Chapter 781: Strengthening Period
Chapter 781: Strengthening Period
Today was the first time I’d actually seen Vanessa fight in the dungeon, and just as I’d expected, she handled combat on the 4th Floor without any issues.
Even without looking at her status window, it was obvious from how she carried herself back at the mansion that her combat prowess would be considerable.
Well, it wasn't like she was moving like a phantom as she did at the mansion. She fought normally, simply using magic to pull in monsters from a distance.
In any case, after another day of smooth progress, I took a short break to recover my mana and struck up a conversation with Vanessa.
“Vanessa.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t say a word.”
“…I haven’t said anything.”
I held up my hand and shook my head, but Vanessa just stared back at me with cold eyes, as if to ask what kind of nonsense I was suddenly spouting.
But I completely ignored her and continued with what I had to say.
“I know you’ve fallen for me all over again after seeing my surprisingly serious side!”
“That is not the case at all.”
“Gack. Cough.”
Even I couldn’t ignore that comeback. I clutched my chest and coughed up blood.
Seriously, how could you be so cruel? How can a person be so blunt? You heartless, cold-blooded butler!
“It… It wasn’t cool? They say on TV that a man who works hard is cool! Have I been living a lie all this time?!”
“The moment you have to say it yourself, you’ve already failed.”
“So, before I said anything, your heart was pounding at my unexpected side…”
“Not at all.”
…Excuse me, Ms. Vanessa. I’m begging you, could you at least pretend to think about it for a tiny, tiny little moment before you answer?
My heart, as delicate as glass, has already been shattered to pieces, you know?
There’s no need to deliver a finishing blow, is there?
It’s already overkill. Overkill.
“……I believe you are mistaken.”
Then, looking at me, Vanessa seemed to ponder something before speaking up, her tone uncharacteristically hesitant.
“Hm?”
“The part I was denying was the ‘surprisingly’ part.”
“Huh? Wait a minute.”
So, it wasn’t surprising?
What did I say earlier? Right. My surprisingly serious side… huh? Wait. So what Vanessa is saying right now is, in other words…
“Sniffle! Vanessa! I believed in you!”
I tried to pull her into a tearful, emotional embrace, but my advance was stopped before my hands could even touch her body. Her hand was planted firmly against my mask.
“Va-Vanessa? In case you forgot, you’re here as my woman right now, you know? I’m sure you’re aware, but I was just worried you might be confused after being so used to being a butler.”
“Yes. I am well aware.”
“If you’re well aware, then what’s this?”
“The dungeon is a dangerous place. Please refrain.”
Dammit! Just like one of Diana’s subordinates!
Even Diana has a bit more flexibility than this!
But I won’t give up. I won’t!
It’s human psychology, you know. The more someone tells you not to do something, the more you want to do it.
I will hug her, no matter what.
“So you’re saying there’s a chance we could be in danger from a brief hug? Is hugging me that big of a deal? Are you worried you’ll let your guard down and become all dazed and helpless?”
“Yes.”
To my provocation, Vanessa once again nodded immediately, without a moment’s hesitation.
“…What?”
Huh? Did I hear that right?
I asked again, my voice trembling in my flustered state, but the answer that came back was, as expected, unchanged.
“Yes.”
Yep. I definitely didn’t mishear her.
Hey. Ms. Vanessa.
Why are you suddenly so honest only at times like this?!
I mean, I’m happy! I’m happy, but!
“Did you truly believe such a provocation would work?”
As I clutched my head and let out a silent scream, Vanessa looked at me with a slightly pathetic gaze and said as much.
“You’re just saying that! You don’t actually feel anything when you hug me, do you!?”
“I do.”
“If you’re going to say things like that, at least show a little embarrassment when you say it!”
…Well, looking closely, her cheeks were tinged with a very faint blush.
It seemed the part about her guard dropping if we hugged was true.
Of course, it’s important to stay tense in the dungeon, but I feel like you could stand to relax a little.
It’s not like we’re in any real danger here anyway.
Most of the monsters here are more than happy to die from a single Saint skill, you know? And I don’t just mean that figuratively.
“Haaah… Fine. Then. I’ll give up on the hug, so at least let me feel the part.”
“Feel the part… you say?”
“The feeling that you’re here as my woman. Right now, it just feels like I’m dragging a butler around.”
“…Nothing lewd.”
It seemed my words weren’t entirely without effect on Vanessa. This time, instead of rejecting me outright, she gave an answer that narrowed my options.
Hey, that’s a line for a maid, not a butler… Never mind. Forget I said anything.
“Even I’m not planning on doing something like that in the middle of the dungeon. Do you really see me as that kind of guy?”
I, who had just yesterday been pestering Sara for Healing Sex in the middle of the dungeon, said this with a bold, straight face.
“Yes.”
Ugh! It hurts that I can’t deny it because I’ve already done it!
“…Anyway, I’m not asking for anything lewd. What I want is simple. I want you to look the part of my woman. You know what I mean, right?”
“……”
Vanessa remained silent in response.
Unlike the silence from this morning, this was the kind of silence Vanessa often showed when she was at a disadvantage.
Of course it was. She was here as my woman, and we’d already resolved her anger about Diana’s turn being postponed because of her. Yet, Vanessa was still in her normal human form, not her Dragonian one.
“Haaah… Vanessa, you’re even hiding the Apostle’s Seal at a time like this. Are you that ashamed of us being in love? Even when no one else is watching?”
“…You know that is not why I am doing this.”
As she spoke, Vanessa subtly brought a hand toward her rear.
Yeah, I know. If she transforms now, she’ll rip a hole in her pants and have to stay that way.
“That’s your fault for coming on a date in a butler uniform.”
Well, it was a bit strange to call this a date, but it was still two people in love spending time alone outside. It wasn’t wrong to call it a date, was it?
“…Kuh.”
But when I cut her off without mercy, Vanessa shot me a slight glare and let out a low groan.
Hmph. How does it feel? To have someone bluntly shut down what you’re saying.
It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel like saying that, but I held my tongue.
Because I’m a man who is generous to his woman.
“Is what I’d like to say, but I suppose I have no choice. I’ll lend you some clothes.”
With that, I took some clothes out of my inventory.
Of course, there was only one outfit in my inventory that would fit Vanessa.
That maid outfit, the one that seemed to expose more than 90% of her skin.
“…Are you telling me to change into this, here and now?”
“You don’t have to worry about monsters. I’ll protect you while you change.”
“That is not what I am talking about.”
I tried to say it in the coolest voice possible, but Vanessa only sent a cold glare my way.
“Then are you worried someone will see? Don’t worry about that either. If we go to that corner over there and I stand guard, no one will see a thing!”
“……”
“Or you can just rip a hole in your pants!”
When Vanessa’s cold gaze didn’t waver no matter what I said, I finally shouted, deciding to just let things happen as they may.
“…I said nothing lewd.”
“Lewd? You mean this outfit? You think this is lewd? You’re embarrassed? This is your outfit. If this is lewd, then you, who once worked in this, must be a pervert… I’m sorry.”
I had a feeling Vanessa would get genuinely angry if I said any more, so I immediately apologized.
I’m not getting weak. I just know when to back down.
“Hmph… Give it to me.”
But in the end, it seemed my persuasion of Vanessa had succeeded.
Well, I think my last few comments had no effect whatsoever, and the only thing that worked was my initial plea about wanting to at least feel like she was my woman.
In any case, Vanessa snatched her super-mini maid outfit from my hand and headed for the corner I had pointed to.
“Do not turn around.”
With those words, Vanessa dispelled the air bubble that connected our faces.
Although Vanessa had also used magic to lure monsters, I was the one doing the actual fighting and using more mana, so she had been the one maintaining the air bubble for our conversation.
Silence in the water.
But from the faint current I felt behind me, I could sense that Vanessa was changing her clothes.
Even though I wasn’t watching her change directly, there was something thrilling about this, too. It was nice.
As I waited for a moment with that thought, Vanessa tapped me on the shoulder from behind.
Huh? Is she done already? That was too fast.
“……”
Feeling a bit puzzled, I turned around. There stood Vanessa, who had indeed changed her clothes and, as a bonus, had undone her transformation to reveal her Dragonian form.
However, she had only changed her bottoms.
No, of course, just seeing those magnificent legs on full display was a feast for the eyes. It was. But still.
“On second thought, I realized there was no need to change the top.”
“Vanessa. I think we seriously need to have a discussion about your fashion sense.”
Hey. For real. If I, of all people, am commenting on your fashion, you know it’s serious, right?
Are you seriously wearing a butler’s top with that miniskirt, thinking it looks good?! You fashion terrorist!
“As you said earlier, Sir Guwon, there is no one else to see, is there not?”
“I can see you! Isn’t it a woman’s—no, a person’s—desire to look their prettiest in front of the person they like?!”
You owe an immediate apology to my innocent heart, which was expecting you to delight my eyes by baring that beautiful skin on both your top and bottom!
“So you are saying that, in your eyes, Sir Guwon… I do not look pretty dressed like this?”
But Vanessa countered my words in a way I never expected.
It was adorable how she uncharacteristically showed a hint of shyness while calling herself pretty, but that wasn’t the important part. No. Well, that was important too, but that’s not it.
W-wait? Hey. Hold on. That line of reasoning sounds awfully familiar.
No. How can you use that against me?!
And why is your ability to adapt so good?!
“Of course, you look pretty to me no matter what you wear, but!”
“Then there is no problem, is there? I am revealing our… proof, like this.”
“W-well, I suppose… you are.”
I couldn’t even think of teasing Vanessa for being unable to say the words “proof of love,” and could only nod my head.
D-dammit. So this is how Vanessa felt earlier.
Backing your opponent into a corner with words they can’t deny. I started it, but this method is just too vicious.
“Then, shall we go? Has your mana not recovered sufficiently?”
With that, Vanessa swam ahead.
And as her long legs passed before my eyes, I started to not care anymore.
Sure, it was a shame that, contrary to my expectations, Vanessa was keeping her top completely covered, but being able to fully appreciate those amazing legs was enough, wasn’t it?
Right. If Vanessa wore an outfit that was too revealing, I’d just get distracted while hunting, and it would only be a hindrance. Maybe this level of exposure is just right.
Yeah. It’s just a top. It’s not like increasing the exposure on her upper body would do anything other than let me clearly see her large breasts jiggling in the current… anything other… DAMMIIIIIT!
“There are monsters over there. I will bring them over.”
Ugh. Since it’s come to this, I’ll unleash all this frustration on those monsters!
From now on, it’s a party of climax and pleasure! I’ll fill this ocean with the eggs of spawning fish!
…Yeah. Even I don’t know what I just said.