Chapter 12: The Merchant of Benetsa 2

With only one room remaining, we found ourselves in quite a dilemma, but…

Ultimately, we had no choice but to accept the situation.

The storm still raged outside, and we were both exhausted from fatigue.

No matter how we contemplated it, there seemed no way to avoid sharing a room.

Moreover, our clothes were still damp, and we lacked any spare changes of attire. Thus, we had no option but to accept the key and enter the sole remaining room.

Both of us entered the room with an awkward feeling.

A small fireplace burned in one corner, and the room’s compact size compared to the counter and tavern area made it feel considerably cozier.

As our bodies warmed up, our gazes automatically turned toward the spacious bed in the corner.

“At least the room and bed are quite spacious, fortunately.”

“Um… yes… this should be sufficient for us to share…”

I spoke with an uneasy sentiment, and Cazeros responded with a reddened face, her words coming out a bit strained.

Seeing her visibly tense demeanor, I, too, began to feel an odd sensation.

‘Even so, for a young man and woman to share the same room and bed… um… it does give me rather a risky feeling in various ways…’

Although Cazeros and I had ridden the carriage together until now, to be frank, we had somewhat hurried our journey, having been akin to fugitives.

Moreover, from the midpoint onward, the sudden storm had left us disoriented for a while, so there had been no opportunity to experience such unsavory sentiments.

However, now that we were alone in this room, both of us in damp attire, I began to sense a sensual atmosphere I had failed to notice until then.

Cazeros’s clothes, still moist despite being warmed by the fireplace.

Although she wore modest black clergy attire without any exposure, her damp state lent it an alluring quality.

Her wet garments clung tightly to her skin, allowing me to unintentionally discern her figure more clearly than usual.

A somewhat meager chest, leaving something to be desired… but a slender waistline without an ounce of fat, contrasted by rather ample hips for her age.

And her face, flushed slightly, perhaps due to the dampness, with moist, reddened lips.

While I knew she was quite a beauty, seeing her in this state up close made her enchanting charms all the more pronounced.

‘In this light, she seems less like a chaste clergy and more akin to a noble maiden or princess… um… but this flow of thoughts is hardly proper…’

Whether before my reincarnation or now, I possessed the body and mind of a vigorous man in his twenties.

Or rather, by physical age, I was even younger, in my early twenties, and thus even more virile in many ways.

For such a beauty to be before me in this defenseless, damp state stirred all sorts of turbulent sensations in me as a man.

As I began to feel aroused, at that very moment…

“Um…hm?”

The next instant, Cazeros suddenly began unfastening the buttons on her attire before me.

Her abrupt actions made my heart race even faster…

And then, she proceeded to remove her damp garments, leaving her in a thin undergarment.

Thereafter, she looked at me with a composed expression and spoke.

“You should undress as well, Lord Santana.”

“Pardon? Un… undress… why so suddenly…?”

Cazeros’s unexpected words made my heart pound wildly, and I unconsciously felt a stirring below.

‘Could it be? No… no, surely not… Although I’m an excommunicated individual, Cazeros is still a holy knight. For her to tempt me in such a manner, no matter how you look at it… But then again, she has also left the Church, so the possibility isn’t entirely absent either… umm…’

As I fell into profound confusion, struggling to make sense of the situation, that was when it happened.

“Please undress. You need to let your clothes dry as well, Lord Santana.”

“…Hm?”

With those words, Cazeros proceeded to hang her damp outer garments near the fireplace to dry.

It was only then that I realized the true meaning behind her request for me to undress.

Naturally, sleeping in damp overcoats would be an ideal way to catch a cold.

Moreover, if the weather cleared tomorrow, we would need our outer garments dry and ready for our immediate departure.

‘Haah… what was I thinking…’

Feeling somewhat foolish yet also relieved as the excitement dissipated, I, too, removed my clothes and hung them beside Cazeros’s to dry.

Thus, clad in our undergarments… although they were more like thin T-shirts and shorts, Cazeros and I sat on the bed in our lightweight attire.

Seeing her in these more casual clothes, my heart began to race again, unbidden.

However, separate from the carnal urges I felt, I had absolutely no intention of making any advances toward her seated beside me.

Although she might be considered of marriageable age by this world’s standards, from a modern perspective, she was still quite young.

More crucially, she was the one who had extended a helping hand when everyone else had turned their backs on me and had even chosen to abandon everything to accompany me here, placing her trust in me.

To betray the kindness and faith of such a person would be an unforgivable act in my eyes.

As I struggled to suppress the primal desires raging within, that was when it happened.

“I wonder… how much further must we travel?”

Breaking the awkward silence that had settled, Cazeros spoke in a calm tone.

In response, I provided her with the extent of my knowledge.

“I’m not entirely certain, but it seems we don’t have much farther to go. If we’re fortunate, we’ll arrive by tomorrow morning; at the latest, perhaps the afternoon.”

“Tomorrow, you say… Come to think of it, you mentioned having an acquaintance in Benetsa? Who might this person be?”

“A merchant named Shaylok. Although of Jewish descent, he is a rather admirable individual.”

“I see. I, too, have heard tales of exceptional business acumen among the Jewish people.”

Cazeros nodded without showing any aversion to my words.

Seeing her let out a tired yawn afterward, I began to feel somewhat relieved.

‘Indeed… despite being a holy knight, Cazeros does not seem to harbor any prejudices or discrimination.’

Generally, the clergy and faithful of this world tended to look down upon Jews.

Although coexisting in the same regions, their refusal to abandon their pagan beliefs subjected them to various forms of mistreatment and disdain.

From that perspective, for Shaylok to be conducting business as a prominent merchant in Benetsa, where the Church’s influence remained strong, was quite remarkable.

Moreover, in contrast to the common prejudices, by my own unbiased standards, he was someone I recognized as an admirable individual.

Crucially, for our current situation of heading eastward, he was someone we needed to meet for assistance, including securing transportation.

‘First, I should inquire whether travel by sea or land would be more expedient. Additionally, I need to gather more detailed information about our intended destination – the so-called pagan nations…’

Since those regions only appeared as background elements in the original work, I currently lacked substantial knowledge about them.

As I briefly pondered what lay ahead after meeting Shaylok, at that moment…

“…?”

Suddenly, I felt a warmth.

Only then did I notice Cazeros, who had fallen asleep with her head resting on my shoulder.

Considering her evident exhaustion, it was an understandable situation.

However… I began to feel the resurgence of desires I had suppressed, forcing me to muster all my willpower to overcome them.

‘Think pure thoughts… pure thoughts only…’

As if walking a tightrope, I struggled to compose myself while carefully lifting Cazeros’s body.

From her warm, soft frame, lighter than a feather…

A faint, entrancing fragrance wafted forth, stirring my heart like a pheromone.

Enduring this unintentional temptation with all my might…

I managed, with great difficulty, to lay her properly on the bed and cover her with the blanket.

Of course, even after barely overcoming that enticement and completing the task, it took considerable time and effort for me to finally fall asleep in a corner of the bed.