After the business talk ended, I went back to the inn where everyone was already waiting for me.
Apparently the recruiting of Earth Magic users was going well, like-they’d already gotten positive replies from six people. There were plenty of others they’d reached out to, so even if nothing got settled during this trip, they’d likely hear back later, innit.
I reported how my own negotiations went, and we called it a night.
Zeno the stonemason went out drinking with Kirsten, one of the Earth Magic users, like he always does. And the self-defense corps folks dragged their captain Elenora along to some place they’d found yesterday that had proper good grub.
”I must say, those rascals have quite the nerve,” Elenora murmured, adjusting her coat before stepping out with her subordinates. “I shall certainly hold them accountable for this later, though I suppose a commander must occasionally indulge her troops.”
I could easily guess they were after the captain’s wallet, figuring she’d end up footing a huge bill.
When she got back, I’d slip her a little extra spending money. She’d earned a reward after working so hard last night, like.
And if that put her in a good mood and she gave me another intense round of service, that’d be a right bargain… Heheh…
Later that night, I went to the restaurant Natalie had booked for us.
Unlike the last place, this one was tucked away deep in an alley, one street back from the main road-a quiet, hidden gem.
I was shown to a private room, and Natalie appeared before I’d waited long at all.
She was wearing a casual black dress, and seeing her, I felt relieved I’d gone and bought new clothes for this trip.
”Honestly, like, Nina’s vision is just so next level, no cap,” Natalie said, leaning back with a bright smile. “She started her merchant business with a dream: to bridge the gap between humans and beastfolk, so that one day beastfolk would be fully accepted in this country and the two sides could join hands.”
She said Nina had a sharp eye and good instincts, and was honest in everything she did-that’s what caught Natalie’s attention, lowkey. She said Nina never went for crazy profits or cheated people.
And that was the main reason she’d recommended her to me.
After that, we talked about Lindrott territory too.
I explained how Lindrott was starting to grow fast now, and that we couldn’t keep up with the labor demand at that speed. Natalie suggested maybe I should buy some slaves.
In this world, slavery was legal in every country, and since machinery wasn’t that advanced yet, they had to rely on manpower for everything. The system was seen as necessary to secure enough workers.
Flora had recommended buying slaves, and so had her mother Margaret.
”Why, back in my day, folks always needed extra hands to work the land,” Margaret had told me back home, her voice full of rural warmth. “If you treat ’em fair and keep ’em fed, good help is a mighty fine blessing for everyone involved, child.”
But remembering my past life, I just couldn’t get on board with the idea, like.
”Lord Alfred, why do you hesitate to purchase slaves?”
I couldn’t exactly answer that I couldn’t accept it because of memories from my past life-so I gave an emotional reply instead.
Then Natalie said,
”Well, like, look at it this way! The people who are slaves right now, whether you buy them or not, are gonna be sold as slaves one way or another. If they’re unlucky, they could end up with a cruel master and lose their lives. Or if some twisted collector buys them… like, that’s just a totally miserable future.”
”…”
”So, if you did buy some slaves, what would happen to them? I don’t believe you’d treat slaves badly, Lord Alfred. So if I’m right, those slaves would live, like, dozens, maybe hundreds of times happier lives than if they were sold somewhere else, fr.”
”I mean… if that’s how it’d go, sure, I’d do that, but…”
”So won’t you please help them? I’m not saying you could save all the slaves-that’s just a fantasy. But at least within your reach, won’t you show them a future that isn’t full of suffering?”
”I guess that is one way to look at it, innit… If I can’t change the system itself, then at least if I can help some of those slaves… aye…”
”You don’t have to decide right now. Just take your time and think it over, bet?”
I gave a vague reply and fell deep into thought.
”Hehe, enough serious talk! We’ve got a lovely dinner for just the two of us-let me cook, let’s enjoy it!”
With that, Natalie flashed me a smile that was lowkey bewitching.
After that, the time flew by. This was Natalie, after all-she kept things witty and fun, and before I knew it, a lot of time had passed.
”Whoa, it’s already this late, like…”
I figured it wasn’t good to keep a woman out too late, so I was about to suggest we leave when-
”Lord Alfred. Do you know there are rooms upstairs here, only for guests who use this restaurant’s private dining rooms?”
Natalie gave a mysterious smile and said that.
”The night’s still young. How about we make it a wonderful night together… just the two of us?”
”Mmm… mwah… smack… mm… ah… mmph… mwah, mwah… mmmwah… mm… mmmwah, mwah, mm…”
The moment we got into the room, I pulled Natalie close and kissed her.
Natalie seemed flustered-it was her first kiss-but she desperately sought my lips anyway.
”…Mm! Mm! …Mwah… ah… mwah… mmph!? Mm!? Mmm!? …Mm, ah… mmph… lleh… lleh… mmwah…”
When I slipped my tongue between Natalie’s half-open lips, her eyes went wide with surprise at first. But soon she closed them, and she started moving her own tongue to chase after mine.
”…Mm… ahmm… lleh… lleh… llelll… mmph… mwah… Mm!? …Mmph!? …Mmm… ah… mwah…”
I moved one hand from her back around to the front and gently squeezed her breast over her clothes. For someone so slender, she was surprisingly soft and full-like a rubber ball-and even through the fabric it felt amazing, like.
”…Mwah… mm… ah… huff… huff…”
When I pulled my lips away, she had this dazed look on her face, practically begging for another kiss. So I did-and she clung to me happily, tangling her tongue with mine.
I undid the big buttons on the front of her dress one by one, and when they were all loose, I pulled it open and let it fall to the floor.
Under the dress she was only wearing panties. I took those off too, and stripped off all my own clothes. Then I gently laid Natalie down on the bed.
Natalie looked embarrassed, but her bare body was gorgeous-smooth, firm, gleaming white skin. The little pink buds on her chest stood stiff and proud, like they were showing off.
”Natalie, you’re beautiful.”
At my words, her cheeks flushed and she smiled shyly, her eyes glistening. Love welled up inside me.
We shared a long, deep kiss, and then I trailed my lips from hers, down her ear, her neck, her collarbone, and finally to her chest.
I slid my tongue along the outside, circling the areola with teasing flicks, then took her nipple in my mouth, sucking and licking in circles.
Mwah… slurp… schllllrp… lih-lah-lah… lih-lah-lah…
”Ahh!? Ah, ahh… mm… huff… mmph… mmah… mm… mmm… ahh… ahhn…”
While licking her nipple, I let my hand wander to her other breast, squeezing and teasing the nipple with my fingers. It must’ve been too much-she twisted her body like she was trying to escape the pleasure.
I worked my tongue lower and lower, this time from her feet up her calves, her thighs, licking all the way…
The closer I got to her core, the more she started to panic-she must’ve realized what I was doing.
”Wait, like, what are you doing?! Not there! That’s not a place to lick, fr! It’s dirty, please stop! Ahhh!?”
She clamped her thighs around my head, but I’d already reached her folds. I didn’t care-I pressed my mouth to her, lapping up her flowing juices.
Schllrrp, schlorp, schlorp-schlorp, lih-lah, lih-lah-lah, splish, schllrp, schllrp-schllrp…
”Ahhh!? Ahhh, don’t lick there, it’s dirty, stop, please stop! Ahh!? …Aaaah!? N-no, please, no way, ah, don’t, ah, no, ahh, don’t suck, no, ahh, nooo!? A-haaah!”
Natalie tried to push my head away with both hands, struggling desperately. But after a while, her grip weakened-and she didn’t even notice it was just resting there now.
”Ah!? Ahhh, aaah!? Hah!? There, not there, that’s my weak spot, lowkey! A-ha, hnnn!? Ahhn, no no no, don’t lick, don’t lick! No, no no, I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come… I’m coming I’m coming I’m coming… A-haaah!”
The moment I licked her clit, it must’ve felt incredible-she came almost immediately.
…Mwah, schllrrp, lih-lah, lih-lah-lah, tick-tock, lih-lah-lah…
”Wha-?! No! I just came, you can’t! Please stop, I’m so sensitive right now, fr! No no no, ahh!? Ahhh, a-haah, I’m coming, I’m gonna come again… A-ha, ahh, ahhhh! I’m coming!”
”No!? I can’t take any more! Really, stop, a-haaa, no no no… ahhn, ahhh, I’m coming, coming again, I’m coming I’m coming… AHHH!”
Even after she came, I kept going, and she bucked her hips and bounced her body over and over, completely losing it.
I pulled Natalie close-she was panting hard, totally limp-and spread her legs.
”Huff… huff… ah, um… I’m… this is my first time, so… huff… please be gentle, okay?”
I nodded, then slowly pushed myself inside.
Schllp, schllrrp… schlllleeee…
”Ahh!? …Nngh… aghh… haah… nngh… mmmph…”
”Natalie, I’m all the way in.”
”Huff, huff, huff… It feels like you’re pushing everything open inside me… I can feel you, Lord Alfred… deep inside me…”
Even though she looked like she was in pain, she smiled in a way that almost seemed happy.
I stayed still for a bit, then started moving my hips.
”Ah… ngh… mm… hahh… nngh… hah, ah, ahh… it hurts, but it feels good too, ah, haah, aaah, it feels good, Lord Alfred… it feels so good…”
Schllck, schllck, schllck, schllck…
”Ah, ah, ahh, no, ahh, i-it feels good, this feels so good… ah, mm, a-ha, a-haah, nngh, aaah! Lord Alfred, it feels good, it feels so good! Ah, ahh! Ahhh… I’m coming, I’m gonna come, even though it’s my first time… I’m coming… I’m… coming… A-haaaaah!”
Natalie arched her slender body as far as it would go and climaxed.
I pressed deep inside her, releasing every last drop, then slowly pulled out.
I cleaned her up-her body was still trembling-and gently pulled her close.
I ran my fingers through her messy hair, gave her a soft kiss, and pulled the blanket over us both. Before we knew it, we’d fallen asleep, curled up together.