Chapter 8: Deals that never work (6)

Places frequently visited by merchants or adventurers naturally form paths where grass struggles to grow.

Walking along the dirt road under the slightly warm sunlight filtering through the green leaves, the journey was extremely quiet.

The only sound was the occasional creak of the cargo loaded onto the horse.

Even with Deros joining the group, there wasn’t much conversation.

No matter how crazy the heroines might be, it wasn’t appropriate to share obscene jokes in front of a complete stranger.

In any case, there hadn’t been any events typical of an erotic game for the past few days.

If you ask me whether I was happy about that… the answer is “no.”

The reason was simple: even though Deros claimed he still owned a shop in the capital, he was currently penniless.

Naturally, the tent was divided between the hero and Deros, and me with the heroines.

Currently, I might have a slim build, long brown hair, and slightly raised breasts, but as someone who used to be male, sharing a space with heroines who are universally admired as “beautiful” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

As long as they remain as silent as the cute little mage and the noble female knight, that is.

However, Laura and Natalia’s true selves are utterly obscene heroines, whether due to the hypnosis effect or their true nature.

Their nightly complaints about not being able to properly converse with the hero were honestly annoying.

“Look, the castle is finally in sight.”

“…Thank goodness.”

And so, our previously quiet journey was nearing its end.

The capital of the Kingdom of Rozahan, Caben.

A place where massive walls surround the city, and people live along the river.

Narrow alleys are lined with shops, and soldiers clad in armor and helmets patrol the streets.

In the main areas, there are towering buildings created by merchant guilds and for governmental purposes, while the plaza boasts a fountain that beautifully reflects light thanks to advanced craftsmanship.

Finally, we had arrived.

“Thank you for everything until now. If you ever come to the western district, please visit my shop. I’ll be sure to repay you.”

“Repayment? That’s unnecessary.”

“Haha, you are truly generous, Hero. But don’t worry. As long as my shop remains, I’ll find a way to deal with my debts.”

“Good luck, merchant. May the blessings of the gods always be with you.”

“Indeed, Knight. And may the blessings of the gods also be with you, Hero, Mage, and Saint.”

Entering a major city like Caben requires passing through two checkpoints.

The first is at the walls, and the second is along the roads leading to the main areas.

Although the Kingdom of Rozahan is a relatively young nation, its capital is still a capital.

The number of people entering and exiting is unimaginable, so a basic inspection is conducted at the outskirts, where passes are issued.

There might be concerns about counterfeit currency, unauthorized goods, or people with unclear identities sneaking in, but without a pass, one cannot even approach the secondary checkpoints guarding the central areas where the king resides, residential zones, merchant guilds, or production areas.

This greatly reduces such risks.

Moreover, lengthy inspections at the sole gate would disrupt the flow of goods, so detailed inspections are left to the secondary checkpoints protecting the main areas.

As a hero’s party, we were issued passes immediately, but Deros, a mere merchant, wasn’t so fortunate.

Thus, our brief companionship ended here.

“…He said the western district, didn’t he?”

I already know the exact location of Deros’s shop, so keeping an eye on him or conducting a background check shouldn’t be an issue.

While I’d love to start immediately, there are more pressing matters now that we’ve arrived in the capital, so it seems difficult to spare the time.

“Alright, let’s all prepare ourselves before meeting His Majesty. We mustn’t appear before him like this.”

“Got it. Let’s meet at the plaza then.”

“…An audience, huh.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing… Hero.”

Meeting the king and reporting our progress—it’s the first thing we must do as a hero’s party.

Besides, defeating the Demon King is our only way back to our original world, so it’s a role I must fulfill.

That said, going to the palace is something I’ll never get used to, no matter how many times I do it.

“Why is the saint’s outfit so revealing… damn it.”

When adventuring as part of the hero’s party, a modest black nun’s habit or practical adventurer’s attire is more than sufficient.

Personally, I prefer adventurer’s clothing that includes pants, as I have no issue with wearing them.

However, the clothes worn during the journey have become heavily soiled.

No matter how much you rely on cleanliness magic to maintain hygiene, there’s always a limit.

It’s disrespectful to appear before others in a body that hasn’t been properly cleaned.

Of course, Natalia, being a former noble, might be an exception.

But since none of the other party members hold high social status, there’s no need to expect extravagant formalities.

The hero would be fine wearing the casual uniform of a knight cadet, and Laura could simply wear the outfit prepared for court magicians.

But what about the saint?

While I’m relieved that there’s no need to wear a corset or dress, the issue lies with the design of the ceremonial outfit meant for significant occasions.

The ceremonial attire, predominantly white with gold embellishments, features long sleeves but leaves the shoulders and collarbones completely exposed.

The skirt, which drags along the ground, is slit at the thighs, revealing bare skin.

The only saving grace is that the long veil covers the back, though even that veil is made of sheer fabric.

“No matter how much this is a world inside a game, this outfit doesn’t make me look like a saint—it makes me look like a high-class courtesan…”

Even if I look like the in-game saint, my mind remains that of a man.

I already feel uncomfortable wearing a skirt, so an outfit with this much exposure is fundamentally overwhelming for me.

“Is there a problem, my lady?”

“Uh… Isn’t this a bit embarrassing?”

Our life in the capital is fully supported by the Knightheart family, a great noble house known as the Sword of the Kingdom, and Natalia’s lineage.

Being an ancient household rooted in this land even before the founding of the Kingdom of Rozahan, the accommodations were enormous, complete with servants attending to us.

Thanks to that, there’s no way for me to escape.

“What are you saying? In this sacred attire, who could dare harbor profane thoughts? Do not worry; I’ll make you shine brighter than anyone else in the palace.”

The servants carefully comb my hair, apply fragrant oils, and debate among themselves about which jewelry would enhance my beauty the most, all while applying makeup.

The reflection in the mirror shows an undeniably beautiful figure.

Even with the shoulders, collarbones, and part of the back exposed, the white base of the outfit paired with red gemstones gives off a holy aura.

Still… still, damn it… how can this not look sexy?

If I were still a man, there’s no way I could resist this sight.

“Sera, are you ready?”

“…Hurry up. Everyone’s waiting for you.”

Even after all the adornments were complete, I couldn’t bring myself to step outside the door.

Natalia, Laura, and…

“Sorry, you weren’t showing up no matter how long we waited. We can’t afford to be late for our audience with His Majesty…”

The hero’s gaze avoided mine as if making an excuse.

His reddened face was proof that this had gone horribly wrong.

There’s nothing good about drawing the hero’s attention…

“…I’ll go. Fine, I’ll go.”

Was it because I had thought it looked indecent earlier?

I couldn’t move naturally at all.

But having come this far, refusal wasn’t an option.

All I could do was endure the shame and force myself to walk forward.

When I return to my original world, I’ll make sure to never find the saint’s outfit from fantasy games arousing again.

No, the best saint’s attire is absolutely a nun’s habit that doesn’t even expose a strand of hair.