6.4. Estia

Sequencee, Schwii, Leticia and Reese stepped through the gate. A gentle refreshing wish blew against their body. Naturally, as a territory built right beside the Norcto’s forest, the air was cold and dewy.

“”I’m back… hm?””

Sequencee and Leticia turned to each other. They bawled out laughing.

Scwhii wiggled an eyebrow, Reese tilted her head.

“This is where Leticia and I stayed the past three years after the incident.”

“Two years,” Leticia corrected.

“Something like that..”

“I see..” Schwii looked around.

The warp gate was located on top of a hill which overlooked the entire region of Luddite Earldom. It was dark, and unlike the bustling cities of Rika Nation and Equestria’s capital, there was a sense of quietness to it. Though, that is not to say night life didn’t exist. There was a section of the city lit up with flashing light, most likely the harlot’s district.

Permitted by the guards, they entered the gates.

“Hold on, our luggage–”

“It’s with me, don’t worry about it. Iona’s items have already been passed to her,” Reese said.

“Fortunately..”

They headed straight to Dimitri Guild. The familiar building came to sight after a half-hour walk. It was still the grandiose structure Sequencee remembered it to be.

The guild hall had slight alterations from when he waited tables in the past, some of the staff which worked here had been switched out, but those that stayed should recognize them.

“Leo, it’s been a while. You’re working the night shift today?”

“Excuse me we.. eh? Sequencee? Leticia?!”

Leo. His clean uniform now had a few badges and ranks that haven’t been there last time. While he was still working as a front desk receptionist, his salary must’ve gone up a notch. He was now a senior with his purple band.

“Is it alright if we booked two rooms? One large, one small.”

“Well, it’s been a real long time dude. What brings you– let me get this straight, one large for the three ladies while you stay at the small one yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“We didn’t agree to this?” Schwii pouted.

“Isn’t it better that way?” Reese reasoned.

“How is it better? Wouldn’t it be best if we all stayed in a room? Sir Leo, is there an extra large room instead?” Schwii asked.

“Hold on yea..” Leo grabbed Sequencee’s ear and pulled him over the counter.

‘My ears are going to rip!’

“In six months you’ve already built a harem? In just six months?!” Leo’s words were soft but dripping with dismay.

“Leo, let me go.”

“No fucking way I’m letting go of this–”

“Wow! Excuse me Leo, is that how you’re supposed to treat a mercenar.. eh? Leticia?!” from further behind the counter, a female elf receptionist called out.

“Keep it down.”

“Whoops,” she quickly covered her mouth.

It was the middle of the night, fortunately there weren’t many people around.

Ellaiza, a branch official in charge of the daily management of the counter. She was the go-to person to talk to if you needed to meet a guild administrator. Of course, she had strict criterions when it came to who she permitted for such a privilege.

“It’s been a while, Leticia, Sequencee, what brings the two of you here?” She grabbed Sequencee’s other free ear and pulled at it, hard. “In the short time you went, you got yourself two other girls already? What happened to only devoting yourself to Leticia huh?”

‘Fuck my life.’

Sequencee had both hands on the counter to prevent him from toppling over. Looking from behind, Schwii, Leticia and Reese each had unique expressions.

It was a pain to decide on the rooms. They ended up going with his initial plan. While the girls will stay in a large 4-pax lodging, he himself will stay in a 2-pax single room. The biggest factor at play here is that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the girls when they needed to clean themselves.

After all, there wasn’t a convenient shower anywhere here.

“That would be 1200 in total for both rooms for a night.”

“Thank you,” Sequencee passed them 12 holy silver coins.

“Here’s a key for you, miss,” Leo nonchalantly passed both keys to the nearby succubus.

Schwii blinked a couple times. She kept looking between Sequencee and the patina-worn keys.

“Leticia,” Schwii held out the key to the Sequencee’s room to her.

“Hm? Why?”

“You stay with him for the night.”

“Why not you?”

“No, no. You three are staying in your own room, I’m staying alone,” Sequencee held out his hands, requesting for the key.

“If you’re not going to take it, then I’ll gladly take up the opportunity..?” Reese was about to swipe it away when Schwii pulled her hands back.

“Sequencee, you and Leticia tonight,” she repeated with a frown on her face.

“Schwii, you know–”

“To prevent this girl from sneaking in at night and taking the empty spot beside your bed.”

“...”

Schwii pushed the ownership of the key to Leticia.

“Leticia, give me the key,” Sequencee turned to the half elf.

“...” She clutched it nearer to the body.

“See you tomorrow. Remember to get some rest,” Schwii grabbed Reese’s arm.

‘Ah.. I see what she’s getting at..’

It wasn’t just Reese. There was also Sequencee’s habit of staying up all night that she wanted to curb. If Leticia was in the room, Sequencee would have no choice but actually sleep.

“Hold on, luggage!” Reese yelped.

“You can spit it out when we reach our rooms.”

Schwii and Reese went up the stairs first. And only when the two disappeared did they turn to look at each other.

Leo and Ellaiza couldn’t help but witness it all and wonder about their relationship. It was amusing to watch.

“Leticia, are you really going to listen to Schwii?”

“.. I don’t know. If I don’t?”

“Then it won’t be so complicated. The key, Leticia.”

“No.”

“Leticia..”

She turned her heels and headed towards the stairs.

‘This has got to be a joke..’

“Good luck.”

“Oh the carnage.”

The two clerks teased. Sequencee made it a point to get back to them next time. He rushed off to follow Leticia.

===

Sequencee and Leticia came to the twin room. Two beds placed side by side with a bedside shelf in between, the size of the room was just right for the two of them.

Dropping their luggage to a corner, Sequencee began preparing the hot water which was on the table.

“You can look if you want.”

He paused and turned to her. “Come again?”

Leticia first began by taking off her robe. Then she unbuttoned the vest, then her fingers reach the buttons on her shirt–

“Leticia, don’t,” Sequencee said, turning away.

“Why not?” She was on her third button. Her supporting bra could clearly be seen from anywhere.

“It’s indecent.”

‘Not the right time to be staring at a girl naked. Don’t forget why we’re here Leticica..’

He felt the bed sink behind him.

“Leticia.”

“Sequencee, do you hate staying with me so much?” it was a sentence the Leticia of the past would’ve never came up with. Dripping with selfish intent, Sequencee was forced to make a choice. “If Schwii were here, would you do the same? Or would you kiss her? Then indulge in her, and finally..”

“Leticia, that’s not it.”

“Then what? I can’t possibly reach up to her standards?”

“I didn’t say that Leticia.”

“Then what? What’s wrong with you seeing me like this? You’ve seen Schwii’s body, yet you don’t want to see mine?”

Sequencee turned around to look at her with a pair of indifferent eyes.

Leticia’s fingers quivered, her mind turned blank.

Her clothes were open, the skirt loosely dangling over her knees. Her matching bra and panties visible to his eyes, her slender body, glossy white skin, the contours of her abdomen down to her waist. Most subtly attractive of all was her cute belly button.

She felt her cheeks burn at his scrutiny.

Sequencee reached out to touch her stomach.

“Hkkh?!” Leticia yelped, quickly covering herself with the clothes.

“This is what I wanted to avoid. But since you’re so adamant,” Sequencee shifted his position and began moving toward her.

Leticia’s heart raced, her mind wavered. At a moment of panic, she retreated, the bed sheets dragging alone until she fell off the edge of the bed.

she didn’t hit the ground hard, Sequencee cushioned her with wind magic. However, stuck between the tight space between two beds, Leticia was stuck. With Sequencee looking down at her from the higher vantage, her body turned rigid.

In her mind, his scrutinizing eyes were like gentle caresses on her skin. It tickled.

Slowly, he ran his finger from her calves deep into her thighs, her throat quievered. He pushed her fingers into her skirt, moving into the inner region of her thighs. The touch of his hand now merely inches away from the forbidden area, at the boundary between her skin and the meager fabric keeping the two away from connecting.

She squinted her eyes, afraid.

Memories came flashing back, the threats, the despair, the pain–

That’s right. She had already lost her virginity, after all, she was raped.

Sequencee retracted his hands and pulled Leticia up.

She buried herself in his embrace.

‘Why..?’

When she was the one to tempt him yet when he acted, she fell into this deep pit of fear?

“Sorry,” he said. “I’ll look away. You clean yourself first.”

She nodded. He pulled away and went to the other side of the bed to sit, his back facing her.

Wiping the tears from her face, she looked to the basin of steaming water.

By the time the two wiped down themselves in turn, the time was around 3 am. Leticia, was knocked out cold on bed the instant she covered herself with the blanket. Sequencee stayed up flipping through his journals.

‘A lot has happened.’

Reading his old entries, he thought about the past and future. He created a rough schedule for what he wished to achieve in this short time here.

They would first visit Mane’s Home for Disaster Children, before proceeding to Estia.

“Mom, wait for me..”