Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Chapter 7 - Encounter
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The path from the pioneer village to Venus City split into two main routes.
One followed the waterways of the Anes River, which traversed the entire western region, while the other took the conventional land route.
In terms of pure distance, the land route was shorter, but unless you were riding a horse and galloping like mad, the river route was actually faster.
Of course, using the river meant paying a fare, but the party already had plenty of money from just the byproducts of the Jogres alone.
Lilia had been wealthy from the start, too.
Thus, the group set their destination as Anus Village, which connected to both routes.
* * *
The road to Anus Village was peaceful.
In the two-day journey on foot, the biggest incidents were a few shabby-looking adventurers glancing at the group and Lilia stepping up to prepare dinner only to burn the bacon.
[A total cooking disaster. Such a clichéd setup.]
[We must consider the possibility that she's pretending to be bad at cooking to lower Master's guard.]
"No way."
After observing Lilia for the past few days, Luther's conclusion was that she was genuinely pure-hearted.
And—
'She's doing it again now.'
Lilia's signature slightly dazed expression and her moist, glistening eyes.
Ever since the fight in the pioneer village, she had been staring at Luther in a trance more often.
What was the word for it? Anyone could see she was brimming with affection.
Luther's thoughts on the matter were simple.
[Master, your mouth is reaching your ears.]
[You look like a fool.]
"Ahem."
He wasn't grinning like an idiot as Integra said, but it was true that his mood wasn't half bad.
Lilia was a beauty, after all, no matter how you sliced it.
[Somehow, I get the feeling you're thinking something trashy...]
"No, just some cold, hard reality."
If Max looked at him with eyes like that, knives would fly, but Lilia was a beauty, so it was different.
'It's a shame we couldn't really talk magic.'
They'd had a few chances to discuss magic during the journey, but since Luther wasn't a mage himself, he couldn't have any meaningful conversations with Lilia.
Lilia couldn't just suddenly ask Luther about drone structures or how to make them either, so their talks always drifted to stories about her lab or idle chit-chat.
'Those were fun in their own way, though.'
Lilia, who wasn't much of a talker, stumbling through her stories was pretty adorable.
It was the kind of feeling where, story or no story, her cuteness made it all good.
Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit regretful.
Lilia was pure-hearted and a bit fourth-dimensional, sure, but beyond being exceptionally talented, she was a genius enchanter.
It would be great to learn enchant magic from someone like her.
'Though it'd be Integra doing the learning, not me.'
"We're almost there. I've stayed here before, so I know a good inn."
Max, walking ahead, pointed far into the distance.
A massive city loomed, encircled by stone walls towering and sturdy beyond comparison to the pioneer village's wooden barricade.
"Huaaah... Good thing we didn't arrive late."
As Lilia slumped her shoulders and let out a long breath, Karen suddenly asked as if remembering something.
"You said you're heading to Venus City for an academic conference, right, Lilia?"
"Yeah, I left a month early in case I got lost on the way. So I still have a little time before the conference."
Lilia beamed, and Karen gave an awkward smile in return.
It was because Lilia had truly gotten lost, wandered aimlessly, and nearly lost her life in the process.
"From now on, make sure to travel with someone else. Got it?"
"Ugh... Yeah...."
Blushing in embarrassment at Karen's admonition, Lilia replied, while Max wore a gentle smile.
On the surface, Lilia was the older sister and Karen the younger, but their conversation and behavior were the complete opposite.
[Anyway, let's hurry.]
"Yeah."
Responding to Integra's urging, Luther stepped forward, and the rest of the group quickened their pace toward Anus Village.
* * *
As a hub connecting all the villages in the western frontier, Anus Village was no mere village—calling it a city wouldn't be an exaggeration.
With people and goods flowing in constantly, every visible spot might as well have been a marketplace.
"Since we're here after so long, let's stay somewhere nice. A place with hot baths."
"Wow, really?"
Lilia's face lit up immediately, and Karen nodded quickly before continuing.
"If you go deeper into the village, there are high-end lodgings. They're pricey, but the facilities are top-notch. Every room has its own tub."
"Wowww."
Just imagining it had Lilia's cheeks flushing bright red.
And Luther felt the same.
[Master?]
"No, it's great."
Since waking up in the Dragon Hunter world, he hadn't had a proper bath.
Even in the pioneer village, the best he could do was splash well water on himself.
But a hot bath?
Complete with a tub, no less.
He wasn't bouncing around like Lilia, but his heart was thumping all the same.
"You're fine with that too, right, Lord Luther?"
Karen had already seen the anticipation on Luther's face but asked to confirm anyway, and Luther nodded right away.
"Yeah, let's go."
The original plan was to stop by the adventurer guild for the bounty and to register Luther himself, but that could wait—he'd lose nothing by delaying. Bath first.
"You like baths too, Lord Luther?"
With her signature moist eyes, Lilia asked, and Luther nodded again.
"I do. A bath cleanses the soul."
"Oh... Cleanses the soul. That's a cool way to put it."
Yeah, something from a comic, but whatever.
Baths were serious business either way.
"I'll lead the way. I've been here before."
Unlike the unfamiliar frontier, Karen knew the roads here well.
She strode ahead confidently, Lilia following like a chick after its mother, and Luther keeping pace with Lilia, eyes straight ahead.
And—
"Well... I like baths too."
Muttering to himself where no one could hear, Max stepped forward manfully in his own way.
And about two hours later.
"Huuuuh...."
In the bath attached to his room at the high-end inn.
Submerged in a wooden tub filled with steaming hot water, Luther let out a deep, heartfelt sigh.
"This is bliss...."
His eyes closed on their own.
It felt like the hot water was seeping into every inch of his body.
[Master, is it that good?]
"So good. Absolutely."
Wiping himself with a hot towel had been nice, but nothing compared to soaking directly in the tub.
"Fuu... I can finally live again."
Scooping water with both hands and washing his face, Luther tilted his head back and let his mind go blank.
Pure emptiness.
True relaxation.
But the respite couldn't last.
[Master.]
"What."
[Open your eyes for a sec. Yeah?]
"Why are you—gah."
Luther's eyes snapped open thoughtlessly, and he flailed in the tub in shock.
No wonder—Integra was right there in front of him. Not mini-Integra, but full-sized.
"You...?"
[Why so surprised? It's just AR via HUD anyway—size is no issue. And you saw me full-sized last time, right?]
Hologram-free augmented reality—visible only to Luther's eyes—meant size adjustments were trivial.
But instead of accepting it, Luther stayed flustered.
"Not that!"
Right.
It wasn't just Integra being full-sized that startled him.
It was Integra sitting there in nothing but a towel instead of her usual maid outfit.
[Why? You're bathing.]
[Oh, bathing means strip down completely?]
Integra smirked seductively and pinched the edge of the towel at her chest with her fingers.
Luther's gaze naturally followed her fingers, and Integra narrowed her eyes as if she'd planned it.
[Pervert Master.]
"Shit."
Of course.
She'd meant to tease from the start.
[But Master.]
"What."
Luther grumbled, and Integra smiled again, her voice sly.
[I mean, why cover up now?]
She glanced at Luther's towel-covered lower half with both hands, then smiled wider.
[It's not like it's the first day.]
Luther's naked body.
True enough.
He'd been naked from the moment he awoke in the Dragon Hunter world.
"No, that's—!"
[That's?]
"Never mind, forget it."
Better to shut up.
Arguing more would just play into Integra's hands.
As Luther clamped his mouth shut, Integra giggled again, then spoke softly.
[Feeling shy all of a sudden?]
[How cute.]
"Ugh, seriously."
If she were real, he'd snatch the towel and chase her off.
But this was just AR imagery.
With a sigh, Luther stood up abruptly from his seat.
[Eek!]
"You see it every day."
Deliberately passing right through Integra face-on, Luther checked the mirror at the sink.
A handsome face with black hair and purple eyes.
The face of Luther Lightseeker, one of Star Savior's playable characters.
'Amazing.'
Not that becoming Luther now felt novel.
What was amazing was the lack of disconnect.
This was Luther's face, not Lee Yun-ho's.
Someone else's face, technically.
Yet looking in the mirror, no such alienation hit him.
As if Lee Yun-ho had always been Luther Lightseeker.
[Master, what are you thinking so deeply about?]
The earlier squeal must've been fake—Integra asked in her gentle voice again.
Instead of answering, Luther picked up a razor and started shaving.
Homunculus or not, his hair and beard grew; his bodily functions were human-like.
'Might as well talk about it soon.'
Setting the razor down, Luther glanced at Integra.
She lounged against the tub, eyes closed as if enjoying the hot soak—but it was just visual data.
Integra was with him at this very moment.
They were one and the same, literally.
'So I should tell her.'
About himself, and this world slated for doom.
Keeping it secret from her was impossible from the start.
Better to spill it all and get her help.
'Yeah, because it's Integra.'
Teasing delinquent maid—no, support AI—but also his most reliable ally.
She'd never betray him.
'Alright, tonight.'
Decision made, Luther slipped back into the tub, and Integra dropped the teasing, vanishing the AR.
And that night.
Lying in bed, Luther spoke into the pitch darkness.
"Integra."
[Yes, Master.]
"Got something important to say."
[Important?]
"Yeah, very important. Something... only I can tell you."
As Luther finished, soft light gathered before him, forming Integra.
She straddled his chest, looking down at him.
[What is it?]
Her face was oddly flushed.
Mixed with subtle anticipation.
Did 'only you' strike a chord?
"Well...."
Where to even start.
He'd decided to tell her, figured she'd believe him eventually despite the initial shock, but blurting 'I woke up inside the game!' stuck in his throat.
[Master?]
"Uh... well."
How to open?
Lost in belated worry, Luther suddenly stiffened.
A strange sensation tickled his nose.
"Integra?"
The moment he spoke—
Integra closed her eyes, then cried out in alarm.
[Gas spreading through the entire second floor!]
[Sleep-inducing gas, it seems.]
[Commencing detoxification.]
As Integra worked quickly, Luther felt the oddity in his nose fade.
"Sleep gas?"
Muttering as he rose from bed, he saw white smoke creeping along the floor from the walls.
[Fortunately, no toxicity in the gas itself.]
A relief, but no time to relax.
Luther scanned around and whispered.
"Integra, check for life signs."
[Understood.]
[New presence added to the next room just before the gas.]
[No major changes elsewhere—targeting the person next door.]
"Karen and Max?"
[Just sleeping, no anomalies.]
Seemed unrelated to them.
[Displaying life signs via HUD.]
Instantly, a white silhouette appeared on the wall.
Like a view through the wall: a large adult male approaching a woman on a bed.
[Holding what looks like rope instead of a knife—probably kidnapping, not assassination.]
[Kidnappings really are everyday here.]
[And another woman, again.]
Integra sounded more annoyed at 'woman' than the kidnapping, but now wasn't the time.
"Integra, deploy nanosuit."
At Luther's low command, Integra sighed as if expecting it and activated the suit.
[We'll hear that important story later.]
"Yeah."
Feeling oddly guilty, Luther clenched his fist and smashed the inn wall.