Exploration Day 15
On the fifteenth day of exploration, we discovered another rare ore vein on our way back via a different route. This time, various precious metals including gold lay dormant inside a towering rocky mountain.
"This is a huge find."
"I should have bought some Myungjin Metal stocks."
"I already did, hohoho."
"As expected of Ekaterina!"
While Gwangnam rewarded Ekaterina, Ruya checked the map and spoke up.
"The environment is harsh, but the lack of an ecosystem means there are no development restrictions. That's a big advantage."
"Still, having no water at all feels a bit much, nyang."
As the two said, this planet truly had nothing. There was a tiny amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, but the quantity was so small that there was no surface water and no living organisms whatsoever.
After recording the location and details of the ore vein on the map, we headed toward the spot where the gate would open.
On the seventeenth day of exploration, we arrived through the rough sandstorm to find the Average Team already waiting. Looking exhausted with hollow eyes, they greeted us warmly upon spotting us.
Gathered inside the air dome, we listened to the Average Team recount their tearful hardships. As a poor, newly formed low-rank hunter team, they lacked subspace bags and had to carry everything in large backpacks. Even after stuffing them full of food and water, supplies had eventually run short. Lacking experience, they were unskilled at reading terrain and had crossed difficult paths multiple times. When the winds grew strong, they often failed to find suitable shelter and kept moving, draining their stamina severely.
"We were starting to despair, thinking we'd return empty-handed, but thankfully we found a fairly large ore vein."
"That's fortunate. Congratulations."
"Thank you. Did the Bitnari Team find many?"
"We were lucky and found two locations."
"As expected of a veteran team. Even though you're all women, you look far more energetic than us."
"We didn't become high-rank hunters for nothing, nyang."
"Haha, we'll have to work harder too."
True to their youthful spirit, the Average Team quickly regained their energy and chattered noisily about their experiences. As a new team, they had faced all sorts of hardships, yet their eyes showed no despair or regret.
"They're very different from those bottom-feeder hunters."
"They're just in their early twenties. Full of confidence and the stamina to push through. Reminds me of my younger self."
Just as Gwangnam's eyes grew nostalgic, Ruya's voice cut through the mood.
"In his early twenties, Gwangnam was like a rampaging goblin."
"Ruya, calling him a goblin is a bit much, isn't it?"
"More like a kobold, nyang."
"Hohoho, I thought he was more like an ork."
"You women really..."
With the relief that the request would end safely tomorrow, we exchanged jokes in a cheerful atmosphere. The nine young hunters watched Gwangnam with envious eyes. Well, it made sense—four women clinging to one man was bound to draw envy.
On the eighteenth day of exploration, the long-awaited gate back to Earth finally opened.
"We're going first!"
"Yahoo!"
"Home!"
The dirt-covered Average Team cheered and charged toward the gate. It was amusing how orderly they became once entering, going in one by one.
"They're such lively people."
"It's nice to see."
"I hope they grow well without any issues, nyang."
"The hunter industry always suffers from chronic manpower shortages, hohoho."
Despite high pay, the numerous dangers and mortality rate meant fewer people chose the hunter profession than its popularity suggested.
We crossed the gate and arrived on Earth. In the room where the gate opened, those who had arrived earlier were busy undergoing disinfection. They worked quickly to remove dust and any potential pathogens. The process involved entering the disinfection chamber installed inside the room, removing our clothes and placing them in the machine, then being sprayed with air and disinfectant while naked, followed by magical treatment.
After putting on the disinfected clothes and completing the procedures, we gathered again in the conference room. The agent we had met on the departure day smiled and welcomed us.
"Everyone has returned safely. That's a relief."
"The environment was poor, but there were no dangerous creatures, so it wasn't particularly risky."
"That's good to hear."
After receiving the data from both the Average Team and us, he reviewed the contents with people who appeared to be his subordinates on laptops. Joy spread across the company employees' faces. They even clapped their hands in excitement before carefully packing away the measuring equipment.
"Thank you. The gamble-like dimensional development has succeeded. Our company has gained significant resources."
"Congratulations."
"We need to discuss the performance-based settlement, so the leaders, please come this way."
"Everyone, head home first."
After telling us to go home, Gwangnam followed the agent out. Thus, we four women departed for home first.
After eighteen days of camping outdoors, fatigue had inevitably accumulated. Even so, the sight of the house next to the temple brought a sense of relief and comfort.
"Phew, we're finally home."
"That was exhausting, nyang."
"I'm tired too."
The moment we passed through the front door and stepped inside, everyone collapsed onto the floor. Even though I had a full-body prosthesis, neural fatigue was unavoidable, and weariness washed over me.
Unlike the rest of us, Ekaterina remained standing and clapped her hands to draw our attention.
"Everyone, listen to me first."
"Yes, Madam."
"Nyang, Madam."
After I also answered "Madam" and looked at her, she smiled before issuing firm instructions.
"Ruya, organize the luggage. Charlotte, clean the dust that accumulated while the house was empty. Elisha, do the laundry."
"Yes, Madam."
The concubines and I immediately responded to the head wife's orders and began our assigned tasks in an orderly manner. We gathered the clothes worn by five people over eighteen days, sorted them, and loaded them into the washing machine. Then, taking the underwear that needed hand-washing, I went into the bathroom. With five people's worth of clothes from eighteen days, the quantity was considerable, so the hand-washing took a long time. Finally, after thoroughly rinsing Ekaterina's black lace panties and wringing out the water, I placed them in the basket and came out.
Charlotte was running the vacuum cleaner, and Ruya was nowhere to be seen, likely in the storage room. As the head wife, Ekaterina was in the kitchen, and the smell of food wafted out. I hung the hand-washed laundry on the veranda, then put the machine-washed clothes into the dryer and started it. When I entered the living room, I saw Gwangnam entering through the front door.
"Oppa, you're back?"
"Yeah, Elisha. I just got here. Everyone's doing housework, I see?"
"Yes."
He naturally pulled me into an embrace and fondled my breasts. Still holding me, he walked into the living room and spoke.
"Thanks to finding two large ore veins, we received quite a substantial request fee."
"That's great."
As his hand slipped under my clothes and tugged at my nipple, I pressed my body closer to him.
"Want to do it first?"
"You must have built up a lot."
"I only got fellatio during the exploration. Of course it piled up."
Matching his movement as he yanked down my pants and panties, I made it easy for him to strip me. When my vagina was exposed, he gazed at the clitoral ring with moved eyes, then rubbed it with his fingers and said,
"This is why life is worth living. I can never go back to how things were before. Even if it kills me, I'll protect my family."
"Haah..."
The sex that began then continued through meals, baths, and even in bed. Gwangnam and the women, their pent-up desires exploding, spent the night in a frenzy of sex.
I received word that the equipment we had ordered before leaving for the exploration request was complete and headed alone to the workshop. After getting out of the taxi and approaching the factory, the balding man I had met before greeted me warmly.
"Oh, the young lady is here."
"Hello."
"That guy nagged us so much that everyone had a hard time. Still, the finished product turned out so good that we're satisfied."
Chuckling, the man led the way, and I followed him to the room where my measurements had been taken. The man with glasses was carefully polishing equipment that gleamed with a silver luster. Even after we entered, he was so focused that he didn't notice us. The balding man cleared his throat behind him.
"Ahem. Hey, the young lady is here."
"Hmm?"
The man with glasses raised his eyebrows and showed a pleased expression. He turned around, rushed over, grabbed my hand, and pulled me toward the equipment.
"Welcome! I've been waiting for you!"
Without giving me a chance to speak, he dragged me in front of the brilliantly shining silver metal equipment. Though made of metal, the gear looked surprisingly thin and sparkled with elegance and sophistication. As I admired it, thinking it was something to be proud of, the man spoke.
"Take off all your clothes."
"What? Why do I have to take everything off?"
"This equipment was made based on a naked body. It was designed to double as clothing from the start, so don't worry and strip."
"O-okay."
It was fascinating that metal equipment resembling armor could also serve as clothing. I removed my clothes, folded them neatly, placed them to the side, and stood naked before him. He still touched my body thoroughly with unrestrained hands. Starting from my forearms, he moved down over my breasts and waist, then carefully examined my hips, groin, and legs before nodding in satisfaction.
"Just as measured before. With this level of body maintenance, there's no need to worry going forward. Try putting this on first."
The first piece I was to wear was a pair of greaves connected to thigh-high boots made as a single piece up to the knees, with a locking mechanism on the inner thigh. Unlike the outer metal surface, the interior was made of a soft material that clung comfortably to my legs, fitting perfectly. The man showed me how to pull the outwardly flipped thigh-covering section inward, attach it, and secure the inner lock.
"See this here? Hook it onto the clasp and push it until it clicks."
"Ah, it's simple."
Despite its thin appearance, the locking mechanism was quite sturdy. With a satisfying click, I locked the two fasteners on each leg, completing the greaves. Walking, running, kicking—I tried various movements, and the greaves felt incredibly comfortable without any hindrance.
"Wow, they're really comfortable."
"Hehe~ This is my masterpiece."
His proud expression and tone made it clear how satisfied he was. As I walked around the room, the metal clinking against the floor, he approached an object covered with cloth on the table and yanked the cloth off. Inside was body armor. Primarily silver, it featured gold lines accenting the upper chest and running down the center, while the black section at the waist created a visual effect that made the waist appear slimmer.
"Isn't it cool?"
"It is cool."
It was a beautiful piece of armor, aside from how much it accentuated my body lines. Carefully lifting the armor with both hands, the man brought it over and pressed it upward against the underside of my breasts to put it on. My breasts slipped into the chest section and were neatly gathered in the center, forming a defined shape. Then he pulled the open sections on either side of the waist from behind and closed them.
"Ugh, it's a bit tight."
"It's corset armor, after all."
After pulling the elastic waist section closed and securing the locks, my waist was cinched tighter. Finally, the panty-like section attached to the front bottom of the armor was pulled between my legs and fastened at the back, completing the simple fitting process.