Volume 12 - CH 7

I'm testing Thalia, a girl who said she wanted to join my team.

Of course I'm going to take my time and test her in a very erotic way.

I start by touching her breasts.

"U-uhm, your hand are on my breast."

"Hmm? Can you please concentrate for a moment? It's not like I'm squeezing or pinching them."

I say in a slightly reproachful way. I have a serious face.

"Huh, but..."

"Then I'll show you my secret skill first."

"Eh? What is it like?"

After all, you're a spy, you're biting it.

"It's [Levitation]."

I said that, and used the skill while holding her in my arms.

"Hyahh, y-yeah, It's true, you're floating."

"What do you think? There aren't many adventurers who can do this, right?"

"Yeah, a few of our magician can use levitation magic, but no one has it as a skill. ...... It's amazing!"

"That's why in the Black Cat of the Wind, there are times when I carry members like this, or help them evade, so there's very much body touch. Do you understand that part?"

"Yes, I do. Um, can you put me down for a second?"

"Sure."

As I grabbed both her breasts and gently lowered Thalia to the floor, being careful not to move my hands.

She hid her breasts, looking a little embarrassed.

"You know, Alec-san, I think you should hold it at my waist, not at my chest."

"No, no, no, this skill is difficult to balance, and I don't want to accidentally tip you over and hurt you."

"Is that so, it doesn't seem to be a very useful skill."

"But it's great to be able to fly, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah, that's enough."

When I approached her, she gave me a no thanks with both her hand. She was so naive. If she was a spy, she should have opened her legs and seduced me.

I was going to try to get her to have sex with me, but at this rate she's going to run away crying, so I guess I'll let her off with this for today.

"Well, I guess that's it for the test."

When I said that, Thalia let out a breath and showed a look of deep relief.

"Thalia, what are you going to do about accommodation?"

"Ah, I can take care of it myself."

"Our clan is using this inn together. You'll be sharing a room with a woman, but if that's okay with you, you should move here."

"I'll think about it."

"You do that. Do you still have time?"

"Yes, I do, but ......"

"Don't be so alarmed. We're just making small talk. What's Gallard like? I've seen him around, but I've barely spoken to him."

It would be unnatural for me to be completely uninterested, so I'll just listen to her what's Gallard like.

"Ah, yes, he's a very wonderful man, and he's very attentive. He's especially kind to women, he's a gentleman, he doesn't do anything weird, and he helps people a lot."

He's a suspicious bastard.

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend?"

"Well, I've been trying to find out, but it doesn't seem like he's dating any particular woman."

"Hmm, maybe he's a homosexual?"

"No! Definitely not! What are you saying!?"

Thalia changed her complexion and became seriously angry.

"Yeah, I just suspected him. Don't be so angry."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, but I've never seen him with anyone, ever! He's not a homosexual."

"I understand."

At this rate, I'm guessing it's a pattern of personal worship of Gallard, and she volunteered.

She's a summer fly who's attracted into the fire.

"What about his skills?"

"Let's see, he's got a good guard system. He can also attack with his shield, and we do party attacks in training, but no one has ever broken Gallard-san defense. He's amazing."

"Hou~, he's strong in one-on-one as well, what about ...... his magic?"

"Ah, I-I don't know well, about his magic ......?"

Thalia blurted out, perhaps reflecting on the fact that she had talked too much. At this rate, Gallard might be able to use magic as well. I'll be careful.

"I see, well, he's the man of the hour, so I'm just curious about him."

"Yeah, he discovered the ninth layer after the first king, so he's already a legend, isn't he?"

"Fufu, yeah, I guess so. Then ask Saki about the rest of the details. That two-faced girl with the black hair."

"Yeah, that's the thief-like lady, isn't it? I understand."

I watched Thalia leave the room with a smile and waited. A few moments later, there was a knock on the door and Saki arrived.

"Darling, Thalia is back. I heard that she was staying at the "White Waterfowl Mansion", but I'll check it out later."

"Yeah, please. Well, I'm sure she's not lying. And I knew she was a spy, so we'll talk about it at dinner."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll let her swim." (TLN: meaning to let Thalia do something on her own? IDK about this)

"Fufu, I see what you mean. By the way, are you going to take her virginity and train her?"

"Well, that's only if I get the chance."

"If you order me to tie her up, I'll do it whenever you want. She's a sneaky little spy. No need to be shy."

"Well, yes, but she still belong to the "The Seeker of the Holy Grail". We're not in an all-out war with them right now."

"I understand."

◇　◆　◇　◆　◇

Two days after the holiday, we left for the ninth layer with Thalia in tow.

"Please take care of me today!"

The brightly smiling Thalia is affable and honest, so our party quickly got to know each other.

"So let's leave the Greater Demon for later and go to the western area today!"

""" Okay """

At the passage of the ninth layer, we were immediately greeted by Chimera.

"Four Chimeras!"

"Saki, go around to cover the middle guard."

With flying enemies, the vanguard can be easily overtaken, so a raid is necessary.

"Sure thing!"

"They're coming! Leave it to me!"

Thalia said, and fired a barrage of arrows at the flying Chimera.

"GYIIII―――!!!"

Thalia killed one of them. You've got some pretty good skills. If this doesn't get you into the first team, then the first team of the Gallard Squads must be quite skilled. Especially in combat.

"Way to go!"

"Nice work, Thalia!"

"Ehehe, Thanks!"

"Clear!"

"Master! Dullahan's scent is coming from the Dark Zone!"

"There's a new one coming. Don't relax yet!"

The headless knight can be stopped by the vanguard. It took a bit of time, but we were able to calmly defeat it.

"All right, we're clear this time. Let's move on."

As we proceeded through the dark passage, Thalia let out a small exclamation.

"It's amazing that we can advance at such a speed even in an invisible passage."

"We've already been through this place, and we already know the location of the trap. The problem is the unexplored area beyond that."

I said while calling up the map window and checking the location. I turned as I came to a corridor that was not filled with auto-mapping.

The dark zone continues here as well.

"Then, I'll take the lead from here."

"Be careful, Alec."

"I'm counting on you, brother."

"Yeah."

I was about 20 meters ahead of the others when I felt a strong impact from the front.

"Bugh!?"

My body is blown backwards.

"Alec!?"

"Master!?"

"Darling, it is enemy?"

"Ugh, no, it's a trap. It's okay."

"That's a big hammer. It's swinging back and forth like a pendulum."

Ione saw through the trap with her [Mind's Eye], but if it was a normal party, one or two would've died from that just now.

"Alec, do you need a recovery?"

"No, Fianna, I don't need it, so save your MP. It's just a bit of a broken neck and shoulder and half a crushed head. No problem."

I say as I turning my head with my hand. I've got a lot more skills, and I'll recover automatically, so just leave it alone and it'll heal.

"I-is that so."

"Hmm? Hmmnm? Was that some kind of a joke?"

Thalia seemed to think so, since she didn't know about my strength and recovery skills.

"Hmm, yeah, I guess that's what you should say."

"Well, darling, you've been cracking a lot of black jokes lately."

Whether it was to avoid giving information to the spies, or simply because it was too much trouble to explain, both Serina and Saki answered appropriately.

"That's my master for you!"

The search proceeded as usual.