Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: High-Class Brothel
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"We're here. Thanks for all your hard work, Ian. If you need anything from me or want to learn more cooking, come find me at the Cooking Guild instead of my shop!"
"Cooking Guild?"
"Yeah. I'm planning to close up shop for a bit until some annoying customers buzz off. Gotta show my face at the guild too..."
After returning to the surface, Lilia waved goodbye with her face mysteriously glistening.
Sending Lilia off, I reviewed the system messages that had popped up after last night's activities once more.
Acquired experience points via the effect of [Lust Absorption Lv. 3]. <Status Ailment: Heat> has ended.
[Lust Absorption] level has increased to 4. Probability of acquiring the target's skills has risen. The range of changes to semen properties has increased. Efficiency of experience points absorbed through Lust Absorption acts has increased.
[Hallucination Magic] level has increased to 4. Range and duration of hallucinations have increased. Hallucinations become more detailed.
[Sensory Amplification] has reached level 5. Now possible to amplify individual senses without [Sensory Block], and control the amplification intensity.
[Sensory Release] has reached level 5. Now possible to relea...
These were the key ones. Other skills like [Scout], [Taunt], and [Throw] grew a bit too, but no major changes, so I skipped them.
The most encouraging part was [Lust Absorption] hitting level 4. No new effects, but finally, the message about increased experience efficiency popped up. Who cares about the rest—more experience is plenty good. No complaints here.
The level 5 effect for [Sensory Release] was kinda hard to grasp... but I'd figure it out later.
"Hmm..."
The skills grew overall, but my main ones didn't budge. Stuff like [Swordsmanship], [Sensory Block], [Mana Manipulation]...
Well, those are already at level 5. They won't grow easily. Still, [Lust Absorption] leveled up, so I'd have to be satisfied with that.
What can I say—[Lust Absorption] is invincible and god-tier. It's grown, so I'm plenty happy.
Alright... head back, rest up a bit, restock potions and supplies, maintain my armor, then dive back into the Labyrinth? Repeating 15th floor runs like this should get my level 4 skills to 5 soon enough...
Lost in these thoughts, instead of heading straight home, I turned toward the commercial district and swung by my usual alchemy guild branch to buy potions.
...Might as well drop by the brothel while I'm here?
I'd been planning to just go home, but the brothel in a quiet corner of the commercial district crossed my mind.
I usually hit up a brothel after Labyrinth runs. Clears the [Lust Absorption] penalty, and even if the experience is chump change compared to dust, it still nets some via [Lust Absorption].
Yeah, why not, since I'm nearby.
The fatigue from my thing with Lilia was gone, so I headed to my regular spot nearby... but...
"Sorry, sir. You're banned from now on."
"Huh?"
Bounced at the door.
Adventurers who explore the Labyrinth have tough bodies.
Especially those who aren't mages or priests—ones who wield their own flesh as weapons are even tougher.
Which means, naturally, the prostitutes dealing with these hardy adventurers need bodies to match.
Beginner Adventurers are fine for regular girls, but...
"Intermediate Adventurers and above, please go to a high-class brothel instead."
"...You didn't stop me last time."
"We didn't know you were Intermediate then... The girl who handled you caught a bad flu the next day."
"......"
Of course, I'm no exception. As an Intermediate Adventurer, with skills like [Body Reinforcement] leveled up substantially, my body is superhuman now. No way the brothel I'd used since my Beginner days could handle me anymore.
"So what now?"
"Go to one for Adventurers. It's pricier, but they have girls who can take Adventurer bodies."
In the end, I had no choice but to leave my old haunt and head to the one the counter girl recommended.
"...What the hell kind of prices."
My regular spot was about 10 silver a night. This high-class one? One gold per hour.
"Now, now, sir. Expensive? Do you know how rare girls who can handle Adventurers are? Unless they're tough beastkin or ex-Adventurers themselves, they just can't..."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it."
I had the money, so swallowing tears, I browsed the catalog. Come to think of it, I'd never been to a place like this before precisely because of the prices.
'Whoa... worth every coin.'
Looking over the women working here, I had to concede the prices made sense.
'...An ex-Adventurer who's reached the 20th floor working as a hooker? And this one... a centaur? That's a beastkin too? Legs like tree trunks... Wait, why so many orc women?'
Most were burly types, so prices ran higher, but I picked one ex-Adventurer and headed to a room.
Curious, I asked her as she stripped.
"Why sell your body after hitting Intermediate?"
She glanced at my still-armored form and gave a wry smile.
"No life risk here."
"......"
She clearly didn't want to say more, so I skipped further talk and got down to business.
She was worth the price—great technique, tight grip, felt good... but...
'Not as good as Lilia.'
Having tasted peak pleasure just yesterday, I went in with a mindset of just hooking up without triggering the [Lust Absorption] penalty, shook my hips moderately, and came in the condom.
"Ahh, ohh, haaang."
Even that, boosted by [Lust Absorption], wrecked her.
"Oppa... that was great."
Afterward, I looked down at her dazed eyes for a moment, then activated my inventory to get dressed.
'...No urge to extend. Prices are insane, gotta cut back on visits...'
Acquired a small amount of experience points via the effect of [Lust Absorption Lv. 4].
[Body Technique] skill level has increased to 3!
"...........What?"
"Huh? Oppa, what'd you say?"
The skill leveled... up? I'd hit brothels plenty before, but it was always just the activation message—never meaningful experience from them.
"Mmm... Oppa wasn't satisfied, huh. But I loved it. Guess no extension..."
"Extension."
"Huh? What was th..."
"Extension. Three more hours."
"What? Wait, oppa... ahh!"
Time to test it.
"Haa... haaa..."
I laid the woman on the bed—body flushed red, leaking white fluid from every hole—and checked the system messages.
Acquired a small amount of experience points via the effect of [Lust Absorption Lv. 4].
[Dash] and [Leap] skills' levels have increased to 2!
'...Leveled up again.'
Extending for three more hours of fun netted two more skill levels. They were recent level 1 pickups from the Labyrinth with weak effects, but the point was, [Lust Absorption] gave meaningful experience here.
'The level up? Or the target?'
[Lust Absorption] at level 4 boosting efficiency, or maybe because she's a decently strong ex-Intermediate Adventurer?
Even so, experience came only from the first few rounds, tapering off later...
'Fuck yes, this is it.'
I shivered. Way less than from women I know like Lilia or Lena, but enough to level skills.
So, my next move was obvious.
"Well, sir. Thanks for extending. Hope you had a pleasant night. Safe travels ba—"
"Catalog."
"...Pardon? Catalog, what..."
"Just hand it over."
Pressing her, the counter girl bewilderedly fetched the catalog of working women.
I picked two more: decent prices, looks I could handle, ex-Adventurer histories.
"These two available now?"
"Uh... We can do two at once, but sir, you've already been here three hours..."
-Clink.
"Don't worry about that. Take the money first."
"Gasp! Thank you, sir! This room's messy—I'll move you to another!"
I paid the listed amount plus a nice tip, and she briskly escorted me to a new room.
'Perfect...'
How much money do I have left now?