Personal Request!

"Fuck... this won't do..."

After Lizbet finished handling my lust and left, I started stewing in frustration, lost in thought. It had been five days since Als was discharged from the hospital. And during that time, things had somehow veered off course from my plans.

After getting out, Als announced he'd spend some time with Lizbet for now, taking a break from adventuring. He and Lizbet had been going on what felt like all-day dates, practically glued together from morning till night. I'd tried to wedge myself in and disrupt them a few times, but there was just no opening—they were always off on their own. It twisted my guts with rage. Lizbet's my bitch. How dare she? But I couldn't come up with any plausible excuse to stop it.

If she'd still been a virgin in this situation, I'd probably have lost my mind watching them. At least the haze of rationality I'd lost back then felt like a blessing now.

"Even so, I need to figure something out... What the hell do I do?"

Thankfully, once the sun set and evening rolled around, Lizbet would come to the warehouse and take care of my needs. The problem was, whether it was the dates or some lingering bullshit from conquering her virginity, she'd avoid my eyes, give me a quick handjob, and bolt. It felt like she was forcing herself to hold back... which meant my status window hadn't budged. Hell, when I checked today, Als's favorability had even edged ahead of mine again—50 to 49.

I'd thought we were still neck-and-neck, but this reversal? Screw it, maybe I should just force myself on her. I'd already confirmed I could fuck in this horse body, so why hold back? I'd claimed her virginity—pushing hard now might make her submit fully, right?

I pictured barging in and taking her by force, but even that didn't feel right. I barely saw her face all day, and at night she'd dodge my gaze, answer with curt "yeahs," jerk me off half-assed, and leave. Raping her when she clearly wasn't into it wasn't what I wanted... I needed to shatter that dynamic and trigger an event, but leaving them be would just let it drag on. With the Hero Eater discovery reward, I had plenty of cash too.

"Sigh, fuck..."

Frustrated with the lack of ideas, I flailed my hooves and drifted off to sleep. Hoping some forced event would crash the party from out of nowhere.

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

Day 6, morning.

Maybe thanks to my wish, Als and Lizbet showed up saying they wanted to go on a quest. Als's body was recovered enough for a light always-available quest, like a stroll.

Als... you're an idiot.

I silently thanked him while keeping a straight face on my horse mug and agreed.

"Hmm... still no sign of it? That bastard's tough."

At the guild management office, a prominently displayed notice about the Hero Eater search quest caught the eye.

Notices like this were for always-available quests anyone could take. But sticking a big red one right in the middle of them? The guild had tons of quest lists internally, so unless it was a forced emergency, clerks just pointed adventurers to matching ones. Posting like this meant it was urgent enough to push hard, but not mandatory.

That massive thing must be dodging everywhere. Even with our report ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shifting searches from the dungeon to all around Radia, no luck yet... Als, who'd been hunting it obsessively, now just shook his head in disbelief. After that humiliating beatdown, he'd given up completely. The Hero Eater was off our radar now.

"How about this one?"

Als pointed to a simple always-available subjugation notice. A minor pest monster near town—anyone with a pickaxe could handle it. Total newbie busywork, reward like pocket change for kids, but perfect for a casual walk.

We took it to Sera at the counter, and she lit up.

"Oh, Als! You're back! I heard you were hurt bad enough to go to the church—I was so worried!"

"Haha... bad luck. Today I'm just testing my recovery with something light."

"I see... Is Sema joining too?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Something up?"

I asked, and Sera tilted her head awkwardly.

"Well... the church was looking for you, Sema. They said if you came by, pass on the message. Something they need help with."

The church wants ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me? What for? But sending Als and Lizbet alone? No thanks.

"I stick with Liz 'cause I need hands for stuff before officially joining a guild... Going solo to the church feels off."

"Hmm... Wanna hit the church together today? We can hear 'em out and decide."

"Sure? What about you, Liz? Cool?"

"...Yeah."

Still dodging eyes, one-word answers. Her face didn't scream hate, but it felt forced. Sigh... Anyway, we tabled the quest and headed to the church.

Wonder what they want with me specifically.

At the church, we told the nun we'd heard from the guild office. She fetched Baul and led us to that reception room from before. Every nun we passed blanched at my sight. After asking, they said church folk sense auras sharply—probably the women freaking at mine. With my vicious horse looks and aura? No befriending them till I get humanization.

Baul came in with greetings.

"You're here, Sema. Als and Lizbet too. Feeling better?"

"Yeah. We were picking a light quest to test my recovery when we heard you wanted Sema, so we came to decide together."

"Perfect timing. The request is for you mainly, Sema, but having you two here helps."

Baul cleared his throat and explained.

"First... any updates on the Hero Eater search?"

"Nah. After that mess and with Als still recovering, we ignored the notice."

Hero Eater out of nowhere? This "request" sounds heavy-duty...

"Got it. Lizbet's report has guild members from big outfits sweeping Radia. No sightings yet."

That matched the office.

"Some spotted it briefly, but it vanished like smoke. Common testimony—maybe an illusion skill? No captures."

Blank or hallucination skills? Sneaky bastard. Lucky I survived two encounters.

"Not confirmed, but as a demon beast, our Goddess Church is stepping in. Kingdom's issued official search-and-kill."

Churches specialize in demon beasts over regular monsters. If it's one, they're toast once church moves.

"We're nearly ready—priests and nuns assigning to search guilds. Sema, I'd like you to protect one nun."

...Huh? Protect? Me? One of those terrified nuns?

"Me? Sure, Divine Beast stats are high, but I'm a green adventurer..."

"Not frontline fighting. Like when you carried Als and Lizbet away—just get her out of danger."

"Why me? I'm fast, but big guilds seem safer."

Baul sighed, eyes closed, then continued.

"It's long, but from the start. Know about our church's Saintess?"

Saintess? Why here?

"The Goddess Church's top female cleric, right?" Lizbet asked for me. Baul nodded.

"Yes. Like the Pope, candidates compete on deeds and power. Her authority rivals or trails his."

Pope for men, Saintess for women? That beauty who nearly fainted at me—Saintess candidate, huh? Wait...

"Last Saintess passed last year; we're verifying candidates. One's Klea—the nun you and Lizbet met."

Figured. She's a big deal.

"I want to make her Saintess."

Hoo. Pushing her, eh?

Baul stood by the window, gazing out.

"Two frontrunners: Klea and Clarice in the capital. Klea's raw talent edges out, but Clarice adventured as a guild nun, racking up demon beast kills."

Talent vs. achievements. Clarice sounds favored.

"Normally Clarice wins, but... her smile hides ambition. Her recent spending's shady too. Her as Saintess worries me."

Gut feeling? As bishop, he has pull.

"Just my impression, but I want Klea. She's Saintess material."

The one who half-fainted at me?

"That one...?" Lizbet prodded. Baul blushed, staring out.

"...Met her ten years ago, during my adventuring days, at a village church..."

His backstory: Adventuring, hit a monster disaster quest in a village, saw her nursing wounded selflessly. Fell hard, quit adventuring, rejoined church as priest, promoted to bishop on merits, assigned to Radia with her.

"She's... the woman who'd be my mother."

"Pardon?"

"Ah, sorry. My lover."

Hold up. Baul just said mother? Masochist mama fetish? Real-life mamacon? Internet laughs were one thing—this creeped me out.

"Ahem... Anyway, I want her as Saintess. She has the compassion and power, but no achievements. So, dispatch her on Hero Eater search for credit."

"But we're still..."

"I know. But you outran it carrying two. You could escape danger. Big guilds might hinder her bad eyes..."

So, tag along, bail if shit hits fan.

"Post-discovery, she'll heal wounded from rear. Stick with her, flee if needed."

"Hmm..."

Als and Lizbet looked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hesitant too. Fine for him, but without her...

"This is my personal add-on to the Hero Eater quest, paid from my pocket. 5 gold coins... and if you accept, church intel network on your humanization skill."

What!? Humanization info!?

I grinned wide at them. Als gave a wry nod; Lizbet sighed.

"Well... it's what you wanted, Sema. If we bolt at real danger..."

"You're unaffiliated, so need temp guild contract for Hero Eater quest. You helped us tons—this is payback."

With their OK, I nodded to Baul. Tomorrow morning: church, meet Klea, head out on Hero Eater hunt. Done.