Chapter 84
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Heat Cycle
"Hng... Hmph!!"
Ever since she threw those provocative words at me in front of the inn, Loren's attitude had shifted a bit.
What was it? Trying to play the tsundere? Was that the act she wanted to pull off?
"Hey."
Slap!
"Kyaaak!!"
"Your acting's so half-assed it's not even immersive. Cut the crappy performance and just act like you do when it's just the two of us."
"Yeees..."
"But since you got me riled up, I'll check out what kind of underwear you're wearing while we're out and about later, so stay on your toes."
Squish-!
"Hiiik!!"
I gave her butt a light squeeze and headed off toward the equipment district.
"C-Cain... This is too much..."
"It's fine. We'll take it like this."
"Haha!! You think so too, right, bro?"
In the workshop district selling weapons and armor, we commissioned a sabaton to wear over her boots and greaves, along with bracers similar to gauntlets but allowing free wrist movement, for 90 silver. As a bonus, the shop threw in a padded gambeson to wear under the breastplate and a utility belt.
"When will it be ready?"
"Hmm... We've already taken that elf girl's measurements, so... since her chest is on the smaller side, it'll cut down the time a lot. Ten days should do it."
"Y-You bastard!!"
Full plate armor required multiple layers underneath besides the gambeson, and if a woman had large breasts, it complicated the design with curves. But Loren's chest was small enough that they could just make it flat like a man's.
Of course, Loren puffed out her cheeks at the chest comment and glared at the blacksmith, but the dwarf blacksmith snorted back with a look that said, 'What're you gonna do about it?'
"Now, now, calm down both of you. Could I see some round shields?"
"Hmm. For that girl over there too?"
"Yeah, center-grip style—bigger than a buckler, made of steel?"
"Hold on, let me check..."
A buckler was enough for light sword strikes or monster claws, but it was too small for arrows or projectiles. Since it was auxiliary gear anyway, I asked for a larger shield.
"Hrm... This size what you're after?"
"Oh, perfect. Any chance you could throw in the shield and make it 90 silver total?"
"N-Ninety!!!"
Loren freaked out at the dizzying price, frothing at the mouth, but I ignored her and started haggling with the dwarf.
Thanks to all the info I'd gotten from Hawk about margins and such, I negotiated without ruffling the smith's feathers too much.
"Tch... Shields aren't big sellers, but still..."
"C'mon, she's our new party member. Once we start exploring, we'll be back for her helmet and pauldrons. Cut us a deal?"
"Hrm..."
The blacksmith pretended to mull it over, dragging it out, but the haggling must've landed well enough—he handed over the shield without fuss.
Tower or kite shields were too bulky for dungeon crawling. This round shield was about 90 centimeters in diameter—just right to cover her torso down to her knees, with good projectile defense if needed.
"Here, Loren. Your gear."
"Th-This is..."
As I handed her the shiny shield, Loren's eyes began to tremble.
"Ha! First shield you've ever seen?"
"I don't know why, but after registering as an explorer, I got rejected from party matching for a whole month and had a rough time scraping by."
"Ahem...! Really?"
The dwarf, who'd been smirking at her urban sob story, cleared his throat awkwardly, looking sorry. Loren, meanwhile, didn't seem to hear—just kept gently stroking the shield with her hands.
"We'll come back in ten days, then."
"Sure thing. Take care."
Loren clutched the shield, gambeson, and belt to her chest, grinning like a fool as we walked the streets. Then her expression suddenly hardened, and she asked me,
"Hey, Cain... 90 silver? Isn't that way too expensive?"
"Huh? Yeah, it is. Took 40 from party funds and 50 from my pocket."
"Uh... Uhh..."
I leaned in close to her drooping ears and whispered while blowing softly.
"Pay me back with your body later."
"W-With my b-body?! Hiiik!!!"
She jolted once from the breath on her sensitive ears, then again from my words, flailing about.
"I meant grind hard on gathering to pay it off quick."
"Ah... You idiot!!!"
Smack!!
"Ow!"
Her palm hit my back with real feeling behind it. Damn, that stung.
"I-I'll gather super hard and pay you back."
"Yeah, got it."
As we wandered the shopping district with Loren grumbling and blushing, an alley leading to the black market caught my eye.
"Oh, right. Where do you buy those picture books, Loren?"
"W-Well, Juri just sends them to me, so I don't really know...?"
"Huh. Maybe the black market?"
"B-Black market?"
"I lived in the city two years without knowing those books were sold here, but since you see them often, black market's the only guess that fits."
"R-Really?"
"Wanna check it out? If they're there, I'll buy you one."
"F-For real?!"
Her grumpy face lit up bright, ears perking right back up.
"Yeah. Got business on that side anyway. Let's go."
"Okay!"
It'd been six days—almost a week since all the chaos—so heading to see sis again. But hey, only got one body to go around.
With Loren now wearing the gambeson and belt, shield in hand, we headed to the black market.
"W-Woow!!!"
I didn't remember a shop like this last time...? Or maybe I was too tense to notice. Past the black market entrance was a store selling lewd picture books.
Loren's eyes sparkled as she browsed the displayed books.
Prices... 10 bronze? Her hardcover ones were over 1 silver, but these mass-produced ones had crappy paper quality, so the price seemed fair.
"Loren."
"Huff... huff... This is insane, so many new ones!"
Thud!
"Kyaaak! Why?!"
"Here."
Jingle-
"M-Money... again?"
"50 bronze. Pick out a few you like. I'll handle my business and come back—browse and wait here, got it?"
"Yeah...? But..."
"It's not like it's pocket change. I've already sunk nearly a gold on you, so just take it and listen."
"Hiiik!"
Skewer bills before recruiting her, a night's lodging, drinks, her stay at our inn—all prepaid to Frank—and now gear. Expenditures already blew past a gold easy. She nodded frantically at my words.
"O-Okay... I'll wait nicely..."
"If anyone hassles you, smack 'em with the shield. But gentler than when you sparred with Claude. You might kill 'em."
"Mhm, got it..."
"Alright, be back. Have fun."
Pat pat-
"Okay!!"
She looked a bit cowed at being left alone, but when I petted her head, her eyes sparkled back at the books.
Leaving Loren there, I headed deeper into the black market toward Sion's shop.
"Sis, it's me."
Knock knock knock-
"What? No reaction?"
Sion had this rule—not quite a rule—for her shop: knock and announce yourself before entering, or the door stays shut.
First time, I thought it was a power play and just knocked. Ended up waiting nearly an hour.
Later she told me it was habit from bad blood with some folks—kept her cautious. Felt bad for her then.
Her body's so small now, always coughing... health must be poor. That temper, though...
"Sis! It's me, open up!"
Bang bang bang!!!
Never no reaction when I knocked like that before. No way...
Click-!
Creeeak-!!!
"What? Door's not locked...?"
Whoosh-!
I turned the handle, and the door swung open.
Normally, she'd lock it right after I entered, and when leaving, I'd open the locked door and hear it relock immediately. Super cautious. So when was this unlocked?
"...Ugh..."
"What? Sis!!!"
A faint, weak groan reached my ears.
Chill ran down my spine. I slammed the shop door shut, locked it, and rushed to the corner.
"Sis, you hurt...?"
What I saw was Sion drenched in sweat, writhing on the floor.
"Y-You bad boy... Why nowww... haaah!!!"
"You okay?"
I hurried to check her state, but the scene was unreal.
Her body glistened with sweat. Her ever-present workshop cigar lay discarded far away.
Her ears drooped limp—no way that was normal.
I gently cradled her frail frame to lift her.
"N-No, stay awaaay..."
"No way, you're half-dead here."
"Haaaang!!!"
Pssshhh!!!
Suddenly, she writhed in agony, and a forceful spray burst from between her legs, filling the shop with a thick, lewd female musk.
"Whoa!"
Thud!
With strength unimaginable from her limp body, she knocked me down and straddled me.
Up close, her pupils were slit like a wild beast's, her gleaming eyes anything but sane.
"Grrr..."
"W-Wait, sis!!!"
"Bind."
Whish-!
"Whaatt!!!!"
Her muttered spell summoned translucent vines from thin air, binding my limbs tight in my fallen position.
"Nngh... sniff sniff!! Perverted bastard... another female's scent on youuu..."
"Sis, w-wait a sec?"
"F-Fast... cock..."
Riiip!!!
Her sharpened nails shredded my pants and underwear.
Wh-What's wrong with her...?