Chapter 82: The Guard and the Inn (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 82: The Guard and the Inn (1)
After the ceremony, the guards headed to a tavern for an after-party. The venue was the inn that Tiarushi and Izumi were working so hard to manage.
I chose it because it was not only the place where Mehya and I had first spent a night together, but the food was also excellent.
"To my settling in and to Sma!"
"Cheers!"
With Mehya leading the toast, the drinking session began in earnest. The fruit wine here was truly top-notch. It was sweet yet crisp. I’d heard it had a high alcohol content, but there was no harshness to it at all.
"Wow! This is really delicious!"
"Fufu."
As Rena marveled at the taste, Serika smiled warmly and stroked her head. She had been pouting earlier because Rena had stolen the seat next to me, but her mood had cleared up instantly.
"I knooow, right? I didn't know there was such a tasty place arouuund."
The Senior who had come along under the pretext of celebrating Mehya’s success—was she a lightweight? She’d only had one glass, and her speech was already slurring.
"Senior Margherita! The appetizers aren't even out yet, why are you drinking so fast?"
"Mehya, you're still young, so you don't know the way of the drink yet. Alcohol is its own appetizeeer."
She must have downed a few more while I wasn't looking. She was a total drunkard.
"Is that so? Then you drink up too, Junior! Today’s on me!"
"We both received commendations, so we should both treat everyone. Let's split the bill."
"You won't regret it? You know our Captain eats a ton, right?"
"What are you talking about? You eat way more than I do!"
"For the sake of fairness, let's ask our Junior. Sma, you've had quite a few drinks with us, haven't you?"
Why was the arrow being pointed at me? From what I could see, both of them ate a lot.
As fantasy guards who had honed their swordsmanship, they both possessed toned, fit bodies, but if a modern woman had similar eating habits, she would have become obese.
There was a reason I used to nag Mehya about the bill in the past. When she’d say she was buying and then postpone paying because she got too drunk, my wallet took a serious hit.
"Junior. I eat less, right?"
"Sma. Speak honestly. I trust you."
"Well..."
The two women looked at me with great expectation. It was hard to rank them, but if I had to choose one, it was Serika.
"The Captain eats more."
"I knew it!"
"Heh... hehe..."
Mehya cheered, while Serika broke into a cold sweat and laughed hollowly. Looking at her trembling eyes, I could tell just how wounded she was.
She really was fun to tease. If I had picked Mehya, I wouldn't have gotten a reaction like that.
"Is that real—"
"The evening special is here!"
Serika was cut off as Tiarushi arrived with the food we ordered. I considered giving Tiarushi some Mint Choco Pineapple Herb as she set the dishes down, but I decided against it, conscious of the others watching.
Margherita was staring a bit too much. The way she sipped her glass while watching me was unusual.
"The three of you are really close. I'm jealous. The only junior I'm close with is Mehyaaa."
"What do you mean 'close'? I'm not close with an ungrateful brat like him. After all the care I've given him. Have you already forgotten the memories of us growing crops together in the flowerbed?"
"What? You grew things together in a flowerbed? You're much closer than I thought. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if you two started dating."
"Wh-wh-what!!"
Serika was so startled she dropped her glass. On the other hand, Rena and Mehya, who already knew I was aiming for Serika, remained calm.
"What are you saying! I just... as the Captain, I couldn't just leave the youngest alone! We had similar hobbies, and we surprisingly got along well..."
"I seeee."
"..."
Serika, who had dug her own grave with her excuses, drained her half-full glass in one go. She reached for some fried appetizers but then glanced at me, checking my reaction.
"I was just joking, so feel free to eat as much as you want, Captain. You're prettiest when you're eating your fill and looking happy."
"There you go calling me pretty again. Don't say that to just any woman. That's why I can't leave you alone, isn't it? I'm afraid there will be innocent victims."
"I don't do this to just any woman. Captain, have you ever heard of me flirting with a Hunter or forming an improper relationship? I'm an honest person, so I don't give compliments unless a woman is actually pretty."
"..."
Serika busied herself chewing her food and swallowing her drink. The way she acted shy was incredibly cute.
"Senior. What about us?"
"Of course Rena is pretty, and Senior Mehya is pretty too."
"Hehehe."
As the friendly drinking session continued, the number of empty bottles on the table steadily increased. I could feel the gazes of respect and envy from the men eating dinner nearby.
Come to think of it, I was drinking surrounded by four women. Is this what the life of a social butterfly feels like?
"Ah, right. Didn't you ask for a favor last time, Sma?"
"A favor?"
"Yes. You asked me to look into the current state of things since the number of novice Hunters is increasing abnormally. I asked around, and it seems the movements of the neighboring kingdom are suspicious."
The neighboring kingdom... that would be the Stejaishi Kingdom, right? A war was likely about to break out. Since I knew the Hugo Kingdom would be victorious, I wasn't particularly worried.
"I see. So, what should we do?"
"What else? We manage the dungeons well as usual, patrol diligently, and search for any suspicious individuals. We are guards, not soldiers, after all."
"I suppose that's true."
Since it was a conversation that shouldn't be overheard, we were whispering with our faces close together, but Rena, who was squeezed between us, pushed us apart. Then she clung to me.
"Senior... tell me a secret too..."
"You're already drunk."
Fruit wine is a type of infused liquor. And infused liquor can bury a person. If you keep gulping it down because it tastes good, you end up like Rena.
"Mehya..."
"Ahahaha!! Me? Why? Do you like me? Is that why you called?"
"Margherita..."
"..."
"Wake up, Senior Margherita! If you don't wake up, it's my victory again!"
Good grief. How much did they drink to get wasted already? Seeing her talk about victory, they must have had a drinking contest the moment I looked away.
Rena... I guess she's a lightweight. It was her first staff dinner, so she probably didn't know how to pace herself.
"This is troublesome. We'll have to wrap this up earlier than expected."
"Now that I think about it, you're not very drunk, Captain. Usually, you get drunk before... Senior Mehya."
"Fufu. I paced myself today. I can't show a pathetic side of myself in front of my Junior again, can I? Well, if it were just you, it wouldn't matter..."
Serika's eyes widened, and she froze. A good man would pretend not to have heard that. But I am not a good man.
"Wouldn't matter what? I'm dying of curiosity. Please tell me."
"It's nothing."
"If it's nothing, why can't you say it? Please? I'm so curious I'm getting dizzy."
"..."
She really is cute. Since she seems to have feelings for me, maybe it's time to look for an opening to take her. It really took a long time.
"Senior... talk to me too..."
Rena clung to me stickily. Mehya, who had been giving me the side-eye, also claimed my other side. These women lose all restraint when they're drunk. Serika is looking at us strangely.
"Everyone is drunk, so shall we call it a night?"
"...Right. It's a bit of a shame, but I suppose it can't be helped. Then..."
Serika looked around at the three drunk women with a troubled expression.
"It seems I can't handle all three of them by myself. Except for Mehya, they all live in different places."
"That is a problem."
"What's the problem? This is an inn, we can just stay the night. We don't even have to go to work tomorrow anyway, right, Captain?"
"I think that's a great idea too."
Mehya and Rena joined forces and looked at Serika. Before our innocent Captain could say anything, Izumi, the landlady, stepped in.
"If you're staying, I'll move the remaining food to your rooms. Would two double rooms be enough?"
"Wouldn't three double rooms be better?"
"Ah. Is that so? Hoho."
Izumi looked at us with meaningful eyes. I didn't even need to see a video to know what she was thinking. She probably thought we'd put Serika and Margherita in one room, and then Mehya, Rena, and I would have messy sex in the other.
She wasn't wrong. I hadn't let it out since this morning, so I was quite pent up. With just Mehya, who was weak to doggystyle, and Rena, who was weak to being lifted and fucked, I could satisfy myself completely.
"Captain. Let's start with two double rooms, and if it's uncomfortable, we can get another one. We'll just move Senior Margherita separately and continue our drinking session in the remaining room."
"Hmm... alright. It would be a waste of money to get too many rooms. Let's do as you say."
"Then I'll show you to your rooms."
I watched Izumi's swaying hips as she led us to the second floor. She really was a married woman. She had the biggest behind I'd ever seen.
The drinking session in the room was even more enjoyable than the one downstairs. Since we didn't have to worry about others watching, we could have more candid conversations.
"Our Junior has such a good body. Hehehe. I can feel his abs even through his clothes."
"Senior definitely has a muscular build. It must be a body made through grueling training. It's amazing."
With their limiters removed, the two of them clung to me even more. Hey, Serika is right here, so why are you touching my stomach? And why are you trying to take my clothes off?
"Fufufu... I see... those really are wonderful abs..."
She's not in her right mind because she's drunk either. Actually, the alcohol is starting to hit me too, and it's getting difficult. If I drink just a little more, I might lose control and take them both right here.
If I have sex with those two in front of Serika, I might lose all the favorability I've built up so far. Or maybe not? Would it be okay?
Ah. My head isn't working well because I'm drunk. Since it's getting hard to hold back, let's get Serika out first.
"Captain. Shall we wrap things up? You should go to the next room and sleep first. I'll go downstairs, get one more room, and move these two there."
"Then what about you?"
"I'm going to sleep here. If I ask the staff, they'll clear away the food and drinks."
"...Alright. Go ahead then."
I stood up, but Serika's gaze was fixed on my lower abdomen. Was there something on me? I must have spilled some soup while drinking.
I went downstairs, but Izumi said something unexpected.
"Oh my. I'm so sorry, but we're completely full."
"Is that so? Well, it can't be helped."
"I'm sorry. Next time you come, I'll be sure to keep one vacant."
"No. You don't have to do that."
"I see~"
When I went back up to the room, the table had been somewhat cleared. And only Mehya and Rena were there.
"Where's the Captain?"
"Uh... she went somewhere."
"It doesn't matter, does it? Junior. I've really held back for a long time. Let's do it quickly. Okay?"
Mehya started fumbling with my crotch. Serika probably went to the room next door or something. Since I hadn't done it all day, my sexual desire was becoming hard to suppress.
I tucked Mehya and Rena under each arm and threw myself onto the bed.