The following morning Lex and the rest of their friends returned home to Crimson Valley. Elodie wasn’t ashamed that there were more than a few tears shed when she said goodbye to everyone. It might be the st time she saw any of them for quite some time. There was no telling when she would get an opportunity to return home in the future. Lex was the hardest to say goodbye to. Even though they’d spoken of it the night before, it was heartbreaking to say goodbye to her best friend in the light of day.

  The following two days passed by in a hectic blur. Elodie and her parents rushed all over Havensfeld in an attempt to gather st minute supplies for her trip to Demonia. It didn’t make sense to return home just for her to have to make the trip back so she could catch the train.

  Her dad had saved as much money as he could for when this day arrived. He helped her pick out some starting armor. He splurged a little bit on her on a good sword, though it cked enchantments. The fine quality would be more than adequate at her level. His biggest surprise though was when he gifted her his old ring of holding. It worked through some form of spatial folding or extradimensional pnes or something like that, neither of them were very sure.

  What Elodie did know was that it would allow her to store and carry an incredibly rge amount of gear and treasure. It was basically priceless to any delver, but wasn’t generally within the price range of anyone until they reached mid-tier rankings. Most low-tiers like her would need to carry things out in a burdensome pack. They did have to visit an enchanter to have its attunement changed to her, which wasn’t cheap. Nothing compared to buying a new one though.

  Her mother helped her pick out a few low end potions. Her mom had budgeted for three health potions, no one expecting Elodie to have a use for mana potions after all. They ended up only being able to afford one of each. Mana potions tended to be much more expensive than simple health potions.

  After two days camping outside the walls of Havensfeld, it was finally time to say goodbye to her parents and board the train. She stored all her gear in her ring before they set out to the train station. Not having any luggage would be a blessing.

  “Oh, my sweet little girl,” her mom started in on her. “I love you and I am going to miss you so much. Make sure you write home as much as possible. I know you’re going to do big things. Oh, my baby has gotten so big.” She broke off in a hiccupped sob.

  Elodie was quick to wrap her arms around her mother. It was embarrassing for her to be blubbering all over her in front of all these strangers, but at the same time she kind of loved it. Her mom really loved and supported her and her dreams. She was going to miss her. Especially her mom’s cooking, which Elodie had never been very good at herself.

  “Now, now Vio. Let the girl breath.” Her dad nudged her mom in the side with a smirk. “Don’t forget your footwork. Just because they’re monsters doesn’t mean you can get away with hacking all willy nilly. Remember that it’s ok to retreat. Never let your pride get you hurt. And…”

  Elodie interrupted, “Daaaaaad…I know. Geez.”

  He reached over her mom and ruffled her hair, “I love you and I’ll miss you. Good luck, delver.”

  Her mom finally released her. She quickly wrapped her arms around her father for one st hug. An announcement came over the station for final boarding. Elodie broke away and received one st kiss on the cheek from each of them. She finally turned and headed toward the short line to board. She pulled out her ticket and was quickly waved aboard.

  Elodie headed down the aisle of the train looking for an empty compartment. At the very least one that wasn’t full of strangers. She found one a few cars back from where she boarded. It wasn’t empty, but there was only one other person seated.

  Elodie knocked on the open doorframe, “Is it ok if I join you? There don’t seem to be anymore empty compartments.”

  The woman looked up from her book smiling at Elodie. She was gorgeous. Maybe a few years older than Elodie, she had fwless dark mahogany skin, deep brown eyes, and full sensual lips. Her dark hair was up in a tight bun at the back of her head. Elodie let her eyes travel down the woman’s body. She had small, round breasts, a soft middle with a little tummy, and wide hips. The woman was absolutely gorgeous. When Elodie’s eyes managed to sweep back up, she would have sworn that the woman’s eyes were filled with hunger. But she quickly schooled her features before replying.

  “Of course, come on in. I don’t bite,” her smile turned just a little wolfish at the comment before it smoothed back out.

  Elodie hesitated for just a second before sliding through the door and sitting on the bench across from her new companion. She tried to rex into her seat, but found herself sitting stiffly.

  “Where is a powerful, strapping young woman like you headed to? With all those…rippling…muscles, you must be some kind of adventurer.” The woman across from Elodie licked her lips while her eyes bounced all over Elodie’s body.

  Elodie had always been concerned that her more muscur physique, with her smaller breasts and hips made her seem less feminine. Made her feel other women wouldn’t find her attractive. So, the words the woman used to describe Elodie filled her with feelings of inadequacy and despair. The return of that hungry look in the woman’s eyes made her question if it was in fact a dig though. Or maybe it was something else.

  The woman across from her covered her mouth as she tittered, “Oh, where are my manners. My name is Robin.” She reached across the aisle with her palm down like she was expecting some galnt knight to kiss the back of it or something.

  Elodie awkwardly grabbed her fingertips and gave a slight squeeze before sitting back, “E-Elodie.”

  Robin’s smirk seemed to be teasing Elodie as she pulled her arm back and rexed into her seat. “So, Elodie, where are you headed to?”

  Elodie’s mouth felt dry and she had to cough a little before she was able to get anything out. “Demonia. I’m headed to the guild.”

  “Oh, a delver.” Robin hummed quietly in the back of her throat. “I love delvers.” Her smile had turned down right predatory by now.

  Elodie was jolted mildly as the train lurched forward and began to leave the station at Havensfeld. Elodie wasn’t exactly sure how the train moved as it hovered over the track. The magitech was well beyond her understanding. What she did know was that it ran on monster cores, and that it could travel somewhere around three-hundred kilometers an hour. Getting Elodie clear across the country in about ten hours with all the stops they’d make along the way. Meaning she might be spending quite some time with the alluring Robin. Gods help her.

  “W-where are you heading to?” Elodie asked.

  “I’ll only be riding with you as far as Summerfield. Then I’ll be taking another train north to the capital.” That would still leave them riding together for over an hour Elodie figured. Still a daunting task.

  “Oh, what do you do?” Elodie asked.

  “Nothing as exciting as delving,” Robin winked at her. “I’m just a boring merchant on my way to renegotiate a trade agreement.”

  “You must be very good at your job to be sent all the way to the capital.”

  “I’m the best,” Robin leaned back with a small ugh.

  It was a very good ugh. Elodie felt herself rubbing her thighs together as the sound sent sparks up her spine.

  They chatted back and forth for a while. Elodie could almost swear the other woman was flirting with her half the time. Robin kept reaching over to touch her knee. She stared at her stomach as Elodie’s shirt rode up when she stretched in her seat. She kept gncing at Elodie’s lips.

  Surely this gorgeous woman was just friendly though. It didn’t mean anything. So, Elodie did her best to rex and not draw attention to the ever growing discomfort between her legs. Every time Robin touched her or smirked that knowing smile at her, the heat in Elodie’s body would spike and her legs would press together.

  Eventually Robin stood up and winked at Elodie as she told her she was headed to the vatory. Now was Elodie’s chance.

  The door slid closed behind Robin as she left their compartment. Elodie listened to her footsteps retreat down the carriage. When she was sure she wasn’t going to turn back around, Elodie’s hand loosened her belt and her hand dove down her pants.

  Fuck, she was so wet. And the idea that Robin or someone else could come back in at any time and catch her only seemed to make her wetter. Her fingers slid through her folds, eliciting a small whimper.

  Quick. She needed to be quick before Robin came back. Elodie gathered up some wetness on her fingers before bringing them back up and finding her clit. Her hips lurched forward at the feeling. Touching herself had never felt so electrifying. Though this was her first time touching herself in public where she might be caught. The idea excited her for some reason.

  Elodie began to circle her clit with quick, sharp movements. No time for build-up. She needed more. With her other hand, Elodie reached up and ran her fingers over a nipple. It shot tingles straight down her body as her nipple instantly peaked. She pinched it gently between finger and thumb, took a deep breath and then pinched down hard on her nipple while giving it a tight tug. A moan escaped her lips before she could muffle it.

  Close. She was already so close. But she needed a little bit more. Just a little bit more. She abandoned her breasts and dove that hand down the front of her pants as well. She didn’t have time to tease her entrance or anything else, she just dove in with two fingers, burying them to the knuckles in her tight little pussy.

  She started to pump in and out of herself with one hand, while the other circled her clit faster and harder. The tightness of her pants kept her hands pressed together, increasing the pressure on her clit, but making her plunging fingers a little cramped.

  Elodie fell over in her seat so she could get a better angle. Her legs spread as wide as they’d go while leaving room for her hands to move. A sheen of sweat was already breaking out across her brow as the whimpers echoed in the small compartment.

  Footsteps. Elodie could hear footsteps returning down the carriage. The idea of Robin opening the door and seeing Elodie rutting into herself so unashamedly brought a deep flush to her cheeks, but it was just enough to push her over the edge. The world seemed to explode around her as her core clenched around her fingers. Her back arched in the air, pressing her fingers as deep as she could reach. She kept pumping into herself as she eased her other hand out of her pants, her clit already too sensitive.

  The footsteps were getting closer. She yanked her hand out of her pants and quickly tightened her belt back into position. She scrambled to sit back up in her seat. Aftershocks still reverberating through her body. She was adjusting her clothes back into position, her face flushed, and still breathing heavy when Robin entered the compartment.

  Her face when she opened the door was disappointed. But then their eyes met. Robin trailed her gaze over Elodie’s still heaving breasts, noticing the persistent flush to her cheeks, the rumpled clothing that was still slightly out of pce. A devilish smirk slowly grew upon her face. Robin sauntered in, never taking her eyes off of Elodie as she sat down.

  “I guess next time I’ll be more explicit. Then you won’t feel the need to take care of everything on your own,” Robin’s brow rose teasingly.

  Elodie’s face bzed with embarrassment. Robin’s warm ugh echoed in the small compartment. What did she mean about being more explicit?

  Robin got off at her stop not too long after that. “If you ever make it to the capital, look me up.” Robin pulled a business card out of her bag and handed it to Elodie. Robin leaned over and traced her fingers over Elodie’s cheek, “It was good to meet you, Elodie.” Then she was gone. Elodie tucked the card into her ring and leaned back into her seat with a groan.

  More people boarded, and Elodie was soon joined by several new strangers. They exchanged small talk for a few minutes before settling down into silence. Out of boredom, Elodie pulled up her status screen. She was surprised to see [Harvest of Lust] now had five points allocated to it. Thinking about it, it made some sense. What she’d done had been pretty lewd. She wasn’t sure if it was the masturbating itself or the public setting that made the act count for her harvest skill, but she looked forward to more research ter.

  Elodie sat back in her seat and watched out the window as the countryside passed by in a blur. She still had a long time before reaching Demonia. Elodie decided to let the gentle swaying of the train lull her into a doze as she closed her eyes.