Inside the rented room at the tavern in E-Rantel.
How can he treat me like a child when I'm a hundred years old!!!!!???
"Ugh."
Just as Mino spiraled deeper into her aggrieved thoughts, something soft yet oppressively heavy suddenly enveloped her head, pressing down until she could barely draw breath.
"Mmph! Albedo, what are you doing!?"
"Mino-chan," Albedo purred, voice dripping with smug satisfaction, "you must remember~ I am the main wife."
She firmly mashed Mino's small face deeper into the plush valley of her chest.
"Mmph! Mmph! Albedo..." The sheer difference in size and softness made Mino's struggles almost comical; her tiny hands slapped futilely against the rippling curves, creating waves that only emphasized the disparity.
Albedo looked down at the squirming girl trapped in her embrace, lips curling into a triumphant, disdainful smile. To think she had actually felt a flicker of worry about her position being usurped by this little sprout.
She reached down casually and palmed Mino's flat chest, letting out a soft, mocking laugh.
My worries were completely unnecessary.
Seeing Mino's face turning an alarming shade of red from lack of air, Helant finally intervened with a helpless smile.
"Albedo, you've come at the right time. I have a task for you."
Albedo released Mino instantly, posture straightening into perfect deference as she turned to Helant with shining golden eyes.
Puha! That damn bitch… Mino gasped, wiping her mouth and glaring daggers at Albedo, tears of humiliation glistening in the corners of her eyes.
"I need you to arrange for agents to infiltrate the Roble Holy Kingdom," Helant said calmly.
"Stir up internal divisions while amplifying external threats from the demi-human tribes. Also, weave Demiurge's forged historical records into the narrative there as well—make the people believe the Sorcerer King and the Holy Domain God Lord have been at odds since ancient times."
Albedo's expression turned serious, mind already racing through logistics.
"Lord Helant, do you intend to seize the Holy Kingdom first?"
Since Helant and Momonga had chosen to operate in the Re-Estize Kingdom as adventurers, Albedo had naturally assumed that kingdom would be the initial target.
"The Holy Kingdom borders numerous demi-human tribes and has been locked in near-constant border wars for generations. They desperately yearn for peace and a savior…" Helant trailed off meaningfully.
Albedo's sharp intellect connected the dots immediately. Compared to the relatively stable (if corrupt and decaying) Re-Estize Kingdom, a Holy Kingdom plunged into utter chaos would have far greater and more immediate need for a divine figure to deliver them from destruction.
"Understood." Her voice softened again, turning sultry as she stepped closer, thighs subtly rubbing together. "Then… Hel~ Shouldn't we…?"
"No!" Mino threw both arms around Helant's neck in an instant, glaring at Albedo like a territorial kitten.
Albedo chuckled low in her throat, pursing her lips teasingly before stepping gracefully into a waiting portal.
"Well then, Lord Helant, I'm off."
The portal closed with a soft snap.
Mino remained clinging tightly to Helant's chest, refusing to let go.
"Mino.. um.. your level is too low," Helant said gently, shaking his head. "You're no match for a succubus like Albedo in a battle of seduction."
Usually so lively and full of tricks, Mino's inexperience showed painfully when pitted against a "bad woman" like Albedo. Two moves and she was already outclassed.
"Don't worry," Helant continued, stroking her ruffled white hair. "In my eyes, you're not a child. You'll be just like Albedo someday."
Mino's large eyes sparkled with sudden hope.
"Then… a kiss?"
"Wait until you've developed a bit more."
"Ah! You bastard, Helant!"
…
Later that night, the tavern downstairs was far quieter than the raucous afternoon scene.
Only a handful of scattered patrons remained, nursing mugs of beer in near silence.
The thick stench of old sweat and stale alcohol had settled into something almost mellow under the dim lamplight.
For the first time since arriving, Helant truly felt the atmosphere of an Isekai tavern.
"Your drink, sir."
The owner set a heavy mug of ale in front of him. The beer carried a rich, honest aroma of malt and aged oak barrels. The liquid was surprisingly clear—not the usual murky swill—glowing a bright, golden yellow in the flickering lamplight.
"A pity Momonga can't drink this," Helant murmured to himself, resting his head on one hand.
He didn't actually drink. He simply sat, savoring the rare moment of mundane peace in this unfamiliar world.
"Hey there, handsome. Are you alone?"
Helant glanced up slightly.
A pair of fair, beautiful, toned, powerfully muscled thighs passed through his field of vision. Their owner slid gracefully into the seat across from him.
"I see you're all by yourself. Something weighing on your mind?"
She spoke with a playful, flirtatious lilt, lips curved in an inviting smile.
Helant studied her openly.
She wore a dark cloak thrown loosely over her shoulders. Beneath it: only a brassiere and shorts—both pieces studded generously with adventurer identification plates that clinked softly with every movement.
Short blond hair framed a deceptively cute face, crimson eyes glinting with mischief and something darker.
Clementine—the infamous former ninth seat of the Black Scripture, now a rogue serial killer with a fetish for collecting adventurer plates from her victims.
Interesting.
Helant let out a soft, almost melancholic sigh. He lowered his azure eyes slightly, cultivating an air of gentle loneliness.
"There's no one to drink with me. It's rather boring."
Under the dim yellow lamplight, his flawless, holy features took on an unexpectedly soft, almost vulnerable beauty. The usual divine aura carried a faint trace of ambiguity that made him seem… approachable.
Clementine felt a slight ripple stir in her chest—something unfamiliar that went beyond her usual urge to destroy and collect.
"I want a taste."
She reached across impulsively, picked up his untouched mug, tilted her head back, and downed the entire beer in several large, unladylike gulps.
Amber liquid spilled from the corners of her mouth, trickled down her chin, slid along the graceful column of her neck, and finally vanished into the deep valley between her breasts.
Damn...
"Delicious." She curled her lips into a satisfied, predatory smile and exhaled a faint breath of malt-scented alcohol.
"And you are, Miss…?"
"Clementine."
"I am Helant." Helant's gaze roamed openly over her fair, smooth skin. "You're alone too, I see."
Clementine noticed where his eyes lingered and deliberately shrugged her cloak farther back, exposing more of her shapely chest and the clinking collection of plates. Heh~
"Of course. It must be fate."
Her crimson eyes wandered across Helant in return, finally settling on the copper-colored adventurer plate pinned to his chest.
She also noticed the hidden letter tucked discreetly beneath his chair—left earlier by the Zuranon defector Kajit as part of their original plan.
She had come here intending to meet Kajit and use the stolen [Crown of Wisdom] for some chaotic fun.
But now…
Especially after seeing that copper plate.
"So, a noble young master out on a journey," Clementine purred, naturally assuming Helant must be some pampered aristocrat playing adventurer.
Only nobles had features that perfect.
"What's wrong, Miss Clementine? You've been staring at me."
Helant instinctively touched the plate on his chest, recalling Clementine's well-documented fetish for killing adventurers and collecting their identification tags as trophies.
The dozens of plates studded across her brassiere and shorts were proudly on display.
"Oh my, how lewd." Clementine tapped her own chest lightly, making the plates clink enticingly. "Staring at my chest like that… are you planning something naughty?"
"And you've been staring at me, Miss Clementine. Are you also planning something naughty?"
Helant straightened slightly, azure eyes meeting crimson without flinching.
Clementine's cheeks flushed a genuine pink, but her tone remained teasing.
"Oh my, I've been caught. How embarrassing."
She leaned in closer—close enough that Helant could smell the faint alcohol and blood-scent clinging to her skin—and quietly swiped the hidden letter from beneath his chair with practiced sleight of hand.
"Well then, handsome, I'm off."
She rose gracefully, deliberately swaying her slender, fair waist in front of Helant's eyes as she sauntered toward the door.
Helant naturally noticed the little theft.
"Clementine has arrived," he murmured to himself. "At this time, she should be on her way to find Kajit…"
He leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Still… her figure is surprisingly good...."
____
I think he wants her...
Well.. Clementine's body always makes me weak.... Those Rule34 posts are not helping either.