Chapter 1: The Joys and Woes of Brotherhood

“Bottoms up! Drink, drink, drink!”

It was evening, and within a medieval-style tavern, a boisterous group of people raised their tankards, reveling in fine wine.

Ellis, a handsome young man with chestnut hair, was among them. He clinked glasses with his companion, Turuv, a burly man of immense muscle. A mischievous grin played on Ellis’s lips as he watched the scantily clad bunny girls sway their hips and dance on stage, offering their own crude commentary and relishing in the simple joys of male camaraderie.

“Hahaha, what a shame Larry couldn’t join us,” Turuv said, tearing into a piece of meat.

Ellis merely shrugged. “That’s the price of building a ‘harem.’ Dragged off to the shopping street by his various confidantes. Perhaps that’s a different kind of fun for him.”

“Don’t even joke about it! Shopping with women is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” Turuv exclaimed, rubbing his gleaming bald head with a shudder. “I’d rather fight the Demon Lord’s army for hundreds of rounds than go shopping with a woman. My heavens! They won’t buy a single thing until they’ve scoured the entire town’s malls two or three times. It’s absolutely dreadful.”

Ellis nudged Turuv with his elbow. “Sounds like you’ve got a story there. Which maiden did you secretly woo when we weren’t looking?”

Turuv grumbled indignantly. “Woo? How could I dare? It’s my childhood friend, the one I grew up with. I don’t know how she turned into such a tigress. She makes me accompany her all the time, and if I don’t, I get a beating! I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I ran off to fight demons. Once I make a name for myself, I’ll finally be able to put her arrogance in its place.”

“I think you’ll never stand up to her,” Ellis said sympathetically.

“You’re just a crow’s mouth, you know that?”

Turuv scoffed. “Aren’t you and Larry brothers who grew up together, practically sharing a pair of pants? How come I’ve never seen you go through fire and water for him?”

“I’ve stabbed him in the back plenty of times,” Ellis countered with a wicked grin. “We’d visit brothels, and the first thing I’d do upon returning was describe the paradise it was to Larry. We’d go to bars, and I’d immediately report back to Larry how much fun it was. We’d gamble, and I’d be the first to recount all the excitement. Every time Larry listened, it was like a dagger twisting in his heart.”

“You do everything a normal person wouldn’t.”

Turuv smacked his lips. “Larry is truly blessed to have a brother like you.”

“Hahaha, you flatter me too much! Perhaps twice-blessed at most!” Ellis boasted. “Speaking of which, Turuv, if our demon lord subjugation goes smoothly tomorrow, are you planning to go straight home and marry your tigress? You won’t be adventuring with us anymore?”

Turuv nodded. “Yes, that’s right. After all, I’ve experienced everything I wanted to, had my fill of wild times. It wouldn’t be right to make her wait any longer. Afterward, I’ll use my reputation from adventuring to properly manage the family blacksmith shop. You two should come visit sometime! I’ll treat you to our local delicacies!”

“Your local specialty, bug dishes, perhaps?” Ellis asked with a look of distaste. “I think I’ll pass.”

Turuv spread his hands. “Tsk, that’s typical prejudice. What’s wrong with bugs? They’re rich in nutrients, and if prepared well, they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. But hey, there’s no point explaining it to a philistine like you.”

“No point indeed. But I’m certainly coming to demand free drinks from you. And to see the tigress who tamed you, hahaha! Cheers! This Green Peach Wine and roasted meat are truly worthy of being this tavern’s specialties. Let’s eat our fill!”

“Alright, dig in!”

Though Ellis felt a pang of loss at the thought of parting ways with Turuv, he didn’t show it.

Men’s friendships were forged in these casual conversations and over shared meals. When the sentiment was understood, there was no need for effusive declarations of reluctance.

Men, after all, understood these things without needing to say them.

****

After their fill of food and drink, Ellis and Turuv returned to the inn. As they entered, they saw Larry, the handsome youth with sun-kissed golden hair and snow-white skin, slumped exhausted over a table in the common area of the lobby, looking utterly miserable.

Ellis sat beside Larry, slinging an arm over his shoulder. “Isn’t having a ‘harem’ absolutely thrilling? Watching them get jealous over you, vying for your attention—aren’t you just on top of the world right now?”

Larry silently flipped Ellis the middle finger. “My ass, a harem! You heartless bastard, always enjoying my misfortune. You look happy enough, never bothering to save me from this hell.”

“I was worried I’d steal your girls, wasn’t I?”

“You should hurry up and hook up with one or two of them. I’d rather fight the Demon Lord for three hundred rounds than ‘flirt’ with them.”

“Hahaha, you must be truly exhausted.”

Turuv, already tipsy, mumbled, “I’m going to bed. I’m dead tired, and we still have to conquer the Demon Lord’s castle tomorrow.”

“Bye-bye. I’ll chat with Larry for a bit.”

After seeing Turuv off, Ellis asked curiously, “Why are you here alone? Where are the others? Gone to bed?”

“They’re changing into the clothes they bought. They told me to wait here because they want to show them off to me.”

“Isn’t that great? A dress-up play, how entertaining.”

Larry’s face was etched with despair. “You wouldn’t think so after watching for several hours straight, especially when they insist you rank them. That scene is practically a battlefield! You simply can’t fathom the feeling!”

Ellis patted Larry’s shoulder. “Phew~ Of course I can’t, but seeing you experience it makes it clear how miserable it is. By the way, happiness built on the suffering of others—I’ve profoundly understood the practical truth of that from you.”

Too drained to retort, Larry said weakly, “Just keep teasing me. If you tease me to death, remember to find me a grave with good feng shui, and no female creatures nearby.”

“Ah, you, you. You just don’t know what to do when the women you’re close to get a little forceful,” Ellis said helplessly. “I brought you something good: the Stanko Tavern’s special Green Peach Wine and long-haired rabbit meat. My treat. Let’s go eat on the rooftop.”

With that, Ellis pulled Larry towards the exit.

“Wait, I promised Daisy and the others…”

“Larry, where are you going?!”

Sure enough, at that moment, a lovely red-haired maiden, Daisy, emerged in a gorgeous gown, ready to be admired by her beloved. She discovered Larry being pulled away by Ellis.

“We were…”

“I’m taking him to have a small drink with me. Daisy, tell the others that I’ve borrowed Larry for the night.”

Before Larry could explain, Ellis had already spoken.

Daisy frowned. “I wanted Larry to see my clothes.”

“You’ll never run out of clothes to look at, but good wine and food have a much shorter shelf life than your outfits,” Ellis said, hands on his hips, facing Daisy. “Besides, you’ve been monopolizing Larry all evening, which prevented him from drinking with Turuv and me, didn’t it? It’s time for us to have a proper reunion. I usually don’t cause trouble for you, so humor us this once and let us celebrate our male friendship. Is that alright?”

Though it was a question, Ellis’s tone was firm.

Daisy clearly had some reservations about Ellis, but could only nod reluctantly.

“I’ll tell the others that you’ve taken Larry, but I can’t guarantee what will happen afterward. After all, they’re not as understanding as I am.”

Larry, his face still bearing a faint smile, said, “Then tell them one more thing: if they carelessly interrupt Ellis and me, I might get angry. And who knows what an angry man might do?”

“You annoying fellow, I know~”

Daisy, holding up her long skirt, walked back inside.

“Heh heh, mission accomplished. Let’s go drink.”

Ellis led a worshipful-looking Larry to the inn’s rooftop. After setting down the Green Peach Wine and rabbit meat, he said, “Dig in. I’ll drink with you.”

Larry was so moved he almost cried. “Ellis, it’s so good to have you. I truly don’t know how to deal with those women. If I had half your assertiveness, I wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

Ellis, crossing his legs, took a sip of wine from his cup with a refined air. “Because you never intended to pursue them, nor would you choose them as your women, right?”

“I never intended to pursue them either!” Larry exclaimed with lingering fear. “Those women are terrifying; each one seems ready to devour me. Thankfully, I’ve kept myself pure, otherwise, my entire life would be forfeit. I absolutely must get rid of them later.”

“That’s why I don’t need to be too lenient with them; I say what needs to be said. Well, they aren’t inherently bad people, they just have ulterior motives.”

The bond between Ellis and Larry was strong enough for them to openly discuss their female companions without reservation.

“If I don’t like them, I just don’t. If only I could find someone who was purely interested in me.”

Ellis scoffed. “The women in brothels aren’t pure either; they’re only after your money. But I recall you’re quite eager to visit one.”

Larry said awkwardly, “Going there is for physical pleasure. I’m simply purchasing their services; it’s a client-vendor relationship, a pure exchange of interests, which I don’t find objectionable. But the ones in our party are aiming for the rest of my life. They all came with some task or mission. While I don’t rule out that they might have developed feelings for me after spending time together, I just don’t feel much for them.”

“You, you’re such a hassle. You’ve been like this since before we transmigrated here. No wonder you’re almost thirty and still don’t have a girlfriend.”

“You’re one to talk! Aren’t you the same?”

Ellis said earnestly, “No, it’s different. You want to find someone but are always nitpicking. I, on the other hand, never even thought about it. In our old world, how developed were all those toys? They were enough to satisfy my needs. Women, heh, they would only slow down my typing speed.”

“Heh heh.”

Larry looked at Ellis with a cold gaze. “But they don’t affect your sword-drawing speed, do they? Since you came to this world, how many times have you visited a brothel when you had the money?”

“Ahem, well, a man always has to experience things he hasn’t experienced before.”