Chapter 130: Chapter 20 - Three Days Before The King's Game, Day 1 (2)

After reading the letter, which wasn't very long, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. It transported me back to my days in the orphanage, where Sister Lily and the other nuns cared for me. Among the orphans was Alice, my childhood friend whom I grew close to. When I left the village at 16, it had been two years since then.

I vividly recalled our parting; Alice's tear-streaked face as she begged me not to leave. I promised to return whenever possible, though she hesitated to let me go. Eventually, she relented, expressing her hope that after I graduated from the academy and became a magic knight, she would also pursue her dream of becoming a full-fledged priestess.

I made sporadic visits to the orphanage, as promised, but as time went on, these became less frequent. It had been nearly four months since my last visit, prompting Alice to reach out to me with this letter.

"I suppose it's about time I paid them a visit," I mused. "I should bring along some souvenirs."

The village I grew up in was Flui Village, situated on the outskirts of the Holy City. It would take a three-day trek from here, the Capital City, to reach there. Thankfully, I could make the journey in just an hour by harnessing the wind and utilizing Levitation Magic to speed through the air.

After a while, a knock sounded at my door. It was Maya. "Master, have you finished reading the letter?"

"Yes," I replied. "You may come in."

Maya entered, still clutching the bottle of wine. "M-Master..." she stammered, her cheeks flushed. "I-I want to serve you."

Raising an eyebrow, I was taken aback by Maya's unexpected confession. While she had expressed her desire to work as my maid, I hadn't anticipated such a direct proposition. But then again, she had willingly taken on the role, along with Amon, making them my two maids in total.

Still, I hadn't explicitly informed her that being my maid equated to servicing me. Sure, Amon fulfilled that role, but Maya was different.

"Maya, are you certain about this?" I inquired, my tone laced with concern. "You're not obligated to do anything like this, you know?"

"I... I am," she replied, though her voice lacked conviction.

"Why do you want to do this?" I pressed gently, wanting to understand her motivations.

"It's because..." Maya hesitated, chewing on her lip before continuing. "Because... I want to express my gratitude somehow. You saved me from a fate worse than death, and while I know I'm asking for a lot, considering you've already rescued me from a life of prostitution, I have one more favor to ask. I want to return to the Khrysómallon clan and assure them of my safety.

I promise to come back to you afterward. And... I don't mind being your sex slave for life, but I hope you'll grant me some measure of freedom in return."

"Thank you for that," I said to her with a smile, causing her blush to deepen even more. If that was the case, then it seemed imperative to reciprocate their affection. While pondering this, I couldn't help but notice Maya still holding the bottle of wine. "By the way, Maya."

"Yes, Master?"

"Why are you holding that bottle of wine? Do you plan to drink, or something?" I inquired.

"Ah! Uh, um, I was planning to pour it on my body as you taste it, Master," she confessed.

That sounded a bit messy, but also somewhat kinky. I supposed this girl was a bit of a pervert too, huh?

***

When I emerged from the office and entered the main lounge, I found Marie there, with Filia massaging her. Filia, a young half-dwarf, wasn't short despite the typical stature of dwarves. Marie, on the other hand, bore the appearance of a dwarf, despite being a regular human. Despite her childlike appearance, Marie was actually 99 years old—a loli hag, as some might jest.

Marie had been living here since she helped me revive Martha from the dead.

Even though she was petite, I couldn't deny her appeal. I suppose I have a soft spot for legal lolis, although now that she's 99, it's no longer considered legal, right? Still, I think I appreciate lolis more than I let on.

Her bare shoulders, exposed by the pulled-down strap of her kimono, were tantalizing to behold. That smug loli look on her face stirred a desire within me to wipe it away, perhaps by intoxicating her in some way.

The reason for her youthful appearance was attributed to her skill, which allowed her to summon souls. However, it turned out that she could also gather life essences. Similar to mana, life essences were abundant in the atmosphere but couldn't be naturally collected. Thanks to her skill, she could gather them, which in turn stunted her growth to adulthood.

Despite being 99 years old, her appearance and physique remained that of a child.

However, that doesn't mean her mentality was still that of a child. Her mind was mature, and perhaps even beyond that. She now possessed a wisdom akin to that of someone who might one day become a legend.

That's why sometimes when she seduced me, it was honestly hard to resist. Looking at her now, with her bare shoulders being massaged and her body covered by a kimono so thin that you could practically see through it from this distance, I couldn't help but feel a little... tempted to peek. There might be nothing but thin cloth covering her devilishly squishy, loli body.

As I stood there practically gawking at her, she looked up and caught my gaze, a smug expression on her face. "Oh, Leon boy," she teased, "is my beauty finally tempting you?"