Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Isteir (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Welcome... Oh? You're back again?"
The female employee I'd seen before opened the door and greeted me, recognizing me right away.
"As you can see, I'm totally wiped out right now. Got any rooms available quick?"
Isteir was pretty tall, so she weighed a ton. Since this body of mine wasn't exactly tall, carrying her had been a real struggle.
My real-life body might've packed on some fat, but it was strong...
"Ah! Got it. Want a nice room?"
"Eh. Whatever you've got."
"Sure thing. Suite room it is."
I was so out of it that I could barely register what the employee was saying. Sweat was pouring down my face from the exertion.
"Yeah. Charge it to this."
"Got it. That's 300,000 gold."
"What? Oh... no, go ahead."
I started to protest at the sudden 300,000 gold quote but was too exhausted to bother.
"Here's your card key. Head up to room 601 on the sixth floor."
After getting totally ripped off by the employee, I dragged Isteir into the elevator and up to the sixth floor.
Finally inside the room, I laid her on the bed and caught my breath.
Isteir sprawled out on the bed in a completely defenseless state.
I took off her shoes and coat, then pulled the blanket over her. She looked plenty alluring, but I didn't think our relationship was deep enough for that yet.
I was drenched in sweat, so I left her there and headed to the bathroom.
After stripping down and showering, I came out to find she'd kicked off the blanket I'd put over her—probably too hot—and was lying there all exposed.
One leg was hiked up, revealing her long legs... and her black panties in plain view.
The lighting was bright enough that I felt like I could see everything inside.
Seeing a beauty like this lying there so vulnerably... ignoring it wouldn't make me much of a man.
Before I knew it, my dick was rock-hard, straining against my pants like it was about to burst free.
I slowly climbed onto the bed, but Isteir still didn't stir.
I knelt over her and leaned down. Just a little lower, and my face would've pressed right into her pretty lips.
I couldn't believe there was such a gorgeous woman lying defenseless under me.
It felt different from a Valkyrie. Valkyries and Pilots had a master-servant dynamic, but this woman was different. She'd react uniquely to every little thing I did.
Was this what 3D felt like?
That didn't change my love for Sua, though.
'Sua did say it was okay...?'
My hand reached toward Isteir's chest but hesitated.
Before her perky breasts caught my eye, it was her beautiful face that drew me in.
Her fair, flawless skin extended smoothly down her neck. Her straight nose and red lips looked almost mystical.
Her tousled golden hair dulled her usual perfection just a bit, and right now, that made her look irresistibly sexy.
My gaze followed her neckline to her ample breasts, rising proudly even as she lay there.
My trembling hand moved toward them.
"Haa..."
But then it stopped.
I didn't think it was right to do this to a woman I'd just met—someone I wasn't even that emotionally attached to yet.
Sure, there was that bet and the wish, but that was separate. She was incredibly attractive and seemed ripe for the taking right now, but at the very least, I wanted our first time to be when she was sober.
I pulled back from hovering over her.
Then I straightened out her spread legs and tucked the blanket back over her.
I turned on the small bedside lamp, switched off the main lights, and headed for the door.
"You... idiot?"
That's when Isteir's voice came from behind me.
Startled, I whipped around. She'd sat up at some point and was staring at me.
"Huh???"
Isteir's Perspective
"Ha... how long do I have to keep wandering around here...?"
In yesterday's D-rank match, we'd lost disappointingly because my B-rank Valkyrie was too weak.
I'd thought it was an easy opponent, but I'd messed up my bench picks.
The B-rank Valkyrie I'd hastily put on the front line couldn't hold, and our formation collapsed.
With the B-rank Valkyries I had, pushing into higher-difficulty areas was tough.
I needed to level them up a bit here before moving on.
But that was easier said than done. Past level 20, Valkyries leveled up slower and slower.
"Hm? Someone's here already?"
I heard fighting sounds from somewhere.
Normally, you'd steer clear if another Pilot was hunting. But that day, curiosity got the better of me.
I guess I was intrigued that someone else was grinding Valkyries here too.
When I checked it out, some guy was there with just one D-rank Valkyrie, a Spear Knight. She looked overwhelmed even against two orcs.
Sure enough, one orc smashed into her arm.
The Valkyrie looked like she'd drop dead any second. A Pilot with only one Valkyrie would die in moments if she fell.
Pilots without Valkyries were that fragile.
"Take 'em out."
At my command, Lushan loosed an arrow at one orc. At the same time, Stella charged in and sliced the other's throat.
"Hey! What the hell is a newbie Pilot doing in a place like th... this?!"
Showing up here with just one D-rank Valkyrie seemed so reckless that I yelled without thinking.
But when I saw the guy's face, I faltered for a second.
Silver hair with a blue sheen, an innocent vibe, clear and deep eyes.
A sturdy but slender build.
'What...? Why is he so hot???'
People saw me as haughty or prickly, but that wasn't entirely accurate.
I was a total sucker for good looks. But my current situation made it hard to get attached to anyone.
I spoke more harshly on purpose.
"Get outta here!"
The guy's eyes shook in confusion at my words.
'So... cuuute...'
"Uh... I... don't know the way..."
He definitely seemed like a newbie Pilot.
His flustered look was adorable.
"No wonder you're lost. Why would a newbie come to a place like this? You know this forest isn't a joke? With just one D-rank Valkyrie, what were you thinking?"
I grumbled extra to hide my feelings.
He bowed his head and apologized. Accepting it made my heart ache a little.
"Head the way I came—no monsters that way."
"Thank you."
I pointed the direction I'd come from, and he bowed again before turning away. It made my heart waver.
"Wait. Your Valkyrie's hurt. Let me heal her. Holla—heal her up."
I used her injury as an excuse to chat more.
He was perfect—exactly my type.
'Where'd a guy like this come from?'
Once Holla healed the Spear Knight, he thanked me again and started to leave.
I couldn't let him go like this—I might never see him again.
"I'm Isteir. You?"
He hesitated at my question.
"I'm... Kai."
Why hesitate over just a name?
"Come back when you've grown a lot. This place is seriously dangerous."
I said it hoping I'd really see him again. He bowed once more and vanished.
'Ha... wonder when I'll see him again?'
The next time we crossed paths was at the Colosseum.
Since meeting Kai, he hadn't left my mind.
His fresh smile and face kept popping up, wrecking my focus.
As a fresh Pilot, I figured he'd hit the Colosseum, so I checked often—but no sign.
Truth be told, if he showed, I planned to chew him out. He needed to level his newbie Valkyrie to D-rank and summon six, not waste time there.
I wanted him rolling with a full six Valkyries for efficiency. But hitting the Colosseum early would only stall his growth.
Yet here he was, less than ten days later.
I recognized him instantly. Maybe because he was my type, but he just... glowed.
Excited, my lips twitched up, so I forced a sharp tone.
"Still wandering around clueless?"
It was something I'd really wanted to say.
"Who...? Oh!"
Kai looked startled but recognized me. That secretly thrilled me.
[The following is a bonus scene.]
Scene of taking off the top of drunk, sleeping Isteir...
Scene of completely undressing her
