[----------------STATUS-------------]

  [NAME: ------ Shirakiyo Hiromi]

  [ALLURE: ----------------------500]

  [TRAITS: ----Exhibitionist Lv.6]

  [TITLES: ---------------------None]

  [ERO POINTS: --------------1700]

  "Now I only need three hundred more ERO for that harem outfit. Yesterday's quest was a fiasco, but I still got closer to the goal… I'll leave the details out of my memory."

  Hiromi closed the ERO System's holographic screen and brought a meat skewer to her mouth. It was the same kind she'd seen that long-haired blonde girl eating a few days ago.

  Apparently, they were pretty popular, and in her opinion the spiced flavor of the meat more than justified it.

  "But, just like I thought, there was a poster with a drawing of that blonde girl, banning her from the skewer stall… Is she living off dine-and-dash scams? She wouldn't have any trouble making a living as a model… What a strange girl."

  When she finished the last piece of meat on her skewer, she spotted a bald man walking down the street. He was pretty muscular, but there was no way you could call him handsome.

  "Oh! You're the girl who was with Ruby. I just completed a pretty lucrative quest. How about you join me to celebrate?"

  "No thanks… (I didn't take any ERO quests today. I wanted to rest after all the shame of yesterday. Besides, something tells me that even if I did have a quest, following him wouldn't end with just a drink)."

  Dedrick shrugged with a grin.

  "Suit yourself, your loss… Ah, by the way."

  "What is it?" Hiromi asked, turning her head toward the adventurer who was already walking away.

  "Looks like your friend really messed up her quest. She lost all her expensive gear, and the loan sharks are looking for her."

  "Is that true?!"

  Dedrick only waved without turning around and disappeared into the crowd.

  "Ruby…"

  ***

  Hiromi walked with her head down toward the area near The Tavern. She would have liked to run into Ruby and see if she could help somehow.

  But she wasn't sure where to look for her. Only two places came to mind, the spot they usually visited, or the inn where they were staying. The latter would be her next stop.

  "But… even if I find her, what can I do for her?"

  "Young miss, why the long face?"

  "Geh…"

  She had forgotten that the two of them weren't the only ones who frequented The Tavern.

  Sipping tea calmly at one of the terrace tables sat the old man, Calicante.

  "What's with the 'geh'? Hohoho, young miss, if you want to make it in the world of connections, you need to learn to hide your emotions better. Take it from a veteran merchant."

  "Sorry, I've always had a bad habit of saying what I think…"

  "That didn't sound much like an apology, but fine, I can't deny I deserve it," Calicante said, still chuckling. "Why don't you indulge another whim of this old man and have tea with me? Tell me what's bothering you."

  He gestured to the empty chair across from him.

  "I don't know if that's the best idea…" Hiromi said, even as she walked over anyway.

  "Relax, young miss, I haven't taken my viagra yet. I'm as harmless as a kitten."

  "Comments like that are exactly why I can't relax. And I don't even want that image in my head…"

  She sighed, but sat down anyway and ordered a cup of tea. She wanted to share her worries with someone, even though her confidant was also one of the sources of those worries.

  She had no choice but to settle for the wisdom of age, no matter how perverted that wisdom might be.

  "Well? What's worrying you so much?" Calicante asked once Hiromi's cup arrived.

  "It's Ruby… a friend. Apparently, she borrowed money from a dangerous place and now she has no way to pay it back."

  "Oh, that redhead. If I know her, she's another one of the women Pinti has his eye on."

  A shiver ran down Hiromi's spine at the sound of that name.

  "You can complain about that goblin all you want, but when it comes to having a good eye, he really does. That's why he does so well as a merchant."

  "So he really is a goblin?" Hiromi asked, intrigued.

  "Wouldn't surprise me, but I'm only saying it because I stole it from you. I also made sure to spread it among all his enemies. He turns red with rage when they insult him with that," Calicante said, bursting into laughter as he stroked his beard.

  "Are you two friends or enemies?!"

  "I think 'rivals' is the most accurate word, hohoho."

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "I just hope he doesn't blame me…" Hiromi sighed.

  "What are you talking about? Of course he knows you were the mastermind. He spends his days thinking about what he'll do when he can buy you, or rent you, if you know what I mean, hohoho. Of course, don't worry, I won't let him monopolize you."

  "Uuu, that doesn't reassure me in the slightest…"

  "Now then, about your friend's problem," Calicante said, frowning. "The first lesson I'd give you as a merchant is that there are no loans that aren't dangerous, no matter where you get them. Even the most respectable banks have left plenty of people out on the street."

  "I think I've heard stories like that in my world too…"

  "But fortunately for your friend, she's in Alasta, and she has an enviable body. So she has a very effective way to get out of debt…"

  "I think women rely on their bodies a lot to get money in my world too… But what method, exactly, do you mean?"

  "You should know better than I do," the old man replied with an enigmatic smile. "Don't you want to join the Crimson Monarch's harem? Or rather, Alasta's Harem?"

  "Ugh… why does everyone know that?" Hiromi let out another tired sigh, finally understanding what the old man meant earlier about not letting her be monopolized. "But what does a harem have to do with Ruby's debts?"

  "Seems you really don't know," Calicante said, taking the last sip of his brew. "The Harem isn't just the ideal place to earn fame, fortune, and money. Debt collectors can't touch you as long as you're part of Alasta's ruler's Harem, even if it's only a harem in name, hohoho."

  ***

  "All things considered, having tea with Calicante wasn't such a bad idea. Even considering he pretended to drop the check and tried to look between my legs from under the table…"

  Hiromi was now walking toward the inn, her head much clearer than before.

  "Now I just have to find Ruby… But if she's not at the inn, where else could she be… the adventurers' guild? Then again, the debt collectors will probably be looking for her anywhere she'd normally show up…"

  "Hiromiiii!"

  "Ruby?!"

  She didn't have to look for her much longer, because the redhead was sprinting toward her from the opposite direction.

  "Run, Hiromi!"

  "What?! Ah!"

  Before she could even process what was happening, Ruby grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into a run.

  "Wait!"

  "Stop them!"

  "They're debtors!"

  Behind them, a bunch of men dressed in black were giving chase, trying to catch up.

  "Why am I getting dragged into this too?!" Hiromi shouted, horrified.

  "Because we're friends?" Ruby asked as she ran beside her, wearing an awkward smile.

  "…"

  "Ah! It's that face again!" Ruby exclaimed. "The face you make when you want to hurt me!"

  "You're pretty tough. I don't think a couple hundred slaps would actually hurt you…"

  "I'm sorry, ok?! It's just a habit! We always escape as a group in quests! I grabbed your hand without even thinking!"

  "…Fine… This way, then! Down that alley!"

  Without meaning to, Hiromi had become an expert on alleys.

  "I saw some empty barrels here not too long ago…"

  "Barrels? Ah! There's one." Ruby pointed at it.

  "Ugh, only one. They must've taken the rest…"

  They have to be around here somewhere!

  I think I saw them go into that alley.

  Through the noise of the crowd, their pursuers' voices carried faintly from a distance.

  "There's no other way, let's share!" Ruby exclaimed as she popped the lid off the barrel.

  To both of their relief, it was empty, so they squeezed inside as best they could and sealed it again from the inside.

  ***

  [ERO SYSTEM NOTICE]

  [Content censored by the Alasta Administration]

  [Impact on the plot: None]

  [Would you like to unlock the spicy scenes on Patreon to support the novel?]

  ***

  This way!

  What is it? Did you find something?

  The two of them froze when they heard the voices outside the barrel.

  I'm hearing some weird noises over here…

  Weird how?

  Something like moans… It's pretty erotic, actually…

  !!

  Bonk!

  A dull thud from outside the barrel stole the breath from both of them.

  Don't talk nonsense! We're looking for a debtor on the run, and what looks like her accomplice! And you're telling me they're over here, without a care in the world, doing nasty stuff with each other?!

  Yeah, you're right. That sounds pretty stupid…

  "…"

  "…"

  That's what you get for watching too much porn… Let's hurry up, they must be getting away while we're standing here talking.

  While Hiromi and Ruby held their breath, they listened to the footsteps fade down the alley.

  The two of them stayed perfectly still for several long minutes, until they finally convinced themselves there was no danger nearby.

  "Freedom!" Ruby exclaimed as she burst out of the barrel, flinging the lid into the air.

  "Not so loud, they could still be close!"

  They climbed out sweaty and panting, then fixed their clothes as best they could.

  "But seriously, you were such a pervert, Hiromi…"

  "You were the one who stuck your leg in there and wouldn't stop moving it!"

  "But you didn't have to counterattack, we almost got caught because of you…"

  "Because you wouldn't stay still! And if we're talking about who's at fault, all of this is on you!"

  "Hahaha, yeah, you're right about that…"

  Ruby's gaze clouded over, and she let out a heavy sigh.

  "We lost them this time, but I can't keep running for the rest of my life. I'll have to prepare myself for the worst… At least the whole loan is under my name, so my party will be fine. And you don't have to worry either, Hiromi, they only chased you because you were with me. If we stay apart, nothing will happen to you."

  Hiromi stepped closer and looked Ruby straight in the eyes.

  "Hiromi? What's wrong?" Ruby asked, meeting her gaze. "I know we had fun in the barrel, but I don't play for that team…"

  "Don't say stupid things!" Hiromi scolded her, turning red. "I ran into an old perv… I mean, a merchant I know, and he explained that…"

  She told Ruby everything she'd talked about with Calicante earlier that day.

  "I see… If I join the harem, I can rack up enough money to pay the debt without any trouble, and I won't have to keep running… But doesn't that bother you? We'd be rivals to be the prost… the number-one concubine."

  "Of course I don't plan on losing in that department. Besides, you might get to live your dream of becoming a millionaire without ever having to meet the Crimson Monarch."

  "It's true that the Ten Concubines are the most influential and powerful people in Alasta… Alright, Hiromi, I think you've convinced me to become part of your erotic novel."

  "You're the only person I know who reads erotic novels! Stop tying everything back to them for once… Wait, ten concubines?"

  "You really don't know anything. And you're trying to join the harem like that?"

  "It's because I'm not from this world… It's not that easy…"

  "Isn't it because you spend your afternoons wandering food stalls instead of learning about the city?"

  "Ugh… I can't argue with that…"

  Ruby sighed before continuing.

  "I won't get into details, but what you do need to know is that the Ten Concubines live on the second-to-last floor of the palace. In other words, they're the concubines closest to the Crimson Monarch, who lives on the top floor."

  "Weren't you saying only the number-one concubine can have an audience with the Crimson Monarch?" Hiromi asked, tilting her head.

  "Yeah, that's true. Honestly, I don't even know if any of them have ever managed to see him. But what I do know is that we can't cross them if we want to climb the ranks."

  "I'll keep that in mind…" Hiromi nodded to herself. "But Ruby, there's another problem. You need a harem outfit first. Does your system that's not ERO sell one too?"

  "You're right, for some reason that's a requirement. But don't worry, in one of my first quests I found one in a chest, and I still haven't sold it."

  "What?! Just like that?!"

  "Honestly, I thought for a second about giving it to you, but outfits you find in a dungeon are magically tailored to your own size…"

  Ruby hugged her rather considerable breasts up with her arms, and her gaze drifted to Hiromi's chest. Hiromi quickly covered herself, annoyed.

  "You're right, but your butt is way bigger too!"

  "Is that a bad thing?"

  "Ugh… It's bad if you want to fit in a barrel with someone else!"

  "Hahahaha, that's true!"

  "…"