Episode 43 Hiring Thorns
「Aahnn♡ Aahnn♡ Aahhnn♡」
A room in the monastery.
In Arueno's private room where few things are placed, Kian was having sex with Arueno on the bed.
Outside the window, dawn was about to break.
In less than an hour, the monastery day would begin.
「Nnhh♡ Kian-kun♡ It's about time♡ For me to get ready♡」
said Arueno, with her golden bangs sticking to her forehead and her bosom bouncing.
「Hmm....., Oh, is it that time already? Time flies by so fast, doesn't it?」
「Fufu, really♡ Nhh♡」
Arueno climaxes with a small effort.
Kian also ejaculated for the umpteenth time in her tight vagina.
「Phew......」
「Nnmhh, huff, huff... ......♡」
They embrace each other and put their lips together.
It was not a deep kiss with their tongues entwined, but a light kiss as if they were confirming their love for each other.
「Fufu....... I used muscles I don't normally use, so I'll probably have sore muscles tomorrow.」
「Your voice is a little hoarse too. It can't be helped, though, since you were making naughty noises all night long.」
「Oh no, really?」
「Shall I fix it with my healing?」
「Then, ......, please do so」
Arueno rubs her forehead against Kian's chest as if to pamper him, even though she can use her own healing.
Kian kneaded his chi and gently launched it into her throat.
「Do you have enough magic power?」
Arueno asks, her soprano voice returning to its original clear tone.
「Yes. Even though I've been up all night, I've never felt better.」
Kian opened and closed his right fist.
Thanks to the abundance of life force he was able to absorb overnight, he was able to store a volume of magic power in his body as large as the cafeteria in this monastery. He can't even count how many cups it would take to fill a bathtub.
(With this, I can manipulate the crows without any worries, and I can shoot as many 『Shoot』 as I want.)
「Be careful not to let the magic power spontaneously dissipate. If you let it dissipate too much, you might attract bad things to you because of the strong magic power.」
「Like powerful magical beasts, right? I understand. I'm good at suppressing the emanation of magic power, so leave it to me.」
「I hope that's true. ...... That's all for today. If you lose your magic power again due to spontaneous emanation, come to me. I'm always available to help you at night.」
Arueno smiled and sat up.
She brushed her golden hair, which was covered with various bodily fluids, off her back and stood up, wrapping a sheet around her body, probably to cleanse her body and change into her sister's clothes.
『Oi, Kian. Aren't you going to invite her to the party? Did you forget?』
(Of course, I remember. .....It's awkward to ask such a request after causing trouble all night, but it can't be helped.)
『You know what it is to be reserved.』
Ignoring the glasses that are saying rude things, Kian calls out to the elf sister who is magically making hot water.
「Arueno-san.」
「Hmm? What it is? ...... That reminds me, did you just come here today to get some magic power? If you want me to trade herbs or something, let me know. I'll give you a special service today.」
Kian shakes his head and continues.
「No, actually, I have one more request besides magic power. It's about my quest.」
「My」
Arueno blinks her eyes.
「It's going to be a bit long, is that okay?」
「It's fine. If it's okay with you while getting ready, that is.」
「Of course. Then――」
Kian sits down on the bed and makes himself ready to talk.
Arueno puts the tub of hot water on the floor and kneels down just in front of him and begins to comb her hair.
As he politely watches her carefully cleanse her magnificent golden hair with her fingers, Kian explains his current situation from the beginning to the end.
That he had unknowingly violated the guild's new constitution.
That he might be fired from his job as an adventurer as a result of this sanction.
That he had to accept several difficult quests to avoid being fired.
One of those quests ― to find the treasure ― is currently in the process of conquering the 『Rose Labyrinth』.
「...... So the other day, I went to the 『Rose Labyrinth』 with my friends to investigate, but it seems that the labyrinth itself is under some strange magic, and we came back without even finding the entrance to the labyrinth. Since it is only the rose that makes the maze, we could have tried to destroy it with herbicides or explosives to get to the Western-style house in the back. But――」
「That's dangerous.」
Arueno, who had finished drying her hair while Kian was talking, said quietly.
She sat down on the sofa right next to him in her thin nightgown.
「You should hire a magician. Preferably someone who is well-versed in warding magic or weather manipulation ritual magic. Your companion is also a swordsman, right?」
「Yes.」
「It would be suicide for an amateur to challenge the warding without an expert. If it is an aggressive ward, it could kill you.」
「I'm sure you're right. That's why I talked with my colleagues and we decided to hire a magician temporarily. But I am the lowest-level adventurer. Even if I recruit new members, the magicians who come to me are at best low-ranked. No high-level magicians will come.」
「I suppose that's true. There is no way that a magician with national qualifications would participate in the quest of a lowly adventurer. It is obvious that they will have to babysit them.」
「Of course, there may be some lower-level magicians who have the expertise to solve the mysteries of the labyrinth. However, with a high probability, they will not be so lucky. We have discussed this and decided to make recruiting a last resort and start with our respective acquaintances.」
「...... I see.」
Arueno let out a sigh of understanding.
「In other words, Kian-kun, you want to hire me as a party member.」
「That's what I'm going to say straight away. Of course, we'll work out a schedule, and after dividing the remuneration into three equal parts, I can give Arueno-san my share of everything. I'd rather take a method that will ensure the completion of the quest than hire a bad magician and die.」
「You seem to think very highly of me, Kian-kun, but do you know exactly how powerful I am as a magician?」
「No, that's ....... But I am sure that you are quite skilled. The magic hanging in the workshop, the golem guarding the bathhouse, ...... Isn't Arueno-san a very high-ranking magician?」
「――」
When Kian leaned forward and asked, Arueno kept silent with a difficult look.
The hourglass on the desk in the room turned over on its own, dropping the last grain of sand.
Outside the window, the chickens kept at the monastery let out their morning cry.
After a moment, Arueno turned her jewel-green eyes back to Kian.
「I have my duties at the monastery. It's not easy to accept it, no matter how much your lover asks you to.」
「Just so there is no misunderstanding, I am not asking you to join the party on this occasion. I'm just saying that this one time is special.」
「That is of course. You and I are both independent adults. Each of us has our own position and job to do, and there must be a price or condition for us to violate each other's territory.」
「It takes two hours to get there and back by horseback. It would be sufficient if you could see the magic of the labyrinth and give us your personal opinion on the spot, Arueno-san. You can decide the price. If I can pay for it, I will pay for anything except my life.」
When Kian said this, Arueno smiled bitterly.
「I'm not a demon from a fairy tale, so I won't try to take your life or soul. And especially since it's Kian-kun's request. I'd like to help you as much as I can.」
「Then...」
「Three conditions.」
Arueno held up three fingers.
「First, the time is this evening, and you must wait until my shift is over. We've been having sex all night, so take care of yourself and go to bed. Second, you must absolutely refrain from hiring me in the future. I am sorry, but I am not the kind of elf who is willing to lend my help to ordinary people.」
「Very well. As for sex, though, I was ready to break my promise and barge in on you two or three times, but I'll never invite you to a party again, Arueno-san.」
「Hahaha, you're an honest child ...... when it comes to sex」
「And what is the third condition?」
Kian asked, and Arueno's expression turned serious.
「You must never enter the Western-style house of the 『Rose Labyrinth』. You must only search for treasures in the garden. If you don't find what you are looking for there, just give up and go home.」
「Do you know anything about the Western-style house in the 『Rose Labyrinth』, Arueno-san?」
When Kian asked her that, she shook her head.
「No. I don't know much about it. But it's a place with a long history....... It's the resting place of the remains of an ancient vampire. You know it, don't you? I've heard of a countess who tried to preserve her youth by sipping virgin blood and taking blood baths.」
「I have been told by my informant that there is such a tradition.」
「That countess was a vampire. She drank virgin blood for entertainment and never seemed to age, so the servants who lived in the house at the time and her husband, the count, saw her and began to gossip about her. Eventually, the countess became a recluse and one day suddenly disappeared from the world. We don't know what happened to her, and it is said that she is still sleeping in a hidden room in the mansion.」
「Was that so?」
When Kian peeled his eyes slightly and asked that, Arueno said it was an old story to escape the further question. She shook her head and said, "I only heard it from someone".
「But there was more to the story. This is a story that every adventurer of a certain age knows ― It was about 16 to 17 years ago. A party of high-level adventurers decided to challenge the 『Rose Labyrinth』. The objective was to kill a high-ranking evil spirit named 『Lyanancy/リャナンシー』 who was being used by the Countess in question.」
「『Lyanancy』?」
「It is a kind of vampire. Not a vampire species with a strong monstrous nature, but an evil spirit belonging to the race of vampires, who, like us, have reason and intelligence. It's complicated. Our perception is that it's an evil spirit, so it's safe to remember that 『Lyanancy』 is an evil spirit.」
Arueno snaps her fingers and moves the tub of cold water to the corner of the room.
She continues.
「『Lyanancy』 has a good side that loves the arts, such as singing and poetry, but it also has a vicious side that has the property of sucking the life force out of others. Her ― 『Lyanancy's』 role was to keep the Rose Garden that the Countess loved in order and keep it clean. Well, she is like a gardener. Even after the Countess disappeared, she could not leave the rose garden, as she was bound by contract to it, and she remained there for a long time. She was calling other monsters ― ghosts ― to feed on them to survive, and she was also killing the fools who came to challenge the labyrinth. She was left alone for a long time because she was harmless as long as she stayed away from the labyrinth, but one day she was finally ordered to be put down.」
Arueno clenched her hands tightly, which were stacked in her lap.
「At that time, a party of the best adventurers went hunting for her. But ...... not a single one of them returned. The scouts sent by the guild had disappeared in front of the labyrinth. No one could get close to it. If they did, they would be taken into the labyrinth and never return. The 『Knight of the Sun』, who served the castle's frontier lord, and the 『Sorcerer of Thorns』, who was famous for being a little eccentric, decided to go to the rescue.」
「The 『Knight of the Sun』 is that 『Knight of the Sun』? The Deputy Commander of the Frontier Knights of the Citadel of Ezerland.」
「No, it was her father. It was before he was replaced. The 『Knight of the Sun』 is the most powerful knight on the frontier. The Adventurers' Guild took the situation seriously enough to send him out. But, you know. Just before the rescue was sent out, the leader of the party of advanced adventurers came back alone. He was dressed in beautiful aristocratic clothes, but his body was red with blood. He was sweaty and exhausted, and his face was a mess of tears. ...... He was in a terrible state. He wept and presented the 『Lyanancy's』 hair to the Frontier Count and the Guild Master at the time, and reported that the monster was defeated by him. From that day on, the 『Rose Labyrinth』 rained as hard as it cried, and no one really stopped by. I heard that the senior adventurer had quit the family business too. Poor guy, he must have been so shocked at the loss of his friends.」
「............. Such a thing happened, huh.」
When Kian let out a mumble, Arueno gave another small laugh.
「It was a long time ago. At least for you humans......But I think this story conveyed to me that even though the guardian of the labyrinth has been defeated, that place is still a bit dangerous. I was thinking of going there later to investigate, too, but somehow I forgot all about it. Maybe this is just the right time.」
The elf sister concluded her story, got up from the sofa, and opened the door of the chest of drawers. She pulls out a clean set of Sister's clothes from inside.
「You are lucky, Kian-kun. We had just the same goal. That's why I'm going to temporarily accompany you on your quest. As you can see, I am a fragile Sister, so you will protect me like a man, right?」
「Of course. I really want to become a magician, but while Arueno-san is with me, I will do my best as a vanguard swordsman.」
「Show me your good side in front of this aunt. I'm counting on you!」
She smiles as she says this.
Kian smiled back and approached her to shake her hand.
「I look forward to working with you. About the reward―」
「I don't care about the money. I told you before, didn't I?」
「Haha. Yes, you did, and I was scolded before. But this is business. To create the appearance of a contract, would you accept a reward?」
「Well then, I'd like to use my share to go on a date with you next time, Kian-kun.」
「Eh?」
「A date! I'd love to walk around town like a young girl. Or we could go for a picnic on the Western Highway.」
「That's not what I'd call a reward any longer. ......」
「Just sayin'. I've always kind of long for it. You know, for something called youth.」
「Is that so.」
Kian nodded and continued.
「Then I will do my best to escort you. Though it will be my own style of date, I am confident that I can satisfy you.」
「My, I'm looking forward to it」
Arueno smiled charmingly.
A series of clucking chickens sounded from outside, and the main building of the monastery suddenly became more and more hectic. The sisters in their rooms began to wake up.
Kian hugged Arueno, who had gently pulled herself into his chest and then hopped to the window, saying only that he would visit again later.
「Kian-kun.」
「......?」
「Good night.」
「You too, have a good day.」
「Fufu, it's like I'm having a romance with a vampire. Bye. I'll see you at sunset.」
With that, Kian nodded to Arueno, who waved a small hand and jumped down from the window.
He used his 『Blink』 to make his body appear foggy as he left the monastery.
In the distance, beyond the walls surrounding the city of East End, the dazzling morning sun was peeking out.
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Tftc
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