Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Whereabouts of Prayer (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Next morning.
Kalt finished his usual training routine and was swinging his sword in the backyard.
While swinging his sword, Kalt recalled yesterday's events.
The night with widow Nadia, who had the tightness of a virgin.
After the first ejaculation, Kalt stopped after about ten rounds.
He could have gone further, but since Nadia ran the inn, he held back.
Above all, if Nellis's party picked up on anything suspicious and grew wary, it would be a hassle.
Thanks to his restraint, Nadia had risen early and was now preparing breakfast.
When she woke, her flustered embarrassment at the sight of Kalt's face had been adorable, even to him.
Perhaps because his time with Nadia had ended so successfully and pleasurably, Kalt felt exhilarated.
'Today feels like it'll go great.'
"Huu..."
He paused his sword swings and let out a deep breath.
He used to train daily before, but lately progress had stalled, so he'd been doing it sporadically every few days.
Now he prepared for mana manipulation training.
In the world where Kalt had been reincarnated, mana existed.
All living beings harbored mana within them, and magic power was the collective term for the strength derived from wielding it.
Mages cast spells using magic power.
But magic power wasn't exclusive to mages.
Since mana dwelled in every life form, warriors could tap into their own mana to bolster their bodies. Those adept at mana manipulation could even coat their weapons with mana-formed blades.
The technique known as Mana Blade.
Kalt's ability to support the Fastest Hero Mabel in close quarters stemmed from mana-enhanced body strengthening. Through countless battles, he'd also mastered Mana Blade.
Yet from a certain threshold onward, no amount of training or drills could push his enhancements or blade formation further. That's why Kalt shifted his focus to honing his raw physical body more diligently than mana work.
Mana manipulation training was slated for tomorrow originally.
But Kalt's instincts whispered that today would yield better results.
Trusting his gut, he gathered mana and shaped his magic power.
And his hunch proved right.
'What the...? It's actually improving?'
Subtle as it was, the volume of mana he could wield had grown.
Kalt couldn't help but be astonished.
The reason he'd spaced out his mana training?
Progress had flatlined—no matter how hard he pushed, his mana pool refused to expand.
So he'd limited sessions to every few days, just enough to keep his touch sharp.
"Ha, haha."
Yet now, faintly but surely, his usable mana had increased.
"How is this possible?"
No explanations came to mind.
If he had to name a difference from before...
'...Sex?'
That was it—relations with a woman.
Kalt was baffled.
He'd heard tales in his past life of chastity unlocking magic.
But mana growing from sexual experience?
'No way.'
He shook his head, dismissing the sudden theory.
Absurd. Mana boosts from sex? That was straight out of some wuxia dual cultivation nonsense.
'Still, more mana is a win.'
Embracing the welcome shift, Kalt pressed on with mana manipulation drills.
He cycled magic power through his body for strengthening reps, time and again.
Then formed a dense Mana Blade and slashed the air while holding it steady.
Short though it was, his training endurance had lengthened.
Kalt was thrilled—skills he'd pegged as stagnant now sprouted fresh growth.
Training done, he headed back inside the inn.
Lunia was already there, wiping tables with gusto.
"Ah, Kalt!"
"Lunia, when'd you get back?"
"Hehe, thirty minutes ago."
"Gotcha."
Lunia beamed at the chance to gaze at the handsome Kalt first thing in the morning.
She'd crashed at a friend's last night and gushed endlessly about him.
Her friend lapped up the scoop on the village's rare heartthrob, and they'd chatted up a storm.
That fulfilling gossip left Lunia all the happier to see his face now. She wished he'd linger at the inn forever.
"Say~ How long you staying in the village, Kalt?"
"Dunno yet? Gotta sync with my comrades' plans."
"Good morning, Kalt."
"Morning."
"Sleep well, Kalt?"
Right on cue, Nellis and her crew—comrades since yesterday—descended from upstairs.
"Hey, everyone."
Kalt approached Nellis's party at once.
"So, how long you all planning to stick around the village?"
"Us? Kobolds are still thick out there... Figure we'll stay till the local adventurers trickle back."
Floods typically ebbed after three weeks.
Even post-flood, rest and return trips took extra time.
Kalt figured Nellis's group would max out a hero party's village stay.
'Fine by me. Gives time to probe each one's issues in turn. Closer looks at their skills too.'
"You all up? Grab a table—food's coming right up. Lunia, quit scrubbing and help."
"Coming, Mom~."
As fellow party members now, Kalt joined Nellis's table.
"...Why you sitting with us?"
"'Cause we're party now. That bug you?"
Nellis rushed to reassure him.
"Not at all! Party eats together—it's normal! Scarlet, seriously. Same party, no more ice queen act!"
"Wasn't icing him."
"Scarlet's soft inside, Kalt. Cut her slack."
"Aria, what?!"
'Like yesterday, their vibe's solid.'
Mabel's party meshed decently too.
Kalt had witnessed plenty of hero parties toxic enough to drain you on sight.
"Nellis."
"Yeah!"
"Hitting requests today too, right?"
"Yup, totally! Kobolds ain't done yet!"
"Others agree?"
"Yep."
"Same here."
"Roger. Crush it today."
Before departing with Nellis's party post-breakfast.
Kalt set his coin pouch on the inn counter.
"Lodging fees. Breakfast included."
"My, Kalt. That's..."
A quick tally showed twenty days' worth.
"Comrades are staying the full stretch. So for the next twenty days... take good care of us, Nadia."
His grin set Nadia's cheeks ablaze.
"Y-yes.... Make yourselves at home."
"Will do. Love this place. Bed was great."
"...!"
"Alright, let's roll, team."
"Yeah!"
"Sure."
"Right, Kalt."
Kalt left it at that and strode out with Nellis's party.
Once they were gone, Nadia stared into space.
"Huh? Mom, you're blushing."
"W-what!? B-blushing?"
"Yup. Aha~ Kalt's face did it~? Told ya he's a total hunk. Mom's only human~."
Lunia's teasing giggles drew an awkward nod from Nadia.
"Y-yeah. He's so damn handsome up close—even Mom turned red."
'Woman's gotta have a pulse.'
That fierce night replayed vividly in her head.
Tonight too, maybe?
Nadia ducked into the kitchen to soothe her burning face.
En route to the kobold zone after guild formalities, Kalt asked Aria.
"Aria, did you push your holy power too hard yesterday by chance?"
"Pardon?"
"You looked off. More holy power than usual, yeah?"
He doubted it was holy power related.
Still, he tossed out a believable excuse.
And Aria latched on.
"Y... yeah. Wanted to impress you, Kalt."
"Figured. No need to overdo it. Nellis has her blessing. Kobolds are no sweat for me sans backup."
"Okay."
Aria flushed, guilty for endorsing his guess with a fib.
But spilling her real issue to Kalt outright? Too daunting.
What if he bailed after hearing it?
Nellis's tales had sparked hope in Kalt's counseling.
Yet for a chronic flaw like hers? Dicey.
Worse, as a nun's crisis, it dwarfed Nellis and Scarlet's woes.
"No impressing needed. We're team—lean on each other."
"...Right."
She knew she should.
But lying to Kalt pained her.
How to confess?
'The more holy power I channel... the more I pray for it...'
A nun doubting God's very existence mid-prayer, her power fading?