Walking back towards their camp after the markings were done, Rudy couldn't help but feel awkward as he'd been embarrassed by a glimpse of Zephyr's manhood while the two were doing their task. A glance back to his groin and he felt… Inadequate, and in a moment, he wondered if the difference in size was the reason why the merchant had been able to have sex with so many girls while he'd still remained a virgin.

Shaking his head, he tried not to think too much–but then again, as the jealousy within his heart began to bubble up, Rudy's face contorted into a grimace.

'But the girls won't even know how big it is without…' Mulling over the thought some more, he came to a more appropriate conclusion. 'Does he have something besides the size, or maybe it's something in addition to the size that I don't have?'

The thought made his heart sink like an anchor, and finally, he had to ask for keeping the questions trapped within was tormenting him even more than the cage did.

"Custer, can I ask you something?" Stopping in his tracks, Rudy curled his fingers into his palms. "I think I might need some advice from another man about this topic. I can't ask mom or the others…"

Turning around, Custer shot Rudy a curious glance with his hands folded.

"And what's that?"

"Cecilia, and well–" Taking a step forward, the hero was reminded of his failed attempt to buy himself a sex slave. His head was dejected to the ground in an instant, and yet he spoke. "And Okio too seems to be in love with you, and well, I…"

Gathering his courage, he lifted his head again.

"I wanted to know how you managed to get not one but two women to fall in love with you!" Swallowing on a dry throat, Rudy took a deep breath and waited for an answer.

Taking a moment to consider what the hero truly meant, Zephyr narrowed his gaze and told him exactly what his problem was.

"You're trying to be someone you're not," taken aback, Rudy's head jerked to the words. "I heard about the slave purchase, your fallout with Roxanne, and some other stuff with Freya and the belt."

"O-oh…" Feeling strange that he knew it all, Rudy quickly looked away and tried not to reach and cover himself in front of the belt. "How did you know?"

"Doesn't matter," turning to the front again, Custer took a deep breath and told the truth that Rudy needed to hear. "You're weaker than you think, Rudy. You're less manly than you think, and it's not just your face or body, but your demeanor, your actions, and the way you act–everything about you screams the word, desperate."

While he was still struggling to digest the barrage of insults, Zephyr glanced back at him from over his shoulder and hit the last nail on its head.

"Women hate desperate men. And even being a man, I have to say you've got no chance with a woman that you're not paying for." The hero went still as an idol to the harsh words from the fiend. His hand reached forward, and he knew that he had to say something, but choking on his own spit, he began to cough while Custer continued walking.

Leaving the hero behind, Zephyr finally saw the camp again. While approaching it, however, he sensed Glyea's gaze set on Valentine, even though for a few hours she'd been pretending to be asleep to test if the vampire would hold the promise that they'd made. Stopping once more, the fiend closed his eyes and, using his magic, put her in a trance-like state, boosting her drowsiness.

'Just sleep, you don't have to worry. We're not killing anyone here.' Letting out a yawn, the knight felt as if her eyes were being pricked by a thousand nails. Her eyelids grew heavy as well, and in a matter of seconds, she lay down and fell asleep in an instant.

"Hey!" Grabbed by the shoulder as he'd expected, Zephyr turned to the frustrated look on Rudy's face. "Take back what you said! I'm not desperate! And I'll get a girlfriend soon, I don't have to pay for someone to be with me!"

Shrugging his hands off, Custer turned around and faced him.

"And that scream really makes you not seem desperate, isn't that right?"

"W-what?! NO!" Clicking his tongue, Rudy grunted as he stared at the merchant. "You didn't have to say all that, and I want you to take it back, that's all."

"And what would that change?" Zephyr asked.

"I..I-its not true so it won't change anything–but still!"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Zephyr looked Rudy in the eye before moving his head closer. Holding his stare, the fiend said but a few words–words that would keep the hero awake for the rest of the night.

"Prove me wrong. We have from here to the capital," slowly letting go of his clothes, Zephyr slowly pulled him back. "You can be alone with anyone. I don't care who you choose, but prove to me that you can get a girlfriend even if it's your cousin or your aunt–and I will take what I said back and even apologize to you on all fours."

Tilting his head sideways, Zephyr added.

"How does that sound? I will even give you the extra key for the belt; just prove me wrong." Taking his leave with those words, the fiend left the hero with the realization that this very journey could be his chance. And although he was angry at the merchant, in the face of what he could gain–a girlfriend, who in his mind was Roxanne as the only choice–he decided to ignore it all and instead prove him wrong with his action.

Squeezing his fist while staring at Custer's back as he was walking away, Rudy swore in his mind.

'I'll get a girlfriend and lose my virginity before we get there. JUST YOU WATCH, YOU COCKY BASTARD!'

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