Chapter 13: Always Take Care to be Aware of How Much You’ve Drunk in Order to Avoid Causing Trouble for the People Around You.
I think I said something about how I shouldn’t expect women with big breasts even though this is a fantasy world.
Puyo~n.
I’m wondering what exactly is jiggling in front of me right now.
... How did I get here again?
◇◇◇
I apply a light trickling of mana through my legs to the bottoms of my feet to increase my speed and reach them before the large, hairy bear man can strike the girls. Though to be honest, I wouldn’t have made it in time if he hadn’t been distracted when I tossed his companions to the side.
And then it hits me.
Stinks. This guy REALLY stinks.
A wave of uncleanliness hits me all at once. It’s a mixture of everything that stinks, but the one that stands out most is the smell of alcohol, followed by the smell of vomit. His eyes are a little unfocused and his face is bright red.
This man is WASTED.
I really hate those drunks who terrorize their surroundings and cause trouble to everyone around them.
It’s bad enough when Masaki and I have to find his older brother passed out outside a bar and bring him home to their mother who’s crying and begging him to stop drinking so much, but the aggressive drunks who disturb the peace are the worst.
It takes the bear-man a second to understand what had just happened. By then I’ve grabbed his wrist.
Ugh. It’s all grimy and sticky... but this isn’t really a time to be a clean freak.
“What’s your problem, huuuuh?”
“I don’t think these ladies appreciate your attentions. I suggest you take your ... business elsewhere.”
“Shuttup, they’re whores so it’s fine, huuuh? If I just give ‘em money afterwards it’s fine, huuh?”
I can’t help but glance at the women. The younger girl he had assaulted wears a normal-looking commoner’s npc-like dress with an apron, but the older one is definitely in somewhat of a sexy outfit. Her top dips down in a low v to the bottom of her breasts, showcasing her cleavage. Though it’s properly laced up to keep from falling open, normally someone would wear something under it.
Oops. Wandering eyes.
But what’s with that kind of logic, bear-man? Even if they are prostitutes, didn’t they clearly refuse you? Even restaurants can refuse to serve bad customers!
“What are you saying, doesn’t she have a right to choose? If you want to buy a woman, go take a bath and sober up!”
I glare down at them with as much force as I can muster and the drunk man’s companions seem a little shaken. Though it looks like they’ve also been drinking, it seems they still have some reason left. The man himself though, well, like I said, he’s DRUNK.
“Torinelle isn’t for sale. As I said, go after one of our other women, though there won’t be any who’d let you touch them with those filthy hands!”
Aaah... copper-haired oneesan? Is this the time where you’re supposed to insult him?
“What are you saying to me, huuuuh?! When you’re just a dirty whore!”
The bear-man swings his arm at the copper-haired oneesan, but I’m not really sure what he’ll actually end up hitting so I stop it right away before it really starts. He blinks, as if unsure of what just happened, before turning his anger on me.
“I get it, you’re one of them, huuuh! Then it’s fine if I take you too, huuuh!”
Huh? What the hell are you saying you stupid drunk? How does any of that make sense? In the first place, I’m a guy ... wait.
He rushes blindly at me like a stumbling cow, no, a drunk bear, so I step out of the way and let him run until he crashes into the wall. He pauses, tries to understand what happened, then turns around and glares at me.
No, that was completely your fault, totally.
I guess this is the time to do something kind of big to scare them off.
As he regains his balance and rushes at me again, I grab his arm, drop down, and then throw.
A bear goes spinning marvelously through the air and lands on its back.
“Geho!”
Ooh, nice reaction. The bear man bounces, and then is still.
It’s not liked I knocked him out or anything. He’s just lying there staring at the sky. It must be mesmerizing.
His two companions are also sitting motionless from when I’d knocked them down right at the beginning.
It’s a situation where we’re all frozen still and looking at one another, except the bear man who’s still staring at the sky.
...
It’s uncomfortable so I hurry the two girls out of the alleyway. They’re hesitant to push past the men, but we make it out without incident. Or, actually, the men only watch us go with wide eyes and open mouths, except the bear man still lying there staring at the sky.
As we came out onto the main street,
“Th-thank you so much! I’m Torinelle!”
The younger girl clutched her basket and bowed in a flustered manner. Like I said before, she’s dressed in the type of young girl’s dress for a fantasy rpg’s npc character with a skirt a little above her ankles and an apron. She has light brown hair pulled back in a short ponytail, and a bandana wrapped like a headband. She looks about 7 or 8 years old.
“Ah, I’m Jun. Nice to meet you Torinelle.”
The older woman is silent with a serious face, looking away. The sexy v-neck aside, her skirt has long slits up the front of both legs, making it seem as if she’s actually wearing a miniskirt. Also, she has an almost transparent veil before her face. Hm... if I say it’s like those Arabian Night-type veils, would you understand? She’s on the slender side, probably 18 years old, with dark copper hair in a short haircut.
Both of them are attractive, though the younger girl’s a bit young to ogle at. She’s more of a cute, lovely girl.
... I wonder if Bear Man’s a lolicon.
“If there’s any way to thank you ...”
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“No, don’t mention it, I was just passing by-”
Guuu
... Right when I tried to refuse her and turn to leave, my stomach decided to make itself known. How are you even hungry after being so close to that bear-man’s gross existence? My stomach responds, but not to my question.
“... um, if you don’t mind, let us thank you with a meal.”
“There’s no need to treat me, but if you could bring me to a place I’d be grateful.”
On reflex I thought to refuse, but honestly I had no idea where to begin looking for food or lodging so this is quite the blessing.
But I’ll pay for it myself; even though I’m worried about my money situation there’s a bad feeling to having them treat me. You don’t need a reward to help someone, right?
... Masaki would yell at me, saying that you can’t live off of gratitude.
“Torinelle, you have to take the shopping back.”
The copper-haired oneesan said abruptly.
The little girl, Torinelle, seems a little upset, trying to figure out what she should do.
“If it’s alright, I could go with you to wherever you need to go first.”
To be honest, I’m a little worried about leaving them to fend for themselves after an attack like that.
Actually, it’s surprising that they’ve both rebounded so well. I wonder if this is a common occurrence. For a girl of age 7. That’s... a thought that quite disturbs me.
“Oneesan, are you new to this area?”
“Hm? Oh, yes. I just got here today.
For a second I didn’t know who Torinelle was talking to. I guess I’m an “oneesan” now ...
The copper-haired oneesan is walking a little ways away from us, a clear difference from Torinelle’s happy chattering. Is she avoiding me?
I glance back. She doesn’t look particularly pleased...
Along the way I’m made very aware that I have accidentally stumbled into the red light district.
Scantily clad women are calling the men who pass by. Men too are trying to wheedle customers into shops where open balconies on the second floor have girls dancing provocatively. Some of the women have rather... aggressive ways.
I’d be lying if I said they didn’t attract my attention, I still find them erotic after all, but somehow the atmosphere sours the scenery.
Vulgar looking signboards are propped up outside many of the shops, but I can’t read them ... hm, so I can’t read even if I have (Translate)...
“Oneesan, would you like something good or something cheap for dinner?”
“Hm... something cheap. I don’t have much money, ah- and I’m currently unemployed.”
“Oh, if you’re looking for work maybe Maryist can –“
“TORINELLE.”
Solyana cut in. She frowned at Torinelle, then turned to me.
“I’m sorry, she means well, but our girl doesn’t know how to speak to those from higher society.”
Solyana bows gracefully, keeping her eyes down.
Eh... So it was like that after all.
“Just to be clear, I’m not ... from a Noble-sama or high society or anything like that.”
Solyana’s subtly sullen look changes to surprise. She stares at me, I suppose trying to determine if I’m lying.
“I see.”
Torinelle doesn’t seem to quite understand what just happened.
“Um, can I ask something?”
I asked Solyana that, since I’ve now understood that Torinelle doesn’t really understand the hierarchy of this world.
Solyana nods.
“Why did you think I was from high society? I get that it’s from my clothes, but ...”
To tell the truth, I didn’t think the clothes were THAT fancy. They’re not shabby or anything, and being in pristine condition despite all my travels is definitely something amazing, but it’s not like they’re covered in fancy designs or frills or whatever. The jacket may be more eye-catching, but that’s still tucked away in my inventory.
“There aren’t many people who can afford fabric like that.”
I see. Certainly the top looks like silk or something. Come to think of it, in my world we use a lot of synthetic stuff for clothes so things like T-shirts can be stretchy and thin. Even the stuff that says it’s 100% cotton is soft and smooth. Perhaps all those fabrics, even the T-shirts, would be considered expensive fabrics.
... I had thought about selling my clothes later to boost my money stash, but now I wonder if it wouldn’t be worth analyzing and trying to find someone who’d be interesting in trying to duplicate the material. I know next to nothing about textiles so I wouldn’t be able to do it.
I file that thought away into the back of my head.
Solyana doesn’t seem as thorny towards me now, but she’s still pretty distant.
Torinelle stops outside of one of the storefronts. It’s clean looking and the women standing around aren’t desperately trying to attract attention like the girls outside the other shops.
Basically, it looks like a reputable establishment. Even the signboard that I can’t read is clearly written in a less vulgar style.
Torinelle doesn’t go in the front but through a side door.
“Jarna, I’m sorry it took so long!”
“Ooh, Torinelle, we were going to look for you. That’s no good, you have to be on time to tend to Erina’s customers while they wait.”
I look at Solyana questioningly. Isn’t Torinelle, well, too young? It might be different in this world, but ...
“She serves the men waiting for Erina drinks, and brings them to her room.”
Oh, I see. Kind of like a geisha in training?
But then that’s really it after all, that Torinelle is being trained for the business.
All of a sudden:
“TORINEEEEELLLE~!”
A pair of very large breasts came flying towards me.
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Skills added:
[Wanderer]:(Accel) – Increases the force of the push-off from your feet.