Chapter 117
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: 31. Ego Axe Bunny
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After my encounter with the peculiar girl named Celsia, the party's fervor gradually died down.
I spent the time wandering the banquet hall, snacking on whatever food caught my eye and soaking in the atmosphere.
"Ahem. Hm. Ex-excuse me."
Before long, people started approaching me to strike up a conversation.
Delmitri Claudia, an executive of the Claudia Merchant Group.
Elio Rohart, the second daughter of the House of Marquis Rohart.
They were the ones who had gotten all hot and bothered after witnessing my deep kiss with Ellie and come over.
"The Claudia Merchant Group? That trading house supplying gear even to the Royal Knights?"
"Marquis Rohart... the Sword Saint, a senior explorer! Word is he cleared up to the 28th floor of the Labyrinth!"
"Heard he's been recuperating from a curse lately..."
From the murmurs rippling through the crowd around us, it was clear they came from pretty prominent families.
'These kinds of connections aren't half bad.'
The graduation ceremony had been for Ellie's sake, but my real goal in attending the dinner party was networking.
Opportunities to rub elbows with high society didn't come often, so there was no harm in forging a few ties while the iron was hot.
In fact, anyone was fair game as long as they weren't the types slithering over after spotting my link to Diana, scheming to exploit it somehow.
'The perfect setup for building my network.'
I unbuttoned the top of my blazer and accepted the business cards they offered, slipping them into my inner pocket.
"Huh?!"
"Uh...!"
I caught the sound of them suddenly holding their breath and looked up to find both hastily averting their gazes from me.
"Is something wrong?"
"N-no, nothing at all."
"Hm! Nothing."
Delmitri and Elio nodded vigorously in unison as they said it.
I'd taken their cards, but unfortunately, I didn't have any of my own to give in return.
"I'm Balkan. I don't have a card on me—would a handshake do instead?"
"...!! W-well, that'd be even better for us... ahem."
"...Ahem!"
We exchanged pleasantries and shook hands.
Squeeze.
"......Hng."
"Wh-what kind of man's hand is this huge...?"
I'd only gripped with moderate firmness—just enough to convey a proper handshake—but they reacted far more intensely than I'd expected.
After the introductions, we chatted amiably for a bit.
There was no need for me to rack my brain for topics.
They'd already come prepared with plenty to talk about.
"The Claudia Merchant Group is a top-tier trading house distributing all sorts of goods throughout Labyrinth City. We even form direct contracts with explorers for commissions... Oh, what should I say to a gentleman like you? A-any interest?"
"Haha. Yeah. I'm an explorer myself, for better or worse."
"Oh my, you're an explorer? That explains it. Your build is just so... Ah, pardon me..."
"Ahem! The House of Rohart provides major support to the Explorer's Union—second only to the royals and the Temple of the Wisdom God..."
"Wow. For real? That's impressive."
"Ahem. Well, it's not that impressive. ...Ahem!"
I just chimed in at the right moments, playing along with their conversation.
Judging by their enthusiastic responses, that seemed plenty.
And besides...
'This really is high society, huh?'
Valuable intel you wouldn't hear in an explorer dive bar came flying thick and fast.
I committed it all to memory as earnestly as I could while we talked.
It had been half a year since I'd started living in Labyrinth City, but there was still so much I didn't know.
"Whoa... is that the legendary kingdom-toppling beauty...?"
"The kingdom... the city's doomed... Who poisoned Valerus?!"
"...Have you all lost your minds? A kingdom-toppler on a guy in a helmet? Get a grip!"
"You. Weren't you on the fourth floor earlier?"
"So? What's that got to do with anything?"
"If you missed 'that scene,' just stay quiet. Lady Claudia and Lady Rohart aren't acting like that for nothing. If you're that curious, go check near the fourth-floor restrooms. The whole area's thick with the stench of aroused pussy."
"I-it's embarrassing, but... I came too... That kiss was just... hng... Ah, not again..."
Our kiss with Ellie was turning into the infamous 'that scene' everyone was whispering about—but it wasn't a huge issue.
'It's not like we committed some unreported crime.'
No matter what anyone gossiped, all I had to do was own it confidently.
"Ahem. It, it was a pleasure. Let's meet again sometime. I drop by the Explorer's Union often. If you've got work, put in a request sometime."
"M-me too! If you visit the Claudia Merchant Group, I'll buy your goods at a great price. P-please come by."
After forging those small bonds with Elio Rohart and Delmitri Claudia, someone else approached.
"Professor Mangostil?"
"Tch tch. Good, you're still here."
The professor approached, tapping his cane on the ground, and gave me a wry chuckle.
Come to think of it, he'd said we'd talk separately after the lawless ones business wrapped up.
"I've wrapped up most of the cleanup. The other assistants pulled their weight. Though at the root of it all, it's thanks to you."
"Haha. Glad to hear it."
It really was a relief. I'd been on edge the whole time because of those lunatics.
A wave of ease washed over me.
"By the way, didn't you mention some annoying types tangled up with Vesta?"
The professor gave a bitter smile at my question.
"Tch tch. No need for that. I wouldn't burden you with trash like them. But..."
Slide.
Professor Mangostil handed me a single sheet of paper wrapped in a letter envelope.
"Not urgent, but read it when you have time. Something you'll learn anyway once you hit upper mid-tier explorer status. Tch tch."
In other words, info that was tough to come by before then.
The professor sure was generous.
What could it be? Labyrinth secrets? A hidden piece? Organizations or people to watch out for?
Whatever it was, it was probably beyond my current level.
"Thank you!"
"Tch tch. No need. Just fair recompense for your work. Oh, and I tossed in a little personal gift. A package should arrive at the Explorer's Union soon—sent in your name, so pick it up on time."
"Thank you!!!"
"Tch tch. If you're that grateful, how about meeting my granddaughter...?"
Another matchmaking attempt, but I just laughed it off.
"What a shame. Such a shame... What a waste of talent..."
After seeing off the tsking Professor Mangostil, I finally felt like I could breathe.
The murmuring crowd around me began to thin out, and the banquet hall started getting tidied up.
The graduation ceremony had fully concluded.
Wondering if Ellie and Diana's talk was over, I turned—and there they were.
Pop!
Diana and Ellie stood at the staircase leading upstairs, staring right at me.
Or more precisely, at Elio, Delmitri, and Professor Mangostil, who'd just been talking to me.
"...Stepmom. I... I'll grow up big and important. So big that big bro can rely on just me."
"Hehe... Don't worry too much, dear. I'll help you out."
I approached Diana, who was fondly stroking Ellie's head with a proud look at her daughter's growth.
"Everything sorted out?"
It was an offhand comment, but Ellie and Diana both flushed red at the same time.
"Y-yes, all done! Ri-right, stepmom?"
"Y-yeah. Of course."
They exchanged awkward smiles before cautiously turning their eyes to me.
Ellie's gaze drifted to my lower body.
Diana's to my lips.
Centered on my pelvis, their stares split above and below.
As if the two of them were about to divvy me up between them.
'What the heck did they talk about?'
The mother-daughter bond seemed even tighter now—but somehow, other things felt stickier and slimier too.
As I debated asking what they'd discussed, Diana smiled awkwardly and spoke up.
"Well then, shall we head home?"
The long, long day at the academy drew to a close.
And a new day dawned.
Ellie was an adult now, and she'd safely graduated.
Naturally, she'd moved out of the academy dorms.
What that meant was...
Knock knock.
"B-bro. C-coming in...?"
The three of us—me, her mom, and her—were now living under one roof.
"Uh... yeah, come in."
I'd just woken up, so I mumbled a quick reply to Ellie at the door, rubbed my eyes, and sat up in bed.
My body felt strangely fatigued; I still wasn't fully awake.
Creeeak—
The door opened with a creak, and Ellie stepped into my room.
She carried a bucket of wash water in both hands, nudging the door shut with her hip.
Normally Diana would bring it before I even stirred, but fresh-out-of-graduation Ellie seemed to be filling in for her mom this morning.
"Bro. Is this enough water...?"
"Yeah. Plenty. Just set it there."
"........."
The silence stretched awkwardly long, so I glanced at her.
Ellie stood there frozen, bucket in hand, her face beet red.
Following her gaze downward, I realized I was stripped down to just my drawers—top and bottoms off.
Her eyes roamed over my pecs and abs before locking onto my dick, snug against my thigh.
The thing she'd instinctively reached for after our deep kiss, all dazed and hazy-eyed.
"Eek...!"
Clang!
With a cute squeak, she dropped the bucket and bolted, hands clamped over her eyes as she fled the room.
"S-sorry...!!"
Bang!!
I stared blankly at the slammed door and her scream.
Yeah, that was definitely an unforeseen blunder.
It never happened when Diana brought the water.
At least the bucket hadn't spilled.
I went through my usual meditation and stretches to loosen up, then enjoyed a refreshing wash while musing to myself.
'Now that I think about it, I've always slept in just my underwear.'
Until today, it had been so routine I never even considered it.
'Has Diana just been walking right into my room all this time?'
My thoughts branched out from there.
'What about all the laundry I've handed off to her?'
I pictured Diana meticulously, tenderly hand-washing each of my underwear and hanging them to dry.
"......"
Bulge.
My dick perked right up.
I splashed my face extra to fend off the onrush of fantasies, got dressed, and stepped out of the room.
Time to get moving again.
'About time to head back in.'
The moment to prepare for Labyrinth delving had arrived once more.