Chapter 17

□ Royal City Artea <Spinning Foal Inn> 【Paladin】Ray Sterling

The next day after diving into the <Tombstone Labyrinth>, at 10:00 AM.

It was check-out time, so I rubbed my sleepy eyes and left the inn.

I was sleepy because I had been polishing Nemesis until the early morning, and Nemesis herself was sleeping.

The current Nemesis is neither in human form nor weapon form but is inside the crest on my left hand.

Until now, Nemesis had always been out, but it seems that <Embryo> is supposed to be inside the <Master>'s crest like this.

It makes sense, of course.

Otherwise, my brother would have to carry a Gatling gun or a tank all the time, which would inevitably lead to questioning by the authorities.

Nemesis, due to her personality, stays out as much as possible, but now she is exhausted from crying and prioritizes sleep.

Yesterday's Z-Class Zombie Festival must have been quite a strain.

However, thanks to that, her level has risen to 12, and she has learned two new skills.

The skills she learned are <Paladin's Blessing> Level 1 and <Instant Equip>.

<Paladin's Blessing> Level 1:

Reduces physical and magical damage received during combat by 10%. The effect disappears if you change jobs to something other than a knight.

Passive skill.

<Instant Equip>:

Instantly equips a weapon in storage. The previously equipped weapon is stored in its place.

A five-minute cooldown is required before the next use.

Active skill.

<Paladin's Blessing> is a defensive skill that is always active.

It's an excellent skill that reduces all types of damage by 10%, and it seems to be a representative skill of the [Paladin].

It doesn't consume MP and is a passive skill, so it will always be active if you set it to on.

The other skill, <Instant Equip>, is a skill that instantly equips a stored weapon.

You can equip a weapon without the hassle of retrieving it from the four-dimensional bag—item box.

This skill is not derived from [Paladin] but is learned after using a weapon for a while.

You should be careful that <Paladin's Blessing> loses its effect if you change jobs to something other than a knight, and <Instant Equip> requires a five-minute cooldown after each use.

...Well, to begin with, I don't have any other weapons to switch to.

Nemesis is also quite fussy about that.

"Zzz, no cheating with other weapons... zzz..."

...Is she talking in her sleep?

◇

The first thing I did after going out into the city was to investigate what Figaro mentioned yesterday.

Figaro said that the PK terrorism in the south would be resolved by tomorrow.

I wasn't doubting it, but I wanted to confirm the result, so I gathered information.

The result was as Figaro said.

The PK terrorism on the <Sauda Mountain Path> in the south had ended.

Moreover, the PK terrorism in the other three areas had also subsided.

"South is one thing, but the others too..."

The <Noz Forest> where I died is also included.

While it's almost certain that Figaro took care of the south based on the timing, it doesn't seem like the same for the others.

I decided to gather more information, and then,

"Ah, Ray-san! Good morning!"

"Huh?"

A familiar voice came from a shop on the street.

It was Luke, whom I had met before the PK.

Today, he was standing there with a clean face and no dirt, wearing the uniform of the store—Tian's shop.

"...Good morning, what are you doing?"

"I'm working part-time to learn skills."

According to him, the job he chose based on the aptitude test results was in the merchant and familiar master categories.

So, working in a store allows him to learn various merchant skills.

I see, even if the hunting grounds are unavailable, you can still increase your skills this way.

"So, what job did you choose?"

"[Pimp]!"

Pimp... [Pimp]?

Hey, why is there a job like [Pimp]?

Is it okay for a minor to have that job?

Why is [Pimp] his aptitude?

"...Maybe because you had a succubus with you?"

Nemesis, still in storage, said sleepily.

That makes sense.

But with this sparkling face, does Luke himself understand what [Pimp] means?

"...What kind of skills does [Pimp] have?"

"Here are the skills I have now!"

<Male Seduction> Level 3:

Adds the status effect [Charm] to female humans and monsters.

The success rate is higher if the target's mental resistance (determined by MP, SP, and the [Mental Resistance] skill) is low.

For female monsters, there is a low chance of subjugation.

Active skill.

<Female Monster Enhancement> Level 3:

Increases the abilities of female monsters under your command.

Passive skill.

<Female Slave Enhancement> Level 1:

Increases the abilities of female slaves under your command.

Passive skill.

<Brokerage: [Pimp]> Level 2:

Increases the rewards female subordinates earn from labor.

Passive skill.

<Identification Eye> Level 1:

Allows the identification of items. At Level 1, it can identify items other than rare items.

Note: It cannot see through disguised items.

Passive skill.

"......"

"......"

[Pimp]... What a masterful skill set.

The skills are at a strangely high level.

Most of all, the status effect [Charm] is terrifying.

According to the game's help, [Charm] is an advanced version of the status effect [Confusion].

When in [Charm] status, the charmed person will protect the one who charmed them and attack their enemies.

In other words, it turns enemies into allies and makes allies attack each other.

This applies to players as well, and their bodies move on their own.

"Isn't it biased? Is [Pimp] a job like a monster tamer?"

"...Something like that."

Women are monsters, after all.

By the way, I showed my skill set as well when he asked.

Luke looked at <Paladin's Blessing> and <Instant Equip> and said, "Cool!" with shining eyes.

...He seems like a good, honest kid, so why [Pimp]?

◇

It turned out that Luke's part-time job at the store was about to end, so we decided to have lunch together.

He had learned skills, and he had been working with the understanding that he would stop when the PK terrorism ended.

However, I was a bit worried about the store he had been working at, but it seems there was no problem.

Apparently, during the three days Luke stood at the front of the store, the number of customers was five times the usual, and the store made a lot of money and was very grateful.

Incidentally, the increased customers were mostly women, regardless of whether they were <Masters> or Tian.

Also, I noticed that we were attracting a lot of attention as we walked.

More specifically, the women were focusing their gazes on Luke.

"Wow, what a beautiful young man... He's so cute, I might stumble."

"Isn't he a bit too obsessed with his looks? How can anyone make such a beautiful young man!?"

"His looks are too natural to be just makeup."

I glanced at Luke's face when I heard the comments around us.

"...Hmm"

When I first met him, I only thought he was a beautiful young man because of the dirt from battle, but now, with his clean appearance, I can confidently say he is a "world-class" beautiful young man.

A face that can be evaluated as both cute and handsome.

A beautiful young man created by the miraculous time between adolescence and adulthood.

With his silver hair, he looks like a fairy embodying the fragility of snow.

"...Hey, Master. Isn't the description of his appearance more detailed than when you first saw me?"

It's just my imagination.

"By the way, Luke. How did you make your appearance?"

"Makeup? The sliders were complicated, so I just changed my hair color."

This world-class beautiful young man is real.

...Maybe it's all because of the beautiful young man that <Embryo> was a succubus named Babii and his job is [Pimp].

Is it a "[Pimp] *but only for handsome men" kind of industry?

"What's your relationship with the blonde guy next to you?"

"Well, it's a yaoi relationship, right?"

"Who's the uke?"

"Blonde"

"Blonde"

"Of course, the beautiful young man's smile is the seme!"

"Homo"

I heard a conversation that made my spine shiver, but I pretended not to hear it.

"By the way, where is Babii? I haven't seen her."

Is she in storage like Nemesis?

"Babii is also working part-time. At a massage parlor run by a friend of the owner of the store I was working at."

"Massage parlor..."

The phrase "succubus massage parlor" sounds too suggestive.

However, when I actually went there, it was a normal store on the main street.

"Luke! Your shift is over!"

Babii flew over to Luke with a flutter.

"Ah, Ray and Nemesis, good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon."

"Indeed, it's been a while."

Nemesis had already come out of my left hand and returned to human form.

With Babii joining, the four of us entered a popular restaurant on the street.

It's one of the delicious places my brother recommended, so I'm looking forward to it.

◇

We were enjoying the food and exchanging information and small talk.

Luke and Babii talked about their experiences working at NPC stores over the past few days, while we talked about the hunting grounds my brother told us about and the <Tombstone Labyrinth>.

"Today, I learned new skills too."

It seems that Babii, like Luke, had learned new skills.

<Embryos> of the Gardener type, like humans, often learn skills through work or training.

Incidentally, Babii's skill set was as follows.

<Little Succubus Seduction> Level 3:

Adds the status effect [Charm] to male humans and monsters.

The success rate is higher if the target's mental resistance (determined by MP, SP, and the [Mental Resistance] skill) is low.

<Little Succubus Energy Drain> Level 3:

Drains HP, MP, and SP from a [Charm]ed target.

<Angel Massage> Level 1:

Recovers status effects like [Fatigue].

It also recovers a small amount of HP and SP.

The skill levels are indeed high.

Moreover, Luke and Babii seem to be a very compatible team.

Together, they have a significant advantage over both men and women.

...If Luke can [Charm] and Babii can drain, that's quite dangerous.

[Charm] is scary. Temptation is scary. *Censored* is scary.

"By the way, I noticed something about Nemesis's skills. Can <Counter Absorption> and <Vengeance Is Mine> be used by Nemesis alone?"

I hadn't heard about this before.

I remember Nemesis using <Counter Absorption> when we first met.

"<Vengeance Is Mine> cannot be used. It can only be used when in weapon form and equipped by the Master."

So, it can't be used.

According to Nemesis's additional explanation, the former is a Gardener-type skill, and the latter is an Arms-type skill.

Gardeners are independent, but Arms and Chariots have many skills that are based on being equipped.

Maidens, who have Gardener-like properties, can also fight in human form depending on the situation, though they are inferior to pure Gardeners.

I should consider incorporating this into future combat patterns.

"By the way, I heard about your skills, but what level is Luke?"

You can't level up much outside the <Tombstone Labyrinth> these days, so I thought he might be around level 5 since the last time we met.

"25."

"Twenty-five!?"

More than double mine!?

"Whoa!? Where did you level up in these few days? You couldn't use the hunting grounds, right?"

No, even if you did, you wouldn't level up that much!?

"Yes, I couldn't hunt, but I received experience points for completing quests from the [Pimp] Guild."

"[Pimp] Guild quests?"

What's that?

I didn't know, but apparently, when you take on a job, you can only accept quests from the guild of that job, and you receive experience points for completing them.

However, for jobs other than merchant and production types, the quests are usually about hunting or guarding, so they wouldn't be meaningful for low-level beginners.

In my case, it's even more so because I'm a [Paladin], an advanced job, without the necessary skills.

"I see... but"

There's one thing that bothers me.

"...Jobs that only [Pimp]s can do?"

Aren't they all R18?

"The job I completed was introducing a model. Here's a copy of the quest."

[Model Recruitment: Master Granzian Valeno, Difficulty: 6]

The great artist Granzian of the Alter Kingdom is looking for a model for his new painting.

Bring a model that satisfies Granzian.

The model may be nude.

*Note: Granzian is extremely picky and sets very high standards, so be careful.

"......"

Difficulty 6 is higher than the quest I did to save Miriane...

"So, you introduced Babii and completed the quest, right?"

"No, that was the initial plan."

◇

"Excuse me, I'm Luke from the [Pimp] Guild, here to introduce a model."

"Hmph, another one of those half-witted fellows. You bring nothing but ugly and unattractive models. So, what kind of......"

"Um, is something wrong?"

"Accepted—!!!"

◇

"For some reason, I ended up being the model. My level went up, and Granzian was happy because he got good inspiration, so it was good."

"...Yeah, that's good."

There really are a lot of "only for handsome men"...

To be continued

The next update is tomorrow at 21:00.

(=ↀωↀ=) <Handsome men are real cheats>

(￣(エ)￣) <This is my costume's handsome face!>