The Checkpoint
Timong.
A feudal territory located in the southwestern region of the Empire, it was a place filled with pastoral landscapes, as most feudal territories were.
Vast pastures with livestock roaming over them, flocks of sheep and shepherds wandering the hillsides, and farmers working together in small groups.
It was a truly peaceful countryside scene, entirely different from Atryge, where dozens of carriages came and went daily and all kinds of goods were on display, and equally different from the endlessly barren and danger-ridden frontier.
We were heading toward Timor, the capital of the Timong Territory and home to the Count's castle.
We had been traveling by carriage all the way from Atryge.
This was because the Atryge branch manager, Eleonoa, and Lucrecia believed this matter was linked to noble infighting or a conspiracy, arguing that entering the Timong Territory openly might be dangerous.
Since the distance from Atryge to Timor couldn't be covered in a single day, we would have had to camp out, which meant we might face an unknown ambush.
Therefore, we decided to disguise our identities and travel via a regularly scheduled carriage service to deceive the eyes of our unknown enemies.
But thinking about it now, I wondered if it would have been better to just ride horses through the back roads.
Slurp! Squelch!
That was because of the noises echoing inside the carriage for some time now.
Since this carriage to Timor made several stops along the way, various people naturally shared the ride.
There was a rural family man who had come to Atryge to sell goods, an errand boy, a peddler, and even a mercenary.
On top of that, there was a prostitute who had boarded to completely drain the mercenary's wallet.
"Suck it harder."
Slurp! Slurp! Shhhluuuck!
"Haa..."
My head felt like it was about to split.
The damn mercenary, completely shameless, was getting a blowout from the prostitute right there in the carriage.
The other passengers, who had boarded for different reasons, seemed used to this kind of thing and barely reacted.
Would I have found this normal too, if I hadn't entered the Academy?
If I had...
I probably would have lived a life completely disconnected from these two.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Kael?"
When I suddenly looked over, Eleonoa whispered to me with a smiling gaze.
Since we planned to enter Timor in disguise, we had changed into clothes that ordinary country folk would wear.
Over those, they wore large robes to conceal their striking appearances.
The hoods of the robes covered almost half their faces; unless one looked up from below, they were barely visible.
Eleonoa slightly lifted the edge of her hood, looking at me with a mischievous, sly smile.
"What is it? Did those sounds get you excited?"
"W-what are you talking about?"
She wiggled her eyebrows as if asking if I was sure.
Then, she stealthily reached out and placed her hand on my thigh, slowly caressing it in a way that was incredibly ticklish and teasing.
"Ah!"
But before she could go any further, Lucrecia's fingers pinched the back of her hand, forcing Eleonoa to let out a small shriek and pull her hand back.
"Hmph. Kael, the back of my hand is all red. Kiss it better."
"Kael, she only acts like this because you keep spoiling her."
"Both of you, stop it..."
Ever since that night of pure ecstasy the three of us shared in Atryge, they seemed to bicker even more for some reason.
While it felt strangely gratifying to know I was the cause of it, the thought of having to mediate between them sometimes made me feel utterly exhausted.
Slurp! Slurp! Shhhluuuck! Sluuuurp!
The wet noises echoing inside the carriage grew increasingly intense.
The two of them, who had been bickering just moments ago, fell silent, unable to take their eyes off the spectacle...?
Huh...?
Instead of showing disgust or ignoring it, they stared intently, as if engraving the sight into their minds.
Like students taking notes in an Academy lecture...!
The prostitute was using every trick in the book, satisfying the mercenary using nothing but her mouth.
Gag! Slurp! Lick! Slurp!
Taking it all the way down to the back of her throat, swallowing him to the root, sucking so hard her cheeks hollowed out, and occasionally darting her tongue out to lick the shaft as if devouring it whole...
It was a technique so intense that even watching it made me instinctively tense my thighs.
"So... that's how you do it..."
"Eleonoa?"
"Huh? Oh... it's nothing."
At her sudden murmur, I instinctively looked at her.
Come to think of it, when the two of them had pleasured me with their mouths that night, it had been their first time, so it was a bit clumsy—mostly just light licking before they stopped.
Did they feel regretful about that...?
If anyone should feel regretful, it should be me, the recipient, so I couldn't understand why they were the ones looking so wistful.
Seeing Lucrecia staring with the same academic intensity...
I was completely lost for words.
Over the next few days of our carriage journey, the mercenary and the prostitute continued their acts until they finally got off.
Even after they disembarked at some nameless village, the carriage rolled steadily toward its final destination.
The only difference was that once the prostitute and mercenary were gone, the carriage fell quiet again—yet the girls began to stealthily touch my body whenever the other passengers weren't looking.
And they wanted me to touch them in return.
When Eleonoa first whispered her request quietly into my ear, Lucrecia would soon stare at me intently, silently begging for my touch.
In this way, we kept each other's bodies burning with heat, making a silent promise to share a passionate night once we reached Timor.
"Kael, I think we've arrived."
At Eleonoa's words, I stopped caressing her thigh and looked outside. Beyond the pastoral landscape in the distance, the high stone walls of the city of Timor came into view.
Though the walls didn't look exceptionally high, even from afar, it was clear that the defensive fortifications were well-maintained.
If anyone were to lay siege to it, taking the city would be no easy feat.
As we drew closer to the walls, we saw the city gates standing half-open, guarded by two sentries.
Having only two guards seemed a bit lacking, but there was a high probability that more soldiers were stationed inside or atop the walls.
"Halt!"
As the carriage approached the gate, a guard shouted in a booming voice. The coachman pulled the reins, and the carriage ground to a halt with a loud whinny from the horses.
"Oh, my. What's the matter so suddenly, officers?"
"The Lord has ordered us to inspect every carriage and person entering the city."
"But I travel back and forth here all the time..."
"There are no exceptions. Everyone inside, get out. And strip the tarp off the cargo bed."
The coachman tried to act friendly, but the guard replied in a cold, rigid tone.
"It must be because of what happened recently... What should we do? Should we reveal our identities?"
"That might be a bit hasty, Kael. If this really is the result of noble infighting, the opposing faction is bound to be monitoring Count Timong's movements. Even if he is a noble loyal to the Emperor, if word gets out that he summoned Imperial Knights to resolve this, things could get complicated."
"Exactly, Kael. Besides, we can't even trust those guards right now. The culprits managed to kidnap all of the Count's heirs. That means they have a clear grasp of their movements... There are bound to be spies in the Timong Territory."
"Then we have no choice but to comply with the search."
In the end, we decided to follow their advice and quietly obey the guards' orders.
We climbed down from the carriage and walked toward the wall, keeping our distance as instructed.
A moment later, the coachman pulled back the tarp, and the guards thoroughly searched the carriage from top to bottom.
"Hmm... Clear!"
At the guard's shout, the coachman bowed deeply and drove the carriage inside.
The passengers who had disembarked also tried to follow, but the guard blocked their path.
Standing among them, we had no choice but to stop and wait.
"You people too. Line up against the wall!"
"But we're just farmers from the nearby village. We only came to buy some daily necessities... You know our faces, don't you?"
"Silence! This is the Lord's command. We inspect every carriage and person passing through! I already told you, if you refuse, you're going straight to the dungeons."
"N-no, of course not..."
Terrified by the mention of the dungeons, the protesting farmer turned pale and quickly pressed himself against the wall.
I briefly locked eyes with the girls. Both of them shook their heads slightly, signaling that we should just go along with it.
Left with no choice, we joined the very back of the line.
Once everyone was lined up against the wall, one of the two guards kept watch with his spear leveled, while the other began patting down the passengers one by one.
Most were ordinary male farmers, but there were a few women as well. The guard didn't seem to care.
No, if anything, it felt like he was being a bit more... thorough when searching the women.
"Eleonoa. Lucrecia."
"Calm down, Kael. We haven't even heard the exact details of the situation from the Count yet. If we cause a scene, there's no telling how much worse things could get."
"Kael, we're fine."
I had only called their names, but as if reading my mind, they comforted me with reassuring smiles.
It was pathetic, but...
In the end, I had to defer to their judgment.
Because their logic was undeniable.
Soon, it was my turn.
"Take off your hood."
At the guard's command, I immediately pulled back my hood.
The guard glanced at my face, then gave me a half-hearted pat-down.
We had left all our weapons and gear back in Atryge, planning to obtain them from the Count.
Since the Timong Territory was located in the relatively safe rear regions of the Empire, we figured that with our abilities, we could easily handle any situation even without weapons.
Thanks to that decision, we could pass through the search without raising any suspicion.
"Clear."
I stepped aside and waited for them to be searched.
"What are you doing? You're cleared. Get inside."
"We're together."
"Is that so?"
The guard smirked at my reply and approached them.
Perhaps because their voluptuous figures were obvious even beneath the loose robes, a sleazy grin spread across the guard's face.
Damn it...
"Alright, you two take off your hoods as well."
Eleonoa was the first to pull back her hood.
"Hmm..."
But the guard let out a strangely disappointed grunt.
I briefly locked eyes with Eleonoa.
Around her neck hung the Illusion Ruby Necklace, emitting a faint light that only those capable of manipulating mana could perceive.
It was a mana-activated artifact lent to us by the Atryge branch manager.
While it offered no combat utility, it possessed the power to alter the wearer's physical appearance at will.
However, it had no effect on those who possessed mana, which was why I could see her true face perfectly.
Only she knew what kind of face she had projected to the guard.
Lucrecia wore an identical necklace.
The guard was likely deeply disappointed by the plain face Eleonoa had chosen to project.
Even so, he didn't stop the search.
"Put your hands behind your back."
"Ah...!"
As the guard's hands touched Eleonoa's body, she let out a soft gasp.
The bastard ran his hands up her legs before squeezing her buttocks with both hands.
The shape of her rear, outlined clearly beneath the robe, was visibly squashed under his palms.
"Heh. You might have an ugly face, but your body is incredible. Hey, is that guy your husband?"
"..."
Eleonoa remained silent, offering no reply.
"Tsk. No fun."
The guard slid his hands upward, groping her stomach and waist, brushing against the undersides of her breasts, and then moving to her arms and shoulders.
"Hmm. Nothing unusual."
"Phew..."
At his words, I let out a sigh of relief, thinking Eleonoa's search was finally over.
But I was mistaken.
Squeeze!
"Haaah!"
"Except for these suspicious tits, that is."
"Y-you...!"
Squeeze!
"Oh? Are you resisting? I told you, refuse the search and you go straight to the dungeons. Besides, these tits are so huge it's suspicious. Who knows what you've got hidden in here?"
"Ahg!"
The guard squeezed her breasts even harder.
I could see her massive breasts being completely deformed even through the fabric of her robe.
"Seriously... just try to resist. I'll drag you straight to the cells. Even if you're ugly, a body like this is more than enough to have some fun with..."
"Ngh..."
I momentarily locked eyes with Eleonoa.
Her trembling eyes seemed to convey her apologies to me.
At the same time, Lucrecia, standing behind her, shook her head from side to side.
"Haa..."
In the end, I could only stand there and watch.
"This is insane. Ha! I've never felt tits like this before."
The guard showed no signs of stopping.
The bastard even slipped his hand inside her collar.
His hand moved around beneath her clothes.
As his rough hand brushed against her bare skin, Eleonoa let out a deep moan, her body trembling.
"Hnnngh...!"
"Haha. I hit the jackpot today!"
I could see the veins bulging on the guard's arm as he worked his hand.
Eleonoa's waist bent forward.
"Ah...! It hurts...!"
"You've got the body of a dairy cow, and yet you're crying over this? Does your husband not touch you enough?"
At the guard's insulting remarks, I felt a surge of mana gather in her eyes, but she ultimately did nothing.
She simply stared at me with sorrowful eyes.
I stared back, but eventually, unable to bear it any longer, I averted my gaze.
Watching my lover being violated by another man right in front of me, powerless to stop it, was a torment worse than death.
"Haaah...! Hngh... Stop...!"
"Haha!"
As soon as I turned my head, Eleonoa let out a soft whimper, as if she had been holding it in.
She was clearly aroused.
And by another man's touch, no less...
No. That wasn't it.
It had to be because of the teasing and touching we had done in the carriage... Her body, already heated from our play, was simply reacting to the stimulation.
I forced myself to believe that.
Otherwise, Eleonoa would become a woman who got aroused by the touch of another man...
"Hngh!"
"Ha. For such big tits, these are on the smaller side, aren't they?"
Damn it.
The bastard was definitely pinching her nipples.
Fuck.
Blood rushed to my head.
To hell with the quest. I wanted to beat these bastards to a pulp right now and head back to Atryge.
"Clear!"
Just then, the guard's shout rang in my ears.
I quickly turned my head to look at Eleonoa.
She was adjusting her disheveled robe, walking toward me with unsteady steps.
I rushed over and supported her.
"Eleonoa..."
"Kael..."
"I'm sorry. And..."
Eleonoa shook her head and whispered.
"Once we get inside... you have to cover it up."
"Huh?"
"Every single place that bastard touched and groped... cover it all with your own touch, Kael. Don't leave a single spot."
Ah...
I nodded.
"Next!"
The nightmare wasn't over yet.
Lucrecia pulled back her hood, her face as cold as ice.
She had also disguised her face with the artifact, so the guard showed no particular reaction upon seeing her.
"Geez... are you his woman too? What kind of taste does this guy have, picking nothing but plain-looking girls? Though, your body certainly doesn't lose to the other one..."
"Ngh...!"
Just as he had done with Eleonoa, the guard began slowly searching her lower body.
"Wow... your ass is even bigger than hers."
"Kh..."
What if the guard touched her Weak Point?
They had already resolved to endure this humiliation.
But a Weak Point was...
A Weak Point was a different story entirely.
"Kael, trust Lucrecia. She must have taken that into account. She probably has a way to handle it..."
"...Alright."
The guard's hands began to slide further up.
Squeeze!
"Heh... I can't believe two girls with tits like this showed up back-to-back..."
"Huuut..."
The guard began to squeeze and knead her breasts through her clothes with all his might.
"Oh... this one's got some nice firmness to her."
As the guard smirked and prepared to slip his hand inside her collar, the other guard standing watch with the spear stopped him.
"Hey, look over there."
The guard pointed toward another carriage approaching the gate.
"Tsk. Just when it was getting good."
"Keep your hands to yourself. Besides, it's my turn next."
"Fine, fine. Clear!"
The guard pulled his hand out of Lucrecia's clothes, gave her buttocks a firm slap, and barked.
It seemed the arrival of the new group had cut short his harassment of Lucrecia.
I rushed over to her.
"Lucrecia! Are you alright?!"
"...I'm fine, Kael."
She offered a strained smile and leaned against me.
"I'm so sorry, both of you... It's my fault for teasing you in the carriage..."
"No, it's not."
"It's not your fault."
Clinging to either side of my arms, they leaned on me as we finally entered the city.
Compared to Atryge, both the scale of the city and the number of people on the streets were far smaller.
Perhaps because we had grown accustomed to the bustling noise of Atryge, the entire city felt strangely quiet.
It was a typical provincial city built around the Lord's castle.
"Haa... Kael. First... let's find an inn..."
Their breathing was heavy and ragged.
I quickly secured a room at a decent-looking inn and brought them inside.
Their bodies, already heated from our playful touching in the carriage, had been set ablaze by the guards' groping.
The moment the door closed, they began clawing at my clothes and pressing their lips to mine.
"Haa... Kael. Touch me."
"Kael. Touch me so I completely forget about those bastards..."
Fulfilling their desires, I pushed them onto the bed and roughly stripped off their clothes.
I couldn't remember exactly when it started, but my shaft had been throbbing and rock-hard for a while now.
When did it begin?
Probably...
Probably right after we entered the city.
It must have been the sensation of their breasts pressing against my arms as they clung to me.
Most likely...
I brought my throbbing, erect cock to Eleonoa's face.
"Mmph!"
Eleonoa opened her mouth wide, taking me deep inside.
Just like the prostitute we had seen in the carriage.
Swallowing me whole just as that woman had done, she began to suck greedily, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
At the same time, I squeezed Lucrecia's breasts, tangling my tongue with hers.
Slurp! Slurp!
In an instant, the inn room grew scorching hot as we spent our first night in Timor.