Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Body Search - Hero (3)
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When did she wake up?
The door to the cradle stood wide open.
I hadn't heard it creak open.
"Saintess...?"
The Hero seemed oblivious to her watching too, freezing solid like a block of ice.
Last time, she'd slept straight through till morning...
"Things sounded a bit... rowdy."
The Saintess's face burned scarlet, fit to burst.
Her hands clamped over her eyes, but she was peeking through the gaps at the two of us.
Her gaze locked on one spot.
My hand.
My hand was still planted right on the Hero's ass.
Crazy... I yanked it back in a panic.
Why the hell was it still there?
"Uh, since when?"
The Hero's lips quivered, like she couldn't believe this was happening.
Her cheeks glowed even brighter with shame than they had during the body search.
"That... not long. Maybe twenty minutes?"
Twenty minutes would've been right after the body search kicked off.
Meaning she'd seen everything—the Hero ripping her own clothes, begging for the search...
The Hero went dead silent at that, her mind clearly reeling.
"......" "......" "......"
How much time passed like that? The gateway felt frozen in time, silence reigning supreme.
Then, a sharp gasp—no, two of them—shattered the quiet.
"Tha—" "Uh—"
The Hero and Saintess spoke at the exact same instant.
"Ah... R-Rein, you first."
"......I'll be going now."
Her face flushed as red as the Saintess's with humiliation, the Hero turned and marched straight for the exit.
- Tap. Tap.
Once again, only the sound of her footsteps filled the gateway.
Shameful as it must've been, her stride stayed proud and unwavering.
"......"
But when she reached the exit, she stopped dead and didn't budge.
"...Could you open the door?"
Oh right... the exit key's with me.
I fumbled it out of my pocket in a rush and bolted over to unlock it.
- Click.
The lock sprang free with a satisfying snap.
The Hero twisted back like she had something to say, locking eyes with me.
"...Ah, um."
But she just worked her lips a moment before swallowing her words and slipping out.
"Guess I'll crash too then? Night."
- Thud.
The Saintess seized her chance and slammed the cradle door shut.
"......"
The gateway fell eerily still, like a storm had blown through.
…
"Name."
"Erina."
"Age."
"Thirty-three this year."
"Married, purpose of visit listed as residing with your husband—is that correct?"
"Yes... My husband's been stationed here, so I came to live with him."
Once they were gone, I got back to my duties.
Truth be told, the mob crashing in had delayed me by over an hour since shift start, but nobody griped about it.
Couldn't blame them... The Imperial West might be sparsely populated, but eyes were everywhere.
A gatekeeper holding closed-door meetings with the Hero and Saintess?
Whatever the optics, no one was gonna shoot dirty looks our way.
"Um... what's that thing, if you don't mind...?"
"Hm? Oh, just a decorative coffin."
"Ah..."
Erina's finger pointed at the cradle lying on the floor.
Fourth time already today.
With the Saintess napping in it all day, questions about the damn thing wouldn't stop flying.
Couldn't exactly say it was the Saintess, so "decorative" was my go-to dodge.
Still, a coffin as decor didn't sit right with entrants—their faces always soured a bit.
"Your pass and answers check out perfectly, so body search and you're cleared."
"Ah, okay."
I started to stand and glove up.
But curiosity hit me.
What if the Hero wasn't just numb to it—what if I'd been holding back my output all along?
The thought flashed through my mind.
I crammed the gloves back in my pocket.
"Hands on the wall, please."
But.
.
.
.
"Hah! Mmph."
The moment my hand brushed Erina's hip, she let out an adorable squeak, shoulders jolting up.
Didn't feel any lighter touch than before... if anything, stronger.
Erina slapped both hands over her mouth in shock.
First woman ever to yelp the instant my bare hand hit her waist.
"You're fine. Running late today, so we'll speed through."
Had to hustle with the delay—stash the urges and wrap it quick.
Plus, who knew when the Saintess might peek again? Made me antsy.
That's when I spotted the corset cinching her waist tight.
What d'you call this getup again?
Kirtle?
Medieval staple for commoner women around here.
Tight-laced corset top hugging the figure, skirts pleating out fuller below.
"Untying the laces."
"Hah... Okay..."
Women usually wore a white chemise under, so unlacing was no biggie.
Erina's corset was stiff material too—hard to feel through by hand alone.
- Rustle... Rustle...
I worked the laces loose one by one.
A pearly white chemise peeked out soon enough, like flesh from a crab shell.
Erina twitched at every light brush, even just from the unlacing.
"Hoo... Haa..."
Now I brought my hand to her waistline.
Her breathing picked up fast.
After the Hero's toned midriff, Erina's felt plush by comparison.
Married life probably slacked the upkeep.
From there, standard routine.
"...Ngh...?"
Swept up her waist.
"...Haaah..."
Glided over her arms.
"Eep...!"
Down past the wingbones to her waist again.
Then she slammed her face into the wall with a thunk.
Less deliberate lean, more like her upper body just gave out and pitched forward.
She ground her face against it to muffle the moans spilling out.
Married women this sensitive? Wild.
"S-sorry... Why am I even... haha."
Erina snapped to, heaving her torso upright to fix her posture.
Face still blazing, she fanned it with her forearm.
"Waist's done. Hands flat on the wall and we'll restart."
"Y-yes."
I briskly swept her calves, thighs, groin in order.
"Ah... Hoo... Hngh..."
Her legs quivered like aspen leaves each time.
Part of me thought to steady her, but grabbing that body with both hands? Disaster waiting.
Husband outside, after all.
"Turn around now. Clasp hands over your head."
"Yessh..."
Erina's tongue was lolling loose.
She wobbled my way.
Half-lidded eyes, pupils blown wide—her face greeted me like that.
Wall-rubbing had unraveled her braided hair completely.
Just the back with hand's knuckles, and she's wrecked.
Honest, no Hand of Abstinence even needed here.
"Front side now."
I swept her torso with the backs of my hands.
Erina bit her lip bloody to stifle the noises, body tensing rigid—I could feel it.
Then we hit the big obstacle.
Cleavage canyon.
On big-chested women, basically a built-in pouch.
Safety vault most folks wouldn't dream of touching.
Prime spot for hiding weapons or contraband.
Erina's rack was married-lady massive, no two ways.
Had to scout that valley.
Envy? Marrow? Tiny tits made it easy, but Erina? Mandatory.
Problem: hands gotta go in.
Normal women just huff rough at contact, but this one looked dicey.
Thought about gloves, but pulling 'em now might scream suspicious.
No choice—I slid my hand vertical into Erina's cleavage.
"Haaaaah!"
And shit hit.
Her body bounced straight into my arms.
I cleared the cleavage ASAP and grabbed her shoulders.
"Eek!"
Wrong move—her legs buckled, dumping her to the floor.
- Plop.
"Haa... Haa..."
Erina panted ragged on her ass.
"Wrapping the search here."
"Yesh...? Uh... A bit more..."
Left some spots, but pushing further? Nope. Full scan done—send her off.
To help her up with jelly legs, I gripped her waist.
She flailed desperate, instinctively looping arms round my neck to rise.
Full-on married-woman embrace vibe—guilt-tinged thrill hit me.
Strict manual procedure, nothing more.
Just legit assist.
"Huh...? This feels... different from before..."
Erina cocked her head at the shift, but I played dumb.
Search over, Hand of Abstinence effect faded.
"You're good to go."
"...Can't we do more...?"
What the hell, lady?
Husband waiting outside.
I steered for the exit to usher her out.
Then the entrance got noisy.
What the—?
- You can't go in now!
- Taking too damn long!
- Hey, stop him quick!
- Thud! Thud! ...Crash!
The entrance door crumpled inward with heavy thunks.
Hero's punch had busted it earlier, but iron-reinforced.
Now it flopped like paper.
A massive man ducked in—entrance too low.
Over two meters tall, build twice a normal man's.
Two soldiers clung to his waist like limpets, but he shrugged 'em off without budging.
"Hey, gatekeeper! Taking forever! E-Erina?"
"...Honey?"
The man swapped looks with Erina—her husband, clear as day.
Erina went ghost-white.
Body that shrugged off two soldiers like flies.
Barged in kicking up hell—hothead hubby.
And right now? Me basically hugging his wife.
Erina's blush lingered, braids fully undone.
Corset unlaced too—basically in undies.
Oh shit, I'm fucked.
Her husband stormed my way, stomping thunderous.
"You fuck, who the hell are you?"
"......"
What now? Soldiers already bolted, couldn't hold him.
Reinforcements? Two, three minutes out.
One punch from this guy and I'm paste.
Need a weapon bad right now.
"H-honey, it's not like that! I tripped, he was just helping me up..."
"Erina, it's fine. This punk threatening you? I'll handle it, these rotten bastards."
"N-no, wait?"
Erina tried reining him in, but he wasn't hearing it.
"Dragging your feet to harass my wife. Waited ten minutes. You know who I am?"
"H-honey, calm down!"
Ten minutes was standard for the West, really.
But convincing this brute now? Fat chance.
Fist the size of my face incoming any second.
Gateway a total shitshow.
Then a door flew open behind with a bang.
"Argh!!! Shut the hell up—people are trying to sleep!"
There stood the blonde girl from before, eyes bloodshot red.