Chapter 49: The Captured Porter
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 49: The Captured Porter
Yuria’s house was stocked with a truly impressive variety of alcohol.
There were crates of whiskey and wine shoved into the storage room, and an enormous amount of ale to boot. It was, quite literally, a house built for a drunkard.
“When you finish a run in the Labyrinth and try to soothe the loneliness... you start craving a drink,” Yuria said.
“You soothe loneliness with alcohol?”
“Yeah. Being alone is lonely.”
Labyrinth runs affect a person’s psyche in many ways. Some retire due to extreme PTSD, while others suffer from nightmares, anxiety, or become shut-ins. The Labyrinth is a place where you never know when, where, or how you might die.
Furthermore, the uncertainty of resurrection adds to that anxiety. If an entire team is wiped out or if a corpse is mutilated beyond recognition, you can’t expect to be brought back. Even if they are revived, adventurers who can’t afford the cost of the Resurrection Spell are forced to live in constant fear of death.
Resurrection is, in essence, a last resort. If you act recklessly in the Labyrinth just because you trust in the spell, you’ll end up ending your life right then and there.
The fear of death and the pain of loss. Despite these, many adventurers become addicted to various things in the face of the practical reality that they must enter the Labyrinth to make a living. The more anxious a person is, the easier it is for them to fall into an addiction or obsession.
Alcohol is the most common one. I personally think alcohol is better than drugs or gambling. If you fall into drugs, your goal of buying drugs to stabilize your mind eventually shifts into entering the Labyrinth just to buy more drugs. Gambling is the same. The cart gets put before the horse. Once the purpose of your life shifts to drugs or gambling, you eventually end up acting with reckless bravado for the sake of money and dying in the Labyrinth.
“I guess you can cut back a bit now. Right?”
“Hehehe. Yeah.”
Yuria gave me a wide grin. If she drank because she was lonely, she wouldn’t need to rely on alcohol as much now that I was here. We hadn't officially moved in together yet, though.
Once we do start living together, I plan to slowly change Yuria’s house. I want to clear out the booze that pops out every time I open a drawer and fill the place with healthy ingredients and items that give it a sense of a normal life.
“For now, let’s drink.”
I filled the glasses with ale. It’s the most basic beer in this world. It has a hint of honey or fruit and very little foam. It’s different from a lager. Apparently, it’s a difference in the fermentation process, but I’m not a brewery worker, so I don’t know the details.
Regardless, ale is easier and cheaper to make in this world. Cheap alcohol is always popular among adventurers struggling for money. Since the water quality in the Labyrinth City isn't great, those who can't find clean water often drink ale instead.
Anyway, I poured the most common type of alcohol into everyone’s glasses and took a sip.
It tastes like apples.
As I was savoring the aroma of the ale, Yuria suddenly tossed a comment toward Lady Leah.
“By the way, My Lady. Are you actually skilled enough to go into the Labyrinth?”
“Where did this come from?”
“Well, seeing as you carry a guard around and all. It feels like you haven't quite washed off that noble scent yet. I’m just curious if you’re serious about the Labyrinth. It’s not a playground for children.”
“Hahaha. I am well aware it isn't a playground. And if you’re asking about my sincerity regarding the Labyrinth, I am taking it quite seriously.”
“Is that so?”
“Is there a reason for you to be so skeptical? Or perhaps, are you envious of the noble air I naturally exude? Well, an aura isn't something you can just mimic because you want to.”
“Ha, unbelievable. An aura? Listen, My Lady, that kind of thing is useless in the Labyrinth.”
The two of them began a subtle war of nerves.
Here we go again. This won't do. I need to give them something stronger. I quickly poured hard liquor into Yuria and Leah’s emptied glasses. Since they didn't show any signs of getting tipsy on ale, I poured plenty of high-proof distilled spirits.
“Um, I’d like a drink too...”
“Ah, Rika. My apologies. Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
I had forgotten to fill Rika’s glass because I was caught in the middle of Yuria and Leah’s power struggle. Rika held her glass awkwardly, asking for a drink.
Somehow, this woman’s impression had changed quite a bit from when I first met her. Back then, she was a haughty noble knight. But after being pushed around, dying and coming back to life, and then being crushed under Yuria’s intimidation, her pride had been broken...
Now, she had become a deflated lady knight whose brain was made of muscle. In a way, I felt like we were in a similar position—both of us trembling in the wake of Yuria and Leah’s tension. I felt a strange sense of camaraderie and pity.
“Rika, try this too.”
“Ah. Thank you, Porter. Mmm...? This is delicious...!”
“Right? I’ll introduce you to a good restaurant next time.”
“Oh! Really? A restaurant recommendation. That sounds wonderful.”
Rika seemed to love eating. she stuffed her mouth with food and drink, chewing happily.
“Ex-excuse me... do you happen to have any juice...? I don’t really like alcohol...”
“Really? Hold on.”
Olivia, who had been sticking close to my side, spoke up. I poured her some apple juice. So she doesn't like drinking. Olivia sat quietly, as if walking on eggshells around Yuria and Leah. She kept leaning closer to me, as if she were anxious about something.
“Ha, if I even develop my skills... what will be left for you, Yuria?”
“Well, I’ll still have the honor of having taken Si-on’s virginity.”
“That is absurd. To have laid hands on a man who already belongs to someone... and to speak of it so proudly.”
“A man who belongs to someone? You’ve lost your sight now that you’ve got some alcohol in you! I called dibs first!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! I was the one who asked to be his Labyrinth Partner first, and Si-on agreed!”
“Are you sure the Labyrinth Partner contract came first chronologically? As far as I know, I took Si-on’s virginity first.”
“Stop fabricating memories.”
“Anyway, I guess a Labyrinth Partner couldn't even get his virginity, huh?”
“No, Yuria. Do you have some kind of fantasy about virginity? You keep going on and on about it. Is that the only thing you have to brag about?”
“Ha! Then I should brag about it. Should I hide it?”
“Shall I try bragging too? Si-on, whom you spent six months wagging your tail at... he opened his heart to me in just two days—”
“Guaaaah! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up, you fucking bitch!”
“Whoa! Yuria. You’ve crossed the line. 'Fucking bitch' is too much! Do you want to go to jail for insulting a noble?”
“This girl has gone crazy from the booze. Don't you know they can't arrest you for insulting a noble if you have a Gold Badge?”
“You don't have a Gold Badge yet.”
“Urgh.”
“Don’t try to win with words. I’ve spent nearly twenty years doing nothing but arguing among women.”
“Heh... You’ve been having arguments like this for twenty years? High society is pretty cutthroat.”
“It doesn't lose to anywhere else when it comes to being cutthroat. Haaa... Have a drink.”
“Thanks. You have one too.”
Yuria and Leah began pouring drinks for each other. I couldn't tell if they had become friends or if they were just craving more alcohol. However, both of their voices gradually lowered. Seeing them start a conversation with serious expressions, I wondered if their war of nerves was over.
Eavesdropping slightly, it seemed they were talking about the Labyrinth and future plans. It felt awkward to jump into their conversation, so I mostly talked with Rika.
Two hours passed.
“Sniff...”
“Hey. Don’t cry. I was a bit harsh earlier.”
“No. It’s just... it’s the alcohol.”
“Why are you crying? It makes me sad too.”
Eventually, Leah started crying, and Yuria began to tear up while trying to comfort her. They fought, they laughed, and now they were crying.
“Um, those two... I think they’re drunk...”
Just as Olivia said, both of them seemed completely wasted. It was probably time to end this gathering.
“You’re right. Rika, I think it’s best to let the Lady sleep here for tonight. What do you think?”
“I suppose so. I’m sorry. It seems the Lady is having a hard time controlling her emotions today.”
If Rika was saying that, Lady Leah must have been under a lot of stress in various ways. Still, I was glad that Yuria and Leah seemed to have gotten a bit closer thanks to the alcohol.
“Let’s move them to the room for now.”
“Let’s do that.”
We hauled the two of them to Yuria’s bedroom and laid them on the bed. Both of them had drunk until they were completely dead to the world. They sprawled out on the bed, unable to even steady their bodies.
“Good work.”
“You too, Porter. Shall we head out then?”
“Yes.”
Just as I was about to leave Yuria and Lady Leah in the room.
Grab.
“Huh?”
Yuria grabbed my arm.
“Wa-wait. Yuria. Yuria?”
“Mmmgh...”
Drunk as she was, Yuria grabbed me blindly. She pulled me toward the bed.
“Whoa, whoa! Argh...!!”
I couldn't escape. I was pulled in and ended up in Yuria’s embrace. With her incredible strength and unbelievable pressure, I was pinned by Yuria like a man caught by a bear.
“Ri-Rika! Help me!!”
“Uh... well. I, uh, I’ll sleep on the sofa. See you tomorrow, Porter.”
“Wait! Don’t leave me! Help!!!”
Rika simply slid the door shut and left.
“Uwaaaa...!!”
As I was pinned to the bed by Yuria, Lady Leah suddenly started sucking on my cheek. Without realizing it was me, she was suckling in her sleep. I felt like my cheek was going to get raw. My face was getting soaked with the Lady’s saliva.
“It’s hot... so hot...”
Yuria, lying next to me, suddenly started grumbling about the heat and began fumbling to take off her clothes.
“Gasp!”
Yuria stripped down completely, even throwing off her underwear, and lay there naked. Then, she hugged me tight.
Whoosh.
The heat radiating from Yuria’s body was transferred to me. Due to her Scent Remover ability, the scent of the perfume she wore was stronger than her natural body odor. A sweet fragrance. A wave of heat and sweetness wafted from the valley of Yuria’s breasts.
I just wanted to hug her back.
“Mmmgh.”
While I was having such indecent thoughts, Lady Leah’s hand began to grope my body before sliding inside my underwear.
Holy...! Is she actually awake!?
Startled, I looked over, but the Lady was fast asleep, drooling. It seemed she had put her hand in my underwear unconsciously.
Ack...!
Lady Leah’s cold hand firmly gripped my hardened cock. Like a baby reflexively squeezing whatever is placed in its hand, she gripped the solid object tightly as a conditioned response.
Ah, I’m going to lose it.
I couldn't escape because I was pinned by Yuria, and I felt like I was going to go crazy because of the Lady sleeping while fondling my dick. These drunk women on both sides were driving me mad.
Slurp.
Crazy.
Now even Yuria started sucking on my other cheek. Both my cheeks were being sucked on. Do these women have a habit of sucking on things when they’re drunk? Even though they’re both virgins, their drinking habits are bizarre.
Virgin bitches. I’m going to lose my mind.
Earlier, when Yuria and Lady Leah were having their war of nerves, I felt like my energy was being sucked out. Now, my cheeks were literally being sucked.
I can’t escape.
I resigned myself. There was no way I could overcome Yuria’s strength. So, what was I supposed to do?
I just have to enjoy it.
Yes, I’ll just quietly accept this situation. There’s no way to push these two women away even if I try to resist. Like a slave attending to his masters’ nighttime needs, I spent the night wide awake in the arms of Yuria and Leah.