Chapter 231: 41st Floor: The Free City of Valterion
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 231: 41st Floor: The Free City of Valterion
Rattle, rattle...
The diplomatic envoy's carriage had to travel for a full day to reach a military base near the imperial capital and use the Warp Gate.
For this part of the journey, we traveled together, and since we were close to the capital, nothing eventful happened.
However, it also meant I couldn't do anything else, as I had to stick with the envoy.
As I was spacing out, watching the capital slowly recede into the distance, Shota spoke first.
"Sh-should we open this?"
"Y-yeah, let's."
Our conversation was still a little awkward.
The memory of us grabbing each other's wet cocks and cunts under an old blanket and giving each other handjobs was still vivid.
Click.
The luxurious box opened, and inside was...
<Supreme Class Divine Elixir>
The pinnacle of alchemy, a mixture of the highest-grade holy water infused with Goddess Yustia's divine power and an elixir.
◇ All Stats +10
◇ Grants immense resistance to curses and mitigates their effects. (Cannot completely break Shota's curse, but can alleviate it.)
------
"Huh? Wait, this is..."
"Th-this seems amazing...?"
He's giving this to us now?
This event wasn't in my memory.
This elixir was originally supposed to be given right before the end of the Trial.
After the long, arduous journey—short to some, long to others—this elixir would be delivered to someone. Shota would then drink it, and the Trial would end.
It wasn't a perfect cure, but it would ensure Shota's safety for at least a few years, and that's how it was supposed to end.
- ???
- Huh? Why give it to them now?
- What the fuck
- The Trial's already over lol
- But he hasn't even tasted Lee Do-hee's pussy yet?
- fr, I'd get it if it was payment for the fuck, but why now?
- The Emperor wasn't even supposed to see them off.
- What? Where did the Trial's scenario start to change?
In the original Trial, the elixir isn't given at this point.
There's no send-off when they leave by carriage.
And the Emperor doesn't rape Layla in front of Shota.
What is it? Where did things really start to go wrong?
Was it when I locked up the handmaiden, forcing Layla to prepare breakfast herself?
Originally, it's a Trial for sixteen people, so even if one handmaiden was kicked out, someone else would have taken over the cooking. The Emperor would have just quietly spent his intimate time in Layla's room.
Or... is it because Layla herself changed somehow?
Was it because I secretly mixed my breast milk into her food, making her a little healthier?
While my breast milk doesn't directly increase the stats of someone who hasn't awakened their mana, it's still a top-tier health drink. Just look at how the Building Owner Auntie got healthier from drinking Necroumbra's sap every day. It could have had effects like making Layla's pussy tighter than usual or helping her last longer.
In truth, while my actions did have an influence, the real reason was something else.
The Emperor had originally intended to give this elixir to Shota.
It was one of the leftovers from when he himself had suffered from a curse, so its use was ambiguous anyway.
However, when Layla begged for it on the last day, the twisted Emperor grew jealous, seeing her care more about her son than his cock.
That's why he only gives it to them near the end of the Trial.
This was the Trial that other Awakeners usually experienced.
But in the Trial Lee Do-hee was undertaking, Shota's curse had already been alleviated. So, Layla simply enjoyed pleasurable sex with the Emperor without a care in the world, and the Emperor, in turn, gave the elixir to Shota as he had originally planned.
So, what's so good about having this?
The cure is now easily within reach... I can do it without the entire continent going to shit.
Before, it was like trying to open a door by summoning a tsunami to break it down. Now, it's like I've been handed a chainsaw.
No matter how remote the location, it would have drawn a massive amount of attention, so I was actually considering a quieter method. But with this, I can perform the cure as early as tomorrow!
"Your Highness... I think we can break the curse with this..."
"R-really? You can break it completely?"
"Yes. It's impossible to do it in the carriage, but a good opportunity will come soon."
Shota's expression brightened.
But when the curse is broken, will his face return to normal? Will he get taller?
Could it be? Is Shota an unscratched lottery ticket?
I guess I'll have to wait and see.
*
Around sunset, we arrived at a military base and took the Warp Gate.
The place we arrived at after taking the Warp Gate was none other than,
The home of the Empire's Magic Tower and Academy.
The heart of the Empire and the center of its logistics.
A massive free city with a population of 200,000.
Valterion.
In truth, this city is closer to the center of the Empire than the imperial capital.
The sprawling city, set on a plain bordered by massive walls and a wide river, was perfectly suited for transporting goods by both water and land.
"Whoa..."
Shota couldn't close his mouth, stunned by a sight he had never seen before in his life.
Tall, colorful magic towers of all shapes and sizes jutted into the sky.
Merchant guild branches that had amassed fortunes through trade drove luxurious golden carriages that rivaled those of the imperial family.
Students from the Imperial Academy, dressed in what looked like modern school uniforms, bustled about.
He was also amazed by the street vendors selling delicious-looking food and the sheer density of the crowd, which made it difficult for even carriages to pass.
For Shota, who had always been confined to a dilapidated detached palace or only allowed to wander near the main palace during events, a whole new world had opened up.
Well, this place is a little new to me, too.
The diplomatic envoy left their carriages at a nearby stable and then dispersed.
“We will rest here for today. We need to gather necessary supplies tomorrow, so please assemble in front of the Warp Gate at noon in two days. We cannot wait for latecomers, so please be on time.”
The leader of this envoy was Count Arcane Hazmor.
He approached us separately to deliver the message.
He spoke with a slight frown, as if he disliked us, and then left.
Two days? He's still lying about that, just like in the original.
I already knew.
The envoy wasn't leaving at noon in two days; they were leaving tomorrow morning. And though they appeared to be scattering, they had likely pre-booked two inns. We would have to find our own lodging.
Most of them had already been won over by the Second Prince. They would use a double for Shota and proceed to the Khelum Kingdom.
So, what would happen to us?
First, we had to abandon our current identities.
Prince Shota was officially on his way to the Khelum Kingdom via the Warp Gate. If we weren't careful, we could be captured and executed for impersonating royalty.
This city housed the Empire's greatest military power outside the capital.
Any average party would die if they were caught here, and they'd die if they fought back.
So, should we follow them tomorrow morning?
That's an even worse idea.
They already have a double who looks identical to Shota, ready to play his part. To verify the real one, those bastards would first throw both of them into separate prison cells until the truth was confirmed.
If Shota were imprisoned, he would certainly die.
Random death events would occur, like guards bribed by the Second Prince mixing poison into his food or secretly letting an assassin in.
Likewise, if we refused verification, we'd be branded as impostors and have to fight the city's entire military force.
Is there no way to prove his identity on the spot?
There is.
The golden Aura that only the imperial family on the continent can use.
Surprisingly, that alone is enough proof.
You might think, "Surely you're not the only ones with a golden Aura," but it's possible because the previous and the one-before-previous emperors eliminated all the families and schools of mana cultivation that used a different golden Aura.
However, manifesting an Aura is currently beyond Shota. It depends on his talent, but unleashing an Aura within a week would be impossible unless he was a genius on Irene's level.
So, the first thing I need to do is...
"Let's find a good inn."
We'll get a nice room and then slowly make our way to the Khelum Kingdom.
Layla used the money left over from hiring me to secretly secure a place for us to live there. All I have to do is get him there.
And where would we find a good inn?
"Everyone, hurry up and give me some recommendations."
I just had to ask my viewers.
Shota, who was walking beside me holding my hand, gave me a slightly strange look, so I took out something that looked like a map and pretended to be talking to myself.
- idk
- Wow... streaming is so OP.
- I should've streamed too.
- How are we supposed to know?
- You probably don't have much money at the start, so go to the 'Silver Bell Inn.' They have hot water and the beds are clean.
- Ohh
- You were prepared!
As expected!
Sometimes, the viewers can be useful like this.
"Alright, let's go, Your Highness!"
"Okay...!"
Even though it was evening, lights were on everywhere, and the streets were teeming with people.
I could hear the chatter of people who looked like adventurers coming from a tavern. There was a great forest about a day's journey away, and these were the people who hunted the monsters there and sold their byproducts.
And where there are adventurers, what else is there?
"Oh my~ Come over here, sweetie~"
"S-sister..."
If you had to pick one of the city's specialties, it would be the prostitution industry. It might seem illegal, but they were all legal prostitutes who were officially registered, paid taxes, and even had prostitute licenses.
But... did I take a wrong turn...?
I followed the directions from the chat, but isn't this just a red-light district?
Prostitutes soliciting on the street were dancing with their tits and asses out. Some even let people touch their breasts for free to promote their brothels. The entire street was filled with so many lewd women it was hard to know where to look.
[Touch a Pussy for Free Before You Go]
[Tonight, a Gang Rape Party for the Class-1 Prostitute, Casey! Participate for only 5 silver!]
[Our Brothel Also Offers Anal]
Scantily clad women danced while holding signs promoting their brothels. Passersby would casually grope their asses or breasts as they walked past.
I-is this right?
I checked the chat again.
- Yep, just keep going straight from there.
- Yeah, it's the right way lol
- It's a shortcut fr
- Are you bastards for real?
- Yep, yeah
- This is true.
Something feels off...
I decided to keep going for now.
"Hey, how much for this bitch!"
"Fuck off!"
Thwack!
I gave a proper beating to the occasional guy who mistook me for a prostitute and tried to grab me.
"S-sister... is this the right place?"
"I-it should be."
Moans of female pleasure echoed from all around, along with wet, slapping sounds.
Women with fuckable, child-bearing hips swayed their asses left and right outside the brothels, tempting passersby.
Gulp...
Walking a little further, I saw women with only their lower halves exposed through holes in a wall, where adventurers who looked short on cash were shooting their loads as if taking a piss before leaving.
Fucking hell...
- Yep, you're almost there.
- That's where Do-hee will be working soon lol
- Wow... this place is nice hehe
- It's a job fair.
- Let's take a field trip.
- Wanna be an intern?
- You crazy bastards hahaha
- You're going the right way, it's fine.
Just as I was debating whether I needed to teach my viewers a lesson if this was all a lie, the prostitutes began to disappear, and a street lined with inns came into view.
The sign was large, so it was easy to find.
"Phew... found it."
[Silver Bell Inn]
We would be staying here for a week.
Why so long?
Because the Warp Gate fee is no joke.
Taking a carriage or horse was an option, but the main problem was the time it would take.
The territory of this empire is roughly the size of modern-day China, India, and Southeast Asia combined.
The Khelum Kingdom is in the northern part of the empire; traveling there on a normal horse would take months.
We could ride a Bicorn, but while I'd be fine, it might be too hard on Shota. Besides, a Bicorn's appearance is too conspicuous, and we wouldn't be able to travel at top speed anyway, so it would take about the same amount of time.
So, the plan is to work as a mercenary in this city for a while, earn some money, and then leave.
Additionally, it's difficult for a large group of assassins to attack within a city, so doing things this way actually had the highest clear rate.
"For seven days, that'll be 30 silver~!"
My starting capital was 1 gold.
That's not a bad price.
Now that we were at a nice inn, the first thing to do was take a hot bath.
Of course, the curse was still active, and I didn't know when an assassin might strike, so I bathed with Shota again today.
There was just one small problem...
"S-sister... I'm hard again..."
"Aah... it's okay, I'll help you get it out again..."
For some reason, Shota's cock kept getting erect today.
He'd been hard ever since we saw those lewd prostitutes, and it just wouldn't go down.
He'd already come three times while we were washing.
Gulp...
Somehow, it feels like his cock has gotten a little bigger, too...
Fap, fap, fap, fap, fap!!
I gave him a handjob while he rested his head on my lap, and another time, I lathered my breasts with soap and pressed them against his back while jerking him off from behind.
My skilled touch made Shota's lower body tremble as he quickly ejaculated.
"Nngh...! S-sister!!"
The shower finally ended after he'd come a total of six times.
There was, of course, only one bed.
Still, after nursing him and giving him a handjob during the shower, the awkwardness between us had eased a bit.
We both seemed to think, 'Right, this is the kind of relationship we have...' and decided to just move past that other incident.
"Sleep well."
"Okay..."
Shota naturally buried his face in my chest and fell asleep.
*
And so, the next day dawned.
Leaving Shota alone at the inn would be insane.
I wrapped him up in a sling like a baby, held him against my front, and left the inn.
It was time to begin.
There's always a large-scale subjugation quest around this time.
As it happened, the original owner of this body was an exceptional adventurer.
Searching through her memories, I found that she was a Platinum-class adventurer.
There could be no better environment to work as an adventurer.
The overpowered adventurer, Lee Do-hee, is ready for action