Chapter 40

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 40

Chapter Title: Squirrel's Tears (2)

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Hidden quest.

I hadn't seen one since I died to Selena...

I never imagined we'd meet again like this.

The quest content was completely different from last time.

It didn't seem this detailed before... Even Lulu's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠status was revealed.

Lulu's current favorability is '20'...?

Since max favorability is 100...

20 is about the level where she thinks of you as a friend.

It's probably thanks to True Appearance working so hard, whether I realized it or not.

As far as I remember, 50 is best friends, 80 is more than lovers.

But raising it by 30 in 30 minutes... while also filling the pleasure level.

That's absurd.

On top of that, failure means I can't even start the Fleta Lulu quest.

'......'

And right now, at this very moment, the time limit is ticking down.

No time to agonize over it, apparently.

But... the reward is worth all this risk.

Eyes of Lust

It might not be, but odds are it's a set skill with Hand of Abstinence.

I don't know the exact effects.

It's a hidden quest reward, after all.

But... it's a gamble worth taking.

The feeling when I first got Hand of Abstinence.

Ridiculous performance.

This reward is probably just as overpowered.

Goal: Raise Lulu's favorability to '50', pleasure level to '70'

Temporary Status Reveal: Favorability (20) / Pleasure (0)

With this status visible now,

I can check favorability gains and how much Hand of Abstinence raises pleasure in detail.

The moment I thought about hitting accept, the hidden quest auto-accepted.

While I was hesitating, a whole minute had passed.

This is insane.

"Then... let's make a deal. I absolutely have to make this trade run a success. If I do, I'll grant you one wish, whatever it is. Money, a woman, anything possible."

"......"

Time starts flowing again.

For now, clearing the hidden quest is important, but...

I also have to meet the start conditions for the Fleta Lulu quest.

Meaning I have to fulfill both conditions.

But I can't just tell her what's about to happen.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'Like I can say, "Hey, a terrorist attack is about to go down in the west right now."'

The anti-empire faction's western terror plot.

Not targeting lives, but a massive organized crime aimed at goods and cargo.

In the game, if you don't stop Lulu now, her trade run gets totally wrecked by those guys smashing everything in sight.

If I tell her, "There's gonna be a terror attack in the west soon, so please wait," what do you think she'd say?

She'd peg me as a terrorist or traitor.

Impossible to reveal and proceed.

So the only way is to max out favorability and pleasure, then ask her.

"So... what's your answer?"

"......"

Lulu just stood there, watching me warily.

She was a mess right now.

Her eyes were puffy from crying, her dress covered in dirt from sitting on the ground.

Her hair was disheveled, tear tracks stained her cheeks, and her eyes still brimmed with tears.

I was still crouched down, our eyes level.

So I could take in her whole appearance ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at a glance.

Favorability 20...

How far does that go?

Pleasure can come from Hand of Abstinence, but favorability has to be pure me.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"What're you doing...?"

"The guy in charge looks way too grubby."

I started by patting the dust off her dress.

"G-Give me your answer first. What're you gonna do?"

"......"

I silently brushed all the dust off her dress.

Then I straightened up from my crouch.

She flinched, startled by my sudden movement.

"W-Warn a girl before you stand up like that."

"......"

I brushed the dust off my hands.

I pulled up her status window behind her.

Not sure if she could see it, but better safe than sorry.

It went up.

Even just brushing dust off her clothes raised favorability.

So it changes based on every little action.

First time seeing the numbers shift live.

Only in the game before.

While I was observing the status, favorability suddenly dropped from 21 to 19.

Huh?

Lulu's face was already twisted up.

Tears streamed down her cheeks again.

"E-Even if I said I'd grant you a wish, you're just ignoring me?"

Wait... I was just checking favorability for a second.

She must've taken my brief silence as dismissal.

"That's not—"

"Why does everyone... just ignore me and take from me...? Then why tell me to run the guild?"

Lulu's expression was icy.

Just blankly shedding tears, emotionless.

I couldn't do anything.

She looked so fragile now, unlike before.

"Toyed with by some lowly gatekeeper."

Cold sweat trickled down my neck.

A moment for me, but to Lulu waiting, it felt like rejection.

And that sparked everything again.

At this rate, forget favorability—nothing's happening.

"Lulu?"

I called her name.

Right now, I should bow my head and apologize.

But she just kept silently crying.

This is bad...

There had to be a reason why Lulu, who should've been raging, was this fragile.

No way one slap from me breaks her like this.

Fleta Lulu.

The girl forced into merchant training since childhood.

People constantly around her... Lucy and Hosphil.

Lucy's gone now, so that leaves Hosphil.

In the game, it was mentioned he treated her like his own daughter.

That's why he controlled her every move.

Food, books, clothes, jewelry, even people.

To make her the perfect merchant and secure his position.

I remember being baffled.

How is this a daughter? She's a cash cow.

I used to think life bound to the Fleta family was no different from slavery.

I'm a slave now, but Lulu's life was even more controlled.

So in the game, first thing she does as guild master is kick Hosphil out.

She had trauma from the neglect and control.

'Probably had a fight with Hosphil before coming here.'

That'd be the biggest factor.

Only one guy who could gaslight and break her like this.

Lulu blankly shedding tears.

'I tried to cut out emotions as much as possible...'

To free the slaves, I decided to suppress feelings.

Had to, for a free life like my past one.

But maybe now I can let a little in.

No real reason.

I just want to... I don't like seeing her cry like this.

I silently moved my hand slowly.

Not chasing survival and gain like Anderson, but what my past self would've done.

Something the game didn't implement.

- Tap.

I placed my hand on her messy hair.

And slowly stroked it.

Fluffy strands enveloped my hand.

Beastkin for sure—more animal than human feel.

"Wh-What...?"

She blinked wide, caught off guard.

"...I haven't even said anything yet."

"......"

"I was thinking, so why assume on your own."

"You dragged it out... And what's that got to do with putting your hand on my head."

Lulu was full-on pouting now.

Who cries over a delayed answer?

But despite her words, she didn't pull away.

Even leaned into my hand a bit.

"And you were gonna refuse anyway."

She shot back curtly.

Like she hadn't hoped at all.

"I was gonna accept. Who passes up a chance like this."

I wiped her tears with my other sleeve, like before.

Her eyelids were so swollen from all the rubbing.

"Th-Then why didn't you say so sooner."

"I need thinking time too. Can't expect no 30 seconds."

Lulu flushed, realizing she overreacted.

I kept stroking her hair.

Even tidied the loose strands while at it.

"......"

Lulu just fidgeted with her fingers, standing silently.

Nothing beats petting for anxiety.

Animals prove it.

So Lulu stopped questioning the head pats.

- Stroke, stroke...

I mindlessly kept petting Lulu's hair.

"Um... hey..."

Her lips parted after twitching.

She fidgeted, unable to speak.

Guess I overdid it.

"Ah, sorry. Touched too much."

I started pulling my hand away.

But then... Lulu's small hand grabbed my arm tight.

She guided it somewhere.

"H-Here too."

Her glutinous rice ball cheek.