Ch 2-4

To describe Central Park, like in a lot of Fantasy stories, it was landmarked by a large fountain; a marble statue of the said legendary hero in its center. Kinda surreal how water seems to bleed from his orifices.

Anyway, I checked and no coins underwater. If this was a wishing well, I might throw one just to check.

Should I just throw a coin? Wait a sec...

There's a lot of people around. With the stalls circling around the park; lots of seatings in its vicinity. Not to mention, all of the convenient stores were also nearby.

There I saw the same little girl who asked me for a candy. She seemed to be carrying around a list and was about to walk into the Item Shop before she turned and ran towards me.

"Ah, mister lolicon. Do you have candy with you?" this loli let a slight smile, but at the same time, she shamelessly put both her palms forward, as if it's natural to give her stuff.

"My name's not lolicon and no I don't have candy. I do have some durian gelatin with me though, wanna share half-half?"

"Un." the loli nodded again, tiptoeing closer while lowering her head—did she want me to pat her head?

"I'm just making sure but, you want me to pat you? Does that break any rules? I won't get arrested?"

I couldn't help but be paranoid considering lolis were like the incriminating object of a crime scene. Even with only a trace of your fingertips somewhere, it would be a hard evidence.

Though in return, what I got was few taps from the shoulder. Should be okay if she's the one touching me, right? Her expression softened as she looked at me with traces of pity.

"It's okay. I already kissed older girls before when I asked for candy. For the guys, I let them pat my head."

So she prefers girls?

Now that's interesting. Although I don't want to be treated like a creepy pervert in front of her so I just feigned nonchalance.

"In the...cheek?" I almost blurt out the 'lips' thing.

The loli put up a smug expression. She's not cute at all, I repeat—not cute at all.

"Do you really want to know, mister? You look like a virgin so you probably wouldn't know..."

What are you trying to imply?

I just exhaled for a bit and let myself cool down before replying.

"Well it's okay, I had given up on it."

"Please don't give up. You can still stay a virgin until 96 years old..."

"Hey that's extremely rude...wait a minute, this snarky way of talking...aren't you that..."

I couldn't really put my finger with her voice since all lolis sound similar to me. Did she also just stood there pretending to be a loli NPC, back then? I just talked to many people when I first arrived—totally didn't notice her distinct features since I was busy moving around and not actually looking up close.

The loli placed her finger against her lips, making a child-like gesture that seems rather off.

"Shhh! Be quiet, Takeshi. Sometimes I felt like having fun down there you know?"

...

The loli was similar to what I imagined when I first saw her voice. Jet-black hair reaching her waist, with pale skin and delicate features like glass. Although, her expression didn't seem to shift much and her tone of voice was lacking in emotional capacity and child-like antics. Still didn't change her ethereal charm, as she jumped straight out from a fairy tale, or Yuri manga—now that I had a closer look.

Although the deadpan trait made her words seem more intense that way, to the point it was a bit creepy, not that it's a bad thing since she's a Yuri loli.

She wore a similar cloth to the kids I saw walking this morning. A leather jacket with a loose shirt inside and baggy pants made out of animal skin. It's kinda surprising there are not many girls in this town wearing skirts—not even the adults. She carried a backpack; various kinds of smells could be seen wafting outta it. On her hands, she held a list with tick marks on it and a pen on the other.

The seating in this park consists of a wooden table sandwiched by two, long, wooden chairs. The table was made out of glossy wood and the entire park was clean. No sign of homeless people either.

Sitting beside each other, we might look like brother and sister due to our black hair. Although, the people with the same hair color weren't that few.

"What's your intention of coming here? You wouldn't go so far just to ask for food."

I took the durian gelatin from my inventory through the backpack. It's glossy light-green texture, its elegant cylindrical shape in full view, along with the signature smell—all served eco-friendly in a paper plate. I divided the gelatin with a fork, nudging one part to her side. I kinda took the larger part though.

"Hitting two birds with one stone, that's all," she replied shortly, without turning her face.

She took her fork from her own bag, all wrapped in tissue; she ended up nomming the entire larger part with one chomp. When she chewed on the gelatin, her cheeks swelled a bit, which made her look like a cute little animal and her expression brightened up, although it was so adorable how it stayed deadpan most of time.

"The smell didn't bother you? Most people in my old world couldn't stand it."

This loli just showed me her palm without turning her face and it took her a good amount of munching before she began to talk:

"I don't mind—this is pretty dope."

Without any reservations, this Yuri loli also forked the other part...

"Hey, that's my portion."

"You can just order another one. You're going back there, right?"

"Ehh...how can you be this shameless? You just eat my food and you're going back without giving me anything in return?"

Right, when I believe there's no one more shameless--this loli beat me at my own game.

"Well, a lolicon's happiness is enjoying their loli...having fun—that's what I'd like to say, but I'm not that young. Let's just go on with this..."

Hold on, did she just revealed she's a loli baba? I wonder what's her true identity.

With a flick of her finger, a Quest window popped up; just like before, the time froze in place.

[Hidden Quest – Advertise the Gelatin – Completed!]

[You have successfully advertised the unpopular menu which was actually the Pops' pride and joy!

You have increased the Affinity with the Pops. As the owner of a popular establishment, his wide variety of connections may greatly help you.]

She was able to keep moving regardless of the time stop. Which meant, she was not an NPC. Could she be a player—probably not...

"Hey, what do you mean about two birds in one stone? Why do you ignore all my questions earlier instead of telling me the important things?"

The loli simply said this to me:

"It's not convenient to know too much from the get-go, besides, what you're asking is not as important to experience the world with your own judgment.

Most of all, I'm just lazy. If I kept answering your questions, there wouldn't be any end of it."

I know that feel a bit.

"If that's the case, why do you also lock the help feature when I wanted to know some important things, like the God--"

She immediately turned her back quickly and raised her palm again.

"Whoa there, champ. Hold off—how should I put it?" she began using her other hand to rub her hair for a while, "Alright, give me time to think. If you're still being obstinate, I'll abandon you for real."

Since she took that long, I confirmed the menu and brought some chicken skewer. Its meat was drenched in aromatic BBQ sauce and judging from its crisp and thickness, it's a beef maybe?

"Want one?"

I brought three skewers and I handed her one, while I immediately chewed the other two at the same time.

"I'm not a glut...oh thanks."

Not going to comment on my eating manner? Okay then?

This loli, however, exited her stupor and simply tilted her head before letting out her monotone voice.

"That's not cute. No matter what you eat, you're not cute."

"Well I'm a guy, what do you expect?"

Her next words, however, baffled me.

"Hey, Takeshi. Do you want to try being a girl for once? If so, I might offer you some favorable tips. A legal loli character suits you pretty well, I'd say."

"No thanks."

I gave her an immediate reply.

Honestly, I prefer those with big breasts. At least I could fondle myself to satisfy my needs.

"Why? It's not wrong if you want to be a cute girl. What's holding you back? I prefer giving hints to fluffy girls rather than some plain guy like you."

Even if you're a Yuri girl, this treatment's kinda too much.

"Nah, I don't feel it'd be comfortable. If I'm a girl there's a risk I'd just be fucked by some random guy at some point. It's not like I can have kids if me and my partner are girls..."

"...while it's true both girls can't have babies naturally, there's a way to do so. If you want the best of both worlds, you can also try becoming a futanari. Even if you're a girl there's also a way to turn it on and off."

Just how much bias this world have toward girls?

"I prefer being the plain old me, no thanks—and how the hell does that anything have to do with my current adventure?"

"It's all up to you to think of its importance. I'm not responsible to help if your circumstances don't interest me. Well, just notify me if you changed your mind. It would just be a quick process--no pain and you can keep your small penis if you like. It'll look better as a girl."

The last sentence was really...how should I put it? Not only she was shameless, but she's also the most perverted person I've ever met.

She faded into thin air, before leaving me with this message.

[Remember, this is just a game. No fun reading a guide all the time. You gotta explore it yourself and have fun.]

Even if the idea didn't seem that bad, experiencing what it's like to be the other sex—it made me seem like I was just going with this loli's whims and I really don't like it.

I'm not a tsundere, really.

...

Since it's near lunchtime when I checked the menu clock, I went straight back to the Inn.

It was true what the loli said, the Pops gave me a warm gaze when our eyes met—and it's not in a homoerotic way.

Plus, there's a lot of Adventurers eating the said gelatin—it's almost surreal.

"Ah, you're finally back. I don't know what you did, but to think people had opened their eyes to the glory that is Durian. I recently made a variant that doesn't smell, try it."

The gelatin had a thick and creamy texture, with sour and sweet taste. He also added a topping of vanilla ice cream to it. I gave the Pops two thumbs up.

As thanks for advertising his masterpiece Durian Gelatin, the lunch is on the house. I didn't really do anything though—it's all the loli's doing—but since the Pops offered me free lunch, who am I to refuse? Hahaha.

The main course itself was fried rice with sliced vegetables like cucumber, carrot and a side of tomatoes. The meat seems to be pork fillet and french crinkle-cut fries and a few fried onions mixed in. I dipped soy sauce across the meal and mixed it all together with spoon and fork before inhaling the scent slowly, savoring its tantalizing scent.

The Pops also threw me a bowl of white noodle with various mouth-watering smell assaulting my nostrils. It had crunchy vegetables and soft-chewy looking tube thing—was it Chikuwa? Soft meatballs, green vegetables, a bit of garlic flavor but mostly enervating fresh. It's the appetizer I think.

The Pops also top up a fruit juice and the pudding with royal chocolate topping and rum raisin.

Like I wouldn't be full with the delicacies, he brought me a basket filled with various bread. He recommended me to just eat it right before I normally would savor the dessert. There's a long one like french bread, slices of pizza, chocolate, and cheese, the one with beef floss and there's also a large round bread whose size were many times my palm.

For the dessert, there's also an additional menu that's not available for take-out like White Chocolate Waffle, Torte Cake, Muffins and most importantly—Pancakes!

Ugh...

Hopefully, Diabetes can be cured via healing magic. I wasn't that kind of person who gets fat from eating too much though, so that's probably my only redeeming feature.

Time to dig in.

I just realize the meals in this establishment were kinda heavy.

When I asked the pops about it, he was like:

"Filling your belly with the most satisfying meal is the best after a hard day's adventure. I used to be an Adventurer like you before I put the retirement paper to the Guild."

Come to think of it, this relaxed atmosphere didn't seem fitting for the people who're about to go on Adventures, but the ones returning.

Right, when I was about to review the food in detail—starting from the noodles, Fiona and Liese's just returned with lots of shopping bags.

Where are their weapons and armor? Oh, probably took them for maintenance along the way.

Horace and Jung also had their weapons as they went off ahead before—probably for some training. Was the Colosseum Event a group battle?

More importantly...

"That was quick for a date."

Ah, I let my Yuri fantasies run wild again.

The clothes they looked completely different though. Those shirts and clothes—I thought I was going back to Earth when I saw their casual attire. So they sold those stuff too? I didn't see them when I visited the Item Shop—maybe they brought it someplace else?

Probably since I spaced out for a bit, Liese let out a playful frown at me.

"Oi! It's merely a euphemism though.", she nudged her elbows at Fiona while making sure our eyes didn't meet. "Well, it's just girls' friendship thing. Right, Fiona?"

Although she probably didn't realize her elbow fondled against Fiona's milk jugs.

"Hehehe...Liese's pretty good at choosing bargain products...I wuv her...hehehe...."

Fiona's move made it even more obvious as she just embraced Liese in the Inn lobby, but the other Adventurers didn't seem to care, again.

"C-come on, don't be so clingy in the public, people might misunderstand."

"Go get a room."

I replied in a monotone voice, I think the pervert loli's a bad influence.

Ah, I'm starting to get jealous. Do I really have to ask that lewd loli to turn me into a girl, so I can sandwich myself between the two?

"...but we're already in the same room—ah." Fiona covered her mouth with both hands.

"That's why people misunderstand us! It's normal for female adventurers to share a room!"

"..and...how many of them would rock the bed at night?" I couldn't help but grin as I try muttering them nonchalantly.

"In our case at least few—hey, that was really sneaky, Takeshi—you damn virgin!" Liese was about to lash out at me before she finally notices, when she glanced at my table, "Wow, that's loads of food—you'd be treating us honey pie's, rite?"

Liese made the smug expression while cracking her fists like a delinquent about to ask someone for lunch money.

"So jealous, I want some grub too...I haven't eaten much since this morning...uuu.."

As for Fiona, she looked like an abandoned kitten who hadn't had any, yet from the breadcrumbs at her mouth—I thought she's the real glutton here.

Maybe at that time when we ate dinner by the camp, she didn't eat much because of her lack of money, she rationed her meals? I don't know really.

Just when I was about to have a dilemma whether or not to treat them, the Pops said to me.

"it's on the house, I'm glad Takeshi had some lovely friends."

I'm not going to describe in detail about how the food taste again, at this point you might be sick of it.

All I could tell, since there's so much food portion at my side, Fiona and Liese just ordered the main course and the noodle. For the rest, we divided the portions evenly.

I just realized they're such good person, when they just ate their own respective portion, unlike that loli.

Well, I made my portion bit smaller, otherwise, I'd be full as hell. Before that, I already ate the skewers and durian gelatin, you know.

It all thanks to Fiona and her own good-nature--she could gobble up all the leftovers so Pops wouldn't get angry.

...

The thing they brought before was the food supplies and stuff when we're about to endlessly grind until I was level 15—or until 5 days passed. Where did they get the money to buy stuff though—well, none of my business?

They had a bit of difficulty lugging all those to the second floor, while I just waited downwards and chugging some good ol' beer, also on the house.

Do we really need that much food though? I had a feeling it'd be some wasted expense, but hell—it's not my own money they spend so who cares.

For the preparations, we just talked with the Pops and he would arrange for us a carriage with a trustworthy driver. Right after Liese and Fiona's equipment maintenance was over, the driver could depart at any moment.

"If you have anything you want to do, best settle it now. Even if the driver is patient, he won't wait that long." Pops laughed heartily as he said so.

"...hotel?"

Fiona started whispering in a soft voice to Liese but I could clearly hear it.

"Perv." Liese let out a meaningful smile before they went back to the second floor.

It took a good amount of sip and yet another mug of that sweet ol' beer when hurried footsteps from the second floor resounded.

Did they go with the bags commonly used by office ladies? I really don't know what kind of fashion sense they're aiming at here, but sometimes I kinda forgot this is really another world.

The stupid couple locked arms and merrily hummed a tune as they exited the Inn.

"Their luggage is still here, let's just leave the youngsters be." the Pops made a different gaze of warmth as if sending her daughters into marriage.

"Well, I'm still young, you know. I'm also a healthy young man, so I was wondering if you can tell me a bit, concerning the...Purification House."

"Oh..." Pops' eyes turned really sharp all of sudden, "I see you're a man of culture as well."