[LU-EL@LIVESTREAM - GODDESS'S VESSEL]
Poru@Knight: Hey'a!—WOAH! WTF!
Poru@Sage: Whose POV is this? And whose ROD is that?
Poru@Beast: ROD? It's barely a 3.5-inch stick.
Luvira@Goddess: PFFT—HAHAHA!
Poru@Ghost: What happened after I fell asleep? They were just running in the forest last night.
Poru@Astronaut: How did things end up this way?
Luvira@Goddess: Calm down and prepare yourselves to be enlightened, my loyal follower!
***
While the goddess gave a brief recap to Lu-el's loyal viewers—from last night until the current event—Mikoto had just finished inspecting Reiji's rod, or rather, the tracking spell Sera had cast on it.
"See how the trace of mana becomes stronger now that he's hard?" Mikoto said as she poked Reiji's rod, which instinctively made him excited and aroused.
[Poru@Sage: So it's like an antenna—PFFT!—sending out a mana signal.]
[Poru@Beast: More like a headphone jack—HAHAHA!]
"Pfff—"
Lu-el barely managed to hold back his laughter at the viewers' comments, which caused everyone to glance at him curiously—including Reiji, who was being restrained by Daichi.
"Go ahead and laugh while you can, bastard," Reiji said, thinking Lu-el was mocking his size, while openly declaring that he would get his revenge.
His threat, however, was nothing compared to Kaori's anger.
"Bastard… you were actually working with that bitch…"
Kaori endured her aching body as she slowly stood up and drew her knife. Whether she intended to cut Reiji's neck or his rod, her attempt was quickly stopped by Manami.
"Just lie down and relax, young lady," Manami said, gently pulling Kaori back onto the blanket. "Let your lover handle this."
"What do you want to do with this kid?" Daichi asked, turning to Lu-el.
[Poru@Astronaut: Kill him for betraying Kaori and putting her in danger!]
[Poru@Knight: Make him choose! Either cut his stick or kill himself.]
[Poru@Ghost: Just let him go for now. I'm interested in seeing what kind of revenge he has in mind.]
With the viewers' comments appearing on the holographic screen within the corner of his vision, Lu-el's situation felt like a set of game choices.
Following their requests would surely earn him more views—but since their demands differed, Lu-el figured it wouldn't be so bad to make his own decision.
"Please let him go, Mr. Daichi," Lu-el said.
Reiji fell to his knees as soon as Daichi released him.
Thud!
A sword—one from Lu-el's bag—struck the ground in front of Reiji.
"Cut it off if you want to stay with us," Lu-el said, and Reiji immediately trembled in fear.
"You really are her lover, kid," Daichi remarked, recalling how Kaori had threatened the same earlier.
"Just so you know, you'll need to cut both the rod and the balls to remove the tracking spell," Mikoto added, causing Reiji to look utterly desperate.
Lu-el hadn't expected Reiji to mutilate himself, but he had at least hoped he would grab the sword and fight for his pride.
Seeing that Reiji had no intention of complying—not even the will to resist—Lu-el offered him a second choice.
"Just go and leave already," Lu-el said as he tossed Reiji's clothes to him, keeping his armor and silver longsword in the bag.
[Luvira@Goddess: You're too kind for your own good, my dear Livestreamer.]
Can't you be more kind and return me to my world already? Lu-el thought in response.
***
While Reiji dressed himself, Lu-el was offered a set of Daichi's spare casual clothes by Mikoto. After the boys got dressed, the group moved from the campsite toward the open road.
"Rant about us, and I'll hunt you down," Kaori warned, glaring murderously as she was carried on Lu-el's back. Her gaze alone was enough to send Reiji fleeing down the mountain road like prey escaping a predator.
"I know I'm the one who told him to leave, but will he survive with just that?" Lu-el asked, having doubts about whether he should have returned Reiji's armor and weapon.
"Like I care if he dies."
Since Kaori refused to discuss Reiji any further, Daichi answered instead, noticing Lu-el's not-so-concerned look.
"The mountain road is regularly patrolled by adventurers and soldiers. With half a day's walk, he should reach the village at the foot of the mountain."
"Unless he runs into bandits… or becomes one himself," Daichi added.
"Why would he even become a bandit?"
Daichi, Mikoto, and Manami exchanged grins at Lu-el's question.
"Do you really think you kids can hide things from adults like us?" Manami teased.
"That kid obviously likes her. And you two probably had your first time while he knew... maybe even right in front of him," Mikoto added.
"For a guy to lose the girl he likes to another man, that's reason enough to turn to banditry, kid."
Becoming a bandit just because he got cuckolded? Lu-el muttered to himself as he silently followed the trio back to their village, carrying Kaori on his back.
***
After half a day of walking, they arrived at Daifuku Hot Spring Village.
"About our identification…" Kaori murmured as they approached the gate guarded by two soldiers. She then buried her face in Lu-el's back, as if hiding.
Lu-el stopped as well, remembering that he didn't have any identification—having been isekai'd completely naked. He didn't have any in the first place.
Still, Kaori had already assumed as much. She was actually asking Daichi, as the village chief, to vouch for them since she didn't want to show her card.
"You kids don't need to worry about that," Daichi said, informing the guards that Lu-el and Kaori were his guests.
Passing through the gate into a village surrounded by massive rock walls, Lu-el was left stunned and speechless by the level of civilization.
[Poru@Knight: It's ancient Japan… or maybe not that ancient.]
[Poru@Sage: It looks more like a preserved village in modern times.]
[Poru@Ghost: The windows are glass, and some buildings are made with bricks that almost look like concrete.]
[Poru@Sage: The stone roads are perfectly flat—not to mention the wooden houses are neat and colorful.]
[Poru@Astronaut: It's like a modern civilization built this to imitate an ancient one.]
[Poru@Beast: And the villagers are wearing casual modern clothes.]
[Poru@Knight: While the ones in fantasy outfits look like cosplayers.]
[Luvira@Goddess: HEY!—Decide whether to be impressed or not!]
"Everything feels different from what I expected," Lu-el whispered. Despite their complaints, both he and his viewers were clearly impressed.
"And what exactly were you expecting?" Kaori replied, assuming he was speaking to her.
"I thought it would just be a small hot spring village."
"There are smaller ones nearby, but this is the largest. It also serves as a fortress against bandits and monsters."
Although Kaori mentioned monsters, Lu-el had yet to encounter any since arriving in the world of Goddess's Vessel—not that even 24 hours had passed.
***
Lu-el and Kaori were escorted to the inn owned by Mikoto and Manami's family.
As soon as they reached their room and Lu-el laid Kaori down on the tatami mattress;
[Poru@Knight: They're sleeping?! WHY THE HECK ARE THEY SLEEPING?!]
[Poru@Sage: I know he probably didn't sleep all night, but I was expecting some R18 and SMUT!]
[Luvira@Goddess: Our Livestreamer was probably sleeping IRL—PFFT!]
[Poru@Beast: Wake up and go wild like a beast in heat!]
[Poru@Ghost: Let him rest. I'm sure they'll have a long night later.]
[Poru@Astronaut: DM us when you wake up and get to it.]
[Luvira@Goddess: WHAT A HASSLE!—But be grateful when you receive my divine oracle later, my loyal followers.]
[Poru@Ghost: HUH?—Why would you be the one doing that, Luriva-sama?]
[Poru@Astronaut: He can DM us himself.]
[Luvira@Goddess: Because he might get so excited and aroused that he forgets—HAHAHA!]