"Wait… is she really a great sage?!"
I still try to wrap my head around it, and Yomogi and Chantal are even more surprised by my reactions.
"You didn't know, Motegi-chan?"
"Kimberly is a legendary figure, you know? She's a great sage known throughout all of Acrusse. And not only that, she's also an S-rank adventurer."
"S-rank?!"
Holy shit.
Yomogi and Chantal are already A-rank, which means she's higher than them, as S-rank is the pinnacle of adventuring. So it's obvious that they're stunned when they see her.
Kimberly, meanwhile, just smiles gently and speaks with the same slow and breathy voice with so many pauses again.
"'Great sage'... is such… a glorifying title..."
She pauses for a while before she continues.
"I only… love to learn… magic… and let the wind… witness... everything we do... in life..."
Her presence is unreal. That porcelain beauty, those pauses in her speech, and those curves barely hidden behind her golden dress have made my eyes lock on her like I'm under a spell.
And just as I'm appreciating the masterpiece before me, Berland cleverly decides to ruin it.
"Well then, Mr. Motegi, I shall call you when the time is right."
"Ah… yeah."
I don't want to hear you now, Berland!
He bows politely and leaves, and I don't even look his way.
Great, just great.
He's just ruined the best moment of my life, which is appreciating this masterpiece of an elf in front of me here.
"Berland… he's… an interesting person, isn't he? He's… a renowned merchant… here. And despite… how he acts… he's actually… quite kind… deep down."
Chantal is the one who answers Kimberly's arousing-toned question.
"Yeah, he is! He bought a ton of stuff from our store!"
Yes, they might be right.
That guy might be interesting and kind like, what they say.
However, he still deserves a punch in the face because I still won't forgive him for what he's done.
Kimberly then turns to Yomogi and Chantal, tilting her head slightly.
"You two… are you… from Misdaras…?"
"Yes, I'm Yomogi. A seasonal adventurer, but I try to return regularly now. It's truly an honor to meet you, Kimberly-sama."
"Me too! I'm Chantal, an A-rank adventurer. Nice to meet you, Kimberly-sama."
Kimberly continues to smile as she requests something.
"Can you... drop... the "-sama"? Just... Kimberly... is fine..."
Yomogi stammers, and Chantal scratches the back of her head with an awkward laugh, clearly surprised.
"Y-Yes... Kimberly..."
"Ahaha... I'm not used to it yet, but fine. It's Kimberly then..."
Kimberly closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them again with a smile.
"Yomogi… Chantal… how… interesting…"
Her gaze drifts to me next.
This is bad.
My heart is already racing before she even opens her mouth.
"And you… are the merchant… from Remantia… the one… Berland mentioned…?"
Again, her speech hypnotizes me. But the moment she finishes speaking, I snap upright like I've just been called on in class.
"Y-Yeah. That's me. I'm Motegi. Berland is kind of… my top customer."
"I see..."
Yeah, I actually have to swallow hard just to hold myself together. I mean... a gorgeous, voluptuous beauty like her just stares at me and talks to me like that...
Then, Kimberly speaks once more.
"Did… Berland… say anything… about his… girls…?"
I blink in confusion.
Girls?
"Umm… he didn't mention anything about that actually. But he did want me to teach his workers how to use the products..."
"I see..."
Girls, huh?
Are Berland's workers actually… his girls?
Then, Kimberly turns to us again.
"Shall we go... to your room… now…?"
Yomogi nods respectfully, while Chantal is bouncing eagerly.
"Yes, please, Kimberly."
"Yeah! We'd love to."
"Then… follow me…"
With that, we quietly trail behind Kimberly as she ascends the stairs with light. And despite Chantal and Yomogi walking in front of me, I'm still able to see Kimberly's big butt swaying and slightly bouncing from below.
Man, this woman is really something else. It's like the more you explore her, the more surprise you get.
Eventually, she stops in front of a door at the end of the hall.
"This… will be… your room…"
She opens it slowly, and inside, I immediately see the sunlight spill through a wide window, and the curtains sway with the breeze. There is also a large bed that dominates the center of the room, a small round table with two chairs at the far wall, and a tall standing mirror near the corner.
Yomogi steps inside first.
"Amazing…"
And Chantal follows her.
"This place is super cozy! I could just curl up here all day!"
Then, Kimberly says something to us.
"If you… need anything… I'll be… in the small hut… beside this villa…"
We nod in unison, and then, she takes a small step back with a smile.
"I'll leave you… now… And please… enjoy your stay…"
With that, she glides away and vanishes around the corner.
Chantal starts wandering again before eventually stopping in front of the tall mirror, gripping the carved edge and looking at her reflection excitedly.
"Motegi-kun, look! This mirror is so huge! And my reflection looks so clear! Hahaha..."
Meanwhile, Yomogi has made her way to the opened window and leans in, letting the breeze ruffle her short orange hair.
"Motegi-chan, the view here is so beautiful! I can see the hills from here..."
But still, I can't answer anything now and just sit on the edge of the bed as everything about Kimberly is still swirling in my head. And despite I can hear Yomogi and Chantal talk to each other and what they say, my ears are still disconnected from my brain somehow.
"Hey, Yomogi, I still can't believe we just met Kimberly. The great sage herself for real!"
"Me neither. I really hope we get to see her use magic someday."
"Yeah, that'd be awesome! I wanna see her real legendary magic up close."
Then, Yomogi speaks again, and Chantal responds.
"I also can't believe this villa is hers…"
"Well, no surprise there. She's pretty famous around here after all."
"Yeah… you're right, Chantal."
Then, Yomogi's soft voice breaks my silence.
"Motegi-chan, you've been awfully quiet. Something wrong?"
I blink and shake my head a little.
Huh? Ah… nothing."
A few seconds pass.
Then, Chantal grins at me slyly, like she somehow can read my mind.
"Don't tell me... you're still thinking about Kimberly, aren't you, Moregi-kun?"
And it's true.
I just freeze, and that's all the confirmation she needs before laughing at me.
"Aha! I knew it!"
Then, Chantal says something that catches my interest.
"Hey, it's normal, you know? Elves are like the universal symbol of beauty. And Kimberly's probably made half the world fall for her just by looking in their direction."
After that, Yomogi adds her own thought.
"It's not just that. Elves live a long time. Some can reach a thousand years. And the older they are, the more sculpted their aura becomes."
I just nod slowly.
"I see..."
Actually, I don't know what to say.
If elves are symbols of beauty and have a lifespan that stretches for centuries, then they don't just age, they refine.
And Kimberly? She isn't just aging gracefully, she's perfected it. Especially with that slow, pausing speech, her smooth skin, her impossibly soft curves, and those huge breasts. That's just something else, it's like an obscene piece of art comes to life.
Well, I think I have to know more about her.
"Hey, Yomogi, Chantal. You said you wanted to see Kimberly's magic, right? What's her power actually like?"
And Chantal is the one who answers.
"Oh, she's insane. Like, probably the best magic user the elves have had in the last few centuries."
"Seriously?"
"Yup. And did you notice that jewel mark on her forehead?"
Ah, that emerald one. I thought it was just a decoration, though.
"That jewel is a rare mark for elves. You only awaken it after you've completely mastered mana control. It's like proof that you've reached some absurd level of precision. Super advanced stuff."
"I see..."
Then, Yomogi joins in, sending more information that makes me surprised.
"She's known for casting devastating Wind spells, and wide-range ones too, without mana exhaustion."
"Really?"
"Yes. There's even a rumor that she can pull wind from the environment itself, not from within her mana core, and shape it into spells. Just gathering the wind around her and using it like raw magic."
I don't answer anything, my mind still processing all of that.
Casting without using her own mana?
Directly shaping the air into magic?
That isn't just high-level, it's more than that. Perhaps this is why she speaks with that airy tone, it's like the air somehow listens to her and obeys her if she somehow wants to pull a tornado out of nowhere.
But then, something catches my attention from what Yomogi says.
"Hey, Yomogi, you keep saying Kimberly uses Wind. So, is Wind her element?"
And Yomogi nods.
"Mmhmm. But not just hers, all elves inherit Wind."
"I see..."
I pause for a moment, then ask Yomogi again.
"What about the rest of the races in Heiligeichen?"
"All of them can use magic. But their approach is different depending on the race."
She pauses for a while and taps her chin before she continues.
"Take dwarves, for example. Their element is Earth. But they don't cast spells. From what I've heard, they use their magic more practically, like examining rocks, minerals, and that sort of thing. That's all I know, though."
And Chantal jumps in before I can speak again.
"Oh! And those third-eye giants?"
"Did you mean cyclopes?"
"Yes, they've got the Lightning element. But do you know what they do?"
"What?"
"They shoot Lightning spells from that eye in the middle of their forehead. Straight at their enemies, just... zap!"
"Ah, that makes sense..."
So their third eye is for magic output, not just some gritty addition.
"I get it. Then, what about automata?"
The moment I ask that, Chantal immediately sighs.
"Ugh, those shut-ins? They inherit the Cosmic element, yeah, but don't ask me how they use it. I've got no clue."
Chantal scratches her head like she's trying to form a word.
"They're the only race in Acrusse who don't believe in magic. They use weird tools and devices instead. It's like they convert magic into machines or something. Honestly, it just hurts my brain thinking about it."
And just like that, my theory back then was confirmed. They really did use science instead of casting magic. And it makes sense that way, given their rejection of magic and their reliance on inventions like telescopes.
Then, Yomogi glances at Chantal.
"Hey, Chantal, remember that we can go to Kimberly's hut if we need anything?"
"Oh, you're right! Maybe she'll show us one of her spells if we're lucky!"
And Yomogi responds with delight.
"You're right, Chantal!"
Before heading out, Chantal looks over at me.
"Motegi-kun, want to come with us?"
I shake my head.
"No, you two go on ahead. But I'll come downstairs with you, though. I want some fresh air."
Then, the three of us make our way downstairs, and then we step out the villa's front door.
Yomogi points out a small structure just off the side of the villa.
"There. That must be Kimberly's hut."
"Great. Shall we go now, Yomogi?
"Yes!"
Before they leave, Chantal and Yomogi turn to me.
"We're heading over, Motegi-kun!"
"Have fun, girls!"
And they answer in perfect sync.
"Of course!"
With that, they walk toward the hut and disappear inside. I just stay here, enjoying the view, the breeze, and the peace... until a very familiar, flamboyant figure appears in front of my eyes.
"Ah! Mr. Motegi! Out here enjoying the breeze already, I see!"
Yup, it's Berland, and his fan is already flicked open in one hand.
"Perfect timing. It's time to meet my lovely workers. Are you ready to begin your lessons, Mr. Motegi?"
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Wonderful! Come! I shall escort you to my place personally."
With that, I follow him strolling into the city center.
But then, I feel something becomes off.
The buildings start to change. Too many velvet curtains. Signboards shaped like hearts... like a red-light district?
No, impossible. Berland won't bring me to a brothel. Maybe his workplace is just near one. Cheaper land, maybe.
Eventually, we stop in front of a building with tinted windows and soft pink lanterns.
"Here we are, Mr. Motegi! My humble establishment. Shall we?"
"Sure."
He leads the way, and I follow. Moments later, we reach the front desk, where a male elf in a fitted vest bows.
"They're ready for you, sir."
Berland replies, and then he looks back at me.
"Thank you. Shall we, Mr. Motegi?"
"Yeah..."
I follow him down a long hallway. But somehow, I have a bad feeling about this.
And then, we stop in front of a large wooden door. Then, when Berland places his hand and swings it open...
"Berland-samaaa~!"
Dozens of half-baked women in colorful, revealing lingerie greet him with sultry squeals the moment they see him. Berland stretches his arms wide, beaming.
"My beloved ladies! How are you today?"
An elf woman with cascading silver hair and a sheer black bra leans forward, licking her lips.
"Mmm... We're doing very well, Berland-sama. You look delicious as ever…"
"Ohoho! My dear, you're too kind!"
A curvy, towering cyclops woman smirks, all her three eyes half-lidded.
"I dried a customer just yesterday, Berland-sama..."
"Ahaha! Be careful next time, darling. Don't be too rough!"
Then, Berland turns to me.
"Mr. Motegi! These are the workers I mentioned to you earlier. I leave the hygiene, games, and everything entirely in your capable hands."
Every head turns toward me. Eyes gleam. Breasts bounce. Lips curl, and I can already hear obscene whispers about me.
No way...
Are Berland's girls... prostitutes?