14 Hostess
The bustling Orario naturally has one of the best nightlife in the entire realm. Streets are filled with beautiful girls, most of them scantily dressed to pursue more customers into their establishment. Even some men attracted women this way. Street lamps powered by magic stones illuminate the city.
"Jackal-sama, are you sure that store Eina-san talked about is near here?" Lili questions as Jackal cannot help but look around a bit more.
From his house to Blue Pharamacy and then to his store, used to taking shortcuts, he isn't really well-acquainted with the main streets that divide Orario into shapes similar to slices of pizza.
"Well, it's supposed to be new, right?" Jackal traces his chin. They have indeed closed the shop early and Jackal made sure to caution Lili against the defense mechanism. After that, he returned to his home to settle the items and now they are out buying some stuff for her.
Although Lili decided against any pay, Jackal intended to give her a salary, and all they will be purchasing today, except for the uniform for the store, would be docked from her salary.
"Ariana's Strings... Ariana's strings..." Jackal mutters under his breath, not minding the hollers and laughter. After all, the main street is lined with multiple bars and taverns that attract loads of adventurers after a day of risking their lives.
'Lili, you can do it!' Lili licks her dry lips as she eyes Jackal's hand. 'Jackal-sama is a man set on being a womanizer! I have to carve out a path before any hussy realizes how great he is! I need to be on top so that Jackal-sama focuses on me more!'
*Thud*
Not paying attention ahead, Lili runs into a nearby adventurer before stumbling back on her butt. The adventurer looks at her and laughs, "Ah, sorry about that dearie— ack! Bastard! Wait for me!" He quickly enters the boisterous pub in front of which Lili fell.
Crouching near her, Jackal helps her up with a smile, "Are you alright?"
"Ah, yeah!" Lili flushes, "I just wasn't paying attention."
"Well, you should?" Jackal cocks his head sideways, making Lili heave and pout, "Jackal-sama is amazing. Lili didn't even think of it!"
"Cheeky pallum," he smirks and flicks her forehead, "Come on, let's get you into a cute uniform~!"
"I-if it would please you," Lili gulps, "I would even—"
And then it happens.
The color suddenly drains from Jackal's face. His golden pupils dilate and he feels it. Someone's gaze. It's on him. It's... mind-numbingly predatory and ruthless. Even Bete came nothing close to this... irrationality.
For once in his new life, Jackal loses his bearings and snatches Lili from the ground, causing her to squeak, as he turns around to run the fuck away from here—
"Kyaaaah!"
Jackal feels his face burying into something soft. He fell on someone, didn't he?
'It's a woman... isn't she? Or a queer who shouted kyaaa...' Jackal sighs. At least, he cannot feel that presence any longer.
With Lili stuck between them, Jackal lets go of her body and pull up to find his gaze caught by a pair of bluish-grey eyes. A heavy blush adorns her fair face. A beauty, no doubt. Her hair, just like her eyes, is bluish-grey. For a moment, the woman gently bites her bottom lip, and she whispers, "Sir... adventurer... there is something big... touching me..."
"Grrr! That would be me!" Lili crawls up with the back of her head decidedly resting on the woman's bosom as she stares at Jackal with concern, "Jackal-sama, are you alright? You looked... scared."
"Oh," Jackal sits back so that the other two can move, "Yeah... well, don't worry. Er, sorry about bumping into you."
Lili and the grey-haired girl separate, too, as the woman clears her throat, "Oh, it's alright, sir. I just saw one of our customers bumping into your companion so I thought of helping her." Smiling sweetly, her grey locks sway gently as she tilts her head, "But I suppose standing behind you was wrong on my part."
The woman wears a green dress with frills in the center of her neckline while a white headdress frames the top of her head. Her gray hair is tied into a bun on the back of her head with a ponytail sticking down from the center of the bun. The way she is sitting, her green skirt dress rides up her legs a little bit, exposing more of her black pantyhose but Jackal averts his gaze eventually.
Helping Lili up, Jackal extends her hand toward the girl who was slightly dusting her apron and helps her up, "Well, no harm no foul, as they say. Come on, Lili, let's go!"
"Yes! Jackal-sama!" She grins and follows when the waitress from before calls out, "Um... Jackal... san, is it?"
Both Jackal and Lili look back curiously as the woman bows slightly, "I'm Syr. Syr Flova. Would you like to patronize our establishment?" She asks with a genuine smile that has a soft 'tehe' in the end.
Jackal looks sideways and gazes at the pub. The entrance is marked with a prominent board.
— Hostess of Fertility—
"Could you repeat your name?" Jackal frowns.
"Syr, Jackal-san. My name is Syr," She smiles and looks up.
"Syr who brings Maria's Orphanage damn good meals. That Syr?"
"Ah, you know Maria-san?" The woman blinks and then nods, "I sometimes volunteer there..." her words slow down as Jackal gains a fierce... pout?
"God damnit! Lili! This is the place those kids yapping about! Let's see what's special about this place's food!"
Jackal catches Lili's hand and drags her in while pallum goes numb, "Ah... Jackal-sama... my hand... hmmm~!" She giggles foolishly and lets herself get dragged away.
"Welcome...?" Syr tilts her head curiously before entering the pub.
---
Hostess of Fertility is one of the more popular local watering holes for various reasons.
The owner of the pub has a bit of a reputation... well, that would be another understatement of the century. The food is great and the waitresses are damn cute! Heck, even a 'mighty' elf can be seen serving the food elegantly. And finally, this is one of the rare locations where adventurers fear making a scene.
Despite this being popular, the name never really meant a lot to Jackal. In fact, he is ashamed that it never mattered.
This is his second chance at life but he never went out to get drunk and have fun!
How the fuck did he become so workaholic...
Oh, yeah, it's the Death Eater's fault, he realizes. That trait keeps his body at the peak condition most of the time so Jackal always finds himself wanting to get more work done. Heck... only now does it hit him that he just created two holidays from his shop... for more work. Not that he minds that particular but.
Anything to make Bete his bitch.
Still, the cozy pub is amazing. Sitting beside him, Lili stuffs her face with a plate of saucy pasta while a jug of half ale is set next to her.
On the other hand, Jackal sighs and sips on his own jug.
The pub isn't overly large and the seats Syr found him and Lili are actually on the L-shaped counter right next to the owner of the pub.
And for a dwarf, Mia Grand sure is tall. With her medium-length brown hair tied into a ponytail, the large woman is covered in a navy dress and an apron. And when Jackal says large... he means that in every aspect. Despite a muscle-tank build and being called 'old,' the woman barely has any wrinkles on her face and got softness in all the right spots.
Call Jackal whatever you want, but he would happily let 'Mama' Mia handle him without hesitation.
"Hora, hora, what's with that stale look, kid?" Mia chuckles and fills his jug with more ale, something she would charge good Valis for, no doubt as Jackal exhales heavily, "You've got good food, that's what got me my stale lool."
"Tasht nhot truhe!" Lili instantly comes to support but her stuffed face speaks a whole different story as Jackal cackles, "Oh, just eat without choking on it. There's a lot more for you."
"Yeah," Mia barks merry laughter, "For a pallum, you've sure got a dwarf's stomach but I like that, kid. What about you? Want more servings of patties?"
"If you insist~!" Jackal leans forward with a happy grin while chugging down his jug, "Puaaah! This place sure is nice!"
Mia's smile turns more fond as she watches the pallum hurriedly picking her own jug in an effort to get it clinked with the youth's jug before drinking heavily, too.
Her smile, however, falters for just a moment and she gets to her work.
"Enjoying yourself, Jackal-san?" Syr tiptoes toward Jackal with a smile as he grins back, "Damn right, I am! Good thing I bumped into you!"
"Ah," she blushes as her hand slightly covers her breast which makes Jackal laugh out loud, "Who cares about breasts! Mama-chan! Hit me up!" Jackal turns to Mia and raises his glass.
"Yeah, yeah, Mama-san, me, too!" Lili parrots in a drunken slur. For a moment, Mia blinks, and then she begins to laugh out loud, "Mama-chan?" she fills their jugs, "Only my daughters call me Mama, boy!"
"Oh, 'kay, Mia-chan then!" Jackal giggles while Syr drags a stool next to Jackal and sits down after hanging her apron away, "So, Jackal-san, what were you doing here? Going to another pub?"
"No!" Lili clings to Jackal and wraps her arms around his. With a ruddy face, Lili mewls, "Jackal-sama is a biiiiiig~ perv! He wanted Lili to dress up for him!"
"For the store, for the store!" Jackal huffs, "Ah, Mia-chan, you should visit my store sometimes, too." Looking at Syr, Jackal grins, "It's that one. Right beside Maria's Orphanage!"
"You're the one who butts head with Loki?" Syr gasps while Mia grows more interested in the conversation.
"Butts head?" Jackal scoffs, "Tell 'em, Lili!"
"Yes, Jackal-sama! He kicks Loki's ass!" She hums in a sing-songy tone.
"By the way... Jackal-sama," Lili leans forward, her breath buzzing with the scent of alcohol as she whispers, "Lili feels that she should reward you for your kindness..."
Puckering her lips and trying her very best to calm herself despite the willingness of her first chaste kiss given to her savior, Lili never saw Jackal laughing out of a sudden.
"Are you kidding me?" He grins and wraps his arm around her before planting a firm kiss on top of her head, "I get a cutie like you. That's an awesome reward already! Right? Look at her Mia-chan! Ain't she fucking cute?!"
Lili pouts while Mia snickers at their antics and Syr hums, "Indeed," her eyes squint, "she is very cute."
"Oh, yeah, about my shop, be sure to visit any free time. These couple of days I've been sold out but eventually, I will be left with a few goods right?"
"Right, right," Lili nods seriously, enjoying the comfort of Jackal's arm around her waist. Her face flushes even deeper.
"So? Syr, whatcha wanna talk about?" Jackal grins.
"Ah, I was just curious about you," Syr leans against the table and smiles, "Are you from Orario?"
"Born and raised!" Jackal raises his jug as Mia fills his jug without missing a beat.
"Hee~ And I never even saw you once until today," Syr drawls with a playful smile.
"What can we do? It's a Big World when odds are against us and a small one when fate favors us..." Jackal sighs with a smile in a moment of drunken reflection.
"What an interesting saying..." Syr smiles gently, "But I can understand the sentiment. Ah, look at that, your plates are already empty. Won't you buy more food?"
Jackal stares at Syr dumbly before snickering, "Hey, Lili, take note! That's how you sell something! Syr here is one hell of a waitress!"
"Hehe~!" she sticks her tongue out, "Busted!"
"Hmmm," Leaning forward, Lili stares at Syr seriously before huffing, "Hmph... just because she has bigger boobs... they're not all that great! Ass is something that can be trained! A woman should be measured based on her ass and legs!"
She declares while slipping out of Jackal's hold and climbing on the counter.
"Well said!" A middle-aged pallum woman shouts and other laughs before drowning themselves in alcohol.
Lili giggles foolishly after being given such a warm reception and looks at Jackal impishly before bouncing on him, "Catch me—"
"No jumping around, girl," Mama Mia grabs Lili easily with a single hand and sets her on Jackal like some stray cat.
"Grrrrrr!" Lili glares at Mia with her cheeks inflating.
"Anyway, I should bring you two more servings~!" Syr chortles with a laugh and ends her break.
"Thank you!" Jackal and Lili chorus at once, making Syr's smile wider.
"Jackal-sama?"
"Yes, Lili-sama?"
"I don't think we can get our uniform today... *hic*"
"Well observed, Lili-sama~!"
---
"Jackal-sama, my head hurts."
"Welcome to adulthood Lili... that's called a hangover. A consequence of every great night."
Jackal wanted to complain, too. But he's the 'leader.' It wouldn't do to complain especially when he also had to cook after chugging down two dual potions... a secret he will reveal to Lili at the right moment.
Translation, he won't. He's a mean boy.
---
The next night, Jackal and Lili did find Ariana's Thread. Well... they also might have stopped at Hostess of Fertility for a quick break since the walk can be tiring but they DID reach their destination.
"Thank you for showing us the way, Syr-san," Lili bows her head slightly as Jackal, too, nods, "Thanks."
"Hmm," smiling playfully, Syr winks, "Since I'm so good to the both of you, how about visiting us in the morning, too? There isn't all that rush in the morning so we can eat in peace."
"Ah, the store and dungeon diving doesn't leave me all that time. I'll try and visit during the weekends," Jackal shrugs.
"Or the end of the month," Syr crosses her hand back and bends forward a bit at her waist. Looking at Jackal with upturned eyes, she musters, "I would like to know you better, Jackal-san. You seem really interesting... and I would like to think that the world has become a small place for us."
Well, he does have a date with Eina at the same time... but he has four days of holiday, right? One for Syr, one for Eina. Easy Peasy.
"Sure thing, but I'll try not to keep you waiting."
"It's a deal," she vibrates a bit in place happily while Lili stares from Jackal to Syr and then back before crossing her arms and pouting. But... she couldn't say much since Syr has been kind to them until now.
"Well, I hope you choose a cute outfit for Lili-chan," Syr smiles at Lili and nods at Jackal before turning around and walking away.
Heaving deeply, Jackal turns to look at the store whose front consists of more glass than bricks which showcases several mannequins covered in all sorts of outfits.
"Let's go, Lili. We'll have our first uniform. You and me both."
"Yes, Jackal-sama," Lili heaves deeply, "I think we shouldn't have let Mama-san talk us into drinks."
"I think we should avoid drinks altogether..." Jackal sighs.
"Let's not be rash, Jackal-sama."
"Hmm, a good thing you're here. You've got a good head on your shoulder."
'Just a good head? Sigh...' She deflates. To be honest, there is no winning with Lili.
---
As it turns out, Ariana's Thread is a proper tailor store. Meaning, aside from workshopping ideas and having their dimensions measured, Lili and Jackal couldn't just try on outfits for the fun of it. There is a whole line of clothing stores that allows such service but not this store. So, after the matron took their size, understood their general idea, provided good feedback, and locked on a design for both of them, they could only leave...
A good thing Hostess of Fertility is in their way, right?
The Next Day.
Lili resists the urge to sigh even softly. No. That would be very wrong of her to do. Knowing the value of strength full well, how can she just think that Jackal's dedication to the dungeon is a bad thing?
Yes, he offered her to come with him but after spending the entire day in the store, she rarely ever wakes up in time and by then, Jackal is gone. Still, it is undeniable that he never forgot about her.
She can feel his warmth in the bed. After the first two days, Jackal simply gave up on trying to make Lili sleep on the sofa. After all, he rarely ever sleeps himself.
What Lili does feel, however, is worry.
'I wish Jackal-sama would rest more...' She curls within the faint indentation of his body left on the bed. Her nose twitches ever so slightly and the familiar warmth turns her frown upside down really quickly.
'He really is an odd one... nobody even forced him to cook aside from that Ais... tch. Who does she think she is demanding five bento boxes every morning?!' Lili pouts.
'Two more days and the store will be closed for two days. I can accompany Jackal-sama then. With those frog pouches, I can hold a lot more items, too.'
'But... how can I ever get stronger for him...' She bites her lower lip. For a moment, hate seeps into her gaze, 'How will I... leave my familia?'
---
*Clang*
*Clang*
*Clang*
Be it day or night, loud sounds of hammer beating and abusing the material echo in this section of Orario. Aside from Daedalus Street, properties are the cheapest in two more regions.
The area near Goibniu Familia and Hephaestus Familia's home— Etna Volcano, acts like a small village of smiths on its own within Orario. Many blacksmiths with the corresponding development abilities have personal workshops. Granted, some workshops look stellar, buildings in their own right, and some look like mud houses.
With the central region restricted to visitors since it holds the residential quarters for the familia, many customers can walk along the outer area and meet with various smiths and raise personal requests.
But for a familia well-known for their grit... Jackal does push the buttons of Level 1 Smiths.
"Yo," stepping alongside the grass ground, Jackal grins, "I—"
"Fuck off!" The middle-aged blacksmith curses at the sight of Jackal as he snickers, "Come on, don't be like that!"
"I said, fuck off!" The man huffs impatiently, "You came to me two days ago! Since then, you've destroyed 19 of my axes. Kid, you've got talent but I don't so let's not waste each other's time, yeah?"
Jackal purses his lips and nods.
Sometimes... swordsmen have it easier. They have the option to stab. The addition of this one variation alone opens them to saving a lot of time and effort as stabs are often precise and quick, ending the monster quickly. And due to the high pressures ejected from the pointed stab, the blade itself is in a better condition.
Ax doesn't have that option. It chops. Plain and simple. All the effort and strain are placed on the edge of the blade and... given how monsters like dungeon lizards and frog shooters have thick hides, the axe breaks.
This will only get worse once Jackal steps down another floor and faces a group of killer ants.
Their carapace is tough, they are great in number, and given their tendency to attack in groups, a solo adventurer cannot focus too much on where he is chopping.
As such, Jackal finally wanted an IN with a Blacksmith. Someone who could craft him better and better ax as he enters deeper and deeper into the dungeon.
Sighing, he walks out of the shed as the sound of a hammer hitting metal echoes.
He tries a few more sheds nearby but... somehow, he has a bad rep.
'Sigh... a bunch of fuckers, the lot of them. Sugarcoating it like I'm all that great when they don't want to step their games.'
It's rather easy to notice. Anyone with their age and experience should be level 2 by now and working their way up in skills but apparently, Hephaestus Familia is not free from an unmotivated workforce.
'Oh... isn't that...'
Jackal catches sight of a familiar figure.
"Oi! Gareth!" He calls out with a wide grin, attracting the attention of the passerby adventurers as he jogs up to the bushy-bearded dwarf of the Loki Familia.
Slightly shorter in height at a glance but significantly wider, Gareth stops and glances at Jackal before giving him an appraising glance. His experienced brown eyes notice the scratches, caked blood, and other marks on Jackal.
"Oh, brat, what are you doing here?" Gareth gets to the point without mincing words as Jackal shrugs, "Looking for a smith but nobody here wants to take me on and other Level 2 smiths said— Be a level 2 before coming to us— sheesh, the nerve of some people."
There is another reason why he's here, of course.
"So? Why'd ya hit me up? My blacksmith may be even blunter, you know," Gareth scratches her beard and chuckles.
"Oh, I don't want weapons. The ones in-store should suffice for now..." Shoving his hand into the frog wallet, Jackal takes out a small red marble.
"I created this but I got no idea what it does."
"Must be a failed product then," Gareth shrugs.
"I make no failed products," Jackal snickers, "Just unknown ones. Could... would you show it to your smith and see if they can find what this material does? It's not a magic item, that's for sure. It's more like a magic stone. A drop item, even."
"Hmm..." Gareth takes the marble and lets his mind seep into it, "Yeah, not a magic item. But it has a source of magic. Sure, I'll take it to my smith but again, don't hold out hope."
"Sure, I'll see you in the shop."
This makes the stocky dwarf laugh out loud.
"No, punk. You'll stay here and wait. I ain't running to your shop like some underling." Gareth shakes his head and laughs again while going deeper into the territory of Etna Volcano where an impressive building stands tall.
"Sigh..." Jackal exhales and finds a good spot to sit.
'Guess I'll wait.'
'Tomorrow... I'll enter the seventh floor. Killer ants... alongside the War Shadow, it's another one of the Newbie Killers. While War Shadow slips past the adventurer's defenses, the Killer Ants simply overpower the enemies with sheer number and strength.'
'But unlike the ants of my previous world, they can't just tussle with things a hundred times their size... or whatever that multiplier was.'
The killer ants' true lethality is in their numbers and their carapace. Adventurers either need to be strong enough to split the monster's defenses in half with ease or... aim for the limbs and other non-armored spots.
*Ting*
*Ting*
*Ting*
The sound continues to echo. Smoke rises from the chimneys as Jackal could see a few civilians bringing in domestic animals.
'Huh... I have yet to see what I get from cows, dogs, and cats... I should make time for that.'
Thinking for a moment, Jackal also concludes, 'I should make time for Lili more... no, in reality, we already spend enough time as is. We should make better use of our shared time instead... too bad, I don't know anything of value. My ax skills are barely upto the task...'
Narrowing his eyes, he thinks, 'She uses a crossbow, huh... can arrows translate to crossbows?'
Jackal could empathize with what Lili may be feeling.
If he got saved by a total 10 and then she started risking her life in the dungeon with two massive cheats... he would feel useless, too. That's not what he wants to convey to Lili, however...
'Or...' Jackal lies on the hay with a huge smile on his face, 'I'll just stay another hour in bed. I get my rest and a bit of Lili... though... man I wish I had an amazonian berserker at my beck and call...' He closes his enjoys the air and noise-polluted peace of Hephaestus Familia.
"Hoh? That's a good look for a brat?" Gareth's gruff voice echoes after some time as Jackal opens his eyes and wags his brows, "Why not lie beside me, you'll get the same look in no time."
Gareth scoffs a chuckle, "No wonder Bete likes you. Come on, let's get going."
"Wait, what? Bete likes me?" Jackal follows after Gareth.
"Big time, why?"
"Well... I had this plan on beating the shit out of him eventually... should scrap it now—"
"Oh, naw, beat him. He'll love that even more. The furball picks a fight with everyone for a reason," Gareth chuckles.
"So? Where are we going?"
"Ain't that obvious? To my smith," Gareth barks before turning and looking at him, "You don't mind halfsies, do ya?"
Understanding that Gareth was talking about half-bloods between superior races like half-elf and half-dwarf, Jackal shrugs, "Even if I did, something tells me you'd be ready to smack the back of my head and anyone who can make your weapons is already strong enough to knock me out with a flick."
Gareth grins and gestures with a tilt of his head, "Let's go, she'll like that glibness."
***
Alternate Title: The Hidden Boss Awakens; Ara~ Ara~ Goddess Got Jackal Acting; The Two Fans of Hostess of Fertility; A Drunk Lili is a Parrot, A Drunk Jackal Belongs to the Dwarven Streets; When the Big World Turns Small; Lingering Warmth; Bane of Lazy Blacksmith; Gareth to the Rescue!
***
Syr Flova
Mia Grand
***
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