Spec Up (9)

Thump-thump.

Trembling with fluttering eyelashes, Kaya opened her eyes and shuddered at the sensation of her entire body being tightly bound, along with the lingering ache in her chest and lower abdomen. She pondered for a moment why it felt that way, then recalled the intense activities from yesterday afternoon through the evening—skipping dinner entirely—and her face flushed red. Seeing Hendrick's arms wrapped around her as if determined not to let her go, and his hand gripping her breast, she couldn't help but let out a soft pfft of laughter.

Is this... happiness? Is this... love? It was embarrassing, no doubt. The positions, the three of them together, and the lewdness she hadn't even known she possessed coming to light. She was still embarrassed now. If someone asked whether she could do it again right this moment, assuming her stamina had recovered, she'd hesitate. But if they asked if she truly didn't want to...

I don't hate it.

Because it was Hendrick. Just being held like this made her heart pound faster than usual. This wasn't the first time she'd been intimate with him, but this time it felt like they'd stepped into an even deeper relationship. She felt much closer to Shae now, too.

Possessiveness. The selfish desire that had taken ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠root in Kaya's heart hadn't completely vanished. But she'd shoved it deep down, sealing it away. For her own happiness, for Hendrick's happiness, so it wouldn't easily surface. As of yesterday, not only she but Shae too had officially become Hendrick's woman. Still, before Shae woke up, in this moment right now—while she was the only one awake—couldn't she indulge in a little selfish desire?

Kaya carefully shifted her stiff body and savored Hendrick's lips.

...I want to keep going.

As Hendrick had said, she must be a lewd woman after all. Once wasn't enough. She leaned in for another kiss, but then she felt eyes on her.

"Uh... is your body okay, sis?"

"... "

"Y-You can keep going if you want."

"Pretend you didn't see anything, please."

"It's really fine, though."

Kaya hurriedly returned to her original position, but it was pointless. Shae, who knew not when she'd woken up, was staring intently at her from beyond Hendrick's torso.

"Sis."

"Yes, Shae."

"Thank you."

"...I didn't really do anything."

"You're truly a nun of mercy and tolerance, sis."

Shae stroked Hendrick's chest. When he twitched, she giggled.

"My hatred for heretics remains unchanged. My goal of destroying the dungeon hasn't wavered either. But before, I wasn't particularly afraid of failing that goal and dying in resentment, or losing my life while venting my hatred. But now... I have another goal."

"Another goal."

"Not dying. Surviving to the end together, safely. And finally experiencing that 'happy daily life' I've never known."

Mwah. Shae lightly pressed her lips to Hendrick's shoulder.

"With the Captain, and with you, sis, I think it's possible. No, it will be possible."

"Is that so."

"I'll do my best. Yesterday will be a day I'll never forget."

"...Same here."

"By the way... sis."

"Yes."

"Don't you think we've gotten a bit closer? How about dropping the formal speech?"

Kaya made a troubled face.

"I'll think about it. It's such a long-standing habit that changing it suddenly isn't ea—uph?!"

"Hyah?!"

"Mmm, mm, slurp, smooch, slurp."

Their conversation was interrupted by Hendrick's naughty hands. But upon seeing each other's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expressions, they both burst into small laughs. Yeah, conversations could wait—they'd have plenty of time later. For now, focus on the present. Kaya and Shae burrowed deeper into Hendrick's embrace without a word, closing their eyes.

Heaven?

My whole body ached. Especially my waist—it felt like death. Exaggerating a bit, I really thought I might die, but I had no regrets.

Is this really just a pure measure of affinity with comrades?

My relationship levels with Kaya and Shae had maxed out at 5. It wasn't just because of the sex—probably more from what came before: 'You two, become my women.' Whether it was 0 or 1, jumping to 4, or now 5, no one knew exactly what effect it had... but it didn't feel meaningless. Nothing was meaningless; I just hoped that number never went down.

"Ngh..."

A seductive moan pierced straight into my right ear, whipping my head around. There was the gray-haired half-elf getting her breasts groped by me, her legs tangled around mine as she rubbed against me.

She's still asleep, right?

Not getting tired of Kaya's endlessly fondleable breasts, I kept kneading them while pulling up her profile.

Holy shit.

The moment I saw Shae's new trait, I froze. Kaya and Shae pressed closer as if asking why I'd stopped touching them, and only then did I resume my naughty hands—but my pounding heart was beyond control.

Desperate Resolve (probabilistically ignores Agony). For any class, this was just okay—not a loss, but nothing special. It didn't help in combat reliably, and ignoring Agony wasn't guaranteed. But for a front-line tank who takes the most hits?

And above all, Shae isn't some disposable game data chunk.

She wasn't something I could replace with another hero if things went wrong, or quit and start a new game when pissed. In that context, Shae's Desperate Resolve was like insurance, alongside Kaya's One Who Overcame Fear.

The negative Dependency was a bit annoying, but Shae's speed was low anyway, and with the Unjust Resistance artifact boosting defense at speed cost, it wasn't a big deal.

Good enough. Shae hit level 4 too, and her traits are solid.

Upgrade Shae's gear first? Or Kaya's? Who gets the two random skill books from rewards? I quickly sank into happy delusions. The blissful sensations all over my body squared that happiness.

*

It was too late in the day to call it a good morning—the sun was already high. This wasn't crashing out post-return; it was openly slacking by choice, something almost unprecedented.

"Please, eat first."

"Have some of this too!"

We huddled around the table eating lunch (or breakfast) brought from the first floor. There was a slight awkwardness from yesterday's aftermath, but we definitely felt closer than before. Dipping bread in soup, I naturally took the lead.

"First off, let's celebrate again. We survived and returned, cleared part of the dungeon, and leveled up big time. Our hero party time and history are short, but if anyone learned our achievements, no one would dismiss us as newbie heroes."

"I don't care about others' gazes or evaluations. Only the party's safety, benefits, and real accomplishments ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matter to me."

"Right. As long as they don't dare insult the daughters of Justitia and Raella."

With their self-esteem filled, they proudly ate their meat. A welcome change. Crumbs on their lips were cute too. Wiping them off made them blush silently—cuter still.

"Yeah, just be proud of yourselves. But don't stop there—with that pride, remember what I said earlier: the zone we cleared is just part now. Let's push harder. You get it?"

"Yes, Captain."

"In that spirit."

I cleared the empty dishes and placed the two adaptive random skill books there.

"These."

"Skill books...?"

"Yeah. They grant a random skill matching the opener's class. Kaya opens for a Battle Vestal skill, Shae for Crusader. No clue what'll pop."

Put simply, luck of the draw. Worst case, a duplicate basic skill. Best case, something god-tier like Kaya's All According to God's Will.

After deliberation, I handed one to Kaya, one to Shae.

"I can't accept something like this. And I'm unlucky anyway. You or Shae should..."

"Random skills? Mess up and it's wasted gold, right? Plus, the whole party fought for these—excluding you feels wrong."

But Kaya and Shae pushed them back without hesitation. No regrets either. Huh?

"Result of my thinking. Better you two open than me."

"I think you and Shae should open them, excluding me."

"I'd prefer you and sis Kaya."

"If I open it, the skill book turns to trash. Better sell it—I won't open."

"I think my current skills are plenty!"

What the hell was with these women?