Barrett cautiously loosened his waistband and took a peek inside, tears streaming down his face.
"Captain!" he shouted, grabbing EeDeChi in a bear hug, overwhelmed with emotion. "It's grown back! I'm a complete man again! Hahaha!"
Barrett laughed heartily, the joy of regaining what was lost filling him completely. His burly frame shook EeDeChi vigorously, but EeDeChi stood firm, unmoved like a black wooden stake fixed in the ground, making the scene somewhat comical, resembling a tearful bear hugging a firmly planted post.
Caught off guard by Barrett's sudden embrace, EeDeChi quickly understood what he meant by "grown back."
EeDeChi pushed the muscular Barrett away with one hand and nodded, saying, "Mind your manners."
The challenge was over, and EeDeChi had somehow mastered a high-tier area healing spell.
Stella couldn't tell if it was Divine Magic or Arcane Magic. It might have been Gaia lending her immense power after being intimidated by EeDeChi.
Stella dared not think further about it, as dwelling on it would make her question her faith, a deadly issue for a cleric.
While Barrett was still wiping away his tears, Sean hurriedly accompanied Stella to a weapon shop in the capital to buy a chainmail with a hooded neck guard and a cotton lining.
Time flew by, and soon it was sunset. The four of them gathered at the Adventurer's Guild tavern.
The tavern was bustling with people. Under the grand crystal chandelier, arms holding oak mugs clinked together in celebration. Adventurers were shouting and drinking black rye beer, cutting into their meat platters, and filling earthen bowls with rich, creamy corn pork soup.
Waitresses in black vests and white lace aprons weaved through the crowd, serving delicious dishes while dodging the occasional grope from a rough hand.
What do adventurers do when they're not adventuring? They chat, boast, play cards, drink, duel, gamble, and even visit brothels. Living on the edge, they earned their gold through life-threatening tasks. After completing a mission, naturally, they wanted to relax.
"Elite" adventurer EeDeChi knew nothing about this. Veteran adventurer Barrett, full and slightly drunk, felt a stirring below. Now that his manhood had regrown, he wanted to test its functionality.
Barrett patted Sean's shoulder, signaling with his eyes, "Wanna check out the beauties of the capital? I know a few good places."
Being a platinum-level adventurer and having seen much, Sean instantly understood Barrett's implication. His green eyes lit up but quickly shifted to the gentle, soup-sipping Stella. He straightened up and firmly declined, "No, thanks, Uncle. I'm a decent person!"
Barrett chuckled, ready to get up, but EeDeChi, who had been resting with eyes closed, opened them and looked over. "Hmm? Where are you planning to go?"
Barrett made a "you know" gesture, unwilling to say more.
The flesh trade was legitimate in the Baharuth Empire, the Re-Estize Kingdom, and the Slane Theocracy. Nobles with immense power and women forced by circumstances frequented brothels.
Stella stopped her spoon, lowering her head in silence. Sean knew her sister had to work in a brothel to pay off family debts.
Barrett shrugged, ignoring them, and walked out of the tavern.
EeDeChi jumped up, grabbed the giant sword leaning against the table, strapped it to her back, and followed Barrett out.
Outside the tavern, a black carriage with night lamps jingled its brass bells as it passed by, splashing mud from a puddle onto Barrett's boots. Barrett looked helplessly at EeDeChi, who was following him closely, and asked, "Captain, what are you doing?"
"What am I doing? Of course, we're going to rescue fallen women," EeDeChi declared proudly, adjusting the giant sword strapped to her back.
Fallen women? Barrett silently puzzled over this term.
Since EeDeChi had cured all his ailments with healing magic, Barrett held this peculiar captain in much higher regard. Without asking further, Barrett hailed an open four-wheeled carriage, and EeDeChi jumped in with him.
"To No. 5 Lepo Street, Fallen Avenue," Barrett handed three silver coins to the driver. "Make it quick, and keep the change."
The bearded coachman gave Barrett a knowing wink but then changed his expression upon seeing the stern-looking EeDeChi, dressed in black, sitting rigidly beside him. He turned away and clicked his tongue.
A horse snorted, and the carriage set off, clattering along the cobblestone streets.
This was indeed the capital of the Baharuth Empire. Even at night, the city was bustling. Shop signs enchanted with "Everlight" magic glowed in vibrant colors, dispelling much of the darkness.
Carriages creaked by, and nobly dressed aristocrats, assisted by their servants, descended to begin their nightly activities.
"Is this esteemed lady also here to enjoy herself?" the coachman asked in a gruff voice, lightly flicking the reins.
EeDeChi, in her somber black attire and gray cloak, looked every bit the serious, old-fashioned girl. Her destination—a place designed for men—was bound to raise curiosity.
Barrett was about to make up an excuse when EeDeChi spoke first, her tone unusually stern, "I'm not here to indulge. I'm here to bust the place up!"
The coachman turned his head to meet EeDeChi's solemn gaze and shrank back, turning away with a shrug and snapping the reins to speed up.
The carriage took several turns, traversing narrow alleys, until a brightly lit three-story building came into view about three or four hundred meters away.
The coachman pointed with his whip at the building, giving Barrett a glance. "That's it, 'Julina's Forbidden Paradise.' My carriage can't get too close, or the guards will chase me off. You'll have to get out here."
Barrett and EeDeChi disembarked and walked towards the building. The coachman glanced back at them, then cracked his whip hard on the horse's back, driving the carriage swiftly into the darkness.
Beyond their sight, the coachman halted the carriage, jumped down, and ran into a shop with a small side door.
Inside the shop, which sold nothing, sat a man clad in leather armor, his face marked with tattoos.
The tattooed man frowned at the coachman and asked, "Who were those two?"
The coachman caught his breath and said, "The woman said she's here to cause trouble, probably some young noblewoman looking for her husband. The man looks like an adventurer, probably her hired muscle. Don't waste time—alert the guards. That guy's built solid and carrying a sword. He looks like he can fight."
The tattooed man pulled a rhombus-shaped badge from his pocket, pressing the red crystal embedded in it. He was sending a signal to the brothel's guards and bodyguards.
Watching the red glow flicker and fade, the tattooed man sneered, "A foolish woman bringing just one adventurer to challenge us at Forbidden Paradise. Even if he's an orichalcum-level adventurer, they won't be leaving here unscathed!"
Barrett followed closely behind EeDeChi as they approached the entrance of "Julina's Forbidden Paradise."
"Julina's Forbidden Paradise" was a three-story brick building with a rather large courtyard surrounded by towering walls. The walls were adorned with gaudy images of human, elf, and beast-eared girls, depicted in provocative poses, using gold and fluorescent powder—a vulgar sight.
The entrance consisted of a small door guarded by two spearmen clad in full steel armor.
EeDeChi strode swiftly into the "Forbidden Paradise," moving so quickly that the guards didn't stop her.
When Barrett tried to follow, the two imposing guards blocked his way, standing like iron towers.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Barrett was surprised to find himself, a man, barred from entering the brothel.
One of the burly guards, wearing iron gauntlets, pushed Barrett back. "Our boss will entertain your lady. If you want to visit a brothel, go somewhere else."
Two more figures, clad in black chainmail and wielding scimitars, emerged from the shadows, forming a triangular formation around Barrett.
Recognizing their skill in using Martial Arts to conceal themselves, Barrett's heart sank. He realized he was in trouble. He had only come to relax and relieve his desires, never expecting such an unforeseen complication.
If the four opponents faced him one-on-one, Barrett was confident he could defeat them all, even the two in full armor, who were merely well-armored turtles. But now, heavily outnumbered, he worried for his captain, already inside the Forbidden Paradise.
Peering past the spiked shoulder guards of the two spearmen, Barrett saw EeDeChi alone in the courtyard. Two leather-armored guards with swords were closing in on her from both sides, looking ready to attack.
Barrett rested his right hand on his sword, contemplating his next move.
"Adventurer, get lost. This isn't a place for paupers like you," one of the armored guards growled, giving Barrett another shove.
Inside, a guard nearly twice EeDeChi's size placed a hand on her left shoulder, while another reached for her face, seemingly to pinch her cheek.
EeDeChi signaled to Barrett, indicating he shouldn't worry.
In an instant, she seized the rough hand nearing her face and flipped the audacious guard over her shoulder, throwing him onto the second-floor balcony, smashing the ornate railing to pieces.
Then, she raised her left foot, sending the other guard flying with a scream, crashing through the first-floor door.
Witnessing this, Barrett breathed a sigh of relief. He took two steps back, removed his hand from his sword, and shrugged at the four guards blocking him. "Alright, I won't go inside. I hope you won't either."