Chapter 172: The Encounter
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 172: The Encounter
"Don't move."
In the darkness, Muen felt himself enveloped by a soft, fragrant warmth.
Through the thin fabric of their clothes, he could feel a radiating heat and an exquisite touch. Two imposing, magnificent mounds pressed against him like a surging tide, drowning him and making it difficult to breathe.
A faint, familiar scent—one he couldn't quite place—wafted into his nostrils, stirring his senses. Two slender hands pressed firmly against his head, hiding him deep within the folds of a voluminous black robe.
In such close proximity, Muen’s hands had nowhere to go. He instinctively braced himself against the surface beneath him, his fingers brushing against skin that felt as silky-smooth as fine chocolate.
Though he couldn't see, the texture alone told him everything... This was definitely black silk stockings!
I don't know who this is, but if they're wearing black silk... they must be a good person, right?
Muen lowered his guard slightly, suppressing the urge to draw his blade. He curled his body inward, trying to make their cramped position a little less uncomfortable.
The monster’s footsteps drew near.
"Tastes bad..."
"Tastes bad..."
"Tastes bad..."
It was getting closer.
Muen felt the ground tremble slightly with every step the creature took.
"Huh?"
The monster stopped.
It stood at the mouth of the alley, peering around.
"Strange, strange, strange, strange..."
As if it had lost its target, the monster paced back and forth at the intersection.
"Not tasty, not tasty, not tasty, not tasty..."
Muen couldn't see a thing, but his heart was in his throat.
Even if the monster couldn't pinpoint their exact location, if it chose to walk down this specific alley, they would surely be discovered.
It was a one-in-three chance.
"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe... catch a tiger by its toe. This way. Tasty."
Finally, it seemed Lady Luck had decided to smile upon Muen for once. The monster chose a different path and continued its wobbling gait, moving further away.
It vanished into the darkness.
Once he was certain the monster was gone, Muen jerked his head back from that "surging tide," gasping for fresh air.
While the sensation had been wonderful, he had to admit—if that monster had lingered any longer, he might have actually died in a "breast-taking" homicide.
"Thank... thank you."
Muen panted, offering his sincere gratitude.
Regardless of the circumstances, for a girl to sacrifice so much of her personal space to save him was an immense favor.
"Don't mention it," a voice replied casually.
The figure, whose curvaceous silhouette even the heavy black robe couldn't fully hide, adjusted her slightly disheveled clothes. She didn't seem to mind at all.
However, hearing that voice made Muen freeze.
Though the voice had clearly been altered through some special means, it left a deep impression on him.
He snapped his head up. Sure enough, the familiar black-robed figure came into view.
"You shady merchant! It’s you!"
The humiliation of being cheated time and again flooded his mind. After a momentary daze, he hissed in a low, indignant voice, "You actually dare to show your face in front of me again!"
"Shady merchant?"
The figure under the black robe seemed taken aback by Muen’s exclamation. From beneath the hood, a pair of eyes scrutinized him carefully. As if remembering something, her gaze turned meaningful.
"Oh my, so that person... was you."
"That’s... that’s right, it was me!"
Muen finally realized he wasn't in disguise anymore, but he immediately straightened his back.
When dealing with a merchant this unscrupulous, he couldn't afford to be timid. He had to cut through the nonsense and seize the initiative, or he’d be led by the nose again!
"You unscrupulous merchant, since you're here, why don't we settle our accounts once and for all?"
"Oh? And what accounts would those be?"
"Stop playing dumb!" Muen laughed out of sheer frustration. "You've tricked me over and over, playing me for a fool. If you don't settle this debt, don't even think about leaving!"
"Oh? So you mean you want to settle every account between us, perfectly clear?"
"Exactly!"
"In that case..."
The innkeeper suddenly leaned in close and whispered, "I just saved your life. How should we settle that account?"
"..."
Muen’s expression instantly stiffened.
Right. She did just save him.
How could he have forgotten that so quickly?
If they were really settling accounts, then this one...
"Also, you were touching me just now, weren't you...?"
The innkeeper leaned in even closer. Even though she wasn't releasing a shred of mana or fighting spirit, Muen felt an overwhelming pressure.
It was like being a little white rabbit huddled on a lonely island, while all around him, a cataclysmic tsunami was rolling in.
"That... wasn't that your idea?"
"Oh? And was it also my idea for you to sneakily touch my thigh?"
"That was an accident! An accident! I had nowhere to put my hands..."
"Boohoo... you've touched my body. I'll never be able to get married now. Whatever shall I do...?"
The innkeeper advanced step by step, and Muen retreated step by step.
Until... there was nowhere left to go. Muen felt his back hit the corner of the wall.
The innkeeper pressed right up against him, one hand slamming against the wall behind his head—a perfect "kabedon," looking for all the world like a rogue teasing an innocent girl.
"Well? Since we're settling accounts, how should we settle these two?"
"I... I have money. I can give you money. Just say it, how much do you want?"
Muen was trembling. After thinking for a long time, the only thing he could offer was money.
"Money isn't everything, you know. Although I am a bit short on cash lately, I don't want it."
"Then... then what do you want?"
Muen’s eyes widened in terror. He noticed the innkeeper’s gaze wandering over him. She looked like a big bad wolf salivating over a little white rabbit!
She couldn't possibly be after my body, could she?
What if she demands payment in the flesh?
Am I, the great Muen Campbell, going to have to sell my pure body today?
That kind of thing is just...
"What... what do you actually want?"
"I want..."
The innkeeper lowered her head, and that familiar fragrance overwhelmed Muen once again. Because of the angle, Muen could see the smooth, elegant curve of her chin peeking out from the hood.
Her pink, cherry-blossom lips glistened, and the corners of her mouth curled into a wicked smile.
It was a wicked smile Muen knew all too well.
"Senior Sister?"
In that instant, without a second thought, those two words flowed naturally from Muen’s lips like a spring falling from a height.
The air went silent for a heartbeat.
"Oh my, I've been exposed? And here I wanted to tease my junior a little longer."
The innkeeper gave a small, regretful sigh. She straightened up and pulled back her hood.
Despite the dim light, Muen could clearly see that familiar, beautiful face.
Her hair, rarely left unbound, cascaded loosely over her shoulders. Her eyes were as clear as crystal, curving into crescents more captivating than the moon above.
The beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of charm—not overly gaudy, but enough to make one lose themselves in her gaze.
With that wicked smile playing on her lips, she looked like a little devil capable of stealing one's soul.
"We meet again, Junior. Have you been well?"