At the Phantom Night Guild
The moment the heavy oak doors swung open, an unfamiliar scent assaulted Noah. He had braced himself for the reek of sweat, sour body odor, or the cheap moonshine that usually permeated an adventurer's guild... Yet, this place was thick with the fragrance of wildflowers, expensive perfumes, and the distinct, heady musk of women.
This isn't the kind of guild those guys would have built.
If he could return to his old world, Noah would never have expected to see a guild the size of a three-story castle standing proudly in the center of a starter town's square.
Noah inhaled deeply, a mixture of excitement and panic filling his lungs. Even though he was the only man in the place, he couldn't allow himself to do anything embarrassing. In his head, it felt no different from wandering backstage at a show, only to be stared down by strangers.
"Hey! Look what I dragged in!"
Christina's husky shout cut through the noise, causing the bustling great hall to fall silent in an instant.
Noah flinched, suddenly realizing the cold hard truth: his real enemy was this woman right here.
"Christina, you said you were taking me to see the Guild Master," Noah hissed, shooting her a demanding glare.
"Oh, come on. Come on. You're excited, aren't you?" Christina laughed with delight. The young man had no choice but to play along.
Noah followed behind her, keeping his head down and staring solely at Christina's backside as a petty form of revenge. However, with a height of 177 centimeters and a well-proportioned physique honed from his days as a former Hero, he stood out immediately amidst the field of flowers. He swept back his jet-black hair, trying to maintain a stoic, masculine composure while keeping his gaze lowered.
But the hundreds of eyes fixed upon him... they were either predatory or looking at him like a rare beast.
"Whoa... Is that a male? A fully grown one, too?" An older female mage lowered her glasses, her eyes sweeping over Noah's broad shoulders and chest without a shred of modesty.
"That body is spicy as hell... Look at those hips. Probably great for thrusting... er, I mean, taking an impact," a swordswoman in her forties whistled teasingly, drawing giggles from across the tavern.
"Is he fresh? A virgin, perhaps? Interested in sitting on big sister's lap?" One woman leaned forward, licking her lips.
Goosebumps erupted all over Noah's skin. He feared that the way they were looking at him was as a Male Human, not as a Hero or a warrior. Occasionally, he could hear amusement laced in their tones. Even though he was a supreme Hero in his old world, right now he felt like he was surrounded by a pack of tigresses ready to pounce at any moment.
But thinking about it from another angle... didn't this mean he could get laid non-stop?! Noah had to suppress the lustful glint in his eyes, fighting the urge to rip his clothes off right then and there.
"This is the prize I was telling you about!" Christina shouted proudly. Though she was slightly shorter than Noah, she reached up to hook her arm around his neck and yanked him down forcefully, causing Noah to stumble.
Truly an Iron Lady! With the strength of an ox, her womb must be... Noah didn't dare let his imagination run further. He tried to resist, but he couldn't overcome the strength of her slender arms.
"I present to you! A man! Perfect skeletal structure! Tall, long legs, and muscles tight as a drum!" Christina slapped Noah's chest—Thud! Thud!—like someone showing off a prize breeding bull. "He's the one who jumped in to save me just in time. Super cool, right?"
He was starting to feel mocked every time someone mentioned that incident, and the urge to squeeze Christina's breast in retaliation was rising dangerously.
Noah swatted her hand away, adjusting his clothes with irritation. "I am not a male. I am a Hero. Stop treating me like a pet."
"Silence."
A chilling voice rang out from behind the counter.
Catherine Hunter looked up. Everything about her screamed high nobility, yet she possessed the sharp gaze of a vicious hound, accompanied by the wafting smell of sour wine.
She stood 172 centimeters tall—shorter than Noah—but the aura of authority she radiated made her seem large enough to fill the room. Her razor-sharp eyes swept over Noah from head to toe, pausing to scrutinize his shoulders and waist in detail.
"Christina... Ah, I remember. The adventurer who loves causing trouble." Catherine adjusted her glasses and sighed. "Good physique... About 22 years old? Just hitting peak fertility. How annoying. The guild members are going to be..." Catherine muttered softly to herself.
The woman addressed as the Guild Master sat with her legs crossed, looking stressed the moment the young man walked in. However, in Noah's mind, he was currently using his Penetrating Vision skill to survey the teardrop-shaped cleavage—larger than Christina's—which was causing the ambient temperature to skyrocket.
"Listen well, boy. Our guild has never had a strange man show up before... let alone one of unknown origin," Catherine interlaced her fingers, resting her chin on them. "I don't care how good your body or face is. Here, we operate on Rules, not on muscles shown off for girls. Furthermore, everyone here has already borne children... So, if you're hoping to use some Incubus charm to seduce us... well, we'd have no choice but to kill you. You could be a spy for Lord Alistair Montague, the evil Demon King."
The name of the Demon King caused Noah to raise an eyebrow, but he chose to keep his curiosity to himself.
She cast a pitiful, disappointed glance at him before unfurling an anatomical chart of a human body on the table. Her beautiful slender finger pointed to the center of the female figure, like a teacher tutoring a student.
"You seem to have amnesia, so let's review... The source of a woman's magical power is the
Womb. A physiology that has passed through the act of giving life. That is why, in this world, only women who have borne children can awaken their power... This is the iron rule of nature. In this world, men are merely insignificant little creatures."
She looked up, meeting Noah's eyes with a blank stare.
"Therefore, you showing up here and claiming to be a Hero is a joke... It is simply a mistake of God that you were born into this world... I would be much happier seeing you go back to living a normal life like you used to, serving your duty as a mere breeder to produce strong women who can actually protect this world."
That sentence caused the girls in the guild to hoot and holler in agreement.
Christina turned to look at the young man with eyes that looked ready to cry.
"There is no way to declare oneself a coward more than this." Noah slammed his fist onto the table. BANG! The heavy thud silenced the room instantly.
"Fine. I admit I'm a stranger with no background. So, I ask for a chance to prove my worth right here. With the very thing you look down upon, Madam Guild Master."
Noah smirked... He knew he had one thing others didn't. God sent him here. In this world, he was the One and Only Charisma. He would make every woman in this world his!
Catherine laughed softly before speaking, "How many rounds do you think you can last against me...? Even my husband doesn't dare go this far."
Noah leaned his arm on the counter, bending down so his handsome face was level with hers, using his height advantage to pressure her back.
"Madam Guild Master... You seem sensitive about your husband. Trouble in the bedroom?" Noah dropped his voice to a low register, turning his charm up to the max. "If you think my body is only good for one thing... then why don't we put it to the test? Let's see just how hard and durable my... weapon really is."
The room went dead silent... Some of the girls even held their breath.
Catherine raised an eyebrow slightly... not out of shyness, but out of challenge. Christina seemed to be processing this until her brain was about to explode.
"You have a smart mouth..." Catherine murmured. "Are you challenging me to a performance test?"
It seemed Catherine had misunderstood.
"Huh?" Noah paused. "Wait... I meant in be—"
"Good!" Catherine stood up to her full height, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "If you want to prove that thing dangling between your legs... I mean, that blade at your waist isn't just for decoration, then meet me at the training grounds! You troublemaker... I assume you won't mind if I kill him!"
Christina's face looked as if to say Noah is doomed, but she also looked relieved that they weren't going to have a baby-making contest right on the floor.
"With pleasure, Boss!" Christina grinned wide enough to show her white teeth. She squeezed Noah's shoulder so hard he yelped. "Congrats! Looks like the Guild Master is especially interested in you!"
Noah's face went pale as he watched Catherine cracking her knuckles.
[SYSTEM : UNLOCK NEW QUEST]
[Impress Catherine Hunter]
[Reward: Unlock Ability]
For the you
ng man who had hoped to spread his seed soon... it seemed he would have to remain in despair a little longer.