AliNovel

Font: Big Medium Small
Dark Eye-protection
AliNovel > Rupegia > Chapter 13: Growth – Part 1

Chapter 13: Growth – Part 1

    Chapter 13: Growth – Part 1


    <span style="font-weight: 400">That man was strong, I was using the elixir and still almost went down, I seriously need more "Strength" and "Endurance". But he really didn''t expect me to be able to use [Electric Magic], I was his worst opponent since he was wearing chain mail. I''m thankful for Roxanne.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The girls told me how it went. Two of the men got caught unaware by [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Melt Skin</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] and then the elementals finished them off. Alissa killed the blond man instantly but the other two near her weren''t so distracted and she was forced into melee. She held on until Roxanne dealt with her side, then turned around and used [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Fire Whip</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] on one and an elemental knocked down the other, then Alissa managed to finish them at the cost of a shoulder wound. She even had to use an anti-venom, she was going to get paralyzed.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana burned 1 to death with her [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Fire Breath</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] and dealt with the other two by herself until support came. One got an arrow to the eye and the other got stunned with a small explosion near his head and then skewered by Hana''s winged charge.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">In the end the taunt didn''t really work since they were frenzied by their lust and evil desires. Mentioning my name might also have had the contrary effect since I was far from being threatening to them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why did they attack us like this? They all threw their lives away..." I ask.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Their bounty tes say they did some pretty heinous things," Hana answers.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Bounty tes?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"A simplified ID te. You put a lot of blood in it and it tells you the name, the crimes of the person and if they are still alive when the blood was taken," Roxanne exins.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"They weren''t mere thieves, they would have tried to extort us if they were. Only the wicked would throw their lives away so easily," Hana adds.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"So it''s my luck that strikes again…"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"We all knew what you meant with ''isekai protagonist luck'' and we don''t regret it, don''t think about ming yourself," Alissa says with a strict tone.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Okay..." I let out a weak smile, "Ah… my ''Sanity'' went down a point."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"What value is it now?" Alissa asks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Seven."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">They all look concerned.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Is it bad?" I ask.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes… you should seek guidance from the priests," Alissa says, Roxanne nods.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We rest for a while and I feel hungry, my stomach is empty so we take an early lunch. I meditate to regain mana and it really calmed my heart.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We move again in search of a minotaur. After half an hour Alissa finds one and we sneak close to investigate.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I see a 2-meters tall monster. It has a ck bull face with tworge and sharp looking horns pointing forward, an incredibly muscr ck human body that would make a bodybuilder blush, a disgustinglyrge horse penis dangling about, and muscr ck horse legs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We immediately turn away, Alissa and Roxanne are blushing, Hana shrugs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"If it''s too big it''s no fun you know, pain is still pain," she says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">After 2 more embarrassing encounters with male minotaurs we find a female. The embarrassment is not much better, the female has 4rge human breasts and a visible vagina between the legs, no pubes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Maybe this wasn''t such a good idea," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"W-we can handle it. I-it''s not so bad, we will get used to it," Alissa says while blushing.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I breath in deeply and summon a veryrge and tough earth elemental. Once Hana and Alissa let out their arrows I let it charge and stay back.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"MOOOOO!" The female bovine roars.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The minotaur immediately charges towards the elemental with its horns pointed forward. The two sh and the horns get stuck in the chest of the elemental who grabs the minotaur while Hana and Alissa fill it with arrows.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I cast a few [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Lightning Bolts</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] and it helps stop the minotaur from struggling for a while. The minotaur can''t escape, this is the strongest elemental I can make, it''s made specifically to be used to bear-hug the enemies to death. It has arms made of lead and there''s a hook on one hand and a loop on the other, once the lock is made there''s no escape.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The minotaur receives multiple arrows to the chest, nk, and neck. It starts to choke on blood and has difficulty breathing. The elemental hugs harder and ribs crack. After a few minutes the minotaur stops struggling and goes limp, it''s dead.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That was easy," Roxanne says, stretching.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Well, it did use a huge amount of my mana. Also, the dew made it weaker," I answer.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ah well, I guess I can''t start rxing yet," and she lets out a smirk.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I store the body in my "Items".


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Let''s go home, I wanna rest tomorrow, the sses start at the 1<span style="font-weight: 400">st<span style="font-weight: 400">."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">They all nod and we move towards the town again. Alissa evades the monsters easily. We go back the way we came and enter the ck door.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We get out and the ground is incredibly wet and muddy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It rained while we were inside," Alissa says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I had actually never seen it rain since I came here," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Dry season is ending," Roxanne says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We move away from the exit when Alissa senses an unknown monster.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">A cute little thing appears. It''s a half-meter tall white bunny, its cute pink paws appear when it jumps forward, its cute little pink nose twitches when it smells us, and its cute little eyes look at us. Then it charges towards Hana and opens it''s mouth, showing an impressive set of bloody and sharp teeth. Hana skewers it at the same time Alissa puts an arrow through its body.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Aaahh..." I let out a moan.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ooh, a Rabid Rabbit, lucky we found one, they are always being hunted so much around here," Hana says while waving the body around.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh, I leveled up. A-anyway, just store it in your [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Item Box</em><span style="font-weight: 400">]," Alissa says in a worried tone.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana stiffens for a moment and stores the corpse, she cleans her spear and we continue moving.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We finally reach the border of the Sea of Trees and we see a cloudy grey sky.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"A bit depressing," Roxanne says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I like rainy days. Specially with some calming music," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hm, I understand," Alissa says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I pull out the dinghy and we go back home, I just cuddle with Alissa on the back row while Hana and Roxanne cuddle on the front row. My heart still feels messy, I need some time to recuperate my energy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">During bath I make out and enjoy Roxanne while Hana puts Alissa to sleep with her hands. Roxanne has something very alluring on her that I can''t exin, when she puts in some effort she can look so sexy I feel intoxicated, is this the effect of "Charisma"? I just know she healed my heart a little more, when the airhead goes away she can be quite gentle and loving.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It was nearly sunset when we passed the north gate. We are all tired so I ask Alissa to not make dinner, we just eat an "Items"-ready meal.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I go to sleep immediately with Alissa in my arms, Hana and Roxanne are together tonight.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Today is the 30<span style="font-weight: 400">th<span style="font-weight: 400">.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I wake up moaning, I feel warm and happy and a wet sensation between my legs. Morning piece of heaven again. It reinvigorates me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">My [Summoning Magic] increased by 3 (now 15+8), my [Mana Control] and [Mana Efficiency] raised by 1 (now 0+6 and 0+5) and my MP increased by 20 (now 510).


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa gained 1 point in [Bow Use] (now 23), 1 point in [Sense Presence] (now 6) and 1 point in [Hawk Eyes] (now 2). She has 5 points left.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Wolfy, you should visit Ciel. Tell her about the dungeon," Alissa says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You are noting?" I ask.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"No, you should talk to her alone. I wanna visit Selina.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I smile, I like that she''s wanting ro do things on her own, though right now it makes me a bit sad to be away from her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''ll go deliver the bounty tes to the guards," Hana says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Leave the minotaur in the backyard, I''ll milk it," Roxanne says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You can do it by yourself?" I ask Roxanne.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yeah, it doesn''t require [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Dismantling</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] so I''ll be fine, then you can take it to the guildter."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Thanks, you are all so helpful," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"No thanks needed, we are your soon-to-be wives," Alissa says a bit proud.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana goes to the guards HQ with the carpet and I ride Alissa to the temple, she will get me back once I finish. Hana doesn''t have much mana so she can''t use the dinghy, it''s not really mana efficient inparison to the carpet.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I get inside the temple and anxiously look for Ciel, not only I''m anxious to talk to her but I''m very conscious of hertely. I find her on the clinic and wait for a while until she has a break.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Good morning, Mr. Ryder. You wanted to talk?" Shees with a smile.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Y-yes, please…"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She stares at me for a moment then leads me to an empty room. I pull out some cookies and the hot tea Alissa prepared beforehand.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Thank you, I love these cookies. Now, is something bothering you?" She asks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I tell her about my encounter with the rapists. She looks at me very worried.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You froze and then you went berserk. It''s not umon but it''s rather unfortunate for you I guess, though finding wicked scum like that is a bit of… Bad luck," she cringes, she knows my nickname, "But what are your concerns about this?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I don''t want to freeze again, I''m the leader and I''m supposed to call the strategy for how to deal with them."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Doesn''t Miss Hanafuria have the most experience in dealing with these things?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Still. I have my pride as the leader, I want to have a clear head to make the right decisions, I want to change and be someone capable of protecting them on all situations."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I understand. Then what did you feel that made you freeze?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Fear, anger, self-hate, disgust, the image of them being raped in my mind, it''s such a storm of emotions I don''t know what to say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Ciel understands I''m hesitating to answer.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Then let''s think like this, what did you feel after you killed that man?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Disgust. I felt dirty, I felt I did something wrong and I was afraid of something doing the same to me."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Even though that man was considered evil by everyone in the world and would be executed on sight?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It''s just… yeah, I feel bad even though I knew he was evil. I also feel the same with monsters, I don''t wanna hurt them, I feel no pleasure in giving pain I just want to keep others safe."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Even monsters? Even though they have an unstoppable instinct to kill us all?" She seems a bit surprised.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes… I was born on a peaceful ce, I never fought until I came here. I just can''t let myself not feel guilty about it, I think I will lose a piece of myself if I don''t feel like this."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I see..." She nods, "Then why do you fight?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I have been thinking about this a lot.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Because I can, because I would feel bad if I didn''t try. I know I have talent so I have to help people to a certain extent, I won''t throw my life away but if I don''t at least try to fight I will feel bad about myself. And now I have something to protect, those warrior women depend on me and I depend on them. I have to fight and grow so I can be stronger for them."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh, so you are a peaceful man who realized your talent, your power. You fought for others even though it hurt, fought for your lovers even though you might fail. You havepassion for your enemies and feel no joy in giving them pain. You want to grow and fight more even though your heart wants to stop."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I remain still, stunned.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I kind of understand why you have 3 wives now," she smiles, "You are someone worthy of protecting and who can also protect."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"W-what? Why does that make me ''worthy''?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Plenty of monsters are made mirroring some property of us, this is why many of them look humanoid. Our minds and those of breeder-types are extremely simr, the main difference is that they have the instinct to kill us while we have an instinct to survive. This is why there will never be peace between us. They will always try to kill us, no matter how intelligent they are.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"So when we fight for our lives and exterminate with extreme prejudice some of us start to enjoy it. The feeling of your heart beating fast, the feeling of taking a life, the glory of winning, those things are addictive. But even the God of War wasn''t like this. Those who revel in the pain lose what makes them different from monsters, they acquire the instinct to kill and lose the instinct to survive. Among the hunters it''s difficult to find someone who''s not like this."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I fight for myself, because I enjoy it, because it''s my talent". I remember Targua''s words.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"To keep your humanity intact, to fight for others instead of yourself, to have a sense of duty in protecting others, to not throw away your own or your loved one''s lives. These aren''t really the marks of a hero, they are the marks of a great person. You don''t have to, or rather, you shouldn''t change to protect them, you shouldn''t change the core of who you are, but you should learn to control your emotions."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Control…"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It means you have to continue feeling this pain, this guilt, you shouldn''t look to discard it, you should look to control it."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It''s the same things Alissa told me after we killed our first Young Ogre. They don''t want me to change since that''s who they fell in love with, they want me to suffer, to continue this way and they will ease my suffering. They seeded for the most part.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You will need willpower, meditation, self-reflection and self-control."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Wait, one of these is a bit…


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"W-what falls under this ''self-control''?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"To not let yourself exaggerate on your hedonism to the point you hurt yourself. For this you need to be self-conscious about what is your limit, what is bringing you harm and what is actually that ''harm''."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I cough.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I-indulging myself… in my women, would be… consideredck of ''self-control''?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Ciel stops for a moment, she thinks and turns her head away. She''s blushing.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"T-that would be for you to decide."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"T-their love is w-what keeps me sane so… I don''t think it''s harmful."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I understand…"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I sigh. This world is painful, it''s full of death and grief. There''s no way out and I already created my roots here, this is my choice, my path, and I will see it through. I will live here and die of old age and have a big family and many children with each of my wives. I will protect them and keep them happy and they will do the same for me. There''s nothing else to be said, we will suffer yes, but we will do it together. Such is my vow to them and to this world, I will see it through!


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I feel something change within me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"My ''Sanity'' increased by one."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh? If you don''t mind can you tell me the value it is right now?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Eight."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Her eyebrows scrunch in concern.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It''s good it''s increasing but it''s still low."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I know that Roxanne, the one who lost a fiancee and wasted a part of her life has a value of 12, so mine really is low. Though it''s a bit convenient that my mental health can be analyzed with a single number.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Whatever you did that increased it continue doing. You had a change of heart or something a moment ago?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I renewed my determination to live in this world and remembered my vows to my fiancees."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That is good. Pray to the Goddess of Love then and she will help your loved ones in finding a way to support you better. Also pray to the Goddess of Will and she will help your mind stay together."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I will. Thank you. But my ''Willpower'' is already 15, isn''t my problem something else?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hm… perhaps. Since you are also a mage meditation shouldn''t have that much effect, then your problem could be either self-reflection or self-control."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I think its self-control, I already think to myself a lot.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ah, why doesn''t the God of Existence kill wicked people like those rapists?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"The humanoid gods aren''t omnipotent, the God of Destruction is also interfering with their powers, so praying is the best way to catch their attention. Wicked people like these would eventually meet their demise, but unfortunately they will bring a lot of pain until they do. Pain and suffering is also a part of our core, a realm with only pleasure and happiness would wither like the God of Order wished. And finally the humanoid gods wants us to grow and find new ways to deal with the pain, not just depend on them for everything."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I understand. It seems there''s no escape, this is just how life is."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">No matter which world or realm it is, evil will always exist.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"But... how do people get branded as wicked?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"There''s the Three Sins. Rape, sadistic torture and senseless murder. Perform any of these and you might get instantly branded. Branded as in, it will show in your ''Crimes''."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Gotta pay attention to the wording here, "sadistic" and "senseless", which means it''s not an absolute.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"The Lord or the temple can also perform a ritual to mark crimes in their status. Though I don''t know how it works, only that a Judge is the one with the authority to allow it to happen."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Well, these things aren''t really of my concern.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Thank you for your help, Ciel. I''m grateful for your guidance."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She lets a warm smile that tickles my heart.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m only doing my job. Thank you for talking to me and bringing me these cookies, they are delicious."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I chuckle and say my goodbyes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It''s still early to call Alissa, I have to kill a bit of time.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I go inside the temple look at the statue of the Goddess of Love. She''s a half-meter tall woman with butterfly wingsing out of her back, a pixie. She has a round face, plump cheekbones and a round nose. She''s smiling and looks friendly, like someone who overflows warmth out of her eyes. I should pray to her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hello, Goddess. I never prayed to you yet but I think you are already helping me. The women that I met, those 3 that became my fiancees and even Ciel, they are wonderful people, aren''t they? I don''t think I could have met such people in such a short amount of time if it wasn''t for someone interfering with my fate, my life is too good right now for it to be a coincidence.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I found 3 women who believe in me, trust in me and are in love with me, even the wed parts of me. I found a woman who has such a good heart and she even guides me on this scary world. Life is too good right now. Thank you for this and I hope you can help them, guide them, so we can help each other more.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I go to the back of the priests quarters and enjoy their small garden again. I sit on a chair and start thinking.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ah, so you were here," says a voice that tickles my ears.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Arantos sits on a chair in front of me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Good day, Mr. Arantos."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Good day, Mr. Ryder."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He turns towards the flowers and observes them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You were looking for me?" I ask, after a minute.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes. I wanted to ask you something," he slowly turns to me, his face is serious.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"What is it?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"What are your intentions with inviting Ciel?" He says, expressionless.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I freeze. This man is serious, he''s looking at me intently, he''s measuring my response, he''s measuring my soul. I don''t think I should lie to him, I don''t think I<em><span style="font-weight: 400">can</em><span style="font-weight: 400">lie to him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I think she would be really useful to the fellowship and also, if our rtionship progresses… p-perhaps I could propose to her..." I say, sweating. I ced my bets.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh what a relief!" Arantos breathes out and smiles.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Eh…?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"If it''s you perhaps you can make her leave this ce."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Eh…?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hohoh, it seems you arepletely unaware. Mr. Ryder, Ciel is 21, she''s passing the normal marriage age, it''s gonna be very difficult for her to find someone if she keeps running away."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I blink nkly at him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That girl… that woman, actually. She lived in the temple, then she fought for the temple, and now she lives<em><span style="font-weight: 400">for</em><span style="font-weight: 400">the temple. It''s time for her to do something for herself."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You… think she would be fine with me?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes, it seems you are the reason she found a new happiness and a new piety. But she still doesn''t want to cut the umbilical cord. Because she''s a priestess, if she doesn''t find love then the Goddess of Love will be very disappointed in her."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why would that be the case?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"The Goddess of Love is her favorite god, she prays for the children every day to give them happiness but she never prays for herself. It is very frustrating seeing her forgo her happiness for others, it is not fair no matter how virtuous she looks."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Self-sacrifice is not seen as a good thing?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That''s not self-sacrifice that''s merely running away from happiness," he frowns.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"If the head priest says this why doesn''t she listen?" Now I''m curious.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Because she''s running from her fears. This is her business so I can''t tell you more, but if it''s you she wille around and join you. I''ll put in a little bit of effort," he winks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"So you really trust me that much?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"She told me you have a blessing. Who am I to mistrust the gods?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Wow, blessings really are convenient.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You may not be the best man there is, since you know, you already have 3 others," -I repress my urge to cringe at his sharp gaze- "but you should be the best for her right now. Now I only wonder if you are trying for a blessing from the Goddess of Love, Mr. Ryder, four women! That''s a bit much, I sure hope you have the vigor to keep them all happy," and he smirks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Not even the priests are prudes in this world.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I can only thank you for your help and trust, head priest, I will certainly work hard to make her happy," I give a light bow.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Make sure you do. When she joins I would like for you to remember to have her visit once in a while, she''s like a daughter to me, I will certainly miss her," he looks at me with warm eyes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Understood."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I will be taking my leave, untilter, Mr. Ryder," he waves and leaves.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I stay there for a while, thinking. The head priest himself approved of me, ain''t that lucky?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">At 10:30AM I called Alissa back with the ring. When we reached home I saw she was in a really good mood. I guess I wasn''t the only one who benefited from a talk.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana got a good bounty, around 80 silver for each head. These guys were really scum, they called themselves Red Smile. They were acting on another dungeon and stealing from adventurers but they started killing people, that''s when the gods marked them as "wicked". Once the guards started hunting them they moved to this dungeon and got greedy. Bounty kills aren''t publicized but the word still gets out, so our fame grew a little more.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">After a simple lunch we go out to buy some new things. I found a bed big enough for 5 people. It costs 1 gold, a little expensive but I''m already thinking of Ciel. It''s called "Harem-sized". The vendor gave me a few smirks when he saw all of us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa found an ivy to put on one of the outside walls of the house and 2 string-of-hearts to hang on the stairs to the second floor. We found a magic stone candbrum, bedside lights and we also bought a few more books of children tales.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana got a decoration sword and shield to put in front of her room (that she barely uses) and with that we decided to order pieces of embroidered cloth to put in front of our rooms, Roxanne''s are going to be potion bottles, Alissa is gonna be a bow and arrow, and mine rows of elemental heads. Though the dark elemental is only a ck circle, no one wants to draw that nightmare.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa got a few sets of tablecloths and I found a nice painting of the fantastical roots and color patches of the Sea of Trees that we will put on the second floor.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa brings us to a narrow street and Hana smirks. Alissa lowers her head a bit and I think I saw her blushing. We stop in front of a store and I widen my eyes. I see lingerie.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"How did you find this shop?" Roxanne asks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I was taking a shortcut when… these clothes called my attention. I knew that Wolfy would like them as soon as I understood what they were for."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oooh yeah, we didn''t get some for Roxanne yet," Hana says and chuckles.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"What?" Roxanne looks confused.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She looks at me who''s frozen, then at Hana who has an evil smile, and then at Alissa who''s blushing and looking away.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh..." She realized, then she looks a little nervous.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Nobody touches Roxanne today, tonight she will be mine. We better find some lotion for her tail too," I order.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Roxanne squirms, fear and lust fight inside her heart.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Let''s go inside," I order again.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Lingeries, costumes, scents, oils and a separate section with toys that bring fear into my heart. Yes, this is a sex shop.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Buy panties for each one too," I whisper to Alissa, she nods and they all go to the lingerie section.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I look around and buy a few scented candles and oils, they really help when you want something morefortable and sensual. I go to the lingerie section and grab one of the not-synthetic pieces of lingerie.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Excuse me, what kind of cloth is this? How was it made?" I ask a female attendant who''s wearing a uniform a little too revealing.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"This is Snow Weave, it was made by the elves at the High Forest. It uses an extremely small needle moved entirely by [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Telekinesis</em><span style="font-weight: 400">]. Since it''s very weak it''s not popr but its spreading among the nobility around the continent."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">No surprises there, nobles are gonna be perverts like me no matter where you go. But now I have another reason to go to the High Forest.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You heard that Alissa, if we go to the High Forest we gotta remember to stock up."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa''s head rises from the clothing racks and she nods with a serious face. My fetishes are not something to be taken lightly.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I don''t see which clothes the women got so I''m getting anxious, I don''t want to ruin the surprise though so we go back home.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The bed took some effort to fit, we had to move the wardrobe and now there''s barely room for the bedsidemps, we can''t even walk besides the bed but at least we can all sleep together.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">After the strength exercise routine we take a rather quick and tense bath since nobody is touching anybody else and we have dinner. Alissa found not-cinnamon and introduced us to a very fragrant orc meat dish, it even impressed me, I only know one recipe with cinnamon and meat. Her cooking is improving.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">At the bed I turn on a fragrant candle and we wait for Roxanne to change. Shees out and I immediately put on my "Sex Maniac" build.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She''s wearing red, I realize maybe we should switch the colors of Hana and Roxanne. She has red gloves that reach the arm, a red and ck corset, redced panties, red stockings with a garter belt and delicate red high heels. With her tail and wings appearing she truly looks like a subus.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She slowlyes to me, her hips shake sensually as she walks, but I''m impatient, I grab her and throw her on the bed.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"N~AAH!"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I pass a bit of oil on my hand and I give Alissa the bottle, she puts it on her hand and grabs the tail. Hana grabs the bottle too.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"HAH…! Aaaahn~"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I stop her moaning with my mouth and we kiss passionately while I rub her nipples. Her body squirms with every stroke from Alissa and Hana turns her horns around to rub them too. As our kiss intensifies she lightly bites my tongue and pushes me away.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Fuck me! Now!" She orders.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I obey, she''s already wet. I thrust and she moans loud again, I go with full speed, maximum power. I pound into her with all my strength. She grits her teeth and her nails crave on my waist. Slowly I see her eyes turn white, it''s, uh, a little frightening.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">As we are in missionary I close her legs and put all my strength on it, incredible tightness shortens my time to a few minutes even though I''m holding it in. As I start to get a little warmed up I finish inside her. I pull it off and immediately Hana starts her work, her long tongue disappears inside Roxanne''s legs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I sit down and kiss Alissa and y with her body while I wait for round 2.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I minute goes by and I push Hana away and turn Roxanne, this time is from behind. I put her on a choke with one arm and pinch her nipples with the other and start thrusting again. The delicious smell of her perfume fills my nose and it gives me a boost in lust. The frequency of her moans didn''t slow down, she barely breathes anymore.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Her moans go faint and I bite her shoulder. I slow down and she starts moving by herself. I enjoy a small breather but she squeezes tight, I can''t hold it in, her pussy overflows.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hahahah… I make you cum… whenever I want," she says between moans.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We go back to the in between rounds position and I wait again. Hana now uses her fingers and they curve the same way I do, she easily reaches Roxanne''s g-spot. Round 3.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I grab her by her handles and skullfuck her mouth.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You need to learn a lesson, I''m the master here," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She chokes on my dick, she''s not as skilled as Alissa. I enjoy her tear-filled yet defiant and smiling face as she tries not to suffocate. She starts to pick up the technique, the pleasure and sensuality of seeing her deepthroating me shortens my endurance greatly. This time I let it out and finish directly on her throat.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Iy down to wait again. Hana never stopped, it''s amazing Roxanne didn''t pass out from asphyxiation, she''s just a doll we are using while she convulses in consecutive orgasms. Round 4.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I start fucking her again in missionary, putting all my power on speed while I pinch both her nipples. She grabs me and pushes me into the bed and starts to ride me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Soon enough you will be begging me to stop," she says and looks at me with evil eyes that prate my soul.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Oh boy this shaved off a dozen minutes of my endurance.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">That wicked body, the sexy smile, the softugh, those entrancing moves. I''mpletely charmed by her, she''s the only woman that exists on this world right now and my only reason of existence is to fuck her brains out.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I grab her waist and match her rhythm, the cadence is slow but the power is immense. The sound of our thighs smacking is the loudest thing in the room. I y with her clit, pinch her nipples and Hana keeps her mouth busy. I feel she''s getting close, she breaks the kiss and her moans intensifies until her body squirms. She arches her back and stops moaning, she squeezes me again and we cum together.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana cleans her pussy again with her mouth and I enjoy another breather. Alissa is furiously masturbating as always, I help her with my tongue. Round 5.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I grab Roxanne, lift her, and fuck her standing. We kiss and I sink my fingers on her small ass, I keep lifting it and forcing it down. Incredible momentum and the sounds seem to grow louder. I use all my strength and slow speed, but my physical stamina is decreasing and I have to drop her on the bed. Hana uses this chance and puts her tongue on her clit while I''m still fucking her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">In a minute she cums again and squeezes another one out of me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I try to rest but I''m almost done. Hana and Roxanne are on a 69, Hana is the one who''s losing, she slowly reduces her speed and barely manages to keep fingering Roxanne, now the dragon knows the real power of the subus. Round 6.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Once Roxanne sees my dick is up again she immediately mounts me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hah, you look like you are getting weaker," Roxanne says to me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She''s squeezing me again, my balls hurt, I can''t go on. I cum again.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Not fair. I''m… defeated," I say, out of breath.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa stops rubbing her tail. Roxanne jumps on Hana and dominates her. I just watch while I y with Alissa.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hana likes it rough so Roxanne is savage, if she weren''t a dragonkin that pussy would be bleeding. Roxanne licks, sucks and bites, she moves her hands and slowly finds every weak spot on Hana. The proud dragon now bends and recoils from the touch of a frail woman.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"FUCK!" Hana screams.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She''s getting attacked on her G-spot but she has no strength to counter, slowly she stops attacking and has to give her all to defend her dignity. But it''s all in vain, after a good while Hana crawls besides me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"She… defeated us..." Hana mutters.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Truly a sex demon," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"She, ahn~, has infinite, ahn~, stamina," Alissa says amid moans.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">While Roxanne is catching her breath I intensify and finish Alissa.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">As I watch Alissa convulse in orgasms I feel a twitch. Roxanne quickly turns her gaze to me, to my dick, precisely. It''s getting up again. Her smile gives me shivers.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh god," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Round 7.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I felt like I was dying.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Today is the 1<span style="font-weight: 400">st<span style="font-weight: 400">of the 7<span style="font-weight: 400">th<span style="font-weight: 400">month.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa wakes me up excitedly.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Wolfy, Wolfyyy! Hana! Roxanne!" She jumps on all of us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">After making sure we are all not groggy anymore she tells us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I got a blessing from the Goddess of Love! Also, 2 levels in cooking. But a blessing! I never expected this, specially from her!"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Her tail wags excitedly and the others apud in happiness. I''m dumbfounded.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Not even the gods see you as a ve anymore, Alissa. For them you are the loving wife who needs to support her soon-to-be husband," Hana says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa freezes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That''s right! I thought it was a bit wrong for me to be the one to propose first, so I''m d you got the recognition for your efforts, you are the one with the deepest connection to Wolfy," Roxanne adds.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I just smile and hug her. I don''t care what anyone might say, if even the gods recognize us then there''s no doubt we have true love between us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I feel I changed too. My "Strength" increased by 1 (now 9) and my [Enhanced Semen Recharge] increased by 1 (now 3), my "Piety" increased by 2 (now 12) and most important of all, my "Sanity" increased by 4 (now 12).


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It''s like I''m seeing more colors, the world is more vibrant and my mind is clearer, this is such a heartwarming feeling. I tell them what I feel.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"The blessing..." Alissa looks at me with wide eyes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It must be the blessing," Roxanne nods.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You are fated to be together," Hana says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Iugh, such a crazy world. We are bounded together and I think it''s intentional. I have a curse that I can''t sleep without her and now she has a blessing that helps when she''s near me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Well, thank you Goddess of Love. I prayed to her yesterday and she already answered."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">This morning Alissa and Roxanne are beaming with happiness while me and Hana are tired but satisfied.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I use [Summon Small Golem] twice, it''s a level 15 spell while the elementals are level 20. These golems are yellow y dolls the size of a toddler but with the dexterity of an adult. I never used it before because they are useless inbat but now I understand they can be somewhat useful servants, we can use them to slowly clean the house and to help in preparing some ingredients. Our own little Roombas.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">This morning they are going to make mayonnaise for us, surprisingly people don''t know about it here. Perhaps they are afraid of using raw eggs but I can use [Diagnosis] and level 20 [Light Magic] [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Purify Body</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] if it really makes us sick.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Me and Alissa go to the hunters guild first. We will report to them the blessing and then sell the monsters, after that we will report to the temple too. Even if it keeps attracting attention to me I learned it''s good to let people know about blessings, doors open much easier with them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We enter the guild and we spend some time looking at the requests. It''s busy right now because this is the time most new requests are posted and the hunters look for jobs. I feel Alissa stiffen and I turn to her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Are you ''Good Luck'' Ryder?" A raspy male voice asks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa is ring at a tall, muscr, tanned, and scarred man. He has a buzz cut and a jaw so sharp it could cut. His eyes re at me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why do you ask?" My posture stiffens but I manage to maintain a poker face.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"A small boy like you got the Symbol and now the Red Smile? Gotta be a joke," he scoffs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why do you care?" Alissa says in a cold voice.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Can''t let the others get fooled by lies, if someone where to rely on a fraud they would only meet death," he takes a step forward.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa stands between us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"There''s no need for master to prove himself or to waste time with low-life''s like you."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He takes forward another step.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You let your women do the talking for you? Do they also hold your cock as you take a piss?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"She''s right, though," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He takes another step.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You should know I''m a magic swordsman, if you take another step I will sic a dark elemental on you."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">His scornful expression turns into a re. The guards put their hands on their swords. Dark elementals are born out of nightmares, they attack by inflicting pain and suffering to others, they are especially strong against humanoids.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The man stares at me, he''s trying to see if I''m bluffing or not. The people around us already gave us arge space.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I summon arge Kangal dog, he growls at him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You still doubt me?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The surroundings gasp, I know summoning magic takes a while to chant but I can do it instantly, this should be enough to make me look dangerous.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I notice a pang of fear in him but he quickly controls it and his fearsome expression returns. Heughs and shrugs, then he turns away and leaves, finally the guards rx. I let out a sigh and control my rapidly beating heart. After the rapists dealing with a bully seems easy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Using offensive magic is the same as drawing your sword, it''s a serious offense, but magic is all mages have. Mages are bad in close quarters but fighting them bare-handed is impossible, so picking a fight with a mage is either suicide or you are about to do something serious. Summoning an elemental here would be right on the border of crossing the line.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Still, if I didn''t do it like this the other bullies around will think I''m easy pickings. Hunters are proud andpetitive, they like to brawl and measure their dicks, this town is specially aggressive because of the Sea of Trees. I tried to avoid spending too much time here as this situation is something that could happen but I guess I got too famous too quickly. You have to nip it in the bud or they wille back.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Let''s nevere here alone," Alissa says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Agreed. But I''m surprised he knew about the Red Smile so quickly."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Perhaps they had aplices. Groups like these don''t sprout from nothing," she whispers to me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Bounty hunting is a dangerous job, it attracts much more attention than hunting monsters.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I see a request asking for confirmation of sightings of a dragon, I have a bad feeling about this.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why did you call me ''master'', though? You can call me by my name in public."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ah… um. I slipped, eheheheh," she scratches her head.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I shrug at her adorableness.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Let''s finish things here quickly," I say.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We find a female attendant and give her Alissa''s ID, she inspects it and then frowns, it''s the sex skills, right? Then her eyes open wide. The attendant hurriedly goes away and thenes back a minuteter and returns the ID.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We go to the dismantling room and enter since its open.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh, good morning Mr. Ryder. Should I call Sonny?" Gordon asks with a smirk.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Sorry to disappoint but I only got normal monsters this time."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Gordon makes an exaggerated disappointed face.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"But anyway, do you ever take a break? You are the only one I ever saw here."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Why should I since I can get a share of the meat the hunters bring? I''m getting my lunch and dinner right here, right now," he says with a smile and spreads his arms.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I guess this job might be heaven if you are a meat enthusiast.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I pull out the proofs we got, the needles and the bodies of the Burkanolf, the huge Zinotue and the milked minotaur.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You said ''normal'' but these are quite the catch. Hahah, even you have your expectations warped by now."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I shrug.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">There''s nothing special so we take our rewards and leave. We get 20 silver per body.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Every so often there''s a priest about reciting some prayer out loud. There''s always a few people praying along. Alissa tells me today starts the month of Prayer and this is one of the traditions of the Festivals of Seasons.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We go to the temple and we find Ciel at the orphanage refereeing a game with the children. She looks at us with curiosity when we approach. We greet each other.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Miss Ciel, this is amazing, I got a blessing from the Goddess of Love!" Alissa excitedly tells her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Ciel opens her eyes wide and slowly gives a wide smile. Then she looks at me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I can only guess why."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We let out shy chuckles.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You want to register it? The temple would be very interested in hearing your story."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes, we came here to do this."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Even though the story is personal since it''s mostly about my mental health, Alissa will tell it without sharing too much of the embarrassing details.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I don''t think the temple registered your blessing too, Mr. Ryder. Would you like to tell your story also?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I get a little ufortable. I got the blessing because I told I was going to help and bring some of the knowledge from Earth, this is not something I can tell the temple yet and I can''t lie to them. Alissa knows this.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I can''t, it''s too personal for me."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I understand, there''s no obligation to do it," Ciel hurriedly responds. She knows I''m reserved.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Ciel calls another priest to continue as referee to this strange game and leads us to a consultation room inside the temple. She brings 2 other priests, Arantos and a scribe.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa starts her story. She was born as a ve and trained on how to be a tool, she abandoned her dreams of living a quiet life, of marrying and having children, of exploring the world in an adventure, of learning arts and crafts, of indulging in books and ys. She made peace in her heart that she will be forever a tool, a ve, she only wished to bring pride to her n. She always prayed for the God of War and the God of Endurance to have the power to be the perfect servant. Then she was bought by me and started serving me with pride.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She quickly realized I''m not someone who treats others like tools, which made her feel insecure in her duty. She found the kindness in me when she saw that I felt pity for monsters and hated hurting them. She pleaded to me to rely on her so she would keep my heart protected, which she believed it is something precious in this world and needs to be protected. She didn''t need power to protect my body, she needed power to protect my heart.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It worked, as I had no more nightmares about killing and felt secure near her. As I relied more on her and the other women, our love progressed and we decided to marry. She no longer simply saw herself as a tool, she wanted to grow her heart so she could share it with me. That''s how she would help my heart keep together.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">But it wasn''t enough and I felt a deep wound when I was forced to kill the Red Smile. So she guided me to Ciel again, she knew that only her love is not enough, she needed more help from the outside. Ciel guided me to pray, not to gather more power to myself, but to the ones who helped me. As I acknowledged the effort of my lovers and prayed to the Goddess of Love, she saw we understood each other and granted Alissa her blessing. This blessing wasn''t just the Goddess showing her appreciation, it was a true gift that now helps my mental well being.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Even though the most embarrassing details are hidden I''m still blushing heavily. Even though Alissa is also blushing her voice is strong and she continues the story without shame or fear. I have to control my heart every time Alissa mentioned she loved me, it moves my heart too much.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">A female priest hides her face and I hear her sniffle. Arantos is smiling at me and gives me a wink. Ciel is both embarrassed since she''s part of the story and happy at what has been told.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"There''s not much else to say besides a heartfelt thank you, Mr. Ryder and Miss Alissa," Arantos says," For sharing such an intimate story you give us the knowledge and security in confirming that we are guiding others in the right path. Your names will be blurred but the story of this blessing will help many others in the future. Pleasee back and tells us more one day.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The scribe finishes writing, then Arantos motions and they all leave, except for Ciel.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m shocked… You truly are someone special Mr. Ryder," she says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I want to deny but me and Alissa having a blessing is a bit much, if my women decided to call me Mr. Hero I would have little strength to stop them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I wish I wasn''t, I''ll just deal with it and move on quickly."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Sheughs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Sounds like you."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We say our goodbyes and go back home. We warn the girls about what happened in the guild and give a quick retell of what happened at the temple, their worried faces turn into embarrassed smiles. Even though we are not embarrassed near each other, telling others these things makes even Hana shy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The summoned golems are being helpful so there''s not much to do. We just enjoy a calming cooking session.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">After lunch Alissa will take me to the university, there are morning sses but they aren''t popr though, no one here is as insane as those on Earth who think 7AM sses are a good idea. Roxanne will make some potions for selling and Hana will train in the guild''s training grounds.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hana, you only use [Pain Conversion] with me right...?" I shyly ask.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ahn? Yeah, it would be disgusting to do it with anyone else. Wait… are you jealous...?" She stares at me. I try to make a poker face, I fail, "Hah! Yes that''s it!"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Shees and buries my head in her breasts.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"This freakish woman is all yours, body and soul. No one will ever give me the same pleasure as you do, except Roxanne," she coughs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Your choice of words concerns me but I understand the sentiment."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Sheughs.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">This helps in reducing my anxiety.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The university is bustling with activity, young and old, cute, to strange, to tough, traditional clothing, to uniforms, to exotic. There''s an even bigger carnival of colors here.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I''m rather lucky I''m considered a researcher, normal students requires a uniform. A grey jacket with the symbol of the university woven over the heart, a grey jumper with a ck stripe at the cor, a cored in white shirt, in ck low leather shoes, and grey pants. For women the dark red skirts with ck thighs are optional. A ck robe with the university''s symbol and a pointy hat is given to everyone to use, even after they graduate.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa drops me in front of a ssroom building, I wish I had more time to explore the many other facilities here but I''m always busy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We share a goodbye kiss and Alissa runs away. I sigh and stare at the building for a while. I feel a change within me, my sanity dropped back to 8 and the world gets nder.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Well shit, it seems the range of that blessing isn''t very long. I half expected something like this. I''ll tell Alissater, but she''s probably gonna be concerned in leaving me alone from now on.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The ssrooms are concrete buildings with a bit of Gothic decoration over the windows and door archways. The statuary is very warm and awe-inducing, it has knights, mages, depictions of weapons, ingredients, books and magic tools. It has plenty of colored shining stones and the walls are painted with warm colors around the range of blues and greens.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">My schedule is [Space Magic] today, then [Nature Magic] tomorrow, then [Electric Magic], then [Blessing Magic] then finally training for [Reduced Mana Cost].


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I enter the ss and feel a somewhat nostalgic but also distressing feeling. The ssroom is full of uniformed teenagers and children, most are near my age, there''s not a single researcher there. I''m back in high school.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I stop and scan the room for an empty seat. The whole ss turns to me, a few students hastily sit down. Hold on…


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Good morning, professor," says a girl on the first row.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I reflexively cover my eyes with my hand and cringe.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m not the professor, I''m a researcher."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Murmurs and snickers start. Yep, high school. I sit down on thest row, no need to put more eyes on my back. Soon enough the ss ispletely full, there must be nearly 100 chairs here.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I pull out my notes and the introduction book I was lent, you have to pay a deposit that will cover any damage to this book. It''s a hardback leather book, a little yellowed and old but still perfectly usable and even has that nice smell of old book.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">It''s exactly 1PM, a nostalgic bell chimes and in a minute a gnome appears. Gnomes are half-meter tall, white bearded, pink-skinned, chubby, cute, and round-faced little men. They are a male-only race who depends on pixies, a female-only race, to procreate. It''s rather rare to find one away from Gnomeria. This one has their cultural red cone hat with a simple blue baggy robe. A garden gnome, I have to work very hard to suppress myughter.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He walks towards the front and floats towards the professor''s table.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Good afternoon, little ones. I''m professor Ludwick Wicksloptcut," his voice is rather high pitched and raspy, "My specialty is [Space Magic] and [Earth Magic]. As you can see, I''m a gnome and we have very little physical strength, on the contrary of dwarves who absorb the powers from the earth and acquire strength, gnomes require to use [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Telekinesis</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] and [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Item Box</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] to move nearly everything worth moving, so we became masters of [Space Magic]."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He scans the room and his eyes pause on me for a moment.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Let''s do a quick introduction, please say your full name if you have it, where youe from, and if you have any specialty you already acquired please announce for us. It is always a good thing to share what we know," he smiles while looking at me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The professor gives a remark or two after each introduction and quickly moves on. Most have one or two skills, likely one or two points in a magic from one of the 5 basic elements, earth, wind, fire, water and electricity. It seems these are the mostmon magic schools because they are easier to understand.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m Wolf Ryder and Ie from a far awaynd. My specialty is Summoning, and I know a bit of Light, Blessing, Electric and [Nature Magic]."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You are the newest researcher with the blessing from the Goddess of Knowledge, right?" He asks with a smile.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Murmurs start again. What''s the point of this?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I see, we eagerly await the results of your research."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He smiles and continues the introductions.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m Lyle Rizek, I was born in the capital Mac Gantus, my specialty is [Electric Magic]," says a young boy with a round face, ck disheveled hair and a very well made uniform. He''s the poster child of innocence.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Rizek? Could it be a rtive of the old mage who bought the Symbol at the auction?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We finish the introductions and the professor starts the lesson. Space magic is basically maniption of gravity. [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Telekinesis</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] is the maniption of gravity to every single atom on the target object at the same time, [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Gravity Crush</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] is self exnatory, [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Item Box</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] is a cut in our space by opening a temporary hole where neither gravity nor time exist, [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Gate</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] is basically a "wormhole" from science fiction.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The exnation is very roundabout, it seems they do not have such a clear understanding of this magic. But I have actual knowledge of physics from Earth so it bes much easier to understand.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Since gravity bends space and time, perhaps this magic school should be called "Gravity Magic" instead. Though so far there''s no mention of a spell that maniptes time except [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Item Box</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] which freezes an object in time.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Perhaps I could create a "Time Magic" school if I dedicate myself to it, though I''m not<em><span style="font-weight: 400">that</em><span style="font-weight: 400">knowledgeable about this part of physics. Creating new magic skills require a strong will, good [Mana Control] and a deep knowledge about what you want to create, I''m not exceptional in any of these requirements.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">This ss has been basically an introduction to math, kinematics and mechanics. They don''t seem to have any deep knowledge about astronomy, which would help in understanding the principles of gravity since it''s the most visible when observing the stars.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Perhaps this is a limitation of this world, the stars could be just a simple background instead of gigantic balls of burning matter. Is this world even round? Do we even have an orbit around the sun? Before the God of the Sun existed the length of days and nights could be influenced by magic on the surface, so perhaps "space" is a bit different here.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">While the teacher talks I start to get bored so Ipractice [<em><span style="font-weight: 400">Telekinesis</em><span style="font-weight: 400">] on my magic pen. Its different than moving it by hand, you apply gravity and the pen elerates on the direction of the gravity you applied. Turning is very awkward, you have to apply a counter gravity do decelerate and then the gravity in the direction you want to go. It''s basically flight in zero-gravity plus a bit of drag from air. Reminds me of space-flight simtors.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I feel the world gets brighter and a minuteter the bell chimes, it''s exactly 3PM. I go out and Alissa is waiting for me at the entrance to the ssroom building, we have a 30 minute break. We go to the buffet nearby, it''s basically a bakery mixed with a restaurant, the restaurants in the universities on Earth got nothing on this one.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The buffet is a square building where each side has a covered area with enough tables andvish cushioned chairs for at least 1000 people. The second floor is actually a restaurant as the tables can be reserved and a waiting staff is ready to serve. An engraved path shows the directions the students should move through and were the lines should form, like a car road for people.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Inside there''s a myriad of expensive snacks and sweets along with tea and juice choices. I don''t stare much since it''s just going to provoke my stomach. The prices are all rather expensive and Alissa could actually make a good deal of them if I wished to, also, aside from the afternoon tea and chocte I''m not that much of a snack person.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I don''t buy anything. With the milk from the minotaur Alissa prepared a small cupcake with cream for us and some mild tea to go with it, it''s citric with tones of lemon. The other girls already got their cupcakes, we have to share fairly everything Alissa makes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"The blessing stops working if you go too far," I tell Alissa.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She looks dejected. I let out a small chuckle.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"There''s no need to be so sad, it''s not like I''m gonna go insane just because you aren''t nearby, the only change is that the world looks a bit nder. I believe the only problem would happen when you are far away for a long time, but then I would already be suffering from nightmares."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Still, I thought my love for you would be enough to heal you."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m a bit ufortable to say this but I think I''m cursed," I smile bitterly, "This situation with my nightmares and ''Sanity'' level is just too ridiculous to be just a trauma. I have some knowledge of psychology from Earth and this is too much."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You think so? But why doesn''t it show on your ''Status Effects''?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Perhaps it''s rted to why I was sent here and why I have the ability to manipte skills, it''s something beyond thews of this realm."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Something beyond…"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa looks at the distance and thinks. Someone is approaching us.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hello, Mr. Ryder," says a student. It''s Lyle Rizek, he''s followed by another boy and a girl.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Sorry to interrupt your break, but I had to talk to you, brother Dennis didn''t tell me you were the one with the blessing."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Dennis? From Thunder Storm?" I ask.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hohoh, he will be happy you remember."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Well I''m not happy to have to remember him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Hm, oh, is there an old mage in your family specialized in [Electric Magic] that''s part of the lords court?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Wow, you met grandfather Werner?" He smiles wildly.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Not really, just saw him from a distance."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Still, must have been a very interesting asion. Ah, was it during the auction of the Symbol of Hate?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes, that was it."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa keeps a poker face but I know she''s annoyed by looking at her tail, I share your sentiment.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Please have a seat," she motions to them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"This is my fiancee, Alissa," I present her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I told Alissa to never show the ve mark, they don''t know she''s (still) my Blood ve.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">They sit but look at me dumbfounded. Lucky for us the cupcakes are already gone, Alissa pulls average cookies for them.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I-I''m Garanae Taranoa," says the male student. He''s tall and strong with square face and thin eyes. He has white-blond short hairbed backwards. He has a strong and confident atmosphere. His gaze is locked on Alissa, I already don''t like him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">He said hisst name, is he a noble too? Also, what''s with these names full of a''s, is this part of the local culture?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m Ha-Hatara," A thin girl with ck hair, green eyes and a long ponytail. She has a protruding thin chin andrge lips, rather cute. She looks scared and twitchy. She''s also staring at Alissa, don''t tell me you swing that way?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I''m Lyle Rizek."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Garanae, Miss Hahatara, Mr. Rizek," Alissa says and nods towards each."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"No, i-it''s actually Hatara."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa tilts her head in confusion. Cute.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh, I see, Miss Hatara," she corrects herself, "Tea?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Only Garanae epts.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Mr. Ryder, why are you at the beginners courses?" Lyle asks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I learned magic differently, I have to make sure I''m not missing anything important in my foundation otherwise I will suffer in the more advanced courses."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Differently? Where do they teach magic differently than the one taught here?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"On my homnd, a far away ce," I smile innocently.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">They raise their eyebrows.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Where would that ce be?" Lyle insists.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"A far away ce," I keep my smile frozen.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Garanae res at me. I have no intention of lying about my past, even with Roxanne''s knowledge about her continent it''s not enough, it would be difficult to create a convincing lie. Instead of lying I prefer that people think I''m reserved and unapproachable. Adventurers don''t care about each other pasts or birthces, but other people aren''t like this, specially people like Lyle and Garanae, who seem toe from noble families or at least rich households.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I see… Are you a noble?" Lyle stares me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Something like this," I lie.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"What…?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"On my homnd I''m not amoner but not really a noble, it''s difficult to exin."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The lord of thisnd is very pragmatic since Rabanara is basically an isted small piece ofnd, he can''t deny the help of the adventurers so he has a close rtionship with them. But that''s not the same for other nobles, specially for someone like Lyle who was born in the capital, he might not befortable talking tomoners. Not being seen as amoner is the best but I can''t lie that I''m actually a noble, nobles have the title "True Noble" or "Noble Descendant" on their status screen.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Lyle furrow his eyebrows and sighs. Did you finally decide to stop prodding me?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Then perhaps you are like me, I''m a mage knight''s daughter," says Hatara.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes, something like that," I say and smile to her.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Thanks for the help on my lie, knights are abovemoners but not considered nobility.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">She''s shy, she immediately looks away and Garanae res harder.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh, I understand," Lyle looks pensive.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Did you truly defeat the Symbol of Hate?" Garanae suddenly speaks.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Yes, what did you hear about me?" I raise an eyebrow.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You bravely took the sword to the Symbol, you cornered it but due to its inhuman agility it managed tond a blow on one of yourpanions. To not risk anymore lives you charged into it and held it in ce long enough for the mages to destroy it with a powerful and fearsome spell," he retells the tale with a stern expression."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"From the way you speak you only heard it from a bard. It''s a bit of an exaggeration."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Bards exaggerate everything to make it more dramatic and to fit the song better.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"So it seems," he says and narrows his eyes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Me and Alissa send a re to him.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Did you ever fight a monster before, Mr. Taranoa? Fights are never glorious like the bards tell."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Garanae grunts and looks away. His clothes are as fine and impable as Lyle''s, he''s likely a noble who had a life more sheltered than even Earth-me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"You shouldn''t forget the others who where there. The man who valiantly held against the Symbol along side me, he threw himself at the monster to give me a chance. The mage girl who kept hitting the monster spell after spell and distracting its attention. Alissa who was there and kept hitting its eyes with her arrows, reducing its speed and even saving my otherpanion from death. And finally Roxanne, my other fiancee who endured a spider leg going through her stomach and used her genius magic to explode the Symbol."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Oh shit, I forgot about the other archer guy.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Ooh~..." Lyle is a bit interested.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh..." Hatara looks scared.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"..." Garanae is silent "… Wait, another fiancee?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I blush slightly, can''t help it.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Well… after fighting to the death together it''s easy to develop feelings towards each other."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Alissa nods and the others look surprised. Garanae then turns his surprise into a frown, he looks at Alissa then at me.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"How shameless! How many other women are you going seduce?!"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"G-Gara, that''s rude," Lyle interjects.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I actually have a 3<span style="font-weight: 400">rd<span style="font-weight: 400">fiancee," I say and smile.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"T-three… h-how do you..." Lyle stutters.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Hatara is blushing. Garanae is even more angry. Should I tell them I n on adding another?


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"There''s still room for one more," Alissa says and winks at Hatara.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Her face goes red and she looks down.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"L-Lyle! Let us go, It''s better not to associate with men with such warped morals," Garanae stands up and leaves in a hurry, the other 2 follow him while stunned.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I watch them go away and look at Alissa, who looks satisfied. I''m enjoying her slight personality change.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Thank you, thatst attack was perfect."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Eheheheh," she shows her tongue, "I enjoyed it, too. People with such sense of honor won''t mix well with us."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I agree. But why are they like this? Doesn''t the gods approve of polygamy?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Not explicitly. From what I understood some people believe that adding more than one person turns love into pure lust and they don''t ept that as a valid marriage."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Even if the gods are present during the wedding ceremony?"


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"It''s not like that, the gods only interfere when things turn really bad, so a not-so-bad marriage can exist while still being invisible to the gods."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"I guess it''s why wicked people still exist."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Exactly."


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We spend the rest of the break cuddling and getting stares. Then the bell chimes and the ss resumes.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Garanae sends me a re when he enters, Lyle looks a little sad and Hatara avoids my eyes. Oh wait, Hatara might actually believe Alissa was serious, this is kinda bad.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">I sigh as the world loses color again and focus on the lesson. The professor actually taught us integration and derivation to calcte loads, I kind of didn''t miss this from my graduation on Earth. It''s somewhat surprising that the amount of students having problems is small, there''s not really a well-made public school system here so they all must have had been taught this at home.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">At 6PM the world gets color again and the bell chimes. School''s over, time to unt my cool mount to the other teenagers and bask in the glory I never had during my teen years.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">Some of them have their own flying tools and immediately bring them out with a *poof*, filling the air with flying robed figures, but no one has arge orange fox that they can ride and run among the crowds. Alissa can show off her acrobatics by jumping over people or jumping on the wall and jumping again. I''m a bit worried the guards mightin, though.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">We get home and soon enough Hana appears, all sweaty and tired, but with her traditional fearsome smile. With that we can have our usual bath together.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Wee home son, how was you first day of school?" Asks Roxanne in a childish tone.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Mommy~, someone wanted to bully me because I have 3 fiancees," I answer on the same tone.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"Oh? What a naughty child, don''t mind him, he''s only jealous of all the filthy and freaky sex we are having," Hana enters the stupid joke.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">"That might actually be true," Alissa says.


    <span style="font-weight: 400">


    <span style="font-weight: 400">The season of the starchy vegetables is starting, we get not-french fries and some minotaur meat that Alissa found now that she''s confident in her cow meat appraisal abilities. After that it''s more cuddling while Alissa and Roxanne read and then bed, nobody has the stamina because of yesterday.
『Add To Library for easy reading』
Popular recommendations
Shadow Slave Beyond the Divorce My Substitute CEO Bride Disregard Fantasy, Acquire Currency The Untouchable Ex-Wife Mirrored Soul