Chapter 570: A Quiet Walk In a Great Street

Returning from the mountain, the three of them walked through the night streets of Thaad, their footsteps echoing softly against the worn cobblestones.

The city lights were softer here, lanterns casting long amber pools across the street, their warm glow spilling over the stone and illuminating the path ahead.

Benjamin, Heka, and Erica—now dressed again as the man Eric, his masculine disguise firmly back in place—moved at a tired but steady pace, their bodies weary from the events of the evening but their minds still alert... until a familiar voice called out between hiccups, breaking the quiet of the night.

A drunk Aria, the dwarf, stood swaying slightly near a corner post, her droopy eyes struggling to focus on them through the haze of alcohol that clouded her vision.

Her body listed to one side, then the other, as she fought to maintain her balance against the stone post that supported her weight.

"Eric? We have been looking for you, searching all over the city. What are you three doing here, wandering the streets so late? Why is Benjamin exposing her breasts to the world without any shame? And why is she and Heka covered up in leaves, dressed like forest spirits rather than civilized people?" she asked, the words tumbling out between another hiccup and a slow blink, her brow furrowing with confused curiosity.

Because Benjamin and Heka had been scarcely dressed to begin with, they had improvised on the way down from the mountain.

Wide, thick leaves had been pressed into service as coverings, large green fronds plucked from the vegetation along the path:

Benjamin had wrapped several around his lower half like a crude skirt, the leaves overlapping to provide some semblance of modesty, while Heka's were arranged into a simple two-piece that passed for a bikini, the leaves strategically placed to cover what needed covering the most.

The leaves were still slightly damp from the spring, clinging to skin and shifting with every step, rustling softly as they moved.

Eric—having dressed properly again as a boy—wearing his usual masculine attire, looked the most presentable of the three, his appearance neat and composed in contrast to his companions' improvised coverings.

They explained that they had all gone up to use the hot spring on the mountain, seeking relaxation and warmth after the events of the day.

That accounted for the lingering wetness in their hair and on their skin, the damp strands that clung to their faces, and for why they had never appeared at the mixed bath and drinking party earlier in the evening.

Aria nodded slowly, processing the information through the haze of alcohol that fogged her mind, her head bobbing with exaggerated deliberation.

"The Guild Master wants to discuss some things with you, Eric, important matters that require your attention," she said, turning her attention to him, her droopy eyes trying to focus on his face. "He's been looking for you, asking where you had disappeared to."

"I see," Eric nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Can Benjamin accompany me to this meeting? She has been tasked with finding the villain already, and any information the Guild Master has might be relevant to her mission."

"Eh? I think it was more of a deal, an arrangement rather than a formal task," Aria replied, hiccuping again and scratching the side of her head with a blunt finger, her brow furrowing with uncertainty. "I mean, I'm not certain if she would be allowed to participate in sensitive meetings, given that she is not a normal member of the guild."

"Ugh, Aria, you're so cute when drunk..." Benjamin stepped forward and patted Eric's shoulder lightly, offering a small smile of reassurance. "Don't sweat the small stuff, Eric. I and Heka would even like to take a look at the city for a bit before returning to the guild. We would like to explore and see what this place has to offer. Also, you just referred to me as 'she.' Stop that already, you clearly know I'm male."

Eric promised to speak with the Guild Master and try to secure Benjamin more leeway in the coming days, to advocate for his involvement in the investigation.

He turned and left with Aria toward the guild hall, their figures growing smaller under the lantern light until they rounded a corner and disappeared from view.

Benjamin watched them go, his eyes following their retreating forms, then let out a long breath and hunched his shoulders, the tension of the evening finally beginning to release.

"SIGH… This was one of the most hectic nights of my second life, full of unexpected encounters and dangerous situations."

Heka walked beside him as they moved into a quieter stretch of the city, away from the main thoroughfares.

The streets here were narrower, the houses taller and closer together, their windows dark with sleep, the sound of distant conversation fading into soft night stillness that pressed in around them.

"So this level of stress was normal in your former life, something you experienced regularly?" she asked, glancing at him with curiosity, her vibrant brown eyes studying his profile in the dim light.

"It was, it was, very much so," Benjamin nodded, the motion slow and deliberate. "It was a job very close to Tensei or Shikaseiri's work, involving a lot of careful attention to detail. It involved a lot of papers and recording, endless documents and forms that had to be organized and maintained."

"Oh? So Benjamin was a royal clerk, working for the crown and its bureaucracy?" Heka raised her brows in mild surprise, her expression shifting to one of interest.

"Huh? Not quite, not exactly. I never worked for the government directly. More like a data entry clerk for my merchant boss, someone who handled the mundane paperwork that kept the business running." He sighed again.

Heka's expression shifted into concern, her playful demeanor softening.

She studied his face more carefully under the dim light, her eyes tracing the lines of fatigue that had settled across his features.

"Benjamin, you seem tired. Is everything alright?"

"You bet! I told you this was the most hectic night of my new life!" Benjamin's voice rose for a moment before he deliberately lowered it, catching himself, his eyes darting around to ensure they were not being overheard. "Let's speak more quietly; this seems to be a great neighborhood, and I don't want to attract unwanted attention."

"But you're the only one talking loudly." Heka's mouth curved into a small, teasing smile, her lips quirking with amusement. "You are usually so full of stamina, and inexhaustible, I suspected you had an ability for it, some power that kept you going endlessly. It truly is not an easy feat to sleep with multiple powerful Amazons in a single night."

Benjamin squinted at her in playful annoyance, his eyes narrowing with offense.

"Now you're painting me as a promiscuous pervert, a womanizer who cannot control his urges? Also yes, I do have a type of passive ability that allows me to not lose stamina at all, to keep going indefinitely. However, it is not a normal ability, and I cannot… train it in any conventional way."