way, but
she doesn't even pause. She plows right through them, not even slowing down.
The Amazons are standing like a wall between her and me, but now she's close enough
to see over their heads. Her long lips curl into a horrific smile.
"Well, if it isn't Hestia Familia's bunny rabbit! A little raw for my taste but… definitely
my type!"
Her cheeks and bulging chin wrinkle as her lips spread even wider. It's making my skin
crawl.
"GE-GE-GE-GEGEGEH!!" Laughing again, her eyes twinkle like distant stars.
"Bending that fresh body to my will, messing up that cute little face… I'm gonna have
fun tonight."
—I'm so, so dead.
Cold dread floods my veins. Can't breathe. Come to think of it, I got the same feeling
from Lord Apollo…
Standing tall, Aisha leads the Amazons as one to block her path.
"Let me have a li'l fun, Aishaaa. I'll give 'im right back."
"Who do you think I am? I caught him. He's my prey; get your own."
Aisha isn't backing down from… Miss Phryne? In fact, she looks ready to fight.
Not just her, either. Her ring of followers is all on their feet, muscles flexing as if itching
for a throwdown.
Every one ofthem is an Amazon in the same familia, but I'd never believe thatif I didn't
see the events unfolding before my very eyes.
I get the feeling that something big is about to happen… but I'm more worried about
my own hide. Alarms are still blaring inside my head.
"All the males I've had recently couldn't entertain me. Been bored as hell. So why not
let me indulge?"
"Go back to your lair. Can't count how many men you've wasted—you ain't getting
mine."
They're standing about five meders apart. I'd fear for the life of anyone stuck in the
no-man's-land between the two Amazonian powerhouses.
Aisha's tone is harsh and cold. Phryne responds in kind, not holding anything back.
"So, beauty is a sin, now? It's not my fault that no other woman can measure up… Lady
Ishtar comes close, but I'm out of her league."
She's serious…!
"It's your fault adventurers won't come anywhere near this place. Catching the good
ones takes time, energy. Read the writing on the wall, toad."
"Ooooo, jealousy, how scaaary. I just happen to be the perfect match of beauty and
power, wretched varmint."
All my joints are shaking, even my toes, as I listen to the two Amazons argue. I can feel
it—Phryne is the real deal.
It's been easier to tell after ranking up myself.
I'm starting to sense the size of a person's spiritual "container" for their Status.
The strongest one here is Phryne, quite possibly overwhelmingly so.
It's the same kind of pressure I feel from top-class adventurers, from her.
Aisha and the rest of the Amazons don't take Phryne's taunts lightly. Fists are
clenching, shoulders are flexing, even the air in here feels like it's crackling. The other
people in the waiting room hadn't paid much attention to the large woman's arrival
until now. Now they're tripping over themselves, making a break for the open door.
Could it be…?
All of them are so angry with one another, staring down their opponent, that no one
is looking at me. This is my chance! Carefully, quietly, I start taking small steps back
and escape from the ring.
I have to get away… Slowly but surely, the space between us is growing.
"GaaHHH—so pointless! I've taken him by force."
My eyes shoot open the moment those words reach my ears. My window's closing!
"We are proud Amazons! We take whatever man we see fit! Ain't that right, Aishaaa?"
"…"
"Why not settle things our way… or are you scaaared?"
The massive woman breaks into more frog-like laughter. Aisha spits at her opponent's
feet.
"… Bring it on, toad."
The challenge accepted, Aisha and the rest of the Amazons turn around.
There's only about ten steps in the space between us. Every single set of eyes is
burning with enough ferocity to cook an egg.
The warning bells have officially become sirens. I don't think there's a dry part of skin
anywhere on my body. Haven't been able to stop sweating since I got here, but the flow
just kicked into high gear.
One of them just licked her lips at me.
"First one to reach him keeps him!"
That's the signal.
All the Amazons and I take off at the sound of Phryne's deep bellow of a yell.
I spin on my heel and take off toward the back of the room.
Amazonian battle cries sounding behind me, I set my sights on a window and speed
up.
Everything's in slow motion, all sound taking an agonizingly long time to reach my
ears. The footsteps, the yells, the sound of furniture being crushed. Seconds feel like
hours. The night sky outside the window beckons in front of me.
Keeping my eyes open, I kick off the floor and plow through the glass window,
shoulder first.
I'm outside, in midair.
A race of life and death is now under way. The Amazons are on the hunt.
Falling. Night air cold on my sweaty skin.
I listened to the roar of my instincts and jumped out that window with no hesitation.
Now I'm zipping through the air.
No need to look; I know the Amazons are following me. I could feel their presence
before I heard them on the ground beneath me. What's worse, the wall shattered
behind them. Shards of glass and rock debris are raining down on the street below.
THUD! I make my landing.
I take off running.
"Hold it!"
I barely have time to take one breath before the voice of one angry temptress cuts
through the night.
Leaving Belit Babili in my dust, I make a break for the Pleasure Quarter.
And so it is that my death race with more than twenty Amazonian warriors is officially
under way.
Magic-stone lamps zip by my line of vision as I tear through the backstreet. Men and
women hug the walls, their eyes wide open as they see us coming. "EEEEKK!" One
working lady jumps out of the way in the nick of time.
"After him!" "Don't let him escape!" I can hear them yelling, but I'm too scared to take
a look. All I can do is keep pumping my arms, pushing forward, forward, forward!
Why did this happen to me?!
Was it because I didn't listen to Lilly and Welf and go home sooner? Or maybe it's my
fault because I got separated? Lord Hermes isn't off the hook, either.
I round a corner, my head still trying to find an answer to an impossible question.
Another corner, another turn. I zigzag through steadily narrowing streets in an
attempt to lose my pursuers once and for all.
I think my random pattern is paying off. I can't hear the Amazons anymore.
"—GE-GE-GE-GE-GE-GEH!!"
Except for her.
She's the only one my Level 3 Agility can't outrun.
Her croaking echoes off the walls. A long shadow falls over me.
It grows bigger and bigger in the moon's blue light behind me. She's coming from
above?!
"Uw-UWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A dark-colored boulder slams into the street just in front of me, sending debris
everywhere.
Somehow managing to kill her momentum, the absolutely monstrous woman—
Phryne—pulls her meaty fists out of the street before turning to face me.
"You're not getting away, little bunny!"
She charges, the space between us disappearing in an instant. A plump hand comes
straight at my eyes.
Duck! I yell at myself and just barely manage to dodge. I can hear the wind being torn
to shreds as her now outstretched fingers pass by my ear. My feet stumble backward
in the sudden gust of wind generated by that near-miss.
My eyes open as wide as they go the instant I see Phryne's merciless follow-up attack
coming my way.
I barely manage to jump to the side as her fist takes a chunk out of the wall of the
brothel behind me. Her other arm follows as I manage to take cover behind a barrel in
the street. Off-balance, her third punch barely grazes the side of it. But that's enough
to make it burst into splinters. She's empty-handed, but even still she has more than
enough power to rip my head off! There's been no time to catch my breath.
Th-this speed, this power…!
This is exactly how it was in those days on the city wall, during my intense training
with that other Amazonian girl and my idol.
I was right—she's a top-class adventurer!
Bits of wood and stone are flying everywhere. Sweat flings off my body at each twist
and turn. She drives me back farther and farther, until finally getting ahold of my collar.
"AEEEEHH!"
"Hold still alreadyyy!!"
She swings my body up in a full arc and slams me down back-first onto the ground.
A burst of pain shoots through every bone in my body. She loses her grip, sending me
tumbling down the road.
I get my bearings and raise my head, only to see Phryne careening toward me.
Her black shadow growing by the second, the putrid smile on her long lips is so horrid
that I forget to breathe.
"""Stop, toad!"""
The other Amazons have arrived. Three of them slam feetfirst into Phryne while she's
in midair. All two meders of the massive woman suddenly disappear from my line of
sight.