Despite the unexpected betrayal, if Lucy were to name the best aspect of the hero party, she would undoubtedly say it was the party members’ adherence to modesty. 

Having witnessed countless parties of mixed genders descend into internal strife, or worse, where women were mistreated or men fought over each other’s women leading to the party’s ruin, Lucy had desperately hoped the hero party would be composed of members with conservative views on sexuality.

Fortunately, the party members proved to be very upstanding, focusing solely on their mission to defeat the Demon King. 

The male warrior, Reinhold, was an exemplary figure, while the porter—though not particularly memorable—seemed to be occupied daily with managing supplies and checking off tasks for the day, leaving little room for anything else.

Lucy’s concerns were not unfounded. 

She was the fourth hero in human history and the first to succeed in vanquishing the Demon King. 

Previous heroes had all failed, though they had achieved the remarkable feat of stabilizing and solidifying the front lines.

But disaster had struck with the second hero. 

His male thief companion had stolen away all the female members of the party, and the hero was falsely accused of the failure to defeat the Demon King, leading to his execution. 

The saint, the mage, the archer, and the warrior—all women—had sided with the thief, forming families and living happily ever after. 

This became the norm for the next three generations.

The goddess, who had hoped for humans to reveal and punish the corruption themselves, was infuriated and descended upon the church. 

She punished the priests who had turned a blind eye by making them blind and deaf, then appointed the hero’s younger sister as the new pope, commanding her to uncover every detail of the crimes.

The decree was so forceful that it echoed through distant kingdoms, as recorded in the holy scriptures and historical accounts. 

The saint, already punished by the goddess to a state of unhearing and unseeing, confessed all her sins on the spot. 

The goddess directly tormented the saint, burning her lower body and tearing her once-full bosom apart before sending her to the kingdom. 

The descendants of the heroes, ignorant of the past, initially called for justice but then sought to cover up their grandparents’ sins when they were exposed.

The mage, once a princess and later a queen, had her scandal hidden by the nobility and royals of the kingdom. 

In the end, the goddess, having decided to exterminate humanity, flooded the entire kingdom. 

The pope, the hero’s younger sister, was given the holy sword wielded by her brother and tasked with fishing out the criminals from the floodwaters, impaling them like skewers. 

The guilty were made to suffer the agony of being eaten alive by fish before their brains and eyes were devoured, and only then did the goddess drag their souls to hell.

In the chaos, the thief had fled to the Demon Realm, begging the Demon King to hide him. 

But the Demon King, terrified by the goddess’s wrath, personally bound the thief to a cart and sent him towards the church with a whip.

It was said that the thief’s body had been so destroyed by the journey that only a few remnants remained when he arrived. 

History warns that those entrusted with a mission should never be reckless and that if they provoke the goddess, they will face her direct wrath, a fate that even historical records remain silent about. 

Thus, the kingdom was destroyed, and an empire was established in its place. 

The goddess had originally intended to eradicate humanity entirely, but the hero’s sister, in a dramatic gesture of repentance, tore her clothes and poured sand on her head, begging for forgiveness. 

The goddess swore never to punish humanity with water again, but added a caveat that those who misbehave would be punished with fire.

As for why this lengthy preamble was necessary, it was because Lin was now facing a different type of danger related to chastity, feeling a threat to his life. 

“Oh my, your face looks fine,” came the suggestive voice. 

“Big brother~ here and here. I’ll treat you well,” a seductive voice continued.

“Which one do you want? An elf? A beastkin? Come and choose,” the voice coaxed.

Lin found himself in a straight-lined city with a brothel prominently in the center, a layout he found both bewildering and disturbing. 

The throbbing in his head and the sweat on his body were the least of his worries. 

Despite his best efforts to control himself, the cries of the brothel workers, even through the thick clothing, were unnervingly stimulating.

Lin was acutely aware of the danger of his magic flaring up. 

If it did, Lucy’s death would be inevitable. 

Knowing this, Lin was doing everything in his power to endure the situation. 

“It’s not cold at all. It’s rather warm,” Lin mused, considering whether he should buy winter gear. 

However, the chilling wind was biting at every part of his exposed body except his abdomen.

“Oh my, look at the goosebumps on your hand. You’re cold, aren’t you? Come inside for a cup of tea. I’ll get you a drink. What would you like?”

“No, no, no, I’m just passing by,” Lin stammered.

“You seem sincere. There’s something different about you compared to other men,” the brothel worker said, examining him closely.

“If you look at my stomach, you’ll see I’m not well,” Lin replied, attempting to deflect.

“Oh, I know. The guards told me. It’s your constitution, right? Then you’re not sick. I’ll treat you well.”

The worker, who had already been paid, was evidently spreading information about Lin, and likely had mentioned his weaknesses, branding him a soft target.

The prices the brothel workers were quoting were exorbitant, a fact Lin, familiar with the local market rates, couldn’t ignore. 

“Just leave me alone,” Lin said firmly.

“Ha! Do you think you’re something special? Are you a eunuch?” 

The attitude of the workers shifted abruptly, turning hostile when Lin refused their advances. 

Despite the insults and jeers, Lin remained unperturbed.

“It was the same with the hero party,” he muttered to himself as he pushed through the remaining workers and reached the end of the alley.

Unseen by others, Lucy was concealed within Lin’s clothing. Knowing Lucy felt deep guilt over her past actions, Lin was aware that his recent outburst could be devastating.

Indeed, Lucy’s keen hearing had picked up on his words, and her anger and jealousy quickly turned to sorrow.

Damn it, why do I feel like crying when I’m the one who made the mistake?

Lucy was frustrated with the relentless cycle of her emotions and tried to calm herself. 

She took deep breaths, closed her eyes, and heightened her sensitivity to sounds.

According to Lin, there were demons in Ephalter. 

Though succubi were relatively weak among demons, they were still a nuisance with their delicate black magic. 

Within the hero party, the most sensitive to such magical threats were the saint Arsil and the hero Lucy.

The likelihood of encountering a succubus in a brothel was high, but Lucy couldn’t afford to be complacent. 

Yet, as she listened, all she could hear was Lin’s breathing and footsteps. 

The very fact that they were Lin’s made Lucy’s expression soften and her taste buds tingle with anticipation. 

If Arsil had seen this, she would have thought Lucy mad. 

But Lucy, steadfast in her belief that Lin was her fated partner, remained resolute.

“It’s rare to see a man at this hour, especially someone as frail as you,” the brothel worker commented.

The voice was deep and husky, and without being able to see outside, Lucy almost mistook it for a man’s voice.

“I came to buy winter gear,” Lin said, addressing the worker.

“The cold mountain ranges are a tough challenge even for a burly man,” the worker replied, with a sticky undertone.

Lucy was now certain that the worker was a woman and could sense her hunger for customers. 

Lin and Lucy sighed in unison as they noticed the exposed information about themselves. 

Ephalter was a lively place, despite its low population, with locals and explorers alike well-acquainted with one another. 

Yet, the streets were unusually deserted, and the level of suspicion and curiosity toward outsiders was high.

“The mountains can’t judge by appearance,” the worker added.

“It’s about the body. Those mountains are particularly strong in dark energy. Even a sturdy man will shrink upon entry,” the worker said, revealing a hint of underlying menace.

The shop wasn’t very large. 

One side had a few weapons, while the other side was stocked with winter gear and various goods. 

Lin approached the shelves with winter gear first. 

“Look at the dust,” Lin noted, observing the accumulation on the items.

After picking out a couple of gloves and other essentials, Lin turned to the weapons section. 

“What, buying equipment too?” The worker’s tone was dismissive.

Ignoring the sarcasm, Lin stood in front of a displayed suit of armor. 

Full plate mail made of iron, with a sun-like emblem on the chest.

“How much for this?” Lin asked.

“The armor? It’s quite expensive,” the worker replied.

“No, the emblem. How much for that?” Lin clarified.

“The emblem? Why do you care? It’s just a design on the armor,” the worker said dismissively.

“Shall we make a bet? If I take just the emblem, I’ll get it for free. If I fail, I’ll pay double for the armor,” Lin proposed.

“Try if you can,” the worker said with a shrug.

Lin retrieved a pre-prepared scroll from his belongings, ready to make his move.

The content was blank, but even an empty skill scroll had been specially enchanted with magic. 

It was a type of spell that absorbed the principles or magic circles of contacting skills to transform into a new skill scroll. 

Anyone who has played RPG games knows this concept well. 

Entered a space filled with miscellaneous items? 

Click on everything and check it out. 

You never know where hidden items might be. 

Most players have an obsession with collecting, driven by a compulsion. 

This place was just one of many where countless clicks had yielded something.

“Huh?”

The shopkeeper’s dumbfounded exclamation faded into the background as Lin held the empty scroll against the symbol. 

A faint spark began to flicker. 

The spark transferred onto the scroll, crackling and drawing a magic circle. 

It didn’t take long for the scroll to complete. 

Despite the flashy presentation, the skill itself wasn’t extraordinary.

[Common: Embrace of Warmth]

But at this moment, it was truly useful. 

It was the skill Lin had used for Lucy when they escaped from the river. 

In the game, it was just a passive skill related to survival, so it was rated as common. 

However, in real life, it was rare to find something as excellent as this. 

Though the magic was simple enough not to warrant a skill level, it could defend against all cold-related status effects with just one use. 

As the magic circle transferred, the shop inside felt a chill. 

Fearing the possibility of a change in terms, Lin quickly wrapped up the scroll and approached the shopkeeper with a fur coat and gloves.

“How much?”

The shopkeeper was not easily swayed. 

With a suspicious glare, the shopkeeper held up his fingers.

“Five gold coins.”

“…That’s outrageous. Do I really have to pay gold coins for a few miscellaneous items?”

“Six gold coins.”

“Hey.”

“Ten gold coins.”

“…You’re not good at negotiating, are you?”

“Don’t have any money?”

Lin had the money.

But paying such an amount would spread rumors immediately in this narrow, tight-knit town, attracting many who would target his pockets.

“Please, consider this. The Demon King has been causing too much trouble lately, sending everyone to war zones and leaving this place untouched. It’s a recession.”

“That’s not my concern, and I don’t have the money. Unfortunately, this transaction ends here.”

Without hesitation, the shopkeeper returned the items to their place. 

It was unclear whether THE approach would work, but Lin couldn’t afford to pay that much. 

However, as the shopkeeper blocked the exit, Lin realized that leaving through the door had become increasingly difficult recently.

“Did you really think you could just leave after showing such skills?”

“It’s a transaction, not a trick.”

“Now that I see it, you speak quite eloquently.”

“Eloquent, you say? You’re using difficult words.”

“Come to think of it, you’ve got quite a bit of muscle on your arms.”

Lin’s arms, hidden by sleeves, were quite thick even for a man. 

“Your thighs are pretty firm too. I bet you’re strong, especially in the thrusting department.”

The shopkeeper grabbed Lin’s arm and began feeling his thighs.

“Hey, shopkeeper.”

“Those thighs are really firm.”

“I don’t have a penchant for self-abuse, and I don’t have much to show for it but a round belly due to my physique. It’s not your type, so please let me go.”

“My type is someone smart like you.”

The tone of voice had changed. 

The rough voice had become smooth and seductive.

“Initially, I wanted someone strong enough to survive the bitter cold, but… I got bored eating the same thing every day. Here, a smart man is a rare delicacy. As long as you don’t have some strange disease, a minor flaw is tolerable.”

The shopkeeper’s body, once muscular and manly, gradually lost its bulk. 

“What kind of woman is your type?”

The sun-tanned skin transformed into a pale white. 

“A woman with big breasts? A woman with wide hips?”

The once firm, muscular chest slowly took on a rounder, softer curve, eventually revealing a hint of heavy, voluptuous breasts.

“What kind of play would you like with your ideal woman?”

The hips remained the same, but the waist cinched in, revealing the irresistible line of a woman.

“How about making her pregnant and then expressing your desires on her pregnant belly? Perfectly conquering and staining her beneath you? How does that sound? To reveal the true worth of the man you are, who’s been disregarded until now, known only to me?”

A sweet fragrance filled the air. 

The Succubus’s seductive skill. 

It used a sweet scent to diminish cognitive and judgment abilities, reducing a person to mere lust.

“This chest, this bottom, and if you want, this mouth and backside… they’re all yours.”

It was impossible to withstand with ordinary mental strength.

“You know, I like both above and below. Start with whichever you prefer.”

But Lin, our baggage carrier, was forcibly immune to mental attacks and debuffs due to a goddess’s influence.

“Then let’s be fair and meet in the middle.”

“Middle?”

The decision was made. A determined breakthrough.

Since the exit was blocked anyway, there was no other option.

“Lucy!”

“Lucy?”

Facing the dumbfounded Succubus, Lin lifted his upper garments. 

Inside, 

Was Lucy, emitting a red aura even fiercer than a demon.

“Uh…?”

“Hey.”

Lucy glared fiercely, her eyes glowing with intensity. 

For her, Lin withdrew his arm from the bundle.

“You nasty harpy.”

The Succubus, having approached within an inch to seduce Lin, found herself at a disadvantage.

“Lin…”

Lucy focused her magical power, twisting her body.

“What is this!!!!”

The Succubus, belatedly grasping the situation, tried to retreat in panic but,

“Mine!!!!!!!”

The swift and heavy blow of the warrior, charged with heat, was unstoppable.

Bang—!!!!

Even without limbs, a warrior was still a warrior. 

With just a single strike, the Succubus was sent flying out of her own shop, shattering the entrance.