Chapter 35 Petrification
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Having a beauty on each arm was not quite what Yuuri had pictured.
The small table in front of him was crowded with homemade dishes from his childhood friend. They usually used a four-seat table for meals and strategy talks, but today Marina had insisted on sitting beside him, so they had quickly moved to seats against the wall.
His two lovers leaned in from both sides, arms linked with his, bodies pressed close, their scents mingling in a way that made his heart race.
—We are much closer than usual.
Ever since bedroom acts outside the bedroom became forbidden, even if the mood struck, one of them would always stop it. But when both servants worked together to tease him, what was a master supposed to do? A firm scolding would be ideal, but this time there were reasons that made it hard.
”The food is getting cold, is it not…?”
”S-sorry…”
Ashley leaned forward, pressing her full breasts even harder against him. Even through her uniform shirt and underwear, the soft feel could not be hidden.
Her eyes blamed him, yet her red cheeks and quick breaths looked tempting, almost like an invitation.
—Ashley smells so good.
It was the familiar scent of his childhood friend, cleaned by (Purification) magic. He still had to explain the trouble from earlier, but part of him wanted to carry Ashley straight to the bedroom.
The seductive smell made heat rise between his legs. His sharp-nosed servants noticed at once, Ashley pinching his side without mercy.
Thanks to the workshop’s rules, the pinch did not hurt, but her silent protest was clear. Yuuri panicked and touched his lower belly to deactivate the crotch tattoo’s (punishment mark) effect. By denying his impure thoughts, Ashley finally released his side.
”I know bath time with Yuuri is our precious chance to be loved one by one, desuno. But if the food grows cold and you still do not eat, that breaks the rules, does it not? And when I came to call you, you were still in the middle of something with Marina…!”
”N-no… there is a deep reason for that. We were both in the bath when Shelm suddenly came down and caused a fuss. By the time she left, a lot of time had passed…”
He decided not to make excuses about almost finishing with Marina before they were interrupted.
—It’s all that wicked goddess’s fault.
He could blame Shelm’s wild ways for messing up the plan, but Ashley’s eyes flashed with a dangerous light, her jealousy evident.
Ashley said nothing more, her silence heavy. Yuuri worried he had said something wrong. Then a low voice came from behind.
”Hey. This is the first time I’ve heard Yuuri call Shelm-sama by name without any honorifics, just like he does with us. What on earth happened, desuwa?”
”That… um… right! She came to teach me about unknown status effects. Some divine rule prevents her from explaining directly, so she hinted at it…! That’s why I felt bad speaking ill of her… ow ow ow!”
He knew it was a flimsy excuse.
He wasn’t lying, just omitting details. But Marina, a princess accustomed to palace intrigue, saw through it. A sharp pinch, unaffected by the workshop’s rules, made him cry out in a sad voice.
”Are those the (Restraint Invalid) and (Charm Invalid) effects you gained without telling us? Listen, Yuuri… my bottom has been sore ever since, and it seems you used my body for some intense play, desuwa? And for only two times, the aftermath is too much. It makes me angry. —Was serving Shelm-sama really that satisfying?”
Marina’s golden eyes glared at him.
This wasn’t the look of a lover or a friend, but the stare of a princess holding a trial.
One wrong answer could kill the trust Marina had in him.
In short, this was an ultimatum about cheating.
He had many things he wanted to say. But to his lovers, they would mean nothing. Since the affair was real, a man could do only one thing.
”I’m so sorry!”
He wanted to throw himself on the floor, but Ashley and Marina held him firmly. He rubbed his forehead against the table edge instead, begging for forgiveness.
”I was forced to serve her to gain skills, but by the end, I admit it felt like a perk!”
”Hmm. Then tell me exactly what happened that left my bottom sore, desuwa.”
”Yes! I haven’t even been spanked by Yuuri yet!”
Hiding anything now would only make things worse.
He ignored Ashley’s muttering and answered Marina’s questions honestly. Marina’s expression remained sour until he mentioned making Shelm admit it was her best experience. He didn’t miss the way Marina swallowed hard.
”Not bad… The crotch tattoo didn’t affect you, and you outperformed Shelm-sama despite her experience…!”
”Y-yes… but words alone can’t capture it. We should… um… recreate the scene in person…?”
To Ashley, Shelm was both her savior, who allowed her to be with Yuuri, and her rival. She had forgiven Shelm’s past actions, but open cheating was different. Still, was recreating the scene as revenge on the shameless goddess and unfaithful husband useful or pointless?
”You’re sharp, Ashley! Yes, Yuuri… I’ll forgive you this time. In return, show us exactly how you outdid Shelm-sama. With us as partners!”
”Princess! Marina already has the skill…! Let me play Shelm-sama’s role…!”
Yuuri felt relieved as Ashley and Marina began arguing.
They fought over who would play Shelm’s role, but it was clear the scene would happen twice. The only question was who would go first. For now, honestly meeting his lovers’ wishes seemed enough to settle things.
The real problem was Shelm’s obsession with him. She would never leave him alone until his life ended. Even if he could block restraint or charm, Shelm had countless other selfish methods. Honestly, whether he wanted it or not, there was no way to send her away.
”Hey, Yuuri! I lost my turn today, so I should go first, right!?”
”No, we must decide based on who matches Shelm’s skills better…!”
Ashley and Marina, now more like vines than flowers, wrapped around his arms and slid their hands upward.
Their wet eyes almost swept him away, but prioritizing passion over the meal broke the rules.
”Both of you, I’ll take care of you later, so let’s eat first. Also, Shelm gave me a troublesome request. I want to talk about it after we eat.”
Yes, deciding what to do about the petrified girl was more urgent than dealing with Shelm, who might return at any time.
The conversation ended abruptly, but he would make it up to them in the bedroom later. He set clear priorities to avoid neglecting his duties and falling into ruin.
”—Understood. If it’s a request from Shelm, we must discuss it properly. We need a full meal first, or we’ll only worry and our heads won’t work.”
”Understood. I’ll warm up some dishes. Yuuri, help me, desuwa.”
Marina, who had been clinging to his arm, changed at once into her princess face.
Ashley, who fully trusted the princess’s judgment, stood up and began taking dishes back to the kitchen. The ones pointed out only needed the microwave.
Yuuri bowed his head to Ashley and Marina, who had swallowed their complaints.
”Thank you, both of you.”
”Shelm is wild, but she doesn’t neglect the ones she likes… Still, I worried she might take you from us, desuno.”
”Honestly, the moment Shelm got involved, I see it as an accident. Show us with actions later, and that will be enough.”
Warmth filled his heart at his lovers’ trust.
Even after almost ruining Ashley’s first homemade meal, he had earned a chance to clear his name by facing the piled-up problems.
After the meal,
Everyone sat with drinks in hand. Marina, sensing his hesitation, spoke first.
”So, what is Shelm-sama’s request? I’m ready to hear it, so tell me straight without hiding anything.”
”—Well… She told me to turn the petrified girl on floor fifty-eight into a servant and save her.”
He considered his words, but softening it would only sound like an excuse. In the end, he decided plain facts were the most honest approach.
Telling them right after the cheating incident that he would keep another girl close was bound to upset them. Sure enough, Marina slumped face-down on the table. Ashley remained still but lowered her eyes, choosing her words carefully.
”Sigh… Shelm-sama doesn’t plan to cover her own cheating, does she, desuwa? …So? Since she brings it up, there must be a benefit for us too. What is it?”
”Yes, first is stronger fighting power. I told you about the party that set the deepest record eighty years ago, right? The girl seems to be the member whose sacrifice allowed them to retreat.”
He had been shocked when Shelm first mentioned it.
After all, he had assumed a scout in a top party would be an experienced man. The old tale was famous, but he never knew the members’ genders until now.
Once the new servant candidate’s past was clear, Marina judged it worth considering and tightened her tired expression.
”…She is skilled, and a scout is a valuable role. Right now, we lack pieces to guard Yuuri, our ‘king.’ If a girl who can move freely joins, future dungeon runs will be much safer.”
”I held back until now, but Shelm says we can leave her to die. She gave no details, but the skills are rare, so we can use them in our party if we want. She won’t live much longer anyway, so leaving her means the skills go unused.”
Petrification was a well-known status effect.
With the right preparation, it could be removed, and she could fight again immediately. But if removal failed, the thought of her feelings was terrifying.
A petrified body loses all senses.
She couldn’t see or hear, cut off from the battle, never knowing when a stray hit might shatter her. With only her mind in windless darkness, even one minute before release would weigh heavily on her heart.
—Eighty years in that state!
What an amazing strength of will. A person with such a tough mind would be a great ally.
He looked at Marina, who seemed to lean toward yes. He asked Ashley next. She raised her downcast eyes and asked back.
”Can’t we learn a skill to remove petrification and simply save her first?”
”Ashley, that’s not advised. If she doesn’t become a servant, she can’t enter the (Familial Workshop) or act with us. We plan dungeon runs in one month of outside time. If we give her a month of food, she’ll surely try to escape the dungeon. With her skills, she can likely do it. Then our secret plan to claim the dungeon and win the power struggle falls apart.”
One unknown life versus victory in the power struggle—which mattered more? The answer wasn’t simple.
But they risked their lives on dungeon runs too. Letting her go free with no duty would only hurt them.
”But in the end, don’t we need to remove the petrification and talk to make her a servant? Becoming a servant requires her agreement, and we must consider her saying no.”
”Hmm, that’s true, desuwa. Then I’m sorry, but the right choice may be that we can’t take responsibility… What will you do, Yuuri?”
A solution existed, of course.
But it was somewhat cruel. He worried how Ashley and Marina would feel when they heard it. If they objected, he simply wouldn’t do it.
”Offer the contract while she’s still petrified. If she accepts, the change to servant will remove the petrification. If she refuses, she stays stone. This way, we free her only if she agrees to travel with us.”
”Th-that means… in a state with no freedom, she’ll experience the crotch tattoo’s magic? Sh-she’ll surely give in to Yuuri…♡”
”Wrapping a girl who’s been lonely for eighty years in magic tentacles right away, desuwa. I knew it, but Yuuri can be quite the devil♡”
Ashley and Marina pulled back as expected.
Lately, he felt he only excelled at misusing the (Familial Workshop), and self-hate wouldn’t stop.
Still, neither Ashley nor Marina spoke against it. The plan to contact the unknown petrified girl was approved.
”Now… I’m curious about the girl herself. Since Shelm-sama recommends her, she shouldn’t oppose us, but did you hear anything, Yuuri?”
”Shelm treats it like a game and sends no details. She just keeps saying the girl is loyal and serious, so we should feel safe…”
In truth, Shelm had even revealed the girl’s private tastes, but he held back from mentioning it here.
”Hmm, she sounds like a great find, desuwa. Honestly, to reduce accidents, this power boost is more than I could wish for. Now Ashley, as the senior servant, I want your opinion.”
”I’m too much an amateur when it comes to fighting power, so I agree. As for her character, we can’t tell from the info alone… But like with me, maybe keep the force and punishment on for a while to observe. Last, as the price for my approval, I demand the cheating replay blame to rise by twenty percent.”
Marina cried “unfair,” but Ashley remained straight-faced.
This might be senior advice: even as servants, never skip making demands of the master.
In truth, he leaned toward saving the petrified girl for both power and kindness. If the price for their support was deeper bonds in bed, he had to agree.
”Then, to welcome the scout, we’ll check floor fifty-eight, yes? But we must plan our formation with Marina’s (Holy Sword) range in mind, or it will be dangerous.”
”Ugh… yes, tomorrow we’ll train on floor fifty-seven to get used to it, desuwa. I feel a bit scared when I’m far from you two. Ah, that makes a scout even more reassuring.”
With Marina’s approval, they settled on welcoming a new servant.
Along with the cheating incident that started with Shelm’s visit, he had somehow righted the course. But calling it a soft landing was premature.
The moment the conversation ended, Ashley and Marina clung to his arms again.
”We’re done now, right? Let’s go to the bedroom♡”
”Yes, first we must decide who gets loved first♡”
Yuuri stood, urging his lovers, who pressed their soft breasts against him.
With a beauty on each arm, he set out to atone for his mistake.
Notes:
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Shelm – Wicked Goddess, reincarnated Yuuri, manipulative, wants him to use his power.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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