Chapter 297: Preparing for the Request
Chapter 297: Preparing for the Request
“Guwon-nim! Guwon-nim!” “Guwon! Snap out of it! Guwon!”
My consciousness slowly returned to the sound of beautiful young women calling my name.
“Don’t shake me. I’m dizzy.”
“Guwon-nim!”
The moment I opened my eyes, something hard wrapped around me in a tight embrace.
I knew who it was without looking. There was only one person who called me ‘Guwon-nim.’
“Silvia. If you hug me like that while wearing plate armor, it’s going to hurt, even if it’s me.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
The atmosphere seemed heavy, so I tried to crack a joke, but Silvia just apologized, and the mood didn’t lighten.
She loosened her grip slightly but didn’t let go.
I guess when she’s this sad, she doesn’t mind hugging me on her own.
“So, what happened? I remember the giant bird piercing my stomach.”
“If you can remember that much right after waking up, you must be fine. Tsk, getting hurt because you couldn’t even dodge that.”
Alicia, who was standing over me, said with a light punch to my side.
Hey. Don’t hit the side of a guy who just had his stomach torn open.
Still, the fact that she was watching over me meant she was worried, so I was grateful.
“Of course, he is. Who do you think treated him?!”
Matilda said in a proud voice, wiping the corners of her eyes.
Come to think of it, I heard another voice besides Silvia’s as I was waking up.
“You healed me?”
“Y-Yes?! Do you have a problem with that?!”
Perhaps because I’d been giving her such a hard time, Matilda answered with a hint of caution.
Even so, I wouldn’t go that far when she just saved my life.
“No. Thank you. You saved me.”
“Y-You’re being quite honest.”
“Even I know how to be properly grateful at times like these. Thanks, Matilda.”
“No. This is why I came along in the first place… You don’t have to thank me so much…”
Matilda’s prickly tone suddenly deflated.
She started fidgeting, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. This wasn’t good.
Ah, dammit. I can’t even thank this girl properly.
“I guess you’re right. No need for thanks. You just did your job. Hmm. Good work. Continue to carry out your duties diligently in the future.”
In the end, this was the only way.
I’m sorry, Matilda. This is all to protect my son.
“Y-You are such a rude person!”
Matilda, whose cheeks had been tinged pink, quickly changed her attitude and snapped at me again.
Good. My son is safe now.
“Instead of just lying there, you should get up and eat something.”
Miriel’s voice came from a short distance away.
I turned my head and saw that the rest of the Arachne members, aside from Alicia, were all eating.
What a heartless bunch. Then again, they probably knew Matilda could heal me completely, which is why they were so calmly preparing a meal.
And it seemed the Holy Knight named Lily already knew Matilda.
“Silvia. I’m fine now. Let’s get something to eat.”
I said to Silvia, who was still clinging to me.
“Uhh. Yes…”
But even as she answered, Silvia showed no sign of letting go.
I guess I have no choice. Should I pry her off me?
“Or… should we stay like this a little longer? Want me to hold you?”
“Hyaah! N-No, I’m fine!”
Works like a charm.
Silvia scrambled away from me, and I was finally able to sit up.
“Ooh. Not a single scar. It’s spotless. The armor, on the other hand, is pierced through and looks pretty bad.”
“My apologies. We should have been more careful. I never imagined a creature on the verge of death could muster such strength.”
“No, I didn’t expect it either, so there’s no need to apologize. Besides, I’m still alive. By the way, you caught that thing right after it stabbed me, right?”
“Caught it? More like… it died from exhaustion the moment it attacked you.”
“Did its penis appear?”
“Yes. No problem there. But there’s one thing I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”
“Why did you have to get so close to it back there?”
“Ah… about that. The truth is, my most powerful skills require me to be up close. My ranged skills weren’t working on that thing. I think it’s because my level is a bit too low.”
“I see. That creature was certainly stronger than a monster like a troll. But this will be a problem going forward. We might encounter a Transcendent Species, and what’s more, our target is the Layer Boss. It’s far stronger than the one we just fought. Even with us here, we can’t let you get close to the Layer Boss.”
“Ugh. Is it really that bad?”
“It is. We need a countermeasure… I see. So that’s why Lady Teluna…”
Miriel muttered as if she’d realized something.
“Huh? What about Diana?”
“No, I just realized I had misunderstood something. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come straight from the clan house.”
Miriel continued to mutter things I couldn’t understand.
“Alright. Let’s make camp and sleep here for the night.”
“Huh? Already? It’s still evening.”
“Hm? You’re right. You just woke up from being unconscious, yet you know the time without even looking at a clock.”
Miriel pulled a watch from her pocket to check, then looked at me with curiosity.
“In any case, there’s no need to worry about that in the dungeon. You just woke up, so it would be best to rest and recover today. This area happens to be a good spot for camping, too.”
Well, she had a point.
In the dungeon, where the brightness never changed, few adventurers paid attention to day or night.
It was our clan that was strange for meticulously keeping a regular schedule. I’d heard that most adventurers just sleep whenever they can.
“Everyone! Prepare to make camp!”
“Oh, are we staying here?”
“Yes.”
“Hehe. I’m looking forward to it.”
Lutia shot me a seductive smile.
“You will not lay a single finger on Guwon-nim!”
“Hehe. Don’t be so defensive. I’ll be sure to dote on you as a bonus.”
Despite Silvia’s cold demeanor, Lutia just gave a slight eye-smile and went to prepare for camping.
I really can’t tell if that woman is serious or just joking.
…She can’t be serious, right? No way. We’re in the middle of a dungeon, after all.
Thanks to the Arachne clan members moving quickly, the camp was set up in no time.
With so many people, they pitched quite a few tents, and I was assigned one of them.
“We’ll take care of the night watch. You should focus on recovering your strength,” Miriel said, putting a strange emphasis on the words ‘recovering your strength.’
“In that case, I won’t refuse.”
Well, I almost died again today, so she probably just meant I should get a good rest.
I readily accepted Miriel’s offer.
The only problem was Lutia, who might try to pounce on me.
“Silvia.”
“Yes?”
“You’re sleeping with me tonight.”
“Y-Yeees?! B-But we’re in the dungeon…”
“What are you thinking? I literally mean just sleep. You have to protect me if someone tries to attack me in my sleep.”
“Oh. Y-Yes, I see.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll sleep with you too!”
For some reason, Matilda chimed in.
“No, I don’t need you.”
“How dare you! Such an ungrateful person!”
Hey, don’t say that. It makes my conscience prickle. I really am grateful.
“Go bond with the Holy Knight over there.”
“Huh?! M-Me and Cardinal Matilda, together?!”
Lily, whom I had pointed to, looked extremely flustered, but I paid her no mind.
Sorry, but my son’s life is my top priority.
“Hmph. To ignore a person’s goodwill. You’ll face divine punishment one day.”
Matilda spat out as if she were pouting and walked over to Lily.
Sorry, but I was sent by the Goddess herself, so I probably won’t be receiving any divine punishment.
“Well then, shall we sleep?”
“Y-Yeees!”
Silvia, looking tense, entered the tent with me.
Come to think of it, Sara let me sleep with Silvia yesterday, and now I’m sleeping with her again. I wonder if Sara would be upset if she knew?
“Silvia, stop vibrating. I can’t sleep.”
“S-S-Sorry. B-But, Guwon-nim?”
“Yeah?”
“I-I-Is it necessary to hold me this tightly?!”
Silvia said in a tearful voice, clutching the area over her heart.
“I can’t sleep unless I’m hugging something.”
“I-Is that so…”
“Actually, it’s best to sleep not just hugging, but with it inserted, too.”
“P-Please, not that! Have mercy…!”
“What? You don’t like being connected to me, Silvia?!”
“N-No, that’s not it! But with everyone able to hear… Uuuuh.”
It looked like Silvia was really about to cry, so I decided to stop teasing her.
“Alright, alright. I’ll just hold you, so bear with it.”
“Uuuh. Yes…”
Compared to sleeping with me inside her, just being held must have felt significantly less daunting, as the trembling in Silvia’s body subsided a little.
Truthfully, the best way to get my body in top condition would be to sleep with Healing Sex activated. But it can’t be helped. Silvia really wouldn’t be able to handle it if I put it in.
“Hello. Going to sleep already?”
Just as I was about to drift off while feeling Silvia’s vibrations, someone barged into our tent.
“She’s here!”
“My, what’s with that reaction? You’re hurting my feelings a little.”
Lutia had actually come into our tent.
“W-What brings you here?”
“Hehe. You know why.”
“I-I really don’t taste good!”
“I’ll be the judge of that after I have a taste.”
“Do not lay a hand on Guwon-nim!”
“Hehe. Feisty, aren’t we? Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you, too…”
As she spoke, Lutia reached for Silvia’s chest.
“How is it? Doesn’t it feel good? My finger techniques are renowned even within our clan…” “You’re hopelessly clumsy.”
Lutia spoke seductively, but Silvia’s expression didn’t change as she replied.
Of course it wouldn’t. There was no way she’d feel anything if someone other than me touched her.
“Hehe. Such an obvious lie… Huh? Wait?”
Lutia reached down to Silvia’s crotch, but she looked flustered when she found it was completely dry.
“Take your hand off me. Could it be that you only act experienced, but are actually a virgin?”
“W-Whaat?! A v-vir…”
Silvia landed a counter! It was super effective!
Lutia staggered back with a shocked expression.
“What’s all the commotion? What are you doing?”
Just then, another person entered our tent.
It was Miriel.
“Miriel! Tell her! My technique is good, right?”
Why are you asking Miriel, another woman?
Just as I suspected from the vibe she gave off before we entered the dungeon, these girls really are…
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? More importantly, Lutia, I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I was going to entrust Lady Teluna’s request to you, but I have to cancel that.”
“What?! What do you mean?!”
“It seems Lady Teluna had a different intention when she made that request. I was mistaken. I’m sorry for getting your hopes up, but I’ll take it from here.”
“No way! I was looking forward to it so much! Then let’s at least do it together…!” “That would just lower the efficiency. It’s best if I handle him alone. Please understand.”
What in the world are they talking about?
No, I think I have a pretty good idea, but I’d really prefer if my guess was wrong.
“Tch. Fine. But you have to pay me back later, Miriel.”
“I will.”
With that, Lutia left the tent.
Now, only Miriel, myself, and Silvia—who stood in front of me with her arms spread in a defensive stance—remained in the tent.
Silvia. You’re my only hope.
“Then, shall we begin?”
Miriel said, paying no mind to Silvia.
“First, let me ask… begin what?”
“Sex.”
Dammit! I was right!
In the end, even if she seemed normal, she was still a member of the Arachne Clan!
“And if I refuse?”
“…Is that your fetish?”
After hearing my response, Miriel thought for a moment before giving an utterly absurd reply.