Chapter 117
Chapter 117
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: The City of Pleasure, Sodomora, and the Goddess's Holy Knight #1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It had been a few days since we safely returned from exploring the labyrinth.
After several days of rest, the fatigue from the request had worn off, and I was starting to feel itchy just staying cooped up inside the house.
"Hassan, I'm going to go pick some herbs! The workshop opens next week, so I want to stock up beforehand!"
Luna said she was heading to the forest near the city to gather herbs for opening her potion shop.
I was feeling bored at the right time, and it had been a while since I'd gotten some fresh air, so I casually asked her, "Want me to come with?"
"No, I'm going with Paranoya! Can't have you interrupting Hassan's studies."
She shook her head.
Ever since we got back from the expedition, Luna had been meeting up with the nymph Paranoya like this from time to time—going herb picking or getting their hair done together.
Maybe it was because they were around the same age, or both petite girls? Anyway, it was great that Luna had a same-sex friend.
Even in a fixed party or with a lover, you can't be glued together every moment.
Plus, as a guy, there were times I couldn't help with Luna's troubles as a woman.
"Luna ma'am, I'm here to escort you. Oh, hello to you too, Hassan sir...."
The crimson-short-haired nymph Paranoya was already standing at the cabin entrance, waiting for Luna. Luna, meanwhile, had pouches for herbs strapped all over her and dashed outside.
"Hassan, lend me the pruning dagger! Watch the house while I'm gone!"
"Got it. Be back before dinner."
"Will do!"
Clunk.
And so, I was left alone in this two-story cabin.
Along with a pair of wolf spiders.
Woof woof.
Luna said she was leaving me behind so I wouldn't be disturbed while studying, but honestly, even reading the encyclopedia was starting to feel stale.
My notebook was just filling up with useless doodles and random diary entries.
Screw it, what to do today?
Luna's obviously coming back late.
In this world with no phones or computers, there wasn't much for a healthy guy like me to do stuck inside the house.
So I racked my brain over how to plan out the day, now that morning had barely passed. But nothing came to mind.
That's when I pulled out the small hand mirror Luna kept precious in her drawer—the one she didn't even show me much.
This treasured mirror could reflect the morning sunlight pouring in through the open window and shoot strange beams onto the wooden floor, a pinnacle of modern tech.
Squirm squirm.
Just then, I spotted a tiny ant crawling across the wooden floor, so I focused and reflected the sunlight to attack it.
Ziiing.
A little scorch mark appeared, and the ant started fleeing fast. I chased it, reflecting the beam perfectly in a pursuit that went on for a bit.
Swoosh.
Soon the sunlight got blocked by clouds, or maybe the reflection faded. Shit, I was so close!
"God of Light, put a little more effort into it!"
Ziiing.
Did my voice reach the heavens? The sunlight, previously shrouded by clouds, flared up again like it was trying hard, and eventually charred the little bastard black!
Fuck yeah, victory's mine, you ant fucker! Damn ant shits, must be the wooden house—there's a ton of 'em. Gotta call pest control or something, screw it.
Anyway, as I was carefully putting Luna's precious mirror back in the drawer without breaking it, my attention turned to the cosmetics and weird powders inside.
The colorful powders and liquids in small glass vials were pretty intriguing even to me.
Luna didn't usually wear makeup, so I wondered how much paler she'd look if she used these.
Clink clink.
I uncorked one red bottle and sniffed it—kink kink. Expecting some fancy cosmetic scent, but it was unexpectedly acrid, making me wrinkle my nose.
"Fuck, this is chili powder."
Why the hell was this mixed in with the cosmetics?
Stung by the unexpected nasal assault, I closed the drawer and looked around. Luna wasn't great at organizing, so she probably just shoved it in haphazardly.
With nothing else to do, I started cleaning—dusting off the accumulated grime and putting things back in place. About ten minutes in.
"Fuck it, screw this, I'm so bored."
What the hell do guys in this world even do for fun without computers or phones?
Of course, as someone starting to settle into this otherworld life, it wasn't like I had no idea.
* * *
The city of Sodomora, where I'd newly set up nest, was one of the bigger ones in this world.
I wasn't sure, but the population was probably tens of thousands. Maybe.
By Korean standards, that'd be like a small provincial city.
In a world with underdeveloped infrastructure and short average lifespans, a city gathering tens of thousands was rare enough to count on one hand.
Anyway.
The western district of Sodomora, where Luna and I lived, took up a pretty sizable chunk of the city.
"Hey, you fucker! You just looked at my face! So pay up!"
"Th-that's such bullshit!"
The reason was that this district was packed with most of the city's vagrants and beggars, thugs and con artists, robbers, quacks, sycophants, fake lepers, and amateur pickpockets.
Sodomora had two adventurers' guilds, so security was decent overall, but this western street was beyond their reach—a total lawless zone.
It felt just like Harlem streets in America with bad security.
Guys armed with daggers and clubs spat on the ground or brawled everywhere you looked.
Even if the guy lying in the street turned out to be a corpse instead of a drunk, it wouldn't surprise anyone. Fuck, is that a real body? Talk about bad luck.
Anyway, even I, settled in this western street, clenched my ass tight whenever passing through these dark alleys.
Who knew when some fucker would jump out and stab me in the gut.
But surprisingly, no lawless punks came at me.
"Fuck, it's the Samaritan."
"Hide your face! He's definitely hunting for skins...."
Maybe my recent exploits had spread through the slums, because the locals bolted at the sight of my face.
"Fuck, not only are the thieves' guild bastards rampaging, now we gotta watch out for that barbarian from the outer continent. Gods are really indifferent."
"Shh, quiet!"
"I can hear you fuckers!!"
"Eek!"
Scatter, thud.
When I bellowed, the slum dwellers fled into the alleys like scampering rats.
Fun, fuck.
Is there anything more entertaining than teasing scared folks?
I knew it wasn't exactly right, but with no jobs lately and boredom setting in, prowling the slums like this was one of my few amusements.
It also helped memorize the city layout and read the vibe.
Might as well stroll till lunchtime like this, then hit some random inn for a bite—. That's when I was thinking.
"Brother, damn, you look imposing as ever. Stronger even than back when we roamed the sewers together!"
Someone hailed me from behind like we knew each other. In this harsh world, only one guy called me "brother."
"You fuckwit Malco bastard!"
"Why curse right off the bat?"
"You fucker! Because of you, I've been swept up in all this fucked-up rumor bullshit! Skin my face? Fuck, you started that shit!"
I growled at the guy in his ridiculous conical hat, with seaweed-like red hair dangling long.
Malco the bard.
His nose seemed even bigger than last time, but that was probably my imagination.
"Brother, I have no clue what you're on about. Anyway, I figured we'd bump into each other wandering the streets. Been too busy to drop by! Good to see you!"
"Scram, punk!"
Even as I growled, Malco ignored it and kept yapping solo.
"Meeting like this must be fate. Thanks to lord Mercury, no? Come on, let's grab a drink somewhere. My treat."
"I like meat with my booze."
"Kuhuhu, as expected of a wilderness barbarian—won't even glance at greens. Was gonna introduce you to a new pal; bet you'd hit it off."
Introduce a new friend? I doubted Malco had any friends worth the name. Guy had surprisingly wide connections.
But no reason to turn down free booze, so to kill boredom, I headed with him to a nearby dingy basement tavern.
"It's an illegal joint, but the beer's less watered down for it. Ah, looks like my acquaintance beat us here. That's the guy I wanted to introduce."
And there, I met a bald head reflecting the tavern's flickering candlelight even in broad daylight.
"Fuck, isn't that Kalidus? Thought you went to Calcuta."
"Kalidus? Wrong guy. This humble monk is...."
"Fuck, it's Kalidus alright. Weren't you off hunting an elf?"
"Well, it's Kalidur, not Kalidus. Anyway, circumstances...."
The murder-ghost elf Kalidur—shaved bald like a monk, pointy ears, ridiculous bushy mustache—was sitting at a table, chowing down on booze and meat!
Malco, overhearing my chat with the baldy, asked.
"Brother, you two know each other?"
"Know? We did a request together once—."
"Then that saves time on intros. Wow, you two already acquainted. Must be the work of lord Mercury, god of fate."
Who'd have thought I'd run into Kalidur again here, in this slum illegal tavern? Thought he'd left town elf-hunting.
It was such an unexpected face that I felt dazed, like I was drunk without a drop.
Anyway, me, Malco, and the baldy elf Kalidur sat at one table, drinking and eating meat. Didn't this baldy punk say he didn't eat meat?
He was already gnawing on two legs solo—must've misremembered.
As I sipped my beer, wondering what the hell was going on, Malco—face flushed red—spoke up.
"Kuh. This taste, you can only get it in underground joints."
The stuff was stronger than expected; he seemed tipsy after just a few.
"More importantly, brother, you're still formal with our little brother Kalidur here. How about loosening up?"
"What, screw that? Little brother?"
"Kalidur's twenty-three. Three, four years younger than us."
"Please, speak freely, brother from afar."
"F-fuck, twenty-three with that face...."
"Kuhuhu, I was shocked too when I first heard. Must be elven mystery—looking older than his age!"
No, aren't elves supposed to look younger than their age? This fuck Kalidur must've never dodged time once. Hell, maybe he aged extra for others?
"Really twenty-three...?"
"I get that 'mature-looking' comment a lot."
Fuck, twenty-three. I'd figured him at least ten years older than me. Bald, bushy beard—makes him look old....
No hair to block direct sun, so extra skin aging maybe.
Anyway, I decided to drop the weird premature aging thoughts.
"More like, screw that—I'm shocked you and Malco even know each other. How'd that happen?"
"That's a long tale—enough for five songs' worth of tragedy."
"Then don't."
"Malco-bro here helped me out a ton. Nearly ended up a beggar after a scam...."
"Scam?"
"Kuhuhu, some bald elf getting chased out of an illegal brothel for getting duped. Common rookie mistake."
Illegal brothel, huh.
In this world, pro sex workers were priestesses licensed by Venus, goddess of love. Good pay, good treatment.
But getting that license to be a priestess was tough, and the women who could get it were carefully selected.
So unlicensed spots popped up everywhere.
I pictured a flesh pit in some slum basement, thick with pipe smoke.
This baldy went to one, huh.
"Punk was just a fake monk after all. Thought you were some ascetic."
"Asceticism comes in forms: no booze, no talk, no.... Lots anyway. But me? I ascetic'd the asceticism. Another form."
"Fuck, what?"
"Huhu, brother. Best not to take the bald bro's words too seriously. Anyway, since it came up—wanna tag along sometime?"
Malco slurred low and solemn, like a snake slithering, mid-drink. Tag along?
"Fuck, you asking me to hit an illegal brothel? Even I don't go to places like that, punk."
Curiosity as a guy? Sure. But I'd feel guilty facing Luna after. Better not even start.
Malco rummaged in his pocket and said.
"Nah, not illegal. Scored some Venus temple passes just in time. You're a lucky bastard, brother."
He pulled out scrolls stamped with a heart seal.
"We're just going to worship at the temple. No guilty conscience needed. Let's check out Gaia continent faith life."
-----------------------------------------------------------------