Chapter 37. Relaxation

When the duo was finally done indulging in hedonism, it was already time for dinner.

"We might've exaggerated a bit. From the look of things, it's already nighttime."

[And whose fault is that!?](Helen)

Seeing the pretty tigress's angry but helpless look, Michael snickered and bent over to kiss her lips. Unfortunately, even if she was currently naked, he already ascended.

Or rather, he was drained so dry that there was no horniness left to be found in his body. If he was the one to torture the pretty lass initially, after their late lunch, she took the reins, and Michael had to play along.

Stretching for a while, he put his pants back on and inadvertently caught his reflection in the mirror-like window. With the lack of proper lights in the inner city, the light inside the room turned the window into a wannabe mirror.

A combination of exhaustion and clarity hit him heavily, and he sat back on the bed while looking at his reflection. It seemed to be smiling back.

A pair of hands coiled around his chest as Helen's pretty face rested on his left shoulder.

[What are you thinking about?](Helen)

"I just realized that in these past three months or so, I haven't had the chance to look in the mirror properly. Now, I look almost like a stranger compared to what I remember."

[I see. That tends to happen more often than you think. Especially after going through traumatic events.](Helen)

Listening to the oriole-like voice of the pretty lady, Michael understood her meaning. Most Wanderers got their recognition Quests in absolutely shitty situations, similar to how Aybdah was the sole survivor of his hometown.

For him, though, it was more a combination of things. For example, his current looks were somewhat unfamiliar. While he kept some of his former looks back on Earth, his body build and face had changed enough for him to barely recognize himself in a mirror.

Not to mention the Necromancer death tattoos adorning his skin.

"Thinking about it, I am better looking than before."

[...utterly shameless.](Helen)

"Hahaha! Rest for a bit. I'll ask Raskya if we can get some food here in the room. Also, I'm expecting an explanation for the dude who knocked on the door this morning. We didn't see him at lunch, but I'm hoping not to get clobbered randomly by one of your pursuers on the street."

[Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it... after I can move out of this damned bed again. You asshole! I can barely feel my feet!](Helen)

Michael ran out of the room, laughing uproariously. He was a man of his word, and if he said she could not leave the bed for two days, even with her over Level 50 attributes, he would make sure that at least a full day was needed.

Fortunately, nobody was waiting for him in the hallway or downstairs, so he planned to get more details from Helen later on. With how easily the guy gave up, even if he was one of the pursuers, he would probably be drowning his sorrows in alcohol by now.

Shaking his head in amusement, Michael saw the innkeeper lady give him a measuring look.

[Not bad, brat. Not only did you conquer the fiercest tigress in the city, but you also destroyed a Level 42 Barbarian in the process. Poor lad, he looked so disillusioned. He bought two barrels of wine and left depressedly.](Raskya)

Shrugging at the teasing, Michael grinned and responded.

"In love and war, there are always winners and losers. Do you think he'll take it out on me in a more violent manner?"

[No. The Barbarians are the honest kind due to the limitations imposed by their Class. He will be pissed off at you but won't ambush or even challenge you to a fight until you're at his level. Once you are there, though, I'd say you prepare your hide for a good beating.](Raskya)

"Well... at least I can postpone getting whooped. I wanted to ask you if we can get some food in the room. Helen is currently... indisposed."

He went back upstairs, leaving a confused crowd watching Raskya laughing in a very pleased manner.

Fortunately, she had already promised to bring some food herself.

Walking back inside the room, Michael saw the lazy tigress sprawled on the bed, still naked. There was a spark that tried to burn inside him but failed to achieve ignition, thanks to him being tired and already drained.

Locking the door, he walked to the bed and smacked her perky bum.

[Hey! What was that for!?](Helen)

"Hmm..."

[Shameless! Did you just hit me for no reason!? Did you forget I'm at a higher level than you?](Helen)

"Hmpf! If you keep threatening me, do you believe I'll make you stay in this bed for a week?"

Seeing his hands reach for her waist, Helen quickly hid under the quilt and laughed cheekily at the man.

After messing around for another half an hour or so, Raskya knocked on the door with the food. Helen hid under the covers again while Michael brought the food inside after thanking the hostess.

Raskya glanced at Helen, who blushed hard enough to compete with the setting sun, after which she left.

A pillow smacked Michael in the face, and he had to quickly move the food to avoid spreading it on the floor.

Seeing the enraged red-faced tigress gritting her teeth at him, he uncontrollably laughed.

"Hey! Careful! What was that for?"

[You know very well! Hmpf! No food for you!](Helen)

"Pfft! As if! I can sit here on the floor and eat everything, and you couldn't do anything about it from the bed."

[You wouldn't dare!](Helen)

Laughing and teasing the pretty girl, Michael spent the next half an hour spoon-feeding the lazy bum to appease her.

After they finished replenishing some of their empty energy levels, Michael stored the dishes in his inventory since he was too lazy to bring them downstairs.

Helen smiled and asked him to open the windows, which he did curiously. Then, with a wave of her hand, the air inside the room was displaced, creating a light breeze.

"Huh? I thought you were a melee Class. What's with the wind magic?"

[It's not wind magic. Just some application of my Strength and Dexterity attribute.](Helen)

"What!? I'm... how?"

[Well, if your Strength is high enough, you can create winds with a swing of your sword. If you control the said winds, small tricks like this are easy enough.](Helen)

"No, no, no! There's nothing easy about it, missy! That sounds very unreasonable."

Seeing her proud look, he realized that it wasn't any simple feat to achieve. Shaking his head at this pretty genius, he once again felt his pride break through the roof when he remembered how he bedded her already.

Obviously, his lewd grin didn't escape Helen's eyes, and he was rewarded with another pillow to the face.

They kept messing around for another quarter of an hour until their energy reserves bottomed out once again.

[About the man that knocked on the door... he's the son of a Noble. He's been pursuing me for the past three years or so. Quite relentless that one...](Helen)

"Huh!? Raskya said he was a Barbarian."

[You asked Raskya about him?](Helen)

"Not really. She provided me with the details of her own free will."

[Shameless liar! Yes, he is indeed a Barbarian Class. He never pushed my buttons like the others did and instead chased after me in a straightforward way. His looks are passable, and he has a decent background.](Helen)

"Then why didn't he convince you?"

[Hehe. Jealous?](Helen)

A smack echoed through the room, and the angry tigress bit his neck while her left hand covered her reddened bum.

[You asshole! Why did you smack me again!?](Helen)

"Hehe! Do you dare make fun of me? See if I don't deal with you! Jealous? Did you forget you're naked in bed with me? Hahaha!"

Awed by his shamelessness, Helen dropped the subject when realizing that this Necromancer's skin was thicker than the outer city's walls.

[What about you? You didn't tell me much about yourself except for the fact that you met up with Lorath, and he brought you here.](Helen)

Thinking back to their conversations so far, she was right. He avoided spilling the beans since he knew nothing about this pretty lady, and he still had some worries after being betrayed by the villagers in Nevesk once.

It was terrible to extrapolate a singular event like that and apply it to the world in general, but some precaution never hurt.

Still... after their passionate exchanges and the pillow talk in between, he was certain that she was at least somewhat trustworthy.

"About two months ago, I fell sick and reached a small encampment..."

He proceeded with the story of his 'adventures' in the Sanctuary so far but avoided mentioning anything about his connection to Lilith. He did mention the horned demoness, though, as he wanted any extra information he could grab from her.

Unsurprisingly, she was pretty rattled at the news of Lilith walking the Sanctuary. He even told her about the Altar, curious to see if she was also affected.

[I see... that explains the strange +2 attributes in Dexterity I gained yesterday night.](Helen)

"While I am happy you believed me so easily, WHY did you believe me so easily?"

[Well, it's not like we weren't aware of the possibility. We heard rumors about Lilith walking the Sanctuary two months ago, and her demonic minions have attacked the Church of Light's congregation many times during these past months. We know of at least ten villages, three towns, and even one city that were converted due to her poisonous tongue.](Helen)

"Not a big fan of the 'Mother,' I see. Are you a believed in the Church's faith then?"

[*Tsk* One's a fallen angel more shameless than you are and fully blinded by his pride, while the other is a treacherous demonic vixen with nefarious plans. What's there to believe in? It's only the Sanctuary that actually cares for us, not its creators.](Helen)

Nodding in agreement, Michael was starting to similarly believe that both 'creators' were a pair of bad apples. However, there usually isn't room for a third or neutrality in a war between two factions.

Picking the lesser evil was the best choice he could make.

[If there is one thing I'm amazed about, it is you. You actually got a Main Quest at such a low level. It's impressive, to say the least.](Helen)

"I take it that is not common for low-level Wanderers to get access to such 'resources'?"

[Common? You mean to say impossible. Main Quests are events that can shape the history of this continent. Do you think a small Level 6 Necromancer should have any relevant impact in matters of such great importance? No offense...](Helen)

"None taken. You've seen yourself that there's nothing 'small' about me."

Watching the laughing Helen, Michael pondered quietly on her words. It wasn't the first time he heard that, as both the trio and Lorath were surprised that he gained access to this Main Quest instead of them, who were much more qualified.

'It seems there's more to my connection to Lilith than I initially thought.'

Putting the matters of 'great importance' aside, the duo decided to get some much-needed rest. Michael was initially worried that he wouldn't be able to sleep due to worrying that he'll get stabbed in the back by Helen, but then he realized there wasn't much need for subterfuge if she decided to screw him over.

'I keep forgetting that she's at least 50 levels over me. If she wants to do something, there isn't much I can do to stop her.'

This realization calmed him immensely, and he decided to wing it. He bear-hugged the pretty tigress against her wishes and fell asleep with her on his chest.

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Hearing the calm breathing of the Necromancer, Helen opened her eyes and slowly stood up in the bed.

Watching the man sleep so soundly made her smile.

[Silly guy. Aren't you a bit too trusting? *Sigh* Still, this is a significant situation if what he said is true. There should also be things that he didn't mention. It wouldn't make sense for him to be chosen by the Sanctuary if there wasn't anything special about him.](Helen)

Looking at the sleeping man, her nails traced his tattoos on his chest and toward his neck.

Michael's breathing accelerated somewhat but soon calmed down again. Her lips met his, and she snuggled in his arms once more.

[If war is unavoidable, sides must be picked. I can only hope that we don't end up as enemies...](Helen)

Silence blessed the room again, and she also fell asleep soon after.

Lower level or not, the man's embrace was strangely comforting.