Spec Up (1)
Shwaaaa—
“Hng…?”
Her gray eyelashes trembled, revealing gray irises clouded with bewilderment. She had definitely gotten up somehow, swung her mace at the monster, felt the heavy impact travel through it, then poured every ounce of strength into dragging herself back to her comrades and smashing their heads…
“Fuuu… Siiiip, fuuu…”
“Ngh.”
When she opened her eyes, she was leaning against the bathroom wall under hot water, with Hendrick slumped over one thigh. Both naked.
This place… Ah. We made it back. We really made it back.
She had done it. She had done it. Shae had done it.
And the Captain had brought them to Seilroom.
Her mind was foggy, but she could piece that much together. The only issues were his face pointed right there, and the constant stimulation from his deep breaths in and out.
“C-Captain…”
She called out timidly, but Hendrick was already out cold. She’d been worried about the bloodstains caked all over his body, her thigh was going numb, her butt ached… but she didn’t want to move from this position.
“Honey… Ha!”
Kaya jolted in shock at the word she’d murmured while unconsciously caressing Hendrick’s cheek. She glanced around the empty bathroom—no one else there—and pressed a hand to her chest with a sigh of relief.
A hallucination… It’s clinging so stubbornly.
Wasn’t it stamped into the side of her head like a seal? She knew it was just a fantasy, but it felt like a memory she’d never forget for the rest of her life. Even if having a child was impossible, becoming husband and wife…
W-What am I thinking right now?
Kaya slapped her own cheek.
Hendrick, her Captain, was a vital hero standing at a fateful crossroads. She couldn’t ruin his aspirations, his destiny, for her own selfish desires.
Sometimes, when they both had a moment to breathe. Just occasionally, she could treat him as her Yujin—honest time just for her.
If she had that, Kaya would…
The Captain would. Shae too.
She’d embrace it. Just like her. She wanted to monopolize him. Her treasure, her destiny. A duo bound by fate. What a beautiful ring to it.
Without realizing she was stroking his lips, Kaya marveled at herself once more—had she ever been this greedy in her life?
And even that, she attributed to Hendrick. The her who had survived only because she couldn’t die. The her who lived on barely-found faith. The her who now actively desired something—it was all thanks to him.
This new self felt unfamiliar, but she didn’t hate it. This emotion was precious.
“Just… a little bit…”
So maybe it was okay. She’d done exactly as ordered, and the Captain was in this state anyway… A little private happiness couldn’t hurt, right?
Kaya subtly shifted her position. Then lowered her head and pressed her lips to his.
Mwah—
“…Not enough.”
Mwaaah—
“Just a little more.”
Smooch— Slurp— Chuup—
Kaya’s kisses grew longer, deeper. The intensifying sounds were drowned out by the hot water soaking them both.
She’d promised herself just a little, but showed no sign of stopping—and no one was there to stop her.
“Haaa…”
Finally pulling back, breathless, Kaya gazed down at Hendrick with flushed cheeks. In her heart, two wishes clashed: for this moment to last forever, and for him to wake and kiss her back.
She wanted him to look at her like last time—call her beautiful, pretty, touch her, hold her.
Too greedy. At least for now…
She wasn’t aware she was showering kisses on an unconscious Hendrick without permission, but some rationality remained. Even under hot water, staying in the bathroom like this too long couldn’t be good for their bodies.
There’ll be other chances.
For the time being, neither she nor the Captain would set foot in the dungeon. They needed to recover, rest their exhausted minds, repair gear and supplies, and probably recruit new comrades.
Trivial or important, painful or joyful—as long as it was with Hendrick, she’d stick with him to the end.
“One more time…”
Just once more, before that. The last time.
It had been ages since I’d had such a pleasant dream. As far as I knew, non-REM was deep sleep like honey, and REM was lighter sleep with dreams—but I hadn’t forgotten the good dream, and my fatigue felt significantly eased anyway.
Whatever.
Good sleep was good sleep, REM or non-REM. I’d survived with my comrades and returned safely. Snagged some juicy rewards. And had flowers in both hands that others envied…
…Huh?
Wait, this—was this real?
Only then did I grasp the identity of the soft somethings enveloping me from both sides.
Left: Shae. Right: Kaya.
My two comrades—no, two women—were pressed naked against me!
No way. This had to be a dream. The bed wasn’t that big, and I’d clearly collapsed in the bathroom while trying to wash Kaya… Whatever. It didn’t add up.
“A hallucination, huh.”
“Sleep well, Captain?”
“Gah!”
But my denial shattered instantly. I creakily turned toward the voice and saw Shae’s smiling face.
Delicate features exuding princess-like grace and elegance, fit for an isekai fantasy. Lustrous golden hair framing a blindingly bright smile. With the blanket up to her neck, only her face showed—and she was staring right at me.
“Sh-Shae.”
“Good morning. Or lunch, maybe?”
“H-How’s this…”
“Oh, this?”
She giggled mischievously, poking my nose with her fingertip.
“When I woke up, I was alone on this side of the bed, and you and Sis were glued together on the other. I got jealous of you two cuddling, so I shoved the beds together. Hehe.”
Too close. Way too close. Don’t smile while sticking like that… It’s dangerous… I can feel it…!
“Ah, uh. You okay? Looked like resting like that wasn’t great, so I washed you without asking.”
“Of course! I’m grateful, actually, Captain. Sleeping in armor would’ve been miserable. And with you… it’s fine.”
Shae wriggled with a hehe, sending more blood rushing to my already tense lower half.
Justitia. Rein in your daughter, yeah?
Even if I’d hugged them both in the dungeon for mental care as an extreme measure, getting aroused the morning after return—with another comrade right there—was wrong.
They were comrades. Not whores.
I slipped naturally from her embrace to avoid upsetting her. Kaya’s body peeled away too.
“Hnnng… Captain…”
“Whoa, Sis is seriously cute.”
Kaya squirmed, limbs twitching as if missing the embrace, mumbling in her sleep—and yeah, as Shae said, it was shockingly adorable. No screenshot, but I saved it to memory.
“Body feeling okay?”
“Yeah. Whole body’s languid and lazy, but the fear and stuff’s way less.”
“Good. Rest here then.”
“Where you going?”
“To get food. Gotta pay the inn bill too.”
“Not really hungry…”
Grrrrrowl…
“Ahem. Be back soon.”
“Th-That’s!”
“As fast as I can. Got it?”
“C-Captaaain!”
You know that, Shae? Your blushing face right now is just as insanely cute as Kaya’s.
I grabbed some clothes, dressed, and slipped out pretending not to hear her tummy rumble.
“Hendrick, hero of the HAT Hero Party, correct?”
“That’s me, but who…?”
“Yegrina of the Seilroom Hero Affairs Division, 3rd Hero Investigation Team. I have a few questions. Your cooperation is requested.”
The moment I hit the inn’s first floor, a neat, prim woman approached. Her stiff, official tone mentioning “Hero Investigation Team” made me instinctively step back.
“No need to worry. This isn’t harmful to you, Hendrick Hero. Just fact-checking questions. If you doubt my identity…”
“This about the ones who moved our party here?”
“Yes.”
“One sec.”
Yegrina nodded crisply. Even an FM assistant’s practiced moves weren’t this precise. I paid the innkeeper, ordered meals to take up later.
I’d noticed with the two beds, but the bigger room jacked up the bill.
Ordered six portions figuring we’d be starving—innkeeper’s face lit up a bit. Anyway, wrap up with her while waiting for food.
She sat across at a corner table.
“You returned to Seilroom yesterday, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Party’s condition on return?”
“…Two unconscious, me on the verge. Covered in wounds, lost a lot of blood.”
“How far do you remember?”
“Right after arriving in Seilroom, the first two who found us ran up. Asked which inn I was staying at, called people to help move us—that much.”
“Know their names?”
“Akeruman, he said.”
“Anything missing?”
“No.”
Yegrina nodded.
“Stories match. That covers questions for you, Hendrick Hero. Any for me?”
“Any idea why this?”
Whoa. Just a few simple questions, but her demeanor made it feel like an interrogation. Still, I’d done nothing wrong, and this was a chance for Seilroom intel.
“Simple. Profit for profit, loss for loss.”
Luckily, the FM investigator answered kindly enough, propping her chin on laced hands.
“Akeruman Hero and company safely escorted you honest heroes—including you—to the inn, took no illegal gains, caused no illegal losses. So he gets a reward.”
“Ah… I see.”
“We call all dungeon challengers ‘heroes,’ but not all heroes are equal, Hendrick Hero.”
“Meaning?”
“Might be presumptuous from someone who’s never entered a dungeon.”
Her eyes sharpened for a split second.
“From investigating countless hero issues over years… There’s no true hero in Seilroom aiming to clear the dungeon’s end. Less greedy or very greedy. Less corrupted or irredeemably so. That’s the difference.”
“…”
“Congrats on being rescued by the less greedy, less corrupted ones. Sorry for interrupting your rest.”
With that, the FM investigator—Yegrina—strode out.
No true heroes, huh…
Wonder what she’d say if I told her my top goal. Curiosity sparked, but the innkeeper calling about the food cut it short.
Whatever. No trouble, no entanglements.
Thanks again to Akeruman and his less-corrupted crew. I waddled upstairs with six portions.