Butler's Sudden Behavior (2)
Butler's Sudden Behavior (2)
#
"Okay. Got it. Then starting tonight, let's give it a try."
"What about me? What about me, what about me?"
"Sorry. My dick's gonna be a little busy... ack!"
"What are you saying to a child!"
The Holy Sword's whining, the nonsense that had reflexively burst out, and Yuri's shin kick.
Yeah! Even I thought it was the sort of nonsense that deserved a smack! Still... my dick really was going to be busy.
First, I had to sleep with Ariel tonight. Then I'd have to work things out with Niniel. The Holy Sword needed educating too, and then there were Yuri and Reni... I was literally drowning in women.
"..."
Some luck with women. The atmosphere was ominous enough that it hardly felt like good fortune.
Yuri was silently shooting me a sharp glare, and Reni... Reni just kept incessantly muttering something.
"...I knew this was how it'd be. He's the Apostle of the Goddess. This is what I have to do. This is right. It's only natural. Only natural. Only natural. Only natural. Only..."
"..."
S-scary.
"At night, you say."
Ariel spoke with a touch of surprise.
"I don't mind doing it right this moment. Is there truly a need to wait until night?"
"Uh, well..."
Sex first thing in the morning. Was this girl rolling with Impatience instead of Aggression for a trait?
Well, to be fair, traits didn't reflect personality that perfectly. For example, just because Reni had the Lewdness trait didn't mean you could tell her to strip anywhere and not get slapped. No, since it was Reni, she probably wouldn't slap me, but anyway, she'd be pretty damn disappointed in me.
Anyway, that was beside the point.
"I have my own things to do. There was something I decided last night."
Sure, having sex in broad daylight was something I welcomed too, but considering I'd resolved to live a bit more actively last night, spending day one rolling around in bed seemed way too pathetic even to me. And the others would give me looks...
"Is that so? Given that the act seemed to be your top priority, this is unexpected."
Th-this girl! She wasn't wrong, though!
"Ehem. Hmm. Hmm. So, for today, I'm planning to head to the Guild and a dungeon..."
At those words, the Holy Sword let out a little whimper and hid her body behind a chair. That kid, at this rate, wasn't she going to turn into a shut-in?
Still, telling her to go back to being a sword after just one day felt a little too harsh. She'd been sealed away for quite a long time, and I'd basically neglected her. Maybe I'd cut her some slack today.
"Reni. Just a moment."
"Yes?"
[Purchased Item: Assorted Fruit-Flavoured Candy (25% Sweetness)]
[Price: 10p]
[Would you like to purchase?]
[▶Yes / No]
"What's this?"
"Sorry, but could you look after the Holy Sword for me today, just for today? If she won't listen, try bribing her with these... please."
The girls had spent the night with the Holy Sword, and since nobody had complained, it seemed she hadn't caused some incident that distorted the past. In that case, I probably didn't need to supervise them personally. Reni had some experience looking after children at the training center too... It should be fine to ask this much of her.
But Reni looked pretty shaken by what I said.
"Huh?! You mean I'm not going with you?! Yoo-jin, if you wander around alone like last time and end up getting hurt..."
I'd never wandered around alone. I was with Rebecca. Was she just ignoring that?
Reni hadn't shown any major abnormalities since the storm of sex the night before last, but she was still showing a slightly more clingy side than before. Especially when she'd heard I was hurt, I thought her face had gone so pale it was nearly translucent.
Poor Reni. Seeing her standing there all hunched up like an abandoned puppy made my heart ache. Had I said something I shouldn't have? Maybe I should forget going out today and spend it alone with her...
Reni kept her head bowed, muttering something endlessly.
'...I'll kill Yoo-jin... and then I'll die too...!'
?!
"R-Reni. What did you just say...?"
"Yes?"
...Had I imagined it? I thought I'd seen her eyes flash for a second.
"!"
Reni, who had been looking up at me, suddenly shook her head hard and slapped both cheeks. It was the gesture of someone trying to snap herself out of it.
"Hoo-ah... yes. I'll take care of the Holy Sword. If I think of it as practice for later..."
"Huh?"
Practice for what? But looking into Reni's glinting eyes, I became afraid of finding out what that meant. Better not poke at it. Sometimes the truth is better left in the dark.
So, Reni and the Holy Sword would stay at the mansion, and Yuri was...
Yuri and Ariel were discussing something.
"...I can learn it? But you could use magic? When I saw you last time, you threw some kind of weird bomb..."
"Alchemy is also part of a wizard's education. I did focus on alchemy while I was unable to use mana, but I too was once a wizard."
"R-really? Then is something like this possible?"
"...With the resources and the talent. As is always the case."
"..."
That girl. She was making one seriously ominous smile. Just what was she scheming now?
# # #
Reni said she'd stay with the Holy Sword and teach her common sense. Yuri said she had something to do with Ariel. In the end, I was going to have to wander around alone today.
"Yoo-jin. Are you heading out just like that?"
"Hm?"
The moment I stepped out of the mansion's front door, Rebecca suddenly grabbed me.
"Please follow me. It should only take a moment."
"Eh?"
The place Rebecca took me was some kind of storeroom. For a storeroom, it was free of cobwebs and surprisingly bare.
"This is...?"
"This is the family armory. Did you not say you were going to a dungeon? It would be dangerous to go as you are, completely unarmed."
Aha. Since I couldn't carry the Holy Sword around, she was telling me to at least take a sword.
"Is that okay?"
"Lady Ariel has permitted it."
"She did?"
I'd been planning to replace my equipment anyway. This worked out perfectly. If they were offering, I should take it. Grinning to myself, I looked around the storeroom.
"..."
For all that, though, it didn't look like there was a single thing in my size.
The storeroom only seemed to hold women's armor. And all in Ariel's size, at that.
"Is this all there is? The size doesn't seem like it'd fit me."
"Can you not simply transform?"
Hah?
"What are you talking..."
"As you did when you infiltrated that man's mansion the other time."
Was this girl cracking a joke in her own way? But Rebecca just stared at me blankly.
"Mm. No. That was just something I did because there was no other way. I'm not into that sort of thing. So I'll pass."
"..."
Did she just click her tongue under her breath? Had I heard wrong?
I ignored Rebecca and looked over the weapons.
"Ah, actually, these over here might be more..."
"No. I can appraise things just fine myself."
Being an Awakened came with item appraisal as a basic function. So I didn't strictly need anyone else's help. And this way was more reliable. Even among swords that looked the same, the stats differed slightly.
Rebecca shut her mouth again. This time, I thought I'd heard something quietly crumbling. Probably misheard that too, right?
Feeling a slightly creepy sensation, I opened my mouth.
"Hmm. Not much to see here, surprisingly. I'd have thought there'd be at least one decent-looking magic item."
"They were all sold off. And it seems Yuri took the last remaining bow."
"Ah. I see..."
Why was Yuri's name coming up here? Was this a dig at me? 'You guys already picked out all the good stuff'? No, surely not.
I picked up a decent sword similar in size to the Holy Sword and swung it a couple times. Whether it was under a preservation spell or just well maintained, there was no rust, and the edge was still in great shape. This would do.
"Is there anything else you need?"
"No?"
"..."
"..."
Once we were out of the armory, Rebecca just stared at me blankly again. It seemed like she was waiting for me to say something. But I had no clue what that something was.
"Uh, um. Thanks?"
"Think nothing of it. Lady Ariel will also be pleased."
"..."
"..."
"Hey. If you've got something to say, just say it. Why do you keep..."
"It's grown late. I must attend to Lady Niniel. If you'll excuse me."
With those final words, Rebecca turned and headed straight back to the mansion without looking back. This girl, she definitely had something she wanted to say. I didn't get why she had to be so frustrating about it. It didn't seem like she was trying to drive me out at this point, though.
I set the question aside and left the mansion.
# # #
Our party's equipment was way too shoddy. Yuri seemed to take care of kitting herself out pretty well on her own, but for me, I generally needed an upgrade.
I'd already had my abdomen pierced once because I relied too heavily on my Awakened abilities.
Even with the kindest assessment, the old leather armor and boots I'd thrown on were not good equipment. I had no desire to experience having my abdomen pierced again.
Reni was a problem too. She always wore loose, robe-like priestess garb, so her actual defense was practically zero.
I had to get her into some kind of protective gear. And, if possible, something that showed a little more of her. It did not need to reach the level of that slutty priestess who had just walked past with her entire side exposed, but perhaps something tight-fitting like Yuri's outfit would work.
But the problem was where to buy it. There were tons of weapon shops on the way to the Guild. Enough to really call it an adventurer's street. I supposed that made sense if it was an industry to that degree...
"...!"
I spotted an arms and armor shop with bikini armor on display and, as though possessed, opened the door.