Chapter 3: Unfortunate Escorting — Part 7: On Tired Days
<
≡
>
Warning: This content may contain explicit or mature themes and is intended for viewers 18 and older. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
[TLN: God of Darkness or Dark God—I will use these terms interchangeably.]
Volume 1: Witch Carly Arc
Chapter 3: Unfortunate Escorting
— Part 7: On Tired Days
In the morning, when Aurelius woke up, he was alone in bed.
It was no wonder, as the sun was already quite high in the sky. It must have been two hours past dawn, and it was probably close to 3 o'clock.
"You finally woke up."
As he lay there groggy for a while, Magnolia, dressed in a short yukata, came in with soup and bread.
"I was just about to wake you up with some breakfast.
I told the innkeeper we'd be staying for two more nights, so you can rest today."
"Thank you."
Sitting in bed, Aurelius accepted the breakfast and ate it right there.
After using an aphrodisiac potion, the next day always turned out like this. He slept for a long time, remained groggy, and couldn't move his body as he wanted. Therefore, unless it was absolutely necessary, he avoided using the potion.
After finishing breakfast, Aurelius fell asleep again.
When he woke up next, it was already past 5 o'clock.
Magnolia seemed to have gone out, as she wasn't in the room. He could use magic to locate her if he wanted, but there was no need for that.
Struggling to get out of bed, Aurelius had a late lunch.
Then, returning to the room, he used magic to clean the soiled sheets.
Lying on the now spotless futon, he had no choice but to rest today.
"Are you sleeping again?"
As he was doing so, Magnolia returned.
"Welcome back.
I had lunch and cleaned the bed.
Now the work for today is done, we can just relax."
"I don't mind at all."
Magnolia climbed on top of Aurelius and as usual kissed him.
They spent the entire day cuddling.
When night came, they fell asleep in separate beds, looking at each other.
By tomorrow, Aurelius's body would have recovered, and he would need to walk around the city to regain his strength.
"Customer"
After finishing breakfast, Aurelius declined lunch, intending to leave when the innkeeper called him back.
"Excuse me, Customer, there's something I need to discuss with you.
Originally, your room reservation was for just one night, and that was our understanding."
"Um, I apologize for the sudden change.
I've been feeling unwell, so I would like to extend my stay until tonight.
Did you not hear from Magnolia?"
"Yes, I did receive word, but…"
"Or perhaps the payment hasn't been settled yet?"
"We can settle that later.
The issue is, we had understood it was only for one night, so we've already made arrangements for subsequent guests.
As an inn, having vacant rooms doesn't bode well for business, so we're left with no choice.
We have another guest arriving tonight.
I'm sorry, but I must ask you to vacate the room by tonight."
"Eh, is that so? I hadn't heard that from Magnolia."
"Yes, I did inform her, but she insisted you'd find a way.
I explained that it wouldn't work here at the inn."
It seemed Magnolia thought mentioning it to the innkeeper was enough. Although the innkeeper refused, perhaps she didn't listen.
Clearly, the fault lies with us.
"I understand, I'll do something about it."
"Thank you."
Just then, Magnolia appeared.
"Aurelius, what are you up to? Exploring the town?"
"Magnolia, we need to talk. Come here."
Aurelius's unusually stern voice startled Magnolia, who froze. She then glanced at the innkeeper and seemed to understand the situation.
"No, I knew about it.
But Aurelius was asleep all day yesterday, so we didn't get a chance to talk.
Besides, I was searching for other available inns yesterday.
I'm sorry I didn't mention it, but I was trying my best to handle the situation."
Aurelius continued to stare silently.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault."
Magnolia bowed deeply.
"Sigh,
It's fine. I'm upset you didn't tell me, but I'm also to blame for suddenly suggesting we extend our stay by two nights.
I have my share of the responsibility.
So, it's okay.
Let's return to the room now and pack up.
Then, let's look for another inn together, see if there are any vacancies."
Back in the room, Aurelius stuffed their belongings into the storage box without bothering to organize them.
There was still plenty of room for more. Normally, if you stuffed an ordinary storage box without organizing, it would quickly become full.
Afterward, they roamed the streets, continuously inquiring if there were any vacant rooms available.
However, there were absolutely no vacant rooms to be found.
It seemed there was soon to be a festival of the Dark God, and it appeared that priests attending the event were gathering.
Moreover, since the festival of the Dark God attracts many spectators, the number of guests at the inns had increased even further.
Before they knew it, evening had fallen upon them.
They might have already visited all of the inns.
Though it was still early, the two were planning to have only dinner at the inn's dining hall.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"Never mind that.
But I didn't expect it to be this crowded either. It's not Magnolia's fault alone.
And if things turn out like this, perhaps we should have left the town and camped out since midday."
"How is Aurelius feeling? You seemed to be struggling today as well."
"Well, I'm not in top shape, but I could manage camping away from the town.
Yet, I really thought it would be better to stay at an inn, so I ended up wasting more time.
It's entirely my mistake.
If it comes to this, we'll have no choice but to find some alley or eaves and camp out in a tent.
We can only use a small tent within the town, but will that suffice?"
"As long as I'm with Aurelius, anywhere is fine."
It seemed that tonight they would be camping out in the town.
Due to the side effects of the aphrodisiac potion, Aurelius still wasn't feeling well. However, based on his past experiences, another night's rest would likely bring about recovery. He had hoped to spend that night resting peacefully at the inn, but it seemed impossible.
"Hello,
I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. May I join you?"
Suddenly, a man sitting nearby spoke up.
He appeared to be in his forties.
At first glance, his fine attire and composed demeanor made them briefly mistake him for a nobleman.
But a nobleman wouldn't visit such a place in town.
His attire was too refined for a townsman.
He was too slender to be an adventurer.
He lacked the ingratiating mannerisms of a merchant.
It was difficult to discern his profession.
"What do you want?"
Aurelius replied with a blunt answer. If this angered him, there was no point in having a conversation.
"No, I've actually been hearing your conversation for a while now.
Could it be that the two of you are in need of accommodations for tonight?"
"So, what? We're adventurers, so we're used to camping outdoors."
"That may be so, but wouldn't you rather relax in a proper bed at an inn?
Actually, I've booked a room here with two beds all to myself during this busy season. It seems a shame to let one go to waste.
So, if you'd like, would you consider using that extra bed?"
Aurelius studied the man intently. It seemed like there might be more to this offer.
"You don't seem like either a merchant or an adventurer. What do you do?"
"Oh, me? I travel across the continent gathering various knowledge, which I then sell to support myself.
You could say accumulating knowledge and teaching others is my line of work."
"Then, should I address you as 'professor' or 'scholar'?"
"I'm not particularly fond of such grand titles, but I do get called that quite often."
"Alright then, how about I'll call you Doctor.
So, Doctor, what exactly are your intentions?"
"No, I'm not scheming anything, if that's what you're implying."
"What if I said I'd be the only one using that bed?"
"That's fine."
"And if Magnolia said she'd be the only one using that bed?"
"That's fine too."
"And what if we both said we'd use that bed?"
"If you can sleep, then it's fine."
Aurelius continued to scrutinize the Doctor.
There was a slight change in expression. When he mentioned only Aurelius, there was calmness—when he mentioned only Magnolia, there was joy—when he mentioned both, there was surprise.
The first two reactions were normal, but the surprise at the last one was peculiar.
There must be something more to this.
"So, what exactly are you planning?"
Aurelius asked the same question once more.
If the Doctor was as intelligent as he seemed, he would understand the implications.
The Doctor glanced away briefly, pondering.
Then he looked directly at Aurelius.
He briefly glanced at Magnolia, then quickly returned his gaze to Aurelius.
"Three days ago, a traveling merchant arrived in this town."
For some reason, the Doctor began to tell a completely unrelated story.
"There's a traveling merchant heading towards the northern town where business has recently dwindled.
It's said that goblins and bloodwolves frequent the road from the north, often attacking merchants.
This merchant was also attacked twice and caught in a heavy rain, but managed to come through safely by hiring skilled escorts.
I have a liking for such unusual tales, and it's good for business, so I had a chat with that merchant about various things.
And I heard about how strong and splendid the two escorts he hired were."
"Ho—, so where is this merchant now?"
"Well, he bought goods the next day and headed north the day after that.
Normally, one would take a few days to rest, but it seems he encountered some serious trouble.
He said it's not good to be too greedy and he's fearful of curses."
"Did you hear anything else?"
"Well, I heard a few other things.
Since I'm not a member of the merchant's guild, I can only get detailed information by speaking directly with the merchant."
"So what kind of information did you hear?"
"He mentioned something about prayers and curses, saying there's some kind of limit of three times."
It seems the doctor heard about Magnolia from the merchant.
"What does the doctor plan to do about that?"
"I don't plan to do anything.
Instead, I told him that it shouldn't be discussed anywhere.
Paid information shouldn't be leaked recklessly.
If it's discussed elsewhere, its value decreases.
Talking about it without consideration would disqualify him from being called a merchant."
"I think so too.
So what is the doctor suggesting here then?"
"I have various knowledge and skills acquired from traveling to different countries.
I'd like to impart that knowledge, especially to Magnolia."
"Did the doctor receive a divine message from a god?"
"Huh? Um, yes—there was indeed a divine message."
It was abrupt, but the doctor immediately understood its significance.
Naturally, Magnolia, who understood it, looked surprised.
"No, today is still fine."
Surprised, Magnolia interjected.
"And I wonder, does the doctor have something like a certain god to whom he offers prayers or an amulet he prays to?
Magnolia also likes to pray to such things."
Aurelius purposely ignored her and continued to speak to the doctor.
"I have an emblem that I cherish, which I also pray with regularly."
"Then, may we use the bed?"
"Please, go ahead."
"And as I'm also a mage, I require various pieces of knowledge.
Could you impart them to me in a manner that won't hinder your business?
Of course, I'll pay if necessary.
I'd like to hear the rest of the story in your room, would that be alright?"
"You're right. Shall we simply inform the innkeeper then?"
Guided by the doctor, Aurelius and Magnolia entered the inn room.
The room was about the same size as where they had stayed until yesterday, with two beds separated just like before.
The only difference was that there was no curtain between the two beds–instead, a folding screen obstructed the view.
Aurelius and the doctor sat on round chairs across a small table, with cups of tea in front of them rather than alcohol.
Magnolia sat on her chosen bed, taking a sip of wine instead.
"As for the continuation of our conversation, Doctor, what exactly are you praying for?"
"Listening attentively is crucial. Just as important as the mind is to the ear.
So, I pray to this emblem called 'Toyomasa,' shaped like an ear, seeking new knowledge and expressing gratitude when I gain it."
The doctor's bag bore a pattern resembling an ear, as mentioned.
"'An enriched ear becomes knowledge,' is that it?
I envy you, as I have only learned from books alone—I've had fewer chances to learn from listening."
"Well, I envy you more for having read various books.
Knowledge from hearing is a mix of truth and falsehood, making it hard to discern."
For a while, they exchanged knowledge within comfortable limits, each having gained knowledge from different directions and discussing with interest.
However, Magnolia alone continued to sip her wine quietly.
"I'm sorry, Magnolia, the conversation got rather interesting."
"No worries. If Aurelius is enjoying himself, I'm glad too."
"True lovers truly in love are enviable.
As a poor man who continues to travel, I have no woman to travel with."
"You don't need to envy us so much. We have our own circumstances to consider.
I'm actually seeking knowledge that we need, though our destination is still far, making it quite challenging."
"What kind of knowledge are you seeking?
Perhaps I might hear about it somewhere."
"Well, only one person knows it, so we must meet her.
Still, meeting her doesn't guarantee obtaining the necessary knowledge.
If she were to pray to your 'Toyomasa,' would there be blessings?"
Aurelius glanced at Magnolia.
Magnolia realized the implication, blushing in surprise.
"Well, what do you think? I can't say for certain.
But I also can't deny the possibility. After all, it's all up to the will of God."
"Yeah.
Magnolia, why don't you give praying a try?"
"Me, pray? Are you sure about this?
We'll be fine for a while without it.
And there aren't even curtains in the same room.
Is it really okay?"
"I don't mind. Magnolia wants to pray, right?
Besides, the doctor seems to have something to teach Magnolia.
That's right, isn't it?"
"Huh? yes, well,
I do have more practical experience than Aurelius, so I can teach her something.
But are you sure this is okay?
I've heard stories from the merchant, but is this really okay?"
"You want to pray with Magnolia, don't you? It's written all over your face."
"True, if I could be with such a lovely woman as Magnolia, I would be overjoyed.
But she and— Aurelius are lovers, aren't you?
Is this really okay?"
"You're just going to pray together. So it's fine."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
Both Magnolia and the doctor said this simultaneously, and Aurelius nodded.
"Got it. I'll join the doctor in offering a prayer for the 'Ear Emblem',
But we'll need to prepare first, so could you give Aurelius and me some time alone?"
"Oh, yes. Understood.
I'll take a short stroll around here for about twenty minutes. Is that okay?"
The doctor left the room.
"Aurelius, what's your plan?
It's still too early to suffer from the curse."
"I know.
But I just wanted to see Magnolia pray.
When I asked about a room in this inn, I could see inside—I knew there were no curtains, only folding screens, so I thought it was perfect timing.
And besides, if I wish it, Magnolia would do anything for me, right?"
"I did say that, but I didn't mean it this way."
"Then is it not okay? If Magnolia doesn't like it, I don't want to force her."
"If it's what you want, if it makes you happy, then I don't mind."
Magnolia blushed shyly, her face turning red as she looked down.
Magnolia has come to terms with the fact that she must have sex with other men because of the curse. There's no other way, so she has no choice.
However, she is confused about feeling pleasure and reaching orgasm even during these other encounters.
She has experienced receiving semen from one man up to three times, and her body craves it, making orgasm inevitable.
But that should only happen the first time. But she feels pleasure the second and third times as well. Even though she is betraying her beloved Aurelius.
Even if she understands in her mind that this is to suppress the curse, her body welcomes it with joy.
Her heart seems to be lost, not knowing what to do.
And today, she was told she could have sex with the doctor. Even though she knew in her mind it wasn't necessary, her body was eagerly anticipating it.
Furthermore, she would be embraced by the doctor in the same room without even a curtain. The thought that Aurelius might see scared her, embarrassed her, made her feel guilty, and yet her body anticipated it.
As a final excuse, she could only tell herself that Aurelius wanted this. She didn't want to think that Magnolia herself desired it.
Aurelius understood this clearly.
"Let me cleanse your body before you pray.
"Okay."
When Aurelius took out the cleansing board, Magnolia undressed to wash her body.