Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Eve of the Storm (2)
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"What... what on earth is this..."
A voice trembling faintly.
Hands wandering aimlessly, as if at a loss in the sudden chaos.
Was it the surge of emotions? For some reason, the very air seemed to vibrate.
A blue glow swirled around Diana's entire body, and a piercing chill poured out from her.
Unlike Ellie, who wielded fire magic, Diana radiated frigid cold.
Her cynical gaze looked ready to turn the unconscious outlaws into human popsicles at any moment.
"It's okay, Diana."
I spoke up as I watched her.
"It was nothing. I'm fine."
"..."
Once I repeated myself, Diana finally caught her breath.
The chilling aura gradually faded.
With eyes brimming with worry, she cautiously approached my side.
I gave her a brief rundown of what happened.
When she heard that I'd subdued some drunken outlaws causing a ruckus, Diana's face hardened.
"Such a thing... Are you hurt? Is your body okay?!"
"I'm perfectly fine. They were just third-rate thugs."
To prove it, I thumped my chest with my fist and stood up.
The vibration of my pecs triggered an earthquake in Diana's eyes. Seeing her hurriedly close them made me chuckle.
Only then did I notice my own state.
"Ah. My clothes..."
Though I'd handled the dwarf handily, dust had billowed up, turning my pristine suit into a muddy mess.
"Sorry about your gift. It was brand new."
"...Don't be sorry. I can buy you another suit anytime. And you're far more important to me than any clothes, Balkan."
Her words left me momentarily dazed as I stared at Diana.
Her face, flushed with concern moments ago, was now slightly pink.
Seeing that made me awkwardly rub the back of my neck.
It was pretty embarrassing.
"Wow... As expected... So that's how men win women over..."
The guard squad leader, eavesdropping on our conversation from the side, muttered in awe.
Diana and I both cleared our throats awkwardly at the same time.
"Ahem. Isn't the cleanup done now?"
"Ah, yes. As I mentioned, please come by the guard post within the deadline. Then."
The guard squad leader signaled his men to withdraw.
The guards dragged the bound dwarf and two human outlaws across the ground as they left.
With the incident more or less wrapped up, the onlookers began to disperse.
"So, landlady. You openin' shop today?"
To be precise, only those interested in the drama scattered.
The customers who'd come to fill their bellies with Diana's cooking and enjoy a round of drinks shot her pleading looks with crestfallen faces.
Diana gave a wry smile as she eyed the ingredients that had rolled into the dirt.
"Well... No mains, unfortunately, but I can whip up some simple snacks."
"That'll do! Open up quick!"
"Booze! Booze! Booze! Let's drink till we drop!"
As Diana opened the inn door, the excited patrons linked arms, danced merrily, and headed to the tables.
Clearly too much energy for Diana to handle alone.
I brushed off as much dirt from my suit as I could and turned to her.
"I'll help out."
"No, it's fine. Rest today—"
"Ahem! Ahemahem!!!"
The customers who'd been dancing up a storm suddenly hacked out fake coughs.
Their eyes furtively scanned my suited figure.
"Come on, landlady. Even as a fellow woman, there's such a thing as decency."
"Short-lived folks like us—when will we ever get drinks from a hunk in a suit? Have mercy, landlady..."
Diana glanced down at the customers with a sour expression, then turned to me with a calm face.
"No need to push yourself, Balkan. Go up and rest."
She pushed my back, guiding me up the stairs.
"Argh! Does the landlady lack any humanity?!"
"Guarantee our right to get drinks from a hot guy in a suit!!"
Ignoring the shouts from downstairs, Diana smiled softly as she looked at me.
"You worked hard today. Even if the end was a bit rough..."
"It was nothing, so don't take it to heart. I actually had fun."
We shared smiles, gazing at each other for a moment.
"Yeah. Rest well, and good night, Balkan."
"You too, Diana."
With a bright eye smile, Diana watched me all the way down the inn stairs.
I entered my room, tossed the suit aside, and flopped onto the bed.
Amid the faint sounds of revelry drifting up, I quietly closed my eyes.
The hectic day slowly faded away.
Dim night.
In the pleasure district of the lawless zone, atop the tallest building of the Blaz clan's headquarters.
A woman, flanked by several male prostitute slaves, slammed the table and raised her voice.
"Fuck! More elites got nabbed?!"
"Hey, Vesta. Did I nab 'em? I just witnessed those guys getting hauled off by the guards. They were already caught when I saw it."
The dark elf Nuere faced Blaz clan's leader Vesta with a sly grin.
Nuere made no mention of the helmeted man who'd knocked out the elites.
Telling the truth would only spell trouble, and she knew exactly where the blame would fly.
'A fun guy I hadn't seen in ages—I can't let him end up as a slave.'
Nuere recalled the man from in front of the inn.
His brutal thrashing of the outlaws had been refreshingly satisfying to watch.
"Someone with your skills could've taken out any number of guards and sprung them."
"What was I supposed to do about your underlings getting wasted and causing a scene right in front of Diana Ordia's inn?"
Vesta's face darkened at that.
No matter how forgotten by the times, that name still carried weight for those who'd lived in the era.
"That... couldn't be helped, then. Sorry for yelling. It's just been bad news piling up lately."
It started with the death of a promising recruit.
Deluna, the flame sorceress.
Losing a mage stung, but death in the Labyrinth was unavoidable.
Then executives Gurumimi and academy recruit mage Reihem got captured.
This was a loss incomparable to Deluna.
A catastrophe, losing key talent all at once.
Especially Reihem, whom Vesta had personally scouted— it left a bitter taste.
That was just days ago, and now even elite troops right under her executives were gone.
But Vesta's misfortune didn't end there.
"Lady Vesta!!!"
As she pondered, a Blaz clan member burst in, face pale with shock.
"You bastard, don't you knock?!"
"S-sorry! It's urgent! The third slave depot's under attack!"
"What?! Who the hell dares!"
"I-it's mid-layer explorer Windvalley's Whiswhis and some black-haired shorty bitch we don't know! W-we can't hold them off with our current forces..."
Fairy archer and bitch?
An bizarre combo you wouldn't see unless things were dire.
"Round up every available girl and hold the line. They're just two!"
"Y-yes...!"
The member rushed out.
Vesta felt like a shipwreck adrift on endless waves of bad news.
Cornered, step by step.
'Damn it. Of all times! The delivery deadline's coming up...!'
She was short on slaves to supply to [Them].
Short on numbers meant betting on quality.
But procuring high-quality slaves without kidnapping or breaking someone wasn't easy.
As she agonized, a risky idea surfaced—one she'd only contemplated, never acted on due to the danger.
The betrayal of instructor Reihem had made it even more tempting: a perilous yet alluring plan.
Conveniently, the academy's grand graduation ceremony was soon.
'...Better chased by the academy than massacred by [Them].'
Her vision narrowed, rational thought clouding.
A calmer mind might've chosen differently, but only one path filled her sight.
"..."
The dark elf Nuere silently regarded Vesta, then quietly slipped out.
Emerging into the deserted street, the red lanterns and moonlight cast shadows at her feet.
"Meow~"
Mimicking a soft cat mewl, Nuere's shadow writhed and morphed into a black cat.
"Meow~"
Soon, a black cat emerged from the shadow.
Nuere knelt and tied a note to its front paw.
"[That guy]'s crew will surface again soon, Union Leader."
At her words, the red-eyed black cat blinked, then melted back into her shadow.
Only then did the dark elf Nuere relax with a sigh.
"Whew. Another good haul today~"
Explorer's Union's shadow operative and elite spy Nuere vanished into the darkness.
Her dark skin let her blend seamlessly.
Diana sat at her desk, gazing at the relic bought in the lawless zone.
A small silver ring-like device.
Slowly engorging the nipple before fitting on, it dulled sensitivity and slowed milk development.
It would suppress the stat drain from the Milk Orgasm curse to some extent.
Which also meant preventing her own weakening.
Obviously, she should use it. Right decision.
—It's okay.
"..."
But for some reason.
—I'm fine, Diana.
Hesitation gripped her as she reached for the ring.
Images flashed: outlaws sprawled in bonds, Balkan dust-covered from the fight.
His armor torn and pierced from Labyrinth runs, wounds hastily hidden.
An explorer's path meant inevitable hardship.
And with high probability, death.
Balkan was growing fast—unrecognizable from their first alley encounter.
'Still, he's not exceptionally strong yet.'
From Diana's view, at least, he was still weak.
Her eyes drifted to the bucket beside her.
Filled with her own milk.
The densest fluid a woman could produce, diluted with her power.
Seeing it made her breasts throb from the merciless milking by Balkan.
An addictive pleasure crept up from one breast.
Giving Balkan her milk weakened her.
But it strengthened him.
Meaning he became safer.
Faced with hell's dilemma, Diana squeezed her eyes shut.
Her own ruin, or...
...the safety of the man she loved.
After agonizing, Diana gently placed the milk-suppressing relic in her desk drawer.
"...Just a little longer. A bit later..."
She muttered excuses as she shut the drawer.
It'd be fine to hold off a while longer.
The next day.
Diana served milk coffee.