Battle on the 13th Floor and an Unexpected Pregnancy
A battle broke out on the 13th floor in Lee Guho's past.
"Weak enemies! Just the minimum number protect the attackers—everyone else, charge!"
There were about twenty orcs, but to Namgung Seojun's judgment, they were now at a level the party could handle with ease. At his command, only Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon stayed behind to guard Lee Guho and the non-combatants, while the rest of the fighters rushed the orcs.
Whoosh. Whoosh! Thud!
"Kwek. Ek!"
Every time Li Zhangwei swung his spear, orcs crumpled. Dmitri's sword sent their heads flying.
"Firebolt!"
"Sniping!"
"Dagger Throw!"
"Kekeke!"
Lee Guho's spells, Gisohee's arrows, and Isu-yeon's dagger tosses felled orc after orc. Even without Seojun joining the fray, the fight was overwhelmingly one-sided. He felt a deep satisfaction at his party's improved prowess.
In just ten minutes, the orcs were annihilated.
Namgung Seojun checked all the orc corpses before calling out.
"Time to clean up the battlefield."
As they began clearing the field, the porter Jin Soyoung's job was handling monster byproducts—specifically, cutting off the orcs' noses. She approached a corpse with her dagger in hand, ready to do just that.
Ugh... Blech... Hack... Hack...
Overcome by disgust, she started vomiting.
"Soyoung? You okay?"
Kim Hoon hurried over to the suddenly retching Jin Soyoung and patted her back. But watching the scene, Seojun sensed something else.
"Could it be?"
He approached her and asked.
"Soyoung, are you on your period?"
At the question, she answered cautiously.
"I haven't had it this month."
Just as he suspected—highly likely she was pregnant. Jin Soyoung had been with men almost every day, and she hadn't taken any birth control. For a healthy woman like her, pregnancy was only natural.
Honestly, she'd had a slight inkling herself. At first she thought it was indigestion, but the persistent anemia made moving exhausting, and her condition kept declining.
Namgung Seojun hurriedly gathered the party members and shared the news that Jin Soyoung was pregnant.
"Congratulations, Soyoung."
"This is great!"
Kim Hoon and Li Zhangwei offered their congratulations first. Gisohee hugged her tight and said,
"You've been through so much, Soyoung. Good things are coming your way now."
"Thank you."
The other party members congratulated her too, and Jin Soyoung accepted their well-wishes with a bright smile. In the Tower world, pregnancy was a blessing. She didn't know who the father was, but just being pregnant guaranteed a period of comfortable temple life and Merit Points. Many first-class female slaves ended up doing volunteer work at temples until their term was up.
That was why first-class female slaves yearned for pregnancy to escape slave life.
Amid the crowd showering Jin Soyoung with congratulations after the battle, one person watched with particularly envious eyes.
If only... if only I could get pregnant too...
Even during the post-battle break, Yuki lay naked under her cloak, her pussy toyed with by Kim Hoon's fingers. As a second-class slave, she endured the worst existence. Her body had changed a bit now too—piercings adorned her large breasts' nipples and her clit at the groin.
She couldn't get pregnant. To serve as a second-class slave, she was dosed with birth control regularly.
It had been five months since becoming a second-class slave... She had about eight more months until the 20th floor, but it felt endlessly long.
"Hey! On your stomach."
She didn't even have time to envy. Kim Hoon and Lee Guho, back from the celebrations, began ravaging her.
"Ahk... Ha! Hehk... Mmph! Mmmph!!"
Lee Guho's cock conquered Yuki's pussy first, followed by Kim Hoon's sour-smelling dick shoved into her mouth.
Squelch... Gulp...
"Suck it good! Focus on the mouth!"
Smack! Smack!
Raped by the two men, Yuki took lashes on her ass and back whenever she fell short even slightly. That was the daily routine of a second-class slave.
After marching on, the regular party members gathered at the evening campsite to discuss countermeasures.
"Seojun, let's head straight to the nearest village."
Everyone agreed enthusiastically with Gisohee's suggestion.
"The goddess prioritizes protecting pregnant women."
"The others are too anxious to focus on fights anyway."
Namgung Seojun agreed with all of it.
"Of course. Climbing the Tower with a pregnant woman is dangerous. Even the temples discourage it. We'll head to the closest village right away."
Gisohee checked the map and said,
"The nearest village from here is Darkstone, a day's march away."
"Then that's our destination."
The party decided to go to Darkstone.
Namgung Seojun's party arrived safely at the nearby village. They headed straight to the temple.
"Oh! You think she's pregnant?"
The temple priest greeted the news of first-class slave Jin Soyoung's pregnancy with a bright smile.
"Wonderful. Let me check."
The priest chanted a spell. Divine power settled over Jin Soyoung's body, and the priest beamed.
"Congratulations! You're with child!"
With her pregnancy confirmed, a temple-affiliated merchant approached the party.
"Now that it's confirmed, you'll sell her to the temple, right?"
Namgung Seojun replied with a slight haggling tone.
"The temple prices are too low..."
"Come on. We'll give plenty of Merit Points—no need to hesitate. Even if you sell her to an outside merchant, she'll end up back here anyway. Don't make the pregnant girl suffer; just sell her."
He felt Gisohee's sharp glare from the side. As a fellow woman, she was side-eyeing the bargaining over a pregnant slave.
"For a first-class slave with time left, I'll give 6 gold."
Seojun shook his head.
"We bought her for 11 gold. That's not it."
"I'll throw in a 500 Merit Point coupon instead. Deal?"
After intense haggling using his Super Sense, they settled on 6 gold 50 silver plus 500 Merit Points.
Seojun handed over the slave contract after receiving the gold. The deal was done.
With Jin Soyoung's farewell confirmed, the party exchanged final goodbyes.
"You've worked hard, Soyoung."
"Live happily from now on."
Everyone offered kind words, and Jin Soyoung smiled and replied. Finally, she spoke with Namgung Seojun.
"I hope only good things come your way."
"Thank you for selling me to the temple."
With that, she finished her farewells and entered the temple.
After parting with Jin Soyoung, the group took the best inn in Darkstone as lodging. Namgung Seojun entered the room he shared with Gisohee. Though it was still daytime, the march had worn them out, and they planned to leave early tomorrow, so they aimed to rest early.
Then someone knocked.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
"Heh heh heh... I haven't interrupted your cozy time, have I?"
The door opened to reveal Liu Dajing. He'd vanished to the gambling den right after grabbing his cut upon arriving in Darkstone.
Liu Dajing's visit alone annoyed Namgung Seojun.
"Haha, leader..."
He approached with a sleazy grin, but the pair recoiled even from that.
"What do you want?"
"Ah, well... I heard you sold the slave well. Any chance of my cut...?"
"Jin Soyoung was bought before Liu Dajing joined the party. Her sale has nothing to do with you."
Gisohee cut him off sharply, but he pressed on wistfully.
"Then... could I get an advance?"
Advances happened in some parties when members needed cash upfront. But never in Namgung Seojun's party. Gisohee, Lee Guho, Jo Jaehun, and even Kim Hoon had received plenty in settlements. The party's income was at least double others', so they took home ample shares—no need for advances.
Liu Dajing was the same. Despite high earnings, he blew it on gambling and begged for advances. Seojun wanted to kick him out in frustration. But his direction-sense skill was useful, and learning it himself would cost 5,000 Merit Points. Better to drag Liu Dajing along.
Namgung Seojun sighed and pulled two gold coins from his pouch.
"Is 2 gold enough?"
"Yes, 2 gold is plenty."
Seojun tossed them irritably; Liu Dajing snatched them nimbly.
"Heh heh heh... Thanks, leader!"
"We'll deduct it from your next settlement."
Liu Dajing left grinning. Namgung Seojun sighed deeply. Hauling that sweet potato of a guy to the 20th floor was a stressor in itself.
"Seojun, I tried to hold back, but shouldn't we deal with him?"
"Just a bit longer."
Gisohee sighed at his words.
Frustrated, Namgung Seojun grabbed his sword and headed out. He swung it in the small clearing behind the inn.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
He swung until the stray thoughts cleared, entering a state of no-mind. Then a new message appeared.
├─ Normal:Proficiency increased ✓
└─ Rare:Imperial Swordsmanship upgraded — UNLOCKED ★
Even shit has its uses...
Swinging his sword to calm his irritation with Liu Dajing had raised the skill's rank. Of course, it built on experience from climbing to the 13th floor, but the upgrade instantly lifted Seojun's mood.
Returning to the inn, he ran into Lee Guho at the entrance.
"Hyungnim, I have a request."
"Hm? What is it?"
Lee Guho hesitated a moment before speaking.
"Well... Could I recruit a temporary party member under my authority?"
"Temporary party member?"
It was an utterly sudden proposal.