Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Unexpected Benefits
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While waiting for Miranda, who'd said she'd wash up for a bit, I checked the results from what we'd just done.
[Sensory Block Lv. 4]
[Sensory Amplification Lv. 3]
[Stealth Lv. 2]
The skills I'd been using most had all leveled up across the board. [Sensory Block] now came with an option to distinguish the levels of senses it could block, but unfortunately, no new effects for [Sensory Amplification] or [Stealth]. Still, just the level-ups alone were encouraging enough.
The [Sensory Release] skill's level hadn't gone up. Well, I hadn't used it just now, after all. I didn't use it much even normally, so it probably hadn't accumulated much experience. It was a risky one to use carelessly anyway.
A derivative skill has been created.
[Multi-Block Lv. 1]: Block multiple senses on one target, or cast [Sensory Block] on multiple targets.
Once [Sensory Block] hit level 4, I unlocked a derivative skill too. Finally, I could target multiple people instead of just one, and block multiple senses on a single target.
The moment I got it, I tested it out. I ejaculated into the cup of water Miranda was drinking from, then blocked her "smell" and "taste" senses at the same time as she took a sip.
For now, it seemed limited to just two at once—I tried blocking the sensation of her tongue too, but that failed. Her tongue's texture and the swallow probably didn't feel great.
Anyway, the skill levels going up was a pretty good outcome. Though it was hard to just celebrate blindly.
Because once again, my rationality had flown out the window for a moment there. Miranda had been genuinely pissed at my attitude, and I'm not the type of guy with the guts to trust a skill and start groping her like dough just because she was mad.
No, it felt more like my anger had been converted straight into lust?
[Lust Absorption Lv. 2]: Gain experience through sexual acts. However, experience gradually decreases if no sexual acts occur for a certain period.
Lv. 2 Additional Effect: Grasping of rationality's erogenous zones. Additional bonuses to sexual areas. But occasionally fall into [Heat] status ailment.
Looking at the suspected culprit, [Lust Absorption], its level had gone up to 2 as well. What the hell? There hadn't been a level-up message when I checked earlier.
And the level 2 effect... let's not even go there. I'd hoped for something like more experience gain, but nothing like that. Of course, a skill level-up is still good, but...
Eh, what can you do? I didn't know how to delete it anyway, and I had zero intention of doing so.
"Made you wait?"
Once I'd sorted through all the gains, Miranda emerged from the back of the shop again.
Her hair was slightly damp at the tips, and she had this oddly refreshed look on her face. It wasn't a bad expression, so she probably hadn't noticed anything.
"Anyway, thanks again. To be honest, my attitude wasn't great, but thanks to the buff you cast, my skills leveled up."
"Well... it wasn't that powerful a buff."
Truth be told, I'd cast it just to get her off me, but then she'd suddenly gotten super focused, which surprised me.
...More like I seized the opportunity and groped away, but anyway.
"It was subtle, the boost from the buff... but the moment I got it, I felt it. Like I could break through my stalled skill levels right then. And sure enough, they did."
"Well, glad it helped."
"Just saying thanks or sorry wouldn't feel sincere, right? Here, take this."
Apparently not just a wash-up, Miranda handed me something else along with another apology.
"It's nothing special, just a belt. When heading into the Labyrinth, you don't put everything in your bag—keep key items in the multi-pouches on the belt."
Oh. To be honest, any anger she'd had seemed gone ages ago. No way I'd turn down a gift like this.
"I'll put it to good use. Oh, want me to buff your skills again next time?"
"Hmm... nah. It felt like a breakthrough when I was stuck like before, but normally, I think it's better to rely on my own skills."
Fair enough.
"Then I'll head out."
"Ah, wait, before you go."
"?"
"Mind a quick handshake?"
"Sure, no problem."
Nothing weird about it, so I took her outstretched hand and shook.
Miranda gripped my hand, ran her fingers over it like she was probing, then let go quickly.
"All good. Come back if you need gear repaired or whatever. I'll cut you a deal."
What was that about?
Eh, whatever. I'd spent more time here than expected anyway, and there were plenty of other places to check out.
I gave a casual goodbye and left the shop. Miranda was muttering something behind me—too quiet to hear, probably brainstorming some gear to craft.
"Ngh... damn, wet again..."
Meanwhile, after more or less shooing Ian out of the mansion, Alensia was meeting the guest she'd invited over.
"Oh my, Sia? What brings you here instead of the temple?"
"Long time no see, Gloria. And it's Alensia, not Sia."
"Still going by that these days, Sia? We're alone—loosen up. It's not like I don't know you."
The priestess of the Light God, Gloria, greeted her warmly. Alensia—no, Sia—hesitated a moment before dropping her stiff expression and tone.
"Yeah. Gloria sis."
Gloria's face lit up with a smile as she watched Sia's rigid facade melt into a relaxed one. They'd once delved the Labyrinth together, so to her, Alensia felt like a real little sister.
Seeing Sia keep up the formal speech outside but let her guard down around her only reinforced that.
"Um, sis. Could you check my shoulder for me?"
When Sia made the request with uncharacteristic hesitation, Gloria's heart sank. That shoulder was the site of the injury that had effectively forced Sia to retire as an advanced adventurer— one she hadn't been able to detox in time.
After retiring and staying with the church, she'd searched for ways to heal it, but nothing worked short of divine blessings or elixirs. It hurt all the more for that.
"Sorry, Sia... this is all because of me..."
"...I keep telling you, it's not your fault, sis. Just check the shoulder first."
At Sia's slightly off reaction, Gloria tilted her head but did as asked and diagnosed her shoulder.
As Gloria placed her hand on the shoulder, warm holy power seeped into Sia's body, spreading to every corner to assess its condition.
Muscles free of fatigue, a well-trained physique, utterly wrecked mana circuits... and, faintly, connected mana circuits in between.
"!!!!!!! Sia! Th-this... this is...!"
Sensing faint mana flow from Sia's injured shoulder, Gloria was stunned. The condition that had shown no improvement despite every method had gotten a little better.
Mana circuits were pathways invisible to the naked eye, detectable only through holy power or mana.
The more you trained your mana, the more complex and capacious they became. They didn't break from mere physical wounds. Even overexertion injuries could be healed with an advanced priest or high mage.
But Sia's had been completely shattered by the aftermath of forcibly drawing mana while poisoned by the Elder Basilisk's venom on Labyrinth floor 35. Every attempt at treatment after failed against the total destruction.
Yet now, those circuits were faintly recovering.
"This! Where'd you get it treated? Diluted elixir? Or did some archmage pop up out of nowhere?"
"That's why I called you here instead of the temple. Would've caused a huge fuss."
"Of course it would! It's not just you—plenty of high-level adventurers have mana circuit damage!"
Gloria was naturally excited. Rare case or not, quite a few retirees from circuit injuries existed among Labyrinth delvers. A cure for them?
"So, sis, what do you think? Can it be treated in this state?"
At Sia's calm question, Gloria composed herself and seriously examined the mana circuits.
"...Not like this. Still impossible to treat. If it improves a bit more, maybe, but as is, no."
"What if it gets even better?"
"If the mana circuits keep recovering bit by bit... yeah, I could fully heal it."
It wasn't like a tiny mana trickle meant instant recovery. That's why Sia had called her most skilled acquaintance among priests, and hearing confirmation of potential treatment made the tension drain from her, leaving her slumped.
She'd given up on fixing the injury, but unexpectedly, a path forward had appeared.
"So, Sia, where'd you get treated?"
Gloria pressed, and Sia pondered briefly.
"Can't say yet. I'll contact you again soon—once I confirm if it'll improve more."
"...From how you say that, guess it's not elixir or anything conventional?"
True to their old camaraderie, Gloria picked up on what Sia meant. With Sia's upright nature, keeping even her in the dark meant it involved someone else's safety.
Knowing that side of her, Gloria didn't pry—instead, she pulled Sia into a tight hug.
"S-sis?"
"It's... really, really good news, Sia..."
As Sia soothed the genuinely worried, teary-eyed Gloria, she thought to herself.
No matter what, admitting she'd gotten a massage from a guy was a bit embarrassing.
She didn't mind personally, but back when they delved the Labyrinth, Gloria had dragged her out in horror from male-run massage shops.