Anyi glanced out the carriage window, his gaze drifting over Dus and the young girls standing awkwardly behind him.

"...Ah!" The realization struck him.

When welcoming important guests, it was customary to have two rows of beautiful women flanking the road. At the entrance, a butler would manage the reception.

So, this man must be the butler, right?

With that thought in mind, Anyi leaned slightly out of the window and addressed Dus. "Is the room ready yet? We’d like to rest."

Dus blinked, his confusion palpable. "???"

"Sword Hero-sama! This is the Hero of the town, Rod Hero-sama!" one of the nearby villagers shouted, rushing forward excitedly.

Anyi raised an eyebrow, still expressionless. "Oh. I thought he was the housekeeper arranging our room."

"Who are you calling a housekeeper?!" Dus's face flushed with rage.

"If I apologize, will that calm you down?" Anyi asked with the same blank stare, his voice utterly devoid of emotion.

"What?!" Dus’s fury flared, his hand instinctively reaching for his rod, ready to strike.

Just then, movement from the carriage caught Dus's attention. Ariana, her golden hair gleaming in the torchlight, peeked out. She had heard the mention of a "Rod Hero" and was curious about this local figure. Tilting her head, she looked over at Dus.

Coincidentally, Dus met her gaze.

Thud!

Without warning, Dus dropped to his knees, as though an invisible force had knocked him down. In his eyes, the world transformed—the ground beneath the carriage bloomed with white flowers, petals scattered into the night air, and a pure white light filled his vision.

She was... beautiful. No, more than beautiful—divine. Words, once his weapon of choice, failed him utterly. The only word that echoed in his mind was: Angel.

Tears flowed uncontrollably down his face. All his lustful desires, his fantasies of conquest, were wiped clean in an instant.

'Mom, Mom!' he thought desperately. 'I’ve met an angel!'

Ariana blinked, her golden eyes filled with confusion. "Anyi, why is he crying?" she asked, glancing back at him.

Anyi sighed. "Ah... purified?"

The effect of the [Holy Maiden], he realized. Ariana had the passive to cleanse those who looked upon her of their base desires. The stronger the person’s obsession with beauty, the more thoroughly they were purged.

Anyi, unaffected as usual, barely reacted. But Dus, who lived his life chasing after women, was now on the verge of spiritual transformation, ready to shave his head and become a monk.

Anyi casually reached out and lowered the curtain.

Dus trembled, suddenly snapped out of his reverie. He scrambled to his feet, wiping the tears from his face with his sleeve.

'What... just happened to me?' he thought, bewildered. 'I was crying just by looking at her?!'

A sound interrupted his thoughts—the door of the carriage on the opposite side opened. Dus straightened, adopting a more composed stance, placing his hands in his pockets as if nothing had happened.

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"Ahem, you four are the Heroes who cleared out the slimes in the neighboring village, yes?" He resumed his prepared speech. "I've heard all about your deeds, but I should warn you—"

He stopped mid-sentence as a massive figure stepped out from behind the carriage.

Layton, tall and muscular, emerged with the quiet grace of a storm. His shadow loomed over Dus, blotting out the torchlight like an eclipse. The man smiled, friendly and approachable, but his sheer size made Dus shrink back involuntarily.

"Warn us about what?" Layton asked, his voice warm but clearly amused.

Dus's teeth chattered. He tried to speak but his tongue felt like lead.

"I-I... I mean, what I wanted to say was... Everyone here is very welcoming! Yes, yes, w-welcome to the town! Have a good rest tonight!" Dus stammered, laughing nervously.

'What am I afraid of?' he scolded himself silently. 'I’m a Hero too! Just because he’s tall doesn’t mean he’s stronger!'

His hand twitched toward his rod, ready to assert his dominance. But before he could react, a gust of wind roared, and Layton casually placed his own weapon—a white, jade-like rod—on Dus's shoulder.

The blow reverberated like a thunderclap, shaking the ground beneath their feet, yet Layton hadn’t even broken a sweat.

Layton tilted his head, his eyes twinkling. "Hmm?"

Dus’s hand went numb. He slowly pulled his rod back, feeling the heat of embarrassment burn on his face. "Uh... I was just... testing your strength! You know, a little... exploration between men."

Layton let out a hearty laugh, completely oblivious to the tension. "Ah! A test of reflexes? I understand! Ha ha ha ha!"

Dus forced himself to laugh along, though his heart was racing. "Y-yes! Ha ha ha ha!"

But inside, Dus’s mind was spiraling. 'What the hell just happened?! I was supposed to intimidate them, not the other way around!'

Behind Dus, the girls who had once fawned over him now surrounded Layton, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Hero-sama is so tall and handsome!"

"Hero-sama! What kind of weapon do you use?"

"Do you have a crush, Hero-sama? What kind of girls do you like?"

The flood of attention swept over Layton like a wave, the young women chirping around him, starstruck. Dus, standing awkwardly on the sidelines, felt the sting of rejection. The very girls who had adored him moments ago now doted on the towering Shield Hero.

With a bright smile, Layton greeted them warmly. "Hello! I'm Layton Shiklai, Shield Hero, 21 years old, married, and the father of a lovely 3-year-old daughter!"

The girls gasped, disappointment flashing across their faces.

Married?!

Still, after a moment's pause, their enthusiasm quickly rekindled. After all, a man like him would be claimed early by other women—it was inevitable.

"Shiklai-sama, would you consider remarrying?"

"Does Shiklai-sama need a nanny? I can help take care of the child!"

"I… I can help you have another child!" one particularly bold girl blurted out, sending the group into a fit of giggles.

"Ahhh!" One of the other girls screamed, half in excitement, half in shock.

Meanwhile, Dus stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. The pain was palpable in his chest. 'How could this happen so fast?' His frustration boiled. Just moments ago, these women were his admirers, and now... they were practically begging to bear Layton's children!

'Impossible!' Dus thought bitterly. 'I have to do something!'

Before he could stew in his frustration any longer, a voice from the front interrupted the chaos.

"Heroes-sama, the restrooms have been prepared. Would you like to head to the hotel now?" one of the believers asked, breaking the mood.

Layton clapped his hands, his mood as upbeat as ever. "Great! Let's head there first, and we can talk after!" he said with a smile. "I'm not getting back on the carriage, though. I've been sitting all day. I’d rather walk."

The group began to move toward the hotel, the carriage rolling ahead, but the flock of girls that once surrounded Dus had now latched onto Layton. He was their center of gravity.

Dus clenched his teeth, trailing behind them as they reached the hotel. 'There has to be a way to turn this around,' he thought. Then, it struck him—a bold idea, the kind of plan that would bring Layton and Anyi down a peg.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Ariana was escorted to her room by the female believers, while Miruku, uninterested in socializing, vanished almost immediately after stepping out of the carriage.

Meanwhile, Anyi and Layton stood at the counter, collecting their room keys. Dus, standing nearby, called out to them with a sly grin.

"You two, since you're in town, why not come out and have some fun?"

Anyi raised an eyebrow, already suspicious of Dus’s intentions. "No, I'm—"

Before he could finish, Layton cut in enthusiastically. "Great idea! I slept in the carriage all day, so I’m not tired at all! Let’s go! Where should we head?"

Dus’s grin widened. "Heh heh, it’s late. There’s only one place we men ought to go!"

Anyi sighed internally. 'It’s that kind of place, isn't it?' He had no interest in such things. His [Lustlessness] skill ensured he was immune to any temptation of that sort. Honestly, he would much rather just sleep.

"The place where men should go?!" Layton’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he threw an arm around both Anyi and Dus. "Well then, as men, we must check it out!"

Ah, sleep...

Dus smirked triumphantly. "Good! Let’s go, then. It’s time to have some real fun!"