Tarykin's Street Food and Gaming Solace
With the topic turning to her favorite subject of science, Elisa launched into an enthusiastic explanation. I nodded along as we walked, when a delicious aroma caught my attention. Lining both sides of the main road were rows of simple food carts—Tarykin's other famous attraction, the street vendor district.
“Wow, they really sell all kinds of food here.”
Since this is the central street of the capital, there are only noble buildings and no proper restaurants. The carts gradually gathered here to serve laborers and tourists, and the variety of cuisines from different countries made the place quite famous.
Other tourists strolled about with food in hand. As expected of a place catering to visitors, they accepted the continental common currency, which made pricing easy to understand. Everything from light snacks to hearty meals was being sold at various prices by different vendors to all sorts of customers.
“How much money do we have left?”
Not much. We’ve spent so much on food that the travel funds we received are almost gone.
“But the best part of traveling is the food. Besides, my body needs to eat a lot anyway.”
It’s true that the artificial muscles require a high caloric intake, but the slime in the womb is consuming even more energy.
“Hmm.”
I reflexively rubbed my lower belly. The recent increase in my appetite was largely due to the slime. I was starting to worry about how much more I was eating.
Just then, the owner of a cart selling monster skewers waved me over.
“Hey there, pretty miss! Try some skewers—they’re delicious~”
The woman had the plump build typical of southern continent natives. The southern plains were dominated by livestock farming—horses, cattle, and sheep—so dairy and meat formed the staple diet, leading most people, regardless of gender, to carry extra weight.
Since I was already hungry, I approached the cart and saw that they were selling Grow Wolf skewers.
“Grow Wolf skewers, huh.”
“Hoho, the chewy texture is especially good. Want one?”
“Yes, one please.”
“Pick whichever one you like~”
I paid and took a well-grilled monster skewer, biting into it.
“Mmm, it’s good.”
The sauce has that distinctive Tarykin spice aroma. Oh, there’s some Ryuzan seasoning too.
“This is our southern region’s special sauce. I’m proud of the taste.”
After exchanging pleasantries with the woman, I continued exploring while eating the skewer. I even spotted some snacks sold in Eden and felt a small pang of nostalgia. Ah, I should try that too.
After buying this and that, we reached a fork leading toward the outskirts. Elisa spoke up.
If we take the right path here, we’ll reach the research institute. I’ll take over the body now.
“Okay. Call me when you’re done.”
The moment Elisa took control, my consciousness automatically shifted into the mental space and was sealed away. From now on, until she returned the body, this was my time alone. Aside from acts meant to relieve sexual desire, I could do whatever I wanted here. It had become a kind of healing space for me.
Naked except for the chastity belt, I savored the refreshing sense of liberation, played my favorite music at full volume, and enjoyed a leisurely time. I indulged in the luxury of soaking in a large bathtub—something I couldn’t do while traveling—and browsed the internet. The mental space was a virtual realm where electronic devices worked perfectly even underwater, so I could lounge submerged while operating a panel-style computer.
“Phew~ A new release. Let’s check the reviews.”
I visited a reviewer’s channel I often watched to see if a review for the new game had been uploaded. True to form as a professional reviewer and dedicated gamer, the video was already up, and the chat window beside it was flooded with comments from viewers sharing their impressions.
“That damn Goblin Chieftain is back again. He’s basically the title’s mascot at this point.”
On screen, the viciously smiling Goblin Chieftain who had slaughtered and frustrated countless new players was being dismantled by the reviewer’s skilled hands. The chat exploded with cheers.
While enjoying the reviewer’s playthrough, a message arrived from my logged-in account. It was from a player I’d grown close to during my early days of getting into the game—a frequent party member.
Ah, no wonder. I was wondering why a hardcore gamer like you hadn’t logged in for over a month.
Though we knew nothing about each other’s real names, ages, or faces, our shared hobby of gaming had made us quite close.
Then I’ll send an invite.
I immediately left the water, sat in a chair, and manifested a gaming computer on the desk. I put on the helmet that allowed me to play the implant-installed game inside the mental space and started playing.
Later, while still deep in the game, the friend who had logged out earlier returned.
Good grief, you really are a hardcore gamer. I thought it was strange you hadn’t been on in a while, and now it’s already been several days?
The in-game character shook its head. Since my mental body hardly ever got tired, I had simply been playing nonstop except for sleep. To others, though, it probably looked like I was overdoing it.
I don’t know. I can’t tell when my companion’s business will finish.
Elisa had a habit of becoming completely absorbed in whatever she liked, forgetting everything around her. This wasn’t Eden, and I was trapped in the mental space, so there was no telling when her focus mode would end.
Ahaha. Right? There’s no way you’d travel alone with a guy.
Well, yeah.
He seemed oddly relieved by my answer. After hunting with his acquaintances and the party, everyone started logging off to sleep, so I also quit the game and removed the helmet.
“Ugh! Even as a mental body, sitting and gaming for fourteen hours straight is tiring.”
As I stretched and loosened my stiff body, it occurred to me that this was a sensation I wouldn’t feel with a full-body prosthetic. Maybe the mental body operated based on human physiology after all? There were plenty of other differences, though. Hmm. I should ask Elisa about it next time—she knew my body well.
Anyway, it had already been five days with no word from Elisa. No matter how enjoyable her research was, she could at least check in occasionally. It felt like I was bothering her, but I decided to contact her first.
I picked up the external communication phone and pressed the call button. After several rings, Elisa’s voice came through.
“Miss? What’s the matter?”
“It’s already been five days with no contact, so I called. Are you still touring the research institute?”
“Hehe, I gave the researchers some advice while talking with them, and they made me an honorary researcher. Right now I’m helping review the design of an aircraft, so I’m incredibly busy.”
“Wait, you gave a few pieces of advice and they let you participate in the research? Is that even possible?”
Weren’t outsiders usually barred from accessing research due to confidentiality? Or was I mistaken? Elisa spoke as if it were completely natural, which only confused me more.
“Think about our identities. We’re from Eden, the center of science and technology, and we’re blood relatives of Maria Drivique, the current ruler. On top of that, we have enough scientific knowledge to give direct advice to a struggling research institute on the verge of bankruptcy because it’s treated as non-mainstream? Of course they’d want to pull us in.”
“I see.”
“I did borrow a bit of the charm’s power, but as a succubus, that’s only natural.”
“Right. So when are we leaving again?”
“I’ll let you know when the time comes. Stay put until then.”
“Ah—”
The call ended before I could say anything more. Tsk, she must have really caught fire. At this level of excitement, there was no telling when it would end.
“Eek.”
While customizing my character, a sudden, intense wave of lust crashed over me. Normally, Elisa’s manipulation kept it blocked, so I couldn’t feel the sexual desire that kept building in my aroused body. But at random moments, it would suddenly be released, subjecting me to this tormenting training. It was meant to deepen my awareness of being controlled and increase my dependence on Elisa, who alone could relieve the desire. In moments like this, it was excruciating.
Lust exploded within me, yet the only remaining erogenous zone—my vagina—was sealed by the chastity belt, leaving me to suffer the agony of unfulfilled desire.
“Ahn…”
Unable to touch my throbbing sex, I curled up on the bed and endured the pain until the training period finally ended and the lust subsided. My body was still in heat, dripping with arousal, but the sensations of desire and pleasure were once again blocked, leaving my mind clear.
“Ugh, the bed’s dirty again. This is why I can’t wear clothes.”
Having spent nearly a month alone in the mental space, I’d started talking to myself more often. Elisa seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her aircraft research, staying at the institute and participating in the studies. Thanks to that, I’d tried every hobby imaginable—even going so far as to create a Human-Horse Arena track in the mental space and run on it.
“Ah, it’s almost time for the appointment.”
It was time to go hunting with a friend I’d recently made in the game. Already something of a known hardcore gamer, my nearly month-long hermit lifestyle had turned me into a genuine celebrity. As a result, more people wanted to play with me, and I’d made plenty of new friends.
Ignoring the arousal fluid trickling down my thighs, I sat at the chair and put the connector back on. Because I’d been pulled out mid-character customization for training without logging out, my character was standing blankly in front of a clothing store, surrounded by friends’ avatars and onlookers chatting.
Where did Miss Eli go?
She’s standing in front of the clothing store, so she’s probably customizing.
That character really is the famous player, right?
The female player who wasn’t on the rankings a month ago and suddenly became a top ranker—Elly, right?
I had already logged in and was watching, but no one noticed my arrival. When I turned to look at my friends, they finally noticed and spoke up in surprise.
Oh! You were here.
As expected of the Ice Princess. Your expression never changes, so I didn’t notice.
Don’t call me that nickname.
Because my character remained expressionless throughout play, my friends had jokingly called me icy. At some point the nickname spread through the community and became permanently attached. I kept asking them not to use it because the word “princess” embarrassed me more than “ice,” but it had already spread too far to stop.
Why were you looking for me? Is something wrong?
We’re recruiting new hunters for the guild, and we decided to hold interviews. As the guild’s face, Miss Eli, you obviously have to attend.
What kind of guild does interviews for membership? It’s a small guild with few members anyway.
It was a small guild created by close friends, with a maximum capacity of 100 members according to the game system, yet it only had six people. Since it was originally a social guild, we hadn’t been recruiting, so why the sudden change?
Shouldn’t we start attempting large-scale raids soon? If we want to upload videos, it’s better to hunt big monsters.
You’re still doing that? Who’s going to watch us hunt monsters?
Thanks to you being a top ranker, Miss Eli, the views are actually quite good. The applicants this time probably came because of you.
What’s so great about a girl who just plays games?
Playing games to pass the time whenever I felt bored had somehow made me famous. Listening to music or studying in the mental space only lasted a day or two.
It’s because you’re good at the game. Among the top rankers, there are only three women including you, Miss Eli. The other two don’t participate in the community at all.
And a female player who gets along comfortably with guys like you do is practically a mythical existence.
Hmm.
I had simply treated my friends the way I always did, yet I was receiving goodwill. Thinking back, almost all the characters in this game were male. Even the onlookers gathered around were all men—the gender ratio was heavily skewed. It was probably because monster hunting was the main content and the game was extremely brutal and difficult.
Anyway, I was dragged along by my friends to the new member interviews. Though called interviews, I simply sat there blankly receiving the applicants’ gazes while my friends asked the questions.
Hmm. They all seemed skilled, judging by how well they’d customized their characters. As expected, the game’s true endgame was customization.
After interviewing twenty-one applicants, we gathered at the guild hideout for a meeting. The guild leader, my oldest friend “EatMyGreatsword”—shortened to “SwordEater”—opened the discussion while holding documents with the applicants’ information.
Everyone has good specs. Plenty of raid experience too.
There are even people better than me. It’s a little intimidating.
Honestly, aside from SwordEater, I didn’t even remember most of their usernames—I just knew them as friends. This game didn’t display usernames by default, so unless you memorized them, you wouldn’t know.
What do you think, Miss Eli?
I like these two.
Ah, Miss Eli really is a girl. They both put a lot of effort into customization.
The two I pointed out were the ones who had clearly invested the most in their appearance. I had chosen them simply because they looked nice, yet I was being told it was because I was a girl.
But these two seem too obviously goal-oriented, don’t you think?
Anyone can see their goal is Miss Eli.
They’ll probably try to get close and then suggest meeting offline. Remember that incident in another game where a player tried to lure someone out and assault them but got caught?
Hey, that was a personal acquaintance who already knew the female player’s personal information. We only know Miss Eli’s age and gender—who would do something like that? It seems like overthinking.
It never hurts to be careful. Let’s delete them.
SwordEater and the others deleted the two applicants’ documents while worrying about me. By the way, how did they know my age?
How do you know my age?
When you join the community, your age is displayed on your ID. Didn’t you know?
Eh… Did I input my age when I joined the community? I don’t think I did.
How old does it say I am?
Twenty.
I was surprised you were younger than I thought. Twenty years old, huh.
Why twenty? I wasn’t sure, but at least I wasn’t a minor. Come to think of it, this game itself was an adult-only title for those twenty and older.
Kids these days stay students even after turning twenty and becoming adults because they’re still in school. That was unimaginable in my time.
Since the trend is to send everyone to higher education institutions, there’s even talk of raising the age of adulthood to twenty-one.
Well, marriage age has risen compared to the past too. The average age of first childbirth is now twenty-one.
Experts analyze it as the result of humanity achieving stable lives after developing countermeasures against monsters.
Hmm, that makes sense.
Listening quietly to the conversation made me curious about my friends’ ages. Since we controlled characters in-game, appearance didn’t reveal age.
How old are you all?
Ahem, we’re not at the age where we need to be addressed with such respect. We don’t expect special treatment just because of our age.
Right. What does age matter in a game? We should all just enjoy ourselves.
We got off topic for a moment. Let’s return to the interviews.
Hmm. I had thought they were just young men who liked games, but apparently not. SwordEater and the others seemed accustomed to conducting interviews, reviewing applicant information, asking questions, and making evaluations—suggesting they had considerable social experience.
As expected, featuring Miss Eli prominently to boost brand value really attracted high-quality applicants. Hehe.
At this level, we have a good chance of succeeding even if we challenge a large-scale raid right away. Do we have enough funds to invest in raid preparations?
All we have left is money. We’d even buy time with it if we could.
Business must be going well lately—you’ve earned quite a bit.
We don’t have to worry about putting food on the table. Hehe.
I hadn’t noticed while we were always out hunting, but when everyone gathered and talked, the age gap became obvious. Feeling guilty for having ignored them all this time, I simply watched them carefully.