No Rest... A Day Starting with Hanbyeol's Bread and Milk
Hanbyeol had left early with some bread and milk she'd bought for breakfast. Iris had slipped out first, saying she had business with the people who'd roughed me up, so the rest of us started thinking about what came next. To eat, we needed money. The cash from the last raid had been taken when the Pope captured me—no idea who had it now—and I felt bad asking Hanbyeol for handouts.
After Hanbyeol headed out to work, I sank into thought.
"But I can't exactly charge for the stuff we've already agreed on..."
I glanced at Laila, feeling a tiny pang of regret, but she jumped back in horror.
"That's prostitution!"
"Isn't it good to make money doing something you're good at and enjoy?"
The succubus who'd always been so open about every lewd topic suddenly had a hard line on selling sex.
"Sure, I get a chef earning from cooking or a barber from cutting hair. But sex is different! Doing it because you both want to is totally natural, but money? That ruins the beauty of it!"
"But you said you'd starve without sex. Doesn't sucking out vital energy while getting paid count...?"
"Succubus pride! You don't charge people for healing them, do you, Eve?"
Come to think of it, yeah. I'd never even considered taking money for heals. Was succubus seduction on the same level? It kinda made sense if you thought about it that way...
"Anyway, we're symbiotic with the guild. No earning money that way."
I didn't fully get it, but no point digging into dead ends. Better to humor her feelings.
"Good thing. I don't have to sell my pride."
She had some succubus honor, apparently. No need to question every little thing now—it was easier to just accept it.
Ultimately, my problem was simple: what to do to eat and survive. Even Hanbyeol was out helping Daesik gather info or whatever to earn cash. Holing up at home for recovery was fine short-term, but doing nothing but eat wasn't my style. Weekends at home felt sweet because of workdays; endless freeloading wore on the mind, even if the body stayed comfy. Was this okay? Could I get a job? How long could I last? Those thoughts swirled.
"Anyway, Laila, go get your meal for today..."
Daily quest: find someone for Laila to have sex with. Clear that first, then worry about the rest.
We'd just had brunch, but others were hitting lunch. Perfect timing with the gap.
At the guild building Daesik had claimed, a guy approached stealthily, eyes full of eager anticipation. It was his turn today.
"Ah, hello. I'm Kalshutain. Um... it's my turn today..."
His shy awkwardness made Laila grin wide.
"Hee hee hee. You're a virgin, right, big bro? I can tell. Don't worry—I'll take good care of you."
Thanks to Davin's heads-up, no one eyed Laila suspiciously anymore, even without activating her restraints. I still wore my blindfold, scared of stares.
The training blindfold Daesik got only blocked full vision—faint silhouettes showed through the black cloth, enough to avoid tripping. I couldn't tell if someone watched me or not. Perfect for me.
"Ahem, but treating Ivy like this..."
"Yes?"
Laila turned at Kalshutain's uneasy tone. Her tail loosened around my waist.
"I mean, blindfolded and bound like a prisoner on a leash... it's too slave-like. I went through that myself..."
"...Eve, do you think so?"
The blindfold was for my sake, the arms... well, just embarrassment, but yeah, combined it looked weird. Being tied and led was odd to begin with. I'd gotten used to it, and other priestesses copied the style, but to modern folks, it was bizarre.
"I'm used to it. There's good reason..."
I sighed to stress it wasn't because I was some pervert who liked being tied up. Thankfully, Kalshutain knew about our bound priests and didn't pry.
"I heard you're the saintess. Makes sense—you were always so kind in chat. No wonder here too... though I don't get who thought up walking around tied."
Hanbyeol and Iris. Couldn't say it, so I stayed quiet. I hadn't been super active in guild chat—just polite, imagining real people behind screens. Honestly, I just didn't flame anyone.
"Anyway, seems you've accepted it, Eve. Don't mind us. We take good care of you."
Laila smoothed things over for my awkwardness, and Kalshutain seemed convinced.
"Glad to hear. I freaked seeing someone dangling from the roof rack mid-battle—thought it was some cult. Didn't know it was you. And you still dropped AoE heals... wow."
"Kkh... hngh..."
Fine listening, but my body froze mid-breath. Was my mind and body out of sync? It was over, resolved—shouldn't bother me, but the trauma lingered deep.
Talk of it triggered dyspnea; I collapsed. Purify? Recovery prayer? I mumbled both weakly—no effect.
Kalshutain panicked beside me.
"S-sorry! Shouldn't have said that!"
"Don't bring it up again. I'll calm her."
Davin mentioned it yesterday fine, but this hit hard, unrelenting. Laila scooped me up, then dropped me. Tail, maybe. Blind, I curled fetal, unsure of the fall, then caught.
Breath normalized.
"Haa... haa..."
Good the rescue memory stuck. The rope snap and drop etched clear—rare freefall here, no roller coasters. Two unfamiliar sensations fused trauma and fix. Funny.
"R-really sorry. Didn't expect that. I'll warn everyone."
"If you don't want to see Eve collapse again, yeah."
Not intentional, so I wanted to say fine, but mouth wouldn't move. PTSD deeper than thought? Or Ivy's soul trapped, suffering for me? Iris popped to mind—we'd parted that morning. If true, she'd love it—clue to her sister. She'd prioritize family, understandably. A bit sad, but natural...
Laila's back pats steadied my breath. Blindfold helped, blocking views.
Kalshutain paced anxiously.
"Should I get another healer?"
"No, it's fine..."
I managed to sit with her support.
Still fretting, he offered tea—my face pale.
"Fine. You and Laila have business..."
"That's not the point! You collapsed!"
First-time worry from a near-stranger warmed me. Wait, not first—guild yesterday, battle dangling... rack thought choked breath again, but mind held.
To finish quick and go home, I urged him.
"Can't starve Laila, or I'll suffer..."
Pale smile; he hesitated, then led on.
Up stairs, same room as yesterday—emptier, furniture cleared? Felt like Laila's brothel now, kinda funny.
"Bed has a partition. Lie there, Eve—no need blindfold. Right?"
"Mm."
Her tail whisked it off—static hair fluff, settle.
Furniture gone; two beds, one curtained red—sultry vibe. Corner bathroom too—how, with one mage like Hanbyeol? Fantasy ease? Or user builder?
Anyway, she carried me to bed, drew curtain. Daylit silhouettes showed thin fabric...
Kalshutain, guilty till now, heated up—kissing, tongues with Laila.
My chest flickered, but pre-arrival worries doused it. What to eat, survive on?
Overhearing others: adventures, dungeons, bosses for fame/return home. But money first—gear, living costs, taxes. Deal with king/Daesik or not, rules applied. Special status, no handouts—earn it. Mercenary gigs limited; big requests to famed groups, scraps for no-names. Max-level easy slimes/wolves, but slim pickings—first to board wins. Everywhere same. Dungeons/raids/parties cost money. Bottom line: jobs needed. Field bosses rare. Farming, crafting, mining—someone had to. Reality jobs transferable, learnable... but salaryman me? Paperwork anyone could do, no computers—new challenges. Never thought career worries at this age.
I sighed to Laila's coquettish moans—hot sounds tempted, but anxiety kept panties dry. Work for her too—moans to arouse clients...
No fire from their silhouettes. Just: after, see Daesik's face.