Chapter 99 - First Visit to the Royal Capital! "Oh ho... So this is how..."

After quickly dropping Baul off at the Royal Capital and heading back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to Radia, I decided to finally check my long-overdue Status Window while kicking back and relaxing. I'd thought about taking a quick peek around the capital, but as the distant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠city walls came into view, Baul insisted I stay out of sight to avoid drawing attention, asked me to look after Klea, and just walked off toward the city on foot. So here I was, back in Radia in a flash, pounding Lizbet with some power-fucking before she passed out beside me as I pulled up her status.

My stamina was overflowing, and I barely needed sleep anyway, but with the fun options a bit limited, I ended up just dumping load after load. Plus, my sex drive kept ramping up, and Lizbet alone couldn't keep up anymore... I really needed to turn Klea into my bitch soon or something. With that in mind, I'd mentioned popping over to see her when I had time, but Lizbet ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stopped me, saying it'd make her even more desperate if I held off until after the capital trip. Hmm... What the hell was Klea's status anyway? I was curious, but maybe Lizbet was right—save it for maximum fun? Anyway, first things first... time to inspect my own Status Window up close for once.

Puhuhu... After making Lizbet my bitch, I'd had a hunch I could mess with the Status Window somehow... and sure enough, it worked just like I thought. Fiddling with it like a touchscreen, tapping items or skills brought up explanations below. Hmm... So the title gets engraved right into the soul, huh... Horse skills violate Esser laws? And why's the humanoid form listed in Korean as Magin Form? Kinda demonic vibe... No way it's actually "horse-man," right? Even if the meaning didn't click, I skimmed past it and scanned my full status... then opened the one for Lizbet, dozing sweetly beside me.

My bitch has a ton of entries, so it looks packed... but most are just what I'd guessed from the names. That garbled text though—no explanation pops up. What the hell is that? Does it change at 100%? And what's with that "wickedness" tacked onto the title and skills? It wasn't there right after she pledged to me. Did it pop up when I made her dump Als? Wickedness? On my cute little Lizbet? This Status Window can't be trusted entirely. No way my kawaii bitch is wicked, right? Stupid clueless window. Fix that shit before I check again, got it? I grumbled internally at the window like it pissed me off, closed it, and stroked Lizbet's hair as she slept.

Afternoon on the day we set out for the Royal Capital. Me, Lizbet, and Klea gathered in front of the church, checked our gear, and loaded it all onto me—now looking every bit the proper warhorse. From the distance when I'd dropped Baul off before, it was a bit over half a day's ride at max speed to the capital. Leaving now, with one rest stop midway, we could make it by morning as promised with Baul. No major dangers along the route, so camping roadside with me on night watch should be fine.

That said, the lord had summoned me before we left and dropped some unsettling news... I'd look into that bit by bit once we hit the capital.

"My gear's the heaviest with all this armor and weapons. That okay for you, Klea?"

Klea's stuff was basically just a couple changes of clothes, emergency rations... nothing else. At most a holy book with goddess doctrine and some prayer beads, but damn, even for a nun, that was too spartan.

"Yes, it's fine. The capital church is covering most of what we need."

Makes sense. With the election lasting a whole month, they'd hook candidates up properly. Once everything was loaded, I had the two climb on, shot out the gates, ramped up speed, and asked Klea, "So it's not just the vote? Gathering all the candidates for a full month?"

"Yes. The actual vote is the last few days, by the royal family and high church bishops. The rest is vetting the candidates' qualifications."

Klea sighed, then spoke in a voice lacking confidence. "...I only became a saint candidate because, before coming to Radia... my hometown suffered a demon beast disaster, and I did relief work for quite a while."

Another sigh, then she continued quietly. "That's when I met Baul... After he returned to the church and became a bishop, we came to Radia together... Somehow, he overhyped my work and recommended me, landing me this saint candidate spot way above my station."

Looked like Baul's personal bias got her picked. "There are way more qualified people than me... Someone like me..."

"Hmm... Not sure, but watching you handle folks at the church, you really do seem saintly. Might as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well own it since you're in."

Lizbet chimed in, backing me up. "Yeah. From what I hear, the church vets candidates super strictly for saints or popes. Even if Baul pushed for you, they wouldn't pick you without the chops."

After Lizbet spoke, I felt the two on my back pressing closer together.

"Eek! L-Lizbet!?"

"Hehe♡ Anyway, you're in the running now—make it count♡ If you become saint, with that status, you could serve other males too, y'know?"

"I-I'm not a candidate for that...! M-More importantly, Lizbet, your hand...!"

What the hell was Lizbet groping? I kept sensing them squirming up there. And while thundering along at insane speed with that clop-clop-clop, they could fool around on my back like that? Perfect chance to test my top speed. I kicked off harder, charging toward the Royal Capital with them aboard.