Chapter 103
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: 24. Friendship Date. (2)
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The Allen Mercenary Corps had finally earned some genuine rest. Even during that time, however, Busty Blade Natasha devoted much of it to meditation.
She felt deep guilt, especially for dawdling on the gatekeeper monster—a foe she needed to dispatch quickly due to her own shortcomings.
......It's all my fault...!
Replaying the battle in her mind, she spotted plenty of regrets and inadequacies. And those were all on her lack of skill.
So Natasha kept reliving that exact scene over and over, endlessly pondering what she should have done—what moves she needed to make.
Right then, someone knocked lightly on her door. Snapping out of her deep contemplation, she opened it to greet the visitor.
Standing outside was Red-Tube Mage Elena. Even in simple casual clothes, her massive chest overwhelmed like it was putting on a show.
"Natasha, wanna come sightseeing with us? We'll check out the city, the lake... Odd-Eyes is coming too."
But the self-flagellating Busty Blade, tormented by her inadequacies, regretfully turned her down.
"I've got some deep thinking to do... Next time."
"Oh, I see. Alright then..."
And so, having fended off the Tit Monster—no, the mage Elena—the Busty Blade dove back into her meditation with renewed fervor. ......Once again conquering those breasts through sheer force of will.
But no matter how obsessed Natasha was with mental training, she couldn't spend the entire day cooped up like that. Especially after catching that "demon sickness," she'd developed this intense craving to see the world. First time in a new place—she couldn't leave without sightseeing.
Plus, this city boasted the continent's most famous beauty: Relloa Lake. No way she could skip that.
...Should've gone when she invited me earlier...
A twinge of belated regret washed over her. But the carriage was already gone.
Right then—knock knock again.
Whoa—!
Maybe Elena had come back. As a count's daughter, the mage might've returned out of politeness to ask once more.
...Or could it be...?
On a whim, the Busty Blade straightened her hair and clothes, striking a seductive—no, polite—pose.
She cracked the door open cautiously...... only for two ugly mugs to appear.
"Knew it. Figured you'd be holed up in here moping like a loser. Jeez, grown-ass adult. Tsk tsk."
"Hehe, senpai."
Hairy Gis and Rookie Cory.
Natasha's hopes shattered in an instant as she shot them a dirty look.
"Ugh, what are you idiots doing here? I'm meditating."
"Aw, we came to save your sorry butt from all that moping."
"Save my what? Get lost already."
"For real, not coming? They say the lake here's killer. ...We're leaving you behind, then."
"Go have your fun without me."
Gis's lips curled into a sly grin.
"Oh, wait—you holding out for the Leader? You looked all hyped earlier. Heh, nailed it!"
"N-No! Shut up, you wanna die? I said scram!"
As Natasha flailed her arms and legs threateningly, the two guys backed off like they were fleeing a wild beast.
"Sorry, but the Leader's mine, kid. My tits are bigger than yours—"
The hairy bastard, retreating to a safe distance, grabbed his beefy pecs and jiggled them up and down. Unable to endure that provocation, the Busty Blade charged like a berserker.
"You bastard, dieeee—!"
Any other taunt she could've stomached with her willpower, but not that one. As she lunged, the furball tossed the rookie as bait and bolted solo.
Predictably, the bait rookie had to tank the Busty Blade's wrath alone.
"You little shit, I told you, don't, hang out, with that asshole!"
"Ow, ow, sorryyy!"
Even so, she couldn't bring herself to beat the kid for real. She warned him she'd thrash him bloody next time and shooed him away. ......Though technically, the "kid" was a year older than her.
Whew.
The Busty Blade flopped back onto her bed. ......She knew damn well just hearing the Leader's name got her all worked up.
This is all 'cause my mental strength sucks...! Still way short on training!
Naturally, her thoughts drifted to blissful memories of the Leader. Natasha especially couldn't forget how he'd held her warmly, whispering softly.
- If it's tough, just tell me anytime. Don't suffer in silence. You and I—we're special, right? My arms are always open to you. Come whenever it hurts. Anytime. ......Got it?
She fixated especially on that "special relationship." What had he meant by it?
Too deep for mere friendship, yet too shallow for lovers.
A profound bond between friends...!
Comrades who shared their souls—what a noble connection!
Natasha thrashed happily in ecstatic fantasy for a moment.
Honestly, the second they'd arrived, she'd obsessively imagined strolling the city and lake alone with the Leader. ......Of course, as an extreme introvert among introverts, she'd never mustered the guts to suggest it.
Even as a count's daughter, Natasha was miles from anything social. Not utterly hopeless, but she'd poured herself into sword training instead.
Still, there had been guys who'd chased after her despite her zero feminine charm. Back then, marriage or romance weren't even on her radar, so she'd shot them all down coldly.
As she lay there lost in her lonely delusions,
Another knock at the door. But after two flops already, she approached without much hope. Probably Victor wanting a spar.
She flung the door open...... and saw:
"Figured I'd knock just in case—and yep, you're here."
A handsome man, like he'd stepped from another world, stood there with a gentle smile!
Allen, the Leader who'd headed out early for work, must've just wrapped up and returned.
"Everyone else went out—why're you stuck here alone? ...Don't tell me you're training again?"
Bullseye. Natasha froze, words failing her. She just flashed a broken smile. ......If it'd been that furball, she'd have denied it furiously.
"N-No, not training. Just... thinking for a bit..."
"Wanna see the lake? Let's go together."
He added with a playful lilt.
"Honestly, going with some family man feels off. Gotta be with a beautiful lady like this. ...Tempted yet, milady?"
As Allen extended a hand with that smooth act, Natasha couldn't help but smile softly.
She'd been desperately hoping for exactly this—a once-in-a-lifetime chance. ......She was so glad she'd turned down those two invites earlier.
"...Yeah, sounds good. Let's go, Leader."
As the Busty Lady took his hand lightly, the Leader pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles and flashed a charming grin.
"Thanks for accepting my date invite, milady."
Date!
Her first-ever one made Natasha's heart skip. Of course, Allen escorted her out regardless of her inner turmoil, whisking her from the building in a flash.
The prosperous mid-sized city of Marjir was artistically beautiful too, much like the Silver City of Agnentia.
But to Natasha, walking alone with Allen, such artistry went unnoticed. ......She was thrilled by the situation itself.
Date—.
......No, this is just friendship. Pure friendship. Not that boy-girl stuff!
Not that a girl who'd fantasized about passionately making out with Leader Allen could claim that with a straight face—but for now, she nailed it as friendship. ......Who knew what the future might bring.
They lightly toured the city before heading to the outskirts' carriage stop. The lake was a tad too far to walk.
Tons of people flocked to the continental landmark, Relloa Lake. Allen and Natasha squeezed into a packed carriage, shoulders jammed tight. When a burly guy shoved with his shoulder, Allen had no choice but to press right up against Natasha—close enough to feel each other's breath. ......He couldn't just grind against the big lug.
"You okay?"
"...Yeah, fine."
"Almost there—just bear with me a sec."
Of course, Natasha's simmering delusion fever finally boiled over as Allen's face drew near.
The lioness of Margas, whose mind wandered impurely at the drop of a hat, drowned in lewd fantasies.
Friendship date, friendship kiss, friendship boobs, friendship dick...
Thank god he couldn't read the filthy imaginings in her head!
......Or so she thought—Allen had read it all.
Just how far did Busty Blade Natasha's "friendship" boundaries stretch?