Chapter 117: Ego Axe Bunny (1)

Chapter 117: Ego Axe Bunny
(1)

After
my encounter with the strange girl named Celsia, the festivities at
the banquet gradually cooled down.

I
had been walking around the banquet hall, picking up food and
enjoying the atmosphere.

“Hmmm.
Hmmm. Excuse me.”

Then,
there were people who spoke to me.

Delmitri
Claudia, an executive at the top of the ladder.

Ellieo
Rohardt, the Marquis of Rohardt’s second daughter.

These
were the people who had come up to me in hysterics at the sight of my
deep kiss.

“Claudia,
the one who distributes equipment to the Royal Knights?”

“Marquis
Rohardt⋯a
high-level explorer, a swordsman, who’s been to the 28th floor of the
Labyrinth!”

“I
heard that she was recently struck by a curse and is currently
recuperating⋯”

Furthermore,
from the way the people around her were muttering, it seemed that the
family behind her was quite famous.

‘Such
connections are good.’

Although
the graduation ceremony was for Ellie, the purpose of attending the
dinner party was to make connections.

It’s
not often I get the chance to make high-level connections, so there
was nothing to lose by making the right connections.

In
fact, I was okay with anyone, as long as they didn’t see me hooking
up with Diana and tried to take advantage of me.

It
was a perfect situation for ‘my connections’.

I
opened the breast pocket of my blazer, took the business card they
handed me, and slipped it into my inside pocket.

“Hmph?!”

“Uhhhhh!”

I
could hear them holding their breath, and I looked up, causing them
to jerk their gaze away from me.

“What’s
wrong?”

“Oh,
it’s nothing.”

“Hmm!
It’s nothing.”

Delmitri
and Ellieo said that and nodded their heads in unison.

I
didn’t have a business card to give them.

“My
name is Balkan. I don’t really have a business card, so would you
mind if I shake your hand?”

“⋯!!!
Well, that’s better for us⋯
Hmmm.”

“⋯Hmmmm!”

I
shook hands with the two women with a moderate amount of shouting.

-Squeak.

“⋯⋯hmph.”

“Moo,
what kind of man has such big hands?”

I
didn’t squeeze too hard, just enough to give them a firm handshake,
but their reactions were more intense than I expected.

After
I finished my statement, we talked for a while.

I
didn’t have to think hard to find something to talk about.

They’ve
already found something to talk about.

“Merchant
Claudia is a first-class merchant that distributes various items in
the Labyrinth City. They also make direct contracts with explorers
and take on commissions…Are you interested?”

“Haha,
yes. I’m an explorer, albeit a poor one.”

“Wow,
you’re an explorer? I can’t believe it. Your body is so⋯
Oh, excuse me⋯”

“Hmph,
my Marquis Rohardt is one of the biggest supporters of the Explorers’
Union after the royal family and the Earth Mother Order.”

“Wow.
You’re really great.”

“Hmph.
Well, it’s not that big⋯hmmmm!”

I
simply responded to their conversation but it seemed to be enough to
get a good reaction.

Besides,

‘Is
this a party for the upper class?’

High-level
information that was difficult to obtain in the explorers’ tavern was
pouring out here.

I
chatted with them as best I could, soaking up their knowledge.

I’ve
been in the Labyrinth City for half a year now, but there’s still a
lot I don’t know.

“Huh…
Is that the beautiful scenery I’ve only heard of?”

“The
kingdom⋯
the Labyrinth City is tilting⋯
someone has poisoned Valerus!”

“⋯Has
everyone lost their mind? A guy wearing a helmet is a beauty that
could ruin a country?
Get a grip!”

“You.
Weren’t you on the fourth floor earlier?”

“Yeah,
but what does that matter?”

“If
you didn’t see ‘the scene,’ just stay put. Claudia and Rohardt didn’t
do this for nothing. If you’re curious, go to the restroom on the
fourth floor. You can smell the lustful stench just by walking by.”

“Boo,
I’m embarrassed to admit, I’m a little out of it myself⋯
that kiss was so⋯
hehe⋯
oh, again⋯”

My
and Ellie’s kiss was becoming something referred to as “the scene,”
but it wasn’t a big deal.

‘It’s
not like it’s some kind of non-consensual crime.’

I
just had to be proud of myself, no matter what anyone else said.

“Ahem.
Yes, it was fun. Let’s meet again sometime. I often go to the
Explorers’ Union. If there’s anything you can do for me, I’ll
submit a request.”

“Me
too. If you visit Claudia’s shop, I’ll buy your stuff at a good
price. Please, please come visit.”

After
I made a small connection with Ellieo Rohardt and Delmitri Claudia,
another figure came to the door.

“Professor
Mankostil?”

“Thank
goodness you’re still here.”

Professor
Mankostil tapped the ground with her cane as she approached, and
smirked at me.

I
told her we’d talk after the party about the outlaws.

“I’m
almost finished with the job. The other TAs had a hard time with it,
but it’s basically done.”

“Haha.
That’s good to hear.”

I
was glad since I’d been so nervous about those crazy people.

I
felt a rush of relief.

“By
the way, didn’t you say that some pesky guys were involved with
Vesta?”

Professor
Mankostil laughed bitterly at my question.

“Kk,
kk. No. I can’t have you worrying about those guys. But.”

Professor
Mankostil held out a piece of paper to me. It was wrapped in an
envelope.

“It’s
not urgent, but you can read it later when you have time. Well,
later⋯
when you’re a top intermediate explorer, anyway.”

Or
to put it another way, it’s information I won’t know until I become a
top intermediate explorer.

What
could it be? Information about the Labyrinth? A Hidden Piece? An
organization or person to watch out for?

Whatever
it is, it’s probably too much for my current level.

“Thank
you!”

“It’s
just a reward for the work you’ve done. Oh, and I’ve sent you an
additional small reward of my own. There should be a package on its
way to the Explorers’ Union soon. It’s in your name, so make sure you
get it in time.”

“Thank
you!!!”

“If
you’re so grateful, perhaps you’d like to meet my granddaughter.”

Another
meeting was arranged, but I just laughed it off.

“It’s
a shame. It’s a shame⋯
What a waste of talent⋯”

It
was only after I saw off Professor Mankostil with my tongue in my
cheek that I got some breathing room.

The
crowd around us began to die down and the ballroom began to clear.

The
graduation ceremony was over.

I
turn my head to see if Ellie and Diana’s conversation is over.

Diana
and Ellie were staring at me from the stairs leading upstairs.

Or,
more precisely at Ellieo, Delmitri, and Professor Mankostil, who were
talking to me just a moment ago.

“⋯Foster
mom. I want to be a high ranking
person when I grow
up, so that oppa can depend on me.”

“⋯Hoohoo⋯
Don’t worry too much. I’ll work hard to help you.”

I
walked over to Diana, who was stroking Ellie’s head, looking pleased
with her daughter’s growth.

“Did
you finish the talk well?”

I
said it without thinking, and both Ellie and Diana blushed at the
same time.

“It
went well, didn’t it, foster mom?”

“Uh,
yeah. Of course.”

They
looked at each other, smiled awkwardly, and then looked at me warily.

Ellie’s
gaze went to my lower half while Diana’s to my lips.

Their
gazes were centered on my pelvis, divided up and down as if,
together, they were about to split me in two.

‘What
the hell were you talking about?’

The
bond between mother and daughter seemed to have grown stronger, but
somehow it also seemed to have gotten sticky in other ways.

Just
as I was about to ask what they’d been talking about, Diana smiled
awkwardly and spoke up.

“Well,
let’s get you home.”

The
long, long day at the Academy had come to an end.

***

Ellie
became an adult and successfully completed her graduation ceremony.

Naturally,
she moved out of the academy dorms.

What
does this mean?

-Bam.

“Oh,
oppa. Can I come in⋯?”

It
meant that she and I would be living under the same roof.

“Uhhhh,
you can come in.”

I
briefly answered Ellie’s knock, rubbed my eyes, and pushed myself out
of bed.

I
felt strangely tired, and I still couldn’t sleep.

-Bam!

The
door opened and Ellie walked into my room.

She
pushed the door open with her hips, holding a bucket of water for
face with both hands.

Normally,
Diana would have it for me before I even woke up, but it seemed like
the freshly graduated Ellie was helping her out for a while.

“Hey,
oppa. How much water is this⋯”

“Yes.
It’s enough. Leave it there.”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯”

There
was a long silence, so I looked at Ellie.

Blushing
bright red, she stood there, holding the bucket.

I
followed her gaze down to my body, which was now shirtless and
wearing only a pair of boxers.

Her
eyes skimmed over my pecs and abs, then landed on my cock, which was
hard against the side of my thigh.

The
one she had instinctively reached for after our deep kiss.

“Hmph!”

Dropping
the bucket with a cute scream, Ellie quickly covered her eyes and ran
outside.

“I’m
sorry⋯!”

-Bang!!!

I
stared blankly at the closed door with a scream.

Clearly,
this was an unexpected mistake.

This
hadn’t happened when Diana brought me the bucket.

At
least the bucket didn’t spill.

I
warmed up with my usual meditation and stretching routine, then
washed my face, thinking to myself.

‘Come
to think of it, I’ve always slept in my boxers.’

Until
today, it had been so natural that I hadn’t even thought about it.

‘Until
now, has Diana just opened my door and come in?’

The
thought stretched out.

‘What
about the laundry she’s been doing?’

I
pictured her carefully washing my panties, one by one, and laying
them out.

“⋯⋯”

My
cock felt healthy.

I
gave my face one more unnecessary wash, dressed, and slipped out of
the room.

Now
I have to get busy again.

‘I
guess I should go back in soon.’

It
was time to get ready to explore the labyrinth.