Ch.357Side Story 1 – Southern Continent Travelogue (12)

The inn room was silent.

A small candle flickered on the table.

Wind seeping through the window gap made the candle flicker, causing the shadow on the wall to sway long and languid.

And once again, I broke that quiet stillness.

“One!”

“Get your!”

“Two!”

“Head straight!!”

I pressed my temple firmly with one hand.

I thought Jawil Wilson had changed a bit lately…

But that was just an illusion.

This guy is the Knight Commander!?

He’s at least twenty years too early for that.

“…Stand up.”

Only then did Jawil Wilson slowly rise to his feet.

His face was swollen, having removed his transformation leather.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Do you have any thoughts in that head of yours?”

“I seem to be rather short-sighted.”

“No, I’m really not going to hit you anymore, so speak freely. What on earth was going through your mind when you revealed to those mercenaries that you’re from Lake Territory?”

Jawil Wilson scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Ah… you mean that?”

“Yes. That.”

“Didn’t you reveal to Jena that you’re from Lake Territory?”

“So?”

“So I thought it was okay for me to reveal it too.”

Sigh…

I had to reveal that to safely evacuate Jena’s younger sister.

Why do I have to teach this bastard everything from A to Z?

“I revealed it because of Jena’s sister. And even then, I kept my identity hidden until the end.”

“I-I also hid my identity from the mercenaries.”

“Earlier, the mercenaries were talking about the Knights of Lake Territory?”

“Haha… I kept my position as Deputy Commander of the Knights hidden until the end.”

Suddenly, the air in the room froze even colder, and the furrow between my brows deepened.

“Jawil Wilson.”

“I await your question.”

“Don’t you think it’s nice to sleep with women in the Southern Continent?”

“Well… it’s nice if you can.”

“What if rumors spread that a knight from Lake Territory was behaving promiscuously in Valtican Territory?”

“No one would know it was me anyway, right? I’d be wearing transformation leather after all.”

Jawil Wilson smiled awkwardly at me.

With a deep sigh, I opened my mouth.

“Look, if you have a brain, think about it.”

“P-please explain.”

“What if the rumor spreads all the way to Lake Territory?”

“What rumor?”

“That a knight from Lake Territory was fooling around in Valtican Territory.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then, at that point, who do you think people would suspect among the knights who went to Valtican Territory?”

At that, Jawil Wilson pretended to think deeply, then flinched.

“I-it would be me.”

“And even if the women you slept with came to Lake Territory and denied it wasn’t you after seeing your face without the transformation leather… could you avoid Clara’s suspicion?”

At the mention of ‘Clara,’ it seemed to hit home as Jawil Wilson hung his head low.

“…I have committed a mortal sin.”

“If you really don’t want to train even after coming all the way to the Southern Continent, at least exercise some self-restraint.”

“I was wrong.”

“Whatever choice you make, consult with me first.”

“Ah, understood.”

He adjusted his posture while still sitting.

“If you understand, lie down.”

“…What? Wasn’t it over? I understood everything.”

“Ah, I’m still not satisfied.”

“No, that’s a bit…”

“Lie down.”

Jawil Wilson lay down again with a half-dead expression.

I curled up the corners of my mouth wickedly, intending to completely reform this guy’s attitude today.

“One!!”

*

I quietly tilted my glass.

The heavy aroma unique to whiskey brushed my nose and slowly spread as soon as it touched the tip of my tongue.

A warm heat traveled down my throat, warming my insides.

It felt like the stress from dealing with Jawil Wilson was flying away, if only a little.

I put down the glass and sighed.

‘Hah… I should leave for another territory tomorrow.’

Valtican Territory, which was closest to Lake Territory.

Moreover, it was famous for its many pleasure districts and even had the Blue-Red District, so I had planned to stay here…

But thanks to Jawil Wilson’s blunder, I have to make new plans.

‘…Jawil Wilson.’

Until just a while ago, I had thought of drinking with Jawil Wilson, but he seemed upset about being scolded again and had gone to his room early, saying he wanted to sleep.

I clicked my tongue briefly.

“Maybe I should have brought the Knight Commander instead?”

If I had come with Rain Breaker, I wouldn’t have to worry about these issues, but there were also disadvantages.

The Knight Commander was too serious and loyal.

The problem was that he also didn’t hesitate to give candid advice.

‘He would have definitely stopped me if I said I was going to a pleasure district…’

On the other hand, Jawil Wilson had decent skills and we got along well in these matters.

Besides, we had been to pleasure districts together several times before.

“Hah…”

I leaned against the window, resting my chin on one hand.

The night of the Southern Continent.

This inn where I was staying was located in the center of Valtican Territory, so looking out the window, I could see the street scene at a glance.

The streets were still bustling with people.

Perhaps because there were many pleasure districts?

The atmosphere was quite different from our territory.

‘How noisy.’

In Lake Territory, most streets would quiet down after sunset, with only taverns and some entertainment districts remaining lit, but Valtican Territory was different.

The people here became even more lively at night.

Winds carrying different spice scents blew from every alley, and in the streets, touts from pleasure districts were busy trying to attract customers.

I smiled faintly.

‘…It’s interesting.’

I originally enjoyed appreciating quiet scenery, but this bustling atmosphere wasn’t bad either.

Tilting my glass again, I muttered to myself.

“I’m bored. Should I go to a pleasure district alone?”

A cushy life?

Living it, I found it wasn’t all that special.

Although my life goal was to dream of a harmonious family, I still needed time for myself.

‘If I had known it would be like this, I should have slept with a lot of women.’

How many women had I passed by until now?

Among them, I had only been intimate with the Etherian Princess and the Siren Princess.

How did I become such a pure-hearted man…

‘As long as I don’t get caught, it should be fine.’

The dangerous element, Jawil Wilson, had already removed himself, and the alcohol was making me feel a bit tipsy.

Even though I knew I shouldn’t let my guard down, my mind was already at the pleasure district.

—Knock. Knock.

The sound of someone knocking on the door.

I naturally turned my gaze toward the door.

‘Damn it… is it Jawil Wilson?’

I put down my glass and stood up.

He said he was tired and going to bed earlier, but now he’s thinking of having a drink?

‘This bastard’s timing is hateable too.’

Shaking my head, I got up and opened the door without much thought.

And then.

“Ah… Lord Kashian, is it too late?”

Standing outside the door was not Jawil Wilson, but Jena.

However, her appearance was quite different from usual.

“…Huh?”

Jena was wearing clothes made of thin, soft material.

Her form-fitting top was made of silk, and thin straps flowed elegantly down her shoulders following her curves.

Below the outfit that revealed her waistline, long legs were visible, and what looked like a long skirt revealed glimpses of skin through slender gaps with each step she took.

And on top of that.

Her hair was combed more carefully than usual, and her eyes shone deeply.

Jena was looking at me with a slight smile at the corner of her lips.

She seemed determined.

“Am I interrupting you?”

“…Not really… but your outfit is very different from usual?”

“Ah… these are clothes I only wear when I’m not hunting monsters. I can’t wear leather armor every day, can I?”

“R-right…?”

I unconsciously took a step back, and Jena took two steps forward.

She tilted her head slightly and looked around the room.

“Were you drinking alone?”

“Teiran said he was tired, so I was drinking by myself.”

“I was just in the mood for a drink too. May I join you?”

Her voice was also lower and more languid than usual.

A warning alarm was going off in my head.

No matter how much I wanted to sleep with another woman, Jena was off-limits.

She would become a resident of Lake Territory with her sister, even if temporarily.

How could I let my lust get the better of me and risk getting entangled?

‘Tsk.’

You might think it’s fine because I’m wearing transformation leather?

No, I can hide my face, but not my body and energy.

Therefore, if I were to have a liaison, it should be with a woman who won’t come to Lake Territory in the future.

‘I should refuse and close the door.’

Just as I was trying to make a rational judgment, Jena took another step closer and bent her waist slightly.

The tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage.

Swallowing hard, I opened the door wide that I had been about to close.

“…Come in for now.”