Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Prepare Thoroughly, Travel Lightly
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“Elfride, you’re not here to snoop around someone else’s house, right? Didn’t you say you had something to say?”
I asked her to get straight to the point while also trying to shoo her out of the cabin as quickly as possible.
I worried that my attitude—telling her to say what she came to say and leave—was a bit too blatant.
To think I could be this forceful with Elfride.
How should I put it? It felt like running into a terrifying senior from my army days and deliberately acting casual around him.
You’ve grown up, Hassaan.
But regardless of my inner triumph, Elfride’s expression soured a little.
“Fine, whatever. But what I have to say is for Luna. Mind giving us some privacy, outsider?”
“What?”
As expected, Elfride was a bold, nasty little brat. She didn’t back down an inch and fired right back at me.
What could she possibly have to discuss with Luna alone?
The eager attitude I’d had just moments ago faded, replaced by a gnawing ache in my gut.
It reminded me of elementary school, that sinking feeling when a girl caught me doing something wrong and bolted to the teacher’s office.
What on earth did she plan to talk about with Luna?
I was thoroughly flustered.
It clearly wasn’t going to be good news for me.
“Something just between you two?”
“Yeah. It’s business.”
Luna furrowed her brow slightly, as if pondering Elfride’s words. Then, convinced by the mention of business, she nodded curtly. “Okay.”
Thanks to that, I had no choice but to step out into the yard, leaving the two of them behind.
Chatter, chatter.
The faint voices of women drifted from inside.
Part of me desperately wanted to eavesdrop on what they were saying.
But if I stooped that low as a person, something inside me would shatter beyond repair. So I pretended to be nonchalant and stroked the potato plants in the yard instead.
“Potato, grow big and fast so I can eat you.”
Tremble.
“Why are you shaking? Am I that scary?”
Tremble.
The potato sprouts quivered like they were terrified of being eaten by me.
I vaguely recalled some pseudoscience about plants having sensors that pick up on emotional waves, growing toxic if they hear bad things.
But upon closer inspection, it wasn’t the potato shaking—it was my hand.
I was the one who was scared.
I couldn’t keep my nerves in check, to the point of talking to a potato out of anxiety.
What was Elfride saying to Luna?
Hadn’t it only been a few minutes since they started talking?
Shouldn’t she be done by now?
What could they possibly be discussing that was taking this long?
I agonized over whether to press my ear to the door and listen in.
Just moments ago, I’d been soaring in heaven.
Now, I was plunged into the deepest hell imaginable.
Right then, the cabin door slid open with a soft whoosh.
Elfride emerged, hood of her robe pulled up once more.
“…You didn’t eavesdrop? I figured you’d try, knowing you.”
“What do you take me for? So, what did you talk about with Luna?”
“Who knows.”
With that, she pulled her hood fully over her head.
She vanished into the shadows of the distant alley.
Only when her back was completely out of sight and her presence undetectable did I finally return to Luna’s cabin.
Luna sat on a jar on the first floor.
Arms crossed, she furrowed her brow in uncharacteristic deep thought. What had they talked about to make her look so grave?
I was curious, but hearing the answer made me a little uneasy too. The two impulses battled evenly until one won out, and I opened my mouth.
“What did you two talk about?”
What kind of story would it be?
“About Hippolyte.”
“What story? Hippo-what?”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard.
Elfride, who had zero connection to Luna, comes over to talk about Hippolyte, who she also had zero connection to?
I’d imagined all sorts of scenarios out in the yard, but this was way beyond anything I’d considered.
“What about Hippolyte?”
“She asked me to introduce her. I didn’t catch all the details, but apparently she has a job for a gold-tier adventurer.”
Why ask Luna for an introduction to Hippolyte?
As I pondered that, I suddenly remembered how Luna and Hippolyte had teamed up during the thieves’ guild subjugation.
Elfride must have seen them together, so it made sense she’d think of Luna as a connection to Hippolyte.
Among adventurers, getting introductions to third parties through other adventurers was common.
“That’s it? Just that?”
“She bought a few potions too. And she took some of my hair? Ta-da.”
In Luna’s hand dangled a couple strands of her long silver hair, swaying gently.
“She seemed nicer than I expected.”
“I guess.”
Elfride generally took a kind stance toward others. Apparently even toward Luna, who was close to me.
“But, Hassaan.”
Luna, still with her arms crossed, looked at me. In the dim light of the candle, her emerald eyes gleamed with unusual depth.
“You get weirdly excited whenever you see that girl. Like you can’t calm down.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Maybe—. No, never mind. I need to sleep. I’m exhausted.”
Luna started to say something, then slammed on the brakes.
I was curious what she’d been about to say, but I didn’t press her. I figured there was no need to drag it out, so I went to bed like her.
That night, Luna clung tightly to my waist and wouldn’t let go.
“Didn’t you say it was hot? If you keep holding me like this, I’ll get hot too.”
“…Not hot!”
For some reason, though, Luna sweated profusely but refused to let go.
The summer night’s sweltering heat combined with Luna’s body warmth left me tossing and turning. I only fell asleep after dawn, once Luna had drifted off first.
* * *
I woke early and headed to Hippolyte’s training ground.
I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep due to the heat and restlessness, but my boosted stamina stats lately and Luna’s special salad must have helped—I wasn’t that tired.
“Hassaan, you coming back late again today?”
As I stepped out of the cabin, Luna called after me.
“Probably.”
“It’s good you’re working hard, but… I feel like we’re spending less time together. Kinda sad.”
“Really?”
Luna fidgeted awkwardly, genuinely seeming disappointed.
She stared down at her toes peeking from her sandals, wiggling them. Even after saying it herself, she looked incredibly embarrassed.
Luna wasn’t great at expressing herself. It must have taken real courage just to say that much.
“I miss spending time with you too, but if I don’t push now, who knows what the future holds.”
“I get that, but… Hassaan, kiss me before you go then.”
“What—?”
I jumped, thinking I’d misheard. What was this? Had Luna not woken up from a dream? Or was I the one dreaming?
Of course not. This was stark reality.
“Right now, right here?”
“Yeah, right now, right here.”
I glanced around. This outskirts area with its dilapidated warehouses was sparsely populated, thankfully.
But since the potion ingredients went public, orders had surged—who knew if a sudden customer might show up? People passing by could see us too.
Asking for a kiss right in the middle of the yard like this.
If we got caught, it wouldn’t faze me much, but for Luna, bound by her vow of chastity, it’d be a huge risk.
“Hurry.”
But Luna spoke as if she didn’t care about any of that.
Had Luna malfunctioned? She was always passive and defensive about this stuff. She’d seemed a bit off since yesterday.
Grip.
She grabbed my collar and wouldn’t let go, so half-terrified, half-thrilled, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers.
A light brush of lips should be fine, I thought.
Smack, slurp.
Before I knew it, Luna’s soft tongue teased between my lips.
The situation ignited like oil on fire, and I pulled her waist close, our tongues entwining deeply.
“Hah, haa, Hassaaan—.”
We’d showered that morning, but our clinging bodies and rising excitement brought fresh sweat. We ignored it.
Still, I worried a little about getting caught.
So, catching my breath, I tried to gently push her shoulders away. Surprisingly, Luna pulled back easily.
Then she dropped to her knees in front of me and started untying my pants.
“What? What are you doing?”
“Stay still, just stay still, Hassaan.”
Luna’s tone was surprisingly commanding. She yanked down my pants and belt once the knot was loose, then went for my underwear.
But doing this in the yard was too much, even for me in my aroused state. I grabbed her shoulders to pull her up.
That’s when I saw her face—tears welled up in her emerald eyes.
“No, Luna. What’s wrong?”
“If things keep going like this, you’ll go far away, Hassaan.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“In my dream, you left me behind. No matter how much I called, you didn’t hear. You ignored me…”
“A dream? Oh, is that all?”
I understood why she was acting like this. It was oddly cute, making me chuckle, but I worried too.
Dreams reflect the subconscious, from what I knew.
If I’d ignored and abandoned her in her dream, maybe Luna was feeling insecure about me.
“Luna, have you been worried or anxious about anything lately?”
Nod, nod.
She nodded immediately without hesitation.
“Why? Tell me what’s making you anxious.”
“You’re changing more and more, Hassaan. You seem like a different person.”
I was pretty taken aback. Me, changing? Seeming like someone else? To hear something like “You’ve changed, bro—”
Of course, I had my suspicions.
“If this keeps up, I feel like you’ll abandon me and leave forever.”
“No way, Luna. Your instincts are off this time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. Want to skip training today and spend the day at home together?”
I was genuinely concerned about her state.
Was it okay to leave her alone like this? If there was a guardian, maybe, but staying with her until she calmed down seemed best.
I turned back toward the cabin, thinking I’d stay home today.
“No, forget it. I don’t want to be the woman who holds a man back. You’re moving forward, but I feel stuck in place. That’s what made me anxious.”
“Really? I actually think the opposite.”
“…Guess I like you more than I thought, Hassaan. This feeling’s new; I don’t know what to do.”
Luna mumbled shyly, her voice much calmer.
I realized just how much this little girl relied on me.
Orphaned, forced to leave her homeland, struggling in this distant land.
To her, was I her whole world right now?
I wasn’t much different.
“Hassaan, have a good day.”
Fully calmed, Luna waved me off.
Luna had been feeling insecure.
And here I wasn’t even that great a guy.
Maybe her unique intuition had picked up on the shady things I’d been doing.
Too many possibilities to even defend myself.
Knock, knock.
Lost in thought, I’d arrived at Hippolyte’s place.
As usual, I knocked, and the door swung open to reveal a dark-skinned woman.
I thought it was Hippolyte at first.
But the long pipe in her mouth and leather outfit made it Antiope.
“Oh, Hassaan… sir.”
Perhaps due to past events, Antiope’s eyes flashed with fear when she looked at me.
“U-um, sis hasn’t come home yet. She went out last night for some sudden appointment…”
“Oh? Who’d she meet?”
“It was dark, so I couldn’t see well. But I think it was a mage.”
A mage.
Elfride, maybe? As I wondered, Antiope added more.
“W-would you like to come in and wait? She should be back soon. Oh, let me get you some i-ice water!”
Antiope stammered incoherently and dashed inside, rummaging through drawers.
My eyes were on her leather rider suit, which covered her body completely. It looked sweltering. Sweat beaded steadily on her neck and forehead.
Having just heard Luna’s story, I suddenly felt terribly sorry for her. When she finally handed me a cup of iced water, I said,
“Hey, um, Antiope—.”
“Hey, Hassaan sir—.”
Our words overlapped.