Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Beastkin Female (2)
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The next day.
Knock knock knock.
"Mm..."
Knock knock knock.
Karga woke up to the mysterious knocking echoing inside her room.
"Wha... what...?"
She blinked her bleary eyes half-asleep and took in her surroundings in a daze.
Then, a voice came from somewhere.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Karga? Karga? Are you awake?] "Gasp!"
At the familiar male voice, Karga finally snapped to attention.
And just like that, she remembered yesterday.
She had moved to the guest quarters because of her older sister Taira.
And Number 17, the gladiator slave, had been assigned directly under her.
"Ahem. I'm up."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ah, I brought your wash water.] "......"
It was only natural for a direct slave to bring water for washing.
Natural... but...
Karga hesitated to respond right away.
'My face... Is there anything weird...?'
She rushed to the mirror to check her appearance.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Karga?] "C-come in!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Then, pardon the intrusion.] After quickly tidying her messy hair and confirming there were no smudges on her face, Karga permitted Number 17 to enter.
Creeeak.
The door opened soon after, and Number 17 stepped inside. He was already washed up and neat.
"......"
"Good morning, Karga."
"......Who taught you this?"
"Pardon?"
"Bringing water in the morning. Weren't you just a simple gladiator until yesterday?"
It was natural for a direct slave to attend her, but...
There was no way Number 17 would know that.
He'd never been taught servant duties.
"...I figured you'd need it, so I prepared it on my own. ...Haha, was that overstepping?"
To Karga's question, Number 17 smiled sheepishly as he replied.
"......No, you did well."
Karga averted her eyes from his and murmured softly.
For some reason, praising him felt embarrassing.
"......"
"......"
A brief silence fell.
"......What?"
"Pardon?"
The reason for the silence was simple.
Number 17 had set the wash water on the table but remained standing there.
"You've delivered the water. You can go now. Good work."
With the water here, it was time to wash up.
So Karga found it odd that Number 17 wasn't leaving.
But.
"No, there's still work to be done, isn't there, Karga?"
"What...?"
"I'll brush your hair after you wash."
"Wh-what...?!"
Number 17 insisted on staying, offering what he thought was a reasonable excuse.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Arkan, feeling frustrated after that sweet potato gag, offered a fallback plan.
But the conditions for that fallback were devastatingly harsh.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Achievement Condition: Find Karga's Erogenous Zone
'This crazy horny bastard...!!'
I cursed at the quest condition at first.
But in the end, I had no choice but to accept his proposal.
In the current situation, figuring out Karga's erogenous zone subtly seemed easier than seducing her outright.
Of course.
After all, I'd evolved from a mere combat slave to an attendant slave.
"Now, Karga. I'll stand by as towel holder until you're done washing. Come on...!"
"W-wait a second...! What are you...!"
"Isn't it natural for an attendant to brush their master's hair?"
"I never ordered that!!"
Karga panicked at my words, raising her voice.
Her ears perked up straight, and her eyes shook.
'She's just flustered, not angry! Great, perfect!'
Our master truly had a generous heart.
She'd been furious at yesterday's flirting, but brushing her hair was standard attendant work.
So Karga was only flustered, not angry.
'As long as I don't cross the line, I can push a bit.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' cheers you on!] [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' watches fondly!] Honestly, this quest depended entirely on Karga's tolerance.
Finding her erogenous zone on her body right before she got mad.
That was my mission.
"Come on, Karga! Hurry!"
"W-wait! I told you I didn't order that!"
As expected, Karga refused my service.
But I'd anticipated that.
And I had an excuse ready.
"Actually... this is because Lady Taira asked me to..."
"What...?"
I put on a troubled expression and dropped Taira's name, making Karga ask back in surprise.
'As expected...'
Just like yesterday, Karga was weak to her older sister Taira.
Her firm refusal from moments ago was softening.
"The great lady who cherishes her little sister ordered me to serve you with utmost care. If I don't follow properly, I'll probably..."
"......"
I added a hint of sympathy, and Karga's eyes shook even more.
It was working.
'Beastkin are weak to emotional appeals.'
I'd felt it while playing as Arkan before—beneath their tough exteriors, beastkin often showed soft, emotional sides.
Probably because they were based on sociable wolves.
And to that emotional appeal.
"Ugh... fine... Make it quick...!"
Karga finally permitted my service.
While she washed, I held the towel and waited by her side.
After she finished and dried her face.
"......"
"Then, pardon me."
I sat her in the chair and took the comb.
Karga's red long hair was right before my eyes.
'Let's see... Starting from the tips is standard, right...?'
Brushing was just the means.
My goal was to find her erogenous zone.
For reference, erogenous zones aren't limited to dangerous areas.
For some, it's the nape; for others, the ears.
Surprisingly, feet or hands for some too.
'So, as naturally as possible... touch her all over...!'
I grinned.
"Haha, your ears are lovely too, Karga."
"Ugh... quit the nonsense..."
"Have you been managing it yourself until now?"
I channeled a hair designer and naturally touched her ear.
Then.
"Kyaa?!"
"Huh...?!"
Karga flinched and glared at me.
Not angry, but with a resentful look.
She cautiously spoke.
"...Beastkin ears are sensitive. Warn me if you're going to touch."
"S-sorry."
With that, Karga turned her head back, showing me her back again.
'Erogenous zone... maybe...?'
Maybe I'd found it easily?
Hoping so, I glanced at the quest window in the corner of my vision.
'Not yet...'
No completion notice.
So either ears weren't it, or I hadn't found enough.
Either way, I needed to check more.
Swish, swish.
I began brushing Karga's hair.
"Your hair is so soft, easy to handle."
"......You're skilled... Where'd you learn this?"
"Haha, never learned. Just being careful and doing my best."
"I see..."
Of course, that was a lie.
I'd dated before.
Sometimes brushed my girlfriend's hair.
'Now...'
Anyway, brushing was brushing.
The important part was the erogenous zone.
I brushed skillfully while subtly touching various spots on her body.
"Kyat...?!"
"Ah, sorry. Did I startle you?"
"Kya...!"
"Sorry, didn't realize my hand touched."
"W-wait, where...! Hya!"
"Got too focused on brushing...! Sorry!"
Cheeks, nape, shoulders, arms, waist.
As I brushed downward, I kept touching here and there.
Fortunately, Karga startled and warned me but didn't get truly angry.
"Y-you...! Can't you be more careful...!"
Her eyes teary now, she glared at me with a flushed face.
...This was precarious.
A little more, and I'd cross the line.
But.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' urges you on!] [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' cheers you on!] [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' glances at the situation!] This was the only path to the right answer.
'Why hesitate... My life is on the line...!'
When thrown into war as a mercenary.
Could I survive with just Quartet of the Wind and some buffs on an axe?
If the next opponent was an even more dangerous gladiator?
Could I overcome without Arkan's power?
'I have to do it...!'
My life was at stake.
Remembering that erased any fear.
Of course, our master was kinder than she seemed.
Even if I crossed the line a bit, she wouldn't kill me.
...Though I'd get beaten half to death.
Anyway.
I looked finally at the end of her hair.
The lush red beneath it.
Her tail.
"Karga, your hair is done."
"Hoo... good. Good work. Then..."
"No, not yet."
"What...?"
Beastkin ears and tails are sensitive spots.
Touching them carelessly could be called insane.
But I had to do that insane thing.
"This needs grooming too, so pardon me."
"Wh-what?! W-wait...!! Even there is too much...!!"
Karga reached out desperately to stop me in panic.
But she was a step too late.
With her back to me, I was faster.
"Wait—!!"
I gently stroked Karga's beautiful red tail.
"Kyaaah~!!!"
Her waist arched seductively, and a cute voice burst from her lips.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' gives a standing ovation!] [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' whistles!] [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' blushes secretly!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Quest completed!] Achievement Condition: Find Karga's Erogenous Zone ✓ = Tail [Condition achieved!] [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' lends an ear to your voice!] I'd completed the quest.
Of course, I got severely scolded afterward.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I thought I was dead.
Karga was more excited than I'd ever seen, whipping me for the first time in ages.
But I had zero regrets.
I'd completed the quest, after all.
The pain felt like a badge of honor.
'Alright...! So what're you giving me! Arkan!!'
At lunchtime, I returned to my room and immediately knelt in prayer.
One knee down, hands clasped.
Of course, communicating with ancestors was fine with just muttering.
But this was the moment to receive a gift.
I needed to humor the ancestor as much as possible.
So I began praying as politely as I could.
"O great and mighty ancestor of mine..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Your voice echoes through the Feast of the Stars...] [Responding Ancestors: 3] I glanced at the message and continued praying.
"Great King of the Beastkin... your distant descendant has fulfilled your will. And your descendant needs your mighty power..."
In simple terms, I'd done what you asked, so cough up something good.
"Please bestow upon this descendant the great power of the Beastkin King..."
I poured my earnest wish into the prayer to Arkan.
Beastification... no, even without that, just strong power.
I needed power to overcome the many trials ahead.
And Arkan responded to my wish.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' responds to your prayer.] [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' bestows a gift upon you!] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Acquired Trait 'Male Pheromone'!] [...The aura of a superior male emanates from you.] "......What."
I finally got a gift from Arkan.
But it wasn't the powerful ability I'd hoped for.
"N-no...! Male Pheromone...!! It's not bad, but...!!"
Male Pheromone.
At first glance, it seemed like a useless flirtation skill for combat.
But surprisingly useful in battle.
Male Pheromone was a passive trait emitting an alpha male aura.
In combat, it could intimidate male opponents.
And disrupt female opponents' focus.
A passive that debuffs the enemy.
Not bad.
Not bad at all...
"Fuck, you have better stuff!!"
I yelled in frustration.
Is this why I risked my life?
I felt like crying from the injustice.
And as if responding to my frustrated shout, another alert rang.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' attaches conditions to the gift!] [Gift Quest started!] 📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Path of the Playboy
ㅁ Subtly touch Karga's ears.
ㅁ Subtly touch Karga's butt.
ㅁ Subtly touch Karga's tail.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Warning: Failing the daily quest may result in the gift being reclaimed.] "Kaaaaah!!"
Not a single normal ancestor among them.