Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 26: Gorge (1).

– Father, have you been doing well?

– Is Mother also doing well?

– I am healthy in both body and mind.

– Right now, we are heading towards the empire. Fortunately, the journey has been pleasant so far.

– In fact, before leaving home, I was a bit nervous, but the outside world isn’t as bleak as I thought.

– I heard it was a place where bands of thieves roam, monsters swarm, and demons lurk.

– It seems I did well to come out. It’s becoming a good experience.

– And Group Leader Allen is treating me kindly as well.

– Sometimes it’s scary, but learning isn’t easy, after all.

– I often dream of my hometown. It hasn’t been long since I left, but I already feel the landscape of my hometown becoming blurry.

– I will surely return as a daughter you would be proud of.

– So, I will end here.

After placing the final period, the milk-jug mage gazed wistfully at the letter. Writing a letter by the campfire on a dark night evoked an indescribable, poignant feeling.

She licked the edge to seal the letter, yawned widely, and then lay down on the mat. After joining the Allen-Mercenary Group, she had gotten somewhat used to sleeping without a personal tent. …However, going to the bathroom still made her anxious.

‘This isn’t as bad as I thought. People scared me for no reason. I’m already being careful enough…’

They say the world outside is full of dangers, but maybe that’s a bit exaggerated.

Feeling somewhat reassured, she closed her eyes, only to snap them open moments later at the sound of a loudly ringing bell.

– Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding

“- Bandits——.”

Speak of the devil, the moment the milk-jug mage felt at ease, the bandits appeared. The members quickly and adeptly gathered their equipment in a rough manner, ready to face the rushing bandits.

“Disperse and protect the luggage—!”

Fortunately, since the eastern region was mostly mountainous, mounted bandits were very rare. Instead, compared to the mangy dog-like southern bandits, the eastern bandits were significantly more robust in stature. Not to say they could rival mercenaries, but now, they definitely had the look of true bandits.

Allen had heard that the war raging in the east lately had significantly emboldened bands of bandits. Though he had been lucky enough not to encounter them so far, it seemed his luck couldn’t last forever in avoiding these bandits. …After all, where would there be bandits willing to let a tempting caravan pass by without incident? Especially now, with the war exacerbating the food shortage, the bandits attacked with a ferocity born of desperation.

“Uwaaaaaahhh—.”

Soon, the thieves were screaming wildly as they charged at the caravan. However, the Allen-Mercenary Group was now embarrassingly superior to such pathetic bands of bandits.

The members effortlessly smashed the skulls of those who dared to attack. It was a scene where the attackers, intending to ambush, were instead brutally overwhelmed. The difference in strength was glaringly obvious to anyone.

Those who quickly read the atmosphere seemed to think it was no use and started to run away in an instant. Without caring whether their comrades lived or died.

“Tch. Damn bastards. You should know your place before you attack.”

The mercenary group defeated the group of bandits in the blink of an eye. The merchant who requested their escort finally seemed to grasp the dignity of Allen’s mercenary group, making a fuss that wasn’t there before. He asked if it would be possible to be escorted on the way back as well, but Allen shook his head firmly. Not because he didn’t want to, but because the paths were completely different.

The red-robed wizard didn’t even get a chance to cast a spell, but she gasped for breath with excitement as if she had fought alongside them. …In fact, she did want to show off the dignity of being a wizard to her comrades at least once, but Allen always advised against using magic unless necessary. It meant there was no need to use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken.

Anyway, after catching the band of thieves, they went back to sleep.

The red-hooded sorcerer tossed and turned for a long time, having missed the time to sleep, before finally falling asleep.

After leaving the mid-sized city of Mahvana and crossing several large and small villages and numerous valleys, they finally arrived in front of a city. It had been a full fifteen days.

Elena, who had never been this far from home in her life, felt a throbbing excitement as she saw the distant city walls standing tall.

“It’s a cityㅡ!”

The big city, Raplause. True to its name as a big city, its size was enormous. The rocky mountains rising behind Raplause blended with the city, feeling like a piece of decoration.

The milk-jug mage had often heard of Raplause, but this was her first visit. …The city was much wider and larger than she had imagined.

There was a massive crowd heading towards the big city. But strangely, numerous caravans were encamped outside the outer walls. It seemed they belonged to a merchant guild. Given the nature of a merchant guild, where losses snowball with each day of delay, it was hard for Allen to understand why they would wait outside without working. …Or perhaps, there was an unavoidable reason for it.

As expected, the guild that hired Allen was also denied entry at the checkpoint. The guild leader pleaded, but to no avail. Allen asked the returning guild leader what happened.

“The city is at full capacity, they said. Caravans without permission from the Duke’s palace cannot enter. Damn it.”

“That’s serious.”

“It’s a shitty situation. …How on earth are we supposed to move all this inside any time soon….”

The merchant guild leader, facing considerable losses, was as good as dead. But what could he do? The command of the duke which was mighty as god, was just so.

Anyway, since the mercenaries’ job here was done, Allen collected the commission from the guild leader, and they went their separate ways. As soon as the mercenaries entered the city, they immediately understood what it meant for the city to be at full capacity.

The big city was teeming with an enormous crowd. Even for a big city, the number of people was hard to comprehend.

“Seems like something is going on, group leader.”

“Indeed.”

The nine of them first tried to find lodging, but every inn they visited was fully booked. Just like hotels near the beach during peak season in Korea.

They walked around for a long time before they finally managed to find two rooms. Of course, the buildings were different, but they had no other choice.

Currently, the number of people in the Allen-Mercenary Group, including the leader Allen, was six men and three women. Unlike camping, this time they had to separate by gender, but the room was too small to fit all six men. So, one had to move to the women’s room.

“I’ll go over thereㅡ!”

Bulky Frank, pointed towards where the three women were with a sly look in his eyes, and May, a muscular woman with healthy tan skin, jumped up and down in disgust. The other two women also looked repulsed.

“Fuck off, you bastard. How dare you try to come in.”

“It makes sense for me, the big guy, to step out, you bitch.”

“You’re talking nonsense. It’s clear you’re just setting your sights on getting laid.”

“That’s not true—!”

Allen, who had been watching, finally stepped in.

“Fine. Let’s just let the three of them choose. That’ll settle it, right?”

In reality, there was no need to choose. The three women unanimously picked Allen. …Honestly, with a handsome leader right there, it was unlikely they’d choose anyone else.

Frank looked regretfully disappointed, but there was nothing he could do.

Kalisman, full of sincerity, asked with concern if perhaps this might be uncomfortable—, but the muscular woman stepped forward as if she had been waiting for that moment.

“What’s there to be uncomfortable about? I’ll protect our leader, so everyone stop worrying.”

“Damn bitch, we’re worried you might devour our leader.”

“Devour what, you bastard. You’re a complete idiot who knows nothing. Right, Group Leader—?”

As the muscular woman’s voice calling for the leader became more alluring, the bulky man made a retching gesture.

“Group Leader, be especially careful with that one.”

“Shut up and get lost quickly.”

Thus, the group split into two. Surrounded by three women, Allen naturally attracted everyone’s attention. Naturally, with more people, there were more crazies, so taunts towards them were not uncommon.

“- Hey, share one with me too. Hey, big titties, how about me?”

“- Isn’t having three pussies too greedy? Damn it.”

“- Oppa, how about me? Can I join too?”

Of course, each time, the muscular woman would glare and dutifully play the role of a guard.

The milk-jug mage had honestly felt many lewd gazes before, but being openly mocked to her face was a first, making her feel odd.

The room they arrived at seemed like a hastily emptied storage space, for it lacked even the simplest piece of furniture. Thus, they laid mats on the wooden floor and lay down.

The order in which they lay was Allen, the milk-jug mage, the muscular woman, and then the odd-eared woman.

As expected, the muscular woman’s subtle teasing began.

“Group Leader Allen, are you asleep—?”

Allen pretended to be asleep on purpose.

“Oh, I know you’re not asleep.”

Still, with no response, a suggestive moan burst out.

“Ahh. My pussy is already ready. Group Leader? Group Leader? Should I suck your cock? Cock–Clean–Ing.”

Unable to listen any longer, the odd-eared woman growled fiercely, “Ah, fuck—”

“You bitch, just sleep. Damn, getting horny all by yourself. Are you alone?”

“What are you on about, bitch. Jealous?”

“Damn fuck. Enough with the bullshit. Will you shut your stinking cunt already?”

“Filthy brat, you’re asking for it. Your cunt stinks of fish, you know?”

When their group leader cleared his throat with a “hmm-hmm,” the two of them shut their mouths.

“Enough, let’s go to sleep now.”

“…Group Leader?”

“Oh ho, stop it.”

“Heehee.”

The muscular woman who had been eyeing the group leader’s cock finally gave up.

Honestly, if it had been just the two of them, Allen might not have been able to resist the muscular woman’s blatant seduction, but with the milk-jug mage and the filthy brat there, he simply couldn’t. …No, perhaps that was for the best.

The milk-jug mage, listening from the side, couldn’t control her wildly beating heart. She had never expected to openly hear talk of cunts and cocks. …It was the first time she even knew the term “cock cleaning” existed.

After the squabbling between the two women ended, Elena found herself unusually concerned about Group Leader Allen’s presence.

…It was a night when sleep was particularly elusive.