Charlotte stepped down from the carriage, leaving Ethan under the shadow of the busy guild building.
"I'll be right back, so just stay here, okay?"
Ethan just nodded.
Actually, his curiosity was strong. He wanted to see what the inside of the guild looked like—a place he had only ever seen in images from the game.
I also need to confirm whether that guy who will take Charlotte away is in there.
However, he had already promised. And for now, breaking that promise wasn't an option.
He let out a quiet breath, then leaned lightly against the side of the carriage.
Strange… we just met, but somehow I feel like she has to belong to me… is this the feeling of the previous owner of this body
The bustle of the city continued around him. People came and went without pause, footsteps, conversations, and the occasional shout of merchants blending into one. But beneath all that—
Among the noise, his ears caught something different.
Not the sound of the crowd.
More like… a restrained moan.
Ethan lifted his head slightly, trying to make sure. The sound was coming from the side of the guild building—a narrow alley that was easy to miss if you weren't paying attention.
With careful steps, Ethan moved a little away from the carriage, just enough not to stand out. He approached the alley, then stopped at its entrance.
And that was when he saw it.
A man and a woman standing close together in the shadow of the narrow walls, too close to be called just talking. Their movements were slow, almost blending into the darkness.
"Not here… someone could pass by at any time…" the woman whispered, her voice restrained.
"Relax… no one's paying attention," the man replied casually.
"But this is too close to the guild…"
"That's exactly why no one would suspect it." the man let out a low chuckle
"…"
Ethan turned his face away on reflex.
Seriously… here of all places
But before he could leave completely, his gaze unintentionally lifted again.
And just like before, those numbers appeared above their heads.
[Name: GisellePartner: 2.758Sex: 15.381]
[Name: KanePartner: 12Sex: 73]
Ethan fell silent, his expression slowly changing.
"…"
…that's really high.
Inside the alley, the faint sounds continued, quiet but clear enough to hear.
"Ah— wait… this is my first time…" the woman's voice trembled. Her face was tense, her eyes restless, and her body stiff as if she didn't know how to react.
"No need to be afraid… I'll be gentle with you." the man answered in a low tone.
Ethan held his breath.
That strange feeling returned—a mix of awkwardness, discomfort… and something he couldn't quite explain.
He immediately stepped back, trying to leave without drawing attention.
"This… isn't something I should be seeing, but honestly, I would've been fooled by that woman if I hadn't seen her status," he muttered quietly.
He returned to the side of the carriage, this time truly looking away from the alley.
But those faint sounds still lingered in his ears.
A few moments later, footsteps echoed from inside the alley. The man and woman finally came out, wearing long dark robes that looked slightly messy—similar to the mage outfits from the game, with hoods covering part of their faces.
As they stepped out, their gaze met Ethan's.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
Seriously?Only five minutes?
"..."
The atmosphere turned silent for a moment.
The woman froze, her face instantly pale, then reflexively pulled her hood lower. "Ah…"
The man beside her stiffened slightly before forcing a faint smile. "…we're just passing by."
Ethan said nothing. His flat gaze only made the situation more awkward.
Even someone like him can have 12 partners? I haven't even exceeded 5 despite having much better performance
I'm sure that girl will leave him soon.
"Don't worry, I didn't see anything," Ethan said casually.
The man paused, looking at Ethan with doubt, then finally gave a small nod. Without saying more, he pulled the woman's hood down further and quickly left the alley.
Not long after, their figures disappeared completely into the crowd around the guild.
Ethan let out a quiet breath, then leaned back against the carriage.
A few minutes passed before the guild doors finally opened.
Charlotte came out, slightly hurried but still as neat as before.
"Sorry, that took a bit," she said as she approached Ethan. "I had to register before taking a Mission."
Ethan gave a small nod. "No problem."
Charlotte climbed back onto the carriage, then took the reins again without much small talk.
"Then let's head straight to the location. The forest near this town should be enough to find the medicinal plants we need."
Ethan sat beside her, and the carriage began moving again, leaving the guild behind.
The stone road of the city gradually turned into dirt, then narrowed further as trees began to surround them. The atmosphere shifted, quieter now, with only the sound of the wheels and the horse's steps.
"If we go a bit deeper, we'll find a suitable area," Charlotte said, glancing toward the forest beside the road. "Our target this time is a basic medicinal plant called Dreamveil Grass."
Ethan turned slightly. "Is there an example or something?"
He had never really learned details like this. In the game he used to play, micro-identification like plants was never the focus—especially in an eroge RPG that emphasized story and interaction over botanical exploration.
There were still many things about this world he didn't understand.
The carriage stopped at the edge of a narrow path. They got down, and the forest air immediately greeted them—more humid, cooler, with the faint scent of damp earth.
Charlotte walked ahead, tracing the edge of the forest with Ethan following beside her.
"Visually, Dreamveil Grass is almost impossible to distinguish from ordinary grass. But if you squeeze the right blade…"
She stopped.
From a small pouch at her waist, Charlotte took out a bundle of grass. She picked one blade, then gently crushed it between her fingers.
"Take a whiff."
The scent spread instantly.
Soft, like a warm mist drifting down in the early morning. Ethan's body relaxed on reflex. There was a light sensation in his chest, as if a weight had been slightly lifted, making him feel almost like he was floating.
Charlotte pulled her hand back.
"If it's real Dreamveil, there's usually a small patch around it. This plant doesn't grow alone. It always appears in clusters within a narrow radius."
"So we just pull grass and hope to randomly find Dreamveil Grass?" Ethan asked.
Charlotte gave a small, slightly wry smile. "Emm… more or less that's the only way if you don't have a detection tool."
She looked down, picking a blade of grass near her feet and slowly twirling it between her fingers.
"But older Dreamveil can still be distinguished if you look closely," she continued. "The color doesn't really change, just a faint dull tint at the tip, and the texture is slightly softer than normal grass."
She let out a soft breath, then added, "The problem is, the difference is too subtle. If you're not used to it, it's easy to miss."
She observed the surroundings for a moment, then pointed toward a denser part of the forest.
"We'll split up a bit. You search this side, I'll take the other. But don't go too far. Stay within sight." Her tone wasn't harsh, but firm.
They began to spread out, pushing through wild grass that all looked the same—an endless stretch of green with no clear distinction at first glance.
Ethan crouched down, then started using his appraisal ability.
[Grass][Grass][Grass][Grass][Dreamveil Grass]
After confirming the location of the Dreamveil, he started pulling grass along the way until he reached the area to avoid suspicion.
"Miss Charlotte, I found it," Ethan suddenly said.
He stood up and raised the small plant without hesitation.
Charlotte, who wasn't far from him, immediately turned. "Huh You already found—"
She walked over quickly, her brows slightly raised. "Is that Dreamveil?"
Ethan nodded lightly.
Charlotte knelt down, then took one blade and crushed it gently.
The soft, mist-like scent spread instantly through the air.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…That was fast," she murmured. "We barely even started searching this area."
Charlotte looked at Ethan longer than before, her curiosity clearly showing. "How did you find it This can't just be luck."
Ethan stayed silent for a moment, then answered flatly.
"I scanned it in small patterns—around one square meter, then tested a point. If it didn't match, I shifted to the next area with the same distance." He shrugged slightly, as if it was nothing special.
Charlotte stood up slowly, then looked around.
Only now did she notice the pattern on the ground—several pulled patches forming an uneven but structured line that showed Ethan's search direction.
"Is that method really that efficient…" she murmured.
"Huh? how do you usually search?" Ethan asked back.
Charlotte looked at him for a moment before answering, "I usually look for grass that seems slightly different—from color, density, or growth direction. Then I check them one by one to see if it's Dreamveil or just normal grass."
She let out a small breath, then looked at Ethan with a mix of admiration and confusion.
"You're pretty meticulous." Her tone softened, as if she was adjusting her assessment of him.
"Then take this." She tossed a small cloth bag toward Ethan.
Ethan smiled, understanding her intention.
Looks like she's starting to trust me.
They continued searching the area, gathering several hidden patches of Dreamveil among the ordinary grass.
But in the middle of it, something moved behind the bushes.
A small slime slowly emerged from the damp ground—shaped like a transparent bluish lump, swaying gently as it moved.
Ethan watched it with slight interest.
The creature showed no aggression. It moved slowly, like part of the natural ecosystem. From the game system he knew, slimes like this were almost harmless—even direct attacks would deal 0 damage.
Even if it's not dangerous, I still need to be careful so it doesn't melt my clothes
He stepped a little closer.
But before he could reach it—
"Don't get close!"
Charlotte's voice rang out sharply.
In an instant, she was already between Ethan and the slime. Her hand rose, and a magic circle of light formed in the air.
"Purification."
A white light shot forward, striking the slime. Its body immediately broke apart into a clear liquid that spilled onto the ground.
Charlotte lowered her hand, her expression turning serious again.
"That's a wild slime," she said firmly. "Don't underestimate it. They can be dangerous and threaten your life."