Chapter 111
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: 26. Hometown. (2)
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Natasha had made it a near-daily routine to seek out Leader Allen after finishing her work. Sure, on the surface it was just a casual meeting, but they both knew full well that wasn't the real reason.
Honestly, Allen found it a bit surprising. He'd pegged her as the pinnacle of self-control, someone who prized restraint above all else. Yet here she was, cloaking her desires in the guise of friendship and boldly making sexual advances. He'd figured even that she'd conquer with sheer willpower. ...Apparently, maxed-out affinity levels came with some exceptions.
Meanwhile, the redhead mage—who'd already seen everything there was to see of Allen—rarely visited the leader unless it was a scheduled appointment. She'd ended up with the [Masturbation Addiction] trait as a result, but honestly, policing someone else's private habits was just too meddlesome.
Anyway, there was just one thing Allen had to be careful about here.
Making sure the gumtit swordmaster's [Attachment] and [Delusions] didn't devolve solely into [Obsession] and [Delusional Disorder]. Proper trait management was key.
Even among top-tier mercenaries in the Guild Master system, handling elite members' traits was a leader's essential duty. Natasha was one of the easiest named characters to manage—no real upkeep needed—but the aftereffects of devil plague couldn't be ignored. Still, since that plague had handed him this powerhouse on a platter, a little oversight was a small price to pay.
And thanks to it—or whatever—Allen even got chances to sneak a feel of Natasha's chest while she was lost in a kiss. He'd been curious, after all.
...They were definitely on the small side, but not so flat he couldn't sense they were a woman's. Her nipples perked up stiffly when they kissed, too...
But that was as far as things went between them. Groping stayed firmly over clothes—no skin.
No matter how much Allen loved a good fuck, he wasn't about to push first. Especially once rational feelings mixed into a relationship; it'd be only a matter of time before the mercenary corps turned into a feel-good club.
Of course, humans came equipped with dicks and pussies, so sexual relief was inevitable. But layering special motives on top? That was a no-go. Even if a squad member developed romantic feelings for the leader, Allen had to keep it strictly professional.
...And exactly ten days after wrapping negotiations with that southern wench Charlotte.
The Charlotte Mercenary Corps, Allen Mercenary Corps, and Pharos Mercenary Corps set off from Vermandua at the crack of dawn, taking their first steps toward the southern mid-sized city of Verher.
For maknae Cori, this was his second outing with the Allen Mercenary Corps, and he carried himself with notable composure now that he'd been through it once. Especially since, like Allen, he hailed from the south—heading home had him buzzing with excitement.
The hairy bastard Gis, mid-yawn that threatened to split his face, shot the leader a shady glance and murmured in a sly tone.
"So, uh, this new leader who showed up and our own leader... they childhood friends or somethin'...? That true?"
Oho.
To mercenaries, childhood friends meant the kind who'd jerk each other off back in the day.
"...And how'd you hear about that?"
"I got some connections with the Viola House staff."
Gis flicked his tongue and flashed a cheeky grin, nearly sending the gumtit swordmaster into a rage. It hit her like that time she'd choked down slop that tasted like sewer.
As the squad eyed Allen with rapt interest, he waved it off casually.
"Childhood friends... nah, just acquaintances. ...Not whatever filthy shit you're imagining, so cut the weird rumors."
"Ain't that fate itself? A girl from way down south turns out to be someone you almost childhood-friended?!"
"Gis, go be a novelist. What a load of bullshit."
With suspicions lightly brushed aside, the mood settled back down.
Allen snorted softly and gazed at the predawn sky.
Hometown, Verher.
...No, not heading home. Back to my workplace. I won't return home before hitting rank 10.
- Don't even think of coming back until I hear your name on my ear.
His father's words still rang vividly in the son's ears.
So he had no plans to visit home this time. He'd hole up comfortably at the count's estate instead.
...Not because his bribe reimbursement request got shot down before, of course.
···
The group reached the Iron Fortress of Kalstadt—the benchmark city of the central region—in a week. After two days' rest there, they pushed on to the Luttenbake Gorge. The place where they'd suffered that brutal curse from the black mage before. ...Luckily, aside from a few monster spawns, nothing major happened this time.
Crossing the gorge brought them to the eastern region at last. Home turf for the redhead mage. She'd been away a long while herself, so her sentiments ran deep.
But with no plans to swing by her hometown of Mahbana, they could only promise to catch up later.
It was just a transit route through the gorge anyway, so their time in the east was brief. They passed the great city of Raplause, skirted several villages large and small, and finally arrived at Rbalra—the trade hub linking east and south. ...Right where Allen had recruited old dog Kallisman Rowner.
Reliving old memories one by one was its own fun. Like a senior sergeant reminiscing about his rookie days. ...Though Allen sure as hell wasn't at senior sergeant level yet.
The mercenaries rested exactly two days in Rbalra before resuming toward mid-city Verher. ...And so, after a full month on the road from Vermandua, they arrived at Allen's hometown and destination: Verher.
...Looking at it now, yeah, definitely a backwater shithole.
That was Allen's take on revisiting the city after so long. The population had grown some since his day, but it was nothing compared to central cities. No wonder they couldn't handle the magic beast crisis themselves and had to trek all the way to Vermandua for mercenaries.
They headed straight for the count's estate. And perhaps thanks to the camaraderie built over a month of rough travel, Charlotte threw a grand welcome feast for the weary mercs.
The first to visit Allen's room after he'd bathed clean was, predictably, the gumtit swordmaster Natasha—body burning hotter than ever.
True to form, once she latched onto something, she went all in. Training fiend Natasha had gotten hooked on friendship kisses. She'd at least blushed shyly before, but now she treated it like an obvious duty, bold as brass. No protests even if he groped her chest outright.
Hell, their kisses had gotten so lewd and filthy that calling them "friendship kisses" felt like an insult to friendship itself. ...But if that's how she saw it, Allen wasn't about to correct her. No real reason to.
True to her [Genius] trait, Natasha had become absurdly good at kissing now. If the redhead mage learned through smart analysis of past romps, the gumtit swordmaster was a heaven-sent prodigy who grasped ten from one lesson. Talent worthy of instant recruitment by a rank-10 leader—'nuff said.
...But Allen was only human, so as he groped her body everywhere amid sloppy, nasty kisses, his dick had no choice but to spring to attention. The height difference meant his erection poked right at her navel.
Naturally, Natasha couldn't miss that massive presence jabbing her belly. And just as naturally, her interest drifted there.
At the same time, joy overwhelmed her. ...Even sexually clueless as she was, she knew why a guy's cock swelled up.
...Leader Allen finds my chest... satisfactory too...
Especially since he kneaded her breasts so obsessively—it thrilled her to no end. They weren't huge like her fellow mage's, but plenty sufficient for friendship-sharing, right?
Friendship kisses and friendship tits: check. ...Now for the last piece: friendship dick.
Men had to release when it built up—
Hairy Gis's nonstop chatter. Leader Allen was human too, so of course his lust piled up. Just like how Natasha craved friendship kisses...
She'd been feeling guilty all along for only demanding from the leader. She'd worried he might not be satisfied with her chest, but now that was cleared up.
Of course, thinking it was one thing—voicing it? Hell no. Even with her head swimming from friendship kisses, the mere idea snapped her sober.
What if he saw her as some slut? What if she spoke up and it backfired, losing what she had?
...But now utterly fixated, holding back was torture. Weirdly, anything involving Leader Allen shredded her endurance. Her, who'd endured even devil plague—!
...Ahh...
After agonizing all night in a feverish sweat, she sought him out again the next evening after dinner. For her pre-bed friendship kiss, naturally.
With friendship kisses plus tit fondling, the gumtit swordmaster's pleasure finally peaked. Hoo... Her heels dug in, body arching—she trembled in ecstasy as he held her gently, lips locked endlessly. His hands now roamed not just her chest, but deep into the cleft of her ass.
When their lips finally parted, Natasha panted like a dog on a summer day, gazing at Allen with drooly, lovesick eyes.
No one could deny it was pure affection, yet she stubbornly packaged it as friendship. ...Though body and heart had long surrendered to him completely.
Today's friendship kiss had his friendship dick rock-hard, jabbing her belly.
Shaken to her core by climax, she mustered her courage and whispered sweetly.
"...You've... built up... a lot too, haven't you... Leader...?"
Face flushed pink, the gumtit swordmaster swayed her hips side to side, deliberately teasing the cock pressing against her belly.
"We did... friendship kisses..., so I want to... return the favor......"
She wanted to see the friendship dick? Cost nothing, wore out nothing—sure, why not.
Allen licked her ear slickly and murmured softly.
"Our bond... isn't one that expects favors, is it?"
Of course, he didn't bite her bait right away. Naturally, it left her desperate.
"I want to... do it for you. Let me... please. That way... I can..."
"...Nothing more than that?"
"It's... friendship. We're bound by... shared purpose... So I can do this for you. Anytime... That's what... friendship is..."
Her grasp of "friendship" was way off-base, but Allen let it slide. It was her safety net—kept traits from warping weirdly.
"Alright, fine. ...We're friends who share everything."
And so, after the long journey,
the gumtit swordmaster Natasha
finally got to check out Allen's friendship dick.