Welcome, Everyone Is Waiting for You
Lampades, the City of Pleasure. A city-state built in the desert. It was a warrior’s nation ruled by the [Desert King], a place formed by various tribes that had survived the long, grueling wars against the demonkind. That is, it was that place.
Shin Yuhee and I arrived in Lampades as mercenaries from the distant East, equipped with light travel gear, brown robes, and a small amount of pocket money.
"...Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"No, what is this...? There's something in my head right now...?"
"It's something like a service provided by the angels."
While Shin Yuhee was flustered, I grabbed her face with both hands, forcing her to look at me.
"It feels like background knowledge was shoved into your brain all of a sudden, right?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Me too. Don't think too deeply about it. It’s just the angels being too lazy to explain everything individually, or perhaps they decided this was the most efficient method."
It was similar to Knowledge Transfer Magic. It’s like how someone who knows nothing about history suddenly gains the background knowledge of a history major when a mage from the history department uses a knowledge transfer spell. It was the realm of magic.
"It’s a bit unsettling to have knowledge forced into you, but let’s just consider it a courtesy from the angels."
It was a measure for those pushed into the 2nd playthrough, or perhaps to prevent those who had already adapted to this other world from wasting time on unnecessary information gathering.
"...Isn't it wrong, though?"
"What is?"
"You said it was a warrior's nation built in the desert."
"That's right."
"...But isn't it a city of festivals?"
Shin Yuhee pointed ahead.
"The streets are full of stalls, customers are spending money like water and gorging on food, drinking in broad daylight, and gambling...?"
Kiya-hoooo!!
A festival was in full swing. Setting aside the fact that the people were dressed relatively lightly, everyone was acting as if they’d lost a few screws. It was hard to think of this as a stage intended by the angels to 'practice fighting against demons.' Of course, since Estiel had sent us here with the intention of 'it's a 2-death zone, so farm safely,' I was glad for the stable environment, but it was far too different from the previous environments. Even back in Chekhov's Arena, if it hadn't been for the rookie protection period, it wouldn't have been strange to die on the spot—
"Hey, yoooo! Newbie!"
Before I could even finish my thought, a man wearing a turban approached us.
"Is that your companion? A newbie? I haven't seen that face before. Did you decide to join us in this Death Parade heading toward the end?!"
"Excuse me? What does that mean..."
"We're traveling."
I pulled Shin Yuhee by the shoulder.
"And this is my wife."
"Se, Senior...!"
Shin Yuhee was startled. Though she was surprised, she didn't remove the hand I had placed on her shoulder—
"Oh, you're a married couple...? Newlyweds? Wow, coming to a place like this for your honeymoon! You picked the wrong time! Nice to meet you! I'm Marcard! For the new beginning of the newlyweds, I'll buy you a round!"
Before I could even find an opening to say anything else, the man who introduced himself as Marcard ran toward a stall as if he were the ultimate extrovert.
"Mrs. Delma! A round here, for the newlyweds!"
"What? Newlyweds? No way...!"
A middle-aged woman with a sturdy build, holding several mugs of Orc beer with foam spilling over the top, was horrified at the mention of newlyweds. At the same time, those who had been taking her drinks laughed heartily, then turned their gazes toward us with serious expressions.
"Th, they look like travelers on a journey!"
Marcard’s voice was somewhat urgent. He hurriedly explained as if to fix a slip of the tongue, and the stiff atmosphere thawed in an instant.
"Ah, travelers...?"
"Phew. I thought..."
"Newlyweds, you say? Hahaha! That’s patriotic!"
"I’ll buy! My friend! Please, let me enjoy the joy of blessing your future! Hohoho!"
"Se, Senior..."
Perhaps she was intimidated by their boisterous atmosphere.
"...Something feels strange."
Or perhaps she felt something unsettling about their overly bright mood. Shin Yuhee sent me a look, and I gave her a short wink while wrapping my arm around her waist.
"Can't pass up free stuff. Ah, by any chance, there isn't any sleeping medicine in this, is there?"
"What? Sleeping medicine?"
"Yeah. Newlyweds traveling in a foreign land, go missing. The man ends up buried somewhere, and the woman is found in a dark, damp place..."
"Hahaha! My, you’ve been reading too many newspapers! Do you think we’re the Empire!"
Despite my blatantly rude remark, the men laughed heartily and waved their hands.
"Newspapers, Empire..."
Shin Yuhee ruminated on the words they had spat out. Because Marcard had rushed in so suddenly, there hadn't been time to explain, but Shin Yuhee was already in the right mindset to clear the tutorial stage without me needing to give her any instructions.
"Is that so? Then that’s a relief. Good thing we didn't come to the Empire."
"Where are you from? Well, you two look like..."
"I’m from the East. My wife is from the Holy Kingdom."
"Ah, really? Hmm, the Holy Kingdom, huh..."
Clack, clack-clack.
The men grabbed their beer mugs and, just like paladins, bumped them together and struck a pose.
"May the Goddess guide you!"
"Hey, isn't that wrong?"
"Who cares?! The Goddess would be generous enough to overlook that much! Kuhoho! Now, drink! Delma! A round for them too...!"
"Are you crazy?! What if she’s pregnant!"
Slap!
Mrs. Delma hit the man on the back and handed me and Shin Yuhee ordinary wooden mugs.
"It’s a drink specially prepared for guests. There’s abso-lutely no alcohol in it, so don't worry?"
"Oh, um, about the pregnancy..."
"Thank you, Mrs. Delma."
Smack. I lightly tapped Shin Yuhee’s hip.
"We were planning on it anyway, so there's no harm in being careful from now on."
"...Ye, yes, that's right."
Shin Yuhee, having received the hint, blushed and took the mug. Her slightly flushed face looked like someone who had been caught by strangers saying, 'I'm going to get pregnant,' but her eyes were calmly thinking about something.
"Newlywed groom from the East. By the way, how did you end up coming all the way to a place like this?"
"I heard that if you receive the blessing of the sandstorm in your hometown, you gain spiritual energy, so I prepared for a month and came here."
"Didn't you hear any stories on the way?"
"Stories? ...Did something happen?"
Playing dumb.
"All we heard was something about a village in the forest being attacked by Orcs."
"You two."
An old man with a hunched back and an eyepatch in the corner of the stall table looked at us and spoke.
"How long do you plan to stay here?"
His voice was cold and hard. Everyone else shut their mouths at the old man's words, and a silence descended for a moment. It was the kind of atmosphere where even Mrs. Delma couldn't jokingly scold the old man for ruining the mood.
"We planned to stay for about a month."
I answered him calmly.
"A month?"
"Yes. A month."
"Why?"
Why a month? That was obviously because our given quest explicitly stated 'one month.'
"Well, if we don't have the energy for a child, shouldn't we go looking for another place that's supposed to be good?"
"......Ugh."
The old man scratched his head and let out a groan.
"There’s nothing to see if you stay here for a month. There’s nothing to see except those bastards drinking and acting like idiots every day."
"...Isn't that too harsh? When have we ever just been drinking all the time!"
"You're doing it right now, you drunkard bastards! Ugh, forget it! ...Just go after playing for about half a month."
The old man waved his hand dismissively, then snapped his fingers as if he’d just remembered something.
"Or maybe... do you need a guide? Huh?"
"...Hey, hey, old man!"
Marcard suddenly snapped his fingers and pointed at him.
"You're trying to get a referral fee, aren't you?! Huh?!"
"You little bastard... Referral fee my ass! I know a decent girl, and I was going to tell her to show you around!"
"A decent girl?"
"Lexi."
"Ah."
Knowing who the woman named Lexi was, the men, including Marcard, nodded immediately.
"How about it, newlywed groom. Interested in an introduction?"
"If there’s a local guide, the trip would be more comfortable. How much is it?"
"Huh?"
"The guide referral fee."
"Referral fee? ...Ah, you can pay that later when you go to the Empire. The desert might be desolate, but it’s not that stingy. Do you think I’m doing this for pocket change?"
The old man waved his hand as if disgusted.
"I have no intention of ripping off a newlywed couple trying hard to have a baby. Enjoy yourselves to your heart's content. And..."
The old man hesitated for a moment, but soon forced a smile and continued.
"Please remember the appearance of Lampades well."
* * *
A short while later. Following Marcard’s introduction, we stayed at a fairly luxurious hotel. And—
"Whaaat?! Newlyweds, you say!?"
"That’s what I said."
We arrived at an ultra-luxurious hotel that felt like a 7-star hotel in a place like Dubai, where you could feel the traditions and formality of the past, and we met a middle-aged manager in a dapper suit.
"O-oh, really? Then... oh my, guests! You are the ten-thousandth customer to visit our inn! We will escort you to our highest-grade suite, so please come this way!"
And the manager immediately welcomed us with an awkward smile, arms wide open.
"Now, everyone, applause!!"
"What’s going on, Manager?"
"They are newlyweds from out of town! Our, uh... ten-thousandth guest!"
"...Kyaaaa!"
The maids who followed behind tilted their heads, but at the mention of newlyweds, they cheered and clapped for us.
"Excuse me?"
"Now, now. Madam! Your luggage—"
"I brought some gold coins to buy and wear clothes that fit the local style, Manager."
"Ah, I see! By any chance, I have a friend who is good at picking out clothes, shall I introduce you?!"
"I would appreciate it. That..."
I cleared my throat and slightly hunched my posture.
"I’m a bit exhausted, so I’d like to rest in the room, could you guide us to the suite immediately?"
"...!! Ah, understood! I will escort you myself!"
The manager headed straight forward, and the maids standing on the left and right giggled.
"Senior..."
Shin Yuhee opened her mouth as if to scold me with her eyes half-closed—
"You did that on purpose, right?"
"That’s right."
As expected, she noticed.
"This way! If there is anything uncomfortable, please use the magic stone inside the room! Then...!"
The manager led us to the luxurious suite, and Shin Yuhee and I closed the door and went inside. And—
"Aang, Senior...!"
I hadn't touched anything, but Shin Yuhee let out a moan.
"Let’s do it on the bed...!"
"I can't hold it."
"Augh, really...!"
Lick. Kissing, Shin Yuhee and I turned our gazes toward the other side of the closed door.
Lick, lick. About 10 seconds. Only after kissing for a long time did the presence outside the door disappear.
"......What is this place?"
Even after kissing, Shin Yuhee wasn't excited; rather, she had become calm, and beyond that, contemplative.
"Just what...!"
"We'll have to gather information for the details."
I carried Shin Yuhee straight to the bedroom.
"Since they think we're newlyweds, let's pretend to have sex. Just in case they misunderstand."
"...Excuse me?"
Twitch. The moment I tried to take Shin Yuhee inside, she stiffened, letting out a slightly choked sound.
"Why? By any chance—"
"...Pretend?"
"Ah."
.......
"We can talk plenty while doing it."
I held Shin Yuhee just like that.