Chapter 195 – New Bonds Spoiler: Chapter It’s true that the sudden burst of violence coming from Vanessa surprises me a little, but I do my best not to think about it too deeply right now. In my own mind, poachers aren’t the kind of a threat that should warrant instant death, but maybe I’m missing something. We are technically either already in or close to our princess’ lands and the rules here might be somewhat different than what I could assume. Right away, a purple bolt of lightning zaps over my shoulder and smacks right into the guy who took the leading role in our conversation. A pretty web of red marks sprouts from the point of impact and reaches to the very edges of his body as steam begins to rise from his skin. As he falls to the back, I notice an arrow sticking out of his forehead too. It looks like my girls don’t fuck around either, focused on ensuring the success of their attacks. A quick scan of the gathered poachers doesn’t bring any anxious or uncertain vibes in me so I decide to give them the opportunity to prove themselves in battle. This is the goal of our expedition, in the end. So far, they have shown their quick reaction time and decent cooperation between Suna and Ressia. There are maybe slightly over twenty of the opponents while we are in two groups of seven if we count me too. There shouldn’t be any issue with steamrolling those pitiful morons. Maybe if they weren’t so rude from the start things might have developed differently. Eh, most likely not with Vanessa present. Therefore, I bring out my trusty hilt but take a few steps back, choosing to exude enough of my aura to herd the horses into one singular spot and watch over them. It takes just a moment, and in the meanwhile, I watch the battle unfold. Oniri has disappeared somewhere already and Yuru took her melee role alongside Besfi, charging straight into the encampment. Two men are already dead to their swords as the armoured Tiefling lady uses her shield to protect the Leopardkin girl from bolts and arrows raining upon them from the sides. Ressia keeps shooting back at them relentlessly and removing more of the enemy’s ranged fighters from the fight one by one. I can tell that my girls are communicating mentally and coordinating their efforts to the tiniest detail. Some of Ressia’s arrows fly forward almost grazing the skin of her friends but they seem to always position themselves the way to avoid her projectiles, which often surprises the targets on the other end of the fight. That’s a really nice tactic. But, my group isn’t the only one in this fight. The Heroes and their two companions have joined in too. Their efforts have focused on the released dogs at first. I saw how Paul put one of his own arrows into a nearby tree’s bark somewhere above us and illuminated the entire place with bright light. That resulted in two things. First, almost everything is now clearly visible. Second, the shadows cast by the wagons and the people have become much longer, deeper, and generally bigger. Shino uses one of them to lunge from underneath the small army of dogs, slicing through half of them with a single attack. It does make her grimace a little as she definitely isn’t happy about hurting the poor animals, but she knows it’s either them or us. As for the other half, Kamil taunts them onto him and Marcia makes short work of the remaining beasties while they cling to his enchanted armour like unto the training sleeves. Someone manages to unlock another kennel on wheels and more of them surge out but Natalie sends a massive Fireball their way, which explodes after flying into the coach, blowing it up into splinters and cinders. Vanessa seems to be mostly focused on the Humans and a few Elves making up the illegal party. Her Earth Magic easily blocks their attacks and deals lethal blows without a hint of hesitation as she surfs around the fire on a patch of gurgling ground. It does look like she takes personal offence with their very existence. Things are looking rather well for our side and I keep watching the battlefield in amusement. These poachers aren’t utter trash but their Tiers clearly aren’t anything great either. As their numbers dwindle, they find it harder and harder to repel the relentless physical and magical barrage. My sharp girls have appropriately eliminated the biggest threats early, taking care of those men who looked tough or in possession of ranged options. Then, my enhanced hearing picks up on another metal click and my attention snaps to one of the transport carriages. Fortunately, it’s not the enemies who have reached for it but my sneaky foxgirl, who takes a wary but curious peek into the holding cell. What she sees makes her sigh wistfully and she disappears into the darkness of the small prison. A moment later, three fancy deers sprint out of it one by one, take a quick glance around, and bolt away from the commotion. They don’t look common and plain. It’s clear that those creatures are something else, judging by their vibrant furs and various mystical patterns covering their bodies. Oniri continues on her quest to free the captured animals and beasts while their captors are forced to pay more attention to their own lives, which are dropping steadily thanks to the joint efforts of many women and a few men. I wouldn’t say that their cooperation is perfect, or that they are actually properly cooperating, but they do make sure not to inconvenience each other at least. Paul has chosen to shout his commands in English so that the enemies can’t pick up on their moves and strategies, though by doing that, he also excluded my ladies from that equation. Vanessa and Catherine also seem unable to pick up on every word but they at least look to have been taught a bunch of simple meanings and instructions. Well, on the other hand, my girls keep talking mentally, without uttering a single audible word, so I guess both sides have rendered their communications rather nonexistent. Save maybe for Shino and Marcia, who might be picking up on a few exchanges thanks to being linked to my big network. But that might be the courtesy of Ressia or someone else as I’m fairly sure my mercenary troupe uses their own thought communication magic to practise with it. Just as only a bunch of men are left, gathered in one spot with their backs to each other, I catch a surprised yelp. There’s now a football-sized hole in one of the remaining two coaches, right next to Oniri. She seems to have barely avoided an unexpected ricochet from Vanessa’s rocky spell. It clearly wasn’t intentional and the princess shares an apologetic nod with the foxgirl, no bad blood between them. That’s when a loud growl escapes the wooden structure and I realise that it’s the same one that had emitted some other noises before the battle. In a flash, it explodes in a shower of splinters and pieces, though it doesn’t look like anything other than pure physical power is the cause of that event. And the reason for that makes itself apparent right away. The unfortunate projectile shattered what looked like metal manacles binding a mighty beast to the frame of the coach. With its body freed of the main restraints, the very oversized black-furred wolf or similar entity howls in anger and frustration, having obliterated its prison by simply standing up, clearly barely fitting inside before. Its legs are still bound together in pairs but that doesn’t stop the purple-eyed beast from jumping off the destroyed platform and snarling at my cute vulpine subordinate, baring its fangs at the much smaller individual. The top of the wolf’s back reaches the top of my head in terms of height so it’s no surprise that the tiny Oniri looks like a little kid in front of it, staring back at the magnificent predator with wide eyes. I surge forward without delay. The beast is definitely eager to lash out at its captors, or possibly even at the first target it's able to. It was captured by humanoids and a humanoid is standing right next to it. I don’t think it cares that the other humanoids are fighting each other. Before it has a chance to snap its massive jaws around Oniri’s small frame, capable of chomping on her almost whole, I’m already next to them, pulling the pretty fox behind me. She might have been able to escape into her shadows but I’d rather not risk it. And as expected, when my quite powerful presence suddenly appears in front of the beast’s parted jaws, it pauses briefly, meeting my equally fierce gaze. Just in case, I summon a bunch of Void Chains to lock its torso down, without too much pressure so as not to antagonise the beast too much. There seems to be some kind of intelligence in its glowing, bright purple eyes, which lack any pupils or other features. I have no idea how I can tell that while staring into those shining depths, seemingly also releasing ominous smoke of the same colour from their corners, but something tells me I’m not mistaken. Though, there’s also plenty of hate and killing intent in there. “We are not your enemies. They are.” I try my hand at communicating with it, gesturing to the side. It continues to glare at me for a moment before glancing away at the few remaining poachers. At the appearance of the big bad wolf, my girls and Paul’s team paused their efforts to eliminate all the threats. Even the evildoers seem to be locked onto the ominous beast. I can’t really blame them. Not just its eyes but even the insides of its mouth are glowing dangerously like of some dark Hellhound or something. I receive one more look from the wolf, though maybe it examines the little lady pressed firmly into my back while peeking timidly over my shoulder, and it turns away from us. Or tries to, but I let my chains loose and allow it to easily walk out of them. Using small, kind of awkward tippy-taps, it moves closer to the poachers. Thanks to its metal bindings, it can’t walk properly right now. However, it certainly doesn’t seem to care with the prospect of revenge presented so deliciously in front of it. No one else takes action as the mighty beast closes on the remaining five. Save for them, I guess. When they try to make a run for it, choosing to risk getting hurt by one of ours in the process, they don’t get too far. Their feet sink into the previously solid ground and that face slam into it, courtesy of the similarly vengeful earth princess. The wolf’s growls resonate through the quiet forest as it stops above the puny Humans, snarling right at them with pure animosity. What happens next is fairly obvious. Some of the ladies do turn their gazes away as screams of pain and agony join the foresty soundtrack, created by the talented maestro with the use of its high-class fangs. It’s clear that the former captive doesn’t intend to play with its captors as all the noise fades away rather quickly. The last of the bastards ends up with his head plucked right off his shoulders and chewed on like a tasty gum. Then, the wolf raises its bloody snout and slowly regards our two parties, again displaying more than a hint of intelligence. It doesn’t feel like it’s assessing us as either prey or more threat. Rather than that, it feels like it’s trying to figure out if we are bad guys too. Ressia is the first person to step forward and it snaps its attention onto the canine half-blood. She tries to exude confidence but I can smell her anxiety and some fear. Yet, she still slowly approaches the beast and sits down on her knees. She doesn’t prostrate herself in front of it fully, looking up proudly but respectfully. They stare at each other for a few long seconds as if they are holding some silent conversation, and the wolf suddenly turns to me. My brows rise in slight surprise at the sudden change of its attention. Ressia stands up without any sudden movements and graces me with a faint smile. “You can approach, Master. It sensed that I willingly submit to you as my alpha without any negative feelings. This should have gained at least some of its trust.” I do as she says, briefly meet the proud beast’s gaze from up close, and look at her. “What now?” “Nothing. It will leave us in peace.” She steps closer and dives in for my lips unabashedly, guiding my hands to her ass and instructing me to squeeze it firmly. “I just wanted to prove to it that I’m not lying. My honest arousal should be truthful enough…” The last part is spoken in a barely audible whisper and I can tell just how truthful her body is. I guess if I can smell her desire and reverence, the big wolf can too. If that scores me some points with the beast, so be it. After one more peck from the faintly blushing wolfgirl, I separate us and look down. The chains are still binding its paws together. I meet its mystical eyes once more and crouch down without dropping that contact. It follows me with its giant head but doesn’t show any signs of annoyance or hostility. Taking that as my silent green light, I reach for the front left manacle and call upon all my strength. I expected the metal to be simple iron or steel, but I should have figured out that such a powerful and scary-looking beast wouldn’t be bound by some flimsy chains. Still, as I grunt in effort, the tight ring finally snaps after twelve seconds of increasingly stronger pulling. In less than a minute, they are all gone. Standing up, I nod at the wolf and turn around to face the others. “Alright. Anything to report? Injuries?” “None, sir,” Ressia responds immediately. “I plan to hold a debriefing when we settle down to rest, discussing what we did right and wrong during this encounter. It would honour us if you could join.” “Will do.” I smile at her approvingly. “We are all fine too,” Paul answers. “Would you mind explaining what that was about, though?” He directs his question and Vanessa and it’s actually one I was going to ask too. As usual, we do seem to think alike now and then. “Pardon?” The princess glances back at him. “You going straight for the kill,” he continues. “Don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t really take you for someone this quick to take life, save for one exception, I guess. Is this another case of something related to your family?” She sighs softly. “No, not directly. I just… hate poachers with all my heart. But I don’t mean simple poachers who go after the game, stealing from the kingdom. There is an outlawed group that hunts rare creatures, which are often magical and quite intelligent. They are sometimes even worse than slavers. Some beasts are kept alive through vile operations that abuse their high regeneration or other powers, endlessly harvesting precious organs and materials. Our kingdom actively pursues their demise.” “This wolf does seem quite unique and aware,” Shino agrees with her. “Why am I not surprised that the Human kingdoms care more about injustice towards beasts than actual people?” Ressia sneers lightly while crossing her arms. “Our family has been trying to go against slavery for generations. We were already much more lenient than other Humans, bordering on dangerous grounds. And this expedition is meant to secure even better conditions for other races after the reform has been accepted in the capital. My parents wholeheartedly support it, especially after learning the truth about my brother…” Vanessa drops her gaze to the ground. Natalie wraps her arm around their friend’s shoulders. “She speaks the truth. We’ve seen it personally.” My captain grimaces a bit and shoots me a brief glance. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so accusing.” “You aren’t exactly wrong,” Catherine surprisingly comes to her defence. “Ronerulle is a rare occurrence. Most other places are just as you say.” “What should we do with them, then?” Paul asks. “Each clan works separately from what we have learned so we can simply get rid of the bodies after searching through their belongings just in case. And unlocking the last coach,” Vanessa answers and we look towards the final cage. That’s also when we spot the fact that we haven’t come out of this fight completely unscathed. “Damn. Poor guy.” Marcia sighs sorrowfully. Somehow, somehow, in that brief window when I jumped forward in Oniri’s defence, a stray crossbow bolt found its way right into the side of my steed’s head. I made sure to put them all more or less behind the thickest trees and the first carriages of the encirclement, and still, the unlucky horse managed to get hurt. Lethally. “It’s too late, isn’t it?” I peek at Natalie. “Unfortunately.” She nods grimly. “But it’s not your fault.” “I should have thought of something ahead of time.” I shake my head. “No. I should have raised a wall around them before diving right into battle.” Vanessa walks up to the body and brushes her hand over it gently. “I’m sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me.” The ladies from Paul’s team go to comfort her a little while I turn to see the big wolf still standing behind me, watching us silently. “And why is this dude still here?” “I’m not sure, sir,” Ressia answers even though I wasn’t directing that question at anyone. Again, looking into the beast’s pure purple eyes, I feel like I can grasp tiny nuggets of its thoughts or intentions. It seems torn between something. It's mostly watching me with its pondering gaze, taking a peek at the dead Humans, the coaches now and then. “It needs help,” I finally say after quite a while. “Help?” My captain raises a curious brow at me. “You are trying to swallow your pride to ask for assistance, aren’t you?” I speak directly to the magnificent canine. “There’s somewhere you need to be but you are worried they will outnumber you again.” The wolf doesn’t answer but, again, I have a feeling that it does understand. “I’ll go with it.” I turn around and face the others. “You guys be on your way. It might not be far or anything serious so I might even be back before you wake up.” “But, Master…” Ressia bites down on her lip. I ruffle through her lush hair. “I can run pretty fast so I shouldn’t have any trouble meeting the deadline even if things get a bit more complex. Worst case scenario, I’ll get Ailish to help me or borrow some useful skills. You have shown how competent you are so I don’t have to watch over you for the rest of the trip this way.” “Should you really go alone, Sensei?” Shino walks up to us with a sad pout too. “You all have a task to fulfil. I’m just overseeing it. And you know that I can handle myself.” I peck her cheek lovingly. Before she or anyone else raises any more objections, I look up at the big eerie wolf again, starting to slowly head towards its side. It doesn’t move, simply watches me calmly. As it doesn’t stop me from touching its black fur a little, I spring myself up onto its back with a strong jump, landing on the soft fluff with a quiet oomph. “Alright, buddy. We are both in a hurry so let’s get you home, kill the remaining bad guys if there are any, and continue with our respective responsibilities, deal?” I smile as the wise wolf tilts its massive head to look at me. “Don’t forget to rest properly!” I wave at the others and give the monstrous animal underneath me a few pats on the side. I barely have time to grip its fur before it lunges above the encirclement like it’s a walk in the park for it and we are speeding in a certain direction. “Geez, you are fast.” I chuckle, leaning forward to fight the wind a little. “Here. A little help.” The muscles under me tense briefly before the wolf realises that I’m not trying to hurt it but rather recovering its fatigue and healing up any minor wounds caused either by the poachers or the shackles. It picks up even more speed in a flash, immediately making use of the additional energy I’m pushing into it with my Rejuvenate. We charge ahead for most of the night and don’t stop even for a moment during the day. Our destination must be a little further than I thought because my new friend keeps running at what I assume is its best speed, encouraged to continuously push ahead due to my magical support. I technically don’t need that much rest and can survive a few days without sustenance so I let the wolf hurry to our destination. It’s already dark when we are starting to slow down, definitely covering lots of distance in a short period of time. Those poachers must have captured it long ago because it would be silly for the wolf to wander so far away from its territory. A big caravan like theirs can’t move even a tenth as fast as we did. Soon, we come to a light trot so my temporary companion starts catching its breath, huffing violet, radioactive-looking breaths out of his glowing muzzle. Even its spit emits light too, though it doesn’t seem to be acidic or corrosive. Unless it can control that aspect. When we stop, I quickly jump down to stretch a little and get back to casting my Rejuvenate. I can tell there’s an entrance to a cavern a bit ahead and we need to be in top form in case any enemies might still be around. Who knows? Part of the group could have stayed behind for some reason. Before we go, I summon a barrel of water from my spatial storage and open it up for my big buddy. It sniffs the liquid a few times before greedily inhaling the contents in a flash. I can only imagine how thirsty it must have felt after a full day of running. “So, we ready?” I ask, standing next to its big head. It feels like it’s contemplating if it really should, or maybe like it’s afraid of what it’s going to find in here. Through that last day, I somehow managed to pick up even more on the art of understanding this unusual creature. I’m not sure if it’s just something natural, connected with my race, abilities, or anything else. I scratch behind its triangular ear and walk forward. We can’t just stand here for all eternity. Seeing me move, the wolf joins my side a moment later and we wander into the dark cavern. After quite a few ascensions and gaining so much from the girls around me, it doesn’t look like I need to enhance my sight that much anymore. Everything is fairly clear to me. However, I might have preferred for it not to be at the moment when we enter the spacious natural chamber at the end of the tunnel. Immediately, a strong, nauseating stench hits us like a solid wall. There’s no doubt it belongs to decaying corpses and similar things. And those corpses lay sprawled over the ground in various places. I spot a smaller but still big version of my furry comrade in the very centre. Obviously dead. Possibly it’s mate. But, that’s not all. There are many deceased wolves the size of usual canines here and there. No doubt their children. There’s lots of evidence of a great struggle as blood covers a good portion of the stone ground and walls. Judging by the bits and pieces belonging to humanoids, it didn’t come only from the animals. At least a few Humans died here too. Nevertheless, it’s a massacre. As my companion slowly paces towards its supposed mate and pokes the body with its snout, I really wonder why all of this happened. Since the living wolf isn’t immediately rushing out to find the scent of the rest of its family, I don’t think there are any survivors. Perhaps it counted the bodies. I do have a feeling that the prospect of finding someone alive would drive it into action again. But, really, why? It should have been better for the poachers to capture the little ones too. Did they try but found it too difficult because of the numbers? The bodies do litter the ground in different spots so it clearly was a big fight, not a silent assassination inside a lair. Maybe they overestimated themselves after capturing the biggest one somewhere outside and were forced to fight for their lives. Low growling drags me out of my pondering and my gaze snaps to the living wolf moments before its jaws clamp over my body. “Woah, buddy!” I dodge away, getting into a crouch. “Same team, remember?” I watch the big scary beast stalk forward while snarling at me, getting a little confused. Then, I notice tiny droplets of violet streak down the side of its muzzle and drip onto the ground, clearly leaking out of the corner of its eyes. Somehow, that sight hits me damn hard. It’s really crying in despair like any other person would. And it's clearly lost in its turbulent emotions, bordering on madness even. I don’t think it matters who is around, only that there is a target to vent its anger and frustration on. “I don’t suppose we can talk it out and share a few comforting hugs, can we?” I smile wryly at the shaken giant. Again, it shows the signs of understanding me well and snarls even harder as it lunges forward. I really don’t want to kill it, the last member of the almost completely erased family, just because it’s lost in grief. Evading another chomp, I skid to the side and consider my options. “Well, I guess it’s been a moment since my last brawl. Come, let Uncle Alastair help you vent it all out. Don’t hold back.” I smirk at it and spread my arms wide. It releases a powerful howl that shakes the entire cavern and charges me once more, spilling tears even harder from its smoking, purple eyes. This time, though, I don’t escape. Not fully, at least. Evading only partially, I punch the wild wolf right in the side of its just-closed snout. It yelps in surprise as the power behind my blow sends it skidding over the ground for a metre or two. I crack my knuckles and go right after it before it has time to recover. But, it looks like I underestimate my opponent as my next attack shockingly goes over the beast’s head. Its entire frame disappears into the ground like it’s liquid not stone and I turn around barely fast enough to grab its ferocious jaws trying to chomp on me from behind. The fucker can move through shadows or something. And we are in a dark cavern. Great. Still, I use all my strength to keep those rows of sharp, slightly pinkish teeth away from my body and slam its entire frame into the hard ground. It rolls away and pushes itself up. It hits me with its big head like a battering ram and I bounce off the floor a few times before righting myself. It’s in front of me in a flash but I sidestep and wrap my arms around its closed jaws, holding them tightly under my armpit. It continues to growl defiantly at me while shaking its muzzle, trying to break free, but it doesn’t use its legs to claw at me. Somehow, even though it is aiming to duke it out with me, it doesn’t really seem to want to murder me, just confirming my feeling that it’s simply lashing out at me out of anguish. We enter a contest of strength as it shakes me all around, slamming me into the nearby wall and floor a few times, but I don’t let it go. Whenever possible, I smack its snout with my fist so it knows that I won’t be backing off ever. The wild dance we two share is unlike anything I have experienced so far, I think. After what feels like an eternity, we finally begin to slow down. Its growls turn quieter and quieter as it lessens the strength of its shaking. I keep it tightly locked until it fully stills, simply standing with its long nose in my grip and releasing lighter snarls that gradually die down too. I tug it down and it reluctantly plops itself on the ground. Loosening my hold a bit, I rest its head on my lap while looking into one of its big, purplish eyes that illuminate my visage. One of my hands starts stroking its snout with gentle movements. Both of us are quite bruised and battered. “Had enough? I know that you are still furious, maybe also at yourself, but you can’t stay like this forever. You avenged your family, at least. Tore those bastards into pieces. They can’t hurt anyone else.” I whisper softly to the disturbed wolf, knowing that it listens intently to my words. “It’s not your fault. Sometimes, no matter how strong you are, you just can’t be in two places at the same time. You did your best, for sure. I bet you killed a lot of them when they caught you. You never gave up. You waited for the perfect moment. You even allied yourself with me and ran straight here. No one, even a Demigod like me could have done better. You deserve a rest. Don’t think, just rest. Tomorrow is a new day. We’ll deal with it then.” Gradually, its eyelids lower as I speak and the wolf does fall asleep shortly after I finish. Just to be sure, I stay with it for about fifteen minutes more, listening to its powerful breathing. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to doze off in such a vile cavern. I’m not as exhausted as it was. While it sleeps peacefully, I quietly move the bodies outside, lining them up on the grass. I’m not sure what my companion would like to do with them, but I don’t think leaving everyone to rot in their home is the answer. Perhaps a simple burial will work. Then, I do what I can to clean the air inside a bit. A borrowed spell or two takes care of that, though the effects aren’t perfect since I can’t really scrub the floor and only ventilate the chamber. Always something, at least. For the rest of the night, I plop myself under a tree next to the bodies, watching over them so that no scavengers show up to ruin them even more. I do catch some sleep too, thankfully without being interrupted by some rude guests looking for a midnight snack. Something wakes me up and I open my eyes to a fairly bright sky. I immediately notice the big figure of my wolf friend emerging from the cavern, hesitantly walking forward. It sees the lined-up bodies and stops in front of them. I stand up, taking its side and brushing my hand over its soft black fur. “I can bury them for you. In our culture, we sometimes visit the burial places of our relatives. You will be able to always come back here to spend some time with them. What do you say?” It lazily turns to me and meets my gaze. No words or noises leave its canine mouth but I clearly get its reluctant agreement and gratitude. As it lowers itself to the ground, I get to work. It watches me silently as I dig up a bunch of graves, set the corpses down in the holes, cover them again, and bring some metal shields out of my storage. Shaping my hilt into a dagger, I carve a small, somewhat simple and awkward shape of a wolf’s head on each, shoving the shields halfway into the earth next. “Looks fairly good, don’t you think?” I scratch the wolf’s ear a bit as it stares at the shiny plates. After a while, I give it a few more pats and walk away. Some rustling makes me glance back over my shoulder and I see the wolf up on its paws again, looking after me. “Don’t grieve for too long, friend. You still have a lot of life ahead of you. Stay for a while, but I would suggest trying to find a new home, maybe starting a new family when you are ready for that. Maybe our paths will cross again in the future. Don’t be a stranger then.” I chuckle and wave at it. The wolf looks between me and the graves a few times before ultimately leaving its attention on its family’s burial place. Taking a deep breath, I turn around and prepare myself for quite a bit of running, starting to infuse my muscles with lots of mana. Something nudges my hand and makes me jump. The friendly wolf stands right next to me with its nose lowered to the height of my palm. “What?” I raise a curious brow at it. It starts flicking my hand with its hot, glowing, violet tongue and I let it, assuming it's some kind of a parting gesture. After a few licks, it pulls my palm a bit deeper and suddenly bites down. “Ow! Hey!” I carefully yank my arm back, trying not to cut myself deeper. “What was that fo—” I pause as a window appears right in front of my eyes. Unnamed Lupus Voidis initiated Pact Bond with your designation as the Master and wishes to become your Familiar. Do you accept her offer? I blink a few times while looking between the message and the calm visage of the majestic wolf. “So, you are actually a girl, huh.” I scratch my head. “I mean, if you are sure?” She bops my hand with her nose again so I take it as a yes. “Fine. I did tell you to find a new home and family. I guess I need to take responsibility for my words.” I smirk at her and mentally agree to the request. “That’s new.” I rub my chin ponderingly. “I guess this is why we’ve been able to understand each other so well. I need to start working more on that Void element, maybe find a teacher.” Curious, I navigate my menus and find a section for Familiars which now also shows Bondmates. The Unnamed wolf of the Lupus Voidis lineage is listed there as an entry so I choose to view whatever stats and information I’m able to access. “Tier 4 is quite nice. Though, I have no idea about your kind’s standards. You are almost at five. Those guys must have really gotten the jump on you.” I sigh heavily. “Well, I assume you wouldn’t mind accepting a name? It would make a bunch of things easier.” My palm receives a soft lick which is clear like a day to me. “What about Diana? First thing that comes to my mind. I think it suits you well.” I rub her nose affectionately. Something warm sets inside my chest and I can tell that Diana experiences it too as a quiet, pleasant rumble escapes her closed muzzle. “Great.” I chuckle warmly. “Shall we head out, then?” Diana glances back at the graves for a moment and nudges me with her snout again, pushing me towards her side. I obediently jump onto her back, also give one last look to the burial grounds, and we slowly start our journey to rejoin the rest. Shino is going to lose her mind about our new little friend.
Chapter 196 – Halfway There ❤ Spoiler: Chapter At first, Diana simply moves away from the resting place of her family. Somehow, I can now understand her even better than before. There’s no doubt that a small connection formed between us after I accepted the pact. Even though she feels the urge to stay around the tombstones forever, she forces herself away, knowing that it won’t change anything. I let her run for as long as she needs to. About half an hour later, we slow down a bit and change to a light trot. Diana angles her head to glance at me questioningly and I smile at the big wolf, playing with one of her impressive ears. “It might be hard to explain where to go so let’s try something special, alright? I’ll focus hard on Shino’s location through the bond I share with my mate. Try to pick up on the direction if you can,” I say to my new friend, wondering about how much she will now be able to understand. Our gazes stay locked for a moment longer as I consult my bond with Shino. Diana’s glowing tongue then flicks out of her mouth to lick her snout and she shakes her head just like a dog, which she technically is, to some extent. She then picks up the pace again, moving much faster than before. Still, I just know that she can go even faster. Out of her consideration for me, she doesn’t push herself to her limits. Not even close. Right now, I can only hold onto her lush black fur, hoping that my strong grip doesn’t rip any patches off. I would hate to both wound the wolf and damage her ferocious beauty. Getting an interesting idea, I create a specific mental image in my mind before calling forth my Void Chains. From what I understood, Diana is an existence closely connected to the Void. She even has it in her name, kinda. So, she shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable with what I’m about to do. Usually, I bring forth the chains or other forms of bindings from some surfaces around me, but right now we are mobile and that’s out of the question. There’s a little tingle in my head when I look down at Diana’s impressive form and I lean more into that feeling. Dark purple belts snake out from underneath her and wind around Diana in the form of a neat harness. Its source is clearly located over her rib cage so I can safely assume that her heart or the very core of her being is where the magic originates from. Nevertheless, with a few crossing lines, my imagination forms two angled handholds, one per Diana’s shoulder, and I grip them tightly. There are similar pieces for my feet and I find a comfortable position in my new, makeshift saddle, leaning forward like on an incredibly fast bike. And I have a feeling we instantly go faster than any of those mechanical steeds ever could. The hiss of wind in my ears makes me smile a little as Diana skilfully navigates through the forest. Thanks to my high Tier and quite insane stats, my senses are capable of keeping up with her pace, at least to some extent. A few quick jumps and side steps bring a blurry image to my eyes, but otherwise, I can appreciate her eagerness to bring me to our destination as soon as possible. If I’m not mistaken, the others should be arriving there soon. We might even get back to them in time for the audience with the royal family. Possibly sensing my thoughts, or at least my desire not to be late for something important, Diana picks up her pace even further. But, what surprises me the most is the sudden lightness I start feeling in my chest as wisps of black smoke begin rising from her fur. A faint trail of misty darkness remains behind us as we make our way forward. I’m not entirely sure what it is, but I can tell that this something is asking me for permission. I consider my options for a few seconds and finally decide that it has to be the work of my canine companion and stop shielding myself from her influence. In an instant, we link even stronger and a purplish haze covers the edge of my vision. Diana lunges forth, completely unbothered by the thick tree standing right on our path, and pitch-black darkness replaces my sight with a flash. I shiver lightly as we spend less than a second in that empty world, emerging out of it without an issue. The forest around us hasn’t really changed, but Shino’s presence grew closer. About ten minutes of travel at our previous speed closer. We somehow covered a lot more distance in that short fraction of a moment. I start considering the chance that my mind simply blanked out for a short while, but deep down, I understand that we have just jumped ahead through something. That something being the shadows, most likely. Diana gives me a slight break to adjust my mind to what happened and my vision gets affected again. This time ready for the jump, I keep myself calm and focused. Just before we slam into a tree, our bodies dive into its shadow like it's a pool of water. Our time inside still appears as short as before no matter how hard I try to decipher the difference, and we end up shooting out of another shadow, skipping another ten minutes of our journey. “That’s amazing. If this isn’t just your unique ability and something actually connected to Void Magic, I would truly love to learn it.” I chuckle to myself between the jumps.”This could prove useful in so many situations. Though, right now, let’s focus on the most important one.” And so, Diana takes me for a trip through the world of pure darkness pretty much every half a minute or so, perhaps considerate of my first time with it. Or my mental strength, possibly. I don’t know just how much Void Affinity helps in this situation. She is the expert here, though unable to voice out her opinions. Maybe someday she will be. Even with our little cheat, we still take over a day to reach our target. Diana brought us slightly off the course when we made a detour for her family. I don’t blame her for that, of course. Even if I did, she’s done more than enough to repay the favour. Shortly before noon the next day, we spot the first signs of Ronerulle’s capital. The pretty city is exactly like Shino described in one of the tales about their adventurers. We might not be able to see much past the gates right now, but what we can spot is enough to start with a good impression. For a moment, I consider going through the busy streets and enjoying the sights to my heart’s content, but two reasons stop me from making that decision. First, a random guy with a wolf taller than him if it assumes a straight, proud stance would not only be the talk of the town but also definitely make a bunch of people scared, anxious, and uncomfortable. As for the second, it’s the mission. Shino, Marcia, and my girls are located in the castle. Judging by their general position and the fact that they are in there all together, the talking must have already started. I would be really late to the party if I went chasing sights. Reaching out to Shino, I let her know that we will be arriving in just a moment. She asks what do I mean by we, but I simply send her a mental grin. Giving her a moment to share the message, I glance at my companion. “Alright. Take us to them, please. And let’s try our best not to give Vanessa’s parents a heart attack.” I chuckle to myself while patting Diana’s side. She lets out a huff of agreement and we step into the shadows instead of running into them this time. Even though the distance is much shorter than our previous jumps, the transfer takes a bit longer. I can tell that deep darkness is pooling on the floor next to my friends, capturing their attention. Then, the two of us jump out of it and land in the throne chamber. The king and the queen of Ronerulle still flinch lightly at the sudden intrusion, but the others gaze upon us with wide and somewhat confused eyes. However, some real excitement and curiosity are quickly taking over Shino’s gaze as her mind goes lightspeed with ideas and assumptions. Ignoring her eager expression for now, I jump off Diana’s back and turn to the royal duo while holding onto one of the purplish belts hugging my mount’s torso. “My apologies, Your Majesties, if my unexpected arrival surprised you. I didn’t want to show up too late and make an offence. I’m Alastair Carter, the leader of those incredible ladies in black and purple gear. It’s an honour.” After that, I descend to one knee and even Diana lowers her head alongside me, making a good display of her intelligence and obedience. That gesture helps the royals relax and I mentally thank my wolf companion for her help. She shows her appreciation for my appreciation by giving my cheek a quick lick and returning to bowing, bringing a quiet chuckle out of me. But, all is good as that cute gesture seems to be enough to earn the approval of our important hosts. “Rise, please,” the man says after fixing his posture on the throne. I get up, rest my hand on Diana’s side, and take a glance at the others. They all look fine, but it’s fairly obvious that they would have contacted me to report any unfortunate accidents or other events they might have encountered on their way here. Ressia gives me a sharp, respectful nod, currently standing in front of her colleagues. Paul shows a faint smirk too, representing the Heroes with Vanessa by his side. “You must be the commander of these mercenaries that they have mentioned before your arrival, correct?” the king continues. “Yes, Your Majesty. I am the owner of the company and their boss, but I’m here mostly to oversee my subordinates on one of their bigger requests. Ressia is the captain of the current squad, as she has undoubtedly introduced herself. We are at your service.” I make a simple bow once more. “We’ve heard from the King that your force is a new one in Evaneheim. But, he already believes you to be the best. From what we can tell, you are all at least well-mannered and know how to handle yourselves around people of status. We are looking forward to working with you and the Heroes, who have already proven themselves to us through a great favour before.” He nods at my ex-students. Vanessa takes a small step forward. “Father, this man is the one who made me aware of… the atrocities committed in the shadows of our city. I can personally vouch for his good heart and great combat skills. He was the mentor of the Heroes in the past.” The last part is kind of debatable but I’m not going to argue. She is clearly trying to warm her parents to me and it’s appreciated. However, I’m not sure if straight-up telling them that I was involved with anything related to their son is a good idea. They must have talked about him in the past and it shouldn’t be hard to connect the dots even if she didn’t explicitly name-drop me in their conversations. And the sharp gazes that fall upon me are enough to confirm at least some of my suspicions. Well, let’s hope that they aren’t the ones to stab their guardians in the back to resolve a grudge. “You won’t be safer anywhere else other than in Sensei’s hands,” Shino joins in with a beautiful smile. “He saved us plenty of times, and in terms of pure strength, none of us can hold a candle to him.” The royal pair continues to stare at me until Paul chimes in too. “Returning to our previous conversation, now that all of us are here, may I ask when you plan on heading out, Your Majesties? We are ready to depart at any time, after resupplying ourselves shortly.” It’s the lady who answers his question. “You must be tired after your long journey. It wouldn’t be healthy or proper of us to demand you to begin your quest with us right away. A certain important matter related to our nobles came up moments before your arrival so we would be grateful if it would be possible to postpone our departure to the next morning.” “As my wife says.” The husband nods. “You are welcome to stay the night if you are willing to. There’s no rush to resupply your necessities either. Please do take note of your purchases and bring us the list after you are done. We’ll reimburse your expenses for this trip. It’s the least we can do as your current employers.” “We are honoured by your generosity.” I lower my head and Paul mirrors the motion. “The rooms for the Heroes have already been prepared. As for you and your mercenaries, Sir Carter, we would like to ask about your preferred arrangement. Would you prefer two chambers, one for you and one for your subordinates, or would all of you rather receive a bit of personal space just like the Heroes?” The queen roams her curious eyes over our group. “I’ll gladly accept whatever room you have for me. As for my ladies, I think they should be the ones to decide. What do you say, Captain?” I turn to Ressia. The wolfgirl meets my eyes for a moment, glances at the thrones, then drops her gaze a little bit while biting on her bottom lip, her tail swishing shyly behind her butt. “I do not see a reason to inconvenience our gracious hosts that much. We would be happy with a single chamber. We are one big family, in the end, and our company makes us comfortable. If that won’t be too much to ask, we would be grateful for a room with a big bed which can fit all of us, alongside our master. If that in itself isn’t an inconvenience, of course.” Her cheeks redden a little near the end as she shoots a quick peek at the royal duo, her tail picking up even more speed. I can see the expectant gazes of all the other girls, trying not to show their hope and excitement about the prospect. I look up at the king too and shrug lightly. “I’m fine with that solution too. Whatever Your Majesties decide is the best.” Pretty sure I spot a faint smirk at the corner of the queen’s lips as she looks down at Ressia. “I see no problem with that. We’ll send word to the maids to prepare an appropriate dwelling. It’s in our best interest to make you feel comfortable and welcome in our home.” She then moves her wise eyes onto me and I catch the quickest wink my way which can easily be missed or disregarded as a simple blink. “We’ll be expecting you for dinner, which takes place in six hours. Until then, you are welcome to enjoy the city and anything it has to offer,” she adds. “Unfortunately, we have to act a little rudely here and leave you on your own for a moment. The aforementioned matters can’t wait any longer. Thank you for accepting our commission. We are looking forward to travelling alongside this realm’s best.” “Your praise is too kind, Your Majesty.” I smile kindly at her. “I assume you don’t need the assistance of my ladies or the Heroes until we move out of the city? We are at your disposal if only you wish so.” “We appreciate the offer but that won’t be necessary. Have a good time in our domain. The castle staff is informed about you so don’t be afraid to approach them and make requests or pass them any messages you would like us to receive. I’m sure the folk outside are already aware of you too so expect many traders and shopkeepers to approach you with mostly good intentions.” Vanessa’s father lets out a faint chuckle and the royal pair retreats from the chamber. “Did I miss anything important?” I ask after turning to everyone. “Not really.” Paul shakes his head. “We were discussing the route a little and making introductions. It’s not long since we arrived here. Honestly, I didn’t think you would make it here so fast after Shino told us you made quite the detour.” “Even with a horse that would have been impossible. But I guess you had something much better, Sensei.” The samurai girl giggles adorably. “Is this the same one?” I nod at her, brushing my fingers through my new companion’s fur. “It is. Meet Diana. After I helped her out a little, she offered me a pact and I became her master. I guess it’s something close to taming. I can check a few details about her through my menus.” “She looks both ferocious and gentle at the same time,” Natalie notes, stepping a bit closer too. I move aside to encourage her and she pets the female wolf too, quickly joined by Shino. One by one, all the women crowd the mighty beast and run their hands all over Diana's body. Some of my girls even lean into the pleasant fluff and rub their faces into it. Diana simply looks at me with a warm glint in her full purple eyes. This little snuggle therapy will do her good after the suffering she’s gone through. “What is she anyway?” Kamil wrinkles his nose while crossing his arms over his chest. I barely hold my snicker after noticing his gaze. He might be trying to appear just as rough as usual, but it’s fairly obvious he wants nothing more than to join the girls in playing with the giant doggo. His eyes lack a sharp edge and keep jumping to the wolf’s beastly features with some silent awe. He might be a dog person. I guess it wouldn’t be that much of a shock. “In free translation, something that could be called a Void Wolf. Her affinity should be obvious. We made it here so fast thanks to the fact that she can jump into the shadows and get out of them an impressive distance ahead. I don’t know much about that ability of hers yet but it’s really amazing,” I respond to his question, deciding not to tease him about his contradicting signals. Marcia somehow makes her way onto Diana’s back and my canine companion starts running around the chamber as the girl whoops and cheers, waving a nonexistent hat like a professional rodeo contestant. Thanks to the harness I created earlier, she can hold on without an issue. The other women chuckle at the sight, watching the duo speed around the spacious hall and weave between the supporting columns. Diana doesn’t use her movement technique, though, so I start wondering if perhaps she can’t do so without the rider possessing the matching affinity. It might also be the benefit of our pact, but who knows? I’ll have to run some tests when we have some time alone. “What would you like to do now?” Vanessa turns away from the amusing show and glances over us. “We have a bit of time before the dinner. I could show you around if you would like. Or we could simply rest in your chambers.” “Let’s give the staff some more time to prepare them. We have already seen the city but Sensei hasn’t. We should take a fun walk together.” Shino pushes herself into my side with a grin. “Right after someone manages to drag that woman off the wild dog.” Catherine snorts while pointing her thumb at the rowdy redhead still bouncing around. I whistle lightly and Diana freezes mid-motion. Her head swivels my way as her ears stand up straight. Knowing the next part, I grin to myself and watch as she lunges my way with much more force than before and Marcia yelps in panic, barely keeping herself in the harness at that speed. Diana lands next to me and snuggles her snout to my palm as I pet her affectionately. “Warn a woman next time.” Marcia huffs at me while coming down. “I had you for someone experienced enough with being on top to hold on with a little buckling.” I smirk at her and she rolls her eyes before blowing me a seductive kiss. We don’t waste any more time and leave the castle. Diana surprises us and dives into my shadows. I can feel her there even as I walk and appreciate the smart wolf even more, clearly hiding from sight so that we can walk around without scaring people. Vanessa leads our little expedition as she is obviously the best person to fill the role of our guide. This is her homeland and hometown so she knows it best. Save for some specific dark secrets which might have slipped past her, but no one is perfect. As we stroll through the streets, quite a lot of people notice our presence. We are a big group, but most looks are directed at my girls, either admiring their intricate armour and gear or pondering their appearance. Well, they are all members of other races so that should be rather natural with the still recent beliefs and approaches to their kind. Even if Vanessa’s home hasn’t been as bad for them as Evaneheim’s. A bunch of Beastkin and Elves send little smiles at my women, mostly those who still seem to wear collars. Though, their apparel is rather well-cared for and the decorative chokers around their necks don’t look too uncomfortable. “It’s refreshing to see so many of our folk freely walking around the streets without constantly checking over their shoulder,” Oniri comments between Vanessa’s introductions to the places we pass by. “Even if I can still see many collared.” The princess turns to face her. “Our situation is slightly different from Evaneheim’s. The collared people aren’t exactly slaves, but I admit that they are still servants. It’s not easy to create an environment where Humans can cohabitate with other races without going on some kind of compromise. They are pretty much equal in standing to the usual servants and thus protected by our laws. Some might have been forced into servitude due to their harsh circumstances, but no one was captured and made into a slave. Or at least no one should be. I can’t guarantee that there aren’t disgusting people who still do that and hide it.” Shino and Natalie rest a hand on her shoulder each as Vanessa clenches her fists. She definitely still blames herself for what her brother did right under their noses. I bet she and her family launched quite the investigation into their subjects after that, but nothing might be enough to satiate her guilt. She takes a deep breath and looks at me. “But, things are getting better. Especially now with the new reforms that are spreading throughout the kingdom. It will definitely take time to make everyone respect those laws, but I’m glad to think that some potential future victims are going to be saved from this horrible experience.” “One day Sensei will unite all the races again! You will see!” Shino hugs the princess dearly with a big smile. I can only smile wryly too as Vanessa gently smirks my way. Afterwards, we visit a few places to restock and talk more about the city. Our royal friend is more than happy to share stories from her childhood and life in general, talking about both the castle and the lands beyond it. Also, as expected, the princess is really loved by her subjects as the establishments we visit are genuinely joyful to see her at their doorstep. We stop only at a few stores with sweets and snacks so as not to eat too much before the dinner we have been invited to. Vanessa introduces us to her favourite ones and the ladies mostly agree with her tastes. Naturally, the variety is good enough to spark a lively discussion when they start comparing the goods and explaining why particular products are their favourite, even if they have tasted them for the first time in their life. The sight and experience of them having fun with sweets is extremely charming so no one has a heart to interrupt their activity. Not even Kamil. The three of us sit together with offered drinks and gossip about the women a bit. I try to prod Paul more about Catherine and I’m pleased to see that he does in fact show some staple signs of interest in the amazing military lady. He speaks much more about her than he usually does about anything, for example. Hours pass really fast and soon it’s time to return. We freshen ourselves up a little before the big event and then gather in the dining hall. My girls spend a moment collecting their jaws from the floor at the sheer extravagance and lavishness of the feast set up on the long table. There’s no doubt they have never ever experienced anything like that, not even at our mansion, of course. I do my best to reassure their anxiety so they can actually enjoy the fancy party. One side of the table is taken by Paul and his team while the other is ours. Vanessa and her parents sit at the end of it, as they should. The feast starts almost right away and some casual chatter fills the hall as servants, both Human and not, busy themselves with the dishes and assisting us however best they can. Honestly, I expected some bigger or more official topics to surface during these discussions, but it’s kept mostly small and insignificant. There are some questions to my girls about their lives under me and some about the servants in service of Ronerulle. No surprise, these amazing women always sing me praises, spinning various tales about how my wives or mates saved them and gave them a chance to become strong. And about my big heart for accepting their everything and agreeing to lead them to greatness. It’s easy to notice how interested the nearby servants become in those aspects of the conversation and I have a feeling that the royal duo has put quite a lot of thought into this gathering even if it doesn’t seem like it. Rumours will definitely spread quickly as servants do like to talk with each other about both the good and bad sides of their lives. The goal here is clear, to make more people aware that big changes are coming and that they are the most prominent at our place. When the feast gradually slows down and everyone simply sinks into their comfy chairs to enjoy the fullness of their bellies, Ressia respectfully stands up and glances at the royal family. “I would like to express my gratitude for this incredible evening, something that I and my colleagues have never ever experienced yet. But, as much as we would love to remain here and accompany you longer, we must take our leave to take a proper rest. Our duty is to protect and we need to be at our best in the morning. We won’t settle for less. Once more, thank you, Your Majesties.” Naturally, they are allowed to leave and they walk out of the dining hall, shooting me warm smiles as they go. We stay for about an hour more before Vanessa retreats with her parents too. Taking that as our sign to pack up, we thank the servants and be on our way. Since Shino is staying with her party, she trots up to me so we can share an affectionate goodnight kiss and we separate. When I arrive at my assigned chamber, I find all six of the girls lying atop the massive, royal bed completely nude and definitely not asleep. They grin at me with flushed cheeks as their exquisite bodies press together. I shake my head at them and approach slowly. “What happened to resting properly for the morning so that you can be at your best?” I ask teasingly, well aware of their true intentions. Ressia blushes even harder as her gaze wanders down my front. “It wasn’t a lie. But, we can’t be at our best without your help, Master. Our enhancements have already expired. We require your assistance in renewing them.” Even though she tries to remain confident while stating her request like a fact in front of me, I don’t miss the slight worry in her beautiful eyes as she remains a bit anxious about being too demanding. The others mirror that emotion, as eager to bed me as they are. I step onto the bed with my knees and move over the naked beauty lying in the core of her colleagues. “Well, now. We can’t have that, can we? As a respectable mercenary force, we can’t disappoint, right?” Her pupils lose the tightness and quickly dilate, melting into ensnaring discs full of lust and desire. She grabs the front of my outfit and yanks me down to her lips. Pure chaos ensues next as the others lunge at us and desperately claw at my body to disrobe me as quickly as possible. When I’m finally just as naked as they are, Ressia stares deep into my eyes with her palms cupping my cheeks. “I never dreamed I would ever be taken in a real royal castle.” Grinning at her, I trace my hands down her waist and rest them on her hips as she spreads her legs for me, revealing her flooding slit to the world. Seeing the state she is already in, I take her right here, right now, plunging myself into the wolfgirl's heated depths in one go, evoking a shivering moan from my seductive captain. As she wraps her arms and legs around my body to pull me deeper into her, I take a brief glance around. “Get yourselves ready for me. That’s an order.” A chorus of very excited “Yes, sir!” answers me and the ladies take good care of each other right away. The sound of my body slapping against Ressia’s is joined by a cacophony of wet licking, kissing, and fingering, not to mention heart-melting mewls and moans. But, I try my best to focus on the fierce canine underneath me, writhing in pleasure from the dicking she deserves. “You did such a great job so far. I’m proud of you,” I whisper to her long ear as I pound her waist into the bouncy sheets. “Yes, sir! Ahhh! Ahhh! I’m a good girl! Ahhh! Ahhh! I’m your good girl! Ahhhh! Please, reward me!” she struggles to answer amidst her carnal moans, bucking her hips back into me to meet my thrusts. Chuckling at how fast her tail is wagging now, smacking my knees as I smack the lips of her pussy with my underbelly, I nibble gently on the fluffy triangle atop her head. Ressia shudders and cries out in ecstasy, tightening around me instantly. The others take a moment to look at her as she peaks loudly and I drive myself into her right through her powerful orgasm, continuing to piston in and out of her convulsing channel until she dives into another orgasm right away. Only then do I release deep into the talented and proud wolf lady, filling her up with a mighty load as her reward, besides all the pleasure. Slipping out of Ressia’s warm embrace as her fit figure shivers in post-orgasmic bliss now and then, I press a gentle peck to her cheek while grazing the other one with my palm. She flushes even harder while panting for air but does her best not to tear her gaze away from mine. An embarrassed smile does decorate her fierce lips, though. “I shouldn’t have said that…” she whispers timidly. “What? That you are my good girl?” I raise a curious brow at her and she turns even redder than I would have thought she could. She then shoots a glare to the side. “These traitors told me I should. That it would feel good. Goddess, it’s so embarrassing…” I smile at her lovingly, a bit amused that I managed to make her slip from how good she felt. “But you are my good girl, aren’t you?” She nibbles on her bottom lip as her tail starts going again. Winking at her, I place a proper kiss on her sweet lips and leave her to rest a bit. What greets me next is a heavenly combination. Fullen and Suna lie down side by side, a pale High Elf touching hips with a chocolate Dark Elf. They hold hands while looking at me expectantly, trickles of nectar staining their thighs. I admire their contrasting forms for a while, which clearly is the right choice as they smile back at me appreciatively. Our healer is as lithe and regal as most High Elves are and her long, silvery hair just adds to it. As for the lightning mage, she is a bit more plump where it counts and her black hair is cut almost military short, which greatly contradicts her quite beautiful face, creating an incredible combination. As I move over the pale beauty, Fullen’s fingers trace down her belly and reach her petite folds, pulling them aside to reveal the pink flesh of her feminine secrets. She watches me expectantly while keeping herself exposed in a very shameful position for my own sake. Kissing her forehead, I chuckle quietly. “I honestly thought all High Elves were rather prideful and noble, but I guess I only really spent a significant amount of time around only one.” Her cheeks turn rosier at my words. “Years of slavery tend to do that to a woman. Not everyone stays the same.” “I’m sorry—” She interrupts me with a finger on my lips. “Don’t be. I know very well how awful and painful it was, but without it, I wouldn’t ever be able to enjoy fine things like this. I would still have a stick deep up my ass and see sex with a Human or even other races as something beneath me. Now, I rather enjoy a different stick in there.” Smirking at her, I guide my fingers past her proffered pussy. “Would you like one right now?” She giggles nobly and nods. In the next moment, I flip her over and she lands on top of Suna, who welcomes her lighter sister in her bosom with a dazzling smile. Fullen looks up at her with red cheeks as I trickle some of the useful substance onto her upper entrance and myself, starting to prod her narrow backdoor with a finger. After she gets comfortable enough with it, I switch to something thicker and slowly fill her up as she groans thickly into her friend’s generous dark tits. In no time, I’m pummeling her tight ass to ecstatic cries and grunts, bumping both ladies up with my hips. I watch the noble High Elf leave herself at the mercy of my pleasurable strokes and the Dark Elf’s bosom sway deliciously. For the few last thrusts, I lean in to lick and suck on her hard nipples, exploding in Fullen with my face still latched onto one of them. They roll over then and Suna presents her butthole to me too, asking for the same helping of fun and games. As expected from the very lewd Dark Elves. I grant that simple wish of hers and rail her down with all I have as she peaks again and again from me destroying her ass like a machine. The two Elves are left in each other’s embrace when I finally let go of them. I find Yuru and Oniri still engaged in an eager sixty-nine, lapping at each other’s mounds greedily. Cute whines and mewls escape their wet lips as they are lost in pleasure together, not noticing that it’s their turn now. That really makes me smile. The two Beastkin girls are quickly becoming as close as sisters. Even during their first time with me, they worked together rather well. My touch on their adorable ears makes them flinch and realise that they have spaced out. They stop their efforts and I help them up, getting smothered in cute kisses and pecks as they pepper my face with affection, their tails swaying lovingly behind their pert butts. I let them do it for a while as my fingers care for those enchanting appendages, causing them to shiver into my chest. Oniri offers me Yuru first, but Yuru protests and encourages me to mate with Oniri before her. They really are such good friends. Nevertheless, I have to start somewhere so I grab the short fox as I stand on my knees, turn her around, and press her back into my front. Oniri sighs in pure relief as I finally enter her from behind, keeping our torsos at a slight angle and putting some distance between her lithe thighs. I start gently pumping into the fox’s narrow hole, nibbling on her long ears with my mouth and teasing her nipples with my fingers. She graces us with quiet, humming moans and exquisite sighs. At least until Yuru crawls between our legs and starts flicking her skilful tongue right over the petite fox’s sensitive clit. My thrusting and other caresses, paired with the pure-blooded Leopardkin’s sucking and kissing, bring her much higher on the scale of ecstasy and Oniri buckles her pussy into me with eager gusto. She sprints towards her orgasm, clearly turned even more by the help of her friend, and she comes to her high with a cute, prolonged coo, splashing Yuru’s furry face with a little squirt of love nectar. I give her precious flower a few more pumps as my seed paints its insides in their favourite colour and lay the sweet fox to rest. Yuru snuggles to my chest next and I play with her ears for a moment, letting the cute girl rub her ticklish cheeks into the crook of my neck while purring lovingly. She gradually climbs onto me like a tree and I find a good position for us. Her legs find purchase atop my shoulders while her fingers lock together behind my neck. I hold her tender butt in my hands and look deep into her ferocious eyes as I slide home, evoking a shivering mewl from my strong subordinate. I ram into Yuru’s needy channel with mighty thrusts as she hangs off me lewdly. Leaning forward, I keep raining kisses on her feline nose with each wet smack her spread mound receives. Her tail flicks back and forth along her adorable whines of need, showing that I’m doing a good job at pleasing the quiet leopardgirl. As her tight passage starts squeezing me even further, I steal her tongue for a wild dance and pummel her to the best of my abilities. She releases a feminine growl as she orgasms on my cock, her sharp claws tearing into my skin from pure bliss. I flood her depths with my cream and the growls are replaced by loud, vibrating purrs as she licks my neck like it’s the most delicious meal of her life. With the Beastkin pair laid to rest too, I move on to the last remaining member of our current expedition squad. Besfi the Tiefling throws herself at me without a moment of thought and impales her impatient pussy on my length with a cry of delight. She starts riding me like mad, begging me to smack her, pull her hair, yank her tail, and abuse her. I do all that and more, continuously throwing us around into new positions that put the Tiefling in more and more difficult positions, bending her limbs and body to their limits. As I’m drilling her squirming snatch in a piledriver with her ankles held right next to her ears, she explodes like a fountain, covering herself fully in her lewd juices. But, it’s not the only time she squirts like crazy. Each time I bite her flesh, smack her ass, or yank her tail with abandon, she lets out a little trickle of liquid, cumming just a bit from those actions. For someone who is supposed to be our dedicated tank, she really is enjoying pain a little bit too much. Her side of the bed ends up completely soaked by the time I wreck her as far as to almost knock her unconscious. Wiping my forehead from both sweat and certain other bodily fluids, I take a peek at the others and find them looking at me hungrily. Chuckling to myself, I throw the perverted Tiefling away and spread my arms wide, inviting them to take me as much as they want. They all charge at me like a pack of starved wolves and we spend a decent chunk of the night chasing the carnal rabbit. Thankfully, with my support, they don’t need to sleep as much as before or we would be quite some trouble in the morning. We still have to actually escort Vanessa's parents to their destination.
Chapter 197 – A Wild Chase Spoiler: Chapter I wake up first, opening my eyes before all the ladies. Our positions have switched a little over the few hours we have actually slept instead of taking part in a bit more lively activities, but the six naked beauties still lie sprawled all over me and the bed. Ressia is the closest, snuggling to my chest as we are both on our sides. I can feel Yuru coiled somewhere around my thighs and Oniri lovingly hugging my back. The other three are unfortunately out of my reach. After admiring the fierce women and their serene sleeping faces, I pull the canine captain more into me and gently nibble on her pointy ear. Ressia shudders lightly and lets out a delicate sigh. Her charming lashes flutter open a moment later and a faint blush tinges her cheeks as she realises our positions. I smile at her warmly, brushing my fingers through her hair. “Morning. I think it’s time to get up if we want to appear as professional as we can.” “Yes, sir.” Ressia smiles back at me, roams her eyes over my front, and nuzzles her face into my neck, pressing her tender chest into my skin. “Thank you for the amazing evening, Boss. The girls looked really happy.” “Don’t mention it.” I sneak a few pecks onto her adorable ears. “But, try not to get used to it either. While I would always be glad to give you some affection whenever you wanted, I won’t be around on every mission.” She pulls herself up and gazes at me with noticeable adoration. “We know. Lady Sirgia gave us plenty of relief tools to help us relax our bodies during long commissions. We can manage. We will make you proud.” Before she has enough time to hesitate, I bring my lips to hers and we share a few delicate kisses. I can see the sheets fluttering as I glance over her shoulder, thanks to her lively tail expressing the wolfgirl’s joy. “And I’ll reward you properly for that.” I grin at her after we separate, Ressia’s face flushing even more now. “So, I think it’s time for you to take care of your part.” Giving me one last kiss on her own, Ressia sits up and stretches her slim and muscular form, displaying her enchanting profile to me. I join her and run a hand down her shapely back, causing her tail to pick up speed as I caress her soft skin. She glances at me coyly as I reach her bubbly behind and I grin at my fierce captain while giving it a playful squeeze. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she gives me a hungry look and sighs heavily. “I’ve never been a lazy person, but recently it’s just incredibly hard to leave the bed. I might be getting too comfortable.” Chuckling, I reach her hair again and play with her ears. “You deserve it. But, yeah. We have a job to do. Let’s leave being lazy for when we are at home. Get this side up while I take the other.” “Yes, sir.” Working together, we quickly wake up the others and they walk out together for a quick bath. I go with them but head for the male section to not cause too much trouble and rumours at Vanessa’s house. When I get back to our room, the girls are already geared up and prepared for duty. We stroll through the hallways until we reach a chamber with an open roof, choosing to practise a little until it’s time for breakfast. A butler gets us less than two hours later, letting us know that we are the first ones to wake up and that the food is getting ready to be served. Wrapping up our fun, we follow the man to the dining hall and wait in front of the entrance. It could be rude if we just helped ourselves to everything before the royal hosts. So, after the same guy comes back to announce that the king and his queen are seated, we join in, exchanging polite greetings. Shortly after our group settles down at the table, Paul and the others file in. We eat in relative silence until most of us are finished. “Well, then. I don’t think we have a reason to delay our departure any longer. Are your mercenaries ready, Sir Carter?” Vanessa’s father glances my way and I nod. “Everything is set on our side. We are awaiting your orders, Your Majesty,” I reply and the girls look at him expectantly. “Our carriage should be waiting for us by now. Let’s meet at the driveway. Vanessa will guide you there,” he adds. The pair leaves to dress up for the journey and we take it as a sign to leave too. As promised, our princess friend takes us to the little square where the carriages stop to drop off guests. A big, fancy one is receiving the final checks from the servants. We surround it to examine it on our own too. “Will you be appointing a coach from the castle staff or do we get to fill that spot from amongst our people?” Ressia asks one of the men. “We’ve been instructed to follow your orders.” He makes a polite bow. “If you wish to, we can arrange an experienced coach.” “Do we have anyone proficient in driving these?” I raise a brow at her. Suna and Besfi raise their hands as she meets my gaze. “Everyone received a simple introduction to carriages so that we can handle any unexpected emergency. Suna and Besfi have personal experience. To minimise the number of people we have to protect, I would suggest having one of them take up that role.” “I see. I guess Suna would be a good pick since she is a mage.” I nod to myself. “I thought the same, Leader.” She smiles proudly. “While Besfi would have it easier to defend the carriage after it’s stopped, Suna can continue to counterattack while still leading it away. And that’s what we are going to do.” “We shall take care of any horses you leave behind,” the man adds. “Unless you want us to switch the animal pulling the carriage.” “No need. Our steeds are trained for battle, not pulling heavy loads over long distances. They can travel far but mostly light.” Ressia shakes her head. She appeared quite rough when we first met but it’s clear that she’s a smart cookie inside that cold and fierce exterior of a skilled ranger. No wonder she’s been chosen as the captain. They are already making me proud. Soon enough, the VIPs arrive. Vanessa’s parents seem to belong to the smart category too. They didn’t dress up in extremely extravagant and rich outfits, choosing to pick something more fitting for a journey like this. Of course, their clothes are still regal and perfectly tailored, but they are clearly easy to move in too. No massive, puffy dresses or ornamental capes and decorations. As they climb inside, the man turns around to glance out. “Will you be joining us, Vanessa?” The princess considers his question and looks at Paul. Their party leader nods with a faint smile. “It won’t be a problem. Besides, it’s a good idea to have someone inside too. There are enough of us outside to handle pretty much anything,” he says. “Leader, if you wish to, you can travel back inside the carriage. If you aren’t intending to watch over us on the way back too, of course,” Ressia suggests. “I don’t think I should intrude,” I reply. “The trip is going to take a while and I wouldn’t want to make our clients uncomfortable.” “Oh, it’s completely alright. We could use a travelling companion to chat with,” the queen joins in, peeking out of the carriage too. “You did lose your horse on the way here. The least we can do is offer you a comfortable trip back home in exchange for your service.” It would be rude to reject such a warm invitation so I bow respectfully before turning to Ressia. “Leave your horse behind too, then. I’ll give you Diana in the meantime. As the captain of this squad, it’s only natural you get to ride the most imposing steed.” The wolfgirl’s tail starts swishing happily as she looks back at me with wide, adoring eyes. “Boss…” She quickly recollects herself and clears her throat. “It would be my pleasure, Leader. I swear to treat her with respect.” The wolf in question jumps out of my shadow and materialises next to us. Standing by the carriage, Diana almost reaches its very top. She gives me a little lick before lowering her snout to let Ressia caress it with a big smile. “I think your mercenaries would look amazing while mounted on big, scary wolves, Sensei. If you managed to find Diana-san a mate, you could raise her puppies from young.” Shino giggles as she strokes the mighty beast’s fur. “Diana has just recently lost her entire family. It wouldn’t be right to force or even suggest her to find a new partner and make a new one for my own selfish reasons,” I say with a wry smile. “I admit that this idea is quite exciting and fitting, but let’s give Diana time to adjust first. We’ll see what happens after that.” “Oh. I’m sorry, Sensei. Yes, I agree.” She fluffs Diana even more, trying her best to show our new friend support for her loss. After some more brushing and petting, we get ready to depart. I leave choosing and managing the formation to Ressia and Paul, receiving a wave of salutes to the heart from my ladies as I get into the carriage with Vanessa. The inside is rather simple but in a royal way. It’s instantly obvious that the artisan focused on comfort first so the surface of the walls is completely smooth and the only carved patterns or decorations are located on the ceiling. There’s enough space to fit four people per side and a small table in the middle. The benches are cushioned, and so are the backrests. From what I can tell, they can even be pulled forward, creating two makeshift beds, making it possible to sleep comfortably on the way. It’s a luxury item, for sure. For the first half an hour, we ride in silence, glancing out of the small windows now and then. But, I soon notice the king’s attention staying on me for a longer moment and I turn towards Vanessa’s father too, who is sitting across me while the mother and daughter face each other as the young lady sits right by my side. “So, you come from the capital, right? You and your mercenaries, I mean,” the man says. “That’s right, Your Majesty. Our headquarters are located there. There was just no reason to seek a different place, even with all the competition. In the end, that’s where it's easiest to ask King Rossberg for assistance in case of an emergency.” I chuckle lightly. “Please, just Melrond. No need to keep the stiff titles while we are travelling inside the carriage.” He waves his hand dismissively. “And this is my wife Philippa. You are already acquainted with my daughter.” I nod politely at the lady and she answers with a gentle but slightly awkward smile. I don’t need to be a genius to figure out that she’s trying her best not to blame me for the death of her son in front of her family. Even if she knows the truth, nothing can change how much she must have cared for him. It’s definitely tough, as in some part of her mind, I’ll always be her son’s killer. “There’s a lot happening in the capital recently, isn’t it?” She tries to join the small talk. “We heard about the new Demigod being appointed by the Goddess. He was supposed to speak to the people around the time of your departure, right? Did you maybe get a chance to meet him?” “Ah.” Vanessa turns away from the window too. “Actually, Mother, Alastair is that Demigod. I forgot to tell you yesterday.” Her parents’ eyes widen to the brim as their gazes snap at me. The woman pales greatly as her husband starts visibly sweating. I can only smile warmly back at them. Well, there goes a comfortable and stress-free trip. It was good while it lasted. “I-It’s our honour,” Philippa stutters a bit as she lowers her head. “We apologise for not recognizing your grace earlier.” Melrond follows suit. I sigh heavily. “Please, just don’t. You were the ones to suggest we drop those stiff titles. Besides, I’m here as a simple leader of a mercenary company on a quest to escort you.” They sit straight again but it will definitely take a bit longer for them to relax more. “Before we continue, let me formally apologise. For taking your son’s life,” I add, trying to switch their focus to something else. “I can’t say I regret my decision from back then, but that’s because I simply wasn’t strong enough to make a different one. I’m sorry it brought you pain. Know that if I had any other option to save the captured woman, I would have done so as I believe everyone should be judged for their crimes if possible.” “That wouldn’t have changed the end result in the slightest,” Vanessa whispers under her breath in a melancholic tone. Philippa drops her gaze guiltily and I quickly continue. “And please, don’t feel ashamed of your thoughts and emotions. I can’t change the fact that I severed a precious bond and understand how difficult it might be for you to forgive me. I won’t hold it against anyone if that never fully happens.” She takes a deep breath before shaking her head to recompose herself. “Thank you for saying that. You are unfortunately right. I understand what my son has done, but each time I glance your way, my heart just aches. I’m sorry.” Melrond rubs her shoulder reassuringly. “Let’s stop talking about that. What’s done is done. I’m sure your actions as a Hero have indirectly saved our daughter countless times. I’m personally interested in your… godhood, if it’s not rude to ask.” I take him up on the offer to change the topic and nod. “Oh, not in the slightest. Honestly, I’m quite new to that, but let me tell you what I know.” And so, we dive into a conversation about various matters related to me and my powers. They obviously know some basics through the oracle Lumina has sent throughout the realm, but the finer details are what quickly capture everyone’s interest. I don’t mind sharing some bits about my ascension and also my adventures until this point so it feels like I’m the only one talking for hours. But, no one ever interrupts me or gives any signs of getting bored, save for the moments when the family surrounding me has some questions of their own. Vanessa is much more well-informed thanks to Shino, but she still sneaks some awed glances my way as I recount a bunch of quite insane encounters. Before we even notice, it gets rather late and the time to make a camp arrives. Vanessa’s parents gape at the magnificence of the structure my girls put up for us, clearly overshadowing whatever tents and structures the servants prepared for their royal masters and stored in the carriage’s trunk. Therefore, my ladies add one more section to the usual configuration, providing them with a sliver of privacy for the night. Stepping inside, they are shocked once more, definitely not expecting to find a fully furnished chamber with an exquisite king-sized bed and plenty of other amenities. Our cooks prepare a small feast and we share a meal around the central log hearth in a quite homey and adventurous atmosphere. Everyone retreats into their sleeping quarters soon after, and no other mischief takes place overnight this time. Bit by bit, we make a good time travelling, with the roads being clear and open. A slight storm catches us the second night but the enchanted pavilion proves to be much tougher than anyone could expect and we barely experience its effects. As long as lightning doesn’t directly strike the metal structure everything should be fine. We reach our destination without any real trouble. I mean, how often can you run into bandits or other seedy groups and individuals? The kingdom definitely isn’t perfect but Ross takes his job seriously alongside Lianne and they do care for the safety of their domain. Unfortunately, you can’t just eradicate all evil and call it a day. There will always be more. “I must admit, I haven’t travelled feeling this safe in ages,” Melrond says as we drive past the gate. “Not to discredit our knights or anything, but I can see why King Rossberg and the former Queen put so much trust in you and openly praise the group you lead.” “I appreciate your kind words.” I lower my head politely. “We strive for greatness. Since the mercenary company isn’t the core of our business, we can focus on quality all the way, sharing its funding with the brothel.” “We did hear that it’s a very respected and peculiar establishment too,” Philippa comments, though the rise of the topic seems to bring the gentlest flush onto the lady’s cheeks. “One that doesn’t favour only one gender.” “Yes, we are very proud of our Pleasure Chambers as we call them. Many girls, women, and ladies visit them regularly. I would even gladly extend my offer to you, Madam, but I’m afraid it would be extremely rude of me in consideration of your blessed marriage.” I laugh softly to make it obvious that I’m simply jesting. The two of them exchange glances before Vanessa’s father turns to me. “Oh, from everything I’ve heard, I don’t think I would mind my lovely wife trying out something new with your fun—” He gets interrupted by a massive tremor that shakes the entire carriage and spooks the horses around us. I hear a loud growl coming from Diana before another earth-shaking boom throws us around. “Get them out of the—” Ressia’s voice gets cut off as loud cracking fills the air and we suddenly turn weightless. I instantly grab hold of the closest person to me, which is obviously Vanessa, and hug her tightly into my chest with one hand while extending all my other limbs against the carriage’s walls. With a fraction of my attention, I call upon a bunch of Void Chains to try and secure her parents too but I don’t get to check the result as we soon crash into something and an avalanche of stones obliterates the wooden cab, burying us underneath big slabs of rubble. Thankfully, I don’t get knocked out, most likely thanks to my rather high resilience, but the multiple hits I received still make me groan as I try to wiggle myself out of the pile pressing onto me from above. It takes a few seconds but my strength wins against the weight of the rocky obstruction and I peak out of our burial place. I quickly notice that my Void Chains have protected Vanessa’s parents to some extent as most of the rubble gathered around the cage I put them in. But, they are unfortunately unconscious and a group of masked people is just picking them up. One of them catches the commotion I make and shout-whispers at the others to hurry up. Instantly readying myself to lunge at them, I hear a pained whine and my gaze shoots to my side. The crash put a sharp edge of stone pavement in Vanessa’s back even with me cushioning the impact, which clearly punctured her lung, and I can see one of her legs being broken in many places. A moment of hesitation strikes me. Do I go after her parents as my job dictates or do I quickly bring her to a healer? No matter which option I choose, one of the sides will be extremely dissatisfied with it, that much is obvious. Before I get to make it, though, Shino falls through the hole high above us and lands between our position and the kidnappers. “Leave them to me, Sensei!” she shouts before charging straight at the retreating enemies. I spot a wave of orange flashes over the ceiling above them and instantly recognize the glowing runes as more people from our group drop down to help. “NO!” A hopeless scream pierces my ears and I barely recognize it as Natalie’s with how much pure despair fills it. “Shino! Stop!” I shout as loud as I can, reaching out with my hand. Thank Goddess, she senses the seriousness of my tone through our bond and immediately halts her boosted lunge by stabbing her katana into the ground, sliding forward only slightly. Another massive explosion shakes the tunnel and deafens everyone with the loud boom. The passage collapses right in front of her nose, sealing the path completely. If she hadn’t stopped in time, she would be at least in a similar state as our princess, if not worse. Natalie instantly slams into our little samurai and hugs Shino tightly. My sharp hearing catches a few quiet sniffles of relief. I hate to break them up, but time isn’t really on our side right now. “Natalie! Fullen! I need you here!” I shout once more to catch their attention. My subordinate runs to my position immediately while the blonde muse raises her head from atop Shino’s hair to peek towards me. She quickly identifies the emergency as I hold onto Vanessa’s bleeding figure and some of her usual calm resurfaces on her beautiful face. Giving Shino one last haste look all over, she sprints to me too. “We’ll take care of her, Master,” Fullen says, instantly starting to work on Vanessa’s chest wound. Natalie says nothing but nods firmly, calling her magic forth to focus on the leg. She meets my eyes briefly before giving all her attention to the wounded. I get up and join the others on the side. “Thank you, Sensei. I should have noticed it.” Shino looks down sheepishly. I plop my hand on top of her head and ruffle through her black hair. “It’s alright. They clearly came in prepared.” “That’s right,” Ressia agrees. “They knew where to strike effectively. This is one of the few locations in the sewers where the canals do not cross. It’s a flat connector. They even planned their escape.” “Why? Who are they?” Kamil sneers to the side. “Whoever they are, it’s clear that their goal was to capture Vanessa’s parents. They had enough time to kill them before Alastair got out of the rubble,” Paul says wisely. “We can assume that they need them alive for something and that gives us time to find them. But we need to move fast. They surely know how to navigate the sewers to escape to safety. I’m afraid we are at a disadvantage here.” “I’m pretty sure at least one of you came from the Community, right?” I look at my girls. Ressia and Yuru nod. “Master, I think it would be safer for them to hide in the sewers rather than on the surface,” the latter speaks up quietly. “There are monsters that would hinder any pursuers and investigators, and there are plenty of remote, concealed areas some of our kin used in the past to take shelter in.” “I agree,” the wolfgirl supports her point. “Can you navigate the tunnels?” I raise a brow at the duo. “Yes. Though, we weren’t the best of the scouts,” Ressia replies with a small wince. “But we won’t have an issue with locating the Community. I believe we should employ their help to comb through the entire sewage system from all angles. The more people we have looking, the better.” “Let me just try one thing.” I nod and move closer to the blocked-off path. Focusing my mind on Lascivious Hunt, I check if I can’t pick up on someone’s scent or anything, but they either have no females amongst them, or the traces aren’t strong enough to be picked up by the skill, which is surprising considering its relative strength. I really wish we managed to at least wound them or something so there was anything solid to base on. That would have made things so much easier. The only decently suitable scent I can target belongs to the queen and is spread around the chamber from our crash. The pinkish trail cuts off at the buried exit. From the tremors that shook the place earlier, they definitely destroyed more than just a few metres ahead, making sure that we take a moment to dig through the rubble. I can see only one other passage out of here, going the opposite way. It might not be helpful, but I leave the skill active to be able to see the pinkish fumes. “Alright. We’ll do as you say. Any objections?” I turn to Paul. “None.” He shakes his head. “We should split up and check the surface too. We might get lucky and spot them climbing out of a manhole or something.” “Got it. That should be fine. We’ll have the Community to fill in the lacking numbers.” I smile at him approvingly. “Take Diana with you. We should pick the most mobile individuals for this.” The ominous wolf lowers herself to let people climb onto her back. “I’ll go,” Marcia volunteers. “I’m too slow.” Kamil sighs angrily. Oniri, Suna, and Ressia join them too since they have the best movement techniques out of everyone and I glance at Shino. “I… I want to stay…” She glances up at me with an upturned, slightly guilty gaze. “You can jump to me through your shadows at any time and get to us after we find their hideout in a blink. You really should help up there,” I say softly. “You are right, Sensei. I’ll go.” Shino smiles weakly. I step closer to her and pull my lovely Japanese girlfriend into an encouraging kiss. “Please…” A strained, low voice reaches our ears and we separate, turning to see Vanessa half-sitting and looking our way. “Save them… They are the only family I have left… I’ll do anything… I’ll give—” Reaching her side, I take her hand into mine, interrupting the desperate princess before she promises me something she might regret in the future. And I have a decent idea of what she was going to offer considering her status. “We’ll get them. You just rest. Focus on recovering. When you wake up, everything will be over already.” I do my best to console her and she gradually gives in and slowly closes her eyes. “We can bring her to your mansion after taking care of the brunt of her injuries,” Natalie offers. “Go and get those bastards.” Even though she speaks with her usual, calm and collected tone, a certain tinge of frostiness travels through it and there’s an almost imperceptible spark of something fierce in the gentle girl’s charming eyes. I nod at her firmly and get up. “Lead the way,” I say to Yuru and she hastily looks around. Kamil stays behind to protect our healer ladies just in case and the rest of us rush after the petite Leopardkin girl as she shoots into one of the tunnels with the confidence of a vicious predator. At first, we try to find a route that will lead us to the tunnel behind the obstruction but it quickly becomes clear that there are no other connectors in its close vicinity, making it pretty much a long straight or something turning away. I get way too far from the source of the scent to use it to navigate around and find a secondary path to my target, which continues to urge me to back up to the first room we fell into. Instead of doing that, I let Yuru guide is further. Her sharp eyes snap from left to right as we run by the flowing water and waste. I’m not sure how much of help it will be, but I keep spreading my divine presence and general aura as far as I can to intimidate any potential monsters trying to ambush us on our way. Soon, Yuru slows down and starts sniffing the air with her cute snout. Her ears perk up and her head snaps towards me. I nod in understanding and we dive into a narrow passage. After a few sharp turns, we spot the guards watching the entrance to the Community. They instantly lower their weapons but Yuru speeds up and waves at them. “It’s the Alpha! Gather everyone quickly! The claw strikes where the fang can not!” The men freeze and one instantly drops his spear, sprinting past his colleague. Whatever passphrase my adorable mercenary used has clearly been an important and verified one. The other guard moves aside to let us pass unobstructed and thumps his chest respectfully as we fly by him. We make our way through the familiar decorations of the wandering Beastkin. All the acquired furniture and decorations bring forth a plethora of memories but I shake my head to get back in the correct mindset. It’s not the time to think about the past. We have a future to save. As we rush towards the Alpha’s audience chamber, containing one very memorable couch, many members of the Community whisper amongst themselves and point at me, mentioning my status with excitement. Still, they do forward the message and people follow us into the spacious main hall, gradually filling it to the brim. By the time we make it to the raised platform with the wide throne, I’m pretty sure most of them are present, including the Elders. Nodding at them respectfully, I start heading for the stairs to get a better position to speak to everyone. Before I take the first step, a bulky, muscular, pure-blooded guy steps into my path, belonging to some reptile subrace. “So, I heard you are one of the Twin Alphas? How pathetic can you be to share your power with a fem—” A resounding BOOM echoes through the chamber as I punch the fucker without even looking his way or holding back in the slightest, sending him crashing through at least three walls to my right. The entire hall falls silent in a blink as the big guy is suddenly gone faster than their senses can register it, disturbed only by the quiet popping of crumbling stone. “I don’t have time for this shit,” I growl in annoyance and turn around to the crowd. “I’ll meet any challengers with Astrea at this month’s contest of might. Right now, I have to ask all of you to please consider lending me your help. Parents of my close ally have just been captured after some shady group collapsed the road above and made me and the others fall into the tunnels. I need as many men and women searching all the paths and shelters as I can get. Will you heed my request?” I run my gaze over the gathered Beastkin, trying to gauge their reaction. I might be their Alpha alongside Astrea, but we haven’t exactly kept an iron hand over the Community, and I personally haven’t shown up that often to do my duties. They might not even remember that I technically run this place alongside her. But, my worries are proven to be unfounded as the entire chamber drops to one knee. Paul and Catherine stare at the display slack-jawed. At least one of them heard about my little quest here but that still doesn’t make it less incredible. “Just give us an order, Alpha,” one of the Elders speaks up while bowing his head. “My order is as follows, then. Find a group of suspicious men in full-body robes and masks but do not engage. They are prepared and professional. They might have set up a hideout somewhere in the sewers so there might be more of them. They hold two Human royals captive and their rescue is our top priority. Do not throw away your lives to be the heroes, though. Let us deal with them,” I say loudly and clearly. A few rounds of thumping followed by a respectful battle shout echo through the chamber in response. “The enemies are Human too. Bring any information you gather back here. I will stay behind and convey it to the Alpha mentally through the bond we share,” Yuru continues after me, raising her usually quiet and shy voice in the time of need. “Beastkin! Let us show our loyalty!” Another shout answers her and everyone stands up, ready to sprint out of the chamber at any moment. I glance down at the short leopardgirl as she smiles at me timidly. I can easily tell she has to be blushing under all that fur covering her sweet face from the moment of her boldness. Reaching out to cup her furry cheek, I tilt her chin up and kiss the adorable little feline deeply. She purrs loudly as I stroke her fur and move higher with my lips, closing them firmly over her rounded ear, and adding a gentle bite to it. While it’s not the gesture that binds us as sworn mates, it’s another one, which in turn is a traditional show of great respect and affection. Especially when done in public. Yuru shivers strongly and lets out the sweetest mewl ever heard. I pull back and look deep into her fierce eyes, which have now dilated to their limit. An intense wave of female need hits my sense of smell, making it clear that she understands well what I have just done for her. No one here will question anything she says as I have just turned her into one of my favourites, and so, representatives. As she stares at me with a lustful expression, I chuckle softly and place a peck on her delightful snout. “Later.” I pry my gaze away from those heart-melting full kitty eyes and turn to the gathered. “Go!” The Beastkin rush out of the chamber, leaving almost no one behind. Only a bunch of guards and the Elders stay at home. Our group follows their example too, heading in the general direction of the running kidnappers. There is no point in waiting around for someone to report back when Yuru has offered her kind cooperation. They won’t be getting out of this lightly.
Chapter 198 – Quick Infiltration Spoiler: Chapter We dive back into the tunnels and watch as tens of Beastkin spread out throughout the labyrinth of passages and different paths. Thankfully, it seems like they think a bit before rushing to listen to my request. I’m well aware that quite a decent chunk of their people aren’t great warriors and some women or even men prefer a bit more gentle roles. Therefore, those less fierce pair up or form groups, lending their senses while being protected. As for us, we head in the general direction those kidnappers have initially picked up. We can’t be sure if they haven’t made a turn somewhere, but that’s currently our best bet. Since Yuru can contact me at any time, it’s only natural we try our luck at searching too. I receive a message from Fullen, informing me that Vanessa is in a much better state now, but since she has been giving them a hard time with her stubborn insistence on going into the fray, they have put her to sleep. Magically. Fullen, Natalie, and Kamil will escort her to our mansion before rejoining us. Shortly after, I sense another gentle spike in my bonds and another person reaches out to me. ~Are you alright, Dear? I just spoke mentally with Shino and she explained everything,~ Lianne asks with noticeable concern. ~Depends on how you define alright. We lost Vanessa’s parents,~ I reply with a sigh. ~That’s not your fault and you know it,~ she reassures me. ~You and I both, but everyone else doesn’t. This won’t look great for our future commissioners.~ I grunt. ~The day is not over. You haven’t failed yet. After you turn it into a legendary chase and recovery, people will flock to you for your professionalism and effectiveness,~ Lianne continues with a slight smile in her voice. ~We’ll see. Right now, the only thing we should worry about is the safety of our clients. I can focus on the reason why those asshats decided to fuck us over to smear our name in the mud later,~ I growl back, obviously not at her. ~While I understand why that might be your first thought, I’m afraid it’s not your fault, as I have said before. This is on us.~ It’s her turn to sigh heavily. ~How so?~ I raise a brow to myself as we run through the tunnels. ~It’s rather obvious that the recent reforms haven’t passed through with a perfect reception. It hurt plenty of less proper businessmen and traders, not to mention straight criminals. We’ve dealt with most opposition through various means, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they banded up somewhere shady and planned this gig. Vanessa’s parents are one of our biggest supporters in this matter. The others might change their mind after realising that their recent voting brought a target onto their backs. And especially when we can’t protect them,~ Lianne explains with some anxiety. I pinch the bridge of my nose. ~So, this is basically political kidnapping. Ransom for the reversal of the controversial legislation. And also a threat towards those who voted. That’s even better.~ ~I’m sorry. We didn’t think they would go this far. The atmosphere in the capital was slowly becoming more comfortable. We should have been more careful,~ she says sadly. Shaking my head, I take another turn, scanning the stone walls with my eyes. ~No. I bet you did whatever you could. We can’t even guarantee that these idiots are from the capital. They might belong to some big criminal organisation spanning over multiple locations if not the entire kingdom. It’s only real change that can bring bastards like these out of their safe havens. I can’t say that this is a good thing but at least we have a chance to take a few of them down and secure a better future. It would have happened at some point anyway. It’s just our luck that it had to happen during our first official expedition.~ ~You are right. I’m just angry. At them and myself. I know how strong you are firsthand but I still couldn’t help but worry when Shino contacted me and described the ambush. Be careful, okay?~ Lianne’s ghostly palm brushes against my cheek. ~I’m sending our men into the sewers to help you. Our patrols are already scouring the city alongside your girls.~ ~If you are bringing them here, make sure to emphasise that the Beastkin are on our side and they are not to attack or act hostile towards any. I have my own people sniffing these kidnappers out and they can be compared to a small army. We don’t need more conflicts and confrontations that will fuel racial hate. It’s not Beastkin who did this but Humans,~ I warn her. ~Good thinking. This will actually be beneficial. If the Community plays a big role in rescuing the Human royals, we will be able to use it to further push our current agenda. And perhaps some well-crafted propaganda. Society rejects hiding from Human prosecution help save an innocent king and queen without requesting anything in return. People will love this story.~ A giggle reaches my ears. ~Whatever works.~ I chuckle lightly too. ~I’m sure these guys would never expect their little stunt to turn out with a completely opposite effect. As they say, when life gives you lemons…~ ~Suck on the peach instead,~ Lianne finishes the sentence with a noticeable smirk and I stumble over my feet. ~What?~ I blink a few times with a confused frown. ~Oh, you didn’t mean small tits?~ I can literally see her tilting her head at me in my mind. Only then understanding what kind of peach she has been talking about, I groan and swipe down my face with my palm. What kind of perverted proverbs does this realm have? ~Al? Are you there? I can tell you are confused. You know, it’s because when a girl’s breasts are too flat, it’s better to—~ ~I know perfectly well what it’s about,~ I cut her off with a wry smile. ~Not what I meant, though. And not the time for it.~ Another sweet, but quite mischievous giggle resounds in my head. ~Thought so. You quite enjoyed sucking on my juicy peach. Now I’m kind of in the mood to let you have a lick. But I’ll hold it in. I’ll keep your reward warm and succulent for you. Just don’t delay too much, my hero.~ Rolling my eyes and trying my best to focus on the tunnels instead of the avalanche of images depicting Lianne’s bare, petite pussy dripping with need that the sly nympho Queen has evoked in my consciousness. She really doesn’t know when to stop. We continue running for about half an hour more before Yuru connects with me and I hope she has something else to say than that she’s bored and thinking of me. ~Master, we think we found them. One of our old hideouts is taken and there are plenty of new defensive formations and arrays around it,~ the cute Leopardkin reports. ~I’m heading right to you so that I can lead the way.~ ~Perfect. We’ll run your way,~ I respond with a mental headpat and receive some adorable purrs of gratitude. Let’s hope they don’t have many more dummy refuges planted all around the sewers. But, worst case scenario, we can torture those asshats into giving us the information we need. If they turn out to be simple terrorists trying to regain control over the slave trade, I’m not planning on holding back. Who knows what else they might try if kidnappings don’t work? Jerks like them only know how to escalate things, not how to give up. It doesn’t take long before Yuru shows up with a Boarkin man by her side. Additionally, the girls I have sent to the surface with various tasks return alongside them too. Looks like Fullen has finished taking care of Vanessa and even brought Natalie with her, though maybe it’s the blonde minstrel who insisted on coming. I’m sure they left our friend in good care. What I don’t expect is Astrea suddenly popping out of one of the side tunnels shortly after they reach us. I pause briefly and stare at my short feline mate, who trots up to me with her usual, calm expression, though maybe just slightly angry. “I apologise, Master. I couldn’t stop myself from listening in on your conversation. After you mentioned the Community, I felt a mental tug. I’m here to help,” she says. Pulling the lithe Martial Artist into my arms, I nuzzle our cheeks together. “We appreciate your assistance. This will be much easier now that you are here. Let’s go.” Diana jumps out of Ressia’s shadow and joins us too, taking a quite sizable part of the tunnel. But, no one says anything besides the boar dude who gasps in shock and awe at the sight of the mystical beast. I don’t tell her to hide again since we can use her sharp senses too. Sending a mental notice to Shino so that she and the others know what’s going on and where to find us, we resume our chase once more. The Beastkin man needs a bit of convincing from Astrea before he starts guiding us to the place he’s seen but we are on our way in just a moment. I try to scan the path with my skill again and notice the faintest trace of pink swirling through the air in my grayscale vision, definitely belonging to the queen, so we must be on the correct route. Since we are running at our best speed, additionally enhanced by Natalie’s music, it takes us less than ten minutes to find the correct place. We stop before reaching it, right at the nearest bend, so as not to give ourselves away from the very beginning. There’s always a chance that we’ve been spotted much earlier, but we can’t be sure until we dive in. Then, Shino jumps out of my shadow, surprising everyone with her sudden entrance. As I’ve been leaning onto the wall to take a peek to the left, she somehow ends up squished between me and the blocky surface, her face right in front of mine as I turn to see the source of the shadowy motion. From a distance, it must look like I’m doing the cliched kabedon on the Japanese cutie and she realises that too, instantly flushing scarlet with a timid smile. “We are… here…” she says a tad shyly, her eyes jumping down to my lips. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, I press a gentle kiss onto her soft mouth and step back. “We? What about the surface? Did you find nothing?” She nods lightly while patting out her clothes to regain control of her blush. “Nothing, unfortunately. We left it to the knights and other mercenaries. Everyone knows about the attack now. Paul-san and the others are right behind me. Give them just a moment. I’m glad to see that Natalie-san is already with you.” “The more the merrier.” I chuckle at her and turn to our guide. “Is it that passage without a canal? It doesn’t look like anything special. But I guess that’s good for them.” “Yes it is, Alpha,” he replies hastily and pulls out a small rock out of his pocket. Stepping forward, he glances around and tosses it at the archway in the wall. We watch as the little stone sails through the air and then disappears before touching the ground. There’s also no noise of any kind. I call upon Lascivious Hunt once more and see a pinkish trail cut off right at the entrance like it’s a solid surface. “An illusion,” Natalie murmurs. “And most likely a silencing barrier.” “Can we dispel it before going in?” I ask, glancing not just at her but also at our other magicians. Suna shakes her head. “Not my speciality, Master. I do sense the wards, though.” “It depends on the complexity of the spell,” the bard replies. “I managed to level up some time ago and learned Disrupt Magic. I think Dispel Magic is much further on. I can still use the former to break the enchantments but the success rate depends on the Tier and general power of the mages who set them up.” “If only you had Sensei’s shared stats.” Shino sighs quietly. I plop a hand on her black hair. “She is still a High Human and a Hero. Tier 3, right? While criminals might have gotten some experience from fighting and killing, I don’t think it was their focus. Let’s give it a try after the others catch up. Ah, looks like they are here.” Paul, Kamil, Marcia, and Catherine appear behind us after we hear their footsteps. They regroup with the rest of their squad and we stand in our respective parties. Exchanging nods with my German ex-student, I let the Beastking guy go back. His role in this play is finished and there’s no reason for him to risk his life or health by storming this rathole with us. We have enough people and firepower to handle this. “What’s the plan?” Marcia asks eagerly after our side briefly summarises the situation. “We let Nat take down the illusion and go from there. It would be bad to walk under another sea of explosive arrays. They clearly have a mage or a few amongst them,” Paul replies and glances my way, to which I nod in agreement. “Our focus is to locate the kidnapped. We can clean up the trash afterwards.” “So, we run to the end of their base and see if they have the captives here, then we show them what happens when you fuck with the Heroes. I’m in.” Kamil grins and bumps fists with the redhead. Catherine rolls her eyes while exchanging glances with Paul but starts preparing her small armoury for the next fight. He most likely doesn’t notice it after their gazes go separate ways but she still steals a few peaks at him as he turns to discuss things with his fellow classmates. I catch her returning her attention to her weapons and give the badass military lady a knowing wink and she hastily escapes my scrutiny, most likely recalling our recent conversation. I wonder if she has a thing for submitting to her superiors. With the correct person in that place, of course. My dad might have not realised it but I did overhear a few of his conversations over the phone he held with his friends during the short visits between his missions. It supposedly was a quite common thing in the military, at least in their units. You supposedly didn’t hear much about it since most upper ranks in commanding positions were total dicks and so unsuitable. Well, maybe Paul will share the news one day. He is the leader of their party. I’ll place my bets on them getting together in the near future. With Natalie ready to proceed, we assume a wide formation, surrounding the entrance to the cloaked passage. We are rather spread just in case anything awaits us on the other side or something triggers above us. We haven’t felt any traces of lingering spells earlier, but you can never be sure. “I’m starting,” the blonde beauty announces and we all tense. As she closes her eyes in concentration, a complex magical circle appears in front of her palms, one per side, while she holds them in front of her chest. The arrays begin to spin as they grow even more sophisticated with multiple mesmerising rings of power. One side is red while the other is green and they glow beautifully. With a strained grunt, Natalie smashes her palms together. Or, at least she attempts to as the two formations crash into each other and fuse, stopping her hands around the newly-created orb of magical runes and lines. The mix of red and green bursts outwards and creates a half-sphere around her. Sparks of the two colours zap and crack in various directions inside her arcane domain. She gradually expands it to reach the top and the sides of the entrance in front of us. Shino fearlessly steps into that fierce storm of mana and places a hand on Natalie’s back. She helps her friend by guiding the former actress forward like a blind person without a cane. When they get in contact with the illusory surface, it crackles with blue energy and resists for a while. But, it soon shatters into a million particles, revealing the hidden tunnel to all of us. No army of cloaked kidnappers greet us but our fears are instantly confirmed. The walls and the ceiling glow with a multitude of different magical traps, set up in advance. There has to be some trick to their deactivation because I can’t see anyone going in or out of this place without blowing themselves up, but we are obviously not aware of any hidden switches. We do have our own switch, though. A much prettier one. I ready myself to jump to their aid as the duo of best friends continues onwards. The formations surrounding them sparkle and sputter as they come in contact with Natalie’s field of disruption. None seem to explode or burst outwards, simply dying out with a lot of sparks and flashing, but I’m not going to take any chances, even if Shino should be capable of plunging them into the shadows at a moment’s notice. Everyone observes the glittering spectacle with tense anticipation, definitely in awe of our friend’s magical prowess. Natalie has always strived to be the best and it’s obvious she put that mindset into her new talents too. As Shino said, it’s too bad she doesn’t have access to my stats because I’m damn intrigued by what she could achieve with them. Maybe someday I’ll manage to learn a way to share more of my peculiarities with ladies who don’t jump into my bed too. The exquisite pair stops at the end of the visible traps and Natalie’s magical field flickers a few times before bursting outwards as the spell is released free. She slumps lightly but Shino quickly supports her from behind. Keeping an eye on our surroundings, I jog up to them and bring my Rejuvenate into the play, placing a hand against her smooth neck. “Amazing work. I’ll help you recover a little. This operation must have exhausted you quite a bit.” I smile appreciatively as she glances at me over her shoulder. “Thank you. With this, I’ll be back up in a moment. Remember that I only disabled them. They will return in a few minutes.” She nods tiredly as Shino giggles and helps her move a wisp of hair off her dazzling face. The others catch up to us and I let the Heroes fuss around their comrade, taking the lead with my girls. Ressia, Oniri, and Yuru take the front as they have the best senses and we slowly move forward. Suna and Fullen watch for more arrays while I keep my draconic hilt in my hand. After a few short minutes, we arrive before a reinforced wooden door without any window or peephole. The petite kitsune kneels and brings out something that looks like a needle with a flat bottom to hold onto. She stabs it into the planks and nails it down a bit with her palm. Then, she bends it with one finger and lets it go. The tool starts vibrating with a weird hum as she listens to the funny sound, her long ears twitching rapidly. “Four people inside. They are wearing cloth. Three have swords, one has a wooden staff. The room is a square thrice as big as this passage. There isn’t a lot of furniture besides what looks like a long counter in the centre, forming an island with an empty middle. Most likely a defensive position. The magician is in there while the others are spread out,” Oniri summarises and opens her icy-blue eyes, looking up at me. “Impressive,” I compliment her and her bushy tail starts wagging excitedly. “You are a master of infiltration. I’m proud to have you with us.” I help her up after she retrieves her spying needle and kiss those fluffy ears of hers in appreciation. Oniri sighs blissfully and steps back with a satisfied smile when I let go of her. Paul and the others catch up to us and I share what we have learned. “Time to smash!” Marcia grins and twirls her dual blades. “Leave the mage alive. We need to question someone at least,” Paul cautions her, clearly not the first time for him. “Don’t worry, bossman, he won’t have time to open his mouth and begin his gay incantations before my shield slams right into his dick.” Kamil cackles at the picture he has painted himself. “That should be enough to disable him.” We all get ready to breach the door on their asses and Astrea takes the front. She positions herself in front of the reinforced door and draws one foot back alongside her right palm. The air around her grows heavier as she gathers energy for her next move and I give her the signal. Her hand shoots forward in a blur and a loud thud echoes through the tunnel as the entire wooden entrance is launched inside without shattering into bits. The door crashes into the opposite wall and only then breaks into pieces, showering the cloaked four in a rain of splinters. Well, actually three. The mage seems to have gotten smacked by it in the head and he rests sprawled on the further counter on his back, clearly knocked out. Nevertheless, we waste no time flooding into the square room and go after our targets. I pay no attention to Kamil’s whines about his fun being stolen by my furry chick and materialise a fierce-looking longsword from the hilt. The cloaked bastard on the left gets to uncover his eyes before I stab him right in the chest with ease, confirming Oniri’s earlier scouting data. They wear no additional armour. She and Yuru jump onto the guy on the right, and the agile foxgirl slides between his legs, stabbing two kunai-shaped daggers into the backs of the man’s knees. As he buckles and folds, the leopardgirl’s greatsword descends from above and she drives it right through his lungs, pinning him to the ground in a pose a pole dancer trying to do a bridge could attempt. With the pole nailing them right through the torso. The third one raises a crossbow in the direction of the entrance, but Ressia is faster and she hits his weapon with an inhuman precision. He loses his means of fighting and Shino materialises behind him, using his shadow. Her katana mercilessly plunges into his neck at an angle, also running through his jaw from underneath, silencing his cries of agony and despair. Some weak gurgling still escapes the man’s throat before she yanks her blade to the side and decapitates him. That leaves only one alive and we all turn to the centre of the room. Our final opponent chooses that moment to regain consciousness and rubs his forehead while groaning and opening his eyes. He freezes at the sight of his mutilated companions and a small army of enemies staring right back at him. He lunges for the staff he has dropped but doesn’t make it anywhere close to the metal rod. Kamil uses some kind of rush skill as his whole figure darts forward with his shield raised and an unstoppable force behind him. He drives through the front counter, blowing it into bits with zero resistance, and smashes into the mage’s lanky frame, stopping only after pulverising the back counter too. Our cloaked guy flies into the wall with a meaty thud and I’m right next to him in a flash, pinning him to the cracked surface by the throat. Kamil once again complains, this time about missing his dick due to his angled posture and I sigh lightly. “Are the traps your doing?” I ask with a threatening tone, staring the bastard right in the eyes as he gazes back weakly. A grin splits his bloodied mouth and he snickers. “Mighty work, ain’t it? Who else could have put them up? Those meatheads?” I don’t buy his lie in the slightest. He’s too confident for someone whose magic has been easily bypassed. He definitely would have at least tried to resist so as to buy time instead of confirming it right away, knowing that we would ask for the way to disable the arrays. “Right. A twerp who gets knocked out by a piece of wood being a master of arrays? Dream on. How many of you are there? Who’s the strongest mage? Where are the captives?” I squeeze his windpipe stronger for a moment. His cheeky smile disappears and gets replaced by furious disdain. When I loosen my grip, he spits blood on my face. “Fuck you. You are all dead. You have no idea who you are up against. We’ll rip you into pieces and skin those filthy beasts alive—OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH! As much as I wanted to, it’s not me who interrupts his sickening monologue. Glancing down, I see a slender hand clutching his package in a death grip. That pretty palm belongs to none other than Natalie. “You fucking bitch! When I get my hands on you—” Suddenly, her hand lits up with an amber flame and the guy’s eyes almost pop out of their sockets. Even I can feel the heat of the merciless fire as it eats through his pants and starts burning his dick off, evoking pained squeals and cries of suffering. “Answers,” Natalie says coldly and calmly. “ARGHHHHH! I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY! ABOUT FIFTY MAYBE! AHHHHHHHH! STOP IT! YULIE IS THE STRONGEST! SHE MADE THE TRAPS! FUUUUUUUUUUUCK! AT THE BACK! FAR BACK! CELLS! MAKE IT STOP!” he actually answers after her polite request. Seeing that he has nothing useful to say and only screams his throat out, I snap his neck and toss him onto the ground. While Natalie’s hand returns to normal, his crotch continues to burn like a small campfire. She flicks her wrist his way and an accurate orb of water douses the flames as it splashes onto them. I avert my eyes before they fully disappear, not wanting to witness the aftereffects. As I look at the usually withdrawn and cool Natalie with both brows raised, she meets my eyes and shrugs lightly. “Mom always said that the best way to get something out of a man is through his dick. Works for both good and bad things.” I can only smirk wryly at that piece of wisdom, hoping that I’ll forever remain on the good side of it. She retreats to her group as I link gazes with Shino and she seems as surprised as me. We exchange smiles and she pulls her best friend into a casual chat. The rest of us put the bodies aside and get ready to move on. Since there are two exits and most likely two different paths, we split in half. I take my girls to the right while Paul goes left with his team. We remain wary of more magical traps in case the mentioned Yulie hasn’t been happy with just the ones she set up at the entrance. Hell knows she could have sensed them going out or something. We jog forward through relatively narrow corridors made of stone blocks. I let the ladies lead, relying on their senses and abilities. Oniri and Ressia spot enemies before they notice us and the rest is history. An arrow to the throat, a kunai to the head, or a bolt of lightning through the heart. They try to stay quiet as much as possible, Yuru and Besfi catching the bodies before they fall down. The next chamber we stumble on looks like a makeshift dining hall and we find a group of eleven just chilling. At least until our group of eight strolls in. Nine if we count Diana, who finally can fit inside. Our silent staring contest continues for maybe up to three seconds before everyone starts to panic, reaching for their weapons, either at their belts or placed against the tables and benches. That, of course, doesn’t help them much. Diana dives through the shadows and her giant head snaps a guy’s lower half from the floor and pulls him inside, silencing his screams in the void. They reappear somewhere behind us and I don’t even bother looking back as an uncomfortable tearing noise follows. Suna hits the floor with both palms and mesmerising lightning sparks dance all over it, zapping the flailing criminals continuously. Somehow, the ladies effortlessly avoid touching the discharges and massacre the crowd cleanly. Besfi protects the mage with her shield, parrying a few projectiles and weak spells that trigger the enchantments in her gear. Since all of them are Sirgia’s work, the feeble attempts at attack don’t leave even a mark on those masterpieces. Ressia peppers her targets with arrows that return to her quiver after she draws the next, nailing the bastards in their knees and other joints, only going for the kill when she can help out one of her colleagues. She watches over everyone attentively and I can tell she is coordinating their efforts through the connection they all share. Such a good leader. Astrea seems to have joined arms with her Beastkin sisters and she spreads terror on the battlefield alongside Yuru and Oniri. The trio of Beastketeers slice, stab, and punch with incredible grace. It’s such an alluring sight watching them make use of their feline and vulpine dexterity to strike fear in the hearts of men. And something else in my heart. I’m content just overseeing their genuine efforts, and soon, there are no more targets to eliminate. Save for one. The last guy stops behind me with a dagger aimed at the side of my neck, locking my head with his elbow. Naturally, it’s more like I let him do it, acting like I haven’t sensed his desperate play right from the beginning. I too want some action and showing him just how mistaken he is should be an entertaining experience. Holding Diana off was quite a challenge. “All of you freeze or I’ll slice him open like a fi—” Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to finish, and again, it’s not thanks to me. A shiny, onyx spike pops into my view from the left and I tilt my head. It’s pierced right through his wrist, holding it steady and away from my skin. Turning around, I spot two more as I gaze upon his spasming figure. One went through his throat while the other stabbed him right in the heart, lifting his body slightly into the air. After these spikes flick to the side all at once, flinging the poor dude somewhere to the side, they reveal a petite, white-haired Arachne girl in what you can only call a neat hero suit. One that I’m very much familiar with. Hecate stares up at me with her usual blank expression, her spider legs dripping with fresh blood. I chuckle warmly and ruffle through her soft hair. I should have figured that my loyal bodyguard would be around if even Astrea came to my aid. “Thanks.” I lean down to peck her lips and we exchange a few delicate kisses. “I missed you too.” Showering my silent mate with enough affection, I stand straight again and look over the battlefield. No more threats are present. The girls are ready to continue. I cast Rejuvenate at them as we head for the single passage leading out and venture further in with a new ally by our side. At least in spirit as Hecate disappears behind her reflective webs right away. I have way too many ladies who can pop out of nowhere any time they want. We don’t meet anyone else in the following corridors until an archway into a busy hall shows up. We peer inside and find some kind of warehouse or storage section with a single wide tunnel out. A dozen or two of men and women are milling about, but only a few of them interest me. The few that are pushing two human-sized cages, with one already filled by Vannesa’s mother. “Get the old man back in his cage! We are scheduled to leave in fifteen minutes according to the plan! I don’t care if he shits himself out of fear again! You fuckers want to have fun playing scary, you are going to enjoy the aroma for the rest of the trip!” a rough female voice calls out to them from atop some boxes. She is fully cloaked and even still wears a mask covering her face. Most of her subordinates have already forsaken them in the comfort of their hideout. We watch two more thugs drag Vanessa’s father under his armpits and it’s clear he now has a different set of pants on him. They look much worse for wear. “Alright. Here’s what we are going to do,” I whisper while pulling away. At that moment, Oniri’s fingers brush over a hidden array woven into the brick of the entrance on the other side as she retreats and it glows up. She shoots me a panicked and ashamed gaze but I focus on the chamber, seeing the woman’s masked visage snap to us. “Intruders! Move! I’ll stop them!” she shouts to her minions and jumps down onto the floor. We file into the hall too since our chance for a surprise attack is ruined. At least to some extent. “You’ve made a terrible mistake following us here,” the woman snickers haughtily. “This is my fortress and its name is your doom.” “Cliché.” I snort while calling for my longsword again, making it materialise itself between us. She spreads her arms at an angle, opening up her cloak a little, and its surface lits up with a plethora of different arrays and magical circles. More appear on the floor, walls, and ceiling, filling the dim hall with a rainbow of colours. “I stand by my point.” I chuckle and prepare to fight.
Chapter 199 – Meet Your Betters Spoiler: Chapter “This is your last chance to surrender,” the woman offers as she eyes our group. “I’ll gladly offer you the same option,” I answer as the girls spread out in one of their initial formations. The mysterious lady cackles at that and shakes her masked head. “This is not how this works, boy. You don’t parlay with the Dragon after strolling into its lair. You beg.” “Gladly.” I smirk at her, considering my options. “I humbly beg you to rethink your choices before they result in something irreversible. I hate beating up women, you see.” Unless they are pure evil and unhinged, but she doesn’t need to know that. “You are a funny guy. Do you think you can stall me long enough for reinforcements to appear? I can squish you all with a swat of my hand at any moment.” She spreads her arms wide and the circuits on her cloak glow stronger. “Really, what did they think when they hired a completely inexperienced newbie company for this escort? Are their finances so bad after banning the very core of slavery? The change must have hit their own businesses really bad then.” Ah, so it was like this. She and her organisation know jack shit about us. It’s quite possible that we are the reason behind this kidnapping. At least somewhat indirectly. They most likely would have hesitated more if Ross employed one of the usual top companies or assigned more of his own men to the task. Instead, these suckers saw this as an opportunity. And, I realise one more thing. It’s not me who is stalling. ~Go after the cage and make sure Vanessa’s parents are alright,~ I order my loyal spider guard. ~You can take care of anyone who tries anything funny.~ I receive no vocal reply but sense a shift in the air right above me. Hecate listens to my request immediately, stealthily moving towards the men who are trying to escape with the cages. They won’t be able to get too far with her dangling right over their necks. A slight shiver runs down my spine at the too vivid image of a massive horrific spider descending upon one of the Humans and the woman takes it the wrong way. “Finally realising how much fucked you are?” I can practically feel the smirk in her tone. “Oh, you have no idea.” A slight snicker escapes me and the girls join me with a giggle. That throws her off a little as she clearly misses what’s so funny about her statement but we aren’t going to clear that up. Some commotion behind us catches my attention and everyone glances over their shoulder briefly. Paul and the others make their way into the chamber and instantly notice the villain in this scenario, bracing their weapons for combat. “Great, we have even more rats in this shithole.” The boss lady groans. A bunch of her subordinates decide to intervene regardless of her previous order to focus on the captives and she scowls at them. But, she doesn’t berate or shout at them for defying her. She might not be as confident in taking so many of us down as she would like to think she is. “We can handle her. They moved the VIPs that way. Go after them and let’s meet back here in fifteen minutes,” I say to our friends. They glance at the way I gesture with my head and Paul nods. Before rushing towards the opening, Shino whispers something to his ear and he lets out a soft sigh, to which she gives him a timid smile. Shaking his head, he starts heading away with the others in tow, save for the petite samurai girl who instead trots up to us. “I really missed fighting alongside you, Sensei.” Shino blushes faintly as I raise a brow at her. “The poachers hardly count.” “Where do you think you are going?” the woman shouts at the fleeing group and I shape my artefact into an ominous greatsword. With a quick thought, I spend one charge of What’s Mine Is Yours to borrow Shino’s Moon-Slashing Arts. Feeling something new bubbling inside me, I let it freely flow through my body as I swing at the boss of the kidnappers. Instead of a bright crescent, a deep purple arc soars forward, leaving a shadowy trail in the air. It slices through two poor grunts and whizzes right in front of the woman’s nose as she stops herself from turning towards the Heroes. She whips her head my way and glares at me through the holes in her mask. Before she can curse at me or something, two thumps echo through the hall and both of us focus on the pair of bodies now lying face-first on the stone pavement. It’s the duo that was unlucky to have been on the path of my slash. Curiously, their robes bear no marks of any damage even though I’ve watched the curved projectile fly through their torsos at a slight angle. At the same time, blood starts pooling underneath them in copious amounts. “That… almost looked like one of my skills, Sensei, but also not,” Shino says with a note of confusion and perhaps excitement in her voice. All I know is that something happened when I tried activating one of her abilities and it became altered. I didn’t see anything like that the last time I used those besides them being much stronger in my hands than in hers, for obvious reasons. An extremely rare pop-up appears in my vision and I give it a quick look. Huh? I turn to Diana and the big wolf does have a somewhat smug expression on her face as her tail wags softly, clearly aware that I just did something with her assistance. There are a few more notifications underneath that top one but we aren’t really in a situation where I can sit down and read every new thing so I only note the name All-Consuming Blade Arts Lv. 1 before returning my focus to the battle. It looks like my union with Diana has finally provided me what I have been lacking to fully embrace the Void Affinity sitting in my status for so damn long already. Plus Shino’s katana arts, most likely. Otherwise, this would have happened earlier, somewhere between me meeting the scary doggo and us getting here. No matter. Responsibilities first, fun after. “What did you do to them?” the woman asks in a shout and slams her palms together. Instantly, even more arrays cover all the surfaces around us and it’s fairly obvious that the negotiations are over. One of the golden circles flashes strongly and an outline of a similar colour surrounds the thugs along with their leader. They rush ahead with valiant cries on their lips, holding their simple weapons tightly. We are forced to put even more distance between us as a few blue formations present on the ceiling shoot lightning strikes at our positions. The thunderous and crackling barrage isn’t that accurate and none of us has any trouble dodging, but our opponents don’t even have to. The bolts completely avoid them and I realise that it’s most likely thanks to the yellow aura protecting them. This girl might be incredibly cocky but she isn’t stupid. Suna raises her staff over her head and traces circles with it while chanting something as Besfi jumps around her to receive the lightning aiming for her friend onto her shield, suffering only faint shivers with each pass of violent electrical current. One would think that her full metal plate armour should be a death sentence, but Sirgia has clearly overdone herself with its insulation and other magical protection. A white ring materialises above the duo and all the strikes are suddenly drawn to it. A bombardment of lightning focuses on that thin circle, hitting it so fast that it illuminates the hall almost permanently, deafening everyone inside as a side result. Nevertheless, it does its work and the others cash in on that immediately. My turn is first as I reach out to the woman and call upon Void Chains to end the battle quickly. She senses that something is coming as the small purple gates of swirling smoke appear on the ground and activates another array. My chains fly right through her as her figure blurs and appears in another nearby place. Snickering to herself, she remains elusive until I pause my attempts for now. Ressia drops to one knee and pulls out four arrows from her quiver. Their tips glow with red streaks and unfold into three-point claws. She releases the first volley, hitting all of the arrays she’s been aiming for, and hastily draws another. Within three almost instantaneous rounds, she skewers the targets right in the middle and they all detonate at the same time. I turn my attention back to the cannon fodder just as the girls let one of the men get past. Shino is currently slicing some into pieces to my right while Astrea, Yuru, and Oniri are tag-teaming the suckers on the right in a flurry of motion. Not having to worry about anything frying my brain in a single strike, I meet the robed kidnapper with a proper swing. His first attack is utterly pathetic and I simply cast it aside with a light shrug. He at least doesn’t lack the drive and continues to slice and stab his greatsword at me almost relentlessly, but the robes clearly match the man as it’s abundantly obvious that he isn’t a swordsman. I’m not sure what his Class is but this organisation either doesn’t value its low-rank members or they are shit at managing them. Noticing that the woman is preparing to activate some more tricks from her long sleeves, I shoulder him and take a horizontal swing as his guard gets pushed into the air. That unusual tingle makes itself apparent once more and I allow it to do whatever it intends to. In a blink, my entire blade is sheathed with a dark purple shadow before it slices through my opponent. Again, nothing seems amiss with him after receiving a killing blow besides his eyes wide from fear and generally frozen posture. His clothes are all fine even though fucker should be folding in half right now. I give him a kick to quicken his fall and that’s when his upper half is knocked off the bottom half, flopping back under my blow and dragging his body with it, blood starting to taint his robes. “Bloody hell…” My brows rise in shock and realisation. “Does this shit cut only the body?” An ice javelin interrupts my discovery and Diana lunges in front of me, catching the projectile in her sharp fangs. She crushes the crystal lance while releasing unamused growls. As more spikes dart from the woman’s cloak, she spins around and swipes her tail over the ground. No, not over the ground. She drags it into the ground. Half of her tail disappears in a shadowy trail and it launches three thin, sharp pillars of pure darkness as it emerges back into the material world. The black blades cut the blue spears in half before heading further, straight for the caster. The leader shows a bit more finesse than her underlings and dodges certain death with relative ease, simply not too happy about failing to take me out and receiving a counterattack in return. That’s when her shadow ripples and a slightly curved sword pokes out of it, followed by its beautiful wielder. Before Shino can impale our enemy, some kind of an autonomous sigil activates and a blast of force explodes around the boss lady, sending my lovely Japanese girl flying with a yelp. Thankfully, it causes the owner to stumble from both surprise and part of the explosion, preventing her from going after the attacker. Diana lunges into a nearby shadow and jumps out right behind Shino to cushion her fall and the duo is gone in another black spot a second later. I feel like these two ladies are going to have a perfect synergy. In that moment of weakness, my trio of fierce Beastkin launch their own coordinated assault at the magician, getting ahead of me in their attempt. I give them the chance and observe how they do with the corner of my eye, removing a bunch of grunts from the fight permanently. I’m not gonna lie, there’s something ultra satisfying in spinning around the battlefield and seeing your sword phase through your enemies with practically no resistance. No blood or other gore dirties my apparel as it remains contained inside their robes which are unaffected by the weird sword skill. That’s when I notice another peculiarity. One guy finds himself a shield, and for once, I assume I should put a bit more strength into my attack. Both my and his eyes widen to the brim as the blade ignores the round sheet of metal and cleaves him in half, mine because I way overextended and his because, well, tough luck. My sword slams into the floor and causes a small earthquake, causing everyone to look at me. Oops. But that confirms another thing. It’s not just clothes and robes. This weird phase cut goes right through weapons and armour too, which is completely bonkers. I’ll really need to run some tests on this with Sirgia later to see exactly how OP this stuff is. Surely, it can’t completely cheese its way through enchanted gear too, right? The unexpected scene delays the woman’s response to the trio’s strategy and she manages to block only Yuru’s blow with a summoned plate of translucent energy, courtesy of one of her circuits, of course. Astrea dives underneath the other catgirl’s arm and slams her fist into their opponent’s stomach. Another sigil pulses and the noise of shattering glass fills the air as the leader lady is pushed only a few metres back with her protective aura destroyed. Oniri is already waiting for her to arrive at the foxgirl’s position and she stabs her kunai in the woman’s lower back, evoking a pained screech from her. The kidnapper swipes back with her fingers crackling with lightning but the nimble ninja bends her body around their path while dragging her knife along that motion. The head honcho wails at getting her back sliced open while Oniri smartly escapes her reach. Shino joins in on the fun by emerging from a shadow near the ceiling, with her hand on the hilt of her sheathed katana, holding the weapon by her side. Her violet eyes flash fiercely as she pushes herself off the smooth surface and descends at a sharp angle like a falling star, leaving a sparkling trail behind her. In that quick moment, the woman flicks her blood onto the ground and a massive array lits up, immediately sealing her inside a cone-shaped dome of swirling orange energy. Shino’s blade skids over it with a multitude of sparks and she lands in a roll to lose the momentum, clicking her tongue in annoyance. She plunges into a nearby shadow and pops up next to me with a solemn sigh. I pat her head to cheer the sulking samurai up. “Hahahaha! You think bringing one of the Heroes will help you? That you are hot shit now?” The female criminal laughs at us. “Maybe if you had thought to let the others stay you might have a chance against me. This is my fortress. I’m invincible here. And they are going to end up in pieces from my traps.” One thing I have to admit, she is tenacious. And versatile. Greenish mist is already finishing mending the wound Oniri has carved in her lower back. This defensive cone looks quite sturdy too, covering even the ground so that shadow movement doesn’t reach inside. It’s like in those fantasy proverbs from Earth stories, never fight a Wizard in his tower. But, that usually refers to normal adventurers, not a quite overbuffed demigod, I think. “I’m not worried about us or them,” I respond casually, giving Fullen time to patch up our troops too as the few remaining kidnappers stay back near the cone. “The person who took down the formations at the entrance is with them, and their leader is one of the most perceptive people I know. Not to mention my own subordinate keeping an eye on them from hiding.” She sneers at me, her attempt at lowering our morale failing. Obviously. “I think you are realising just how fucked you are.” I chuckle and cross my arms over my chest. “You can’t keep using all those magic circles indefinitely even if they are pre-laid. And this barrier won’t hold on forever. It has to be consuming copious amounts of mana. In other words, you are done no matter what. We have all the time in the world. The others can bring our clients to their destination, we can camp here until you drop from exhaustion.” “You know nothing of what you speak, boy!” she snarls at me. “This magic is ancient! Way above your level! It doesn’t need to be sustained and can remain active practically forever!” Even if that’s true, this still doesn’t solve the issue of her being trapped inside. Forever means nothing without food and water. And other bodily necessities. With the emphasis on bodily. It won’t be pleasant when nature calls. But, let’s humour her. “Ailish?” I tilt my head to the side. Pinkish smoke floats out of my chest and the skimpy-clothed Arch Succubus appears right next to me with a cute yawn. “You called, Master?” I point towards the flabbergasted woman. “Is that ancient magic?” She wrinkles her nose and floats up to the barrier, studying the patterns from up close. The aura she emanates makes the guys around it simply gape at her with their mouths hanging open. She isn’t concealing her true nature in the slightest and it shows. She is infinitely stronger than she was back when we first met now that she has a proper master. “Yes, it is,” Ailish confirms, bringing a victorious smile onto the thug leader’s lips. “However, it’s utter trash. My tits would have withered out of shame if I ever showed something like this to any of my friends back in the day.” That smile quickly falters as the Succubus lady scowls in disgust. “This waste won’t stay active for longer than four hours since it’s completely missing the spiritual core and the inscriptions look like someone tried to translate the finest of Elf porn into the worst Goblin dialect and wrote the result with flaccid dick after busting a nut onto the paper to serve as ink.” She grimaces once more. “Please, don’t make me touch it. I’m about to hurl just from looking at this abomination.” I snicker and shake my head. “No need for that. I was just curious. Sorry to wake you up.” Ailish floats back to me and pushes herself into my side, batting her eyelashes at me. “No worries. As long as you are aware of the consequences of waking up a Succubus from her nap. Getting forcefully dragged out of my wet dreams about you like a bitch by her leash has made me positively gushing. You should do it more often.” Rolling my eyes, I grab the nape of her neck and crash my lips into hers, evoking a sultry whine from the salacious lady. She hums joyfully as I battle her tongue for a little while, dragging her back by her hair and landing a heavy smack on her violet ass. “We’ll see what we can do about that later. I’m on a mission,” I respond. “Good luck. Not that you’ll need it.” She giggles, leaves a slow, long lick over my entire cheek while staring at the confused leader lady, and disappears back into my chest. “We are back.” Paul’s voice reaches our ears literally a second later. Damn timing. They enter the chamber with Vanessa’s parents in their arms. He holds onto the king while Catherine carries the queen. They are both currently unconscious for some reason but it might be a good decision to let them stay that way for a moment longer. Fewer interruptions the better. “You are still not done? I figured you would crush that bitch and come steal our part of the job in a flash.” Kamil looks at the barrier with mild surprise. “What? How are you unscathed? Where are my men? I sent away the strongest,” the woman asks with even more astonishment. Marcia shrugs. “Our blond beauty deactivated everything. As for the guys, they were all dead before we reached the royal pair. It took that long only because you shat your traps literally over every single stone on our way there.” “How?” The kidnapper boss struggles to understand. “A spider bit them,” Natalie answers calmly. “A… spider?” I snicker, sensing the spider above me. “So, what now?” Catherine glances between us and the cone. “We have what we came here for, right? Kill her and go home?” “Let’s take her and go,” I reply. “No reason to waste any more time.” “You won’t take me alive!” The person in question cackles madly. “If I can’t get out, no one will!” She slaps her hands together and the entire fucking place turns into a rainbow of colours. Hundreds of magical circles shine fiercely at us from all angles. It might look incredibly beautiful and enchanting, but life has taught me many times that pretty things can be deceiving. And a man recognizes a suicide detonation when he sees one. Before she gets to ramp up, I flick my wrist her way and summon Void Chains in their purest form. The smoking, dark purple loops wrap themselves around the cone with lots of clunking noise, turning the woman’s figurative prison into a real one. “Do you really think a couple of chains can—” I squeeze my fingers into a fist and the spiritual bindings tighten. She pauses when something starts cracking and she realises it’s the barrier around her. A web of fractures quickly spreads over the swirling surface and it all shatters into pieces a moment later. The chains coil around her tightly and the blinding glow slowly fades away as they cut her access to magic. There is time for games, and there’s time to be serious. “How did you break my magic?” she screeches furiously. “Fuck. I’ll come to haunt you after my death you fucking bastard!” “Back off,” I instruct the others with a hasty gesture and lunge forward, crossing the distance between us in a blink. My fist smashes the mask into pieces, knocking the woman’s head back with her mouth already wide open to most likely break some kind of concealed insta-kill poison container disguised as one of her teeth or something. I grab her face with enough control not to smush it into a mush. She pales as muffled sounds escape her sealed lips and I push all of my focus into my godly, lustful aura. I haven’t thrown it at anyone without any sort of limits in quite a long time and the full force of my scent hits the leader lady at full power from point blank. Thanks to the fact that she has my hand in her mouth, I bet my sweat and other things get in touch with her tongue too. It doesn’t take too much time before her eyes dilate a bit as she looks me in the face and her heart skips a beat. A smile appears on my lips as the thumb of the palm that’s holding her mouth shut strokes her smooth skin. “Now, now. There’s no need to go that far, don’t you think? Do you really wish for your story to end here? A powerful master of magical arrays dying a rat’s death in some smelly sewer intersection? Is that how you want to go out?” She doesn’t respond for a while, just staring at me unmoving, her pace of breathing slowly picking up speed, becoming shallower and hotter by the second. Finally, after a few seconds, she swallows thickly and gives her head a faint shake. “I thought so.” I chuckle seductively. “It doesn’t seem to me that whatever organisation you are working for values your talents much for them to be ready to discard you so easily. In my honest opinion, that’s an incredible waste. I can’t even imagine forcing my subordinates to commit suicide after they make a little mistake. Rule by coercion and fear is just so inefficient. Instead, it’s much better to motivate your people with rewards, don’t you think?” She gives me a nod this time, a bit sooner than her previous response. “You know what? I can recognize true potential when I see it. And you seem like someone with quite the talent. My mercenaries could use someone as experienced as you. They are paid handsomely for their services.” My thumb continues to caress her cheek as she slowly relaxes, no longer clenching her teeth on my hand. “Or maybe I could use you. A versatile personal guard could be a wise idea. You would then have to stay by my side at all times, though. I’m honestly not sure if a lady such as yourself would be willing to make that sacrifice of privacy and personal space.” She swallows strongly once more before bobbing her head with more energy, her nostrils flaring regularly. My sharpened senses don’t miss how her heart thumps heavily in her chest whenever I intonate my words with a soft emphasis. The scent of her arousal becomes very apparent too. “But, no matter what I think or would like to do with you, nothing can happen without us talking things out properly like two adults.” I slowly wrap up the charming monologue before she somehow shakes my efforts off or something. “For that, I need you to cooperate. Are you going to be a good girl for me?” With enough nodding to shake my hand, I slowly withdraw my palm and stealthily wipe it off the side of my outfit. Though, she doesn’t pay the slightest bit of attention to anything else than my face. As for hers, it belongs to a decently normal Human in her forties maybe. It’s hard to judge that accurately in this world. There is no poison shattering, screaming, or any other unnecessary behaviour so I take it as a good sign. “Let’s start over. What’s your name?” “They call me Arrie because I’m an Array Master, but…” She bites on her bottom lip hard, peeking at my eyes and away like she is afraid of disappointing me. “You can’t reveal your real name?” I ask and she nods hesitantly. “As in, literally can’t, not are unwilling to?” My guess is proven correct as she confirms it with another nod. “These chains stop all magic.” My finger grazes one of the ominous purple links. “You don’t need to worry about some small fish curses and contracts.” Hesitant at first, she finally opens her mouth to reply. “Madeline… Madeline Hagsburn…” I hear a gasp, recognizing it as Catherine’s, and make a mental note to investigate it later. Her eyes snap shut and her face scrunches in preparation for the worst, but nothing happens. Taking a cautious glance over herself she sighs in true relief. “I can’t believe that didn’t kill me,” she whispers in astonishment, then her gaze snaps to mine. “Correlson, Grundier, Hanamudo, Asherlick, Bosto—” “Wait, wait, wait!” I chuckle as she fires out a full barrage of what must be real names of the important people in the organisation that she knows of. “Can I take that as your desire to work with me?” “Yes, yes, please. I will do anything you may require of me. I’m a very experienced woman. As long as you can destroy the killing curse, I can be anything you want.” She almost pants right in my face. “Good.” I nod to myself. “Now sleep.” Her eyelashes flutter as I reach for a simple slumber spell from the Charm Magic subgroup of my available skills and her head soon drops down as she falls unconscious. For this to work, the target has to be charmed first, but otherwise, it’s a rather potent wizardry. Now that she can no longer try anything funny or accidentally kill herself, I cancel the chains and grab her around the waist, hoisting her onto my shoulder like a pack of potatoes. Turning around, I find everyone staring at me with various expressions. Naturally, most of my girls have flushed cheeks, wagging tails, and rub their thighs together from the blast of my sexual aura, but the men and people like Catherine or Natalie seem rather uncomfortable and wear anxious, perhaps worried expressions. “What?” I raise a brow at the latter group. “It’s honestly a bit scary how easy it is for a demigod to brainwash a woman into submission,” the military lady gathers her courage and voices her thoughts. “That’s actually part of my Class and Titles rather than my divinity, or at least it was before I gained it, but nevertheless, you don’t need to worry that much. I can only use my charms on a very specific category of people while the others are completely unaffected. At least in terms of mentality,” I try to reassure her. “How so?” Catherine shows a soft frown. “Sensei can only use his powers this way on the bad guys,” Shino explains. “Anyone who has any kind of positive attitude towards him is immune to what you called brainwashing. So, it’s not like Sensei can walk into a tavern and make a random girl do whatever he wants. I mean, I’m sure he would be able to anyway with how handsome he is, but…” Shaking my head, I chuckle at the deep flush spreading on her lovely cheeks. “More or less as she said. Only those with ill intentions towards me or others are affected by that side of my power. The neutral ones and those who are more positive will only experience a feeling comparable to a pleasant aphrodisiac with a boost in confidence. It’s confirmed that if you are for example thinking about doing something your anxiety is telling you it might make me look at you weirdly or be put off, this boost helps you gain confidence to push through and enjoy yourself.” “That’s… rather extraordinary.” Catherine tilts her head curiously. “Yeah. That’s my Class for you. It only benefits from conscious and willing interactions while giving me some tools to fend off the dangerous ones too.” I shrug nonchalantly. “Basically, I can’t push my full aura onto you and force you to suck my cock if that’s not something you already want. And even if I could, I can’t gain any power from manipulated bonds. Most likely can’t even form them. That’s why this Class has been considered one of the trashiest by the residents of this realm. You rely on the goodwill of others and your personal charm.” “That’s all fascinating but I think we have places to be.” Kamil grunts on the sidelines. A wave of chuckles rolls through the chamber as many people nod. So, we wrap this up right away. The remaining grunts lost their will to fight the moment I grabbed their boss, or possibly even earlier when Ailish floated her curvaceous body right in front of their eyes, so we chain them properly and make Diana transfer them to the surface, passing them onto the soldiers. Then, we navigate the sewers to get back to our mansion. Astrea splits off to take care of the Community, sharing the news with her brethren and starting to work out the rewards we should offer for their help. The duels will of course happen, but I can’t very well leave everyone’s honest efforts unacknowledged. We’ll think of something soon. We meet a few squads of knights on our way and let them know about the hideout so that they can search it properly and secure more evidence. I send a message to Lianne saying that we have things under control and to prepare to receive her guests soon. They both look alright but should go through a check-up anyway. Arriving home and climbing up into the lobby, we find a bandaged Vanessa wearing loose sleepwear pacing back and forth while a few of our ladies are fussing over her and begging her to lay down. Noticing our entrance, she rushes to check on her parents before lunging at me with a bear hug and crying her heart out into my chest. Shino and Natalie get her under control a few minutes later and she insists on going with her parents so we put the three of them into one of our carriages, alongside me, and head for the castle. Wary of any further attempts, we drive straight ahead at a breakneck pace, not wanting to see if there are more explosives planted under the road just waiting for some trigger. Nothing happens until we reach our destination, where Ross is ready to receive us with lots of soldiers, healers, and servants. We officially pass the family into his hands and agree to speak about the details later. He takes the woman too since I’m not really looking forward to housing a homicidal racist radicalist under the roof of our house, no matter if charmed or not. I let him know to keep her unconscious without me present and we then leave. Paul’s party decides to return with us after I offer my place as a spot to clean up, patch up, take a bite, relax, and maybe celebrate a successful mission since it’s a day off. The girls are definitely going to prepare a feast for me and there’s no reason they can’t enjoy it too. A moment of respite before we start processing everything sounds like a good idea.
Chapter 200 – Not So Hidden Feelings ❤ Spoiler: Chapter Rather than head straight home with our carriages, we choose to walk there and look around the city. We don’t have anyone to protect now besides ourselves in case someone suddenly comes up with an act of hasty revenge for ruining their plans so we can relax a little more. Even so, we are in a much better position to respond to any events on foot than in carriages or on horses. As we stroll through the streets and catch the eyes of numerous passersby thanks to the rather unique look of our group, thanks to so many girls of other races dressed in professional uniforms, it’s pretty clear that most of us are tired to some extent after the recent incident. I walk alongside my girls and chat with them as they surround me, reassuring and praising them for their great work. Obviously, unpredictable shit like this will happen now and then and no one can blame them for it. They responded quickly and I’m sure they would have been able to retrieve the hostages on their own under Ressia’s command. Or if they would have felt uncertain, I believe they would have contacted me to report everything and try asking for advice. Which is rather funny considering the fact that it’s them who are better trained and more experienced in this stuff, but I guess being the strongest of the group is enough to make the ladies feel like I’m the one they should go to with their issues. And I don’t mind it either. My role has always been helping people out. Even teachers tend to get confronted with something they don’t know by their students but continue to give their best or look up their answer since they are in a position of respect. It’s more common than people imagine. Nevertheless, we wander amongst the buildings with my fingers moving from one set of fluffy ears to another, from one cheek to another, from one chin to another, and so on, depending on the race of the lady receiving my little caresses and what she actually likes to feel. Beastkin are the easiest to please thanks to their magnificent features and the smiles they show when met with honest affection are hypnotising. But, the Elves or Tielflings don’t fall that far behind. We do get some different looks because of that, but I don’t really care. Their well-being is the most important and they have just finished a great job. A few glances come from Paul’s team too, but most of the members are already quite used to my ways. Shino looks like she’s barely holding herself from barging in to receive some headpats too, Marcia keeps an impish smirk on her plump lips, and Natalie observes us with her usual calmness, though I do notice her eyes pausing on me more often. Catherine is simply absorbing the new knowledge and sights while the guys act like they don’t really care. On our way back, we pass by the ambush site. I haven’t seen it properly from above yet and damn, it’s really scary. I don’t think just the explosion runes would be enough to pierce this much stone and pavement as the hole reveals just how sturdy the underground construction is. They must have prepared a lot for this, excavating everything between the sewers and the surface, and blowing up the stone supports then. The chasm spanned over the entire road and it was lucky no one else besides us was caught in it. However, that might be thanks to our formation taking a lot of space. Men and women from the castle are already working on the inconvenience, alongside plenty of artisans and crafters. The knights keep redirecting people to the nearby alleys, deflecting some annoyed pedestrians who are just so mad they can’t walk straight. Seriously, where do people like that even come from? I ask one of the guards what happened here, curious about their answer, and the man replies without even looking back at me. He blames the cave-in on an acidic monster that eroded the structure and exploded when hit with fire from the adventurers hunting it. You can get much more believable excuses out there when magic and shit is available in the world. Arriving home, we are met with my wives waiting for us at the entrance, Cornelia and Elea at the front, with Sirgia right next to them. Ressia excuses herself and the girls, saying that they will report to Lyona and finalise everything. When I offer my help, they politely decline, saying that I don’t need to supervise that process and that it will happen a lot without me around in the future. They leave with one last salute my way. “So, everything is alright?” Cornelia asks as she approaches me. I pull her into my embrace. “As much as it can be. Only time will tell. Thanks for taking care of Vanessa. She looked much better when we returned here.” “All of the girls with medical experience or healing spells pitched in and it was not a problem,” Elea replies. “What are your plans now?” As her enchanting violet eyes roam over everyone, I point a thumb over my shoulder. “We are having guests who need to eat, drink, and rest. For now, it’s time to unwind as the dust settles down. Tomorrow, we will need to meet up with Ross to talk about it all.” “I assumed so and the lounges in the main hall are already being prepared.” She nods with a warm smile. “Feel free to request anything from anyone present there. The ladies volunteered to act as your waitresses and such for this evening. They can help you unwind too.” “I’m definitely starving after all that running.” Kamil pats his plate-covered belly. “Then please, be our guest.” Cornelia gestures at us to follow and we walk inside. As mentioned, the tables are set up and some girls in maid uniforms wait by the sofas. We first jump into the baths for a quick cleanup, me going in with the boys while the girls share their moment separately from us, and then settle down in the lobby, starting to eat, drink, and chat. Marcia even gets a feline Beastkin girl to sit on her lap so that she can mindlessly play with the lucky lady’s ears and fur since she’s a pure-blooded one. Our little party is in full swing and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, even Catherine. Soon, it gets rather late and the alcohol runs out so I offer to get some more from the fridge section in the kitchen. It takes a moment to convince the serving girls that it’s alright since I would like to thank the people in the kitchen for their work, but they finally let me go. Shino decides to join and stretch her legs, and Natalie follows too. We show our gratitude to the cooks and rain compliments at them until they stop saying that they aren’t doing anything worth praise or so much acknowledgement. One of the girls comes into the fridge with us and we let her help us pick some more good stuff, shoving it into my spatial ring to keep everything chilled. Spending a few more minutes tasting their masterful dishes, we move into the dining hall. “You missed one bottle!” someone calls behind us after we are halfway through. “Oh, I’ll get it!” Shino shouts in response. “Be right back!” She twirls around and trots back into the kitchen. We exchange glances with Natalie and I laugh lightly at our mutual friend’s bubbly nature while she shows a hint of a soft smile on her dainty lips. But, even after I look ahead once more, I catch her gaze lingering for a moment longer. “Something on your mind?” I ask, unable to leave it out there just like that. Natalie has always been the quiet one in my class and that didn’t change much after coming to this world. I’m sure she shares some of her troubles and worries with Shino, but she is the type to bottle everything up and cope with it until someone draws it out of her with genuine kindness. “Thank you,” she says quietly. “I’m just figuring out that I might not have said it enough in the past.” “What for?” I raise a brow at her. “I didn’t really do anything special these days.” “For saving Shino. More than once,” the collected actress explains. “I’m aware that she would have most likely survived that rubble back there thanks to her enhanced physique and stats, but you never know. I would have been too late to stop her in time. So, thank you. A lot.” Hesitant a little at first, she steps forward and I let the tall beauty give me a delicate hug, feeling the gratitude through her simple but emotional action. Especially thanks to the fact that she’s now pretty much as tall as I am, if not even taller, so we can wrap ourselves around each other properly. Genes really are something, man. Or it might be the American ladies who are all bombshells on long legs. Her growth rate is amazing and I honestly wonder if she will get any taller as she’s only recently hit adulthood, like a few months at most, and already towers over Shino and Marcia, who are both much older than her. “That’s not something you have to thank me for.” I kindly shake my head, patting her on the back. “I would have done the same for all of you. But, you are welcome. I’m always there for you guys, and I believe I’ve already said it once or twice.” The sound of footsteps reaches our ears a moment later and we glance their way to see Shino with a bottle of champagne in her petite hands and a sweet smile on her pouty lips. “Awww, you two look so nice together!” The Japanese shortie giggles adorably. “Hey, Natalie-san, do you like Sensei too?” I chuckle softly and turn back to Natalie, lowering my voice to a whisper. “You should tell her.” The bard’s face snaps back to mine instantly and her perfect blue eyes widen in shock. “Did you think I would have missed all those charming smiles you made every time I praised Shino for doing great in the classroom? Or your sneaky glances whenever you were supposed to work in groups?” I smirk softly. “Kids really have no idea just how much the teachers see and recognize, just simply letting it go or ignoring it if it’s nothing improper at the moment.” Her gaze shies away from mine, escaping slightly to the side as a faint trace of a blush surfaces on her smooth cheeks. “But she already has—” “It’s alright.” I interrupt her and she looks up again with some confusion and surprise. “I don’t really mind you two being together. As long as you don’t mind Shino being with me, including all that such a relationship involves since I’m not letting go of her. And I don’t think she minds either.” She searches my eyes for a second before responding. “Why?” “Because you were and still are my cute student. And a friend. I want you to be happy.” I smile at her honestly. “Besides, we are not on Earth now. There, if you didn’t confess, you at worst suffered watching your crush live by. Here, you or they can lose their life at any time. You should take the chance to live happily for as long as you can, don’t you think?” Natalie takes a moment to think about my words, perhaps trying to figure out if I really mean it, then nods weakly. Letting myself grin a bit, I gently step back, move slightly behind her, and turn her around towards Shino, who has patiently waited for us to finish our quiet conversation like the little angel that she is. “Ummm… Shino-san…” Natalie starts with the additional respects neither me nor Shino expected, but she knows her best friend thoroughly as it makes the Japanese girl realise that the matter is serious. “I… have something to say to you…” Shino politely nods, awaiting her statement or request. Natalie takes a deeper breath through her nose before continuing. “I… I like you very much… And I always have…” The Japanese girl waits for a little longer and then breaks into a wide smile. “I like Natalie-san a lot too! You are my best friend, the best I ever had!” I chuckle at the clueless shortie as Natalie winces a bit and Shino’s gaze switches to me as her head tilts a little. Pointing to the side with my eyes, I try my best to bring her attention to Natalie’s face. I might not be able to see it, but I’m fairly sure I can guess enough. Following my advice, Shino studies her best friend a bit more and her eyes widen in realisation as she spots the fleeting glances the bard has to be giving her, or the timid blush colouring Natalie’s cheeks. “Ah…” Shino’s smile turns a tad wry as she looks between me and her, an anxious glint in her purple eyes. “But… I have Sensei…” “I don’t mind,” I say and she glances up at me. “Say, Shino, do you like Natalie? Like, really like?” She nods. “Hypothetically, if I wasn’t there in the first place, not showing up as your teacher and so on, if she one day asked you out, would you have accepted?” I ask and feel Natalie’s shoulder tense a bit under my palm. Shino peeks at the floor as she mulls it over, giving it some serious thought, and looks up again. “I think yes.” “There you have it, then.” I squeeze Natalie’s shoulders reassuringly. “I see no issues with you two being close.” “Ah! We can both be Sensei’s girlfriends!” Shino hits her palm with her fist. That causes Natalie to look back at me and I snicker while shaking my head. “No, no, no. That’s not what I meant.” I meet the bard’s pretty eyes. “Don’t be mistaken, I’m not doing all of this in hopes of getting into your panties. I really wish for you to be happy, just as we are, and not simply have to watch from the sidelines as your crush enjoys her life to the fullest. Honestly, it would be good for all of us. I won’t always be around on your expeditions, and this way I can rest assured that Shino has a good company by her side, of someone who loves her just as much, and you deserve some love too.” After reassuring the tall beauty, I give my attention back to the short cutie. “Instead of viewing it as another addition to my harem, you should view it as your own one, with both of us being in love with you.” I smirk at her as that suggestion seems to fluster her. “M-Me? A harem?” Shino squirms a little in her spot. “But, even so… If Shino isn’t like me…” Natalie looks down too. “Oh, I can assure you she is.” I laugh warmly. “She’s definitely fantasised about you going down on her countless times. I do wonder which one would end up on top with both of you being close to a timid introvert.” “Sensei!” Shino explodes with crimson all over her face and rushes to us, weaving around her best friend to reach me and start hitting me on the chest. “You big pervert! Don’t say things like that!” “I don’t hear you denying it.” I snicker and grin at Natalie. “See?” The quiet lady actually giggles softly with a tender smile. Catching my girlfriend’s wrists, I try my best to calm Shino down. “Shino. Forget about me and everything else for a moment. Could you please answer Natalie honestly? Whatever it is? She deserves a proper response.” She stops struggling, sighs daintily, and turns face-to-face with the much taller blonde. “I… I really like you too, Natalie-san… So, if you are fine with me… If you are fine with Sensei being with me… And if he is fine with us too… Then… I would like that…” As Shino gradually gets more flustered, Natalie’s eyelids begin to move faster and I quickly note that she’s slowly tearing up. For good reasons, of course. It doesn’t take long before a few tears roll down her cheeks and she attempts to hastily wipe them off but fails to take care of them all and my black-haired princess finally notices it amidst her embarrassment, immediately looking up at me with uncertain, somewhat worried eyes. I mouth at Shino to hug her and she quickly embraces the other woman. I smile to myself at such a lovely sight but Natalie breaks out of the hug way quicker than I would have expected her to, surprising both me and Shino, and lunges into my arms next, clinging onto me even tighter. Quiet sniffles escape her and I gently brush my fingers over her hair. “Thank you… Thank you so much… I can never repay this…” she whispers softly. “All you have to do is to be happy. Your smile will be enough on its own,” I whisper back, continuing to soothe her. She pulls away a little, looks at me with a cordial smile, and places a tiny peck on my cheek. “I always thought of you as someone amazing and kind, Mr. Carter, but I can’t find any words that would capture how much of an incredible person you are.” “Anything for such a charming girl.” I wink at her. “You know, I think I’m already starting to fall for you too.” After gazing into my eyes with visible happiness, she leans towards me. But, before our lips can meet, I place a finger on hers and block her way. She looks a bit perplexed at that and I move my palm to her hot cheek. “Have you ever kissed anyone? Romantically, I mean, not on stage or while acting,” I ask. “No…” Natalie answers with a deeper flush. “Not ever actually... My parents insisted that I don’t until I’m an adult and it was a requirement for all my contracts…” I step back, confusing the self-conscious girl even more, and pick Shino up by her waist. “Ah!” The shortie squeaks in surprise as I sit her down on the nearby table. “Sensei?” Then, I turn to the other woman and guide her closer by the small of her back, effectively bringing her between Shino’s legs and right in front of her best friend’s face, which is now at the same level, more or less. “This should be your first, then.” I give Natalie a big smile, and she looks like she’s about to tear up again so I stroke their hair while sneaking a peck on the side of the forehead for each before leaving their personal space. “Take your time.” With one last wave, I pick up the bottle Shino had put aside much, much earlier, and return to the lobby. The party is in full swing just as I remember it being but Marcia immediately notices the change as I put the liquor down. “That was one long trip to the fridge.” The raunchy redhead smirks at me. “Where did you lose the girls?” “Dunno. We split rather early. You know those two, they always seem to go everywhere together. Maybe they went to the bathroom.” I shrug casually. “Or they are in some random room unable to walk.” She snickers. I roll my eyes at that and don’t answer, knowing well that I can’t win against her no matter what reasoning I bring up. We sit together for maybe fifteen minutes before Paul clocks out so I excuse myself too to check on my ladies and everything else. Kamil, Marcia, and Catherine stay behind to enjoy themselves for a moment longer. First, I visit my bedroom to change from the armoured uniform and Diana slips out of my shadow to accompany me. I pet her ears and long snout while dressing into something more loose and comfortable, simply having fun with the giant doggo. Then, one of her ears twitches adorably and she gives me one more lick before disappearing into the darkness again. Before I can start figuring out why, there’s a knock on my door. “Come in?” I say almost on habit but some confusion slips into my tone. And it only increases as Shino and Natalie step in, their fingers entwined together. They stop before me and both wear a trace of rosiness on their cheeks. I guess making out together made them a little shy. “How can I help you?” I look between them. Natalie glances at Shino before focusing on me. “I want our first time to be… together.” My gaze falls onto the short girl immediately and she raises her hands in defence. “I did not ask for it, Sensei. Natalie-san suggested.” I turn to the talented bard. “You know that you aren’t obliged to sleep with me for being with Shino if that’s not your thing, right?” She nods softly. “Yes. And while I think you are already aware that I’m partial to the feminine figure, I’m not exactly repelled by men. Especially with the right person. I don’t think I’m lesbian by its common definition, but it’s like… It’s just… Shino.” Natalie gestures at all that is the petite lady next to us like it’s supposed to explain everything, and it actually does, evoking a chuckle from me. She shows a tiny smile, knowing that I get it too. Yeah, there’s something to that. We both fell for the cute Japanese princess hard and it might have been what made the American actress reconsider her sexuality. She might not even really be a lesbian since it’s quite known that people often go far and change a lot for those they truly love, but she couldn’t have been sure before. As she said, it’s all about Shino. Things might have been the same with different genders in the play. “And you are sure this is what you really want?” I inquire one more time. Instead of using words, she crosses the distance separating us and plants her delicate lips onto mine. At first, it’s nothing more than a chaste peck and I’m happy to return such gentle affection, but things slowly develop further. She invites me in by prodding my mouth with her tongue testingly and we deepen the kiss properly. My hands join over the small of her back while she throws hers around my neck. Shino coos sweetly on the side as we unhurriedly smooch each other. The lack of experience from the young actress shows clearly, but it’s not anything glaring or super awkward. Natalie is clearly used to winging things and going off the script so she hastily gets a feel of how things should go, copying my actions. Plus, she must have gotten at least some clue of this from her earlier moment with Shino. When we finally pull apart, a heavier flush decorates the skin of the usually calm woman. “Is this sure enough?” “I think so.” Smirking, I give her one more peck. “Who am I to disagree?” “Yay!” Our mutual best friend and now lover jumps happily in circles. “I was so worried you would try to change her mind, Sensei!” Snorting, I shake my head. “She is a big girl and can make her own decisions, so I only wished to ascertain she isn’t sacrificing her comforts for us, but you look rather excited that I didn’t try to turn this around.” She stops right away and turns fully crimson, caught red-handed, or rather red-minded. That evokes an almost silent chuckle from Natalie. “I’m so glad to see you excited about me.” They stare at each other for quite a few seconds and Shino finally looks at me. “So… What now?” “If you don’t mind this particular bed, then please, go on.” I turn them towards our royal mattress. “What about you?” she asks curiously. “I’ll be there with you, of course. But you should focus on each other first.” I take their hands and we walk forward together. Helping the girls climb on, I guide them higher and more to the centre, where I put them in front of each other, sitting on my knees by their side. They don’t make any moves for what feels like an awkward eternity, clearly unsure of what to do first, and I roll my eyes at them. Reaching out to Shino, I cup her chin up and pull my lovely samurai for an affectionate kiss. As our tongues play together, I bring her palm forward and place it on Natalie’s upper garments until she finds purchase in the material of her white shirt. Then, I mirror the motion with the enchanting bard while keeping Shino’s face close to my other side. Me pulling away results in their noses almost touching and they gaze into each other’s eyes only briefly before continuing the kiss on their own. Thankfully, they get the idea and start fiddling with each other’s clothes too. I watch in silence as their agile fingers unpin button after button, revealing more of their delicious fronts. They shimmy out of their tops soon enough, displaying their varying bras. Shino’s is black and has pretty patterns while Natalie prefers white and simple ones. They give me a glance so I quickly match their state, giving them a good view of my chest. Shino reddens again as her eyes roam over my muscles but Natalie’s reaction isn’t too bad either. She admires them too, hinting at some interest in men at least. I raise a brow at them to encourage the quiet ladies a little and they unhurriedly get to each other’s bras. That brings them close again since they don’t turn around and their lips meet in a passionate exchange which looks so alluring from the side. And even more when their gorgeous breasts pop out of their underwear. Shino’s petite pair is a pleasure to see, and Natalie’s developed peaks are just as alluring as I remember from our little baths. Though, I think they got bigger a tad, becoming fuller and more tender. Our short friend looks aside, slightly covering her modest charms, at which the taller girl slightly tilts her head. “It’s embarrassing when you stare so much…” Shino stammers out. “We’ve seen each other plenty of times, though?” Natalie’s brows rise in surprise. “This is… different…” the Japanese cutie says. “It’s been a while since I saw that part of hers,” I whisper rather loudly while leaning onto Natalie. “I really missed my sweet, innocent student so thanks for that.” “Sensei! That makes it sound like I’ve become some massive degenerate!” Shino complains. The two of us deadpan at her, making her squirm while turning all scarlet to the tips of her ears. Yeah, I think me and Natalie are the two people who know her secrets best. Nudging the lady next to me, I push the silent actress into motion and she softly runs her palm over Shino’s lithe frame before grazing her pretty hills. They kiss again as Natalie’s fingers trail lower and the Japanese beauty hops on her butt a few times to help a little, soon losing her panties and skirt. She has to stop the pecks for a moment since Natalie’s pants require a bit more work, but the actress tries to work with her too, getting only a bit hesitant when Shino reaches for her underwear. We can both spot a noticeable damp spot on the bottom of the material and a sticky trail of love nectar connecting it to the pretty pussy it’s hiding, an invitingly pinkish slit sealed shut by the enticingly plump folds. A trace of golden hair above it proves that Natalie tries to shave regularly but isn’t best at it and it’s been a moment since the last time. The two of us can recognize the simple triangular pattern amongst the other strands though and appreciate the effort. “Would you like some tips about shaving, Natalie-san?” Shino asks with an innocent smile, taking a quick peek at her completely smooth pubic area. “Sorry.” Natalie smiles back but rather weakly. “I didn’t really have to shave yet back at home.” “It’s okay. Everyone’s body develops at a different pace and there’s no shame in that. I had maids teach me and would be happy to show you how to easily do it the way you want,” my samurai wife offers. “Oh, but don’t worry, I don’t mind your hair right now. It gives you that… mature feel. Right, Sensei?” I nod approvingly. “Definitely. Though, I have to say, I didn’t expect you to be this wet already.” Natalie clamps her thighs together as compared to Shino, she’s pretty much flooding the sheets. There will be a rather large fragrant stain underneath her after she lifts her pert behind off the bed. As they say, still water runs deep. Shino giggles adorably and strokes Natalie’s thigh, pulling it aside to reveal her feminine bits. “That was a compliment. But, I wonder if it was because of me or Sensei.” “That’s easy to test.” I snicker and they look my way. Having their attention, I get rid of my undies too, bringing my fully erect member into the open air. Shino’s eyes instantly snap to my length and she practically worships it with her longing expression as I start lazily stroking myself in front of them. Perhaps subconsciously, she moves one hand to her small breast and starts rubbing it tenderly, with the other soon snaking down her smooth belly. As for Natalie, she does enjoy the show, but it doesn’t hit her just as hard. Yet, it’s clear she has some fascination with men and me personally, which is nice. After observing her reactions for a moment, I pause my fun and grab their wrists. Yanking Shino to me with a cute yelp, I give Natalie a lighter tug so that she scoots exactly where I need her. The black-haired girl gives me a questioning look and I wink at her, pushing her onto all fours by my side, with her butt up and face in the sheets. Sitting on my knees, I run my hands over her round cheeks, which are pointing straight at Natalie. “Isn’t this pretty?” I ask with an amorous tone. “Beautiful? And a little… arousing?” Her blue eyes are glued to Shino’s pert behind, and when I pull aside the little samurai’s cheeks, she swallows thickly, moving her gaze right to the centre of the hidden valley. Keeping Shino open temptingly with one palm, I use the other to brush over her tight anus and down her slit. It’s like Natalie is in a trance as I trace lines over both of Shino’s folds, revealing sneak peeks of the promise curtained behind them. When I finally pull them aside and let a tiny trail of love juices roll over the exposed pink insides, her breathing hitches a bit. I continue to rub Shino’s pussy while keeping it fully displayed for Natalie, who isn’t even perceiving my hard cock right next to the short girl, rubbing against her thigh. Some muffled humming reaches my ears, letting me know that Shino enjoys this particular experiment. Then, I let her girly parts fall into their natural state and Natalie’s eyes finally move to my face, hers quickly heating up after being caught in the act. Shino turns around with a fake pout at the fact that I stopped instead of giving her all the love she deserved and I kiss her deeply as an apology. “And? How did touching me help, Sensei?” she asks curiously, perhaps wondering if I wasn’t just looking for an excuse to play with her pussy. “Would you mind getting up?” I ask Natalie in turn. Our dear friend follows my request albeit not without wondering what the point of that is. Then, as she lifts herself to stand straight on her knees, I point under her as multiple thick trails of arousal connect to it to her girly mound, and at the initial place she sat on before. “See the difference?” I raise a brow at Shino and watch her quickly come to an understanding. The size difference between those two spots is more than double, and Natalie’s nether lips still steadily drip her alluring nectar, now rolling down her delicious thighs. She too looks where I’m pointing and at herself, quickly hiding her feminine bump behind her fingers. “Wow… Was all of that really because of me?” Shino gazes up at her with awe. Natalie clearly considers looking away timidly, but she manages a brave nod, dropping her gaze to the bed. “Yes…” “Well, then. Why just watch? Have you ever wished you got a chance to get a taste?” I grin at the gorgeous blonde and her eyes widen to the brim. As Shino’s join hers, I drag the petite girl into my embrace and place her in my lap, resting her back against my chest. Putting my hands under her knees, I bring them up with her feet still on the sheets and spread her open, sliding my legs in the openings between her ankles and butt to keep it like that. Then, looking deeply into those sky blue gems of our musically-gifted lover, I pry Shino’s folds aside, presenting her inner beauty in its full splendour. “Come on. Dig in before it gets cold.” I wink at Natalie while Shino watches her face intently. Natalie looks between me and Shino’s sacred place and her tongue flicks onto her lips as she is clearly tempted by the invitation. She drops onto the bed and hesitantly crawls forward, still switching her attention up and down. Halfway there she accepts that I’m not changing my mind and stares at Shino instead, who gazes back with grand anticipation, her breathing getting quicker with each passing second. Finally getting far enough to eliminate any opportunity to retreat, Natalie runs her fingers up Shino’s smooth thighs and pushes her mouth into her best friend’s nether regions. She puts out her tongue and gives Shino’s slit a tentative lick, causing the petite samurai to shiver and exhale heavily. Emboldened by that reaction, Natalie keeps their gazes locked as she starts to revere Shino’s magnificent little pussy with her tongue. She laps it over her folds and the middle that I keep available to her with my fingers. Shino’s sighs and moans of bliss gradually turn louder and louder. “Ahhmmmm… Ahhhmmm… Natalie-san…” “Does she feel good?” I ask my lovely girlfriend softly. She nods quickly. “Very… Mmmmmm…” “And does she taste good?” I ask my new bi-curious girlfriend. She instead sucks at Shino’s clit, evoking a sharp gasp from our shortie. I watch in amusement as everything plays out, playing my role as their support for now. I have no doubt that they will pull me into it at some point, but I want them to first have their first time even if they brought it to me. And, it’s not like I don’t enjoy my two beautiful students partaking in their carnal desires right before me. “Natalie-san… Sensei… Ahhhhnnn…” Shino must have been rather close after all that stripping, teasing, and playing around as she arrives at her peak rather quickly. Or it’s Natalie who is a goddess with her tongue. I leave her pussy fully to the talented actress and use my palms to gently massage Shino’s pert breasts and tickle her nipples. Her fingers find purchase in my hair as she starts writhing more and more before she screams in ecstasy and trembles strongly in my lap from the powerful high, leaking more of her fragrant love onto Natalie’s face in the process. Pulling away from the mess she made, Natalie exchanges short glances with Shino before leaning forward and joining their lips together. Then, her eyes flick to me behind the petite girl’s shoulder and she pushes herself further forward, giving me a loving kiss too. Her palm finds a way to my crotch and her slender fingers caress my length as we chase each other’s mouths, which results in her delicate breasts being thrust right into Shino’s face. This night is going to be really interesting.
Chapter 201 – Besties at Work ❤❤❤ Spoiler: Chapter After suffocating the poor shortie between her plump breasts for the duration of our delicious kiss, Natalie draws back a little. Her smooth fingers remain on my shaft as she caresses it gently, moving her delicate hand up and down. We maintain eye contact most of the time, save for the brief moments when she glances down to admire her work or to check if she isn’t doing a bad job. It’s rather obvious from her skill that it’s the very first time she’s touching a real cock, and as expected of the studious and intelligent girl from my class, she never lacks the drive to learn on the spot. Nevertheless, I’m glad to see that she truly doesn’t seem to have any negative predispositions towards men. I wouldn’t have put it past her to actually lie a little for Shino’s sake. Natalie’s fingers suddenly give me a tiny squeeze and a pleasant sigh escapes her pouty lips. Taking my eyes off her mesmerising visage, I notice that Shino stopped being passive and took the chance presented right in front of her, which is her best friend’s tender and perky chest. The golden-haired actress keeps looking at me with a visible blush as the purple-eyed heiress tickles her breasts with some good pecks, licks, kisses, and of course, soft sucking. I smile at the humming lady and join our lips again, using my hand to take care of one of her nipples too. Judging by the sounds she releases with her quiet but very so musical voice, Natalie finds our cooperation more than satisfying. But, I bet it’s Shino’s work that gets her the most. Still, to her credit, she doesn’t pause the stroking, doing her absolute best not to remain passive. Then, Natalie flinches a little and her hand jumps away from my dick, hastily grabbing something else. Peering over Shino’s shoulder, I find the blonde holding my girlfriend’s wrist, which halted its travel south right in front of the yellow steppes above the promised oasis. The action is so sudden that even Shino pauses completely and gives Natalie a curious glance. “Sorry. It happened kind of on a reflex,” our tall friend admits and more crimson tinges her smooth cheeks. A brief silence falls upon us as the other lady ponders over it briefly before speaking. “Would you like me to help you groom yourself a little if it makes you so anxious, Natalie-san?” Shino asks with an honest expression. “It won’t take longer than just a moment. I have a nice gadget from Sensei’s dwarf girl that makes the process easy and seamless.” “Right now?” Natalie’s brows rise a tad and her eyes jump to me. The petite samurai grins impishly. “Why not? I would love to do it for you. And we can give Sensei a nice show.” I don’t think being so teasing can help ease Natalie into it, but I worry pointlessly. She searches my eyes for a few seconds and I nod faintly as a form of encouragement. If we are going to do this, it would be best for her to be as comfortable with herself as possible. Usually, I can ensure that part on my own, but this time, the circumstances are quite different. Shino is the best person to solve it and I’m more than happy to simply observe. And enjoy the show, as my lovely Japanese princess said. “Okay.” Natalie nods too and switches her attention to Shino. “The baths, then?” “We don’t need to move.” The sly samurai’s grin widens and she flicks her wrist. “It doesn’t make any mess and is rather enjoyable.” In her hand appears something resembling a fully metallic barber razor which shines like pure silver. It’s the modern-styled one with a big, bumpy head and a cylindrical wooden handle. These things always fascinated me because they look like they have no blade or blades, but I know they are just hidden really well under that shapely top part. In this case, though, I can easily tell that the entire thing is solid. There are no gaps or tiny crevices. There are some runes and patterns instead. Shino slowly pushes Natalie back until the blonde takes a proper sitting position, leaning back on her elbows. With one last kiss on the lips, the petite girl spreads her friend’s legs wide, gives her an excited look, and lays on her stomach right in front of the target. With how Shino’s feet dangle in the air, she seems to be looking quite forward to the service she is offering. “Just relax now, Natalie-san. You won’t even feel a thing. Well, maybe except for some warmth and tickling, but I personally think that’s the best part.” She giggles adorably and runs a finger over Natalie’s sparse pubes. “I can’t believe we are doing this…” Natalie whispers under her breath. A small chuckle escapes me and she takes note of that. When Shino begins the feminine ritual, the two of us hold our gazes together and I can see the very moment Natalie realises just how good it actually is through her icy blue eyes. She shudders weakly and both of us look down at her girly parts. To her credit, our teasing friend has taken the job rather seriously and focuses on her task with impeccable concentration. We watch as Shino uses the fingers of her left hand to tenderly stretch and rub parts of Natalie’s sensitive skin around her crotch while pressing the head of the magical razor over it. The mysterious artefact leaves the smoothest path I’ve ever seen in my life as it effortlessly removes Natalie’s hair. Not a single strand falls onto the sheets, simply evaporating from existence or something. The process looks extremely comfortable and delicate. Judging by Natalie’s withheld sighs and quickened breathing, very arousing too. If that’s not enough, her pretty pussy drools heavily with glistening nectar more and more as Shino runs her exquisite razor with a skilled hand. Soon, most of the tiny hairs over Natalie’s pubic region are gone and the black-haired beauty gives the areas around her friend’s slit some love too. When she touches and brushes her fingers over the alluringly puffy folds, Natalie squeezes the sheets on her sides and leaks even more. The anticipation of being directly touched must be killing her at this point. Thankfully, Shino doesn’t torture her any longer and wraps it up a few seconds later. At the very end, she smiles to herself and places a chaste peck right on Natalie’s fragrant flower, evoking a visible shiver from the enchanting owner. Giggling to herself, the little minx sits up and admires her work. “What do you think? Would you like to leave it like this, Natalie-san?” she asks. The bard gives herself a look over and brushes her own fingers over the soft skin around her entrance. Both of us can see her amazed expression without any effort. Then, she runs her digits through the triangular patch of golden strands Shino left behind and gives us a timid smile. “It feels amazing. Thank you.” Natalie graces her best friend with a more apparent nod. “It’s like there’s been no hair there whatsoever. I never thought my labia could get so smooth and hairless anymore.” She then lets out a surprised gasp as Shino sends the tool away and drags her petite fingers over the mentioned and quite drenched labia. “Sorry. I couldn’t hold back any more. I really want to touch you, Natalie-san. You are so beautiful here. May I return the favour, please?” The samurai girl gives her a somewhat pleading look. “Okay.” The bard lady smiles at her. With a gentle shove from Shino, she lands on her back with her legs still spread apart. Shino moves to hover above Natalie’s fantastic figure. Captured by the ensnaring purple irises, Natalie gets surprised by her friend starting to graze her precious place with more energy, dragging her fingers through the very centre of the bard’s sensitive crevice. Giving me a peek over her shoulder, Shino spreads her own legs out too so that I can admire two pussies at once, watching her play with Natalie while she herself is positively dripping for some action. She then gives all of her focus to the woman under her and I take in the sights. “Shino…” Natalie hums through a hot breath. “Ohhh…” Her talented lips part in surprise as two fingers invade her secret passage. I observe as Shino inquisitively slips her digits in and out of her best friend while judging her reactions. From how easy the movements seem, Natalie is very ready for more action. Shino’s fingers come out heavily coated in glistening juices as they delve deeper and deeper with each pass. “It’s so wet and hot inside your pussy, Natalie-san.” My devious pervert of a girlfriend giggles sweetly. “I don’t think you would have any problems fitting Sensei here already even if it’s your first time.” At that comment, Natalie’s perfect blues jump to me with an unspoken question but I kindly shake my head at her. “You deserve to have some fun together first. If you would like me to make love to you after, I will be glad to oblige.” Shino gives me a big pout as if I’ve just ruined her perfect plan to present her bestie’s amazing pussy to me but she doesn’t comment on it, immediately returning her attention to the long-legged blonde. The arousing sounds coming from Natalie’s crotch rise in volume as my Japanese lover speeds up her fingering. “Ohhhh… Mmmmm… It feels so different…” Natalie admits with a heavy flush. “You really need to try Sensei’s penis. This is nothing compared to how it feels inside you,” Shino replies sweetly. “Shino,” I admonish the little devil and she gives me an apologetic glance. She forgoes all her inappropriate comments and just enjoys giving Natalie a good time. Having enough of the entertaining display, I move next to them and lie down on my side. The blond-haired beauty turns her face to me and keeps letting out quiet moans and sighs, her mouth never closing under Shino’s accurate care. Her eyes jump to my waist at the sign of movement and she finds my hand doing the pumps this time. When our gazes meet again, I smirk at her. “It’s finally time roles have switched, don’t you think?” That confuses her briefly but she soon picks up on the reference and an even deeper crimson shade spreads over her enthralling face. The last time, it was me who had my way with Shino while she masturbated to us fucking. Now, she is on the receiving end from the little samurai and I have the VIP tickets for the event. Natalie’s eyes often drift to my length with some genuine curiosity. From how she bores holes in my cock with more intensity alongside her quickening whimpers of pleasure, I can safely assume that she’s looking forward to seeing me cum too, most likely curious to see a male orgasm in real life. “Mhmmmm… Mhmmmm… Mhhmmmm… Shino, I’m—” She doesn’t get to finish her sentence as Shino leans down and seals her lips with an affectionate kiss. Even so, Natalie continues to gaze upon my shaft as I speed up my fingers alongside Shino’s, deciding to grant the curious lady her wish. The moment her fit body spasms with a powerful high, her pussy pushes Shino’s digits out. Our black-haired friend switches to horizontally flicking her entire palm over Natalie’s clit instead and a lustful wet schlicking noise fills the air during the blonde’s peak. Letting myself go too, I blow my load before her eyes, shooting a few ropes of creamy delicacy onto her side and belly in the process. “Awwww… So much of Sensei’s precious cum wasted…” Shino whines and immediately jumps in to lick all of my cream off Natalie’s body. “But, your body made him release a lot. I think Sensei likes you.” The bard in question watches the process while gasping for air, experiencing most likely one of the biggest orgasms she ever had. I know just how much more powerful those are when it’s a result of a passionate coupling with people you genuinely love and feel attracted to. Some faint shivers still shake her exquisite figure. I move closer to Shino as she ends her meal and capture her wrist. She glances at me curiously as I direct her fingers to my lips and sensually lick them clean off Natalie’s fragrant nectar. That gesture makes my lovely samurai timid again from the intensity and she squeezes her thighs together in very clear anticipation of what is coming for her very soon. She really can’t get enough of me just as I can’t get enough of her, can she? “Do you want me to give you some more time?” I ask. “I want you to be inside me already, Sensei,” Shino responds earnestly. “But, would you mind going with Natalie-san first? She can rest while you take care of me next since she isn’t enhanced yet and she hasn't had sex.” “Only if she is alright with that.” I peek at our mutual friend. “I would like to,” Natalie answers while looking between the two of us. My petite lover jumps in joy while I snort at her overreaction. “Is there a position you would like to test out?” The blond-haired bard ponders her options briefly and signals to me to move closer. When I’m by her face, she whispers a thing or two into my ear. Listening to her request, I nod encouragingly. After she finishes, I give Natalie a warm smile and press a soft kiss to her lovable lips. She then lets me turn her onto her side too, with both of us resting on our left shoulders and hips, and I pull her snugly against my body. Natalie entwines her fingers with mine as my right hand affectionately holds onto her smooth belly. I can smell her fragrant shampoo or whatever she is using in this world. As for Shino, she rolls over to lie in front of us, still on her stomach, and puts her chin atop her palms with a big grin. For a little while, I only bump my waist into Natalie’s bouncy behind, stroking myself with her delicate thighs and the heated folds of her feminine arousal. Judging by the almost silent moans I can hear thanks to resting my face against the nape of her neck, she doesn’t dislike being rubbed that way. And Shino is having a blast watching my tip repeatedly poke out of her best friend’s thigh gap. “I’m ready.” Natalie gives me a squeeze and I kiss her cheek as she peers over her shoulder. Our hands separate and I move mine to grasp her waist. Shino wastes no time in reaching out and positioning me right in front of Natalie’s entrance, readying my tip to pierce through the blonde’s sealed folds at the most effective angle. Without further ado, I spread those warm pussy lips with my arrival and gradually slide all the way into Natalie’s tight channel. She isn’t as tight as Shino was back then, but the two of us get a lot of pleasure from simply starting the actual run. “Oh gods…” she whispers with a shiver. “That’s so big…” “Nah, you are just so comfortably squeezing me with your amazing softness…” I sigh into her neck. “Everything is alright?” Natalie nods lightly. “More than alright, I think. You don’t have to worry about pain. I lost my hymen during more strenuous training for a role quite early. I would like you to move, Mr. Carter.” “With pleasure, Natalie.” I draw my hips back. “Ohhhh… Please, call me Nat,” she requests. “All those close to me use it.” “Oh, really?” I snicker quietly. Surprisingly, she allows herself a charming chuckle. “Shino is an exception. I never could force her not to call me in her own way.” “I know something about that.” I let out a snort. “Call me Al or at least Alastair, then. Don’t make me even older than I am, okay?” That gets an earnest laugh from her and she turns her face to look at me over her shoulder with a mischievous curl at the corner of her mouth. “Maybe I’m attracted to older and experienced men?” With a cheeky grin, I thrust into her once more, bumping her great body forward as she gasps in delight. “Let this old man show you some nice moves, then. Later, I can teach you how to please your new girlfriend properly too.” “Ohhh! I would love that.” She smiles back at me. “Ohhhh… Ohhhh… Mmmmhh….” “And I can show you how to please Sensei too!” Shino chimes in from the side. “We could use Sirgia-san’s replicas to teach you how to give him the best blowjob!” “Or we could… Mmmmhhhmmm… Use the real one?” Natalie asks, turning to her. A dazzling smile splits Shino’s cute face at that suggestion and she lunges forward to steal Natalie’s lips. I continue to pound into the gorgeous musician while slowly raising my tempo as the girls make out in front of me. Natalie gets louder with each deep stroke my cock gives to her snug walls, her musical voice escaping the locked lips of the enchanting duo. “Mhhhmmm… Mmmmmm… Mmmmhhmmm…” Soon enough, the sound of slapping flesh fills the chamber as I gently hammer Natalie’s dripping pussy. She got accustomed to me in a flash and there’s now barely any resistance from her comfy inner walls as they stroke me back like the most devoted lover. And I can sense that she isn’t just going with it but truly having a good time getting poked by a nice cock. Her nectar gushes out of her pretty mound like a waterfall. Obviously, part of that is thanks to Shino kissing her and pushing her small tits against Natalie’s bigger breasts, but it’s hard to miss the tiny shoves her hips make to meet my thrusts with some more force. She is eager to get fucked by me almost as much as much as she was yearning for Shino’s touch now that we are connected. But, let’s take that pleasure up a notch and give our Japanese friend a nice show. Moving my hand to her thigh, I lift her leg a bit and use the other arm to pull her chest more into me, arching her pretty back in the process. My fingers find her marshmallowy breast and knead it tenderly, slowly raising the might of my love taps that her delicate depths receive. “Ohhhh! Ohhhh! Ohhhhhmmm!” Natalie’s voice gets more musical in the process and some sexy groans join the repertoire too, fitting so well with the tall beauty. Shino frees her mouth fully and scoots back a bit to return to watching us. With me holding Natalie’s thigh up, she now has a perfect view of her friend’s glistening pussy getting drilled with passion, the bard’s feminine slit spread alluringly wide by my girth as her puffy folds wrap themselves snugly around me. “You look so hot with your pussy receiving Sensei’s love, Natalie-san,” Shino says dreamily. “It’s welcoming him in so warmly, then giving him an affectionate kiss on the way out.” To give our horny samurai some more fun, I start pulling back just enough to leave my tip barely in contact with Natalie’s wet folds, mimicking them kissing me goodbye, before shoving myself in up to the balls again. Natalie throws her head back against my shoulder and closes her eyes, her mouth working hard to pant lasciviously. She tightens on me so much after that comment from Shino and I bet it won’t be long until she explodes from so much emotional and physical stimulation. “What would you like me to do?” I ask in a whisper, kissing her adorable ear. Natalie gets me right away and gives me a quiet reply after another cute groan. “Shino should get the first… Ohhhhh… Can she reach it?” Getting what she has in mind rather fast too, I raise my tempo and plunge myself deep into her soft insides repeatedly while giving Shino a mental hint. Natalie moans mesmerizingly as I drive her closer and closer to another orgasm, her juices drenching my cock with liquid affection. The moment I feel her constrict hard on my dick, I gently rub her nipples, drop her thigh, and caress her clit. She almost screams from ecstasy and her pussy launches my cock out with powerful contractions. Shino jumps forward right away and takes me into her mouth, sucking me like her life depends on it. I release fully into her throat as Natalie’s nectar gushes right onto her face at the same time. She swallows my seed greedily, giving me a coy look the entire time her gulping accompanies Natalie’s soft, post-orgasmic whimpers. I hold onto the golden-haired actress dearly as she slowly recovers from her high, enjoying Shino’s lively tongue licking off all the remaining seed from my manhood to the very last drop. Even when Natalie finally catches her breath, she is still going at it, worshipping my hard cock with her mouth and humming to herself joyfully. The two of us look down at our petite friend lost in her own world and then lock our gazes. “She really likes doing that,” Natalie notes with a hint of a smile. “Can’t say I blame her.” I shrug. “It’s really tasty because of what I am. Plus, I get it. I love going down on her too.” She glances lower once more and ponders the view for a moment before finding my eyes again. “Is it too late for me to… try too?” Natalie asks with some uncertainty. “Of course not.” I smile at her warmly and press a peck to her cheek. “This is just the beginning. I’ll gladly present you both with lots and lots of it. If you would like to suck my cock, I’m happy to oblige, but I think I have an idea of something else you would enjoy much more while still being able to taste my cum.” A spark of curiosity flashes through her beautiful irises and she places a dainty kiss on my cheek in return. It’s very sweet of her and I wrap my arms around the lovely blonde with more care as we simply look at each other with our bodies pressed together. It truly feels good knowing that she is alright with this arrangement. Then, a loud slurping sound breaks the moment and we both chuckle, breaking into smiles. With one last kiss, I pull my hips back to a disappointed whine as my member retreats from between Natalie’s legs, coming from Shino, of course. I’m now squeaky clean so she shouldn’t really complain that much. Unless she expected another helping for her efforts. But, she will get something even better. Crossing over Natalie’s body, I grab the lithe samurai girl and push her belly down onto her best friend. Pulling her by the ankles a bit, I put her face right between Natalie’s tits. Shino glances at me questioningly over her shoulder as I position myself behind her prone form and spread her legs a tiny bit. Before she registers my intentions, I spear into her small pussy with a single move, evoking a pleased cry from her lips. “Ahhhnnnnn! Sensei!” She quickly gets a hold of Natalie by hugging her around the blonde’s waist as my powerful thrusts begin rocking her small frame back and forth. In turn, her graceful figure is bumping into the other girl’s soft features, making Natalie’s tits bounce happily around her head. My slamming rocks both their worlds, causing Shino’s nipples to drag over Natalie’s supple skin to the pleasure of both ladies. “Ahhn! Ahnnn! Ahnn! More, Sensei, please! Ahnnn! Ahnnn!” Leaning forward, I listen to her wish, driving myself into her welcoming channel with a lot of strength. Glancing up, I see Natalie watching us with rosy cheeks as her eyes are glued to our expressions. With this position, she can view Shino’s melting face of pure sexual bliss between her own bountiful breasts and my expression of full effort and affection for the little lady. When our gazes meet, I raise a questioning brow at her and she blushes even harder as a proof of her visual delight. The last time I fucked Shino in front of her, there was a bit more distance between us. Now, it’s happening right in her face, right on her front. She runs her hands over Shino’s tender butt and then moves them to mine. When her eyes skip to my lips, I get the message and nail Shino’s pussy to the very brim, pushing myself far enough to lock us in a gentle kiss. “Ahnnnnnnnn! So deeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!” Shino keeps moaning her heart out as the two of us bring our tongues for a lovely dance. Having the short girl between us as we sandwich her makes it just so much more arousing. To not leave Natalie too much out of it, I slip a few fingers into her humid passage too, delighting in the cute gasp she gives into my lips. I gently show appreciation to her sensitive spots without going too hard, wanting her only to find comfort in some relaxing erotic massage. It certainly works wonders for her. Starting to notice Shino’s insides quivering faster and faster, I fuck her into her peak too, letting out the heaviest possible load in her furthest depths. But, as I pump my cloudy delicacy into her as a delicious filling, I unhurriedly pull back with each wave of seed, coating her entire channel white. Squeezing the last few drops right at her entrance, I fully slip out and sit up to briefly admire my work. Nodding to myself, I help Natalie crawl from underneath Shino and bring her to my side as our Japanese friend pants into the sheets without moving. I then grab one of Shino’s asscheeks and pull it aside, revealing more of her hidden secrets. Turning to Natalie, I make a presenting gesture with my other hand directed right onto the exquisite dish I just finished preparing. “One delicious creampie to celebrate the occasion. Chef’s best.” I wink at her. “Bon appetit.” Natalie gives the cum-filled slit leaking lots of cream a long glance and I catch her nibble on her bottom lip. My and Shino’s juices mix and create a truly magnificent sight. Giving me one more glance, Natalie quickly presses a tender peck to my lips and lays flat on her stomach just like Shino, right behind the tiny samurai. “Ohhhhhhh!” Shino jolts when Natalie’s tongue traces over her abused slit, scooping the sparkly frosting like it’s the richest treat. The blonde devotedly eats her out, practically inhaling the feast I came up with. With the emphasis on came. “Delicious…” she whispers in awe. Meanwhile, I simply enjoy the view of two drop-dead gorgeous women turned ass up for me in a straight line. I can see all they can offer and no hole is hiding from my view. It’s so entrancing that I subconsciously start trailing my palm over the contour of this heavenly landscape going up and down like mighty mountain ranges. By the third lap, Natalie moves and I catch her giving me a side glance while her tongue is still working hard. She puts her butt up on her knees and one of her hands sneaks down her delicious tummy. When her fingers reach her feminine mound, she uses two to daintily spread her pinkish flower open for me. She doesn’t speak but her hopeful eyes tell me everything. Without further ado, I mount her with great care. I don’t want to interrupt her royal feast so I go for slow, long strokes, almost popping out of her tight lower lips each time I pull back. Some quiet noises of appreciation escape her lips into Shino’s pussy as I myself sigh in pleasure now and then. It looks like the combination of slow rhythm and the taste of the mixed love nectars turns her on quite a lot as her arousal drips out from around my shaft with each move. The difference is noticeable as she approaches her second peak much faster. It won’t be long before she gets a filling too, which might be exactly what she is aiming for, confirmed by her next words. “Inside,” Natalie whispers with a quiet slurp. She gets what she needs fifteen seconds later as I push her into another, this time muffled, orgasm. I finish the second dish the same way I wrapped up the first one and my seed immediately starts forming a white trail out of Natalie’s sexy womanhood. Even her firm, sealed folds can’t stop it, but they are a bit spread due to the angle of her legs. Carefully, she walks on her knees and does a complete one-eighty. I understand her intentions the moment her crotch appears over Shino’s head. There’s only one more thing to prepare and she nimbly flips Shino over onto her back. The second my cream and her nectar sprinkle Shino’s face, the Japanese girl’s eyelids flicker open and she shows a grand smile. It doesn’t take a second for her to glue her mouth to her friend’s snatch and start devouring the present with her tongue. And so, the two amazing women end up in a sixty-nine, relishing the taste of me out of each other’s pussies. I can’t help but stroke myself a little to their low hums, moans, and whimpers. Not to mention the sights. I can hear those tongues work and their lips suck with complete reverence. As I sit on my knees and experience the display, Natalie’s eyes lift from her best friend’s delicate flower and stop at my length, definitely spotting how it’s still covered in my earlier fun. She then looks up at me and takes her lips off too, pausing the incredible meal. I recall her earlier question and hop a bit closer. Proving my guess to be correct, she opens her mouth. Using my fingers to scoop her long hair behind her pretty ear, I hold her cheek dearly as she takes me in, closing her lips around my shaft. She tries her best to bob her head back and forth while figuring out how to use her tongue. It’s a little nervous and anxious, but I can appreciate honest effort and it definitely feels nice. She continues to clean me off the remaining seed and her own juices, relishing the treat straight from the source. Our eyes meet and she keeps our gazes connected, making it even sexier. There’s also an unsaid question in it and it’s not hard to guess. “You can focus your tongue on the bottom side or the tip. Your lips are doing fine stroking it like that. And there’s no need to try the throat right now. You’ll only make it more uncomfortable for yourself if you don’t react well the very first time,” I give her some tips. Natalie shows her gratitude by employing them immediately and I show my gratitude by not hiding my groans. She doesn’t forget about her best friend, though, and her thumb continues to run circles over Shino’s sensitive nub the entire time. I give her some help and use my fingers to stroke alongside Shino’s opening with delicate brushes. Soon enough, my member is completely clean and Natalie actually retreats before coaxing another load of me. She regards my bobbing cock for a moment before allowing herself a cute smile and placing a sweet peck on its tip. Sporting a fair blush at her timid gesture, she meets my gaze. “I can honestly say that it’s almost as enjoyable as licking Shino’s pussy,” she admits. “Sucking a penis, I mean.” A small chuckle escapes my throat. “I got that. And I’m happy to hear it. Feel free to return to your previous, more enjoyable assignment.” She observes it for a while longer, thinking about something, and then unhurriedly sits up. I get to see the incredible sight of her full breasts hanging alluringly off her chest and the arousing curve of her girly mound sitting atop Shino’s mouth as the petite Japanese lady gives her all not to let a single drop of either delicacy to spill, sealing it completely with her lips. And damn, that small patch of golden hair they left atop it truly fits Natalie unbelievably well. She gives Shino a few gentle taps on the chin and our princess unburies her face from the heavenly gates of pleasure. Extending a hand, Natalie helps her back up as she stares at the blonde with some confusion. With both of them on their knees, the bard glances my way. “Let’s do it together.” Shino turns to me too and realisation flashes in her purplish irises. She smiles at Natalie beautifully and nods. The duo then crawls up to me and I receive a firm push from each, guiding me to sit on my ass. They spread my legs a bit, one girl per side, and move down. In just a moment, they look up at my face while bringing their tongues out, pressing them into my rock-hard cock. The two best friends start working on me together as I admire their dazzling faces, curvy figures, and plump butts sticking out at the far end. They shower my member with fluffy pecks and cordial licks. From time to time, they delegate their work, one person taking care of my length and another helping herself to my orbs. I even catch a few looks they give each other, with Shino silently teaching Natalie the best spots and approaches, communicating without a single word. But, the best moments are when they meet around my cock and join their lips in a slightly awkward kiss. They look only into each other’s eyes during those tender seconds and a warm smile just sneaks onto my face. The two tongues swirling around my tip in an attempt to invite each other for a carnal dance is simply something else. Not wanting to keep them at it forever, I let go and show more signs of an approaching climax. They double their efforts and speed up, adding their hands to the mix too. Glancing up at me once more, they watch my face closely with eager expressions, Natalie’s perhaps even more than Shino’s. “I’m going to cum,” I kindly announce. My favourite Japanese princess relinquishes the hold of me to my favourite American actress and Natalie takes me fully into her mouth. Granting her the pleasure of receiving my climax, I sigh in ecstasy and do a bit more controlled bursts for the inexperienced girl, not wanting to shock her too much. I might have gotten too used to my lovely wives taking the full brunt of my high and being well aware of its abundance. Natalie bravely and gracefully welcomes my seed while I cherish the sight of her attractive throat gulping down what she obtains in small bits. Just like earlier, I hold her golden hair off her face, lovingly brushing her cheek with my thumb. When she consumes most of the treat, she nuzzles her face into my palm and unhurriedly cleans me off to the very tip, which leaves her luscious lips with an adorable pop. Gingerly wiping her mouth, she accepts my hand to help her up and gives me an elegant smile. “I think I’m not so sure which is better now.” I smirk at her softly. “Don’t worry. We’ll give you plenty of opportunities to check.” Shino beams at me like it’s the best thing in the world and tackles me down. Natalie appears right next to her as they lie on top of me, pressing their fair breasts into my arms. They glance at each other, meet with a sweet kiss, and place a joint peck on my cheeks, snuggling their faces into my neck afterwards. Uniting best friends is the best feeling in the world.
Chapter 202 – Where Loyalties Lie Spoiler: Chapter The three of us simply bask in the glory of our recent union, slowly coming down from the blissful sensations still echoing through our bodies. While Shino rests her cheek on my chest with her eyes closed, Natalie watches her best friend from the other side. A delicate smile curves the blonde’s soft lips. Trying my best not to bother my cute samurai girl, I manage to wiggle myself out from between them, getting a curious glance from our lovely bard. Shooting Nat a quick wink, I move over her and plop myself at her back. With a gentle push, I bring her closer to Shino and she ends up in the middle this time. As the Japanese beauty snuggles to Natalie’s impressive bosom sleepily, the American actress wraps her arms around the shortie. I join them with my arms capturing both, pressing my chest into Natalie’s smooth back. From my position, I notice a single tear escape the corner of her eye and scoop it with my finger, caressing her cheek. “What’s wrong?” Natalie gently shakes her head. “I apologise. It’s nothing. I just… never thought I would be able to feel such happiness.” Smiling to myself, I continue to stroke her lovely skin and add some kisses to her golden hair into the mix. “Then, by all means, don’t hold back. I don’t really like seeing charming ladies cry, but if it’s the good, joyful tears, I think I can make an exception.” “Thank you,” she whispers quietly and holds Shino in her embrace. I’m well aware that the little lady is fully awake and conscious of everything happening around her, but she chooses to stay silent and let her best friend come to terms with her strong emotions. In the end, these two aren’t exactly that different. Both young women held their feelings locked in their hearts while hoping for a change in their lives. You can say that being dropped into another world was exactly that, allowing them both to finally achieve happiness. And I plan to do my best for Shino and Natalie to experience the most out of it. After about fifteen minutes, the girls begin to stir so we all sit up and exchange warm smiles. I gesture towards the petite lady with my eyes as I look at the tall woman and Nat flushes a tiny bit. She does follow my guidance though and places a dainty, chaste kiss on Shino’s lips, surprising the shortie a tad. It will take some time until Natalie becomes capable of showing affection to our little girlfriend with others present, and me, but she’ll get there. I sneak a peck on their cheeks too and we decide to jump into a quick bath. Shino takes charge and washes Natalie with great attention, receiving similar treatment in response. It’s a fascinating sight. They look so perfect together. And I don’t mean their heights for some intimate fun. Then, the duo cooperates to take care of me while presenting their fascinating bodies in the best light. The blonde is much more reserved, but she enjoys following Shino’s antics as it gets her a few peeks of the naked shortie making sexy and very erotic poses in the process. I don’t think she will have enough of our black-haired princess anytime soon. Who can blame her, really? With the others that we have invited here already gone, we are stopped only by a few of the resident ladies on our way back to my chambers. Cornelia lets us know not to worry about their sleeping arrangements and wishes us good night as she retreats somewhere, most likely to join my other understanding wives wherever they are gathering. So, the three of us snuggle together with Shino in the middle and doze off on top of the massive bed. She is gone first, leaving me alone with the gorgeous blonde. Natalie peers into my eyes with her enchantingly blue gems and brings our foreheads together above Shino’s head. “Thank you again,” she whispers. “I promise not to let you down in taking care of Shino. And I really liked our moments together. I just wanted you to know that I think I might have enjoyed it as much even without her present. But… I got more excited watching you two… Or being part of it… Does that make me weird?” I smirk gently and peck the bridge of her nose. “Everything is alright. I honestly expected you to have a thing only for Shino, but I’m glad to hear that you find yourself interested in us too. You most likely know from her about me and I’ll happily offer you more chances to have some fun watching the two of us go at it. Might even lend you a nice tool or two for your own fun.” A tinge of pink spreads over Nat’s gorgeous cheeks. “I could use the cast she mentioned… The one… Of you…” With a small snicker, I nod. “You’ll get as many as you want. I’m sure they’ll be helpful on your journeys. Fingers and hands grow tired a bit faster on their own.” She lets out a chuckle too. “They do. That’s why having a partner is much better. I wasn’t sure about taking a man inside, but it’s just as unique as being touched by another girl, or Shino specifically. It was nice how you moved against my sensitive parts with gentle care. I believe I’m going to enjoy it even further the more we try it.” “I’m honoured you think so. It would have been such a pity if you weren’t into men, Natalie.” I pull her in for a loving kiss. “Now, let’s join our cute girlfriend in the dreamland. If she wakes up first, we won’t be able to leave the bed for a good while.” She agrees, ponders over something for a moment, and then gets up. Very carefully, Natalie slips between me and Shino, with her back facing my front. She wiggles herself into me daintily and sighs softly as I settle my frame against hers, wrapping both her and Shino in a dear hug. A bigger smile adorns her plump lips as she finds comfort with me embracing her and resting her face in her best friend’s dark hair. Sleep takes us fairly quickly as I think about everything that has happened recently and is bound to happen. And, as expected, something happens even before I fully wake up. An extremely familiar sensation greets me as I come to, in more than one meaning of that phrase. The adoring, hot pressure wrapped around certain parts of mine doesn’t relent until my mind explodes, alongside something else. The only surprise is the fact that I find both ladies with their faces glued to my member under the sheets instead of the cheeky cutie only. When they are done welcoming the morning with a bang, I pull them up to me and we just lie together for a few minutes. Natalie starts reviewing her status with Shino’s input. It looks like they have used the excuse of seeing if everything works properly to suck me right from the early hours and I honestly can’t blame them, even if that is obviously silly since my buffs from a few hours earlier are still there. As they chat about her now incredibly big numbers and the new shared skills the blonde received, I observe from the side without interrupting, doing my own analysis and comparison. But, the thing that interests me the most is on my side. Pulling up my Partners, I find Natalie’s entry on the list. Her score shows as four out of five, and that doesn’t surprise me much. It could have been lower with her being so infatuated mainly with Shino. But, she seems well-interested in me too, which is quite kind of her. As for the actual description of our relationship, it’s displayed as Growing Romantic Interest. I bet if Shino had her own list, it would be something akin to Boundless Devotion, or Bottomless Adoration, hah. Nat really has it bad for the Japanese beauty and it shows. The duo turning their gazes to me brings my musings to their end. “Sorry? Did you say something?” “We just talked about how strong Natalie-san has now become and that the others will definitely notice even if we don’t say anything,” she explains. “Does that bother you?” I ask, mainly glancing the bard’s way. The recipient of my gaze shakes her head. “No, not really. I just hope they won’t think of you badly. Especially Paul. It’s a fact that you have slept with all the women in our party right now. At least considering the original squad. Don’t take it wrong, but I don’t think you should take Catherine.” Snorting quietly, I laugh at that. “Same, my dear, same. I’m not going to steal someone who is clearly interested in another. I’m hoping she finds her way into Paul’s heart too. As for any potential issues, I think only Kamil can give me shit but it’s not like I care. What matters is that you are happy.” “I want to see him try.” Shino growls cutely, making the two of us chuckle. “Already getting protective of your new girlfriend?” I raise an amused brow at her and she turns fully crimson. “Good. Nat might be the one I recruited to keep you company on the road, but you should take care of her properly too. I’ll spank you if you don’t show her enough affection and only treat her as my substitute, got it?” “I would never…” she mutters quietly. “Let’s get something to eat and meet up with the others. There’s a lot we have to talk about and I want to visit Ross later too. The earlier we get more information out of that woman, the better. I wouldn’t be that surprised if she still had some means of losing her life that triggered automatically over time.” We dress up slowly and I catch Natalie checking out my petite lover, making the blonde beauty smile timidly. Saying nothing, I simply gesture at her to continue at will and she gives my form some glances too before focusing on the more appealing type of body that tickles her fancy. With some fluffy pecks, we make our way into the dining hall with most of our friends and lovers already present. The three of us take the spot at the table with Paul’s squad and some of my ladies. “Nat not being the first one to show up? Damn, you must have been exhausted last night.” Marcia snickers, bringing up the faintest shade of crimson out of her. Natalie has such an amazing grip on her emotions and facial expressions. A true actress to the bone. Her poker face could win tournaments on its own. Also, no shock Marcia knows. She might not be my girl, but we do share a connection and fucked more than once, so her noticing a new bond forming last night is more than natural. We won’t be able to fool her no matter what. I can only hope the others can remain oblivious for as long as possible. Natalie should have some more time to come to terms with the recent progress in her love life before being questioned about her choices by anyone. “I think we all were after that fight.” Shino defends her with a logical excuse. “Natalie-san had a lot of healing to do and spent a huge amount of energy.” “Good thing she now has a great way to resupply it,” the redhead adds with a grin and drops the topic. “So, what now?” “First, let’s talk.” I turn to Catherine, who is taking a bite of a delicious salad one of our girls made. “I remember you reacting to the woman’s name down in the sewers. Is there anything you can share with us about her?” She pauses for a moment before placing her fork down. “I recognized it. It’s not a name I expected to hear ever again.” “A former comrade? Associate?” I raise a brow at her. “Not directly, but something like that.” The officerly woman shakes her head. “Madeline Hagsburn was a renowned mage in the kingdom’s army. As you have seen, she possessed quite the mastery of arcane sigils. I never met her because she was active before my service started, vanishing one day with her whole deployment. No one knows what happened and the previous King was dismayed at losing one of his best women. Though, he didn’t get much time to investigate or even consider it as he himself… left our side less than a month later.” The rest of us exchange glances of understanding and some initial realisation. “You don’t think… those two events might be connected?” Paul suggests. “Honestly, I had the same thought after recognising the name.” Catherine sighs heavily. “Before? Never. But if Madeline is alive and well, also part of some kind of criminal organisation, it wouldn’t be that farfetched to assume she might have had something to do with the King’s passing.” “She might have been a double agent since the beginning. Bitch.” Kamil sneers. “We don’t have to spiral into this torrent of assumptions when we have the person herself to provide us the actual testimony,” Natalie suggests calmly. I nod at her with a proud smile. “Right. I’ll visit her when we get to the castle. I just wanted to get a feeling of who she is and so on.” “From the stories the men share, she was supposedly very loyal and devoted to her service. Her mere presence raised the morale of the soldiers fighting on the frontlines. As you can imagine, her skills provided a variety of advantages when fighting hordes of those abominable monsters,” our guest continues, then shrugs. “But, who knows how much of this might be embellished after her death, which was believed to happen in battle.” “There’s a chance she was captured and used as a weapon. The restrictions that were put on her would fit.” Paul strokes his chin ponderingly. “That would be a more preferable option, though I’m not sure I would be able to forgive her for taking part in murdering the King if she was in fact completely forced to do it. I would rather die in agony than betray our people. Most of us would.” She frowns hard. “We should wait and see what’s the truth before diving deeper into this topic,” Cornelia chimes in. “It became something unimaginably serious, incomparable to the kidnapping of the vassal rulers. If this organisation is more than just a band of greedy old men trying to maximise their profits from slavery, we might have a huge problem on our hands. Or might have had it for a long time. And it couldn’t be surfacing at a worse moment.” “I think this moment is the exact reason why it is surfacing,” Elea shares her opinion. “We don’t know their intentions or plans, but it’s clear that the new legislation and general change in the Humans’ stance towards us have made them act after years if not decades of silence.” “We need to be careful not to end up in the crossfire,” my charming magician adds. “They were slighted by our mercenary girls and might try to keep a closer eye on them. If they choose to come out of hiding and openly oppose the kingdom, it wouldn’t be surprising for them to target those who complicated their plans or showed any hints of aiding the royals when called.” “That’s exactly what we needed, the attention of some secret crime syndicate aiming to overthrow the throne for centuries.” I rub my eyes annoyingly. “Things can never get boring here, can they?” “Maybe something else caused them to act,” Neira says. “Like what?” Cornelia raises a curious brow at her. “Remember the Sahuagin Emperor?” my Dark Elf artist replies and my ladies immediately catch on. “You think she might have influenced them?” I ask. She shrugs. “It’s just a blind guess. You did put a chisel in her plans during our aquatic expedition, coming into almost direct contact with her. I’m not sure if this is revenge but we can safely assume she is going to look into you more now. But, it might be a coincidence. These people went after Vanessa’s parents, not us directly.” “Speculations again.” I sigh. “We will see about it soon. Hopefully, if Madeline has so many limiters on her, she has been privy to some valuable information regarding these terrorists.” Everyone agrees, and I continue. “Anyway, for now, I would like to ask everyone here for a favour. Please, don’t mention,” I glance at Paul’s team, then move my eyes to my women, “or think about what we discussed in front of the Queen. At least until we confirm enough of these things. Lianne doesn’t need old wounds reopened right now as her bright mind should focus on solving the crisis their family might be soon facing. She does deserve to know, of course, but not yet. Can I ask this of you?” My ladies nod immediately and give me their word to watch their mental conversations and connections while Catherine agrees wholeheartedly with my approach. Everyone else jumps onboard too and we wrap up the brief tactical meeting soon after. There’s much to do before we can fully relax but I let them know that they can stay at our residence as long as they want. I send word to Lianne about us coming to visit and Cornelia joins me for the trip. Paul and the others get up too, not wanting to be completely left out of it. Catherine seems to appreciate his willingness to further involve them in this matter. She is clearly bothered by this whole situation as someone who cares about her nation. On our way out, I let Lyona know that we will talk about the finished commission soon and that I haven’t forgotten my promise to her. The noble Vampire girl gives me the tiniest smile as her pale cheeks colour some, letting me know she will have the debriefing ready whenever I decide to listen to it. I can tell she is anxious, most likely worried that I might be dissatisfied with how everything went down. It looks like I’ll need to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault that we almost failed on our first try. Everything she prepared ahead of time was of the highest tier. Soon, we reach our destination in three carriages and guards escort us inside, expecting our arrival. They lead us through already familiar paths and leave after we reach the entrance to one of the spacious private meeting chambers where Ross often gives us audiences. Knowing that we are expected and also definitely sensed by a certain person, I knock gently and move inside. No sooner than I take three steps, that exact tiny individual slams hard into my chest and wraps her lithe arms around my frame. With a wry smile, I hug Lianne back while stepping aside so that the others can make it through the entrance too. After a short moment, she reaches for my cheeks with her dainty fingers and pulls me down into a passionate kiss, surprising everyone. And I mean everyone. It’s not just Ross, the Heroes, and us, but also Vanessa and her parents, who sit on one of the ornamental sofas. Their eyes go wide at the scene playing out in front of them and I barely withhold a chuckle. Lianne releases my lips after a few long seconds and gazes into my eyes with worry. “Are you and the girls alright? I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you yesterday. There was just so much chaos and someone would have noticed my absence. Everyone is fine, right?” Since the cat is already out of the bag, I stroke her long white hair lovingly. “Yes, we came out of things more or less unscathed. And don’t blame yourself for having responsibilities. We understand how serious this is. You had injured guests to tend to too. I’m glad to see them making a full recovery this fast.” She nods hesitantly as I wipe some of the slowly forming tears from her face. More affectionate pecks follow next while the trio on the couch switches their gazes between us and the King in stunned silence. Ross smirks at them and opens his mouth but I squint at him intently, making him consider his words carefully. We don’t need to make this even more awkward and shocking than she already had. The distressed Queen finally calms down and leads me by hand to one of the fancy chairs. She plops down on my lap after I get myself seated but I say nothing. The others take free spots around the table until everyone finds their place. Ross clears his throat to gather our attention. “Welcome back, Heroes, Al, Cornelia. It’s good to see you are in good health. I hope you all made a proper recovery after the recent incident?” “Of course, Your Majesty.” I make a polite bow. “Our wounds weren’t as deep as those of your guests. I apologise for not doing a better job of protecting them. I have no excuses for our failure to assure their safety.” He waves his hand quickly, halting me throughout my speech. “No, no, no. Please. It’s thanks to you that Melrond and Philippa are alive and with us. I’ve heard the details about the ambush and there wasn’t anything you could have done differently in such a situation. Vanessa shared with us everything she saw and I’m proud of your actions. I insist you stop seeing them as a failure and move on.” With a light sight, I show him a faint smile. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” “And drop that.” Lianne swats my shoulder as she glares back at me. “We are alone. The only people with us are those whose lives you saved. And since this is going to be an important conversation, we should speak simply.” “Fine.” I pat her pretty hair. “You should act more like a Queen, though.” “I don’t care.” She shows an adorable pout. “I was worried, anxious, scared. You have no idea how stressed I was while trying to manage everything with Ross. I’m obliged to some relief and reassurance so be a good husband and hug me.” This makes the family’s eyes widen and I roll mine, scooping the little lady closer nevertheless. “They won’t say anything,” Lianne adds. “At least I figure they wouldn’t, considering that they owe their lives to you, isn’t that right?” Vanessa’s father stands up. “Her Majesty is correct. We were not aware you were connected this closely with the royal family, but it matters not. I would like to offer our sincerest gratitude for coming to our rescue, and for taking care of our daughter when she was in a critical condition. Keeping a thing or two to ourselves is nothing. I wish to offer anything you might desire for this incredibly dangerous feat. I’ve heard from King Rossberg that you are an invested supporter of racial equality and I swear that our family will do whatever we can to aid this cause. I hoped to thank your subordinates too, so please, pass my gratitude on to them when you return home. Your assistant already knows we wish to raise the reward for your work and awaits your approval before closing the commission.” The bit about the races isn’t that surprising considering that they journeyed here for that reason, but it’s good to hear that they aren’t scared off, changing their minds. As for the last part, I only hope they won’t go overboard. Next, the woman joins him and bows deeply. “I can’t thank you enough for everything. It seems that you always end up cleaning up the mess we unknowingly make. I saw with my own eyes as you jumped to protect my baby girl with your own body and words won’t be able to convey my gratitude. There’s not much I can offer that doesn’t overlap with my husband’s gifts, but know that you will always be welcome in our lands like the King himself. We are forever indebted to you and yours and nothing will change that for this and the upcoming generations. We will make sure our successors never forget that vow even if they don’t come directly from our blood.” “My lady—” “It’s okay.” Vanessa’s mother cuts me off. “I had a talk with my dear daughter and she shared everything with me that I’ve been missing out on. I can’t continue to blame you for your past decision, which was righteous and lawful. My heart still aches, but it understands that without you, my pain would have been unbearable today, as long as I lived. In my husband’s declaration of granting you anything of ours, my forgiveness is included. I would be a fool and the worst mother on this plane of existence if I couldn't find it in myself after you’ve done so much for our family.” Since it would be discourteous to argue, I simply nod. “I accept your gratitude, so please, rise.” Before Philippa can do that, Vanessa props her hands on her knees and gets ready to join her parents with a determined expression, but I fix her with a stern gaze. She pauses mid-motion as our eyes meet and I silently glare her out of doing what I’m pretty sure was going to propose. The other two notice our brief standoff but it’s clear that they aren’t aware of the reason behind it. She must have not clued them in on the life-changing decisions she was about to make. Even if I’m fairly sure they would have only encouraged it had they known. Ross clears his throat once more to break us out of this stalemate. “So, now that we have this part out of the way, we should take a moment to discuss this rather uncomfortable matter, unfortunately. I’ll talk about your rewards later. You three should still be resting and I only agreed to count you into this meeting because of your insistence.” “Very well,” Melrond replies and the duo sits back down. “Have you learned anything new since we last spoke?” I turn to the King. “Not much, I’m afraid.” He spreads his arms in defeat. “Most of the grunts we captured alive seem to be hired hands, mercenaries and adventurers who fell from grace and couldn’t continue their work with the official guilds. They only knew their orders to kidnap and protect the target or cause a ruckus to serve as a diversion. They point out the captured woman as the intermediary between them and the client. Anyone closely related to that group besides her is dead, either from self-poisoning or some magical trigger. You?” “She blurted out a few names after realising it doesn’t kill her before I put her to sleep. I’ll share them with you two later just so fewer people can get accidentally involved in whatever is happening. It’s not that I don’t trust you three but it’s more for your own safety. The chances that they will try anything with you after this failure are close to none. It would be different if they learned that you are actively working on uncovering the truth. My advice would be to remain on the side and act shaken, oblivious to everything other than the public information on the kidnapping incident,” I answer. “I did get the woman’s real name, though. Madeline Hagsburn.” Lianne flinches on my lap while Ross’ brows jolt upwards. Vanessa’s family looks surprised too so my assumption that they are at least aware of the woman’s official story is proven right. “I knew she looked fucking familiar.” The King slams his fist onto the table between us. “Is her whole damned squad in this?” “We don’t know that yet.” I offer him a placating smile. “But we will find out everything we can. Nevertheless, things most likely won’t become safer again anytime soon no matter what we do. Your best choice might be to go on the offensive if we learn that simply defending illegal business isn’t their main agenda and only overlaps with the unexpected changes in your laws.” “We should interrogate her as soon as possible.” The petite Queen shifts on my thighs. “My late husband has never managed to find out what happened to them and it was eating him inside out until his last moments. In his memory, I have to know why she defected. If she was still in service, he might have come back alive from that fateful battle.” I hold Lianne dearly as she coldly pours her heart out. This much is already making the playful and collected woman become worked up and I’m only reinforced in my decision to keep her partially out of the loop for now. “We will soon enough,” I say into her ear while caressing her dainty hand. “Did Philippa and Melrond mention anything about the reasons behind being targeted?” “We can’t think of anything else besides our support for the new legislation,” the man answers. “It’s a bit too much to be revenge for the heinous acts of our son, in my humble opinion. Not to mean any offence to the deceased victims, but they weren’t of high enough standing for their relatives or anyone to gather funds substantial enough to finance something this grand.” “I have to agree with Father on that one,” Vanessa joins in, giving me one more glance as if to check if I’m still intending to stop her. “I personally investigated most of those women to compensate their families and bring the bad news to those still searching. And, as you know, females of other races usually don’t have good enough status in these lands. I don’t intend for it to sound like a compliment, but Brother knew who to pick to play it safe.” I grimace but can’t deny that. He was collecting his victims from slave auctions and that single source already tells you enough. “I agree with Mother that we should go to Madeline post haste. We need to get as much out of her as we can before she is gone. Every second is a risk that something or someone takes care of her. I locked her up in a secret area known only to our family so that none of the staff had any idea about her location. We can’t rule out having moles amongst our ranks if these terrorists can pull in even high-ranking officers to their side,” Rossberg insists. “Okay.” I relent, knowing that we won’t get anywhere with this conversation now that they have their sights on the woman. When we stand up, Vanessa’s parents rush to me almost instantly, pulling me into a powerful hug the moment Lianne takes a single step away. I let them convey their feelings and emotions freely for a few seconds. After they retreat, their daughter approaches me too with a hesitant gait. She waits for my explicit permission before slowly coming into my open arms and squeezing me tightly. “Understand that I’m not rejecting you,” I whisper in her ear. “I simply don’t want you to disregard everything that you are to compensate me or show your gratitude. If you one day manage to convince me that it’s out of honest feelings, I might consider it. Nonetheless, you will always be a friend and don’t forget that. My girls are waiting to help you go through the troubles of your body and mind. You are welcome anytime.” I feel her faint nod and release the pretty princess. She sniffles a few times while wiping away the tears out of her eyes and gives me an appreciative smile. Before I can react, she leaves a tender peck on my cheek and trots back to her parents, who glance at me in thought. Not wanting to give them a chance to come up with the same idea as their daughter, I mentally signal to Lianne, who ushers them out of the chamber and orders them to rest. With just us left inside, she puts her hands on her hips. “Alright. Let’s go. I’ll show you the way.” “No,” I say and she freezes with her fingers reaching out for the knob again. “You should stay.” “And why is that?” She furrows her brows at me, getting a bit tense. “You want the logical answer or the actual one?” I chuckle quietly. The Queen mulls it over for a moment. “Both. Logical first.” “Someone should keep them company. They are your guests, and as Ross said, we don’t know if there aren’t any enemies in here. It’s less likely anyone tries anything with either you or him around. You are the better choice since you are relatively gentler, friendlier, and easier to approach, able to keep Vanessa’s family at peace,” I start. “And for real, I don’t want to endanger you. Who can say if Madeline isn’t rigged with some kind of magical explosion or such? I barely talked with her back in the sewers so I’m not sure she’s completely safe to question.” Some of the dangerous edge fades off her posture and Lianne releases a weak sigh. “I shall listen to your wise words, my love. Please, be careful.” I walk closer to stroke her cheek lovingly and she briefly enjoys the comfort of my touch. Kissing my palm, she walks out to follow after their guests. Ross reaches my side and grins appreciatively. “Good job. She would have never listened to me. If I remember correctly, they knew each other, though I’m not sure how deeply. I only met her in passing and saw a serious officer serving my father.” He pats me on the shoulder. “And I take it you won’t be as easily dissuaded from following us?” I look at him with resignation. “Someone does have to show you where to go, no?” He slaps me some more and starts moving. “You have until then to convince me to leave.” Cornelia gives me a parting kiss while offering to stay with the others to keep them company. It surprises me that she doesn’t want to come, but a single glance into her enchanting eyes conveys everything. Even if I might have made up that bit about the explosion and danger, she understands that I’m not completely out of my worries and doesn’t want to put that on me. Especially with a new life growing inside her precious belly. I promise to share our findings with them and the two of us depart. Well, four actually. Diana hides her presence in my shadow while Hecate crawls above our heads without any noise or hint of her always monitoring me. Maybe it’s better Ross stays unaware. He has enough troubles as is. We stroll through some hidden passages triggered by random objects and furniture until a sealed metal cube shows up in front of us, sitting in a spacious, also square chamber full of runes and sigils. A special prison for special people, it seems. Ross deactivates a plethora of safety arrays before we can approach the barely discernible rectangle of a door. He opens it with a touch and they swing inside while showing more glowing symbols. Madeline sits nude on the floor atop a complex magical circle. It must be restraining her movements as only her eyes swing wildly while her body remains in a kneeling position. Ross makes a few swipes on a seemingly random part of the wall and her head suddenly jerks. “Master…” the woman croaks through a parched throat. I look at the King and he shrugs. “I might have forgotten to bring her water today. Can you really blame me? The day of a king is truly exhausting.” Rolling my eyes at him, though without any blame, I glance his way and he nods, confirming that it’s safe to approach. Bringing out some water out of my spatial storage, I give her a few sips so that our interrogation proceeds smoothly. “Thank you, My Lord…” She smiles sweetly while Ross scoffs to the side, most likely due to the title she addressed me with. “So, are you still with us or did you change your mind?” I cut straight to the heart of the matter. “I’m all yours as long as I won’t die from the curse, My Lord.” She licks her lips, most likely not just to moisten them. I use Voidal Bondage again, this time in the form of purple belts. In a flash, she could easily pass as a psych ward patient with how they wrap her up in tight bindings. I don’t want to take any chances. Good that these don’t cancel out my own influence. “Right. Let’s start easy. The names you began listing back then. Who are they?” I ask. “Some of the bigshots in the organisation, noble families and influential households. I personally handled some of their affairs since the upper echelon ensured my secrecy with the curse and other magical vows. I can give you names, addresses, connections, dates, everything,” she quickly stammers out, eager to prove herself. “We’ll get to that soon.” I try my best to wink at her to keep the charm going. “I’m curious about you. From what I heard, you were a respected officer. Why have you disappeared and switched sides?” “Ah, that’s a quite long story, My Lord, but to sum it up, I’ve always been in this for my own benefit, trying to learn as much as I can from the King’s libraries and archives. The best way to achieve that was to show great results, of course,” Madeline responds without any remorse. “One day, I was approached by some people who offered me what they called lost knowledge suitable for my talents. When they showed me the arcane texts, I knew those were the real deal. They promised all the help they could give me to study those as long as I achieved their goal.” “And what was their goal?” I inquire. “Put up a massive barrier strong enough to hold against the King’s battalion.”
Chapter 203 – The Makers of Kings Spoiler: Chapter Ross visibly tenses on the side. A serious frown adorns his forehead as he squints at the bound woman. “What do you mean?” he asks with a certain edge to his tone. Madeline looks directly at him for the very first time, possibly finally acknowledging his presence in the small prison. She’s been focusing on me since we stepped inside, for obvious reasons. A ghost of recognition passes through her expression. “Ah. The kid. Roch? Roz? Looks like you’ve fully grown up in the time I was absent. Though, it seems that you didn’t really grow into what they wanted you to.” She snorts while shaking her head. “No surprise there, honestly. It was bound to fail. But, not like I cared. It would have been convenient if they had been found out and wiped clean after sharing their knowledge with me. I could have returned as a prisoner of war and continued browsing the libraries.” I can see the King’s brow twitch the more she talks, but it would be better for him not to get riled up at the very beginning of the interrogation. There’s not much to be done about this so the best approach is to try and delay the main question for as long as possible. Hopefully, he will play along. “You speak as if the mentioned goal of creating a strong barrier wasn’t the final one but a step instead,” I note loud enough to get their attention. “What was or is the whole plan if you are aware of it? Start from the beginning, preferably.” Sadly, I receive a glare from my royal friend, but I’ll live through it. He will understand after calming down a bit. We don’t want any accidents to happen. The woman considers my order briefly, clearly rummaging through her memories to find the best place to start at. She then smiles to herself and nods. “From the beginning it is, then. The King sent me and one elite squad on a mission to investigate a series of disappearances and murders. The victims, or what was left of them, had been grossly mutilated, so we assumed it might have been the work of some aggressive new monster in the area.” Madeline smirks. “Unfortunately for the squad, and fortunately for me, there was no monster.” “The organisation.” I stroke my chin ponderingly. “Correct, My Lord.” The egoistic lady grins. “We walked straight into an ambush that would render all of us dead in seconds if we chose to fight back. Thankfully, the representatives stepped forward and went right to business, bringing their offer to me right away. Later I learned that the duo in charge that had approached me came from the Lafayette and Corinsel family, a man and a woman respectively.” A quiet curse escapes Ross’ lips and makes it obvious that he recognises at least one of the names. Recalling her earlier words, it’s safe to assume that those are two quite influential noble or merchant families living in the main areas of the kingdom. We’ll get all the names in a moment. Some tidying up might be upon us. “Skipping all the pointless discussion, you already know that I agreed to their offer, aware of secrecy spells and the binding curse,” she continues. “I tried to get them to bind the rest of the squad too since those men were quite skilled, but I was their only objective. They actually turned my request against me, setting up a requirement that if I wanted to join, I had to slay all of them myself, with the excuse that they wanted to witness my proficiency firsthand.” “And did you?” Ross’ intense gaze practically drills into her skull. The woman shrugs nonchalantly. “I’m sitting here, am I not?” He notices my eyes on him and takes a deep breath, squeezing his fists. To further help himself keep control over his emotions, the King begins to pace around. “Go on,” I urge her to continue without wasting time on pointless teasing. “Right. They took me to their main mage, who works all the magic into their slaves, and I mean everyone by that term. Then, I got access to the two ancient grimoires to study them. It wasn’t easy to decipher most of the language, but I have a knack for this so it took me only about twenty days to achieve decent progress. I picked up only bits of their conversations here and there as they talked about Operation Kingslayer and Kingmaker. Many of the main members were unhappy with the King’s assertiveness in certain subjects. Seriously, pompous noble assholes gossip more than prepubescent girls from rich households.” She rolls her eyes. “I knew it. You killed him.” Ross practically growls at her as he stops. “No,” Madeline replies calmly, throwing him off a little. “Then who?” he questions her in simmering anger. “The Abyssals did,” she points out. “I only locked him up with about a hundred of them.” “You bitch!” At this point, he charges straight at her from the side and I quickly bring up more restraints, this time making them coil around his ankles, wrists, and mouth, careful not to be too forceful. It’s what I expected, simply hoping we could have delayed the event a little longer. Both of us knew she had to be involved and Ross’ logical mind was waiting for confirmation clear enough to drop everything and let the emotions run free. His eyes snap to me with unbridled fury flashing through them but I only softly shake my head. “I understand you perfectly well but we need more information. Nothing changes if you kill her here. She was just a tool. The real masters are still out there, aren’t they?” I direct the last bit at Madeline and she quickly confirms. “Of course. My hobbies don’t include randomly kidnapping vassal rulers for sport. It was another of their sneaky ploys and I had no word on the matter. They point, I go. It doesn’t matter as long as they don’t put me in an unwinnable fight, but I was too valuable for that. Well, it still all went to shit when your group showed up. I had no chance of coming out of that alive.” “Then, if we assume that the first stage of their plan succeeded,” I suggest while observing Ross struggle in my purplish belts, “what was supposed to be next?” She points at the current King with her eyes. “Nurturing him into a puppet monarch, more or less. They have friends in quite high places. They expected the Queen to abdicate the throne early. What they didn’t expect was everyone allowing her to still retain a lot of decisive power in the castle and over the nation even after passing the crown to her son. From what I heard, they weren’t able to fully fill his mentors and advisors with their agents due to her choice in the matter, and somehow, the boy wasn’t interested in the indoctrinated girls they threw at him. Most of the reforms they wanted didn’t make it in, but the situation was still better than under the rule of his father.” Noticing Ross looking at me with a bit less fury, I release his lips, trusting that he won’t use some kind of vocal-activated spell or artefact to explode our prisoner. Thankfully, he sneers at her instead. “I was not a simple boy, you bitch. I could smell the hidden desires of those tramps from the edge of this nation. There was no chance I would fall for any of those fakes. Not that Mother would have ever allowed them to step anywhere close to me.” Well, there’s certainly some truth to that. I don’t think he was too active before my business venture rose from particularly nowhere. He knows he can trust my girls so he can relax around them without worry. They don’t want anything else besides making him feel happy and welcomed, like any other guest seeking such things at our place. “So, that was it. An attempt to control the nation from the shadows. It wasn’t working completely as intended, but it wasn’t an utter failure. Until they changed their minds that it was,” I muse to myself. “Until the Hero Summoning,” Madeline adds. “Or more specifically, about a year after. Everything started going to shit. Bit by bit, they noticed the King switching things up. It was small, barely noticeable steps, but soon evolved in proper changes and reformations. And so, we get to the point where the castle starts preaching about the equality of monsters and other lesser races. Everything they built was crumbling. No matter how much they discussed their plans or tried to influence the royal court, things were heading in the opposite direction. Finally, they lost it just about when the new laws rolled in.” Ah, shit. It’s all me, isn’t it? I chuckle to myself silently. The timing does check out. A year after our summoning, I came forth with the brothel idea and presented it to Rossberg. It looks like I poked a stick into the proverbial anthill without even being aware that it existed. Some opposition was predictable, especially from nobles or people of higher standing, but I would have never guessed there was a secret cult orchestrating everything from the shadows. “No world escapes the mafia.” I snort quietly, though the King does note it. “Then, there’s the kidnapping. A change in approach?” “Yes.” The crazy woman nods. “It was as much revenge as a desperate move to try and dissuade the King from going any further with this. The goal was to show people what happens when they side with the new regulations. A revolt would be ideal, but that takes a lot of time. This was one of the first kidnappings on the list. We weren’t going to kill the victims, just properly convince them that helping out slaves was a bad idea. Yesterday's hit was a lucky coincidence as one of the supporting families practically presented themselves on a silver platter. Maybe that’s why the upper echelon skipped some of their due diligence and went forward with the plan while not researching the escort deeply enough.” Being underestimated is the best feeling in the world. Lack of information certainly does help with it. But, they are going to be wary now. It won’t work twice. And that’s why we need as much data on their moves as we can. Maybe I will be able to turn this bitch into a double agent? It might be hard since the organisation is obviously aware that she’s been captured since they have their people in the castle. But, as she said, they value her magic and need her power. Perhaps we could fake an escape or something. Nevertheless, I first need to figure out how to permanently remove all her restrictions and put her under mine. I honestly thought I would be able to go by without having to enslave women with my abilities, but it’s been more of a wish and a dream. Everyone knew it wouldn’t last. Not with women like her, or worse. This will be hard to swallow for certain. But, someone has to do it. Otherwise, plenty of innocents might get hurt or die from these terrorists. With my desire to protect the other races, I had to be more careful and measured, but this here I might need to solve with raw might and power. As a demigod, I might as well step in, no? That cult in my name might actually come to be somewhat useful. Seems like I will have to step forward and reveal myself fully, as soon as my influence spreads far enough. People currently see me as that guy who gives them sex blessings. A nice show of strength and authority might be necessary to make them realise that a demigod is a demigod, no matter what field they specialise in. But, that’s something I’ll have to discuss with my ladies, and especially Elea. A lot will change if we stop hiding all the power we gathered so far and I’m not sure if it’s the correct decision just yet. We would become major worldwide players on the board that is Naharren. I think I would rather work from the backstage instead. Returning from my thoughts to the current predicament, I stare down at the bound woman. “Is there anything else besides the kidnappings? Any other operations?” She meets my eyes as eagerly as before. “Oh, yes, of course. This is just the beginning. They are planning to tackle it from all angles, making it look like it’s the people themselves who are standing up against the reforms, making sure that most of their acts remain unconnected in the eyes of the public or the nation’s uncorrupt officials.” I grimace at that. “What’s the worst idea you know of?” Madeline mulls it over for a few seconds before smacking her lips. “Can’t really decide, honestly. Either that one where they are going to release an army of mixed races onto multiple human villages to raze them to the ground and rape everything that moves, or the one where they are planning to detonate an ancient energy crystal somewhere in the capital. Both are currently on hold since their mages are still figuring out how to make it look like the slaves making up the army aren’t recognised to be under some control, and the main guy is studying that piece of glowing rock to achieve delayed detonation.” Ross blanches at the newly revealed information and I can’t really blame him for it. These fucks are trying to bring nukes into it and that never ends well. Doesn’t matter if it’s a modern nuke or a magical nuke. “They need to be stopped,” I tell him firmly, capturing his anxious gaze. “And she might be the key to it. We need her alive.” He works his jaws for a moment before sighing heavily. “I know. Release me. I swear I won’t do anything. I recognize that look in your eyes. You have an idea. And your ideas are what got us both this far. I’m always going to bet on them, no matter what.” I smirk at him as he reciprocates the gesture with a weak smile. Trusting him to keep his word, I take back my restraints and he stretches his body a bit, definitely stiff after being forced to stay in one position for long minutes. Sharing a nod with my best royal bro, I turn to Madeline and mentally steel myself to do the right thing, even if it feels wrong. “Let’s cut a deal,” I tell her and she watches me eagerly, flinching when pinkish smoke flows out of my chest and forms a quite alluring figure right next to me with their arms wrapped possessively over my waist. “Fuck those old books those idiots gave you. I’ll let you learn right from the source, one of the best experts in the field of ancient magic and history you can find in this realm. My little pet will teach you how to really use your gifts, and who knows, maybe you will one day become one too.” My hand gives Ailish’s violet rump a considerable squeeze, making the delicious Succubus moan wantonly as she pushes her body into my side. Madeline stares at us with hungry eyes and nods repeatedly. “But, to do that, you will have to go back,” I continue firmly. That makes her eyes widen. “What? No way! They’ll kill me! They will kill all of us!” Chuckling openly, I walk out of Ailish’s embrace and crouch in front of the restrained woman, bringing her chin up with a finger. “Kitten, do you even know who I am? What I am?” I grin at her pridefully. “I’m a fucking demigod!” At once, I release all the aura I usually keep at bay and intense spiritual presence washes over the room and its inhabitants. It’s not just my lustful powers but also my divine potential. Madeline shivers uncontrollably as she takes the brunt of the initial explosion, starting to pant more intensely with each second. “I would like to see them try,” I growl straight at her face. “The ancient magic those hussies think they possess is a child's play compared to what I can do. And thus, what we can do. All you need is to cooperate and stay loyal to me. I always make sure to properly reward my most loyal servants. Does this sound good to you?” She can barely see through her hooded lids and I’m fairly sure I spot a growing pool of slick moisture on the metal floor underneath her, making it through the bindings. Perhaps I’ve taken it a little bit too far with the spiritual emissions. Still, it achieves the intended effect. “Yesssss…” the woman whispers breathlessly. “I’m all yours, My Lord…” As my satisfied, pompous smile grows, I trace the finger from under her chin to her cheek, around her ear, and up through her hair before stepping back. She shudders strongly midway as her toes curl in and it’s obvious even with her silent cry that she explodes just from this much. Should be enough to get her. Contrary to my words, I’m not planning to go any further with this bitch ever. I’m already disgusted by her mentality and sociopathic personality. She doesn’t deserve to receive anything from me or my lovely ladies. As Catherine said, she should have chosen death for the people, or at least tried to figure out a way to let the kingdom know about the threat while working from inside. The restrictive spells can’t be perfect. Yet, I can tell she didn’t even make an attempt to think it over. Withdrawing my aura, I give Ross an apologetic smile. He also was somewhat affected by it, even though I did my best to shield him from the worst of the blow. His stance is noticeably angled away from me and I roll my eyes at his antics. I hear Ailish giggle from behind me, amused by his modesty too. She doesn’t hide how bad my little show made her, letting the evidence trail down her strong thighs. “Well, then.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Let’s see if you have what it takes in you.” The King figures out my intentions and brings out three extremely fancy notebooks from his spatial storage. With a flick of his fingers, magical, feathery pens float up into the air alongside them and position themselves in front of the yellowish paper. He gestures at me to go on and that’s what I do. For the next few hours, we thoroughly interrogate our prisoner on many kinds of details related to this criminal organisation. For the sake of simplicity and continuity, we will call them the Slave Mafia. Madeline eagerly recounts almost everything she remembers about its members, relationships, funding sources, bases and properties, and so on. There’s a lot and we don’t want to miss anything crucial. It definitely won’t end with a single session, but we’ll get as much as we can today. Then, deciding that we have enough for Ross and his most trusted people to go through for days, we retreat from the prison, and Ailish retreats inside me with a parting peck on the cheek. I promise to take care of her needs soon, taking responsibility for the distress I caused her. Ross will have to screen plenty of his men and women before we can even begin. If this is going to succeed, we can’t let the Mafia suspect anything. The first step would be leaking that Madeline can’t talk and we are trying to figure out a way to bypass her restrictions. He already has a plan for it, acting frustrated in a seemingly private setting but not fully. This will take time, and we know we can’t rush it, even if it makes us anxious. Thankfully, Madeline knows a few points in the Mafia’s schedule so we are going to preemptively ruin their plans for the most serious gigs. It will take some brain flexing to do it without them linking it to any of us, but I believe it’s possible. Those who are secretly conning someone are quite often prone to the same treatment by seeing themselves as infallible. And that brings us to a difficult topic. “We need to tell Mother,” Ross says as we stroll through the long, narrow corridor leading to the hidden cell. “Can’t it wait at least a little bit?” I ask hopefully. He shakes his head. “It won’t escape her for long. She has a brilliant mind and you know it well. Hell, she figured out that I figured her out without me figuring it out until like recently! Goddess knows what else she might have figured out about me that I don’t know about!” I laugh openly while patting him on the back strongly. Oh, sweet summer child, you have no freaking idea. “That’s true. She is one of the smartest women I got to know. Both worlds included,” I agree with him. “I just really hoped we wouldn’t have to poison that incredible brain of hers with grief and anger.” “I don’t want to be anywhere near the city when she realises that I knew and didn’t tell her.” Ross shudders anxiously. “So, you have to tell her now.” “Why me?” I raise a brow at him. He stops and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Because her love for you is way different from her love for me. You are the only one she will fully open up to and let herself be comforted by. You might be the only one she listens to as a voice of reason. I would just end up beaten to a pulp for even suggesting we let that sick bitch live. I have to leave it to you, Al.” Holding his serious gaze for a moment, I sigh softly. “Yeah. It won’t be any easier on her, though.” “I know.” He gives me a light squeeze. “I hate the very thought of her going through this again as much as you do. Perhaps even more since I was there when she lost him. I don’t want to see that again. And you are my only hope.” “I’ll do what I can.” I mirror his actions and we move on soon after. On our way out, I connect with Cornelia and briefly explain what’s about to happen. My beloved understands how heavy it might get and sends me her words of support while promising to take Shino and the others back home under some believable excuse. I really could use a lucky hug right now but we both know that it’s better to miss each other in the castle halls. Before I reach the chamber where Lianne has brought the others, I stumble on Vanessa and her parents also leaving the castle. Cornelia must have somehow convinced them to leave the Queen without giving away any details. They seem intent on stopping me briefly and I don’t fight so as not to act suspiciously. “Lord Alastair! Are you finally done with your… duties? I’m afraid everyone has already dispersed. I don’t think there’s a reason to go back there anymore as it’s only our dear Queen who remains in her personal guest chambers.” Vanessa’s father smiles at me kindly. He flinches when his wife smacks him on the shoulder and shoots him a glare. He seems to come to some realisation as he clears his throat and switches to a bit more awkward grin. “Oh, of course, I’m not telling you when you may or may not visit. It’s not my place to. I humbly apologise.” He makes an exaggerated bow and his daughter rolls her eyes at it. I decide not to correct their assumptions this time. “It’s alright. It would simply be rude to leave without giving my farewells to Her Majesty. Is there anything I can do for you?” Philippa looks at me with a knowing smile that suggests she’s supposedly figured out what kind of farewells I’ll be giving the Queen but I continue to ignore them, even as Vanessa sports a faint blush when noticing her mother’s delicate smirk. “You? Us? Not in the slightest, My Lord. Quite the opposite. We’ve talked a bit while you two were gone and my amazing wife came up with a good idea on how we can repay you for your miracles,” the man continues. “When you are ready, we would like to suggest opening up a temple at our place too. We’ll cover all the expenses and ensure that it’s in the most beneficial location in the whole city. You may fill it completely with your people, or request for us to find suitable individuals to employ, whatever you wish for. After we share our tale of plight and rescue, I’m sure many will be inclined to consider following your teachings. Our family is certainly going to. What do you say?” “We’ll start our most devoted prayers tonight,” his wife adds with a twinkle in her mature eyes. Vanessa gives her a scandalised look, clearly shocked at the other woman’s boldness, knowing well what kind of prayers serve me the best. It truly takes most of my steel will not to react. “I see,” is what I finally manage to reply. “I shall discuss it with my Head Priestess. It’s definitely a valuable gift, but also requires lots of proper planning to receive. Thank you for your generosity.” “It’s nothing compared to what you did,” Vanessa joins in, desperately trying to stop her parents from further embarrassing her. “Thank you again. For everything. I’ll see you later with Shino and the others, Lord Alastair. Have a good day.” With a respectful bow, she drags the other two away, blushing even stronger. With them out of earshot, I finally let myself chuckle in amusement. Taking a deep breath, I ready myself for the inevitable, with my mood slightly improved by the entertaining encounter. When I arrive in front of Lianne’s location, I can feel her lying belly-down on a big bed in a connected room. She must be feeling anxious about being left out of everything. I can’t blame her, really. Alright. Here goes nothing. Giving the door a light knock, I observe her further. She twitches on the bed, noticing the quiet noise coming from another chamber, and then launches herself right off after realising that it’s me, spotting my presence through our connection. She pats herself out and fixes her appearance as she slowly trots to answer the door, stopping for half a minute to ensure that she’s fully presentable for me. Finally pulling the entrance open, she greets me with a warm, happy smile that doesn’t really reach her eyes. Otherwise, there’s no hint of distress in all of her light dress and mesmerising hair. Surprising the petite lady a little, I tenderly bring my palm to her cheek and lean down to join our lips in an affectionate kiss, without deepening it. “You don’t need to hide anything from me, love,” I say gently after we part. She searches my eyes briefly and lets out a tiny sigh, releasing the forced smile from her noble face. I peck Lianne’s forehead and scoop her into a princess carry, bringing us both to the comfy mattress she’s been resting on, sitting the tiny Queen on my lap. “So… Did you learn anything?” she asks hesitantly, her expression betraying the topic of her inquiry even without her specifying it. “Yeah, we did.” I nod while running my fingers through her dazzlingly white strands. “Before we get to that, though, I would like to let you know what we are planning to do. You are a key element to it working out properly and I hope the sexy mind of the best Queen in this realm can help.” Lianne can’t help the smile sneaking onto her pouty lips even as she tries to actually pout at my deflection. I steal a kiss from them, making her giggle sweetly. She then takes a delicate breath. “Okay. I’m listening.” “In short, these guys, who we are going to call the Slave Mafia, are up to a lot of no good. The kidnappings are just the beginning. I’m sure you figured out the part about them being against the recent reforms. But, it looks like it delves much deeper. They have been trying to control your regime for quite a long time now and simply noticed that they are losing more than they can withstand since I began pressuring you to make living better for other races,” I start with something easy. “We’ll have to shuffle the staff then. They had to have spies amongst our people.” The Queen nods resolutely. “Here’s my sharp wife, already cracking at it.” I grin at her as she swats me playfully with a tiny flush. “Nevertheless, they are going to start hurting people if we don’t do anything soon so we decided to use Madeline against them as a double agent. After I break her, of course. We’ll make them believe she made it out unscathed while she is going to be completely under my control. She already shared a lot of information with us, especially about all the nobles involved in this conspiracy.” “I’ll work with Ross on it as soon as possible. I assume you are going to figure out how to enslave her without the usual signs or something like that so I’ll search through our archives too. There might be something of help in there. We can’t interrogate her without you present, right?” She strokes her adorable chin. “Unfortunately not. We need her alive, and any attempts at talking with her without my restraints might trigger the safety.” I shake my head. “The lives of countless people depend on her head staying on her shoulders. We don’t want those bastards to blow up half of the capital.” Lianne’s eyes widen a tiny bit and she too shakes her head. This should be enough to make my point without putting too much pressure on her. I stay silent for a moment while considering my words and she turns to gaze into my eyes with a calm but tense expression. There’s no morbid curiosity in them, only a flicker of pending anticipation and understanding. “Just say it,” she requests, keeping our gazes locked. I let out a quiet sigh. “She locked him inside a barrier with an army of Abyssals.” Her lip trembles as her jaw clenches intensely. Soon, tears follow from her stubbornly open eyes. It’s a whole flood soon, and the moment I embrace her closer, the dam breaks further and Lianne lets out a wailing sob, burying her face in my chest. It’s clear that she already knew, simply wanting confirmation. As Ross said, she is sharp, smart, and bright, not lacking intuition either. Even so, she wasn’t able to prepare herself for it. No one really would. I keep Lianne in my arms while gently caressing her hair, letting my beloved Queen pour her heart out into my clothes. Her slender fingers grip the fabrics with enough strength to almost rip them to shreds. If it was Ross in my place, he might have suffered some injuries through it as he suspected, all thanks to my influence on this lithe lady. Not sure when exactly, but we end up on our sides as I let Lianne snuggle to me and continue sniffling and sobbing quietly. I don’t say anything. No words would help anyway. She knows I’m sorry for her. She knows I wish to support her. She knows I care for her. All she needs is my presence and warmth. It takes about half an hour for the final cries to fade away. I never stop placing soft kisses on top of her head and brushing my fingers through her hair. When she begins to shift slightly in my embrace, I gently loosen it and let Lianne crawl a bit higher to face me. She looks at me with a tear-stained expression in silence and I caress her cheek without moving. It’s her who places a chaste peck on the bridge of my nose and leans her forehead against mine with a deep sigh. “Thank you…” she whispers with some struggle. “I—” “Shhhh.” I shush her down kindly. “It’s alright.” She doesn’t try to speak any further and slowly relaxes under my care. At least for a while. “I was the one to endorse her, Al… I picked her up from a local militia… Because of me—” “No, it did not,” I interrupt her quickly. “This is in no part your fault, Lianne. I will be really angry if you are going to blame yourself for something another person did with full premeditation and no remorse. He would be angry with you too. You did the right thing. She is the one who abused your kindness. Her mind has always been warped. Do you understand?” She nods against me weakly as I peer deep into her enchanting eyes, making sure that she truly does. A ghost of a smile flashes over her tensed lips and I pull her back into the crook of my neck. She doesn’t bring up any self-loathing comments anymore until the very moment I notice her breathing evening out and her fingers uncurling from my suit. Not willing to risk it, I decide against moving either of us. I’ll stay with Lianne until the very morning. Longer if that’s what she needs. Then, we make them pay.
Chapter 204 – Fake It Until You Take It Spoiler: Chapter The first thing I take note of after opening my eyes is the fact that I’ve lost a bit of my clothing over the time I was asleep. I’m no longer wearing my jacket and I somehow got rid of my tie, loosening the collar of my shirt quite a bit. Well, maybe a little more than a bit considering that half of the buttons are undone. Thankfully, I still have my pants on, and fortunately, took my shoes off too. Another glance reveals what happened to the jacket of my suit. The petite Queen lies on her side right next to me, snuggled to my chest peacefully while grasping that partially open shirt of mine. I have a feeling that the buttons are her work, conscious or not. Nevertheless, my jacket rests right over her shoulders, serving its role as temporary sheets that make sure Lianne doesn’t get cold with the light dress she’s been wearing before we unexpectedly zoned out for the night. Because it’s rather clear it’s pretty early the next day. The first rays of sunlight peek through the spread curtains of the chamber we have slept in, announcing the incoming morning with gusto. It seems that today is going to have nice weather. Perhaps the realm wants to cheer up its favourite Human Queen. Moving my gaze back from the windows, I look upon the petite lady napping quietly within my embrace. Some tear streaks and stains decorate Lianne’s gentle face but I do my best to resist the urge of wiping them away. She deserves to rest for as long as she can before both of us need to return to our responsibilities. And surely, hers will be much tougher to bear. I have no shadow of a doubt that Lianne will immediately start digging through the castle’s staff and noble houses to fish out all the spies and traitors. Madeline’s testimony should be a great help with that. Hopefully, Lianne will be able to work with it. I can imagine how difficult it might be to even think about the other woman remaining alive right under your feet. However, I believe in her. She is a strong lady, a powerful person packed into a petite frame. She has already proved that during our little voyage. And it only makes her even more respectable and admirable. Lianne could have very well become a political figure, bothering herself only with the official duties of a royal, but she never forgot her origins and still strives to actively take part in all the other areas of her life. My internal musings are disrupted by an adorable sneeze which causes the person in question to wrinkle her nose and mumble incoherently. Lianne’s eyelashes soon flutter open and she stares in confusion at the close presence of my open shirt. When her gaze unhurriedly makes its way up to meet mine, a delicate tinge of a flush adorns her noble cheeks. “How does my most beautiful and most smart Queen feel this pleasant morning?” I ask with a light smirk. “Good,” she whispers with a pretty smile. “Much better than yesterday. Though, a little bit unhappy that it’s already tomorrow.” “Don’t beat yourself over it.” I lovingly thread my fingers through her long white hair. “It seems that both of us needed some more rest after the recent events. Now, you are able to tackle all the things while full of vigour and energy. We have lots to do, I presume.” “You are right, husband.” Lianne pulls herself up by my clothes and presses her plump lips into mine. “However, I think I could use a little morning boost to be perfectly sure.” We grin at each other impishly and I roll us over. The tiny Queen loses my jacket and ends up below me as I stare down at her enchanting figure. This time, I don’t waste the chance and summon out a small cloth, proceeding to tenderly clean my petite lover’s skin. Lianne quickly realises what I’m doing and keeps herself still, allowing me to take care of her properly. But, as soon as I’m done, she swats my hand away, grabs the material of my shirt, and yanks me down to crash her mouth into mine with deep passion. Our tongues find each other immediately and begin a lovely dance as my fingers roam free over her smooth sides. A slight shudder passes through her small frame from time to time, clearly enjoying the fluffy caresses. Her hands snake into my clothes and coil around my torso, drawing me even closer in. I answer my Queen’s wish positively and press our bodies together too. We stay locked in our ardent hug for quite a while, but in the end, I’m the first one to slowly back away. And right so, Lianne shows a shy, somewhat guilty smile, warmly brushing her palms over the nape of my neck. “Sorry…” she apologises quietly. I shush her down and place another soft kiss on her delicious lips. “It’s alright. Believe me or not, it’s a natural reaction to both want to seek comfort and at the same time reject it after something like that.” “I just… I can’t get him out of my mind…” Lianne admits with a flicker of vulnerability in her captivating eyes. “I’m such a bad wife…” Shaking my head, I bring her hands off my neck, holding her slightly trembling palms up to my lips. “Quite the contrary, my love. It only shows how strong your feelings are. And it makes me happy knowing they are now also directed at me. Do not feel ashamed or guilty about thinking of your late husband. Do not try to erase him from your memory, or anything like that. You loved him, and that’s a fact, a part of you. So, I wholeheartedly welcome this slightly awkward confusion you are experiencing right now and completely do not feel bothered by it. It’s my duty to see to your comfort and that’s what is important to me.” Her response is silent but full of gratitude and sentiments. The smile that brightens her expression can be compared to the glow of a thousand suns, just a bit more pleasing rather than painful. I offer her my cheek and we embrace each other softly on the bed, brushing our faces together with tender care. The faint trembling of Lianne’s fingers slowly subsides and I only move back when she is fully at peace. “Thank you. It means a lot to me. Not many men or women would say those exact words to their partners. Most people would simply demand to move on and focus on them. I truly appreciate how understanding you are to me. I love you, my dear,” my Queen pours her heart out. “Always.” I wink at her, which evokes an adorable giggle. “Just like you need some time with your thoughts now and then, I need my time with… my other ladies, then and now.” That makes her laugh a bit more openly as she grins at me slyly. “Oh, no. But that would take foreeeeeeeeeever with the number of women you captured.” I snicker and peck her cute nose. “Don’t worry. I’ll always find some place to squeeze my favourite Human Queen into.” “I know of a good place to squeeze my favourite Primordial King into.” Lianne licks her lips, making me laugh in turn. “But, maybe at a later time. We should probably get up. The servants must be worrying themselves to death about me. And you still haven’t met up with your mercenaries to reward them for their heroic conduct. Your long-lived assistant is waiting for you eagerly.” I raise an intrigued brow at her. “Is she now? And how would you know that?” “Let’s just say that I might have been on a trip through the city once or twice while your valiant regiment was out on its mission.” Lianne giggles innocently. “Now, go, really. I’m alright. Thanks to you. I’ll be in touch. And I promise not to kill that woman.” “Only not to kill?” I smirk at her. She bats her eyelashes at me with even more innocence, making it purposefully so overdone it’s not obvious but damn prophesied at this point. With one last chaste peck, I bring us both up and we fix each other’s attire while basking in the comfort of our mutual presence. In a flash, we are right and proper, leaving the chamber hand in hand. The maids soon spot us and fuss over their mistress while Lianne reassures them she’s all good. They then thank me politely for looking after her while my petite Queen rolls her eyes at her personal servants. It’s clear that this specific platoon of maids and butlers is allowed in on most of our secrets and she doesn’t hide much from them. Their loyalty is certainly assured. We part ways a few minutes later and head out to handle our respective businesses. Mine is to make it back home and maybe explain why I didn’t return for the night. However, I could bet on Cornelia sensing things out through our bond and explaining everything. Or maybe Hecate cutely relayed it to them with her still-a-little-awkward speech. I have no doubts about her being present in the chamber, especially since she is still following me from above. After getting out of the castle, Diana emerges from my shadow and bumps her big muzzle into my cheek. With a soft chuckle, I stroke her bountiful fur and accept her goodwill. I can feel her desire to help transport me to my pack and it would be rude to refuse. Hopefully, the people of Evaneheim aren’t going to be too flabbergasted by the sight. It should be fine for a demigod to charge through the streets on their valiant magical beast, no? On our way home, we stop by Barren’s so that I can grab a bite. My good old friend shares some rumours with me and we banter casually about the attack. Things are almost back to normal by now, according to his words. The fixed hole is still under investigation but it doesn’t scare people with a gaping chasm anymore. Good to hear that. Then, we run forth and arrive at our destination a moment later. I jump off Diana’s back and pat the amazing wolf appreciatively. We’ll need to start training together soon. The connection we share seems special and it would be silly not to take advantage of our matching elements. She’s such a gift, even if it came at a high price on her side. I hope she can find a new family amongst us and slowly unburden her kind heart from the tragedy she suffered. The first ones to greet me are unsurprisingly Cornelia and Elea, right at the door. Thank Goddess, there is no grand entrance with lines of girls paying their respects to me. Knowing them, I wouldn’t be shocked to see such a scene each time I return. Doesn’t matter from where or how long I was gone. “Did you sleep well, Al?” the former asks with a faint curl to her mouth. “I’ve had better.” I shrug nonchalantly. “But, I made someone else's night comfortable and that’s what counts for real.” Cornelia’s expression softens a little. “We felt. Is Lianne okay?” “Yeah. She was just reminded of a few depressing things. It turns out that the mage we captured was involved in the previous King’s death. Almost directly,” I explain. Even Elea gasps at that and she isn’t that connected to the Human Kingdom. “That’s horrible. I’m glad you stayed with her. Are you sure you should be returning already?” “Yes. My presence is as much comfort as it’s a bit of pain right now. She needs a moment to cool off and focusing on the important work will solve that. My person hovering over her shoulder would only remind her further of those unpleasant things. But, you ladies can go and visit her anytime you wish to. She might appreciate the support,” I respond. “I agree with you on the first part.” Cornelia nods firmly. “She’ll get into a trance soon enough, and nothing better clears her mind. So, we should focus on ourselves instead.” “Is there anything to report regarding both of our businesses?” I glance between my representatives for the brothel and the cult. “Nothing much from me. Just minor things we can take care of by ourselves,” my magician answers. “Our little temple has been visited by many more people since the incident. It seems that the news about your involvement in the rescue and the escort itself reached the ears of additional residents through various sources. It’s a good growth,” my priestess adds. “Oh, right. I was told that we have been granted the construction of a full temple in Vanessa’s homeland. Her parents are going to fund it and they think their people are going to support our faith.” I tap my lips while recalling the conversation. “I would say it’s a bit too early, Master.” She hums thoughtfully. “Since I won’t be able to monitor it from the site, I need to properly educate someone and ensure they are capable of managing our branch. If you give me some time, it shall be done. Perhaps as much as your trip to Sirgia’s birthplace should be enough.” “Or we can wait until we finish your journey,” I point out. “We could pick some ladies interested in the job out there too, no? As long as we mention that it won’t be as restrictive as the rules your Princesses have to follow.” “Perhaps.” Elea smiles gracefully. “We could make Dark Elves be recognisable as our High Priestesses. I think I would be able to find a few willing virgins to dedicate themselves to your divinity with honest and proper devotion.” “Virgins? What did I say about restrictions?” I frown at her. “I did not say that they would stay virgins.” Her grin widens knowingly. I roll my eyes. It’s rather obvious how she sees that state changing. Well, as long as I keep an eye on what exactly she is teaching them, it should be alright. It would be rather difficult to avoid taking part in lustful activities with my subordinates as a Demigod of Lust. I could even see it being expected by them. This cult is getting damn outrageous by the day. “Anyway, this is not immediate. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” I wave her off while Cornelia snorts, most likely already knowing what that bridge will bring us. “Anything else?” “Astrea wished to meet you,” the ice beauty states. “Ah. Yes. I was going to find her too. We should get back to the Community and thank everyone properly. Plus, I did make a bit of a mess out there.” I nod to myself. “I’ll handle it right away, then talk with Lyona. I need to make sure she isn’t blaming herself for the ambush again.” Both ladies exchange a glance and smile at me. “I’m sure she has other things on her mind right now,” Elea says mysteriously. “Yeah. It should distract her well enough until you get there.” Cornelia snickers. I squint at them but they don’t feel like elaborating. Already experienced with that tactic of theirs, I choose to ignore their teasing and see for myself in the near future. We exchange some hugs and kisses and I stroll further into the mansion to greet my other wives too, of course, not dismissing any of the girls that come with their own greetings either. We are one big family and they are owed a similar level of respect and affection. They might not be my wives, mates, or all the other exclusive forms of partners, but they aren’t a lesser sort or anything. Spending some time with everyone, I then move on to the next important thing after showing proper affection to the ladies, which is the Community’s help. As soon as I’m about to head down into our underground area, Astrea makes herself known. She’s previously avoided me when I was chatting with the others, most likely lazing around somewhere once again. To be honest, it’s such a cute side to the otherwise fierce warrior and collected beauty. She saunters to my flank with an agile step and I welcome the quiet catgirl into my arms, rubbing our noses together as she purrs adorably. It evolves into cheek brushes in the next second, then some light kisses. Fluffing her gorgeous ears, I pull away and we move into the sewers leaning into each other. “Don’t apologise,” the silent girl actually speaks up first. “Huh?” I tilt my head at her, both to look down and to show confusion. “For killing that male when we got there before,” she explains. “I know you feel bad about it but it was your right. As an Alpha, you shouldn’t show weakness or indecisiveness.” “I know.” I play with her ear again to thank Astrea for her advice. “I’m only having regrets because I was a bit emotional when it happened. I should have controlled myself better. He would have died during a duel anyway, but yeah.” “He was annoying. You did the right thing. The members are definitely thankful for it and respect the show of strength.” “You think anyone will challenge us after this?” I ask thoughtfully. “Yes.” She doesn’t hesitate for even a second. “You must already be aware of how power-hungry and prideful many Beastkin males are.” A faint chuckle escapes my lips. “Okay, point taken.” About half an hour later, we locate the entrance and greet the sentries. They thump their fists to their chests respectfully and show happy smiles when I pat them on the shoulders. How a small thing like this can bring others so much joy. Our arrival isn’t announced this time so we get to watch the residents of the wandering tribe express shock and surprise at seeing their twin Alphas just walk in like they own the place, which we actually do. And, there are of course also those who are almost fangirling over us. The majority is female, of course. I can easily spot deep flushes and wagging tails in the crowd. Astrea offers me a tiny, knowing smile, coiling her arm around mine possessively. As my precious mate, she gets to say who is worthy to even approach me, not to mention receive my manhood. Save for those who I pick myself, that is. Then it’s all good. Beastkin culture is just something else. We make it to the official sofa hall, meaning the big audience chamber with our wide throne, while gathering quite the following. As the two of us head to the raised platform, our people fill in and gather in front of it. Waiting for most of the members to have enough time to show up, I roam my gaze over the colourful bunch, spotting at least three who are touching themselves discreetly while looking at me. Yeah, that’s hard to miss when you shiver the moment our eyes meet and your hand is suspiciously low, you know? Regardless, when it’s time, I wrap my arm around Astrea’s waist and roughly pull her into myself, stealing her lips for a ferocious kiss. A wave of cheers and howls responds to my action. She stays obediently pressed into me when I stop and I can sense her thoughts commending me for making that move. I guess I’m slowly getting used to leading her kind. “Proud warriors and providers of the Community!” I begin loudly. “I would like to offer you my sincere gratitude for your help in my quest to seek out vile criminals! I chose to rely on your expertise and I was not let down! You should be proud of yourselves! I am proud of you! And to call myself your Alpha!” More cheers rumble through the hall at my rather improvised speech. “Your actions will definitely bring positive consequences! Before, you were just a small group of Beastkin and other races making by in the shadow of these tunnels! Now, after you helped save a pair of royals, the ruling Humans of this kingdom are no doubt going to express their gratitude to you!” I continue, looking at as many people as I can. “Worry not, though! I’ll make sure you won’t be disturbed so those who enjoy their current lifestyle won’t be forced to change it! But, with the recent changes in legislation and your help with the kidnapping incident, I can see you all being able to proudly and freely walk the streets above once again! Not immediately, but definitely soon enough!” After another round of trembling roars, Astrea puts her chin up at the gathering. “And for our reward for your valuable assistance, we will both accept your challenges today, fighting either separately or together,” she announces. “Additionally, I will be offering a different kind of duel to the females. Only for today, you can win yourself the right to mate with the Alpha as long as you manage to land a hit on me. These spars will be time-limited.” That brings the noise to up to eleven. I can only stare at my fierce lover with raised brows. Astrea meets my gaze with her calm eyes searching mine and I nod to reassure her that I’m alright with it. Hell, why not? I bet she won’t make it easy for them anyway. It’s impossible to say anything else after the last part so we retreat from the platform and begin setting up the challenge arenas. I immediately notice the disparity between the number of challengers between us. And their genders. Her line barely fits in the chamber and is made exclusively of women while mine barely starts and it’s all angry or prideful men. Well, except one. The first person in my queue turns out to be a female too. That’s quite rare. Not unprecedented, but certainly surprising. Not that these girls can’t whip the men’s asses or anything. They just usually prefer to court me rather than risk their health and lives to overthrow my rule. She doesn’t. I can respect that. Astrea starts her duels so I get on with mine too. I exchange respects with this mighty-looking half-blood lioness. Her dark amber hair is so lush it almost looks like a mane. She comes prepared to throw hands with only a tight tank top and shorts on her fine, muscular form. Literally. She doesn’t bring out any weapons. So, I match it, giving up on mine too. Plus, I store away my top, leaving only my pants on. She deserves some eye candy for her bravery, and from what I can see, she appreciates it greatly. I might have actually put her at a disadvantage like this by accident, hah. Albeit, she proves me wrong less than a second later. She lunges forward with impressive strength and speed, cracking the stone tiles underneath her. Only partially ready for her, I put up an imperfect block to fend off her fist, which slides past my cheek with the slightest brush as it scrapes over my forearm. If it was on Astrea’s terms, she would have gotten her night with me already. Immediately reinforcing myself with mana and hastily borrowing Astrea’s martial arts skill, I aim to push her away with a palm strike. Now up to my usual fighting standards, full of focus and battle thoughts, I move much faster than her, watching my hand penetrate her defences and head straight for her chest… a bit too easily. I watch as she stares at my palm quickly moving towards her frame but seemingly doesn’t react fast enough to do anything about it. Well, besides trying to angle her body differently. But, as she does that, my fingers miss her solar plexus… and smack her right in the right breast. She is thrown back with a pained moan, rolling a few times and ending up in a crouch. Glaring at me intensely, she massages her tit, perhaps a bit longer than necessary. In the next moment, she charges again, but since I’ve enhanced my senses this time, I see her movements a tad slower than she would have wished I had. The Lionkin opens up with a wide vertical split and brings her leg down into a quite vulnerable position, turning her back to me while bent slightly forward. Surely she isn’t… Her tail flickers twice before she launches a barrage of kicks at me, all of them aimed rather high, stretching her shorts quite strongly. Judging by how they define her mound at those moments, that’s all she’s wearing down there. And the tiny dark dot in their middle proves that further. When I return fire with some punches, she immediately goes into the defensive, but not exactly. I can see her doing her best to evade my fists, but is she really? Every third or second of my blows grazes against her taut bosom or stiff nipple as she dodges sideways while turning her frame too. That has to be a coincidence, right? To test that, I overextend with my next attack a bit too much and she… stumbles. We collide and she somehow ends up with her back to me and my arm over her shoulder as I use that chance to try and restrain her. My hand finds something tender and soft to grab onto and I don’t need the visuals to understand what it is. Especially when her own palm grips mine from above to pry my hold off. Or not a coincidence. She struggles with it, but that’s it. She struggles. Her attempts just squeeze my fingers more and drag them around. That continues for a moment before she finally escapes the hold and turns back to me with a seemingly furious, determined gaze. Again, I let her get the best of me and she makes use of the presented opportunity to grab my arm, grappling with me to the very ground. She wraps herself around that arm, putting it in the middle of her body, and locks my shoulder with her knees. And again, somehow, my fingers end up at the perfect height of her marshmallowy peak, not allowing me to move it anywhere else. She’s just used the challenge as an excuse for me to grope her, hasn’t she? After a few nice squeezes, she rolls us over a few times and lands on top of me, with her powerful thighs surrounding my face now as she leans forward and binds my wrists to the floor. Her pert tits sway from her heavy breathing and I can smell her arousal almost straight from the source as her feminine bits press into my chin in an attempt to sit on my throat. Yep, she has. “Do you yield, Alpha?” the female demands angrily. A funny question considering the fact that both of my legs are completely free and I can knock her out cold with a single well-aimed kick to the back of her head. Ah, shit. She’s just down bad for me damn hard. Well, I guess I can only respond in kind now or I would lose face in front of the others. With a grin matching her feral smile, I overpower the lioness easily by entwining my heels under her jaw and yanking her off me. As she bounces off the stone tiles, I swoop onto her and put the sneaky girl into a proper hunched hold from behind, using my legs to lock and spread hers while also using my arms to pull hers to the back, pushing her face into the floor. “Do you?” I ask with a snort. Surprise, she doesn’t. Instead, she simply wriggles in my embrace, which results in my bulge rubbing against her crotch. She nibbles on her bottom lip seemingly in effort, but it’s obvious that a different kind of struggle is happening out there. A struggle not to gush like a fountain. I lean closer to her rounded ear. “You think yourself smart, huh? Or perhaps me stupid?” A light shiver of anxiety passes through her as she finds an angle to peer back into my eyes. She stiffens immediately, recognizing that I recognized, afraid that she might have offended quite heavily. “Well, I guess you are quite crafty to come up with this.” I snicker amusingly. “So, I feel like I should reward your clever plan. Try to hold on as long as you can, kitty.” An unplanned moan actually escapes her pouty lips as I poke myself against her with intent this time. She muffles the further ones but I continue to rub myself against her covered privates with intense motions. Her breathing speeds even more throughout the torture. To keep it fairly real, I roll us once more and bring her on top of me but still with her back on my chest. One of my arms pins down her bust, of course grabbing her amazing tit, while the other locks her waist by running straight down her middle, with my fingers gripping the apex of her thighs, and as a result, her rather wet pussy. Through the clothes, of course. She puts up a show with her acted struggling, but makes it obvious that after being found out she simply decides to let me do whatever I want, and in this case, it means bringing her pleasure. She certainly doesn’t complain about my questing digits as I rub all the right places for her. The stimulation and adrenaline bring her high rather quickly. Since I’m fairly sure she should appreciate me being the only one aware of her ploy, I switch the location of my left hand from her breast to her mouth, sealing it shut just the moment she goes over the edge. Her body gets rigid and she spasms while muffled cries tickle my palm. To further hide her away from sight, I roll us aside, putting her underneath me again and fully finishing her off with my fingers as we are hunched forward. Soon, she loses all the strength in her body and flops down onto her belly while panting heavily, looking like I have choked the life out of her. As I stand up, the others in the line applaud and cheer at my win. I simply shake my head with a wry chuckle. If only they knew. I take one last look at my opponent to ensure she isn’t obviously leaking onto the ground to betray herself after the duel, but she seems safe. Looking aside, I meet Astrea’s gaze, who squints at the sly Lionkin. Yep. She knows. I try my best to convey that it’s alright and she doesn’t glare at her further. We go back to our respective fights soon after. Thankfully, none of the buff dudes come up with a similar plan to the female and I just have to beat them up the good old-fashioned way. I don’t fancy fighting off their advances in front of a hall full of people. By the end of it, five girls succeed at Astrea’s bet and she takes them aside to discuss the date and details of their rewards. I’m happy to leave it to my helpful mate. I only request to pick up a different time than today since we still have a lot to do. Especially since it looks like we are being invited to an afterparty. Then, I’m going to meet Lyona.
Chapter 205 – A Prickle of Delight ❤❤ Spoiler: Chapter Right after we wrap up the challenges and other fights, the Community switches moods instantly. Under the intricate lead of a few individuals, almost everyone rushes around to prepare for the celebrations. And since I’ve laid down so much praise and promises onto them earlier, it would be improper for me to run away right after the first part. As expected, they also don’t allow me to help so I’m reduced to a spectator on the wide and comfy alpha sofa with a quietly purring catgirl lying on her back in my lap as I graze her exposed belly with my fingers. Whenever they wander a bit more north or south, her sweet humming only grows in intensity and I tease my calm and collected martial artist a bit. “Are you going to invite that female to the group you will mate with as a result of the challenge?” Astrea asks at one point without even opening her eyes. I move my palm to her whitish hair and fluff her fantastic ears. “I don’t really know. Should I? She was quite smart and crafty but she still took advantage of the rules for personal gain, didn’t she? You tell me if I should encourage that behaviour or not. Remember that I’m still learning about Beastkin.” A tiny smile surfaced on Astrea’s pouty lips as I showered her in my love. “If other females have noticed, they won’t try to copy her. They must know you are aware too and that you might not appreciate repeated attempts to abuse your authority. But, it should motivate them to be even smarter if they want to catch your attention.” “Hmmm. Looks like I should expect an orgy every time I come down here for longer than just a few duels.” I chuckle to myself. “I guess the first night we spent here should have been a sign.” “I won’t host the mating challenge regularly since I know it’s not something you would want while having many loving and dedicated mates already, but I think it would be a good way to keep the females involved in the life of the community and to give them something to strive for,” she replies with a contented sigh. “Even if he was a waste of an abusive Alpha, Micah did partially make use of his privilege to lay with the females under his care. It’s a staple part of our lives until we find a dedicated mate. But, people are getting used to how you run things.” “Perhaps I wasn’t being too fair.” I muse quietly. “Men can challenge me for the throne while satisfying their combative urges but women who aren’t interested in taking me down don’t have a similar option to satisfy their desire to be with me. Or rather, me to be in them.” “Are we going to add the mating challenge to the usual rotation, then?” Astrea finally opens her enchanting eyes and her vertical pupils lock with mine. “I won’t be able to offer the same relief to our males as I don’t wish to partake in mating with anyone other than you, my chosen mate.” I lean down to present her soft lips with a myriad of sweet pecks. “And I’m not expecting you to. You are the only one with the exclusive rights to command my dick however and whenever you want in this place. And one day, it’s going to be your womb that bears me kittens.” Her left ear twitches strongly as her eyes widen just a tiny bit. I continue to grin down at her as the purring ceases alongside all the other movements. A moment later, a certain extremely inviting and characteristic scent hits my sensitive sense of smell. Raising a curious brow at the fierce feline, I let my hand wander underneath her belt, running into quite a situation down there. “Oh? I didn’t think it would bring such a strong reaction from you,” I comment, experiencing the scorching heat trapping my digits between a delicate canyon. “We never talked about it,” Astrea replies, a trace of rosy blush adorning her adorable cheeks as her breathing grows a tad hotter too. “I thought you weren’t intending to sire children.” “What about Cornelia?” I ask in slight confusion. “She’s special to you.” She nibbles on her bottom lip gently. “You are all special to me, Astrea,” I correct her. “And as long as it’s your wish, I will not deny you the chance to bring my descendants into this world. Picking the right moment for it, of course.” “You won’t mind having Beastkin offspring, then?” Her fierce gaze searches mine. “It would be nice if we could fix the perception of your kin before that happens, but I would love nothing more than having a cute little daughter or son with your ears and tail.” I give her my best loving smile. In the next moment, my collar is yanked down and my mouth is sealed shut with a hungry kiss. We devour each other through that moment of passion and I can feel Astrea’s sharp nails claw at me strongly, pulling me more into her. I’m surprised she doesn’t just rip her clothes here and now, throwing herself on my cock without wasting any more time, but we are both aware that if we put up a show at this very moment, the entire Community will become useless in a flash. Yeah, there is no way those perpetually horny battle junkies can hold back from joining in if that happens. Soon enough, the preparations are complete and we hesitantly draw away from each other. Naturally, I still keep nuzzling my lovely catgirl to my chest as she graces my ears with the music of her people, now twice as reverberating. Then, everyone gathers around the low tables and sits on the ground around them. The Elders announce the feast and the party starts. The two of us give our subjects a few words of encouragement and join in on the festivities. We could eat and drink atop our raised spot, but we decide it’s better to mingle and step down. Noticing the winners of Astrea’s challenge sitting together, I bring us to them, unfortunately killing their conversation, but that has to be expected. We share a meal while learning more about them and just chatting casually. Astrea continuously flaunts her position by remaining nestled in my lap, brushing the top of her head against my chin. With how her butt wiggles against my lower parts, it’s rather clear she’s also sending another type of message to the females. I don’t think it’s necessary since they already know that she’s the one who calls the shots. Figuratively and literally. Never thought I would say that, but thankfully, the jovial mood quickly develops into an amorous one and pairs or groups of Beastkin slowly switch from eating food to eating each other out amongst everything else. That’s our cue that the dinner is over and we both know that everyone is going to fall asleep wherever they finish fucking. Promising the girls a good time soon, I make an escape with my feline wife. For today, they will have to be satisfied with each other. We are back in the mansion a moment later and I part ways with Astrea, bringing the petite girl to her favourite spot atop the mansion. Leaving her to lazily sunbathe on the roof with one last kiss for goodbye, I jump down with ease and stroll towards the gate. There are a few more people I need to reward for their hard work. Crossing the street without any interruptions, I reach the entrance to our HQ. Passing through with ease, I spot a familiar face dutifully taking care of some documents while sitting behind the main counter. The white-haired lady is ready to check who it is that has just walked inside and her scarlet eyes widen briefly at my sight. Loyna jumps to her feet with a respectful bow. “Welcome back, Master. How may I help you today?” Chuckling quietly, I make my way closer and lean onto the desk. “Thank you for the greeting. You can relax now. I came here to listen to your debriefing and chat a little. Are the girls in?” “Yes, they are currently in the recreational area. I advised them to take a well-earned break for today after everything they had done in recent days. Especially yesterday,” she answers, straightening up properly. “I can arrange a meeting in just a moment if you wish, Master.” “That would be appreciated.” I nod at her. “And how are you doing? Any problems while we were gone?” The Vampire lady walks around the counter to join me on the other side. “We had no issues with the commissions or anything else during your absence. The remaining members fulfilled their duties professionally and with passion. So far, we’ve secured three recommendations from minor businesses and individuals. I picked smaller jobs for them to start with so that they can accustom themselves to how the mercenary field works outside of literature and classes.” “Great. My half did pretty much perfect on our commission too, save for the little hiccup at the end but they are obviously not to blame for something like that,” I reply happily. “So, about you? Did you intentionally skip that part of my question or did something happen?” A hint of a wry smile sneaks onto her small lips. “Even after all the time since the night you have gifted me your blood, I still feel amazing, even if the effects have slightly faded by now. Unfortunately, the change was noticed by my parents, and while I continued to manage to dismiss their inquiries, Petros might have accidentally spoken a word or two too much, letting them learn that I’m pursuing someone. It happened after he gave up on his daily visits here to convince me to reconsider my choices. The revelation about blood-sharing and my oath dissatisfied him greatly.” “Bastard. I really didn’t want to antagonise him, but if he is going to continue harassing you, we might need to look for another artisan for our projects. There is a second temple in the plans now too.” I shake my head and delicately wrap my arms around the shorter girl’s waist, pulling Lyona into my embrace. “Let me know if you ever need my help with anything. It’s my responsibility to take care of you, not just as your master but also as a friend. Anything we can do about your family?” “Thank you.” Lyona rests her forehead in the crook of my neck. “I’m afraid they won’t stop prying into the matter until I explain my actions or introduce you. But, the latter would mean making things official.” “And would you like to make things official?” I ask softly, stroking her long hair. “Yes,” she answers calmly after a while. “I would love to become your Blood Bond.” “And what does that entail specifically?” I inquire further. “My blood becomes yours to do as you wish with, basically mirroring marriage vows amongst Humans. You may or may not respond with the same vow to your partner. It’s not a requirement. Especially since I already made an oath in your service,” Lyona explains with her usual, collected tone. “Well, it would be only proper for us to be equal, ignoring the whole Primordial supremacy for now.” I move my hold to her thighs and hoist the pretty light girl onto the top of the counter, putting her face slightly above mine and gazing up into her blood-red irises. “Is this the final decision you’ve come to in recent days? It’s not influenced by my blood flowing through your system?” “I admit that it would be difficult to live without it after tasting something this unbelievable, but yes, I did think about this deeply as you requested.” My smart assistant gives me a confident nod. “My beliefs didn’t change. I shall remain by your side if you’ll allow me. All of me is yours, Master. I only plead that we don’t go against my family if they don’t show support for my decision. They aren’t bad people.” Placing my palm against her pale cheek, I give her a tender peck. “I would never. We’ll do our best to keep a good relationship with them. Although, I don’t think they would be that opposed to the idea of us. I’ll just have to let them know about me. Besides, even if they didn’t learn that I’m a Primordial, I think being a newly-appointed demigod does hold some sway in itself, doesn’t it?” The noble lady allows herself a pleasant chuckle alongside a warm smile. “I think so. It still would not be as preferable as joining with another Vampire, but the world is changing. If they want to survive in it, they need to reconsider some of the old traditions and rules.” “So be it.” I nod and push myself up to meet her again. This time, we deepen our kiss and Lyona’s arms wrap around my neck. She gives in completely after my acceptance, not holding her feelings back anymore. To reward my patient assistant and a new partner, I intentionally brush my lip against one of her sharp fangs, creating a tiny cut in my delicate flesh. She shudders the instant my blood gets in contact with her tongue, squeezing me tighter as a sensual moan escapes our locked mouths. Her movements grow quite fiery and I actually have to start pushing back at the hungry Vampiress. When I finally manage to pull away from her almost delirious assault, Lyona stares back at me with a visibly flushed complexion and cutely gasping breaths. Bringing our foreheads together, I peer into her glowing eyes. “And what’s the Vampires’ stance on sex?” “It’s only second to drinking blood,” she replies, taking a quick peek down. “Are you going to draw blood from me, Master?” I don’t miss the insinuation and let my fingers wander over the edges of her lithe figure. “It would be my honour. But, why don’t we join the two of your kin’s most favourite things in the world together?” That draws another shaky breath from the serene lady as her mind imagines the implications of my words. She crashes her lips into mine again, this time locking my waist with her powerful legs. For someone this slender, she certainly has a lot of strength, but it’s obvious that the recent snack she’s consumed helps her already impressive stats greatly. When her fingers start questing into my clothes, I smile amusedly and nip on her mouth. “It would be bad if someone walked in on us here don’t you think? What would a commissioner think of a boss taking advantage of his gorgeous assistant at the front desk?” “My office,” Lyona whispers. Knowing perfectly well where that is, I bring us off the counter and head for the room upstairs. My devoted assistant continues to rain kisses on my neck as I navigate the headquarters. From the insistent licks and some light, sharp grazes, it’s quite apparent how hard she is struggling not to sink her fangs into me without explicit permission. Being this close to my scent after having a taste must be agonising for her. But, she won’t need to wait for long. Finding the correct door, I hit the knob with Lyona’s butt and shove us inside with a relatively controlled shoulder check. Entering the Vampire lady’s personal working space, I shut it close with my heel, hastily making my way to the desk at the far end of the chamber. Pondering our options briefly, I choose the big comfy leather chair behind it instead and plop myself down on it with the craving bloodsucker in my arms. Aware of her surroundings enough to notice where we are, Lyona unhurriedly steps off me while keeping her menacing eyes drilling holes in mine like a predator staring down its prey. But, the rest of her body conveys a different image, something more submissive in the moment. I have no doubt that she can take charge whenever she wants to, but the desire to serve my blood might be overshadowing that part of hers right now. Without further ado, Lyona begins unpinning her uniform and removing its elements piece by piece. As the layers of suitable receptionist work clothing descend onto the floor, she soon remains in simple dark scarlet lingerie. It matches her pale carnation, white hair, and blood-red eyes perfectly well. And now, with a slight flush to her skin as her heart beats faster with yearning, she appears no less than a relatively petite goddess. That said, she isn’t lacking a pleasant swell to her feminine charms, oh no. Lyona’s round and perky breasts hang down her chest with a gentle tension that only increases how sexy she looks after unpinning her bra. Her small nipples are bright pink, invitingly standing proud and bold for all to see. She shimmies out of her panties soon after, revealing a faint trail connecting them to her smooth folds. I catch a quite sizable damp spot on their material as she lets them off on the pile of clothing too. The faint glistening of her lower lips is proof enough of what she thinks about our current situation. “Does my form please your eyes, Master?” the seductive lady asks in a calm but tinged with desire tone, drawing her fingers over her breasts and underbelly. “See for yourself.” I show a gentle smirk, resting one elbow on the armrest and putting my cheek against my fist. Lyona’s eyes flicker to my belt and she slowly licks her lips. The tent down there is already apparent, but she takes a few steps forward and falls to her knees in front of me. Looking up charmingly, she skillfully unbuckles my pants and releases my member from its confines, letting Alastair Junior stand tall between us. “It certainly does,” she says in a satisfied whisper as she gives it the most delicate little brush of her palm she could muster before returning her attention to my face. “May I have a taste of this too?” “All yours.” I reach out to bring a lock of her white hair behind her left ear, caressing her cheek in the process. Lyona gives me a grateful smile as she angles her face over my cock and places a dainty peck on its crown. Moving lower, she brings out her tongue and gives it a long lick from the very bottom to the very top. Seemingly finding it at least half as good as my blood, she follows that movement with a few more, causing my junior to bob excitedly at her affection. Finally deciding to take a bigger bite, she presses her tender lips against the tip and peers deep into my eyes. Holding my gaze, she lets it spread them open bit by bit as she takes it inside at a languid pace. She almost bottoms out but her throat stops her for now so she sensually tickles my member with her tongue instead. “For someone going through their first time, you are surprisingly good and sensual,” I comment with a pleased smile. Drawing back for a second, she inclines her head in thanks. “I’m of a noble birth. Our house values sexual education greatly as pleasing your husband or wife is an extremely important skill. Especially for Vampires. Our couplings… tend to be much more sensitive than other races.” “After you ingest blood, right?” I ask and she nods. “I’ll do my best to bring you to the peak of pleasure, then.” With my hand still on the side of her face, I lightly pull Lyona up and lean down to kiss her on the lips. Since my wound has already healed by itself, I create another and let the blood flow into her mouth through it. I can feel her excitement and initial stages of ecstasy as the hand she brought to my dick to caress it starts putting more strength into its rubbing. I have to drag the blood-loving beauty off my face, but to her credit, she finds her bearings fairly quickly and returns between my legs. It’s quite a scary and arousing image to witness her crimson-stained lips wrap themselves around my length and proceed to focus on pleasuring me as one last trickle of scarlet liquid trails down her small chin. As usual, I openly show my appreciation for her efforts in the form of some soft sighs and occasional gentle groans, alongside my fingers brushing through her hair. Surprisingly, she doesn’t use her fingers to play with herself, instead freely dripping on the wooden panels beneath her pussy as they play with my orbs instead. Then, just as I’m going to speak, my ears pick up the quite characteristic sound of footsteps heading this way in the corridor. Lyona doesn’t notice amidst her focus on servicing me until someone gives the door a faint knock. “Miss Lyona?” Ressia’s voice reaches us in a muffled fashion. My Vampire lover freezes for a split second, but then her scarlet eyes jump to mine and a delicate smile forms on her lips wrapped around my cock. Taking a hold of the chair’s legs, she yanks the whole thing towards herself, alongside my own person. Another pull later and she ends up squished under the desk as I end up positioned right in front of it. Thankfully or not, it’s the one with its back boarded off so you can’t see anything from the other side. Glancing down at my waist, I find two glowing crimson points bobbing up and down in the semi-darkness cast by my body and the chair. They look up at me expectantly and it’s obvious what their intentions are. Sighing in both pleasure and resignation, I turn my face to the door. Ressia might try to take a peek inside after not receiving a reply anyway so I can as well deal with it quickly. “Not exactly,” I respond and can practically sense the surprise and confusion behind the wooden entrance. “Feel free to enter.” My valiant Wolfkin leader does as told and peers at me behind my assistant’s desk, saluting with her fist to her chest afterward. “Greetings, Boss. We didn’t know you had already arrived.” The silent suction plaguing my member only intensifies and gets harder to ignore with each passing second. Knowing well what she is aiming for, I decide to give it to the naughty girl below the surface before she gives herself out. Keeping my best neutral face as an explosion of cream quickly fills Lyona’s mouth, I give Ressia a wry smile. “I came just a moment ago. We were going to meet with you soon, but Lyona required my aid with something first,” I answer truthfully. “I see. Is she not here, then?” she asks, clearly meaning the whole building instead of the room. “She’s a little busy with a task I’ve given to her and she will come out soon. Anything important you want to tell her?” I raise a curious brow as the person in question cleans me up with tender licks, already using our conversation as a cover to swallow the received gift. “I was only going to ask if she knew when you would visit us, Boss, so it’s all good. The girls were wondering how things have gone on your side and didn’t want to bother you telepathically,” she explains, and her nostrils flare slightly, followed by some colour showing on her sharp cheeks. “I’ll go and let them know you’ll be with us soon.” With a quick salute once more, she hastily walks out of the office. Of course. It was obvious she would notice with her enhanced senses. Everyone knew that. Except for Lyona. The white-haired minx keeps lapping her small tongue over my throbbing length and looking up at me with proud, glimmering eyes, completely unaware of the blunder she’s just made. Sighing to myself, I push myself and the chair slightly away to allow my pretty assistant to crawl from under the desk. “I heard the Beastkin females talk about how tasty your seed is, Master, but I didn’t expect it to be almost as delicious as your blood,” Lyona admits as if nothing happened. “It feels like I received a reward rather than offering you my service.” Snickering lightly, I pull her into a loving kiss. “Get used to it if you want to stay close to me, then. Because now, it’s my turn to sample you.” Moving my hands to her sides, I bring us both up and sit Lyona down on the desk. She doesn’t protest and instead falls to the back while spreading herself for me all to see, holding her legs to the sides by her thighs. She puts up her plump pussy on full display with that gesture, currently dripping with need right onto the precious wooden surface from the tightly closed slit. Seeing such an exquisite meal before my eyes, I waste no time getting on my knees and pushing my mouth against the fragrant mound. A light gasp escapes Lyona’s throat as I get in contact with her heated core, brushing my tongue over her outer labia as I scoop her nectar from the outside. “Mhmmmmmm…” She hums sweetly while pulling her legs apart even more, making her juicy peach exposed even further to my devouring. “So hot and wet already. Don’t tell me hiding under that desk is what got you so excited.” I press kisses to her secret place, nuzzling her clit gently. Lyona doesn’t answer but I spy a stronger blush on her light skin as she looks to the side. I now wonder if it’s something she’s just learned by accident or if she was aware of such predispositions before. But, right now, instead of delving into the depths of this secret, I delve my tongue into her incredibly hot passage, evoking a shuddering sigh from the white-haired Vampire. I start eating her out with gusto, greedily sucking on and exploring her delicate, pinkish flesh. “Ahhh… Ahhhh… Ahhhhh… Master…” Judging by the delicate moans, I’m doing a fairly decent job, or she’s just that turned on by the blood, semen, and acting naughty in public. It doesn’t take much to bring her close and I watch her feet quiver as her toes curl in and she bravely holds her legs splayed. Mindful of the fact that it’s her first time with a man, I don’t use my fingers yet or go too far. Apparently, it’s not necessary. With one mighty flick of a tongue against her shy nub, Lyona releases a long, trembling moan that arches her back and shakes her to the very core. Her beautiful pussy gushes at me with a bit more of her juices with each spasm, making an even bigger mess on the desk. Giving the pale lady some time to recover, I hover over her lithe frame and gaze at her flushed face. Lyona takes small, gasping breaths as she looks back at me, her perky breasts moving seductively along with her chest. Giving one of them some tender brushes and rubs, I bring our lips together and we exchange a few cordial pecks, my member resting atop the valley between her smooth legs. “Is it finally time?” She grazes my front with her fingers, heading south. “Are you going to draw the first blood from me, Master?” I hold in my snicker, doing my best to get that phrase out of my head. It’s obvious this is something rather ritualistic for her kind and I won’t let silliness from back home ruin it. “I will draw your first blood, my bloody bonded. As well as the second too,” I respond with a faint smirk. Lyona furrows her brows at me in thought but I softly lift and set her down on the ground. With me behind her, I lead us past the chair, heading for the curtained wall at the back of the office. Arriving in front of it, I yank the material aside, letting in more of the warm sunlight and revealing the streets and our mansion below. With a gentle bump, I push her pert peaks into the glass and she supports herself with her hands on the sides as I arch her butt a bit more to me. She gives me a curious, somewhat hesitant glance over her dainty shoulder and I place a reassuring kiss on her rosy cheek. “Didn’t they tell you that the whole place is enchanted? You can only see through the windows from the inside, save for the main reception,” I whisper sensually to her ear. My anxious Vampire lady nibbles on her bottom lip and sticks her plump behind out even more, grazing her bubbly asscheeks against my erection. With the help of my right hand, I push her legs a bit more apart and press the tip into her narrow opening, evoking a light shiver from the expectant girl. As planned, she turns her face forward to gaze upon the city ahead of us, preparing herself to savour this grand moment of our union. That gives me enough time to mentally navigate my menus in search of my ability-borrowing skill and then locate something amongst hers that I remember taking note of before. It looks like eating each other out was enough to properly activate some of my Class techniques in her case as the passive Vampirism shows up as available to select. In a matter of a second or two, a weak wave of heat rolls through my entire body and my heart skips a beat. The scent of Lyona’s blood becomes much more apparent and enticing, overpowering her fragrant, natural aroma. As expected from the skill description, which mentions its holders being equipped with proper tools to draw blood, my fangs elongate slightly and grow sharper. When I slide my left hand to one of Lyona’s alluring breasts and continue holding onto her thigh with the right, preparing myself to strike, it’s already too late as her eyes find mine in the hazy reflection on the glass. She has only a fraction of a second to register the shocking change, her gaze beginning to widen as I drive myself gently into her pussy while sinking my new fangs into her enticing shoulder. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” A piercing cry of euphoria emerges from Lyona’s throat as she throws her head to the back and comes on the very spot. Her knees bang together as her attractive frame shudders fiercely, her eyes rolling to the back. A few gushes of love nectar splash my thighs and the glass pane in front of us as Lyona continues cumming, moaning, and trembling. I keep my mouth steady not to widen the wounds my fangs make. And trust me, it’s damn near impossible with how delicious she is. After a solid fifteen seconds, she gets a hold of herself, panting strongly while resting her face against the window, looking back at me at a slight angle. I stay inside her velvety channel and wait, sensing the small trickle of blood now adorning our privates. “How…?” Lyona searches my now crimson eyes for an answer. I reluctantly let go of her shoulder. “I’m full of secrets. You’ll have a lot of fun discovering them. But, is that what’s important right now?” She quickly shakes her head and I feel her grind her ass into me. “Please…” Pressing myself firmly into her, trapping the pale girl between me and the window, I start thrusting into her tight pussy with delicate taps at first, joining our lips together in a lovely exchange. The glass squeaks under the faint barrage but it’s designed to hold. I would not expect anything less from our resident craftmeister and her drive to upgrade everything up to my standards. As if I have any. “Ahh. Ahhh. Ahh. Ahhh.” The pretty Vampire lets out small moans, feeling fairly good already, so I pick up the pace. “I never thought… Ahhh… You would be able to drink my blood… Ahhh… Like any of us…” “It felt rather important so I wanted to go all the way,” I admit. “I now partially understand how my blood might be something so delicious to you.” “And your seed…” she adds with a faint smile. “Yes, and your nectar.” I chuckle. “I didn’t expect the action to get you so strongly, though.” “Ahhh. Ahhh. Ahhh. You took me by surprise. Ahhh. And it felt positively divine. Ahh. Ahhh. You timed it so well I couldn’t help but almost faint from bliss,” Lyona replies almost reverently. “Glad to hear that.” I smirk at her. “Now, I guess I’ll stop talking and start sucking.” She braces herself for another sting as I return to the previous spot to find it healed. Shrugging to myself, I made a new bite, bringing out another lascivious scream from the white-haired girl, feeling her clamp around my cock damn fiercely. She becomes like twice as snug in a flash. I somehow manage to hammer into her pink lily without making it uncomfortable for her as I pump Lyona into the clear glass, squishing her tits against its surface while holding her butt arched to me. People pass underneath us, completely unaware of the controversy happening right above their heads. She understands it too, often peeking at those who seemingly gaze up in our direction, simply admiring the building from the other side. That’s also when her tight passage contracts itself around my length, barely allowing me to pull back. Such a little, long-lived pervert. No wonder she and Elise are great friends. “Master…” Lyona whispers breathlessly. “I know,” I mumble with my mouth still on her shoulder. Her moans turn up and the change in how she welcomes me into her depths is more than obvious too. Whipping my hips to the back enough to almost slip out, I slam myself into her slit with all I had while sucking the biggest dose of her blood at the same time. “Yessssssssssssssssssssss!” Lyona’s cry of ecstasy is like music to my ears as we both erupt together. My body towers over hers, almost crushing her entire figure into the window as my pearly seed floods her feminine channel according to my faint thrusts. A trickle of love juices escapes our union at the peak of Lyona’s high, trailing down our legs as she stands on her tiptoes. I draw back my fangs when we start coming down from the paradise of our moment, remaining sheathed in Lyona’s warm embrace for a little longer. She looks at me expectantly while panting softly so I present the Vampire lady with a bloody kiss, mixing both mine and her blood as our tongues dance with each other. Then, a quiet curse reaches my ears and I’m not the only one to catch it this time. We both pause, and just as we glance towards the entrance, the door flies open and a domino of women stumbles inside, landing in a pile of intertwined limbs. Most of them suffer from slight wardrobe malfunctions with their casual shirts being up over one shoulder or their bottoms and panties hanging around their ankles, with their fingers slick with something clear and sticky. They look up at me sheepishly and guiltily as I look back at them with a snort. I should have expected that.
Chapter 206 – To Punish or to Not to Punish ❤❤❤ Spoiler: Chapter The twelve naughty women sit on their knees in two rows in front of the desk I’m currently resting my hands on from the other side. I might still be completely naked and marked with some evidence of our recent lovely moment with my blood-connoisseur assistant, but the thick piece of furniture covers my lower half decently well. However, even with that, the somewhat guilty bunch doesn’t stop stealing glances at my visible torso or the obstructed point, possibly trying to imagine what’s hidden from them. Just like me, Lyona stands in her birthday suit at my side. And just like me, her pale skin is decorated with some obvious traces, including streaks of blood running from her lips and shoulder, creating ominous but also arousing paths leading down to her feminine secrets, where a bit of pearly white liquid drips from within, staining the floor. She doesn’t seem too embarrassed by our current predicament but certainly hasn’t planned on showing herself like this to the girls she is supervising. “Now, then... What do I do with you bunch…” I tap my fingers over the wooden surface and the women flinch a little, escaping with their eyes more to the side while keeping their heads straight and low. “Ressia?” “Sir, yes, sir!” The wolfgirl jumps to her feet instantly, presenting me with a perfect salute to her chest. Well, it would have been perfect if not for her obviously damp fingers and a clear wet spot at the centre of her bottoms. “I think I remember telling you that I was going to meet up with the squad in a bit,” I say with a raised brow. “You kind of ruined my plans, you know?” My valiant captain can’t help but sneak a few quick glances where it counts now that her position allows for it, but her eyes then skip to mine and her cheeks turn crimson after being caught red-handed. “My sincerest apologies, Boss!” she shouts. “I tried to stop them! I really did! But they wouldn’t listen!” “They wanted to eavesdrop on me silently going through some documents this much?” I question her further. Ressia cringes faintly and fixes it with a wry smile. “I… I might have commented on the scent a bit…” Lyona’s figure tenses slightly as she realises that we haven’t been as sneaky as she thought and I unhurriedly reach out to run my palm over her smooth back, giving the lovely Vampire a reassuring look. She blushes just a tad before recomposing herself to that enthralling calm and collected receptionist with an aura of mystery and command. “And so you lot ran up here to spy on your boss having sex with his secretary, unable to wait for your turn, is that correct?” I turn back to my disobedient charge. “Judging by the evidence on your fingers and shorts, you didn’t protest against their intentions for too long.” My fierce wolfgirl swallows heavily and gives me a firm nod as her ears droop down onto her hair. “I have no excuses for succumbing to my carnal urges while I should have been actively trying to dissuade my subordinates away from this bad idea of theirs.” One of the two Dragonewts present in the unit opens her mouth, but I level her with a moderately stern glare to stop her from trying to take part of the blame onto herself, possibly for being the initial instigator. Even though she looks somewhat chastised by that, the shiver that passes through her and the warmth spreading over her face makes it obvious enough that my stare has some other effects on that scaly girl’s body. “I can see that,” I comment on Ressia’s response, returning my attention to the canine Beastkin. “And you know you interrupted Lyona’s very special moment with your intrusion, right?” She visibly deflates, lowering her gaze even more. A hand touches my arm and I glance at the person in question, who looks between the two of us with some gentle concern. I give Lyona a reassuring nod. It’s not my intention to be too harsh on Ressia and the others, but the leader does have to show his subordinates that he can be both strict and rewarding, not just one. Thankfully, my Vampire companion doesn’t speak up to say something about it not being a big deal or her not minding it much, leaving the rest to me. “What to do… What to do…” I sigh softly. “I’m not even disappointed that you tried to eavesdrop on us, only that you got so sloppy it got you caught by literally flying right through the front entrance.” At that, even the other eleven females finally show some actual shame for their failure. “You can do so much better, girls. You are my elites. If you would have taken this seriously, you could have hosted a giant orgy behind that door and fucked yourselves and each other silly while listening to us going at it, but you let your bodily instincts take over,” I berate them firmly. “Even if I sensed you out there, as long as it would have been clear that anyone else would have been clueless would make me proud of you and let this fly as a reward for your impressive capabilities.” Some of them bite down on their lips, only now understanding how much they fucked up something that could have been great. They know that I’m not bullshitting them, telling the whole truth. I don’t mind them being horny for me, and they are aware of that. I would slot myself into any of them in the middle of the corridor if they showed signs of being interested, but there is time and place for that. “Again, I’m at a crossroads here.” I sigh once more. “I was going to show you my appreciation for the job well done, both on-site and out on the commission, but after I had a talk about everything with Lyona, going through some important specifics from the recently completed job. Now, you made it all difficult.” “We are sorry to disappoint you, Leader,” Ressia says remorsefully and the others mirror her right after. “We swear to be better in the future and will accept any punishment you deem fit.” After another round of guilty apologies and hopeful promises, I look aside at Lyona. She meets my gaze with a delicate smile and steps closer to place a bloody peck on my cheek. “The girls that stayed behind while you ventured out worked really hard in the city,” my Vampire assistant states. “I think this small lapse in judgment shouldn’t overshadow their accomplishments.” “I see.” I appear as if there’s a need to give much thought to her defence of them. “And what do you suggest we do, then? As the person affected the most by this situation, I’ll let you decide.” “I could still give you the debriefing, Master, while you dispense your rewards to them, starting with the six from the group that remained at the headquarters,” Lyona offers. “That way, they won’t be able to decide on when, where, how, and in what form, which should be a fitting disciplinary action for the error of their ways. You won’t be fulfilling any vouchers today, simply satisfying your own desires instead since they have lost the right to request anything from you.” A few fluffy ears rise back up alongside some heads as the presented solution is just bound to find a positive reception from these bitches in heat, literally and figuratively. In the end, they would still get boned, which feels like a win to them. “And that’s why I appreciate your sound advice and smart input.” I show a bright grin at my sly assistant. “But, to make it a bit more impactful, we are confiscating all the toys shaped like me from them for the next three peripheral expeditions each.” A collective whine echoes through the office as my punishment hits the ladies where it actually hurts. Not having my replica to satisfy themselves on a mission far outside our base of operations is a deadly serious matter for their sexual pleasure and stress relief. They will be forced to rely on their hands or each other for that instead. “Anything you want to say in that matter?” I roam my eyes over all twelve of my proud mercenaries. “Sir, no, sir.” Ressia attempts to take it like it’s not a big issue but fails with how uncertain her voice comes out, almost cracking near the end. “We accept your verdict. No matter how cruel it might be.” “Alright. At ease. All of you.” I swipe a free hand down my face. “Ressia, for your personal failure at keeping your squad in check, you are delegated to cleaning duty until the very end.” The usually bright and sharp canine girl blinks at me confusedly in response. “What are you waiting for? Get down there!” I smack the desk with my other palm and she jumps up with a yelp. “Sir, yes, sir!” Ressia shouts and hastily runs to my side, finally getting it. Just to make sure, she offers me one more glance up in the eyes as her tail starts wagging faster and faster while she drops to her knees, but I simply continue to glare at her silently for wasting time. Nibbling on her lower lip in an attempt to hide her pleased smile, she gives my cock a quick sniff before dragging her tongue from the bottom to the top. She gets to work properly, soon pulling me all into her mouth and attentively rolling her tongue around my sensitive parts. Meanwhile, the others can only watch her triangular ears bob up and down behind the desk’s top from their perspective, accompanied by occasional slurping sounds. Leaving myself in the hands, or lips, of the skilled Wolfkin, I turn to Lyona. “What should we start with?” She watches Ressia going at it for a brief moment before unhurriedly spinning around, which presents me with the perfect view of her adorable bottom and a wave of her enthralling white hair. Her tender booty intentionally bounces as she walks up to a cabinet on the side and brings out a packet of documents. Pressing it strongly into her chest, she makes her fair breasts stand out even more, emphasising the swell of her soft peaks to the limit. Her pinkish nipples almost graze the edge of the folder as she daintily returns to me. “I think we should begin with the biggest commission, the one you undertook personally, Master,” she says calmly, then glances at the kneeling women. “Get out of those clothes in the meantime. Our glorious leader doesn’t have all the time in the world to wait for you to fumble through your buttons.” Eleven sets of eyes shift to me and I raise a brow at their owners. Figuring out that my presence doesn’t relieve Lyona of her privileges to order them around, they start quickly disrobing on the floor. “As for the girls, you may start with whoever you wish to, Master,” she adds directly to me after that. “Personally, I would suggest Mauve as she secured the highest praise in the second half of the squad.” Recognising that name, I move my attention to the single Oni lady in the small crowd. The short female with long, pointy horns protruding from the front of her forehead seems composed while looking back at me, but I can see her toes curling from anticipation. Her short black hair obstructs part of her left eye, helping her hide part of her face even further too. “Mauve, come here,” I offer her an invite. “Sir, yes, sir,” she replies with a regal but not pretentious tone. Standing up, the Oni showcases her entire petite and modest figure to me. While her horns are high up enough to poke my eyes out, her nose hangs somewhere around my sternum. She has great lean legs and keeps her build rather slim, matching her partially magical, partially roguish specialisation. Arriving at my side, she looks down at Ressia worshipping my cock and I grab the wolfgirl’s hair to pull her up firmly. She whimpers dejectedly at the loss of her treat, but quickly recollects herself and steps away to kneel by Lyona, waiting for her next assignment. Wrapping my arm around the petite Oni, I first bring Mauve onto the desk’s surface and pull her face up for an affectionate kiss. She hums sweetly as our tongues dance together and then suddenly moans through a faint gasp. Peeking lower, I notice that Ressia has spread her legs and is giving her small slit some wet licks to prepare her for me as much as she can. Not that it’s that necessary with how moist Mauve already is, dripping evidence right on the wooden top. “I’m going to take you from behind while pulling on your horns,” I whisper to the Oni and her pretty eyes sparkle with excitement at the idea. Moving the greedy Wolfkin away with my knee, I spin the little lady around and she lands on her belly with a gentle smack. Widening her stance on her own, she grabs the further edge of the desk and peeks back at me over her shoulder. That state doesn’t last long as I do as I promised and wrap my fingers around the long handles, directing her face forward. Pressing my tip against her snug entrance, I slide in slowly, filling her up to the brim. “Yessssss…” Mauve sighs in bliss as I bottom out in her comfortable channel. Pulling back, I start thrusting into her faster and stronger with each plunge, filling the office with her erotic moans and gasps. I spot movement to my side and Lyona places an open document on the Oni’s delicate back, allowing me to read it without an issue. I go through the numbers and statements while plowing my subordinate silly. “As you can see up here, Master, the clients were extremely satisfied with our performance. They have given us their official commendation and request to purchase the VIP status for any future dealings with our company,” the still-naked Vampire lady explains. “Ahhhh! Ahhh! Ohhh! Ahhh! Ohhh!” the pounded Oni exclaims. “They have already paid the price of the additional subscription and received simple communication artefacts to reach us faster for any of their needs. At the same time, that money is separate from the payment we received for the assignment. The full sum can be found on the next page, alongside with the bonus,” Lyona continues. “Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ohhhh!” Mauve carries on too. “Ten times the base value?” I sigh heavily, half from pleasure and half from the ridiculousness of the pay. “Ohhhhhh yesssssss!” my coupling partner answers accidentally as I drive myself deeper into her yearning pussy. “Correct. And that’s after I managed to negotiate it down from twenty-five times,” Lyona expands on it. “It wasn’t easy as the client was fairly adamant about rewarding our honest efforts. I couldn’t accept such a massive overpay, though. It’s against the principles you established for us, Master.” “Amazing work. You make me really proud, Lyona.” I smile at her with honest gratitude and admiration, at which she blushes just a tiny bit. Then, her glowing red eyes skip to my shoulder and quickly return back, but I don’t miss it. She tries to read my expression for a few seconds before finding what she is looking for and sauntering behind me with an elegant step. Her slender fingers sneak up my front from the sides as I sense her hard nipples press into my back. With a quiet thank you, she sinks her fangs in my shoulder, evoking a deep groan out of me. The trembling Oni girl lets out a prolonged moan too as I shove my dick into her depths with one last powerful thrust, bursting inside her with a ferocious wave of seed coaxed out by my blood-sucking lover. It’s one of the longer orgasms I experience, flooding Mauve’s pussy as she rides her own high to the pleasure of being filled up to the brim. Pulling out of her tight entrance with an audible pop, I take my hands away and she slides off the desk, resting her back against the front while panting heavily. My member bobs around in front of her eyes, but just as she raises her face to reach it, Ressia swallows it whole, reclaiming her cleaning duty without failure. Mauve glares at her for a second before glancing up at me and showing a hint of a happy smile. I seek the documents that have been lying atop her but Lyona already has them in her hand, wiping her mouth with the other, managing to miss a few droplets and paint her breasts and tummy even further. Unable to let go of such an opportunity, I descend with my lips to one of her plump breasts and suckle on it modestly, licking off the crimson liquid greedily. She releases a few sighs of appreciation before I allow her to continue. “Next, Turo and Furo,” my assistant announces. “They completed the highest number of quests in a week of time.” Two females approach me, both holders of shiny, blue scales, making them the pair of Dragonewt sisters we have in Eden Beta. Their builds are powerful, but not as muscular as the Orc woman standing amongst the group. Typically robust thighs and chiselled tummies, putting their impressive breasts even more on display. The only way to distinguish the two is the direction they trim their fringes as their dark blue hairstyle is pretty much a mirror copy of each other. Giving our options a moment of thought, I pick a way for them both to enjoy some carnal affection. Signalling at them to follow me, I hop onto the desk and lie down on my back. Staring at my horizontal form, they exchange glances and quickly share their understanding. Furo crosses her legs over my waist while Turo puts her knees on the sides of my head, both facing my way. Linking their gazes over their shoulders, they lower themselves onto me in perfect sync. Just as my dick makes its way through an amazingly slippery channel and my tongue delves into a similarly wet crevice, Lyona hands out another open document to the girl in the front. Suppressing her shudders and wanton moans, Turo holds the pages to her breasts, letting me read their contents from my unusual position. I have to admit, I did try reading books while lying down as most likely everyone at one point in their life, but I had never read anything while eating out the person presenting the text to me as my cock makes a mess out of another girl a bit further south. Lyona can come up with one-of-a-kind arrangements, I swear. “As for our expenses, as you can see here and here, Master, they fit the estimated norms, save for the help we provided to the knights during the securing of the accident area,” she reads out loud from her personal notes. “I don’t think it’s proper to charge anyone for our volunteer assistance so I wrote those costs down in a different column, separating them from the in-commission operational entries.” Holding the front lady steady with my hands on around her waist, I spare no efforts to make love to the both of them. It’s challenging to focus on the numbers and tables clearly prepared by our resident accountant with all that slapping of flesh, whimpers, moans, and wet smacks of pussy lips kissing my underbelly. But, it’s not impossible and I nod at Turo to flip the page. “Here you can find my personal suggestions on what to do to improve our budgeting for similar operations in the future,” Lyona continues valiantly, now standing near the top of my head, giving me a view straight at her enticing pussy and protruding breasts from below. “After you examine those in detail, I would like you to let me know which suggestions you agree with and which you find not up to our standards. Please, don’t be afraid to share your honest opinions with me.” “Will do,” I try to say but it comes out really muffled with hot, dripping folds pressed into my mouth, flooding my tongue with delicious love nectar. We go through a few more mentions of expenses, costs, and other financial aspects of the recent expedition as I reward my hardworking members with all I can. To be fair to both girls, I remind them to switch things up and they obediently change places. This time, Furo presents her fragrant crevice to me with her back turned to my face, allowing me to peer at her cute backdoor and impressive tail. Turo remains positioned the same way as she had been in her position, and the duo hold hands while exchanging kisses, their mountainous peaks rubbing together. The desk rattles a little under our combined weight and the impact of our bouncing bodies. If not for the additional formations surrounding the office and the entire headquarters, the thudding would have been loud and powerful enough to turn some heads outside, making people think that we are making renovations at best, doing what we are doing right now at worst. I’m impressed with the durability of this fancy table too. The ladies chose the furniture well, most likely predicting its use way ahead of me. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that every single piece has been somewhat reinforced too just so that I can take the merc ladies on, against, and over them without any worries. Especially the Beastkin girls are bound to expect some rough affection. But, this is not what I should be thinking about right now. The azure-scaled beauties receiving their prize for fulfilling their jobs to their utmost ability are. I can tell both of them are quickly approaching climax, and it gives me a slight challenge of coming up with a way to offer them my reward without favouring either. I could technically make myself cum twice in a row with some orgasm manipulation or prolong it long enough to fill them both up in one go. Before I can come up to a decision though, they pick an option of their own. When Lyona takes away the final pages of the document she has been pressing into Furo’s back as a means to give me a good view of them, the Dragonewt girls jump off me, slide to the ground in front of the desk, and carefully pull me towards its edge, rotating my body. I end up in a sitting position with them kneeling in front of me, holding their mouths open as their cheeks touch and tongues hang out invitingly. Not minding the said invitation, I finish myself off with a few more pumps to give them a hint about the timing and explode with ropes of cum right on their fierce faces, covering their scaly cheeks and foreheads with my sweet seed. Of course, lots of it lands in her open mouths for a little bonus they definitely deserve. Their cooperation was pretty incredible. Once again, before they even finish cleaning each other up, Ressia gobbles my cock to get their juices off me in a flash. Since we have ended up facing the other women, the rest of the squad gets a nice display of their captain going to town with my junior as her tail wags excitedly like I’m showering her with the purest form of affection her kind can receive. There’s no doubt she must be flooding the floorboards with her juices after this long without me touching her. Unfortunately, it’s still not her turn. “We can now cover the smaller commissions the ladies took during your absence, Master.” Lyona brings forth a thicker folder with a bunch of packets poking out of its confines. “There are fourteen of them in total. That’s more than one a day. According to my estimations, they did a really good job. And Xesta was the one to draw the most people into our headquarters while out in the town on her own assignments.” The muscular Orc female stands up and offers me a few beats of her fist against her chest, making her firm tits bounce and wave with each hit. She is the definition of a muscular woman as thick, corded muscles run all over her mighty frame. Yet, her breasts of an enjoyable size are still as appealing as any other pair, not suffering too much from her physique. Contrary to Garrena, she has a slightly softer jaw and face in general, but her eyes burn with eternal fire seeking honourable battles. I better give the grey-haired Amazonian one or she will be disappointed. Offering a hand to Xesta, I pull her up onto the desk to join me. For a while, I simply run my fingers all over her muscles, admiring them without hiding my awe and respect. Of course, I don’t forget about her feminine charms too, cupping up her firm, green peaks and sliding my fingers over her drenched slit adorned with a wild bush above the shy nub. She breathes in and out with the full capacity of her lungs while relishing the gentle caresses before things turn feral. Then, after I present her with a rough kiss, she leans to the back, aiming to present herself fully to me. Unfortunately, she doesn’t notice that we aren’t positioned along the desk but across it and so her back never finds purchase, continuing its descent past the wooden edge. That doesn’t fluster Xesta though and she quickly turns the slight oversight into a decent benefit. Touching the floor with her hands, she supports herself on them while arching her massive frame. Her back muscles flex strongly as her thick thighs wrap themselves around my waist. With my cock in the perfect place to slip into her dark emerald cunt, I dive right in from above, evoking a grunt from my partner. As I start hammering into her strong enough to see the bulge in her lower abdomen from the angle we are fucking at, she lets out grunts and growls of pleasure, further enhanced by the somewhat awkward but definitely splendid position. The way she is working many of her muscles during the already strenuous physical activity is making her so much tighter and coiling around my member. I can barely move inside her and she holds me hostage inside her unimaginably tight passage. Our forceful coupling requires most of my attention so that we don’t fall or worse, therefore Lyona politely waits on the sidelines, reading through her notes in silence while preparing to make use of a window of opportunity to keep filling me in on the proceedings of the company during my leave of absence as I’m filling up the personnel that made all those requests fulfilled without a hitch. At least it seems so from what Lyona has shared with me so far. Xesta starts showing signs of struggle in holding herself up amidst all that pleasure her strong pussy is receiving from my pounding so I let her drop a bit more. Her neck rests on the floor properly while her back presses into the front of the desk. I step off it and bring her legs closer to her torso, effectively making her feminine mound protrude even more from her pubic region. Without further ado, I start piledriving into her without any moderation. “Ugh! Uhhh! Uhhh! Yes! Strong mating makes tummy tremble!” She roars without much restraint too. Plunging myself into her Xesta repeatedly, I glance up and spot Lyona taking a seat in front of me with her legs crossed. Giving me a gentle smile, she spreads a few documents on the wooden surface and starts pointing out things amongst them that require my attention. With the naturally seductive Vampire girl right before my eyes, it’s not easy to direct that attention anywhere other than to her fair peaks or the smooth valley below. But, we push through adversity together. The mighty Orc warrior woman starts contracting around me with even more power soon enough and I give Xesta a fitting ending to our great coupling. A reverberating growl sends tremors through my member as I flood her green depths with a white flood, that’s how powerful her high is. At least until she gets off so good that her pussy sends my dick flying out and a jet of fragrant liquid squirts up into the air, getting her entire figure even wetter than it already has been. Some trickles escape her twitching slit for a moment longer as she comes down from her impressive high. Rolling away to make some space and flopping onto the floor belly down, she gets replaced by Ressia’s skilful tongue. Deciding to show some love to the devoted cleaner too, I drag the canine girl’s head between me and the desk, proceeding to pump into her throat with moderate strength. As expected, the horny Wolfkin welcomes the rough treatment wholeheartedly as the sounds of her flicking her bean as quickly as possible reach my ears alongside her controlled gagging. After shooting a massive load straight into Ressia’s starving belly, the queue moves on and I handle all the other ladies while listening to Lyona’s detailed reports. I realise it a little bit late, but my usually very efficient and effective assistant has a fairly mischievous side to her too. How else can timing things out just perfectly so we finish the final document the second I finish inside the last person to receive a reward, which is Ressia, of course, be called? I’ve really found the best possible employees I could dream of. The company will be in worthy hands during my upcoming journey with Sirgia to her homeland. I guess it’s time to start preparing and head out for real. Forgegravers better be ready. We are going to take the house and the entire nation by storm. My sweet, adorable cinnamon roll deserves nothing less for her genius inventions and pure talent.
Chapter 207 – Through the Eyes of Another: The Magician Returns Spoiler: Chapter On the other side of the street a little bit later... Leaving the dining hall, I head for the stairs leading to the upper level. A group of Beastkin girls, both pure-blooded and half-blooded, politely step aside to let me pass, showing gentle sides while respectfully lowering their heads. It’s been a while, but I still haven’t fully gotten used to this level of appreciation. Save for Lianne, the King, and perhaps a person or two in my old research group, most people would look down on me and anyone else below their station with pure disdain. Sometimes even on those above them too. But, here, it was completely different. “Good morning, Lady Cornelia,” a half-blood Rabbitkin greets me kindly and her friends quickly echo her words. “Good morning to you too, girls.” I nod at them and reciprocate the gentle smiles they direct my way. “Heading down for a snack?” The fairly voluptuous pure-blood Deerkin lady chuckles a tad shyly. “You caught us, Lady Cornelia. After last night, some of us got quite a big appetite that hadn’t been sated during breakfast. Our apologies for being so voracious.” “Don’t apologise.” I wave at them dismissively. “Lest Al hears you say blasphemous things like this. You don’t want another lecture from our dear manager about doing what makes you happy here, do you? So, go on and stuff yourselves full to your heart’s content.” “I prefer much more when Master is the one doing the stuffing.” A half-blood Catkin giggles impishly, getting smacked on top of the head by the rabbitgirl the next moment. I just snort at her dirty quip. Can’t even blame them for it as Beastkin are much more open about their desires than Humans for example. And they are positively smitten with Al, of course. Turning into a God of Sex certainly didn’t help the issue. “I’m sure someone is still in the kitchen, and even if they aren’t, you know who to ask,” I continue as if nothing happened. “And, good work, girls. We are proud of you. Always. I know that two of you are still new to this but you are doing amazing adapting this quickly after living most of your life hating Humans.” “It helps that Master and you are so kind to us, Lady Cornelia,” the deergirl replies. “We are thankful for having a place we can call home and not worry about all the troubles of the world. I know this might sound selfish, but I personally don’t care about what some races did in the past or still do as long as I can be happy and safe. And being always sexually satisfied or pampered by such a gentle yet strong male? It feels like a blessing.” The other two nod eagerly, at least partially agreeing with what their friend said. “Again, don’t apologise, or feel bad about it.” I place a hand on her shoulder. “If this is your idea of a perfect life, no one can tell you otherwise. You aren’t hurting anyone in the process. Not everyone is fated to fight against the evils of the world. Most never should have to, honestly. So, be content with your peaceful life full of delicious food, entertaining activities, and lots of passionate mating. If you ever change your mind about your future, just let us know. We’ll arrange for it as soon as we can.” Surprisingly, she steps forward and pulls me into a cordial hug, tickling my nose with her short fur a tiny bit. But, I manage not to sneeze and pat her back in return. Our embrace doesn’t last long and she withdraws, looking at my face from up close. “Thank you for everything, Lady Cornelia. You, Master, and all your sister-mates have saved me from an unspeakable darkness after the loss of my beloved mate. I will never be able to repay all your goodwill but I can at least try to work this debt off a little in your service.” She squeezes me one more time before showing a loving smile. “You’ll be a great mother, My Lady. I envy your offspring so much.” My whole body instantly grows hot as I try to step away from her grasp. “Shush it, you! Get your asses in the kitchen before I snitch on you to Al and lock the four of you in a room for three days so he can make sure you never again feel apologetic about what you deserve!” The girls chuckle together before hurriedly scurrying down the stairs. The Deerkin turns around to give me one last glance and I glare at her until she finally disappears after her companions. Taking a deep breath, I exhale heavily and shake my head. Coincidentally, my gaze ends up on my belly and I slide my palm over it softly. Realising that I’ve spaced out for who knows how long, I jolt slightly and quickly look around. Thankfully, no one seems to be in the main hall so I hastily smooth my clothes out and jog up the stairs before I stumble on any more of those cheeky vixens. A great mother? Me? Maybe in your dreams. If not for Ria, I wouldn’t know the first thing about it… The door to my destination appears in front of me all of a sudden. Stopping before I walk right into it, I do my best to recompose myself again and grab the knob. Entering the relatively small but very tidy and neat office, my eyes roam over the two figures already waiting for me inside. Ria offers a motherly smile from behind her desk while Elea smirks my way cryptically, leaning onto it from the side. Don’t let her get to you this early… She’s just a tease of a Dark Elf and you know it… Clearing my throat, I nod at them in acknowledgement. “I see that I’m the last one. Sorry about that. We can begin now.” “Stop it. Or do I have to lock you up with our dear husband for the night?” She raises a curious brow at me. Of course, she heard that somehow. Why else would she be so smug right from the start? “Perhaps you should.” I grin at her while crossing my arms over my chest. “I’ll never say no to more one-on-one time with Alastair. Especially when it puts me right before your scheduled slot again.” The two of us squint at each other until Ria lets out a quiet chuckle. “I swear, the two of you have never been at it so badly before. Your hormones add you quite some bite, my dear Cornelia.” I look at the busty accountant with a frown. “Ria, I’ve literally just been impregnated! It’s going to be weeks before I get affected in any way by it and you should know it perfectly well! I! Do! Not! Have! Mood! Swings! Yet! Besides, my mother took pregnancy really well. She was a saint compared to her friends.” The two of them exchange a look before chuckling again together. “You are just so precious to tease,” Elea admits with a smile. “Can’t blame a woman for being a tad jealous, can you?” Ria winks at me. “Seriously, the two of you are going to be the death of me if it’s like this already…” I rub my eyes while sighing deeply. “Maybe I should really move back into the castle for the upcoming months…” They snicker once more before their expressions mellow out a bit, letting me know that they are dropping the act for now. “So, how are things on your side? What’s Al up to now?” I ask, walking up to the desk to rest my lower back against it too. “Everything fits in the estimated predictions so far.” Our masterful accountant shuffles through a few pages of numerical data. “The recent attack in the middle of the city brought the flow of customers down by quite a lot as everyone was worried about walking the streets, but it’s slowly recovering. People know our girls are great to help them with their stress and worries, not just physically. A good listener after a great sex can work wonders. I’m actually thinking about reaching out to an old colleague of mine who could teach our ladies some about real counselling.” “I guess it’s not that bad of an idea.” I tap my fingers over the hard wood. “Not sure about other races but Humans do tend to open up after a good climax. We shouldn’t make it a point in our menu of services, though. It could get weird when lots of people start flooding here just for counselling sessions.” “I agree. It’s good to broaden our repertoire, but for such big things, it would be disastrous without delegating it to another place like with the mercenaries. It should remain subtle and known only to our guests. There’s no doubt they won’t casually prattle about it to everyone since this is a very personal thing, often shared only with those considered close,” Elea comments. “As for our lovely husband, I believe he is still discussing commissions with Lyona and her girls. It took him a moment to reward everyone properly for a job well done. Three days, was it? All I know is that he was starting to prepare for his trip with Sirgia.” “Good. Perfect. Keep him busy for a while.” I nod to myself. Ria and Elea look at each other before the former speaks up. “You still plan on going?” “Of course. I’m one of the best people for this job. And we need all of them on the case yesterday. This is important,” I respond. “And so are you,” Elea says. “I still think you should just let him know.” “What?” I spin around to face them. “All of us know exactly how that would end, don’t we? No, I’m not going to make him constantly worry about me because he knocked me up a few days ago. The moment a word about this reaches his ears, he is going to drop his plans and insist on coming with me or he will do whatever he can to convince me not to go. Goddess, I’m not six months in!” Ria laughs gently. “He can be a bit overprotective, true, and I can imagine how stronger it gets after his fatherly instincts kick in, but he knows how strong you are. How strong he made you. Made us.” I smile back at her warmly. “You are right. He would most likely relent after a good chat. But, that doesn’t change the fact that he is a big softie inside and his heart will be aching the entire time he is away. I want him to focus on Sirgia. My time will come in a few months. This is not a big deal and everyone knows it.” “You do you. We aren’t going to stop you. And we aren’t going to give you away either. Unless he specifically asks about the operation, already learning a thing or two about it somewhere else. None of us are going to lie to him,” Elea states firmly. “I don’t want you to.” I shake my head. “He asks, you tell him, it’s only right. I’m not requesting you to cover my ass. Just don’t bring it up unnecessarily. Hell, he might notice where I am and what I’m doing tomorrow and this whole discussion might be pointless. But, as I said, there’s no need for Al to be stressed about nothing, even if he would act like it doesn’t bother him.” “We are still in agreement, then.” Ria stands up to squeeze my shoulder. “Leave everything to us and focus on your business. In the end, we are all in danger if they don’t get stopped.” “We can’t let them affect our businesses, can we?” Elea grins a bit before her expression turns caring too. “If you need assistance with anything, just give us a word. Our family is strong. We can depend on that strength when in need.” “Don’t make it sound like I’m going to war.” I snort at them. “But, thanks, I know. Same goes for you. I’ll come back the moment you need me.” We talk a little longer about various matters related to the brothel, the temple, and the mercenary company, though the least about the last since Lyona is currently not with us and she’s the one holding a hand on the pulse of our questing girls. Things aren’t perfect, and everywhere you look there are small hurdles to overcome, but we can’t complain about such things when much worse stuff is happening all around the world. That doesn’t mean we aren’t doing what we can to take care of our issues, of course. Soon enough, we part ways and I move back to our bedroom. The sight of a napping Astrea coiled into herself atop the sheets brings a chuckle out of me, which is not missed by her sharp ears that flutter slightly at the noise. Those who don’t know her would easily think she is the laziest person in the mansion, doing nothing but sleeping and wandering around, but they couldn’t be more mistaken. I think only Hecate is more active than her when it comes to activities outside of our home. Letting our charming catgirl sleep peacefully, I walk up to my personal wardrobe and quietly open it up. My eyes quickly find the thing I’m looking for and I let my fingers rub the smooth fabric of a very familiar purple robe. “It’s been a while since I wore this…” A reminiscent smile sneaks onto my lips as I bring out my magician outfit and press it against my body. “I wonder, would I still look good in these robes with a visible bump?” My eyes widen as I realise what I’ve just said and I click my tongue, starting to change. “What the hell am I even thinking about?” “I think Master would find your belly alluring in those clothes,” Astrea says quietly from behind. I freeze mid-motion and turn around to the bed. “Stop eavesdropping and go to sleep!” Pulling the rest of my robe over my head, I look at her but can only see her back as she has turned around in the meantime, already returned to her nap. “Goddess, give me strength…” I let out a light sigh. ~We all know you don’t need it.~ A cordial giggle echoes through my mind, making me shiver. Right. This is now a thing. I really need to start being more careful with addressing Lumina like this. Done turning back into the Assistant Court Magician that I once was, I give myself a quick look in the nearby mirror and nod in approval. I’m sure Al would love to see me in these robes again, but that would only make him wonder why I brought them out. He might buy the excuse that it’s just for him, but better safe than sorry. Maybe I’ll put them on for our next time. It might be fun reenacting the beginning of our relationship. Shaking my head, I turn to a more open space in the room. “Diana, would you mind?” In a blink, the huge wolf Al somehow tamed emerges from a nearby shadow. I smile as she brings her muzzle closer, letting me brush her fur softly. Receiving a careful lick in response, I rub her snout a little and hop onto her back as she lowers herself to the floor. After checking on me, Diana daintily dives back into the same shadow. Alastair doesn’t know it yet, but it looks like we can be carried through the shadows too. Only the full and direct Partners, of course, but that’s plenty already. It’s perfect to avoid getting one of our carriages when you need to be stealthy. A few seconds later, we emerge inside the castle. Diana lays down to let me slide off her and I caress her big ears for a moment in silent thanks. As she stands up to return to what she was doing before I called for her, she gives me a long look, then glances down at my belly, and steps forward to bump her nose into it with tender gentleness. I roll my eyes while scratching her snout and politely pushing it away. “Not you too. Just my luck that I had to run into another doting mother. Ah. Sorry.” I catch myself a bit too late but Diana gives me one more lick to convey that she doesn’t feel hurt by my thoughtless comment. I really should be more careful with how much she’s gone through not that long ago. With one last glance, the big and ominous wolf disappears in the shadows, leaving me alone in the corridor. Turning around, I approach the ornate double doors and knock on the wood gently. Not waiting for an invitation, I slide inside and lock the entrance behind me. Once more, two people greet me. This time it’s Lianne and Lyona. The former has her iconic grin on her lips that prefaces something sly or mischievous while the latter appears as neutral as usual. “Cornelia! Come, come! I assume everything is ready on your side?” The Queen urges me forward and I join them on the fancy sofa. “Yes. We can now focus on the task at hand. You already filled everyone in on my temporary return, right?” I ask. “Yep. To make it more believable, you might want to visit your old colleagues at least once. It will be good for the spies we discovered among us to pick up on it. Less suspicious than you suddenly coming back and then not bothering with anything in the castle,” she responds, then shows a faint smirk. “You sure about not telling Al? He will definitely be angry about his pregnant wife snooping around the dangerous cult.” I groan while lightly pushing her away. “I can’t even be considered pregnant yet. It’s only thanks to his magic that we know. Don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same thing. I’ve heard from the old maids how often you argued with them and your late husband about doing anything other than lying down while carrying Ross under your heart.” “Guilty as charged.” She giggles, showing no remorse. “Alastair once jokingly said that it’s easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission,” I continue. “It might not be his style, but I guess I’m going to test that theory out.” “It certainly helps to have a great way of making it up to our great husband.” Lianne wiggles her brows at me. “Oh, shut up!” I snort at her. “Stop thinking with your pussy for five minutes!” “It’s a well-known fact among many races that males tend to be more forgiving when their females offer them their bodies while seeking pardon,” Lyona chimes in with a calm tone. “Saving the discussion about that being true for later, we all know he isn’t that simple.” I squint at the Vampiress. “Let’s move on. Things are set on our side. How about you two?” Lianne doesn’t prolong this pointless teasing and properly switches into her serious mode. “I’ve gone through the list with Lyona and we picked up a few households that should be good for our first strike. They have a low standing in the cult and seem to be involved in a lot of criminal activity so no one will think too much about them being taken out by the kingdom. It might not be much, but we are hoping to learn more from whatever information they have. We shouldn’t rely only on Madeline’s testimonies, even if they are certainly all true.” I scoot closer to the petite lady next to me and put my arm around her shoulders. “And how are you holding out? If it’s too much, it’s nothing shameful to say so.” She leans into me with a tired sigh. “The first time I went there, I almost tore her throat out with my bare hands. It’s too easy to forget that I’m no longer just a small Human girl at a decent Tier. Thankfully, Ross managed to stop me, though not without having his wrist snapped in three places.” Using my other hand, I brush through her white hair tenderly. “I almost broke my word to Alastair. I promised him not to harm her. I was this close to disappointing him and ruining everything,” Lianne continues. “Yet you didn’t. That takes a very strong will. He would be proud of you.” I try my best to soothe the distraught Queen as her eyelashes flutter to fight off the incoming tears. “And it takes courage to face your enemy without a shred of fear or doubt,” Lyona adds. “Not many can boast with similar mental fortitude to yours. Especially not many females.” “She is right. You have always been a tough nut, Lianne. We all have our moments of weakness but you do amazingly well pushing through yours,” I continue. Lianne nods weakly and we stay silent for a moment, letting her regather her wits. The new member of our ever-growing family gets up and prepares us a cup of tea each. We take a sip and exchange looks to let each other know that it’s time to get back on the case. “I used my family connections to check out a few names from the list. My relatives are still investigating various households as we speak,” Lyona begins her side of the story. “No one is going to suspect anything as nobles often mingle with each other without any specific reason. And since our lineage is rather established, it will appear as an opportunity to gain influence for many.” “Vampires might be perfect for operations like this,” Lianne says with a tiny smile. “Your charming abilities are almost made for infiltration and manipulation. Perhaps only Succubi could rival or best you in that field, but we currently don’t have an army of them at our disposal.” “Please, don’t even paint that image in my mind.” I shudder a little. “We all know what’s going to happen when Al frees Lilith from her self-imposed prison.” “All the slumbering Succubi will awaken and join their Allmother for her to lead them,” the scarlet-eyed lady acknowledges. “And she in turn will be in Lord Alastair’s service to repay him for helping her. There’s no doubt about that.” “I said don’t.” I send her a light glare. “But yes, more or less that.” “Nevertheless, you can count on us, Your Majesty. I didn’t even have to reveal who my mate is for the elders to support our plans. We don’t wish for this kingdom to fall as it has become a home for our kind in recent generations,” Lyona adds with a hint of a smile touching the corner of her mouth. “With our Human-like appearance, it’s not as easy to hide or live amongst most other races. And we believe that with the changes you are slowly introducing, it might become something more.” “I will personally make sure of that.” Lianne’s face takes a resolute form. “It’s my King’s dream, and so it is mine. Everyone will be able to live comfortably in this nation, no matter what race they are.” “I believe you.” Our new friend nods appreciatively. “Let’s work on that goal together.” Since it looks like Lianne is now back in the right state of mind, I pat the petite Queen on the head a few times while standing up. “I second that. And there’s no better time to start than the present. I’ll check up on the Magical Research Department and meet you at the place of our first raid, alright?” “I’ll send you the location mentally. Is an hour enough?” Lyona inquires, moving her piercing eyes to me. “More than enough. See you in an hour. I’ll grab a few useful things from my old lab in case things go down badly.” I grin at her, already excited about the few trinkets I never bothered collecting from there. Lianne hops up to give me a parting hug and I leave the chamber, heading straight to the workshops. I haven’t been in touch with anyone after quitting so I’m partially curious to see how they are doing without me. It’s not like I was the only person doing anything there, of course, but all of us played a significant role in our respective fields of research. I bet someone was thrilled to get promoted and take my spot. I wonder who the lucky person is. Fifteen minutes later, I enter the department’s allocated wing and already start attracting curious and surprised gazes. It’s not that shocking after showing up in my formal robes after being gone for quite some time. I ignore the whispers that take place behind me as I pass people, with a small smirk finding its way onto my lips. They wouldn’t be so bold if they knew just how much better my hearing has gotten in recent months. Reaching the correct place, I touch the solid metal gate with my palm and send a pulse of mana into it. With a bit of focus, I confirm that the spiritual signature has changed at least a few times during my absence so I technically don’t know the password to enter. But, knowing the pattern used for its creation and being supported by quite an impressive magical might from achieving a rather impressive Tier, it takes me only a minute to crack the code. The thick plate slides into the floor and I step into a spacious room filled with a multitude of scholarly devices and contraptions, releasing a plethora of noises into the air alongside fumes and other extractions. The person closest to the entrance takes a glance at who has just entered and goes back to their work, only to make a double take after seeing my face. “What?” The young man blinks in confusion, and like a chain reaction, the dozen or so people turn to me too. “Hello.” I wave at the stunned crowd, propping my other hand on my hip. “Looks like not much changed here while I was gone. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing considering that we should lead the magical inventions of the kingdom. At least it doesn’t seem like something exploded here, which is nice.” “Cornelia? What are you doing here?” A guy with shoulder-long black hair and round spectacles frowns visibly. “How did you even get in here in the first place?” “I have a bit of spare time to burn so I accepted Her Majesty’s request to come back for a while,” I reply honestly. “As for your second question, I think my first project after returning is going to be coming up with a more sophisticated lock as its current iteration is way too simple to break. Truly, we’ve been frogs sitting at the bottom of a well this entire time, unaware of how much bigger are the fish in the pond right next to us. Tier four is no longer the pinnacle.” They all look like they don’t believe me but it’s fairly natural. I was like that too. These are peaceful times, the war was won, Humans are at the top, et cetera, et cetera. It will take too much time changing their beliefs but I can at least sow some seeds of doubt in their minds. “It’s great to see you again.” A mature woman with frizzly dark emerald hair approaches me. “Many of us missed your input and great leadership.” I let out a quiet snort. “You all hated how I bossed you around. Even if it was for your own good. Who is the current head now?” “I am,” she replies proudly. “That was a big pair of shoes to fill, but I think I’m doing fairly well. Are you going to take back your position?” “No, don’t worry about that.” I shake my head. “I’ll happily let you keep the charge. I have enough of it back at home.” “You changed.” An older man chuckles weakly. “Before, you would have never passed on an opportunity to move higher and reap the benefits for your personal research.” “Not like she has any right to even be here,” someone comments from the back. I look for the owner of the voice and find a twenty-something guy with short blond hair crossing his arms with a crease in his forehead as he glares my way. “And what’s his problem?” I raise a brow at my old colleagues. Before anyone can respond, he sneers and pushes his way through the bodies blocking his path. “You got Ruther kicked out then bailed on the team soon after realising how much your stupidity has weakened the team, running away to look for greener pastures now that you've ruined your old ones.” “Excuse me?” I clench my teeth as he comes face to face with me. “That was my fault? Not the man’s who picked a bone with the Hero summoned here by the Goddess? Who the fuck you even are? I don’t remember your face from anywhere.” “I was Master Ruther’s direct disciple,” he answers while trying to appear taller. “I was selected to fill his spot after his unjust banishment. Someone who abuses their connections with Her Majesty to blow the issue out of proportion is not fit to lead this department.” “Of course, it would be his pampered golden boy to stand up for him no matter what. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.” I scoff to the side. “Did you inherit only his twisted views or did he pass on to you his irresistible charm too?” “Watch it, woman!” He snatches my wrist and brings it up. My blood immediately runs cold and it’s not because of fear or anxiety. “DO NOT DARE TO TOUCH ME!” I yell at him as a wave of frost rushes from my position. His eyes go wide to the brim as I effortlessly yank my arm back, scowling at him. The frigid wind quickly picks up. Ice expands from my feet and consumes the stone floor as light snow starts floating around in the air. I can see my skin turning blue and my hair white in the reflection of a nearby alchemical kit. He tries to take a step back but his feet are already frozen to the ground and only squawks in panic. My hand shoots to his throat to keep him from falling. “There is only one person who is allowed to get even a glimpse of my skin and you are not him. If you value your new position, which you should be thankful to me for creating an opportunity for you to step forward, you are going to behave like a proper man should while in my presence. I don’t need Her Majesty’s aid to handle you. If you step out of the line or I learn anything unsavoury about you, I’m going to deal with you myself.” Peering deep into his frightened eyes to emphasise how serious I am, I watch him struggle to claw at my hand uselessly. He doesn’t seem to figure out that he has no way of escaping my grasp no matter what he does. The longer he fights, the more his throat freezes in return. This should be enough to keep him in check. “You know what? No, I’m not going to let you get on my nerves in the future for hurting your pitiful ego or some petty revenge. Being constantly stressed because of your shitty behaviour won’t be good for the baby. I’m ending this right here, right now. Blame your own foolishness for not being able to see past your teacher’s fake persona.” With one good tug, I break his feet out of the gathered ice and slam him onto the nearby table, sending a bunch of books flying to the floor. As I send a bigger string of mana into the ability, bluish crystals emerge from the point of contact and crawl over his entire body at an incredible pace, crackling beautifully throughout the entire process. In less than five seconds, he is frozen solid, the table turned into a makeshift coffin with a see-through lid. I pull my arm back with no resistance as if I’m moving it through water and the gap fills up in a blink. Taking a look at his face stuck in total horror, I sneer at him for the last time. Perhaps it should, but this won’t kill him. I’ll defrost him after we are done or if I feel like it. Shaking my head from those intrusive thoughts, I take a deep breath to compose myself and glance up at the others, seeing them lightly coated with a fluffy layer of snow and huddled together a few steps away from us. “Ummmm… Congratulations?” The mature woman smiles wryly, a little pale on the face. Well. Maybe it really is already starting to affect my emotions.
Chapter 208 – Through the Eyes of Another: The Magician Discovers the Vile Den Spoiler: Chapter After I manage to cool down a little, or technically warm up from the subconscious use of my ability, the thin frost that has spread over the floor retreats too. Thankfully, no equipment and utensils ended up damaged by the cold, but we can’t be exactly sure about the contents of any alchemical experiments. Yet, at the same time, who knows what might be the result of this unexpected variable and that’s what the others try to tell me when I apologise for ruining their work. While the sight of a frozen guy lying atop a table does induce some anxiety in a few people, it’s rather clear that he isn’t that well-liked amongst the group. It honestly isn’t anything surprising if it was that bastard who raised him academically and in other aspects of life. I’m not letting another Ruther into this place if I have any say in it. But, as satisfying as the crystal coffin is to me, I can’t really leave it in the room like that without having it bother everyone constantly. This is a place of thought and focus. A dead body sitting in the middle of everything doesn’t help that. Especially when the reason behind its current state is nearby. Of course, he isn’t dead, and he should be thankful to Al for it. If not for the strength, power, and speed of progressing my Class I received from Alastair, I would have never been able to put a living person into a magical, frozen coma. And I don’t know if I would have been able to hold back like in the past. I guess people really do change according to their environment. Making sure to leave an important mental reminder not to get lost in my new capabilities, I contact Lianne and give her a brief rundown of what has transpired and how it has ended. As expected, she apologises for the oversight even if she most likely didn’t play a big role in the selection of the researchers, but I reassure her that it’s alright now. She doesn’t need any more guilt and self-blame at the moment. We arrange for the body to be picked up and transported somewhere else until a decision about the man’s future is made. He isn’t important right now. The others can definitely manage without that pompous asshole and I’m going to do my best to aid this group now that I’m back. As much as I can while taking care of the rather insidious issue. When the atmosphere warms up a little bit, both literally and figuratively, I have a nice chat with each person to learn what has changed since my leave and what they are all working on personally. A few men are still tackling an ambitious project from way back but it’s a complex thing and it feels like they made a lot of progress. Since it’s related to the spatial element, I might even be able to help them out if Sirgia agrees to aid me. I’ll have to see if she can spare me a minute amidst her preparations for the upcoming trip. It gets even better when a group of knights arrives to put the coffin away. Their eyes jump to me a few times with anxious gazes but I can’t really blame them, can I? As long as they behave, they have nothing to worry about. I don’t think I can freeze people solid and keep them alive multiple times a day. Since I don’t have that much time to stay here, I promise everyone to catch up with their research soon and give them some peace by returning my focus to our main objective. Lyona is already linked up with us after being embraced by Al so I can easily locate her in the city and exit the castle. A marked carriage is waiting for me as always and I slip inside, letting the driver know about the location. As the beautiful fortress moves away, I tune everything out and focus my mind on our task. This might be a less important family we are visiting but that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to extract any useful information Madeline might have not been privy to or just haven’t had the chance to eavesdrop on. We can’t rely only on that traitorous bitch. That wouldn’t end too well. One last look through the window makes me consider the date. According to our plans, Madeline’s escape should take place in a few days. We still aren’t totally certain about it but she assured Al that the organisation won’t have a problem believing her if we do everything just as designed. Her wonky ancient magic is somewhat special to them and they won’t question its capabilities of brainwashing a few guards and escaping undetected. Personally, I think teaching her anything is too good for her but I can understand why Al doesn’t just completely break her mind to turn her into an obedient thrall. It’s clear that manipulation isn’t his best talent but the overpowered abilities from his Class fill up that hole nicely. With a decent idea about psychology from his world, he is able to make things work rather well. In the end, everyone else’s part is just as important. It makes me chuckle that we’ll all have to act so silly. I’ve seen multiple people or parties try to conceal their failures with awkward half-lies and misdirection but this is going to be a first for many of us. However, I find it somewhat entertaining. We’ll have a lot of fun with it for sure. Ross is surprisingly good at coming up with almost ridiculous excuses that make you question his awareness. Nevertheless, that will come soon, most likely after Al and Sirgia leave our little love nest. Things will be ready until then. And hopefully, we’ll get something useful from our visits to a few houses and families Madeline pointed us to. So, let’s start with the first one. The carriage stops a street away from my destination, just as I have instructed the driver. Thanking the man and sending him home for now, I walk the remaining distance on foot and spot my partner for this operation near the gate to the fairly modest but still noble residence. The stone walls are decorated with iron fences in an attempt to bring up the artistic value of the estate. “I hope you didn’t have to wait too long,” I begin as soon as I’m close enough. Our new Vampire friend gently shakes her head. “I arrived shortly before you, Lady Cornelia. It gave me time to finish the initial survey of this place.” “Drop that Lady, please. We are comrades and even more now.” I sigh softly. “Al might not mind everyone calling him Master or Lord now but I think that’s deserved. Meanwhile, we should be treating each other with some more familiarity as sister-wives. Especially since you are an actual respected noble so it feels a bit strange to be the one addressing me like this.” “I see. My apologies, then. It might take a while for me to get accustomed to such values. In my eyes, you can be considered one of the main wives, someone who is amongst the first ones to be accepted, and in our culture, such a position demands proper respect,” she explains calmly. “I’ll try my best to prevent my upbringing from making things uncomfortable for anyone.” “It’s alright.” I wave at her dismissively. “We all come from different cultures and places. I dare to say there isn’t a more diverse home anywhere else in this world. I would have never imagined living under one roof with so many different races, not to mention sharing my love with a bunch of them. Yet, it comes almost naturally now.” “That I can understand.” Lyona nods faintly. “Our kind rarely intermingles with other races too. We often keep to ourselves since our secret is great and it’s hard to trust anyone with it, even the recipients of our most honest feelings. The good of the whole overshadows the wants and preferences of the individuals rather frequently.” “Any problems with your family in that regard?” I raise a curious brow at her. “This has to feel abrupt and unusual to them.” “I’m actively working on it and Master offered all the help he can provide,” she answers confidently. “I believe we will be able to find a common ground. But, even if we don’t, I’m ready to leave my title and status to join your household as long as my own house doesn’t get antagonised and wiped out in revenge.” I let out a small snicker. “You still don’t know Alastair that well, then. Your family would have to be damn wicked for him to hurt you like that. But, I believe everything will work out fine. I’m fairly sure Vampires do value personal strength and power of influence and he doesn’t lack either.” “I know. That’s why I’m going to soon reveal that I became Bonded to him. That way, we should be able to secure even more support for our operations. There’s only so much I can request from my relatives without appearing too demanding. It would be different if they knew Master directly, not just as someone I admire greatly and decided to dedicate myself to,” Lyona replies. “Try to do that before he leaves, then.” I place a hand on her shoulder with a smirk. “Knowing him, the worst case scenario that can happen is your entire lineage trying to submit to him after learning everything. Ah, that reminds me, are Vampires okay with our new faith?” A shadow of a smile sneaks onto the corners of her dainty red lips. “I’m in the process of introducing my family and friends to Master’s ideology. It helps that I can now directly ask questions and receive answers straight from the source, which can happen mentally over massive distances. The prayers and worship should fit our communities. The only problem is the oldest conservatives but things are never easy.” “True,” I agree with her wholeheartedly. “So, let’s get back to something that shouldn’t be hard for now. Are you ready?” Lyona snaps her fingers and a red mist swirls around her, fully covering her figure. After a few seconds, it disperses and reveals her new attire. She’s switched from the neat uniform of our mercenary receptionist and assistant into a dress more fitting for a noble girl such as herself. The crimson gown Al mentioned is often called a lolita fashion back at his place suits her extremely well. The frills and ribbons aren’t overdone and only emphasise the extravagance of the apparel while matching her scarlet eyes and white hair perfectly. Vampires know how to dress to impress. And turn heads. Even though her short dress still ends up slightly above the knees, her smooth back and thighs are fully exposed and can capture not just one man’s gaze. I guess this is what it means to be effortlessly sensual. Or maybe it’s part of her magical charm, who knows? We share a nod and enter the premises of the noble house in front of us. My Vampire partner has no issues opening up the heavy gate on her own. I bet I wouldn’t have much trouble now either but her smaller than mine stature makes it look much more impressive. As if reading my thoughts, Lyona turns to look at me. “I wish I could have such beautiful, long legs as yours.” Warmth spreads throughout my face and I quickly glance away. “Stop it. They are nothing much. Yours are perfect for your lithe build.” “I’ve heard Master admires them greatly so they definitely aren’t nothing much,” she says, still focusing on the cut in the side of my robes that exposes my thigh. “Oh, cut it out! We have a job to do! Come on!” I huff and start walking forward, catching the tiniest smile in the corner of my vision. We reach the entrance and I pull the fancy string next to the front door, ringing a bell to notify the residents. It takes about three minutes before someone answers and a neatly dressed guy in his twenties shows up with a cheerful expression. “Miss Lyona! It’s an honour! We’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival!” He gestures at us to come inside. “And of course, I kindly welcome your companion, Lady…” “Cornelia,” Lyona introduces me before I have a chance but I don’t mind. “And I’m no longer Miss, Baron Whitefield. I would be grateful if you could address me as Ms. or Mrs. even if I’m not yet formally bound by the laws of the kingdom.” Now, now. Someone is already taking their new position rather seriously. The man blinks a few times before bowing politely. “My sincerest apologies, Ms. Lyona. I was not aware you are now spoken for. None of my friends heard anything about that and it seems that my social information-gathering skill is a little bit lacking.” “You are not to blame, Mr. Han. There was no official announcement yet as it’s a recent development. Even my family is just learning of it.” Lyona graces him with a respectful nod. “Now, if we may?” “Naturally! Please, make yourselves feel at home!” He steps aside and keeps his head lowered as we pass him. ~You are aware that everyone is going to gossip about it, right?~ I ask Lyona mentally. ~Of course. The news will spread like wildfire during the next gathering he attends. But, I’ve heard what kind of a man he is and I would prefer he didn’t try his luck with me while I already have a mate. Plus, this will slowly put more pressure on my parents and grandparents,~ she responds without a hint of worry. Looks like he might be a handful but we should be able to deal with him. Honestly, I didn’t expect the head of the house to be so young. I know Lyona said it wasn’t necessary for me to go into every detail about these households but I think I’ve seen something about an older head so this might be a recent change that happened in the last few years. Plus, the hate for non-Humans is usually much stronger amongst the older generations so that’s why I’m expecting most families to belong to more ancient lineages. We welcome plenty of young guests in our mansion of bliss and pleasure and nobles aren’t that scarce amidst them. But, there are always some bad apples that grow from contaminated soil, I guess. We are escorted to a captivating lounge where sweets and drinks are already prepared. No servers are standing around and waiting to offer help but that isn’t too shocking. Lesser households tend to keep their servants at a low number, mostly focusing on menial tasks of cleaning and so on. Besides, I bet he wants to serve Lyona on his own to get in her good graces, maybe even try to dissuade her from her choice. I’m partially hoping he does just to see how it ends. Joining us, he shows a big smile and spreads his arms. “It’s not much, but it’s honest work. I have only two cooks and they did their best since it would have been rude to greet a lady of such standing with bought goods. Let me know if there’s anything wrong with these or if there’s anything I could get you.” The two of us exchange glances. “Should we begin?” Lyona asks. “I don’t think we should waste our time with him if you are ready to start,” I respond, putting my hands on my hips. “Then let’s. I will gladly skip the formalities and the unnecessary chatter.” She nods. The man of the house looks between us with some confusion but I’m also happy not to oblige him with pointless banter where he attempts to gain favour or court her. Then, Lyona steps forward and looks up into his eyes as hers glow even more than usual. His brows rise and his mouth opens to say something but no words come out as he stumbles a little before correcting himself. I can sense a faint aura of magic around my Vampire companion and I might even be seeing some delicate streaks of reddish mist floating around her figure if I’m not imagining it. The guy gapes at her for a few long seconds before giving us a silly smile and gaining a slight sheen over the whites of his eyes. “Huh. That was much faster and easier than usual,” Lyona comments, tilting her head a bit. “And what exactly did you do?” I ask curiously. “Simply charmed him with one of my natural abilities. It was supposed to make him a bit more susceptible to my requests while his body is made to feel like he is fond of me and perhaps yearns for my affection but it looks like he is completely obedient now. I didn’t even have to bring forth any of my blood, just my scent was enough to capture him,” she explains with a hint of wonder in her collected tone. A chuckle escapes my throat. “That’s what you get for banging a Demigod. Better test your other skills and abilities whenever you have a moment of spare time because they will be nothing like you remember them. Don’t forget that your stats are now insane too, though maybe not as crazy as if you would have been a simple Human before.” “I will.” Lyona glances down at her petite fingers. “Still, this is scary, even if he is a basic Human of a low Tier,” I admit. “Anything to do with the mind has always terrified me. There’s nothing worse than being forced to do something you would never do on your own. Even worse if you have to watch yourself do it or remember it after the fact.” “With Master’s protection, I don’t think you are capable of being affected by those effects anymore. At least excluding the most powerful ones in the world,” she responds, turning to me with those glowing scarlet eyes of hers. “Hmmm. There might be something to that. Maybe you want to try it on me? I trust that you won’t make me do anything shameful if it succeeds.” I stroke my chin ponderingly. “I can try. And I swear I won’t make it uncomfortable.” She nods. A second later, her irises glimmer once more and the edges of my vision blur a tiny bit as her charming frame becomes the focus of my attention. Her eyes invite me alluringly while her red dress seems to come alive and only enhance her sensuality. There are scarlet tongues of spiritual aura wafting from her body this time. But, as soon as it begins, the mystical effect fades and leaves only her glowing eyes. “Looks like you were right. Unless you can’t do anything to me since we are both connected to Al,” I say after a moment. “Honestly, I would rather not find that out but thanks, this makes me a bit less anxious about the future.” “I’m glad to be of service to my fellow sister-wife.” Lyona lowers herself into a tender bow. “Well, then. Since our plans have been accelerated greatly, let us get to the heart of the matter. Are you part of the organisation that opposes the changes in demihuman legislations and schemes to control the kingdom from the shadows?” “Yes, Mistress,” the guy answers with a smile. “And what’s your position?” she continues. “I’m just an outer member supporting the organisation’s core in exchange for wealth and influence,” he replies. “Supporting how?” I squint at him. Since he doesn’t seem as eager to answer my questions, Lyona repeats it once more. “I supply them with the drugs we produce,” Han reveals. “Drugs? What kind of drugs?” A deep frown makes its way onto my forehead. Lyona has to convey my words again. “A strong substance that can take the form of powder and be dissolved in any liquid. Its main purpose is to numb the senses of Beastkin but it works great for any non-Humans, especially those with better spirituality than us. It puts the target into a state similar to heavy intoxication while preventing them from using any spells or focusing enough to activate their abilities,” he explains happily. “Fuck. He must be part of their illegal slavery circles,” I curse under my nose. “Where can we find the source of that drug?” my Vampire friend inquires. “The basement. It’s the only place you can find its source since it’s our invention. It’s my only leverage in case I ever need it and the organisation hasn’t investigated it so far. They care about the result.” The man obeys. “Thank Goddess. We can stop it once and for all.” I sigh heavily. “It will be great to remain off their attention too. We can have the kingdom take credit for busting his illegal drug den after some kind of a tip or a leak.” “I’m surprised he isn’t cursed or limited in any other way,” Lyona comments. “It’s clear that he can’t really be considered a member. He’s just a pawn they are making use of. His information about the organisation is most likely almost none and he only works with them for his own benefit. It would be hard to do business with all of your partners being under a death oath. Not impossible, but it wouldn’t grow to such an enormous level.” I shake my head. “I wonder how many others like him there are amongst the noble houses I thought I knew,” she adds with a tinge of sadness. “We’ll get all those bastards. And hey, it’s not like any of your kin is involved, right?” I pat Lyona on the back and she nods in confirmation. “As for this guy, perhaps we could use him too.” “I’m afraid my charm won’t last forever, even with the growth I experienced after my bonding with Master Alastair,” she informs me. “It will start fading after an hour or two and I have to be in the target’s line of sight to keep it up.” “A shame but it’s understandable. Shall we deal with his little laboratory?” I wink at her. “Tell us if you have any guards or traps,” the Vampire lady orders the guy. “I have eight guards watching the underground area. They think they are protecting my vault. There are no traps,” he answers. “Go and take a nap for six hours,” she gives him another instruction and he starts skipping out of the room. “Now we can.” “Good thinking. I can see why Al got to like you so quickly.” I offer Lyona a smile and she reciprocates it a little. Right after, we drop the happy smiles and focus on the objective. At first, we take a moment to search the mansion just in case and then head to the bottom floor. It’s rather easy to find the entrance to the underground area but they do say that hiding in plain sight is best hiding. Exchanging a glance, we push through the heavy wooden door and move forward. What greets us is no normal cellar or vault chamber. There is a long corridor with numerous sections on the sides, separated by half-sized walls. They don’t look like labs or workshops but more like storage for his drug. A person is sitting on each simple chair at uneven distances, scattered throughout the room. Thanks to its design, they spot us immediately and begin standing up with their hands on their weapons. “Who are you?” the closest man asks with a glare. “This area is off-limits. I don’t see the head of the house anywhere near you, ladies.” “Come on, Zefh. Don’t be so aggressive right off the bat. The girls must have gotten lost in that grand house of his,” another one rebukes his colleague. “We’ll gladly escort you two back up and chat a little if you are curious, but you gotta get Boss’ permission to be down here.” I glance to the side at Lyona and she glances back. Typical. “Are you guys hired mercs or part of Baron’s operations?” I ask firmly. They pause for a moment, most likely not expecting either of us to come off this unfazed. “And what’s it to you, missy?” an older guy grunts out. “Your fate depends on the answer,” Lyona answers. “As much as I like them a little crazy, I think these two are past that line,” the first one comments and a few others chuckle at his quip. Shaking my head I cross my arms over my chest. “There’s an alchemical lab behind that door.” They grow silent until one of the further members, a younger woman speaks up. “What? It’s a vault you dumb bitch. Can’t see the ornate door?” “You are a fucking dumb bitch!” the bearded merc rebukes her for freely giving out information. As expected, there’s always at least one slower individual among guards. But, this clears it up. “Let’s try not to cause permanent damage, alright?” I take a peek at Lyona and see her nod softly while rolling up her sleeve. With a flick of my wrist, I summon a long silvery staff into my hand, courtesy of Sirgia, of course. There’s nothing wrong with my old one, but how could I not wield a gift from one of my best friends? The fact that it’s a concealed masterpiece is just secondary. The mercenaries immediately go for their weapons the very moment something appears in my fingers but the first five standing at the forefront get their equipment stolen by insanely quick crimson thread twisting through the air like deadly serpents. The scarlet strings yank their swords, axes, and crossbows right from their grasp and pull all of that onto the ground in front of Lyona. Everyone looks at her with stunned gazes as the strands retreat into a small cut on her wrist, leaving only a few wiggling tips awaiting further orders above her skin. “To think I would get a chance to fight alongside a legendary Hemomancer. I can’t even imagine what kind of life I would be leading right now if I hadn’t met Alastair.” I smirk at her and the talented Vampiress gives me a delicate smile in response. Then, I smack the ground with the butt of my staff and an ankle-high wave of ice rushes forth, catching most of the guards off-guard and freezing their feet to the ground. The ones at the back manage to escape that fate, jumping over it and starting their advance. Noticing the not-so-smart woman raising her hand crossbow, I twist my weapon and a small pillar of ice expands from the crystal covering the floor, smacking her right in the gut. She keels over and slips, getting completely stuck a second later. Something flutters before my eyes and I catch Lyona gracefully and unbelievably quickly hopping from one tiny spire of ice protruding from below to another, dancing between the men and women almost effortlessly. Her strings wrap themselves around their throats and choke her targets until they fall unconscious. The others can only watch, stuck in place. The brash young guy finds an angle on her, but I simply extend my free hand forward and silently send five icicles his way. They have small hooks on the back and catch on his clothes while piercing through them, pinning him to a nearby stack of tied crates. Lyona spins around and hits him in the side of his neck, knocking him out cold. In mere seconds, six out of eight people are down and only one man and a woman remain. The two of us stare at them and they stare back at us. Then, they drop their weapons and raise their hands. As Lyona starts approaching them, I clear the ice under her feet so she isn’t inconvenienced by it. “I’ll make it painless. You will wake up in a few hours and be questioned by the kingdom’s representatives. If there’s nothing on your conscience, you won’t have any issues,” she explains as she nears the guy. He nods and turns around, perhaps making it easier for her to knock him out. But no, that’s not it. When she’s at arm’s reach, he shoves himself backwards while spinning around, something glinting in his right hand. That something turns out to be a concealed dagger that rushes right for Lyona’s face from the side. Before I can do it, something stops it from reaching its objective as it pierces into a crimson plate that has just formed on its path. The bastard tries to pull it out but his weapon is completely stuck even though only the tip made it through. Lyona casually looks at it right by her cheek, then at him, and sighs delicately. “Wrong choice.” The scarlet shape swirls and suddenly covers the man’s wrist. He screams as it effortlessly breaks his bone with a strong twist before pulling him forward. My Vampire partner meets his forced movement with a fist to the chest and sends him flying into a nearby wall. He smashes into it with a loud thud and falls down completely unconscious and most likely heavily battered on the inside. When she turns her cold gaze to the last person, the woman’s eyes grow wide and she frantically looks around. I prepare a spell just as her body tenses as a sign of an upcoming movement, but instead of rushing at Lyona, she sprints the other way and surprises me again by slamming her head into a section pillar as hard as she can, knocking herself out in the process. “Well, I can’t say I don’t understand her.” I snicker lightly and Lyona gives me a curious look. “If I was a normal Human, I would be pissing myself just right now too. You little beast.” “I have to say, it’s refreshing,” she replies. “What is?” I raise a brow at her. “Being able to fight another outside a formal sparring who also isn’t always another Vampire,” Lyona explains. “We are taught to always be careful around Humans or even other races to not show our strength and characteristics. I know it’s not exactly the right mindset, but I enjoyed going against them, even if they are much weaker than us.” “There’s nothing wrong with craving a fight.” I smile at the shorter lady as I approach. “And you shouldn’t feel bad about fighting weaker opponents either, since now that you are one of us, it will be quite hard to find your match. And this is all for a righteous cause. They chose not to stand down.” She doesn’t respond, only nods, but there’s not much else she needs to say. For now, we leave our opponents as they are and turn to the fancy door at the end of the chamber. Just in case, I cast a few simple detection spells but nothing triggers my survey. It truly might only be locked by a mundane lock. And before I can get to it, Lyona summons more of her blood into a small orb and inserts it into the keyhole. There’s a click soon after and she withdraws the crimson liquid. No wonder her Class is considered one of the strongest with such a fine and effortless control. Sharing a quick nod, we push the door together and it opens with a loud groan. Something squeaky squeals from inside and we take a peek into the room. It matches our expectations of an alchemical laboratory with plenty of shelves, counters, beakers, and other utensils. There are also plenty of cups and glass jars set around. Lyona walks in first as we try to locate the source of the high-pitched voice. It reveals itself to us a moment later. “Master?” the mysterious female asks shyly. “You are not Master.” “A Fairy?” My Vampire partner frowns for the first time. Truly, a tiny humanoid figure floats up from the furthest counter, no bigger than a big man’s entire hand, including the wrist. She wears a yellow dress and has short black hair. A pair of translucent butterfly-shaped wings flap lightly behind her minuscule figure, glowing green. “Who is asking? Did Master send you here? No, he never lets anyone come here. Are you intruders?! Oh no, oh no, oh no! This is so bad! Master is going to scold me!” She flutters from side to side frantically. “Calm down. We aren’t going to hurt you. And if you are the Baron’s slave, we have a way of freeing you as long as you cooperate with us. My husband actually manages a safe haven for non-Humans and we can shelter you until you are ready to find a way back home.” I try to ease the small lady’s worries a bit. “Really? You will?” She stops mid-air and then floats down onto the counter. “Oh, thank Goddess. I’m so tired my wings are going to fall off. I think I might already not be able to move. Oh no. Can you maybe pick me up, hahaha? This is so embarrassing.” As Lyona slowly walks up to the Fairy, I take a look around the dimly lit cellar. It’s hard to make out the details of many things down here. There are so many empty jars everywhere, though a few seem to have something in them. That something seems eerily familiar so I squint to investigate it a bit more. After a single step, a shiver runs down my spine and I immediately turn around, thrusting my staff forward. My spell goes off just in time, raising a thin wall of ice between Lyona and the Fairy a split-second before a cloud of magical powder hits my partner. She instantly dashes back to my side and prepares her blood for a fight. The tiny woman clicks her tongue. “You had to be a perceptive one, didn't you?” Lyona gives me a questioning glance and I nod to the nearest shelf. “Hard not to be when there are Fairy corpses stored in jars all around the place. What’s going on here?” My companion’s eyes widen as she spots a few small bodies in the glass containers and her expression turns way colder. “Oh, this?” The suspicious fairy gestures around herself, talking with a less squeaky and cute voice now. “Well, you see… Like hell I’m going to tell you!” She shoots into the air and starts zooming around like an oversized fly. “The door!” Lyona shouts and I instantly snap my fingers. The Fairy stops before slamming face-first into another wall of ice that blocks the exit and turns back to us. Something gathers in her small palms and I dodge aside, evading a hail of magical poison darts. They melt right through the protective layer I raise from my forearm, forcing me to weave around the workshop to avoid getting wounded. I could easily go all out and freeze that bitch solid but we shouldn’t destroy so much evidence and possibly the only person knowing how it’s created, and thus to fight it. Thankfully, I’m not alone here and the assault soon stops. Peering past one of the wooden counters, I spot a multitude of blood spears of normal size all around our small opponent, making them appear quite large by comparison. Her limbs are bound by scarlet manacles too, including her neck. Lyona stands where she had been with dark red patterns all over her visible skin, resembling some tribal tattoos, in this case made of blood for sure. “Speak or remain silent forever,” she demands coldly. Our Fairy swallows heavily. “I just make drugs for that guy.” “That’s not all.” Lyona tightens her fist and the tiny girl squirms under pressure. “Why do you keep your dead kin just lying around?” Her captive just stares back at her for a moment until letting out a heavy sigh. “The drug requires three things to work. The first two are Fairy Dust, which comes off our wings when we are either happy or think we are in danger, and Fairy Blood, which is rather self-explanatory. The third one isn’t anything special since it’s just cat whiskers for additional potency against Beastkin, but I think you can see how only one of these is simple to harvest.” “You are harvesting ingredients from your own brothers and sisters?” I glare at her incredulously. “I’m not going to use myself, am I?” She attempts a cynical smile but squeaks when Lyona tightens the bindings again. “I should kill you on the spot.” Lyona’s tone could freeze even my ice. “Why? Why are you assisting Humans in enslaving other races? I don’t understand. Fairies were almost if not as tormented by Human greed as Beastkin due to the value of those two things you listed.” “I was just tired of hiding in a forest, alright? Everyone lives in towns and cities while we have to stay in those damp trees and pray no one finds us. So, why not charm some random Human to have him provide for me? I needed Human money to get stuff so I just helped his friends a bit through him. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t supply enough ingredients on my own, but it’s not my fault if my stupid kind keeps following me here to rescue me. They don’t believe me when I say I want to be here and end up attacking my Human. That I can’t have,” the Fairy explains herself, but perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't. I can see Lyona getting angry even through her collected nature so I send a small cube of ice right at the tiny woman’s forehead, putting her to forced sleep for now. My Vampire companion looks at me in confusion and I put a hand on her shoulder. “We can deal with her later. Let’s first see if any other Fairies are still alive, okay?” Lyona takes a deep breath and the markings slowly retreat from her pale carnation. “This makes me sick.” “Trust me, I feel the same. This is not what I expected to find here. Just our luck that we stumbled on this on our first investigation.” I gently squeeze her arm. She nods lightly and floats the unconscious Fairy down onto a nearby table. We split up and get to work trying to save lives. It just had to pop up right before Al’s upcoming journey. It looks like he’ll have another thing waiting for him after his return, as long as any Fairies can still be saved. In the meantime, we are going to be busy tracking down all this vile substance.
Chapter 209 – The Greatest Escape Artist Spoiler: Chapter A day or two after, streets of the same city... So, today is the day of the grand escape operation. Well, maybe that’s a much-exaggerated term considering the fact that all of it is going to be fake, I still never expected to play a part in a prison break. To properly prepare for the event, we had experts from various local dungeons in watchkeeps and guard stations chime in with their experience. Unfortunately, what I’ve seen in modern media might not be very useful. But, many great minds, both lawful and criminal, were able to craft a scheme that should have no problems convincing the target audience that there’s nothing suspicious with Madeline’s escape. The master plan has been ironed in and out to the smallest detail. It attempts not to damage the Kingdom’s image too much in the public eye but we should expect at least some rumours to circulate. Almost everyone at the castle has been practising for their roles. Those who haven’t most likely belong to the category of staff who are kept out of the loop to provide authentic witness testimonies and the mentioned rumours. Can’t fake everything or else it will feel soulless, eh? As for me, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time at Madeline’s temporary residence too, either trying to extract more useful information from the chaotic woman or to make sure that my influence over her doesn’t slip at any point. We did some additional tests related to distance and complete magical isolation of both of us too, just to be sure, but thankfully she remained loyal no matter what. Albeit, part of it must be due to the obvious presence of Ailish, who per our agreement, shares some of her ancient knowledge with the audacious, worthless scum of a female as she privately tends to call our prisoner. My lovely Succubus was a bit reluctant to teach Madeline anything, but she’s fortunately not only unbelievably sexy, with her bright mind coming in pretty close after her assets. Therefore, Madeline gets to hear and witness some spells and rituals that completely blow her mind or simply greatly excite the woman while Ailish picks up the flashiest but most useless techniques she possibly can recall from her studies ages ago. Some of that magic is also meant to convince the organisation that she is growing and has achieved a kind of enlightenment while in a certain death situation. They should be more willing to overlook her failure that way, knowing that she still may have other uses. Saying all that, I’ll still need to meet up with our captive today. Ailish has helped me put an ancient seal tag on Madeline and it needs manual activation after settling down in the woman’s magic. It’s just another safety measure. Call me paranoid, but I’m not going to bet only on my skills and godly effects for something this serious. This bitch can be a great pain in the ass if she somehow crosses us so we need to prevent that from happening. Before, though, since I’m already outside, I should go and greet Lyona at our headquarters. She and the girls are doing Goddess’ work out there. With how much they partied with me in recent days, I would have even expected them to become a tad lazy, but no, all that rewarding only fueled their desire to be more useful to the company. So many vouchers were used and so many interesting wishes were fulfilled. Even I wouldn’t have come up with a few of those ideas and have to admit that it was truly entertaining. Now that I think of it, they must be eager to earn more of those vouchers. Yeah, that explains it. After getting a proper taste, they’ve become addicted to the privilege of requesting almost anything from their boss. No wonder they are so motivated now. These horndogs are just hungry for benefits. Though, I can’t exactly blame them. I did agree to this whole system when it was presented to me. Crossing the street while carefully looking both ways, I reach the building’s entrance. This world might not be as full of fast and dangerous vehicles but horse-drawn carriages aren’t that much safer for pedestrians. They certainly are much less predictable, introducing one or more variables in the form of animal minds besides the driver. Getting trampled is no joke. Moving inside, I spot two people leaning on the main counter, currently engaged in a conversation with our cold but charming receptionist. At first, I did worry a little that Lyona’s rather emotionless expression or unconcerned nature would deter some commissioners, but it turned out great. My initial thought of her demeanour being associated with professionalism was actually right. Suck it, anxiety. Not wanting to interrupt, I stand aside, observing and trying to catch their conversation. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don’t get to eavesdrop on the trio for too long as a side door next to me opens about three minutes in and Ressia shows up. I would call it perfect timing, but judging by her excited smile and quickly wagging tail, she’s been aware of my presence for at least a little while, coming here with a clear purpose. “Good morning, Boss. Anything we can help you with while Miss Lyona is busy?” she asks respectfully, though it’s hard to miss the insinuation in her polite tone. Smirking softly, I shake my head. “No, thank you, Ressia. I’m just stopping by. Do you have no requests to be taken care of instead?” The wolfgirl’s mood falls a little bit and she shrugs. “I’m on emergency duty with Yuru today while the others are out. Just in case any important commissions roll in. So, if you do need anything, the two of us will gladly help you out, Boss. There’s not much else we’ll be doing until evening practice.” Taking a glance towards the reception, I make sure that we haven’t been noticed yet, and turn back to Ressia. She flinches in surprise when I start reaching out towards her, but when my palm slides past her warm cheek and my fingers find purchase in her soft hair, her tail generates so much lift it’s a wonder she doesn’t take off at that very moment. With a strong tug, I bring her delicious lips to mine, quickly silencing the needy whine that follows my powerful pull. My brave and valiant captain melts from the passionate kiss, pressing herself more into me and moving my other hand to her ass on her own. Obliging the submissive canine, I squeeze her firm rump a good few times, causing Ressia to pant into my face almost breathlessly. It’s rather clear she’s been expecting this kind of treatment when heading here and I don’t mind playing around with the talented Ranger a tiny bit. But, everything has its limits and I soon release Ressia’s hair from my grasp, no longer holding onto it strongly. As I pull away, she still chases after my mouth for more, stopping only when I pinch her tender butt to cover her lips and prevent another, more audible whine from escaping her throat, growing increasingly red over her charming cheeks. “Mind the others.” I wink at her teasingly. “Now get back to your post, soldier. They are wrapping up.” “Yes, Sir!” she whispers loudly and skips forward for one more peck before hastily marching away, giving me one last glance over her shoulder while invitingly tilting her hips and raising her tail as she disappears behind the door. These girls are going to be the death of me one day. “Oh. President. Welcome.” Lyona’s voice erases the playful grin from my face as the white-haired lady announces my presence to the duo as they finish. Yet, I have no doubt she’s been aware of everything that transpired since my very arrival. “Morning, gentlemen.” I nod at the two men as they turn around. “Here to submit a request?” “Yes, we have just finished, in fact,” one of the guys answers. “We’ll be on our way, then. Have a good day, sir.” They make quick bows and scurry away, escaping through the main entrance. I look at Lyona with a raised brow. “A tad weird, I would say. Are they that shy?” I ask. “They certainly sounded suspicious, My Lord,” the Vampire girl replies. “I have a feeling they are attempting to use us for something not entirely legal, hoping that we won’t notice as a new company on the market.” “Huh. I guess they didn’t do their homework. We aren’t exactly no-names, even if we are fresh.” I chuckle lightly. “What are you planning to do?” “See through it and try to catch some criminals in the act. If there are any.” Her scarlet eyes shimmer with hidden glee. “I’ll contact the authorities if our ladies find out anything incriminating during the investigation of the client. Ressia should be free to begin right away.” “Yeah, she’s definitely free enough to start getting horny out of boredom.” I snicker. “I’ll leave it to you, then. If I went to let them know, I might not be able to leave the barracks for an hour or a few.” “It’s your fault for pampering them so much in the last few days, My Lord.” Lyona shows a hint of a smirk at the corner of her lips. “It’s certainly been amazing for morale, though.” “That I noticed. How are we doing, by the way?” I walk behind the counter to stand next to my pale assistant. Lyona gently rests her shoulder against mine while moving her hands over some documents. “Very good, My Lord. There’s nothing that requires your immediate attention. You don’t have to worry about anything and can focus on your journey. I swear to handle the company with care.” “I’m glad to hear that. And I know I can trust you to keep an eye on the girls and our new business.” I wrap my arm around her slim waist. “What about you? How is my favourite Vampire princess doing?” “I’m no princess, My Lord,” she replies with the faintest shadow of an amused pout. “And I’m doing well too.” “I see. And anything you need? Or want?” I pry further. As expected, her gaze wanders briefly to the door Ressia had gone through earlier. Looks like she isn’t yet used to asking for my attention that openly. “Because if there is, it would be only natural for me to properly reward your hard work after showing my gratitude to Ressia just earlier,” I continue to make my point clear. Our eyes meet as she returns her attention to me, and hers skip lower, but not to my lips. Their target is obvious. “Then, may I request to be graced with more of your divine blood, My Lord?” Lyona peers back up at my face. “Always.” I smile at her warmly and turn around. Why? Because I know my quiet Vampire assistant loves taking a bite of me from behind the most, and soon, her arms wrap around my chest while her hands embrace my front dearly. Amidst the sensual hug, Lyona places a hot kiss on the connecting point of my neck and my shoulder before properly digging in. Her grip on me tightens as the delicious crimson liquid hits her system and a shaky sigh tickles my skin. We stay connected for about half a minute. Lyona ends her second breakfast on her own, draining me much less than during our first try. She’s become more used to the bliss accompanying the transfer and has a lot more control over the process. Giving the two puncture wounds a few caring licks, and sealing the holes shut, she lets go of me and steps into my vision. “I’m going to miss this so much…” she whispers with a melancholic tone. “It makes me look like a spoiled daughter of a rich family, doesn’t it?” “Trust me, people get addicted to much simpler things.” I plop my hand on her hair and tenderly graze it. “Be strong. Just don’t forget to ration your flasks. I’ll give you a sip straight from the source as soon as I’m back.” Naturally, Lyona doesn’t necessarily need to suck me to live, but from what she’s told me, all the other blood her family usually provides has lost almost its whole taste. I can’t blame her for this as it’s entirely my fault, of course. That’s why I don’t mind letting the kind girl partake in my goods whenever she feels like it. But, due to my upcoming absence, that won’t be possible. So, since I don’t want Lyona to survive on something that tastes bad for her, we’ve been slowly filling up alchemical flasks with my blood and sealing them shut with preserving magic. Drinking from those lacks the euphoria of intimate contact which she is going to miss greatly, but at least it doesn’t taste like shit. “Thank you, My Lord. Words can’t express my appreciation for your kindness. I know you are unaware of how rare it is for even the most benevolent of our kin to grant their followers or mates their blood this often.” The scarlet-eyed girl enters a deep bow in front of me. “Your gifts are wasted on the likes of me but I am overjoyed you find me worthy of them.” “Master. President. My Lord. You certainly like the titles, but the last one is becoming more apparent recently,” I point out. “After our first time in my office, I can’t see any other more fitting title, My Lord,” she answers calmly. “You are still my master as per the Blood Oath, but you were closer to a Vampire Lord when you brought forth your fangs and claimed both my body and my blood at the same time, and I believe I should address you with proper respect. Does it bother you, Master?” “Not in the slightest. Thank you for your explanation.” I lean forward to steal a tiny kiss from my Vampire mate. Lyona’s pale cheeks gain a bit of rosy shade as she looks into my eyes. “If we are still talking about what I need…” Uh oh. Looks like I might really not leave the headquarters for quite a while. Perhaps it’s been fated. “Yes?” I encourage Lyona to finish her thought. “Would you mind meeting with my family, My Lord?” she asks, a trace of hesitation in her tone. “I believe they are ready to learn the truth.” Ah. And who is the one with the dirty mind here now, hah? “With pleasure.” I nod happily. “If we want to take care of this before my departure, then tonight?” “I can arrange that.” A delicate smile paints Lyona’s lips. “Thank you, My Lord. It’s been getting harder to provide them with only half of the facts. We should expect at least some strong reactions, though.” “That’s alright. I’ll do my best to get them to like me.” I wink at her and open my arms. Slowly but surely, the shorter Vampire lady accepts my embrace and we hug without any additional stabbing, from either of us. “Are you heading for the castle soon, My Lord?” she inquires as we let go. “In a bit, yeah,” I confirm. “I suggest you visit Cornelia in the brothel. There’s another matter that requires your attention before you leave with Sirgia. We hoped it could wait until your return, but they started waking up earlier than we assumed,” Lyona says. “I’ll leave the full explanation to the other females.” My curiosity is piqued, but I manage not to assault her with a barrage of questions, nodding faintly instead. Allowing me to leave, Lyona focuses on her just accepted request. Gladly making use of the opportunity, I quickly make my way back home, crossing the street once more. I’m not exactly sure where I should go so I locate my beautiful magician through our bond and head to where the soon-to-be mother of my first child is hanging out. That’s still such an alien concept, but the ladies insisted that I don’t worry about it yet as they are already planning things out regarding housing and such. I find her in one of the chambers beneath the mansion alongside Elea so perhaps Lyona has already clued them in on my destination. Taking the shortest route to the duo, I reach the heavy wooden door and push it inside, revealing a small stone room with minimal furnishing. What stands out the most is the wide counter on the right side, riddled with what resembles a row of miniature beds atop it. “You are here.” Cornelia smiles at me a bit wryly, though I’m not sure why. “We have a thing or two to discuss.” Walking closer, I take note of Elea casting her magic on one of the small makeshift beds, only now noticing that there is something, or maybe someone would be more accurate, lying under the sheets. A tiny woman rests on the bedding, unconscious. Part of her visible skin is riddled with bandage wraps. One more glance at the row of beds confirms that they are all filled with humanoid creatures of a similar size. Honestly, this whole situation feels like they are playing house with Barbie dolls but it’s obvious that’s not the correct conclusion. “Are these… Fairies?” I wonder out loud, recalling what I know of the races from this realm. “That’s right,” Cornelia replies. “Five of them in total. We didn’t manage to save more, unfortunately.” “Save?” I look at her. She gestures to the side with her head and I follow with my gaze, which lands on the last piece of tiny furniture. There’s another female Fairy on it, but rather than resting comfortably within its pleasant confines, she is tied up to its frame and gagged for good. She also seems to be the only one awake at the moment, sending everyone and everything vicious glares. A magical array has been put underneath her bed, most likely interfering with her magic or abilities. “That one is the culprit,” my wise wife continues. “We stumbled on her during one of our investigations into the organisation. She’s been using her kin for ingredients while creating a potent drug for them. The others you can see are those who managed to cling to their life until we arrived. We’ve been tending to them for the last few days but they might need a bit longer to recover both physically and mentally.” “Seriously?” My eyes widen to the brim. “What kind of monster does that to their own people?” She only spreads her arms helplessly and shakes her head. Taking a deep breath, I massage my forehead. “Okay, since she isn’t dead yet, I assume we need her for something. What about the others?” “One has woken up and we’ve talked already,” Elea responds, coming to us from her patient’s side. “We explained the situation to them and offered shelter. We apologise for bringing this to your attention this late, Master, but we hoped to resolve everything without bothering you.” “It’s okay. I’m happy you are doing stuff without concerning yourselves by asking about every little thing or seeking permission for the simplest actions.” I wave her concerns away. “But, since you are actually bringing this to my attention, I assume there’s something you need from me. I’m all ears.” “It’s about what we are going to do with them going forward,” Cornelia takes over. “The one we spoke with is extremely grateful for our help and wishes to stay around until her friends heal up properly. We made an initial offer of providing them with a place to live in until they are all well and wish to leave for the forest. Since you are the boss and the owner, it’s more of a request for permission to go forward with this. The Fairy insisted on showing their gratitude by helping us out during their stay and we were discussing the tasks they could take care of.” “Of course, you have my full permission to aid them in whatever way you can. Cornelia, Elea, you both have all the authority to make such decisions on your own. Alongside Ria and perhaps a few other ladies, but the three of you are the backbone of this place. Do what you think is best, and remember that we started all of this exactly to help those in need,” I remind them kindly, then take a glance at the sleeping Fairies. “What kind of tasks have you considered? Personally, and my apologies if this comes out as offensive to someone from this realm, I can’t really see them in that role, so I’m not so sure about that part.” My gorgeous Dark Elf wife chuckles lightly. “I’m afraid that our tiny friends might not be properly equipped to partake in that side of the business, even though they do not lack the necessary organs. Maybe if we began seeing male Fairy customers somewhere in the future, they would be able to work their debt off that way. No, in this case, they would simply help out with manual tasks, cleaning, serving, or such. I’ve heard they are particularly good at getting rid of dust from hard-to-reach places.” “Just keep in mind that Fairies, while extremely cute, adorable, and cheerful, are by nature extremely chaotic beings,” Cornelia adds with a note of warning. “The restrained one might be a borderline case of it, but the others are prone to causing mischief and playing pranks on others with their minor magic. Having fun is like their life motto.” “And that could be a problem for the customers.” I smirk to myself. “I can see why you wanted to seek my input on this. Do you think it will be a nuisance?” “As long as you display your might and divinity to at least one of them, I think we should be able to keep their tricks under wraps. Mostly.” Elea’s purplish eyes sparkle with mischief. Yeah. Figured. She wants me to flex my Demigod dick on the poor Fairies before I go. “I’ll see what I can do. When would be a good moment for this?” I ask. “After you are done handling Lyona’s family matters or tomorrow,” Cornelia suggests. “Sirgia needs a bit more time to finish her preparations anyway. I don’t think it’s a surprise to you that she’s a massive prepper and can’t leave without making sure she is ready for everything and has all she needs for the trip. Especially now that she is travelling with her beloved.” I snort softly. “Leave her to me. I’ll convince her not to go overboard. Too much, at least.” “Can’t blame a girl for being excited about her honeymoon.” Elea shows a sly grin. “Who wouldn’t want theirs to be perfect?” Well, I wouldn’t classify this trip as worthy of such a badge, but it might be rude to disagree with them. More reasons to keep Sirgia from being an overachiever and force her to relax a little. Thankfully, I know a method or two to keep her mind away from work and other stressful matters. And no, they aren’t both sex. “Very well. Keep me updated on the Fairy situation. Help them however you can. Do you need assistance with the bad one?” I take a peek at the bound figure. “We are good on our own.” My Ice Queen shakes her head. “There’s another evil bitch that requires your attention, isn’t there? We’ll leave that one to you. I don’t think I would be able to hold myself back with someone who hurt Lianne this badly.” “Understandable. It’s not exactly easy for me either.” I take a deep breath. “I’ll be on my way, then. The zero hour is near. We can’t make any mistakes.” “We believe in you.” My Faithful Head Priestess glances my way cordially. “And whenever you have a free moment, stop by our temple. I would like you to welcome our new initiates before you depart.” I have a weird feeling that this welcoming might focus quite a bit on coming, but hopefully, I’m wrong just like in Lyona’s case. We share a few farewell kisses and I leave the ladies to their work. Checking the time, I confirm that I’m not late and whistle quietly under my nose. My shadow ripples and my trusty canine companion emerges from the darkness. I scratch behind Diana’s triangular ear as she gives my face a few affectionate licks and I jump on top of her impressive back. We plunge into the shadows right away, emerging inside the castle a moment later. She returns to hiding right away, but I can tell that she remains with me, sensing her closeness. Yet, Diana’s presence isn’t the only one trailing mine and I snicker to myself. A certain multi-legged individual must have dropped onto my steed from above right before we got transported because someone hangs over my head while staying unperceivable. I can’t get rid of my silent bodyguard this easily, can I? Directing an appreciative smile at my guardian angel, I start moving through the castle hallways, heading towards the secret section. Shortly before I reach the entrance, a familiar pair takes a turn into my corridor and spots me immediately. “Sensei!” Shino’s face practically lights up as she waves at me joyfully. She hastily jogs up to me, forcing her best friend and now also girlfriend to chase after her. But, it clearly doesn’t bother the dazzling blonde actress as she runs up with a happy expression too instead of her usual collected visage. The petite samurai girl jumps into my arms and steals my lips as I hold onto her tiny frame. I let out a chuckle as she giddily kicks her feet in the air, acting as adorable as ever. Even Natalie can’t hold in the quiet snort at the silliness of the short affection gremlin. “Are you here for the operation, Sensei?” Shino asks after I finally let her down. “Of course you are, why am I even asking?” We roll our eyes with Natalie almost at the same time and catch ourselves doing it. I smirk at her and the talented Bard mirrors me to an extent. “Yes, I’m on my way to Madeline. I get that you girls are ready to play your part?” I raise a curious brow at the shortie. “Yep! We are patrolling the hallways just as instructed!” my Japanese princess replies. “Everyone else is ready too. I can’t wait to see how it all proceeds.” “Good. I should be done with my part in a few minutes too.” I nod to myself. “I’ll see you afterwards, then.” Shino glances aside with a thoughtful expression and leans closer to Natalie’s face. “What do you think about sucking Sensei off together in that niche over there real quick?” Hearing her whispering perfectly well, I open my mouth to rebuke the little pervert, just to be interrupted by Natalie. “I think I would prefer to suck you while watching from below as you deepthroat him,” the usually quiet girl answers with a trace of rosiness over her cheeks as she looks right at me. Shino’s eyes instantly turn into saucers and her skin rivals a ripe tomato in its deepest shade. We really created a monster, haven’t we? “Later.” I give each girl a peck on the forehead. “We have work to do. Though, I appreciate the offer.” Not giving either of them a chance of rebuttal, I stroll away without looking back. A few minutes later, I find myself in front of the hidden passage and start making my way through it. “Ailish,” I say to myself about halfway there. A purplish haze explodes from my chest and forms a feminine figure in front of me, albeit in a rather horizontal position. Extending my arms forward, I hold onto it with a bridal carry and the violet-skinned demoness materialises atop them with a salacious grin, throwing her own arms over my shoulders. “You called?” She licks her lips ostentatiously. “To your disappointment, not for what you have in mind.” I squint at the mischievous Succubus. “Let’s wrap it up. I need your help with the mark.” Ailish whines like a disgruntled kid but obediently slides off my hands. “Yes, Master. I hope you can find time to reward my efforts properly afterwards. Mothering that stupid slut is a serious chore.” “I know. You can count on it.” I give her behind a mighty slap that echoes throughout the tunnel like thunder. She bites down on her bottom lip hard and gives me the eyes, but we somehow still continue ahead without staining the walls with any uncontained liquids. Arriving in Madeline’s holding cell, we step inside and find our captive already waiting for us, geared for her escape. “Master. Did you come to check on my preparations before the big event? I assure you that they are impeccable and you will find no fault in them,” the woman hastily says. “Good. I’m here to offer you a small gift, an ancient rune that will let me sense you better. It will allow my ladies to locate you to receive your reports if I’m not present. It will also let me know when you are in danger,” I respond, revealing only part of the truth. “Ah. The mark over my pubic area. I was wondering when you were going to activate that one.” She nods to herself. Then, she unceremoniously drops her pants alongside her panties and stands there proudly with her privates at full display. A black womb tattoo adorns her underbelly as mentioned. Direct skin contact isn’t exactly a must, but I guess it does fit the theme. Walking up to her, I palm her entire mound from below while pressing my thumb into the patterns. She sighs heavily while Ailish moves behind her and presses a hand to her lower back. The two of us release our mana at the same time and flood the woman’s lower body with it, causing her to shudder strongly. Groaning in clear satisfaction, she grabs my forearm tightly as the mark gradually illuminates. By the end of it, it’s rather clear that she’s been driven to her peak during the process, unintentionally. When the two of us back off, she nonchalantly dresses up again, stumbling just a little at first. Ailish gives me a jealous glance but I remind her mentally that this is work, not fun, and she backs down with a faint pout. Confirming with her that everything functions as intended, I tell Madeline to do her best as I’ll be watching and evaluating her efforts, and we leave the cell. “You’ll go with her?” I take a peek at the beauty by my side, whose tail is inching dangerously close to the line of my belt. “Anything for you, love.” Ailish beams at me. “Enjoy your vacation and don’t forget to fuck your cute dwarf much for me. I’ll be helping out Lianne and the others infiltrate those bastards from within the mark and collect enough good deeds for you to be forced to rail me silly for a week straight.” “Yeah? Does that mean you aren’t going to sneak into my dreams for a quickie every other day?” I snicker under my nose. “Hey! I’ll let you know that I can know restraint when I need it!” She huffs angrily. “Though… Maybe once a week is okay?” Laughing openly, I squeeze her thigh and place a peck on her cheek. “Depends on how you perform. And be sure to consult with Sirgia.” Fifteen minutes later or so, we get to our positions and wait for the operation to begin. Half an hour later, a light explosion occurs near us, marking the start of the grand event. Using a crystal ball given to me by Sirgia, I deepen my connection with Hecate while holding onto its metal base. It takes a bit of effort, but soon, we can see what she sees through the blurry crystal as my stealthy mate trails the escapee. Madeline acts according to her role and rushes through the hallways as fast as she can. Naturally, she quickly encounters a group of knights who heard the explosion and engages them. We watch her use many sigils to hurt them convincingly, but as ordered, she doesn’t kill or maim anyone. Dealing with that hiccup, she accidentally takes a wrong turn and barges inside one of the servant chambers. A small chaos erupts amongst the men and women, but she incapacitates some, silences the others, and makes a show of her magic by taking control of a few. She brings those as her hostages and flees. So far, all is going according to plan. Finding herself facing a few more challenges, Madeline finds a way outside and gets stopped at the courtyards by a squad of magicians. They aren’t paid actors this time so the fight gets a bit more heated. Still, she is strong enough not to need to critically wound anyone and abandons her hostages to escape at the first given opportunity. Then, she runs into our fabled Heroes. Or at least half of them. Shino, Natalie, and Kamil attempt to stop her and spend ten minutes dancing with the criminal, trying not to hurt the hostages. A few onlookers catch the fights as intended, and they succeed in wounding Madeline lightly. Part of the castle suffers a big blow but it’s to be expected. She is forced to run, creating a smokescreen. Finally, after passing the walls of the fortress, she dashes through the streets while making sure to cover her face. Causing enough commotion in the city, she heads for the nearby entrance to the sewers and disappears inside the dark tunnels. We observe her make her way at a slower pace for a while longer before I recall Hecate back and sigh heavily. Now, the ball is in Madeline’s court. With Ailish as the referee, we shall see what comes out of this set. In the meantime, I have a noble family to visit. Time to introduce myself to the parents of my newest girlfriend.
Chapter 210 – A Bloody Mess Spoiler: Chapter Before we return home, it’s only proper that we help a little with the cleaning. Madeline made a bit of a mess while escaping, as intended, of course. Everyone soon gathers near the damaged parts of the castle and we get to work immediately. Proper mages handle the construction while healers assist the wounded, aided by Natalie. Since things have been planned ahead of time, it all just flows with everyone cooperating perfectly well. A team is with the servants who have experienced the criminal’s presence, another handles the corridors, a different one patrols the city, and so on. While the general idea is to show a tiny bit of incompetence, the situation is perfect to display just how quickly the kingdom can react to such events. In the end, it would be bad to focus only on the negatives. We don’t want to completely ruin Ross’ name. A few hours later, the operation looks to be wrapping up and everyone is slowly heading out. Some people still have their roles to play as the post-incident reaction group to continue creating a picture of a legit escape. Shino and the others have to stay behind for a while since they are going to pursue Madeline and try to catch her before she flees the capital. Thankfully, I did my part, mostly, and can focus back on the issues that need resolving before our next trip with Sirgia. Bidding farewell to everyone and checking up on Lianne for the last time, I return to the mansion and spend some time amongst the ladies, simply taking care of my usual responsibilities related to managing the place. Plus, there are also those Fairies to keep an eye on while I’m still here. Time flies rather fast and the early evening soon comes. I leave everything to the girls and prepare for the meeting. My usual suit should do just fine. I’m not exactly sure what to expect from the family of Vampires besides being aware of the fact that they are actual nobility so it should be somewhat important to be at least somewhat presentable and respectful. Because they live rather long, it’s a good idea to form a decent first impression. If it’s even possible with me already stealing the heart of their daughter without introducing myself ahead of time. Getting myself ready, I cross the street and enter the headquarters. The Oni girl is manning the reception for an hour or two more so that Lyona can leave her post early and I thank our kind friend for her aid. From what I heard, she is the second person after Ressia to help their Vampire supervisor with some things now and then. It’s good to know we can rely on them to step up when needed. Without further ado, I find myself in front of Lyona’s office and politely knock on the door even though I know she is waiting for me inside and that she has taken notice of my arrival through our connection already. She hastily trots to the entrance and shows up with the faintest hint of a smile while looking up at me. “Is it time, Master?” Lyona asks calmly, standing proudly in the doorway. Once more I get the chance to see her in that pretty gothic fashion she seems to wear either casually or for official dealings like during her birthday party and so on. Today, she’s picked up a black frilly dress with purplish accents. It’s pretty clear why. I smirk softly at the thoughtful lady. “There’s no better time than now. And I see you matched my suit.” Stepping back, she does a slow twirl to showcase her entire figure, flashing me her smooth, pale back covered only by a few interlacing strings. “What do you think, Master?” “You look really charming. And to some part ominous, but I guess it’s the effect of your gorgeous eyes and sharp face.” I smile at her. As she walks up to me, I accept the short Vampire into my arms and lift her chin for a gentle kiss. During our sensual exchange, my hand gently trails over her exposed back until it reaches her neck. As our tongues lightly tickle each other, I tenderly massage the spot I bit in the past, causing the lovely lady to release a few blissful sighs into my mouth. “I certainly like how it provides me easy access to your delicious neck for a quick bite whenever I crave it,” I add with a chuckle and Lyona’s sharp fangs flicker through my vision briefly. “Would you like to… taste me right now, Master?” she asks completely innocently. “As much as your offer entices me, I think it would be better not to take any chances before we meet with your family, don’t you think?” I peck her cheek dearly. “My knowledge about your kin is fairly limited and I’m not sure what they might take note of and what not, even with the evidence of our little fun being fully healed.” “You are right.” Lyona nods lightly. “I apologise, Master. I find it hard to suppress my desires near you since that night during my birthday.” “There’s nothing you have to apologise for,” I reply while shaking my head. “Now, let’s have a proper talk with your parents so that you don’t need to worry ever again about such things. I would love to indulge your desires whenever you feel like it.” “Thank you, My Lord.” She actually bows after backing off. “Your compassion is greatly appreciated.” Offering my elbow to her, the white-haired beauty quickly links hers with mine and we move out of the building, waving at the Oni receptionist as we pass through the lobby. I catch a few other girls stealing glances at us while trying to be sneaky with partially open doors but I just snort quietly at their behaviour. It feels like I’m taking one of many sisters on a date and the rest are going to spy on us for the whole evening. Surely, they wouldn’t, would they? A carriage waits for us and we hop into one of our famous by this point vehicles. They have gotten recognisable to the point that we had to provide a way to quickly alter some of their elements for a use different from the main intended one. Otherwise, no matter if they were taken for a ride or a ride, people always assumed the same thing. Now, it’s possible to travel inside one with more window surface uncovered and with the logo protruding a bit more in a different way than on the other carriages. Therefore, it’s easier to spot the difference. Less people are getting surprised when one stops next to them and normal passengers either get in or get off instead of our dazzling staff with some company. The girls are considering picking up one that would be exclusively mine and so forth unique, but I told them that it’s not a pressing matter. Nevertheless, we enjoy the brief ride to the fullest. Lyona might present a somewhat silent and withdrawn front, but she doesn’t oppose me sitting her down sideways in my lap and showering the cute Vampire girl with lovely kisses. Just like one of two other quiet ladies, she finds my affection just as enjoyable, perhaps even passively seeking it more on her own. Like, that pretty black dress of hers didn’t have to present her smooth back so invitingly to me. Nothing too serious happens as we reach our destination in a matter of minutes. We help each other fix our clothes and get rid of any evidence of our quick moment of gentle passion. Thankfully, the air outside is fairly chilly so the faint flush that Lyona’s cheeks gained during our exchange doesn’t take long to disappear. She enters her regal mode and leads us towards her home. We stop at the gate, closed this time, and two servants dutifully open it for us after sighting their mistress as I gaze up at the stylish letters above. “Can’t believe I didn’t make the connection the first time I was here.” “It could happen to anyone, Master.” Lyona glances at me with the smallest smile. “I didn’t emphasise my family that much to you besides sharing my surname. I honestly didn’t think it would be important and wanted to keep my status separate from my work for you, not expecting things to develop so differently. But, perhaps I should have expected them to after sensing your blood that day when Elise brought me here.” I chuckle at that. “And I thought you were just too shy of a girl to appear in front of your friend’s boss while aware of part of his fame.” “I can see why, Master. My mind practically blanked out at that moment.” She offers me a rare chuckle too. We enter the premises of her family residence and take a walk towards the entrance. No one helps us with the door so I naturally take that responsibility on my shoulders, escorting my dazzling date inside. The mansion is just as I remember it from my short visit but I let Lyona guide me this time since I have no idea where to go and what to do. On the way, we stumble on a maid and Lyona asks the girl to inform her parents that she wishes to meet them in some named chamber. It looks like the important rooms are dedicated to some significant people in their lineage or something. Waiting for them to arrive, we settle down in a fairly small but all-that-fancy chamber with white walls and lots of decorative patterns carved into columns and other aesthetics. They are even more prominent than in the one Lyona hosted her birthday in. I can’t help but feel like this is one of the more meaningful places. Especially judging by the number of paintings presenting busts of multiple similar-looking people scattered all over almost every free surface. If I didn’t know any better, I could easily assume that they all were just a simple noble line as the pictures do not do their eyes justice, either intentionally or because the creators had no way of recreating that ominous glow. I’m leaning towards the former considering that Vampires are a rather secretive community. “I’m honestly a bit stressed about this,” Lyona admits while we wait on one of the sofas. “Who wouldn’t be?” I rub her side reassuringly. “It will all turn out okay. If not today, then in the future.” “I tried my best to slowly introduce them to the thought of us and also the new faith but I can’t completely predict how they are going to act after everything else that I have been concealing comes forth,” she says with a deceitful calmness. “Hopefully, they will be able to sense how special you are sooner than later.” “Hmmm. Regarding that, shouldn’t it actually be easy, then? You instantly knew something was on from our first interaction,” I wonder out loud. “It’s said that the older the Vampire the easier it is for them to suppress some of their senses, specifically those related to sensing the scent of all the blood around them. They might not be as perceptible to your aura right away as I was,” Lyona explains. “Besides, I still thought you were a Human initially, just with some special blood. That part might be more problematic for them. We shared a faint connection back then as a boss and their upcoming subordinate.” “Whatever goes, goes.” I shrug and place a tender kiss on her mesmerising hair. Soon after, Lyona stiffens a bit, and I’m aware it’s not because of my actions. We both stand up as the doors to the chamber open and two people walk inside. A tall man in a stylish black tailcoat enters our sight first. He wears leather gloves and a top hat to almost perfectly match his moustache and goatee. As if that isn’t enough, he also holds onto a cane with one hand, topped with a scarlet gem. He’s only missing a monocle to complete the look. His eyes are obviously red as most if not all of his kin’s while he has short black hair woven into a back bun. Then, a much shorter woman steps past him. She wears an emerald satin dress that flows neatly down almost to the very ground. Her short, curly, and rusty hair matches it just perfectly. Her skin is as pale as her husband’s and there’s no need to comment on her eyes. The main difference is the shape of her face as it appears a bit more angular and soft on the edges than the man’s so it seems that not all Vampires have this kind of menacing presence inherently. Well, at least it’s now clear after who has Lyona gotten her lithe rather petite frame and sharp visage. “What is the meaning of this, dear Lyona?” the woman asks with a faint frown. “Greetings, Mother.” Lyona makes a respectful bow. “I simply wish to introduce you to the man I’ve been speaking about in recent days, just as discussed.” “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Altcroft.” I politely lower my head. “It’s an honour to be able to meet you.” The lady of the house scans me with her gaze from top to bottom before turning to her daughter. “Are you aware of what you are doing, Lyona?” “Yes, Mother, I’m fully aware of all my actions,” Lyona responds. “Alastair insisted that I take an extended period of time to consider everything before we proceeded and I’m extremely grateful to him for that.” “Then you must be joking.” The woman snorts to the side. “This can’t be the man you’ve been speaking of. You are a smart girl. This is not how we brought you up either.” “I am not jesting, Mother.” Lyona shakes her head. “This is a very serious matter and should be given proper respect and decorum.” “A serious matter? When you bring this person home knowing perfectly well who and what he is?” The older female points at me without looking my way, seemingly ignoring me completely. “It’s only because I know perfectly well who he is that I decided to bring Alastair here and introduce him—” “Then I don’t think you know anything, Daughter,” Lyona’s mother interrupts her. “Because we know that man really well. Anyone in the capital who runs any business should at this point, really. His services are praised by many, including those of our descent. I don’t know what means he used to either deceive or mislead you, or if you yourself got blinded by his good looks, but you need to see through this veil that has fallen upon your eyes.” Curious. Looks like I might need to pay more attention to some of our customers from now on. I don’t think I remember spotting any Vampires coming in for a fun time. Maybe they focus more on socialising instead. But, perhaps the girls didn’t really think it important to mention since it’s not like we are offering our services only to Humans or anything. Even if they weren’t that those people were Vampires, they had to notice that there was something different about them. “If only you allowed me to explain, Mother, then—” “No, I will not have my daughter risk breaking the covenant by being blinded by hunger or desire and charming a Human!” The woman raises her voice while stepping forward. “This ends here before you cause irreversible harm to yourself and your family!” “What do you—” This time, the ginger-haired woman ignores her daughter and her fierce eyes lock on mine as she stops ahead of us. I watch them glow with a crimson hue as her forehead creases from effort. They keep gleaming for a moment and a gentle spiritual wave washes over me without doing much. Then, they lose the glow and she frowns even more in confusion. Her irises light up once more, starting to pulse with power, but once more the gleam fades away soon after. The delicate magical touch teases me a bit stronger but not enough to affect me in any way. She finally pauses her attempts and gapes at me in disbelief. As her mouth drops open to say something, I sense a source of quickly growing emotions by my side and Lyona is the one to interrupt her mother this time. “Did you just…?” she inquires with her brows furrowing deeply. I don’t think I’ve seen the calm girl show this much on her face besides the peak moments of passion. Yet, the enrage gradually taking over Lyona’s visage is more than apparent. Before I can react, she surges forward while drawing her hand to the side. I catch up on her intentions a bit late and the flat side of that palm meets the woman’s cheek faster than humanly possible and a powerful smack echoes through the chamber. Lyona’s mother is sent flying to the side and crashes right through a small door leading to some adjacent facility or room that’s part of this chamber. I wince slightly at the sound of wood breaking and multiple things shattering or falling on the other side. She’s definitely created a huge mess out there, not to mention the sole fact of raising her hand against her parents. “What have you done…” the man speaks for the first time, looking straight at my crimson-eyed lover. Somehow, I have a feeling that he isn’t talking about slapping his wife harder than a truck smacks in an inexpectant crowd. “Contrary to what you are thinking, Father, this is not the effect of my Bond, but that of the deep connection the two of us share,” Lyona answers, gradually regaining her composure. “Although, it is a fact that the two of us Bonded each other, alongside me taking the Blood Oath towards Alastair. Therefore, I can’t ignore anyone disrespecting my Master this much, not even if it’s the people who gave me life.” “Petros was right…” The woman’s voice arrives from the side and we watch her hold onto the empty frame with her dress bearing evidence of quite the tumble. “You have lost your Goddess-damned mind…” Lyona’s face slowly turns to her. “You would trust a stranger’s word over your own flesh and blood, Mother?” Footsteps sound in the hallway behind the main entrance and a few more individuals step inside. Amongst them is a pair of Vampires who bear a resemblance to the woman but appear a tad more mature in terms of looks. Those might be Lyona’s grandparents if I’m not mistaken. And they look ready for things to go down. “Seeing that you’ve gone insane, I might not have any other options,” their daughter replies. “Petros is a good and honest man with a craft he feels strongly about. He would make a great husband for you, one that does fit the rules of our people.” “He is the one obsessed with me, Mother. He desires nothing else but to possess me, even if I myself wasn’t aware of that until recently,” Lyona replies. “Do you think he came to you and gave me away out of obligation or kindness of his heart? No, he did it out of spite and hoping that you would eliminate the problem, perhaps rewarding him with my hand after solving the issue of my affair with a Human. And he knows who Alastair is.” “We can’t let you hurt yourself and those you care about. Even if it means getting rid of blood potent enough to give you such monstrous strength.” Lyona sighs softly. “It’s not his blood that makes me strong. If you still haven’t realised, Alastair is the Demigod we have been talking about, the one who was acknowledged by the Goddess and the kingdom, spreading their beliefs of love and pleasure from his newly constructed temple.” That makes everyone, including the mother, examine me once more, but it doesn’t seem to be enough for the woman. “Even so, an ascended Human is still a Human,” she says firmly. “If you aren’t going to respect our rules, I will have to force them upon you myself before others hear of your treachery and our entire lineage suffers.” Lyona stares at her mother silently for a moment, takes a glance at her grandparents to confirm that they are most likely going to stand behind her parents, and lets out another hopeless sigh. “You leave me no choice, then.” She turns to me. “I’m terribly sorry about this, Master. I’m going to make the worst offence to your name a Blood Bond can make. I give myself for any punishment you find fitting of my transgression after we return home.” Flicking her wrist, she brings out a vial full of my fresh blood from her spatial storage. Instead of drinking it as I expect her to, she uncorks the glass container and pours its contents onto the shiny tiles ahead of her feet. The scarlet liquid unhurriedly splashes onto the floor and spills over it while also staining her dress with multiple droplets that hit the ground from high up. Yeah, I can see how this can be a huge insult in their culture. But, it might just be able to save us from an upcoming confrontation as everyone in the room reacts the same way to the powerful scent that fills the air. All crimson eyes glow lightly as their pupils shrink into tiny slits. Everyone focuses on the bloody puddle expanding itself to the sides with shock and confusion. Thankfully, no one enters a blood-craving frenzy like most Vampires would in fiction and movies. “What is that?” Grandpa is the first one to speak up. “That is the blood of a Primordial,” Lyona answers matter-of-factly. “Impossible.” Grandma shakes her head. “It is possible,” Lyona corrects her. “And you are looking right at its source.” She doesn’t need to specify that even further as the only one not a Vampire in this chamber is obviously me. “Alastair is not a Human anymore but a Primordial and he was one long before becoming a Demigod,” she continues. “He is also the male I call my master through the Blood Oath, and the one I offered my everything through the Blood Bond, which was reciprocated without a second thought. Nonetheless, I was shown the deepest compassion and can also call him my lord as he took my first blood amidst claiming me for himself.” “That’s ridiculous.” The old man scoffs. “Your story is becoming more and more outrageous, Granddaughter.” She turns to her grandpa as her fingers daintily graze the spot at the edge of her neck. “You can find the imprint of his fangs on my skin, Grandfather. The body does not lie after it has been pierced and marked for the first time. You know that. But, if this is still not enough to convince you, it looks like I’ll have to swallow my shame completely.” I raise a brow at her declaration, wondering what it’s about when Lyona hesitantly steps closer to me. Looking up into my eyes, she takes hold of my palm and brings it up to her cheek. I caress her skin tenderly as it gains more colour with the rosy tint starting to surface. As she guides my fingers down to her shoulder, I finally catch on with her request which might be too embarrassing to voice out in front of her relatives. Leaning forward, I seal Lyona’s lips with mine, pulling her into a respectful kiss. We don’t go any further than brushing our mouths together, but then she lets me turn her around and takes my arms to wrap herself in a hug around her lithe waist. My lips gently trail towards her shoulder as I call for the same skill I used back then. The moment my mouth opens to show my teeth, the entire chamber gasps, followed by a subdued moan that escapes Lyona’s throat as my fangs sink into her soft flesh. She squeezes my hands tenderly as I take a light sip of her delicious blood. I don’t need to see her face to know how much she’s blushing right now. Such a brave young lady. I have no doubt that this feels close to having sex with your lover right in front of your family for their community. Stopping soon enough, I lick her wounds close as they heal up on their own and with the help of my Rejuvenate. After I straighten up, Lyona spins around and steals my lips once more. Since mine are still slightly stained with her blood, she gets a taste of us both as she pursues me with more energy than before. She must be really turned on now and I can’t exactly blame her. I still remember Shino basically cumming right from getting bitten so she might be at least a tiny bit sexually frustrated from my unintentional teasing since I haven’t touched her while doing this. Lyona takes a step back, throws me a charming smile before steeling her expression, and makes a resolute nod. “Your wish is my command, Master. Please, order me to do whatever it is that you desire.” There are plenty of things that I desire but they aren’t really the same things she would like me to order her in this very situation. But, I get the idea. She wants me to show off the Oath and the Bond she’s taken with me. It looks like I might have quite some power over my attractive assistant. Now I gotta figure out an order that will convince everyone that she truly meant what she said. Well, let’s just hope she forgives me for this. “Let’s start with rectifying the offence I have suffered from your mother,” I say with a nod and turn to the man standing next to the ginger-haired lady. “Since I firmly believe in shared responsibility in marriage, I think an arm from your father would suffice as he failed to stop her in time.” Lyona’s eyes widen briefly and her fingers clench into fists, but as her scarlet eyes meet mine, they flash faintly and a weak shudder passes through her entire frame. “As per your command, My Lord.” She bows down and starts walking towards her parents with stiff movements. “As if!” Grandpa shouts and the older pair steps between her and the parents. But, before they can even start intercepting Lyona, my dazzling subordinate explodes with a powerful spiritual aura as bloody mist surrounds her figure. I can spot some dark red lines running over the nape of her neck and down her exposed back, most likely covering her entire body. It does make me a little curious how she looks all over, especially in certain areas, but this is not the time to be mesmerised by this otherworldly beauty and her vampiric quirks. With a snap of her fingers, she creates threads of crimson that instantly restrain her grandparents. She glares at them from up close and pulls them aside, letting them fall to the ground. Her attention switches back to her father, who tries to put her mother behind him, and her aura crashes right into him from point blank, beading his forehead and face with intense sweat as he is brought to his knees. “Stop this!” the woman calls out to her, barely able to move. Lyona raises her right arm, which gets enveloped with scarlet liquid taking the shape of an extremely sharp and long curved blade. I can see it tremble a bit as she struggles internally with the order but otherwise doesn’t seem to fight it with all she has. Before she drops it down onto the poor man, I place a hand on her shoulder from behind. “That’s enough. You’ve proven your loyalty.” The sword of blood disperses instantly and Lyona exhales heavily, falling back onto my chest. Her aura slowly disperses as she looks at me with a weak, nervous smile. “I knew you wouldn’t break your promise, Master, but I have to confess that my heart did begin doubting you near the end,” she admits honestly. “I’m not worthy of your love.” I kiss the top of her head. “Doubt is a natural thing and we haven’t known each other for that long yet either. I’m sorry for making you go through this. I won’t ever test your heart like that again.” “I know.” She sighs again and snuggles her back more into me, relishing the way my arms uphold her dearly. “You are not to blame as this was all my idea.” “I think we are both equally guilty here.” I wink at her. “But that’s a topic for another time.” “Yes. We’ll discuss my punishment for the earlier offence later,” Lyona agrees with the tiniest chuckle. “Now, Father, Mother, are you finally convinced?” “How are you this much stronger?” he asks, still on his knees in front of us. She ponders briefly before summoning her status screen and sharing it with the four of her main family. Their eyes widen to the brim from disbelief. “I am bonded to the Primordial Demigod of Lust and Love. It’s only natural that I receive part of his power to properly serve My Lord with my weak self,” Lyona explains, slightly downplaying her own capabilities. “And this is all without the enhancement from his blood. Yes, I’m allowed to drink it whenever I wish to, straight from his divine veins, not just from a mere flask. And someday, you might even be able to taste it too, but that’s only if you see through your current misapprehension and properly atone for your doubt.” The four look at each other as she speaks. Well, we might be getting ahead of ourselves here since I don’t think we discussed that part, but I can understand why and how such a promise comes rather naturally to Lyona. I’m already aware of how much she reveres my blood and it’s not a surprise she would want to share it with her family after receiving my permission. This might be a decent way of drawing out a more positive response from them in the long term. “We… We need time to talk about this…” her mother answers. “I…” “I forgive you, Mother.” Lyona offers her a slow nod. “I understand where you were coming from and won’t hold it against you, just as you understand where the need to defend my master came from. I do regret raising my hand against you, but we are all bound to follow the ancient traditions and customs. And now, you have one of the oldest in front of you.” The relief is clear on the lady’s face and I can feel Lyona relax a bit too as she fully confirms that her mom doesn’t seem to hold the earlier assault against her. “We’ll politely excuse ourselves for the night if you don’t mind,” I join in while kindly offering the parents a hand. “There’s no rush to come to any decision as long as you aren’t going to stand against Lyona’s decision. I will be leaving for a journey in the morning so there will be plenty of time you can use to talk about things. I would also like to be properly introduced to your culture after my return as there are still countless things I’m missing since my knowledge comes mostly from the royal library.” “We shall do that, young man,” Grandpa replies and helps them up too. After everyone is off the floor, we bid farewell and leave the chamber. I thought Lyona would stay, but she jogs to catch up to me after exchanging a few words and hugs with her parents, mentioning that she would like to spend a night with me and everyone if I’m going to sleep together with my other wives. So, we step outside, catch a lungful of fresh air, and exchange soft smiles as our fingers intertwine. Things haven’t gone exactly as planned, but it’s a decent beginning.
Chapter 211 – Giddy Up Spoiler: Chapter “Do you think they will be fine?” I ask Lyona as we start our short journey back home while holding hands. My quiet Vampire partner sighs softly. “I admit that things escalated beyond what I was expecting, but I believe in my family. I can understand how shocking the revelation is so I don’t blame them for wanting more time to calmly consider everything from start to finish. The only thing I find hard to forgive are the actions of my mother.” “Are you still angry that she tried to… do something to me?” I brush the top of her palm with my thumb. “She tried to put you under her charm and most likely make you forget everything connected to me,” Lyona explains. “We do that sometimes, and even I’m not unsullied by such deeds, but it’s a step that’s only taken when nothing else provides enough certainty and safety, and never towards a person sharing a connection with a member of our race. At least not without a proper council first. Charm is usually only used for spontaneous slips and Humans glimpsing flashes of what they shouldn’t have seen.” “And because I’m currently in a relationship with you, it was quite offensive towards your person.” I nod to myself. “Not entirely.” The white-haired beauty shakes her head. “Yes, I was furious she tried to charm you, my mate, without talking about it with anyone first, but as your subordinate through the Blood Oath and the bond we share after you claimed me, I couldn’t stand still when my Lord was being disrespected this much. Trying to charm another Vampire, which rarely works, is greatly frowned upon. Trying to charm a Vampire Lord… Well, it’s an easy way to lose one’s life. Possibly their entire lineage too.” “I’m not a Vampire, though. I can imitate some parts thanks to you, but it doesn’t change what I am,” I respond to her explanation. “You are a Primordial, Master, aren’t you? Primordials are the progenitors of most if not all the races, right?” She glances up at me as we slow down a bit. “Then that means you are the ancestor of the first Vampire Lord or Lady, even if you don’t show our characteristic features at all times. Do you think you would be able to assimilate and use abilities and quirks of other races if your very being wasn’t completely compatible with them?” I ponder over her words for a moment. It’s technically true that I became capable of utilising those after becoming a Primordial. If we look at it from a more modern angle, I would require proper hardware to handle all the different software I can install from my collection. If I want to delve into an expansion, I need the base first. “There might be something to that, as you say, but my skill doesn’t allow me to copy everything,” I say after a while. “Some parts are unavailable, depending on the race of the person I have a connection with, that are incompatible with my body. If it was all up to my Primordial bloodline, that wouldn’t really be a thing, no?” It’s Lyona’s turn to wrestle with her thoughts as the smart girl rubs her chin while walking ahead with a distant gaze. Moving my hand away from her grasp, I wrap my arm around her slim waist to help guide the thinking girl through the streets, preventing my pretty companion from bumping into anything in anyone. “I have another theory, Master,” she finally speaks up after a few minutes. “I think it might depend on your strength, meaning your Tier and proficiency in handling your powers. At higher Tiers, those previously unavailable options might unlock. From what I understand, you aren’t a born Primordial, so you might need time to grow before becoming equal to the ancestors from ancient times.” “Hmmm. That does sound believable.” I look up into the sky. “I can see that being possible. I guess we’ll have to keep an eye on my abilities as I level up.” “To me, you are already a perfect being, My Lord.” Lyona stops in front of me and shows a somewhat soft smile. “I’m glad we found each other and I received a chance to become your Blood Bond.” Chuckling quietly, I lean forward to present my Bond with a delicate, loving kiss. “You flatter me, Ms. Lyona. I’m the lucky one for stumbling on you during my journeys. Let’s see what fate has in store for us, shall we?” Before I escape her reach, Lyona peppers my lips with a few more pecks and returns to my side. It looks like the silent and rather cold Vampire receptionist is starting to open up a little more to affection. She must have been lonely even if it didn’t show that much in her collected expression. I better make sure she experiences all the warmth having an intimate companion can provide. Since we take our sweet time heading back, strolling through the alleys instead of using our dedicated carriage, it takes us a while to reach the mansion. Still, we enjoy the atmosphere of our little mobile date as we chat about random things related to either her or my life. We manage to reach our destination in the end and bid a temporary farewell with some more snuggles. Temporary because Lyona will be joining us for the night and also due to my cute receptionist stealing the Vampire lady to chat moments after our appearance. Naturally, I let the girls go and have their fun while I make a round or two around the residence. They definitely have a lot to talk about still after Elise has learned the truth about her best friend’s true identity. My final stop before bed is the makeshift infirmary housing the weakened Fairies. This time, I find two more awake and have to fight off a small barrage of gratitude from the zooming, doll-sized humanoids. Our healers try their best to calm their patients down but it’s proving to be quite a challenge. Fairies really are an energetic and extremely chaotic bunch. Since they still need a lot of time to recover from their pitiful state, we don’t yet discuss any specifics besides the permission for them to stay at our place and recuperate. The rest will have to wait until I return. They thankfully understand and don’t mind it in the slightest. The only thing I mind is the way they use my hair and shoulders like their most exquisite personal lounges. But, I’ve been warned just how mischievous Fairies and other Faefolk can get so it doesn’t surprise me when they start with harmless little pranks that affect my vision or something. And neither am I surprised by some accidental glimpses under their simple clothing, catching the sight of a few miniature secrets. Seems like underwear isn’t really a thing amongst their cheerful kin. I’m now somewhat thankful that only lady friends came to search for their missing sister. Though perhaps it is not the best feeling as their males could have perished in those jars. As I leave the infirmary, my mind is full of images you could often find in toy commercials back on Earth, especially during Christmas season, illustrating magnificent and complex dollhouses. But, instead of unmoving figurines and dolls filling them up to the plastic ceiling, it’s Fairies. And the houses are fully functional. It’s an amusing thought, but I shouldn’t view the tiny women and men as similar to toys. Arriving close to Sirgia’s forge while trying to clear my mind, I suddenly stop. The reason behind my pause is simple. There is no noise coming from the inside. I’ve confirmed that my short lover is there, in fact, but the eerie silence is rather worrying. Sirgia practically never takes a break without someone making her. Curious, I open the door and peer inside. The person in question is sitting on one of the counters while dangling her legs past its edge. None of the impressive furnaces, anvils, workbenches, and other things are active. The Dwarf girly simply sits in the middle of the main room with her back to me. “Is my sweet little Dwarf alright?” I ask gently as I near Sirgia from behind. She jumps a little, clearly missing my presence until I speak up, and whips her head to me with the first traces of a rising blush on her adorable cheeks. I greet my petite sweetheart with a peck on the nose as she wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles her face into me. “Yes, Master,” Sirgia replies quietly. “I just finished packing up for our trip. Seeing the entire workshop this silent and dark… made me think about the beginning of my life here. And everything before.” I don’t see any crates, chests, or boxes, but she might have already stored everything in her spatial rings. Ailish has enough of them for most of us, and even if they wouldn’t be enough, Sirgia is quite proficient with spatial enchantments already. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a shirt on her that’s made exclusively of gems capable of withstanding such magic. “I’m going to miss this place…” she whispers weakly. I run my fingers through her brown hair. “This tiny bundle of underground chambers? I’m sure you’ll show me how a real forge of a true master looks when we get to your hometown. Besides, we won’t be out for too long. Unless you are thinking about staying with your family after they accept and start to revere you as their little goddess.” “I would never leave your side, Master, no matter what they would say or do.” Sirgia lets out a small chuckle. “No, I’m not talking only about material things but also everyone. This place is a second home and family I never had.” “Ah, yes, we are so lucky to be part of this, aren’t we?” I smile at her warmly. “We are, Master.” She mirrors it with a cute flush. “I might be the luckiest and happiest Dwarf of this world.” Smirking lightly, I peck her forehead. “Wait until we win over your family.” “I can’t wait.” My cute wife giggles quietly. “My masterworks are ready. I hope they are enough.” “There’s no doubt about that.” I ruffle her hair strongly. “You are a genius and don’t ever doubt it. What are you going to show them?” A mischievous glint sparkles in her charming eyes. “You will see during our journey, Master.” “Leaving me unaware, are we?” I raise a playful brow at her, threatening my petite lover with tickles, but the short lady flees my grasp with some more chuckles. “Alright, keep your secrets, then.” “You are not going to make me confess, Master?” Sirgia peeks out from behind the counter. “I could, but I could also just wait for you to tell me yourself.” I grin at her. “I wonder how long you will endure sleeping in separate tents.” “Noooooooooooooo!” She whines jokingly and rushes right into my embrace. Picking her up, I spin us around as we both laugh merrily. When I stop, Sirgia peers deep into my eyes from above before stealing my lips with a dainty peck or two. Holding her steady, I sit the petite Dwarf down on the closest surface. “Anything you need help with?” I ask as we shower each other in tender affection. “Tomorrow. Come here with Diana, Master. I’ll get everything ready. Then, we can depart whenever you want,” Sirgia replies. “Got it.” I nod. “Do we know the path already?” With one last kiss, she jumps off the island and trots to another, wider piece of furniture. Following the talented smith, I find ourselves looking down at a few maps pieced together. There are a few routes marked on them, all originating from the Human capital. As expected, Sirgia didn’t prepare only a single option for us to enjoy. “Depending on Master’s choice, we have three main paths we can take, and about three more optional ones,” she begins. “Lyona and the others helped me a lot during my research as I wasn’t sure how much changed since my… disappearance.” I hug her from behind. “Amazing work. I’ll thank them later too. What are those paths, then? Are we going to have to cross a desert again?” Letting herself be comforted for a moment, Sirgia starts pointing at the lines. “My homeland is in a different direction, so no, most likely not. The first option is to go by the sea near the shore. It’s a very wind-dependant option that might end up being either the shortest or the longest one, even if we consider hiring wind magicians to push the sails.” “Perhaps we could ask for a favour from a few nearby aquatic creatures and races.” I rub my chin pondering. “What’s next?” “We go by land and travel through a lot of forests, reaching a massive mountain range. There is a mercantile path over it, but it’s always dangerous due to the weather. It’s technically the fastest as there is not much more on the way after making it past the snowy hills,” she continues. “But again it depends on the conditions,” I point out. “And the last main one?” “We go the same way, but under the mountains, utilising old Dwarven roads and mines,” Sirgia replies. “They are in a decent state, but no one has maintained them for decades already, if not longer, since these connections are way too close to Human lands. The trip would be a bit longer as we would need to be careful. And, after coming up on the other side, we would need to make it through a dense jungle full of predators and other dangers. The jungle received the name Pit of Gluttony after enough Humans and other races were eaten alive by it. But, I think it won’t be a problem for Master.” “Thanks for your vote of confidence.” I snicker lightly. “Boat sounds the safest but also the most random. Plus, we would be stuck on a ship for a long time again. I’ve honestly barely stepped on land after my recent operation.” “I think so too, Master. And I don’t mind any choice you make. They are all valid options. I can also explain the additional routes if you wish,” she says. “This much is enough. And do you have any personal preference?” I ask, roaming my gaze over the mapped regions. “This doesn’t have to be solely my choice. We are going together, aren’t we?” Sirgia shows a delicate smile and turns to study the paths once again. I admire her thoughtful expression until she peeks back at me. “Personally… I would like to go through the tunnels…” she answers with a timid tone. “I always wanted to explore them and witness the great architecture of our ancestors…” “Then it’s decided.” I peck her rosy cheek. “Since it’s only the two of us, we can make this into a sightseeing trip. I’m certainly curious about architecture too. And who knows? We might even stumble on some ancient secrets others could have missed.” “That would be amazing, Master.” Sirgia giggles. “But we shouldn’t get our hopes too high. Many adventurers and scavengers must have already searched them out for any treasure.” “It’s good then that we consider knowledge and simply having fun a treasure too, isn’t it?” I wink at her and can easily see that my beloved Dwarf girl agrees wholeheartedly. “Come on. If you are done packing, let’s slowly get to bed. We’ll need a good rest if we want to leave early.” “Good idea, Master. Especially since you might not get much sleep tonight,” she replies with a tiny sly grin, her cheeks burning more. The cryptic warning or maybe a threat becomes clear after we reach our bedroom and find all the ladies who have managed to sneak into my heart more than ready to deliver on the promise their short sister-wife made earlier. It looks like they all want to share a pleasant moment before I’m gone for a while once more, departing shortly after returning from the last quest. And who am I to deny them? So, just as Sirgia predicted, we don’t get much sleep done for quite a few hours ahead, and many others would most likely not too if only I hadn’t silenced the bedroom properly. With so many beautiful ladies moaning to the heavens and begging for more, there’s no way the walls would have been enough to provide privacy. Or shield the residents from unnecessary stimulation. Only Sirgia and Cornelia are spared from getting satisfied strongly enough to barely remain conscious. The first one because we obviously have to get up and depart soon, and even with all the healing and recovery magic it would be simply impossible to get rid of all the evidence and ghost sensations, while the second one because she’s switched her preferred treatment to a bit more gentle, sweet, and affectionate making of love. Which suits me perfectly. I take the two of them together as my first pair of lovers send each other smiles. Amidst our throes of passion, I catch them exchanging a word or two, especially when the topic revolves around children. Surprisingly, it’s Cornelia who taunts my lovely Dwarf girl with her current state, trying to goad Sirgia into carrying my baby too. Even though her way of conveying the message is as rude and snarky as always, I think we can both recognise her real intentions after this much time spent together. Embarrassed to admit it directly, she simply wishes for Sirgia to experience the gift of motherhood alongside her, and for her friend to be blessed with the same honour, especially seeing that Sirgia is technically my first wife. I can feel a tinge of amusement in my lovely Dwarf’s mind, alongside a trace of determination and resolution. When she arrives at it, I’m in the middle of showering her with delicate affection from behind as she lays atop Cornelia, and her embrace welcomes me even more firmly as she shyly peeks over her shoulder. It seems like I’ll need to be ready for another ritual when we are done taking care of Sirgia’s family matters. After the farewell orgy wraps up, we all fall asleep together. Sirgia and Cornelia concede their spots by my side to other ladies for the night and I end up with Lyona and Elise around me, with the others surrounding us as usual. I’m already quite used to sleeping under a pile of naked bodies or waking up in rather strange arrangements. In the morning, I wake up to half of the bed being empty, and the other half drags me to the baths. We quickly take care of each other and head for breakfast. Today, it’s Sirgia who gets to be the main cook while the others aid her in the preparation of our meals. It’s not surprising she wanted to experience this once more before we leave as there’s just so much she’s learned since the beginning of this place. She receives well-deserved praise for the cooking from the ladies and myself, beaming at us proudly thanks to her achievement. And no, we don’t have to fake our reactions or assessments to not hurt the short girl’s feelings or confidence. The meals she has prepared are simply great. With breakfast taken care of, everyone unhurriedly scatters to follow their daily rituals, obligations, responsibilities, and so on. As for me, I follow Sirgia down to her forge as instructed yesterday. She checks a few things around the workshop and turns to me with a sizable wooden box by her side. “Would you mind calling Diana here, Master?” she asks, looking up at me. With one mental ping, the ominous wolf emerges from the shadows and towers over us both. If I didn’t know better, I would be scared for Sirgia’s safety. Diana can easily chomp on over half of my beloved Dwarf’s figure in one swoop. Even as my animal companion affectionately licks Sirgia’s face as a greeting, her tongue blocks the petite girl’s almost whole face. “Enough, please.” Sirgia giggles while trying to defend herself. I chuckle quietly and start rubbing behind Diana’s ear, stopping our friend from assaulting her so much. “What do you need her for?” Wiping her face off, Sirgia lifts the lid of the crate and pulls out a multi-segment purple leather thingy in the shape of a… saddle? Even though the item is extremely customised, I have no doubt that's its main purpose. I’ve never seen such a massive saddle, though. It feels long enough to comfortably seat— Oh. “Diana, could you please lie down for a second?” I request and the wolf obliges instantly. Sirgia knows I’ve figured it out and motions at me for help. The two of us hoist the massive saddle onto Diana’s back and it falls onto the black fur with perfect alignment. Every ridge in the big canine’s frame is counted for. Sirgia hastily works on the comfortable belts and the harness in the middle while Diana doesn’t look bothered in the slightest by it. I have a feeling this isn’t the first time she’s allowed my sweet smith to put things on her back. After the two-person saddle is firmly and comfortably mounted on our valiant steed, Sirgia starts attaching a few additional elements looking like not-too-big bags, trunks, wraps, bundles, and so on. When asked about their role when we can carry everything in our spatial storages, she says that it’s a good idea to keep appearances. Travellers with no baggage are more suspicious since spatial magic is extremely rare due to it being part of the lost arts. When she’s finally done, Diana looks more like a war steed than a pack mule. Everything fits her body incredibly well and the colours match in a dazzling composition of purples and dark greys. Naturally, most containers bear the mark of our mercenaries, which is to be expected. She will be one giant advertisement during our trip. We’ve just created an equivalent of those wrapped cars making circles around town centres to promote services, haven’t we? “Will all of this stay attached when she shifts through the shadows?” I wonder out loud. Taking my words as an actual inquiry, the wolf in question dives into one corner and surges out of another with completely no change. “Now I wonder what else the two of you might have been up to while I wasn’t looking.” I smirk at Sirgia, who sports a fair blush and timidly glances away. “Nothing much, Master…” my beloved replies quietly. “We are just preparing for when you recruit more steeds for the mercenary girls…” “We would first need to find—” I pause mid-sentence and squint at the shortie. “What’s the chance of us stumbling on Diana’s kind in those tunnels?” The blush on Sirgia’s cheeks reaches a crescendo. “Ummm… About sixty percent?” I let out an amused snort. “Of course…” “I promise that’s not the only reason why I suggested that path…” she continues, escaping my gaze again. “I really do want to see them…” Leaning down to reassure my lover with a gentle kiss, I give Sirgia a warm smile. “I believe you. But I also believe in you being smart enough to combine efficiency with enjoyment. I should have expected it, honestly. My sweet little genius.” She buries her face in my chest and we hug dearly for a moment. “What about space for them? They won’t all be able to stay in my shadow, will they? Actually, I don’t even know where Diana stays most of the time,” I ponder out loud. “Diana spends most of her time either in the forests around the city or with us in the mansion. You must have noticed her sleeping next to our bed plenty of times, Master. Sometimes she likes to stay a night out there in the wilderness,” Sirgia clarifies. “As for the other wolves, I passed the plans for a cavern-themed resting chamber to the others. It should be taken care of during our absence. It will be as natural as possible while also equipped with comfortable beddings and other pleasant things that could be useful to both young and mature individuals. And their riders.” “You girls thought of everything, didn't you?” I snicker. “We are trying our best to lessen your burden, Master,” she responds. “And you are doing an amazing job. To the point that I feel guilty for not doing enough.” “You know that’s not right, Master,” Sirgia protests. “Yes, yes, I know.” I silence her with a finger over her plump lips. “Love you all.” Next, we actually fill the bags and other containers with some useful stuff. It will be nice to experience a road trip the old-fashioned way. Most things will still stay in our spatial rings, but still. As the last piece, I help Sirgia mount a sizable wooden rectangle resembling a big suitcase but without the functionality. I can’t see it being capable of opening in any way but there are multiple runes, symbols, patterns, and even gems embedded into it. They don’t look pricy, but I know better to judge by appearance. They might be the most valuable crystals in this world. Sirgia just knows not to flaunt those things unnecessarily. “This is everything, Master,” Sirgia says, admiring our work. “We are good to leave as soon as I change.” “Alright. See you in front of the entrance in a bit?” I ask. “I’ll be quick. The others must be waiting.” She hastily scurries into an adjacent chamber. Wondering what she means, I walk the passage back to the mansion and climb up, heading for the lobby. Then, the answer appears before my eyes as I spot everyone, and I truly mean everyone gathered inside. The upper level is full of heads and shoulders poking past the stylish railing while the lower level is crowded on the sides, leaving the centre empty and guarded by two lines of our respected merc ladies standing at attention. My kind wives stand at the far end, near the doors leading outside. Right. As I approach them, the girls everywhere send me their wishes of good luck and safe travels. Ressia’s women salute me and Diana when we pass in front of them. I might need to expect such grand events every time I depart and return now, I guess. “As flashy as always.” I chuckle as I stand in front of my lovers. Ria smiles proudly. “You know it’s not just for you but also for everyone to have a chance to see you off, yes?” I roll my eyes at her teasing as they laugh softly. Sirgia soon jogs up to us from behind and I pause for a moment to admire her travelling getup. She wears heavy, grey boots that can surely deliver a good hit if necessary, brown cargo shorts with plenty of pockets, a leather chest armour of the same colour, crossed by belts with trinkets and mixtures, then equally armoured pauldrons and bracers with fingerless gloves. Behind her back, she keeps her trusty hammer, or at least some iteration of it as it’s definitely a superior version to what she’s been using back in the day. Yep. She looks both badass and adorable. “What do you think, Master?” Sirgia stops in front of me and timidly displays her attire with a faint flush. “I was going to pick the same colours as everyone, but I don’t think I should as I’m not really part of the mercenary force.” “It’s perfect.” I ruffle through her fragrant hair. “As long as it’s also safe.” “Duh.” Cornelia snorts behind me. “Who do you think she is? Even you would have a hard time damaging it.” “I’m gonna take your word for it.” I wink at my dazzling magician. “Ready?” Sirgia confirms and we spend a few minutes exchanging a few words with the ladies, interrupted by some kisses and hugs. I make sure to tell Hecate to be a good girl and take breaks sometimes. One day, I’ll need to take her with me on some journey since it’s clear that she won’t suggest it on her own, perfectly happy just enacting my will in the city. Then, we move outside and the two of us hop onto Diana’s back. Sirgia takes the front while I end up behind her, with a small ridge separating us slightly for a more comfortable seating position. She can still lean back to rest on me but she won’t be sliding all over the seat. Smart design. Ressia announces that they are going to escort us and I don’t protest after she looks at me with those puppy eyes and a wagging tail. Waving goodbye to everyone once more, we slowly head out in a formation. The girls take our sides as Diana parades in the middle. The passersby must be wondering what the hell is happening with such a grand procession. Reaching the edge of the capital, Ressia commands her troops into one last salute and I nod at her respectfully. They watch us attentively, waiting for our departure. I glance around to see if we are more or less alone, then smile at them and gesture for them to come. In a flash, their formation is broken and all twelve women rush to us so that they can get some pats, rubs, scratches, and kisses too. I could feel just how much they wanted to get close for the last time but held themselves in proper order as their role dictated. When all ears are caressed and all cheeks pecked, they obediently back off and wave at us happily as Diana lunges into a sprint And so, the journey begins anew. What will it bring? I can only guess, but even that most likely won’t be anywhere close to reality. The only hope I have is our successful meeting with Sirgia’s family and getting her deserved recognition. I’m going to do anything to support my petite lover. With Diana’s speed, we pretty much fly alongside the main road, watching for any carriages and horses so as not to cause any accidents. Knowing that she can’t really jump ahead through the shadows infinitely, we are going to save that ability for a more difficult terrain. As we make our way forward, I catch Sirgia shooting me occasional glances over her shoulder. I don’t make much of them at first, but after a few times, I finally raise a curious brow at the sneaky Dwarf. Noticing that she has my attention, she returns her face forward and flips some kind of a switch in her range. I watch as the handle she is holding onto in the front splits into two and moves to the sides, changing its angle by about forty-five degrees. Some mechanical noises continue to rise from underneath us as those two handles slide further forward and the separator between us sinks into the saddle, turning it into one smooth bench. The stirrups also switch their positions a bit, pushing her knees a bit higher. All those changes result in Sirgia’s frame leaning heavily forward as she arches her slim back alluringly and pushes her plump butt more into the air, practically lying atop her seat. Then, just as I’m trying to figure out what kind of racing position this is and if I should be worried about a sudden increase in speed, my own handles, which have always been on the sides, around her waist and past her frame, also slide forward with mechanical sounds and I descend onto my adorable Dwarf as my hands are pulled forward. By the time the handles reach their intended position, my chest rests against Sirgia’s back and her bubbly behind is rather strongly pressing into my crotch. When she once more takes a peek at me over her shoulder, this time blushing heavily, it finally dawns on me. “Did you really design this saddle so that I can fuck you atop Diana’s back as we are both riding our proud wolf?” I ask in mock disbelief. She doesn’t answer, but the next time she tries to gauge my reaction with another glance, I can see her timidly biting down on her lip. Gods, the smartest girls can be the horniest of the bunch, I swear. Leaning heavily onto her and pressing my bulge into her shorts, I whisper into her cute ear. “I can’t wait until we move off the path.” Sirgia shivers lightly and I let out a quiet chuckle. For now, she has to be satisfied with our intimate position as Diana really speeds up like a champ. This is going to be an eventful trip.
Chapter 212 – Saddle Down ❤❤❤ Spoiler: Chapter Besides rather inappropriate ideas, the altered position of our saddle allows Diana to travel at a considerably higher speed. She doesn’t have to worry as much about us being thrown off as we create less aerodynamic resistance while leaning forward. Being pressed one onto another certainly helps too. It feels like we’ve just entered the last straight of a quite high-stakes race. Naturally, such speeds aren’t really compatible with any potential mischief so we simply enjoy the bumpy ride and focus on the journey. I catch Sirgia sending me a glance over her shoulder now and then and simply smile back at her softly, rubbing my cheek into her hair and offering her a gentle kiss on the same spot. If she truly wants to make use of the situation she’s put us in, she will have to wait for a good opportunity. Meanwhile, I try to gauge Diana’s opinion on such prospects. The two of us are improving at communicating with thoughts and images, but I think we still need more practice and perhaps time spent together to consolidate the bond and connection. Maybe one day we shall be able to converse easily and I’m rather excited about that possibility. I mean, who hasn’t dreamt about cooperating with a mystical creature that also allows you to ride it to battle? Nevertheless, from what I can gather, Diana doesn’t mind us getting a bit frisky on her back but insists on waiting for a good moment. She wants to cover as much distance as she can before growing tired, and that’s when she is going to slow down, allowing us to interact freely atop her smooth fur. Plus, that should also be when we stray from the common paths. Lower chances of stumbling on someone while I’m inside a certain someone. So, we continue the journey as is, valiantly dealing with the quite insistent rubbing of certain sensitive body parts. It’s this cunning Dwarf girl’s fault for designing it this way. We can do only so much to alleviate the effects of the custom positioning. Though, generally speaking, it’s not that bad. It could have been much worse if Sirgia completely ignored utility and focused solely on fun and pleasure. We ride through the forest trail for another few hours. Diana’s speed continues to impress me, even with her not using the quite overpowered ability to jump through shadows. The number of carriages or individual travellers we pass by isn’t that high. And due to our pace, they don’t even have time to take a closer look at what has just passed them. Some do show a bit of concern when the large wolf zooms by their side, but we are gone faster than they can fully panic. To be honest, it is fairly entertaining. Soon, or at least it feels like soon, the sky starts gradually changing colours from pretty blue to charming orange. That’s when the shadows grow longer and Diana decides to step off the path. We make a few jumps from one shade to another before she slows down a little and gives me a glance with her glowing purple tongue lolling out of her ominous snout. It’s hard to decide if it looks adorable or straight-up terrifying. Taking that as a signal to enjoy the rest of the upcoming evening, I press myself more into Sirgia’s back and bring my lips closer to her short, sharp ear. “How is my sweet little Dwarf holding on?” I whisper tenderly. She trembles lightly and grips her handlebars harder, refusing to look anywhere else besides the front. Even so, I can clearly tell how rosy her adorable cheeks have gotten. Affirming my grip on the left handle, I let go of the right metal bar and allow my hand to wander onto Sirgia’s front, seemingly to hug my short lover tighter. That causes Sirgia’s breathing to hitch noticeably and she pushes her behind more into my hips. The sliding motions of our bodies evoked by Diana’s movements cause my rather noticeable bulge to poke the very apparent tender bit of flesh between her legs. The angle of her small butt and athletic back continues to create a mesmerising image, alongside a few interesting options. Yet, there is one more thing that catches my attention, and to verify it, I let my fingers trail down Sirgia’s armour until they reach her belt. Unsurprisingly, it’s loosened enough for them to freely dive under the reinforced fabric and come in contact with her warm, supple skin. Then, shortly after crossing that boundary, they slide into the embrace of something much hotter, evoking a shaky sigh from its owner. With an amused smirk, I press my mouth more into Sirgia’s ear. “Care to tell me where your panties are?” Sirgia shivers strongly and starts using the bumpy situation to rub herself right into my fingers, because just as I’ve noted, nothing is covering her privates except for the padded shorts. And what’s more, she’s completely flooding down there. It’s a miracle the material isn’t drenched through and thorough with how wet her pussy is, coating my digits with an unbelievable amount of warm love nectar. Someone might have been enjoying our position much more than I first assumed. And now, not only with my erection poking her slit from behind but with my fingers tickling her folds from the front, she is finally experiencing the bliss she’s been yearning for since most likely the minute we departed. So, let’s turn it up a notch, shall we? Letting Sirgia think this is all I’m going to do for now, barely scratching her intense itch with slight teases, I use my Voidal Bondage to quietly secure myself in place with purple belts, relieving my other hand from its duty to hold me steady. Before she can register that fact, I shove it under her clothes too, but direct it north rather than south, finding no obstacle on the path to my objective. “Ahhhnnnn!” Glancing down in surprise after releasing a rather cute and shocked moan, she finds me not only playing with her leaking flower but also her quite braless buds. When she directs her flushed face to the back in search of an answer, I offer my little lover a sly grin, intensifying the care my fingers show to her fair breast and needy clit. “More…” Sirgia requests while retaining eye contact with me. “Please, Master…?” Chuckling softly, I steal her lips for an affectionate kiss and finally pierce her sealed entrance with two digits. Sirgia jumps from pleasure as my fingers curl inside her hot insides, constantly pushed deeper with my cock bumping into them from behind, still separated by two layers of clothing. “Ahhnn… Ahhnn… Ahnnn…” Her sweet sighs and cries interrupt our lovely exchange and I let her return to looking ahead and focusing on not letting go of the handles. Sirgia starts shaking her hips to the rhythm too, drilling herself with my fingers on her own. So much of her juices escape with each combined collision that I can finally feel all that moisture each time my covered cock brushes against her shorts. “Master… Ahnnn… I’m already… Ahhh…” “Don’t hold back,” I whisper in response and ask Diana to speed up a tiny bit. When our proud steed lunges forward, I slip my fingers out of Sirgia’s pussy, position them flat between her folds and her shorts, and press onto her back hard with my chest. As Diana lands on her paws, we slam into the saddle and begin sliding back and forth at an increased pace. “Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! Masterrrrrrrrrrr!” Which, in turn, results in Sirgia’s sensitive nub rubbing right into my digits as if I would be flicking her clit with everything I have. The additional strength it’s smushed into my palm with certainly does wonders for her too as her alluring whines and shouts of pleasure grace my ears like the perfect reward. Her head jerks to the back, directing her face towards the sky for the last, biggest moan. “Ahnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn~!” I keep stroking her shy nub and soft folds as she lightly gushes onto my fingers with each shiver, definitely enjoying how I gently tickle her nipples too. Sirgia rides her orgasm to its limits before slumping forward into my hold and trying to catch her breath. I continue raining pecks onto her charming hair while letting her rest. Giving her a moment, I check with Diana, still a tiny bit worried she might feel bothered or uncomfortable with our actions. But, those worries seem unfounded as all I can sense from the female wolf is satisfaction and pride. If I’m not mistaken, she is proud of herself for matching her stride perfectly with my actions and achieving the goal of helping me make Sirgia cum hard. I guess that’s that. Something quite humid and hot pressing into my crotch brings me out of my pondering and I find Sirgia staring back at me while delicately biting her lip and pushing her privates into my lap. Smiling at her kindly, I bring us closer for a bunch of loving pecks as she grinds herself into me more and more, conveying her intentions clearly. Before I can say a word, she snaps her fingers and the strong heat of her slit spreads onto the tip of my member with a surprising intensity, making me shudder and sigh into her lips. Investigating the event makes it clear that she’s just shoved both of our bottoms into her spatial storage and nothing is stopping my cock from impaling her small pussy anymore, already poking her tight entrance with each bump of Diana’s trot. “You cunning little vixen.” I snicker at the sly Dwarf. “You shouldn’t play with fire, lest you get burned.” It feels almost impossible, but her cheeks darken even more as she lets go of one of the handles and brings her petite fingers to her rump. With a skilled grip on one of her plump buttcheeks, she spreads them apart, revealing her cute little button and pink lily. Widening the gap of her alluring slit, she causes my tip to slide almost halfway through her entrance now, teasing it repeatedly during the bumpy ride. The look she gives me needs no words. “I just can’t win against you…” I shake my head, making Sirgia giggle shyly amidst her heavy breathing. “You better pray this saddle is easy to clean!” Quickly yanking my hands back to my passenger handles, I drive my hips forward and spear into Sirgia’s needy insides in one go. “Ahnnnnnnn! Yes!” As my cock rushes through her incredibly tight channel, she too hastily grabs her support bars and offers me her bubbly butt to do as I please while making sure she stays on. Without further ado, I begin making rather rough love to my beloved first mate, hammering Sirgia’s pussy with all I have. She’s already been wet for who knows how many hours and the quick fingering session was more than enough for my petite Dwarf to be ready for our usual fun. Besides, she has insane resilience and constitution even without my numbers, as we’ve established long ago. To confirm that, Sirgia not only angles herself even more to receive my pounding but even slams her hips back at me, taking my dick into her small snatch to its very base. Her warm juices cover my member in a flash as I drill her coiling insides with gusto, sighing appreciatively into her adorable ear. “Ahhnnn! Ahnnn! Ahnnn! Oh!” As we fuck like animals, Diana decides to change her approach, switching from a quick trot to rather high leaps. “Ohh! Master! Ahhh! Ahhh! This! Ohh! Feels! Ahhnnn! So funny! Ahhnn! Deep!” I don’t blame Sirgia for having trouble speaking as I’m finding it rather difficult to do anything else besides groaning with each lunge. Every single time Diana jumps into the air, a feeling of weightlessness descends upon us, tickling our sensitive parts rather pleasantly as we keep being connected, just to forcefully slam us down when she touches the ground, driving my cock deep into Sirgia’s passage with a mighty shove, releasing a loud, wet smack of fleshy bits. Gods, she is going to kill us with pleasure. Sirgia has already come from those leaps before I even notice her tightening around me, but to be fair, when you are being thrust into an incredible pussy with so much delight, it’s hard to pinpoint the details. Nevertheless, she is speeding towards another peak as we jump again and again, moaning in slurry ecstasy while barely holding on. Noticing her control slipping, I let go of my handles, wrap my arms around her lithe figure, and bind us all to the saddle with the purple belts, leaving the rest to Diana. Diana doesn’t disappoint, continuing to bob and wave just the way to allow me to drive my hard member into Sirgia’s hot slit at numerous angles. We basically hug each other and enjoy our time together as our driver takes control of the ride, clearly aiming for as intense mating as she can evoke. “Master! Ahnnn!” “I know!” I groan into Sirgia’s fragrant hair. “I’m with you!” She grasps my arms that have wrapped around her slim waist and I thrust into her constricting channel just as Diana hops back onto the grass, nailing Sirgia for the final time. Her hot internal walls squeeze me with love as I let myself burst into her too, beginning to paint her insides white with my seed. Our valiant steed slows down a little, only bumping my cock against Sirgia’s folds gently as I release jets of creamy delicacy into my lover, who sprinkles my belly with her warm nectar. We lie atop the saddle while bound by the belts and pant at each other as Diana gently walks forward. I’m still lodged inside Sirgia’s amazing pussy and the two of us look at each other, our faces almost touching. We chuckle almost at the same time and I nuzzle our noses while we come down from our highs. “That was… amazing… Master…” she whispers softly. “I don’t think I can take even half of the credit for that,” I reply, making the cute Dwarf giggle again. “But, I agree, this was something else.” “Thank you, Diana.” Sirgia brushes our friend’s fur where she can reach it. We receive a quiet bark in response and laugh together once more. Since we are not in danger of being thrown off anymore, I retract the bindings and slowly pull out of Sirgia’s embrace, watching her pretty face almost melt in pleasure as she hums during the motion. My white cream flows out of her petite slit as soon as I plop out of her and I briefly admire her bubbly rump and feminine secrets. She catches my eyes over her shoulder and flushes shyly, but contrary to that reaction, her fingers wander to her cheeks and spread them to the sides to show me more of her lewd backside. “There’s way too much horny in that small frame of yours.” I shake my head, making her face even rosier. “But, I wouldn’t have you any different.” “Does that mean… you would have me more, Master?” Sirgia asks timidly with a bit of hesitation in her voice. “I should have known this much would not be enough for you.” I laugh gently. “Should we not bother Diana any longer with our debauchery, though?” The wolf-in-question angles her head to look at us and exchanges glances with the lustful Dwarf. Something unspoken passes between them and Diana returns to her duty of bringing us to our destination. Meanwhile, Sirgia reaches towards something on the side of the saddle and cranks another tiny lever while sending me a timid smile, watching for my reaction. I watch as things shift underneath the visible material and all four handles reposition. At the same time, Sirgia flips onto her back and gets rid of her remaining equipment, appearing in front of me in her full natural-born glory. Before I get a chance to admire her toned and petite charms, she directs her hands above her head and grabs the two bars that are now placed slightly higher than her ears. Her feet begin to move too and I notice that my personal handles start cruising up atop some kind of rods and slightly change their angle. Soon, they stop at around the height of my ribs and Sirgia places the soles of her feet against them. As a result, I have one beautiful naked Dwarf girl splayed open in front of me as she rests on her back with her knees slightly bent, pushed apart, and her arms grasping the handles almost above the sides of her head. I don’t think she could have put herself in a lewder position that implies only one possible thing. “I want… to look at you while you make love to me, Master…” she admits with dark cheeks. “That doesn’t have to happen atop our canine mount, don’t you think?” I raise a teasing brow at her, causing my petite girlfriend to escape to the side with her gaze. But, contrary to my words, I’m already leaning forward and rubbing my erection against her pretty lower lips, enjoying their delicate softness against my length. She returns her attention to me and watches our privates attentively, awaiting the blessed moment we join our bodies again with visible anticipation on her charming face. Not wanting to deprive my lovely partner of the comfort of my presence, I time my entrance with Diana’s moderate lunge and slip back into the hot channel with much more ease. “Ahnn!” Sirgia lets out a sweet moan and smiles at me adorably as I bring my face above hers. “I love you, Master.” “I love you more, my cute Dwarf genius.” I peck her nose before she requests for my lips and seals them with loving kisses. Once more, I start thrusting into Sirgia’s magnificent pussy, taking hold of her smooth frame with my hands around her waist. Since she’s hogging all the handlebars, I have to do with what I can. Not that I’m disappointed or anything. Keeping my hands on her delicate skin as I pound into her welcoming embrace is nothing short of pure joy. And seeing her writhe underneath me as I tickle the good spots inside her? That’s the best part. “Ahhhn… Ahhnnn… Ahhnn…” As usual, she doesn’t hide how good she feels from my caresses. “You are much gentler now, Master…” “I just want to appreciate your beauty and how good you feel.” I wink at her. “And also, I can now do this.” Dragging my face lower, I bring my mouth to the tender swell of her petite chest and wrap my lips around her hard nipple. To not leave the other one unattended, I release one of my hands from its supportive duty and let it play with the other peak. Naturally, I never stop sliding in and out of Sirgia’s delicate passage, working on our pleasure gladly. “Master…” Noticing that this time her call doesn’t sound purely alluring and lustful, I take a peek at Sirgia’s face from amidst her charming breasts. “Yes?” “Mhmmm… After we finish with my family… Ahnnn… Do you think… Ahhn… Ahnnn… You could give me your child too?” she asks a little hesitantly. I ease the motions a bit and bring myself higher to lovingly caress her cheek. “If that’s what your heart desires, you know the answer. The moment you feel ready, I’ll make sure my seed takes in your womb and gives you the perfect son or daughter. Though, the thought of two incredible geniuses under one roof does frighten me a little.” My comment causes her to giggle openly with a wide smile. “What if I bring you more than one?” Faking a shiver, I act as if I’m feeling a bit weak. “Goddess, save me…” Sirgia chuckles again and her feet leave the handles as her legs wrap around my waist and push me deeper into her. “We should start trying now…” She looks me in the eyes with some traces of her usual timidness. “Dwarf wombs take a moment to settle in with the male’s seed…” “So, what you are saying is, I should fill you up to the brim until you can’t fit any more of it?” I raise a curious brow at her. Sirgia nods cutely. “Please, Master…” Well, looks like Cornelia’s condition has truly become a trigger for my wives, but really, does it even bother me at this point? No, I don’t think so. We’ve spent enough time together and gone through so much during our adventures that I think I’m finally ready to build a real family with these ladies. And so, I can’t very well reject the plea of the one woman who first captured my heart in this world and helped me get used to its peculiarities by supporting me with her everything. “You’ve crafted such a meticulous plan to seduce me, haven’t you?” I snicker in amusement. “I appreciate the effort, but you should have known that there is no way I would be able to say no to my lovely little Dwarf. Not ever.” A grand, happy smile overtakes Sirgia’s usually passive face and she lets go even of the handles she’s gripping with her hands, threading her fingers into my hair. With a gasp, I squeeze her into the saddle with my own body and grab onto whatever I can while hammering her delicate flower hard into the leathery surface so that she doesn’t slide off. Thankfully, Diana cooperates with me and doesn’t make any sudden movements, sensing that we aren’t completely stable atop her. “Ahnn! Ahhnnn! Ahnnn! Yes, Master! Ahnnn! I love you so much! Ahnnn! I’m sorry for being a scheming little Dwarf! Ahnn! Ahnn! I’ve always longed for your children but was too embarrassed and scared to admit it! Ahnnn! Ahnn! I’m so happy! Ahnn!” Considering the fact that I’ve always made sure that we are safe whenever I was having sex with anyone, it’s not surprising that she would be a bit afraid to ask about getting pregnant. I kind of wonder when it was exactly that Sirgia started having such desires, but right now isn’t the moment to ponder those matters. Instead, all I should focus on is making sure my sweet lover is full of my potent cum so that her dream can come true. Steadying myself with the edges of the saddle, I pound my petite lover right into Diana’s back, wet smacks echoing around us as my underbelly receives affectionate kisses from Sirgia’s spread slit, staining it with impressive amounts of hot nectar. She hugs me to her chest dearly, her arms and legs wrapped around my torso, as her delightful moans and cries tickle my ear with how close her lips are to the side of my head. Now that Sirgia bears no more inhibitions towards bearing my offspring, her pussy seems to have become even more welcoming and accommodating, while at the same time squeezing me so lovingly that it certainly aims to squeeze every drop of milky delicacy out of my cock. I effortlessly drive my member fully into her uneven channel, experiencing a blissful grip as I pull back. “Ahnnn! Master! Ahnnn! Ahnnn! Your seed! Ahnnn! Please! Ahhhhh! Together!” That’s exactly what I have in mind and Sirgia enters her peak right after I start releasing a bountiful load as close to her womb as possible, which is rather close thanks to her petite build. She steals my lips and fills them with vibrations of her alluring moans as I keep pumping into her until the very last drop. The second delivery mixes with the first, and hopefully, both of them are going to be as active in granting Sirgia her wish for a descendant. We shower each other in tender pecks for a good minute or two after, staying connected even as my semen escapes our connection, dripping slowly from the place where we are one. Sirgia lovingly grazes her underbelly so I join her and delicately trace my fingers over her womb too. She giggles whenever I twitch inside her and we press against my hard erection from outside near the lower areas of her nether regions. Soon enough, I pull my waist back and we watch the copious amounts of cloudy cream pour onto the seat. Before it can do too much damage, a wand with deeply carved runes appears in Sirgia’s hand after she slides it into one of the side pouches and she directs it at the space close to her feminine bits. With a faint flash, the evidence of our cooperation disappears. Attempting to hide the useful artefact, she wobbles slightly and I catch her firmly to secure her balance. A delicate flush tinges her cheeks as she stores the item. “Looks like you have a bit of a hard time keeping your balance. Perhaps we should stop for the night so we can rest. Diana has been running for hours too,” I suggest. Sirgia gives my member one brief glance before nodding obediently. “As you wish, Master.” It’s a tad surprising she doesn’t insist on some more lovemaking but I shrug it off as Diana comes to a stop a moment later. Looking around, I spot that we are in a small clearing still surrounded by a lush forest. There are some sizable rocks and overgrown trees that should decently cover our camp. She picked a nice spot. Pulling my petite lover into my arms, I turn to the side and jump off Diana’s back, landing softly on the ground. I let Sirgia down too and she rests her body against mine for added support. A faint gasp escapes my lips as something brushes against my still sensitive member and I see the cheeky Dwarf’s palm wrapped around my length as she strokes it dearly. Right. I’m still lacking pants while she’s completely naked. “We should first set up a camp—” I begin, but pause when she brings her face to my crotch and pulls my tip into her warm mouth. “Sirgia…” Her charming eyes plead for me to wait so I sigh softly and brush through her hair as she sucks me tenderly, trailing her small tongue all over my tip and shaft while Diana keeps an eye on our surroundings, her big ears standing at attention. A moment later, Sirgia releases my penis with a cute pop. “Here. Now you are clean too, Master.” I smirk at her and lean down to offer her a peck of gratitude. Then, before I can say anything about our clothes or tents, she takes a quick look around and walks up to one of the overgrown trees. Diana follows her, and after reaching their destination, the female wolf lays down, allowing Sirgia to detach the big suitcase from her side. Slowly following them, I watch as she drops it onto the ground and summons a green blade the length of a dagger. She crouches in front of the tree, only accentuating how sexy her cute butt and girly mound look, and drives the blade into the bark. With seemingly no resistance, she carves a shape about one metre wide and one-and-a-half high. Then, she pulls it out, revealing that it runs fairly deep too. While I try to figure out what’s going on, Sirgia picks the suitcase up again and slides it into the breach, fitting it in perfectly. There’s still a lot of space above it, but the width has been fully covered. Focusing on the blade once more, she carves some runes around the rectangular hole before storing the artefact away. Finished, she unlocks the big, jewelled suitcase and stands up, turning to me. “Our dwelling is ready, Master.” I stare at her in confusion. “What?” “I think it might be better if I show you,” she replies while joining her hands behind her cute behind and swaying her hips timidly. It would have been adorable if she wasn’t completely nude, making it quite lewd. “What about Diana?” I glance at our trusty companion. “She knows how to operate the saddle with her mana. When she lays down, it will cover her with a sheet of protective material that will keep her warm, dry, and comfortable if only she wishes. Other than that, I feel like she would prefer to keep watch over us even with my illusion enchantment hiding our dwelling away,” Sirgia explains. “Right…” I look between the two females and shrug. “Lead the way?” She gives me a tiny smile and grabs my wrist, leading me to the open suitcase. Peering inside, I see stairs. Yes, a fucking wooden staircase going in circles. Sirgia ignores my stunned look and demonstrates how to step inside, hopping onto the flat surface which is deep enough for the edge of the suitcase to reach her breasts. I bring my head close to the ground outside and squeeze a finger underneath the weird item, which causes it to tilt a bit. The bottom does not extend further, even though I can only see half of Sirgia in front of me. “Okay…” I let the suitcase down and take Sirgia’s proffered hand, carefully stepping into the weird storage too. After we are both in, she pulls a cord next to us and the lid drops down, closing the suitcase. It’s not completely dark since there’s light coming from somewhere below, but it still feels damn scary disappearing into a box. What’s next? Are we going to visit habitats full of legendary monsters? I don’t get to ask any questions, noticing that Sirgia has left me while I was deep in thought. Since there’s only one way forward, I slowly descend the spiralling stairs in search of her. After just a few turns, I come into a well-lit hall, right by its front entrance, which stands just to my left. “What the fuck…” What appears before me is the very main lobby of our rather characteristic residence. The furniture, the rugs, the reception, the stairs leading to the upper level, the chandelier, everything. Save for the inhabitants. “Welcome home, Master.” Sirgia’s voice reaches my ears with a slight echo as I notice her standing in the middle of the chamber, still shyly keeping her hands behind her back, and still as naked. “Are we back?” I roam my gaze over the unthinkable with pure awe. She giggles charmingly. “No…” “Then…” I focus on her adorable frame. “Did you just recreate our mansion’s main lobby and put it inside a… suitcase?” “Well…” Sirgia scratches her cheek while glancing away. “It’s not just the lobby…” I stare at her incredulously. “Sirgia…” “It’s the entire building…” she reveals, bringing her hands to the front and playing with them before her charming belly. “Goddess hold me…” I support myself against a very real fake pillar from back home. “This had to take so fucking long…” “A month or few…” Sirgia looks at the ground while timidly tracing circles with her foot, shooting me shy glances from below. “And it’s all functional?” I ask, slowly making my way towards her. “Everything besides artefacts and devices that produce smoke or other fumes, yes. I still need to figure out how to let those out of this confined space or filter them out. Toilets and baths are okay since infused crystals can take care of refilling the water and cleaning things. Some more complex artefacts are rather troublesome inside here too, and other spatial items like to malfunction, but I’m definitely going to perfect this enchantment one day.” She launches into one of her usual, passionate rambles. “Girl, this is already perfect.” I spread my arms and spin around. “Is this what you are hoping to show to your family?” “Amongst a few other things… Yes…” She twirls her hair, still digging her toe into the carpet. “Damn. I have so many questions. I can’t wait to hear—” What I hear is a quiet yelp. Turning towards its source, I notice that Sirgia has moved to the stairs and has already taken a few steps. However, she is currently lying flat on her belly atop them, glancing my way over her shoulder with a heavy blush. “It seems… that I have tripped… Master…” she says, growing redder and redder. That doesn’t stop her from bringing her knee up to flash me a tiny bit of her glistening pussy from the angle she’s assumed, her need slowly dripping onto the rich staircase as her gaze drills into my waist. Rolling my eyes, I unhurriedly walk towards her as she watches my approach with a hopeful look. Reaching her position, I lean over her and run a hand against the soft skin of her back. “I always wanted to be taken all over the mansion…” Sirgia admits with a barely audible whisper. “But there are always so many people around…” Offering her a gentle peck, I tenderly slide myself right into her presented warmth, making her grasp the edge of one of the stairs she’s resting on with both hands and exhale with a shiver. “Well, since it looks like your earlier cleaning trick has ruined our efforts…” I grin at her happy expression. “Another of your dreams is going to be fulfilled…” Sirgia lets out a tiny, joyful moan as I draw my hips back and plunge again into her clean pussy as far as I can, getting marked with her clear nectar once more. If my beloved little Dwarf wants to have some fun on the stairs, who am I to disagree?
Chapter 213 – Adjusted Goals Spoiler: Chapter Warm light peeks through the curtains and slowly wakes me up. Taking a deep breath, I stretch myself and notice a soft presence right in front of me as I rest on my side. The moment my hand roams over the delicate skin of that certain person, they subconsciously scoot closer to fill the niche left by their body escaping our nightly cuddle, returning us to the proper position. Opening my eyes, I take in the adorable sight of my curled-up Dwarf lover peacefully napping amidst the comfortable sheets. The events of the previous evening and night come back to me and momentarily throw me into confusion. How is there sunlight if we are inside a suitcase? Then, I remember Sirgia’s brief mention of some artificial light source mounted right outside the windows that imitates most times of the day. You can’t leave the premises of the mansion, but it’s still created in a way that doesn’t give away the fact of being locked in some narrow and restricted space. Nevertheless, this isn’t important right now. Sirgia’s comfort is. So, it would be nice not to wake her up yet. She wouldn’t mind it in the slightest, of course, but just looking at her peaceful face can ensnare a man. It might have been started by her, but we’ve gone through quite a bit of exercise recently and she deserves a full break. Now, I would usually just stay with her and snuggle with my lovely mate until she awakens, but I feel like I should get up and take care of my business soon. Plus, I would like to check on Diana. She’s been cooped outside for who knows how many hours. I appreciate that greatly and I want to make sure she understands and that she is alright. So, giving the charming little lady in my embrace one more squeeze and placing a loving kiss on her tender cheek, I try my best to extract myself from being the big spoon without disrupting the beauty’s sleep. Thankfully, Sirgia isn’t that much of a light sleeper, especially after evenings of hard work, either with her prized tools or with one of mine, where she’s out cold from exhaustion. Not even the boost of my stats is of much help in that aspect. And I’m glad it’s like that. Thanks to everything, I somehow slip away without waking up by sweet little Dwarf. However, for a moment, I pause to examine the result of my actions as she flips around, reaches ahead with her hands to feel the space in front of her, and grasps the sheets. Instead of waking up with a disappointed sigh, Sirgia tugs on the cover and tucks herself in sweetly, rolling herself into a lovely cocoon. Damn. I really wish we had cameras here or anything that can take a picture other than quite complex illusion spells. Well, with how fast Sirgia is progressing with many of our ideas, it might not be that far away from her constructing an artefact like that. It wouldn’t be groundbreaking since such pieces already exist, but they aren’t easy to get and cheap. Most if not all artefacts are quite pricey due to the cost of the necessary materials and knowledge to produce them. Thus, if she were able to figure this out, she might conquer a market or two on her own. Naturally, I’m not planning to have her recreate all the modern equipment and then introduce it to the world so it can advance. Oh, no, I like and enjoy how things are. The fact that we can take advantage of a few bits of knowledge is of course a fun and beneficial bit, but I would rather not make too big changes in technology. Not that I even assume I could with my limited knowledge. Sirgia is carrying this whole operation with barely any input from me. But, occasional gadgets for our exclusive use wouldn’t be that bad. It could be our own little secret and benefit. Kind of like this suitcase. Though, I have a feeling that this is only a prototype and she will present a much more advanced version to the world after we solve the issues with her family and clans. It’s not hard to see how much all the merchants and travelling folks would be after this. And this is only one of the masterpieces Sirgia wants to showcase to her people. Giving my genius smith and artificer one last glance, I slide off the bed and pull my underwear on from the floor. Since the temperature is pretty much perfect in this whole place, I don’t bother dressing up yet. One could argue that putting on underwear already counts as that, but after living so long with so many incredible women, I’ve learned that you can never be too sure about not walking into anyone in this mansion. Even when you are certain no one should be around or awake at that moment. Even when you are certain you are in an inaccessible pocket dimension. So, with my modesty mostly covered, I head out of the replica of our bedroom, hit the toilet, and wander to the main lobby. No one pokes their head from behind a corner or a pillar yet but I’m not getting my hopes up just yet. It wouldn’t surprise me that at least one girl has snuck in here before our departure in hopes of jumping on me when I least expect it. And no, I don’t mean Hecate. She is quite attached, but the stalky spidergirl takes her orders very seriously. Making my way into the kitchen, I let out a sudden sneeze, cursing myself under my breath. One glance around reminds me of the moment we bumped into the wall so much while enjoying ourselves atop one of the side counters that a small bag of flour fell out of the cabinet and covered us in white dust. Our entangled forms are still drawn on its surface by the lack of flour, hard evidence of our preposterous deeds. We are going to have to clean this up sometime soon. For now, I simply make myself some tasty tea and continue walking around while sipping on the heavenly nectar. I finish my patrol about ten minutes later, not noticing any disturbance in the quiet residence, ending up back in the lobby. Sensing that Sirgia is still sleeping, I turn towards the exit with a certain kind of curiosity whirling in my mind. Finally, it wins the inner war and I set the mug aside on the fake reception desk. As expected, the entrance doors are nothing more than a decoration, at least in this edition of the enclosed living space, and I can’t affect them in any way. The imitating light flows through the glass parts too, bathing the hall in a pleasant atmosphere. If I didn’t know any better, I could have been fooled into thinking we truly were home. But, the actual entrance stands just to my right and becomes the actual target of my attention. Slowly making my way up the spiral staircase, I reach the tiny compartment where we stepped inside the suitcase yesterday. The ceiling is low enough for me to touch with somewhat extended arms. Otherwise, there are no signs that this room is anything else than a small attic-like storage space. No cuts are running through the walls at some height. Still, I decide to follow my belief and give the ceiling a substantial push. A bunch of runic shapes flash into life right away. For a moment, I wonder if I haven’t triggered some kind of defensive mechanism, but after about three seconds, the lid starts moving up as an even gap appears around me. Some real light shines inside the suitcase as I open it wide. At first sight, I can confirm that it’s still lodged in the niche Sirgia has carved into a random tree as we were setting up a camp. Nothing seems amiss, and I can even sense the faint trace of illusion between me and the rest of the world. The blurry surface is the only thing separating us from the other side and its influence. Listening in carefully at first, I lean over the edge of the suitcase and peer past the tree’s massive trunk. Seeing no unexpected guests, either humanoid or monster-like, I hoist myself out of the box and land on the moist grass, still partially decorated with morning dew. It doesn’t look like it rained or anything so this must be due to the local climate or lower temperatures over the night. That thought brings Diana to the forefront of my mind and I quickly scan our surroundings for the loyal, albeit rather ominous, canine. No matter how carefully I study my surroundings, though, I can’t find her anywhere. Her traces are still present here and there, but nothing that would easily suggest a direction or any other hint. Yet, I can tell she is around thanks to our connection. Perhaps sensing my efforts and presence, Diana makes herself known a moment later. However, I don’t immediately realise it’s her. And honestly, who could blame me? When a piece of elongated rock suddenly moves, you don’t assume that’s the friend you are looking for but a potential beast or animal that might be aiming to get a jump on you. In this case, the medium-sized rock formation I have initially dismissed turns out to be my prone companion just raising her wolf head from the ground. Sirgia might have downplayed the capabilities of the insane saddle she had created. Why? Because while it certainly did cover Diana’s impressive body with a comfy-looking blanket, it also caused that blanket to assume very realistic colours based on the nearby shades and terrain features. And so, I’m currently staring at a black snout poking from underneath a sizable collection of rocks while at the western part, the stone wiggles around due to the light brushes Diana’s tail causes underneath the material. She seems happy to see me. That happiness betrays her hiding spot, which happens to be in the centre of the clearing. As I approach, she snaps her jaws on a string somewhere on the left and the protective layer retreats into the saddle, getting rid of her disguise. They do say that hiding in plain sight is the best and I certainly have to agree in this scenario. This thing, whatever it is, is going to be great for camping and other purposes. The best part, though? Diana’s fur is perfectly dry, smooth, and additionally warm. Whatever environmental and weather conditions might be present around, this tent can neatly shield the owner from danger and inconvenience. My fingers relish the sensation of brushing through the heavenly coat of my big friend. Diana looks awake, energised, and ready to go at any moment. “Looks like you too had a good night.” I pet my ferocious steed behind her long ear. “I’m glad to see that we haven’t left you out here to fend for yourself. Any important things to mention? Monsters? People?” Diana receives my caresses for a full minute before giving my cheek a long lick with her glowing tongue. I can sense the message she is trying to convey and we succeed at properly communicating with visual and eventual clues. There was no trouble at night. I shower her in appreciation for keeping watch over us and bring out a big and deep bowl, filling it with clean water. I’m aware that she can jump far enough to reach a nearby stream, but I might as well show my big doggo some proper care. She nudges my face with her snout as thanks and greedily gulps down on the gift. Figuring out something for her to eat would be next, but I can already sense Diana’s urge to hunt. As her partner, I can’t really deny her that pleasure, can I? I’m not trying to domesticate this wolf. At least not in the usual way. I guess it’s something in between, where she remains this fierce hunter and warrior while also helping me out as my steed on the move or a companion in the mansion. Hopefully, we can achieve the same with the other wolves that we are planning for the mercenary girls. It would be nice to see them form bonds with their animal or beast partners. “There you were, Master.” A voice breaks me out of my thoughts and I glance over my shoulder. Sirgia’s petite figure is poking out of the suitcase and a shy pout paints her luscious lips. Additionally, she reaches just high enough for her plump and perky breasts to peek over the edge, her nipples standing proud in the slight chill of the forest when compared to the heated-up confines of the fake mansion. She easily notices where my gaze goes and a kind smile curls her mouth up. Acting all cute and nonchalant, she joins her hands in front of her while pushing her arms close together. Furthermore, she leans forward and rests her petite frame against the sidewall. All of that just accentuates the pleasant roundness of her charms, emphasising her fair bust for all to admire. Which, in this case, is all me. Chuckling to myself, I stroll back to the tree and pick the mischievous dwarf up. Sirgia lets me move her freely and soon wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck, snuggling to me sweetly. I do not miss the fact that she hasn’t donned anything yet as her feminine bits press into me both high and low. “You’ll get cold without any underwear.” I pull her into an affectionate kiss. “I have you to keep me warm, Master.” She shoots me the tiniest grin before joining our lips again. “What if someone sees?” I raise a brow at her. “Diana would warn us.” She blushes a tad. Shaking my head, I take a few steps back and let myself fall, sinking into a pillow of fluff. Sirgia giggles as Diana’s fur swallows us partially, stroking the black hair lovingly. “How did my lovely little Dwarf sleep?” I ask and peck her rosy cheek. “I always sleep the best after you make love to me, Master.” That colour deepens even more. “I feel so… warm and wanted. And not only for my skills or what I can bring to your business.” “Of course.” I boop her on the nose, which is still stained with white powder at the very tip, making me snicker. “As my mate, I want you so much I’m afraid I could break your lithe frame. Did you ever doubt that?” She glances down at her front, bringing our attention to her modest chest and lovely lower lips currently kissing my stomach. “Never. It’s still a very alien feeling for a lone craftsman, though, Master. Especially one of a dwarven lineage. You must have heard me mention that we often marry for the benefit, to strengthen our techniques. Or in the case of bigger names, to form alliances and cooperation between talented families.” “Yes, you did bring it up once or twice.” I nod and run a finger down the middle of her chest, tummy, and finally, navel, bringing it back up through the same path. “But, it’s not something you enjoy speaking about due to… your standing.” It’s Sirgia’s turn to nod. “You know that I’m from the outer branch of the family. No one would really consider connecting with it for any reason, so I wouldn’t have received any meaningful marriage proposals. Even arranged. Our position at the top of the tree crown didn’t denote a skilled bloodline. If I tried to pursue anyone, I would be rejected right away, most likely also laughed at.” “That’s why you decided to travel the wide world in search of wisdom, expertise, experience, and opportunity,” I finish for her, knowing this story decently well. “So that you can return home and show everyone how incredible you are. That a Forgegraver is still a Forgegraver, no matter from which side of the family.” “Yes.” She nuzzles her face into my neck, pulling us close again. “But it’s different now.” “How so?” I lovingly stroke her warm back. “I don’t intend to gain fame and recognition with the intention to marry anymore,” she replies. “I have already found the happiness of my life by your side, Master.” “I’m glad to hear that,” I respond with a smile. “Instead, I’m going to make everyone acknowledge the fact that I’m your wife and you are my husband,” she continues firmly. “Our clan, and most likely many others, will be mad that I’ve given myself to a Human, but I don’t care. I will make them accept you. Accept that you are different. Accept that you want to help.” “That’s very kind of you.” I kiss the top of her hair. “You are the best wife a man could wish for.” “No…” she whispers timidly. “I’m doing this for a very selfish reason…” “Are you?” I peek down at her as she tries to escape my gaze. “I’m doing this… so that I can become pregnant with your seed and allow our children to grow up with the support of the clan…” Sirgia admits. “That’s a very noble goal.” I chuckle and give her plump behind a mischievous squeeze. “But that's not all, isn’t it?” “No. I will show them that even the furthest descendants can achieve great things with proper resources and access to knowledge and equipment,” she answers with returning confidence as she straightens up, looking me deep into the eyes. “You have provided me with so much, Master. Many of those things were incredibly expensive. You rarely asked about anything or questioned my requests. You’ve given me everything my clan didn’t. And even more. Your love. I wish the others could receive that too and thrive.” “Just so we are clear, you aren’t talking about me taking in all the daughters of your clan, are you?” I smirk at her knowingly. Sirgia flushes and starts playing with her thumbs between us, giving me upward glances. “N-No? But… If you would… Then how many…?” I snort and shake my head, at which she gives me a pretty smile. It’s really great that she’s grown so close to me that she can even make teases like this. I know she isn’t completely serious about that comment and understands that I’m teasing her too. Though, perhaps I should make sure before I suddenly end up in bed with a dozen Dwarf girls. “Besides, most female Dwarves are rather... burly and round, as you have mentioned during our first conversation outside of the slave cells, Master.” Sirgia looks up with a shadow of a smirk. “After spending some time warming your bed, I don’t think you would find playing with their bodies… as pleasurable when compared to mine.” “Oh, you little rascal!” I squint at her and throw myself forward. “You think you have me all figured out?” Sirgia lets out a small squeak and enters a fit of sweet giggling as I press her into the grass and hover over the sly woman. She lets a few more adorable chuckles before peering back at me with heated cheeks. “With most other Dwarf girls, you wouldn’t be able to bend them in half like this.” She brings her knees close to her chest, hooks her knees over my shoulders, and wraps her hands behind my neck, pulling me strongly into herself until my bulge comes in direct contact with her feverish mound as I’m forced to press her hard into the ground until her butt lifts up. “Or in many other positions, you often make love to me, Master.” Her breathing grows a bit quicker as our faces are a hair’s breadth away from each other, and of course, our intimate parts are all but making out if not for the obstruction I’ve decided to pick up on my way out of the bed. Judging by the glint in Sirgia’s pretty eyes, she might be wishing I hadn’t. “Don’t make it sound like I only have eyes of petite and slim girls,” I growl at her playfully. “As much as I love your or Shino’s lithe figures, you know I’m not that strict.” “I know, Master.” She surrenders easily. “But many Dwarf males wouldn’t be that open towards the other side of the spectrum. When the majority has more body to their bones and breasts of plenty, our minority isn’t regarded that well in terms of attractiveness. My figure certainly wouldn’t have been a boon in any negotiations or romantical pursuits.” “Which isn’t as true for other races.” I sigh softly. “Are you worried your people are going to call you desperate for picking a Human as their views are at least slightly different here and there?” “I already said I don’t care, Master.” She shakes her head. “They can call me anything they want. They wish they could know how good you feel inside me. But, I won’t let them ride even the most accurate replica I have made.” Laughing out loud, I give Sirgia a kiss and bring us up to a sitting position. “But I do care when they are mean to you. Although, it sounds like you have it handled. As long as you aren’t planning on conquering the nation by addicting Dwarf women to the models of my cock so that they become more prone to any deals after the original is revealed?” “Maybe…” She nibbles on her bottom lip, glancing away once again. Our eyes meet and we laugh together. We’ve really come such a great way since the first day. And… “I don’t know if I should feel happy or guilty that you no longer feel enough shame to keep this part of your craft completely hidden from the public,” I admit honestly. “Proud. You should feel proud, Master.” She touches my cheek dearly. “I understood that trying to deny any part of my talent has only been stunting my growth. All thanks to you and your careful guidance. Allowing me to slowly come to this epiphany is something I will be eternally grateful for, Master. An artisan should not feel shame for their masterpieces. Those who try to shame the artisan are simply not the target audience and are only looking for ways to bring them down because the creator isn’t making what they desire.” “That’s some strong words.” I nod in admiration. “Does that mean you are no longer going to be embarrassed when talking about it out in the open?” That once more turns Sirgia’s face partially red and I chuckle softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead to make up for that tease. She might not feel ashamed about her creations, but it’s not wrong to be a bit embarrassed by the lewd side of things. Especially for a timid girl like her. Before she answers, a quiet rumbling noise reaches our ears and the crimson shade turns the deepest I’ve seen today as Sirgia hides herself in her palms. Now, this is quite a good example of shame. “Alright, let’s get ourselves something to eat and be on our way. We have a lot of time to talk more. And this time, you can’t use working at your workshop as an excuse so I’m going to abuse this right to socialise with you until you start hating me.” I wink at her, bringing us up. “I can never hate you for making me talk about anything, Master…” she mutters shyly. “But, my upper lips are not as used to continuous activity as my lower ones so I would appreciate it if we could divert most of your oral attention towards the latter…” “To think there would be a day where my shy little Dwarf openly admits to enjoying my tongue more in her pussy than in her mouth.” I shake my head with a chuckle at the lithe seductress. We jump back down the suitcase while Diana goes out hunting. Noticing the state of the kitchen, Sirgia gets all shy again, almost unable to meet my gaze. It was her request to take her in here as it’s one of her favourite places after the forge. We’ve made love throughout the entire mansion, but this spot might have experienced it the hardest. After convincing my pretty mate to slip into comfy briefs and a t-shirt so that she doesn’t parade completely naked, we band together to prepare a meal. The ingredients are rather scarce since this place isn’t used that often, but it’s still enough to prepare something nice. And, it takes a while since most of the artefact-grade equipment is absent, replaced by the commonly-seen crystal-powered kitchenware. “Well, one benefit of this is that I’m not going to have to drag you out of your forge at least.” I snicker as we cook. “I’m sorry, Master. I failed to come out with a proper solution before you took me with you on a journey,” Sirgia apologises with way too much honesty. “I’ll get angry if you keep that up.” I point a knife at her. “You are acting as if creating a perfectly inhabitable living space is not a miracle in itself. We have a mansion inside a damn tree, for Goddess’ sake. Actually, what would happen if I tried using any artefacts or more complex magical equipment?” “You can certainly try your spatial ring if you would like to, Master,” she suggests without looking at me, a hint of a smile decorating the side of her face that I have the view of. Sensing a trap, I still willingly walk into it and reach into my spatial ring… only to yelp in surprise as it zaps my finger with some kind of energy spark as I’m pulling something out. It quickly warms up and flashes with blinding light, forcing me to shield my eyes. After I open them again, the towel I’ve been thinking about rests in my hand. “Okay, it’s a bit flashy, but I don’t see the problem with—” And that’s not the only thing I don’t see. Glancing at Sirgia, I see her standing towards me with her fists on her bare hips. Bare because she is completely naked, displaying her pert peaks and alluring mound almost proudly as a knowing smirk decorates her sweet lips. As her eyes skip down my front, I notice that my own clothing is just as much gone, leaving me hanging before her at half-mast. “Point taken…” I smile wryly. “Can we… reclaim those lost articles somehow?” “You can certainly try, Master,” she repeats her earlier challenge with an amused expression. “Just be aware that if there is nothing to suck in the ring’s close vicinity, it might materialise additional items from inside in random unoccupied spaces, no matter how small. If I’m not mistaken, you possess quite a collection of toys inside yours, so it would be wise to consider the risks involved.” I shudder lightly as she paints the picture. The sudden arrival of an uninvited guest through the back entrance would not be appreciated without proper warning and preparation. “Therefore, I think we might be forced to continue our cooking as we are,” Sirgia continues with a fair blush. “I believe you might be right.” I smirk wryly as I take my spot next to her once more, inhaling in slight surprise as something grazes my member. Completely focused on her part of the preparation, Sirgia uses her free hand to stroke me daintily, her cheek even darker as she keeps her face directed ahead at the task. She got me good with that bait, I’m not gonna lie. But to think this shy little cinnamon roll would turn out to be this lewd in complete private is a pleasant surprise. We finish cooking more or less at the same time as she finishes me and move to eat in the main hall. It feels quite bold to consume a meal in such a usually populated and public space with nothing covering our privates. Still, Sirgia noms on her sandwiches while sitting in my lap completely unbothered. We take turns feeding each other and eating on our own while snuggled together cosily. Afterwards, we take a quick dip to clean up and step outside to get dressed. Yeah. Outside. As in, into the forest. Because most of our stuff is in spatial storages, which work only out there. I’m starting to think this whole thing has been planned more meticulously than I have imagined with us coincidentally taking off all the clothes atop the saddle yesterday and all the other minute details. And that’s great. Let Sirgia’s creative mind soar. Her genius will conquer the Dwarf Kingdom in no time as long as it can remain this free and unchained. With the two of us ready and proper, I watch Sirgia pack up the suitcase, deactivating it skilfully, and mount the blocky rectangle back onto Diana’s saddle. Making sure we’ve covered our traces and cleared the campsite out of any possible trash, we hop onto our valiant steed’s back. As soon as we hit the road, my scheming Dwarf manipulates the positions of the handles and our seatings, but while everything turns a tad more alluring, it doesn’t reach the same level as it had yesterday. Shooting me a reassuring glance over her shoulder, Sirgia presses her back into my chest and we set into a low-hanging pose but without any improper elements. The real reason behind it becomes clear when Diana surges forward at multiple times the speed we have seen her reach previously. We become almost a blur as we speed through the trees and reach the edge of the road. Skirting by its side, we travel fast, jumping into the forest to avoid contact with all the other travellers. I briefly worry about the direction we are heading in, but Sirgia reassures me mentally that Diana is following her guidance extremely well, understanding the instructions she whispers into the canine’s ear almost to a single word. And so, we ride like this for the next five days, stopping for each night to let Diana rest, sleep well in our portable mansion ourselves, and of course, enjoy our own company during the downtime. And no, it’s not all sex. Well, it’s the majority of it, maybe, but we still chat a lot and simply interact with each other, making up for all that missed time we often lost due to our responsibilities or other things back at home. We don’t have any excuses now and make full use of that. The further we travel, the more Sirgia opens up about her homeland and family. As always, I remind her that she doesn’t have to relive too painful or sad memories, but she grows more determined and comfortable sharing. Then, on the sixth day, the environment changes a bit into what you could call a near-mountain biome. It’s still a forest but the trees are getting more scarce and the species are being dominated by pines and other similar families. By then, we fully leave the trail and push through the wilderness. On the seventh day, I notice the remains of a stone road here and there in the ground. Sirgia explains that it has been a great mercantile highway back in the past, leading to one of the entrances into the mountain’s belly that we are currently heading to. I can’t help but start getting more and more excited at the prospect of witnessing the lost architecture of ancient Dwarves. And clearly, so can’t she. The emotions in her voice are hard to miss. Finally, before it gets dark, we reach our destination. A high cliff stands before us, spanning from one side to another without end. The remains of the dwarven road lead into a humongous double-winged gate made of some kind of metal. One wing is easily ten or more metres wide while they reach as high as a three-story building or higher. Those things are massive and full of neatly arranged runes or scripts. I recognize Dwarven here and there, though some parts of it evade me, perhaps lost in time as the tongue changed over the decades or centuries. I’m not exactly sure how accurate the books I learned from are, just that I’m fairly good with the current Dwarvish. As for the metal itself, it has an ominous black colour, though bits of grey splatter its surface. After a moment of thought, it becomes clear that those splotches are what remains of the original paint or other coating. Yet, as that coating has faded away, the core structure of the gate looks almost undamaged, like it laughs in the face of time, environment, and any kind of assault. The cliff around it is certainly muttered with signs of martial and magical effort to get through. “This might be a stupid question, but you do know how to get inside, right?” I ask my lovely mate as we gape upon the entrance together. Sirgia glances aside and does that adorable tick of digging a hole in the ground with the tip of her shoe. Which feels like a no. Sighing softly to myself, I ruffle through her hair and scan the runes carved in the metal. Then, raising a brow at the gate, I tilt my head ponderingly. “Friend?” I mutter under my breath, making sure I’m speaking Elvish. Sirgia glances up at me. “Master?” Chuckling quietly, I shake my head. “Nothing. Let’s get closer and look for any hints before it’s too dark.” She stares at me curiously for a while longer before trotting to my side and walking with me to the mysterious entrance.