Luna, You...?
"Then, I'll be off."
"Yeah. Be careful out there, and make sure to apologize to Lila for me."
"Got it."
I handed Dmitri a week's worth of milk. It was for Lila. I'd told him to take responsibility, so it was only right that he deliver it.
"By the way, this is coming out of your paycheck."
"Pardon?"
"You said you'd take responsibility."
"Hah, but Manager..."
"Objection denied."
Dmitri's shoulders slumped as he nodded. He'd realized no amount of arguing would work.
"Understood."
The deflated Dmitri picked up the milk and left. It wasn't a huge expense anyway. A day's work from him would more than cover a week's supply.
"Then I'll really head out now."
"Go on."
Dmitri departed for the forest. As a creature of the night who moved freely in the darkness, it wouldn't take him long. Maybe two hours at most.
"Guess I should tidy up some stock while he's gone?"
I planned to clock out once he returned.
That's when it happened.
"Hello! It's your condom duty girl Luna, dropping by after so long!"
Luna had finally shown up at the convenience store again. It was the first time since I'd introduced her to Dmitri that day. Almost a full week, huh? Despite saying she'd come by regularly, she hadn't set foot here once. Robinson had filled in for her instead.
Was she that shocked? Did she think I wouldn't support the two of them?
"Why haven't you come around until now?"
"Huh? Oh, uh, I was just busy. So I sent Robinson in my place."
"What's got you here today?"
"Things eased up a bit? Ha, haha."
Luna laughed awkwardly. She avoided coming when Dmitri was around, but showed up the moment he was gone.
"You aren't uncomfortable around Dmitri, are you?"
"Wh-what? N-nooo? Not at all. Totally fine."
Anyone could see she was uncomfortable. Not liking him, but actively uneasy? Something was off.
No need to pry too deep, though.
"Here for condoms again today?"
"Y-yeah."
I asked the awkwardly smiling Luna, "Anything going on at the lake lately?"
"Nope. Same old."
"And the Crown Prince?"
"Business as usual. He hands us these impossible jobs, and we handle them..."
Luna let out a heavy sigh.
"Lately, I've been spending more mornings disguised as Jane."
She wasn't just a brothel girl—she was a skilled info broker with magic and scouting prowess.
"Sounds rough."
"Everyone's got their burdens. Wish he'd cut back on the overtime, though. Might as well quit wasting time at the brothel. Haaa... I'm beat."
Luna picked out her condoms and plopped down on the chair behind the counter.
"Mind if I rest a bit before I go?"
"Sure. Take your time."
"Hehe, thanks!"
Luna slumped in the chair with a sigh of relief.
"Whew, nowhere else to unwind... Feels like ages since I could truly relax."
"No one's riding you here?"
"Yeah. You wouldn't get it, Manager. Madam's so sharp and picky—drives me up the wall."
She sighed deeply and straightened her clothes.
"Aren't you a bit too relaxed?"
"It's fine. You wouldn't be interested in me anyway."
"...Why do you think that?"
"'Cause you're not into girls?"
Did I really come off that way? Well, I had been especially aloof with her. When she teased in that see-through outfit, my body naturally rejected it—like it was reminding me I only reacted to virgins.
Working in a brothel was a massive turn-off for me. Luna had every reason to think that.
Blame this damn curse of a body. I was a healthy guy in his twenties who loved women more than anyone. If not for that one thing... if I hadn't ended up in this world...
My little guy would've stood at full attention for her. Proud and tall.
"I am interested in women."
"Huh?"
Luna's eyes widened like saucers at my words.
"R-really?"
"Yeah. What guy isn't into women?"
"B-but then why...?"
"Why what?"
She stared at me in shock, glancing between my face and my crotch like it made no sense.
"Wh-why didn't you react?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Wh-when I was teasing you. Why no reaction?"
"..."
So she was teasing after all.
"You mean flashing your tits and stuff?"
"..."
Luna nodded, her face flushing crimson.
"W-was it 'cause I'm not attractive enough?"
"Nah, it's not that."
"Then why...?"
Still confused, she pulled aside the fabric covering her chest. Even with that deep cleavage on display—and a little mole between her breasts—nothing stirred.
"There's a story behind it."
A story I couldn't exactly share. How do you even say you only react to virgins?
Watching my non-reaction, Luna bit her lip.
"You're lying, right? About liking women. Y-you don't have to hide it."
"Why would I hide something like that?"
"Weren't you and Dmitri... you know?"
What the hell?
"That day, you were hiding him so much, acting like I couldn't see him. Panicking like it was some big secret."
"..."
This misunderstanding ran deeper than I thought. Was that why she'd asked if he was around when she visited?
'She wasn't crushing on him—she was worried about me and him?'
I'd been concerned she'd fall under his charm if she saw him. But she'd been checking if he was there because of us.
Was that why she hadn't come for a week?
'Oh god.'
My head spun. This was the worst kind of mix-up. I should've been clearer that day. Half-assed explanations had backfired.
"Luna."
"Yes?"
"You said you hadn't seen Dmitri's face, right?"
"Nope. No idea what he looks like. But if he stole your heart, he must be handsome."
Got it. Now I understood why Madam said not to worry about Luna. Why she'd gotten this weird idea.
Luna had never seen Dmitri.
It all clicked.
'I was the one overreacting.'
My screw-up had caused the misunderstanding.
"Sigh. It's not like that. Dmitri's just an employee. I really do like women. I just don't react much because of... circumstances."
"...For real?"
"Yeah."
She didn't press for details. After a moment of silence, Luna slowly spoke.
"Okay. If you say so, I'll believe you. I misunderstood, huh?"
"Yeah."
The ridiculous mix-up seemed resolved. Thank goodness. Me and Dmitri? Absurd. The kind of rumor that could never see the light of day.
Well, at least it was cleared up now.
"Calm down and rest a bit before you head back."
"Sure."
Just as Luna sighed in relief—
Ding-a-ling.
"Manager, I'm back."
Dmitri had returned. With his face all puffy and swollen.
Wait, why are you back already?
"Hey! Hold up! Don't look up from there!"
If you make eye contact with Luna right now, it's game over. We'd both be in deep shit.
"Pardon? What do you—"
But against my desperate plea, Dmitri lifted his head all too casually.
And saw her. Luna, sitting at the counter.
She saw him too. Dmitri, clutching empty milk crates, cheeks flushed bright red.
"..."
Oh, fuck.
I frantically plotted escape routes in my head, wondering if I should tie her legs to keep her from bolting. No, Luna would get over it. She was that kind of girl.
"Manager, who's this guy?"
Right. Stall with conversation. Team up with Dmitri to keep her from running.
"The employee I mentioned. Dmitri, our night shift guy."
"Ughhh..."
Huh? That's not the reaction I expected.
I turned to her.
"He's... kinda ugly, isn't he?"
She wrinkled her nose like she'd seen something unpleasant.
"Ugly?"
"Sorry on first meeting, but you look seriously off-putting. Could you, like, stay back?"
What the—?
I stared at Dmitri in shock, and he just gave a wry smile and shrugged.
"Told you, Manager. If the vibes don't match, this happens."
Vibes don't match? But you said you don't vibe with virgins?
"Eh?"
A dumb squeak escaped my lips. My brain wasn't processing.
So Dmitri vibes with non-virgins but not virgins... and he doesn't vibe with Luna?
Which means Luna is...
"A virgin?"
I blurted it out at her, face blank. Our eyes met, she blinked, then—
"H-how did you...? Kyaaah!"
Slap!
It was pure reflex. The moment she grasped what I'd said, Luna screamed and slapped my cheek.
"H-how can you say that to a lady?!"
"You're really a vir—?"
Slap!
Another one. For real? You? And the second I realized—
Throb.
My crotch reacted.
This wasn't sane either. Or maybe I wasn't.
"You're an idiot, Manager!"
Ding-a-ling.
Luna bolted from the store like she'd been burned.
"...Dmitri, explain."
"She really is a virgin."
"Not that. Explain the rest."
"What do you say to a virgin besides calling her one?"
Why, though? Working in a brothel, wearing that skimpy dress—how?
My common sense shattered right then.