Chapter 3.1

< Ray’s favorability increases. ( Current favorability: 87% ) >

Before her vision had even fully cleared, colors as bright as being under the morning sky tormented her. The cause was Ray’s eyes staring intently at her sleeping form.

“I’ll be going.”

“I want to go too.”

As soon as the blue-eyed man made eye contact with her, he gave his morning departure greeting. Although her body ached and she was sleepy from overdoing it again yesterday, words that hadn’t passed through her brain came out first. She immediately grabbed Ray’s arm. The man looked a bit flustered.

“Do you even know where you’re saying you want to go?”

“If it’s where you are going, Master… anywhere…”

“Sleep more. You’re still sleepy.”

“No, I can’t…”

Honestly, she was too sleepy. According to the game settings, when Ray slept with her in this bed, his stamina recovery was faster, so naturally it was normal for her to be more tired, but right now that felt like a terribly unfair thing.

Ray went out before it got dark, so she had to wake up early. She understood it with her head, but when she opened her eyes, darkness had already fallen.

Sitting in a daze half-asleep, she felt the urge to urinate and got up to go to the bathroom. But just then, Ray came out of the bathroom with a towel on his head, showing his n*ked body without a single thread of clothing and looking at her.

“Just woke up?”

“Master…?”

“I’ll bring you something to wear, so go in and wash up.”

“Eh? What about work?”

“I’m late anyway.”

He didn’t seem to care about being late. She didn’t know. For now, she started by going into the bathroom to wash up. Thinking could come later.

Her first outing from this place was after dressing up with a maid accompanying her, befitting a noble young lady. When she was about to step outside with Ray’s escort like a noble… 

Wait, stop, stop! If I went out, the tutorial would end!

Although no one would choose to stay in the tutorial instead of the main game, she still had lingering feelings for Ray. When she froze and didn’t move, Ray looked at her with a questioning expression.

“…?”

“I’ll go down through that window! Master, please go down first!”

It was bold nonsense. Ray stared at her intently.

“Did someone bother you when I wasn’t here?”

Since the maids were right next to them, she quickly shook her head.

“I, well…”

What should I call this?

“I’m afraid of doors…?”

“…Didn’t I mention there was truth serum left?”

“Let’s just go out…”

Surely the tutorial wouldn’t end when I was given a quest, right? 

She was a bit anxious, but even if the tutorial ended and the main game started, it wasn’t like the world would end in disaster. Well, this world might perish though.

She moved her steps as if being led while Ray held her shoulder. Did her behavior seem strange? He stopped abruptly before going through the door and looked at her with puzzlement.

It was understandable. When she had stubbornly insisted on going together confidently, but now she was pulling at Ray’s collar as if she shouldn’t go out. He alternately looked at her and the door as if lost in thought, then spoke as if he had decided something.

“Then let’s remove the door.”

“What…?”

What did I just hear?

There was no response. Ray left her in place and went toward the entrance, then destroyed the hinges made of Lakiam ore. As expected, Lakiam’s weakness was indeed magic.

In an instant, the door fell away, and system windows no longer activated in that spot. Her eyes widened. Ray approached again and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

She couldn’t figure out what to say or what to think. Walking through the corridor with Ray in bewilderment, she glanced back. Near the fallen door handle, she could see the text 

< Would you like to start the episode? >.

Still, there seemed to be no need to tear it off so mercilessly.

Upon exiting the front door, a carriage she had never seen before was waiting. As soon as she got on, Ray seated her in a chair, but she immediately moved to his lap. He stared at her intently.

Still, without saying anything, he naturally supported her waist and knocked on the wall a few times to signal the coachman to depart. Clip-clop, clip-clop, the sound of slowly advancing horse hooves began to be heard. The dark scenery outside the window moved.

“What should we do about you being late? And it was because of me.”

“What do you mean what should ‘we’ do? We’ll go and you, the slave, will receive punishment in your Master’s place.”

“What kind of punishment?”

“Want to receive it instead?”

“Yes, should I go and get whipped?”

Seeing how she flinched her b*ttocks and wetted herself below after being hit like that yesterday made her think she was quite the pervert herself. But it still felt good.

As she looked at him with expectant eyes, Ray mischievously flicked her forehead.

“Ah…!”

“We’re not going out to play.”

“It hurts.”

“I hit you because it’s supposed to hurt.”

“If you’re going to hit me, hit my b*ttocks.”

b*ttocks were an erogenous zone, but the forehead wasn’t. As she rubbed the spot she’d just been hit and grimaced, Ray flicked her head again.

“Ah!”

“Being proud of getting whipped.”

“It hurts though…”

It really hurt, not a lie, but whether he knew this or not, he just smiled pleasantly and seemed calm.

“Sera, after we arrive, you can’t try to sit on my lap like this.”

“Why not?”

“If you do that, I’ll strip you n*ked and scold you where everyone can see.”

That’s punishment? I liked it though? 

She felt the need for an in-depth discussion about why punishment suddenly turned into a reward.

“I like getting my b*ttocks hit by you, Master.”

“Even if strangers touch and poke you?”

That didn’t matter either. She had the advantage of knowing this was a game. But since answering wrong here might decrease favorability, she was a bit cautious.

“I do prefer you poking me, Master…”

“But?”

“Mm, since I’m a slave, wouldn’t anyone be fine? If you order it, Master.”

Caution be damned, she tilted her head with innocent eyes. This should make her look like a lacking young lady who didn’t have a good grasp of s*xual concepts.

Ray let out a slightly deflated sigh. Whether his mood was hurt, until they reached their destination, he kept his gaze elsewhere as if the girl fidgeting in his arms didn’t matter at all. Still, he helped her when getting off the carriage.

The place they arrived at was a so-called high-class tavern, ‘Lazandeka’. Unlike the information shown in the system window, it was such an ordinary bar that she was a bit flustered. Wondering if it might be something like an information broker that existed in fantasy worldviews, she entered the shop, but that wasn’t it either.

Ray was an ordinary worker. One with the proper title of boss.

“Boss, did something happen?”

As they entered inside the counter located on the side full of alcohol, a man asked Ray a question. His name was < Hanel >, probably an ordinary employee.

Ray lightly shook his head and entered inside the counter, first seating her in a corner chair.

“Sit here quietly.”

She would sit quietly even without being told, right? While watching the men.

This was the perfect place for her to be happy. The staff were men. The customers were men. And very handsome ones at that!

“Hehe.”

Her head slowly turned from left to right. As she filled her eyes with each person’s appearance one by one, Ray cupped her cheek. Soon her gaze was fixed on him. The man spoke with a frown as if something displeased him.

“Kneel on the floor.”

“What…?”

Suddenly?

“Won’t you listen?”

“I, I’m listening…”

His suddenly changed attitude was bewildering, but since Ray’s commands were her top priority, she got down from the chair. If Hanel hadn’t approached and offered her a pretty glass at that moment, she would have knelt on the floor right away.

“Boss, why are you bothering such a pretty lady? Miss, you should drink this, right?”

“Huh?”

“It’s strong liquor made for the tardy manager, but since it seems he’s late because of you, Miss, you should take responsibility.”

“Ugh.”

He smiled brightly and handed her the glass. 

Would it be okay? 

Honestly, she didn’t know. In reality, she drank to some extent, but in games, alcohol tolerance and behavior varied.

Since she might cause trouble, she wanted to avoid it for now, but Ray didn’t stop her. Rather, as if telling her to try it, he brought the glass he was holding to his lips.

The alcohol was sweet and bitter. After holding a sip in her mouth and swallowing it, a burning sensation swept through her stomach. Her expression contorted sharply. Seeing this, Ray took what she was holding and poured it into his own mouth.

How could he drink that like that?

It was high proof enough to burn her stomach with just one sip. Even drinking a little made her stomach boil and feel hot, but Ray emptied the glass without a moment’s hesitation.

But when the empty glass was placed on the table, her vision swayed. More precisely, it felt like gravity was rotating as her body tilted.