Even though I had to deal with that unpleasant noblewoman, the trip to the lord's city was still worth it.
The noblewoman's expression didn't resemble the fearful look I'd seen on the streets of Radia when I first arrived; it was one of displeasure, as if she'd seen something truly disgusting.
I've never seen such open disgust on Radia's face... she must be a woman who absolutely hates monsters.
And yet, I'm a divine being, and she so openly cast that look of disgust at me.
If we weren't in the Lord's City, I really would have... *sigh*.
Oh well.
I've already received 50 gold coins, so I'll have to live with it.
Since we agreed to exchange information, I, as the recipient of a generous reward, must be generous.
My mood changed, I caressed the box of gold coins and left the noble quarter... perhaps because things were moving faster than expected, as lunchtime was approaching.
It was a little awkward that it all ended so quickly. If I went to the church now, would Ars and Lisbeth be there? If we ran into each other by chance, we could have lunch together and then prepare for the dungeon expedition.
Thinking about this, I immediately turned and headed for the church.
......
"You missed them. They left about 30 minutes ago." When I entered the church and spoke with Pavel, he said this with regret.
Oh my.
If I'd arrived a little earlier, we could have played together.
Looking for them in this vast Ladiya is unrealistic, but returning to the dorm like this seems wasteful.
What should I do?
Just as I was hesitating, unsure of what to do, saying goodbye to Pavel and preparing to leave, Pavel suddenly called out to me.
"I heard you faced great danger this time. Thank you for protecting Claire in that dangerous situation."
Why be so formal? Anyway, Paul, you're a hero too; you'll make Claire my woman in the end. No need to thank me.
I said it was all right and quickly left the reception area where Paul was.
Oh, by the way, he doesn't seem to know I spanked Claire's bottom so hard her stockings tore? Apparently Claire didn't mention that... hm. Knowing that shame is the most important thing.
As I headed toward the churchyard and prepared to return, I saw Claire emerge from what must have been the nun's dormitory.
Just in time. Isn't this a wonderful opportunity to while away the time? I immediately ran up and called out to Claire.
"Hello, Claire. We meet again."
"Oh, right?! Mr. Shi-Semo...?" As I approached, Claire, eyes closed, turned deathly pale. Before I could say anything, her body was trembling violently.
Although my words still left a hint of fear in her voice, her pale face returned to normal.
"Sorry, I was scared... uh... by Mr. Shimo's aura..."
"I know, I know. Don't be so scared."
"Okay... why are you suddenly so... today?"
"When I went to the lord's city to collect my last errand, I was supposed to meet Ars and Lisbeth, but I missed the meeting. What about Claire? Are you free now?"
"Uh... I have the day off today..." Do the nuns take turns taking vacations too? Excellent. Better late than never.
"Remember that time I said I'd buy you a drink?" Claire's body trembled slightly.
"I'll pay for dinner, just join me. I received a generous payment from the City of the Lord today."
Seeing Claire's slightly frightened expression again, the corners of my lips curled up imperceptibly.
...... And so, I practically dragged Claire into a building that looked like a restaurant, not far from the street lined with noble houses.
Although Claire looked a little better than before, she still eyed me suspiciously, declining several times before finally agreeing to go with me after my repeated invitations.
The restaurant we entered turned out to be the same fashionable establishment we'd noticed while passing. Upon entering, the interior and atmosphere were truly luxurious; it fully lived up to its reputation as a high-class establishment.
Fortunately, I was dressed for my meeting with the lord. Although Claire was wearing a nun's habit, I am, after all, half-man, half-beast; without it, I probably wouldn't even have been allowed inside.
Upon entering, we were met by a middle-aged waiter who seemed slightly surprised to recognize me and greeted me with a smile. As expected of a high-class restaurant, he treated me very naturally, despite my appearance.
During the meal, wary of attracting attention, I inquired about the availability of a private room. The waiter, understanding the situation, offered to remove the chairs from the private room for four. This gentleman was truly attentive.
So, under the fleeting glances of the other diners, we entered the private room and sat opposite Claire. "For some reason..." she asked me in a slightly nervous voice...
"Um... Lord Shimo. Are you all right?" This place looks pretty posh..."
"Heh-heh.
Everything's fine. I received a very generous reward from the lord's city today. And...
I chose my words carefully, trying to calm Clea.
"Um... last time I spanked Clea on her... bottom, right? I acted impulsively then, and now that I think about it, I really regret it. I even said I'd buy you a drink or something." What are you talking about, a conscience?
Insincere words?
No, actually, I'm still a little nervous, aren't I? "So I thought that if we meet again, I should treat her to dinner. I ran into her by chance on the way back from receiving the reward, and feeling lucky, I brought her here. Besides, I also wanted to experience such a high-class restaurant at least once." Hearing this, Claire blushed slightly, and her face calmed a little. Watching Claire's changing expression with her eyes closed, I suddenly became concerned about her eyes.
"By the way, Claire, are you having trouble eating because of your vision problems?"
"Well, it's okay. I can still distinguish colors, and more importantly, I can pinpoint locations by the faint glow of Ethel on food or objects."
I couldn't begin to fathom what it was like to sense Ethel... and be able to pinpoint someone's location with her. It was simply amazing.
Just as I was being astonished by what I saw, the door opened and a young waiter entered with menus.
Glancing quickly at the menu, and since it was my first time there, I asked for a recommendation. While choosing a drink... I suddenly saw the name "Lyra Dessel" on the drinks menu.
...Wouldn't a drink like that make Ars pass out?
...This place is nice.
Do they even have anything that good?
I ordered a bottle of Lyra Dessell wine and let the chef choose the rest of the dishes. This was my order.
"By the way, Claire. You and Paul seem quite close. Are you dating? I don't know much about the Cult of the Goddesses, and I was suddenly curious if relationships are permitted there." Without asking Claire's opinion, I suddenly began questioning her about her relationship with Paul. After all, the desire to be lovers could simply be Paul's one-sided desire.
Even unrequited love can cause emotional pain, but my desire is to force a woman who already has a man she likes to swear allegiance to me and become my one and only.
If this is simply Paul's one-sided delusion or unrequited love, then nothing could be more depressing. Thinking about this, I waited with a slight trepidation for Claire's answer.
Hearing my question, Claire became slightly embarrassed, blushed, and stuttered for a moment before answering.
"Even priests and nuns can marry or fall in love... Paul and I... not long ago... swore allegiance to each other..." Okay. That's it. Claire, you are destined to be my chosen one.
It seems Paul has already proposed while I was at it. This Paul is much better than Ars.
Thinking to myself, "How sweet," I looked at Claire. Although it did irritate me a little that Claire had broken her leg—a leg she had never broken before on Earth...
But anyway, after she gained shapeshifting, her leg healed automatically, and Lisbeth's feelings for me increased dramatically; she is now almost completely in love with me.
Judging by the results, everything went smoothly. Putting aside the initial negative emotions, it's safe to say that Claire is a first-class athlete.
Her blonde hair was barely visible from under her nun's veil.
Whenever she opened her eyes, her translucent blue pupils were always visible.
Her face had captivating, jade-like skin.
Her breasts, larger than Ladia's head, could easily have been in the top three.
Her enormous buttocks, tightly clasped by her nun's habit, inspired an irresistible urge to spank them.
While Lisbeth possessed the fresh vivacity and piquant charm of a young girl, Claire was like a ripe fruit, exuding a perfectly balanced mature charm and soft allure.
This remarkable woman had actually sworn allegiance to a warrior priest named Pavel? I couldn't stand it.
While conversing with Claire, during which they were plotting how to possess her, they were unknowingly served an appetizer.
"Enjoy your meal in a relaxed atmosphere," I said, sampling the dishes... "...! So delicious...!"
"Wow... how do they cook this?" The quality of the food was exceptionally high; rich in flavor, a true feast for the eyes and taste buds, reminding me of a high-class restaurant back on Earth.
When the next course arrived, the craft wine I'd ordered—Lyra Desel—and a glass to go with it were also placed on the table.
Pouring the wine into a suitable glass, I asked Claire.
"Perhaps, Claire... you can't drink alcohol, can you? I ordered this because I liked it last time."
"I haven't had it outside... but I do drink a little wine at church mass, so I can drink it."
She seems unaware of her alcohol tolerance.
Perhaps because this is her last drink, she won't get drunk?
Refilling her
I raised my glass to propose a toast, and Claire raised hers as well, smiling shyly.
"Then... my apologies, Mr. Shimo."
"Hm? What is it?"
"All those actions that made me hesitate before acting on my own, all those things that put Mr. Shimo in danger... all of it." A shadow crossed her face as Clea continued.
"I've had poor eyesight since birth... Because my sense of self-worth is more developed, I've always judged others solely by those feelings. Blindness greatly dulls my sense of danger."
"It's true what they say about blindness. She said she only distinguishes shades of color, which suggests she has virtually no vision... She must have lived in very uncomfortable conditions all this time."
"So, without realizing it, I seem to have judged others solely by my own feelings." "To be disgusted by such a kind person like you without even getting to know you properly... It's truly shameful."
Hm. Seeing the remorseful expression on Clea's face, my feelings for her seemed to vanish instantly.
"It's pathetic and shameful that someone like me is a candidate for Sainthood."
"No. Standing up for others is truly the mark of a saint, isn't it? And none of the adventurers died. Everything turned out well; you shouldn't blame yourself."
"...Thank you."
Hearing her gratitude, I saw a smile on Claire I'd never seen before, and I thought to myself that she truly possessed the qualities worthy of a candidate for Sainthood.
That smile seemed full of compassion. Anyone who didn't know her would believe she was a saint upon seeing it.
Looking at that smile, a desire seemed to be born within me. Feeling the desire flare within me, I clinked glasses with Claire.
We continued to enjoy the food and drinks, while I poured Claire's drinks... As the meal drew to a close, Claire's demeanor completely changed.
"Hehe... Mister Semo~ This is really delicious~" The almost imperceptible sweetness compelled us to down one glass after another, and in the blink of an eye, we'd finished two bottles.
I secretly controlled the amount of alcohol, pouring Claire only to the brim, but she was completely oblivious, saying, "This is so delicious!" and drinking as much as I gave her.
The alcohol content wasn't low; if she drank more than the bottle, she would naturally become intoxicated. Although that was part of my plan.
Then Claire appeared before me, completely unlike her usual demure self—her gaze was absentminded, her steps hesitant.
Although her drunken behavior differed from Lisbeth's, who had a high alcohol tolerance, she wasn't so bad, was she?
The thought of luring a drunken Claire into my room and caressing her excited my little brother.
Just as I finished my lunch, full of anticipation, and was about to leave… Claire, who was about to stand, staggered and couldn't stay on her feet.
To help her, I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her toward me, and Claire pressed her large breasts against me, holding on tightly.
"Ugh... Sorry..."
"You can hug me tighter, hold me tighter." With that, I let go of her shoulders and grabbed Claire, so that Claya wouldn't resist. She stumbled slightly and hugged me, pressing our hands together.
My thick hand sank deep between Klia's breasts, feeling their soft, supple texture.
Lisbeth's breasts were already quite impressive, but Klia's were even more so.
Such ferocious strength would likely have knocked out anyone in poor health after just one hug.
"Wow... Master Shimo has such thick arms... and so strong... the muscles are so well-defined..."
Staggering, Klia touched my hand through my clothes, exclaiming in surprise.
If she had been sober, even if I had a good impression of her, she wouldn't have pressed herself against me like that... Drunken Klia seemed to have completely changed, which made her quite endearing.
And so, I carried the staggering Klia to the entrance to have her pay the bill.
The price was 20 silver coins.
Thinking, "Wow, that's cheap," I quickly realized it was equivalent to half the monthly living expenses of a family of four. Apparently, my recent expenses had been quite high.
How could I have thought that was cheap?
While renting a room and drinks at an expensive restaurant is somewhat understandable... the price difference in Esendia is simply too great.
There are restaurants where you can just grab a bite for a couple of "fairy coins."
Thinking about this, I walked out with Clea. Clea was still clinging tightly to my arm, swaying and staying close.
"Heh-heh-heh... I'm feeling dizzy... Ethel is swaying around me..." Does intoxication even affect Ethel's perception?
Clea, who can usually clearly perceive her surroundings even with her eyes closed, now seemed unable to perceive them normally.
As I was helping the wobbly Klea away from the entrance to the restaurant, I suddenly noticed a mixture
The confusion in people's eyes.
Come to think of it, I'm half-human, half-beast right now, a monster in a luxurious dress. And here I am, grabbed by the hand by Claire, dressed in a nun's habit, with a flushed face and an unsteady gait.
In her place, I probably would have looked at this with confusion too... My dorm was still quite far away, so what should I do? After a moment's hesitation, I grabbed Claire and scooped her up in my arms like a princess.
Instead of stumbling around for so long, I'd better quickly carry Claire back to the dorm.
What could be so serious?
Being suddenly picked up should have caused me to panic, but the drunk Claire only laughed joyfully and patted my chest.
"Wow! Mr. Shimo has such a muscular pectoral! And his shoulders are incredibly broad!" Claire was quite drunk.
Will she remember this when she sobers up?
I carried Claire, who was groping me, and quickly headed toward the dorm.