Ch.64Mina’s Heart, Jessica’s Heart

“Then we’ll go shopping and be back.”

“See you later~”

After discussing our future journey and the party members’ abilities, Jessica and Seti went out to buy Phyllis’s travel supplies, while I stayed at the lodging at Mina’s request, as she had something to discuss regarding the revolver modifications.

Ever since I had displayed an intimate love scene with my two lovers right in front of Mina during our conquest of the Disease Demon’s dungeon, she had been noticeably conscious of me.

Whenever she needed to discuss revolver modifications with me, she would always invite Jessica to avoid being alone with me, and if our eyes happened to meet while walking, she would often flinch and look away.

Given these circumstances, wanting to talk alone with me in the lodging room must mean she had something quite important to discuss.

With that in mind, I was about to bring up the revolver topic immediately, but for some reason, the first words out of my mouth were concerns about Mina’s health.

“Um… how’s that wound you got from the Demon Rose?”

“Huh? Oh, my left arm? It’s fine. No scars left and no aftereffects.”

Mina extended her left arm, which had been slashed by the Demon Rose’s magic, clenching and unclenching her fist to demonstrate that her arm was perfectly fine.

Although it had healed completely thanks to Jessica’s recovery magic, Mina’s injury, which could have potentially caused serious disability, was entirely my responsibility.

Mina had joined our journey strictly as a non-combatant responsible for weapon crafting and firearm modifications.

Nevertheless, as we conquered the Disease Demon’s dungeon together, I naturally came to consider her part of our fighting force, not only bringing her to battle against a dangerous monster like the Demon Rose but even assigning her to be Phyllis’s dedicated guard.

“I was truly sorry about that time. You could have lost your left arm entirely.”

“Hahaha… Well, honestly, I was pretty terrified, but what could we do? We couldn’t have predicted the Demon Rose would use that kind of magic.”

“Thinking about it now, I should have had you, a non-combatant, wait in the Willow Sanctuary while the four of us carried out the subjugation mission. Although you ultimately helped Phyllis succeed with her sniping, if the shield’s defense had been insufficient…”

It’s only been a week since Mina started following us to pursue her dream of creating artifact-grade magical tools.

In just one week, I nearly ended not only Mina’s left arm but her entire life as a technician.

Both Mina and I surely know that her injury ending without major aftereffects was purely thanks to good fortune and Jessica’s presence.

“I deeply regret what happened. Although I’m not the party leader, I promise never to bring you into dangerous battlefields again…”

“Huh? Wait, don’t do that!”

“What?”

“I’m satisfied traveling with you all now, but originally I was planning to create magical tools capable of defeating monsters on my own and explore dungeons. I’ve been prepared for danger from the start.”

“That’s surprising. When you first joined us, didn’t you declare you wouldn’t be helpful in combat?”

“That was just an objective self-assessment, but I never intended to be a burden needing protection forever. Developing magical weapons capable of facing monsters is the dream and romance of the Dwarf race!”

As she pounded her chest proudly saying this, Mina soon broke into an awkward smile and scratched her cheek.

“Well… this time it was proven that the shield I made had insufficient performance. Ehehe.”

“You really have guts. If I were in your situation, my hands would probably be shaking too much to face monsters for a while.”

“Today’s failure is tomorrow’s progress! A Dwarf technician fears neither failure nor injury. So Will, don’t worry too much about it.”

“I appreciate you saying that.”

“Alright~ That concludes the awkward atmosphere. Now let’s talk about Will’s revolver.”

With that, Mina wiped away her grinning smile and entered the main topic with the serious expression of a craftsman.

“First, I’ve completed the modification plan for the revolver. Referencing the magic Phyllis used, I’ll incorporate acceleration formulas into the barrel, which should increase bullet velocity by up to 25-30%.”

“What about the drawbacks? Wasn’t Phyllis’s magic putting significant strain on the barrel?”

“Your gun won’t have that problem. It’s not as complex as Phyllis’s lightning magic, and above all, your gun is made of a formidable material with 95% magical conductivity. However…”

“However?”

“Modifications limited to magical formulas can only go this far. Beyond this point, we’d need to directly process the revolver, but your revolver is made of a special material I’ve never seen before, right?”

“That’s right.”

The single-action revolver I brought from Earth is made of a special material that’s hard to find in Grantis.

The problem is that I have no idea what this special material was called on Earth.

“So, I’d like to replace some parts during this modification and obtain samples of the revolver’s material.”

“Replace parts? How?”

“For example, replacing components that don’t affect the gun’s performance, like the frame around the grip or the trigger guard, with different metals. If I can analyze the original material and recreate the same metal, we could perform more substantial modifications.”

“Hmm… that sounds like a good idea.”

If processing the firearm is required to substantially improve the revolver’s performance, discovering the identity of this special metal is essential, and the material’s secret needs to be revealed even for creating spare parts or repairs in case of damage.

It’s definitely worth giving Mina metal from parts that don’t affect the gun’s performance for her research.

“…Alright. I’ll trust your skills, Mina.”

“Really!?”

“But, just like with Seti, make sure the weight and balance of the gun don’t change. If the feel of shooting changes, it might affect my fanning shots.”

“Of course! I’ll make sure there’s not even a gram of difference when weighed!”

Hearing Mina’s confident answer, I drew the single-action revolver from my waist and placed it in her hands.

“Then I’m counting on you with this, Mina.”

“Leave it to me! I’m off to rent a workshop at the blacksmith’s~”

After receiving the revolver, Mina quickly gathered her things and dashed out.

She probably won’t be back for a few hours, so I might as well take a nap while waiting for Jessica’s shopping team to return.

I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. I’m not sure how much time passed before I was awakened by a soft sensation on my lips.

Filling my barely opened field of vision was the face of a red-haired beauty, my first lover, Jessica.

“Mmm… are you awake?”

“Jessica? Was I sleeping that long?”

After purchasing Phyllis’s travel supplies, Jessica was planning to stop by the Pioneer Association branch to create new magic.

So Jessica’s return to the lodging means enough time has passed for her to finish shopping and complete her magic editing…

“Hehe, Seti said she and Phyllis would handle the shopping, so I should spend some time alone with Will.”

“Ah…”

“So I just sold the magic stones and came straight back to the lodging.”

Come to think of it, since Seti started traveling with us, Jessica and I have hardly had any time alone together.

Seti must have felt guilty about our shopping date in Zemest and wanted to give us some time alone.

“Are you tired? Am I disturbing your rest?”

“Not at all. I was just taking a quick nap because I had nothing else to do. Even if I were tired, I wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this.”

I grabbed Jessica’s hand and pulled her toward me. As she tumbled down and sat beside me, a pleasant scent wafted from her body.

“Did you shower while I was sleeping? You smell nice and fresh.”

“Not a shower, but… I’ll show you. Clean Up.”

Jessica placed her finger on my forehead and uttered a short incantation. For a moment, a moist sensation enveloped my body, and the sticky feeling disappeared completely.

“Oh, wow!”

“It’s a cleansing spell I created at the Willow Sanctuary last night. It’s not as refreshing as a shower, but convenient, right?”

“Indeed. It would be extremely useful when traveling or in a hurry.”

“Like now?”

Saying that, Jessica set down the grimoire she had been holding and climbed fully onto the bed, straddling me.

“Wow… you’re being very forward today.”

“Is an assertive woman too much for you?”

“No way. I welcome Jessica in any form.”

As I said this and wrapped my hands around Jessica’s waist to untie her corset strings, our lips remained pressed together.

“Mmm… *kiss*… ah…”

“Mmm… Jessica, if you move too much, I can’t untie this properly…”

“Mmm… *smooch*… but…”

“But?”

“This is my rare chance to have Will all to myself. I want to stay close for as long as possible. Mina is cute too, but Phyllis is so beautiful it surprises even me…”

Jessica said this while planting kisses on my neck.

Her behavior, as if marking me as her own, seemed to express her jealousy and possessiveness.

Although she had accepted becoming lovers with Seti and me as a trio and told me not to hesitate if I wanted to date someone else, deep down she probably hoped no more women would join us.

“I must be a bad woman… Before, I said I’d try to accept it if Will dated other women, but my words and actions are so different… mmm…”

“You’re not bad, Jessica. If I imagined you doing this with another man, I’d probably reach for my gun.”

“Hehe, that will never happen, so don’t worry. And I still don’t intend to take back what I said about you dating other lovers…”

Feeling the corset knot loosening, Jessica slowly raised herself, threw off her elaborate dress, and looked down at me seductively as she whispered:

“So just for now… will you look only at me?”

With those final words, not even waiting for an answer, Jessica fell into my arms.

Holding her close, I could only surrender myself, entranced by her scent and touch.