Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Hassan’s Holiday

Chapter 90 – Hassan’s Holiday #3

Morning had arrived.

It was a morning where birds chirped and flowers bloomed, glistening with dew. Today being Sunday, people would be heading to the sanctuaries or shrines of the gods they believe in to offer their prayers. Or, if not that, they would be taking care of the tasks they couldn’t during the week or simply resting.

However, Luna, huddled in the corner of the second-floor room, was on the verge of tears, sniffling as though about to burst into crying. The turmoil in her eyes betrayed a deep level of confusion.

I feel like I’ve made some great mistake. Still, issues that need addressing must be tackled honestly so that they won’t snowball into something bigger later.

I spoke.

“No, I’m not mad. Just tell me what you were trying to do. What kind of sorcery was it?”

Luna admitted she was casting some kind of sorcery on me at night.

So, the heavy sensation I’ve been feeling every night was due to Luna’s spell. It also explains why the nightmare of being crushed by an enormous rabbit wasn’t just a coincidence.

“Well, um… it’s a spell of…”

“What kind of spell?”

“A spell… to reduce… restlessness.”

Wait, what on earth is that supposed to mean? Hearing this unexpected story made my head spin.

“Why would you cast that on me?”

“But, Hassan keeps coming back smelling like other women. Nymph, Hippolyte….”

Luna tried to justify herself.

“Well… but…”

I was momentarily at a loss for words because, indeed, I had a record of such incidents.

But, I swear, I hadn’t done those things intentionally. Was Luna just misunderstanding everything?

“Anyway, don’t do that to me. So, what’s this spell supposed to do?”

“It… It can s*ck a little life energy…”

“From my body?”

I think I understood why Luna had been unusually energetic in the mornings. And why I’ve been feeling drained despite not being ill. Luna was using some sort of energy-sapping technique on me! I was surprised and frightened to find out that she had these capabilities.

“But, isn’t such a curse usually used on monsters or cultists instead?”

With a shake of her head, Luna replied, “It only works with skin contact.”

“Ah…”

So it’s tough to use it on anyone other than me, then. It’s hard to imagine Luna clinging onto someone else’s body to cast her spell. Looks like this is Hassan’s exclusive curse.

“And Hassan, you ignored my curse the last time…!”

“Ah, you’re right…”

Hearing about the curse reminded me of the day she wrote my name in red letters. That’s when my body started feeling heavier. I had dismissed it as trivial then, but it’s clear now that Luna had felt otherwise.

“Anyway, I wasn’t planning to keep this up long. They say men stray or leave when women don’t reciprocate their affections…”

“What nonsense is this?”

I don’t know where she heard this, but it seems Luna has her own worries.

Though I had been living without much thought, I could see why she might feel that way.

“Seriously, you scared me half to d*ath.”

“I won’t do it anymore…”

Luna’s deflation was painfully visible.

I didn’t like how this somber atmosphere had crept into the morning, so I thought I would lighten it up.

“Do you want to eat some meat?”

“Sure, I’ll have some roasted meat!”

Her straightforwardness was refreshing.

—

We devoured two whole roasted meats at our regular haunt, the tavern “Nymph’s Wings.” Though we’ve been eating here for days now, Luna showed no signs of being sick of it. Is she in her growth spurt?

“Doesn’t it get boring?”

“Not at all! And it’s the cheapest here, right? With the guild building destroyed, we need to save money for a while.”

Anyway, it was a relief that Luna’s mood improved quickly.

As someone once told me: when your girlfriend is upset, the best way to resolve it is to buy her something delicious. Putting this to the test proved surprisingly effective.

When people are hungry, they tend to become sensitive, and sensitivity leads to anger or melancholy. This might be one of the hard-earned bits of wisdom men have accumulated after spending a long time with women.

Unexpectedly, knowledge from contemporary society can come in handy.

Lost in thought, I casually asked to shift the mood.

“After this, what do you want to do?”

Normally, even weekends would involve heading to the guild to take on missions. But ever since the Mars Guild building collapsed, I am unwillingly unemployed.

Still, with the 50 silver coins I earned, if I spend carefully, I should have enough for two to three months, or even six months to a year if I’m frugal.

“What about you, Hassan? Do you have any plans?”

“I don’t particularly.”

“Then, shouldn’t we just relax at home?”

With Luna’s suggestion, I nodded. It was indeed true. Lately, I’ve been busy without a single day off to rest—it would be good to recharge by doing nothing for a day. Just as we were about to get up after finishing our meal, someone spoke up.

“Hey, I’ve been hearing some crazy stories lately.”

Turning around at the voice, I saw the tavern owner of Nymph’s Wings eyeing me keenly.

“Word is that a black-haired Samaritan brought down a sect of cultists. There are a few Samaritans in Sodomora, but hearing the description, I couldn’t help but think of you. Is that true? Was it you?”

In just a few days, the rumor had already reached the tavern owner’s ears.

I felt a small swell of pride.

“Well, what you’ve heard is actually true. It was me who took them down.”

“Wow, impressive! Though it’s technically your achievement, I’m quite pleased! Having an outstanding adventurer among my regulars brings a myriad of advantages, you know. Much like when a celebrity visits a shop.”

Similar to how places get promoted when celebrities visit; after all, renowned adventurers are almost like celebrities.

“Your silly friend with the crooked nose would be happy about this, I suppose.”

At the mention of a “crooked nose,” Malco’s face immediately popped into my head. Is that guy still alive?

“What did he do?”

“Ah, you have no clue? Well, busy as you might be, it’s possible. Anyway, um… I have something I need to speak with you about.”

“What is it?”

Just then, the tavern owner leaned in so quickly that I was startled. I almost threw a punch but caught myself in time.

Anyway, the tavern owner whispered in my ear.

“I have some important news, and I need a bit of your time…”

“Time?”

“To keep secret from that young lady too.”

Keep it secret from Luna also?

I turned to Luna with an expression indicating my dilemma, but she shrugged.

“I’ll just sit here and wait.”

Clearly, waiting on me has become second nature to her. So I followed the innkeeper down to the basement.

The basement, where the innkeeper’s wife Echo had once come for a massage. Walking into the same room as before, I found it unchanged, with the same cozy, honeymoon-like atmosphere as ever.

However, what has changed since last time…?

“Seriously, what on earth?”

“Indeed, you must be shocked, right? Hassan, I need to know what on earth happened to cause this!”

The innkeeper paced, clearly fuming. Following his gaze, and mine, we looked at Echo sitting demurely on the bed with her hands clasped together.

“Hello, Doctor.”

Something was definitely different about this Echo compared to the one I had met before.

The Echo I knew once seemed like a blossoming young woman of about sixteen, but the current Echo radiates the mature aura of a woman around her late twenties or early thirties.

The innocence is gone, replaced by a ripened sweetness, like a fruit that has been warmed by the sun and is about to burst with sweetness.

She’s fuller, her physique has changed completely, such that if she hadn’t greeted me, I might have mistaken her for Echo’s older sister or perhaps a young mother.

“What on earth happened?”

“I want to know the same! Shortly after you healed her back, Echo changed dramatically in just a few days!”

It’s implausible for someone to change so drastically in such a short span of time. It’s like years of arrested development were suddenly reversed in a flash.

“You might have some clue what happened, don’t you?”

Of course, I had an idea. After all, I had cast the spell of “Halt Youthful Development” on Echo’s chest when massaging her.

That has to be the reason.

“Nevertheless, why is this an issue when you’ve become even more beautiful?”

“Of course, there’s no issue for me. Thanks to you, our marital life has improved dramatically. However, the problem is that I’m not the only one who finds her attractive.”

“Huh?”

“Every low-life and sc*m of the alleys have been harassing my wife with their unwarranted flirtations!”

Indeed.

While a teenage nymph like the previous Echo might have gone unnoticed, the present Echo, mature and alluring, is undeniably attractive even to me. Since she’s the innkeeper’s wife, she naturally interacts with many customers. This must be difficult for the innkeeper to handle.

“The problem doesn’t end there. Word has spread about a ‘mature nymph,’ reaching the ears of some high-ranking gentlemen…”

“Which gentlemen are you speaking of?”

“Of course, the detestable aristocrats. They’re demanding I reveal the secret or method that matured her, pestering me relentlessly. But, what could I possibly know?”

“If so, did you by any chance mention me?”

I began to feel a vague fear as rumors of my massages spiraled out of control. Medical practices are severely punished in this world, after all.

Although massages might seem harmless, one can never be too careful. Human matters often defy certainty.

“Of course not! We swore on the waters of the Styx to keep each other’s secrets safe. But, there’s only so much I can do to cover for it. Is there no way to resolve this?”

—

Having wrapped up my conversation with the innkeeper,

I returned to the tavern’s first-floor dining area where Luna was sitting at the table, busily constructing an odd tower out of the chicken bones she’d eaten.

“What were you talking about?”

Luna’s eyes opened wide as soon as she noticed me, clearly eager for details.

“Just some work-related stuff, nothing special.”

“Got it. By the way, check this out. Cool, right? Bone Totem!”

Luna said this with pride, pointing at the little bone tower she had built on the plate. I glanced over, expecting little but was genuinely surprised.

The pyramid-shaped tower made from bones was meticulously crafted. How on earth did she do this?

A symbol of idolatry? A misguided form of offering?

“Good job. Does this do anything special?”

When I asked Luna, she looked at me like I was the strangest person she’s ever met.

“Naturally, it does nothing. Even you, Hassan, ask some oddly serious questions sometimes. Could it be cultural differences?”

d*mn.

I unintentionally got schooled by Luna, leaving my face tingling.

In this manner, our lunch came to an end, and we headed towards Luna’s cottage.

“Hassan, is there something bothering you?”

At Luna’s question, I snapped out of my thoughts.

“Worried? No? Why? You haven’t said a word since a while ago.”

“Looks like the innkeeper shared something serious, huh?”

Luna’s perceptiveness was surprisingly sharp. In truth, the conversation with the innkeeper had occupied my mind entirely.

Perhaps I should unload a bit to Luna now.

“Hey, Luna. Have you heard of Baron Fleur…”

Just as I began to ask,

“Oh my, what a surprise – look who it is – meeting dear friends right here!”

A drawling, lazy voice reached my ears – one that stuck to my mind like molasses despite my efforts to erase it.

“Today, my stars were good – and look who we meet here – Hassan – should we call you the little hero of Sodomora? So unexpected.”

Ssshhh.

The crimson-haired witch alchemist, Nemea, with her pointy hat, her hair wavering like flames. I honestly thought I would never see her again.

“Hey, Nemea.”

“Rumors of intrigue had been flying around recently – and they do concern a friend of mine. Didn’t you keep coming to visit? Are you avoiding me on purpose?”

Confronting her face to face made me feel like I’d committed some grave sin; my arms and legs tingled with unease.

“Sweet little one – aren’t you getting smaller each time I see you? Could it be because you’re still a child?”

“…”

Luna’s face was growing darker by the second. I could sense an imminent disaster as I fumbled to speak up.

Ssshhh.

In a flash, Luna darted behind Nemea, wrapping her arms around her waist in a tight embrace.

“Huh!”

“Hey, what are you doing? Don’t press my stomach like that – you’ll crush the baby out of me!”

“Whaaat!?”

Author’s Note

In the poll, we’ll be asking which characters you’d like to see illustrated next. Your participation is much appreciated!

Also, if there are any other characters outside the options that you’d love to see, feel free to leave a comment. We’ll try our best to include them!

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