”Yu-san, sorry to keep you waiting.”
I was leaning against the guild building’s wall when Sofia-san, now changed into civilian clothes, called out to me. She wore a pale green dress. Her guild uniform had looked great, but casual wear suited her just as well – maybe even better. Probably because she was an elf, but green really brought out her beauty.
”You look lovely in regular clothes too. That shade of green really highlights your beauty, Sofia-san.”
At my compliment, she stepped closer and gently rested her head against my chest. Wait, what? What’s happening right now? I’m a virgin – what exactly does she expect me to do?! But I couldn’t back down here. I wrapped my arm around her back.
”You’re beautiful.”
I whispered that right by her ear. Sofia-san lifted her head from my chest and looked up at me with those big eyes. Yeah. I’ve decided. For this girl, I’d take on the whole world if I had to.
We linked arms and started walking from the guild toward the city center. As we passed through the guild district arm in arm, the nearby pedestrians caught sight of Sofia-san and froze, completely captivated by her beauty. Not that anyone would notice me, right? Her chest brushed against me without any pretense. For an elf, she was surprisingly… well-endowed. Soft. Did this world even have bras? Probably not. She was definitely going commando.
Oden Town was just as vibrant at night as it was during the day. Restaurant girls called out to passersby, drunk men teased them, and prostitutes stalked the drunks, waiting for the right moment. The energy, the glitz – it was nothing like my hometown of Hachioji.
”Sofia-san, I wanted to ask you something. What exactly is a guide? I got teleported to this country through a trap, and back where I’m from, a guide is just someone who shows you around facilities or tourist spots.”
Sofia-san tightened her hold on my arm slightly as she answered.
”In this country – actually, across this entire continent, I believe – a guide is a woman who accompanies travelers or guests staying at inns. And yes, that includes sharing a bed. It’s normally the guide who chooses her client. You see, wars between nations have been constant since ancient times, and battles with monsters are a part of daily life. Men go to war, they get wounded, and many die young. With fewer men around, the guide system was created to help women secure good seed.”
My eyes went wide. Sharing a bed?! A system for securing seed?! A beauty like Sofia-san is going to be my partner? This isn’t some honeytrap, is it? When we get to the inn, are a bunch of scary guys gonna jump out? Well… no guts, no glory. That’s what being a man is all about, right?
Still, it made me wonder – if Earth kept getting consumed by monsters, would it end up like this too?
”Though, we don’t just pick anyone, you know. Most guides settle on one person. This is my first time too, after all.”
She said that, her face turning red as she looked down. Her first time? Sofia-san is a virgin? And I’m supposed to be the one? I’ll gladly offer up my own virginity in return, you know. Thank you. Looks like there’s no running from this now.
After about thirty minutes of walking, we arrived at the inn she’d booked. The place looked like a high-end establishment – the real deal. For someone like me, who grew up in an orphanage, this was my first time in a luxury inn. My heart was pounding… well, more accurately, it was pounding for what was about to happen with Sofia-san.
I handled the check-in at the front desk. One silver coin for a one-night stay. Breakfast for two added another large copper coin. I fished the coins out of my pouch and settled the bill.
The innkeeper handed me the room key with a knowing smile.
”Lady Sofia, so you’ve finally found him.”
That cryptic remark stuck with me.
Our room for the night was 301 – a corner room at the end of the third-floor hall. My hands trembled as I unlocked the door. The room was about twenty tatami mats in size, with a large bed, a table, and chairs. There was a separate bathing room and a toilet. Spacious and clean.
I went in first to check the room. When I turned around, Sofia-san had stepped inside and locked the door behind her.
Summary:
The protagonist and Sofia-san leave the guild arm in arm, drawing stares from passersby. She explains that the guide system exists to help women secure good seed from the few surviving men. After arriving at a luxury inn, the innkeeper makes a cryptic remark about Sofia having finally found him, and she locks the door behind them.
Trivia:
- The protagonist is from Hachioji and was transported via a dungeon trap.
- Sofia-san is an elf and this is her first time acting as a guide.
- The guide system is a continent-wide institution where women choose men to accompany and sleep with.
- The innkeeper seems to know Sofia-san personally, hinting at a backstory or long-awaited meeting.
- The room has a separate bathing area and toilet, indicating a high level of luxury.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ The term “guide” (案内人) in this world refers to a woman who accompanies travelers and shares their bed, not a simple tour guide. It originated as a system to help women secure children from the few surviving men.
2 ↩ A naturalized idiom for reproductive purposes, referring to the male’s contribution to conception.
3 ↩ Localized term for a setup where someone uses seduction to extort or trap a victim, equivalent to the Japanese concept of 美人局.
4 ↩ Western equivalent to the Japanese proverb 男は度胸, meaning “a man is all about courage.”
5 ↩ Traditional Japanese floor measurement; about 20 tatami mats indicates a large, spacious room.