What Do You Mean I'm The King Now??

Chapter 18 - Groping Centaurs for Fun and Profit

"Do you go to this city, Riverbend, often, Ash?"

At the sound of Argeias' voice, I turn my head in her direction. Dawn is just beginning, and all is cast in a deep-blue hue, with the centaur's shoulder-length hair a dull silver, her eyes an even richer color of violet. Moving my eyes lower, I catch sight of Argeias' c.h.e.s.t, finding that her normally exposed b.r.e.a.s.ts are now covered by a light-green blouse. Candy's recommendation given that we are heading to a city of humans, a race which, unlike the hedonistic wood elves or the wild centaurs, can be quite prude at times. Her suggestion makes logical sense, of course, so Argeias' doesn't draw unnecessary attention. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by the change of attire.

Slowly, my eyes travel their way back up to Argeias' face, and I spot behind her to the east, the sun starting to peek over the horizon. The temperature is still frosty with morning dew, and I can see my breath, a wispy cloud of gray, as I finally respond. "Quite often, in fact, since it's the closest city to Lakeside Castle."

"What's it like?"

"Riverbend? Well-" I pause, trying to think of how to best describe the medium-sized city of nearly half a million people, with its old, run-down buildings and cracked, narrow streets. Antiquated? Historic?

"It's a classless shithole," my elf companion interjects, in an oddly perky tone, before I can answer.

"Candy! You shouldn't say such rude things!" I scold before turning to Argeias. "She's completely right though. Riverbend is a crappy town filled with liars and thieves that'll swindle you out of the clothes on your back if you'll let them."

"Oh gosh, that sounds terrible. Why are we heading to a place like that?" Argeias asks, one hand over her mouth in dismay.

"Because we're dirt poor, and you can get great quality stuff on the cheap, if you know what I mean," I reply with a shrug.

"Oh, I see," Argeias says, her voice tapering off. Then after a pause, she turns to me and continues. "Speaking of classless shitholes, about what the guards said to you, Ash, when you visited the three elven kingdoms-"

Nice segue…

I feel my eyebrows twitch, the corner of my mouth tugging up into a sarcastic smile. "I see how it is...everyone just thinks I'm a smelly, imm.a.t.u.r.e weakling who also happens to be a perverted s.e.x fiend, isn't that right?" I ask in a tone of mock exasperation.

"T-that's not what I-" Argeias begins to say, but Candy interrupts.

"That's not true, King Ash. I don't think you're smelly at all."

I wait for a second to see if she's going to say more, but when she doesn't, I let out a cry. "Candy, that's the only thing you're going to refute?!" My outburst draws a wry smile from my elf companion, and, seeing her expression, I can't help but break into a laugh as well. Then I glance over to Argeias, who is sporting a confused look on her face.

"I don't understand, Ash, you're not angry with me-?"

I shake my head. "It's fine, Argeias. I know you didn't mean anything by your original comments. I was just poking fun. Now, what were you going to say about the elven royal guards?"

The centaur stares at me for another lingering moment, as if still trying to determine if I'm upset or not, before she shakes her head and continues. "When the guards called you 'classless', I don't think they were implying that you were smelly or perverted. Couldn't they have just meant that you're without a character class? Hence, 'class-less'?"

I nod my head in reply. "Candy and I had a similar thought when we first heard the response. So we've been trying to level up to level ten at least, which is the minimum level needed to acquire a class."

"I-is that what the two of you were doing in the forest yesterday? Training and trying to level up?"

"Yes, we've been at it for about six straight months now," Candy replies.

"And how many levels have you obtained since then, Ash?" When she sees me holding up a hand with two fingers, Argeias looks at me in surprise and says, "Just two? How is that even possible if you've been grinding mobs for six months straight? How have you not reached level ten yet?"

"We keep running away," Candy replies cheerfully.

Thinking that Argeias will misinterpret Candy's tone, I quickly add, "It's not our fault though! Neither me nor Candy is a frontliner- we have no tank- so we can't challenge more difficult mobs that would normally give more experience."

As I finish giving my excuse, I see Argeias suddenly grin at us. "Hmph! You're in luck then. For you see, I am an excellent vanguard, Ash. Behold my mighty spear and shield!" The centaur pulls out her equipment, donning on a round leather buckler and a spear about six-feet in length. "Are you impressed?"

"Argeias, I think your nose just grew longer," I reply.

"What's that, Ash?"

I shake my head. "It's nothing. By the way, what are your stats anyways, Argeias?"

"Last I checked, I was level seven."

Level seven? You gave me all that grief about not leveling, but you're only two levels higher...wait…

"-Last you checked?" I ask, suddenly curious, "Does that mean you can see it too?"

"See what, Ash?" Argeias replies, putting away her equipment back into her inventory.

"The stats screen, when you close your eyes."

Argeias gives me a puzzled expression. "Ash, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Wait, if you can't see a stats screen, then how do you know what your stats are?"

"I got it appraised, of course, as anyone interested would. But now I'm curious, what is this 'stats screen' that you're talking about?"

"It's basically the same thing as apprais.e.m.e.nt, Argeias. King Ash can see his own stats if he closes his eyes and concentrates. Or he can appraise the stats of another individual through intimate contact," Candy explains.

"I-intimate contact?" Argeias stutters, her face growing red.

"Sorry, I mean s.e.x.u.a.l contact. Apparently the more e.r.o.t.i.c the contact, the more detailed the appraisal will be," Candy replies.

Looking over at the centaur, I see her appearing as if about to faint, her head swooning back and forth. "Argeias, are you okay?"

"W-w-w-w-what?! D-d-d-don't get the wrong idea, Ash! It's not like I want you to touch me e-e-e-rotically or anything...idiot!"

"Hmmm? Is that so?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

I take a step towards the centaur, then brush my right hand softly against her shoulder. As my fingers run along the fabric of her blouse, I feel her trembling slightly, but I know it's not from the chilly morning air. When I look up into her wide, violet eyes, I see a gaze there I hadn't seen before. It's a look of d.e.s.i.r.e, and when our eyes meet, Argeias quickly looks away, her expression embarrassed and shy. "A-Ash," she stutters softly, "W-will you appraise my stats for me?"

I lean in towards the centaur's neck, my breath warm against her skin as I plant a gentle kiss. "Say 'please'."

"Pleas-ahhh," Argeias replies. An involuntary m.o.a.n escapes her lips as my hands suddenly wrap around her firm t.i.t.s. Because of their small size, I am able to hold both her alluring mounds completely in palm of my hands, fondling them back and forth in a steady, circular motion. As I do so, I hear Argeias' breath grow short and ragged, as a steady train of 'ohhh' and 'ahhh' leak from her slightly open mouth, while below, her hoofs prattle up and down against the ground, restless from her pent up d.e.s.i.r.e.

With a hand still on one b.r.e.a.s.t, I lean down a bit and wrap my mouth around her other, suckling her boob through her blouse, my saliva wetting the thin green fabric to the point of transparency. At this point, Argeias' m.o.a.ns are clearly audible, her hoofs nearly stamping against the ground, and when I begin using my tongue against her nub, she collapses on top of me, her head and hands on my shoulders, trembling with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

It's probably ready.

"Tactile feedback," I mumble. And sure enough, as soon as I close my eyes, a flood of words and numbers suddenly appear in my mind's eye. I take a moment to organize my thoughts before finally seeing the following information before me:

=================================

Name: Argeias

Titles: Cyron Tribal Chief

Race: Centaur

S.e.x: Female

Age: ??

Height: 6'2" (1.9m)

Weight: 1112 lbs (504kg)

Class: None

Level: 7

HP: 50/50

Mana: 10/10