This was the worst…
I'd thought I'd be able to settle the matter easily with my splendid acting skills, but they wanted me to drink super lewd aphrodisiac?
Stop bullshitting me, you perverted old geezers?!
I knew what you were aiming for?!
You wanna have your way with this glamorous body of mine, don't you?!
Ugh, I'm getting goosebumps!!
Dwarf men are all perverts?! As I cringed inwardly, the chief tilted his head and said, "Oh? Is something the matter?"
"I-it's nothing, more importantly, the purification ceremony requires some preparation, so Nazarie and I will return to her workshop for now…"
"Ohh, is that so? Understood. In the meantime, we will fetch the potion and wait for you here, so I hope you can come back again as soon as you are done."
"I understand…"
◇
"We will always remember you, pig…"
"Hold on, don't give up just yet." Nazarie stopped me as I wore a faraway look on my face.
But if I didn't give up, I'd have to drain those perverted old geezers dry.
Of course, I'd rather die.
I raised my voice and objected, "Then what do you want me to do?! Just the thought of it disgusts me, but in the unlikely event that the worst came to pass, those perverted old geezers would be turned to ashes by Exa, you know?!"
"M-mhm, you have a point there… But we're running out of time… What are we supposed to do…"
Mumumu… Nazarie crossed her arms with a difficult expression on her face, and I asked her, "Do you have a medicine that temporarily suppresses the effects of aphrodisiacs or something?"
"Well, I do, but that potion is unnecessarily potent. The medicine won't be very effective and will only last for a few minutes at most."
"Kh… So, even if I manage to endure in the assembly hall with my willpower, I may assault the villagers after that…?"
That would make me a sex-crazed slut!
Even the always borderline naked Aetia would be appalled, surely.
"Sorry… Since you're Exa's wife, I thought they would release the pig right away if you were the one who asked, I didn't expect things to end up this way…" Nazarie knitted her brows apologetically.
I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Well, there's no point regretting it. What we have to do now is think of a way to get us out of this situation."
"Mhm, you're right. Still, what are we supposed to do…? If only there's a way to convince the chief and the elders without causing damage to the village and incurring Exa's wrath…"
"There's no way such a convenient way ex—"
At that point, it hit me.
…It existed.
Such a convenient way did exist…
But for that…
"…?" Nazarie made a curious look when I silently turned my eyes to her.
Yeah, I don't think Exa would get angry with this method.
But are you okay with it, me?!
No, of course not?!
I'm totally not okay with it, but we don't have much time, I've got no choice but to do it?!
Kh… biting my lips, I asked to Nazarie, "There's a soundproofed warehouse in the basement of this workshop, isn't there…?"
"Y-yeah, there is, but what do you…"
"Then, make it possible to lock the door from the inside, ASAP. If I lose control of myself, which I very likely will, I may break out even if it's locked from the outside."
"A-alright."
"Also," I told Nazarie with a straight face. "Once you're done with that, we'll go take a bath."
"Huh?"
◇
After Nazarie modified the lock and we finished bathing, we headed over to see the perverted old geezers again.
I'd already taken medicine to suppress the effects of aphrodisiacs, so the rest was up to my willpower.
I'd endure no matter what!!
I would not fall for the poisonous fangs of these perverted old geezers!!!
"We're sorry for making you wait," I said in the purest saintesslike tone.
[Ohh…]
They all widened their eyes in surprise at my change in atmosphere.
"Let us begin, then. Here is the potion."
"Y-yes, very well."
I received the super lewd aphrodisiac from the chief, and after giving Nazarie a look, I downed it in one go.
"—?!"
At that moment, just like back in "God's Garden", dirty emotions gradually took over me, but I gritted my teeth and just barely endured it.
If it wasn't for Nazarie's medicine, I would have turned into a sex-crazed slut in no time.
But I could still endure it!
So, I worked the acting skills that I had polished until now in full gear and tried my best to feign calmness.
"As you can see, I have purified the potion. Did that convince you?"
"Yes, indeed. As expected of the Savior-sama's wife―you are truly amazing."
"You overpraise me. Well now, I and the other saintesses will purify the rest of the potions later, so I'd appreciate it if you could give Pangu-dono one more night to reflect on his sins. I too will stay at Nazarie-dono's workshop's basement to reflect on my sins in the meantime."
"Understood. On behalf of all the dwarves, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Elma-sama."
The chiefs and the elders bowed.
I was already at my limit, to be honest, but I kept up my smile with my last remaining bit of willpower.
◇
"Haa, haa…"
Having hurried back to the workshop, I went down to the basement while borrowing Nazarie's shoulder.
"Y-you look really bad?! Wait here, I'll go get you a glass of water!"
"W-wait…" I gaspingly stopped Nazarie as she was about to run up the stairs, and in my fading consciousness I said, "Never mind that… just lock the door tightly… so that no one can enter…"
"G-got it!"
After locking the door, Nazarie rushed back.
She then looked at me worriedly and said, "So what's your plan?! You're not going to tell me you're just going to bear it all night, aren't you?!"
Nazarie frowned, but of course there was no way I could do that.
So, I summoned the last of my strength and said, "No… I told you, if I were to go out of control under the influence of aphrodisiacs, there'd be no point in locking the door from the outside… so I have to stay here until the effect of the aphrodisiac wears off… but for that, I need a 'reason' to stay here…"
"H-hey, hold on a second…? D-don't tell me you're thinking of…"
It seemed that Nazarie had realized it.
Yes, in order for me to stay in this basement, I needed a reason—in other words, I needed to have a 'partner to vent my sexual desires with'.
But another man was a no-go, as it would result in Exa's wrath. Not that I wanted to, either.
As such, the only option left was a 'woman'!
It'd be even better if she was someone we knew! There was a good chance he'd forgive me!
So, Nazarie—I'd have you see hell with me!
"S-stop?! Unlike you, I'm still a maiden who is waiting for her prince on a white horse?!"
"Don't worry… you won't lose your virginity… Probably…"
"W-What do you mean by 'probably'?! H-h-h-h-hold on a sec!? D-don't come here?! S-stop… no… a-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh?!"
On that day, we both felt like we had lost something important.