Week 2.5 (5)
Week 2.5 (5)
After finishing our business at the Guild, the place we headed to was some inn in the eastern part of Ark City.
It wasn't like we had any major business at the Guild, so we still had plenty of time left to keep moving...
Even so, Valerie said it was best to secure a place to stay first. As someone without experience, I had no choice but to follow her lead.
At the Guild, they just slightly bumped up the nominal reward on the requests they periodically post and tweaked the request details a bit.
Truth be told, we went there less for that and more to scout for talent and dilute our Territory's disastrously shitty image even a little, though of course things went massively tits up.
Because of an unexpected clusterfuck, we suddenly found ourselves in this kinda awkward spot.
"...Ah. Master-nim, um... sorry, but we've gotta get one room."
Valerie, who'd been pacing in front of the door for a bit, suddenly whipped around like she'd made up her mind and said that.
Caught off guard by the bombshell declaration, I calmly asked back.
"Why? No rooms available?"
"Probably not, since we got here early. But..."
She paused for a sec, then held up her index finger straight.
"First off, Master-nim's safety. I told you before I joined up, right? In here, whatever happens, it's always the victim's fault. And Master-nim doesn't exactly have any backup, y'know."
"Still, I'm kinda the Lord..."
Even I knew that was bullshit, so I muttered it under my breath, but Valerie heard every word.
"To the people here, noble this, noble that doesn't mean jack shit. There's no nobles in Ark City. That's why I gotta bunk with you and keep watch—night attacks could happen."
"Even in an inn?"
"Well... probably not tons of psychos who'd straight-up raid an inn, but you never know."
This place is so fucked you gotta watch your neck, not just your nose. How the hell do people even live here without shitting themselves constantly?
Then Valerie held up another finger.
"And second, a private room's too damn pricey here."
"Uh... yeah? How much?"
No, inns can't be that expensive..., I thought, but it must've shown on my face 'cause she sidled up and whispered.
──.
"Let's go with a double room."
Yeah, no way in hell. The second I heard the rough price, I ditched the private room idea clean.
Our Territory's already dirt poor. Makes sense—only thing coming out of it is Magic Stones from Labyrinth monsters.
Sure, they're valuable as fuck, but you can't mass-produce 'em, so the wallet stays thin.
Of course, with no fucking peasants or anything, it's basically just me and the butler living off the Territory, so we could swing basic living expenses easy.
Once I made up my mind quick, we snagged the room smooth as butter.
I just stood there like a lump while Valerie handled everything like a pro.
Gotta figure if I'd come solo, I'd be rolling on the streets by now.
─And so, a little later. We got into the room, and Valerie dropped her meager luggage.
Just barely fit in one backpack worth of stuff—she didn't need much else, so aside from the bag she just set down, there was nothing.
I'd originally planned to carry that too, but she snatched it all day, saying it'd ruin my dignity.
Soon as she plopped onto the fluffy mattress, Valerie stretched out big.
"Kkuu, uaa, I'm beat."
Then she flopped straight back like she might pass out right there.
I was quietly hanging up my coat when Valerie asked from her spot lying down.
"So, Master-nim. Anything else on for today?"
"...Nah, let's call it a day and rest. Not like there's much we can do anyway."
Guess you could say reality hit hard. We didn't head out with big expectations to begin with, but even that might've been too optimistic.
Excuse? Even so, I didn't expect our rep to be this fucked. Figured I could at least toss out some scout offers without getting slapped.
But trying that shit for real? Lucky if I don't eat a fist.
"Hng," Valerie hummed through her nose, squirming on the bed to shrug off her coat. Looked like a molting caterpillar or some shit.
"Master-nim, hang this up for me?"
"Sure, gimme."
Then she stuck her arm straight out my way. Since I was standing right there, I naturally took her jacket.
At that, Valerie flashed a sly little smile and said,
"You're so cute when you do stuff like this."
"─Ugh."
Her grinning face screamed she'd found fresh ammo to tease me with.
When she pulls that, a guilty dude like me's got jack shit to say.
"S-Sorry... I already apologized back there."
"Huh? I didn't say anything?"
She beamed all innocent-like, then suddenly rolled half a turn on the bed. And just like that, she clutched her left cheek.
"Ugh, this cheek I got hit on earlier suddenly...!"
Reason for the bullshit was obvious—payback for me impulsively smacking her cheek earlier.
Our pre-agreed "acting" was just her hyping me up while I played stern and dignified, nothing more.
My hand slapped to my forehead on autopilot. Fuck, why the hell did I do that shit?
No comeback? Now she's straight-up fake-sniffling on the floor. Went from embarrassing to straight pitiful.
"...That's enough, yeah? We all know you're not crying."
"Sniff, hic, hik..."
First person I've seen who literally says "sniff" out loud.
Sigh. I let out a deep one from the gut and plopped down next to her mattress.
Truth is, her sudden over-immersion wasn't totally baseless.
Just... watching that kid flail around helplessly without a prayer wasn't fun.
Nah, gotta be honest with myself.
Even knowing it was some unrelated person and situation, it still pissed me off.
'Cause that wailing voice sounded way too much like my little sis.
Not some lame-ass sob story that wouldn't land—it really fucking resembled her.
Forgot all about it ages ago, but it poked through clear as day.
"Still, thanks for taking it well even in that mess. I'd have clocked me one for sure."
"Sniff─ Uh, huh? N-No, that, what..."
Even mid her lame crying act, Valerie got a bit sheepish at the sudden thanks, scratching her nose bridge.
"W-What're you doing hitting me with that outta nowhere. I was just messing around..."
"I'm seriously grateful. Honestly, as a merc, our Territory's rep being in the shitter shouldn't matter to you one bit."
"Psh, not always. Wherever I'm working, good rep ain't bad, right?"
Total lie. Guild said it themselves—tons of assholes gunning for her neck. No way she'd give a shit about job rep.
Instead of calling her out, I accepted the kindness with a smirk.
"Makes sense? Nah, wasn't that grateful anyway."
"What? Ha, look at you?"
She snorted, then rolled another half-turn on the bed.
"Hey, Master-nim."
Then she dropped her voice all sly-like to call me.
Part of me wondered what now, but obviously more bullshit tease incoming.
And every time Valerie pulls this prank shit, reacting big feels like losing.
Not this time, I thought, and shot back a curt "What?" all prickly.
She grinned all sultry, cocked her head a tad, and opened her mouth.
"─Was Ray tasty?"
Fuck. My brain went white the instant I heard it, but Valerie dropped it casual as hell. I whipped my eyes away quick. No controlling my face, obviously.
What the fuck kinda question is that outta nowhere. Probably literal meaning.
Was Ray tasty? Hell yeah, fucking delicious. But how the shit do you know?
"Pfft, why so flustered?"
Must've been hilarious watching me squirm like a squeaky toy—Valerie giggled, then poked my side repeatedly to rib me.
"What, you thought I wouldn't notice you stripping off her bra and panties in the living room before banging?"
"Oh."
Fuck, right.
Thinking back after she said it, yeah—that last shred of sanity made me avoid doing it right there... but that was it.
Left Ray's undies dumped there sloppy and went to the room, so dawn-patrol Valerie spotting it? Obvious sequence.
No words, just groaning, and she looked up at me with that smug-ass glint.
"Hurt feelings, y'know. You got me blackout drunk and went wild with her—fun times?"
"N-No, the booze blackout wasn't really my..."
"Master-nim, no. Hurt girl's crying here. That matter right now?"
"Who the fuck's crying..."
Now she's plopped her head right on my lap, teasing away. Her silver hair rustled as it spilled, black eyes sparkling with mischief.
First impression was scary as shit, now she's too buddy-buddy to really hit—but up close like this, one thing stands out clear. Damn, this woman's a total knockout.
"Hey, Master-nim."
Valerie said. Voice a notch quieter than before, so it felt a tad more real.
No clue what to say, I gulped, and she mumbled a bit before speaking.
"D-Don't think weird, just hear me out?"
Then, cheeks flushing a little, she said,
"Wanna smack this once more?"
She poked her own cheek with her index finger. Soft-looking flesh dimpled under it.
─And with that, a chill shot up my spine—pure danger sense.
Between my legs, right next to her head on my right knee, something massive was stirring...!