Restraint

Seeing the notification that had appeared before him, Cairn frowned but still called out, "Vira. You're here, right?"

"Of course," came the voice of Vira, materializing from Cairn's left and Kaia's right, holding what looked like a camcorder up to her right eye.

Though his brow twitched at the thought of being recorded, Cairn got to the point, asking, "You must have a solution or some advice you can offer, right?"

"Several," mused Vira, closing the viewfinder of her recording device and storing it away before continuing, her voice carrying a hint of amusement as she stated, "But, to be honest, this isn't really an issue. It's you, Cairn, that is making it into one."

Shifting her gaze to Kaia, Vira asked, "You, Kai'ankh. Tell me, what are your views on sex and people who make a living satisfying the desires of others? Say it clearly so our transdimensional friend understands."

Understanding what Vira was getting at, Kaia responded with a curt nod before turning to Cairn, meeting his gaze as she said, "So long as you are not married, there is no negative stigma associated with having sex with one or more partners. Within Cliabhaan, it's common for those between the apparent ages of sixteen and thirty to have multiple partners. Tying yourself to a single person before you're engaged or married is generally considered unhealthy..."

"That's right," affirmed Vira. "We developed that policy around 930 years ago to encourage people to focus on their dreams, bettering themselves, and experiencing new things. In other words, people are expected to live and discover themselves before considering marriage and other life-long commitments. The lives of Humans, Felidae, and other species are short enough as is. You shouldn't waste them tied to a single person or place."

"..."

Though he wasn't learning anything 'new,' having Kaia and Vira lay things out for him helped Cairn to put things in perspective. From the beginning, he was the only person stressing out. And as a result, his stress became Kaia's burden, as she didn't want to trouble him. She didn't see anything wrong with seeking an escort or visiting a brothel to alleviate her urges. However, because he adamantly opposed the idea when Asim offered to show him around Austral, Kaia had been restraining herself for his sake...

Leaning his head back and running his fingers through his hair, Cairn stared listlessly at the ceiling as he muttered, "It always comes back to me being the odd one out..."

"Well, you 'are' from a completely different world," said Vira. "It would be stranger if you acclimated immediately. As for your request for a solution, just tell me what kinds of people you're looking to recruit. I should be able to find a Therian that matches your requirements."

Instead of responding to Vira, Cairn looked to Kaia, asking, "And you're okay with that?"

Adopting a smile, Kaia replied, "So long as it's not a Taurian, I believe it would save us a lot of headaches. I don't want to become a burden to you and the rest of the Party."

Though he was tempted to ask what a Taurian was, Cairn could imagine what they might look like based on the name. Thus, after shaking his head and exhaling loudly through his nose, he turned to Vira, revealing to her the types of people he would like to recruit and arranging to meet them in person. He was a little surprised to learn there were escorts contracted to the Freelancer Company, but as they occasionally planned expeditions of their own, he supposed it made sense...

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Sitting in a room at the Freelance Company Headquarters, Cairn couldn't help muttering, "I should place someone else in charge..." while staring at the leather sofa across from him, separated from the one he was seated on by a table housing a magical projector.

"I think you're doing a good job," contended Kaia. "You're just lacking in experience. Once you Level up, catch your stride, and build confidence, I believe you'll make a great leader."

"Then, once we deliver Asim's letter, let's find a Dungeon to enter," said Cairn, feeling an almost overwhelming desire to get stronger. Catching up to a monster like Solosaxian was probably inconceivable, but he could at least stand at the pinnacle of non-immortals.

"Gladly," replied Kaia, nearly as eager as Cairn to enter a Dungeon. After all, she had been stuck at Level 19 for a while. Just one more Level, and she could Class change to something like Hunter or Dragoon. After that, her prowess would grow by leaps and bounds.

Interrupting the duo's conversation, the sphere embedded in the table whirred to life, followed by the appearance of a youthful, or at least very petite young man with short, sandy blonde hair and distinctive cat ears but no tail. His outfit consisted of a thin, sleeveless black tank top, baggy pants with the crotch cut out, a loincloth, intricately woven sandals, and a rather stylish half-mantle. He also had a pair of goggles seated atop his head, a curved knife strapped to his lower back, and white markings on his cheekbones, giving the impression of a young warrior who called the desert home.

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Name: Felix Margarita

Species: Therian

Gender: Male

Age: 19

Title: Explorer(Experience increased in new, unexplored regions)

Class: Escort(Rare)

[Attributes]

Level: 26/81(168,778/173,679)[Orphan(20), Escort(6)]

HP: 4,975/5,554

MP: 308/542

Str: 25

Agi: 53+14

Vit: 118+38

Int: 39

Dex: 81+31

Cha: 154+59

Talent(s): [Resilience(20/20)], [Sexual Prowess(6/20)], [Therian Physiology(26/81)], [Aptitude for the Arts(40/88)], [Bedroom Arts(37/85)], [Cartography(34/84)], [Sandwalking(30/81)], [Thievery(25/79)], [Dagger Mastery(18/59)], [Camping(18/56)], [Hunting(15/55)]

Skill(s): [Steal(MAX)], [Pleasure Amplification(6/10)], [Doping(5/10)], [Sand Toss(5/10)], [Burrowing(3/10)], [Lifestyle Magic(4/4)]

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Though the person before him was just a projection, Cairn had no trouble using his Insight. He was also someone Vira had recommended, so while a Talent Cap of 81 was exceptional, Cairn wasn't surprised.

Raising his right hand, the youthful-looking cat boy adopted a broad grin that showed off his prominent canines as he exclaimed, "Hey there! The name's Felix! I'm told you're looking for an Escort to accompany you on a lengthy expedition into Frontier? If you don't mind my asking, how many men and women will I be expected to service? Also, Taurian men are a bit of a deal-breaker. I'd rather not have my ass broken."

As the thought of having Felix serve men hadn't even crossed his mind, Cairn's brain momentarily stalled. He recovered fairly quickly but felt a little awkward as he replied, "Just one, at least for the time being. I'm not sure how things will change between now and our departure."

Blinking in surprise, Felix's expression became a combination of wonder and amusement as he directed his gaze at Kaia and asked, "Are you the lucky lady~?" in a teasing tone.

Feeling a little nervous, Kaia swallowed hard before nodding in affirmation and responding, "Indeed..."

"Now I 'have' to come with you!" exclaimed Felix, pulling his feet up onto the sofa as she leaned forward with a glimmer of anticipation in his faded grey eyes, adding, "I've never done it with a Karakut before~!"

Interjecting, Cairn's forced smile cramped further as he said, "We're not asking you to accompany us as 'just' an escort. Your file says you have a talent for mapmaking."

"That's right," replied Felix, swaying from side to side as he added, "But I've always been more of a lover than a fighter. If you want me to map Dungeons for you, there are additional fees, and you'll need to guarantee my protection. That means providing me with a Statue of the Goddes and the right to retract my participation in the expedition if I don't like how I'm being treated."

"Sounds reasonable enough," replied Cairn, looking to Kaia to see if she had anything to add. To his surprise, he found her with her ears drooping slightly, a discernibly embarrassed look on her face as she asked, "When can you start...?"

Grinning like a cat that had just cornered a mouse, Felix replied, "If you're willing to foot the bill for a Warp Transfer, I could be there within the hour. The Capital is pretty massive, but if there's a beautiful woman waiting for me, my feet move twice as fast~!"

Leaving Cairn at an even greater loss, Kaia turned to him, her large eyes conveying a distinctive 'hunger' as she silently entreated him. She wasn't a particularly 'libidinous' individual, but she had been feeling increasingly pent up listening to the sounds of his and Elle's frequent lovemaking...

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Though he couldn't hear anything, imagining what Kaia and Felix were doing upstairs made it difficult for Cairn to focus on his cooking lesson with Reine. The latter didn't seem to mind, as the more mistakes he made, the more she was able to help him, but Vira eventually pointed out, "If it's bothering you that much, you could always join or watch. I doubt either of them would mind."

"Yeah, that's not happening..." replied Cairn, nearly slicing the tip of his knuckle with the knife he was using to dice vegetables.

"Then shall I go and retrieve your beloved Elle for you~?" teased Vira. "The best way to ease your tensions in situations like this is to release them into a willing partner. If you ask, I'm sure Ms. Dakota here would also be more than happy to 'alleviate' you."

Not expecting Vira to rope her into things, Reine's body jolted before she snuck a glance at Cairn from the corner of her eye. Unfortunately, while she was more than keen to 'assist' him, Cairn had a disproving frown on his face.

Exhaling a faint sigh, Reine returned her attention to the stew she was preparing, a hint of melancholy visible in her eyes. Cairn noticed this, but even though every force imaginable seemed to be pushing him toward a more liberal view of sex, he felt it was wrong to use people in such a way. Elle, Reine, Kaia...they all deserved better than that...

Breaking Cairn from the absentminded state he had descended into, Vira remarked, "While I can't read your mind, I'm almost certain you're jumping to conclusions on your own. It wouldn't kill you to talk to people and find out what they think, you know? Most problems, at least those fabricated in the mind, can be solved by simply talking things out. If you're from the same or a similar world as Alfred, you should be familiar with the concept of Psychiatry, yes?"

"..."

Though he was tempted to tell Vira to shut the fuck up, throwing the knife he was holding as he did so, Cairn suppressed his intrusive thoughts and flatly asserted, "You just want to have sex..."

"And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that," contended Vira. "It's a perfectly natural desire, one I'm certain you feel whenever you encounter an attractive woman."

Rising to her feet, Vira approached Cairn, craning her head to stare at him as he half-turned to face her. Then, in the most level tone imaginable, she proclaimed, "I want to fuck. You want to fuck. Elle doesn't care if we fuck. The Goddess who oversees this world doesn't care if we fuck. So tell me, Cairn, why can't we? Who are you trying to please by restraining yourself to this extent? Because, as I see it, you are just stressing out yourself and others for no reason."

Shifting her gaze to Reine, Vira put her on the spot by asking, "Isn't that right?"

Unable to answer Vira's question, Reine averted her eyes, but the redness of her cheeks as she looked up to Cairn was proof the Elder Dwarf had hit the proverbial nail on the head. Even if Cairn were to push her down right then and there, she wouldn't mind...rather, it would bring her tremendous relief. His refusing her just reinforced the notion she wasn't good enough for him...

Seeing the look on Reine's face, Cairn's expression became a mask of neutrality. Internally, he was banging his head against the imaginary wall of his psyche, feeling that, at any moment, the last vestiges of his self-restraint might disappear...

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(A/N: Don't give into temptation, brother Cairn! Channel your frustration into power! Make Elle yours, kick Vira in her ancient ass, and toss everything else to the wayside...!)