Lewd Ascent - A Futa LitRPG Ch. 176-185

Fe blinked rapidly, still clutching the framed piece of glass. She looked at Zoey, then back to the enormous tablet with dozens of highlighted runes. "Right. Uh ... okay? I can do that." She looked back at Zoey. "But my door? Really?"

"It was loud. I don't know how you didn't hear. Someone probably called the guards on me. How much do you think it'll cost to fix?" Zoey pulled out a purse of coins from her inventory and started counting out an estimate. Well, a generous overestimate, but seeing how she'd broken the woman's door down, Zoey thought that was fair.

"It's fine, I suppose ..." Fe said, confusedly taking the coins she passed over. "I just hope you're alright? Nothing too bad has happened, right?"

"I'm fine. But staying in Treyhull isn't an option. We've been meaning to head out soon, anyway." Zoey winced. "And, I'm sorry, but we're really on a time crunch. So the item, please?"

Fe shook off her disorientation. "Of course. Let me go grab it."

A moment later, Fe returned with the corrupted item in tow. Zoey was unable to stop herself from being briefly amused by its appearance.

[Wand of Remote Pleasure]: Rare. Equip, then activate from a distant location to provide a thrilling experience.

The words were horrendously jumbled inside her head, difficult to read, but she'd pieced together the description back at Mel's shard. A remote vibrator. Hardly anything that surprising, considering the shard's usual fare, but it was still funny to refer to the item in a serious manner—especially as something important.

"Thanks," Zoey said, taking it. "What'd you learn?"

Fe's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, so much," she started gushing. "There's a lot I have to tell you. I'm not sure how to condense it, either. How much of a rush are we in?"

"A lot. But if it's important, that's fine." She couldn't waste time chatting, but anything Fe had learned of a corrupted item was of the highest priority: it related to Zoey's ultimate mission, the literal decline of the world's stability. So she could spare a few minutes for that.

"Okay, then, first, I'll explain the item's effects," Fe said. "What it does at a base level."

"You figured that out?" Zoey asked, surprised. She'd been resigned to the corrupted item being entirely stubborn in its ability to be deciphered, and Fe not discovering much through standard artificing methods. But maybe that wasn't the case?

"Basically, it empowers abilities. You equip it, and, um," Fe trailed off for a second, then blushed. "And, you know, use it like it's meant to be used. You know how that works—?"

"I do," Zoey said. The concept of a remote vibrator was hardly foreign to her, if, admittedly, it wasn't something she'd gotten up to, back home.

"Right. Well, you use it, and on the, erm, final event, it bestows a powerful temporary boost to a random skill. How that boost manifests changes depending on the skill it attaches itself to."

"Wow." That sounded strong. "How'd you figure that out?"

"It's strangely stable," Fe said, confirming Zoey's suspicion. "I expected it to be a lot more difficult to work with, but even several of my traditional methods," she gestured idly behind her, to the enormous tablet with runes inscribed on it, "illuminated quite a bit about the item. The oddest thing is, all things considered, maybe it was broken in a good way. As if there were ... limitations installed into the item that restricted it to the utility of a first-advancement piece of shard loot, but that, thanks to whatever happened to it, those restrictions disappeared. Or lessened. But the core functionality seems to be just that: the core functionality, unaffected by how it'd been damaged. It operates entirely as intended. Well ... sort of."

"Sort of?" That was a concerning clarification.

"There's some instability," Fe said. "But not in a dangerous way, from what I've seen. The effects it grants, the strength and type of those effects, how long it should take to recharge—there seems to be significant variance, more than I would expect from an item like it. Not that I really have a guideline to go on for magical sex loot, but, you know." She shrugged. "I've done this most my life, so I can make educated guesses. I think a lot of standardized factors are in flux, thanks to its current state."

Zoey considered the appraisal. The explanation made sense, especially after Zoey had been on the receiving end of the hourglass, which was a broken item that had also been too strong while remaining functional.

"So, in summary, I'd call it mostly safe to use," Fe concluded. "Especially since it's so strong you almost can't afford to not. Still, I'd be wary of unintended or unusual effects. I think it can be used like a regular item, but I can't give any kind of guarantee. It is a broken item."

Zoey supposed this was the best-case scenario for the item. She'd expected it to be a total wash. Still, she was worried about even a chance of it malfunctioning. "So final call, you would use it, if you were in our place?" As an artificer, a woman who worked with magical items for a living, her professional opinion held more weight than Zoey's.

Fe hesitated. Her cheeks colored. "Well ... full honesty ... I already have. So yes, I would."

Zoey's eyebrows went up.

"S-Sorry," Fe said. "It's the only way I'd feel comfortable telling you that it's safe to use. I should've asked before taking that liberty, but I got carried away. It was such a fascinating assignment!" She hesitated, tucking a strand of her white hair behind her ear. "And it actually happened pretty early on," Fe said sheepishly. "It's part of the reason I made so much progress on inspecting it. The item's activation boosted one of my passive artificing skills. An intuition-type ability. You wouldn't believe how much I've learned these past few days, thanks to that. About everything, honestly. I've made huge strides in my class. I've slept a few hours this entire week, I've been so absorbed in my work."

Huh. That was a lot to take in. Zoey was glad to hear the item worked, then, and it wasn't just a guess: Fe had literally used it, and confirmed its stability first-hand. Zoey disapproved, not because she hadn't asked first, but because of the recklessness—the danger she'd put herself in. But Fe was the best person to judge the risks associated with such a thing, so Zoey supposed she couldn't make too many judgments. And everything had worked out in the end.

Though, the idea of her using it produced some imagery that gave Zoey pause.

"That's good, I suppose," Zoey said. "It sounds strong. And ... valuable."

"Valuable?" Fe asked with a snort. "That's an understatement. It's better than anything else you've brought in, and those were already amazing items." She nodded to herself. "Seriously, you've got to be the luckiest wayfarer I've ever heard of. That thing's worth a king's ransom. It boosts skills, for heaven's sake!"

Zoey considered the item in her hands. 'A king's ransom'? Fe sounded like she was only half exaggerating. Combined with the enormously useful effect, and being an item that was corrupted, and thus immensely valuable from a research standpoint, it was worth a a pile of gold. Literally.

"And you just handed it back to us?" Zoey asked, her brow furrowing.

Fe blinked.

"Sorry," Zoey said quickly. "I didn't mean it like that. Just, you know—" She shrugged. "You've been nothing but great to us, but if this is worth as much as you say ..." she trailed off. "I'm just impressed at your integrity, I guess?" She winced. "I'm not trying to be insulting."

"I'm a professional," Fe said after a moment, fortunately not taking Zoey's words badly. "Besides, I care more about learning than anything. In advancing my class. Money is nice, but it's not the be-all end-all. And getting on the bad side of powerful wayfarers," she gave Zoey a pointed look, "is just an awful idea. I like sleeping at night." She frowned. "But mostly," she insisted, with a hint of offense, "it's because I'm not a thief."

"Sorry," Zoey repeated. "I know you aren't." That hadn't been what she was implying. In fact, the opposite. "I'm lucky to have hired someone with such high standards." That was why Fe's trustworthiness had come up at all.

Initially, inviting Fe back to Mantle hadn't been part of the plan; she was just the woman who inspected their items. But maybe they should. Collecting trustworthy and competent allies felt smart, especially ones already accustomed to Zoey's class, and happy to keep the secret. The sheepgirl had more than proven both parts of that.

Biting her lip, Zoey made the executive decision. Fe deserved an offer. Maybe she wouldn't be able to—maybe her life was tied down in Treyhull—but Zoey would at least give her the option.

So, Zoey explained the situation.

In both good and bad news, the sheepgirl seemed amenable to the idea, but not prepared to leave in as quick a timeframe as Sabina. Or even completely sure whether she wanted to. Fe told Zoey she would consider the offer, especially since it meant further access to the strange brand of items Zoey's team earned from shards. Odds seemed high Fe would make the trip to Mantle, but only after she tied up loose ends and properly got herself packed. She wouldn't be coming with them tonight. Or maybe even within a week. Zoey could hardly fault her for that.

Shortly after, Zoey had to leave. She said her goodbyes, gave the sheepgirl a quick hug—which seemed to fluster the woman—and then set out back into the city.

Of the tasks Zoey had been assigned, she had one more stop. Adrienne.

5.61 - Setting Out

After Fe, Zoey rushed off to Adrienne's address, using the directions Sabina had given her. She arrived to a nondescript apartment building in one of Treyhull's many residential districts. She knocked several times on the door, hoping Adrienne wouldn't be out and about. And there were good odds she would be, knowing the woman. She was no Sabina, always locked in her workshop.

But, continuing the good luck for the night—in the sense of getting in contact with everyone—Adrienne opened the door after the second barrage of knocks.

"Hey," Zoey said. "You have a minute?"

"Zoey! What are you doing here?" A beaming smile spread across Adrienne's face, which, of course, tugged a returning smile to Zoey's own. "Talk? Of course. Just, um, give me a second, won't you?"

"Uh," Zoey said, but she didn't get a real chance to reply—to tell Adrienne that it was urgent. Adrienne closed the door.

Since Sabina and Fe had gone swimmingly, Zoey wasn't in as much of a rush. Adrienne was her last stop for the night, and Sabina had even explicitly asked for an hour or two to organize her workshop before Zoey returned to help her pack. So she was on schedule.

That said, Zoey didn't want to be idling around, either. If she finished early with Adrienne, then she'd head back to check on Rosalie and Delta and see what developments were happening there. Hopefully, Maddy and Aria hadn't been difficult to track down.

Zoey shifted her weight from foot to foot as she waited outside Adrienne's apartment. A minute or two passed before she returned.

The door swung open, and for a second, Zoey failed to understand what she was seeing.

Because she'd come back in lingerie. The sheer bra cups barely concealed her full, round breasts. Her cleavage spilled over the top enticingly. Zoey could see through her lacy panties. Zoey's eyes, without input from her brain, drifted across the expanse of Adrienne's scarcely clad form, taking in the curve of her waist and her smooth skin.

Her brain briefly short-circuited.

Adrienne had asked for a moment, so that she could ... change out of pajamas and into lingerie?

"Sorry about that," Adrienne said with a cheeky smile. "Just wanted to throw something more comfortable on. You know, to get properly ready for this surprise visit."

Zoey reined in her wandering eyes, snapping her attention upward.

"Uh," Zoey managed. "It's no problem?"

Adrienne laughed, then grabbed Zoey's hand. "Please, come in."

Zoey let herself be guided into Adrienne's apartment, trying—and failing—not to stare at Adrienne's swaying hips and the way her panties clung to her ass.

"Please, sit," Adrienne offered, and, with Zoey's thoughts as derailed as they were, she simply did as she'd been told. "You want tea? Or anything? Coffee, since it's going to be a late night?"

"Um," Zoey said. The innuendo was obvious, and her thoughts derailed a second time. It took a moment for her to reply. "No, no thanks. That's fine."

Adrienne grinned. "Is it maybe another treat that you want?"

"Uh."

Maybe at Zoey's lack of eloquence, or more likely because the woman simply didn't mind taking the initiative, Adrienne stopped wasting time. She sashayed over to Zoey and climbed onto her lap. Zoey's hands went to her waist without conscious input.

"We can skip the foreplay if I've already got you tongue-tied," Adrienne grinned. "It's flattering, having this effect on a woman like you." She cradled Zoey's face in two hands. "I've been wondering forever when you would stop by. To think I almost went out tonight, and missed this."

The sensation of Adrienne's weight pressing down on her lap sent an undeniable signal to Zoey's body. Her lower half responded, arousal swelling up and into Adrienne—who adjusted herself, wiggling her hips around to rub her ass into Zoey's swelling cock, obviously wanting it to get harder, faster.

"Oh, my," Adrienne breathed out, the hot wash of air going directly on Zoey's face. "That's ... a lot." Her eyes widened as she felt the full extent of Zoey's size, swelling to full mast rapidly. "Wow."

Zoey swallowed, her heart thumping as she tried to regain control of the situation. Or to recollect her thoughts at all. The sheer physical response was unexpected and intense—because she was especially vulnerable, right now. Before Rosalie and all of the night's chaos had barged in, she'd been fourteen inches inside Delta, slapping into the woman's ass and only a few moments away from explosive release. A release that had been unceremoniously cut off, denied, and replaced with urgent matters of life and death. Zoey had never gotten to vent that frustration, and here was the aftermath: the way the thoughts of Zoey's lower half took over completely.

Adrienne shifted around in Zoey's lap, grinding her ass in. As she explored—getting a feel for what she was in for—her eyes continued to widen.

"I mean, I knew you were packing, but this is seriously impressive, Zoey. How big is it?" Her words dripped with appreciation. And despite her attempts to regain her composure, Adrienne's lingerie-clad breasts were right in Zoey's face. How could she possibly think straight, like that?

"I'm glad you like it," Zoey managed to get out, finally saying something, if not what she should. The rush of heat flooding through her was way too intoxicating.

"Approve? I'm a little more than approving. How do you even walk around with this thing?" Her hand explored between their lower halves, tracing the outline that strained against the fabric of Zoey's pants. She leaned forward and murmured into Zoey's ear, "And let me just say. I'm so glad my boss is willing to take a hands-on management approach. It's a little naughty, though, don't you think?"

Boss?

Because ... Adrienne was her employee. Sort of.

And that was why Zoey had come here. To tell her about their accelerated departure. The word finally sparked Zoey's brain back into a semi-working state. She grabbed Adrienne's wrist, stopping the distracting stroking happening between their bodies.

"Adrienne. This isn't actually why I came here."

Adrienne paused. She didn't seem to comprehend the words. She looked at Zoey with a blank face. "What?" Her hips wiggled forward and back, grinding into Zoey's lap, undeterred. "What do you mean?"

Her face burning, Zoey said, "I'm here on business."

"Business?"

"Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression." Though, Zoey didn't see how she could have. She'd said all of a few words before the woman had rushed off to get changed into lingerie—and impressively fast, at that. Not that Zoey was remotely, in the slightest, even a tiny bit complaining. Just, now unfortunately wasn't the time.

Plus, Zoey didn't know how to feel about the fact she was technically Adrienne's boss. There was a power dynamic there Zoey didn't completely like. That said, Adrienne had been more than willing to play into it. And Zoey was only her boss in a roundabout manner.

Finally, Adrienne seemed to digest Zoey's words. Or that she was serious. Her face started to burn red, and, mortified, she climbed off Zoey's lap, who also stood, adjusting her pants.

"Oh," Adrienne said. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I just assumed, because, well—"

"It's fine," Zoey assured her just as quickly. "It's not—"

"Usually I can read this sort of thing. I thought for sure. Because you looked kind of—well, um—pent up?—not that—"

"It's fine!" Zoey said. "Maybe another time?" Zoey cringed; she hadn't meant to say that. She didn't know if she even should be with Adrienne, considering their professional relationship. "I came here on business," Zoey repeated, brushing past it. "And I have to get back to Sabina soon."

Not too soon, but being here, in Adrienne's apartment, her tight, curvy body being hugged by lingerie, Zoey didn't trust her judgment. She could easily get lost for a few hours, if Adrienne played her cards right. It'd only been through a miracle that Zoey had remembered why she'd come here.

"Some stuff has happened. We need to leave Treyhull tonight. I came here to tell you that."

"Tonight?!"

"And I'm sorry for just dropping that on you, but does it work? Is it possible?"

Adrienne reeled as she took in the news. And, probably, from the miscommunication.

"I mean, my stuff isn't finished being packed, but—"

"Could you grab the important stuff?" Zoey asked. "It's an emergency. I'll pay you back for everything you can't."

"I—I guess that's fine? It's that urgent?"

"It is."

"What happened?" she asked incredulously. "Did you kill someone?"

Zoey winced, since the confrontation with the cultists nearly had been that, and Adrienne's eyes widened, thinking she'd gotten it right.

"No," Zoey said quickly. "No. Just, made a few enemies. It's a whole thing. And we need to get going because of it." She didn't distrust Adrienne, but she didn't trust her either, not with the full story. "Anyway, I came here to deliver the message. My party and I will have some extra inventory space, so put your important boxes aside, and we can scoop them up. You shouldn't have to leave too much behind. We'll be back in a few hours."

"O-Okay...?"

Zoey cleared her throat. "Well, that's all I had."

Then, in the world's awkwardest move, Zoey held her hand out. Adrienne shook it, seeming confused. She would hug her, but that felt—a little inappropriate, right now.

"We'll see you then," Zoey said, face burning. "Two hours, give or take."

"Bye?" Adrienne said, still seeming like she didn't know what was going on.

With nothing more to say, Zoey fled the apartment.

That conversation ... probably could've gone better.

Then again, it could've gone worse. Adrienne could have kept her trapped there all night.

***

When Zoey returned to her teammates, the rest of the wrap-up errands had been handled. Maddy was there, collected by Delta. The blue-haired girl was the easiest person to bring in, since, as a wayfarer, she was always ready to uproot her life and trek off somewhere new. The only thing holding her down, maybe, would be identifying artifacts from a previous shard, but Maddy had been hanging out in Treyhull for a while; she'd taken care of all that a while ago.