The Lord's Wife, Renata Flask (1)
The sun had already set, and night had settled in.
I would have loved nothing more than to head home and rest, but my day wasn't over. More precisely, I still had somewhere I needed to be.
What's Lewina gonna do about it?
I told Lumina where I'd be and sent her home ahead of me. After that, I headed for Lewina.
Even for a backwater fief, there was enough traffic that lights burned here and there, and the guards were making their rounds with real diligence. And yet the underworld scum could still take root in a place like this. What a fascinating little town.
I slipped through the alleys and carefully stepped into the place where Lewina was waiting.
Creeeak. Clang.
The door still opened with that same suspicious noise. Somebody oil this damn thing. A ghost's going to come crawling out, for fuck's sake.
"Lewina."
I approached her as she sat with her head bowed. The moment she lifted her gaze, the entire atmosphere around us shifted. If it had been a pleasant spring just a second ago, winter had arrived without warning. A chill crawled across my skin, and Lewina smiled with something dark in it.
"So. How did it go?"
"Can't you tell? I drove the bastard out."
"You couldn't kill him, then?"
"He was fucking strong."
"And with that, you want to be a hero?"
"Why don't you go fight him yourself? You even know what Runner Late means, or is that just some random dog's name to you?"
There's always someone who talks big when it isn't their ass on the line. Go toe-to-toe with a Runner Late yourself. On top of that, Lumina was a beastkin — her physique already left a human's in the dust. The fact that I was even still breathing was a miracle. That damn woman.
Lewina chuckled under her breath.
"I'm joking. Just a joke. Good. Looking it over, it seems genuine."
Looking it over? Did she set something up around here?
Suspicious woman, through and through.
After a moment's thought, Lewina pulled out a document and asked me,
"By the way... you didn't find anything?"
"Find what?"
"Anything at all."
She was starting to fish. This was definitely about the neighboring lord's ledger.
Alright. Time to put on a show. Loosen up those facial muscles.
"Nope. Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"There were a shitload of corpses lying around, sure. Good luck telling whether they were people or monsters, though."
"And besides that?"
"What exactly are you asking about? Was I supposed to rummage through the bodies too? What am I, a necromancer? A ghoul?"
I frowned a little and pushed back, as if I had no idea why she was even asking. Lewina stared at my face for a long time.
Should I try a variation on the usual play?
"Ah! Come to think of it..."
"Hm?"
Lewina's interest pricked up again. I grinned slyly and brushed off the space between my legs.
"That place was pretty gloomy and out of the way, you know? Looked like a great spot to bring a woman and fuck her."
"Ha."
"How about it? If you're interested, I'm game."
"Don't be ridiculous. If there was nothing, that's fine."
"Were you hoping there'd be something?"
"No. Of course there wouldn't be."
That damn woman, hiding it. Don't worry about that ledger you're so conscious of — I've got it. I'll put it to good use.
In the end, Lewina held the information out to me. I took it and looked it over.
The underworld faction's name was the Amour Gang. It was also an alias of their boss, Koldo.
Koldo, Koldo... I'm pretty sure he's just some bastard who shows up by name in an early event and then dies.
Giving a guy like that this kind of stake... I couldn't accept it.
Koldo's right-hand man was a black fighter of slave origin named Boldga. His alias was the Black Bear. Centered around those two, their tentacles were spreading through every corner of the fief. Places that weren't doing well suddenly switching to a different trade. Places that had been thriving suddenly vanishing. A bunch of underworld thugs were toying with the entire territory.
If Renata found out about this, she would surely be furious. They were defiling the fief of the man she loved.
Even better. Let's use this chance to wipe them all out.
That way I could leave on my adventures with some actual peace of mind. The information was worth the price — there was a lot of genuinely useful material in there.
Lewina broke my concentration.
"You've done us a great service. That place will become a regular trysting spot for the nobility now. Or maybe a tourist attraction."
"There are a lot of monsters around. It'll be tough."
"That's for the nobles to figure out."
"That aside, monsters are living things too. At least soothe the vengeful spirits of the dead before you build anything there."
"You're insane."
I turned my back after that bit of nonsense and waved lightly.
"Well then. Take care."
I slipped out of the place and drew a long breath. I think I fooled her pretty well. If I'd handed over the ledger too, I might have squeezed a reward out of her.
But no matter how I look at it, this is something the person who actually needs it should use. Lewina's no pushover, but I'm smarter.
Besides, rewards would come rolling in on their own while I was running quests or missions. I didn't want to hand important information to someone who wasn't even going to be an ally. That wasn't my style.
I came back out onto the busy streets. Light poured in, and being among people again, I could finally breathe. Lewina — I had no idea why she lived in a place like that.
"Come on, cheap! Cheap!"
Before I knew it, I had entered District B. In our fief, District B was the area reserved for traveling merchants from outside. It was also called the commercial district, but people mostly just called it District B. And there on the front lines, Lyza was rallying everyone who walked past. When the merchant company head herself was out there like that, the merchants under her sold their wares with even more fire.
Huh. What a remarkable woman.
I sidled up to her as she conducted her thriving business. Lyza, who seemed about ready to take a break, was pulling the clover pin from her bangs when our eyes met. Her yellow irises went wide.
"Lashu...!"
"Good evening."
At my greeting, Lyza pointed in another direction, and I went that way. We headed to a spot the light didn't reach, beside the traveling merchants' tents. Lyza approached with a smile.
"What brings you here?"
"Just finished a mission."
"Hero hopefuls really are busy, aren't they."
Busy, sure. And I was especially busy even among them. I had the Lord Deputy backing me, after all.
I quietly looked Lyza over. She must have been working all day — her whole body was sheened with sweat. Even on that ageless face of hers, the fatigue was starting to show. And the places where her skin was exposed looked all the more sensual for it.
Lumina had that kind of flavor. I wonder what Lyza's like?
I casually stepped closer.
"Ah— suddenly?"
"Why? We're sex partners anyway. This much... is fine, right?"
I grabbed one of her breasts and kneaded it. Lyza hurriedly glanced around, then let out a moan.
"Ahh, even so, this is, nngh♥"
"Should I stop, then? Big sis?"
I deliberately leaned my face in close and locked eyes with her. Lyza's face went bright red.
"Wai— hahk♥ If you do that with a face like that, that's cheating♥"
"That's the perk of being sex partners."
"Nngh, touch me more♥ Moree♥"
"Hold on. Lift your arm for a sec."
"Hm? My arm? Like this?"
Lyza raised her arm. Her fully exposed armpit gleamed, showing off pale white flesh. Still holding her breast, I put my tongue to her armpit. I breathed against her as I bit and sucked.
"Mm, nngh!"
"Nnhit♥ S-suddenly♥ Wait, Lashu... baby, stop that, ehhk♥ Kyahp♥ Nngh-hhh♥"
Lyza came apart as if I had suddenly grabbed her clit. Even so, I kept licking. I swept my tongue as broadly as I could, then rolled just the tip to tease her. The soft flesh of her armpit yielded under my tongue. It was salty, but steeped in the scent of a grown woman, and that only made it better. As I greedily lapped at her, I could see Lyza coming completely undone.
So this is an erogenous zone for her.
I grinned and pulled back. Lyza pouted, but her face was thoroughly satisfied.
"I want to keep you in my pocket."
"Why?"
"So I can ride that thick cock whenever I need it♥"
"I feel the same way. Though I'm way too tired today."
A shame. If I'd had the time, I would have ripped her clothes off right there, spanked that ass raw, and buried myself in her.
I was about to leave when Lyza caught my arm.
"Baby, wait."
"Yes?"
She went over to a nearby merchant tent and came back with something — a ring set with a fairly large gem. Looking at it, it was a Noble-grade ring.
"You're a hero hopeful, so you probably don't have much money to spare. Sell this and use it as pocket money."
This is what's great about older women. They take care of you with a real big-sister heart — or even a mother's.
Looking at the ring's specs, there was nothing notable except an option that helped with mana recovery.
I can't even hold mana in the first place, so selling it is the only thing that fits.
I accepted it gratefully. Older women, hallelujah! The best! Long may they reign!
Then I ought to give her a little service, right?
"Big sis, what's that on your knee?"
"Hm? Did I get something on it?"
The moment she bent forward to check her knee—
"Mwah."
I gave her a kiss and pulled back.
"Thanks. I'll put it to good use!"
"Ah, ah... a sex partner pulling a cheap stunt like that...!"
We already had sex, what's the big deal. I waved and parted ways.
With the gemstone ring in my grip, I focused my mind. My level, plus one Noble-grade item.
Force Heart Increased!
2 → 3
Nice!
I was Runner Late now, just like Lumina. I could feel my chest swelling with grandeur.
Woooom!
The area around my solar plexus trembled, and then an invisible force swept through me in waves. Get stronger. All the way to Expert — let's go!
I wonder how Renata's doing right about now?
A woman of that age, sleeping alone night after night, then suddenly losing her husband. She was definitely struggling. And by now, it would be reaching its peak.
Thinking of Renata, I looked around near the Guardiola Tavern. Unlike this morning, there was no sign of any gathering. I casually went over and tried the door, but it wouldn't open. I put my ear to it and couldn't hear a sound. No presence meant everyone had already left.
What the hell is even in this place? Is it just a trysting spot?
I checked the information again. For some reason, there was nothing about this location in the intel. Meaning these guys moved fluidly, picking their meeting spots as they went. They were using their heads, I'd give them that. But you lot are finished soon enough.
It's late. Let's go home. Lumina will be waiting.
I headed home. Even on the way, I couldn't stop thinking about Renata. That was how much I wanted her.
If my prediction is right, she should be reaching her limit soon. Then I just need to drop by under the pretext of making a report. And I've got profitable information on me, too.
The information documents felt especially heavy in my hands today. I'd already gone through all of it, so I would hand it over and casually sound Renata out.
Who knows? Tonight, I might just make history with her. Something no man, no hero hopeful, had ever accomplished.
A smile on my lips, I arrived at the house where warm light spilled out into the dark.