Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Belgadis Lord's Castle
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‘Romance feelings, huh.’
There was definitely something like that in the H status.
I hadn’t paid it any mind since it had always been “None” up until now, but seeing that a slight romantic affection had developed made it feel intriguing in all sorts of ways.
Well, games with romance elements involving NPCs are pretty common.
The world Yoon Young was in even felt like a mishmash of all sorts of games built on top of the “Plain World” foundation.
With eroge elements thrown in so blatantly, that said it all.
After satisfying his sexual urges and clearing his head, all sorts of thoughts started bubbling up.
Amael… She acts and speaks almost like a real person. I wonder how naturally she’ll move.
Yoon Young decided to run some tests.
“Amael, shall we head out of the inn now?”
“Yes! Let’s do that!”
Even after being thoroughly ravished, she responded brightly without a hint of feeling victimized.
Cleanliness reset every day in this world, so it was easy to brush off, but she was still undeniably messy and probably felt sticky.
It was only natural for a person to want to wash up.
How would Amael react?
“Shouldn’t we wash up before we go?”
“We can use the bath here at the inn!”
With that, she hurriedly gathered her clothes and put them on.
Wash at the inn…
Would she actually clean herself properly if she went alone?
For some reason, he wanted to follow, but… the moment he suggested it, he could imagine her chasing him out of the women’s bath like that other NPC.
For now, let’s just head out together.
Creeeak.
Yoon Young opened the door and stepped out first.
He turned to see where Amael was going, but she had vanished into thin air in an instant.
“What the?”
Where’d she go?
“Amael. Amael!”
He called her name, but there was no response.
It was like she’d teleported.
Did she warp straight to the bath?
NPCs suddenly disappearing or appearing at specific times was a trait he already knew about.
But vanishing completely right in front of him outside of any set time was a first.
The companion status hasn’t been severed yet…
The status window showed who he had formed companion bonds with.
Amael was still listed as a companion.
So where had she gone?
Yoon Young decided to leave the inn and wait at the entrance.
And then.
“Huh.”
In the blink of an eye, Amael was back by his side.
“Amael!”
“Yes?”
“Did you… wash up?”
“Yep! I’m all fresh and dry now~.”
No way, that’s impossible.
How much time had even passed…?
“Isn’t that a bit too fast?”
“Is it? I thought I cleaned up thoroughly…”
So that’s how it works in her settings.
Well, she even had a faint pleasant scent now… and if her cleanliness was restored, it was all good.
Yoon Young decided to test something else.
How far did her enhanced cognition go now that her favorability had reached stage 4?
Back at the Adventurer’s Guild, Yoon Young pointed at Riena, who was standing there.
“Do you know who this is?”
“Yes, it’s Riena! The one we explored the slime cave with.”
She remembers that.
“But… doesn’t something feel off? She’s standing right there, but she’s not even greeting us or anything… And she looks kind of spaced out…”
Amael tilted her head.
“I… I don’t really get what you mean, Adventurer.”
Was the very perception of anything weird completely blocked off…?
To test it, Yoon Young reached out toward Riena.
He groped her breasts, pulled her into a hug, and even kissed her.
But Amael showed no reaction whatsoever.
Did it at least pull aggro?
Thinking that, he placed a hand on Amael’s shoulder.
Tap.
“Ah… Do you need something?”
And she reacts to this.
…Feels like I’ve stepped into a common sense-altered world.
Users freely messing with NPCs is just normal?
No, more like… she was completely unable to perceive it at all.
No matter how much Yoon Young bit, sucked, or even had sex with Riena right here, it would be nothing to Amael.
They’re NPCs in the end…
Even with reactions this realistic.
Yoon Young absently stroked Amael’s cheek.
Unaware of the meaning, Amael seemed to enjoy the caress and gently tilted her head into his hand.
Well, this is stage 4, so stage 5 might be different.
Time to work harder and raise it properly.
Come to think of it, I wonder if NPCs at stage 4 interact naturally with each other.
Redia and Riena were both at stage 3 right now.
Given how favorability jumped to stage 3 just from a story event, it seemed stages 1-3 were relatively easy to reach.
Gotta take Riena hunting too. Time for some favor grinding.
Real bonds blossomed through hardship, after all. Bringing her along as a companion and sweating together would raise favorability pretty easily.
That was part of why Amael’s favorability was so high.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Riena has become a companion.]
“Good, let’s head out today too!”
“Yay!”
Yoon Young shouted energetically, and Amael cutely chimed in.
He checked the board’s quests.
Having resolved the major incident, the quests were mostly about cleanup.
Slimes were still spawning in the cave, so take out the remnants.
Also gather research cores for further investigation.
For my current level, this seems about right.
Higher levels would probably unlock the next chapter quests.
Yoon Young summoned his sword and gripped it.
Time to grind money and levels!
*
“Amael! Give me a buff?”
“Yes!”
One great thing about Amael’s expanded cognition range was how much easier it was to give instructions in combat.
“Amael, smash that one over there. Keep hitting it, and I’ll finish up quick and come help.”
“Yes! Hiya…!”
Splat!
Meanwhile, Riena handled one monster on her own.
Hunting in a party of three made it so much smoother and more enjoyable.
Makes me fondly remember those days dodging around and whacking veggies with a wooden sword…
Back then, it was really life-or-death.
He nostalgically recalled his first days in this world.
It’d been about two months now…
…Not that long. Feels like forever, though.
Shwick-!
Yoon Young’s sword cleaved through a slime mixed with purple and blue.
“Whew.”
They felt tougher than before, somehow.
This was supposed to be a remnant cleanup after defeating the culprit, so why were the monsters getting stronger?
Doesn’t make sense. Though the extra EXP is nice.
Classic trash game trait.
Level design with zero logic.
It was common sense that the ultimate mastermind who had nearly brought about the world’s end in a single chapter would be weaker than the next chapter’s miniboss.
It was unavoidable for story progression, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of it being contrived.
Anyway, as they hunted diligently, the day grew dim again.
Whatever, we worked hard today.
Amael and Riena both looked exhausted.
“Haa, I’m wiped out…”
“I think… we need a break.”
Time to head back, eat, soak in the bath, and sleep…
“Let’s call it a day.”
Crack! Crack!
Stretching his stiff body, they returned to the village.
Dismissing the companions, Amael and Riena headed off on their own.
Watching their backs, the day’s fatigue crashed over him.
“Ow, my back.”
He always thought it, but adventuring was heavy labor.
How did those adventurers in novels do this every day?
“Heave-ho.”
He opened his inventory, set up cooking tools in a suitable spot.
Opened the recipe book and made Nora’s special pork barbecue.
Stuffing his mouth with the crispy grilled meat, his energy gradually returned.
Nothing beats meat for restoring vitality.
After eating, he paid and entered the inn’s open-air bath.
Ahh, perfect. Fatigue melting away…
The best part of the open-air bath was the rotating mob NPCs every day—perfect for casual groping and fun.
“Haa, nothing beats a bath after adventuring.”
“That’s why you can’t quit this life~.”
With two NPCs spouting fitting lines on either side, he draped his arms over their shoulders and savored the feel of their bodies.
Their skin was silky smooth from the hot spring.
Left hand stroking the petite, cute-faced NPC’s thigh; right hand kneading the busty milf’s breasts.
Thighs are springy, tits are soft.
A scene straight out of a brothel—no need for extras!
Felt like renting out a high-end salon, which put him in a good mood.
Not that Yoon Young had ever been to one, of course.
“Whew. Nice and toasty.”
And so another day passed…
*
A few days went by without further incidents.
He sold off all the junk cluttering his inventory and tallied his current funds.
“Total assets: 1 gold 10 silver…”
Not bad—he’d amassed quite a bit.
Party hunting to raise favorability meant money piled up more than EXP.
This could buy a flashy weapon from the smithy.
Yoon Young recalled his battered old sword.
He’d stubbornly stuck to drops for weapons so far, but it was time to give up.
Really gotta buy one. Hunting efficiency is trash like this.
He was just about to head to the weapon shop when.
Flutter! Flutter!
A pigeon flapped noisily overhead.
“Carrier pigeon.”
As Yoon Young reacted, it dropped a scroll with a thunk and flew off.
What now? Redia summoning him again?
Unfurling the paper revealed something unexpected.
[Greetings. I am Alberto, head butler serving the Lord of Belgadis Lord’s Castle. Rumors of your recent exploits have spread far and wide. The Lord wishes to personally reward you and has a matter to discuss. Please visit the castle at your convenience.]
“Lord’s Castle…?”
Was there such a place?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Entry to Belgadis Lord’s Castle is now possible.]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Belgadis Lord’s Castle can be accessed via the portal at the end of the residential district.]
Nothing too strange about it.
The city had a knight order, after all?
No matter how jumbled this game world’s lore was, the base was medieval fantasy, so a lord made sense.
I’m curious, so I’ll check it out right away.
Yoon Young set off.