Chapter 164

164th Episode

A New Venture

164 – A New Venture #4

I thought the group of men had left, but they turned their heads back towards me.

“Um, are you Hassan of Samaria? Could you give us an autograph?”

“An autograph?”

“Here, on my axe, just etching it with a chisel would be enough. I heard you disbanded the Thief Guild. I was genuinely shocked.”

“Ah.”

Adventurers always keep their ears open for rumors and hearsay.

Because they need to be sensitive to which situations could make money and which they should avoid. These men, too, seemed to know that I had taken down the Hydra Thief Guild. One by one, they spoke to me.

“You’re still Bronze Tier, huh? I guess we won’t see you around the western streets for long?”

“Before long, you’ll be moving to the eastern district where only the rich live, right?”

“And before that, a keepsake on my weapon… share some of the Warrior’s blessings with me, huh? Heehee.”

These adventurers seemed quite skilled, and their age wasn’t too far off from mine. Being praised by them made my chest tingle and my feet float. My face got hotter from their compliments than it ever did from alcohol.

So, I casually scratched their axes and blades, making marks.

Skkk, Skkk.

When I carefully carved “Hassan” into the metal, the men truly beamed without a hint of restraint.

“Hah, I gotta show this off now.”

“Really never thought meeting a Samaritan was possible in this inn.”

“Getting this autograph made me feel stronger. Like I’ve had an enchantment placed on my weapon.”

The men left their seat talking amongst themselves like receiving my autograph was an extraordinary event.

Besides, they had apologized multiple times for flirting with Luna, which softened my irritation substantially.

Why are they so happy just for a clumsy autograph of mine?

Still, I realized I would’ve been ecstatic if I’d gotten an autograph from my favorite pro gamer or YouTuber, so I came to accept it.

So, I’m famous now, huh?

I’ve often wondered how celebrities, YouTubers, athletes, and pro gamers feel. Now, being treated like that myself, the realization feels somewhat surreal.

Whatever.

I composed myself and sat at the table. Luna, resting her chin on her hand, leaning on the table, said something.

“Hassan, there are suddenly a lot of people pretending to know you.”

“Guess I’ve become somewhat famous.”

“In fact, I expected this. My eye for materials is exceptional, you know. From the first time I met you, I had this electrifying feeling.”

“…Is that right?”

Luna’s words made me feel quite embarrassed, so I covered my face by sipping from an empty glass.

I was considering ordering another drink, but both Luna and I knew we’d risk blacking out if we drank any more, so I just decided to clear my throat.

“Hassan, you’ll really reach Gold Tier!”

Luna happily cheered, raising her hands high as if it were her own achievement. Would I have grown this strong without Luna? Without her totem allowing me to level up, what would I be doing right now?

I became curious.

Why exactly can I level up using Luna’s totem?

Isn’t the meeting between Luna and me some kind of destiny?

My thoughts tangled as I drank, growing sentimental. Besides destiny, no other convincing story came to mind.

That’s more romantic anyway.

Because of this, I grew even more puzzled about why Luna, the daughter of God, who should be sipping cheap beer in a shabby tavern, was leading such a poor, wandering life.

Isn’t Luna the daughter of a baron, the lowest rank of nobility? How can someone so exalted in this world, let alone the daughter of the great Nox, be living like this?

Curious.

But there’s no one to ask, leaving me feeling quite exasperated.

If, for some reason, something were to pull Luna and me apart because of her origin—like the arranged marriage with deities she once mentioned, where Luna would have to leave me—could I endure it?

Doubts arise about whether simply becoming a Gold Tier hero would solve all such problems.

So, I inwardly asked.

Luna, what are you really?

*

Drunk as heck, Luna couldn’t walk properly. Thus, I had to piggyback her to the cabin.

My strength had greatly increased, and Luna wasn’t particularly heavy, so it wasn’t that difficult.

Clunk.

I opened and entered the locked door of the cabin. The first floor was scattered with all sorts of potion ingredients. Then, there was the sound of a jar opening, followed by the appearance of a rainbow bridge outside the pot.

Keng Keng.

“I’m back,” I announced.

Hiiyoong…!

Perhaps my courage has grown through various experiences; I could now converse calmly with the spider without fear. Though, on reflection, it might not be increased courage but rather an odd mental state that makes this possible.

Anyhow, I gently placed the sleeping Luna on a deer-skin upstairs. On the second floor, Paranoi was already fast asleep somewhere.

Ever since she stayed over last time, this little nymph has been treating this place like home.

Even so, I let her be because both Luna and I were exhausted day and night, working non-stop to make potions, like overworked research assistants.

It feels like graduate students in a professor’s lab.

“Sleep next to Paranoi.”

Just as I was about to tuck Luna in with a blanket, she suddenly stirred her eyes half-open.

“S… I need to clean up before sleeping!”

Indeed, true to her nature of always being tidy, she couldn’t sleep while feeling sticky.

Yet upon closer inspection, despite being someone who gathers insects from dirt fields and harvests herbs, Luna appeared impeccably clean at all times, her skin porcelain-like and radiant.

A faint mint fragrance usually wafted from Luna’s body, making it impossible for me to wrinkle my nose.

What’s the reason? Genetics? Because she’s the daughter of a goddess? While I was pondering these thoughts, Luna staggered and descended the stairs to enter the bathroom on the first floor.

The sound of her undressing—swish, swish—caused my heart to swell.

Thinking about it, it’s an exciting situation to be in the same house as a cute girl getting clean.

Tension and excitement began to rise.

Creak, creak, shwosh—.

“Ugh, it’s cold….”

The faucet clicked on, and the sound of running cold water echoed throughout the room. Imagining Luna soaking up the water made me want to sneak a peek.

But then, as if reading my mind, Luna spoke.

“Hassan, you’re not allowed to look!”

“Don’t worry.”

Sometimes, Luna seems to read my mind before I act, surprising me.

They say when a couple is dating, their thoughts become similar. Perhaps this was of the same nature?

Creak, creak.

As I filled my head with such musings, the sound of the faucet shutting off reached my ears. There was then the rustling of fibers brushing against skin.

Squeak.

The makeshift wooden door of the bathroom slowly opened outward, revealing Luna.

“Hassan, it’s your turn to clean up too! Having a bathroom in the house is convenient, right?”

“Definitely. Makes earning money enjoyable.”

“Later, I’m going to make a garden for herbs, build a kiln here myself, buy all these warehouses nearby… expand the land….”

Though she’d just had a bath, her sleep and alcohol hadn’t completely worn off, causing Luna to mumble her way back upstairs.

I also went to the bathroom to clean up. The water was icy since there was no hot water, but considering how deeply summer had set in and my own drunken heat, the cold was refreshing. My heated head cooled down, and my body felt refreshed as I happily came back out.

Luna and Paranoi were sleeping soundly, snoring lightly under the covers.

Though I felt a bit regretful, I thought about going downstairs to sleep, then noticed the exposed leg.

The thin calves, the cute and soft thighs; my gaze got stuck.

Bump, bump.

The sight alone made my lower half hard. Today’s bl**d flow reminded me of being a middle schooler again.

Luna wouldn’t like it if I touched her body without permission.

However, since she’s deeply asleep anyway, wouldn’t lightly touching or rubbing be okay? She wouldn’t even notice being carried.

Swoosh.

Thus, I slowly extended my hand toward her sleeping body.

My heart pounded heavily, like committing a serious sin. Electricity surged from my waist down my back, through my neck, and to my scalp.

Smoothly. Smoothly.

What I touched was Luna’s thigh. A slightly soft mass of thigh.

While having a thigh like Hippolyte’s—muscular without a bit of flab—is appealing, a softer, plumper thigh like this one is nice too. What would it feel like to sleep with this as a pillow?

Smoothly, Smoothly.

This skin texture was like slipping into my hand.

While being a wallflower to others, one day this soft body would be mine. Thinking about this made me excited, imagining Luna and my first official night together.

I felt like I would float away.

Ah, I need to get stronger quickly, to reach Gold Tier. This has become a firm goal, fueling my motivation in life.

Smoothly, Smoothly.

Like a starving man, I caressed Luna’s thighs and calves for a few days.

Today, going between the Mars Guild and the Venus Shrine for the Venusian quests had made her muscles ache. Her lower legs and feet seemed swollen, probably from the long walk today. Poor girl.

“Yahhhh…”

A feminine m*an sounded like she was in pain.

Could sleeping Luna react just from me touching her leg? Perhaps she’s awake? Just as I was clutching my heart in anxiety—

Rustling.

Something stirred in the dark.

“My… legs feel strange.”

It was Paranoi, with her crimson bobbed hair. The little nymph who had been soundly sleeping next to Luna suddenly woke up, rubbing her eyes.

What’s happening?

I was incredibly flustered.

Upon recognizing it, I found out that the thigh I was touching wasn’t Luna’s but Paranoi’s. Several legs had been tangled up outside the blanket, and the dark room had confused me.

The Paranoi’s wide eyes met mine and suddenly widened even more. I felt an ominous sign about my life.

“H-Ha, Hassan-nii!!”

Realizing I was touching her leg, Paranoi opened her mouth wide to scream, but I hastily covered it to prevent Luna from waking up.

“Mpph!”

“Shh, calm down… quiet, alright?”

But in my panic, I covered both her nose and mouth, which made Paranoi squirm, unable to breathe.

When I let go, she let out a deep sigh.

“…Hassan-ni-sama, why were you… touching me…?”

What should I say? That I thought it was Luna’s leg but turns out it was yours? Would this excuse work? Even to me, this sounded ridiculous.

Furthermore, the thought of casually touching a pure-hearted girl like Luna seemed inappropriate. What would be the best explanation?

While pondering this, trembling Paranoi spoke first.

“I knew Hassan-ni-sama always looked at me with lustful eyes…”

“What? When did I ever look at you lustfully?”

I felt a bit wronged. Paranoi’s build was on the small side compared to Luna, and she looked younger, which always triggered a certain moral brake in me.

“Small nymphs like us can sense these things… I always knew Hassan-ni-sama’s gaze wasn’t ordinary…”

Paranoi often remained in her own world.

Like coming up with exaggerated names for my actions or getting spooked by shadows, her imagination was evident even now.

Anyway, misunderstandings needed to be clarified. Since this could lead to problems if it escalates here beside Luna, I led Paranoi downstairs.

“Huh… hooohh…”

Paranoi was shaking like she’d experienced a great calamity.

“Where… where are you taking me…?”

“Sit here.”

I sat the shaken Paranoi on a chair downstairs and explained calmly.

“First, let me explain. You misunderstood. I was only giving a massage.”

“…A massage?”

“Yes.”

“Then why give a massage while I’m sleeping…?”

That’s true. Even though I’d said it lightly, why would I massage sleeping Paranoi? I scratched my head, trying to think of a good way.

“Because you’ve been working hard recently. It’s a reward.”

“…Reward? Working hard…?”

Paranoi was somewhat slow, so I figured I could talk my way through this and convince her.

“Yes, a reward. You’ve also made quite an effort, haven’t you? You helped so much with the undeads in the underground and the next time….”

I tried to recall Paranoi’s efforts but failed under the influence of alcohol and the situation. Apart from her help with the magical diagrams, I couldn’t remember much.

Wasn’t she the one who didn’t do much?

Just as I was feeling stuck, Paranoi chimed in.

“O-Oh right? If it weren’t for me, you would’ve all probably been killed by the mechanical birds…!”

The mechanical birds? Recalling the ruthless killing drones we fought during the Venus Shrine quest, I remembered Paranoi had helped by summoning the wind.

“Yes, Paranoi. We couldn’t have done it without you. That’s why I wanted to reward your efforts.”

d*mn, am I really saying such nonsense now? I felt like I’d turned into the beast of my foot. Even if it’s Paranoi, it feels unlikely she’d fall for these lines.

“Hassan-ni-sama, why does touching me count as… a reward…?”

Indeed, Paranoi wasn’t fooled. She seemed smarter than I anticipated. I mentally upgraded my impression of Paranoi to two and a half stars.

Then, Paranoi said something unexpected.

“Is Hassan-ni-sama perhaps…someone extraordinary? Could you have blessed me with a touch?”

Apparently, she wasn’t that smart after all.

Seeing this opportunity to break through her line of reasoning like slipping through the gap of opposing defense, I played my best card.

“Uh, well, how should I say this…actually, I am pretty extraordinary. Or, well, maybe not.”

“Is Hassan-ni-sama the son of a deity? I vaguely thought you were enjoying earthly pleasures after descending from heaven…”

“Son of a god?”

“Black hair, massive build, and eyes as dark as Tartarus. Could you possibly be the son of Pluto…?”

Am I the son of Pluto? I hadn’t imagined getting questioned that way.

Still, this strange misunderstanding would be better than having Paranoi squeal to Luna, “He touched my thigh while I was sleeping.”

But why the hell Pluto out of all gods? I don’t like that kid Pluto.

“That…uh…”

“Last time when the hearth fire was extinguished, wasn’t it clearly the power of hell and d*ath? I’ve never seen anyone with that kind of devotion to Pluto!”

Recalling her cryptic words about the hearth, it reminded me of the day before battling the headless Minotaur. I scattered sand over the fire in some superstitious ritual, and the fire went out.

Apparently, Paranoi understood it differently. Indeed, I noticed her demeanor towards me changed slightly from that moment.

“Hassan-ni-sama, perhaps…are you one of the Great Lords of Hell come upon this earth to summon the underworld? Am I right…?”

Unlike her previous flustered demeanor, Paranoi was pressing me with questions like an investigator chasing down a criminal.

I honestly didn’t understand what the heck she was saying, making it hard to respond.

Still, Paranoi is foolish. Given the situation, using it to my advantage was the best course.

“Uh, yeah, something like that. I’m Pluto’s son. I’ve come here to bring the underworld to this land.”

[Author’s Note]

On a side note… I promise to focus on making each episode deeper and more meaningful. I really hope they’re turning out well as intended.

---