"I know the Empire isn't currently at war with anyone… so why are there so many soldiers here?" Azel asked as they walked through the streets.

Calling it a street was generous… the entire area looked more like a hardened military compound than any normal town.

There were no shops here… none of the usual vendors too and no taverns neither bars.

There were just uniformed soldiers marching in repetition, drills sounding in the distance, metal clanging from training yards, and a thick smell of sweat floating through the air like fog.

Gwendolyn floated behind him, her nose wrinkled.

The witch who had seen five centuries was… now offended by body odor.

Mynes flapped her hand dramatically in front of her nose.

"It smells like sweaty men here. I don't mind licking Azel's sweat…" She paused, cheeks warming. "But damn, it really smells horrid around here."

Azel looked at her incredulously. Mynes blushed deeper but didn't retract her words.

Mira rolled her eyes.

'I mean… she's right.' She admitted internally. The closer they got to the training fields, the more every breath tasted like unwashed armpits.

They passed a wide open training camp… men and women alike doing push-ups, swinging swords, stabilizing bombs, and shouting.

'Wait actual bombs?!' Azel nearly shouted out as he heard the pinging sound.

Their movements synchronized like they were one.

"They have good form," Gwendolyn commented, floating in a seated position above Azel's shoulder.

She nodded approvingly. "In my days, they usually got the dark-skinned ones and any Beastmen they captured and whipped them into shape. Literally whipped. So I'm glad they've stopped using whips."

Azel stared at her.

'Honestly expected you to say the whips were better.'

Gwendolyn gasped in offense. "I might have bound our souls together, but I'm not evil! I'm just an old lady seeking entertainment."

'Yeah… right.' Azel rolled his eyes.

They reached a building guarded by a stern-looking soldier.

"This is a personal inn meant for commanding officers," the guard explained. He didn't flinch even knowing who Mira was. "If you have a permission slip, show it. If not, please step off the property."

Mira smiled… the kind of smile that could make a grown man forget his training though for the man, it could spell a lot of horrific things.

She handed him a small rectangular slip.

The guard's soul left his body.

"K-Knight Commander…!" He nearly dropped the slip. "I apologize for the disrespect!"

He scrambled aside, bowing repeatedly as he handed her the key with trembling hands.

And then ran off like a demon was chasing him… Azel didn't send any single bit of aura from him but he ran like his life depended on it.

Mira watched him go. "He's a really good soldier. Obedient ones like that are rare."

She unlocked the door.

The interior surprised even Azel… it was more structured than a regular small inn. Almost like private quarters for nobles, except simpler.

After the main door, two separate chamber doors stood side by side, each leading to a private room with its own bathroom.

Mira locked the entrance behind them.

"Each room is fully equipped," she explained. "Azel, you take one for yourself. We'll take the other."

"Wait… what?!" Mynes immediately protested, stepping protectively toward Azel like a small animal guarding its food. "Why does he get a whole room alone?!"

She pressed her hand to her chest dramatically. "You can take one room alone… and me and Azel can take the other. See? Problem solved."

Mira grabbed Mynes by the wrist and dragged her into the left room.

The door shut with a decisive THUD.

Azel blinked. "Guess the next one is mine, then."

He stepped into the right room.

It was simple, clean, and well-kept. Hosting a single bed with clean sheets, a mirror on the left wall and a bathroom at the far end.

Most importantly:

There was no sweat smell, except from him.

He took off his shirt, revealing his toned upper body… his muscles sculpted from training and constant fighting.

Gwendolyn instantly materialized on the bed, crossing her legs and watching the show like an eager audience member.

"Your upper body is hot…" She floated toward him and touched his shoulder, her fingers sinking through the skin and muscle like smoke.

She hummed. "Thick… solid… and you have so many veins. You'd hold a woman beautifully. You're—"

She kissed the air dreamily. "Perfection. Just like the protagonists in the romance scrolls I read. Mmm, with that physique, your penis will definitely be large."

Azel closed his eyes. "You really need to give me some privacy."

He dropped his trousers.

Gwendolyn's jaw dropped.

'It's like… twice… no, thrice the size of Yarog's when he was hard,' she thought, her nose beginning to bleed.

She stared at the outline alone, realizing she was wildly unprepared. 'And that's just the bulge… gods help me.'

Azel summoned a towel into his hands.

He walked toward the bathroom and paused, giving her one last glare.

"If you even think about phasing through this door, I'll blast you with divine magic."

He shut the door.

Gwendolyn wiped her nose, trembling. "S-s-so big…"

…

In the women's room, Mynes paced.

"Do you think we should just leave Azel like that?" she asked anxiously. Mira was peeling off armor piece by piece, revealing the soft clothes underneath.

"Like what?" Mira asked. "He's fine."

Mynes threw her hands up. "He spat out blood earlier! And he was feeling weak after it! What if he's hiding an illness from us?"

Mira paused, her brows tightening slightly.

"What if right now, because we left him alone for privacy, he's drowning in his bathwater?!" Mynes continued dramatically.

She walked to the door, her shirt sliding off her shoulders until her white singlet hugged her chest.

Her breasts bounced lightly as she pulled the last strap away. "I don't know about you… but I'm going to take care of him."

She swung the door open and sprinted to Azel's room.

Mira sighed but followed, adjusting her undershirt.

Mynes didn't knock.

She pried the bathroom door open… and steam poured out.

And Azel was slumped in the center of the bathtub, completely unconscious with his head leaning back as water lapped against his chest.

Both women froze.

"Azel…?!" Mira rushed forward first.

Mynes gasped loudly, panic flooding her face.

"Azel!!!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.