I decided it was better to finish checking everyone's jobs before worrying about who I would be spending the night with.
As Vesta finally sat down in the bath—arms pressed against her massive breasts in a shy attempt to hide them—Shera and Shea reluctantly backed off, and the spell on me was lifted. I could now turn my gaze towards Yasaka and Kunou.
Yasaka was lounging near the edge of the bath, a smile on her lips as she watched Kunou splash about. Every now and then, though, her eyes wandered back to me… lingering just a little longer than expected. Being subtly checked out by a gorgeous foxy milf was more flattering than I would like to admit.
I sent party invites to both Yasaka and Kunou, and they accepted immediately.
[Party Job Setting
Yasaka
Acquired Job: Villager Level 22, Merchant Level 1, Farmer Level 1
Set Job: Villager Level 22]
[Party Job Setting
Kunou
Acquired Job: Villager Level 3
Set Job: Villager Level 3]
"…Huh?" I stared at their job lists, confused. Where were their race-exclusive jobs?
"Yasaka, Kunou… What's the Foxkin race-exclusive job?" I asked, brows furrowed.
"Race-exclusive… job?" Yasaka tilted her head, puzzled.
"I think I know what Master means," Anastasia chimed in. "Yasaka, Master is referring to the Silver Tongue Guild."
"Ah!" Yasaka nodded with understanding. "Yes, only the Foxkins who are very cunning and good in business can enter the Silver Tongue Guild. Sadly, I never possessed such talent in my younger years." She bowed politely.
"What exactly is the Silver Tongue job supposed to be?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
"They are among the biggest merchants, Master," Anastasia explained. "Many major shops and caravans in the Imperial Capital are operated by Silver Tongue Guild members." She smiled warmly at Yasaka. "Though personally, I believe Yasaka is much more talented than them."
"Thank you for your kind words," Yasaka replied, cheeks slightly flushed.
"I've seen them too!" Kunou added, raising her hand hesitantly. "They're always wearing lots of pretty jewelry. Super shiny!"
"Hmm, we'll have to figure out the exact conditions required to unlock this job. If either of you thinks of anything that might be related, don't hesitate to tell me," I told the two of them, and they both nodded earnestly.
It made sense that Kunou hadn't acquired the job yet—she still hadn't reached Villager Level 5. But Yasaka already being a Level 22 Villager and still not having access to it was strange. Maybe they needed to fight inside the labyrinth?… or perhaps there was some very specific condition they needed to fulfill first.
Well this just gives me a good excuse to try out all sorts of things with this pair of Foxkins.
After that, I proceeded to ask them a few names from the High School DxD story. I was especially relieved when neither recognized the name "Issei"; I would have been very upset if he somehow turned out to be Kunou's father in this world.
In fact, they didn't recognize any of the names. Even the term "Yokai" was completely unfamiliar here, which was honestly comforting. If even a single faction from the DxD world existed in this reality, I would be royally screwed.
Trying to banish thoughts of a certain hot Oyakodon fantasy from my mind, I turned my attention to Viviana. She was standing with her eyes closed, peacefully enjoying the bath.
I didn't want to disturb her rest, but I needed to check her Jobs, so I quietly sent her an invite. She opened her eyes serenely, and with a gentle smile, accepted it.
[Party Job Setting
Viviana
Acquired Job: Villager Level 9, Warrior Level 5, Explorer Level 1, Herbalist Level 1, Swordsman Level 1, Merchant Level 1, Artisan Level 1
Set Job: Warrior Level 5]
Artisan? That's a new one. Maybe it's a racial job for Deerkins? I mentally clicked on it.
[Artisan
Effect: Increase Dexterity (Medium), Increase Endurance (Small), Increase Strength (Slight)
Skill: Wild Carving]
"Artisan? What kind of job is that, Viviana?" I asked curiously, though I had a rough guess based on the skill name.
"Master, many Deerkins can create intricate pieces of decoration from their own shed horns, or from tree branches that fall within the forest. They are the talented members of the Artisan Guild," Viviana explained, placing a hand over her chest. "Many beautiful handicrafts are made by skilled Artisans. In my father's home, there were pieces so detailed they had poems carved into the antlers." She smiled fondly at the memory.
I immediately understood—this job was essentially a craftsman specialization. Woodwork, hornwork, delicate ornamentation, any piece of Handicraft essentially. And looks like the Slave Merchant was telling the truth, her father must really be a noble if he could afford such artwork in his house.
"So Artisans are the reason those decorative antler pieces show up at auctions sometimes," Anastasia realized aloud.
"Do you want to be an Artisan, Viviana?" I asked, as she had already somehow met the condition to unlock it.
"If Master wishes it, then I will try my best to become one," she said, bowing her head slightly.
"No, I don't have a particular preference," I assured her. "You already have the job unlocked, but what you choose to pursue is up to you. If you want to become an Artisan, you can. But if you'd rather become a Knight, that's perfectly fine too." I said, remembering how she had spoken of becoming a Knight when we first talked.
"I have been training to become a Knight," she said calmly.
"Good. I'll keep your job set as Warrior then," I nodded. Honestly, Artisan didn't sound particularly helpful for our current needs. A Knight, on the other hand, would greatly strengthen our Labyrinth party.
I didn't even know which story she was from, so I didn't really have more questions for her. She thanked me softly and returned to enjoying her quiet, solitary moment. I, meanwhile, took one last appreciative glance at her wet breasts before shifting my gaze toward Jasmine.
Jasmine had that same playful smile as she splashed around in the water like Kunou. Maybe her fascination and love of water came because of being born in the desert?
[Party Job Setting
Jasmine
Acquired Job: Villager Level 5, Warrior Level 1, Swordsman Level 1, Desert Warrior Level 6
Set Job: Desert Warrior Level 6]
Jasmine was the one I had been looking forward to the most. She was human, and she had a job I had never seen before—one that wasn't even mentioned in the original story—so there was a high chance I could acquire it too.
[Desert Warrior
Effect: Increase Agility (Medium), Increase Dexterity (Small), Increase Endurance (Slight)
Skill: Sand Slash]
Eh? Sand Slash? The Pokémon?
…No, no. Hopefully this was more about the sand part and not the spiky, Pokémon part.
"Jasmine, can you tell me about the Desert Warrior job? And if there are any conditions required to obtain it?" I asked directly.
"Master…" Anastasia looked at me with worried eyes.
I rolled my eyes right back at her. She still probably believed Jasmine earned her job by drinking human blood and eating raw flesh like some barbaric desert legend.
"I will gladly tell you, my Master." Jasmine bowed respectfully. "At our Oasis, once someone is strong enough to lift a scimitar, they're sent into the desert at first light. They're given only one waterskin. By nightfall, they must return after defeating a desert demon. A watcher is assigned to verify your success. If you accomplish this, you may join the Desert Warrior Guild and bring glory to your family."
"Are… desert demons scary?" Shea asked nervously.
"Yes. Very." Jasmine nodded. "When it was my turn, I encountered a Scissor Lizard. They hide beneath the sand and slice apart anyone who steps too close." Her tone sharpened. "I was lucky to spot it early. Even then, it took a long time to kill. By the time I returned, it was already dark."
"A Scissor Lizard is a demon found in the third set of floors—twenty-third floor upward—in the Labyrinth," Sherry noted with an impressed look. "Even at Level 1, that's quite the feat."
"Wow! You're amazing, Jasmine!" Shea squealed, rushing over to hug her.
"It's… it's really not that impressive," Jasmine murmured bashfully, cheeks warming.
As I appreciated the sight of two busty women hugging—wet breasts squishing delightfully against each other, one set white and other brown—I couldn't help but think over what Jasmine said. Was the requirement for the Desert Warrior job simply to kill a demon in the desert? Or to kill your first demon there? If it's the latter, then I might be out of luck… but considering how any desert dweller can acquire it, I doubt it's something that restrictive. It definitely cannot be as rare as the Hero job.
"What about the Sand Slash skill?" I asked curiously.
"It's a powerful technique that lets a Desert Warrior attack with the strength of the desert itself!" she declared, trying to wiggle free from Shea's enthusiastic hug. "But I need to defeat many demons to grow strong enough to use it properly."
Strength of the desert, huh? Did that mean her weapon would take on sand properties—like a literal sand-edged slash? Similar to the Fire Rapier's flame attacks? It wasn't impossible. After all, my Wizard job already granted me Sand Ball and Sand Storm spells.
Next, I casually asked Jasmine about characters from Aladdin. For a moment, a flicker of surprise crossed her face, but she ultimately shook her head, saying she didn't know any of them. Interesting. Did she just lie to me? Or maybe one of the names sounded familiar enough to catch her off guard?
No point pressing her here. I'll ask again later—when it's just the two of us. If a Magic Lamp does exist in this world… it could be ridiculously useful for me.
The last one whose jobs I had yet to check was Nyx. She stood alone at the edge of the bath, quietly staring down at the water with dull, distant eyes. Did she not enjoy the bath? Or maybe the noisy atmosphere just wasn't her thing. I could only hope that, with time, she would open up to me—and the others.
[Party Job Setting
Nyx
Acquired Job: Villager Level 5, Explorer Level 1, Warrior Level 1, Shadow Caster Level 2
Set Job: Shadow Caster Level 2]
Her job was another one I was immensely curious about—although it seemed to be a racially exclusive job of Dark Elves. I mentally tapped it to learn more.
[Shadow Caster
Effect: Increase Intelligence (Medium), Increase MP (Small), Increase Endurance (Slight)
Skill: Life Drain]
…Life Drain?
That sounded way too ominous. Could the job literally drain the life out of someone? If so, I definitely understand why people called the Dark Elf race cursed and avoided having Shadow Casters in their party.
Still, assumptions would only make things worse. It was better to just ask.
"What exactly does the Shadow Caster job do, Nyx? And can you tell me about its skill too?" I intentionally avoided saying the name aloud; the girls would freak out if they heard it.
"Shadow Casters can use their skill to make their shadows attack demons… but Master, please don't expect too much from me." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The more battles a Dark Elf Shadow Caster fights… the sooner they die." Her dull purple eyes lifted to meet mine.
"Dark Elf? Eh—where!?" Shera yelped, splashing as she looked around in panic.
"Nyx is a Dark Elf. Didn't you notice her markings? What kind of Elf are you supposed to be?" Remu asked, glaring at her in disdain.
"Huh!? No way! She's white! And she is a normal looking elf, Dark Elves look like monsters! Don't try to trick me, you stupid cat!" Shera huffed, puffing her cheeks in a pout.
I let the two bicker and focused on Nyx instead, trying to understand her words .
Did… did she really mean the Life Drain skill literally drains her life?
If so, that was beyond cruel—it practically sounded like a curse.
"I'm changing your job to Explorer until we learn more about the Shadow Caster job," I said firmly. "If it really is harming you, then you can just keep being an Explorer. There's no reason for you to think so pessimistically. There are plenty of other paths—other solutions."
Nyx blinked, visibly surprised.
"…As you wish, Master."
And with that, I had finally checked every girl's Job list. Some were interesting, some mysterious, and some left me with a dozen questions. But there was no need to solve everything on day one. These girls were going to be by my side from now on. Sooner or later, I would learn everything about them.
For now though…
the moment I had been impatiently waiting for had finally arrived.
Time to get out of the bath…
…and into the bed.
***
[MN01 has redeemed an Extra Chapter this week]